RADICAN'S TAKE RADICAN: TALES FROM THE PULPIT 7/7: C.M. Punk's title win validates everything I wrote in 2004 Jul 7, 2008 - 1:54:09 PM

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By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

Updated Monday June 7, 2008

So who did Torch Editor Wade Keller call after C.M. Punk captured the Championship of the World last Monday to discuss Punk's days in ROH and the events that lead up to his shocking victory last Monday? Well, it wasn't me, but I’ll add my two cents even though he didn’t ask.

In 2004 when I began covering ROH for this very site and newsletter, people complained about the coverage of ROH. It didn't matter they said. We don't want to buy tapes through the mail and the production values suck were other complaints I heard from the loyal subscribers and readers of the PWTorch (or is it PWTorch?).

To this very day I fight for the coverage of ROH in this newsletter. Sometimes I can get the other staffers to submit roundtables for ROH DVDs and PPVs, but mostly, I’m left to depending on Pat McNeill, James Caldwell, and Justin Parker now that Wade Keller yanked Jamie Penick away from me (save for some rare reviews he’ll submit from time to time).

I’m not advocating that ROH fill up the entire newsletter, but I think Punk’s win validates my belief four years ago that the wrestlers in the company are the future of the industry. It seems like it was just the other day when I was salivating over the C.M. Punk vs. Raven feud and shortly after that, the C.M. Punk vs. Samoa Joe feud that helped save the company after the Feinstein incident nearly caused them to shut their doors for good with three epic encounters during the course of 2004.

I look at ROH today and I see many talents that could potentially be big stars in WWE or TNA. Who would have thought four years ago that C.M. Punk and Samoa Joe would be on the top of their respective companies? Sure, ROH is running PPVs and has contracted talent, but in some ways, I think the company will always be the place where the stars of tomorrow get their start.

Nigel McGuinness could very easily be the next C.M. Punk of TNA or WWE. He’s so talented and charismatic that it’s not a stretch in my eyes that one day he’ll be in the top tier of one of the two major companies in America carrying gold around his waist (no I’m not referring to the X Division title or the IC title either).

C.M. Punk’s win this past Monday brought back a lot of great memories for me. In 2003, I couldn’t wait for the next ROH release to come out to hear the next promo from Punk on Raven or the Prophesy lead by Christopher Daniels. The DVDs were all a treat for me to watch back then and they still are in many ways these days as well. With C.M. Punk and Samoa Joe on top of the wrestling world, things have truly come full circle.

Email Sean Radican.

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