The build for ROH’s next iPPV, “Final Battle 2011,” began on the Oct. 22 broadcast via the Sinclair affiliated networks that air the show in syndication. One big question heading into the show is whether or not the ROH talent is capable of talking fans into attending the show and buying the iPPV by the time the show takes place on Dec. 23.

The company has done a good job with several talents introducing them with interviews weaved into video packages. There is no doubt that Davey Richards and Roderick Strong have been two of the stronger wrestlers that have been presented compellingly on television. On the other hand several acts have been introduced through similar video packages to mixed results.

There are a little less than two months until “Final Battle 2011” takes place and one big change the company needs to make is to clearly define how the talent is presented. Over-the-top acts such as Truth Martini and Mike Mondo don’t fit into the larger picture defined by the stronger interviews presented by Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, and Roderick Strong amongst others. The company needs take a look at how they present talent and make sure it’s not turning new viewers off completely. Throw in the promo package that featured Future Shock and the Bravado Brothers and they have clearly presented a number of faces to the new audience that come across as low-rent indyriffic

Another problem that exists within the company is a number of the wrestlers presented simply don’t cut good promos whether they are presented in front of the audience or backstage. The chief offenders in this case would be ROH World Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas, who have been given numerous opportunities to get themselves over with new fans, but they’ve come across as unsure of themselves when delivering most of their promos whether they are in front of the live audience or taped backstage as part of a video package.

The company is doing a lot of things right, but there are elements that exist that need to be improved in order for new viewers to develop a connection with the product. One of the larger illustrations of the problems the company has comes with the development of what looks to Haas & Benjamin defending the ROH World Tag Team Titles against the Briscoes at “Final Battle 2011.” Haas and Benjamin aren’t doing enough on the mic to endear themselves to new fans. On the other hand, the Briscoes haven’t done their job on television yet to get themselves over as heels.

The fans are still cheering the Briscoes because they are doing and saying things that pull the tide of support in their favor because Haas & Benjamin simply haven’t connected yet. ROH’s creative team needs to sit down with both teams and ensure all four men involved do their best to set the stage for a compelling match by defining themselves in the eyes of the new audience. My biggest fear for the company is that the Haas & Benjamin vs. Briscoes match won’t draw for new fans at “Final Battle 2011” because fans haven’t been given a reason to invest other than the hardcore fans knowing their going to get a good match out of the two teams.

A larger illustration of the mentality of the company could be seen through Strong’s promo this past week. Strong talked about the performance aspect of his match and said he would out-perform Davey Richards at “Final Battle 2011.” If the company is going to grow, fans need to invest in caring about winners and losers and not the in-ring performance. Strong did a really good job of setting the stage for a match with Richards after “Final Battle 2011,” but talking about the in-ring performance takes away from the element of realness that the company has presented so far in many ways on television.

It will be interesting to see the direction the company takes leading into “Final Battle 2011.” Will serious characters such as Davey Richards, Roderick Strong, Haas & Benjamin, the Briscoes, and Eddie Edwards amongst others be able to talk fans into purchasing “Final Battle 2011?” If the company presents matches with clear-cut issues between two wrestlers or teams over the next several weeks, I believe they can draw well live and on iPPV. The question will be whether the other elements in play continue to be presented on TV that will turn new fans off and leave only the hardcore fan base buzzing about “Final Battle 2011.”

Contact Sean at PWTorchSean@gmail.com

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