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Ring Of Honor Producer Jim Cornette Circles Back To The '80s

Posted: Nov 3rd 2011 By: CMBurnham

Jim Cornette has a simple mantra for what he hopes to accomplish with Ring of Honor's new nationally syndicated weekly pro-wrestling shows for the Sinclair Broadcasting Group.

"I don't want to bring pro wrestling back into the 1980s. I want to bring back wrestling with the logic of the '80s with people who were born in the '80s," Cornette said Thursday in a telephone interview. "You can take the vibe from the '80s and build to a big fight between two guys where you want to see who wins and what happens. The difference is, you're plugging in guys in their 20s."

Cornette is doing just that as ROH's executive producer. While one of the industry's top managers with the Midnight Express tag team in the 1980s, Cornette hasn't rehired some of his contemporaries in a desperate attempt to re-create the past a la Impact Wrestling and WWE.

ROH's top performers are fresh faces still trying to make a mainstream name in the business. Those ROH veterans who have previously worked in WWE or Impact, like Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin and Jay Lethal, are still young and talented enough to fit athletically with the company's fast-paced style.

Cornette and ROH matchmaker Hunter "Delirious" Johnston have wisely structured their first television shows to reflect those in-ring strengths since debuting Saturday nights on Sinclair, which purchased the company in May from Cary Silkin. Hoping to entice new fans unfamiliar with ROH's nine-year history, the initial telecasts have wisely placed an emphasis on establishing the top grapplers rather than immediately delving into complex storylines and feuds.

Cornette said that overloading shows was one of the biggest mistakes Impact Wrestling made when he worked in its front office from 2006 to 2009.

"Why start out assuming everybody knows who everybody is and why?" Cornette said. "I was at an (Impact) taping one night and went to (executive/wrestler) Jeff Jarrett afterwards and said, 'We just had two hours of people yelling, screaming and attacking each other nonstop in the ring, the locker room and even women fighting in the bathroom. After that, I don't know why anybody is mad at each other.' It was just chaos.

"If you expect anyone being carted out on a stretcher or sledgehammers in the ring after the first six weeks (of ROH telecasts), you're crazy. We're doing good professional wrestling. We're treating it as a sport. We're establishing our athletes. I don't know any other way to do it."

As memorable as he was as the fast-talking manager for Midnight Express members "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, "Sweet" Stan Lane and "Loverboy" Dennis Condrey, Cornette has proven even more influential behind the scenes during his 30-plus years in the business. Besides executive stints in WWE and Impact, Cornette ran his own company (Smoky Mountain Wrestling) in the mid-1990s that helped launch the careers of Chris Jericho, Glenn "Kane" Jacobs and Tammy "Sunny" Sytch. He later helped groom future stars while overseeing WWE's Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory in the early 2000s.
Cornette, though, draws more inspiration now from watching the Ultimate Fighting Championship's promotional efforts than the current presentation of WWE and Impact storylines. Attention to detail -- which is lost on WWE and Impact matchmakers -- is especially important to him. Cornette already has meticulously planned the entire format for a five-week ROH television taping that will be held Saturday night in his hometown of Louisville, Ky.

"We're going to present wrestling as a sport with unique, charismatic athletes," said Cornette, 50. "I want the outcomes to not only be important for the fans but the wrestlers. We're also going to entertain, but if you want to watch comedy, go watch 'Tosh 4.0.' There's a lot more comedy choices now than there were in the past. We're going to do what our guys do best and be serious about it."

For more information on ROH and the Sinclair Broadcasting affiliates, visit www.rohwrestling.com.

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1967 Billy Red Lyons became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
2009 3rd Rail def. Se7en for the SWCW Luchadore Title
2009 Se7en became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
2014 Bobby Starr def. Guy Atticus for the IZW Impact Division Title
2019 Gorgeous Garcia def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
2025 Stephen Nitro became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
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Week of Sun 11-08 to Sat: 11-14

11-08 1967 Billy Red Lyons became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
11-08 2009 3rd Rail def. Se7en for the SWCW Luchadore Title
11-08 2009 Se7en became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
11-08 2014 Bobby Starr def. Guy Atticus for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-08 2019 Gorgeous Garcia def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
11-08 2025 Stephen Nitro became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
11-08 2025 Rex Mori def. Rook Tyler for the TexPro Dynasty Title
11-09 1960 Danny McShain became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
11-09 1976 The Spoiler def. Bill Watts for the TSW North American Title
11-09 1978 Ron Bass became the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
11-09 1986 One Man Gang def. Terry Gordy for the UWF Heavyweight Title
11-09 1986 Savannah Jack def. Buddy Roberts for the UWF Television Title
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11-09 2002 Sonny C def. Butch Dalton for the OCW Oklahoma Television Title
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11-09 2013 The Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) def. The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Richard Sharpe) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
11-09 2013 Kidd Krash def. Michael Wolf for the OWA Junior Heavyweight Title
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11-09 2024 Hell's Kitchen (The Canadian Red Devil & The Lunchador) def. The Grudge (Dr. Corvus & Giganto) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
11-10 1976 Bill Watts & Billy Robinson def. Karl Kox & Ken Patera for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
11-10 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
11-10 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-10 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-10 2007 Cheerleader Melissa became the AACW Womens Champion
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11-10 2007 Jack Dalton [2nd]/Jack Legacy became the AACW Mid-American Light Heavyweight Champion
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11-10 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
11-11 1964 Danny Hodge became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
11-11 1985 Eddie Gilbert & The Nightmare def. Wendell Cooley & Al Perez for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
11-11 1988 Eric Embry def. Jeff Jarrett for the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Title
11-11 2006 Mustafa Sharmoot def. Glen Steel for the AACW Heavyweight Title
11-11 2017 Running Wolf def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Title
11-11 2022 Nova Phoenix became the CPW Women’s Champion
11-11 2022 Koko def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Title
11-12 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. Mike George & Bob Sweetan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
11-12 2002 Baby B def. Jeffrey Parker for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-12 2011 The Jersey Kings (Scott Riley & King James) def. Pork Chop & Shane Cortez (subbing for Big Smooth) for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
11-12 2022 Ronnie Morton def. Ryan the Ripper for the RDW Brass Knucks Title
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11-12 2022 San La Muerte became the WAH Spotlight Champion
11-12 2022 Elijah Sparks def. San La Muerte for the WAH Spotlight Title
11-13 1950 Verne Gagne became the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
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11-13 1965 Jack Brisco became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
11-13 2010 Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) def. Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-13 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-13 2015 The Pen Palz (Skyler Fayden & Dimitri Alexandrov) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
11-13 2015 Lance Osburn became the SRPW United States Champion
11-13 2015 Jon Cross def. Riker for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
11-13 2021 Rebel Hearts (Christian Temple & Justin Gray) def. The Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
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11-13 2022 Derek James became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
11-13 2022 Cappuccino Jones def. Derek James for the BPW Lion Heart Title
11-14 1980 Bruiser Brody def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
11-14 2009 Goldeneye def. Sage for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
11-14 2009 John O'Malley def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
11-14 2009 Running Wolf def. Michael H for the 412PE Heavyweight Title
11-14 2010 Greatness On Demand (Rage Logan & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
11-14 2015 Aaron Neil def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-14 2015 Nemesis (Bobby Starr & Damien Morte) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-14 2015 Rolling Thunder became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
11-14 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Title
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11-08

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1967 Billy Red Lyons became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
2009 3rd Rail def. Se7en for the SWCW Luchadore Title
2009 Se7en became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
2014 Bobby Starr def. Guy Atticus for the IZW Impact Division Title
2019 Gorgeous Garcia def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
2025 Stephen Nitro became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
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