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

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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Spotlight in History

  • 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

  • 06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
  • 06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
  • 06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
  • 06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
  • 06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
  • 06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2011 Chris Chaos became the BYEW Caution Champion
  • 06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1961 The Bolos (Great Bolo 1st & Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Southwestern Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
06-23
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  • Malico Jun 28th
  • Kenny Mack Jun 28th
  • Damian Kincaid Jun 28th
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  • Claire Jun 28th
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  • Voltio Santiago Jun 29th
  • Barbara Galento Jun 29th
  • Kenneth Caine Jun 30th
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  • Tim WarCloud Jul 1st
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