Chris Jericho’s return as ROH World Champion might just be more than another accolade; it could be the key to securing a TV deal for Ring of Honor. Wrestling fans were stunned when Jericho defeated Mark Briscoe to reclaim the title, but according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Tony Khan had a strategic motive behind this choice. Negotiations are reportedly heating up between Khan and AEW’s TV partner Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD) to bring ROH to mainstream TV, with a potential slot on TruTV, a network eyeing live sports to boost its prime-time lineup.
As polarizing as he may be, Jericho’s star power is undeniable. With a crossover appeal from his band Fozzy and multiple entertainment ventures, including a recent appearance in Terrifier 3, Jericho adds instant credibility to ROH’s potential for TV success. Dave Meltzer of WON speculates that putting Jericho at the forefront of ROH is a move to attract WBD to lock in a deal, positioning Jericho as the face of a reinvigorated ROH product.
Whether TruTV will adapt its name to align with a sports-focused brand remains unclear, but ROH fans might finally get to see their favorite stars back on traditional television with a big-name champion leading the charge.