Here Are The 10 Biggest Stories that Affected Pro Wrestling in 2009. I'm starting out with 10 and 9 and will work my way down to Number 1.
10 -- ROHs UPS AND DOWNS
For much of the past decade, Ring of Honor has been acknowledged as the top independent promotion in North America. The company has certainly seen its fair share of ups and downs, but somehow manage to continually reinvent itself.
In early-2009, ROH was still finding its legs under the creative direction of Adam Pearce. Longtime booker Gabe Sapolsky had been fired the previous October in a decision unpopular among longtime fans.
After a handful of uncharacteristically uninspired efforts, show quality began to pick up. In March, ROH debuted its long-awaited weekly program on HDNet to positive reviews. The increased level of exposure seemed to re-invigorate the roster.
Then another bomb fell: the news that two of its top stars -- Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness -- were set to depart for WWE and TNA, respectively.
ROH was able to overcome these losses through the stepped-up efforts of a talented main-event core that included champion Austine Aries, perennial top contender Tyler Black, Davey Richards, and Chris Hero.
Perhaps ROHs top asset through the year was its tag team division, considered one of the best in the world. That division was no shortage of excitement.
As the year wore on, outside competition became a factor. DragonGate USAs July debut was a success. Meanwhile, groups such as CHIKARA and Pro Wrestling Guerilla picked up steam and helped fill the void for those who had become disenchanted with ROHs direction. With the EVOLVE promotion set to debut in 2010, the challenges will continue.
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9 -- JEFF JARRETT WOES
There may be no figure in wrestling who inspires more polarized opinions than Jeff Jarrett. Few ever question his in-ring talent; rather it is his perception as a main-event talent and the methods by which he's attained that status that are debated.
In 2007, Jarrett became a sympathetic figure following the death of his wife, Jill, after a long battle of breast cancer.
Later, he was criticized for referencing the tragedy and involving his children in a feud with Kurt Angle.
Hence, when it was revealed in 2009 that Jarrett was romantically involved with Angle's ex wife, Karen, many fans suspected that this was part of a new storyline.
An anonymous caller to a radio show claiming to be a TNA employee, however, insisted the situation was real.
Shortly after, TNA President Dixie Carter placed Jarrett on a leave of absence. Carter made a rare appearance on Impact to address the matter, underscoring the severity of the situation.
She was brief, referencing "a personal situation that affected the company [that] put all of us in a very difficult position."
Amid reports that Jarrett and Angle remained hostile behind the scenes -- as well as in the ring -- and confusion over Jarrett's creative and executive role within TNA, he returned to television in December.
Once again, the situation was used in a storyline, prompting some to wonder just how real the story was.
Others merely pondered how far TNA was willing to go to elicit an emotion reaction from its fan base.
Posted by Adam X (Member # 2872) on :
RoH made it onto TV which was their biggest hurdle. Everything else after will be small potatoes(unless anyone else there likes touching teh kiddies like ol Robbie Feinstein) as long as they can get their stars known to the masses.
As for Jarrett, he's an idiot for shacking up with Karen when HE WAS HER EX-HUSBANDS BOSS! I believe this karma for all the times he held down people who should've been world champion so he could keep the spotlight.
I'm hoping like hell this same karma pays a visit to one HHH soon.
