This show will probably be awesome. But I imagine it will probably be tough to jump into a new promotion without any idea of the storylines or characters, so I'm going to put a whole bunch of effort into catching you all up as best I can.
Tyler Black vs Davey Richards - Tyler Black fought for the last two years to become the ROH world champion. Davey Richards has fought in dozens of five star matches over the last year and is considered by himself and many fans as the best wrestler in the world. But he can't be the best without the ROH title. And Tyler can't be the best without beating Davey. So they will battle for the world title at the iPPV. It's simple, but it works.
Kevin Steen vs El Generico - Steen and Generico were one of the most loved and most decorated tag teams on the American indie scene. They were originally reluctant partners, with Steen being a big fat asshole bully and Generico being a masked comedy act, but as time went on something clicked and they became friends. And then at Final Battle 2009, after years of teaming together, Steen told Generico he hated his guts, and kicked Generico in the crotch and hit him with a steel chair.
You see, Steen felt Generico had made him soft. Not only had he become a smiling baby-kissing goodie-good like Generico, but he also had developed a weakness: he cared about Generico - loved him even. But nobody loved him. During his singles matches, the fans weren't cheering for him, they were chanting Ole for Generico.
So at the iPPV, after months of Generico bottling up his emotions and refusing to fight, and months of Steen egging Generico on. They'll have their first singles match against each other. And it will probably steal the show.
*Note - Steve Corino and Colt Cabana are also involved in this feud, as the man manipulating Steen and Generico's new best friend, respectively, but for the most part, they've just been there as buildup to this eventual match.
http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/an-open-letter-to-colt-cabana/
Christopher Daniels vs Davey Richards/Everyone Else - Christopher Daniels takes exception to Davey calling himself the best in the world, because he's been working his ass off for 15 years to be the best. So he's come to ROH to prove who the real best is, and is challenging the winner of Tyler vs Davey. In the meantime, he's been beating as many ROH wrestlers as possible. He's beaten Steen and TV Champ Eddie Edwards already, and at the iPPV he's facing the man who has main evented the last two Toronto shows, Kenny Omega.
The Kings of Wrestling Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli vs The Briscoes - The Briscoes lost the ROH tag titles to the Kings of wrestling after some heel trix. Now they want them back. Or they did. But while hyping the match on the TV show, the kings of wrestling began insulting the Briscoes and their family, which prompted their dad who was in the audience to jump the guardrail and attack the KOW. That was a bad idea, as he was quickly beaten down. Now the Briscoes don't care about the belts. It's personal. They want to kill the KOW and now that the match is NO DQ they may get their chance.
Austin Aries vs Delirious - Austin Aries put Delirious out of action and beat up his girlfriend. That pissed Delirious off. Delirious wants a chance at revenge, but Aries has been dodging a match with Delirious any way he can, including applying for a managers license and claiming he wants to focus on managing his stablemates Kenny King and Rhett Titus to tag team gold, rather than continue to wrestle.
Those are the five feuds that have been confirmed for the iPPV, but other storylines could come into play:
Austin Aries/Kenny King/Rhett Titus - Kenny King is a world champion waiting to happen. He has all the talent, charisma, and personality in the world. But currently he's Aries' lackey and is stuck in a tag team with the goofy Rhett Titus. This is just how Aries wants it though, because on his own King would just be one more person between him and his third ROH title reign. But lately there's been tension between the three, as miscommunications on the part of King have lead to Aries losing his world title and other matches. Things are coming to a boiling point and eventually, the group will explode.
Kenny King vs Jerry Lynn - Late last year King tried to make a name for himself by breaking Lynn's neck - ROH should be about young hungry wrestlers, not washed up has beens like Lynn. But Lynn came back and beat King. Only to get put out of action again by King and Titus. Lynn is ready to make another return and this time it's extra personal.
Necro Butcher and The Embassy were feuding for most of 2009 in some very violent brawls. Earlier this year the Embassy's Erick Stevens powerbombed Necro over two chairs and broke his leg. Recently, Necro returned to ROH and to everyone's surprise, joined the Embassy as it's new "Crown Jewel". According to him, Prince Nana (leader of the Embassy) was the only person to call Necro while he was in the hospital and he asked him "What will it take to end this war?" Necro came to realize that being the king of the deathmatch can end his career at any time, and after that he will have no way to provide for his family, so if he can make big money working for Nana and the Embassy now, he should probably seize the opportunity.
http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/why-necro-why/
Roderick Strong has challenged for the world title more than anyone else in his years with the company. He's also lost each and every time. Regardless, he felt that this was going to be his year. He had been promised the first title shot against Tyler Black, a man he had beaten numerous times during the course of a friendly rivalry they had in 09. But Jim Cornette stepped in and decided that Aries should get his rematch for the title. And then when he asked Black about it things got heated, and their friendly rivalry got less friendly. When Strong finally got his shot at Black's title, it was in a three way elimination match and he was the first one eliminated by the heel trix of Aries. Roderick feels like he's been cheated and lied to since Black one the title, and all he wants is a little truth. Enter Truth Martini. He assures Roderick he can get him a title match and show him his true potential. But only if he does his evil bidding!
Eddie Edwards is the first ROH TV Champion and wants to make sure that only the best challenge him for the title. So he has been issuing open "10-minute Hunt" challenges, meaning that anyone that can last 10 minutes in the ring with him will be eligible for a title shot in the future.
Tyler Black vs Kevin Steen - Tyler Black came to ROH as a heel, but the fans eventually turned him face because he was new and awesome. But then after failing to win the ROH title after trying for a year, they turned on him. He now has the title, and is focused on winning back the fans by being a fighting champion. Kevin Steen recently wrote a crazed letter claiming that just as Steve Corino saved him from Generico, he was going to save Black. He says Black has been dying to regain the audiences approval, but he can't do it on his own. The crowd hates Steen so much, that Steen says he can get them to love Black by destroying him and taking his ROH title.
http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/i-can-help/
I think that's all of them. You're all caught up. I know I can't expect most/any of you to start following the company, but hopefully you at least enjoyed reading this terribly long post.
If I have convinced you to give them a try, start with the videowires posted below. You'll see the wrestlers cut a few good promos about these very feuds. Then if you like those, check out the show on the 19th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQYM-Ci5B_k&feature=player_embedded
http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/june-15th-videowire/
