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By Kevin Eck
All eyes will be on Brody King when he officially begins his transition into singles competition on this weekend’s episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling.” However, I’m just as interested — perhaps even more so — to see what his opponent, Dalton Castle, has in store for the violent big man.
Castle is out to prove that he’s a more dangerous competitor than he’s given credit for. It’s the same mindset he had going into the ROH Pure Title Tournament.
After losing a hard-fought match to fellow former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal in the first round, Castle is even more motivated to show that his eccentric personality and flashy ring attire belie a killer instinct.
“I’ve never been more focused in my life. I’ve never been more enraged in my life,” Castle said. “You think I’m going to sit back and let someone make a name off me? No way. I feel like something is changing inside me. I go through every single day feeling scared and confused and angry, and I try to deal with these emotions and they always come out in the same way, and that is rage.
“Sometimes I can focus that energy into working to my advantage, and other times it gets away from me. So going into this match with Brody, am I dangerous? Am I in any sort of danger? I think we both are. In the Pure Tournament, the world got to see a glimpse of how dangerous I can be. When I face Brody King, I’m pulling back the whole curtain.”
It goes without saying that King fears no one, but he’ll be in for a rude awakening if he underestimates how much pain a determined Castle is capable of inflicting.
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Speaking of King, he’s my guest on the latest episode of the “ROHStrong Podcast,” which drops this Monday at 7 a.m. ET on ROHWrestling.com and most podcast platforms.
King talks about entering the singles division in ROH, being compared to Samoa Joe, his thoughts on pure wrestling, wrestling with his jaw wired shut, being straight edge, his hardcore band God’s Hate, and much more.
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Congratulations to Jonathan Gresham on winning the ROH Pure Title Tournament. No disrespect to any of the 15 other competitors in the tournament, but there is no one better than Gresham to carry on the proud tradition of the Pure championship.
I also want to congratulate the man Gresham defeated in the finals, Tracy Williams, for his performance in the tournament. Even though he came up short at the end, Williams proved that he is one of the best wrestlers in the sport.
WE ARE THE FOUNDATION https://t.co/Oi7Cghb5x6
— I AM THE FOUNDATION (@TheJonGresham) November 3, 2020
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Remember, if you missed any of the ROH Pure Title Tournament or just want to watch it all again, you’ll have an opportunity to do so for free starting tonight
ROH Best On The Planet, a streaming TV service that offers Ring of Honor Wrestling content 24/7, will present an ROH Pure Title Tournament marathon beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
The eight, one-hour episodes of the tournament will be shown in order continuously for 48 hours.
Fans can stream BOTP anytime on STIRR and Plex.
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“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair will be the subject of next week’s episode of the “Old School In Session” podcast on ROH’s YouTube channel.
ROH Director of Operations and former WCW, NWA and AWA promoter Gary Juster shares stories of his long association with Flair, which began in 1984 when he booked Flair to defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Title against former champion Jack Brisco in Baltimore.
A new episode of “Old School In Session” is uploaded every Wednesday at 4 pm. ET. To submit a question for Juster, send a tweet using #AskGary.
OLD SCHOOL IN SESSION EPISODE 6: GARY JUSTER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘BLACK SATURDAY’ AND MORE! https://t.co/HBCfKWRBoM pic.twitter.com/hE1vs2tFva
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) November 6, 2020
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In addition to the match between King and Castle, another bout I’m looking forward to on this weekend’s episode of ROH TV is between Dak Draper and Brian Johnson in a Pure Rules Match.
While neither of them is particularly likeable (especially Johnson), they are both talented, hungry competitors. It will be interesting to see how two men known for breaking the rules fare in a style of match that is rooted in sportsmanship and honor.
2019 Top Prospect Winner @milehighmagnum Takes On @bjo_mecca This Week On ROH TV! pic.twitter.com/mJiNPfkAb6
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) November 5, 2020
. @bjo_mecca takes on 2019 Top Prospect Winner @milehighmagnum this weekend on ROHTV!
“The Mecca” is tired of the disrespect! He faces fellow Pure Tournament alternate Dak Draper in a Pure Rules match this weekend on ROH TV, and it’s his chance to prove the doubters wrong. pic.twitter.com/NyRwD8G6zb
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) November 6, 2020
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ROH watch parties on Twitter, which began during the ROH Pure Title Tournament, will continue going forward.
Use #WatchROH to watch the latest episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling” and interact with ROH stars every Monday at 7 p.m. ET. To participate, view the episode on ROHWrestling.com or FITE.
The road to Final Battle begins this weekend on ROH TV! #WatchROH
TV Listings: https://t.co/ePB2PBCCWW pic.twitter.com/dDrVizwaDz
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) November 5, 2020
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We can always use “A Dose of Colemanism” in our lives, especially in a week like this one, which has been stressful for many Americans. I strongly recommend reading Caprice Coleman’s insightful column.
A DOSE OF COLEMANISM: https://t.co/lxiiLASzeU
IN ANXIOUS TIMES, FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU CONTROL. #ADoseOfColemanism@CapriceColeman pic.twitter.com/AmAIyCeMpp
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) November 6, 2020
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Until next time, keep safe and stay #ROHStrong!
Kevin Eck is a veteran pro wrestling journalist who has worked for The Baltimore Sun, WWE and WCW before joining ROHWrestling.com. Eck’s Files appears every Friday.
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