Jay Lethal Returning To ROH For Final Battle, ROH Thanks AEW, ROH World Title Update
AEW star Jay Lethal is making his return to ROH for Saturday's "Final Battle: End of an Era" pay-per-view.
As we've noted, ROH World Champion Bandido was pulled from Final Battle on Thursday due to a positive COVID-19 test. He was scheduled to defend against Jonathan Gresham in the main event.
In an update, ROH just announced that Lethal will be making his return to ROH at the pay-per-view, to face Gresham. ROH noted that Lethal vs. Gresham will be "part of a double main event that truly encapsulates what Ring of Honor has represented for two decades."
The other part of that double main event is The Briscoes challenging ROH World Tag Team Champions The OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett).
ROH also announced that they will address the status of the ROH World Title during the Hour One pre-show.
ROH announcing Lethal for Final Battle comes after AEW President, CEO, General Manager & Head Of Creative Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio today and revealed that he would be helping ROH out with the pay-per-view this weekend. You can click here for those comments from Khan.
ROH thanked AEW in today's press release, writing, "ROH would like to publicly thank AEW for allowing Lethal to wrestle at Final Battle: End of an Era."
Lethal worked his final ROH TV match in late November, losing to EC3. He signed with AEW in November and debuted at Full Gear, making his in-ring debut a few nights later in a loss to TNT Champion Sammy Guevara on the November 17 edition of AEW Dynamite. Since then he has defeated Trenton Storm (Storm Grayson) on "Dark: Elevation" and worked the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale this past Wednesday.
Lethal commented on Saturday's match with Gresham in a press release issued to us today by ROH.
"This match is about more than winning or losing, more than who's the best or what championship we hold," Lethal said. "This match is about showing the world what this era of Ring of Honor is and I can't wait to get back into the ring with one of the best wrestlers I know tomorrow night, Jonathan Gresham."
Jay Lethal, formerly known as The Franchise of ROH, originally signed with the company from 2003-2006, but then returned in 2011, and worked there until signing with AEW. He is a two-time ROH World Champion, a one-time ROH Pure Champion, a two-time ROH World Television Champion, a one-time ROH World Tag Team Champion, the third ROH Triple Crown Champion, and the third ROH Grand Slam Champion. He was also named ROH Wrestler of the Decade for the 2010s.
ROH "Final Battle: End Of An Era" will take place this Saturday, December 11 from the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore, MD. This will be the final ROH pay-per-view before the company goes on a major hiatus until April 2022. The Final Battle Hour One pre-show will stream for free via HonorClub, YouTube and Facebook at 7pm ET, and the main card will begin at 8pm ET on HonorClub and pay-per-view.
Below is the current announced card for Final Battle:
ROH World Title Match
TBA vs. TBA
ROH World Champion Bandido was pulled due to COVID-19.
Double Main Event Part 1: ROH World Tag Team Titles Match
The Briscoes vs. The OGK (c)
Double Main Event Part 2
Jonathan Gresham vs. Jay Lethal
ROH Women's World Title Match
Willow Nightingale vs. Rok-C (c)
ROH Pure Title Match
Brian Johnson vs. Josh Woods (c)
Fatal 4 Way for the ROH World Television Title
Joe Hendry vs. Silas Young vs. Rhett Titus vs. Dalton Castle (c)
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Titles Match
The Righteous' Vincent, Bateman and Dutch vs. Shane Taylor Promotions' Moses, Kaun and O'Shay Edwards (c)
Fight Without Honor Match
Shane Taylor vs. Kenny King
Brody King, Homicide and Tony Deppen vs. Taylor Rust, Tracy Williams and Eli Isom
Chelsea Green, Marti Belle and Allysin Kay vs. Angelina Love, Mandy Leon and Miranda Alize
Rey Horus vs. Dragon Lee
Hour One Pre-show: Wild Card 10-Man Tag Team Match
TBA vs. TBA