Why I (& Most) Don’t Care About ROH – Ace Austin Getting Buried Fits The Patterns
After watching ROH Supercard of Honor last night, it hit me (again), what did I just watch and why?
Don’t get me wrong — there are some talent exceptions. Ace Austin is one of them. I’ve been a big fan of his for years. The dude has charisma, crisp in-ring work, and that X-Division swagger that made him stand out in Impact.
He’s got “next guy up” written all over him. So when he went undefeated in AEW’s ROH and earned a Pure Title shot against Lee Moriarty, I was genuinely excited.
Then reality hit: Moriarty retained with a cheap roll-up, grabbing the ropes for leverage after they’d burned through the rope breaks. Solid technical match on paper, sure.
But the outcome? Exactly what a lot of us expected. Ace gets another “good effort” loss in a promotion that feels like a black hole for momentum.
The Talent Apathy Problem
This is the core issue with modern ROH under Tony Khan: the roster is packed with veterans and solid hands who elicit shrugs from casual (and even dedicated) fans.
You have guys who were hot elsewhere but feel like they’re just collecting a paycheck or filling time.
Prospects who never quite break through because the booking doesn’t build them like a true developmental system.
And matches that happen because “they can work” rather than because anyone is invested in the outcome.
Title changes happen, but without eyes on the product and without stories that matter outside the Honor Club bubble, they land with a thud. It’s like NXT if NXT had no clear path to the main roster and half the card was veterans treading water.
Ace Austin losing to Lee Moriarty (who’s had that Pure Title for what feels like forever) is a perfect microcosm. Moriarty is talented, no doubt — but he’s not exactly moving the needle for mainstream interest.
Ace comes in hot from AEW/Bullet Club adjacent stuff, gets a spotlight match on PPV… and eats the pin in a way that protects no one and advances nothing obvious.
So What Is the Point of ROH?
That’s the million-dollar question that still doesn’t have a satisfying answer in 2026. It’s not a pure developmental feeder like NXT (call-ups feel random). It’s not a prestige indie throwback (too many AEW crossovers dilute the identity). It’s not must-see TV (no national TV deal, stuck on streaming).
It’s this weird hybrid B-show/experimental ground where good wrestlers go to have good matches that… exist. And then the cycle repeats.
Fans tune in for the occasional banger or to see someone they like get a run, only to watch them get “buried” (or at least cooled off) in favor of the flavor of the month. Ace Austin isn’t the first and won’t be the last.
A Few Fixes That Would Make Me Care Again
Commit to a vision — Make it the hardcore/technical prestige brand or go full NXT pipeline. Half-measures are killing it.
Protect talent with upside — If Ace Austin is getting pushed toward AEW, don’t have him lose clean(ish) on ROH PPV unless it serves a bigger story.
Better storytelling — Give me reasons to invest in the midcard and lower card beyond “these two guys can go.”
Visibility — A proper TV slot or heavy cross-promotion on AEW programming. Honor Club is fine for die-hards, but it can’t grow the brand alone.
Until then, ROH will keep feeling like background noise for most fans. Solid wrestling with little stakes or emotional investment. Ace deserved better last night.
A lot of the roster deserves better booking. And the product deserves a clearer purpose.
