Originally posted by ROHGabe on the official RoH Website
[br]It all started with a simple phone call. ROH officials saw that the legendary Kenta Kobashi was coming to the United States. They wanted to book him. The rest is history.

Since that phone call the ROH relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH has grown to be a major strength for both promotions. It has seen international title defenses, talent trading and just last week history made when Jay & Mark Briscoe won NOAH's GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles on their first night in NOAH. However, a rogue "ROH Legend" is threatening the entire relationship.

ROH and NOAH officials have developed and nurtured a trust and mutual respect. That trust has led KENTA to be a regular in ROH in 2006. It has brought Kobashi and Naomichi Marufuji to the United States. It has seen Go Shiosaki and SUWA compete for ROH in England. It has produced some of the greatest matches in ROH history. It has allowed Bryan Danielson to defend the ROH World Title against Marufuji, SUWA and KENTA. It has given ROH historic GHC Jr. Heavyweight and Heavyweight Title defenses. Now it has led Jay & Mark Briscoe to their biggest career victory as they won the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles on January 7th in Tokyo.

Not only has the relationship led to countless great matches in the ring, but it has helped both companies conduct business behind the scenes. ROHwrestling.com now carries authentic NOAH merchandise. The NOAH wrestlers have seen their reputations in Japan grow with their impressive showings in front of the enthusiastic and respectful ROH crowds. It has given ROH huge exposure on both Japanese TV and magazines and made the ROH name in Japan. It has been a win/win for both sides and the trust only keeps growing.

However, for the first time there is a strain in the relationship. A rift has been caused by the actions of a rogue Samoa Joe. Recent live events and ROH Video Wires on www.ROHvideos.com have seen Joe call out NOAH including legends Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuhara Misawa. Joe's issue with NOAH seems simple on the surface. He doesn't want them playing in his backyard. He sees these NOAH expeditions to the United States as public relation trips. He thinks NOAH is exploiting ROH for its own benefit.

If you look beneath the surface the issue runs deeper for Joe. He battled Kenta Kobashi at "Joe vs. Kobashi" on October 1st, 2005 in a bout that won match of the year in The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It is widely acclaimed as the greatest contest in ROH history. It will go down in the record book as a rare loss for Joe. He never received a rematch. Not only that, but when ROH brought Kobashi's protege KENTA to the United States he and Joe were involved in some brutal exchanges that saw both men knock each other out. However, Joe was never able to defeat KENTA. He was never able to get his retribution.

When NOAH's brightest upcoming star Takeshi Morishima visited ROH last September, Joe saw this as another NOAH athlete trying to increase his reputation at ROH's expense in Joe's backyard. Joe wasn't going to let it happen again. When he had the chance to confront Morishima a simple bump of the shoulders escalated into a pull apart brawl. Joe took things to the next level when he slapped KENTA's face after KENTA's final ROH appearance in 2006 last November. Joe has a big chip on his shoulder and his only satisfaction is punking out NOAH.

Needless to say, NOAH officials are very upset with Samoa Joe's actions. The ROH and NOAH relationship and trust has always been built on respect. Joe has done nothing but disrespect everyone in the NOAH organization. ROH officials have tried to make it clear that Joe is acting on his own and have even publicly apologized to NOAH for Joe. In fact, Joe has earned the ire of members of the ROH locker room including NOAH and ROH regular Nigel McGuinness. The entire ROH locker room welcomes the competition of the NOAH athletes and exposure in Japan. It is easy to question if Joe is in the right or wrong here.

All roads now lead to February 16th in New York City when ROH returns to the Manhattan Center (tickets now on sale at www.ROHwrestling.com or by calling 215-781-2500). Joe wants a NOAH representative. Nigel McGuinness, who is currently on tour in NOAH, will talk to NOAH officials. They will address this situation once their tour ends on January 21st. We should have major news shortly after the final show of the tour.

Samoa Joe's actions are causing problems between ROH and NOAH. Not only that, but for the first time ROH officials are questioning whether Joe is acting in the best interest of the company. NOAH officials state that Joe needs to be dealt with. The ROH/NOAH relationship has never been stronger, but it has also never been this threatened.

On 01/13/07 at 01:20:42, Rick Garrard wrote:That would be better than TNA pulling Joe from the shows... cause WWE would pull him from all three if he were to sign a deal there.  OF course, he'd have to grow his hair out and add some more weight to become a "WWE Samoan".  ;)

On 01/13/07 at 11:51:50, Carlzilla wrote:

I do believe that when Joe signed a TNA contract it forbid TNA from pulling him from ROH shows...that was what was reported some time ago. I could be wrong though.