The Ring Of Honor Revolution: Tony Khan’s Grand Vision For Wrestling’s Underdog

As we head into 2025, the professional wrestling landscape remains in flux, with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) solidly entrenched as WWE’s main rival. Yet another promotion has been quietly gaining traction under the leadership of AEW owner Tony Khan’s visionary Ring of Honor (ROH). The third-largest wrestling promotion in the United States at one point, ROH was left with an uncertain future before Khan’s purchase in 2022. Now, almost three years on, Khan’s ambitious vision for ROH is beginning to materialize, with an exciting new era for the legendary promotion on the horizon.

The Road to Revival

When Tony Khan bought ROH in March 2022, wrestling fans were optimistically hopeful. The promotion had a storied history of featuring some of the sport’s biggest names, such as Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, and Samoa Joe. ROH had been struggling in recent years, though, with financial issues and a talent drain.

Early on, Khan’s plan for ROH was uncertain. The promotion ran sporadically, with the occasional pay-per-view show and bouts included on AEW television. This was criticized by some as an afterthought by fans.

A New Way Forward

As we enter 2025, it’s increasingly apparent that Tony Khan has big plans for Ring of Honor. Recent comments from Khan and other AEW executives indicate a multi-pronged approach to reinvigorate the brand and make it an integral part of the AEW wrestling universe.

Streaming Deals on the Horizon

One of the biggest reports on ROH is said to be the search for new streaming alliances. The current ROH World Champion, Chris Jericho, recently confirmed that Tony Khan is in the process of working out streaming deals for the promotion.

“I know Tony is in the process of doing that and has a couple of offers,” Jericho said in an interview. “I think he wants to try and negotiate those offers. I’m a thousand percent sure that he will keep working to get a streaming deal because when he sets his mind to something, he tends to make it happen.”

This initiative towards new media alliances may prove to be a game-changer for ROH, giving the promotion a wider platform and perhaps more visibility among wrestling enthusiasts.

Leveraging Star Power

Tony Khan’s plan for ROH is also to leverage known stars to make the brand a hot commodity. The move to put the ROH World Championship on Chris Jericho, a wrestling icon who has crossover recognition, is the most obvious example of this strategy.

“I believe the reason Tony Khan placed the title on me again is that Chris Jericho, the Ring of Honor World Champion, streaming services may take it more seriously,” Jericho clarified.

This strategy of leveraging big-name stars to build the profile of ROH might be important in bringing new audiences and prospective media partners on board.

The AEW Connection

While ROH is its own entity, its association with AEW cannot be denied and only grows more significant to its future. Tony Khan has teased a potential rebranding of ROH to better align it with AEW, possibly as “AEW Ring of Honor.

“I appreciate that AEW is on the pinnacle of professional wrestling,” Khan added. “ROH as a brand could honestly benefit from even stronger association. I don’t find it wrong to say or sacrilegious to state. I think licensing it, sub-licensing, if it were AEW ROH, would actually only serve to build the ROH brand out.”

This possible rebranding might be for several reasons:

Building brand equity by linking ROH to the more traditional AEW moniker.

Creating a clearer hierarchy within Khan’s wrestling empire.

Potentially establishing ROH as an AEW developmental brand, akin to WWE’s NXT6.

Challenges and Criticisms

Even with the optimism in ROH’s future, Khan’s leadership has not been universally acclaimed. Some fans and industry insiders have been critical of the direction of the promotion:

Oversaturation of Titles: With the inclusion of ROH titles within AEW content, others say there are too many titles between the two promotions now.

Lack of Focus: According to critics, ROH lost its identity while it was under Khan’s ownership and became overly integrated with AEW.

Underutilization of Talent: Some fans believe that some ROH champions, especially those in the women’s division, are not being utilized sufficiently on AEW’s flagship programming.

The Global Link

A compelling element of Khan’s vision for ROH is its potential impact on global cooperation. The promotion has a past history of collaboration with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Khan indicated that he was keen to revive ideas such as the “War of the Worlds” events that showcased the talent from both promotions.

“We’ve created something very special with Forbidden Door coming to North America and now branching out to Europe and also with AEW traveling over to Japan to compete at Wrestle Dynasty. We have a fantastic partnership with New Japan; I’d love to grow it,” Khan said.

This international emphasis may bring ROH distinct content and make it stand out from the other American wrestling promotions.

The Future of ROH Programming

As ROH develops further under the guidance of Tony Khan, the issue of how its weekly content will be delivered is still paramount. ROH currently broadcasts solely on the Honor Club streaming service, but Khan’s search for new media contracts indicates this may not be the case in the near future.

There are a number of possible scenarios for ROH’s future programming:

Exclusive TV Deal: ROH might get its own television slot, independent of AEW’s programming on Warner Bros. Discovery networks.

Streaming Service Partnership: One of the big streaming services might acquire ROH, getting the brand in front of a larger base of people.

Integration with AEW Programming: ROH might get more prominently featured on AEW’s current shows, perhaps with special segments or matches.

Developmental System: ROH could be established as a legitimate developmental brand for AEW, much like NXT serves WWE.

Constructing New Stars

Perhaps the most thrilling part of ROH’s potential revival is the potential to build new wrestling stars. ROH has long been recognized for its talent to feature and nurture up-and-coming wrestlers, and this could be sustained under Khan’s guidance.

Champions such as Athena in the female division and Lee Moriarty in the male division are the type of new blood that will potentially be the face of the reinvigorated ROH. By giving these wrestlers a platform to develop their craft and create their personas, ROH would have the potential to become a hotbed for future main eventers again.

The Women’s Division

A big focus area for ROH in the future should be its women’s division. The company has come under fire for not showcasing enough of its female talent, most notably ROH Women’s World Champion Athena17.

Fixing this problem might be one of the ways that ROH succeeds. By promoting talented women wrestlers and providing them with substance-filled storylines and in-ring time, ROH can stand out in a market where women’s wrestling is becoming increasingly vital to fans.

Conclusion: A Crossroads for ROH

As we move forward to the latter half of 2025 and beyond, there’s no doubt that Ring of Honor is at a turning point. With Tony Khan at the helm, the promotion can reclaim its place as a prominent force in professional wrestling. The seeking of new television contracts, the leveraging of star power, and the potential rebranding as part of the AEW family all suggest an ambitious future for ROH.

But there are challenges. Khan has to balance ROH’s history with his vision for its future. He has to overcome criticism regarding oversaturation of titles and use of talent. Above all, he has to figure out how to make ROH distinct from the rising sea of competition.

If Khan can navigate these challenges, ROH can become a thriving component of the professional wrestling world again. It can be a vehicle for new talent, a home for different international pairings, and a supporting series to AEW’s primary roster content.

The coming months will be crucial for ROH. As new media deals are negotiated and programming strategies are implemented, wrestling fans around the world will be watching closely. One thing is certain: under Tony Khan’s leadership, Ring of Honor is poised for a revolution. Whether it will be a successful one remains to be seen, but the potential for something truly special is undeniable.