Kenny King Reflects On ROH’s Legacy: The Best Wrestlers Always Come Here

Even all-time greats come up short sometimes, and that’s the position Kenny King finds himself in following Ring of Honor Honor For All. At the HonorClub exclusive event, King and his La Faccion Ingobernable stablemate, Dragon Lee lost the ROH World Tag Team Championship to The OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett.)

In an interview with WrestleZone, King shared his thoughts on this setback the day after the match aired. He stated that even legendary quarterback Tom Brady loses sometimes because nobody can win every single outing.

“You know, it’s one of those things that happen,” said King. “You can’t win them all. Dragon Lee and I have been Tag Team Champions twice over now. [He’s] one of the best tag team partners I’ve ever had. He’s one of the best wrestlers in the world. And you know, the OGK got one. You know, Matt Taven [and] Mike Bennett, they’re both very capable wrestlers. You know, I can, listen, even the great Tom Brady can lose a game, as we [saw] yesterday, even to the [Washington Football Team], so whatever. We lost to the [them], no big deal.”

It’s important to note that the match didn’t have an entirely clean finish, as Amy Rose, King’s former manager, stormed to the ring with her imposing client, Max The Impaler in the closing moments. The duo negated the presence of LFI powerhouse Bestia del Ring, who had already interfered in the bout. Likely distracted by Rose’s presence, King was thrown off his game, and The OGK ultimately capitalized by pinning Lee.

When asked whether the manner of this defeat was King’s “comeuppance” for the way he betrayed Rose and kicked her out of LFI, “El Consigliere” dismissed the notion but credited Rose for the knowledge she gained during her time with the group. He noted that she got her revenge and admitted that she got the better of him, at least for one night.

For King and the entire roster, Honor For All was a bittersweet show, regardless of wins or losses in the ring because it marked the penultimate event in ROH’s current era. The promotion has announced that it will be going on hiatus for the first quarter of 2022 to “reimagine” itself, and several outlets have reported that the contracts of the talent roster won’t be renewed at the end of the year. With so much uncertainty surrounding the company, it’s appropriate time to take a step back and appreciate the legacy of ROH.

King, who has spent more than a decade in ROH across two stints, reflected on his time with the company. He named several legends, from Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness to Kevin Steen and El Generico, as phenomenal wrestlers who have thrived in ROH because it has often housed the world’s best wrestlers. King also stated that he’s proud of his time with the company and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside amazing performers before they go on to do incredible things elsewhere.

“It’s always been the place where the best wrestlers in the world go to show what pro wrestling is always about,” said King. “And whatever era that you’ve ever seen in Ring of Honor, and I’ve been in the era of Bryan Danielson, Nigel McGuinness, I’ve also been in the era of Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero and Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, and Davey Richards and Kevin Steen and El Generico, and all these different eras. But it’s always been where the best wrestlers have come.

“And you know it’s very bittersweet. I’m very proud that I’ve had the tenure that I’ve had in Ring of Honor because a lot of people have come and gone. I’ve always been very proud of my stay [and] my tenure here. And if this is it, man, then I feel like it’s been a beautiful thing to be able to look back and see how many amazing pro wrestlers have come through there, how many of my friends have gone on to be amazingly successful doing this thing, and how many phenomenal matches I’ve been able to witness first-hand and be a part of. Ring of Honor’s always gonna be one of the most special things in my career, in my life. And I’ll be thankful to Cary Silkin, to Joe Koff, just for making Ring of Honor endure for as long as it has.”

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