ROH Issues Statement On Davey Richards – Not Happy

UPDATE x 5: Ring of Honor sent out the following statement today, regarding the departure of Davey Richards…

Originally ROH had was planned to announce a tag team match for Final Battle today, featuring Roderick Strong & Jay Lethal vs the American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, what was to be the final schedule appearance of the Wolves. This match was scheduled after two very competitive singles matches in Dearborn, Michigan, that saw Lethal take on Edwards, and Strong take on Richards; a tag team match. Four of ROH’s best going at it, not for titles, or even bragging rights, but for honor.

Both Richards and Edwards do not have any upcoming ROH appearances following Final Battle because of commitments and endeavors, that will prevent them wrestling full time for ROH.

However, due to recent events, Davey Richards has been removed from the Final Battle match by ROH management due to his unprofessionalism and unreliability with the company.

A mystery tag team partner is being searched for by ROH Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness to take Richard’s spot in the match. Nigel has guaranteed ROHWrestling.com that the replacement will not only meet the expectations of the American Wolves farewell match, but will raise the bar of the show. With so many limitless possibilities, who will Nigel choose for ROH’s biggest show of the year? He promises that the match WILL NOT disappoint. Fans, You can’t miss this one.

What should have been a farewell (for now) to the American Wolves, will now be one for “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards. Will Final Battle be the last time we see the first man in ROH History to hold the World, TV and Tag Team Championships? Don’t miss your chance to Eddie LIVE at the Hammerstein Ballroom, order your tickets now by clicking here.

UPDATE x 4: Davey Richards sent the following statement to WZROnline.com earlier tonight:

I guess I could be pretty upset about ROH pulling my farewell match.

A company I’ve given literally everything in my body for time and time again, driven crazy amounts of hours to save the company money on flights, worked for reduced pay offs when the houses were down, ect.

It’s wild man, it’s such a different place now than when I started- not saying better of worse- just different.

So here we are- at the end of the road. I gotta be honest- though it’s pretty crappy to me and the fans to not get a fare well match I really can’t be anything but thankful for my time spent in that ring.

Truth is, ROH fans have been the only family I’ve had for the past 6 years.

What you saw is what you got with me. For better or for worse I bore my soul to you all. You All were there during the worst days when my grandparents died unexpectantly, my divorce, my home being taken. You didn’t even know it but you all saved me. That ring was my therapy.

Sometimes people have good days, sometimes very bad ones, sometimes they do things they’re very proud of, sometime they make mistakes and do things they’re regretful of. Noones perfect and I’ve been though all of those moments right in front of the ROH fanbase.

I recovered, grew, learned, matured in that ring. I want so bad to kiss it goodbye bc it was the only familiar thing I knew for so long.

But I can walk away. I’m ok. If for no other reason that I know is from day one to my last match I gave you all 100% of everything I had in my body and heart. You always hear people say, ” leave it all in the ring”. Well I can honestly say I did that. So in that I have closure.

Wether you like me or hate me I’ve always been honest ( often times perhaps too honest). But that’s me. I don’t believe in lying to people I consider family- and like it or not I considered y’all family.

ROH wanted to tell you all I was injured for Final battle.

Yes my neck is banged up, but I could have been there and wrestled by then. I didn’t want y’all being fed lies so I took the Initiative to tell you the truth. We just disagree on things. I have my opinion on things as do they. It’s just time to go our Seperate ways.

I don’t wanna slander anyone or speak badly of anyone.

Instead of thinking about this situation I’d rather think that I got to see one of my best friends go from an illegal immigrant barely getting on a preshow to a main eventer, I got to see a guy everyone wondered why I chose to tag with become far better than ill ever be, I got to share the ring with the guys I looked up to starting out, I got to see the new crop of amazing athletes come into they’re own.

I got to find a reason to live when I had none.

You all gave me so many good time and great memories ( hello colt:) ) that I can only hope I gave you all some.

There was an aura, a surreal felling that company once had that I hope they find again.

ROH is about heart. I hope they find theirs again.

Please continue to watch them, support them, go to the shows bc the guys in that locker room and in that ring have more desire, heart, and dedication than can be measured.

Thank you all for everything, hope to see you all somewhere else down the road. But if not, you all meant the world me and I am forever in debt.

Wesley Richards

UPDATE x 3: According to several sources within ROH, many within the company believe Davey Richards is a “habitual, pathological liar”. One person reportedly said, “Davey Richards lied about quitting wrestling a million times. He’s burned bridges in Japan because he’s a liar. He lied to New Japan about being in a car wreck. He lied to [Pro Wrestling] NOAH about a neck injury.”

Someone noted on the retraction of his aforementioned comments from Total Wrestling Magazine, “it’s the only time he was honest. He really thinks badly of ROH, never wanted to lose to Steen and none of the boys like him. His locker room speech was a joke because he said he doesn’t lie, but that was a lie.”

ROH reportedly tried to protect Richards and not reveal the “real” reason of why he was not booked at Final Battle. However, we have confirmed that the interview where he buried ROH (see below) was the last straw. ROH management was pissed off and that’s an understatement.

Also while Eddie Edwards is finishing up with Ring of Honor as well, the source notes that while the locker room is happy to see Richards leave, many ROH employees will miss not having Edwards as part of the company because he was generally well liked. It’s also possible Edwards could return to ROH if WWE decides to pass on him, whereas Richards mentioned that he was “gone for good” when he talked about parting ways with the promotion. It’s safe to say the company doesn’t want him back either.

UPDATE x 2: Davey Richards issued his announcement of his parting of ways with Ring of Honor after he was informed that he would no longer be booked with the promotion for Final Battle on December 14. The belief among wrestlers is that Richards made his farewell on his own and not part of a planned ROH angle.

Richards was also reportedly “unbooked” (one person used the term “fired”) from the last set of ROH shows in Ohio and Michigan because the promotion was upset about comments he made in the British magazine, Total Wrestling, saying the ROH titles were not as important as they were previously portrayed. (See below)

Following this, Richards was said to have gotten himself back on the dates and made it a point to claim in front of the locker room that his comments from the magazine were incorrect and taken out of context, per several ROH talents. Richards was also reportedly unhappy with the plans for his last scheduled appearance at the Final Battle event, which could have factored into ROH removing him from the show. According to a number of sources, the tryout Richards had in WWE with NXT did not have any bearing on the situation that led to his exit. WWE was going to allow him to work the Final Battle show.

Richards’ tag team partner, Eddie Edwards, is still set to appear at Final Battle on December 14 at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

As far as the comments to Total Magazine are concerned, we posted the following on November 6, 2013:

Total Wrestling Magazine recently interviewed former ROH talent Davey Richards and they’ve sent us some exclusive quotes from their must-read interview.

The link to the full interview and magazine: http://www.twmag.co.uk/Magazine/TW2.pdf (this is where readers can view the full 88 page mag for free).

Here are some highlights:

Do you think changing the tag titles on three separate shows helped the ROH tag team division in any way?

“Nah. Those belts don’t mean nothing anymore, anyway.”

What do you think of the iPPV issues that ROH has been experiencing (which we look at in depth elsewhere in this issue)?

“I don’t care. It doesn?t bother me. If they can’t get their crap together that’s their problem. I just worry about showing up, doing my job in the ring and they can do whatever they want with that stuff. It’s their deal.”

You’ve been ROH Champion yourself ? what are your thoughts on what it means to be at the top of the tree and the responsibility that comes with it?

“In my opinion that title has been devalued vastly for the last few years. The booking of it has been really substandard and screwy. It helps guys get bookings when they’re holding it, but it’s kind of a death touch because you work hard to get it and then it’s like you realize how screwy things become. And now the booking is so screwy with it, it’s just like a piece of metal, unfortunately. It has a rich history: I mean, look at the guys who have held it. Most of them have been very deserving in my opinion.”

The rumor doing the rounds right now is that TNA is up for sale. Do you think the upshot of a TNA sale may be more talent heading over to ROH?

“Who’s even in TNA? No idea. Apart from Aries, Joe; guys like that. Oh, and TJ, but they’ve got him wrestling as some stupid skeleton man.”

The full interview is available in this months issue of Total Wrestling Magazine.

UPDATE: Davey Richards posted the following on Twitter today…

To clarify, it was ROH offices decision to not have me at Finall Battle. Not mine or any other company’s.

— Davey Richards (@RichardsWesley) December 1, 2013

ORIGINAL: According to Pwponderings.com, Davey Richards announced the following today…

“With a heavy heart I can announce that myself and ROH have parted ways for good and I will not be at Final Battle. Please continue to support them and the incredible talent they have. Thanks for the memories. It was an amazing ride.”

Richards and tag team partner Eddie Edwards were recently at the WWE Performance Center, and worked the last set of NXT V tapings. They are both expected to sign with WWE shortly.

We will be attending the ROH Final Battle event in New York City on Saturday, December 14th. We would love to meet up with you guys prior to the show. Drinks are on us as we want to personally thank you for your continued support of the website. We can’t thank you guys enough. If you’re interested in meeting up for drinks on us, please email me now by clicking here and we’ll work out the meeting details. Thanks for your continued support and we hope to see you in New York City on December 14th!

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