Sledge might be a new name for some fans, but “The Metalhead Maniac” has the opportunity to rapidly climb the ladder in Ring of Honor.
This week, ROH will kick off its Survival of the Fittest tournament. Several qualifying matches will determine the participants in a six-man elimination match that will determine the ultimate victor. The winner of this bout will earn a shot at the ROH World Championship, so the tournament offers competitors like Sledge the chance to break out in a big way.
In an interview with WrestleZone, Sledge previewed his first-round contest with “The Mecca” Brian Johnson and expressed his confidence in this match-up.
“That guy just runs his mouth, like a ridiculous amount,” said Sledge. “I can’t wait to shut it up. I really can’t. Like I mean, come on, man. I’m 6-foot-3, 260-something pounds. And then ‘The Mecca’ the guy who’s the ‘Equal Opportunity Ass-Whooper,’ the guy who gives himself every nickname underneath the book, who looks like he needs to eat five different cheeseburgers to put some weight on. And he’s stepping into the ring with a giant. How do you think that’s really gonna play out?”
Sledge stated that he’s excited about having this opportunity and noted that he wants to emerge victorious at the end of the tournament. If he does, his ROH World Championship shot would currently come in a match with RUSH. In the interview, Sledge shared his thoughts on this potential clash and hinted that he could pull off the stunning upset if RUSH underestimates him.
“I mean, he’s the bar right now, isn’t he?” said Sledge. “He’s the one, he’s La Faccion Ingobernables. I would love to face him. Dragon Lee, Bestia, Kenny King, anybody in his family. Let’s do it, let’s rock.
“I would come in as the underdog, absolutely. But will I really be the underdog? That’s the question. Would he take me so lightly, because I’m the newest guy on the roster, that he might slip?”
Sledge’s first-round match with Johnson will air this Tuesday at 1 p.m. EST on ROH Week By Week, which streams on the promotion’s official YouTube page.
The full interview is available here:
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