12/20 WWE Smackdown Rating Sees Drop
This past Friday night's edition of WWE SmackDown scored a 1.91 cable rating, which is down from the previous week's 1.94 rating. The show averaged 2.724 million viewers, however, which is up from last week's 2.686 million viewers.
Roddy Piper to Make ROH Debut
ROH has issued the following:
Ring of Honor's first television taping of 2014 is less than two weeks away! On Saturday, January 4th, all the stars of ROH will be in Nashville. This event will host the first rounds of the 2014 Top Prospect Tournament. We can now confirm an appearance by a LEGEND and two more giant matches for Nashville!
ROWDY RODDY PIPER will make a very special appearance Saturday, January 4th for the fans in Nashville. This will be a rare chance to meet a Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer. Autographs will be available for a fee.
“Mr Wrestling” Kevin Steen vs. Chris Hero
Finally, we know Chris Hero's first opponent as he returns to ROH – Kevin Steen! While Hero has already been announced as part of a major tag team match at Wrestling's Finest in Pittsburgh, Nashville will host his very first match back in Ring of Honor. At Final Battle, Kevin Steen defeated Michael Bennett in a brutal brawl that destroyed the ringside area. While an incredibly talented wrestler in his own right, in recent years former ROH Champion Steen has tended toward ring apron power bombs and steel chairs over trading holds with his opponents. Nashville is going to see a huge styles clash as he welcomes the technically savvy Chris Hero back to ROH.
Chris Hero has made clear he has his sights set on Adam Cole and the ROH World Championship. His return matches to Ring of Honor will be his chance to prove he is still one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and Hero knows all eyes are on him. A collision with Kevin Steen could derail the comeback before it's even started – or it could be the catalyst that sends Chris Hero barreling straight toward Adam Cole and Matt Hardy.
ROH World TV Championship
ROH World TV Champion “Sicilian Psychopath” Tommaso Ciampa vs Silas YoungAt Final Battle 2013, Tommaso Ciampa finally captured what has eluded him his entire Ring of Honor career: the ROH World TV Championship. He defeated longest reigning champion Matt Taven and destroyed the HOT at the same time. Ciampa has persevered a through horrifying injury and rehabilitation to begin 2014 more motivated and dominant than ever before. In Nashville, he makes his very first TV Title defense against Silas Young!
Nigel McGuinness is awarding Silas Young a TV Title opportunity after his Final Battle strap match victory against Mark Briscoe. Young has been building momentum in ROH and no doubt sees a title victory as a fitting way to kick off the year. Meanwhile, now that he finally holds ROH gold, there is no way Ciampa is losing his title without an all out war to defeat him. Be there in Nashville to see a huge match between two of the most intense, hardest hitting athletes in Ring of Honor!
Tickets to this television taping are available HERE. Keep checking rohwrestling.com for updated information on our first show of 2014!
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
