Heading into Ring of Honor’s Best in the World pay-per-view pay-per-view, RUSH is quickly approaching 500 days as the company’s world champion. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed his ability to defend the gold in front of live fans during this reign, but that will change on Sunday. At ROH Best in the World, the company will welcome back live fans for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, RUSH previewed the event and looked back on his reign.
“El Toro Blanco” pointed how he has made history throughout his time as the champion and stated that his previous contenders have fallen short.
“I am extremely proud of what I’ve accomplished in Ring of Honor by becoming the first and only Mexican person to make history by winning the title twice, and I did it in a year,” said RUSH. “Everyone on this roster wants to take my championship, but no one can do it.”
On Sunday, RUSH will defend the title against Bandido, the winner of the ROH Survival of the Fittest tournament. These two stars clashed at ROH 17th Anniversary n 2019, but needless to say, a lot has changed since this encounter. In the interview, RUSH praised his opponent, though he also promised to show Bandido what being a champion is all about.
“Bandido is a great fighter, and he is ready for this moment,” said RUSH. “He is young, talented and hungry. In wrestling, those are the dangerous ones. We have wrestled before, but this time will be totally different. And Bandido is great in the ring, but so am I. He will experience a different style of punishment in this match, and I will show him how to be the champion in the biggest match of the night.”
In addition to his run as the champion, RUSH has reigned supreme in ROH alongside his stablemates in La Faccion Ingobernable. “El Toro Blanco” is often linked to Andrade El Idolo, and despite the latter’s recent move to All Elite Wrestling, RUSH teased how the possibility of his ally’s move to ROH could firmly tip the balance of power in the company in LFI’s favor.
“After all we have been through, it has made us brothers,” said RUSH. “So at some point, Andrade may come. People will see something different if Andrade comes to Ring of Honor. If that happens, there will be no one who can stop LFI.”
Andrade will challenge Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Championship at Triplemanía XXIX, but if “El Idolo” comes up short, RUSH made it clear that he’ll be waiting in the wings.
