After 24 years in the business, working for some of the top promotions all around the world, the “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels has finally captured his first major world championship. A bloody mess, Daniels defeated Adam Cole to win the ROH World Championship in the main event of Ring of Honor’s 15th Anniversary pay-per-view on Friday night.
Several weeks ago, Daniels’ long-time friend and partner Frankie Kazarian revealed himself as a member of Bullet Club, turning his back on a team that has won tag team gold in both Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling over many years. During the final moments of Friday night’s pay-per-view, champion Adam Cole inadvertently assaulted the referee, knocking him to the floor. Kazarian came out to the ring, positioning himself to finish off Daniels with a blow from the ROH title belt, but instead revealed that the double-cross was a part of an elaborate plan by The Addiction (formerly Bad Influence). Daniels then hit Cole with his finisher – the Best Moonsault Ever – three consecutive times, to win the match.
In 2002, Daniels wrestled in the main event of the very first Ring of Honor show, taking on both Daniel Bryan and Low Ki. He continued to work with the promotion for several years while simultaneously wrestling for a brand new organization out of Nashville called Total Nonstop Action, which would of course become TNA Impact Wrestling. Despite being one of the best wrestlers in the world and a staple of the U.S. wrestling scene for nearly two decades, Daniels was unable to win the top title for a major promotion, until defeating Adam Cole Friday night. In doing so, he also became only the fourth man in history to win the Ring of Honor triple crown championship, as a former television champion and four-time tag team champion.
After the match, the Ring of Honor roster celebrated in the ring with Daniels, who was given both the current ROH World Championship and the company’s original title belt as a symbolic gesture, as well as Kazarian, who earlier in the night earned the right to challenge for the ROH World TV Championship currently held by “The Villain” Marty Scurll.
24 years in the making #ROH15TH pic.twitter.com/7hYBXRm0qf
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) March 11, 2017
Destiny #ROH15TH pic.twitter.com/iBaf25EWCu
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) March 11, 2017
How much can Christopher Daniels take? #ROH15TH pic.twitter.com/AgXxpeRdF9
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) March 11, 2017
It’s not going to be easy #ROH15TH pic.twitter.com/YMsrJxB5H7
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) March 11, 2017
