JOHN WALTERS BRINGS IT HOME
Wins Pure Title in Hometown
By E. Brock Shockett
Ring of Honor Magazine, Volume 1
When John Walters thinks back to February 14, 2004, he must
certainly look on that day as one of the most frustrating in his wrestling career.
Coming off a win over Chad Collyer in Ring of Honor's first ever Three Rope Break
match (a pre-cursor to the Pure Title matches), as well as two huge victories over
Xavier, Walters was now entered in the tournament to crown Ring of Honor's first-ever
Pure Champion.
But just like that, excitement turned to disappointment, and
Walters lost to CM Punk in the first match of the tournament.
Things continued to spin out of control after that, as Walters
lost five of his next six matches, before finally righting his ship as he, Jimmy
Jacobs and Matt Stryker defeated the GeNext trio of Jack Evans, Roderick Strong,
and Austin Aries on July 23 in Wauwatosa, WI.
And from there is only got better.
After reeling off two more victories, Walters found himself with
a chance to erase the bad memories of the last six months. Beating Nigel McGuiness
three weeks prior at testing the Limit in Essington, PA, Walters earned a shot at
Doug Williams and the Pure Title. In Braintree, MA. On the outskirts of his hometown
of Boston.
This time he would not be denied. On August 28, John Walters
became the third Ring of Honor Pure Champion, beating Doug Williams with a submission
hold in the ropes when Williams was out of rope breaks.
"I've has a pit in m stomach ever since I lost in the first round
in front of my hometown crowd in Boston at the Second Anniversary Show and the only
way I could make that right was to win the belt in front of those same fans," said
Walters. "I finally accomplished exactly what I knew deep down that I could do."
It was a strong ending to a summer that began with Walters on the
wrong end of a beat down from GeNext, one that left him bloodied, and quite possibly
out of a job. When GeNext first came onto the scene, they announced they were taking
the spots of wrestlers they defeated. Jimmy Rave was one of those wrestlers, and he
lost his job, but has since re-emerged as a member of Prince Nana's Embassy.
"I know I have my doubters out there and that included Generation
Next," said Walters. "They might have made me tap, they might have beaten me, but
when the pressure was on I won and I welcome them to try to take this title from
my waist."
Although he has since gotten some measure of revenge and defeated
various members of the faction in different tag team matches, both Austin Aries and
Alex Shelley figure to be among the biggest threats for his title, as they've already
both made successful challenges to Williams for the belt.
"I respect (GeNext) for their ring skills, but I proved with hard
work and paying your dues that you can achieve success," said Walters. "If they want
to try to bust me open again then they'll see the same side of me that Xavier did at
Final Battle 2003 and they can consider that a warning."
"The ROH roster is nothing but talent from top to bottom and I
know everyone on the roster is a threat, " he continued. "I'm keeping a close eye
on the Contender's Ring and I'll be prepared for anyone from Nigel McGuiness to
Homicide because I know I have to defend this belt against the best to raise its
prestige and prove myself as champion."
And at some point, Walters knows he'll have to give a re-match
to Williams, who brought prestige and an international flavor to the belt.
But for now, Walters is going to enjoy being Pure Champion, hoping
he can hold onto the belt at least long enough to defend it on November 5th, when
ROH comes back to the Boston area for "Weekend of Thunder," featuring the dedut of
the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger.