It’s the holiday season, folks, and you know what that means—some people are stringing up lights, while others are stringing up their opponents. Ring of Honor (ROH), wrestling’s classic blend of finesse and ferocity, is bringing its annual Final Battle pay-per-view back to the storied Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. That’s right, they’re returning to the old stomping grounds where wrestling greats have locked arms and egos, all for the thrill of fans who just can’t get enough of body slams and the sweet scent of nostalgia.
After being scooped up by wrestling mogul Tony Khan in 2022, ROH has been hinting at making a splash—and what bigger splash than a trip down memory lane at Hammerstein? This is more than just a building; it’s hallowed ground, folks. Legends have fought, soared, and maybe even bled there (probably bled; it’s wrestling after all). Seven Final Battle events have gone down here, with the last one in 2018, and the venue has since been witness to everything from ECW’s “extreme” history to New Japan’s Fighting Spirit Unleashed in 2019. You could say Hammerstein has seen its fair share of “enthusiastic disagreements.”
While the date is unconfirmed, insiders from Fightful Select and Andrew Zarian suggest that the event will likely unfold in the lead-up to Christmas. Final Battle, festive edition? Yes, please. ROH hasn’t officially announced it, so technically, it’s still in the “are they really doing this?” phase. But hey, holiday miracles happen, and wrestling fans know to expect the unexpected.
And in true wrestling style, ROH won’t be alone at the Hammerstein this winter. GCW has announced they’ll be swinging through with “The People vs. GCW” on January 19, 2025. Hammerstein, it seems, will be ending the year on a suplex-heavy high and ringing in the new one with—well, probably more suplexes.
One thing’s for sure: when ROH’s finest step into Hammerstein’s ring, fans better be ready for a Final Battle that’s anything but final.