Simon Grimm, formerly known as Simon Gotch of The Vaudevillains in WWE, made his debut last weekend in a ROH live event in Florida. A video, on ROH Facebook page, announced the debut of Grimm, a technically brilliant scientific wrestler. The first part of this video shows the “destruction” of his former character, removing his make-up, until the words “CLOWN”, “GIMMICK”, “JOKE”, “TALENTLESS”, “RELEASED” appeared on screen . Then we can witness Grimm entering a Muay Thai/ Jiu Jitsu training facility to work MMA moves and submissions. No news yet on when he’s going to make his TV or PPV debut.

In a recent interview, Joe Koff, COO of ROH, is about to move forward in the digital media by launching their own subscriber-based streaming network. A kinf of “Ring of Honor Network” available online and as a mobile app for Android and iOS. The content will also be available on Roku with plans for Apple TV and Android TV as well. Koff announced the app should be coming out in the first quarter.

“It really became developmentally the right time to do it. We saw an opportunity. We had a long discussion about it. We looked at the business model and how it impacts our business. We just felt that this was the time to create our own Ring of Honor stream, “he stated. ROH recently tested an “enhanced” Honor Club for two shows and the result “was terrific from a quality standpoint and from an accessibility standpoint.” If Joe Koff would like to have the PPV broadcasted only on ROH streaming platform, the classic PPV broadcasting model might continue.

Koff also confirmed the strength of the relationship ROH have with NJPW, how the appearances of the New Japan wrestlers in USA are special for the shows. “The respect for both organizations from each organization is immense, and it is collaborative — how we use the talent, when we use the talent — what’s the outcome for the talent. Is there any way we can make storylines within both organizations, whether it be championships held on either side of the – you know East and West – in their respective counties and areas.”

ROH Survivor of the Fittest will take place this weekend in a 3-night event, from November 17 to 19 in San Antonio, Dallas, and Oklahoma City. The winner of the 12-man, single elimination tournament will be given a future ROH World Championship match. Kenny Omega and some CMLL wrestlers are announced to wrestle, while Stephen Amell, star of TV series “Arrow”, is set to ‘invade” San Antonio. Here are the cards of the event.

More matches yet to be announced, Cody, The Young Bucks, Jay Briscoe, Bully Ray, The Dawgs (Rhett Titus and Will Ferrara) signed to appear.

(Pic and screencap courtesy of ROH Wrestling)