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JOHNSON: How would you compare ROH at 2 years old to 2 years of ECW under Paul Heyman?
SAPOLSKY: This is probably the best question I've ever been asked and I'm afraid I'm not going to answer it properly because ROH is so much like ECW, but at the same time is very different. ROH encompasses the spirit and the atmosphere of ECW back in the day while presenting a totally different style. However, you can see a lot of ECW fingerprints on the ROH style in very subtle things. The first two years of ECW under Heyman were actually very different than ROH because it was a completely different landscape back then. Fans had seen so little in the United States that as soon as ECW put the smaller talent on TV and gave them a chance to shine that is was totally unique and innovative. Now fans have seen everything under the sun so its much more difficult to come up with something innovative. The comparisons are definitely there while at the same time both products are totally different from each other. Does that make sense?
JOHNSON:Do you think the Philadelphia promotional wars were good for business or did they hurt the market?
SAPOLSKY: They were definitely stupid and hurt the market. There is no doubt there. They caused everyone a lot of aggravation and thankfully its all over now. I think there is room in Philly for three companies like ROH, CZW and 3PW to survive and carve out a niche. If anyone else came in it would be overcrowded again and we'd probably see another war. Things are just finally recovering now from the wars.
JOHNSON: What are the three goals you would like to see accomplished with this weekend's Anniversary show?
SAPOLSKY: One, Everyone gets their money's worth. Two, Everyone sees a show that they will remember for years and years and years. Three, we present a show that we can be artistically proud of.
JOHNSON: And sell videos of?
SAPOLSKY: Of course! (Laughs)
Ring of Honor's Second Anniversary show takes place this Saturday February 14th at the National Guard Armory in Braintree, MA. For more on Ring of Honor, visit www.ROHWrestling.com.
Mike Johnson can be reached at Mike@PWInsider.com. He suggests Death Before Dishonor, Epic Encounter, and the First Anniversary Show as his personal choices to start following ROH as well.
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