Ring of Honor issued the following:
ROH PURE TITLE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANT: MARK HASKINS
The tournament to crown the first Ring of Honor Pure Champion since 2006 begins at Pure Excellence on Friday, April 10 in Columbus and Saturday, April 11 in Pittsburgh. Sixteen entrants representing at least six countries will battle to put their names alongside Jay Lethal, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Nigel McGuinness, Bryan Danielson, and other ROH forefathers who fought by the Pure Rules. The rules gave a distinct flavor to each Pure Rules match: closed-fist punches were illegal and each competitor was allowed three rope breaks to stop submission holds and pinfalls during the match; after that, pinfalls and submission holds on or under the ropes would be legal.
“The Preacher’s Son” Mark Haskins has been on the doorstep of Championship gold in ROH since winning the 2018 International Cup. Haskins has submitted former ROH World Champions Jay Lethal and Dalton Castle, defeated perennial contenders Kenny King and Silas Young, and, as of this announcement, is on a singles winning streak that includes wins against Hallowicked, Alex Shelley, and Bully Ray.
Haskins enters the Pure Championship Tournament as one of its favorites irrespective of the tournament’s rules but the rules play heavy into the hands of Haskins! Haskins’s nearly-inescapable submissions will force his opponents to make a series of split-second decisions including whether they want to try to endure the pain and look for counters or burn precious rope breaks. Haskins’ repertoire will be an instant advantage and will make him one of the toughest outs in the tournament!
The road to the Pure Title starts in Columbus! Keep it locked into ROHWrestling.com for the announcement of all 16 competitors and first-round match-ups you will see in Columbus and Pittsburgh!
Join us live in Columbus or Pittsburgh, or streaming for HonorClub, to see history in the making at Pure Excellence!
ROH PRESENTS PURE EXCELLENCE
NIGHT ONE
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2020
BELL TIME: 7:30pm ET
EXPRESS LIVE!
COLUMBUS, OH
NIGHT TWO
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020
BELL TIME: 7:00pm ET
STAGE AE
PITTSBURGH, PA
ALREADY SIGNED TO COMPETE
DOUG WILLIAMS
JONATHAN GRESHAM
ALEX SHELLEY
ROCKY ROMERO
MARK HASKINS
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