ROH superstar Jay Lethal recently spoke with WrestleZone about the promotion’s Pure Division, and how it’s helped elevate the talented roster’s in-ring abilities. Highlights are below.
On ROH’s Pure division:
“The opportunity to present pure wrestling really found its niche with the no-crowd [setting],” said Lethal. “I really feel like, when we were forced to do these shows with no people in attendance, you know, wrestling has been this dynamic of there’s a good person and a bad person, and without the fans there to cheer for that good person and boo for that bad person, then it kinda becomes a little hokey and weird, which it is, when they’re there. But when they’re not there to do something in a way where you are affected by whether or not the people are in attendance, that was the real task. And man, I think we hit a home run with the Pure Division. So I think it’s so cool we get to showcase our actual wrestling, guys who you didn’t think could go before, you’re seeing that they can actually wrestle.”
How Jonathan Gresham has carried the division:
“I mean I’ve known for years, how great, and even when I say great, I don’t feel that does it justice, but I’ve known for years how great of a wrestler Jonathan Gresham is,” said Lethal. “I can’t tell you how much this pandemic, in my eyes, was a positive for him. The world got to notice and take notice and witness how great of a wrestler Jonathan Gresham is. And I couldn’t be more proud of Jonathan Gresham and what he brings to the table and the fact that people are getting and have gotten to see that he can, man. So now when the people come back, I am really excited at how they’ll take to Jonathan Gresham because he’s amazing, man. I’ve known for years, a lot of the guys on the roster have known. But because the pandemic and the Pure Division coming back, now they’ve gotten to see it. And that’s the goal. That was the goal and his vision of The Foundation — giving the people who can actually wrestle a chance to prove it.”
On Rhett Titus:
“My heart goes out to Rhett Titus because he’s so good in the ring, but I don’t feel like, throughout the years, he has gotten that chance to show the world,” said Lethal. “I mean, it’s weird to say that knowing that he was tag team champions at one point, and he’s always been there, but like never once did people get to stop and go wow man, Rhett Titus, he can really go. And I really feel like this got to do that. And that’s the goal of The Foundation, to give those people a chance.