Davey Richards - Best in the World

From June 24, 2010.

When I began watching Ring of Honor Wrestling, or ROH for short, in mid 2009, little did I know what kind of impact it would have upon my life. I had always heard of this organization but I never really tried it out because well, I honestly don't even know. Thankfully, ROH got a television deal early that year with HDNet and when I heard of the legendary Ric Flair cutting a promo on the show, I decided to check it out. He came out to a standing ovation where he put over the company and introduced the then ROH World Champion, Jerry Lynn. I can't remember the entire segment from memory but I do know that that segment was a huge factor in making me an ROH fan. Ever since that time, I have become a huge ROH fan to the point where I purchase their DVDs, buy and wear their merchandise, discuss the product in their forums, and just last January, I went to a live show where I saw incredible wrestling matches live and in person. While I was there, I got the privilege to see Mr. Davey Richards in action and let me tell you something, never in my life have I seen anyone with as much intensity as him. He pumped up the crowd, he cussed people out, he punched and kicked the living daylights out of his opponents, and most importantly, he impressed the audience. I've been watching this sport for as long as I can remember but never have I seen anyone with the type of intensity that he brings. The way he talks, the way he walks, and the way he displays his dominance are all factors in making him the most intense wrestler in the world.

But is that all? Is that the only thing that makes him the best wrestler in the world? Hell no. His wrestling ability is comparable to absolutely no one else on this planet. He is able to blend in his relentless martial arts abilities and mix them with his incredible wrestling abilities to create a crafty combination that I swear I have never seen. He can keep a match on the ground, he can keep it in the air, and he can keep it everywhere and he can pull off an astounding match because he is just that damn good. His matches with Kevin Steen, El Generico, Eddie Edwards, and The Young Bucks are some of the most incredible matches that I have ever witnessed. He has established himself as a ring general and because of that, my eyes are always glued to one of his matches. Whether he is wrestling solo or teaming up with Eddie Edwards as The American Wolves, he just has that rare ability to put on an amazing match at any given time. Let's just cut to the point, he is an amazingly gifted professional wrestler.

So he is a tremendous in ring wrestler, what's the point in that if you don't have any charisma? Guess what, no one in this business has as much charisma as Davey Richards. Because of the intensity that he brings to the squared circle, he is able to light up a crowd and bring everyone on their feet. But if Davey doesn't want to light up a crowd with his physicality, then he can do it with his slick mic skills. Everything he says is so convincing and is said with purpose that it's hard to not pay attention to him. If he is not intriguing with his in ring talent, then chances are he is with his charisma and mic skills.

While these factors are important in making a successful wrestler, their role outside of the ring plays a crucial part as well. For Davey Richards, he is an amazing professional wrestler and an even better human being. Instead of being handed everything on a plate, he would rather earn it. Whether that being a big paycheck or a championship, he wants to earn it. All of his accomplishments and labels are things that he has earned and worked hard for. No one has ever handed anything to him because like I said earlier, he would rather earn it.
In a recent interview, Davey Richards stated that while he is only 27 years old, he will be walking away from the sport of professional wrestler at the end of the year. While there is a chance he will continue to wrestle across the globe beyond 2010, the chances are he will be retiring at the end of the year. For me, learning of this news was heartbreaking because I admire this man so much but I understand why he is walking away. Let's just clear the air first, it's his life and he can be able to do whatever he damn well pleases. While I'm disappointed that he will be walking away from this art at the end of this year while at such a young age, I understand that he would like to complete other goals in his life which include becoming a firefighter, an occupation that both allows him to help out other people and his family.

He isn't in it for the money, he isn't in it for the fame, he's in it because he has honor for the name of professional wrestling and for himself. If that isn't something you can't respect, then I don't know what is. I'm sad that Davey might be retiring at the end of the year but again, I completely understand why he is doing it. He is called the best wrestler in the world because he has earned that connotation and for that, I respect him immensely. He is the one man on this planet that I look up to because of what he stands for, everything.