Courtesy of ROH
Rush will look to extend his reign of the Ring of Honor title on Sunday at the Best in the world Pay to see.
He will defend the belt against Bandit, which is a duel that should be a wonderful clash of styles. Rush is ruthless and violent in the ring, willing to win at all costs. That’s a stark contrast to Bandido, the masked wrestler who has an incredibly captivating approach in the ring as a babyface. Part of a champion’s responsibility is to create new stars, which Rush will seek to accomplish in this match. It should be a high-flying physical affair and serve as a watershed moment for Bandido in his first ROH pay-per-view main event.
Currently in the midst of a 494-day title race, Rush is the undisputed superior force at ROH. He leads The Ungovernable Faction, the spiritual successor to Los Ungovernables, and the group has emerged as an unstoppable force in ROH. His brother, Dragon Lee, also a key part of LFI, will challenge Tony Deppen on the undercard for the ROH television title.
In an interview translated from Spanish, Rush spoke with Illustrated Sports on the upcoming PPV, the potential to work with Andrade at ROH, his recent surgery, and the next championship he plans to add to his collection.
Illustrated Sports: As we approach the 500-day mark, what are you most proud of so far during your reign of the ROH title?
Rush: I am extremely proud of what I have accomplished in Ring of Honor by becoming the first and only Mexican person to make history by winning the title twice, and I did it in one year. Everyone on this list wants to take my championship, but no one can.
SI: Much of this title reign has been spent without a live audience due to the pandemic. There will be a limited capacity crowd in Best in the world. Finally, you have the opportunity to work your magic as a champion in front of a crowd.
Rush: It’s very exciting for me to fight in front of a crowd again. Without the fans, wrestling is nothing. This program is called Best in the worldAnd I’ll show you why I’m the best in the world That is why I am a ROH champion.
After my suspension [a story line where I and LFI were suspended for the month of May], I had surgery on my knee. Now I am healthy and stronger than before. I came back with a more powerful mindset, more violence, and I’m ready to cause even more destruction. My wish is to continue being the best in the world.
Y: In addition to the next game in Best in the worldYou also have an upcoming triple threat match against Bandido a week later on the Big Lucha show in Mexico. Bandit should be a phenomenal opponent for you to show your excellence as a champion and headlining talent. You fought two years ago in the 17th anniversary Show; Do you think it is now ready for the main event?
Rush: Bandit is a great fighter and he is ready for this moment. He is young, talented and hungry. In wrestling, those are the dangerous ones. We have fought before, but this time it will be totally different. And Bandido is great in the ring, but so am I. You will experience a different style of punishment in this match, and I will show you how to be the champion in the biggest match of the night.
Y: Fittingly, as you mentioned, this ROH pay-per-view is called Best in the world. The best in the world may very well be your brother Dragon Lee, who seeks to regain the television title. What makes you so special in the ring?
Rush: My brother Dragon Lee can do things in the ring that people can only dream of. There is a lot of talent in ROH, but no one like Dragon Lee. Every game he’s in is spectacular, and that will be the case again when he regains his title.
SI: Would you ever consider chasing the tag titles with Dragon Lee? Or would you defend the world title against him, potentially in a ROH signature show like Final battle in December?
Rush: I love tagging with it. When we team up in Ring of Honor, it will become clear why we are the two most dominant fighters in the world together. But no, I wouldn’t want to defend my title against him. I am not interested in a rivalry against my brother or my father. [La Bestia del Ring]. We are family. Our goal is to show that we are the best, not to fight each other.
Y: You’re close to Andrade, who just made an outstanding in-ring debut Wednesday for AEW at Dynamite. Do you think we’ll ever see Andrade at ROH?
Rush: After everything we’ve been through, it has made us brothers. So, at some point, Andrade can come. People will see something different if Andrade makes it to Ring of Honor. If that happens, there will be no one who can stop LFI.
Y: Is Andrade the right person to dethrone Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Championship this August in Triplemania?
Rush: If Andrade doesn’t win, I’ll be the one to take the championship from Kenny Omega. If I get in the ring against Omega, I will take his title and make it very clear who is number one in the ring.
SI: You are establishing yourself as the most dominant champion in all of wrestling. What should fans expect to see at this Sunday’s pay-per-view?
Rush: Ring of Honor is my empire. LFI is here to dominate. All who oppose, like Bandit, be prepared to face destruction. We have no mercy on anyone. We are true violence. We are LFI, and we are back for what is ours: all the gold on our waists.
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Justin Barrasso can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Justinbarrasso.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.