Ring of Honor made waves in January when they announced the creation of a Ring of Honor Hall of Fame to celebrate the company’s 20th year of existence. Speculation began almost immediately as to who would be included and who would make up the first class.
On Monday, January 31, the company announced the first induction into the ROH Hall of Fame, and fittingly, it involves one-half of the first match in ROH history.
From Sandy Fork, Delaware, Dem Boys, The Briscoes were ROH not just from Day 1, but from Match 1. Jay Briscoe opened the company’s first show, The Era of Honor Begins, in a one-on-one match with Amazing Red.
A few months later, Mark Briscoe made his debut for the company defeating his brother at Honor Invades Boston. As Mark did not turn 18 until January of 2003, he was unable to perform in Pennsylvania due to the state’s labor laws. The two would feud off and on for the next few months, culminating in another match at the ROH First Anniversary Show, which Jay would win. The two would embrace afterward, and would begin teaming together shortly thereafter.
Over the next 19 years, the Briscoes would capture a staggering twelve ROH World Tag Team title reigns, covering more than 1,300 days as champions, nearly twice that of the next closest team. They would also hold the ROH World Six Man Championships alongside Bully Ray, and Jay would go on to win the Ring of Honor World Championship twice as well. ROH also named the Briscoes their Tag Team of the Decade for the 2010’s.
Together and separately, they’ve faced a who’s who of professional wrestling, up and down the Ring of Honor roster, visiting stars, tours of Pro Wrestling NOAH, and even held the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Titles in New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of a unique pairing with Toru Yano.
Mark and Jay made even more history in December of 2021, earning their twelfth ROH World Tag Team Title at Final Battle: End of an Era, with a win over The OGK, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett.
There may not be any tag team, nor any single in-ring performer more synonymous with Ring of Honor than The Briscoe Brothers. And they can now add “Ring of Honor Hall of Famers” to their near endless list of accolades.
Follow Kyle Sparks on Twitter at @kyleksparks.
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