ROH's 2nd Anniversary Show crowned the first-ever Pure Wrestling Champion, establishing a title that defined Ring of Honor's technical wrestling identity.
Key Facts
- Date
- February 14, 2004
- Venue
- National Guard Armory, Braintree, MA
- Pure Title Tournament Winner
- A.J. Styles (defeated CM Punk in final)
- ROH World Champion
- Samoa Joe (retained vs. Whitmer, Maff, Low Ki)
- ROH Tag Team Champions
- The Briscoe Brothers (retained)
- Special Match
- Country Whipping: Special K defeated The Carnage Crew
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ring of Honor sought to differentiate itself from other promotions by introducing a championship dedicated to technical, rule-bound wrestling. The 2nd Anniversary Show was chosen as the occasion to launch this inaugural Pure Wrestling Championship through a single-night tournament.
On February 14, 2004, ROH held its second anniversary event at the National Guard Armory in Braintree, Massachusetts. A tournament to crown the first Pure Wrestling Champion headlined the show, with A.J. Styles defeating CM Punk in the final. Samoa Joe also retained the ROH World Championship in a Four Corner Survival match, and the Briscoe Brothers kept the tag titles.
A.J. Styles became the inaugural Pure Wrestling Champion, lending the new title immediate prestige. The Pure Championship went on to become a recognized part of ROH's identity, distinguishing the promotion's emphasis on in-ring technical competition for years to come.