Generation Next

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For the British television series, see Generation Next (BBC series).

Generation Next
Stable
Members	Austin Aries (leader) Roderick Strong Jack Evans Matt Sydal
Name(s)	Generation Next GenNext
Former members	Alex Shelley
Debuted	2004
Disbanded	2006
Promotions	ROH

Generation Next was a professional wrestling stable in the Ring of Honor promotion, which was formed by Alex Shelley on May 22, 2004. Over the course of the two years it was in use, Generation Next was made up of Shelley (May 2004-December 2004), Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, Jack Evans, and Matt Sydal (August 2005-July 2006). On June 3, 2006 Generation Next disbanded, wrestling as a faction for one last time on July 29, 2006.

1 History
- 1.1 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
2 Championships and accomplishments
3 Media
4 External links

[edit] History

Generation Next made its debut on May 22, 2004 during ROH's "Generation Next" show as a heel faction. The event was originally going to partly consist of matches between up-and-comers in the ROH roster, and the wrestlers in these matches were to be voted on by those in attendance. The first match on the card was originally going to be a triple threat tag team match between the Christopher Street Connection, The Ring Crew Express and Special K when Alex Shelley, Roderick Strong, Austin Aries, and Jack Evans ran-in and broke the match up, declaring themselves "The Best that Ring of Honor has to offer" and trashing the ballots. Aries, Evans, and Strong then went on to challenge and defeat the aforementioned Special K in a six man tag team match while Shelley defeated another Special K member, Hydro, in a singles match afterwords. Later in the night, all four defeated the Briscoe Brothers, Jimmy Rave, and John Walters in an eight man tag team match.

Generation Next attacked Ricky Steamboat on July 17, 2004, while Steamboat was facing CM Punk. CM Punk saved Steamboat from this beating, completing his face turn. This incident led to the feud between Generation Next and Steamboat/Second City Saints. On October 2, 2004, Generation Next defeated "Team Steamboat" (CM Punk, Ace Steel, John Walters and Jimmy Jacobs) in an eight-man elimination match, with Aries and Shelley being the sole survivors.

During October 2004, Strong and Evans formed a regular tag team, Shelley was feuding with his longtime foe and former tag team partner Jimmy Jacobs, and Aries was rising in the ranks, eventually challenging then ROH World Champion, Samoa Joe. On December 26, 2004 during ROH's "Final Battle 2004" show, Aries and Strong wanted Alex Shelley to step down as the leader of Generation Next. When Shelley refused to do so, Aries and Strong turned on Shelley, kicking him out of the faction. Later that night, Aries defeated Samoa Joe to become the new ROH World Champion, end his reign of 21 months.

On March 5, 2005, Generation Next participated in the Trios Tournament, but was defeated in finals by The Rottweilers when Aries was pinned by Homicide. Homicide challenged Aries for ROH World Championship, but was defeated on April 2, 2005 during ROH's "Best of the American Super Juniors" tournament. Former Generation Next leader Alex Shelley, now a face, also made challenged for the title during ROH's "Manhattan Mayhem" show, but also failed to win. On June 4, 2005, Aries and Strong attacked Shelley so brutally that Shelley had to be aided out.

On June 18, 2005, Aries lost his title to CM Punk during ROH's "Death Before Dishonor III" show. On July 23, 2005, Alex Shelley officially became a new member of The Embassy, turning heel again. This caused Generation Next to turn face and begin the Generation Next-Embassy feud. Aries and Strong, along with new member Matt Sydal, defeated Shelley, Jimmy Rave and Abyss (representing the Embassy) on August 12, 2005. Aries and Strong scored another victory over Embassy on August 20. After the match, The Embassy attemped to attack Mick Foley, but Generation Next fought them off. On December 3, 2005 Generation Next ended their feud with The Embassy by defeating them in the first ever Steel Cage Warfare match.

On December 17, 2005 during ROH's "Final Battle 2005" show, Aries and Strong defeated Sal Rinauro and Tony Mamaluke to win the ROH Tag Team Championship. Generation Next then stated that they planned to elevate the tag team titles to the main event scene in ROH. As part of this process, they defended the titles in Japan, giving the championship world title status.

On June 3, 2006 during ROH's "Destiny" show, Austin Aries declared that, with Evans and Sydal wrestling in Japan for Dragon Gate, and that they had already established themselves as the top wrestlers in ROH, there was no longer any need for the Generation Next stable.

On July 29, 2006 at ROH's "Generation Now" show, the four members that made up Generation Next teamed for one last time. They faced off against Davey Richards, Jerrelle Clark, Dave Crist and Jake Crist, who are considered four of the top prospects in ROH today. In a spectacular match, Generation Next lost. After the match, they each laid out a Generation Next t-shirt as a sign of respect.

Following the disbanding of Generation Next, the members went their separate way. Jack Evans spent the rest of the year wrestling in Japan. Austin Aries and Roderick Strong continued to team together, and lost the ROH World Tag Team Championship to the Kings of Wrestling at Glory by Honor V: Night Two. Matt Sydal formed a team with Christopher Daniels, and the two went on to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship at Dethroned.

At Battle of the Icons on January 27, 2007, Austin Aries and Roderick Strong teamed up with Jack Evans to defeat SHINGO, Davey Richards & Delirious. What looked to be a Generation Next reunion of sorts was short lived. At the first show of the Fifth Year Festival, Aries and Strong challenge Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. Midway through the match, Aries suffered a knee injury and was barley able to stand. After losing, Strong turned on Aries and began to attack him. Davey Richards came down and announced the two had formed a new tag team called No Remorse Corps. Jack Evans ran down to help Aries, but would not fight Strong, saying both of them were his friends.

[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

In January 2006, Aries, Shelley and Strong were reunited in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where they formed a short-lived stable with a similar agenda as Generation Next's. The trio antagonized road agent Jerry Lynn, demanding opportunities to advance in the company. They effectively defeated all the major faces in the X Division in tag team matches, defeating AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and Chris Sabin in a tag match. At the following pay-per-view, they defeated the team of Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and Matt Bentley.

Strong & Aries also competed in a tag team tournament, defeating The Naturals in tag team competition before losing to the team of Dutt & Sabin.

The trio was unofficially disbanded in light of Aries and Strong's indefinite suspension from the company due to them showing up late to the TNA Against All Odds pay per view. In 2006, Shelley went on to create Paparazzi Productions with Kevin Nash and Johnny Devine.

At TNA Bound For Glory, Aries returned as "Austin Starr" and won the "Kevin Nash Open Invitational X Division Gauntlet Battle Royal" and presented a bowling trophy to Starr for winning the match. On the following edition of iMPACT, it was announced Starr would work closely with Nash's group Paparazzi Productions, much to the dismay of one of the group's founders, Alex Shelley.

On June 28, 2006 reports circulated that Strong had been released from TNA. Roderick Strong's profile was also removed from TNA's website emphasizing the release, though no official word has been announced.