Cary Silkin led Ring of Honor from 2004 to 2011 as the owner of the company before selling to Sinclair.
During his time as the owner, Silkin endured many losses on the business side and the entertainment side, but always managed to keep ROH afloat through the changes on-screen and behind the scenes.
Ring of Honor was the top Independent organization throughout those years, helping build the careers of the likes of CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, and more.
Despite the financial losses, mixed with the critical success and upside, Silkin never had a true offer to sell the company. However, he did have two half-hearted offers from Jerry Jarrett and CM Punk.
"I did not speak to him personally. Jerry Jarrett was interested. This was like 2007. It was just a sniff," said Silkin on ROH Strong.
Jarrett, who helped found TNA/IMPACT in 2002, left the company in 2005.
He continued, revealing Punk vaguely inquired years later.
"I get a text message in like 2010. CM Punk texts me out of nowhere and is like, 'What would you want to sell Ring of Honor?' I've hustled tickets on the street and have had a somewhat successful business. I don't think text messaging is the way to approach sales of companies. That first text message might be, 'I'd like to talk to you about something.' Those were my only two real offers...they weren't real. Those were the only two rinky-dink offers I've ever had," he said.
Silkin went on to say that he never had a conversation with Punk about buying the company, saying, "In 2010, his business tactics weren't the best or else it was a fleeting thought by a friend of his."
Punk was under WWE contract in 2010 and a former World Heavyweight Champion by that time.
Silkin would eventually sell the company to Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011.
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