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FORUM HOME > Wrestling > US Independents
best active non-WWE non-TNA US wrestlers?
| LillaThrilla | Posted on 08/08/07 at 17:17:58 In your opinion, what are some of the best wrestlers in the US right now that are not retired, not injured, and not under contract with either WWE (RAW, Smackdown, ECW, or developmentals) or TNA? Define "best" however you want. I'm looking for your roughly top 5-10 guys and I'd like input from lots of people on this. I've got a TNM circuit idea but I'm way rusty on Who's Who in the wrestling scene these days, especially outside the big feds, so I need ideas on who to look into to fill out my roster. Mucho thanks to all who respond. |
| rebelins313 | Posted on 08/08/07 at 18:03:56 10 indy guys I like 1) Bryan Danielson 2) Joey Ryan(Although he got squashed on ECW and SmackDown lately, don't know if they're looking at him or not) 3) Chris Hero 4) Larry Sweeney 5) Super Dragon 6) Kevin Steen 7) Mike Quackenbush 8 ) Soldier Ant(Colony FTW) 9) Chuck Taylor 10) El Generico |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/08/07 at 18:17:49 Bryan Danielson and Larry Sweeney have been said above. I will add Matt Sydal, for now. Oh, and I agree with "Colony FTW." Chikara is spectacular. Also, LOS ICE CREAMS. |
| Critic of the Dawn | Posted on 08/09/07 at 02:59:19 Some Top Indy Wrestlers: Bryan Danielson Nigel McGuinness Jay Briscoe Mark Briscoe Brent Albright Austin Aries Roderick Strong Claudio Castagnolli Chris Hero Super Dragon B-Boy Mike Quackenbush There are certainly others out there who are also worth looking into, but these are the (fairly ROH-Centric) ones I'd say are near the top of the indy scene. Eric "Critic of the Dawn" |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/09/07 at 03:24:36 Oh man, B-Boy was like my favorite wrestler back when CZW didn't suck for a few months in 2002 and he was a main player. He was so awesome. But he really sticks out like a sore thumb on your list as a "key player" in 2007. (He also really sucks now.) |
| Unright | Posted on 08/09/07 at 04:55:44 Ian Rotten D'Lo Brown |
| suicidalbynature | Posted on 08/09/07 at 05:20:29 Z-Barr |
| Critic of the Dawn | Posted on 08/09/07 at 05:55:35On 08/09/07 at 03:24:36, Crpls wrote:Oh man, B-Boy was like my favorite wrestler back when CZW didn't suck for a few months in 2002 and he was a main player. He was so awesome. But he really sticks out like a sore thumb on your list as a "key player" in 2007. (He also really sucks now.)I will admit that in his case, I am working off of reputation (mainly from a couple years back) rather than personal experience with his work - I was trying to come up with some non-ROH talent. I seem to recall that back in 2004 and 2005 he was one of the big indy wrestlers that people were constantly schilling on the ROH boards. If he's gone downhill since... well... okay then. Eric "Critic of the Dawn" |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/09/07 at 12:17:26On 08/09/07 at 05:20:29, suicidalbynature wrote:Z-BarrHaha. WINNER. |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/09/07 at 12:22:10On 08/09/07 at 05:55:35, Critic of the Dawn wrote:The problem with coming up with non-ROH wrestlers at this point is that anyone who becomes popular eventually makes their way to ROH now--and maybe even TNA. I mean, I like Chikara more than ROH, but a lot of their guys aren't necessarily made for anywhere but Chikara and aren't nearly as popular. (At least the heavily gimmicked guys.) |
| Justin | Posted on 08/09/07 at 22:23:15 I'd be willing to put Ruckus on the list there somewhere. |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/10/07 at 00:59:25 Ruckus is the winner of the HOLY SHIT HOW THE FUCK DID HE BECOME GOOD award of the last few years. Maybe the whole decade. |
| Rick Garrard | Posted on 08/10/07 at 04:52:50 No one mentioned Scrap Iron Adam Pearce or Machine Gun Karl Anderson. Both are solid at the old school style at what they do and have been around for a while and are just now starting to get national pub with the NWA title tourney. (Rebelins mentioned Joey Ryan earlier in the thread, he is the current co-holder of the top NWA Tag Team Titles with Karl Anderson) |
| Critic of the Dawn | Posted on 08/10/07 at 06:11:37 I have a soft spot for Adam Pearce because I dig his oldschool heel gimmick and he's solid in the ring, but I definately wouldn't consider him one of the best wrestlers on the indy scene. That said, with the right push in the right place, I maintain he could be a very marketable star. Eric "Critic of the Dawn" |
| suicidalbynature | Posted on 08/11/07 at 20:29:38 PROJECT 161 is Adem Pearce's ticket to the top of ROH and the indy scene. |
| Crpls | Posted on 08/11/07 at 23:26:05On 08/11/07 at 20:29:38, suicidalbynature wrote:PROJECT 161 is Adem Pearce's ticket to the top of ROH and the indy scene.Given the reaction to the first appearance of this angle at an actual ROH show... he'll (assuming it's actually him behind it) be lucky if isn't dropped. SHOOT ANGLES~! rarely work as well as they're supposed to. The fact that the ROH crowd isn't buying into something Gabe tells them to is amazing, though. |
| Critic of the Dawn | Posted on 08/12/07 at 06:26:16 Project 161 looks intriguing to me. Very cutting edge, in a viral marketing sort of way. It's an innovative way to promote a new gimmick, if nothing else. And, considering the ROH fanbase is proportionally much more internet-centric than that of TNA or WWE... It could actually work. Of course, I haven't seen anything live. But I love this sort of crazy stuff. As for ROH fans not buying in to something Gabe is pushing, give it time. It took a good 3-6 months for Jimmy Rave to actually get over as a major heel as a part of the Embassy, and when Prince Nana revealed him the crowd shat on it as well. Eric "Critic of the Dawn" |
| Rick Garrard | Posted on 08/12/07 at 15:14:57 so basically the ROH fanbase is much like the old ECW fanbase in regard to any new talents or angles that appear... at first they are pissed off about it, then they grow to appreciate it for it's entertainment value. |
| psz | Posted on 08/13/07 at 00:56:53 What? You mean the ECW Crowds didn't LOVE Tommy Dreamer at first? You mean the ECW Crowds didn't know whether to laugh or boo the Dudleys (originals especially) out of the building?? You mean the ECW Crowds didn't treat Al Snow with all the love in the world when he showed up in a Rockers outfit??? </sarcasm> |