The Present / The Future
We're approaching the end of our extremely long-winded beginner's guide to indie wrestling. We've talked about style, cost, different promotions, and how frustrating iPPV service can be. But at the end of the day, people just want to know which wrestlers they should be watching. I'll give you a short list of the guys who are a major deal in the indie scene right now, and the guys that I think will be a major deal in the years to come…
Adam Cole: He's the ROH and PWG champ. He's come a long way in just a short amount of time. He loves the business, he's a damn good wrestler, and he's currently being managed in Ring of Honor by Matt Hardy. So…heel heat is almsot literally dripping off him.
Kevin Steen: If you don't like Kevin Steen, you're wrong. He's unorthodox, he yells at fans, he piledrives hats, and he's one of the few gems on the indie scene that I think has a firm grasp of psychology and telling a story in the ring. His matches are all technically great, and more importantly, they are entertaining.
AJ Styles: Word on the street is that he signed a new deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He's really not a giant part of the indie scene, as he's just been touring from company to company following his release from TNA. But if he's scheduled for a major show, or a show near you, you should definitely watch it.
The Decade: Jimmy Jacobs, BJ Whitmer and Roderick Strong make up a trio called The Decade. Their main beef is with people who leave ROH and come back; people like Chris Hero, Jay Lethal and, I would assume, AJ Styles. They've been around for ten years (get it?) and think they deserve a bit of respect for that. I would agree…
Michael Elgin: Elgin has been the #2 guy in ROH for the past four championship reigns. Davey Richards, Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe and Adam Cole have all held that title with Elgin as one of the primary challengers. He's a great worker with a great look, and often the best part of any show he's on. Check him out. Many believe his time in the spotlight is just around the corner.
Michael Bennett: I don't think I can talk about Bennett any more in this editorial without him paying me.
The Young Bucks: Nick and Matt Jackson hold every major tag title that does't belong to WWE and TNA. There isn't a tag team better than them in wrestling today. Enough said.
ACH: This guy is going to be a big part of wrestling's future. I guarantee it. He is one of the most innovative and entertaining guys in the ring, whether he's working for Ring of Honor or PWG, or any other company. Go out of your way to watch him, because it's always a treat.
Anybody in PWG: This is the last thing I'm going to say – watch PWG. They are my favorite wrestling promotion running in the world today. There's an "inmates running the asylum" feel to it. The Reseda fans are amazing. I've never seen a bad match on one of their cards. They let their guys go out there and have a lot of fun; sometimes there are Legos involved. It's a crazy atmosphere and one of the most entertaining, unique products you will ever see. Go watch their show. Now.
