Favorite indy wrestlers

[Guest ShooterJay]

Regardless of perceived skill or workrate or whatever, who are your five favorite current indy wrestlers? My top 5 list in order:

 

1. Paul London

-Amazing Steamboat-esque skill regardless, it's mainly because I was there live, in person and in the front row when he first became a megastar on the indy scene. He also stayed out the longest talking and taking pictures with the fans prior to that show, when he must have been nervous as hell, true class act. Years from now, I hope to tell him that his match that night firmly put in my mind I was going to wrestle someday.

 

2. AJ Styles

-His incredible cruiser offense when I saw him on TNA first got me into the indys. He entertains me every match he's in.

 

3. Sonjay Dutt

-Another guy with some incredible spots. How can you not love a guy who'll do the insane stuff he does, and between the dancing and the catchphrases he has a great connection with the fans, and just generally seems like an awesome guy to hang with. Plus, the dancing.

 

4. Trent Acid/Johnny Kashmere (tie)

- If there's a better tag team out there, I haven't seen them. Incredible charisma and entertaining schtick from both guys, and literally dozens of doubleteam moves make them THE team to watch.

 

5. Jimmy Rave

-I just love the way he wrestles, mostly technical/submission wrestling with high impact and a dose of highflying mixed in. He just seems like a smart wrestler out there, and uses EXACTLY the same style I plan on using when I strike out on the indy scene. A guy with that size and that style making it as far as he has is a personal inspiration to me.

 

Honorable mention: Red and the SATs- say what you want about "spotmonkeys," they never fail to entertain me. Plus I got to talk to Red at a Burger King once, a fond memory right there.

[Guest Sandman9000]

No order.

 

C.M. Punk

Messiah

Backseats

Necro Butcher

"Sick" Nick Mondo

Homicide

[Guest Tim Cooke]

1- Bryan Danielson

Best US wrestler out there today. Totally amazing for his age and just keeps getting smarter and smarter.

 

2- Paul London

The BEST rookie I have ever been able to follow from Day 1.

 

Tim

[Guest Phoenix Fury Legdrop]

1) Chris Hero

 

2) "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson

 

3) C.M. Punk

 

4) David Young

 

5) Tony Mamaluke (wasn't convinced he was Top 5 until I went back and really watched his stuff from Jan.-Feb. of this year, which is reviewed in the Extras of the Heatstroke review, link at bottom, PLUG)

 

Honorable Mention: Rainman, Iceberg, Chris Daniels, Paul London, Jimmy Rave.

 

Entertainment-Value Honorable Mention: Nate Webb and Salvatore Rinauro, just because they're really damn entertaining, even if they're not a Hero or a Danielson in the ring.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Chris Hero

CM Punk

Colt Cabana

Chris Sabin

Doug Williams

Chris Daniels

[Guest dwdw_IGN]

My favorite Indy wrestler has to me Magnus Maximus from Steel Domain Wrestling here in Minnesota!

[Guest Shane Legend]

No order:

 

CM Punk

Jimmy Rave

AJ Styles

Red

Maximos

Chris Daniels

Backseat Boyz

Sunjay Dutt

Ruckus

Shifty

Taurus

Kid Lethal

Malice (Not A-Wall)

 

 

There are so many.

[Guest Stevie Franchise]

Top Five Favorite

 

1. Paul London

2. Christopher Daniels

3."American Dragon" Bryan Danielson

4. Tom Carter

5. Homicide

 

 

Top Five Best

 

1. "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson

2. Christopher Daniels

3. Jerry Lynn

4. Paul London

5. Chris Hero

[Guest IndyGirlDani]

No particular order:

 

Tony Mamaluke

Chris Daniels

Paul London

American Dragon/Bryan Danielson

AJ Styles

Low-Ki

Trent Acid

Sonjay Dutt

Jimmy Rave

Messiah

Salvatore Rinauro

David Young

'Sick' Nick Mondo

[Guest ShooterJay]

Hey Dani!

 

Nice to see you on TSM- awesome job on Jimmy Rave's website! (I recommended you btw-*George Costanza paying for big salad statement right there.*)

[Guest acnx]

1 - Low Ki

2 - "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson

3 - Christopher Daniels

4 - AJ Styles

5 - Paul London/Jimmy Rave *tie*

 

Those are my favorites, they are all tons of fun to watch.

[LucharesuFan619 0]

Amazing Red, Chris Daniels, Jerry Lynn, Brian XL, Vic Grimes, Kaos & GQ Money, Mexico's Most Wanted, Homicide, B-Boy, Jonny Storm, Altar Boy Luke, Angel, Shark Boy.

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

London, Williams and SHARK BOY~!

[Chunk 0]

To put them in order would take me hours of decision making, so:

 

 

* Jody Flesich

 

Just try and show me a better high flyer in the world today! There isn't one IMO

 

 

* Doug Williams

 

I dig the mat style and Doug is just amazing on the mat. He busts out reversals and combos that I couldnt even dream up.

 

 

* AJ Styles

 

His offence and style on TNA got me into the Indys

 

 

* American Dragon

 

For much the same reason as Doug

 

 

* Chris Daniels

 

Show me a better pro wrestler in North America? Why this man hasnt been signed by Vince is beyond me. Ive never ever seen a below par performance from him.

 

I'd also say Low-Ki, simply for his matches in early ROH. I just finished watching Crowing of a champion. After he had just taken me through a ****+ match, he cuts the most moving and genuine promo I have ever seen. Talk about emotion, hard hitting offence, innovation and passion, and youve got Low-Ki.

 

ChUnK!

[Guest Gatornibs]

American Dragon

Naphtali

Scoot Andrews

Christopher Daniels

David Young

[Guest Nevermortal]

Hrmm.....I forget.....oh yeah, this guy.

 

 

JoeISM.

[Guest nWoScorpion]

Low-Ki, Christopher Daniels, A.J Styles mainly. Coincidence they all wrestle for TNA lol

[PsychoDriver 0]

Team Chismo (Super Dragon, Excalibur, Disco Machine)

Hollywood Inc. (Kaos, GQ Money etc.)

The HI-V (Messiah, Backseat Boyz, B-Boy)

Paul London

Michael Shane

Nick Mondo

CM Punk

Jonny Storm

Vic Grimes

Sonjay Dutt

American Dragon

Bobby Quance/Jardi Frantz

Chris Daniels

[Chunk 0]

I never really thought much of Scoot Andrews. I dont think he's a bad worker, he just seems a bit bland IMO.

 

I dont really think he should be considered in a top 5 indy wrestlers list. Im not saying your not entitled to your opinion, just thought I would get some debate going

[Guest Gatornibs]

He's taken a lot of time off wrestling nationally since getting married, but I see him almost twice a month down here in FL, and he's so crisp in what he does and his promo's are excellent. If not Top 5, then at least Top 10 or 15. Some kick ass matches with both Styles and Daniels. Rave and Young on the list are both overrated. I know I put Young, but I'm thinkin he's not "Top 5" I hate Rave's style. He has no charisma whatsoever.

[Guest Andy]

Doug Williams

Jody Fleisch

Jonny Storm

A J Styles

Jerry Lynn

Christopher Daniels

Lo-Ki

American Dragon

Samoa Joe

Paul London

Michael Shane

C M Punk

David Young

 

Cheers - A.

[Guest Space_Cowboy]

Jody Fleisch

AJ Styles

Paul London

American Dragon

Christopher Daniels

 

They'd probably be my favourites right now, though there's quite a few that just miss the list.

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

This should be a long list. No particular order

.

1. Jimmy Rave

- Some of the CZW fanboys (not on this board) are trying to make him out to be a God. He certainly isn't, though I've enjoyed a lot of his work.

 

2. Salvatore Rinnauro

- Funny as hell. He needs to start doing roids or something, though. When he did the Battle Royal at BOTB 3 (most likely drove up with one of the many Wildside guys on the show), he was SOOOO tiny.

 

3. Chris Hero

- I was a fan of the guy before ever seeing a match because of the gimmick. Now that I bought a Best Of tape and saw him carry Devon Storm at XPW MBV, I'm hooked.

 

4. Chri$ Ca$h

- The kid needs to start working a lot more indy dates in order to learn more wrestling, but for what he is, he's very fun to watch. Only problem with him is that he should be an asshole heel. I cursed CZW when they had him hug everyone, pose for pictures, etc. at BOTB 3, and did even more now that he'll be the face in the GQ/Cash feud.

 

5. Kaos/GQ

- GQ is a fucking genius on the microphone, and Kaos has the best entrance in the wrestling business. Not perfect in the ring, but a ** Kaos match is better than a *** ROH match in the long run to me.

 

6. Lost Boyz

- Not perfect in the ring, but I love the gimmick.

 

7. Jody Fleisch

- Nuff' said.

 

8. Special K

- I love the raver gimmick. Fun to watch, especially live where you don't necessarily want to nitpick them on being too spotty.

 

9. CM Punk

- Great on the mic, in the ring, etc.

 

10. David Young

- Mark big for him in Wildside.

 

11. The obligatory AJ Styles, Daniels, Dragon, and London.

- Love all four of them. Low Ki isn't someone who I want to watch go at it for a half hour, and I like Lynn, but not a favorite of mine.

 

12. Pogo the Clown

- His gimmick is based off of serial killer John Wayne Gacy. He also has the best T-Shirt ever (a drawn picture of Pogo the Clown, a character Gacy took on when he went to children's hospitals, that was done by Gacy while awaiting the electric chair), with "Children, children, gather roung. Your friend Pogo has come to town." on the back.

 

Honorable mentions

Shark Boy (Was there at Exit Sandman, which should be retitled The Night of the Shark. Unbelievable how the crowd ate him up.), Altar Boy Luke, Doug Williams, Storm, etc.

 

Not counting anyone who gained noteriety in big feds or those who I've only viewed work from in TNA.

[Guest GroundZeroSplash]

Kaos/GQ -  GQ is a fucking genius on the microphone, and Kaos has the best entrance in the wrestling business. 

 

 

 

 

I'm not trying to start an argument, but please tell me what you base GQ being " a fucking genius on the microphone" on.

 

Seriously, I'm genuinely curious.

[Guest IndyGirlDani]

2. Salvatore Rinnauro

- Funny as hell. He needs to start doing roids or something, though. When he did the Battle Royal at BOTB 3 (most likely drove up with one of the many Wildside guys on the show), he was SOOOO tiny.

After the BOTB Show, I was outside the arena and I will verify that Sal did drove to Philly with Jimmy Rave, Jason Cross and if I can remember correctly, Tank, so yeah, it was the other Wildside guys.. not important, but I thought I would clarify that!

 

Dani

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

I'm not trying to start an argument, but please tell me what you base GQ being " a fucking genius on the microphone" on.

 

Seriously, I'm genuinely curious.

Everything of his I saw at the Philly events, TV, Best of the E DVD, and the promos on HollywoodIncdotcom.com

 

GQ is really unorthodox on the microphone, but he's fun. The stuff he did immediately after Doring attacked him and Kaos was gold, his rap on HIDC rules, and I'm just a big fan of everything he does.

[Guest j.o.b. squad]

Kaos/GQ -  GQ is a fucking genius on the microphone, and Kaos has the best entrance in the wrestling business. 

 

 

 

 

I'm not trying to start an argument, but please tell me what you base GQ being " a fucking genius on the microphone" on.

 

Seriously, I'm genuinely curious.

I assume that you mean gq money and not gq. they are completly difrent people

[PsychoDriver 0]

Everything of his I saw at the Philly events, TV, Best of the E DVD, and the promos on HollywoodIncdotcom.com

 

GQ is really unorthodox on the microphone, but he's fun. The stuff he did immediately after Doring attacked him and Kaos was gold, his rap on HIDC rules, and I'm just a big fan of everything he does.

I agree GQ Money is good on the mic...

 

Check out all the XPW TV when they did "E-TV" and They called a few matches... really funny stuff.

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

I assume that you mean gq money and not gq. they are completly difrent people

I know. I see GQ make the ring grow grass every month at Viking Hall.

 

I just always shorten it up.

[Guest gangsteruwa]

BBoy - One of the best "All Around" workers.

 

Messiah - Charisma + skill - thumb = greatness.

 

Trent Acid - Great worker, loads of charisma, excellent heel.

 

CM Punk - Amazing worker, cocky son of a bitch, awesome on the mic (or as a commentator).

 

Sonjay Dutt - I just enjoy watching him pull of some crazy shit.

 

AJ Styles - Amazing wrestler, can make you love/hate him fairly easily.

 

Homicide - Same as BBoy...he can do anything.

 

Low Ki - I can (and have) watch that guy wrestle all day.

 

Ian Rotten - Suprisingly amazing wrestler, has loads of passion, and seems like a genuinely great person.