Who is your favourite indy wrestler?

[Guest El Gato del Estilo Diferente]

Vote for your favourite Indy Wrestler.  Comments welcome, especially for Other votes.

[Guest ElLocoTas]

I think it's a tie between Chris Daniels, Reckless Youth (although most of his moveset is stolen) and Chris Hero. I voted for Daniels btw.

[Guest El Gato del Estilo Diferente]

Oops, forgot to say who I voted for...Quiet Storm!  He seems like a nice indy facsimile of Chris Benoit & Lance Storm.  The Storm Cradle Driver is waaaaaaaayyyyyy too hurty looking.  I seem to always mark out for it though:)  I know Daniels is better and I do like him probably the 2nd most of the bunch.

[Guest J*ingus]

Proof positive that RFVideo and other similar organizations have an effect on wrestling: that list is made up almost entirely of wrestlers from ECWA, CZW, and other Northeastern organizations.  There are lots of great indy wrestlers throughout the nation, but the ones in that part of the country get by far the most press.

[Guest Hoyakillah]

Proof positive that RFVideo and other similar organizations have an effect on wrestling: that list is made up almost entirely of wrestlers from ECWA, CZW, and other Northeastern organizations.  There are lots of great indy wrestlers throughout the nation, but the ones in that part of the country get by far the most press.

A couple points of disagreement.

 

First, lemme say that RFVideo has had NOTHING, REPEAT, NOOOOTHING to do with this boom.  In fact, he probably has hurt it as much as he's helped it.  The boom has come because of people like Jim Kettner, and because of people like the fine folks at the DVDVR who have been spreading the Good Word about indies - not people like Feinstein who are ripping people off on the indies.

 

Second, this list really isn't as East-Coast-centric as it seems.  American Dragon's working for APW now.  Christopher Daniels has always been a West Coaster.  Other than that, ok, sure, Excalibur should have been on the list, or at least Super Dragon, and maybe Jardi Frantz or some other APWers.

 

But that brings me to my third point.  The reason why the East Coast, above everything else, is dominant here again has nothing to do with RF.  It has everything to do with the quality of the work on the East Coast.  A couple years ago, APW was the best fed not a major.  Now, it's in the dumps, frankly.  RevPro used to be INCREDIBLE - now it's heading south.  Before last year's Super 8, the Indy scene was dominated by the West Coast - Modest v. Daniels.  Now it's AmDrag v. Low-Ki.  The best talent, bar none, is on the East Coast.  Why?

 

Well, it probably doesn't hurt that all the major wrestling organizations were on the East Coast, and the WWF's geographic heart is the Northeast.  You want to get a job in the majors today, you go to Stamford.  Not to LA.

 

</rant>

[Guest J*ingus]

Actually, I think the quote really should go, "If you want to be in the majors, you'd better have already been in them before."  When's the last time that the WWF actually took a non-Big 3, non-Tough Enough guy and put him on Raw?  Kurt Angle is the only one that comes to mind within the past couple of years.  Even the developmental contract guys have been sitting around, waiting for their big break.  

 

I don't particularly like the way RF has done business, but I do think they've published a lot of hype and sold a lot of videos that have helped the Northeastern promotions get a lot of publicity.  

 

I think Daniels gets around enough that he's no longer just a West Coaster: the Super 8 tournaments, his XWF stuff, Canadian tours, dates in England, etc.  

 

And there are organizations out there that are just as good as the ones we're mentioning, but don't get talked about nearly as much, NWA-Wildside being the prime example.

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

Trent Acid's a fantastic talent.  A little spotty, but I still like him, and his gimmick of the Backseat Boyz (which I was actually there for the unveiling of the gimmick at an NWA NJ show) with Johnny Kashmere is so great its hard to hate them.  

 

Reckless Youth isn't as good as he once was.  I think he's losed some inspiration since not even the WWA/XWF have shown interest in him.

[Guest Ulf ist Gut]

Ulf Herman-i've seen him 3 times competing for the FWA and he's been wicked every time. He gets great heat, works the crowd excellently and he can work a fine match

 

He is truely a god of wrestling as Ulf ist Gut

[Guest Haku]

Christopher Danials of your list but I like Dave Mathews and Christian York

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I voted for Acid...

 

I think votes should have been done without a poll...too many good indy names were left out:

 

Colt Cabana

Adam Pearce

Yukon Braxton

Nick Mondo

Nick Berk

Mr. Insanity

and so on...

[Guest Black Tiger]

Jeff Starr. He caught a gig on WWF Jakked about a year ago, he's since gotten pinfalls over Chris Candido and Dick Dudley.

[Guest]

More GCW shilling, need you ask.  

 

There are guys like Jack Adonis and Diamond Back Dingo who ALWAYS seem to put on quality matches...guys like Nikki Strychnine, Ryan Ash, and Billy McNeil who are entertaining in both their gimmicks and their in-ring styles...and up-and-comers like Matt, Outtkast, and Delirious who I've had the fortune of watching improve over time.  In general, though, I've been to a lot of GCW shows and I have yet to be disappointed.

[Guest Brian]

Ko-zin-na. Tony! Tony! Tony! ECCW will so rock you people's worlds.

[Guest phattapes2002]

i say its cut str8 down beetween low ki and red, and trent acid following shortly behind

[Guest dreamer420]

Low Ki kicks ass as does Chris Daniels.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Putting Trent Acid behind Red is laughable...if Red actually learned a wrestling hold he would show some promise.

[Guest Odyssey Wing]

i like red, low-ki, christopher daniels, and nick mondo, they are my fav indy wrestlers

but i voted for red

[Guest MoneyIvezaj]

Truth Martini will fuck anybody up.

[Guest poopsicle316]

Thumbs up on including Quiet Storm.  I would have liked to see Billy Reil and Z-Barr included though  Oh well, I voted for Red, sue me.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

TRUTH MARTINI! I agree completly...he worked for ICW in 1999 (Michigan) then kind of quit wrestling.

 

And where is Scrap Iron Adam Pearce and CM Punk dammit!

[Guest Rev]

Forgotten California Guys:

Ballard Bros.

Samoa Joe

Frankie Kazarian

Spanky

Super Dragon

Rising Son

Excalibur

B-Boy

[Guest ElLocoTas]

And where is Scrap Iron Adam Pearce and CM Punk dammit!

I think Punk needs to gain a little more weight before being counted to the best independent wrestlers. Size and build still add something to wrestlers.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

And yet...Quiet Storm...who no one's even heard of since his CZW matches with the SAT is on the list...his name has only been simi known since June of 2001

[Guest The Great Wesuke]

I think that Daniels is and has been one of the best all around workers on the circuit for several years now.

 

There are a lot of great Canadian indy talents who don't get the praise that they deserve... mainly because they are Canadian.

 

Somone mentioned Tony Kozina, whom is a great up and comer.  TJ Wilson has a bright future in the business, as does Harry Smith. If Ted Hart gets over himself he could surely make it as well.

 

Johnny Devine and Highlander are another two solid workers.

[Guest Rev]

And where is Scrap Iron Adam Pearce and CM Punk dammit!

Adam Pearce retired in November at MPW's "Shock to the System" to return to school in San Diego.

[Guest Slingshot Suplex]

I have a soft spot for Reckless Youth.The guy was the first indy wrestler I really started to follow and he always entertained in the ring and on the mic.

 

                                       NSWA

 

                              East Coast Invasion

 

                          RIP  The Gypsy Dan Curtis

[Guest Freak 5000]

A J Fucking (insert backflip here) Styles

 

 

'nuff said

[Guest Makes_You_Cry]

I voted for Quack because I didn't think anyone else would. I was wrong I guess. I like Quackenbush, but there are some guys like the afformentioned Super Dragon and CM Punk that should be on the list. Oh well....oh wait Justice Pain and Messiah are pretty damn good too.

[Guest liberal]

I think that as far as who is the best indy worker goes, you cant look far past Christopher daniels, he is an amazing wrestler who can have a good match with pretty much anyone that he goes up against, and I think it is a huge shame that it is unlikely he will get picked up by the WWF.  The only benefit of this is that we may get to see him more here in England.  Another good worker who is not on the list is an englishman by the name of doug williams.   He is arguably the best britiain has to offer and when we saw him in the king if indies tournament he fitted in with all the other talents so well.

[Guest The REAL Hollywood]

I always liked The Messiah from XPW but now in CZW