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RT Me in Person: The 2021 Independent Wrestling Compendium

Big Beard Booty Daddy

Big Beard Booty Daddy

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King Kamala said:
I was flipping through the latest issue of PWI cause I like to pretend it's still 1994 and they had a article on United Wrestling Network, that headline was emphasizing how they are NOT an indy. It got me to thinking how does one distinguish from an independent promotion and a major promotion?

For me, I think if you're owned by a millionaire or major corporation or you're semi-regularly running in front of crowds over 1,000 people (in non-pandemic times) then you're NOT an indy. I used to be able to say if you're watched by people all over the country, you're not an indy but now thanks to Fite TV and IWTV, I can watch shindies from literally over the world.

It annoys me that I still occasionally see people call ROH an indy. Yes, there's been plenty of times in the past 10 years where ROH was less popular than some of the major indie promotions but it hasn't been an indy since it got bought out by Sinclair Media.

UWN interestingly is a weird cutoff. It is essentially, at this point (and @Big Beard Booty Daddy will probably call me out if I'm wrong), a feeder league for NWA. NWA since it got bought out by Billy Corgan and started POWERRRRRRR, I would say is just barely above the indy cutoff. And Championship Wrestling From Hollywood airs nationally, albeit in graveyard slots on second and third tier sports networks. So I'm sorry Dave Marquez....United Wrestling Network might be kind of an indy?
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UWN isn't an indie promotion, but it is a grouping of indies that have TV deals across the country. They don't have to be televised everywhere, but one of the criteria is they must be on TV somewhere. Here is a Wiki article on that. It's sort of like a modern NWA for indie companies. Also, David Marquez had a falling out with NWA after they fired him, so I don't think they're a feeder for NWA anymore.

For me, there are different tiers of indies. ROH at one point would have been a super indie, but since they were bought by Sinclair, while still being run like a super indie due to the talent they bring in, I wouldn't consider them to be one anymore. Same with Impact. They are run like one, but Anthem's money certainly means they aren't one. GCW would probably be the top super indie at this point with Beyond, Limitless, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, and few others in there as well.
 
King Kamala

King Kamala

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Impact/TNA I would put in the small/mid major category that later ECW and current ROH are in. I think only time period that Impact Wrestling would be considered an indy was the period from 2017-19 after they had the falling out with Billy Corgan and they were airing on Pursuit & Twitch.

I might even go as far back as 2015 when they got booted off Spike TV. Destination America IMO qualified as an obscure cable network and while PopTV has some cred now now that everyone loves Schitt's Creek, it was kind of obscure when it aired Impact.

Once they began airing on AXS TV again, it became a mid major.

I think touring routes also play some role in classification. IMO, I *don't* think Beyond or Limitless would necessarily count as super indies cause they mostly perform in 1-2 states. I would consider PWG to be a super indie even though they're only in Southern California cause of their physical media distribution but that's becoming an antiquated attribute. How much PWG gets shouted out as stomping grounds for AEW/WWE talent also probably will keep it at super indie status until it starts sucking.

What were the categories for promotions in EWR again? I feel like that might be a good basis.

Off the top of my head, I would say
Major (WWE, AEW, NJPW)
Mid Major (ROH, Impact Wrestling, NWA, MLW, Pro Wrestling NOAH, AJPW)
Super Indies (GCW, NEW, PWG)
Regional Indies (Beyond, Limitless, AAW, etc)
Shindies

@Slayer , @cobainwasmurdered or @tekcop would have better idea of which Japanese and Mexican promotions would qualify as super indie or mid major.
 
Big Beard Booty Daddy

Big Beard Booty Daddy

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King Kamala said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1396882415390494720
It's a damn shame that it's 2021 and we still have to address people screaming homophobic slurs at shows. I'm glad the pendulum is swinging in the right direction, at least.
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I was sitting in front of the most vocal fan yelling that shit. RSP was a few seconds away from coming over and beating the shit out of the guy. I feel awful about not doing anything, but the dude was beyond drunk, and I'm not one who is comfortable with confrontation, especially with someone that you can smell the alcohol on when he's standing 2 feet behind you.
 
alkeiper

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192354692_4259256987430280_6796506097431831040_n.jpg

This is what live wrestling in my area has come to. Davey Richards.
 
King Kamala

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And of course, Limitless books their return to Southern Maine the night I'm taking my lady out for her birthday (not to an indy rasslin show)
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1398287959628128257
I guess I can stand to wait a little bit longer. Also I'm not a huge fan of the mystery card gimmick. Not that I would have still not gone if I didn't have plans but I feel like it's overplayed in current indies. It was cool when PWG did it but these days, it feels like they're implicitly saying "well we don't know if we have a strong enough card to advertise so we'll do a mystery show so fans go in with no expectations."
 
alkeiper

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Laz said:
Adena Steele reminds me of an ex from high school...if she wasn't a Trumpster piece of garbage.
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This Adena is at least able to keep her thoughts to herself. I don’t know if I’d rate her as a wrestler but she’s hustling her ass off. It’s rare to see a show locally she’s not working.
 
King Kamala

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Matt Cardona is named as the first headliner for Beyond Wrestling's Americanrana next month. The future isn't quite what it used to be, @Laz .

I do like Beyond hyping it up by posting a Woo Woo Woo with the Ws being the Woo Sox logo.
 
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