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2024 Indie Wrestling Thread
- Thread starter alkeiper
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Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
That's a fair assessment, and helps explain why it's nigh impossible for me to find a company that I really want to watch regularly besides MLW.
Indie wrestling's mantra was codified by ECW in 1995. "This is what you won't see on prime time." That bled directly into the popularity of CZW and XPW after ECW died, and helped give rise to ROH and its "puro American style" MO when WWE was filled with DQs and surprise roll-up finishes. Indie wrestling felt like it was geared toward adults who wanted a mature product, whether that meant ample violence (CZW, IWA-MS) or a legitimate focus on in-ring quality (ROH, mid period PWG).
What the shit do we have now? AEW took the 2010s indie style of highspot-laden cartoonishness and made it mainstream, WWE has shown a renewed focus on a "four quadrant" wrestling product...how does a company even stand out anymore?
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
All of that is just to say "if WWE is the MCU and AEW is anime, then where's my fucking John Wick"?
alkeiper
Welcoming our new insect overlords
The best Indy promotions these days just put on fun shows and have their shit together. Book good venues and have a solid reputation. And there’s a niche for death match promotions, for better or worse.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Does Dan “The Beast” Severn smoke weed?
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I re-entered this thread to start chatting about a few other places I've found, Fight Life (out of SEMA, just 7 years after I left the area) and AIW.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
@Valeyard , now you gotta go unless Isaac Brock invites you and the white rapper to a hot tub party or something.
Valeyard
Retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
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I don't get the Lio Rush gimmick. I'm also not the biggest Rush fan, so this match is on the lower end, but they have Shelley/Sabin on the card now. Money is tight and could work out this week but man. MAN.
Rapper is black, btw.
Rapper is black, btw.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Tbh Amazing Red gave one of the most bored, phoning it in performances I have seen from a visiting star ever. It was him and Anthony Gangone against Private Party and it was like they set out to have the most unexciting time killer, mid card tag team match ever.
With that non endorsement out of the way cut was still exciting to see a guy on the Mt. Rushmore of Asylum era TNA guys.
With that non endorsement out of the way cut was still exciting to see a guy on the Mt. Rushmore of Asylum era TNA guys.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
I’m not sure what is a worse idea, @Lazgistics Supervisor , Beyond scheduling their flagship show on a major holiday or them building it around a guy who was just very notable accused of being a sex pest.
Graphic especially screams “Take that, libs!”
Graphic especially screams “Take that, libs!”
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
What's he been accused of besides Ronda's sweatpants?
I think it's a bad move because Gulak is boring as fuck, personally, but that's me.
I think it's a bad move because Gulak is boring as fuck, personally, but that's me.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
It's not that he's a sex pest on the level of Riddle (who Beyond thankfully has not booked), just that he was called out by Ronda then quickly dumped by WWE.
Also, yeah, even Ronda scandal aside, Drew had a pretty good run in Beyond but it wasn't like he was one of THE guys there like Biff. Plus he was almost exclusively comedy filler during his WWE run (awesome mini-feud with Daniel Bryan aside) so it's odd he is being presented as a returning, conquering hero.
It really illustrates the somewhat sad state of independent wrestling in 2024. Beyond used to bring in Penta, The Young Bucks, and Kevin Steen for Americanrana and now the show is built around Drew Gulak.
Also, yeah, even Ronda scandal aside, Drew had a pretty good run in Beyond but it wasn't like he was one of THE guys there like Biff. Plus he was almost exclusively comedy filler during his WWE run (awesome mini-feud with Daniel Bryan aside) so it's odd he is being presented as a returning, conquering hero.
It really illustrates the somewhat sad state of independent wrestling in 2024. Beyond used to bring in Penta, The Young Bucks, and Kevin Steen for Americanrana and now the show is built around Drew Gulak.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I don't think the state of indie wrestling has been this dour since just before the indie boom of the early 00s, realistically. Maybe the rise in Bloodsport's popularity will kick off a shoot-style wave, but I don't see that flavor being anything but super niche after two decades of audiences being trained to idealize dramatic give/take finishing sequences.
There'll need to be a crop of indie talent that, much like the ones booked for the primordial soup days of ROH, look at the current scope and decide, altogether, that they want to present something you aren't seeing on cable TV.
There'll need to be a crop of indie talent that, much like the ones booked for the primordial soup days of ROH, look at the current scope and decide, altogether, that they want to present something you aren't seeing on cable TV.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Thing is pro wrestling is so hot right now that I think the Indies are able to coast. Beyond and Limitless shows are more well attended than they were 5-10 years ago even though the talent depth is so much thinner. I've been predicting a crash for indie wrestling for five years now and whatever it's lost in quality (at least in the eyes of me and Laz), it really hasn't shown in a decrease in fan interest around here.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
I kind of doubt Red will even bust ass for the Swerve match. That is probably why Tony Khan is allowing the AEW World Champ appear at an indie show in front of 2000 mooks* in Queens.
Brody: Isn’t that a normal AEW Dynamite audience?
Brody: Isn’t that a normal AEW Dynamite audience?
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
"World Heavyweight Championship" currently held by 846 independent wrestlers
The highest achievement in professional wrestling is to hold the World Heavyweight Championship — an honour currently held by 837 wrestlers on the independent (or indy) wrestling scene. Although indy wrestling promotions tend to have a “territory” of roughly 10 miles in any direction from the...
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Beyond Wrestling
BREAKING: Beyond Wrestling returns to Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI for "Never Say Never" on Saturday, 8/31/24!
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Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Yep. You were all kinds of fucked up, too, and that was before AR Fox and B-Boy passed that blunt around.Interesting timing to announce this show on the weekend that Dijak becomes a free agent. Dijak nearly got them banned from this venue back in 2016 after he wrecked their soundboard by getting water all over it (from a bottle he smashed on an opponent's head). That was also the night I met @Lazgistics Supervisor IRL IIRC. Beyond has come back to Providence 1-2 times since but it still seems like kind of a precarious situation (Owner of Beyond sent me a furious DM after I made a joke about keeping the soundboard dry on Twitter when announced their return).Beyond Wrestling
BREAKING: Beyond Wrestling returns to Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI for "Never Say Never" on Saturday, 8/31/24!
I remember yelling "I AM THE TABLE" super loud when someone (I think JT Dunn?) was slammed onto one and it didn't break. And getting awkward stares. Fucking nerds not getting running Botchamania gags...
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Picking up on this year's IWS Scarred 4 Life, the theme is IWS vs. GCW. After being mostly through it? It is so painfully obvious that the IWS talents are better, in nearly every way, than the GCW ones. There are a few exceptions, but then we get stuff like Bussy/TDT, where nothing that either Effy or Allie do looks even remotely as good as basic headlocks from TDT.
In another era, TDT would be seen as a team to watch. Damn shame they stayed so loyal to Manny in a sense, because there's a world where Thomas Dubois is working Monday nights.
In another era, TDT would be seen as a team to watch. Damn shame they stayed so loyal to Manny in a sense, because there's a world where Thomas Dubois is working Monday nights.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I'm in the middle of watching VxS Arrival 2, and I'm digging it. It's a pretty basic indie, and the commentary feels more like snark for snark's sake than legitimately hyping the action, but there's a very solid match between Kevin Blackwood and Jackson Drake that feels like something out of the ROH midcard circa 2009 in a good way.
Jackson Drake is going to be someone to keep an eye on. He's still green as hell, but he's got considerable height over most indie talents (6 feet even), has a look that can best be described as "twink Randy Orton," and can clearly wrestle. In fact, the weakness of the match with Blackwood is when Drake tries doing some minor flippy shit, which just looks awkward due to both how lanky he is and his obvious lack of comfort.
His biggest strength, though, is his selling. There's a spot where he's hung over the ropes and Blackwood nails an avalanche double stomp (and this was done QUICKLY, a testament to both), and Drake's facial expression and ragdolling are just *chef's kiss*.
I'd give Blackwood/Drake ***, but that Drake fella is one to look for.
EDIT:
After, Drake cuts a half decent promo, and says he'll continue to deliver as long as he's put in the ring with the best wrestlers in the world. He specifically says he doesn't care if it's anybody from NXT, from Pro Wrestling NOAH, or from TNA...
...AND OUT COMES MOOSE.
I never thought I'd look forward to a Moose match, like legitimately be interested in it beyond "this shouldn't be too bad," but damn I'm interested in seeing how that one turns out.
Jackson Drake is going to be someone to keep an eye on. He's still green as hell, but he's got considerable height over most indie talents (6 feet even), has a look that can best be described as "twink Randy Orton," and can clearly wrestle. In fact, the weakness of the match with Blackwood is when Drake tries doing some minor flippy shit, which just looks awkward due to both how lanky he is and his obvious lack of comfort.
His biggest strength, though, is his selling. There's a spot where he's hung over the ropes and Blackwood nails an avalanche double stomp (and this was done QUICKLY, a testament to both), and Drake's facial expression and ragdolling are just *chef's kiss*.
I'd give Blackwood/Drake ***, but that Drake fella is one to look for.
EDIT:
After, Drake cuts a half decent promo, and says he'll continue to deliver as long as he's put in the ring with the best wrestlers in the world. He specifically says he doesn't care if it's anybody from NXT, from Pro Wrestling NOAH, or from TNA...
...AND OUT COMES MOOSE.
I never thought I'd look forward to a Moose match, like legitimately be interested in it beyond "this shouldn't be too bad," but damn I'm interested in seeing how that one turns out.
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