TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries
It looks like Independent Wrestling seems to be getting a bit of buzz recently, and the stigma of being an “indy guy” has subsided in light of recent events.
Austin Aries defeated Robert Roode at Destination X 2012 becoming TNA World Heavyweight Champion. A little bit over a year ago, Aries was posting videos on YouTube openly contemplating the end of his wrestling career after reportedly being rejected from the highly successful experiment known as WWE Tough Enough (which also saw Matt “MDogg-20” Capiccioni come and go with a Texas-sized wind) because of whatever reasons WWE had come up with that week. The former 2-time ROH World Champion is a product of Minnesota wrestling tradition like Jerry Lynn and Sean Waltman before him, each carrying the same ol’ stigmas that has been perpetuated by “the business” for as long as Waltman has been called “Kid”. Now, here we stand. After praise from Hulk Hogan himself, the personification of everything people believe Indy wrestling ISN’T but should be, Austin Aries is the hottest part of an Impact Wrestling product that is seeing a recent resurgence in receptive response. However, it wasn’t Aries alone that gave Indy fans a reason to feel a bit proud that they were there back in the day. A former stablemate of Austin Aries got his own bit of shine, despite it being under less than luminescent circumstances.
"The Pretty Boy Pitbull" Kenny King
Kenny King competed in the Ultimate X match to crown a new X-Division Champion due to Austin Aries vacating the title he held longer than anyone. Of course at the time of his entrance into the tournament to compete, he was one half of the Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions as part of the All Night Express (3 guess as to who gave them that name) alongside Rhett Titus. Unfortunately for ROH, verbal agreements are outweighed by national television and Pay-Per-View, and Kenny opted to head down to Orlando. TNA is something of a former home for Kenny King. After making it the finals of WWE’s 2002 season of Tough Enough (the one where Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda DOMINATED the competition) he eventually made his way to TNA as an off-and-on performer. Eventually through Florida’s Full Imact Pro Promotion, King made his way to Ring of Honor as part of YRR, Young, Rich & Ready For Action. Not unlike Jay Lethal in Special K, Kenny King was the obvious glaring standout with breakout potential that was eventually realized with a little help from ROH student “Addicted To Love” Rhett Titus. Literally 10 days after defeating Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Yes, I’m referring to Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas. Yes, they’re in ROH now.) Kenny appeared on Impact Wrestling. Needless to say, ROH was none too pleased. What the future holds for Kenny King in TNA remains to be seen, but people are talking about him. Mission Accomplished.
Just for the sake of self-indulgence…Rubix. That’s all. Rubix. Rubix, Rubix, RUBIX!!!!!
Jigsaw, AKA Rubix
But TNA isn’t the only company that is turning their eyes to those supposed high-school gyms and national guard armories, oh no. Yes, World Wrestling Entertainment is reportedly in the process of what appears to be a scoop up of independent wrestling talent.
For any of you that actually read this, you may remember my piece asking the question of why female indy talent Cheerleader Melissa hasn’t been signed. Well, Melissa is #1 on my depth chart, but WWE has reportedly offered the golden ticket to the woman that is #2 in Sara Del Rey.
The Queen Of Wrestling
For years, Sara Del Rey has been compared to her former trainer, Daniel Bryan (Danielson). After arriving from the western part of the nation, she made a name for herself internationally before becoming arguably the most popular woman in indy wrestling through Ring of Honor, SHIMMER, CHIKARA and other promotions. She also managed to do it almost solely on the fact that she’s extremely athletic and as good a performer inside of the ring as most men. In a wrestling world post-diva-search, Sara’s success is a testament to her capabilities as a performer. Not unlike her contemporary, Kharma, she’s not exactly what you’d think of when you think “diva”. She is and always has been a wrestler first. That said, it is the opinion of Djm that she’s not exactly difficult on the eyes, either. But I digress. Recently, there was a picture circulating across the Interwebz of Sara standing the crowd at a Florida Championship Wrestling show. Whether she was just there at the show to cheer on her former indy stablemates Antonio Cesaro and Kassius Ohno or whether that was the time she received her tryout, it was a perfect piece of foreshadowing. Women’s wrestling fans everywhere, I suggest you not lament this moment, but celebrate it the same way a lot of us did for Daniel Bryan and Nigel McGuinness in 2009. The beacon of all that you believe in is about to go to WWE and show exactly what she’s capable of on the biggest stage. And like I said on Super No Vacancy regarding Daniel Bryan…have faith in Death Rey. I believe, even in the world of 70-second tag team matches and the current Divas Champion being MIA, Sara Del Rey will flourish. Don’t you agree, AJ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9dvwwcf8Gk
As you saw above, the indy guy I’m hoping gets a real chance to shine in TNA is CHIKARA Star Jigsaw, who you probably now know as Rubix. In WWE, a gentleman from Newcastle, England is the guy I have high….VERY high hopes for. Spoiler Alert: I’m talking about PAC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLiI9s9h0Vk
Back in the day, names like Jack Evans and Teddy Hart were all the rage when it came to high-fliers. Later, PAC came along through California’s Pro Wrestling Guerrilla where he earned his trademark nickname “The Man That Gravity Forgot”. Eventually PAC made his way to Japan, becoming a staple of Dragon Gate going in and out of around 200 different stables and factions during his tenure. Along with being an extremely gifted aerialist, he brought a mat-wrestling game that was as good as it got. And none of the baggage that came with being Teddy Hart. The uninitiated may ask what is so special about a guy like PAC when WWE already has Sin Cara and Evan Bourne. I suggest you go back up and actually watch that YouTube package of PAC that is above. If given the opportunity, PAC’s abilities are a game-changer.
Now, as The Man That Gravity Forgot himself has said recently, don’t believe everything you read. (Giant Bernard said that, too, PAC. Just sayin’. So did the Bella Twins. Just sayin’.) However, what you should believe is that PAC is incredibly talented. A frighteningly skilled high-flier the likes of which the WWE Universe has never seen. I promise you that.
Oh, and than there’s these two guys.
You should know these two by now.
So to those that may read this see all of these guys (and girls) and have no idea who they are, I hope your interest has been piqued. The two major companies are looking at the success of Punk and Bryan and looking towards the indies. For those of you that are in the super special secret club, this is a time to celebrate. It is the opinion of this Indy Wrestling Nerd that you probably thinks lives in his mom’s basement…that we have won the war. Now if we can just convince WWE to hire Excalibur to be their lead play-by-play man, I think my life would be complete.
/p