Three years ago, I sat across a table from an official at a top name wrestling promotion in Kentucky and listened to him dog the multiple Indiana promotions across the river. They were no good, he said. Their wrestlers were no good. They could never work in Kentucky. They were backyard wrestlers, and they and the promotions they worked for were bad for business.
Over the last several months, a number of those no good, backyard wrestlers have made their way across the river to the name promotion. The quality of that wrestling product has gone up. So, I expect, will their business.
I’m not going to name this promotion right here. I’m not writing this to bash them, or the official. I want you to support them as much as the promotions he refused to acknowledge by name because if you are a true wrestling fan, they all need and deserve your support.
As the WWE continues to grow its brands, from Raw down to NXT, it will continue to cherry pick the best of the best from groups like the Kentucky promotion I mentioned. Cream rises, and it’s not too far-fetched to think some of those renegade Hoosier wrestlers will one day reach ROH, NXT – or higher.
Independent wrestling is back, and yes, some of it is pretty darn good. And as I’ve pointed out before, it’s much less expensive to go an support an indy promotion than it is the WWE.
Where will you be watching wrestling next week?