Views From The Turnbuckle: Indy Talent Search, Wrestlers Likely To Be Signed Next

The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of WrestlingINC.com or its staff.

With the endless amount of rumors circling around independent talent, along with the WWE becoming very aggressive with acquiring established indy wrestlers, every day could lead to a breaking story about a popular talent being signed to either the WWE or TNA. Here is a breakdown of current indy stars who are most likely to arrive in one of the bigger promotions.

Advertisement

Uhaa Nation:

Can't miss stud prospect who is sooner rather than later going to end up in someone's developmental territory. Uhaa is kind of hard to describe, but picture Bobby Lashley's body, but also being capable of shooting-star presses. It sounds kind of insane but it is true, he is a strange mix of a powerhouse and a high-flyer.

Uhaa just recently returned from a devastating knee-injury, but he continues to improve his ability with each passing match. Despite his psychical tools, he is still pretty raw in the ring, but this diamond can certainly be plucked from the rough. Uhaa currently wrestles in the lightning-quick Dragon Gate USA promotion, but also has a few tours of Japan under his belt with DG USA's parent promotion. Like most indy guys, Uhaa needs some help on the microphone, but that can be taught, his mind-bending combination of power and agility however, cannot.

Advertisement

"Mr. Touchdown" Mark Angelosetti:

Angelosetti caught fire in 2012 thanks to his pairing with Dasher Hatfield as The Throwbacks and his acclaimed feud with Archibald Peck. Arrogant and spiteful, Touchdown is like a slightly-smaller Dolph Ziggler when Dolph was at his most conceited. Touchdown wrestles mainly for Chikara, however with Chikara currently a non-entity he performs for the similar Wrestling Is? promotion.

His limited size might hold him back from being a big star in the WWE, but his charisma and his ability to draw heat are something that can get him over in any role. Saddled with a very strange gimmick (a stereotypical high-school jock) Touchdown makes it work wonderfully and had become one of Chikara's post popular rudos before it's subsequent closing. With not a lot else going on, the time would be perfect for Touchdown to make the jump into one of the bigger promotions in the US.

AR Fox:

Well-traveled high-flyer is at the pinnacle of in-ring performance in the United States. Fox is a lanky athlete with an electric move-set an the charisma to match. Nicknamed "The Whole Fox'n Show" Fox is currently one of the most decorated wrestlers on the independent circuit. Fox is most notable for his time in Combat Zone Wrestling, adding some serious in-ring ability to the typically blood-and-guts organization. He also wrestles frequently for DG USA and EVOLVE.

Advertisement

Fox has ok size for a high-flyer, and as the WWE moves towards a greater utilization of smaller, quicker athletes, Fox could fit right in. He would also be an excellent addition to not only the TNA X-Division, but the company as a whole. TNA hasn't really signed a premier indy guy since Austin Aries over three years ago, and Fox would be a great signing to an increasingly aging company.

Johnny Gargano:

Current Open the Freedom Gate Champion in DG USA, Gargano is often recognized as the best unsigned talent in wrestling. Often in cahoots with Chuck Taylor, Gargano has cut out a niche for himself as one of the most deplorable characters in wrestling.

Gargano is more polished on the microphone then most of his counterparts, and his in-ring ability is more suitable to the WWE. While someone like Fox uses high-spots and quick pinfalls to perform, Gargano uses a much more methodical pace, emphasizing psychology and ground-and-pound offense. Only 26 years old but already has almost a decade of experience under his belt. Made a brief appearance in the WWE a few years ago where he was squashed by Brodus Clay.

Roderick Strong:

Easily the most recognizable name on this list, Strong is at some sort of a cross-roads in his career. After being a key member for Ring of Honor since his debut in 2003, Strong has somewhat fallen out of favor recently within the company. Supremely talented and unique, Strong just hit the big 3-0 and now might be the time for a change.

Advertisement

Strong has literally been everywhere during his wrestling career, wrestling for ROH, TNA, FIP, NOAH and everywhere in between. Strong has somewhat of a history with current WWE mega-stars CM Punk and Daniel Bryan and with the exception of Samoa Joe, Strong might be the best former-ROH World Champion to be signed in the WWE.

Strong has a very unique wrestling style that should translate well into the WWE. Strong is first and foremost a brawler, a dying art in today's world of 450 splashes and technical excellence. Strong also has the world's most diverse display of backbreakers and utilizes them at their best. A lot of buzz for Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards being signed by both TNA and the WWE, but in my opinion, Strong would be a better signing then either of them.

Comments

Recommended