Next Indy wrestler to make it big?

[Yuffie_Kisaragi]

So which Indy wrestler do you think will be the next one to break into the WWE and make a name for himself like CM Punk did.

For me it will either be Nigel McGuinness or Colt Cabana. Cabanas with WWE devlopmental now and I think its only a matter of time till he appeares on Raw, Smackdown or ECW.

McGuinness is one of the most gifted wrestlers ive ever seen and hes got bags of charisma. He could become a WWE if the WWE uses him right and doesnt just make him yet another foreign heel.

[towney007]

Personally, I think of the current indy lot, McGuiness has the goods. He's got the size and a fun style, but he's going to have to adapt a bit to the WWE style. Lariating the crap outta guys isn't going to really work too well. He isn't STELLAR on the stick or anything, but he can cut a really good, basic promo. Give him some spit shine in developmental and I think he'd be pretty good. Really though, save for Chris Hero, who I think will definately make it big, he's the only guy I see SUCEEDING in the WWE. Castagnoli could definately make it, but I don't think he'll hit it big.

[SuperMophetBros]

I was really surprised to see Sydal scooped up because of his size and all. He was a small guy on the indy circuit, never mind the WWE. They must have something special planned for him because he seems like a really unusual pick.

I think Nigel and Hero will someday make it in the WWE. As for guys I'd like to see get a shot at the big time:

Cabana and thats about it in OVW. I wish WWE would drop Joe a contract. Pearce is really good too and I'd like to see him get a shot, they should probably take Albright back as well. Claudio has the WWE look, with his recent stint of good matches he'll proably make it.

Another interesting thing to think about is how would these guys be used in WWE.

I see:

Cabana keeping his wacky gimmick, Punk kept a watered down version of his so if enough people know Cabana, a SCS reunion would be expected.

Claudio the swiss terror. Probably end up being a lumberjack or something.

I'm almost sure if Sydal ends up on my cable network he will be rocking polo's and cackies.

[go to sleep]

i'm all for preppy heel matt sydal....

w/ Matt Striker by his side

"It is I Matt Striker....your teacher"

[towney007]

Nigel - I agree with Towney. Joe - maybe. The speed of his strength (if that makes any sense) is what makes him what he is. He sucks on the stick and without the speed, he's just Rikishi lite. I fvckin go batty for Joe at a live show, but let's call a spade a spade with him.

I kinda agree with you on Joe these days. His market value has plummited because of the TNA move. He's actually regressed a good deal in the ring and TNA's done nothing but make him look like an idiot for the past year or so. It's a shame because of anyone who could've exploded in the WWE, I think it'd have been Joe.

Sure, he's marginal at best on the mic, but get him in OVW or something and they'd work on that. Joe's problem isn't his content, it's the delivery. It reeks of the whole fat-think he's cool-kid with the 'pimped' out Neon that hangs out in front of McDonald's thing. 2 Fast, 2 Furious.

His ring work has always been good so I wouldn't worry about him there. If I were him i'd be willing to take out a second mortgage on my house to get out of just one year of that TNA contract... It's killing his career.

Nigel needs to get his head out of his arse. ROH isn't going to make him a good living and NOAH is a hell hole for foreign talent. He's been a bit too swept up in the 'dude, don't sell out' crap. WWE's where the best workers, agents and money are. Not ROH, despite what they might think.

The thing about Nigel is that I think of any of the ROH guys i've seen, he's the best all around fit for the WWE. He's got good size. he's ok on the mic. He's not sensational or anything, but his delivery is way ahead of guys like Dragon and Joe and the content is about on par. His move set wouldn't need much tweaking either. In fact, I'd see him getting promoted to one of the brands in relatively short order.

I'd say of ALL the indy talents out there, he's easily the top 'prospect' so to speak.

Adam Pearce has A TON of potential, but someone needs to teach him how to wrestle. Seriously. Pearce's best bet is to bulk up, keep cutting good promos and hope that deal comes sooner rather than later. Simplify the matches, stop pile driving people through 6,000,000 tables backwards and just stick to punching and trash talking.

That and Gabe Sapolsky should be kicked in the nuts for letting him work this crap angle he's in right now. Seriously booted in the balls. Hard. It's awful. Pearce isn't a guy who needs to have a deep move set or any of that indy horse-crap net fans think is 'important'. Just wear robes, talk trash, be spiteful and punch people in the face. That's it. His delivery is SO phenominal I think he's another guy the WWE would just not give a crap that he doesn't wrestle very well. Kinda like Santino. He ain't much in the ring, but given time, that'll come. It's his delivery on the mic that's just light years ahead of where it should be and something that's really hard to teach. Kennedy is the same way. I think if Pearce ended up in the WWE, they'd fast track him like they did those other guys because of that skill.

Cabana's got career jobber written all over him, which is great for him really. Five minutes of work every week or so, get paid almost $100k for it. Yay. Really though, TVS hit the nail on the head. He's a lot of fun on the mic and he's totally passable on the mic. However though, I just can't take him seriously. I think serious Colt really struggles and watching the Homicide feud, while it was tons of fun, just showed me that Cabana's got real limitations in terms of the range he can do. He just can't deliver in that role. Thus, he's mid card for life, which inthe WWE, is a-ok.

I think Castagnoli, IF he gets re-offered the contract (which he was a MORON to turn down to begin with) he might make it in the WWE for a short while, but I can't see him being a long term success. He can't speak english overly well and REALLY needs a lot of reigning in (see tilt a whirl slams on Morishima)... He might get out of developmental, he might not, but either way I don't see him being a long term success.

Delerious is a definite 'no' to me. I see plenty of guys who'd be better in the jobber role than him and he really doesn't have much size. He's kind of a one shot deel and he'll make some decent money in the indys, but with the character he's got, he ain't going to the top of any company. Except for CZW of course, which would make me their champion for the sake of it.

Sydal is there because he's got a pretty face. He sounds like a ten year old on the stick and his delivery is pretty horrible. He's a FUN high flyer so he might get a couple of go's on the Smackdown or ECW brands, but I don't ever see him, almost under any circumstance, being a Raw roster calibur guy...

[Yuffie_Kisaragi]

Another guy I can see making it into the WWE (if they go through with the European brand anyway because Americans wouldnt get the gimic) is Darren Burridge, good gimic, decent mic skills and is a pretty good wrestler.
Hes already got a large fan following over here in England and with the chav gimic I think hed be pretty successful in the WWE Europe brand.

Also to do with the European brand im surprised Claudio Castagnoli hasnt been given a contract yet since they cant really have a European brand and have it full of just British guys...

[PuckaOne]

The Pukka One! Quite a lot of brits been picked up recently. Drew Galloway was on Smackdown within weeks of his developmental contract.

Don't think the european expansion is realistic to be honest. Think the ideas were shelved

[endless]

Mark my word Larry Sweeney will be in developmental by the end of 2008. He may not be the greatest in the ring, but he can cut a great promo and he has alot of charisma. The man would be perfect for Smackdown or ECW. Just give him a wacky gimmick and turn him loose.