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In Praise of Independent Wrestling

In Praise of Independent Wrestling

Posted: Nov 4th 2015 By: Mick Foley

I simply can not say enough about the work ethic, dedication and skill of so many of the wrestlers I've had the chance to watch and work with over the past several months. Things have changed quite a bit from when I broke into the Indie scene almost 30 years ago (I began training in 1985, but had my first match in 1986) when promoters regularly burned towns, advertised stars who had never been booked, or offered up weak knock-offs meant to fool fans into thinking they were seeing the real deal. Hey, I worked many a match as 1/2 of the South Sea Islanders against the Rock 'n' Roll Connection, so I'm not completely innocent here. I'm know this type of thing still goes on today - not one, but TWO Mick Foley knock-offs on the scene - but they seem to be the exception to the rule.

And the rule of the day in Independent wrestling seems to be to that hard work pays off. Building a fan-base, delivering what they want, and sending them home happy...if exhausted. Personally, last night's 6 hour ‪#‎XWA‬ show in ‪#‎Providence‬ may have been a tad long. Maybe more than a tad. But within those 6 hours, there was SO much to like. I saw moves I've yet to learn the names of from wrestlers I've yet to learn the names of - and stuff that would have been right at home on a major PPV - with the intimacy and connection to an audience that only a grass-roots Indy can provide.

In the weeks that follow, I will try to provide an "Indie spotlight of the week" to talk about someone who has impressed me in his travels. You know who impressed me last night? The promoter. For real. The guy finds out on ‪#‎Halloween‬ night that A. J. Styles - one of the most durable, phenomenal performers of his generation (yeah, that's high praise, but he's earned it) won't be able to wrestle because of a legit back injury. What's a promoter to do? Throw up your hands, explain the situation to the fans, hope they understand, right? Not this guy. He not only does the right thing by bringing AJ in, despite the fact that we won't be able to wrestle - but on HALLOWEEN night, he books Matt Hardy....yes, Matt BLEEPIN' Hardy as his replacement. Then Matt, a guy who could have decided to coast comfortably off his name and reputation for the forseable future tears the house down with JT Dunn AFTER 5 hours of EVERY MOVE EVER INVENTED has been seen. Incredible. Those fans were with it too- and even rose to the occasion when two old guys like me and King Corrino got involved in the shennanigans ourselves.

A year ago, I would say hello to the guys, do my autographs, and try to find a quiet spot to decompress. Things are different now. I watch as many of the matches as I can. I give feedback when I'm asked. Those requests used to seem like hassles. Now they feel like giant compliments. I offer up whatever I can - always stressing that my opinion is one of many, and should be listened to, and valued, but never given a loftier perch than that of one dude's opinion. Please feel free to tell me about someone you've seen tearing it down on your own indie scene - and what you think the future might hold in store for him or her.

My next Indie shows are in SCOTLAND - in ‪#‎ABERDEEN‬ & ‪#‎GLASGOW‬. One show should be awesome, the other, totally insane! See you there! http://realmickfoley.com/events/

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-30
  • Joe McCarthy Apr 30th Today!
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  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th Today!
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  • Prince Maivia May 1st
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  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
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