10 Hardest-Hitting Wrestlers Today
Wrestling may be predetermined, but these wrestlers certainly don't make it look fake.
In his autobiography, Mick Foley wrote about how excited he was to be wrestling Terry Funk for the first time. For years, he had been watching the Funkster do his thing and trying to figure out exactly how he made those punches look so real. When he finally stepped into the ring with him, Terry’s secret quickly became clear. They were real.
There is beauty in watching two men trade holds and grapple for position, but there is joy in watching two wrestlers beat each other senseless, with stiff blows raining down and the match quickly turning into something that bears more in common with a fight than pro wrestling. We know it isn’t healthy - but we still love it.
It's a love that has seen strong style make its way into Western wrestling. Companies like PROGRESS and Revolution Pro have made it their bread and butter, and it’s even begun to make headway in WWE. These wrestlers, much like Terry Funk, aren't pulling any punches.
Still think wrestling is fake? Try telling one of these guys.
10. Trent Seven
One of the standouts of the WWE UK Tournament, Trent Seven may sport a cracking moustache and a big old smile, but it doesn’t stop him hitting hard. The current ICW Champion is a member of British Strong Style with Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate, and it’s a name that he has earned the right to use.
With a repertoire built around lariats and fists, (his Seven Stars Lariat is essentially Okada’s Rainmaker) Seven’s matches tend to turn into fights. If you are sceptical, look up his encounters with Mikey Whiplash in ICW. The two men seemed to be trying to kill one other as they dissolved into a violent game of one-upmanship, and it’s a miracle that they both came out in one piece.
With strong style becoming a big part of British wrestling, Seven has embraced it more than most. He may be perfectly capable of World of Sport-style chain wrestling, but he’s probably more likely to punch you in the face. With his performance in the UK Tournament, it’s a safe guess that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Trent Seven's fists in the years to come.