10 WWE Dream Matches That Happened On The Indies
Star-studded matches on the small stage.
Both WWE and AEW would like us to believe that they are dream factories. Their mission statement is to bring together the greatest wrestlers from all over the world and put them in the best matches on the biggest stage. As we all know, however, there's a whole other ecosystem out there.
For as long as there have been major wrestling federations, there have been smaller independent companies or 'indies' operating in the shadows. With limited resources but big ambitions, these promotions have given us some fantasy matches that the big leagues couldn't. Or wouldn't.
This list is mainly about WWE superstars, but it does feature some wrestlers who have never worked for the McMahon empire. All of them have at least had conversations with the Fed, so, in another world, they could have rocked up on Raw or SmackDown one day.
From generational crossovers to technical masterpieces to matches you didn't even know you wanted to see, this list highlights the bevvy of great work the indies have been producing for decades. Do yourself a favour and support your own local indie if you can. You might find yourself a hidden gem.
10. Rey Mysterio vs. Darby Allin vs. Carmelo Hayes
Despite having been in the same company since 2021, Rey Mysterio and Carmelo Hayes have never had a one-on-one match in WWE as of May 19, 2026. They did share the ring for Northeast Wrestling (NEW) in 2018, but even then, they weren't alone.
Mysterio and Hayes, the latter of whom was wrestling under the name Christian Casanova, were joined by a young upstart named Darby Allin. The trio wrestled a predictably fast-paced match that could have done with a few more minutes before the masked man got the win.
Allin fought Hayes a few times in NEW, including in a singles match. This was the face-painted daredevil's only encounter with Mysterio, however, who would return to WWE full-time later in the year. Allin was snapped up by AEW when it launched the following year, making it certain that the two would never fight.
WWE did make a play for Allin before he signed for Tony Khan, so there is a universe in which this triple threat could have happened under their watch. In this universe, though, it was never going to happen. Given that Rey will probably still be wrestling when he's 85 years old, there's still time for it to happen again.