5 Indie Wrestling Feuds That Carried Over Into WWE
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have been forever linked...
There's a reason WWE decided to set up their own Performance Center and revamp the NXT brand: the McMahon family like to do things their own way.
Whilst there's nothing wrong with that, having a singular method of training can restrict the variety that talent are able to offer in the long run. That's where the independent scene will always thrive.
Companies like Ring Of Honor and Ohio Valley Wrestling have for many years been able to exist outside of the WWE bubble. In the process, both have acted almost like feeder promotions for the larger organisations.
That's especially true in the case of OVW, which from 2000-2008 acted as an official developmental system for WWE.
Now, WWE relies on NXT to farm talent, but there's still plenty on the main roster who cut their teeth on the indie scene. Incredibly, there are even those who have feuded and had matches together for various independent companies before they made their way to the top. These were so good that WWE felt the need to do them all over again, albeit on a larger stage.
What do men like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, The Miz and The Heavenly Bodies have in common? Let's look at 5 combinations that took place on the independent circuit before WWE to find out...
5. CM Punk Vs. The Miz (OVW)
At first glance, The Miz and CM Punk really couldn't be any more different to one another.
One was a reality TV wannabe who fell into wrestling as a fan and somehow clawed his way up the ladder of success. The other is a hardened veteran of the independent circuit who would later grow disillusioned with WWE life and move away from it.
Both spent time in Ohio Valley Wrestling when it existed as WWE's own personal development system. It was there that Punk and Miz met in matches for the OVW Heavyweight Title.
As reigning champion from June 3, 2006 up until August 30 of the same year, Punk was called upon to defend against guys like Ken Kennedy and The Miz.
Remarkably, both would meet in matches for the WWE Title years later, most notably in a Triple Threat also involving Alberto Del Rio at TLC 2011.
Aside from that, bouts on Monday Night Raw were preceded by those OVW battles, although hardly anyone discusses the likes of Miz and Punk when talking about the one-time feeder promotion.