10 Things WWE Doesn't Want You To Know About Independent Wrestling

7. It Fosters In-Ring Diversity/Brilliance

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With few exceptions - not least of which the super athlete and superstar that is Ronda Rousey - those who excel at pro wrestling, with its fiendish difficulty level and harsh taskmaster audience, are those who travel the circuitous route, work with an eye-watering frequency, and apply that knowledge of getting over everywhere to get over anywhere.

NJPW's working relationship with Tetsuya Naito saw him become the tranquilo sensation he is today following his 2015 excursion. Katsuyori Shibata, prior to his enforced retirement, wowed Japanese crowds with the European escapologist grappling work he imported from RevPro. Juice Robinson has discovered the true meaning of fighting spirit in its homeland, using it to grasp the timing and snugness required to get over as a pure babyface. The Young Bucks operate within pure, unrestricted banter mode to draw U.S. crowds who gravitate towards fun while simultaneously mastering limb work and storytelling to convince New Japan fans to take them seriously as bonafide heavyweights.

The shared wrestling universe outside of WWE fosters a shared wealth of diverse ring styles, in turn producing an incredible generation of well-rounded talents. The lower reaches of the NXT roster, learning from a very respected but shallow coaching pool, aren't getting booked on the weekly TV show, much less getting over.

That relationship between getting booked and getting over is crucial, obviously, but the likes of Tino Sabbatelli don't get booked because the guys ahead of him already know how to get over.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!