Speaking of independent wrestlers and Angel's Wings, Christopher Daniels is probably the biggest name in the last 15 some-odd years of independent wrestling to not become a huge superstar on a national scene. Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Austin Aries, and so forth all owe a debt of gratitude towards Daniels for opening doors for them, and they would be the first ones to admit it. He was a "big name" on the indy scene when Danielson was still in high school and when Joe was still a mortgage broker to make ends meet. There are a lot of theories as to why he never made it big (if you count four TNA X-Division Title reigns and eight total NWA and TNA Tag Team Title reigns as not making it big), but a lot of it probably has to do with his size and nothing else. He could "go" in the ring, has plenty of charisma, portrayed a marketable character for years, and has cut some very entertaining promos. However, being billed at 6'0" (which is probably generous), he has been a smaller man in a bigger man's sport for the majority of his career. It was only in recent years that things have shifted towards the smaller wrestlers, but now, Daniels is 44 years old, so he is, perhaps, coming towards the end. Now that he has left TNA and has returned to the indy scene, we may never get to see him make it big as a singles star.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.
