Wrestling that isn't WWE
Most WWE fans will agree that Vince McMahon's brand isn't what it used to be. Such is WWE's lack of connection with the fans that at the recent Royal Rumble, fans started chanting for Triple H, the storyline villain or 'heel', and booing Roman Reigns, the storyline protagonist or 'face'. But that is not to say you should give up on wrestling. Several wrestling promotions have risen to prominence over the past few years and offer alternatives.
1. RING OF HONOR
'Indie wrestling' refers to wrestlers who perform for small promotions in front of small but dedicated crowds. These shows often feature the best wrestling, devoid of the drama and TV elements associated with big time promotions like WWE. Ring of Honor is considered the pinnacle of indie wrestling, taking the very best of the scene and putting them under one roof. Recent WWE stars like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins all honed their craft here. You won't get a lot of emotional feuds or storylines that will grip you. But you will get incredibly adept wrestlers putting together great matches. That's worth a look any day.
2. NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING
Japan has always been a hot bed of wrestling through the years, with almost every legendary wrestler having spent some time over there. NJPW is the culmination of everything all those Japanese companies have achieved over the years. While much of the show is in Japanese, it features several American stars and had, until very recently, TNA icon AJ Styles. The storylines here have a very edgy feel to them and feature the best of Japan. Right now might be a bad time for them since the WWE came in and made a swoop for some of their biggest stars but expect NJPW to fight back.
3. LUCHA UNDERGROUND
Among all the shows on this list, Lucha Underground comes closest to classic ECW. A compact arena, carefully written feuds that become grippingly emotional and fights that more than often spill into the crowd give Lucha Underground a vibe unlike anything available in wrestling today. The word 'Lucha' obviously indicates that a lot of the stars of Lucha Libre – the high flying style of wrestling made most famous by Rey Mysterio – are on show alongside former WWE stars like John Morrison and Chavo Guerrero. The first season was critically acclaimed and is a must watch for anyone missing the edgy product that ECW used to provide back in the day.
4. NXT
NXT is technically a part of WWE. But free of Vince McMahon and his whims, WWE's developmental brand has honestly become the best thing to come out of the WWE in the past decade or so. Featuring some of the best young wrestling talent, extremely devoted fans and once again, no Vince McMahon, the show is a stripped down source of entertainment. Triple H runs this place and if his handling of NXT is any indication, he could probably make WWE better if he were given a free reign. But, you know, Vince.
Given the signs, WWE will keep on disappointing. The companies mentioned above will probably reignite your belief in pro wrestling. Give them a shot.
Rayaan Ibtesham Chowdhury is a business student who spends his nights trying to write a fantasy novel. Mail him at rayaansmail@gmail.com if you want to talk about dragons in suits.
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