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Post by wildojinx on Oct 30, 2014 14:27:25 GMT -5
Did you ever see a wrestler at an indy show before they made it big?? Sadly, that never really happened to me, closest thing was seeing Skull Von Krush (later Big Vito) at an indie show against Tony Atlas in 1995 (and even then, he already worked as a tv jobber as Von Krus/Vito Kruz).
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Post by Mighty Attack Tribble on Oct 30, 2014 14:50:53 GMT -5
I saw Sheamus and Drew on the British indies a couple of times.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Oct 30, 2014 16:11:37 GMT -5
Steve Austin. To this day, I don't remember if it was a World Class, USWA, Global or completely indie show, but around that time frame, he was wrestling on a show inside a warehouse designed to look like a red barn just off the loop in Tyler.
Further back, but saw a LOT of Fred Ottman before he made it big in the WWF.
About the only one I can think of that really went anywhere in more recent years was Archer/Dallas, whatever they called him, knew him as Shadow here.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 120,896
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Post by Mozenrath on Oct 30, 2014 16:13:00 GMT -5
Does it count if it was a local TV thing? Because, if so, I saw Rodney Mack, Lance Hoyt, and Paul London.
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Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Oct 30, 2014 16:23:50 GMT -5
I saw Chris Hero before he "made it big" if the it in question is his belly.
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Post by Digital Witness on Oct 30, 2014 18:56:29 GMT -5
I saw Micheal Shane at an indy show once. He obviously didn't "make it big" but wasn't he on TNA for a spell? Former co-X-Division champion with Kazarian (they won it by coming down with it at the same time in an Ultimate X match I think, and then defended it Freebird style or something to that effect). They actually had a really good team for a while. He was also pretty awesome during his time in Ring of Honor. I suggest watching his ladder match there vs Paul London.
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Post by Ishmeal Loves Kaseyhausen on Oct 30, 2014 19:04:27 GMT -5
Are we counting ROH in this?
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Post by Mr. Medium Shot on Oct 30, 2014 19:10:25 GMT -5
IPW Hardcore thrived in the Tampa area in the early 2000s. I used to watch religiously on TV and go to some of the live events. MVP got his start there as "Antonio Banks."
IPW also bred Roderick Strong and the Shane Twins ("The Dicks" in TNA and "the Gymini" in WWE).
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El Pollo Guerrera
Grimlock
His name has chicken in it, and he is good at makin' .gifs, so that's cool.
Status: Runner
Posts: 14,661
Member is Online
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Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Oct 30, 2014 23:04:24 GMT -5
Does TV count?
If so, John Tenta was on a wrestling program from Vancouver, BC for a while before becoming the Earthquake. There was even an news segment about him and his time as a sumo.
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
Posts: 7,664
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Post by saintpat on Oct 31, 2014 1:52:07 GMT -5
In 2011 on WM27 weekend, saw:
PAC (Adrian Neville) Claudio Castignoli (Cesaro) Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) Brodie Lee (Luke Harper) El Generico (Sami Zayn) Austin Aries
This year on WM weekend, saw Kevin Steen
To me that's probably the coolest thing about going to WM live is all the indie shows that are held around the event and getting to see a lot of talent that is on the way up, and also guys that have been around and made great names for themselves (Low Ki, Chuck Taylor and Bad Influence being among those I've been fortunate enough to see).
Also, not live, but (dating myself here) as kid just getting into wrestling on summer vacation at the beach once was watching the local territory show and these two really high-energy guys were tag teaming together. I really took notice of them because they wore facepaint, which was something I had never seen before. One of them was really incredible musclebound and the other looked like a tall, cool surfer dude:
They were soon to be known quite well as Ultimate Warrior and Sting.
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Post by Mayonnaise on Oct 31, 2014 2:10:54 GMT -5
Saw Lance Hoyt as Shadow here in Dallas a few times and Rodney Mack as Red(d) Dogg at an ECW show in 99 as well as at a couple of local things. Also saw Austin real early in his career at the Sportatorium. Paul London on local TV once or twice as well.
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Dragonfly
Samurai Cop
...is no Barry Windham.
Posts: 2,480
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Post by Dragonfly on Oct 31, 2014 2:33:56 GMT -5
Off the top of my head:
Corey Graves (Sterling James Keenan) Larry Sweeney Raymond Rowe Johnny Gargano Facade Zema Ion Sami Callihan Elias Sampson (Logan Shulo; saw his pro debut)
There's a bunch I'm forgetting. Man, a lot of great talent came through IWC/Pittsburgh in the mid 2000s.
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4TheGlory
Vegeta
The Fun One At Parties
Posts: 9,737
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Post by 4TheGlory on Oct 31, 2014 2:34:50 GMT -5
I went to an ROH show back in 2009 and these guys all were on the card
Tyler Black/ Seth Rollins Brodie Lee/ Luke Harper Bryan Danielson/ Daniel Bryan KENTA/ Hideo Sterling James Keenan/ Corey Graves El Generico/ Sami Zayn Claudio/ Cesaro
Not to mention a host of guys that ended up in TNA.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Grimlock
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 14,951
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Oct 31, 2014 2:42:53 GMT -5
CM Punk, who I wasn't actually that impressed by, saw him v Colt Cabana and preferred Colt Christopher Daniels a few times Doug Williams a bunch of times Paul Burchill, when he was a can't miss monster prospect
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DjZonk
Don Corleone
Where's my cat?
Posts: 1,325
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Post by DjZonk on Oct 31, 2014 2:47:19 GMT -5
Paul London, Low Ki, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan come to mind.
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Post by The Legendary Ring Troll {BLM} on Oct 31, 2014 11:46:55 GMT -5
Seems a lot of these are referencing mid 2000's and later. I was hoping to hear more stories of seeing Duane Johnson fighting Adam Copeland and Mark Callaway taking on Cactus Jack.
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beamanhogan
Team Rocket
RIP - Macho for Hall of Fame
Posts: 867
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Post by beamanhogan on Oct 31, 2014 13:13:38 GMT -5
I saw CM Punk and Colt Cabana back around 2000 a few different times. I ate dinner with them at a Denny's before too.
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Post by James Fabiano on Oct 31, 2014 15:47:18 GMT -5
Steve Austin. To this day, I don't remember if it was a World Class, USWA, Global or completely indie show, but around that time frame, he was wrestling on a show inside a warehouse designed to look like a red barn just off the loop in Tyler. Further back, but saw a LOT of Fred Ottman before he made it big in the WWF. About the only one I can think of that really went anywhere in more recent years was Archer/Dallas, whatever they called him, knew him as Shadow here. I saw Taz when he was the Tasmanian Devil.
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Post by wildojinx on Oct 31, 2014 15:55:34 GMT -5
Does TV count? If so, John Tenta was on a wrestling program from Vancouver, BC for a while before becoming the Earthquake. There was even an news segment about him and his time as a sumo. Well if we're counting that, then IWCCW is where i first saw Taz (as tazmaniac), Johnny Grunge (As Equalizer Zap), Tommy Dreamer (as TD Madison), Chris Candido, and Cactus Jack. Tom Brandi and Ray Oddysey also started out there, if they qualify as "big stars".
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 15:58:53 GMT -5
Mickie James used to wrestle in Northern VA/Maryland a lot when she was starting out and I saw her a few times before she ever did anything of note.
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