Out of hundreds of wrestlers, these 15 are part of the ranking, the most must see independent stars in the circuit. Some you may have heard of before, and others may be your first time ever seeing them. Let's get started!
15.Sami Callihan
The man was on a mission once he left WWE. He made it clear that he is on a mission to be remembered for what he is truly capable of doing. Most WWE fans only know him for his time in the development territory, but have probably never seen him in the independent circuit. This man has been everywhere from House Of Hardcore to Lucha Underground. If you have never seen him in WWE, then you are bound to see him work for an independent promotion and give stiff competition no matter who he is going against.
14.Trevor Lee
This young man was trained by Matt and Jeff Hardy and has made an impact in his own way so far. He is currently part of Impact Wrestling, but it hasn't stopped there for him. He is also working the independent circuit and making a name for himself while building a reputation slowly. As time goes by, he may end up being one of the most talked about independent superstars. But for now, this young man is building himself from the ground up through pure hard work,and not settling for anything less. We will be seeing a lot of him for years to come and will see him improving in front of our very eyes.
13.Sage Sin
If you are foolish enough to step in the ring with Sage, more than likely you are up for a ride of a lifetime. She marches to the beat of her own drum and has very dark charisma. She is young and will be around for years, so enjoy the ride into darkness with Sage Sin via YouTube. Don’t be afraid of her for what she looks like, but be afraid for the damage she can do in the ring. If you watch her matches on YouTube, then be prepared to take a wild ride to the other side!
12.Rhett Titus
If you watch Ring of Honor, then you are very familiar with this man. If not, then you are lost as to why this man is a big deal. He is young and a man who fights with great honor. He has stayed faithful to not just Ring of Honor, but the independent circuit as well. He is a former ROH tag team champion. He is a man looking to get better every day and is a huge piece of the game, and sometimes overlooked and underappreciated. The good news is we can expect more of him as time goes by. He fights with a purpose, and it is safe to say the man will be a world champion someday.
11.Nikki Addams
Nikki Addams is the best of the East Coast. She is only 5”5 and not afraid of the moment. When it is all eyes on her, she will mix it up with the most experienced and toughest wrestlers ever. She is young and has put in all the work. It is in everyone’s best interest, including the women’s division to not overlook this special talent because she will not hesitate to beat you by pinfall or submission in a heartbeat. Every YouTube upload she looks to go against the best. Even if she loses a match, she still wins psychologically by giving out stiff competition to her opponent.
10.Sammi Pandora
Another Underrated hard worker of the women’s division. She has been against nearly every women’s wrestler on this list, and has been against former WWE women’s wrestlers as well. She is becoming one of the greatest of all time in the independent circuit, and it would be a crime for a person to not see her in action. She will be around for the long run, and we can expect more hot ticket events with her. She fights with respect and pride, and isn't afraid of the big moment. A match with her and Charlotte is a dream match for sure. If you don’t know why, then view her matches!
9.Paloma Starr
When you first look at Paloma Starr, you might make the mistake of underestimating her. She may look like she can do no harm, but behind those angelic eyes are a fire of passion that keeps her going night after night. Whether she is being cheered by the crowd or booed, she relishes those moments and takes in the energy of the crowd night in and night out. Whether she is cheered or booed, she will get a reaction out of the crowd! People will know more about this super Starr and see her shine!
8.Shayla Hyde
She is currently on a journey to win her first major title in the independent circuit. Did I mention she is only 22 years old?! She has improved in a rate that is rare to see from someone her age. Her emotional story and journey wins the heart of fans as she tells her story and leaves it all in the ring. She continues to keep the wrestling fans involved through Twitter and Facebook, which is an army. When in the ring with Shayla, it isn't just a match against her, but the army of fans that are standing not far from the wicked witch as well. She is known as the wicked witch of the independent circuit, and her innocent demeanor quickly switches in a heartbeat to relentless when in the heat of the moment to win. We will see a lot of Shayla Hyde, and she will be on WWE’s radar and anywhere else as we see her continue to grow.
7.Kikyo The Fallen Flower
This woman has changed the game in the independent circuit, and has been on the path of dominance from the get go. Her historic rivalry and matches against Brittany Wonder have been a rivalry that we hope goes on forever. She can beat you with a moonsault, or over power you and beat you to the ground. She has competed in some of the most physical matches, including a first blood match. She has given her all to be one of the dominate forces along with Brittany Wonder primarily on the West Coast, but has spread out more since then. She has made it clear when you step in the ring with her, you are automatically a loser. Even if her opponent wins the match, there is no guarantee that they are leaving the same as they came.
6.Will Ospreay
At 24 years old, he has already made a name for himself, and more people are starting to watch him. This man is number 8 on the list solely for those few poor souls who have not watched this man in action yet. He is currently part of Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling and numerous other shows in high demand, so no excuse to not see this man at all! Watch him, and enjoy, this man is the future of pro wrestling.
5.The Young Bucks
While in Japan and Ring of Honor, it is still not enough for this team! They have an appetite that can’t be satisfied by just ROH and Japan. Even though they have big roles in both, they are still going hard in the independent circuit no matter what success they have gained. This team is arguably one of the most popular tag teams in the independent circuit. These guys most of all are the MC’s for the superkick party. Fans will love seeing the superkick party on full display.
4.Nyla Rose
This woman is ranked number four for a good reason. She towers over almost all her opponents, and she will mix it up with men in the ring too. If anyone is deserving to win a title that is primarily dominated by men, Nyla is the one. Her natural beauty and deadly force in the ring has made her one of the most intimidating forces of all time. It is only a matter of time before she has conquered every man and woman in the ring, thus making herself the undisputed dominate force of the independent circuit. She is every man's dream..as long as they don't have to compete against her, and every woman's nightmare no matter what.
3.Brittany Wonder
The heart and soul of wrestling promotion Hoodslam! Much like Nikki Addams being the best of the East, Brittany is the best of the West. She gets the ranking three, not just because of the endless work in and out the ring. She has drawn awareness to a campaign of gender equality in the wrestling business. She is a modern day hero to fans and has continued to be a positive influence on fans. She will not hesitate to fight a man or woman. Despite some states not allowing it, this hasn’t stopped Brittany, and she has continued to win the hearts over of anyone who has seen her perform for the first time. Her warm smile and undying commitment to the wrestling business is why she is a must see.
2.Kacee Carlisle
Kacee Carlisle is ranked number two for this ranking countdown. She is one of the best to not compete in a WWE Ring, and has dominated for years, and is a former NWA Women’s Champion. She has lots of classics on YouTube. She is typically the snarky and brash wrestler that can back up everything she says in the ring. No matter who she goes against, it is a hot ticket. She is travelling across the USA and going against the best currently and against the future stars of wrestling. Kacee Carlisle has done it all and has been a big reason for independent women's wrestling being where it is today.
1.Ricochet
The high flying, smooth styling Ricochet is number one on this ranking. Many more than likely have heard of him. Lucha Underground, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Dragon Gate, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla have all been on Ricochet’s agenda. This is the one man that has alluded WWE, and he is one of the contenders for the title “Best to not compete in a WWE ring ever” since Sting joined a few years back thus giving up that title. The man has turned heads with his gravity defying antics in the ring, and whether WWE grabs him, one thing is sure: he will be making people remember who he is.
That is it for the countdown ranking! Click on the pictures to link to the Facebook pages and like to keep up with latest schedules and news! Stay tuned for more countdowns on all your favorite wrestlers!
