Best of British: Top 10 British Wrestlers

Wrestling in the United Kingdom has been on the up the last couple of years. Gone are the days of Big Daddy battling Giant Haystacks and WWE rip-offs. Now Britain hosts a wealth of talented home grown wrestlers who compete not just in the UK but also internationally in America and Japan. Here I look at who I think are the best ten British wrestlers competing today. This excludes the likes of Finn Balor, Sheamus and Becky Lynch who are from the Republic of Ireland.

*Side note there are plenty of links in this article to wrestling matches and other related videos. Check them out to see what all the fuss is about.

10) Jimmy Havoc: The story of Havoc from fan favourite to violent psychopath was done masterfully by Progress Wrestling. It was reminiscent of Jimmy Jacobs evolution into the Age of the Fall leader. Havoc has now become a heat magnet with the fans chanting "Die Jimmy Die" at him and he has come close. Buckets of blood has been lost by this man inside a wrestling ring as he continues to bring something different to the UK independent scene.

9) Noam Dar: One of two Scotsman on the list. Dar is a regular on the UK independent scene. He's best friends with TNA's Grado but don't hold that against him. Although he can be funny, Darrs strength's lie in his technical wrestling and loves to tie his opponent up in holds. The charismatic Scot hasn't had much exposure outside of TNA's British Bootcamp Season 2. Hopefully that will change because despite being young, Dar has plenty of experience under his belt.

8) Bad News Barrett: This is a low placement for someone competing in the top wrestling promotion in the World. After winning NXT Season 1 and leading the Nexus it seemed we would finally see a English WWE World Champion in Wade Barrett. That didn't work out but he has had some decent runs in the company and is currently part of Sheamus's stable (although he only seems to be there to take the pin). He's out injured at the moment and there's talk of him leaving WWE. I can't see him WWE main event material now but he could still play an important midcard role. But if he goes elsewhere he may get the starring role he desires.

7) Paige: Sticking with WWE and the only woman on the list (Although there are plenty of talented British female wrestlers see: Kay Lee Ray and Nixon Newell). There's no understating Paige's impact on the rise of female wrestling. Although her matches are not always the best, whenever she's on screen you pay attention. She's still young and could carry the division for many years to come. She's got charisma by the bucket load. You can see there's potential for her to have some really good matches like she did in NXT, when she does, she'll climb up the list.

6) Drew Galloway: The big Scot is great example of a wrestler leaving WWE and becoming better. Despite being "hand picked" by Vince McMahon, Drew never achieved much in the WWE. However, since leaving he's captured titles and put on some great performances. He's also decent on the mic and has worked with TNA. But that doesn't stop him returning home to battle for the likes of Insane Championship Wrestling. After achieving so much since leaving the WWE, the big question is where does he go from here?

5) Mark Andrews: I'm probably being a bit biased with the only Welsh wrestler on the list but there are plenty of matches that back up Mandrew's high ranking. Some people may have only seen his short performances for TNA but Mandrews' best work has been in the UK, with the likes of his home promotion ATTACK Wrestling and Progress Wrestling. He's also been part of the European crew who started taking part in PWG which will hopefully be the catapult to get him noticed on the American Indies. Hopefully, Mandrews'' gets more of a chance to shine in the future.

4) Marty Scurll: This lad has grown so much in the last few years. He's really killed it in his "Villain" character. It's very old school and shouldn't work but Scurll pulls it off perfectly. Add in that he is a fantastic technician and you have yourself one of the best the UK has to offer. The match that really emphasised how good Scurll is was his match against Will Ospreay at RPW's High Stakes this year. Scurll played he heel perfectly, there was hard hitting, technical wrestling and brilliant storytelling. If you haven't checked it out, it's a must watch.

3) Will Ospreay: That leads me nicely to this man, who I must admit I hadn't seen much of before this year. After a few matches, I was hooked. Ospreay is a great highflyer, is young and very likable. I think he has all the tools to be a big success. He was on TNA's recent UK tour but then was snapped up by NJPW before he could sign for TNA. It's a big move and I can't wait to see him against some of the best NJPW has to offer. He has so much going for him. Unlike the typical highflyer like Ricochet, ACH, Rich Swann, Ospreay is a tall guy and I think WWE should keep an eye on this young lad. Apart from the aforementioned match, check out his series of highflying battles against Mark Andrews.

2) Neville: "The Man that Gravity Forgot" and the man formally known as PAC. Neville is struck in WWE limboland with no real direction but in terms of wrestling, you know you can rely on the former NXT Champion. He'll always put in a good performance and get the crowd on his side. Ironically for someone who is such a highflyer there may be a glass ceiling for Neville. Realistically, he's not going to become WWE Champion (Although Barrett seems to think so according to his appearance on WWE Ride Along) but I think he has an important role to play in both WWE and NXT.

1) Zack Sabre Jr: Who better to have at number one than one of my favourite wrestlers and a guy who proudly wears the Union Jack on his way to the ring? Sabre just nails it, every time he steps in the ring, I think 2015 was when people started to realise this. He has stolen every PWG and Evolve show he performed on and was even mentioned by WWE as a guy to watch. He brings something different to the table which in 2016 is easier said than done. He's a joy to watch whoever he's across the ring from due to his crisp technical style, he just makes it look effortless. With Evolve's link to WWE, he could find his way to the biggest stage in wrestling. But honestly, I think he's better off where he is, at least for the moment. He's the hottest name on the Indies and a regular in Japan with Pro Wrestling NOAH. One things for sure, wherever he's wrestling, I'll be watching.

 

Who’s Next? NXT Post WrestleMania Call Up’s

It’s WrestleMania Season! But all is not well. Fans are not happy with the ‘Mania build up. So let’s look ahead to the post ‘Mania Raw. A show that always promises shocks, surprises, returns and call-ups. Here I look at five possible call ups following the show known as “The Grand Daddy of Them All”:

1) Adrian Neville: The man formerly known as PAC is probably the most likely person to be called up from NXT. I was a fan of “The Man That Gravity Forgot” on the indies but seeing him regularly on NXT has boosted him into one of my favourite wrestlers. He’s shown throughout his time in NXT that he is adaptable, either as a tag team competitor, the hungry title challenger, strong champion or more recently the former champ who can be relied upon to put on great matches. Neville will easily fit into the main roster and his move set will allow him to get over instantly. Unlike other indy highflyers like Evan Bourne, Neville also has a power game which stops him from being labelled “Just another highflyer”.

Ideal Debut: Fresh off defending his title in a ladder match at WrestleMania, Wade Barrett comes out to celebrate. Neville interrupts to set up a battle between two Englishmen.

2) Kalisto: Words cannot describe Kalisto. The diminutive highflyer is destined to become the new Rey Mysterio. It’s a shame the “Master of the 619” is no longer with the WWE, as Mysterio could have put the young highflyer over, like Mysterio was meant to put over the original Sin Cara. But Kalisto doesn’t need to go down the singles path just yet. His current team with Sin Cara is a great way of introducing him to the wider WWE Universe. He recently debuted alongside Cara against Kidd and Cesaro in what was a very good TV match. He brings something different to the table and is always a treat to watch.

Ideal Debut: Versus the Ascension. They got history and it’s better than throwing the team straight into the title hunt.

3) Charlotte: The theme of the former champions continue. The former NXT Women’s Champion had a great reign as Queen of NXT. Now without the title, it’s only a matter of time before she gets called up to the main roster. Charlotte gets some stick for her push being attributed to her being the daughter of the legendary Ric Flair but I think she deserves everything she has got. She’s a good worker as proven by her matches as champion. There’s been some rumours that the WWE dislike that she doesn’t have that typical Diva look. But I don’t believe it. With her build, she could even go onto taking on men. Chyna 2.0. Anyway, like her daddy, not only can she walk-the-walk but she can also talk-talk-talk. She would be a great addition to the women’s roster, she’s already wrestled on the main roster. And hopefully, if the Divas get given more ring time, Charlotte may have a bright future in the WWE.

Ideal Debut: In shades of the last Raw after WrestleMania, the Bella’s come out to celebrate their title reign and Charlotte interrupts.

4) Finn Bálor: NXT has been fantastic for the last few months and one of the reasons for this is Finn Bálor. Out of everyone in NXT, no-one has the same presence as Bálor. Even without his war paint, the moment he steps out onto the stage everyone is watching him. Everyone loves doing the Bálor pose along with the music. Then in the ring he is one of NXT’s top performers and has adapted well, slowly picking his signature moves to fit alongside his sick double stomp finisher. He is facing Kevin Owens for the title on March 25^th and is unlikely to win which would set up Owens versus Zayn 2. He could find himself losing the title bout and joining the main roster five days later. However, it is unlikely to happen and Bálor is likely to go onto another main event feud before debuting on the main roster later on in the year.

Ideal Debut: [Insert heel winner of the Andre the Giant Battle Royal here] comes out to celebrate his win. Enter Demon Bálor with full theatrics. The smarky Raw crowd will go insane.

5) Rhino: A bit of a wildcard but there is reasoning behind the choice. It’s unclear why Rhino is in NXT. It should be to put over younger talent but he hasn’t really done that yet. Maybe they are building him up so that he can put over talent like Bull Dempsey? What his NXT return has done is remind me how good of a worker he is. He cut a good promo recently and, if given time, should put on good matches. Why not have the “Man Beast” make a surprise return to the main roster just for one night? The fans would be behind him and he could put someone over on the main roster without damaging his NXT reputation.

Ideal Debut: Rusev comes out to gloat/complain about his win/loss against John Cena at WrestleMania. Out comes Rhino who puts Rusev over to either continue Rusev’s momentum or build him back up after losing.

 

Who would you like to see called up after WrestleMania? Let me know @marcusandberg

Why R-Truth?: Five Alternative Choices

After Fast Lane, it looked like the feud between Wade Barrett and Dean Ambrose was just starting. Barrett retained the title by DQ but Ambrose stole the title. Seemed like the two were on a collision course for WrestleMania. But after Monday Night Raw it seems like more wrestlers are going to be added to the Intercontinental title match. Dolph Ziggler beat Wade Barrett which surely puts him in title contention. It would be nice to see Dolph higher up the card but with Mania’s card stacked, I have no problem seeing him challenge for the IC title. It also seems like the WWE are going to add a fourth man into the title hunt, R-Truth. Yeah, why? He was out on commentary, he pinned Barrett on the previous Smackdown and tried to get #GiveTruthaChance trending only for it to be overshadowed by the Divas hashtag.

The “truth” of the matter is the man formerly known as Ron Killings should be nowhere near any title match. He hasn’t done anything relevant in years and his gimmick is stale. I’m not trying to discount him, he’s a decent worker and his intro gives him a good pop from any crowd. However, he should just stick to putting over talent. Either for superstars on their way to title shots or recently debuted guys from NXT. Here’s five alternative superstars who could take Truth’s place in the IC title match:

1) The Miz: This would be the logical choice. Miz is a good talent and is one of the best when it comes to drawing heat. He would fit straight in alongside Barrett, Ambrose and Ziggler. Add in Mizdow at ringside it would sure be fun to watch. Have Mizdow earn Miz’s title shot but “A-Lister” refuse his stunt double into the match. This would lead to the ‘Mania four way where Mizdow would finally fight back against Miz. This stuff practically writes itself, it’s just a shame Miz has already entered himself into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.

2) Jack Swagger: Like Miz, Swagger is a guy who could fit right in the four way. He brings a bit of star power and his “We the People” chant keeps the crowd on his side. It’s strange when you hear “former World champion, Jack Swagger” but putting him in the Intercontinental title hunt would in part make up for that. He is more than likely going to be entered into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal where his size will make him a threat.

3) Luke Harper: Remember when this guy was Intercontinental Champion? Yeah, it seems ages ago. His reign was so insignificant. Harper is defiantly a talent but he is being severely underused. I find it odd booking that the Big Show and Kane are booked so strong, when they could be building Harper up in that role. The former Wyatt Family member would be a welcome addition to the four way and would boost the match quality of the bout.

4) Curtis Axel: Was it a bad booking or was it their plan all along? I’m talking about AxelMania. If it was their plan to have Axel claim he is the real Royal Rumble winner then why haven’t they capitalised on it properly. It also came outta nowhere as Axel recently showed up on NXT in a losing effort. He didn’t need to be pushed to the moon but he’s jobbed ever since the Rumble. It would have made more sense for him to use it as leverage to earn himself a shot at the title his father made famous.

5)  Adrian Neville: I like going for a wildcard choice last. Neville has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is one of the best athletes going (not just in NXT but in the entire WWE). But the fact is, he’s outgrown NXT. He’s faced everyone there is to face and it is time he moved up to the main roster. I would imagine this would come after ‘Mania but why not do it before? He would be a great addition to the match and the fans would instantly take to him.

That’s only five options for R-Truth’s replacement, there were plenty of choices. The only way I would accept him in a ‘Mania match is if he was retiring or going to retire. Maybe I am jumping the gun, there is still a strong possibility that he won’t be involved in the ‘Mania match itself but just in the build-up of the storyline. Which would be a cause for relief.

What’s your thoughts on R-Truth? Who would you rather see? Woo Woo, Zack Ryder? Let me know @marcusandberg

Kevin Owens: Hostile Takeover

Tonight, NXT presents their latest WWE Network Takeover entitled Rival. The show is headlined by best friends turned bitter enemies, NXT Champion Sami Zayn taking on Kevin Owens. It is ‘bout to be a classic. But could WWE have built it up better. Especially Owens. Who aside from his debut has been pretty bland. I would even go as far as to say, if he wasn’t the former Kevin Steen I would be dead against him getting a title bout so fast. Here’s five ways in which Owens could have been booked stronger.

1) Beat Adrian Neville: When Owens faced Neville on 12/18 it was another in a line of NXT Main Event classics. It is a shame that the match ended in a double countout. It was a small blemish in an otherwise perfect match. Owens getting the win over the former NXT Champ would have made his rise to the championship easier. It would have also given him the chance to debut or establish a finisher (possibly his sick pop-up Powerbomb). Owens didn’t even have to pin or submit Neville, he could have rolled in the ring at the 9 count and won via count-out.

2) More Matches: So far Owens’ in ring NXT career consists of a win over jobber CJ Parker and the aforementioned draw with Neville. Is that really enough to be challenging for the belt? I understand that NXT has some limitations. 1) the shows only being one hour long and 2) Squash matches would be comparing Owens to the likes of Baron Corbin and Bull Dempsey. A good strong win over one of NXT’s bigger names would have done wonders. It wouldn’t have even had to have been a main event. One match would have done.

 

3) Promos, Promos, Promos: Having Zayn injured and off TV would have been the perfect opportunity for Owens to gloat. Owens is a god on the mic and a promo in front of the rowdy NXT crowd would have done him many favours for those not familiar with him. I get that they didn’t want him to explain too much but he could easily done some cryptic messages or fables. His mic work so far has been lacking, he could be the best in the whole of the WWE if given the chance. Why haven’t they utilised this yet?

4) Full Interview with Renee Young: Carrying on from the last point, here’s a promo that actually happened. This could have been the moment that Owens owned, instead it was pointless and forgettable. He sat down for an interview then walked out, that’s it. They were trying to put over his character but Owens could have done so much more if he spoke. He still could have walked out and kept his mystique but give him some damn mic time.

5) Turned Super Heel at Contract Signing: So they finally did give the man the mic. And he played it well. He reminded me of a comic book supervillain, Lex Luthor-esq. The way he moulded Zayn into what he wanted and got the title shot. They’ve done well to play up this since with Zayn admitting that Owen pushed his buttons to get what he wanted. However, what would have worked much better and put Owens over as the mega heel, is for him to have been on the attack. Not to attack Zayn but Regal. How cool would have it to have been to see Owens hold Regal hostage, so that he could get a title shot? Zayn having to give into Owens demands and grant his rival a title bout. Of course being a super douche, Owens would beat up Regal anyway. Adds an extra level of heat to this already spicy feud.

But when NXT Takeover Rival starts, no-one is going to worry about how Owens has been built up. Like always, NXT Takeover looks an incredible card and will be a great show. And Owens versus Zayn will be the cherry on the top. The only real question is who will walk out as champion.

Will Kevin Owens capture the NXT title? Or will Zayn defeat his blood rival? Let me know @marcusandberg