“The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places”
– Ronald Dahl
This quote comes to mind as a long-time wrestling fan you know that there are only so many slots available on the big national stages of WWE and to a lesser extent AEW. So, because there are limited spots in those companies there is talent that aren’t there but certainly could be and many fans miss out on them when they only watch one or both those companies and don’t expand their views to the other promotions from around the world.
Listen I totally understand there are only so many hours in the day and only so much disposable income to watch all the wrestling content out there through various streaming services. Over the course of the past few years in particular when I watch a lot of wrestling content that makes up my monthly matches of the month and 25 best matches of the year lists, I try to expand my scope across as many promotions as I can that my schedule will allow. Because of this, I have been exposed to a lot of talent that a large portion of the audience may not be aware of or perhaps haven’t kept up with since they aren’t regularly on WWE or AEW TV.
I’m often asked who my favorites in this business are and to be honest there are a lot of them in WWE and AEW, but today I want to focus on the talent that I particularly enjoy outside those companies.
Comedy Characters
The beauty of professional wrestling is that it is a melting pot of variety of all different styles and wrestlers come in all different shapes and sizes and personalities. Not every talent in this business is destined to be world champion but they all have the potential to draw money and provide entertainment for the fans. We have seen over the years talents such as Danhausen, Orange Cassidy, and the legendary R-Truth, have shown time and time again that you can be over, draw money and in some cases draw more money than some world champions.
Bigg Pound
Now I know most of the people reading this maybe saying who the heck is this guy? This man goes by the name Bigg Pound and my first and only exposure to this gentleman is in Wrestling Revolver. Some months back I was watching a Revolver show and some funky music started playing and the name Bigg Pound popped up on the tron and outstepped this man with the ring announcer referring to him as Succulent Vanilla and his name plate stating he was the Drip Wizard.
This man is easily George Costanza’s favorite wrestler and his idol with all his confidence to drape himself in a velvet jumpsuit on a consistent basis. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of ECW legend and Philadelphia’s own, the Blue Meanie.
Like Meanie, he portrays full confidence in his plus size and fully embraces his size much like the legend, Chris Farley, he is in on the comedy of his size and uses it to entertain the masses. For a guy his size he can move, and he plays his comedy role on the show just right.
Do I think he is likely to make it to WWE or AEW? No, but do I think he can succeed as a comedy character in either and play the fun entertaining role that doesn’t win often and gets sympathy when a monster heel destroys him? Yes, and he wouldn’t lose any fan support because the fans know that his role isn’t to ascend up the card, but to elevate someone else.
Bigg Pound is pure comedy and if you don’t take this business super seriously and are looking for a laugh and a good time, I highly recommend checking him out on a Revolver show on Triller.
“The Spectacular” Charles Crowley
I have a very fond memory of seeing this man wrestle live, it was April 2025 in Las Vegas during WrestleMania 41 weekend. I had flown into Vegas that morning from the East Coast, so I was jet lagged and technically up three hours longer than WR’s Clark Taylor, when he insisted the whole WR crew go to the midnight Progress show.
At that point I had never even watched a full Progress show, I had no idea what the card was and just was exhausted. I told Clark, listen I don’t know if it would be a good idea for me to go but everyone else was going and it was WrestleMania weekend, so it really didn’t take much convincing for Clark to talk me into going.
The only regret that I have is I really didn’t feel as into the show as I normally would be if I wasn’t exhausted and I knew the product. I was literally struggling to keep my eyes open during the first few matches until some music hit and every person in that theatre started chanting the word on the tron, TWAT. The pure ridiculousness of it snapped me out of my exhaustion at least temporarily for this next match.
As the “twat” the Spectacular Charles Crowley made his way out introducing himself like a circus ringmaster and reminiscent to me of the WWE HOFamer, Roaddogg. Crowley was simply pure entertainment before the bell even rang for his match and then when the bell rang, he was able to go and showed he isn’t just an entrance and a comedy act.
He gained a fan in me, and I started to look into his history and have been watching him ever since on any show that I can. He is frequently on Progress and other UK based promotions. Much like Danhausen, he has used social media effectively as his Instagram page is pure entertainment.
What makes the Spectacular character work it is a character whose roots are based on the origins of this business in the carnival and the character is unique like WWE HOFamer, Eddie Guerrero’s Lie, Cheat and Steal version in that it works as both a babyface and heel.
He has the audience in the palm of his hand; he got them to chant Super Twat Style in anticipation of his appearance in Progress’s Super Strong Style tournament this year and just this morning he got the audience to chant at his opponent to “pet his monkey” referring to the stuffed monkey toy that Crowley had with him.
Trained by the legendary, Tajiri. I think Crowley could do very well on a bigger stage, especially when you look at someone like Joe Hendry, who I think Crowley is better than. He may not become WWE or AEW World Champion, but could he hold the TNA World or NXT or ROH World titles? I think it is honestly entirely possible if the crowd takes to him and he is booked correctly. If I’m fantasy booking here, I would give him a stable kind of like the Oddities, in that it is a circus type stable.
Highfliers
Michael Oku
This is a name a lot of fans maybe familiar with as he was a true breakout star a few years ago on the UK scene when he put on an absolute clinic with Will Ospreay in RevPro. Oku has had tremendous success on the UK scene winning championships, the question is why hasn’t AEW or WWE or TNA signed this dynamo? He has made appearance on AEW/ROH programming when AEW/ROH ran shows over in the UK.
Now I don’t know if they have made overtures to him and maybe he isn’t interested in moving to the states or flying back and forth like Ospreay is doing in AEW. Regardless, Oku is one of the best overall talents in this business and delivers every time I see him compete. In truth looking at the rosters of WWE and AEW, he would unfortunately have a hard time getting to the top since the rosters are so deep.
In truth his best options are staying in the UK scene, or NJPW, or NOAH, or TNA to remain in a higher position on the card. NJPW and TNA are desperate for talent with frequent departures and NOAH would fit him as well based on his style.
Leon Slater
At only 21 years old he has already started leaving a mark on this business. He is the youngest TNA X-Division champion of all-time. He has certainly garnered WWE’s attention with the TNA partnership as he was the only TNA talent to be featured on John Cena’s retirement show and made a surprise appearance to challenge for WWE U.S. title and has challenged for the NXT championship as well. Leon Slater has the potential to be his generations, AJ Styles.
As he gains experience and being mentored by HBK in NXT, the sky is truly the limit for him. He is definitely WWE bound once his TNA deal is up. Leon is truly a special once in a generation talent and I can’t wait to watch as he continues to evolve as a performer.
Amakusa
This is a name that unless you follow Japanese especially, NOAH, you may not be aware of this man. I regret to say that I was unfamiliar with Amakusa. Like I said there is only so many hours in the day and I didn’t have access to NOAH since I didn’t subscribe to Wrestle Universe to see NOAH content.
However, at the start of this year, WR’s David Sheldon was raving about this match with Amakusa defended his GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Hiromu Takahashi at NOAH New Year 2026 so I had to check this match out.
I was absolutely blown away with Amakusa and even more blown away he is 40 as he was moving around like someone half his age. At this point, he isn’t leaving Japan unless it is a one off, but I highly recommend everyone to check this man out as I went down the rabbit hole looking up previous matches and the man has been cooking for years.
Women’s Wrestler
Rhio
I know there are a lot of women’s wrestlers that I could showcase, but in my opinion the top of the mountain on the indie scene is Rhio. She has dominated the women’s wrestling scene collecting gold everywhere she goes. At the time of writing this article she is the current reigning 4th Rope Women’s Champion, reigning Pro-Wrestling EVE champion and the reigning ICW World Heavyweight Champion. I’ve seen her wrestle men and women, and she is dominant and credible in that ring.
She very much reminds me of the legendary, Jazz, who was so ahead of her time. Rhio is such a special talent and could be at the top of any women’s division in the world as a dominant champion.
The Heels
Being a heel in this business maybe an easier role to play in this business because it is a lot easier to be hated than loved. However, it is more pressure because often times that hatred for the heel is what often drives the story as the fans want the bad guy to get his just punishment from the babyface.
Arguably, the greatest heel in the history of this business in my opinion is the WWE HOFamer, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. No one was able to rile the crowd up the way he could and MJF is living that gimmick today.
Mustafa Ali
Mustafa has been under the grandest lights of WWE, but they didn’t full see his potential, and he went to TNA like so many before him and totally re-invented himself. In my opinion is the best talent in TNA besides Leon Slater. Mustafa knows how to tell a story on the mic and in the ring and as a heel he makes you care about whatever story he is involved in.
He was the king of the X-Division and really should be TNA World Champion sooner than later. Mustafa may eventually return to WWE as they were impressed enough with his TNA run, they did bring him in for an NXT showing that there isn’t bad blood on either side.
Mustafa is so insanely talented and if you aren’t watching him in TNA, you’re making a mistake.
Joe Alonzo
Joe Alonzo is the definition of a sleazeball heel. He is young and brash and knows exactly how to get under his opponent’s skin and more importantly knows how to annoy the crowd as they want the babyface to get ahold of him and beat him down.
He had a nice run in NWA and has been floating ever since not signing anywhere exclusively. It sort of looked AEW may have been interested as he appeared backstage but that was a while ago and he may have just been an extra. Joe knows how to use social media and is highly entertaining in his promos and is currently doing a work/shoot type loose cannon angle in Wrestling Revolver.
He delivers in the ring, but his greatest strength is his arrogant character. Unless he legitimately has heat in this business it is likely a matter of when not if TNA or WWE or AEW sign him sooner than later.
Gabe Kidd
Gabe Kidd in my honest opinion is the best talent on the NJPW roster, but likely won’t be for long because either AEW or WWE will be making a strong push to sign him the second they can. AEW is likely the front runner as he has appeared in AEW multiple times because of their partnership with NJPW.
Gabe portrays the type of heel that is a wild unpredictable savage with complete disregard of rules or authority figures. The thing with Gabe is that he is credible and believable both on the mic and in the ring.
That combo makes him a beyond lucrative talent that any promoter would want on their roster. The man is walking money and he knows it. He has the potential to be successful where he goes and if he is allowed to do what he does best he can downright be legendary.
“The Root of All Evil” Charles Mason
Charles Mason is the best heel in this business not named MJF or Gunther. With only 9 years in this business, he just gets it. Trained by the X-Division legend, Amazing Red, Charles has the thing that no one can teach you, he has the aura, the X-Factor.
From the moment his music hits, he has the audience’s attention and hatred. The way his music hits, it lends itself to the chant “F*** You” like Kurt Angle’s “You Suck” chant. The entrance is truly something special to watch and I’m hoping that he is on the GCW 2300 Arena show in May that I’m hoping to be there live to experience it.
In the ring he plays the role of the perfect heel and knows exactly what to do and what not to do in there. Mason doesn’t do extra just because he can, he does just enough. He had a phenomenal showing in JCW’s Super J Cup, winning the tournament and the JCW World Championship. He is also the reigning HOG World Champion as well.
His semi-final match with Jonathan Gresham in the J-Cup could be in my top 25 list of matches of 2026 it was that good. How this man isn’t under a WWE ID deal or isn’t signed by anybody is downright insane in my opinion.
This man is the definition of a money heel that can draw money with literally anybody. Mason is entering the prime of his career and whoever signs him will get a truly special talent.
ITTMP
