Tommy Platinum

The 21st century has seen indy wrestling in the US reach new heights, with ROH getting a TV deal, PPVs etc and other companies doing pretty well for themselves and becoming more well known (largely due to the internet). My question is, how much has this helped WWE? By that, I am mainly talking about WWE recruiting new wrestlers, because I highly doubt WWE take many ideas from these promotions, although I may be wrong...

Without the indy companies, WWE wouldn't really have anywhere to scout talent, and TNA is mainly made up of either company guys or has-beens who came from WWE in the first place. With ROH in particular becoming successful, WWE can take a look at these guys and how they perform in front of fairly large crowds. If WWE wanted to recruit more new wrestlers now, they can look at guys like Danielson and McGuinness who has effectively already proved themselves in the business without being exposed to a mainstream audience. So they are new and fresh to the WWE fanbase (mostly), but also have proved that they have what it takes and have performed in front of quite a lot of people. It also results in indy fans who have perhaps drifted away from mainstream wrestling taking a renewed interest in the product due to the presence of one of "their boys".

Obviously WWE has signed a fair few guys who were famous in the indy scene, with varying degrees of success. Some have certainly made it, or are on their way to doing so. CM Punk is now a 2 time World Heavyweight Champion and I believe his heel turn could set him up to be a main eventer for some time. Evan Bourne, formerly Matt Sydal, seems to be getting a good push and has also adapted very well to the WWE style. On the other hand, guys like London and Kendrick never got the kind of exposure they had in ROH, and there are also examples such as Colt Cabana who was basically released before he really had a chance to make an impact.

Firstly, how much has WWE benefitted from ROH and other companies existing, and secondly, (this has led me onto another question) do you believe that the experiences of former ROH stars making the jump to WWE will encourage more to do the same, or put them off? Basically, do the successes of CM Punk and Evan Bourne outweigh the Colt Cabanas?

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Sam

I do feel that it outweighs the Colt Cabana misses because now the notion that WWE will only push what they create to the top is slowly starting to change. CM Punk is a good example that there is a chance to make it in the WWE.

Tommy Platinum

Yeah very good point. Now we have seen proof that an indy guy can make it to the top, or very near it, in WWE.

I think its also pretty cool that they're using the straight edge heel gimmick we saw him use in ROH. That also must give indy wrestlers confidence that WWE won't necessarily scrap everything they've done in the past. If they have a successful gimmick, elements of it will be retained at the very least.

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horrorfan_1986

Maybe I'm just tired, but I don't really understand the topic. It sounds as if you're saying the WWE able to take wrestlers from smaller companies is something new. The practice has been around since there was more than one territory. Back before the split of the NWA (Whether from AWA,
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or Vince Jr.), a territory could bring in a new star from another territory. A more well known or popular territory would scout all the other small ones in order to have the best territory around. That's why St. Louis was so great for a time and it's something that JCP/WCW did near the end of the 80's. Once the territories began to fall, Vince Jr. began hiring every top talent he could find. Suddenly, the WWE was a hotbed of nothing, but top draws from Hogan down to Boris Zhukov. In the 90's, WCW and the WWE fed off of companies like ECW. Once WCW and ECW died off, the WWE began searching elsewhere for talent. Not only is this nothing new, but I wouldn't even say there is a rise of indy wrestling. What we are seeing is finally a ladder of hierarchy that was killed off when WCW and ECW folded. TNA has became the new WCW, ROH the new ECW, while everyone else are the various other companies that was around during the MNW's.
So, has the WWE benefited from companies like ROH? Sure, just like they did with ECW, WCCW, AWA and others. Do the successes of some indy wrestlers outweigh the disappointments of others? No. Only because it isn't any different from finding other talent. You have to start somewhere. Whether it's being a veteran and being in major promotions in the past, starting out as a ROH student or being hired to go instantly to FCW, you're all the same.

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