I’m sure most people reading this have heard of guys like John Cena, Rey Mysterio, The Rock, The Undertaker, Jeff Hardy, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, etc. All are legendary names in wrestling, but what about the names of today? Over time people lose their love for wrestling. Maybe they watched as kids, but stopped watching as they got older. Maybe they just never understood why people would watch a scripted sport. For people who are new to wrestling, or returning to wrestling, it can be overwhelming. There’s a whole bunch of new names and new promotions, it’s hard to determine where to start. That’s where I come in. Here are 10 wrestlers for non wrestling fans.
1. Hangman Adam Page – Traditionally wrestling is built on good guys and bad guys. The traditional good guy being someone super muscular with a cheesy, over the top character. The all American good guy who vanquishes evil is something that has been getting mercilessly rejected for the past 15 years. Fans want a contemporary hero they can relate to, and Hangman is exactly that. The anxious millennial cowboy has to overcome more than just a strong foe in the ring, he has to overcome his anxieties and insecurities too. Page is charismatic, great in the ring, extremely likable, and he along with Moxley have helped redefine what it means to be a good guy in wrestling. Hangman is currently the AEW world champion.
AEW Productions Behind the Scenes: The Making of Hangman’s Full Gear Entrance
The Better Entrance? Hangman & the Dark Order or The Elite? | AEW Dynamite FFTF, 7/28/21
2. Bianca Belair – The former University of Tennessee track star is one of the most athletic wrestlers ever. The star potential was off the charts even early on in her career. Her energy is infectious, her entrance song is catchy, and I mean, she’s a beautiful black woman. I’m not sure how to best describe the “it” factor, but she has an abundance of it. Whenever she walks into an arena you can see it, you can feel it, it radiates off of her effortlessly. Beyond that though she’s also a great in ring worker. She’s main evented Wrestlemania, and has had arguably the best match at wrestlemania, 2 years in a row. I believe she’s someone that has a lot of mainstream appeal and crossover potential. She’s currently the WWE Raw Women’s champion.
3. Roman Reigns – In wrestling they say the cream will always rise to the top, and the same can be said about Roman Reigns. For years Roman had to deal with venomous rejection from the fans. He was meant to be the next John Cena, but the fans weren’t having it. That is, until he changed his character. His current Tribal Chief character is one of the best characters in all of wrestling. It reminds me of the wrestling version of The Sopranos. He will undoubtedly be the next big star to come from wrestling. He and The Rock are cousins and I believe Roman has just as much potential in Hollywood as The Rock. He has a great look and a presence that commands your attention. He’s currently been the champion in WWE for over 600 days without suffering a loss.
Roman Reigns makes a powerful statement en route to WrestleMania: SmackDown, March 4, 2022
4. Street Profits – The chemistry between Ford and Dawkins is cool to see. They really seem like guys that grew up together. They bring good energy to their matches/segments, and their matches always entertain. Ford has superstar potential. He oozes with charisma and his physical ability is off the charts. He also has the best frog splash in the history of wrestling. He reminds me of Chris Tucker’s Rush Hour character except super athletic and without the bigotry.
The Street Profits bring “swag” back to Raw: Raw, July 1, 2019
5. Jade Cargill – Jade has a masters in child psychology, she has a partnership with Fenty, and she’s a former college basketball player. She’s multifaceted and extremely talented. While she is still very new, she looks and carries herself like a star. She just looks like money. Her in ring work is still a little rough, but her star is growing by the week, and once her match quality matches her star quality, there’s literally no limit to what she can achieve in wrestling and beyond. She’s currently 30-0 and the TBS champion in AEW.
6. Darby Allin – Think of a modern day version of Jeff Hardy except smaller, meaner, and with less regard for his body. The things he’s willing to do to his body for our entertainment is almost disturbing. A large portion of his offense consists of him throwing himself, head first or back first, at his opponent. He has the best suicide dive in the game. His matches with Miro, Moxley, and MJF are all worth checking out.
Must See: Tensions Continue to Rise Between Darby and MJF | AEW Dynamite, 11/3/21
7. Orange Cassidy – Orange Cassidy is a polarizing character in the wrestling community. He is known for his slow motion offense that he uses as a means of throwing off his opponents and his intense apathy. He often wrestles while wearing sunglasses and with his hands in his pockets. His critics say his character is too silly for wrestling, but personally, I think it’s a lot of fun. His match at Revolution with PAC shows how magical his performances can be.
New WWE Orange Cassidy Full match | orange Cassidy fight with style.🔥 | Orange Cassidy Wwe || AEW
8. Jon Moxley – Anytime Mox is on the screen, he commands your attention. Anytime Mox speaks, you’re hanging on his every word. Anytime Mox walks, he looks like he’s going to fuck someone up. He comes off like the toughest tough guy in existence but he’s not afraid to show vulnerability. You can’t help but take his side despite his thirst for blood and violence. Along with Hangman Adam Page, he’s helped redefine what it means to be a good guy in wrestling.
9. Sasha Banks – Niece of famous rapper Snoop Dogg, Sasha has made a name for herself on the strength of her own talent. She’s without a doubt one of the best in ring performers of her generation, man or woman. She has a minor role on the show The Mandalorian and I expect her to venture into Hollywood more over the next few years. This match with Bianca Belair at last year’s Wrestlemania was pretty amazing. Her match with Bayley at Takeover: Brooklyn is also worth watching, it’s considered to be one of the greatest women’s matches of all time.
FULL MATCH – Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair – SmackDown Women’s Title Match: WrestleMania 37 Night 1
10. MJF – MJF is the biggest asshole in wrestling and it’s great. A man the wrestling community loves to hate, he’s a prodigy on the mic. Possibly the best talker in the wrestling industry right now, and he only just turned 26 this year. He already has a catalog of great matches and promo segments with the likes of Darby Allin, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, and Jon Moxley. It’s looking like the beginning stages of an all time great career.
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