Wrestlers to Watch in 2011

[Lynas]

Source: Ugo.com

25 Douglas Williams
WCW, err, I mean TNA, is kind of a mess right now, with too much television time being given to Hogan, Eric Bischoff and their old-ass friends, all at the expense of the company's younger, fresher talent, like England's Douglas Williams. With his solid technical background, Williams is more than capable of delivering inside the ring, and recently has shown that he's able to throw down on the mic as well. If TNA decides to quit ignoring the grappler's considerable talent and allows him to extricate himself from the going-nowhere Immortal and Fortune storylines, Williams could be looking at a very big 2011.

24 Jimmy Jacobs
Unless you were one of Wrestling Society X's dozen fans, you probably don't know much about Jimmy Jacobs, and that's your loss. A veteran of the American independent scene, Jacobs has had notable runs in IWA Mid-South, Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, Evolve and most recently, Dragon's Gate. At 5 foot 7 inches, Jacobs doesn't cut an imposing figure, but he has a remarkable charisma and ring presence that he often accentuates with great, colorful gimmicks, including a long stint as a vicious emo hardcore wrestler alongside indy heroes like Austin Aries and the Necro Butcher. Jacobs could be a valuable part of any major wrestling promotion, so don't be surprised if he gets scooped up before the end of the year.

23 Mr. Anderson
It's no secret that Mr. Anderson is somewhat accident-prone, as he had multiple big pushes in WWE derailed due to injury. Unfortunately, that trend has continued in TNA, keeping the wrestler from reaching the heights of which he is capable. The self-proclaimed asshole is stellar on the microphone, and has shown himself to be a talented in-ring storyteller. Once he's fully-recovered, we expect Mr. Anderson to make major waves in TNA, and wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with the World Title around his waist before year's end.

22 Matt Morgan
Another young TNA talent, Matt Morgan is already ensconced at the top of the card, with an accomplished 2010 in his rear-view mirror. Barring accidents and injury, this year looks to be even bigger for the massive competitor. His hulking 7 foot frame might be his most obvious strength, but Morgan is an intelligent giant who isn't afraid to work a match or talk a mean streak on the microphone. If TNA gives him room to succeed and allows him transition back into the jerk-heel role that he works so well in, Morgan could be a humongous asset to the company.

21 Motor City Machine Guns
On a week-to-week basis, few wrestlers, let alone tag teams, have matches that are as entertaining and jaw-dropping as the Motor City Machine Guns. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin aren't just capable of incredible high-flying feats in the ring, but they know exactly how and when to execute them for maximum impact. After awesome feuds with Team 3D, Beer Money and Generation Me, the only possible thing that could hold the two back in 2011 is that there aren't many tag teams left for them to beat in TNA, and while we'd love to see these guys as singles competitors, we'd worry that at least one of them would get buried in the process. However, if TNA can dig up, or build a new tag team to face them, the Guns can look forward to another bitching year.

20 Mickie James
Let's call a spade a spade: It was profoundly stupid for WWE to release Mickie James. Despite being called a fat pig on television for weeks on end and getting buried in her matches, the fans were never more in support of the Richmond, Virginia native. Since coming to TNA, she's been given more freedom to succeed, as seen in a hard-hitting feud with fellow WWE-refugee Tara. James is clearly the most talented and energetic of TNA's anemic and pneumatic Knockout roster, and as long as she doesn't get too distracted by her nascent country music career, there's no reason she shouldn't hold the Knockouts Title in 2011.

19 Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston started off 2010 in the midst of a feud with Randy Orton that looked like it was going to elevate the fake-Jamaican to the top of the card. But that push was soon derailed, with Kingston once again becoming little more than a reliable midcarder. Though little has been done with him for the rest of the year, Kingston is still an exciting, charismatic performer who never fails to get the crowd behind him. Forget secondary titles like the Intercontinental and United States Championships, we're placing solid odds on Kingston winning a Money in the Bank briefcase and cashing it in for a World Title before December 31.

18 Mason Ryan
The dirt sheets have been talking about Mason Ryan for much of 2010, as the young wrestler racked up wins and a championship reign in WWE's developmental territory, FCW. At 6 foot 6 inches and almost 300 pounds, the former Gladiators competitor is often described as Batista-esque, and has already begun appearing in WWE dark matches and house shows. It remains to be seen how well the Welsh athlete can actually wrestle, but with his size and look in WWE's current landscape, it kind of doesn't really matter. If Ryan isn't brought directly up to the main roster in 2011, expect to see him steamroll a bunch of indy geeks on another season of NXT

17 Beth Phoenix
After years being forced to job out to skinny, less-talented, less-attractive Divas, Beth Phoenix was finally getting some respect in early 2010, becoming the second woman ever to enter the Royal Rumble and even eliminating The Great Khali. Unfortunately, the Glamazon was sidelined with an ACL injury in May, and forced to sit out much of the remaining year. But Phoenix has risen again like some kind of big firey mythological bird, and it appears to only be a matter of time before she wins that godawful ugly Divas Championship belt. Now if she only had an intimidating woman to wrestle against...

16 Davey Richards
Another indy darling, Davey Richards has been impressing crowds since 2005 with a mix of solid mat wrestling technique and hard-hitting kicks and strikes. A successful singles and tag team competitor, Ricahrds is best known for his time in Ring of Honor, but has also competed in Pro Wrestling Guerilla and Dragon's Gate. His size might make him a tough sell to WWE or TNA, but his workrate and undeniable charisma could very well see him following in the footsteps of another average-sized independent worker, Daniel Bryan.

15 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe was one of the people who made TNA a success, but since Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff came into the company, there's been little for the Samoan Submission Machine to do. While his contract status remained in limbo, Joe was forced to job out to Jeff Jarrett in a submission match, a loss that would have completely obliterated lesser wrestlers' heat. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on our part, but we expect Samoa Joe to make a strong comeback in 2011 and start tearing through TNA's roster once again.

14 Dolph Ziggler
We've always liked Dolph Ziggler, and are frequently perplexed byt he way he is consistently passed over for big pushes. He's got a great look, a memorable name, solid mat skills and is one of the most entertaining current WWE wrestlers in the ring, knowing exactly how to taunt and abuse his opponenets for maximum heel heat. Ziggler is entering 2011 with a respectable Intercontinental Title run, and one of the industry's best managers in Vickie Guerrero, but we fully expect that by the end of the year, Ziggler will be well on his way to a World Title run, if he hasn't won it already.

13 Hernandez
It's no coincidence that some of the industry's most technically talented wrestlers have spent time competing south of the border. Wrestling isn't any better or worse in Mexico than it is here, but being exposed to different styles has traditionally had a huge positive effect on athletes' in-ring ability. Hernandez has spent much of 2010 on loan from TNA to AAA, one of Mexico's top promotions, reportedly as part of an effort to build him into a top Hispanic star. While it remains to be seen how hard Hernandez will be pushed back home in TNA, it's a safe bet that the experience will have made him a better, more exciting grappler.

12 Kenny Omega
Like competing in Mexico, time spent studying puroresu in Japan typically does nothing but improve a grapplers' abilities. Not only has independent star Kenny Omega spent time wrestling for both New Japan and Dramatic Dream Team, but he has a striking look, and is as proficient in mat wrestling as he is at high-flying, with an uncanny ability to inject humor into matches without undercutting the drama. What could have him blowing up huge in 2011, however, is is affection for and connection with geek/otaku culture (including moves that reference Tony Jaa, Street Fighter and more), which in our media-saturated landscape could translate into a seriously committed fanbase.

11 Sheamus
Sheamus had his breakout year in 2009, and followed it up with a massive 2010, winning his second WWE Championship and becoming King of the Ring. We absolutely love seeing the pale-skinned brute with crown, cape and shillelagh-esque sceptor, and 2011 looks to be another big year for Sheamus. It's clear that the Irishman has a lot of ability, and if the dirt sheets are to be believed, he's extremely over with the folks running WWE. His ability to lose matches while still looking strong, coupled with his constantly evolving moveset have us convinced that WWE has only scratched the surface of what Sheamus can do.

10 Awesome Kong
While everyone was recovering from their holiday overindulgence, a massive bit of wrestling news slipped out onto the internet: WWE had signed Awesome Kong. This is huge for a number of reasons, most notably because Kong (racist-sounding name aside) absolutely rules. Back when the TNA Knockouts were consistently part of iMPACT's highest rated segments, Kong, along with women like Gail Kim and ODB, were a huge part of that success. It's been years since WWE had a proper female monster heel, so it will be thrilling watching Kong plow through the likes of Kelly Kelly and Eve as she makes her way toward an inevitable colossal match-up with Beth Phoenix. Kong's signing is a great step toward making WWE's Divas division relevant, and will no doubt lead to some great matches in 2011.

9 D'Angelo Dinero
As Elijah Burke, D'Angelo Dinero was given short shrift in WWE, but he's more than proved himself in TNA. His street preacher gimmick is totally flamboyant and lends itself well to over-the-top rants - perfect for professional wrestling. That, combined with the Pope's stunning athleticism is enough to qualify Dinero for main event status in our book. All he needs to become absolutely massive in 2011 is a proper, upper card feud - preferably far, far away from the festering NWO and Four Horseman knock-off stables, Immortal and Fortune.

8 Alberto Del Rio
Though he's a rookie in WWE, Alberto Del Rio has been wrestling for years in his native Mexico, under a mask as second-generation fan-favorite Dos Caras, Jr. Upon joining WWE, however, Del Rio ditched the mask and began wrestling as an insufferably arrogant heel. The wrestler has admitted in interviews that the transition was tough on him, but that's news to anyone who has watched Del Rio and his matinee idol looks torment Rey Mysterio in 2010. As he comes into his own as a heel competitor, utilizing both his lucha libre and MMA background, it's safe to say that things will be looking up for Del Rio in 2011.

7 Seth Rollins
Fans of Ring of Honor might know him as Tyler Black, but in 2011, we'll all be calling him Seth Rollins. After spending much of 2010 situated at the top of the card in ROH, Black was signed by WWE and sent to their Florida Championship Wrestling development territory, where his name was subsequently changed. Though he was uncermoniously passed over for the most recent season of NXT, we're hoping that's because no one needs to put Black through a half-fake competition to determine whether he can be a star. With the lean, muscular physique that seems to be in favor at WWE these days, solid ring psychology and an astounding workrate, expect to see Seth Rollins making his way to the main roster sooner rather than later.

6 The Miz
Few wrestlers had bigger years in 2010 than The Miz, who held the United States Championship and Unified Tag Team Titles simultaneously before winning Money in the Bank and cashing it in to commence his first world title reign. But 2011 promises to be an even bigger year for the awesome one, as he's proving to be one of WWE's most mainstream-visible champions in recent years. Sure, his actual in-ring ability leaves something to be desired, but he's phenomenal on the microphone, knows exactly how to rile up the fans, and with the absence of many of WWE's main events due to injury, retirement or time off, expect him to further cement his position as one of the company's top stars.

5 John Morrison
Narrowly edging out The Miz is his erstwhile tag team partner, John Morrison. Back in the heady days for 2009, 9 out of 10 wrestling fans agreed that if anyone in the two's partnership was the "Jannetty," it was most certainly The Miz, as he lacks the athleticism and storytelling ability that make Morrison's matches so exciting. Surprising pretty much everyone though, 2010 saw The Miz rise to the top while Morrison labored in the midcard. But now J-Mo is starting the new year off right as the No. 1 contender for The Miz's WWE Championship. Whether he wins or loses, the drama inherent in these two former tag team partners squaring off, The Miz's stellar speaking ability and Morrison's fantastic in-ring talent are sure to make this feud a memorable one. We just hope that Morrison will get back some of the vicious, sardonic wit that made him so effective as a heel - not every face needs to be squeaky clean with a smile plastered on it.

4 Jay Lethal
Time for another wishful thinking entry. Early in 2010, it appeared that TNA had every intent of making Jay Lethal a top-level star, as he ditched the goofy homage gimmicks in favor of a serious, intense feud with Ric Flair and his cronies. It looked like the young wrestler was going to have the proverbial rocket strapped to his back, with a pay-per-view win over the Nature Boy himself, and then...nothing. After all but disappearing from TNA television, he returned later in the year and won the X-Division Championship, a title that has been neglected as much as Lethal himself. Lethal has everything he needs to succeed, a fact that at least some people in TNA seem to recognize. We're calling 2011 as they year they start to act on it.

3 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan is a wrestling dynamo with a legitimate claim to being the best in the world, so we couldn't be more thrilled about his success in WWE. Even moreso given that it was an uphill battle due to his size, his bullshit release and WWE's ridiculous insistence on constantly calling him a nerd. But you can't hide talent, and Bryan has proven that in matches that showcase his mastery of multiple wrestling styles as well as MMA strikes and grapples. He's one of the few people currently working in the industry that can have a good match with absolutely anyone, and in 2011 we expect him to do just that, week in and week out.

2 Wade Barrett
Like a lot of internet wrestling nerds, we were upset when Daniel Bryan didn't win the first season of NXT. But that sentiment ignored the fact that Wade Barrett is an extremely talented professional wrestler, with imposing size and an incredible ring presence working in his favor. What's more is that as the leader of the Nexus, Barrett turned out to be absolutely awesome on the microphone. While his lackeys hung in the background, rarely appearing to be more than jobbers, Barrett was quickly elevated to main event level status, with pay-per-view matches against some of WWE's top stars. Now, with the Nexus under new management, 2011 will be an exciting year for Barrett as he strikes out on his own.

1 CM Punk
Let's be incredibly honest with one another: CM Punk is the best all-around wrestler currently working in the industry. Guys like Ric Flair or Undertaker may have been better in their prime, but with Chris Jericho out of the picture, no one today consistently delivers like the Punker, both in the ring and on the microphone. The guy has terrible luck though, as programs with the Undertaker and John Cena have been derailed due to injury, with Punk himself suffering a hip injury late last year. But in 2011, he's back and ready to go as the new leader of the Nexus. While we would have rather seen Punk shave the Nexus goons' heads and induct them into the Straightedge Society, this is still a move that is sure to elevate both Punk and the remaining Nexus members.

[Big Red Machine]

A good read, and I agree with most of your list. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mason Ryan and Jimmy Jacobs on there. There are, however, three guys who I think you snubbed:
1. Claudio Castagnoli- A big guy who currently holding gold in two major indies (tag team belts in ROH and the PWG World Title), and is the top heel in CHIKARA. Claudio is a big guy who can definitely go, and WWE has shown interest in him before.

2. Eddie Edwards, coming off his Survival of the Fittest win, I think Eddie will have a breakout year

3. AJ Styles. AJ is poised to return to his natural position as a babyface in TNA, and will likely be standing against Immortal. Babyface AJ in TNA is one of the things that fans just plain love.

[Lynas]

A good read, and I agree with most of your list. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mason Ryan and Jimmy Jacobs on there. There are, however, three guys who I think you snubbed:
1. Claudio Castagnoli- A big guy who currently holding gold in two major indies (tag team belts in ROH and the PWG World Title), and is the top heel in CHIKARA. Claudio is a big guy who can definitely go, and WWE has shown interest in him before.

2. Eddie Edwards, coming off his Survival of the Fittest win, I think Eddie will have a breakout year

3. AJ Styles. AJ is poised to return to his natural position as a babyface in TNA, and will likely be standing against Immortal. Babyface AJ in TNA is one of the things that fans just plain love.

Good list, not my list. Written by the editor of UGO.com

I also am shocked at the missing Jack Evans.

[Big Red Machine]

I also am shocked at the missing Jack Evans.

Is WWE or TNA were going to sign Jack, they would have done it by now (especially WWE, since Jack and Teddy Hart are good friends, and Teddy was under contract to WWE for a while).

[The Apocalypse]

First off, I must agree with all of those names on that list, especially Kofi and CM Punk. CM Punk is returning from hip surgery and has remained fairly quiet as to his career plans as of late (only because his talking time was on commentary, telling Michael Cole how to do his job). Then, Punk unexpectedly attack John Cena with a steel chair a few weeks in a row, cumulating in Punk joining Nexus as their possible new leader.

I'd love to see where Punk goes from here. Personally, I smell another major title reign in the near future.

However, I read the list and had to wonder: Where exactly was Drew McIntyre? The "Sinister Scotsman" has amazing potential and a dynamic version of a double-underhook DDT in his arsenal. Not to mention, his character alone is championship material. Unfotunately, Drew's reigns as IC and Tag Team Champion were a little lackluster and somewhat forgettable. Maybe a reign as US Champ, followed by a reign as WWE Champ would cement his place and set him up for a World Title shot down the line...

And Ted DiBiase...he has potential. However, he needs to show more heart and character if he plans on main eventing any time soon. Maybe a heated feud with The Miz, leading to a non-title victory over the champ would do the trick for the Million Dollar Son...

Any thoughts?

[Lynas]

Well as for Drew McIntyre, if you remember correctly, the WWE expressed concerns in him not being able to draw enough heat. They give him so dispicable acts, but nothing he did could draw the right heat... no idea why, McIntyre's execution was always great. Just something didn't click.

[The Apocalypse]

Well as for Drew McIntyre, if you remember correctly, the WWE expressed concerns in him not being able to draw enough heat. They give him so dispicable acts, but nothing he did could draw the right heat... no idea why, McIntyre's execution was always great. Just something didn't click.

Ok, Lynas, you got me there. His execution was quite admirable, though I know what you mean about something not clicking. I think it was the fact that what he did wasn't despicable enough. Maybe yanking an announcer into the ring, or even using a ref for that matter, and hitting the Future Shock DDT on them would work. Or this storyline involving him and Kelly Kelly, I can see Drew later sumping Kelly brutally or cheating on her with another diva (though it's already well-known that he's married to Tiffany). Or even a fraudulent title win...attacking someone like Cena, Orton or Morrison (a huge face) with a chair or a pipe or something...

Yeah...I can see now why Drew didn't make the list. Got some good pick on there though...

And btw, I love the new Nexus logo you have there with the straight-edge "X" fist...

[badnewzxl]

I also am shocked at the missing Jack Evans.

Is WWE or TNA were going to sign Jack, they would have done it by now (especially WWE, since Jack and Teddy Hart are good friends, and Teddy was under contract to WWE for a while).

I just cannot wrap my mind around this! Jack is a perfect fit for the WWE! Imagine him, Cena, Truth, and someone else in a WarGames or elimination tag match with the New Nexus....

[Big Red Machine]

I also am shocked at the missing Jack Evans.

Is WWE or TNA were going to sign Jack, they would have done it by now (especially WWE, since Jack and Teddy Hart are good friends, and Teddy was under contract to WWE for a while).

I just cannot wrap my mind around this! Jack is a perfect fit for the WWE! Imagine him, Cena, Truth, and someone else in a WarGames or elimination tag match with the New Nexus....

I don't get it either. I'm just saying that if it were going to happen, it's likely that it would have happened already.

[The Apocalypse]

If this is the same Jack Evans from WSX, then he would make an awesome competitor in TNA's X-Div. He would fit in well with guys like Kaz, MCMG, Gen Me, Red, Lethal, and others.

Think of the awesome matches he could have with guys like Petey Williams, Consequences Creed, Daniels, Jerry Lynn, Sean Waltman, Brian Christopher, Shark Boy, and so many others if they were still a part of TNA (and the X-Div.)

Then there's guys like AJ, Kaz, Joe, and MCMG that aren't really considered as part of the X-Div. anymore. AJ has moved on to being a main-eventer, Kaz has dimmed his style quite a bit, Joe is more of a mat-based grappler now, and MCMG are focused on the tag team scene...Evans would fit in well with those guys...all of them.

Sadly, we have Doug Williams as champion. He is a grappler and a submission wrestler. He doesn't possess the typical style of a true X-Div. guy. So personally, I really don't think he's fit for it. He's better off as TV or Tag Champ, later working his way into the World Title picture...

[yourcrapsweak]

Disappointed to see most indies snubbed in here. I was surprised to see Jimmy Jacobs though. Here's who I would look out for.

1. AR Fox
2. Adam Cole (& Kyle O'Reilly, who is more over in ROH than Cole for some stupid reason)
3. Mike Bennett
4. Robert Anthony
5. Devon Moore
6. All NIght Express
7. Claudio Castagnoli
8. Jon Moxley (have a feelings he's got even bigger things in store for this year)
9. Brodie Lee (have a weird feeling about him)
10. Jonathan Gresham (next Bryan Danielson)

[ECWFlairfan]

D'Angelo & Samoa Joe are beginning a fued in TNA...a waste of both of them if you ask me...

unless D'Angelo is gonna end up with Immortal when Joe rejoins the Main Event Mafia (or They...lol), which honestly would make no sense given D'Angelo's teaming with Nash & Sting against Jarrett & Joe before Jarrett was revealed as part of Immortal...

[Big Red Machine]

Disappointed to see most indies snubbed in here. I was surprised to see Jimmy Jacobs though. Here's who I would look out for.


2. Adam Cole (& Kyle O'Reilly, who is more over in ROH than Cole for some stupid reason)

Likely because of the name of his trainer

[Big Red Machine]

Disappointed to see most indies snubbed in here. I was surprised to see Jimmy Jacobs though. Here's who I would look out for.

1. AR Fox
2. Adam Cole (& Kyle O'Reilly, who is more over in ROH than Cole for some stupid reason)
3. Mike Bennett
4. Robert Anthony
5. Devon Moore
6. All NIght Express
7. Claudio Castagnoli
8. Jon Moxley (have a feelings he's got even bigger things in store for this year)
9. Brodie Lee (have a weird feeling about him)
10. Jonathan Gresham (next Bryan Danielson)

I agree with most of this list, although I would put ego higher up. He showed a hell of a lot last year.
I can't speak to Gresham, since I have only seen a few of his matches (the most important of which was the opener at COD 12, which also featured 5 other guys) but he seems really good.
The one name I wouldn't include here is Brodie Lee. I could never get into him. He is okay in CHIKARA, and I haven't liked him anywhere else.
One name that I think should be here though, is Tim Donst. He absolutely rocked last year in CHIKARA and is the only member of the BDK doing well right now. For those who haven't seen him, think Jack Swagger but he does the gimmick better, is better on the mic, and is better in the ring.

[yourcrapsweak]

Disappointed to see most indies snubbed in here. I was surprised to see Jimmy Jacobs though. Here's who I would look out for.

1. AR Fox
2. Adam Cole (& Kyle O'Reilly, who is more over in ROH than Cole for some stupid reason)
3. Mike Bennett
4. Robert Anthony
5. Devon Moore
6. All NIght Express
7. Claudio Castagnoli
8. Jon Moxley (have a feelings he's got even bigger things in store for this year)
9. Brodie Lee (have a weird feeling about him)
10. Jonathan Gresham (next Bryan Danielson)

I agree with most of this list, although I would put ego higher up. He showed a hell of a lot last year.
I can't speak to Gresham, since I have only seen a few of his matches (the most important of which was the opener at COD 12, which also featured 5 other guys) but he seems really good.
The one name I wouldn't include here is Brodie Lee. I could never get into him. He is okay in CHIKARA, and I haven't liked him anywhere else.
One name that I think should be here though, is Tim Donst. He absolutely rocked last year in CHIKARA and is the only member of the BDK doing well right now. For those who haven't seen him, think Jack Swagger but he does the gimmick better, is better on the mic, and is better in the ring.

The list wasn't in any particular order, I should have specified that. I see where you're coming from, and I do agree 100% about Tim Donst. The only reason I put Brodie Lee up there is because he recently got a CZW World Title shot and from what I hear had a good match with Mox. And he's been being booked frequently in Chikara with Grizzly, I see them getting some kind of push. If not there, somewhere else. It's just a gut feeling.

[ECWFlairfan]

I'd be watching Daniels in ROH... he'll either win their World title soon or end up back in TNA in the hunt for their TV title...

[Big Red Machine]

The list wasn't in any particular order, I should have specified that. I see where you're coming from, and I do agree 100% about Tim Donst. The only reason I put Brodie Lee up there is because he recently got a CZW World Title shot and from what I hear had a good match with Mox. And he's been being booked frequently in Chikara with Grizzly, I see them getting some kind of push. If not there, somewhere else. It's just a gut feeling.

Gut feelings are perfectly fine.

As for Brodie, he ins't a bad worker, but it's not hard to have a good match with John Moxley. He isn't AJ or Kurt or Dragon, or HBK or someone who could work a four star match against a broomstick, but he is definitely great in the ring.