The Spare Room: 30 Under 30 In Pro Wrestling
I look at 30 wrestlers, all under the age of 30, who have the brightest futures in the wrestling business.
When 2017 began, I wrote an article here on Fightful looking at 30 wrestlers from all over the globe that I felt had the biggest and brightest futures in the business. The only qualification that was required to make the list was that the wrestlers had to be under the age of 30 on January 1st, which is about when I was writing the piece.
The list featured all kinds of names. It featured some that would go on to sign with WWE at some point during the year. It featured people that would rise up the ranks of whatever companies they were working for. It featured names that would win a title for the first time.
With another year upon us, I wanted to do another list like that. With a full year gone by, a lot has changed. A whopping seven wrestlers who made the list in 2017 were automatically ineligible for the list in 2018 because they turned 30 at some point after last year’s list was made. That, along with pro wrestling’s normal rise-and-fall nature, opened a lot of doors for change and turnover this year.
Again, this is about who I feel has the brightest futures, and not necessarily who I feel are the best in-ring performers in the here and now. Some of it is based on their current positions and “spots” where they work, and some of it is based on me looking into a crystal ball and trying to predict their immediate futures. Like last year, the names will be listed in order from oldest to youngest, so don’t worry if you don’t see a name right away. Also, since I’m writing the 2018 version a little later into the year than I did last year, the cut-off point will be March 1st, instead of January 1st. I’ve wasted enough time, so let’s get things underway…
Katsuhiko Nakajima (Born on March 11th, 1988): If you’re a Japanese wrestler, it’s already difficult for you to get a lot of exposure outside of Japan. If you’re a Japanese wrestler that wrestles for a company other than New Japan, it becomes even more difficult to get a lot of exposure outside of Japan. That’s the main issue with Nakajima. One of the top guys in Pro Wrestling NOAH, Nakajima was the GHC Heavyweight Champion coming into 2017, and was given the #66 slot in this year’s PWI 500. He doesn’t have the size of someone like a Kazuchika Okada, but he is more than good enough in the ring to help carry a promotion. The only real problem I can see in the future is NOAH’s attendance issues. In the last year-plus, there have been plenty of rumors that the company is having problems, and their attendance was down nearly 30% at one point in 2017 compared to the same time in 2016. An eye will have to be kept on that situation, but for now, NOAH benefits from Nakajima’s presence and his in-ring work.
Yo (Born on June 25th, 1988): When the Roppongi Vice tag team of Beretta and Rocky Romero split up, the tag scene in New Japan took a big hit. When Romero brought in Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu to be the new Roppongi 3K, New Japan’s tag scene might have gotten even better. In the five months that 3K has been in New Japan, they’ve won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Titles twice (and are the current title holders) and won the Super Junior Tag Tournament. Both men are exciting to watch, and now, with the Young Bucks looking to move from the Junior Heavyweight scene to the regular tag scene, Roppongi 3K could dominate the Junior division for years to come, with fresh matches and feuds.
Lars Sullivan (Born on July 6th, 1998): It isn’t exactly wrestling’s best-kept secret that Vince McMahon loves him some “hoss” wrestlers. Billed at 6’3″ tall and weighing in at 300 pounds, all while looking like a caveman straight out of Bedrock and The Flintstones, Sullivan fits the “hoss” title perfectly. It’s only a matter of time before someone in charge gets their grubby hands on him and pushes him on the main roster. In the meantime, it has been fascinating to watch his time in the Sullivan gimmick. He went from someone who was barely getting any matches at NXT live events to someone that was being heavily featured in NXT Takeover matches, all in a short period of time. Then, just as quickly as his rise started, his appearances on the weekly NXT show became more and more infrequent. Since defeating Kassius Ohno at Takeover War Games on November 18th, he has wrestled on the weekly NXT show just three times. However, he continues to win his matches. In fact, he has yet to lose a singles match under the Lars Sullivan gimmick, going back to May of last year. It remains to be seen if his push will officially return, if you could ever say it went away, but all the makings are there for it to happen at some point soon.
Marty Scurll (Born on July 26th, 1988): When you’re a member of Bullet Club, you get a pretty nice spotlight placed on you and your work. That’s what Scurll has had since joining the group. He was already building quite the name for himself before joining, but we’re seeing a lot more of him these days. It’s great. He has just about perfected his “Villain” character at this point. Personally, I’d love to see him in NXT, just for another layer and for a new set of opponents. I know, I know… NXT gets all the “independent wrestling darlings”, but at least there’s a good track record with what happens to them there. The interactions between Scurll and William Regal alone would be a lot of fun. For now, with his recent success in New Japan, Ring Of Honor, PROGRESS, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, and other places, we’ll just have to “settle” for Scurll turning himself into one of the biggest non-WWE names in the world of wrestling today.
Jonah Rock (Born on August 24th, 1988): Like most people I’ve talked to, I didn’t know much about Jonah Rock before PWG announced he would be involved in the Battle Of Los Angeles tournament last year. I had heard of his name, and had seen some YouTube clips, but that was it. Let it never be said that PWG isn’t influential, though. They had people scrambling to find his work before BOLA, and even though he was eliminated in the first round of the tournament, he impressed enough to be brought back for PWG’s All-Star Weekend shows almost two months later. His match against Keith Lee on the first night of ASW was met with rave reviews, and it has gotten people excited for his return to PWG, as well as hoping he gets more bookings from other companies. Not bad for someone who had never wrestled in North America before BOLA.
Ember Moon (Born on August 31st, 1988): There was a point when I didn’t know if Ember would be included on a list like this. Her signing with NXT was big news, and I was happy to see her on a bigger stage. Then… things seemed to stall a bit. An injury combined with the meteoric rise of Asuka and the entertaining feud between Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross pushed Ember to the back burner. People were starting to forget about her a bit, unfortunately, but she returned strong and would go on to become the NXT Women’s Champion. Sure, some would say that’s only because Asuka vacated the title upon moving to Raw, but you’re only able to play the cards you’ve been dealt. She brings a unique look, a different character, and one of the most incredible finishing moves in wrestling to the table. If and when she gets promoted, those are things that could help her to stand out and succeed.
Kairi Sane (Born on September 23rd, 1988): I think there’s a lot of potential for fun with Kairi’s “Pirate Princess” gimmick in the world of WWE. Younger kids will enjoy it, but the adults can get in on some of the fun, too, especially because she can really “go” in the ring. I’ve seen some criticism online that she won’t be successful because she’s “too small” (billed at 5’1″ and 115 pounds), but that hasn’t stopped women like AJ Lee, Sasha Banks, and Alexa Bliss from being pushed like crazy in recent years. You have to assume Sane will be next in line for the NXT Women’s Title, right there with Shayna Baszler, and that’s when the fun will really begin for her.
Jason Jordan (Born on September 28th, 1988): I debated a bit on whether or not to include Jordan here, as his neck injury clouds his future a bit. I’m merely going with potential. It’s the same potential that had me saying Jordan would have a brighter future than Chad Gable. Gable was the “internet darling” when he and Jordan were American Alpha, and many fans looked at Gable and saw the “next Daniel Bryan”. I saw Jordan fitting the template of what Vince McMahon looks for in a singles star. Sure enough, he’s already been given a million times more to do as a singles worker than Gable has. Before heading to the sideline, Jordan’s character development was coming along nicely. There were little tweaks to his persona here and there, and it made things easier for fans to digest. He’s been in and out of stories with members of The Shield, and has been able to hang in the ring quite nicely. If he can return from his neck issues, there’s still a world of potential for him, especially when WWE finally goes through with a heel turn (since he’s technically still a face).
Ricochet (Born on October 11th, 1988): There really wasn’t much left for him to accomplish in the wrestling world outside of WWE, so I’m actually happy to see that he’s signed, sealed, and delivered now. It’s crazy that he isn’t even 30 yet, because it feels like I’ve been seeing him discussed as one of the top independent wrestlers alive for the last 15 years. No matter who comes along, the title of “Best Aerial Performer” in the business is something Ricochet is always in contention for. He is able to do things in a ring that simply should not be possible for a human being to do. Signing with WWE allows him to perform in front of a larger audience, full of people who have never seen him before. That’s a clean slate that he gets to work with, and he has the ability to drop jaws everywhere he goes. It shouldn’t be too long until he’s in top-tier matches for NXT, and that excites me.
Kento Miyahara (Born on February 27th, 1989): Remember what I said in the entry for Katsuhiko Nakajima about Japanese wrestlers who don’t work for New Japan? That applies here, as Miyahara is currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was the promotion’s youngest ever Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion when he won the title in 2016, and that reign was the title’s longest in over a decade. Unlike NOAH, All Japan was doing some of its best business in years with Miyahara as the promotion’s “ace”. He does nothing but go out and have entertaining matches, turning himself into one of the most consistent and dependable workers on the planet over the last few years. I’ve been mentioning him in columns for a while now, trying to introduce him to more and more people. He deserves to have a bigger spotlight on him.
Juice Robinson (Born on April 10th, 1989): When he wrestled as CJ Parker in NXT, Robinson was about as bland as bland can be. Nothing he did really stood out, and when he was released from his contract in April 2015, a collective fart noise went up from WWE fans. I didn’t see many people that were too excited when he went to work with New Japan, but a lot of those people have become converted fans since then. The improvement he’s shown in the ring just since signing with New Japan is really crazy. Is he ready to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion any day now? No. Is that alright, though? Yes. He’s steadily working his way up the card, and has become a bigger and bigger hit with the Japanese fans. It’s cool to see how far he’s come since his CJ Parker days.
Nikki Cross (Born on April 21st, 1989): There was a time, not all that long ago, when people felt Nikki Cross would get lost in the mix with SAnitY. They felt that Eric Young’s personality would help him to shine, and that Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe would stand out because of their “look”, while poor Nikki would fade into the background. Those people have been proven wrong time and time again, though. If anything, it’s Cross that stands out the most, as she really goes all out to come across as an insane woman who loves the chaos and the violence of pro wrestling. Her facial expressions and actions are “can’t miss”, and it’s something that is almost guaranteed to translate well on the main roster whenever that time comes.
Bayley (Born on June 15th, 1989): Remember when Bayley was the “can’t miss” prospect coming up from NXT to the main roster? Remember when she was going to become the “female John Cena” when it comes to merchandise sales, charity work, and general over-ness? Pepperidge Farm remembers. There have been a few missteps since she debuted on the main roster, but there is no denying that she still remains wildly popular with crowds, both male and female. A rumored match against Sasha Banks at WrestleMania won’t bring in the hype and publicity that both Women’s Title matches will, or even that the Ronda Rousey match will, but it will probably end up being the best match of the bunch, even if it ends up on the pre-show. From there, she still has plenty of time to trend “up” again. She’s been damaged, yes, but not completely ruined. Far from it.
Adam Cole (Born on July 5th, 1989): He’s been called the “next Shawn Michaels” and the “next CM Punk” in his days on the independent scene. While he may or may not ever reach their level of success with WWE, he’s sure off to a good start in his career. He’s the only person to ever win the Ring Of Honor World Title three times. He was the Battle Of Los Angeles winner for PWG in 2012. He was the PWG World Champion for 538 days, which is the longest reign in that title’s history. He was Combat Zone Wrestling’s Junior Heavyweight Champion for 553 days, which is the longest reign in that title’s history. Now that he’s in NXT, there is a very good possibility that he’ll be in strong contention for the brand’s top title in 2018, if he isn’t pushed to the main roster before that happens. Wherever he goes, he’s a winner. He carries himself that way, too, and it shows. Look for that success to continue for Adam Cole… bay-bay.
Nick Jackson (Born on July 28th, 1989): One-half of the Young Bucks, there aren’t many wrestlers in the world (especially outside of the WWE umbrella) that get talked about more than Nick Jackson. No matter what the Bucks do, no matter where they’re wrestling, no matter who they’re wrestling… they know how to get people talking. Some people hate them, while others love them. However, as we’ve seen with people like John Cena and Roman Reigns, that’s what can draw these days. Even if the people are talking negatively, they’re still talking. Nick and his brother, Matt, have won tag titles on 27 different occasions for companies all over the world. When people say the Bucks should sign with WWE, it’s because there isn’t much left for them to accomplish anywhere else. They’re moving from the Junior Heavyweight tag division in New Japan to the Heavyweight tag division, so expect the number 27 to turn to 28 before too long. Your future has to be considered pretty bright when all you do is win, win, win, no matter what.
Cedric Alexander (Born on August 16th, 1989): I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again a million times until I get my point across… Cedric Alexander is one of the only people on the 205 Live roster that could hang with non-205 wrestlers and make it look “realistic”. He has a frame that makes him look bigger than he is, so he doesn’t look like your average Cruiser wrestler. I know that size doesn’t matter much in this day and age, but there is still a stigma surrounding smaller wrestlers. If you saw Jack Gallagher step into the ring with someone like Sheamus, it would look like Sheamus was ready to mop the floor with Gallagher from beginning to end of their match. The same goes for Cruisers like TJP, Brian Kendrick, Hideo Itami, and Ariya Daivari. Alexander not only passes the eyeball test and looks like he belongs, but his in-ring work allows him to wrestle more of a “big man” style than many of his counterparts.
Sho (Born on August 27th, 1989): I could just about copy and paste what I said about Yo for this entry. Roppongi 3K has arrived at a very good time for their careers, with the team that has dominated their division (Young Bucks) moving on to the Heavyweight scene. The stranglehold that Matt and Nick Jackson had on the Junior Heavyweight tag scene appears to be over, opening the door for Sho and Yo to become the new faces. Both men are more than capable of carrying that load, able to work a very exciting style that fits right in with what fans have come to expect from the Junior Heavyweights. It’s a good time to be them.
Andrade Almas (Born on November 3rd, 1989): When I first started doing the research for this column a few months ago, I had Almas included in almost all of the final drafts, but with the caveat that I wasn’t 100% sure that he would be allowed to rise up the NXT rankings any more than he already had. I’m glad I was wrong. Now, not only is he the NXT Champion, but he’s putting in some of the best work of his already storied career, has found the right groove with his character work, and was even able to put in an impressive performance as a surprise entrant in this year’s Royal Rumble. He went out with Johnny Gargano at Takeover Philadelphia and had a match that many people are saying is one of the best in not just NXT history, but WWE history altogether. He’s just on such a roll right now, and many are expecting 2018 to be the year he makes the jump to Raw or Smackdown full-time. Count me in for that, if and when it takes place. He’s so much fun to watch, and the list of new opponents he could have on Monday or Tuesday nights is very long.
Hiromu Takahashi (Born on December 4th, 1989): When he was wrestling as Kamaitachi, Takahashi first caught my attention with his fearless in-ring style. It wasn’t until he began wrestling under his real name that his personality caught my attention, as well. More specifically, his time with his “emotional support cat”, a plush kitten named Daryl. Daryl arrived to help Takahashi recover from losing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title, and both he and Hiromu became bigger stars because of the entire thing. As a member of the wildly popular Los Ingobernables de Japon stable, Takahashi will have plenty of chances to shine and excite fans of New Japan moving forward, as he continues his quest for success.
Ruby Riott (Born on January 9th, 1991): To say her “look” his unique and different would be an understatement. I love what she brings to the Smackdown women’s division, although the combination of her and her Riott Squad partners is a little odd, to say the least. Despite all that, Ruby is someone that is definitely in line for some big things in 2018. Smackdown needs a good heel in the women’s division, as their top four workers (including Nikki Bella) are all faces, and with Carmella hardly wrestling anymore for whatever reason. Riott can fill that space, and can be the foil that Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Naomi need.
Alexa Bliss (Born on August 9th, 1991): Two Smackdown Women’s Title reigns. Two Raw Women’s Title reigns, including the six-month reign she’s currently working on. Victorious in the first ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Alexa Bliss has accomplished a lot in her time with WWE, and it wasn’t even two years ago that she was called up from NXT to Smackdown in the 2016 Draft. There has never been a woman in wrestling who can tell a story with nothing but facial expressions and body language like Alexa can. She masters that better than most men are able to. It has helped propel her to where she is today. I will freely admit that I’m not always a fan of everything she does in the ring, but she has improved her stock there, as well. Should she continue to improve, why wouldn’t she be able to go down as one of the all-time greats, if she isn’t already in that discussion for some people?
Sasha Banks (Born on January 26th, 1992): Once upon a time, you could make the claim that “The Boss” was one of the top five most over acts on the WWE roster, and nobody would argue with you. Crowds loved her, and she was receiving a very strong push. Since then, it does seem as though several women have moved past her on the proverbial totem pole, but she still has the WWE Universe on her side. She’s still one of the most over women on the roster. I’ve said it before, but it’s always worth repeating… the only thing working against her is her slight stature mixed with her desire to prove that she can do everything the men can do. Pro wrestling is a grueling sport to begin with, but when someone of Sasha’s size is out there taking crazy bumps, it only magnifies things. If she can steer clear from injuries, there’s no reason to think she won’t reach the top of the mountain again. Then, if her main roster career is any indication, she’ll fall from the top of the mountain pretty quickly, only to reach the top again, and then fall from the top quickly again. Hey, if Edge can make a Hall Of Fame career out of winning World Titles and then losing them right away, why can’t Sasha?
Jay White (Born on October 10th, 1992): “Switchblade” has been on quite the roll recently, moving up the ranks in New Japan, defeating Kenny Omega to become the promotion’s United States Champion, giving Omega his first singles loss in five months. He also spent a large portion of 2016 and 2017 working for Ring Of Honor, putting on impressive performances in defeat as he went after the company’s World Title and Trios Tag Titles (with Kushida and ACH). As the NJPW United States Champion, that obviously gets him more attention in America than he got before. He has big shoes to fill after defeating Omega, but he seems hungry for the challenge.
Peyton Royce (Born on November 10th, 1992): When Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville were all promoted from NXT in November, wrestling fans noticed that the promotions didn’t include Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. While I get that you can’t call everyone up at the same time, I’d say Royce and Kay are more “ready” for the main roster than a few of those called up ahead of them. Royce, specifically, carries herself like a star and forces you to pay attention to her, which isn’t something that a lot of the WWE women are capable of. Even Triple H himself has said that both women are going to be called up to Mondays or Tuesdays soon. I’m all for it. Royce is still improving in the ring, but is making great strides there. She will definitely be an asset for either show.
Pete Dunne (Born on January 31st, 1993): You’re going to see me mention this again later in this column for someone else, but Dunne’s future success in WWE has nothing to do with him. It has everything to do with WWE’s off-and-on desire to present their United Kingdom Championship as something serious. They put a lot of hype into it, but then it disappears for long stretches of time. It’s almost exclusive to NXT tapings and live events, and the matches seem to involve a rotation of the same four guys over and over again. That’s a shame, because Pete Dunne really is this generation’s William Regal. He plays such an entertaining bad guy, enjoying the fact that he can beat people up and inflict pain and suffering on them. He’s someone that could translate well in a bigger role, but it remains to be seen if he’ll ever get that with WWE. He’s doing plenty of great things outside of WWE, though, whether it’s working with PROGRESS, Revolution Pro, or Chikara, among other places. I think he’d be a great addition to the 205 Live roster, but even that depends on how seriously WWE takes the division. Lots of questions.
Will Ospreay (Born on May 7th, 1993): There are times when you’ll watch what someone does in an athletic endeavor, and you’ll wonder if that person is actually a human being or not. Watching Will Ospreay wrestle provides those times quite regularly. Some of the things he does in the ring shouldn’t be possible for humans to do. If you told me that Ospreay can actually fly, I’d believe you without even thinking about it. He has been getting more and more recognition for the things he can do in the ring, and fans from the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States have been blessed with match after match of his. He’s been the Ring Of Honor Television Champion, Rev Pro British Cruiserweight Champion (twice), PROGRESS World Champion, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (twice, including the current reign), and the list goes on and on. Wherever he wrestles, he’s in contention for Match Of The Night, and if he can avoid the injuries that so often affect wrestlers with his in-ring style, he’s got about as bright a future as anyone on this list. Of course there are always rumblings of WWE having interest in him, and why wouldn’t they? He’s got the “look” they love, and he could be the face of their 205 division from the day he arrives.
Akam (Born on May 20th, 1993): The scariest thing about Akam is that he brings a strong amateur wrestling background to the table, to go with how big and bad he happens to be. His matches as a member of Authors Of Pain don’t always call for him to use a lot of that amateur background, but that means that it’s a great “secret weapon” to have for use at different times to catch people by surprise. I’ve grown to become a big fan of AOP and the havoc that takes place when their matches happen. I’m looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish on Monday or Tuesday nights in the not-too-distant future.
Trevor Lee (Born on September 30th, 1993): The first thing I think about when Trevor Lee’s name comes up is the fact that he nearly broke my leg during an independent show in Arizona a couple years ago, but that is a different story for a different column. A lot of his work gets lost in the shuffle as a member of Impact Wrestling, simply based on the number of eyeballs that are watching the company at any given time. However, he has become one of the best, and most dependable, workers on the entire roster. I’ve really enjoyed his X-Division work over the last two-plus years, as he battles for time against bigger names like Matt Sydal and Low-Ki. He’s also becoming a bigger deal in promotions like All American Wrestling, where he recently became their Heritage Champion. They’re one of the fastest growing independent companies going today, which will only benefit Lee. He’s been putting in a lot of work mostly under the radar recently, and it would be nice for that to change a bit.
Rezar (Born on June 16th, 1994): Standing at 6’4″, weighing in at 330 pounds, and with a legit background in judo and kickboxing, Rezar is about as intimidating as they come. He has picked up a lot in a short amount of time, only having his debut match as a pro wrestler two years ago. He and Akam play their roles to perfection. They’re big, they’re nasty, they’re strong, and they want to hurt you. From the moment their entrance music hits, you know some craziness is ready to go down. With Smackdown looking prepared to push Rowan and Harper again, this type of tag team is ready to be seen on a big stage again. There isn’t much left for the Authors Of Pain to do in NXT, and with the post-WrestleMania season being the prime time for main roster call-ups, you have to think AOP will be involved in that. They should be able to cause a lot of damage on either Raw or Smackdown for years to come.
Velveteen Dream (Born on August 19th, 1995): If you were to look back and research the history of wrestling, you wouldn’t find too many instances of a wrestler growing more in a short period of time than The Velveteen Dream. Let’s not forget that it wasn’t even three years ago that the man born Patrick Clark was an early elimination on the last season of Tough Enough. He was athletically gifted, but he had issues with his humility. When he first got the Velveteen Dream gimmick, it was written off almost universally. It was too much of a “Prince ripoff”, and the sexual ambiguity wouldn’t work as well in this day and age of family friendly WWE programming. Clark has taken the gimmick and poured his everything into it. His natural talent and athleticism get to shine as he continues to get better in the ring. He hasn’t even been a pro for three-and-a-half years yet. If he continues to take his craft seriously, you’re looking at someone that could/should be a future WWE or Universal Champion one day. He has all the potential in the world.
Toni Storm (Born on October 19th, 1995): On this list of 30 names, Toni Storm might be the 30th name to make the cut. I went back and forth on a few different names, but in the end, her potential and her being at the super early stages of her career had to win out. She is incredibly successful in Japan, where she is currently holding two titles for the Stardom promotion, the World Of Stardom Title (the company’s top belt) and the SWA World Title (essentially the company’s twist on an Intercontinental Title), as well as the most recent winner of two Stardom tournaments in the last year. Her success moved to England, where she became the first PROGRESS Women’s Champion last year. With Stardom and PROGRESS, you’re talking about two of the most respected promotions around the globe. She was also a participant in WWE’s Mae Young Classic, where she made it to the semi-finals before losing to eventual tournament winner Kairi Sane. As she continues branching out to different countries, she only adds to her in-ring skills, soaking things up like a sponge. I have no doubt that WWE will come calling again at some point, but she’s in a position where she absolutely does not need them. She can continue to make a name for herself just fine. Personally, I’d love to see her in WWE eventually. Her style would work really well in matches against the likes of Charlotte, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Asuka, and so on. Time will tell.
Tyler Bate (Born on March 7th, 1997): It just doesn’t make any sense for Tyler Bate to be as good as he is at this young an age. He was two days old when The Notorious BIG was shot and killed in Los Angeles. That has nothing to do with anything. It’s just a factoid that makes me feel super old. I have absolutely no idea how he is so good at such a young age. His work rate is so advanced, and it makes you think he’s a 20-year veteran of the business, not a 20-year veteran of life. Just think about how good he could be when he’s 25, 28, 30, and so on. His growth as a member of WWE is directly tied to just how seriously the company takes the United Kingdom Championship division. Things started off nicely, and the tournament to crown the first champion was a success. Since then, we’ve basically seen the same people competing for the title over and over, mostly away from large shows and televised events. In the four months that Bate held the title, he defended it eight times… three times at non-televised events, once at a PROGRESS show, and four times at events for the WWE Network. If the title is defended more on shows like Raw and Smackdown, or even a “pay-per-view” event or two here and there, the spotlight shines brightly on Bate and his skills in those matches. If not, his future and his growth might be solely outside of WWE, which isn’t exactly a terrible thing.
The future of the business is plenty bright when you have people like the names on this list leading the way. No matter where they wrestle, it will be fun to watch their careers expand and unfold.
What say you, ladies and gentlemen? Who am I missing from this list? Who are your choices for some of the top talent in the world of wrestling under the age of 30? Hit me up on Twitter (@HustleTheSavage) or here in the comments section and let me know what you think.
