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WWE and AEW often look to independent wrestling to scout talent. Top stars like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, and Seth Rollins have all stood out for their captivating work on the indie circuit before moving on to the big leagues.
2024 has seen numerous wrestling stars join the ranks of WWE and AEW. The Stamford-based promotion has recently acquired fresh talent, such as Giulia and Tama Tonga.
This year has also seen the return of WWE Superstars such as Andrade, Naomi, The Authors of Pain, and Shawn Spears (Tye Dillinger). When it comes to All Elite Wrestling, 2024 has seen the arrival of Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, AZM, Mina Shirakawa, and the former Sasha Banks, now known as Mercedes Mone.
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Who's next to join World Wrestling Entertainment or All Elite Wrestling? Without further ado, let's scan the indie circuit for five popular stars that WWE and AEW should look out for in 2024:
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#5. Former GCW World Champion Matt Cardona, formerly known as 'Zack Ryder' in WWE
It's hard to talk about modern-day independent wrestling without mentioning the name Matt Cardona. The former Zack Ryder has reinvented himself since his release from WWE in 2020, becoming one of the most prolific and talked-about in-ring workers on the indie circuit.
The man known as "The Deathmatch King" and "The Indie God" has the confidence and talent of a headlining performer. Cardona has upped his game since he was let go by World Wrestling Entertainment four years ago.
The former Long Island Iced Z may one day follow in the footsteps of main-eventers like Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre, leaving the Stamford-based promotion as a lower-card performer and returning as a transformed top-level superstar.
Cardona has wrestled in AEW a few times. Most recently, he returned to the Jacksonville-based company to challenge Adam Copeland for the TNT Championship, answering The Rated R Superstar's Cope Open.
During his entrance on the March 30, 2024, episode of AEW Collison, the fans inside Budweiser Gardens were chanting "holy sh*t" at the arrival of PWI's first-ever two-time PWI Indie Wrestler of the Year. Though he wasn't able to defeat Copeland, he put up a convincing fight and pushed the 11-time WWE World Champion to his limit, receiving "This is awesome" chants from the Canadian crowd.
The former WWE Intercontinental Champion has the potential to be a major player for AEW or any of WWE's three brands. It's clear that Tony Khan's promotion has taken notice of The Deathmatch King, but will he officially become #AllElite in 2024? Only time will tell what path Cardona follows on his quest for pro wrestling immortality.
#4. "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela
Joey Janela is an AEW OG, starting with the company during their early days in 2019. During his time on the All Elite Wrestling roster, he battled top stars like Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega. The Bad Boy stayed with Tony Khan's promotion until his contract expired in 2022. Since then, Janela has continued to build up his résumé on the indie circuit.
Janela has won numerous championships during his 17-year wrestling career, including multiple reigns as the CZW Wired Champion. The 34-year-old indie darling is currently the reigning and defending Vanguardia Extraordinario Champion from the Lucha Libre Vanguardia wrestling promotion. Fans of Janela and GCW also know how far The Bad Boy will go to entertain the fans, shedding blood and performing sick bumps.
Joey Janela is willing to risk life and limb to leave a lasting memory in the minds of wrestling fans. Janela is reminiscent of "The Hardcore Legend" Mick Foley for the lengths he will go to create a moment, even if the stunt could potentially kill him. On top of that, Janela has an outrageous personality and undeniable charisma.
Janela has a history with current WWE NXT star Lexis King when he was known as Brian Pillman Jr. They wrestled against each other in a singles competition in 2018 for an indie promotion called Black Label Pro.
Pillman and Janela were partners during an eight-person tag team match during an August 2020 special episode of Thursday Night Dynamite. What if the two bad boys were to link up in NXT as either rivals or allies?
WWE and AEW ought to keep up with Janela's antics on social media, which can often be both controversial and hilarious. While he may be a bit too TV-MA on occasion for WWE's tastes, he's still a worthwhile candidate to join any major wrestling company.
#3. #HEARTBREAKcore Shazza McKenzie
Shazza McKenzie brings the thunder from down under, taking her in-ring talents from Australia to the United States. Shazza is a standout performer in her profession, taking bumps and shedding blood on her way to becoming an indie darling who lives out her dream in the squared circle. Shazza is one tough customer, and she can take the fight to men and women in one-on-one hardcore matches and come out victorious.
McKenzie has won various titles throughout her career, including a reign as the inaugural ASWA Women's Champion. As previously mentioned, Shazza is also noted for her willingness to work intergender bouts. Perhaps most notably, #HEARTBREAKcore defeated Fightful contributor Sean Ross Sapp in a Street Fight.
Whether she's wrestling men or women, Shazza shines in the ring and gets the attention of wrestling fans in attendance and on the internet. McKenzie would be a worthwhile acquisition for any major company, including WWE and AEW. She has worked the indie circuit for over 15 years, and 2024 could be the year when #HEARTBREAKcore finally gets the full-time call-up to the big leagues.
McKenzie's attire can be seen as reminiscent of 24-year veteran Natalya Neidhart. It would be a treat to see both women square off or tag together in WWE. There are plenty of talented women and men that Shazza can work with at All Elite Wrestling or World Wrestling Entertainment.
Shazza was part of the pre-show buy-in of AEW's inaugural pay-per-view All Out 2019, taking part in the 21-woman Casino Battle Royal. Maybe it's time for #HEARTBREAKcore to become #AllElite in 2024. She's also familiar with the NXT brand, having wrestled there twice, first in 2015 and then again in 2018. Perhaps the former black-and-gold brand will welcome her back someday.
#2. The current Freelance World Tag Team Champion, EFFY!
Effy has worked relentlessly on the indie scene for a decade. The 33-year-old is currently one-half of the Freelance World Tag Team Champions alongside Allie Katch, collectively known as BUSSY. The Gay Myth is full of charisma and delights audiences with his in-ring performances.
Just like other indie wrestlers mentioned above, Effy isn't afraid to get hardcore. The wrestler that fans call "Daddy" is willing to shed blood and risk it all to entertain the crowd. His battles with Mance Warner are a testimony to it.
Effy is an indie sensation for his persona and in-ring work in Game Changer Wrestling and other promotions. WWE and AEW ought to take notice of the 33-year-old performer, who has already left quite a mark on the wrestling business.
He's won multiple titles, including a 15-day reign as Internet Champion, which he won by defeating Matt Cardona in a 30-second match at GCW Get Lost Alot in September 2021. Effy is the only wrestler besides Cardona to be considered an official Internet Champion.
The Gay Myth is also a two-time and longest-reigning FEST Wrestling Champion, with his second reign lasting 727 days. In February 2024, the fishnet-wearing indie star finished an 181-day reign as TTW Champion. What's next for EFFY!?
#1. The current WrestlePro Gold Champion CPA, also known as The Tax Man from Taxland
The abominable yet beloved CPA is one of the most entertaining acts in independent wrestling. The Long Island native is extraordinarily talented when it comes to crafting a memorable character that touches the hearts and minds of wrestling fans.
CPA presents a persona that resembles the occupational gimmick of WWE's New Generation Era while also possessing the comedic flare akin to wrestlers like Santino Marella, "Freshly Squeezed" Orange Cassidy, and R-Truth.
The Taxman from Taxland appeared on AEW Dark Elevation in September 2021 and took part in a three-on-one handicap match against Paul Wight. Since then, CPA has continued to tear it up on the indie scene, including tearing off multiple layers of dress shirts along the way.
2024 would be a great time for the Jacksonville-based promotion to take another look at the Certified Public Accountant. It appears that Tony Khan's company may be doing just that, considering that AEW's Danhausen is currently scheduled to team with CPA against The Birds of the Sun at the Create A Pro wrestling promotion on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
Will CPA's newfound partnership with Danhausen lead him back to All Elite Wrestling? If that happens, the Glendale native could finally make his AEW televised debut and go toe-to-toe with stars like Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, Orange Cassidy, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), and "Platinum" Max Caster.
If AEW doesn't snag The Master of the 1099, perhaps WWE's NXT would be the best place for CPA to call his new home. The white-and-gold brand would be an excellent platform for the Certified Public Accountant to showcase his humorous gimmick and show-stealing charisma.
The taxman could attempt to audit Chase University or go after "The Don," Tony D'Angelo, and The Family for tax evasion. He could also assist wrestling personalities in filing their income taxes, including Shawn Michaels and NXT General Manager Ava.
If he chooses to chase championships like the North American Title or NXT Heritage Cup, CPA could potentially win over fans in Orlando as a loveable underdog hero. There are plenty of options for CPA to pursue under the tent of Shawn Michaels' NXT. He could also be used to add greater depth to WWE's Speed division on X.
