5 wrestling promotions that are WWE's biggest threats

World Wrestling Entertainment is by far the biggest game in town when it comes to the professional wrestling industry.

For years since the rise of World Championship Wrestling nobody has even come close to toppling Vince McMahon and his empire, which makes it less and less surprising with each passing year that a number of promotions want to reach the same status as WWE.

Wrestling is experiencing something of a boom period both in the United States and the United Kingdom, though to a much lesser extent than in the 80s and 90s.

With the brand split in addition to a number of independents rising in popularity, more and more people are attending shows outside of the WWE product which can be seen as either a good or a bad thing depending on which way you look at it.

To us, it can only mean good things. If Vince were to experience even a slice of the competition he faced back in the Monday Night Wars, it would likely lead him to pull his finger out and make some big time changes. In particular, they would be centred around his precious Raw, but that's another story for another day.

Before we start, just know that we don't realistically expect any of these companies to challenge WWE on a week to week basis, but if it were to happen, these guys have the right model in which to make it happen.

So with all that being said, let's look at five wrestling promotions that are WWE's biggest threat.

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#1 Lucha Underground

Lucha Underground is a fascinating alternative

In terms of being different, Lucha Underground have that covered down to a tee. The fascinating Lucha libre style programme seems to combine the art of wrestling with the drama of a common TV show, which makes for some interesting viewing on a weekly basis.

Some people aren't a huge fan of the style that LU are aiming for, but it has certainly attracted some big stars such as Alberto Del Rio, John Morrison and Rey Mysterio to name a few. With such alternative storylines that blend the realms of reality, you can't help but be engrossed by these characters and their eccentric nature.

The venue, the wrestling and the production all feels different to anything we see in WWE.

It honestly feels like the two companies are at polar opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to orchestrating a wrestling show, which is how we should be feeling. If you hear the word different, that can only be a good thing because it means people are watching.

From Los Angeles all the way to Newcastle.

#2 WhatCulture Pro Wrestling

WCPW are the new kids on the block

For a group of guys who played drinking games whilst watching PPVs to the amusement of people on YouTube, they've done pretty well.

The guys over at WhatCulture have combined their fresh views on the professional wrestling industry with their knowledge of what can be considered successful in order to create their own promotion.

WhatCulture Pro Wrestling, or WCPW, has been going strong for less than a year now and after a few initial hiccups, they appear to be well on their way to stardom.

They have their own weekly show in the form of Loaded, whilst also producing iPPVs every few months or so that feature blockbuster names such as Kurt Angle, Cody Rhodes, Drew Galloway, Bret Hart and more.

You can tell they are starting to make an impact purely based on the fact that WWE wouldn't allow any of their guys in the UK Championship Tournament to appear on their iPPV events. Yes, it's just good business sense from them, but at the same time, you can't deny that WCPW is starting to make some noise on a much bigger scale.

We move from a promotion on the up to one attempting to rise from the ashes.

#3 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

TNA have fluctuated between relevancy and disaster for years now

Ah, TNA. We all know and somewhat love TNA for a number of reasons, mainly because at one point it seemed like they were genuinely going to start a sequel to the Monday Night Wars with WWE.

Alas, that didn't happen, but they gave it their best shot by bringing in huge names like Flair, Hogan and Bischoff whilst also possessing the talents of the veteran Sting.

They've dug their own grave on a number of occasions and seemed to be on the verge of extinction a few months ago, but the renewed characters of The Broken Hardys mixed in with new owners purchasing the company means that all is not lost.

At the very least, WWE have tried their best to avoid mentioning TNA for years now.

As TNA attempt to re-brand themselves in a way that will make them relevant once again, it's going to be interesting to see how they perform with this latest avatar. It could go one of two ways for the company that was once brimming with potential, but you can bet that a lot of people are going to be there to see the outcome.

Now onto a company that WWE look set to get very tight with over the coming months.

#4 Insane Championship Wrestling

ICW and WWE could soon be linking up if rumours are to be believed

This may be the oddest inclusion of them all for those of you who read the dirt sheets. We say this because it has been heavily reported that WWE are considering partnering up with ICW in order to showcase the Scottish promotion's work on the WWE Network at some point in the near future.

Obviously, this is massive news for Insane Championship Wrestling and the British wrestling scene as a whole, because we're not used to this kind of news being released.

Nonetheless, it's interesting that this idea, coupled with the UK Championship Tournament, is starting to indicate how much value WWE is putting into the rising stock of the wrestling scene over here in the UK.

Plus, ICW is a great company. They draw some comparisons to ECW but the quality of their shows are second to none, even selling out The SSE Hydro in Glasgow for Fear & Loathing. Some people will turn their nose up at the idea of them becoming a threat but much like SmackDown, the underdog could grow in popularity from within.

The final entry is yet another company WWE have been cuddling up to as of late.

#5 Progress Wrestling

Progress have come a long way in a short period of time

Progress Wrestling really is one of the more unique promotions in the world of wrestling, and they're leading from the front in terms of interacting with WWE.

Just this past week they had former NXT and Universal Champion Finn Balor show up at their show in Birmingham for a round of musical chairs, highlighting the relationship that clearly stands between the two promotions.

But once again, it feels like a case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Vince knows that these shows aren't exactly going to blow the roof off of the building in terms of pay-per-view buys or attendance, but the talent they have at their disposal is worth looking into.

The United Kingdom has produced some of the greatest talents the WWE has seen, so keeping an eye on that talent pool shows signs of Triple H's leadership and growing influence within the company behind the scenes.

Whatever the case may be, we just hope that Progress get to maintain their identity because they truly are awesome.

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