The independent wrestling scene is a two-headed monster in many ways. On the one hand, it provides fans with a refreshing change of pace from the sometimes tiresome WWE product, but on the other, fans of promotions like NJPW and ROH feel the need to talk about it 24/7. We get it, it’s great, now leave us to decide and shut up.
Of course, as with anything, dream matches are bound to entice people when it comes to comparing the two worlds, despite how unlikely they may be. Given the difference in styles, we aren’t too sure how these contests would end up, but it’s always fun to imagine right? Well, kind of.
Some of these names will be main eventers and others upcoming mid carders, but either way, there’s certainly room for growth when it comes to future crossover bouts. We’ve come a long way in the last few years in terms of companies working together, so perhaps the natural progression will see WWE team up with NJPW, ROH and more to make these bouts a reality.
Then again, maybe not. So with all of that being said – here are 10 WWE vs. non-WWE feuds that would be amazing.
#1 Will Ospreay vs. Randy Orton
The master of the dives vs. the master of the headlocks. It’s a match that’ll be built upon very real tensions, created when Randy issued a series of tweets that downplayed indie wrestling. It was a bold move from The Viper, and one that saw many fans change their opinion of the WWE veteran – meanwhile others chose to agree with him.
Whichever camp you fall into there’s no denying that there are pros and cons to both sides of the argument, with Ospreay representing both the good and the bad of the independent scene. Still, it’s pretty much a given that these two would put on an absolute barnstormer of a match – with Orton likely catching Will with a tremendous RKO.
#2 Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is everything Bobby Lashley should’ve been in WWE, and Bobby Lashley is everything Brock Lesnar should’ve been in MMA. That kind of “what could’ve been” scenario could make for some of the most realistic promos we’ve ever seen from both men, which obviously extends to Paul Heyman.
Given the size of these guys you wouldn’t expect a technical masterpiece, but if you’ve watched even a slither of what they can do, then you’ll know that this would be an absolutely tremendous contest. Brock would attempt to manhandle Bobby as he does with everyone else, which is something that the TNA star just wouldn’t allow.
#3 Awesome Kong vs. Nia Jax
If you want a titanic duel of epic proportions, then look no further than Awesome Kong vs. Nia Jax. The two women are arguably the most physically intimidating women of the last few decades in WWE, with the company seemingly grooming Jax to become the top monster heel that Kong was supposed to be.
Having Kong return to reclaim her throne would be a fascinating story to tell, and Nia could learn a lot from a veteran like AK. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea and will potentially appeal to more old school fans, but that doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t give it a chance. After all, it’d be one hell of a brawl.
#4 The Young Bucks vs. The Revival
For months and months one end these two iconic tag teams have been throwing jabs at each other over social media, with The Revival’s “No Flips Just Fists” mentality being a direct contradiction to the style of The Young Bucks. Oh, and the Bucks also throw shade at the former NXT tag team champions on their YouTube show Being The Elite.
The contrast in how these two teams wrestle would make for can’t miss TV, and we like the idea of the Bucks coming over to NXT and demanding that Dash & Dawson come back down to developmental to square off with them. It’d be a showcase match, and we’re begging to see it before it’s too late.
#5 Adam Cole vs. Seth Rollins
In essence, this is a clash of two phenomenal superstars who have the ability to lead a company with ease, but in reality, it’s much more than that. Adam Cole and Seth Rollins have similar backgrounds within this business, and in a lot of ways, their styles do mimic each other quite well. Oh, and they look like they could be long-lost brothers.
The cocky nature of Cole being matched up with the high flying charisma of Rollins would be an interesting sight to see, especially since it’d be a fresh bout that we haven’t seen dozens of times. It makes sense to hold off on this for a big time pay per view, but it doesn’t even need to be for a title – we just want to find out who is the better man.
#6 Marty Scurll vs. Bray Wyatt
The major component that makes Marty Scurll’s villain character so interesting is his attire. Fact. From the mask to the umbrella to the glasses, Marty has been able to re-invent himself entirely from the days of the British Bootcamp. Unfortunately, that’s not enough – at least, not for the feud that we’ve got in mind for him.
We’d quite like Scurll to start using traits similar to Crow Sting, mixed in with some eccentric behaviour – perhaps even imitating Wyatt himself. Bray himself could be a touch thrown off by this, and the hard-hitting nature of both men inside the squared circle would make the actual match thoroughly enjoyable.
#7 Kenny Omega vs. AJ Styles
Back in 2016, Kenny Omega orchestrated the removal of AJ Styles from the Bullet Club. Unfortunately, due to The Phenomenal One jumping ship to WWE, we never got to see how the feud would unfold. Now, with Omega constantly being rumoured to make the switch, it seems likelier than ever.
Both men have said that they’d love to face the other, and we can’t think of a better place for it to happen than WrestleMania. Kenny could bring AJ back down to earth with his strong style wrestling, meanwhile, AJ can try and use his unique offence to catch The Cleaner off guard. By definition, this would be an absolutely huge match.
#8 Kazuchika Okada vs. John Cena
Mr NJPW vs. Mr WWE. The unstoppable superhero of Japan vs. the unstoppable superhero of America. Honestly, if this isn’t what a dream match is supposed to be, then we aren’t sure what is. Kazuchika Okada is about as close to wrestling immortality as you can get, which is something that can be said about Big Match John as well.
Cena has proven in the past that he can go with any type of wrestler, and Okada knows how to put on big matches. This isn’t something that should be thrown away on a random episode of SmackDown Live, but at the same time, we’d prefer to see this take place in Japan as opposed to WWE. Why? Just think of the crowd reaction.
#9 Matt Riddle vs. The Miz
Just imagine the dynamic between these two guys. On the one hand, you’ve got the King of Bros Matt Riddle, meanwhile, on the other, you’ve got The Miz who’s past bears a frightening resemblance to Riddle. The idea of Miz staring into the past at a kid who is, in a lot of ways, just like him, would make the story alone worth watching.
Riddle would obviously be the babyface meanwhile Miz would attempt to use his experience to win the eventual feud, despite Matt’s MMA background clearly giving him the edge. Nobody really seems to view Miz as a veteran, but in this instance, he certainly deserves to be treated like one.
#10 Ricochet vs. Jeff Hardy
Ricochet seems to defy all forms of logic and gravity whenever he steps inside a squared circle, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The 28-year-old has made his mark with his fantastic look coupled together with his unique wrestling ability, with people not giving him enough credit for the character work that he’s capable of.
On the other end of the scale, you’ve got Jeff Hardy, a man who just does what he feels is necessary to get the crowd going. It’s an admirable tactic from the Charismatic Enigma, and it’s something that we believe would match up brilliantly with the always talented Ricochet.
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