{"id":62,"date":"2023-12-22T11:07:35","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T11:07:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/?p=62"},"modified":"2023-12-22T12:00:46","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T12:00:46","slug":"the-northern-independents-wrestler-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/2023\/12\/22\/the-northern-independents-wrestler-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The Northern Independent&#8217;s Wrestler Of The Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By Harry Miller<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To look back at 2023 is to look back at an amazing twelve months of wrestling which has seen the British independent scene flourish. As usual, the North has been at the forefront of this, producing some of the greatest wrestlers to grace this country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have whittled down the mass amount of talent to a top five but I would be remiss if I didn&#8217;t give some honourable mentions to those who just missed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Honourable Mentions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kid Lykos and Kid Lykos II. Whether they&#8217;re as a duo or single competitors, the Lykos&#8217; are exceptional performers that stun the audience enough for them to stop shouting obscenities at them. As a pair, Lykos Gym (with Gene Munny who was also a close contender for the top five) are current NORTH Tag Team champions. Lykos&#8217; bout with Spike Trivet for the Progress World Championship is a match-of-the-year contender and Lykos II&#8217;s two-out-of-three falls match with Leon Slater for the NORTH Championship is one of the best showcases of youth excellence this year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Harley Hudson is one of the highest potential stars in all of British wrestling. This statement was proven when Impact Wrestling invited Hudson to appear at their UK tour which saw the Pink Princess win the 2023 iteration of Gut Check and signing a full-time contract with the American promotion. Impact weren&#8217;t the only ones to notice the rising star as PWI ranked Hudson 238 in the PWI Women&#8217;s 250 and Outsports ranked her 39 in the QWI 200.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ivy has really broke into the upper echelon of the independent wrestling scene this year. 2023 saw Ivy win more championships than she has limbs including becoming the first ever True Grit Wrestling Women&#8217;s Champion, Queen of the Carnival Champion and the BWR Women&#8217;s Champion. Don&#8217;t be surprised to see Ivy high on this list next year, probably with more championships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"525\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udf1f WRESTLER SPOTLIGHT \ud83c\udf1f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ivy_Wrestler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Ivy_Wrestler<\/a> <br><br>-First ever <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TrueGritWrestle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TrueGritWrestle<\/a> Women\u2019s Champion<br>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BritWresRev?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BritWresRev<\/a> Women\u2019s Champion <br>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WIN_Wrestling?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WIN_Wrestling<\/a> Tag Champion (with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JoeyWrestler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JoeyWrestler<\/a>)<br>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WrestleCarnival?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WrestleCarnival<\/a> Queen Of The Carnival <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RfxKec0FsQ\">pic.twitter.com\/RfxKec0FsQ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; The Northern Independents (@NorthernIndys) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NorthernIndys\/status\/1725515214823543024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 17, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.) Man LikeDereiss <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lyrical Dragon has solidified himself as a premier talent on the British independent scene and this year may have been his best yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2023, Man Like DeReiss has been crowned the King Of The Carnival Champion, Resurgence Champion, TNT Ultra X Champion, Evolution Midnight Champion and has held three different tag-team championships with partner Leon Slater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DeReiss hasn\u2019t just spat fire on the match but has also produced fire matches all over the country. At \u2018Progress: Chapter 155\u2019, DeReiss delivered an instant classic with independent wrestling legend, Mark Haskins. The stand-out match is DeReiss\u2019s year has to be his bout with NJPW\u2019s Gabe Kidd at \u2018OTT ScrapperMania VII\u2019 which saw the Lyrical Dragon come out on top against the Young Bull in a physical affair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"525\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Man Like DeReiss\u2019 Career at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NORTH_NCL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NORTH_NCL<\/a> so far:<br><br>-Inaugural Tag Team Champion<br><br>-Longest Winning Streak Ever<br><br>-2nd Most Amount Of Wins (Post-pandemic)<br><br>-Only Pinned Once In Past 12 Matches<br><br>Mr Underrated. <br><br>\ud83d\udc09\ud83d\udd25 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iAvc1EUdPo\">pic.twitter.com\/iAvc1EUdPo<\/a><\/p>&mdash; harry (@lowercaseharry) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lowercaseharry\/status\/1679848392174837762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As either a singles competitor or a part of a team, DeReiss has an undeniable star power that shines through and will help the Dragon sore to the top of the independent scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.) Lizzy Evo <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lizzy Evo has been dominating the UK wrestling scene for almost a decade and 2023 saw the Liverbird stake her claim as top of the division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evo wrote her name in the annals of British history by becoming the first ever two-time TNT Women\u2019s Champion, the first ever two-time TNT Women\u2019s Tag Team Champion, the first ever 1PW Women\u2019s World Champion and continued her tenure as the longest reigning CATCH Women\u2019s Champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The list of Lizzy Evo\u2019s fallen foes in 2023 extends as long as the River Mersey, filled with stellar names such as former WWE star Millie McKenzie, three-time OTT Women\u2019s Champion Session Moth Martina and former EVE Champion Nina Samuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every year is better than the last for Evo so expect even more championships and plaudits for the Liver Bird in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.) Scotty Rawk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lost Boy of professional wrestling found his way on this list through constantly delivering the match of the night every night he\u2019s booked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2023 for Scotty Rawk was a golden year, winning the TCW Championship, the BWR Heavyweight Championship and United Wrestling Tag-Team Championships with partner Kira Chimera. A highlight of Rawk\u2019s year was overcoming the likes of Amir Jordan, Joseph Connors and Brady Phillips in BWR\u2019s Anarchy Briefcase ladder match which lead to his crowning as heavyweight champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This has been a breakout year of sorts for Scotty Rawk who is finally and rightfully being recognised on a national stage. The Lost Boy has recently made his debut on an international stage which could be the first step in a global takeover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"525\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udf1fWRESTLER SPOTLIGHT\ud83c\udf1f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ScottyRawk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ScottyRawk<\/a> <br><br>-Longest reigning <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BritWresRev?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BritWresRev<\/a> Cruiserweight Champion<br>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TIDALWRESTLING?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TIDALWRESTLING<\/a> Champion<br>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TNTExtremeWres?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TNTExtremeWres<\/a> Ultra X Champion<br>-1\/2 of The Dogz Bollox with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KiraChimera?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@KiraChimera<\/a> <br><br>\ud83d\udda4 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uizPXcDkVN\">pic.twitter.com\/uizPXcDkVN<\/a><\/p>&mdash; The Northern Independents (@NorthernIndys) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NorthernIndys\/status\/1735708213213827455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 15, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.) Leon Slater<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leon Slater will be on top of many people\u2019s wrestler of the year list and it\u2019s clear to see why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The teenage sensation won five separate titles in 2023 including the NORTH World Championship, the RevPro Undisputed Cruiserweight Championship and the TNT World Championship. Slater has had match-of-the-year calibre bouts with the likes of former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay and fellow teenage superstar, AEW star Nick Wayne. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the mass amount of 5 star classics and championship wins, the highlight of Leon Slater\u2019s year is undoubtedly signing for Impact Wrestling. Being apart of one of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world, in front of a worldwide audience is exactly where Slater deserves to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Leon Slater vs. Mark Haskins | Turning Point 2023 Highlights\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5noKwfjAj6w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year has been fantastic for the Youngest In Charge but in 2024, the global stage awaits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Wrestler Of The Year: Rhio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The indestructible Rhio has had a year like no other and has cemented herself as the greatest British independent wrestler of 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rhio made history by becoming the first ever wrestler to hold the Progress World Women\u2019s Championship and ICW Women\u2019s Championship at the same time. Just this week, Rhio has surpassed Viper (now WWE\u2019s Piper Niven) to become the third longest reigning ICW Women\u2019s Champion ever and will become the longest reigning in women\u2019s champion in history if she holds the title for another 28 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"525\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udc9c Rhio successfully defended the PROGRESS Women\u2019s World Championship against Lizzy Evo &amp; Kanji at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VENDETTA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#VENDETTA<\/a>. <br><br>\ud83d\udc40 Who will Rhio defend the title against next?<br><br>\ud83c\udf81 &amp; will Rhio defend the title at UNBOXING VI? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PROGRESSWrestling?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PROGRESSWrestling<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Wrestling?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Wrestling<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/goLWsc5klR\">pic.twitter.com\/goLWsc5klR<\/a><\/p>&mdash; PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThisIs_Progress\/status\/1729893565516419499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 29, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another great moment in wrestling history saw Rhio become the inaugural winner of NORTH\u2019s NCL Cup, defeating three of the countries finest in a single night . Aside from making constant history, Rhio has had a fantastic catalogue of matches all across the country and even expanding into continental Europe. Every month this year has had at least one Rhio banger; truly the personification of consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Highlights of Rhio\u2019s year include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Defeating former Ring Of Honour Women\u2019s Champion Mercedes Martinez in front of more than 700 fans at \u2018NORTH Thunderstruck\u2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Besting both Kenji and Lizzy Evo in a triple threat to defend her Progress Women\u2019s Championship at \u2018Progress: Chapter 160&#8242;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Winning 2-1 in a British Round Rules Match against Angel Hayze to successfully retain the ICW Women\u2019s Championship at \u2018ICW Get The F Out\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2023 is the year of Rhio. Will she be able to retain this title in 2024? Probably, Rhio is pretty good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Find The Northern Independents on social media&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NorthernIndys\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read the most recent articles&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Harry Miller To look back at 2023 is to look back at an amazing twelve months of wrestling which has seen the British independent scene flourish. As usual, the North has been at the forefront of this, producing some of the greatest wrestlers to grace this country. I have whittled down the mass amount&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124,"featured_media":63,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":15,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[7,8,11,18,20,4],"class_list":["post-62","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-impact-wrestling","tag-leon-slater","tag-north-wrestling","tag-rhio","tag-true-grit-wrestling","tag-wrestling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/124"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/harry-miller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}