2019 was an outstanding year for up and coming talent throughout Scotland. Everywhere you looked, there was someone else beginning to make a name for themselves, whether they were a completely new talent, or someone who had been around for a decent amount of time but hadn’t been given the right platforms to showcase exactly what they were made of. 2019 was the year of opportunities – and retirements, apparently.

Billy’s already laid down his picks for people to watch for in 2020, both singles performers and tag teams, so now the ball is in my playing field (that’s the saying, isn’t it?). Anyway, here’s the first of a few end of year lists I’ve got planned, looking at ten names I firmly believe you should watch out for once the new year rolls around.

As always;

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Umar Mohammed

Whenever I get the opportunity to talk about The Asian Sensation, I’ll happily take it with both hands. He’s such an incredible talent, and has come on leaps and bounds, judging by what Billy said about him as part of his W3L Action Academy review he did early last year. When I saw him for the first time at WrestleZone’s Proving Grounds show, he appeared to be the complete package. He had oodles of charisma, he knew exactly how to get the crowd involved, he’s got one of the flashiest movesets I’ve ever seen from a Scottish wrestler, he’s brilliant. I’m not entirely sure how well he does on the mic, but let’s just assume he’s great at that too. Now that he’s training under Andy Wild at the Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum, it can only mean great things are coming for Umar Mohammed.

Angel Hayze

For the 2019 list, I made the mistake of leaving Angel Hayze off. Boy, was I proven wrong as the year went along. The Young Lioness has established herself within the Scottish wrestling scene as the next best thing, not just for women’s wrestling in the country, but for wrestling overall. She doesn’t care if you’re male, female, or whatever, she’ll easily kick you down. Having now become a regular roster member in both Fierce Females and Insane Championship Wrestling as well as participating in Pro Wrestling: EVE’s annual SHE1 tournament this past November, Hayze’s track record is slowly improving by the minute. 2020 will only see her get better and better.

Daz Black

If you’ve been a close follower of Scottish wrestling in 2019, then there’s a good chance you’ve heard the name Daz Black. This PBW Academy graduate calls himself The Shooting Star, and for good reason. The stuff he’s able to do is outrageous, including a beautiful corkscrew moonsault that Kid Fite can apparently do as well, although it was sadly left out of the video posted to Twitter. Black has had some huge victories over the last few months, defeating both Stevie Xavier and Kenny Williams at separate Pro Wrestling Scotland shows. Add in the fact that he debuted for Insane Championship Wrestling on the Fear & Loathing XII pre-show and that he’s made it through to the semifinals of Pro Wrestling Innovation’s Young Lions Tournament, and it’s clear to see why Daz Black is repeatedly touted as one to watch in Scottish wrestling. Right now, I’d say he’s the favourite to win the whole tournament. SWN writers aren’t always renowned for their predictions though…

Caleb Valhalla

As Vince McMahon himself would say – LOOK AT THAT BEEF! The Norse God is simply a beast in the ring, swatting opponents away with one swing of a fist. What he did to Lord Mr Malice at the Regal Rumble is something that will never be forgotten. Legend has it if you look closely at the Northern Hotel floor, the imprint of His Majesty can still be found. Alongside Captain Alan Sterling, Valhalla has been tremendous to watch. It’s always fantastic to see someone genuinely enjoying what they’re doing, which appears to be the exact case when it comes to Caleb and Alan. I’d be lying if I said I can’t wait to see when Valhalla eventually turns on Sterling, perhaps being the man to take the WrestleZone Tri-Counties Championship away from him. Anyway though, if you’re not familiar with this man, then get familiar. It’ll only be a year or two before he’s all over the country, swinging rivals about the ring like it’s nothing.

Xero

There’s perhaps no-one in Scottish wrestling who’s as maniacal as Xero. The InHuman is a superb talent to watch, both inside the ring and when he’s speaking to the camera. The promos he delivers are something else. You can tell just how much effort goes into them in terms of both the actual words being spoken and the production side of things. The former Violence Institute member has really come into his own this year, so it’s only a matter of time before he’s running around all the promotions. I genuinely do enjoy watching Xero, but he’s had his promo work praised by Rory Coyle. Anyone who’s admired by The Last True Sick Boy will be admired by me. With that in mind though, if Mikey Whiplash can bring Coyle to Glasgow to face Xero, then that would be very nice indeed.

Robert Wishart/Robbie Solar

Robert Wishart, Robbie Solar, whatever it is you prefer to call him, you can’t doubt the man’s abilities. The high-flying sensation has had a banner year, with sensational matches against the likes of Caleb Valhalla, while also capturing the Respect Pro Heavyweight Championship from Joe Hendry at the Walker Brawl. The good thing about Wishart/Solar is that he can more or less do whatever type of wrestling it is you want from him, whether it’s high-flying or technical. He’s a multitalented lad, which I imagine is a great thing to be when it comes to being a wrestler. If you can bring more than one style of wrestling to a show, then surely that would lead to more bookings than someone who can only do one style. I don’t know, but get this lad booked for 2020. Bright things ahead (and I don’t just mean his gear).

Ian Skinner

Ian Skinner is the only person on this list who also featured on my list for 2019. While he did have a fairly decent year, The Shooter left another huge impression that sees him back on the list for 2020. Whether he’s got you tied up in an octopus hold or is making you clench your jaw with a knee strike, no-one should be wanting to get on the bad side of this lad. A recent debut for Insane Championship Wrestling as part of their GONZO brand saw Skinner team with fellow PBW Academy standouts Darren Vice and Dean Ford (if you’re reading this, you were both joint eleventh, I promise). He looked right at home in front of the rowdy ICW audience. There’s not too many Scottish wrestlers quite like Ian Skinner in the sense that he’s got this American indie vibe to him, at least that’s what it feels like to me. You don’t get that many wrestlers this side of the pond who use the sort of style he uses. As well as the fact that he goes the extra mile by attending training seminars away from his home training school, such as at the RI Unit and the Source Wrestling School, and it shows just how dedicated Ian is to becoming the best wrestler he possibly can be.

Rosie Nyte

For my money, Rosie Nyte has definitely come out of her shell this year. She’s been getting around quite a fair bit throughout 2019, with appearances for the likes of Fierce Females, Discovery Wrestling, Pro Wrestling: EVE, and Shield Pro Wrestling, where she captured their Women’s Championship a short while ago to mark her first title victory. Nyte was scheduled to have what could be described as one of the biggest matches of her career at Fierce Females’ Queens Winter Carnival event on the pre-show against NXT UK’s Isla Dawn, with that event sadly being postponed. With the new date for the show (now titled Disgusting Animals) set for January 26th, it’s entirely possible we could see Nyte vs Dawn there, but as for now, Rosie Nyte is 100% one to watch for the new year. Women’s wrestling in this country has never been at a higher point, and it’s thanks to the younger generation coming through the ranks – the Rosie Nytes, the Anastasias, the Ashley Vegas, the Emily Haydens.

Connor Inglis

Connor Inglis debuted in January. Within the space of 12 months (11 really I guess since it was the end of January), he’s become one of the biggest fan favourites in WrestleZone. His wars with Crusher Craib have turned the WrestleZone Training Academy upstart from a young rookie to a bonafide star, which was certainly helped by the fact that Connor defeated Crusher in three of the four singles matches they had against one another. Inglis is perhaps one of the best examples of proving why the WrestleZone Training Academy shouldn’t be forgotten about when it comes to Scottish wrestling training schools. It may not be as recognised as the likes of the Glasgow Pro Wrestling Asylum or the Source Wrestling School, but it’s produced some top-tier talent over the years, from Aspen Faith to Shawn Johson to all three members of The Foundation of the Future. I’ll guarantee you he’ll be Tri-Counties Champion either by the end of 2020 or the first six months of 2021. Don’t take my word for it though, head along to any of WrestleZone’s 2020 events and see for yourself why the entire country will soon be talking about the lad.

Danny Edwards

Now, I’m not saying my top ten is perfect, but it features Danny Edwards. How can you possibly say a list isn’t perfect when it features The Proof of Perfection himself? Yet another PBW Academy graduate on this list, Edwards has made a home for himself in Pro Wrestling Innovation, aligning himself with Matt Tyson and Dean Ford as they assisted him in advancing to the semifinals of the Young Lions Tournament over Alex Parker (again, you’re number eleven, I swear). That trio has the potential to become something really special during 2020, so don’t be too surprised to see big Danny win the entire tournament or, even better, for the group to expand into other promotions. I’ve mentioned ICW GONZO during this list – why not bring them in? For those who may think The Proof of Perfection is just a fancy nickname Danny picked for himself from the bag of wrestling monikers, you’re wrong. Watch a match of his, and see. His ongoing series of bouts with Alex Parker have been a blast to watch. We can only hope we get more of those next year. Wonderful stuff.

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Who are your ones to watch for 2020?