‘King of Indies’ Tournament Draws Talent From Around the Globe

Stars from Japanese promotions Pro Wrestling NOAH and Dragongate will join Mexican luchadores on the card in San Francisco.

Saturday night is going to be an eventful evening for pro wrestling.

AEW is running its Full Gear pay-per-view, which features the return of Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, as well as Saraya’s first match in five years. MJF is poised to start his first world title run, and there is an additional layer of intrigue over whether William Regal will turn on Jon Moxley and align with MJF. But that isn’t the only show worth watching tomorrow.

In addition to Full Gear, West Coast Pro and Pro Wrestling Revolution are running the King of Indies show. Streaming live on IWTV, this is an indie supershow featuring an eight-man tournament to crown the King of Indies. The tourney’s roots extend back to 2000, when Christopher Daniels was the inaugural winner. This year marks the sixth iteration of the tournament, and Dragon Lee will be seeking to win for a record third straight time.

King of Indies includes prominent names from across the globe. The talent in the tournament is rich, and there will also be special attraction matches with two of Japan’s biggest stars: Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji and Katsuhiko Nakajima.

Gabe Ramirez owns the “King of Indies” trademark, and the show is a tribute to his late mentor.

“King of Indies is the brainchild of Roland Alexander,” says Ramirez. “He came up with this in 2000, and that’s when we had our first tournament. Following Alexander’s death, we carried on the legacy in 2015. This year is particularly special. NOAH was supposed to be involved two decades ago, but decided not to travel after Sept. 11 in 2001. Now we finally have a presence from NOAH at King of Indies.”

The show, which will take place in San Francisco, is overflowing with international stars. First-round tournament matches are SB Kento vs. La Estrella, Kevin Blackwood vs. Fatu, Titus Alexander vs. Dragon Lee, and Dralístico vs. Viento. There is also a four-way Pro Wrestling Revolution openweight title bout, which includes Misterioso, Xtreme Tiger, Marufuji and Vinnie Massaro, as well as a special attraction bout of Kratos against Nakajima.

The potential for a breakout moment exists, especially with 22-year-old Dragongate star SB Kento involved in the tourney.

“There is a larger scale of talent out there dying to get noticed,” Ramirez says. “If you want to see the who’s who before anyone else, you need to watch King of Indies. You’re going to see the future of lucha, like Viento. You’ll see the stars of Dragongate, like SB Kento and La Estrella. Fatu is amazing. This is going to be an incredible night.”

Seeking the first tournament three-peat, Dragon Lee is eager to show why he is the most complete pro wrestler in the world.

“I like being able to work against so many different people and the opportunity to represent my country of Mexico and my family, the Dynasty Muñoz,” Lee says through a translator. “My aim in the United States is to become a superstar and get to a level where I am known worldwide.”

That desire for greatness is a constant motivation for Lee, who is the brother of Dralístico and current AEW wrestler Rush.

“My family started from scratch,” says Lee. “My brothers and me, we slept on the floor. Those memories still make me want to be the best. I also want to continue growing in this industry for my wife and daughter. I want to set the right example.”

Dragon Lee sets a demanding pace in the ring. He alone provides reason to watch King of Indies, but it is also especially unique for a card in the United States to feature Marufuji and Nakajima.

Marufuji is one of NOAH’s pillars, and he has also starred in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Ring of Honor. He carries an elegance, grace, and power inside the ring, and his work has mastered the universal language of pro wrestling.

A photo recently circulated of Marufuji and Bryan Danielson, who were together for a brief moment in New York. Those are two of the greatest wrestlers of this era, especially considering their influence on modern-day pro wrestling. Over a decade and a half ago, Marufuji and Danielson set the wrestling world aflame with their work against one another in Ring of Honor.

“Bryan is now far away in the distance, but you never know what happens in this world of pro wrestling,” Marufuji says through a translator. “I just had an opportunity to see him, and I’d love to wrestle against him again.

“I also want to wrestle Chris Jericho. I have been hoping to wrestle against him.”

Marufuji’s goal is to make NOAH even more globally recognized, a feat he can help achieve at King of Indies.

“I want to raise attention from pro wrestling fans all over the world,” says Marufuji, who has had four different reigns in NOAH as GHC heavyweight champion. “It may still be hard to find the boundary between sports and entertainment, but the perspective of wrestling matches, degree of interest, and the way to enjoy them are different.

“This is an opportunity for me to showcase my performance to the fans outside of Japan. I am excited to be a part of King of Indies and wrestle at the event myself, but at the same time I look forward to seeing matches of other wrestlers who I have not had the opportunity to watch before.”

Marufuji will be joined by fellow NOAH star Nakajima. A 20-year pro, he is one of the best in the world. His work has defined NOAH, and there are few better villains—and few wrestlers who understand the intricacies of their craft quite like Nakajima. The chance to wrestle in San Francisco in front of a passionate crowd is extremely appealing to him.

“It’s been a while since I wrestled outside of Japan,” Nakajima says through a translator. “The atmosphere of the building, the audience, and the encounter with a wrestler, Kratos, who I have never wrestled before, I am looking forward to all of that.”

A two-time GHC heavyweight champion, Nakajima is one of the most distinct, compelling performers in the world. He plans to further raise NOAH’s platform with a memorable showing at King of Indies.

“I want to raise my level up and King of Indies will help develop my wider field of vision,” Nakajima says. “The level of NOAH is high. I want to have a wider field of vision to make this promotion even stronger, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.