Best Splinter Promotion

[ohtani's jacket]

It occurred to me recently that I really don't like splinter promotions. Maybe I'm a bit conservative in the sense that I prefer more established, traditional promotions over new start ups, but I really can't stand promotions like UWF-i, AAA and All-Star Wrestling, both stylistically and in terms of what they did with the talent they took.

 

Of course there exceptions. RINGS eventually became something great, PWFG and BattlARTS produced their share of good matches, and UWF was an offshoot to begin with. I also liked JWP after the split. UWA I'm not sure about. It may have been great or it may have been the 1970s AAA for me.

 

Does anybody have a favourite or best splinter promotion?

[jdw]

All Japan Pro Wrestling

[tholzerman]

Does NXT count?

 

If not, then my vote goes to Wrestling Is Fun! It's Chikara on a budget. Super kid-friendly (which is key for me since I'll have two kids to indoctrinate into wrestling fandom), tickets cheaper, and all the masks and regulars compete there.

[jdw]

Thinking more about this, I'm wondering how many non-splinter promotions there really are among "traditional" promotions. I was flippant about AJPW, but in reality almost everything in Japan was a splinter off of JWP and AJW on some level if we trace it back. EMLL didn't invent Lucha, it just grew into the biggie. Wrestling was in New York, Philly and Boston long before the McMahon.

 

I don't think this is exactly what Daniel meant, but the promotions he referenced kind of lead one back in that direction.

[KrisZ]

Mid-South splintered off of Leroy McGuirk

[Sidebottom]

Didn't RINGS start up again a year or so back? I assume with a different group of people behind it / in name only?

[Memphis Mark]

The Gulas /Welch wrestling promotion had two groups splinter off ; the Jarrett / Lawler Memphis group and the Ron Fuller's Southeastern group. I think the Memphis promotion is the best break off group in wrestling history.

[El-P]

ARSION I would guess.

 

But if stuff like AJPW and Jarrett's Memphis are splinter promotions, well, I have no idea.

[ButchReedMark]

In response to the OP, All Star is great. Best roster in the UK, great matches, and wonderful barnstorming shows, as well as their summer seasons based in one town having storylines over the 6 or so weeks. All Star's the UKs best promotion and has been for a while now.