Wrestling’s New Golden Age: How Independent Promotions Have Revolutionized One of America’s Favorite Sports

The wrestling business is in a curious state right now. The WWE’s doing well money-wise, but fewer people are watching than ever. And, on the flip side, the independent wrestling scene is booming, even if casual wrestling fans have no idea.

Wrestling’s New Golden Age provides a terrific window into that flip side, looking at how indie promotions are impacting the big time and shaping the future. By first delving into the old territory days, Snyder explains how the best of the territories are reflected in today’s modern indie renaissance, offering insight from promoters and talent alike.

Even as a serious wrestling fan who watches a lot of indie wrestling, I learned quite a bit from Snyder’s interviews with various smaller promotions around the U.S., and although I was a little bummed that the UK indie scene wasn’t also represented here, I was thoroughly impressed by the wide net cast by Snyder.

Of course, as a wrestling fan, I can’t help but nitpick the bits Snyder got wrong — mistaking Ken Anderson for Karl Anderson or misremembering Sasha Banks as the opponent in an Alexa Bliss steel cage match against Becky Lynch — but for the most part, this was a well-researched, thorough look at America’s indies.