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| Is it finally Henry's year? Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
AC Mack - He won the Scenic City Rumble to get an automatic bid, but Mack might've been here even without the punched ticket. He's the reigning and defending ACTION Wrestling Champion with a penchant for getting under people's skins. Look for him to make a deep run while irritating some of the fan favorites.
Anthony Henry - A Scenic City veteran from the first one, Henry returns to see if the fifth time is a charm. A high flyer who has made some waves in EVOLVE, Henry looks to keep the trophy down South.
B-Boy - The New Age Punisher is still around, perhaps the most veteran competitor. Longtime indie fans have seen him kick ass and take names with the best of them in promotions around the country. Few people are as intense as him when brawling.
Billy Buck - I'm not as familiar with Buck as most, but he seems like a safe pick to advance far in the tournament. Excited to see him do his thing. ETA: Buck has been one of the most decorated Georgia indie wrestlers of the last decade, most recently placing as a finalist in the Scenic City Trios tournament.
Brett Ison - A big lad, Ison is the reigning and defending Southern Underground Pro Bonestorm Champion. He comes with the highest HOSS FIGHT recommendations.
Daniel Makabe - Wrestling Twitter sniffs out a guy every once in awhile who ends up taking the indies by storm. Timothy Thatcher and Fred Yehi give way to Makabe, a technical genius from the Pacific Northwest.
Jaden Newman - Newman made some waves at Young Lions Cup this year, impressing fans at the Wrestle Factory for two shows. The Southern gyms are more of his home base, as he will look to take his athleticism far into the tournament.
JD Drake - Another Southern boy done well in EVOLVE, Drake contributes to the BIG BOY SZN going on in 'Nooga.
Joey Lynch - Lynch won the whole damn thing last year and wants to do it again. An old school Southern rassler with some modern high-flying tricks up his sleeve, Lynch has to be a threat to repeat.
Kevin Ku - You want to talk about intense, hard-hitting dudes with chips on their shoulders? Ku is your man. He will kick you in the face and chop your chest and then yell at you that you don't respect him enough. He's the most emo wrestler in this thing in the best way possible.
Marko Stunt - He broke out at Scenic City Futures, and the rest, as they say, is history. Stunt sat out too long for his liking with a broken leg, but he's raring to go, showing the world that big force comes in small packages. I don't care how small you are, when you jump from heights and land on people, it's effective.
Matt Tremont - Man, few people can get downright as violent as the Bulldozer. Tremont is a veritable LEGEND in the Philly deathmatch scene, and his hulking frame provides the heft necessary for maximum carnage. Whether he's there for one match or all three, he will make his mark.
Nick Iggy - Although Iggy is the only Carny in the tournament, he surely will bring the traveling show to 'Nooga with all the pomp and spectacle. ETA: I was mistaken that Kerry Awful was originally scheduled for the tourney; he was not.
O'Shay Edwards - He's another Southern mainstay whom I don't know much about. Unlike Buck, he's newer to the scene, but like Buck, he comes highly regarded. ETA: He has made some waves in the last few months, joining the Ring of Honor Dojo, wrestling and defeating Vordell Walker, and placing as a finalist in the Scenic City Rumble.
Slim J - If anyone can match B-Boy in experience in this year's tournament, it's Slim J, one of the great junior heavyweights in Southern indie history. He's got a ton of experience, but he can still move with the best of them.
Tony Deppen - Rounding out the field is Deppen, who is one-half of Chikara's Campeonatos de Parejas and a member of Team FIST. He may look like Yung Chuck Taylor, but if you can believe it, he's even crazier. Blame the Combat Zone Wrestling upbringing.
And to top it all off, the folks in charge announced all the first round matches, which are as follows:
- AC Mack vs. Jaden Newman
- Marko Stunt vs. Billy Buck
- Kevin Ku vs. Nick Iggy
- Matt Tremont vs. Brett Ison
- Daniel Makabe vs. Tony Deppen
- JD Drake vs O'Shay Edwards
- Slim J vs. B-Boy
- Joey Lynch vs. Anthony Henry
The Scenic City Invitational for the fifth straight year boasts a strong lineup on paper. I would be shocked if it did not for a fifth consecutive year deliver as promised. The more regions in the country that have big tournaments like this, the healthier the indie wrestling scene is. The South has a ton to offer, and once again, the SCI will show that for the entire nation.
