The red tape strangling independent wrestling

So, Ricky Saints decided to open up about his time away from AEW and, honestly, it’s a masterclass in why pro wrestling contracts feel like they were written by a bored accountant trying to ruin a Saturday night. Saints noted that while he was technically sitting on the sidelines, he faced a mountain of hurdles just to work independent shows. It shouldn't be this hard for a guy with his skill set to take a booking at a local armory.

Think about the absurdity here. You have a performer who wants to stay sharp and actually earn a living, but instead, they are tethered to a desk of legal waivers and permission slips. As Ricky Saints mentioned regarding the specific difficulty of getting independent dates cleared, it creates a purgatory that helps nobody. The fans lose out on seeing top-tier talent, and the talent loses the chance to maintain their timing.

The cost of being a roster body

We need to talk about the booking philosophy that treats wrestlers like office furniture rather than high-performance athletes. When you have a talent like Saints standing around waiting for the green light, they aren't just losing momentum; they are losing the crowd. You can’t replicate the adrenaline of a 20-minute barnburner in an indie main event while sitting at home checking your email for compliance approval.

Is it any wonder that the IWC becomes a toxic wasteland when guys disappear for months, only to return with a generic entrance and zero heat? The current internal process for clearing talent for external appearances feels like it was designed by someone who thinks the most iconic moment in wrestling history was a stable 4.2 percent quarterly growth report. If the goal is to provide the best possible show on April 19 for WrestleMania or any major AEW pay-per-view, stop treating the independent scene like a contagion.

Why this matters for your weekly viewing

This isn't just about one guy’s frustrations with his contract. It’s a recurring story that hints at a larger issue regarding how modern promotions value their depth charts. When wrestlers aren't allowed to build their personas on the independent circuit, they arrive at the big time with all the personality of a cardboard box. You need those reps to refine your move set and develop that connection with a live audience that can make or break a career.

Look at the recent comments again and ask yourself if we want a industry defined by exclusivity clauses or electricity. A wrestler who is kept on ice is a wrestler who eventually forgets how to stir the drink. If they end up rusty, you get sloppy spots, missed cues, and a match that falls flatter than a pancake dropped on a kitchen floor. We deserve better than that.

The booking mistakes of 2026

There is a glaring lack of common sense in how these companies approach talent management right now. Taking a wrestler in their prime and forcing them into a spectator role under the guise of an 'exclusive contract' is a tactical disaster. It creates a vacuum where the wrestler loses their edge and the company loses its return on investment.

Critics will say this is just the nature of modern business, but that’s a cop-out for bad planning. If you aren't using them, let them go work a high-stakes match in front of 500 screaming fans. Trust me, it beats them sitting in the back staring at their phones while the promotion wonders why their ratings are drifting. It is a fundamental failure to understand that a ring presence is earned in sweat, not legal filings.