The annual Fantasy Wrestling Draft, started by Type, former writer on WH/LOP here, is underway. What started as a way to pass the time during the pandemic seems to have become an annual tradition. This year’s iteration has less rules than ever: participants draft a roster of 30 wrestlers via Twitter. The wrestlers must be currently wrestling or have had one match within the last 3 years. A general manager must be drafted. Otherwise, participants can draft as many singles or tag team wrestlers as they like. The goal is to create the best supercard possible with the roster that was drafted.
We’ve just reached the midway point of drafting, Round 15. As has become the tradition, we’re reporting on the results and sharing some commentary on how things have gone so far and what is being anticipated on each person’s roster.
Type-
2. Darby Allin
3. Solo Sikoa
4. Becky Lynch
5. Paul Heyman (manager)
6. Ricky Starks
7. HOOK
8. Wardlow
9. Jacob Fatu
10. Alexander Hammerstone
11. Jordynne Grace
12. Saraya
13. The Miz
14. Grayson Waller
15. Mustafa Ali
Received Most Surprising Pick from Latta and King Zak for Solo Sikoa “The definition of ‘he’s on the team’ going top 25 is egregious”.
Paul Heyman was a steal in round 5 from Disco Josh.
Received Match I Most Do Not Want to See from Imp for Waller vs. Miz.
Latta wants to see Wardlow vs. Fatu in a top rope move only match.
It will be interesting to see who he builds up to face Roman. Complimented by Imp for his “big boy” card.
Don Franc-
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Bron Breakker
4. Shibata
5. Bobby Lashley
6. Shinsuke Nakamura
7. Finn Balor
8. Samoa Joe
9. Miro
10. Matt Riddle
11. Top Flight
12. Private Party
13. Viking Raiders
14. PNP (Santana/Ortiz)
15. MVP (General Manager)
Received Match I Most Want to See from LWO and Type- Brock Lesnar vs. Bron Breakker, and from Disco Josh for CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker
Lots of potential for big hoss matches on this card.
Received Most Surprising Pick from King Zak for Bron Breakker and from Howard for CM Punk going #2.
A focus on tag teams in the last few rounds should create some entertaining variety on the card.
JCool-
2. Edge/Christian
3. Asuka
4. Big E
5. Adam Cole
6. DIY
7. Deonna Purrazzo
8. The New Day (Kofi/Xavier)
9. Pete Dunne
10. Mustache Mountain
11. Tenille Dashwood
12. Ronda Rousey
13. Moose
14. Raquel Rodriguez
15. EC3
Received Most Surprising Pick from Don Franc for Zayn/Owens as a Tag Team, instead of separately.
Received Match I Most Want to See from Don Franc, Howard and Implications for Zayn/Owens vs. Edge/Christian. “If that isn’t a dream feud/match, then I honestly don’t [understand] the definition”.
Received some remarks as the most “outside the box” roster so far.
Implications-
2. Kota Ibushi
3. The Young Bucks
4. Konosuke Takeshita
5. Malakai Black
6. Jamie Hayter
7. AZM
8. Don Callis
9. Brody King & Buddy Matthews
10. Jay White
11. Toni Storm
12. Saki Akai
13. Minoru Suzuki
14. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal
15. Jeff Cobb
Received Match I Most Want to See from Latta for Omega vs. Takeshita
JCool wants to see Suzuki vs. Black.
James was upset that Imp drafted Azumi but didn’t bother to draft an opponent fit for her because “he’s a jerk.”
Received props from Type for managing to pick Jay White in Round 10
Jake-
2. Rey Mysterio
3. Orange Cassidy
4. Dominik Mysterio
5. Braun Strowman/Riccochet
6. R. Truth
7. Bray Wyatt
8. Kane
9. The Undertaker
10. The Hardy Boys
11. Goldberg
12. Baron Corbin
13 Big Show
14. Pretty Deadly
15. Sting
Received Match I Most Want to See from Miz for Orange Cassidy vs. Rey Mysterio or Type’s Cody Rhodes vs. Orange Cassidy.
Received Most Surprising Pick from JCool for R-Truth because as much as I enjoy his work, especially from 2011-2012, it’s surprising to see him picked 6th round in 2023.
Plenty of babyfaces and legends on this roster. Will the pops only be for the entrances “and then the bell rang”?
Latta-
2. Adam Page
3. Shingo Takagi
4. Syuri
5. O’Reilly/Strong
6. Keith Lee/Swerve
7. Chris Jericho
8. AXIS (Shiozaki/Nakajima)
9. Hiroshi Tanahashi
10. Jack Perry
11. Utami Hayashashita
12. Nick Wayne
13. Yota Tsuji
14. Saya Katamini
15. Takumi Iroha
Received Match I Most Want to See from himself, King Zak and Type- Will Ospreay vs. Hangman Page, and JCool wants to see O’Reilly/Strong vs. Keith Lee/Swerve
Imp predicts Nick Wayne vs. Yota Tsuji going 20 minutes and tearing the house down.
MizFan-
2. Eddie Kingston
3. El Hijo Del Vikingo
4. Chihiro Hashimoto
5. Castagnoli/Yuta
6. Ilja Dragunov
7. Gresham/Bailey
8. Miyu Yamashita
9. Athena
10. Black Taurus
11. PCO
12. AR Fox
13. KUSHIDA
14. Motor City Machine Guns
15. Timothy Thatcher
Received Match I Most Want to See from King Zak and Type for Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson, Latta wants to see Danielson/Dragunov.
No surprising picks for Miz. His roster was complimented for its well-chosen mix of strong style wrestlers.
LWO4Life-
2. Tetsuya Naito
3. Bandido
4. Santos Escobar
5. Logan Paul
6. LA Knight
7. Powerhouse Hobbs
8. Andrade/Rush
9. The Acclaimed
10. Bad Bunny
11. Zelina Vega
12. Dragon Lee
13. Jade Cargill
14. Billy Gunn
15. Legado Del Fantasma (Wilde/Del Toro)
Received Most Surprising Pick from Implications and himself for Logan Paul, and King Zak was happy to see Escobar drafted so high.
Received Match I Most Want to See from Miz for Hobbs vs. Dragon Lee, and from Josh for Logan Paul vs. Bad Bunny
King Zak-
2. lo Sky (Sharai)
3. Bianca Belair
4. Mercedes Mone
5. Bayley/Dakota Kai
6. Damian Priest
7. Sheamus
8. Kris Statlander
9. Candace Lerae
10. Ruby Soho
11. Carmelo Hayes
12. Shayna Baszler
13. Hikaru Shida
14. Liv Morgan
15. Trish Stratus
Received Most Surprising Pick from Latta and Don Franc for Rhea Ripley in first round. Disco Josh really liked Ripley as a first round pick.
Received Match I Most Want to see from Latta for Ripley vs. Mercedes Mone. Miz wants to see Io Sky vs. Ruby Soho.
Unique roster featuring mostly women’s wrestling and potential for a number of strong matchups.
James Boyd-
2. Kazuchika Okada
3. Drew Mcyntire
4. Hiromu Takahashi
5. Tam Nakano
6. Giulia
7. Iwatani
8. Kairi
9. Kaito Kiyomiya
10. Guevera/Garcia
11. Goto/Hashi
12. Maika & Himeka
13. Hazuki & Kaguma
14. Lio Rush
15. Ninja Mack
Received Match I Most Want to See from King Zak and Type for Jon Moxley vs. Drew McIntyre “the two heroes of the pandemic era of wrestling”.
Latta wants to see Moxley vs. Okada. Miz wants to see Moxley vs. Takahashi.
Type is smelling a lot of long women’s bangers here. And by that, he means the women will be given time to show their wrestling talents.
No surprising picks noted.
Howard-
2. GUNTHER
3. AJ Styles
4. Lucha Bros
5. Aussie Open
6. Zack Sabre Jr
7. PAC
8. Chad Gable
9. Alex Kane
10. Tomohiro Ishii
11. Bronson Reed
12. Richard Holliday (General Manager)
13. Brian Cage/Lance Archer
14. Wes Lee Action Andretti
15. “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander
Received Most Surprising Pick from many for picking Richard Holliday as GM so early (Round 12)
Received Match I Most Want to See from King Zak and Type for Gunther vs. MJF or AJ Styles
Received Match I Most Want to See from Josh and Latta for MJF vs. AJ Styles. JCool wants to see Chad Gable vs. PAC.
Disco Josh-
2. The Usos
3. FTR
4. Randy Orton
5. John Cena
6. Britt Baker, M.D.
7. Briscoe Brothers
8. Austin Theory
9. Thunder Rosa
10. Montez Ford
11. Tiffany Stratton
12. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
13. Davey Boy Smith Jr
14. Nick Aldis
15. Dolph Ziggler
Received Most Surprising Pick from Miz for Kane, who has no business being in the ring in 2023.
Match I Most Want to See from Latta for Austin/Cena. KingZak wants to see FTR vs. The Usos, but JCool wants to see FTR/Briscoes.
Type says “A lot of reliable hands here in veterans and up and comers like Ford”.
Now it’s your turn! What feedback do you have for our fantasy wrestling promotion owners? Surprising picks? Matches you most want to see? Share them below.