Editing Independent circuit (section)

===United States===
{{see also|List of independent wrestling promotions in the United States}}
Independent promotions are usually local in focus and, lacking national [[Television|TV]] contracts, are much more dependent on revenue from [[house show]] attendance. Due to their lower budgets, most independent promotions offer low salaries (it is not unusual for a wrestler to work for free due to the fact most promoters can only afford to pay well-known talent). Most cannot afford to regularly rent large venues, and would not be able to attract a large enough crowd to fill such a venue were they able to do so. Instead, they make use of any almost open space (such as fields, ballrooms, or gymnasiums) to put on their performances. Some independent promotions are attached to [[List of professional wrestling terms#S|professional wrestling school]]s, serving as a venue for students to gain experience in front of an audience. As independent matches are seldom televised, indie wrestlers who have not already gained recognition in other promotions tend to remain in obscurity. However, scouts from major promotions attend indie shows, and an indie wrestler who makes a good impression may be offered a developmental or even a full-professional contract.

The advent of the [[Internet]] has allowed independent wrestlers and promotions to reach a wider audience, and it is possible for wrestlers regularly working the indie circuit to gain some measure of fame among wrestling fans online. Additionally, some of the more successful indies have video distribution deals, giving them an additional source of income and allowing them to reach a larger audience outside of their local areas.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:85%;"
|+Top 10 most-attended shows
! No.
! Promoter
! Event
! Location
! Venue
! Attendance
! class=unsortable|Main Event(s)
! class=unsortable|
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|[[NWA New England|NWA-NE]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey|[[WRKO|WRKO's Taste of the Boss]] <br> {{dts|1999-09-25}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey|[[Boston, Massachusetts]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey|[[Boston City Hall Plaza]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey|35,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey|5-0 ([[Trooper Gilmore]] and Corporal Johnson) vs. Victor Rivera <!-- not original --> and Jay Kobain
|bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[Independent Wrestling Revolution|IWR]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Warped Tour|Warped Tour 2002]] <br> {{dts|2003-08-03}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Pontiac, Michigan]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Pontiac Silverdome]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 19,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Deranged vs. Tommy Starr in a [[Hardcore wrestling|UV Light Tube Death match]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| <ref name="WO2003-AUG4"/>
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[I Believe In Wrestling|BELIEVE]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[BELIEVE 156]] <br> {{dts|2018-04-21}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Orlando, Florida]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Central Florida Fairgrounds
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 15,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Aaron Epic (c) vs. Andrew Merlin for the SCW Florida Heavyweight Championship
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[Atlantic Wrestling Federation|AWF]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Cement Belt Fair]] <br> {{dts|1990-06-21}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Cementon, Pennsylvania]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Cementon Fairgrounds
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 12,500
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Heidi Lee Morgan]] vs. Baby Face Nellie
|bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[World Power Wrestling|WPW]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Orange County Fair (California)|OC Fair: Flower Power]] (Day 2) <br> {{dts|2006-07-23}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Costa Mesa, California]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[OC Fair & Event Center|Washington Mutual Arena]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 12,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[El Hijo del Santo]], Lil Cholo and Silver Tyger vs. Infernal, Super Kendo 2 and [[Super Parka]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
| 1.
| {{center|—}}
| [[All In (professional wrestling event)|All In]] <br> {{dts|2018-09-01}}
| [[Hoffman Estates, Illinois]]
| [[Sears Centre Arena]]
| 11,263
| [[The Golden Elite]] ([[Kota Ibushi]], [[Matt Jackson (wrestler)|Matt Jackson]] and [[Nick Jackson (wrestler)|Nick Jackson]]) vs. [[Bandido (wrestler)|Bandido]], [[Rey Fénix]] and [[Rey Mysterio]] in a [[six-man tag team match]]
| 
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[World Power Wrestling|WPW]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Orange County Fair (California)|OC Fair: Flower Power]] (Day 1) <br> {{dts|2006-07-22}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Costa Mesa, California]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[OC Fair & Event Center|Washington Mutual Arena]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 10,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| El Hijo del Santo, Lil Cholo and Silver Tyger vs. Infernal, Super Kendo 2 and Super Parka
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[Heartland Wrestling Association|HWA]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[BaseBrawl]] <br> {{dts|2003-07-19}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Columbus, Ohio]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Cooper Stadium]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 8,757<ref group=Note name=PostgameShowHWA/>
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Rory Fox (c) vs. [[Shark Boy]] for the [[HWA Cruiserweight Championship]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| <ref name="WO2003-JUL28HWA"/>
|-
| 2.
| {{center|[[United States Wrestling Association|USWA]]}}
| [[Memphis Memories]] <br> {{dts|1994-03-07}}
| [[Memphis, Tennessee]]
| [[Mid-South Coliseum]]
| 8,377
| [[Jerry Lawler]] vs. [[Austin Idol]] vs. [[Brian Christopher]] vs. [[Doug Gilbert]] vs. [[Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)|Eddie Gilbert]] vs. [[Jimmy Valiant]] vs. [[Koko B. Ware]] vs. [[Moondog Spot]] vs. [[Terry Funk]] vs. [[Tommy Rich]] in a 10-man elimination match
| <ref name="PWT-MM">{{cite web |url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Torch_Today_2/article_76751.shtml |title=MAR. 7 IN HISTORY: Lawler headlines "Memphis Memories" card 20 years ago also featuring Funk, Idol, Koko, more |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 7, 2014 |website=PWTorch.com |publisher=[[Pro Wrestling Torch]] |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey|{{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[World Xtreme Wrestling|WXW]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Sportsfest (1998)|Sportsfest]] <br> {{dts|1998-07-12}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Cedar Beach Park
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 8,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| The Love Connection (Jay Love and Georgie Love) vs. [[D'Lo Brown]] and [[Owen Hart]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
| 3.
| {{center|[[United States Wrestling Association|USWA]] / [[World Wrestling Federation|WWF]]}}
| USWA vs. WWF <br> {{dts|1996-02-17}}
| [[Memphis, Tennessee]]
| [[Mid-South Coliseum]]
| 7,500
| [[Bret Hart]] (c) vs. [[Jerry Lawler]] in a [[Steel Cage match]] for the [[WWF World Heavyweight Championship]]
| <ref name="Cawthon-1996"/>
|-
| 4.
| {{center|[[Fuerza Mexicana de Lucha Libre|FMLL]]}}
| [[LuchaMania USA Tour]] <br> {{dts|2013-01-26}}
| [[Los Angeles, California]]
| [[Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena]]
| 7,000
| [[Blue Demon Jr.]], [[Cien Caras Jr.]] and [[Dr. Wagner Jr.]] vs. [[El Hijo del Santo]], [[L.A. Par-K]] and [[Rayo de Jalisco Jr.]] in a [[six-man tag team match]]
| 
|-
| 5.
| {{center|[[Jim Crockett Promotions|JCP]]}}
| [[Ric Flair's Last Match]] <br> {{dts|2022-07-31}}
| [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
| [[Nashville Municipal Auditorium]]
| 6,800
| [[Ric Flair]] and [[Andrade El Idolo]] vs. [[Jay Lethal]] and [[Jeff Jarrett]]
| 
|-
| 6.
| {{center|[[Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling|FMW]] / [[World Wrestling Association|WWA]]}}
| [[FMW vs. WWA]] <br> {{dts|1992-05-16}}
| [[Los Angeles, California]]
| [[California State University|Cal State-Los Angeles Gym]]
| 6,250
| [[Atsushi Onita]], [[Tarzan Goto]] and [[El Hijo del Santo]] vs. [[Negro Casas]], [[Horace Boulder]] and Tim Patterson in a [[Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match|Best 2-out-of-3 Falls]] [[Street Fight match]]
| <ref name="WO1992-JUL20">{{cite magazine |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Meltzer |date=July 20, 1992 |title=Vader makes title history, title belt lawsuit, Bash 92, real names |magazine=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] |location=Campbell, California |publisher= |access-date= |quote=Anyway, what this means is we've been underestimating the crowds of the Lucha Libre shows and that the original 5/16 show really did draw 6,250 (tickets were $20, $15 and $10 for that show and more freebies so the house was probably well under six figures but probably still in excess of $70,000).}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|—}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| {{center|[[International Wrestling Cartel|IWC]]}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Big Butler Fair]] <br> {{dts|2003-06-28}}
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Prospect, Pennsylvania]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| Big Butler Fairgrounds
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 6,000
|bgcolor=lightgrey| [[Dusty Rhodes]] vs. [[Jerry Lawler]]
|bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
| 7.
| {{center|Multiple}}
| [[World Wrestling Peace Festival]] <br> {{dts|1996-06-01}}
| [[Los Angeles, California]]
| [[Los Angeles Sports Arena]]
| 5,964
| [[Antonio Inoki]] and [[Dan Severn]] vs. [[Yoshiaki Fujiwara]] and [[Oleg Taktarov]]
| <ref name="WO1996-JUN17">{{cite magazine |last=Alvarez |first=Bryan |author-link=Bryan Alvarez |date=June 17, 1996 |title=Brian Pillman future after Humvee accident, Ilio DiPaolo bio, WCW and WWF big gates over the weekend, tons more |magazine=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] |location=Campbell, California |publisher= |access-date= |quote=Actual attendance at the World Wrestling Peace Festival was 5,964. I incorrectly misinterpreted the number of comps as being about 1,500 less than it actually was, although in no way did it look like there were anywhere close to 6,000 in the building but that is a legit figure.}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|8.
| {{center|[[Extreme Championship Wrestling|ECW]]}}
| [[November to Remember (1998)|November to Remember]] <br> {{dts|1998-11-01}}
| [[New Orleans, Louisiana]]
| [[Lakefront Arena]]
|rowspan=2|5,800
| [[The Triple Threat]] ([[Shane Douglas]], [[Bam Bam Bigelow]] and [[Chris Candido]]) vs. New Triple Threat ([[Sabu (wrestler)|Sabu]], [[Rob Van Dam]] and [[Tazz|Taz]])
| <ref name="Cawthon-1998">{{cite web |url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/ecw98.htm |title=Yearly Results: 1998 |last=Cawthon |first=Graham |date= |website=TheHistoryOfWWE.com |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| {{center|[[Juggalo Championship Wrestling|JCW]]}}
| [[Bloodymania]] <br> {{dts|2007-08-11}}
| [[Cave-In-Rock, Illinois]]
| Hatchet Landings
| | [[Sabu (wrestler)|Sabu]] and [[The Insane Clown Posse]] ([[Shaggy 2 Dope]] and [[Violent J]]) vs. [[Trent Acid]] and The Young Altar Boys (Young Altar Boy #1 and [[Silas Young|Young Altar Boy #4]])
| 
|-
| 9.
| {{center|[[Full Contact Wrestling|FCW]]}}
| [[FCW Pride|Pride]] <br> {{dts|2005-09-24}}
| [[Inglewood, California]]
| [[Great Western Forum]]
| 5,500
| | [[Blue Demon Jr.]], [[El Hijo del Santo]], [[Mil Mascaras]] and [[Tinieblas]] vs. [[Dr. Wagner Jr.]], [[Scorpio Jr.]] and Los Guerreros del Infierno ([[Rey Bucanero]] and [[Ultimo Guerrero]])
| 
|-
| 10.
| {{center|—}}
| [[Funk Free for All]] <br> {{dts|1993-10-28}}
| [[Amarillo, Texas]]
| [[Amarillo Civic Center]]
| 5,500
| [[Terry Funk]] vs. [[Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)|Eddie Gilbert]] in a [[Texas Death match]]
| <ref name="WO1993-NOV08">{{cite magazine |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Meltzer |date=November 8, 1993 |title=Oro dies in the ring, Sid Vicious vs. Arn Anderson stabbing incident |magazine=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] |location=Campbell, California |publisher= |access-date= |quote=7,200 tickets were given away, enough to fill the Civic Center. About 5,500 showed up, a surprising amount of whom were certainly old enough to remember the weekly Thursday night cards from the 60s and 70s, and many of whom were kids who came largely to see the Big Bossman of WWF television fame.}}</ref>
|}