{"id":38415,"date":"2019-02-13T22:12:03","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T03:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=38415"},"modified":"2022-01-15T12:11:30","modified_gmt":"2022-01-15T17:11:30","slug":"indie-watch-mike-speedball-bailey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2019\/02\/13\/indie-watch-mike-speedball-bailey\/","title":{"rendered":"Indie Watch: “Speedball” Mike Bailey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Indie Watch is our regular series that looks at all of the amazing talents working the independent circuits around the world. Some are veterans revitalizing their careers, some are indie prospects hitting their peaks, while others are names to be on the watch for! This edition looks at one of Canada’s indie superstars, who has emerged as one of the international elite in Europe and Japan, “Speedball” Mike Bailey.<\/em><\/p>\n

For a country that has produced legends from “Whipper” Billy Watson<\/strong> and Stu Hart<\/strong>, to Roddy Piper<\/strong> and Bret “Hitman” Hart<\/strong>, from Chris Jericho<\/strong> to Edge & Christian<\/strong>, Trish Stratus<\/strong> to Gail Kim<\/strong>, Canada’s indie scene doesn’t often get the attention that it probably deserves. Arguably it could all be Canada’s fault – after all, as a nation, we Canadians tend to be a little more reserved in our bravado, often seen as being too polite (and apologetic – sorry!). But with solid indie promotions like Smash Wrestling<\/strong> in Toronto, Alpha-1<\/strong> in Hamilton, Ontario, International Wrestling Syndicate (IWS)<\/strong> in Montreal and Vancouver’s Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW)<\/strong>, among others, leading the charge, the Canadian indie scene is still producing top level\u00a0talent. To the current crop of top superstars like WWE’s Kevin Owens, Natalya<\/strong>, and Sami Zayn<\/strong>, to IMPACT Wrestling<\/strong>‘s Taya Valkyrie<\/strong> and “All Ego” Ethan Page<\/strong>, to indie breakouts like El Phantasmo, Kobe Durst<\/strong> and Josh Alexander<\/strong>, the Canadian indie scene is still thriving. One such indie star that is on the verge of exploding internationally (thanks to a rather unfortunate situation) is Quebec’s“Speedball”\u00a0<\/strong>Mike Bailey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Montreal’s Mike Bailey began wrestling in 2005, starting out with the Montreal Wrestling Federation (MWF)<\/strong> at the age of only 15. With no formal training, he absorbed the work of those around him (including an older brother and sister who also wrestled) and by the age of 16 made his pro wrestling debut, working MWF shows as well as working with\u00a0Federation de Lutte Quebecoise (FLQ)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n