30 for 30: IWF Top 30 Wrestlers Over the Past 30 Years!

The Independent Wrestling Federation boasts a rich and distinguished history that traces back to 1996. Over the past 30 years, there have been 23 different Heavyweight Champions, 33 American Champions, 38 Tag Team Champion combinations, 3 Women's Champions, and 18 Junior-Heavyweight title holders.

Initially, IWF co-promoted events and partnered with other organizations in 1996 and 1997. In early 1998, operations were consolidated and we officially became known as IWF. The rest is history!

As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary on April 11, 2026, an esteemed panel of veteran federation members, including Biggie Biggs, Eloy Fiesta, Kev Kage, Kevin Knight, Mike Winner, Roman Zachary, Shawn Bennett and Tommy Trouble, undertook the significant task of compiling nominees and voting for the Top 30 IWF Wrestlers from the past three decades.

This panel meticulously reviewed results from 735 live events, detailed title histories, tournament outcomes, match videos, and accolades such as wrestler of the year and hall of fame honors. Consistency of high-level competition, overall dominance, and connection with the fans also factored into the decision-making.

Here are the Top 30 Wrestlers over the past 30 years, in alphabetical order, with a minimum three years of IWF competition (click on each photo for bio and videos):

Aaron Stride

Nickname: God’s Gift

Titles: American. Tag Team (3x). Junior-Heavyweight.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2005 and 2010.

Biggie Biggs

Nickname: Phat Daddy

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American (3x). Tag Team (5x).

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2005.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2000 and 2002.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017. The first IWF Triple Crown title holder.

Brian Atkins

Nickname: The All-American

Titles: Heavyweight. Tag Team.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2017.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2018 and 2023.

Chris Steeler

Nickname: The Standard Bearer

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American (2x). Tag Team. Junior-Heavyweight.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2009.

Honors: The only IWF Grand Slam title holder.

Damian Adams

Titles: Heavyweight. American (2x). Tag Team.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2008. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2010.

Dan McGuire

Nickname: Dangerous Dan

Titles: Heavyweight. Tag Team (2x). Junior-Heavyweight (4x).

Dark Oracle Sage

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2024.

Dr. Hurtz

Nickname: Lethal Injection

Titles: Tag Team (2x)

Trophies: Commissioner’s Cup Tag Team Tournament 2000 and 2014.

Fady Rakman

Nickname: The Arabian Bull

Titles: Heavyweight.

Honors: Signed by WWE while IWF Champion in 2010.

Flex Freeman (Dante Dash)

Nickname: Real Deal

Titles: Heavyweight. American.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2010. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2011.

Honors: Signed by WWE while IWF Champion in 2011.

Franciz (Fallah Bahh)

Nickname: The Mastodon

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American. Tag Team (2x).

Trophies: Commissioner’s Cup Tag Team Tournament 2006 and 2008.

Fred Sampson (Fred Rosser / Darren Young)

Nickname: BoneCrusher, No Days Off

Titles: Heavyweight (2x).

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2004. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2003, 2004, 2006.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017. Signed by WWE in 2009.

Hadrian

Titles: American (2x). Tag Team.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2003.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2020.

Josh Daniels

Titles: American (2x).

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2001.

Justin Adams

Nickname: First-Class

Titles: American (2x). Junior-Heavyweight (2x).

Justin Corino

Titles: American (2x). Tag Team (3x).

Kasey Coresh

Nickname: Devil Incarnate

Contender: Heavyweight, American, Tag Team, and Junior-Heavyweight Titles.

Kevin Knight

Nickname: Master of Chaos

Titles: Heavyweight (7x). American (3x). Tag Team (4x).

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Tournament 2004 and 2011.

Marcus Verow

Nickname: Condition Critical

Titles: Tag Team.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Tournament 2000.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 1996.

Michael Cammett

Nickname: Golden Boy

Titles: American. Tag Team. Junior-Heavyweight.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2016. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2015.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2021.

Michael Travis Blake

Nickname: Self-Made

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American (2x). Tag Team (6x).

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2006, 2011. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2007, 2008, 2009.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2008.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017.

Rik Ratchet

Nickname: Mr. Showmanship

Titles: Heavyweight (3x). Tag Team.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 1998 and 1999.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017.

Robbie E. Eckos (Robert Stone)

Titles: Tag Team.

Robert Atkins

Nickname: The All-American

Titles: American. Tag Team.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2017.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2018 and 2023.

Roman Zachary

Nickname: The Fifth Element

Titles: Heavyweight (6x). Tag Team.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2002 and 2003.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2001, 2004, 2012 and 2013.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017.

Sean Royal

Nickname: Heavyweight

Titles: Junior-Heavyweight (2x)

Shane O’Brien

Nickname: The Outlaw

Titles: American. Tag Team (3x).

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament Winner 2007.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017.

Shawn Donavan

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). American. Tag Team (3x).

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2005 and 2014. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2015 and 2016.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2017.

Tommy Trouble

Titles: Junior-Heavyweight (2x)

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2006.

Honors: First Junior-Heavyweight Champion in IWF history.

Tony Torres

Nickname: Latin Revolution

Titles: Heavyweight (2x). Tag Team (2x).

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2007.

Once our panel finalized the all-time Top 30 list, there were many worthy candidates who received votes, leading to the creation of a Top 20 Honorable Mention category, listed in alphabetical order, with a minimum two years of IWF competition (click on each photo for bio and videos):

Anthony Bowens

Titles: Junior-Heavyweight.

Antonio Rivera

Nickname: Latin Revolution

Titles: Tag Team (2x). Junior-Heavyweight (2x).

Austin Williams

Nickname: All-Star

Titles: Tag Team (4x).

Brandon Young

Titles: American. Tag Team.

Chachi

Nickname: Latin Lover

Titles: Heavyweight. American.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2009.

Corey Havoc

Nickname: Rude Dude

Titles: American. Tag Team.

Trophies: Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2014

Dracko

Nickname: Hellraiser

Titles: Heavyweight

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2019.

Awards: Wrestler of the Year 2017.

Dylan Black

Titles: Junior-Heavyweight.

Eloy Fiesta

Nickname: El Famoso

Titles: Tag Team.

Honors: Hall of Fame inductee 2019.

Eric Andretti

Titles: American.

Frank Scoleri

Nickname: The Master

Titles: Tag Team (6x).

Galindo

Nickname: International Icon

Titles: American. Junior-Heavyweight.

Trophies: Tournament of Champions 2015. Commissioner's Cup Tag Team Tournament 2016.

Jarrett Foster

Nickname: Bright Lights

Titles: Tag Team. Junior-Heavyweight.

Karson Slade

Nickname: World-Class

Titles: Tag Team.

Marc Corino

Titles: Tag Team (2x). Junior-Heavyweight.

Nick Sabre

Titles: Tag Team. Junior-Heavyweight (3x).

Rapid Fire Maldonado

Titles: Tag Team.

Tito Santana

WWE Hall of Famer and IWF Wrestler from 2005 to 2022.

IWF Titles: Tag Team (2x) w/ Biggie Biggs and Mr. Casino.

WWE Titles: Intercontinental (2x). Tag Team (2x).

Tony Graves

Nickname: Southside Slugger

Titles: Tag Team.

Vik Voorhees

Nickname: The Playboy

Titles: American. Tag Team (2x).

Our blue-ribbon panel is hard at work compiling another 30 for 30 list, this time it's the Top 30 Women, Managers, Announcers and Referees over the past three decades. Check back soon for details.

In the meantime, all roads lead to our massive 30th Anniversary Live Event featuring past, present and future IWF stars, I WILL NOT BREAK on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Rec Center, Nutley, NJ.