Timothy Thatcher

[10.0] "Timothy Thatcher is one of the finest wrestlers in the world today. His style may not be for everyone, but his mastery of technique, selling, and in-ring storytelling is absolutely elite. Every move, every facial expression, every pause is deliberate, creating a sense of realism and intensity few can match. What sets Thatcher apart is his ability to elevate his opponents; he never wrestles for personal glory, instead putting himself entirely at the service of the match. His hard-hitting, submission-based offense is complemented by a commanding presence; his size, build, and striking make him genuinely intimidating. While his visibility in the U.S. has waned in recent years, he has found appreciation in the U.K., Irish, and German scenes, where fans recognize his immense talent. Thatcher is a spiritual successor to Katsuyori Shibata, and with Shibata retired, it would be a true loss not to see Thatcher in more prominent roles across the indie circuit."

[9.0] "He's been a favorite for a long time and really is a connoisseur's worker. Definitely knows how to put a hurting on somebody and his face selling has always been excellent. And when he finally wins one rather than just putting someone over it's like the sun's come out. Highly recommended."

[8.0] "Thatcher is a very good throwback act. He seems like an old school wrestler with his offense, technical wrestling and character work. Think his work fits anywhere whether it's the indies or WWE. He has the aura from his characters more than mic skills."

[9.0] "one thing about me is that i'm a huge sucker for technical wrestling, and timothy thatcher embodies that post danielson pre zsj era of technical wrestling on the indies for me, he's not as brutal with his striking as danielson is or as creative with his submission game as sabre, but he's a great hard nosed rough technican who can beat the hell out of you and stretch you out at the same time even though he admittedly isn't too much of a charismatic character, he fits perfectly in situations where he can just be straight serious while funny things happen around him."

[8.0] "Thatcher is the definition of an old-school technician just down from his rugged look to the way he moves in the ring with a clear objective to getting the win by any means! A quote that sticks with me when thinking of Thatcher is him saying "I'm not a sport entertainer, I entertain you with my sport" which totally encapsulates him as a whole. Whilst notably he's not one of the best talker though he's more of action speak louder than words. He's definitely one of those stars that if given more attention & spotlight can succeed further than the ceiling being labeled to him."

[8.0] "He's one of the best Technicians of our era, in my opinion, and would be capable of putting on a great game against any opponent. He's got something extra, just as he lacks something. He often reminds me of Roderick Strong: perfect in the ring, effective against all his opponents, but limited to the upper-mid-card. And that's a shame. Guys like that deserve an effective manager to allow them to shine solely with their wrestling."

[7.0] "He resonates with a lot of people I know, but man he just misses the mark with me. This is obviously subject to change. He's great at the things he makes himself out to be, but I think it limits him in that landscape. He's got a good feel to himself and I think he exudes that well in the ring, but not as good as the other technicians historically."

[9.0] "One of the great technicians of modern professional wrestling. Has a very natural physical charisma that makes him come off as an absolute monster in the ring. Having a more openly methodical style leaves him more underrated compared to other long tenured independent mainstays but the thoughtfulness applied to his work helps him stick out and mesh well with nearly anyone put across the ring from him."

[7.0] "Tim Thatcher had a great run on the indies, but it was followed up by a miserable run in WWE that only helped him because it exposed him to a larger audience. I admit, he did have some good matches in NXT before being released, like the fight pit with Matt Riddle. When he was released, he went to NOAH, and I admit, he's doing pretty well. He is one of my favorite technicians, and it would be absolutely insane if he faced Bryan Danielson at one point. However, his character sucks, and his promos need a ton of improvement. He needs to develop those things if he wants to be more popular."

[8.0] "While having a bit of a turn around for a few years, his time with NXT/WWE killed any momentum he had. Still, he's gone from amazing technician on the mat with tepid charisma and command, to a man who just exudes a domineering confidence to match his technical skills. Unlike many of his compatriots who ape the shoot/catch style, Thatcher is snug in all his holds and all his mat work, lacking the obvious glaring openings you'd typically see from other technicians like ZSJ, Drew Gulak and even legit trained wrestlers like O'Reilly. He may just be the west's Shibata and he has finally found his way to perch himself on the pinnacle of "I am a competitor" type character that so many others cannot pull off."

[10.0] "Tim is consistently one of the most slept on workers in the world. An all time great who's never truly been appreciated like he should be."

[10.0] "One of the best technical wrestlers of the world which is absolutely savage and violent. Perfect for NJPW or BJW Strong Division, but he can definitely have big success in any other of the big five of Japan. Currently GHC Tag Team Champion with Hideki Suzuki, but I hope he can show all his potential in Japan with single matches. He would be a perfect GHC Heavyweight Champion."

[9.0] "Thatcher doesn't need much introduction. He is gritty, tough and violent. He won't be quite as appealing to the top brass and the casual fans with his gnarly teeth and unkempt appearance but the man is a passionate performer and one of the best catch Wrestlers in the West."

[9.0] "Thatcher is one of the best wrestlers in the world in making everything make sense and having zero wasted effort or movement. He also got himself a job at WWE during a global pandemic, barely worked and then got released in time for the world opening back up. Truly a prince among paupers."

[9.0] "One of the most intense and realistic wrestlers today. I absolutely love his more grounded, classic style of wrestling, and they pushed it well by having him win matches with multiple different submissions, to show that he can twist your limbs into a pretzel with just one simple move. The only problem is that he isn? t presented as a bigger deal recently, with a lack of big wins or feuds under his belt, and I feel like he has a higher ceiling. That aside, his gimmick, aura and ring-skills are fantastic."

[5.0] "I personally don't like Thatcher. He basically is angry good at wrestling dude #189. He wrestles well, but he wrestles a completely unexciting wrestling style. His character is "I'm tough wrassler" thus unexciting. His promos are also about how tough of a wrestling wrestler he is and his look is one of the most Create-A-Wrestleer looks in the big leagues."

[9.0] "Such of big person in pro-wrestling. Great in a ring, not bad on microphone and other things create him very good wrestler. One of my favorite wrestlers."

[7.0] "Thatcher is great in the ring. His tough & gritty persona also works well for him. I'm not sure I see him having a grand career in WWE though. He reminds me of Kassius Ohno -- someone who is there to mostly get others over. I wouldn't call him a job guy, but I think they'll use him as a starmaker. But hey, I think that's a pretty important role to have filled on any wrestling show. Someone who can lose most all big matches but still keep their credibility is an important asset for any federation to have."

[9.0] "Looks intense and brutal, his no frills no bullshit I'm just gonna try and break your arm Gimmick is totally believable. Great technical and brawling skills. For years looked like the sort of guy WWE would never sign, not only did they sign him, they let him be the same as he was and even gave him an expensive signature match (the fight pit), I dont know how he would fare on the main roster though."

[10.0] "The best technical wrestler today. A great performer with amazing matches. In his time at wXw he was amazing, and at Ringkampf he showed what he's really worth."

[9.0] "Wrestling didn't know it needed a taller, heavier, pseudo-European Dean Malenko with a fuller head of hair until it got one. It's hard to say we live in a world where technical wrestling is "dead" or "dying" with guys like ZSJ, Daniel Bryan, Drew Gulak, and many others knocking about, but there's definitely an argument to be made that making technical wrestling look brutal, painful, and efficient is something of a forgotten art. This is a niche Thatcher fills spectacularly, hence the Malenko comparison; he fits that Shooter-esque role to a T, a cold, stoic, hard-as-fuck bastard who's there to throw strikes, snap limbs, and get wins. Very comparable to Suzuki in that sense, also. Not being more of a complete package is the only thing holding Thatcher back from being a 10/10, in my book; if the man was a better promo, a more charismatic presence, a more diverse and versatile actor, he'd be one of the absolute best-of-the-best."

[10.0] "Goddamn, Timothy Thatcher is a fucking beast. It's a shame he's not as popular over in the States anymore, but his hard-hitting, technical offence has found a much more appreciative crowd in the UK, Irish and German wrestling scenes. Seeing comments on the Evolve Championship from a few years ago, and even some from this page, is frustrating, because almost all of them slag off Thatcher, a crying shame considering his immense talent. I've only had the pleasure of seeing Thatcher wrestle in person three times (VS. Keith Lee, David Starr and Terry Thatcher), but his hard-as-fuck persona has shined through every time I've seen him; for my money, no one in the business today is as intimidating as Thatcher, he's tall, built, can strike stiff like few others and has a wincing submission-based offence. Thatcher has slightly fallen to the wayside ever since WALTER signed with WWE and Ringkampf disbanded, though he did recently win WXW's top title (a reign that was ended way too soon, in my opinion). As Zeocrymer wrote, Thatcher feels like a spiritual successor to Katsuyori Shibata, and with Shibata retired, it would be a waste to not have this guy booked in more prominent roles throughout the indie wrestling scene."

[10.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers today. He always stays true to his character, the stoic and intimidating mat worker who takes no crap. Ever since moving to Germany and becoming a permanent fixture of wxw his career has been rejuvenated. The past three years he has been having classic after classic, in wxw, progress and he has had some good matches in the states too."

[10.0] "Timothy Thatcher has a physical charisma that is currently unmatched in Western independent wrestling. His face, his musculature, even his charmingly gnarled teeth scream: do not fuck with me. Despite all of that, he has an ability to turn on an endearing babyface charm. His humble lifestyle and workman-like attitude translate in the ring. Wrestling is this man's passion."

[9.0] "Imagine judging Tim Thatcher only on his iffy title run with Evolve. At this point I think it was just the crowd as Thatcher has proven to be amazing since leaving and staying in Europe. His charisma is way more noticeable, his matches are just as good, and he himself seems happier. Becoming a permanent member of Ringkampf has done wonders for him. Fuck Evolve"

[8.0] "One half of the remaining Ringkampf and one of the best technical wrestlers around today. Not the flashiest guy in the room, but once you see him in a match you know shit is about to go down. He embodies the purity of pro wrestling down to it's very core being about fighting your opponent using various skills of "traditional" pro wrestling. That style isn't for everybody including me, but some wrestlers like Thatcher just make that style so damn entertaining."

[10.0] "Timothy Thatcher is one of the greatest wrestlers I have ever had the pleasure of watching. He just does everything to perfection, pretty much; facial expressions, selling, his brutal offense."

[9.0] "Exceptional technical performer and terrifyingly intense heel. His Evolve title run was poorly received by many but I found it fantastic."

[9.0] "One of the most underrated wrestlers in the world. Timothy Thatcher gets a bad rep and I don't know why. He is fantastic in thr ring, can get nuclear heat, and he looks like a badasss. Prehaps it's his technical style but it suits him, he makes it work and it looks absolutely vicious. Underrated is the word for Thatcher, he is awesome. Die matte ist heilig"

[5.0] "Thatcher''s technical mastery of wrestlING is among the best today, however, he loses crowd interest in every match he has had in the past year. He doesn't get heat as a heel, or sympathy as a face b. c he doesn't work for the crowd. He works for psychology sake, which doesn't bring forth the best matches, and can pull the pace of his matches to a complete halt. If you don't care about the fans, then you take away a necessary part of pro wrestling today. I live technical wrestling, and I feel it needs to be a considerable part of pro wrestling today, but there needs to be something to keep an audience invested. Thatcher needs to find it."

[2.0] "in 2015 he is awesome to see, but since he is EVOLVE champion it's just impossible to watch this guy wrestle, this guy has 0 charisma and the worst reign with EVOLVE Championship. Put this guy in a main event and people just quit before the match starts. His technical skills is visible, but everything he does with him is kill crowds."

[9.0] "Tim Thatcher has been one of my favourite wrestlers for a little over 2 years now. His selling point and what most people agree on is his great technical skill, but I would also argue that he has a certain charisma in the way he carries himself, he has a very mysterious aura and I find that fascinating. He's also half Portuguese, so he has my eternal sympathy right there."

[6.0] "He is great technical wrestler but he won EVOLVE Championship and he scored regress. Really, his reign with EVOLVE Title sucks, he is a champion too long. He had a really good ring skill but as a champion he sucks."

[4.0] "He went from the most exciting new face in EVOLVE to the low point of every card. The longest reigning and seemingly worst regarded EVOLVE Champion in history. In hindsight, it seems like a waste allowing for him to vacate the DGUSA title instead of having Drew Galloway or Johnny Gargano unify them. Thatcher is talented and he's done some good work but at this point, EVOLVE are damaging him by forcing this title reign to continue. He deserves some credit for defending the EVOLVE title in Germany but not too much given it took him 430+ days to defend the title abroad twice while Drew Galloway defended it abroad 10 times in 330 days. At the moment, I just want rid of him. Apparently wXw are big on him, perhaps he should spend more time there and return to prominent US indies in mid-2017 when people are feeling more charitable. Additionally, while injuries are not his fault, they've only added to the misery that has been the 2016 leg of his championship reign."

[9.0] "One for the future right here, love his old school British look and style, his aggressive mat style is unique in this day and age. Is having good matches with everyone at the moment."