Ryan Clancy Names Ray Jaz as the Hardest-Hitting Opponent He’s Faced: ‘I Know I’m Going to Wake Up the Next Day Feeling Horrible’

Independent wrestling standout Ryan Clancy has a clear answer when it comes to which opponent punishes him most inside the ring — and it’s someone he knows well.

Clancy recently opened up about the physical toll of stepping across the ring from fellow indie mainstay Ray Jaz, calling him the hardest-hitting opponent he’s worked with. In his own words, seeing his name next to Jaz on a match card is basically a guarantee that the next morning is going to be a rough one.

The two have built up a notable history on the independent circuit, facing each other in numerous bouts over the years. Their most recent clash came this past February at Wrestling Open, continuing a rivalry that has clearly left a lasting impression on Clancy — physically speaking.

That kind of candid acknowledgment speaks to the culture of the indie scene, where workers often develop reputations among their peers for specific in-ring qualities. For Jaz, that reputation, at least in Clancy’s eyes, is one of pure physicality. It’s a badge of honor in a world where stiffness and toughness are genuine currencies.

Whether the two cross paths again on the independents remains to be seen, but based on Clancy’s comments, it sounds like any future encounter will come with the same brutal price of admission it always has.