By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 88”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
September 7, 2023 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
This is part of their ongoing, weekly shows. The crowd appeared to be near 400, a bit bigger than most weeks. I love this weekly party atmosphere.
* As always, we open with a highlight package that led to tonight’s big matches. The Alec Price vs. Steven Stetson match is “eight months in the making.”
* Brad Hollister and TJ Crawford hit the ring. They advanced to the semifinals of a tag tournament last week. They boasted about their win and they warned Dezmond Cole to “watch his back” later tonight.
1. Pedro Dones defeated Hammer Tunis at 4:20. I saw Tunis for the first time just last week or the week prior, while Dones is near the top of this roster, so this should be a squash. With his short hair on the side and braid in back, Tunis kind of reminds me of Droz; he hit a spinebuster early on. Dones hit a T-Bone Suplex at 3:30, then a swinging neckbreaker, then a shoulder-breaker over his knee for the pin. Solid opener.
* Jersey meathead Ray Jaz walked to the ring, holding an envelope and he confronted Dones. They traded verbal jabs, but then Jaz said, “how are your wife and kids?” Dones charged at him and they both ran to the back. Intriguing.
2. Kennedi Copeland defeated Zayda Steel at 2:39. Zayda has long blonde hair and she wore all pink; think a young Kelly Kelly or Torrie Wison. Kennedi is more grungy looking like Nikki Cross. Kennedit tackled Zayda at the bell, and Zayda rolled to the floor to regroup. In the ring, Zayda took control and grounded Kennedi. Kennedi hit a kneestrike for the pin out of nowhere. I wish they had been given more time to tell a story.
3. “Shook Crew” Bryce Donovan and Bobby Orlando defeated Mortar and Brian Milonas at 4:54. Mortar is the Rhino clone who paints half of his face, like Thunder Rosa. Bryce reminds me of a taller Nick Jackson. Orlando is the dork with his stuffed goat and his Colt Cabana-style juvenile humor. Milonas and Donovan started. Milonas hit a series of buttdrops in the corner at 2:00. It appears Mortar and Milonas are arguing, as Brian passed on tagging out. Orlando got in and hit a dropkick into the corner then a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall; Mortar made the save, dragged Milonas to the corner, and tagged himself in. Orlando shoved Mortar into Milonas! Bryce immediately hit a chokeslam on Mortar for the pin! That ended quickly. Mortar isn’t going to be happy about this…
* Mortar and Milonas argued, but then Milonas hit running Stinger Splashes into the corner, flattening his teammate. Milonas has dropped some weight since his ROH run, but he still has to be at or near 400 pounds. The crowd loudly booed Milonas. Brian then hit a swinging sideslam.
4. Marcus Mathers defeated Griffin McCoy at 7:57. This should be good as these two definitely know each other. Griffin is maybe 6’1″ and taller than Mathers, and he has a mustache that is borderline making him look like a former leader of Germany. They shook hands so both are babyfaces; McCoy has been a heel of late in JCW. They shook hands again but Griffin hit a German Suplex and a series of punches to the face, showing that heel charisma I’ve seen in recent months. Griffin hit some roundhouse kicks to the chest at 3:00. Griffin hit a stiff kick to the spine and kept Mathers grounded.
Mathers hit a dropkick at 5:00, then a top-rope crossbody block. Mathers hit a Clout Cutter from the corner, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall, and the crowd rallied for Marcus. McCoy went for a Full Nelson but Mathers escaped. Griffin hit a half nelson suplex, then a dropkick into the corner. Mathers nailed a superkick and a stunner, then the top-rope 450 Splash for the pin. That was really good for the time given.
5. “Waves & Curls” Jaylen Brandyn and Traevon Jordan defeated “Stetson Ranch” Danny Miles and Brett Ryan Gosselin in a quarterfinal tag tournament match at 9:29. BRG reminds me of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. W&C are essentially Private Party or Street Profits in looks and style; I know this is a ‘show’ but I really hate that they wrestle with gold chains around their neck. Miles started with the shorter Jaylen. Jordan wears a black singlet and he’s a bit taller, and he brawled with BRG, hitting a LOUD chop at 2:00. Jaylen nailed a dive over the top rope on both heels. In the ring, BRG worked over Jaylen.
Brandyn hit an enzuigiri, but the heels kept him in their corner. Jordan finally made the hot tag at 7:00, and he peeled down the straps of his singlet. He caught BRG coming off the ropes with a thrust. He hit a Waltman-style Bronco Buster in the corner. Miles hit a Lungblower, and BRG immediately hit an Unprettier faceplant for a believable nearfall,, but Jaylen made the save. All four fought in the ring. Miles, standing on the floor with his back to the ring; he reached into the ring and tripped BRG, but he thought he had tripped an opponent! Jordan hit a superkick and a chokeslam on BRG for the pin. Miles had his back to the ring and was unaware he caused his team to lose! That was really entertaining.
* Miles got in the ring and yelled at Gosselin. “You have all the potential and you keep on messing it up!” Miles barked at BRG. He slapped BRG in the face. BRG got nose-to-nose with him. Miles said, “Do it, and all your paychecks are gone.” BRG violently stormed to the back. More intrigue!
6. Ichiban defeated Nick Robles at 4:38. Robles is the only wrestler on this show new to me; he looks like Jungle Boy Jack Perry with long curly hair, and he wore a rock star-like jean jacket, coming across a bit like Johnny Swinger, too. Ichiban, of course, just had a good debut on MLW’s TV last week. Good mat wrestling to open. Good reversals early on and Ichiban hit a legdrop across the throat for a nearfall at 2:30. Robles hit a German Suplex, tossing Ichiban all the way across the ring. Robles hit a huracanrana and an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. Ichiban hit a top-rope crossbody block for the pin. Considering that was under five minutes, Robles made one heckuva good first impression on me.
* The commentator tried to interview Ichiban, who just said, “Ichiban number one!” Ichiban will defend his Wrestling Open title against Channing Thomas.
* Ray Jaz ran back into the ring, still holding the yellow envelope. He had pictures of Ray Jaz hanging out with Dones’ children at a playground. The commentator sold this like it was a serious violation.
7. Brad Baylor (w/Ricky Smokes) defeated Dustin Waller (w/Kylon King) at 8:03. Waller is a rising star and reminds me of young Trent Barretta. Baylor is the 18-year-old with a great physique and the wavy brown hair of every jerk in every 1980s teen comedy. An intense lockup to open. Waller hit a 619. Baylor snapped Waller’s neck across the top rope and he took control. Baylor hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee at 2:30. Baylor hit a powerslam for a nearfall. Waller hit a running back elbow and fired up, hitting a running clothesline in the corner, then a handspring-back-stunner for a nearfall at 6:00.
Waller missed a frogsplash and Baylor immediately hit a spinebuster for a nearfall. Waller nailed a second-rope Spanish Fly, and they were both down at 7:30. Smokes attempted to enter the ring, but Kylon yanked him off the ring apron and they brawled on the floor. Waller kicked Smokes. However, Baylor hit a low blow uppercut with the ref out of position, then a TKO stunner to score the cheap pin. I liked this a lot.
* Another video package showing the feud between Dezmond Cole and Brad Hollister.
8. Dezmond Cole defeated Ellis Taylor at 6:17. Dezmond is the Ricochet clone and I’m a big fan. Taylor has wrestled in GCW/JCW frequently and he has long, curly hair. Taylor had heel charisma as he walked to the ring in a red leather jacket. An intense lockup and standing switches to open. Cole hit a dropkick for a nearfall. Taylor kept Cole grounded early on. Cole hit a Michinoku Driver at 5:00. Taylor hit a superkick. Cole hit a running flipping cannonball in the corner and scored the pin out of nowhere. That was good but ended so abruptly; they seemed on pace to go several more minutes.
* Brad Hollister and TJ Crawford walked to the ring. The lights went out! When the came back on, Ryan Clancy was in the ring! Clancy and Cole brawled with Crawford and Hollister. Clancy and Cole shook hands as the heels scampered to the back. We had another video package with more of the feud between Price and Stetson.
9. Alec Price defeated Steven Stetson (w/Danny Miles) in a no-DQ match for the IWTV Heavyweight Title at 17:27. Stetson is the heel cowboy, while Price is a top 20 indy talent today. Notable that Gosselin didn’t come to the ring with Stetson. Massachusetts native Price got a huge pop, and he immediately hit a summersault off the ring apron onto the heels. They traded chops on the floor and they brawled over to the bar, with Stetson tossing Price against a trash can at 2:30. In the ring, Stetson dropped Price throat-first on the top rope. Price nailed a dive over the top rope at 5:30. In the ring, Stetson hit a bodyslam. Miles slid some chairs into the ring, and he wedged a chair between the turnbuckles.
However, Price hit a drop-toe-hold, with Stetson slamming headfirst into that chair at 8:00. Price hit a half-nelson suplex, then a springboard tornado DDT for a nearfall. Price hit a second-rope flying legdrop for a nearfall. Price went under the ring and got a board, which he threw into the ring. Price hit a series of punches. Stetson nailed a Mafia Kick and an Exploder Suplex at 10:30, then a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. Miles set up a door bridge in the ring. Price hit his series of kneestrikes in the corner. Miles jumped on the ring apron but was hit by Price; the distraction allowed Stetson to hit a spinebuster through the board bridge for a believable nearfall at 13:00.
Four open chairs were set up in the ring. Price and Stetson brawled on the ropes in the corner. Price nailed a doublestomp on a standing Stetson, sending him flying onto the open chairs for a nearfall, but Miles made the save at 16:00. The crowd began chanting for BRG. Sure enough, Gosselin came to ringside with a chain and he wrapped it around his fist, but instead he hit Miles! BRG ripped off his Stetson Ranch shirt and threw it at Stetson. Price hit a Blockbuster, then the Surprise Kick/step-up mule kick for the pin.
Final Thoughts: What an entertaining show, and a lot of new storylines were started. The main event easily earns best match. I’ll go with Mathers-McCoy for second-best, ahead of Baylor-Waller. If you are unfamiliar with the young rising stars of the Northeast, this is a good place to start. The women deserved better here. If you only have one women’s match, at least let them go 6-8 minutes and show wheat they can do. This show can be watched on IWTV.
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