By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 118”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
April 4, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
The crowd is maybe 100; this is about as sparse as I’ve seen here. I don’t know if it’s rain/snow in the northeast, or if fans are watching the Mania weekend shows. (I’m sure this will be a one-week blip. Worcester to Philadelphia is a 4.5-hour drive, so I’m doubtful all their regulars made that drive!) Paul Crockett and Brother Greatness provided commentary.
1. Jermaine Marbury (w/Benny the basketball) defeated Reggie Collins at 6:52. This is Collins’ Wrestling Open debut and Crockett said he’s from promotions in Florida; at first glance I’ll compare him to a thinner Brock Anderson with his short blondish receding hair. Basic moves early. Collins hit a backbreaker over his knee at 4:00. Marbury is the basketball-themed wrestler and the fans started chanting “defense” to rally him. Marbury ‘broke his ankles’ with his side-shuffles, and he locked in an anklelock, and Collins tapped out. Okay.
* A video package of last week’s main event of Megan Bayne vs. Gabby Forza. Crockett put it over as a must-see match.
2. Paris Van Dale defeated Nat Castle at 4:32. Shannon LeVangie is injured so Paris took her spot in this one. Nat has long, curly brown hair. They tied up and Paris slapped her in the face. Paris choked her in the ropes and was in charge early on. She stood on Nat’s hair while pulling on her arms. Nat hit a Lungblower to the chest, then a bulldog at 3:30 then a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. Paris hit a slam for the pin. Decent.
* Paris got on the mic and noted how last week, Allie Katch challenged Shannon LeVangie to a ‘best-of-five’ series. The crowd shouted her down. Paris said that Shannon has accepted the challenge.
3. Kylon King (w/Dustin Waller) defeated Percy Ryan (w/CPA) at 9:24. Percy got on the mic and ordered CPA to stay on the floor. Percy is the male model (think NXT Tyler Breeze) and he has red roses painted in his hair. King hit a dropkick in the corner and a LOUD chop at 2:00. They brawled to the floor, and Percy whipped CPA into Kylon’s chest! Back in the ring, Percy was now in charge and he kept Kylon grounded. He nailed a uranage over his knee at 6:00, and he ripped at Kylon’s jaw. Kylon hit a second-rope Superplex, a clothesline and an Exploder Suplex, then an enzuigiri for a nearfall at 8:00. Percy hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Percy grabbed his metal jawline piece, but CPA grabbed it from him! It allowed Kylon to hit a Spinebuter and a Lion Tamer/vertical Boston Crab, and Percy tapped out. Good action.
* Percy shouted for CPA to get in the ring, which he did. Percy slapped CPA in the face, so CPA punched him. CPA removed one of his shirts and whipped it at Percy.
* The crowd has grown since the show opened and we’re closer to 200.
* A video package aired, showing Rex Lawless & RJ Rude turning heel and attacking Landon Hale & Love, Doug.
4. Landon Hale and Love, Doug defeated RJ Rude and Rex Lawless at 9:03. RJ (badly!) sang Queen’s “We Will Rock You” on the way to the ring. Rude and Doug opened. Landon slammed teammate Doug onto RJ at 1:30. Doug hit a springboard-elbow on Lawless. RJ hit a running knee in the corner on Doug at 3:30 and the heels began working Doug over. Rex accidentally kicked RJ at 6:30. Landon finally made the hot tag and he hit a dropkick on Rex and a flying huracanrana on Rude. Landon hit a slingshot stunner for a nearfall on RJ, but Rex made the save. Hale hit a Lungblower and rolled up Rude for the pin. Good action.
* Rude grabbed a chair and hit Landon across the back. Rex then hit Doug across the back with a chair.
* They announced Ichiban will face French star Aigle Blanc next Thursday. I’ve said the masked Blanc has the size and build of Matt Riddle with his long, flowing blond hair coming from under that hood. That should be fantastic. Crockett said more international stars will be here next week, too.
5. Ricky Smokes defeated Gal at 6:49. These two are both young with tremendous physiques. Gal hit a swinging sideslam at 1:30. Smokes hit a Mafia Kick. Smokes began choking Gal on the mat and he took charge. Gal fired up and hit some chops and a back suplex at 4:30. Gal hit a discus clothesline for a nearfall. Gal tossed him stomach-first across the ring, hit a spear, and got a believable nearfall at 6:30. Smokes hit a Cave-In leaping stomp to the chest for the pin. That was really good action.
* Smokes stayed in the ring. On a screen, Dezmond Cole let Smokes know their match next week will be a lumberjack match.
* We had a video package of the break-up of “Shook Crew” Bryce Donovan and Bobby Orlando.
6. Hammer Tunis (w/Steve Stetson) defeated Lucas Chase (w/Brother Greatness) at 8:34. Stetson has the Eliminator Cup medallions around his neck. Tunis tried to attack from behind, but Chase dropped him with a clothesline. Chase hit a delayed vertical suplex at 2:30. Tunis hit a spinebuster. Tunis hit a diving forearm and a swinging DDT for a nearfall at 6:00. Lucas hit a swinging sideslam for a believable nearfall. Stetson hopped on the ring apron to distract Chase. Chase hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall at 8:00. Stetson again distracted Chase! It allowed Tunis to get a rollup with a handful of tights for the tainted pin. Brother Greatness shouted, “Sin is not a win!”
* We had a video package to show how we built to our main event!
7. Westfield Kelly and Graceson Kelly vs. Tyree Taylor and Ichiban ended in a time-limit draw at 10:00. Again, their tattoos on their abdomen are different so I guess they aren’t identical, but their faces sure seem identical to me; I always compare them to NBA star James Harden with their big, bushy beard. Ichiban opened; he dove at Westfield, who swatted him away. The big Tyree entered and battled Graceson, and he hit a spear move for a nearfall on Graceson at 3:00.
The Kellys knocked the babyfaces to the floor. In the ring, the Kellys worked over Ichiban. (I am taking Crockett’s word for which Kelly is in the ring; I need to see a close-up on those tattoos to know which one is which!) The Kellys hit a team back suplex at 6:30. Tyree got the hot tag and traded blows with both Kellys. The Kellys hit a chokeslam on Tyree, but Ichiban made the save. The time limit expired right at 10:00 sharp. I really don’t mind this outcome, as the Kellys wisely continue to be well-protected.
8. Brad Hollister vs. Ryan Clancy for the Wrestling Open Title ended in a double pin at 15:20. They shoved each other at the bell, and Clancy hit a dropkick for a nearfall in the first minute. Clancy hit a plancha to the floor. They brawled on the floor. Back in the ring, Hollister hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. Clancy fired up and hit some clotheslines, then a DDT for a nearfall at 8:00. Hollister hit a pop-up powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 10:00. They hit simultaneous crossbody blocks and both were down.
Clancy accidentally hit a flying knee on the referee at 12:30. Clancy hit a dropkick for a visual pin but we had no ref! Hollister hit a Jackhammer; a new referee hopped in the ring and made a two-count at 14:00. Clancy hit a second-rope Russian Legsweep (his finisher!) and they were both down. Their arms were on top of each other! We have two refs — one claimed Clancy won and one claimed Hollister won! We went off the air with confusion over who won.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show. We’ve seen this type of double pin finish before. I initially think this double pin means the title is held up, which leads to a ladder match. Just how I would book it anyway. That earns best match, with the Kellys-Ichiban/Tyree match in second and Smokes/Gal for third.
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