By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 132”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
July 11, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
The crowd appears to be in the 150 range, which is a bit smaller than usual. Paul Crockett and Denver Colorado provided commentary.
1. Bryce Donovan defeated “Handyman” Jake Gray at 6:35. Gray carries his toolbox to the ring and he looks like he’s 17; he actually won his debut here a few months ago. Bryce charged at him and hit a spear, then two release suplexes and a bodyslam. He no-sold some blows to the chest and hit a clothesline. Jake hit a basement dropkick on the knee at 4:00, then a shotgun dropkick. He hit a Sliced Bread but Bryce immediately kicked out. Jake chop-blocked the back of the knee and hit a DDT. He hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Bryce hit a modified Blue Thunder Bomb, then a chokeslam for the pin. Okay match; I would have preferred Bryce beat him in 90 seconds.
* Donovan got on the mic but he was booed. He “thanked his sponsor.” He also thanked Ryan Clancy but said he’s not on Bryce’s level. Bryce went to exit the building, but was attacked by Ryan Clancy! They brawled out the door.
* A video package aired of Paris Van Dale firing and slapping Lauren St. James, and Lauren bringing Davienne back to Wrestling Open.
2. Davienne (w/Lauren St. James) defeated Tiara James at 7:26. Tiara has been in MLW before. Davienne clearly is a bit of a powerhouse, like Dani Luna, and she has the height and weight advantage. They shook hands at the bell as this is a babyface matchup. Tiara hit a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 2:00. Davienne grounded Tiara and worked her over. They traded forearm strikes at 4:30. Tiara hit a bulldog, then a spinebuster for a nearfall. Tiara jumped on her back and applied a sleeper, but Davienne powered out. Tiara hit a neckbreaker out of the ropes. Davienne tied her in a Boston Crab. Tiara escaped, but Davienne re-applied the hold, and this time Tiara tapped out. Solid; the winner wasn’t in much doubt.
* Paris Van Dale came out of the back with a mic but the crowd drowned her out. Paris “apologized” to Lauren St. James. Crockett was doubtful of her sincerity.
* “Smart” Mark Sterling came to ringside and he’s here to “get some answers.” The Stetson Ranch lost in the Eliminator Cup finals, and Sterling is concerned about their future. However, just Hammer Tunis and Danny Miles came to the ring. Jermaine Marbury came to the ring to confront them, but they beat him up! This brought out Gal for the next match!
3. Gal defeated Jermaine Marbury at 6:28. Gal immediately hit some stomps and was in charge early on. He hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 2:30. Gal hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Mascot Benny the Basketball came to ringside at 4:30 and got the crowd fired up. Jermaine hit some of his mis-direction offense and a tornado DDT for a nearfall. However, Gal hit a pendulum chokeslam for the pin. Good little match, and Jermaine has an ‘out’ because he was attacked before the match.
* Ryan Clancy and Bryce Donovan suddenly brawled through the room and back out a door! Crockett expressed surprise they are “still going at it.”
* We went to a video package about Sammy Diaz, who is now the No. 1 contender for the Wrestling Open title! Back to the building, where it’s time for the “Big Business Quarterly Report.” Brad Hollister hit the ring where he reported that the stock of each member of Big Business is on the rise, but the stock of Brother Greatness is falling, and he referred to him as a mascot. He called himself the savior, the prophet and the chosen one of Wrestling Open. Sammy Diaz and Brother Greatness came through the curtain. BG said the report is dishonest, and Brad is just afraid he will lose the title to Diaz. Brad praised Sammy but added he’s a “match 2 or match 3 guy.” The match is set for two weeks from tonight!
* We then saw footage of the feud between the Even Stevens and the Church of Greatness. The Even Stevens, who always remind me of the Mean Street Posse, used to be in the Church of Greatness when the group were heels.
4. “The Church of Greatness” Ichiban and Tyree Taylor defeated “The Even Stevens” Steve Azure and Stephen Somerset at 10:55. Somerset is the shorter one with more hair; Azure reminds me of Matt Rehwoldt. Ichiban and Somerset opened. Tyree got in and hit a running splash on Azure at 1:30. The ES began working over Ichiban. Somerset hit a decapitating clothesline at 4:00. Ichiban kicked Azure in the face. Tyree was yanked off the ring apron before Ichiban could tag out, and the heels resumed working Ichiban over.
Tyree finally made the hot tag at 7:00 and he hit an enzuigiri in the corner on Somerset. He hit a uranage on Somerset, slamming him onto Azure, then he hit a stunner on Somerset for a nearfall. Ichiban hit a top-rope double missile dropkick. The ES hit a team neckbreaker move on Ichiban, and Azure hit a German Suplex on Tyree! Somerset got a nearfall on Taylor. Azure rolled to the floor and confronted Brother Greatness! Azure took a chain into the ring, but Ichiban blocked him. Ichiban hit his leaping Flatliner onto the apron on Azure. Tyree hit a discus clothesline on Somerset. Ichiban hit a springboard Flatliner for the pin. This topped my expectations. The ES left the ring without shaking hands.
5. Rex Lawless (w/RJ Rude) defeated Rickey Shane Page at 9:21. Rude sang “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by Smashing Pumpkins on the way to the ring and was loudly booed. “If Billy Corgan were dead, he’d be rolling over in his grave,” Paul Crockett said. RSP and Lawless immediately traded forearms and punches. Lawless hit a running boot for a nearfall at 2:30. He hit a fallaway slam and kept RSP grounded. Rude started singing at ringside, doing some ‘vocal exercises,’ and it distracted Page.
Rex hit a backbreaker over his knee. Page hit a top-rope frog splash at 6:30 and they were both down. RSP hit a spin kick to the shoulder, then a pop-up chokebreake while kicking Rex in the back, too, and he got a nearfall at 8:30. Rex hit a spear for the pin. Solid match. (The announcer said at 9:00 we had one minute left in the time limit, which was a nice tease of a draw.) Page grabbed Rude by the throat but Rex was able to pull RJ to safety.
* Footage aired of Alec Price attacking Joey Janela and getting booed.
6. “Swipe Right” Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor defeated Alec Price and Marcus Mathers via DQ at 14:34. Okay, CLEARLY Price is going to turn on the young and gullible Mathers in this one, right? Price and Baylor opened. Marcus entered and hit a missile dropkick, but it’s clear that Marcus and Price aren’t on the same page already. I think Price, at age 25, is the oldest in this match, as Smokes is 24, Marcus just turned 21 and Baylor is 19. Smokes hit a spear on Marcus and the heels began working him over. Mathers hit some chops on Baylor, but Brad hit a backbreaker over his knee at 4:00.
Price got the hot tag at 6:30 and he hit a flying leg lariat for a nearfall on Smokes. Price jawed at Marcus! The heels began working over Price and kept him grounded in their corner. Price nailed a double Blockbuster at 9:30. He made the hot tag to Marcus, who hit a springboard stunner, then a German Suplex and an enzuigiri, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Baylor hit his swinging uranage for a nearfall at 11:30, but Price made the save. Price hit a Dragon Suplex on Baylor. Smokes hit his pop-up stunner. Marcus hit a Canadian Destroyer, and all four were down, and the fans chanted, “Wrestling Open!”
They all traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Price and Marcus jawed at each other some more! Price hit a springboard Blockbuster. Marcus accidentally hit a crossbody block on Price at 13:30! Marcus hit a running Penalty Kick, then a kip-up stunner. Price got to his feet and intentionally hit Mathers with a back elbow! He hit repeated punches on Marcus head; when the ref went to stop him, Price shoved the referee, who called for the bell and disqualified Price.
* Ryan Clancy and Bryce Donovan brawled back into the building and into the ring. “This is absolute chaos!” Crockett said. Clancy hit his picture-perfect dropkick.
Final Thoughts: A very good main event with four of the top youngsters going today; I didn’t mind the non-finish or the obvious storytelling of Price turning on Mathers. Church of Greatness vs. Even Stevens topped expectations and takes second place. While it wasn’t a match, the Hollister-Diaz stuff was really well done and has me looking forward to their match in two weeks. The undercard wasn’t as good as some other recent shows, but Wrestling Open continues to have great storytelling and moves pieces forward.
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