By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 139”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
August 29, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
The crowd appeared to be in the 300-plus range; a really good crowd. Paul Crockett and Brother Greatness provided commentary. This show featured the “Open Door War,” a match with seven participants who would be eliminated when put through a door.
* Like last week, some quick interviews with wrestlers that were shot outside. I like these openings.
* In the building, Ryan Clancy walked to the ring in his street clothes, and he has Bryce Donovan’s bag that he stole. (Yes, Clancy is the babyface in the feud.) He is a former winner of Open Door War, and he’s disappointed he’s not in the match. He talked to management and he’s been added to the match! So, Open Door War will have seven participants, not six.
1. Marcus Mathers vs. Ray Jaz. Jaz came out first; he got on the mic and asked if fans missed him. He said it must be a joke that he is wrestling Mathers. They immediately traded punches, and Ray rolled to the floor to stall. Mathers went for a plancha, but Jaz caught him and slammed him back-first into the ring post at 1:30. In the ring, Jaz hit a snap suplex and was in charge. He hit a flapjack at 3:30, then a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. Marcus hit a series of kicks and they were both down. He hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 6:00.
Jaz hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. Mathers hit a Sister Abigail swinging faceplant for a nearfall at 8:00. He hit a superkick. Jaz suplexed him into the turnbuckles for a nearfall. Mathers hit a Superplex and they were both down at 10:30. They traded forearm strikes while tied in a knucklelock. Jaz began to stomp on him and was booed. Mathers blocked a backslide, got a rollup, and scored the pin! Crockett said it was a “monumental upset.”
Marcus Mathers defeated Ray Jaz at 11:43.
* A video package aired of the Bryce Donovan-Ryan Clancy feud.
2. Bryce Donovan vs. Brayden Toon. I’ve frequently compared Toon to a young Kevin Owens, in that he has great agility and athleticism for having a bit of a gut (which has shrunk a lot in the past year.) They traded punches and Bryce immediately hit a Black Hole Slam, and he stomped on Toon. Toon hit an enzuigiri in the corner at 2:00, but he missed a moonsault; Bryce immediately hit a clothesline and he kept Toon grounded. Bryce missed a Stinger Splash. Toon hit a standing neckbreaker at 5:30, then his running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Donovan hit a pop-up powerbomb and his twisting Death Valley Driver for the pin. Good match.
Bryce Donovan defeated Brayden Toon at 6:54.
* Bryce Donovan got on the mic. “Anyone who has a problem with me is welcome to do something about it,” he said. He told Clancy he could keep the bag, because he’ll get “his sponsor” to buy a new one. He said he’s done with Clancy. However, we can see outside that Clancy got behind the wheel of Donovan’s car and drove off! Crockett noted that we just saw Clancy commit “Grand Theft Auto.”
3. “Big Business” Brad Hollister, Victor Chase, and Julio Cruz vs. Haddy and “Fresh Air” Macrae Martin and Junior Benito. Canadians Fresh Air just ended Miracle Generation’s 17-month IWTV Tag Team Title reign. Haddy (think a shorter Sanga) opened against Cruz. Macrae, who is deceptively big, entered at 2:00, so Chase tagged in, too. Hollister stomped on Martin, too. Haddy hit a diving European Uppercut on Cruz at 4:00. Cruz & Chase hit a team suplex on Haddy, and BB kept Haddy in their corner. Haddy hit a German Suplex on Victor and they were both down at 7:30. Macrae got the hot tag and he hit some clotheslines, then a fallaway slam.
Martin hit a spinebuster on Cruz. He nailed a spinning back fist on Hollister! Hollister hit his Tornado Jackhammer for a nearfall at 9:30, but Benito made the save. Brad hit a running buttbump in the corner on Benito. Benito hit a team neckbreaker on Hollister for a nearfall, but his teammates made the save. Everyone started brawling in the ring. Fresh Air hit stereo planchas to the floor. Haddy applied a crossarm breaker on Hollister in the ring. Chase & Cruz hit the “Business is Booming” team Bulldog Powerslam to pin Haddy. That was a strong six-man tag. Hollister got on the mic and berated the crowd. He said Love, Doug and TJ Crawford will win the tag titles next week.
“Big Business” Brad Hollister, Victor Chase, and Julio Cruz defeated Haddy and “Fresh Air” Macrae Martin and Junior Benito at 11:45.
4. Allie Katch vs. Spike. I’ve now seen Spike a few times; she wears a shootfighter-style outfit and makes me think a bit of Marina Shafir. Allie attacked from behind and she hit a suplex. She ripped off Spike’s jacket and repeatedly whipped Spike into corners. Allie hit a backbreaker over her knee at 2:30, and she kept Spike down. Spike finally hit a series of clotheslines at 6:00, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Katch finally hit a piledriver for the pin. Solid match.
* Allie got on the mic and shouted at Spike to get out of her ring. She said “it’s all about Allie Katch.” She boasted about stealing Gabby Forza’s golden gnome. “When you don’t have two good knees, I guess you can’t stand up for yourself,” she said.
Allie Katch defeated Spike at 7:29.
5. “Church of Greatness” Tyree Taylor, Lucas Chase, and Sammy Diaz (w/Brother Greatness) vs. Rex Lawless, RJ Rude, and Nick Robles. I like the idea of pairing 1980s rocker Robles with Rude and Lawless, but I also would be surprised if they beat Nick up after a loss. Robles came out and played the cowbell. RJ went old school and sang “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult. Chase and RJ opened, but Rude rolled to the floor rather than tie up. In the ring, Chase hit a clothesline. Robles entered, but the Church immediately worked him over. Lawless entered and hit a big boot on Chase, and now the heels began working Lucas over. Chase hit a spinebuster on Robles at 6:00.
Diaz got a hot tag and he hit a twisting slam on RJ, then a powerslam and a moonsault for a nearfall. Sammy dove through the ropes onto the heels. Rex cut Samy in half with a spear for a nearfall at 7:30. RJ choked Diaz in the ropes and again sang his Blue Oyster Cult song. Tyee got a hot tag at 9:30 and he hit some shoulder blocks, then a spear into the corner on Robles and Rude. Rex tried to pick up Tyree but he couldn’t get the big man up. Tyree nailed a back suplex. Rude hit a Lungblower on Chase; Rex hit a sit-out powerbomb on Chase for a believable nearfall at 11:00.
Tyree and Chase hit a team slam on Rex, who rolled to the floor. Diaz hit a team Blockbuster move on Robles. Rex was checking on RJ on the floor, and he dragged Rude to the back! They abandoned Robles! Tyree nailed the sit-out powerbomb to pin Robles. That was fun. I wouldn’t have minded if Robles stuck around, but I think that was a one-shot appearance with Rex and Rude. Brother Greatness got on the mic and vowed they would retain their tag titles next week against TJ Crawford and Love, Doug.
“Church of Greatness” Tyree Taylor, Lucas Chase, and Sammy Diaz defeated Rex Lawless, RJ Rude, and Nick Robles at 13:16.
6. Steven Stetson vs. Dezmond Cole vs. Brad Baylor vs. Ichiban vs. Gal vs. Ryan Clancy vs. Pedro Dones in Open Door War. Dones and Gal have been feuding, so they charged at each other at the bell and they fought on the floor. Babyfaces Clancy and Ichiban traded some good reversals in the ring while everyone else was on the floor. Heels Gal and Stetson worked together; Dezmond hit a top-rope corkscrew splash onto both of them at 3:00. Dezmond hit a Shining Wizard on Stetson. Dones hit a Samoan Drop on Baylor. Stetson and Clancy brawled on the floor. Gal hi a low blow punt kick on Dones! Gal hit a Death Valley Driver on Pedro through a table in the corner at 6:21.
Ichiban hit a flying leg drop on Gal, sending him through a door at 7:57, and that got a big pop, and we’re down to five. Ichiban hit a DDT on Baylor. He hit his “one!” punches in the corner on Stetson. However, Stetson and Baylor hit a team hip-toss and sent Ichiban flying across the ring and through a door in the corner at 9:58. Baylor and Stetson kept working together and beat down Clancy. Cole hit a springboard Lionsault Press on the two heels. Cole hit his split-legged stunner on Baylor. Stetson choked Cole while he screamed at the crowd, and Dezmond passed out. Clancy hit his picture-perfect dropkick to Stetson’s chin.
Cole and Clancy worked and slammed Stetson through a door at 13:26! Almost immediately, Baylor slammed Cole through a door at 13:38, and just like that, it’s just Baylor vs. Clancy. Ryan hit a monkey-flip. Baylor avoided going through the door. Baylor hit a stunner. A door bridge was set up in the ring. They fought on the ropes, but Baylor snapped Clancy’s throat across the top rope. However, Clancy powerbombed Baylor through the door bridge to win Open Door War, and earned a title shot. Bryce Donovan charged into the ring and attacked Clancy and had to be separated by officials.
Ryan Clancy defeated Dezmond Cole, Brad Baylor, Steven Stetson, Gal, Pedro Dones, and Ichiban to win Open Door War at 19:04.
Final Thoughts: A really strong episode of Wrestling Open with nearly every one of the top stars in action; this would be a good spot to jump into this promotion. The seven guys in the main event are all really talented and I’ll go with that for best match. When it got to the final two, I presumed Baylor was winning because of Bryce Donovan interference. The Big Business-Fresh Air six-man tag takes second place. I fully expected Haddy was losing in his debut here. While the announcers sold Mathers beating Jaz as a big upset, I expected it. Mathers just returned from his second tour of Japan this summer, and he’s moved into the next tier in the GCW hierarchy. They had a good match and that takes third. Only one other debuting wrestler tonight in Brayden Toon, but the commentators acknowledged what a regular he’s been in the Northeast. I liked that he got a lot of offense in that short match against Donovan.
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