By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is so much good indy wrestling out there, there is far more than I can possibly watch. So, in this review, I’m popping in on multiple recent indy shows and watching just one or two matches from each show that interest me. The reality is I wasn’t going to get to watch every match from every one of these shows! I picked out matches with top names we’ve seen on TV, some top indy names, and WWE ID prospects.
West Coast Pro “Larger Than Life” in San Francisco, California on January 10, 2025 (free on YouTube)
WCPW just switched where they air their shows, going from IWTV to Highspots, so this whole show is not available to me. However, WCPW has now posted three of the matches for free on YouTube; I previously reviewed the first two they released. This venue has busy artwork on the walls, and the chandeliers are too close to the ring, but they have a hot crowd of perhaps 200-250.
Jake Something vs. Masato Tanaka. This was the main event. Standing switches to open. Tanaka hit some punches in the corner, but Jake hit a bodyslam at 2:00, then a short-arm clothesline. Tanaka hit a suplex, then a clothesline into the corner. They hit stereo clotheslines, and Tanaka finally dropped him with a clothesline at 4:00. He hit a twisting DDT for a nearfall. Jake got a table from under the ring; a commentator said this is not a hardcore match, but Jake set it up on the floor. They brawled down an aisle, and Masato hit a backbody drop, sending Jake onto the hard floor at 7:00! Ouch! They got back into the ring, where Jake hit his running body block, then a shoulder block into the corner for a nearfall.
Tanaka hit a sliding forearm, then a Diamondust (flipping neckbreaker move) for a nearfall at 9:00. Jake hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Tanaka hit a rolling forearm for a nearfall; he went for a sliding forearm but Jake caught him by the throat. They fought on the ring apron, where Jake hit a sit-out powerbomb onto the table at ringside at 11:00, earning a “holy shit!” chant. (Jake took more of that than Tanaka did!) They got into the ring and Jake went for a cover, but Masato kicked out at one! They got up and traded forearm strikes. Masato hit a hard headbutt and a stiff forearm but again we had just a one-count at 12:30. Jake nailed Into the Void (Black Hole Slam) and scored the pin. That was really good.
Jake Something defeated Masato Tanaka at 13:00 even.
Reality of Wrestling “Battle to the Bell in Texas City, Texas on January 11, 2025 (free on YouTube)
These ROW shows are really well lit and look quite professional. The crowd is maybe 400-500.
Booker T vs. Zilla Fatu. This was posted Monday. Booker T wore his GI Bro fatigues; his hair is astonishingly long. AJ Francis and two others had beaten down Zilla, but Booker T ordered them to leave the ring, so it’s one-on-one. Booker T pushed Zilla into a corner and hit some chops and strikes. Zilla cut off an axe kick attempt, and he hit a superkick. Booker T’s lackeys tried to interfere; AJ Francis entered and knocked Fatu down. Zilla hit the Samoan Spike to AJ’s throat, and Francis rolled to the floor. Another guy hit a powerbomb on Zilla. Booker T immediately hit a Book End (uranage) and pinned Zilla. Acceptable. Hey, Booker T’s in-ring return got eyeballs on the product, which is a good thing.
Booker T defeated Zilla Fatu at 2:56.
Full Impact Pro “Everything Burns” in Clearwater, Florida on January 12, 2025 (Twitter/X, posted by WWE ID)
A good crowd here, perhaps 400, and it’s well lit. This match has been posted in its entirety on Twitter by searching “WWE ID,” as both participants are ID prospects. (I checked the results of this entire show and multiple other ID prospects, as well as some newer NXT talent, appeared on this event.)
Sam Holloway vs. Marcus Mathers. Again, Holloway is big and reminds me of Julius Creed, and he easily shoved the smaller Mathers to the mat. He mounted Marcus and hit some blows, then a bodyslam at 3:30. Mathers hit a flip dive to the floor at 6:00. Back in the ring, Mathers hit a fadeaway stunner for a nearfall. He hit a buzzsaw kick and got a nearfall at 8:00. Holloway fired back with a shotgun dropkick, then a twisting uranage, then a Choke Bomb for the pin. Good action; I’ve seen plenty of both men and I had them both on a list of guys who should receive WWE ID contracts.
Sam Holloway defeated Marcus Mathers at 8:46.
Apple City Championship Wrestling, Hiddenite, North Carolina on July 13, 2024 (free on YouTube)
While this event took place months ago, it was just released on YouTube. I didn’t know Austin Aries was even competing. It’s the reason I tuned in. This looks like a hotel convention hall. Lighting is okay. The crowd was 100-150.
Bojack vs. James Johnson. Bojack is a 350-pound powerhouse and one of my favorites from this region. Johnson has the Brodie Lee look; a long unmanaged beard with long hair. Bojack easily shoved Johnson to the mat and he hit some clotheslines into the corner and shoulder tackles. They fought to ringside and traded chops. In the ring, Johnson kept him grounded. Bojack hit a forearm strike at 6:30 that dropped Johnson, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. He hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Johnson hit a fadeaway stunner and an LA Knight-style Snapmare Driver for a nearfall at 9:30. Bojack put Johnson on his shoulders and hit a powerbomb for the pin. Bojack is definitely one to watch.
Bojack defeated James Johnson at 10:02.
Austin Aries vs. Drew Hood. Aries looks better here than the last time I saw him maybe two years ago; he looks like he has put some size back on, and his hair is longer and dark. They jawed at each other on the mic before the bell. Hood attacked him from behind and they immediately fought on the floor, looping the ring as they traded punches, and they fought to the back at 2:30! The camera followed them as they fought behind the camera. They finally got back into the ring at 7:00, but Hood was selling an arm injury. Hood tied Aries in the Tree of Woe, stomped on him, and hit a dropkick, and he cranked on Aries’ head.
Aries hit a bulldog and they were both down at 12:30. Aries now tied Hood in the Tree of Woe, hit some chops, and shoved his foot into Hood’s groin. He dove onto Hood. In the ring, Aries unloaded his left-arm forearm strikes. He hit his running dropkick into the corner, then a brainbuster for the pin. Good match. According to cagematch.net records, Aries only wrestled a handful of matches in 2024, but he looked sharp and refreshed here.
Austin Aries defeated Drew Hood at 16:12.
Xtreme World Wrestling “Winter Bash” Matthews, North Carolina on December 6, 2024 (free on YouTube)
This room is a bit on the dark side but the ring is fairly well-lit. They have a nice entrance set-up with Christmas-themed decorations. The crowd is maybe 200.
Elliot Shock vs. Diego Hill for the XWW U.S. title. I consider Diego a top-tier indy talent, and he’s the reason I tuned in. Shock also is Black, and appears to be about the same height but a bit thicker. An intense lockup to open. Diego hit a huracanrana. The commentators noted Diego has recently wrestled Mustafa Ali and Dante Martin. Hill backed Elliot into a corner and hit a LOUD chop. Shock dropped him throat-first on the top rope and hit a discus clothesline for a nearfall at 3:00. Elliot tied him in the Tree of Woe and speared him in the exposed ribs, then Elliot hit a German Suplex at 5:00. Hill hit a superkick and a running back elbow, and they were both down.
Diego nailed his spin kick to the head for a nearfall. Shock hit a Black Hole Slam, then a top-rope diving headbutt for a nearfall at 7:30. Diego hit an Arabian Press to the floor! Nice! In the ring, Diego hit a powerbomb, then another spin kick to the head. He missed a 450 Splash but landed on his feet. Shock immediately hit a low blow uppercut while the ref was out of position, rolled up Diego, and scored the cheap pin. Good action; Diego is definitely one to watch.
Elliot Shock defeated Diego Hill to retain the XWW U.S. Title at 10:08.
Future Stars of Wrestling “A Cold Day In Hell” in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 10, 2025 (Triller+)
This was in their tiny training center, and the crowd is maybe 100. Lighting is good here. They have banners hanging of top graduates like Killer Kross, Hammerstone and Chris Bey.
Ice Williams vs. Nino Black. This was the main event. Ice is among the 19 WWE ID prospects. I don’t think I’ve seen Nino; he also is Black with tattoos on his arms and he is thicker. He immediately hit some blows on Ice. Ice backed him into a corner and hit some punches. A heel at ringside interfered, allowing Nino to gain control of the match. Nino hit a senton for a nearfall at 4:00. Ice hit a Blockbuster at 6:30 but he sold the pain in his arm. They fought to the floor. Nino hit a top-rope guillotine leg drop as Ice was in the ropes, and he got a nearfall at 10:00. Nino nailed a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall. Williams hit the Ice Breaker (superkick), then Subzero (swinging neckbreaker) for the pin. Good action; Ice is more polished in the ‘prevalent WWE style’ than most of the other ID prospects.
Ice Williams defeated Nino Black at 11:26.
TWE “Crash Course” in Red Bank, Tennessee on December 30, 2024 (IWTV)
This is their dark, odd-shaped room that looks like a fallout bunker, with the ring up against one wall, and most fans on just either side of the ring. The ring is well-lit with maybe 100 fans here.
Jamesen Shook vs. Jaden Newman. This was the main event. Jamesen has wild reddish hair and looks a bit like a young Sami Zayn, and I’m a fan. Newman has short dark hair, and these two are both regulars in this region. This is a first-time-ever meeting. They stood nose-to-nose and Jamesen’s height and thickness advantage really stood out. An intense lockup to open and a feeling-out process as the commentators talked about the year each man had, and they said Jamesen was among the top rising stars of the year in all of pro wrestling. They noted that Jaden is just 26 despite being an 11-year pro. Good mat reversals and we got a “both these guys!” chant.
Jamesen hit a dropkick at 10:00 that sent Newman to the floor, so Shook hit a plancha on him. Jaden hit a baseball slide dropkick through the ropes. Back in the ring, Newman kept him grounded and hit some crossface blows. They got up and traded forearm strikes at 16:00. Jamesen hit a crossbody block at 18:00. Shook hit a running kick in the corner for a nearfall. Newman hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall, and they were both down at 21:30. Newman started to go for a Styles Clash, but Jamesen broke free, and Jamesen hit a shotgun dropkick, then a second-rope superplex for the pin! The commentators popped for the win. No doubt, Jamesen is a rising star.
Jamesen Shook defeated Jaden Newman at 22:27.
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