By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 161”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
January 30, 2025 in Worcester, Massachusetts at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett and Brett Ryan Gosselin provided commentary over the course of the evening. This is the debut in a new building, just a few blocks away from the White Eagle, which has been the home of Wrestling Open for three years. The room is a bit darker, the ceiling seems a bit lower, and it might be a bit smaller, but if so, just marginally smaller. The crowd is maybe 175-225.
* We have SIX WWE ID prospects in the lineup!
1. Marcus Mathers vs. Gabriel Skye for the IWTV Heavyweight Title. This is ID prospect Mathers’ first title defense after winning the belt from Krule, and this is a heckuva way to kick off the show! Marcus immediately hit some armdrags. Skye hit some armdrags. Mathers hit a fadeaway stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 4:00. Skye hit a half-nelson suplex and a Tiger Driver (butterfly powerbomb), and he locked in a Sharpshooter. Mathers hit a standing powerbomb at 7:00 and they were both down.
Mathers hit a second-rope Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Skye hit a top-rope Spanish Fly, then a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall at 9:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Skye missed a frogsplash. Mathers hit a buzzsaw kick and a Fisherman’s Suplex, then a 450 Splash for the pin. That was a great opener.
Marcus Mathers defeated Gabriel Skye at 10:46.
* Ricky Shane Page came to the ring to confront Mathers. He’s certainly not a regular here. He said he’s here in a “managerial role” and he talked about a show he has on March 1, and he invited Marcus to be in a match. He said he will put him against someone who will “teach you how to act like a champion.” It will be a “four corners of pain” match against Alex Colon! No explanation tonight on what the stipulation means, but we have a month for that to be cleared up.
2. Spike Nishimura vs. Paris Van Dale. Spike hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall just 10 seconds in! Paris grounded Spike, and she hit a Meteora running double knees to the back in the corner for a nearfall at 3:00. Paris raked the eyes and got a rollup for the pin out of nowhere. Too short.
Paris Van Dale defeated Spike Nishimura at 4:24.
* A week ago, Bobby Orlando got on the mic and invited his former teammate Bryce Donovan to come and team with him again. So… will Bryce show up?
3. “Shook Crew” Bryce Donovan and Bobby Orlando vs. Graceson Kelly and Westfield Kelly. I have gushed about the look of the Kelly twins, who are muscular with short beards, looking a bit like James Harden or Lebron James. I can’t tell them apart but they do have different tattoos. (They pass ‘the airport test.’) So, they came out first, then Bobby. No sign of Bryce, so the bell rang and it’s a handicap match. Bobby hit a shotgun dropkick on a Kelly. The Kelly hit a Mafia Kick to the face at 1:30. The Kelly hit a clothesline and remained in charge. (Our commentators are ignoring the individual moves, instead talking about why isn’t Bryce here, etc. Point being, they aren’t trying to identify if it is Graceson or Westfield in the ring.)
Bobby hit a double missile dropkick at 5:00. WWE ID prospect Bryce walked in! He came to the corner, opened his duffle bag, and he put wrist tape on, but was ignoring Bobby. Bobby traded punches with a twin, then hit a superkick. Bobby hit a stunner! But as he popped to his feet, Bryce made a blind tag, covered the Kelly, and got the pin! Funny.
Bobby Orlando and Bryce Donovan defeated Graceson Kelly and Westfield Kelly at 6:19.
* Bryce started to walk to the back but Bobby demanded he come back to the ring. Bryce got in, shouted, “move on!” and he left. He got on the mic near the exit and said he’s focused on being the Wrestling Open champion, and he reiterated that the Shook Crew “is done.”
* Last week, Max Caster put a $50,000 bounty on Ichiban’s head!
4. Ichiban vs. Rain Conway. Rain is one of the Bio Pro students and he’s taller and thicker than average. I said it the other week, but I love that he comes out to Garbage’s “I’m Only Happy When It Rains.” Ichiban hit a springboard crossbody block for a nearfall. Conway hit a back suplex and kept Ichiban grounded. Ichiban hit a stunner at 3:00, then a handspring-back-elbow and a top-rope missile dropkick. Ichiban nailed his leaping Flatliner for the pin. Decent for the time given.
Ichiban defeated Rain Conway at 3:54.
* DJ Powers immediately jumped in the ring and attacked Ichiban; Crockett said DJ apparently is here to collect the bounty.
5. Aaron Rourke vs. Gal in a WWE ID match. Yes, this was billed as such, as both are signed prospects. Gal came out first with his two body-building medals around his neck. He immediately tossed Rourke across the ring. Aaron slapped Gal’s butt, which made him livid. Rourke hit a running kick in the corner, then a shotgun dropkick. Gal hit a Mafia Kick at 1:30. Rourke went for a 619 but Gal caught him and hit a Fallaway Slam. Nice. Gal hit a hard clothesline at 3:30 and remained in charge. He hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall. Rourke hit a running kick, and he hit the 619 at 5:30.
Rourke hit a Frankensteiner out of the corner, then a running buttbump in the corner. Rourke hit a second-rope somersault butt-splash to the chest for a nearfall. Brad Baylor appeared at ringside and he jawed with Rourke! It allowed Gal to hit a DDT for the tainted pin. Intriguing. I thought we might have been headed toward a time-limit draw.
Gal defeated Aaron Rourke at 7:05.
* Ryan Clancy came to the ring to discuss his Wrestling Open title run. He beat his nemesis TJ Crawford last week. “What’s next for Ryan Clancy?” he said. Right on cue, Ray Jaz came to the ring, wearing a sharp, black suit. We got a loud “Jersey sucks!” chant. Clancy offered up a title shot if Jaz can beat an opponent of his choosing! Clancy said it would be against Jaz’ nemesis, Pedro Dones!
* Eye Jack Black is ill so his “Tournament For Tomorrow” finals match against Julius Draeger has been canceled. Draeger came to the ring. He said he should be declared the winner of the tournament via forfeit. Out came Brett Mettro, and he’s back in his ugly green singlet. Mettro got on the mic and noted he was slated to be in the tournament but had to withdraw, and he believes he would have made it to the finals if he had been in it. He challenged Julius to a match!
6. Julius Draeger vs. Brett Mettro. Brett hit some bodyslams. Draeger hit a Spinebuster. Brett hit more bodyslams. Draeger hit a Pedigree for the pin. Adequate.
Julius Draeger defeated Brett Mettro at 4:23.
* It was announced a few days ago that Dezmond Cole also couldn’t be here, so Pedro Dones is replacing him in the main event.
7. “Swipe Right” Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes vs. Pedro Dones and Jermaine Marbury for the Wrestling Open Tag Titles. The champs (who are both WWE ID prospects) came out first, and Smokes declared this is a NO count-out match, as Marbury has beaten each of SR via count-out in recent weeks. The bell rang and SR stalled on the floor. All four fought in the ring. The champs began working over Marbury in their corner. Dones entered but hurt his shoulder in the corner, and Baylor immediately got a nearfall at 3:30. Smokes entered and planted his knee in Pedro’s spine and kept him grounded. Jermaine got a hot tag at 7:30 and he hit a double Slam Dunk on their heads, sending their skulls crashing onto the mat.
Marbury hit a Eurostep Stunner for a nearfall. He hit a Mamba Splash on Baylor at 9:00, but Ricky pulled him to the floor. All four fought on the floor. In the ring, Baylor hit the Super-Swipe (swinging uranage) on Marbury for the pin. Good match, but not a great one, either.
Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes defeated Pedro Dones and Jermaine Marbury to retain the Wrestling Open Tag Titles at 10:25.
* Aaron Rourke ran to the ring and attacked Baylor (which was predictable after the finish of his match earlier.)
Final Thoughts: A great opener between Mathers and Skye was easily the best of the show and it got the night off on the right foot. I’ll go with Rourke-Gal for second, with the main event taking third. I’m glad they held off on the Tournament Of Tomorrow finals. It can wait a week until Eye Jack Black is feeling better.
I don’t claim to know why promoter Drew Cordeiro made the switch to this building; maybe it’s a cheaper nightly rental, or it was available weekly going forward. It worked okay; the lighting wasn’t ideal but I wouldn’t say it was “bad,” either. I do prefer the White Eagle as it clearly is a bit bigger and the lighting is better. Also, I don’t know if this will be common length of the event, but this show wrapped up at 8:30 p.m. CST, and the shows usually go until 9 p.m. So, hopefully they go back to a two-hour length in the future and this was just a one-time short show. I watched this live; it should be posted on IWTV at some point on Friday.
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