By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 164”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
February 20, 2025 in Worcester, Massachusetts at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett, Rickey Shane Page, ref Scott Robinson and Brett Ryan Gosselin provided commentary. This is the fourth episode recorded here in this 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 holds slightly fewer fans. Attendance is maybe 100-150.
1. Armani Kayos vs. Nick Batee in a spotlight match. The flamboyant Kayos (think Sonny Kiss) has appeared here a few times. Batee also has been here a couple times; he’s similar to Dante Martin. Kayos hit a spin kick. Batee hit a Flatliner at 3:00. Kayos hit another spin kick to the jaw for a nearfall, but he missed a triple-jump moonsault. Batee immediately hit an axe kick to the back of the head for the pin. A mild upset.
Nick Batee defeated Armani Kayos at 4:39.
2. Pedro Dones vs. Angel Jacquez. Dones took a decisive, one-sided loss here a couple weeks ago, so we’ll see where they are going with it. Crockett immediately discussed this and wondered how Dones bounces back. Pedro got on the mic and wondered about his future. Angel came out on a mic and berated Dones. I don’t think I’ve seen Angel before; he wore white trunks and is perhaps Latino (think Epico Colon); he has a good physique and appears taller than Dones. Pedro punched him and we got a bell! Pedro hit some jabs and a bodyslam. Angel hit a bodyslam and hit an elbow drop for a nearfall at 3:00.
Angel hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Dones got up and hit some punches to the gut. Dones got Angel on his shoulders, did an airplane spin, and hit a Samoan Drop. He hit his flying headbutt and scored the pin. Decent match; I am assuming Angel is new (his name isn’t in the cagematch.net database) but he looked good here.
Pedro Dones defeated Angel Jacquez at 5:43.
* A commercial aired to remind us that Ryan Clancy defends his title next week against Ray Jaz.
3. DJ Powers vs. Seabass Finn. Again, teenager Powers is giving me young Johnny Morrison vibes, and I’m a big fan. Finn has an amateur wrestling background; I hate the fisherman’s gimmick and think he’s better than it. DJ rolled to the floor at the bell and stalled, So Finn dove onto him. In the ring, Finn hit a Flatliner move. Powers beat down Finn and took control. Finn hit a Thesz Press at 4:00, then a doublestomp to the chest. He hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Powers hit a neckbreaker over his knee. Powers shouted “World class!” and hit a jumping piledriver for the pin. That’s Channing Thomas’ finisher! The feud with Channing is definitely picking up. Decent little match.
DJ Powers defeated Seabass Finn at 5:40.
4. Georgio Lawrence vs. Brando Lee. My first time seeing Georgio, who was billed as a kickboxing specialist and has medals around his neck, and Crockett said he hits hard. He has a short mullet. (He apparently had a spotlight match last week that I missed.) Last week, I compared Brando to Lee Moriarty and I’ll stick to that. Lee hit a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall. Lawrence stomped on him in the corner, and he hit some roundhouse kicks to the stomach. Lawrence hit a stiff kick to the spine at 2:30. Lee avoided a sunset flip and hit a doublestomp to the chest, then a dropkick and a Death Valley Driver, then a rolling cannonball Koppo Kick into the corner for the pin. I liked what I saw here from both youngsters.
Brando Lee defeated Georgio Lawrence at 4:48.
* Lee got on the mic and reminded us that last week, Bryce Donovan told him “you are not on my level.” He challenged Bryce to a match next week!
* We saw footage of the DJ Powers-Channing Thomas confrontation from last week. (It feels like this should have aired before DJ’s match!)
* TJ Crawford and Love, Doug came to the ring. TJ has taken control of the heel Big Business faction, and he berated the crowd. TJ expressed disappointment in the way Channing Thomas has acted of late.
5. TJ Crawford (w/Love, Doug) vs. Channing Thomas. Just bizarre to see Channing get a crowd pop. They immediately traded standing switches and worked each other’s left arm. Channing hit a bodyslam at 2:30. TJ hit a spin kick to the head and he stomped on Channing. He applied a leg lock around the waist and kept Channing grounded. Channing got up and hit some punches and a flying forearm at 7:00. He hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. TJ hit a swinging sideslam for a nearfall. He hit some Yes Kicks and he jawed at the crowd, and a bit at Doug! The call at 9:00 that we had one minute remaining was fairly spot-on. Doug distracted the ref; DJ Powers snuck in the ring, hit Channing with brass knuckles, and TJ scored the cheap pin.
TJ Crawford defeated Channing Thomas at 9:44.
* Powers continued to beat up Channing after the bell.
6. Bobby Orlando vs. Gal. WWE ID prospect Gal wore his body-building medals. Orlando is the dork with the Colt Cabana-style brand of humor. Standing switches to open and Gal knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Orlando hit a shotgun dropkick. Gal caught Bobby coming off the ropes and hit a fallaway slam at 1:30; RSP offered praise at Gal’s look and skills. Gal nailed a discus clothesline for a nearfall, then a double guillotine leg drop. He applied a standing sleeper and was in charge. Bobby hit a top-rope crossbody block at 5:30, then a stunner for a nearfall. Gal nailed a release German Suplex that popped RSP. Bobby got a folding press rollup out of nowhere for the clean pin! Gal was livid! Good match.
Bobby Orlando defeated Gal at 6:32.
7. Eye Black Jack vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin. Rookie EBJ is still unbeaten, including a win over BRG. Brett snuck in from behind and hit EBJ with a steel chair to the back; I started my stopwatch at first contact. BRG got on the mic and said “I never play fair. I’m a snake, and you never trust a snake.” Brett said he’s tired of brats like Jack coming here. He stomped on him. We got a bell at 2:23; are we actually starting? No, the refs pushed Brett away and checked on the youngster, while BRG headed to the back.
Eye Black Jack vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin never officially begins.
8. Ray Jaz and “Stetson Ranch” Lucas Chase and Danny Miles vs. Sammy Diaz, Ryan Clancy, and Jermaine Marbury (w/Benny the Basketball). Jaz is getting his title match next week so he certainly isn’t losing here. Clancy wore his Wrestling Open title, which of course is not on the line in a six-man tag. Those two opened against each other and had an intense lockup. Good reversals with neither man able to get any advantage; RSP noted “they are wrestling this match like they are the only ones in it.” Miles finally entered at 3:30, so Marbury also tagged in. We finally got Chase versus former teammate Diaz, but Lucas tagged out before they locked up, and the crowd booed him. Sammy hit a top-rope crossbody block on Miles at 6:30.
Diaz set up for a dive, but Lucas cut him off, and the heels began working over Sammy in their corner. Chase finally got in and grounded Diaz with a rear-naked choke. Miles hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 10:30. Jaz got back in and hit some back suplexes. Benny got the crowd to start a “defense!” chant. The ref missed Marbury getting a hot tag. Marbury finally got a hot tag at 13:30 and hit some clotheslines on Lucas, then a stunner for a nearfall. Clancy hit a German Suplex on Chase. Jaz hit an impressive dropkick on Clancy for a nearfall. Miles and Jermaine hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. Chase and Diaz brawled some more. Miles hit a German Suplex on Diaz. Diaz clotheslined himself and Chase to the floor. Jermaine rolled up Miles for the clean pin. Good match.
Sammy Diaz, Jermaine Marbury, and Ryan Clancy defeated Ray Jaz, Lucas Chase, and Danny Miles at 17:12.
* Jaz and Clancy continued to fight in the ring as the other four brawled to the back.
Final Thoughts: No stand-out, must-see match here, but I really enjoyed it; this is a case where the sum is better than the individual parts. Gal-Orlando was good and even though short, I’ll go with that for best match. Crawford-Channing narrowly takes second; I sensed that Powers would play a part in the finish, which made sense with the storyline they are spinning. A good main event takes third; as is often the case, it really picked up after the hot tag. Also, some debuts here that looked really good. If I had a complaint, it’s the lack of a women’s match tonight.
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