By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Focus Pro “All Of The Lights”
March 2, 2025 in Medford, Massachusetts at The Great American Beer Hall
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
Medford is on the north side of the Boston metro area. This is a small factory-looking beer taphouse with a high ceiling. The crowd is maybe 100-150. The lights are on and it’s easy to see. We have two WWE ID prospects in action. This event also features multiple matches with clearly new, green wrestlers, taking on a more tenured opponent. Drew Kazoo and Bo Douglas provided commentary.
1. Gabby Forza vs. Diego Alvarez in an intergender match. I don’t think I’ve seen Diego before; he has similar features and size to Mustafa Ali. He got on the mic and berated the crowd. Gabby got on the mic and asked if the crowd wanted her to kick his ass and they cheered. She kicked the ropes to crotch him, and she hit an airplane spin-into-a-slam, then a powerslam at 1:00. She hit a Mark Henry-style World’s Strongest Slam, but she missed a Vader Bomb. He hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. He kept her grounded, and pulled on her while standing on her hair.
Diego hit a Ravishing Rude-style standing neckbreaker at 4:00, grinding his hips before hitting it, and the heel commentator kept calling him “Papi Guapo.” Gabby hit a suplex and they were both down. She hit a Fallaway Slam at 6:00, and this time she hit the Vader Bomb for a nearfall. She went for a Bulldog Powerslam, but he escaped. Gabby began jawing at a heel manager. Diego yanked her to the mat by her hair and hit a jumping knee to her chin for a nearfall at 8:00. Gabby nailed a spear for the pin. Decent match.
Gabby Forza defeated Diego Alvarez at 9:04.
2. Danny Miles vs. Milo Mirra. Milo is the kid who uses a pogo stick to bounce to the ring; it’s a fun visual but you need more than just that. Miles carries himself like Arn Anderson; not flashy but solid. Basic reversals on the mat early on. They got up and Miles unloaded some European Uppercuts at 3:00. They fought to the floor and traded blows in front of the fans, and Miles accidentally punched the ring post at 5:30. In the ring, Miles took control and he repeatedly punched Mirra.
Milo missed a top-rope elbow drop at 8:30. He fired up and hit some clotheslines and a second-rope Blockbuster for a nearfall. Mirra hit a twisting body splash to the mat for a nearfall at 11:00. Miles suplexed him into the corner, then hit a rolling cannonball for a believable nearfall. Mirra dove through the ropes onto Miles on the floor at 13:00. In a neat spot, Mirra used the pogo stick to launch himself onto a pillar, and then he dove onto Miles! However, in the ring, Miles locked in a rear-naked choke, and Mirra passed out. Decent match.
Danny Miles defeated Milo Mirra at 14:14.
3. Ricky Smokes vs. Mike Graca (w/Katey Prescott). Smokes is the talented WWE ID prospect; he came out first and destroyed a fan’s sign. I always compare Graca to former AEW wrestler Jimmy Havok, and a bit of Darby Allin. Smokes rolled to the floor at the bell and was booed. Katey barked at Smokes. In the ring, Graca hit a big backbody drop. Smokes went back to the floor, sipped on a beer and got sick, and claimed the beer here is bad, which got boos. Katey tossed a drink in his face, and Graca dove through the ropes onto Smoes at 3:00. In the ring, Graca hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Smokes took control and locked in a rear-naked choke. Graca hit a running kick and they were both down at 7:00.
Graca hit a Mafia Kick that dropped Smokes, then some clotheslines. Smokes hit a DDT for a nearfall at 9:00, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Graca crotched Smokes on the top rope and shook it; the heel commentator screamed that it was an illegal move. Graca chokeslammed Smokes to the mat for a nearfall at 11:00. Graca hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall, then a hesitation dropkick in the corner. Smokes got a rollup out of nowhere, grabbed the ropes for added leverage, and stole a cheap pin. Good match.
Ricky Smokes defeated Mike Graca at 12:51.
4. Charles Mason vs. Brian Bayside in a relaxed rules match. I’ve seen Bayside at least once; he’s portly and flamboyant in an ugly pink singlet, and I admittedly wasn’t impressed. Mason is really underrated; he often wrestles in a suit so it hides what is a better-than-expected physique, and he wore a reddish-purple suit today. The heel commentator was entirely unfamiliar with Mason so he asked a lot of questions. Mason hit a shotgun dropkick at the bell and repeatedly stomped on Bayside, and he finally removed his suit coat and hit some chops on Brian. Bayside hit a sit-out powerbomb at 2:30.
Mason dumped a bag of LEGOs on the mat at 5:30. He removed his belt and choked Bayside with it! He flipped Bayside from the corner to the mat, with Brian landing on the LEGOs. Mason got a door and placed it in the corner of the ring. However, Bayside picked up Mason and slammed him through the door for a nearfall at 8:30. Mason finally removed his button-down shirt, and they traded chops. Bayside charged and accidentally flattened the ref in the corner. Mason immediately hit a low blow punt kick. Bayside hit a DDT and they were both down. Mason wrapped the belt around the neck and hid it as he locked in a rear-naked choke, and Bayside tapped out. The crowd booed this outcome. Decent ‘relaxed rules’ match that didn’t get bloody or too violent.
Charles Mason defeated Brian Bayside at 11:42.
5. JGeorge vs. Stan Stylez in a whipped cream anywhere match. The commentators have no clue how this stipulation will work. Stan has a great muscular physique and carries his ‘shake-weight’ but he hasn’t clicked yet in the ring. JGeorge does a filmmaker gimmick that hasn’t worked for me, either. The sun suddenly came out and it’s creating some bad viewing from the hard camera as half the ring is too bright; the commentators pointed it out as I typed it. Stylez had fans hold JGeorge’s arms while he sprayed whipped cream on JGeorge’s chest, and they brawled on the floor. They got back into the ring and sprayed whipped cream on each other… this just isn’t working for me.
JGeorge’s female valet hit Stylez and smacked him with cream. The valet got the shake-weight, but Stylez stomped on her foot. JGeorge kicked Styles. JGeorge and the valet hit a team chokeslam for a neafall at 7:00. JGeorge did a Dudley Boys “Wassup” diving headbutt to the groin. The heels got a kiddie pool that was filled with whipped cream. Stylez got a cannister and sprayed the cream into each of the heels’ mouths. Stylez hit a stunner, with JGeorge falling backward into the kiddie pool of cream, and Stylez made the cover for the pin. Yeah… I liked nothing about that.
Stan Stylez defeated JGeorge in a whipped cream anywhere match at 8:49.
6. Marcus Mathers vs. Gabriel Skye for the IWTV Title. This is the reason I tuned in, although I saw these two fight at Wrestling Open in January. An intense lockup to open; these two are roughly the same size. (The bright sunlight has now moved to the other side of the ring.) They sped it up and traded reversals and had a standoff at 1:30. Mathers hit a dropkick, then forearms and chops in the corner. Skye stomped on Mathers’ leg as it was tied in the ropes, and he hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 4:00 and was booed. Gabriel kept Marcus grounded in an ankle lock. Mathers hit a top-rope twisting crossbody block at 8:00 and they were both down. Mathers hit some clotheslines and a springboard stunner, then his Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall.
Gabriel locked in an ankle lock and he hit a standing powerbomb at 10;30, and he went for a Texas Cloverleaf, but Mathers rolled him up for a nearfall. Mathers hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. This time, Skye locked in the Texas Cloverleaf, but Mathers reached the ropes at 12:00. Skye hit a dropkick on the knee and a superkick. Marcus hit a Poison Rana and they were both down. This has been as good as I hoped. Skye tied Marcus in the Tree of Woe and kicked at the knee, then a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 15:30. Skye again applied the ankle lock. Mathers hit a kick to the back of the head. Skye hit a buzzsaw kick. Mathers nailed his Canadian Destroyer, then a fisherman’s brainbuster for the pin. A very good match.
Marcus Mathers defeated Gabriel Skye to retain the IWTV World Title at 17:37.
7. Notorious Mimi vs. Brittnie Brooks. Arizona-based Brooks just returned from an ACL injury, and it’s great to see her back in action. Again, Mimi wrestled as Sloane Jacobs in NXT. Mimi wore her angel’s wings gear to the ring and was snobby and arrogant tonight. Brittnie was in her all-pink gear and got a nice pop. Mimi pretended to offer a handshake but instead slapped Brooks on the side of her head! Brittnie hit some deep armdrags and a snap suplex. Mimi hit a back suplex at 2:00 and flexed her muscles, then a clothesline for a nearfall. She mounted Brittnie and hit some punches, then a backbreaker over her knee at 4:30, then a second one. Brittnie countered with a bulldog and they were both down.
Brittnie hit some running back elbows. Mimi hit a pop-up slap to the face. Brittnie dragged Mimi to the mat and applied a crossface. Mimi applied a Fujiwara Armbar. Brittnie hit a DDT for a nearfall at 7:30. Mimi nailed a Gory Special for a nearfall. Mimi missed a top-rope splash. Brittnie hit the It’s Britney Bitch (inverted DDT) for the pin. Really good for the time given; they worked well together.
Brittnie Brooks defeated Notorious Mimi at 8:34.
8. Mani Ariez vs. Bear Bronson for the Focus Pro Title. I’ve seen Mani (think Mike Santana) just a handful of times, including the match when he won this belt a few months ago. Bronson has the size advantage; he’s cut his hair shorter since he was last on AEW TV and wore a different singlet, too, so he looks vastly different. An intense lockup to open. They traded shoulder blocks with neither going down. Bronson hit some hard chops. Mani hit a plancha to the floor at 4:00. Bronson accidentally hit a pillar as they brawled at ringside. Bronson slammed him onto the ring frame and hit a senton on the apron at 6:00. They got back into the ring and traded punches. Bear hit a forward Finlay Roll and a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 8:00.
Mani hit a back suplex and they were both down. He hit a second-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Bronson dropped his weight on Mani’s chest and got a nearfall at 10:00. Mani hit a Whisper In The Wind twisting splash and they were both down at 12:00. Mani hit a powerbomb for a nearfall; the crowd argued it was a pin. Bear hit a Choke Bomb for a nearfall at 13:30. They traded forearm strikes and punches while on their knees, then while standing. Mani hit a German Suplex at 15:30, then a bodyslam for a nearfall. Mani missed a top-rope moonsault. Mani accidentally hit a running knee on the ref at 17:00! Bronson nailed the sit-out piledriver for the visual pin, but we had no ref! Danny Miles ran into the ring and stomped on them both! Bronson and Miles traded punches; Bronson and Mani clotheslined Miles to the floor. Mani hit a running knee on Bronson and scored the pin.
Mani Ariez defeated Bear Bronson to retain the Focus Pro Title at 19:33.
* Miles continued to beat up Ariez after the bell and he posed with Mani’s title as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts: Mathers-Skye was the standout here, as expected. Mathers is so good and I’ll be intrigued to see how he is used and presented on EVOLVE over the next few weeks. Brittnie-Mimi was really polished, too, and that takes second. A good main event takes third, while Smokes-Graca was good for honorable mention. I think it was a really good idea for Bronson to change up his look so much, as I don’t expect we’ll ever see Bear Boulder wrestle again. Hopefully, there is still a place for Bronson as part of AEW/ROH moving forward, but yes, he needed a fresh look.
Each of the first four matches had the better, more experienced wrestler defeat a newcomer. I’m totally fine with that. I know the temptation is to just put the better wrestlers against each other, but this show gave some newcomers a chance to learn from someone more experienced than them. Stylez-JGeorge was a dud, and I feared it would be going in, but it didn’t reach my lowest expectations. Most everything else worked for me.
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