By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Freelance Pro Wrestling “Fight For Chicago”
Streamed live on IndependentWrestling.TV
March 20, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois at Emporium Logan Square
Freelance runs maybe half of their shows at this tavern. The crowd was PACKED in front of the ring; we have maybe 250 watching, all standing; you can see the bar and TVs in the background. Lighting is okay. K-Mel provided commentary. Notable that this ring is maybe 18 inches tall; that really affects some of those dives, especially when a woman goes between the bottom and middle ropes.
1. Nova Marz vs. Wes Barkley vs. August Matthews vs. Davey Bang vs. Trevor Outlaw vs. Darin Corbin in a scramble. Regular teammates Bang and Matthews should have an advantage, right? My first time seeing Marz; he’s a Black man in glittery pink gear, and the commentators said this was just his third match here. Cleveland-based Barkley is always a heel here, and Outlaw and Corbin are hated by these fans, too. (Jeez, just make this a six-man tag!) Outlaw rolled to the floor at the bell. The three babyfaces ganged up on Corbin! Corbin’s trainee refused to help him cheat. Nova dove to the floor on the heels at 2:30. Bang & Matthews handcuffed Outlaw in the corner. Barkley clotheslined both of them. Bang hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor, while Matthews hit a dive to the opposite side.
Marz hit a flying leg drop on Corbin for a nearfall at 6:00. Bang hit the Spears Tower. Bang and Matthews began trading forearm strikes! Corbin hit a double spear on them. Marz hit a double suplex and suddenly everyone was down (except Outlaw, who is still handcuffed in the corner!) He was handcuffed with a zip-tie and one of Corbin’s guys freed Outlaw… who promptly punched the kid! Outlaw jumped in the ring and covered two guys going for a rollup and was awarded the pin!
Trevor Outlaw defeated Nova Marz, Wes Barkley, August Matthews, Davey Bang, and Darin Corbin in a scramble match at 8:51.
2. Sabin Gauge vs. Trent Wrigley. Wrigley is a white kid wearing a Hawaiian shirt; I’ve seen him at least once. He ‘surfed’ on Gauge’s back and hit a senton. Sabin slammed Trent on the ring apron at 2:00 and took control. Wrigley fired up and hit some clotheslines. Gauge hit a German Suplex at 4:00, then a Hidden Blade to the jaw, then one to the back of the head, then a Tombstone Piledriver for the pin. That’s what it should have been; we don’t have enough squash matches in indy wrestling.
Sabin Gauge defeated Trent Wrigley at 4:28.
3. Zara Zakher vs. Kylie Rae in an official WWE ID match. These two just had a match on EVOLVE episode 2, with Zara winning. They shook hands before trading standing switches and Zara focused on the left arm. Kylie pushed her against the ropes and punched her in the gut at 2:00! Kylie was suddenly more vicious and hit Zara some more and took control. Zara hit a basement dropkick to the lower back. Kylie hit a suplex for a nearfall at 4:30 and she glared at the ref. She shoved Zara head-first into the middle turnbuckle, and she hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall.
Kylie tied her up in an abdominal stretch. Zara hit some clotheslines and an enzuigiri, then a spinebuster for a nearfall at 7:00. Zara hit a German Suplex and a Shining Wizard for a believable nearfall, then a bodyslam. She went to the top rope but missed a doublestomp. Kylie immediately nailed a superkick at 9:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Zara went for her Backflip Stunner move but Kylie avoided it. Kylie snapped her throat-first on the top rope, spun Zara to the mat, and locked in a crossface, and Zara tapped out. Good match.
Kylie Rae defeated Zara Zakher at 10:12.
4. Koda Hernandez vs. CJ Martin (w/RJ Sowa, Darin Corbin) for the Freelance Legacy Title. Martin wore a blue boxing robe; Martin and Sowa are “Conduits of Corbin’s Knowledge” (COCK). (Because General Rection is so fondly remembered, heavy on my sarcasm.) CJ attacked from behind and they traded punches. Koda hit a plancha to the floor at 1:30. In some comedy, Koda grabbed some of the guns on a nearby arcade game and pointed them at the heels. Back in the ring, Koda beat up the kid, and he did the ‘Eddie Spot,’ tossing his title belt to CJ and collapsing. Martin and Sowa collapsed, too, so when the ref turned around, everyone was down but Corbin, who was quickly ejected.
CJ hit a snap suplex, then another, as he mockingly did the Three Amigos. Koda hit some overhand chops and a suplex at 5:30. Koda hit a corner dropkick, then a dive through the ropes and barreled onto Martin. CJ tried to grab the ropes on a rollup but the ref immediately saw it. Koda nailed a sit-out Razor’s Edge for the pin. Good action; I have routinely praised Koda and he’s arguably the best male wrestler in this promotion.
Koda Hernandez defeated CJ Martin to retain the Freelance Legacy Title at 8:03.
5. Eyecandy Elliott vs. Shazza McKenzie in an intergender match. Elliott recently returned to wrestling after a several-year hiatus; he has a good physique and is clearly taller, thicker, and stronger. She backed him into a corner and hit a series of chops and forearm strikes. She hit a huracanrana, and she dove through the ropes, but he caught her and powerbombed her onto the ring apron at 3:00. She tied him in the ropes and hit a series of Yes Kicks to his chest at 5:00. Shazza hit a top-rope crossbody block. He faked a knee injury and collapsed, and he whispered to Laynie Luck. However, he quickly got up and attacked Shazza! Elliott hit a lungblower move for a nearfall. Laynie hopped on the ring apron and yelled at Elliott. Luck shoved him; Shazza rolled him up and got the flash pin.
Shazza McKenzie defeated Eyecandy Elliott at 7:37.
6. “Home Cooking” Dan the Dad and Kody Lane vs. “PME” Philly Collins and Marino Tenaglia for the Freelance Tag Team Titles.These four are all regulars in St. Louis-based Glory Pro and I’m sure they’ve fought many times. Kody and Marino opened, and Tenaglia dropped him gut-first on the top rope. Philly hit a senton splash. Dan tagged in at 2:00, still sipping on his coffee cup while applying a headlock, and hitting an armdrag, while not spilling a drop. PME hit a team slam on Dan at 4:00 and they took control. Dan finally got up and hit jab punches on both guys at 6:30. PME hit a team slam on Dan for a nearfall. Dan accidentally hit a spinning heel kick on Marino!
Kody got a hot tag at 8:30. He hit a slingshot senton on Marino. Dan dove through the ropes on Philly. Dan hit a top-rope crossbody block on Philly. Kody nailed his one-legged Lionsault on Philly, and Dan got a cover for a nearfall at 10:00. Marino and Dan traded forearm strikes. Kody nailed a Buckle Bomb on Marino. Marino hit a Poison Rana. Collins hit a second-rope superplex. Tenaglia hit a splash on Dan for a nearfall at 12:00. PME hit their team Flatliner on Dan for a nearfall, but Kody hit a top-rope senton splash to make the save, and all four were down, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Marino hit a dive through the ropes on Kody. Dan and Philly traded some punches, and Dan hit a spinebuster. Kody hit a top-rope senton on Philly for the pin!
Dan the Dad and Kody Lane defeated Philly Collins and Marino Tenaglia to retain the Freelance Tag Team Titles at 14:42.
7. Sam Holloway vs. Darius Latrell. Holloway is the tall WWE ID prospect I’ve compared to Julius Creed; he might be around 6’8″. Latrell is equally tall — seriously they are eye-to-eye, and he might even be a bit taller than Sam. Quik reversals early with neither man landing anything. Latrell clotheslined him to the floor. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, Sam hit a butterfly suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Holloway hit a dropkick. Latrell hit a bodyslam and a Stinger Splash, then a Mafia Kick at 5:00, then a World’s Strongest Slam. Sam nailed a uranage for a nearfal. They got up and hit stereo Mafia Kicks, then simultaneous chokeslams (it’s fun to look at, but it defies logic.)
Sam nailed a dive over the top rope at 7:30; that is a BIG man to hit that spot. Latrell then hit the same move! They were both down on the floor and earned a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Sam jumped up to the top rope, but Latrell hit a top-rope chokeslam for the pin. That was really good for the time given.
Darius Latrell defeated Sam Holloway at 8:58.
8. Alfonso Gonzalez and Isaias Velazquez (w/Sabin Gauge) vs. Regan Lydale and Devon Monroe. Gonzalez is the chubby mid-carder who won the Freelance Title after cashing in the equivalent of a “Money in the Bank” title shot; obviously, his belt is not on the line in a tag match. Honestly, this feels like it should be the opening match, not the main event. Velazquez and Monroe opened. Alfonso and Regan got in at 2:30 and he immediately rolled her up for a nearfall. The heels worked over Regan. Velazquez hit a basement dropkick to her spine at 5:30. Sabin Gauge came to ringside to help the heels. Devon hit a dive through the ropes onto Velazquez and Gauge at 7:00.
Regan dove off the apron onto everyone on the floor. Koda Hernandez jumped in the ring and attacked the heels, and everyone started brawling, and the ref called for the bell. Lame finish to a match that had no business being the “main event.”
Alfonso Gonzalez and Isaias Velazquez vs. Regan Lydale and Devon Monroe went to a no contest at 8:05.
* The match re-started as a six-man tag.
8b. Regan Lydale, Devon Monroe, and Koda Hernandez vs. Alfonso Gonzalez, Isaias Velazquez, and Sabin Gauge. Monroe hit a Code Red. Alfonso hit a backbreaker over his knee and a fisheman’s suplex. Regan hit a sidelam on Gonzalez for a nearfall. Devon Monroe hit a springboard spinning X-Factor and pinned Gonzalez. Meh.
Regan Lydale, Devon Monroe, and Koda Hernandez defeated Alfonso Gonzalez, Isaias Velazquez, and Sabin Gauge at 1:35.
Final Thoughts: Gonzalez as a champ does nothing for me. Koda, PME, Kody Lane are all clearly much better wrestlers in this lineup. I really feel a promotion has to put their top title on a top guy. Gonzalez, quite simply, is not a top guy — if he got on AEW TV, it would only be because Lance Archer needed someone to squash in 40 seconds. So yes, the main event soured me on the show because it was otherwise a fun event. With Kylie Rae’s future here uncertain as a WWE prospect, Storm Grayson out with an injury, and no sign of Calvin Tankman or Shane Mercer, somehow Gonzalez has been elevated to champion. For me anyway, it’s not working.
PME-Kody/Dan have done that dance before and it showed. That’s a top-notch indy-style tag title match. Unsurprisingly, Kylie vs. Zara was really good and earned second. The big-man match of Holloway-Latrell was good for third.
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