By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, GCW, MLW, ROH, and other notable live events and television tapings. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Defy Wrestling “Aftermath”
March 15, 2025 from Seattle, Washington at Washington Hall
Released April 6, 2025 on TrillerTV+
This show was held March 15, 2025, at Washington Hall in Seattle, Wash. They always pack this building with maybe 500 fans. Lighting is just so-so. Ethan HD and Rich Bocchini provided commentary.
* Ricky Starks recently dethroned Kenta to win the Defy Title to end Kenta’s year-long reign. However, after signing with NXT, Ricky has relinquished the belt! It means a new champion will be crowned here!
1. Titus Alexander vs. Clark Connors vs. LaBron Kozone vs. Marcus Mathers in a Defy World Title qualifier. This match is stacked with many of my favorites! West Coast indy star Titus just appeared in the MLW Battle Riot and it’s just a matter of time before he’s signed. Kozone is a star in N.C.-based Deadlock Pro and he’s comparable to Trick Williams or a young Booker T. This crowd was LOUD and hot at the bell; they just stood there for a minute and absorbed the crowd reaction. Titus and Marcus ganged up on Clark. Ethan said Titus is “a born antagonist,” which is quite accurate.
Titus and Marcus tried a team shoulder tackle on LaBron but couldn’t budge him. LaBron, of course, hit a double shoulder tackle to drop them. Titus hit a dropkick on LaBron at 3:00. Marcus hit a headscissors takedown on Titus. Connors nailed a Pounce; he faked a dive to the floor but gave the crowd the middle finger. He whipped Titus into a corner and worked over Alexander’s lower back. Mathers and Connors traded punches, and Marcus hit a Blue Thunder Bomb at 7:30, but Kozone made the save. Kozone nailed a shoulder-breaker over his knee on Marcus.
Kozone hit a backbreaker over his knee on Titus, then a Helluva Kick, then a wind-up bodyslam for a nearfall at 9:00. “He’s literally juggling human beings,” Ethan HD said. Titus went for a Lethal Injection, but Kozone blocked it. Titus tried again and hit it for a nearfall. Kozone picked up two guys for a double Spinebuster at 10:30 and this building went nuts. Titus and Kozone traded kicks and suddenly all four were down and the crowd chanted “Defy!” Mathers and Titus traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Titus hit a Chaos Theory for a nearfall at 13:00.
Kozone caught Titus and hit a Burning Hammer, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Titus and Clark traded forearm strikes, and Connors hit a powerslam. Kozone hit a spin kick. Clark hit a snap suplex on Mathers. Connors and Titus fought on the top rope; Mathers jumped up there and hit a double superplex to the mat at 16:00. This has been insanely good. Mathers clotheslined Kozone to the floor, and he hit a flip dive to the floor on Kozone and Titus.
In the ring, Mathers hit a top-rope 450 Splash. Kozone picked someone up but Clark speared Kozone. TItus hit a standing moonsault and a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. LaBron hit a Ballgame clothesline. Marcus hit his Canadian Destroyer on Titus, then a series of kicks on Connors. Connors hit his No Chaser (spike DDT) on Marcus for the pin. That was incredible. Connors advances to the finals.
Clark Connors defeated Titus Alexander, Marcus Mathers and LaBron Kozone at 18:17 to advance.
2. Jordan Oasis vs. Evan Rivers vs. Bishop Kaun vs. Starboy Charlie in a Defy World Title qualifier. Oasis is the bald, muscular WWE ID prospect who hasn’t quite clicked for me yet. Rivers is a local heel; he has short blondish curly hair. They all went for big moves early but no one was landing anything, and they had a standoff. Kaun hit a standing powerbomb on Charlie. Oasis hit a chop block on Rivers, then a gut-wrench suplex and a backbreaker over his knee, then a brainbuster for a nearfall, but Kaun made the save.
Charlie got in the middle of Oasis and Kaun and chopped them both but it had little effect on the bigger guys, so he hit a double Pele Kick at 6:00, then an Asai Moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Rivers hit a superplex on Charlie, and suddenly all four were down. Oasis hit a cannonball on Charlie against the ropes. Kaun hit a DVD on Oasis on the floor, then a double-knee gutbuster in the ring on Charlie. Rivers hit a swinging sideslam on Charlie for a believable nearfall at 9:30; I thought that was it. The crowd chanted “F— you, Rivers!”
Kaun and Oasis — the more muscular guys in the match — traded forearm strikes and chops, as the other two were on the floor. Oasis hit a Mafia Kick, so Kaun hit one. Kaun nailed an Alabama Slam. Jordan hit a backbreaker over his knee on Kaun. Rivers jumped in and hit a stunner on Kaun, then a forward Finlay Roll on Oasis, then a moonsault on Oasis for a nearfall, but Charlie hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press to break it up. Charlie then jumped on Rivers and pinned him! Not as good as the (great) opener, but still quite good.
Starboy Charlie defeated Jordan Oasis, Evan Rivers and Bishop Kaun at 12:43 to advance.
* Randy Myers came to the ring. Myers is the flamboyant version of DC’s Joker and he is beloved here. He kissed a man in the front row and that got a pop. He talked about wrestling more than 1,000 matches and winning several titles in more than two decades in the ring. BUT… he is wondering what is left. He teased he was announcing a retirement but then shouted, “I’m not done yet!” Out of nowhere, a guy in black gear attacked Myers! Bocchini said it was Miles Deville. He repeatedly stomped on Myers and was loudly booed.
* Backstage, Midnight Heat talked about facing the Rock N Roll Express on April 17 in The Collective in Las Vegas.
3. “Flamin’ Aces” Spencer Scott and Zaye Perez vs. “Midnight Heat” Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson. Bocchini said this is a debut for the FA, but I know I’ve seen Zaye Perez before. Pearl tied up one of the kids as the commentators talked about the RnR Express and that upcoming match. Spencer (think a young Heath Slater) hit a handspring-back-elbow and a twisting neckbreaker. Gibson hit some backbreakers over his knee on Zaye and kept him grounded. The Heat extensively worked over Zaye. Zaye hit a Canadian Destroyer on Gibson at 7:00 but he couldn’t tag out. Scott was knocked off the apron, allowing the MH to keep working over Perez, and they pinned him. Wow, this is two straight days I saw the heels completely cut off a hot tag from happening.
Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson defeated Spencer Scott and Zaye Perez at 7:45.
* Next up is a women’s “Defy to Survive” match but I’m unclear what that means. Is this a gauntlet? The winner gets a title shot against champ Marina Shafir. Bocchini and Ethan HD tried to explain the rules during all the ring entrances… and honestly I’m just not getting it.
4. Rhio vs. Anna Beretta vs. Brooke Havoke vs. Liiza Hall vs. Nichole Matthews vs. Tara Zep vs. Vert Vixen vs. Danika Della Rouge in a “Defy to Survive” match. Danika has long purple hair; I’ve seen her at least once before. Zep is the scary woman with white face paint and black clothing; think 1998-era Vampiro. I don’t think I’ve seen Beretta; she is tall with long blonde hair and she carried a hard whip that I think of as a sex toy; it probably has a name that I don’t know. Bocchini said this is Beretta’s debut here. Vert’s hair is more purple today than I’ve seen it in the past.
Beretta and Danika opened and I still have no idea the rules of this match; several women are in opposite corners, so is this just four-on-four tag? It sure would be nice if the commentators said so! Beretta hit a German Suplex at 1:30, then a running knee. Liiza and Matthews got in and squared off; Liiza tied her up, so Nicole bit Hall’s hand to escape! OKAY, Bocchini just said this is essentially a WWE Survivor Series match, but they will continue until only one person is left, so if there is one team left, they will have to start fighting each other. So… what incentive is there to get in?
Zep hit a running knee to Liiza’s face at 5:00. Rhio entered and hit a shotgun dropkick on Matthews. Rhio hit a backbreaker for a nearfall. Rhio and Vert argued, then Vert traded quick offense with Brooke, with Havok hitting a second-rope missile dropkick. Beretta is a tall, strong woman and she hit a fallaway slam on Havok at 7:30. They did an eight-woman suplex spot and that popped the crowd. So it is Vert, Rhio, Liiza and Beretta all on one team, but Vert and Rhio were jawing at each other and pushing each other while the other six were on the floor.
Zep and Havok hit top-rope stereo dives to the floor on everyone else at 10:30 but we still haven’t had any eliminations. In the ring, Beretta hit a sit-out powerbomb on Havok for a nearfall, but Danika made the save. Havok hit a sideslam and pinned Beretta at 11:48 for our first elimination. Liiza hit a fisherman’s suplex on Zep for a nearfall. Zep tied her in a front guillotine choke and hit a DDT. Vert got in and battled Zep, hitting a brainbuster and pinning Tara at 13:32, so it is 3-on-3. (Again, we are going until only one woman is left, so in that sense, the teams are a bit less important. But it feels like they’ve already indicated this is coming down to Vert vs. Rhio.) Nicole hit a sidelam on Vert for a nearfall.
Danika’s team worked over Vert in their corner, and Danika bit Vixen’s hand. They got up and traded chops. They hit stereo spin kicks to the head and were both down. Liiza got in and applied a half-crab on Havok at 18:00, and she hit a stunner. She hit a Death Valley Driver on Havok. However, Danika rolled up Liiza with a handful of tights and pinned her at 18:45. Rhio immediately hit a package piledriver and pinned Danika at 19:08. Rhio and Vert argued some more, and it’s now 2-on-2. Matthews hit a dropkick in the corner on Rhio, then a swinging neckbreaker.
Vert hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Havok for a nearfall, but Matthews made the save. (I would argue the best four women in this match are the four remaining.) Havok hit a flipping senton for a nearfall. Rhio hit a package piledriver and pinned Havok at 21:56 so Nicole is alone against Rhio and Vert. Rhio accidentally(?) superkicked Vert and they argued. It allowed Nicole to get a rollup and she pinned Vert Vixen at 23:14! Vert hit a brainbuster on Rhio, even though she has been eliminated! However, Vert hit a buzzsaw kick on Matthews and left, with both women down on the mat.
Nicole and Rhio got up and traded forearm strikes. Rhio hit a spinning leg lariat to the jaw, then a neckbreaker over her knee for a nearfall at 26:30. Matthews hit a Spider German Suplex out of the corner, then a top-rope moonsault that barely grazed Rhio. Rhio immediately hit a shotgun dropkick and a package piledriver for the pin. Really good action but they should have just made this a regular four-on-four elimination match to reduce some confusion.
Rhio defeated Nicole Matthew, Tara Zep, Liiza Hall, Vert Vixen, Danika Della Rouge, Maria Beretta, and Brooke Havok to earn a title shot at 27:57.
* We heard from both the Bollywood Boyz and C4 in backstage segments. The Sihras were defensive and said “they did nothing wrong.”
5. “The Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra vs. “C4” Cody Chhun and Guillermo Rosas in a double chain match. The BB came out first and were loudly booed! Until recently, they were top babyfaces here! The commentators were shocked by the vitriol from the fans. Ethan talked about how dangerous chain matches are, as they are being connected by the wrist. The BB put the chains on their wrists and immediately attacked! However, C4 yanked on the chains to crotch the Boyz. Rosas is tied to Harv, while Cody is tied to Gurv. Cody started to touch the four turnbuckles, so it’s a WWE-style chain match.
Rosas choked Harv with the chain, while Cody slid a chair into the ring at 2:00. Cody punched Gurv in the forehead, and Gurv was bleeding heavily. Gross. Basic brawling by all four. Harv tied Rosas in a Sharpshooter at 9:00. They brawled up onto the stage, and Harv dropped Rosas face-first onto an open chair at 13:30. Guillermo bodyslammed Harv onto the open chairs.
Meanwhile in the ring, both Cody and Gurv were touching the corners; they got to three each and they began trading punches. Cody hit a DDT. Now also back in the ring, Guillermo speared Harv through a door in the corner at 15:30. Cody touched three corners but Harv held onto the chain to prevent him from reaching the fourth. However, Chhun hit the Cody Cutter (fadeaway stunner) on Gurv, then he touched the fourth and final corner for the win. Solid match.
Cody Chhun and Guillermo Rosas defeated Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra at 16:27.
6. Starboy Charlie vs. Clark Connors for the vacant Defy World Title. Connors attacked before the bell (and I started my stopwatch at first contact) and they went to the floor, where he whipped Charlie into the rows of empty chairs. The commentators stressed that this is legal because we haven’t had a bell yet. Clark jabbed a chair into Charlie’s gut and again tossed him into chairs and was loudly booed. Connors hit a snap suplex onto a pile of chairs at ringside at 3:30 and the crowd chanted, “You sick f—!” They brawled up the stairs to the stage!
Charlie dropkicked Connors’ knee, and Clark fell back to the main level. Charlie hit a running crossbody block onto Clark on the floor at 5:30! They got in the ring and we had a bell at 6:52 to officially begin! Connors was in charge, stomping and chopping Charlie. Charlie fired up, hit some chops, then a flying clothesline at 10:30. He hit a bodyslam and a flying kneedrop to the forehead, then a running Shooting Star Press. He tied Connors in an Octopus, but Clark escaped and dropped Charlie gut-first on the top rope and speared him at 12:30.
Connors hit a second spear for a nearfall. He tied Charlie in a Boston Crab. Charlie hit a superkick and his standing corkscrew splash for a nearfall at 15:30. Clark hit a scoop powerslam for a nearfall. Charlie got some rollups for nearfalls, then a Pele Kick and a second-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall, and this crowd was insanely HOT. Charlie hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press but he sold pain in his ribs and couldn’t make the cover. He eventually got an arm on Clark but only got a nearfall at 18:30.
Charlie tried to get a Gotch-style piledriver, but Connors pushed him into a corner to escape. A second attempt was again blocked. Connors hit a spear as Charlie was tied in the Tree of Woe! Connors immediately hit the No Chaser (spike DDT) and got the pin! The crowd wanted Charlie to win but that was a very good match.
Clark Connors defeated Starboy Charlie to win the Defy World Title at 19:41.
Final Thoughts: That was a dazzling, must-see four-way to open the show. If you have Triller+ (and are reading this!) it means you are already a big pro wrestling fan, so you need to go out of your way to watch that opener. The main event was really good for second place, and I’ll go with the other four-way for third place. I don’t mind Clark Connors winning the title. Kenta held it over a year and he brought it to multiple shows, not just to NJPW. He made it a world title and got Defy some recognition, and I expect Connors will now do the same thing.
I don’t mean to bash the women’s match because the action was really good. But the explanation of the rules was tough to follow, and then the women came out individually and it just wasn’t clear until we got underway who was on each team. They should have just done the straight-forward four-on-four elimination match and we would have gotten to the same point with less confusion. Just to be clear, there were a lot of great female talent in that one and it was fun watching it play out.
While this show was released three weeks after it occurred, Defy will be streaming live on Triller+ this Sunday afternoon, featuring Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Timothy Thatcher. Check out this show now.
Be the first to comment