By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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New Texas Pro Wrestling “TX8”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
April 6, 2025 in Austin, Texas at Empire Control Room & Garage
This is an eight-man, single-elimination tournament, and I’m a sucker for tournaments. I have no idea the winner, but I’ll pick Danny Orion and my second choice is Exodus Prime. We have two big non-tournament matches as well.
This is their usual venue; it’s an outdoor venue under a big canopy, and there are maybe 300-400 fans here. Lighting is good; it’s daylight as we are starting.
1. Danny Orion vs. Cosmo Orion in a first-round tournament match. I don’t know Cosmo, and the commentators immediately said they are not related. I consider Danny to be a top-10 Texas talent. Cosmo was in white-and-purple pants; Danny wore black with red pants. They appear to be roughly the same height. Danny hit a tornado DDT. They both went for handspring-back-elbows and collided at 2:30. Cosmo hit a missile dropkick and a reverse suplex, dropping Danny stomach-first to the mat for a nearfall at 4:30. Danny dropped him snake-eyes in a corner and hit a German Suplex for a believable nearfall. They traded chops on the ring apron. Cosmo hit a German Suplex off the second rope at 7:30, then a stunner for a believable nearfall, but Danny got a foot on the ropes.
Cosmo hit a spin kick. Danny nailed a snap Dragon Suplex, then a running knee to the side of the head. Cosmo hit an inverted DDT for a believable nearfall. This has been really good and the crowd was into it. Danny hit a jumping piledriver then a slingshot press and a Lionsault for a believable nearfall at 11:00; I thought that was it. Danny hit some punt kicks to Cosmo’s chest as Cosmo was bent over, but Cosmo fired back with a kick. Danny nailed one final spin kick to finally get the pin. That was a really good way to open the show; it made me wonder if my predicted winner was going to lose in the first round!
Danny Orion defeated Cosmo Orion at 11:45 to advance.
2. Jak Calloway vs. Exodus Prime in a first-round tournament match. Jak is white and has long hair. I’ve compared Exodus to Elix Skipper and Caprice Coleman, and he’s really talented. Prime knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Exodus dove through the ropes at 2:00, then he slammed Jak back-first on the ring apron. In the ring, he hit a standing neckbreaker and was in charge. Jak hit a suplex at 5:00 and was fired up. Jak hit some hard clotheslines and a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Jak hit a plancha to the floor. Back in the ring, Prime hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Jak hit a double-arm DDT. Exodus hit a snap Dragon Suplex and a stunner for the pin. Really good action.
Exodus Prime defeated Jak Calloway at 8:06 to advance.
3. Jay Davis vs. Casey Blackrose in a first-round tournament match. Davis is “the rottweiler” and he’s a thicker Black man and wore a black singlet. Blackrose carried the United 210 title belt with him to the ring; the commentators said he’s a top star in the San Antonio area. A feeling-out process early on, and Jay knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Blackrose hit a senton for a nearfall at 2:00. Davis hit a back suplex for a nearfall, then a belly-to-belly suplex at 4:00, then three German Suplexes for a nearfall.
Davis switched to an anklelock, but Blackrose fought free. Blackrose hit a Lumbar Check-style backbreaker for a nearfall at 6:00. Jay hit a Spinebuster for a nearfall. Blackrose nailed a running kick for a believable nearfall. This has been really good. They traded rollups, and Jay again went to the ankle lock, but Casey again fought free. Casey hit a pumphandle backbreaker over his knee, then a second backbreaker for the pin. This was very good; with this being a tournament, I feel more invested in who was going to win.
Casey Blackrose defeated Jay Davis at 8:15 to advance.
4. Ethan Hunter vs. Epydemius Jr. in a first-round tournament match. Smarmy UK star Hunter was loudly booed. The masked Epydemius Jr. is giving up a bit of height and weight, but he chased Ethan around ringside and back into the ring. Epydemius hit a plancha to the floor at 1:30. Hunter took control in the ring and grounded Epydemius Jr. He hit a buzzsaw kick to the face and got a nearfall at 3:30, then a back suplex for a nearfall. Epydemius hit an enzuigiri and some flying forearms, then a bodyslam and a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 6:00.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Ethan leapt off the ropes, but Epydemius caught him with a dropkick and they were both down, and this crowd was hot. The camera focused on the trophy at ringside. Ethan set up for a package piledriver but Epydemius escaped and got a rollup for a nearfall. Hunter hit an OsCutter and was loudly booed. He went for a moonsault, but Epydemius got his knees up! Epydemius hit a forward Finlay Roll, then a corkscrew moonsault for the pin! All four first-round matches were really good.
Epydemius Jr. defeated Ethan Hunter at 9:27 to advance.
5. Carter Blaq vs. Starboy Charlie for the New Texas Pro Title. Blaq is the former Mysterious Q and he recently lost his mask; he’s a big, muscular Black man, and he has a big size advantage over California-based indy star Charlie. Charlie hit a running dropkick at the bell and a series of spin kicks to the thighs. He tried an Asai Moonsault, but Blaq caught him and threw him into the ring post at 1:30! They traded punches on the floor. In the ring, Blaq was in charge and hit some loud chops and a back elbow that dropped Charlie for a nearfall at 4:00.
Charlie got tied upside down in the ropes and Blaq chopped him. Charlie unloaded some spin kicks at 7:30, but Blaq easily threw Charlie into the corner. Charlie hit a bodyslam that popped the crowd. “WrestleMania III flashbacks!” a commentator said. Charlie hit his corkscrew senton and a second-rope Phoenix Splash for a nearfall. He nailed a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 9:30. This match has been really good, too. He applied a front guillotine choke and the crowd taunted Blaq to tap out. Charlie got on his back and applied a rear-naked choke and they collapsed to the mat.
Blaq finally ran backward into a corner to knock Charlie off the back. Blaq hit a Flatliner for a nearfall at 11:30. Charlie got some rollups for nearfalls. Charlie hit a Pele Kick, but Blaq hit a stunner, and both men were down and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Charlie hit an enzuigiri and a Poison Rana, then a second one for a nearfall at 15:00. Charlie went for a top-rope Shooting Star Press, but Blaq caught him with a stunner! Blaq then hit a spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for the pin! “What a match!” a commentator shouted. The crowd gave both men a standing ovation.
Carter Blaq defeated Starboy Charlie to retain the New Texas Pro Title at 15:40.
6. Danny Orion vs. Exodus Prime in a tournament semifinal match. Orion snuck under Prime and powerbombed him out of the corner to get a believable nearfall just seconds into the match! They fought on the floor. In the ring, Prime hit a clothesline for a nearfall, and they again fought to the floor. Prime hit a back suplex across the guardrail at 2:00! He threw Orion into the ring and hit a slingshot senton for a nearfall. Orion hit a flipping faceplant move for a nearfall. Prime hit a back suplex at 5:00 that sent Orion to the floor, so Exodus dove through the ropes onto him.
Back in the ring, Prime hit some clotheslines in the corner. and a snap suplex. He threw Danny head-first into the top turnbuckle and hit a stunner for a nearfall. Prime hit a backbreaker. Danny shoved Prime into the ref in the corner, and the ref was down at 7:30. Danny immediately hit a low blow uppercut and got a schoolboy rollup for the cheap pin. The crowd was livid at this outcome.
Danny Orion defeated Exodus Prime at 7:53 to advance to the finals.
7. Epydemius Jr. vs. Casey Blackrose in a tournament semifinal match. They shook hands and locked up. They sped it up and had a standoff at 1:30. Epydemius hit a headscissors takedown. Blackrose caught him coming off the ropes and hit a backbreaker over his knee and he tied up Epydemius on the mat. Epydemius hit some chops at 3:30 and a basement dropkick on the leg to knock down the bigger Blackrose. Casey hit another backbreaker over his knee. Epydemius Jr. hit a dive through the ropes onto Casey, then a frogsplash for a nearfall at 6:30.
Blackrose nailed a Lumbar Check backbreaker for a nearfall. Epydemius Jr. hit a heel hook kick and he locked in an ankle lock out of nowhere, and the crowd taunted Blackrose to tap out, but he reached the ropes. Epydemius hit a Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Epydemius Jr. went for a top-rope corkscrew splash but Blackrose lifted his knees to block it. Blackrose again hit a backbreaker for a believable nearfall and we got a “Fight forever!” chant. Epydemius Jr. immediately applied a leg lock in the center of the ring; Blackrose crawled a bit, but he tapped out from the pain. Bravo. This has been a superb tournament.
Epydemius Jr. defeated Casey Blackrose at 10:45 to advance.
8. Kalientita vs. Maggie Lee vs. Vert Vixen in a three-way. Maggie just signed her TNA contract, and I rank Vert as the top unsigned woman in the U.S. indies today, and I know these two were eager to get in the ring with each other. I admittedly don’t know Kalientita; she has long, dark hair and the commentators said she’s also from the San Antonio indy scene. I’ll reiterate that Maggie is right at about 6’0″ and towers over her opponents, and she jawed at the crowd. She got on the mic and referred to herself as a “TV superstar” and a “generational talent.” The bell rang and Kalientita is MUCH shorter than both opponents.
Quick reversals early and Vert dropped Kalientita snake-eyes on the turnbuckles. Maggie and Kallie worked together to beat down Vert early on. Kallie hit a Russian Leg Sweep at 3:00 but Maggie tried to steal the cover and they argued. Kallie hit a running buttbump in the corner on Vert as this has felt like a handicap match. The heels shoved each other; Maggie might be 10 inches taller! Vert hit some spin kicks on both heels and suddenly they were all down at 4:30. The heels accidentally collided. Vert hit a German Suplex on Maggie. Vert nailed a superkick on Maggie and a Blue Thunder Bomb on Kallie for a nearfall at 6:00. Maggie hit some punches in the corner on Vert. Maggie accidentally hit a Helluva Kick on Kallie!
They did a tower spot out of the corner with Maggie slamming both to the mat and trying to get a pin on each opponent at 8:00. Maggie hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex on Kallie for a nearfall. Vert hit a rolling stunner on Maggie for a nearfall. Maggie hit a Tower of London on Vert. Kallie hit a facebuster move on Maggie for a nearfall. Kallie avoided a spin kick and hit a DDT on Vert for a nearfall at 10:00. Vert hit a brainbuster on Maggie for a nearfall; the ref had to pause his count so Kallie could break it up. (That’s on Kallie for being late.) Vert hit a swinging faceplant and pinned Kalientita. A very good match and I fully expected the relatively unknown Kalientita to eat the pin here.
Vert Vixen defeated Maggie Lee and Kalientita in a three-way at 11:14.
* Lil Evil, who announced an indefinite leave from wrestling due to an undisclosed injury, came to the ring. The crowd gave him a loud “welcome back!” chant. (I’m just now noticing it is pitch black outside the canopy tent, but the ring is still well-lit.) He got on the mic and thanked a lot of people in the local wrestling scene. His voice got shaky as he talked about if he would return to wrestling and teased that he was stepping away for his mental and physical health, but then he reversed course and shouted “I ain’t f—en going nowhere!” and that popped the crowd. He concluded by saying, “It’s time to get a little evil!” A great segment.
9. Epydemius Jr. vs. Danny Orion in the tournament finals. Danny came out first but was clutching his left shoulder as he walked to the ring. Likewise, Epydemius Jr. was clutching his lower back as he walked to the ring. The trophy was shown off. They immediately traded forearm strikes at the bell. Orion hit a Dragon Suplex, so Epydemius hit one, and they were both down. They got up and resumed trading forearm strikes. Epydemius slammed him for a nearfall at 2:00. Orion hit a spin kick, then a snake-eyes onto the top turnbuckle and a back suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. However, Epydemius Jr. hit a superkick that popped the commentators.
Orion hit a short-arm clothesline, and he jumped on Epydemius Jr.’s back and applied a sleeper, then a Camel Clutch at 6:30, but Epydemius got to the ropes and hit a second-rope backwards drop, dropping his own weight onto Orion. Orion hit a flip dive to the floor, with his face crashing onto chairs. He hit his slingshot press into the ring and a Lionsault for a believable nearfall at 8:00. These commentators were going nuts for this action. Epydemius Jr. hit a kip-up enzuigiri, then an Asai Moonsault. Orion hit a top-rope doublestomp to the back and he locked in a Boston Crab. Epydemius nearly got to the ropes, but Orion pulled him back to the center, turned it into a Lion Tamer (vertical Boston Crab), and Epydemius tapped out. That was a fantastic way to close out an exceptional show. Orion posted with his hard-fought trophy.
Danny Orion defeated Epydemius Jr. to win the TX8 tournament at 11:40.
* Lil Evil came out and confronted Orion.
Final Thoughts: I try to be measured in my wording when I watch a show. Not every show can be fantastic; not every match can be a must-see. Some are merely okay and I’m satisfied with what I saw. I write that because I want to be clear that this was an exceptional show. This is what I look for in a tournament — some intriguing matches and it allows a lot of people to stand out. There is not a bad match among these nine; in fact, they were all quite good. I’ll go with the Charlie-Blaq title match for best of the show, just ahead of the tournament finale. The Orion-Orion opener was really good for third, but I want to stress that each match met or exceeded my expectations. I hope to see a Vert Vixen-Maggie Lee singles match and I’m intrigued to see who gets booked to go over. This show is now available at IWTV and it gets my highest recommendation.
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