By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 173”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
April 24, 2025, in Worcester, Massachusetts at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett, Jake Gray, and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary. Again, this new location is a bit smaller and a bit darker than their old location. Attendance is maybe 200-250.
1. Katrina Creed vs. Airica Demia in a spotlight match. Creed is a redheaded Canadian, and she’s been here a lot lately. Demia is a green-haired teen and has been wrestling from North Carolina to Illinois to the New England area. Ref Scott Robinson and Jake Gray called this one, and they said this is the debut for both women in this building. Standing switches early on. Katrina slammed Airica’s head into the middle turnbuckle at 2:00 and stomped on Demia. She tied up Airica’s head on the mat. They got up and traded standing switches. Airica hit an Eat D’Feat, then a Superman Punch. Creed hit a discus clothesline for the pin. Solid opener. Gray said he has to leave to get ready; tonight is his 75th career match (not bad for a rookie!), but he doesn’t know his opponent.
Katrina Creed defeated Airica Demia at 5:31.
* Rain Conway came to the ring and cut a heel promo. He is not only wearing amateur gear, he’s got amateur headgear tonight, too. Paul Crockett is now solo in the booth.
2. Brando Lee vs. Rain Conway. Conway is a bit taller and thicker. Lee hit some deep armdrags and Crockett noted that Brando has been on “a meteoric rise” here. Lee tossed Rain from the top rope to the mat. Conway hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 3:30. Lee hit a Sunset Flip Bomb out of the corner, and they were both down, then a rolling Death Valley Driver and a second-rope doublestomp to the chest for the pin. Solid.
Brando Lee defeated Rain Conway at 6:14.
* Brando Lee got on the mic and made clear he isn’t done with Bryce Donovan. He will be at the Wrestling Open show Monday in Rhode Island to back up champion Ryan Clancy!
3. Brett Mettro vs. Jay Tunis. These two teamed last week, but Jay stormed out on Brett! So, these Bio Pro students are colliding here. Jay wore his futuristic sunglasses like El Phantasmo. Brett came out second, charged into the ring, and tackled Tunis. They immediately fought to the floor. They got in the ring and we had a bell at 00:35 to officially begin. Brett was wearing face paint like WWF’s Warlord. Tunis hit a standing neckbreaker and took control. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 2:00. Brett hit a back suplex and fired up. Tunis got a rollup with his feet on the ropes for the cheap pin.
Jay Tunis defeated Brett Mettro at 4:37/official time of 4:02.
* Monday in Rhode Island will feature Ichiban vs. DJ Powers, and Crockett said that is likely to have “title implications.” (Certainly the winner could consider himself the No. 1 contender, right?)
4. Danny Miles vs. Quentin Wynters. Miles is an Arn Anderson-type and he cut a heel promo. He said he’s facing a “punk kid” from Reality of Wrestling and called him a “squirt.” Out of the back came a tall, bald Black man with a great physique! (“Squirt” is not an accurate description!) Miles charged but Wynters easily knocked him down. Wynters held his hands up high for a test of strength and the shorter Miles was annoyed. Wynters hit a dropkick at 2:00 and posed. Miles beat on Wynters back and kept him grounded. I couldn’t find a cagematch.net entry for Quentin, so he must be fairly new into his career. Quentin hit some clotheslines and an enzuigiri, then a flapjack for a nearfall at 6:00. Miles hit a World’s Strongest Slam out of nowhere for the pin. Decent.
Danny Miles defeated Quentin Wynters at 6:31.
* Anthony Greene came to the ring. He doesn’t have a scheduled match, so he made an open challenge! Jake Gray came out!
5. Anthony Greene vs. Jake Gray. Not that they would acknowledge another promotion, but Gray just got a singles win over WWE ID prospect Ricky Smokes at Live Pro Wrestling about 10 days ago. Standing switches and friendly exchanges early on. Crockett reiterated what Gray said earlier — this is Jake’s 75th match. “I think Anthony hit that a decade ago,” Crockett said. Greene hit a bodyslam against the ropes at 2:30. He hit some chops and took control. Gray hit a Sliced Bread out of the corner for a nearfall at 5:00. Greene hit a second-rope superplex, then a sit-out powerbomb but Gray kicked out at one! Gray got a Victory Roll for a believable nearfall. Greene hit a flying crossbody block for the pin. Solid.
Anthony Greene defeated Jake Gray at 6:21.
6. Jariel Rivera vs. Ryan Clancy. Jariel got on the mic and put over Bryce Donovan, saying Bryce will win his title match against Ryan Clancy on Monday. Bryce gave him one job — not to win, but to hurt Clancy! Clancy wore his Wrestling Open Title belt, but it’s not on the line. (I don’t think a wrestler — even a babyface — should put his title on the line against a lower-tier guy who hasn’t ‘earned’ a title shot, so I approve of this being non-title.) Clancy immediately got a rollup and he tied up the kid on the mat. He hit a hip-toss at 2:30 but he landed awkwardly on his ankle and he clutched it. Jariel saw the injury and he dropped Ryan hard on his foot, and Ryan shouted in pain. Jariel now targeted the damaged ankle. (Crockett was doing a great job here solo in telling this simply-but-effective injury story.)
Clancy hit a bodyslam at 6:30 but fell to the mat and sold the ankle injury. He hit a Thesz Press and some punches to the face. Jariel locked in a half crab and hit at the knee and we have a one-minute warning notice at 9:00 sharp. Clancy hit his dropkick for the pin. Easily the best match so far.
Ryan Clancy defeated Jariel Rivera at 9:41.
7. Brooke Havok vs. Tiara James. This is a first-time-ever meeting. Brooke skipped the FSW women’s tournament on Sunday in Las Vegas because she had tweaked a knee, so it’s good to see it was minor enough that she was okay to wrestle tonight. Tiara was also in Vegas; I recall she won a very quick match at the 4th Rope Wrestling show. Tiara did some push-ups at the bell. They locked up, and Tiara mockingly patted her on the head. A few seconds later, Brooke patted Tiara’s head, then she got a headscissors takedown and a flying forearm into the corner, then a missile dropkick for a nearfall at 2:30.
Brooke hit a crossbody block. Tiara stood on Brooke’s back and choked her in the ropes. She hit a bulldog for a nearfall at 5:00. They got up and traded overhand chops and forearm strikes. Tiara hit a Lungblower to the back for a believable nearfall at 7:00. Tiara put her across her shoulders and did some deep squats. Tiara then hit a second-rope Meteora double knees for the pin. I liked that a lot.
Tiara James defeated Brooke Havok at 7:43.
* A video package aired for our main event! Arrogant youngster DJ Powers got a flash pin in a tag match against former Wrestling Open champion Brad Hollister. (Crockett said DJ is just the fifth person to score a pin on Brad in Wrestling Open history.)
8. DJ Powers and Giorgio Lawrence vs. “Big Business” Brad Hollister and TJ Crawford. BB have all been getting along lately, but I’m skeptical; I don’t think Hollister can trust Crawford. The bell rang, and Hollister chased Powers to the back! “Is this a singles match now?” Crockett asked. TJ tied up Giorgio’s left arm. DJ and Hollister ran back into the ring at 2:00 but Powers rolled right back to the floor. BB worked over Lawrence. Hollister chopped Giorgio while glaring at Powers, who was standing on the floor — he’s not even in the corner, pretending to demand a tag! Giorgio hit a series of kicks on Crawford and kept him grounded. The crowd rallied for TJ, which was surreal for Crockett. DJ entered at 6:30, and he chopped Crawford, and the heels kept TJ on the mat. Brad finally got a hot tag at 9:00; DJ rolled to the floor.
Back in the ring, Brad hit a spear. DJ again stalled on the floor. He ducked back in and hit Brad on the back; TJ pulled Powers to the floor and hit him. Brad hit a pop-up powerbomb on Lawrence for a nearfall at 11:00. Lawrence hit some kicks. Brad and Giorgio traded punches. BB hit a Team 3D on Lawrence for a nearfall at 13:00. DJ clotheslined Crawford to the floor. Brad came up behind Powers, grabbed him by the throat, and set up for a vertical suplex. However, DJ hit a superkick and a frogsplash for a nearfall. Brad hit a double suplex, and he was fired up! Crawford got a hot tag, and he battled Lawrence. BB hit the “Business is Booming” (team Bulldog Powerslam) to pin Giorgio. DJ clearly made no effort to get in the ring to break up the pin.
Brad Hollister and TJ Crawford defeated Giorgio Lawrence and DJ Powers at 15:36.
Final Thoughts: A solid show carried by a very good main event. Even in the final minutes, as Hollister made a hot tag, I was half-expecting Crawford to jump off the apron and abandon his teammate. Wrestling Open has done an excellent job of getting rising star Powers into the upper tier. Considering how recently Lawrence debuted here, he is looking at home in a main event slot, too. I’ll go with the women’s match for second and Clancy-Jariel for third.
I’ll again praise how Wrestling Open is booking the Thursday shows in Massachusetts in coordination with the Monday shows in Rhode Island. Monday’s show already has a tremendous double-header of Bryce Donovan vs. Ryan Clancy and DJ Powers vs. Ichiban. I watched this live; it should be posted on IWTV by Friday morning.
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