By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open RI “Episode 6”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
May 5, 2025, in Cranston, Rhode Island at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
Wrestling Open is continuing its Thursday shows in Worcester, Mass, while adding these Monday events, so they are planning to run two shows a week indefinitely. This is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. Paul Crockett, Nick Battee, TJ Crawford and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary over the course of the show. The crowd was maybe 80.
1. Gabriel Skye vs. Nick Battee in a spotlight match. Reb Robinson and Crawford were on commentary for this one. Skye hasn’t been a regular in Wrestling Open in the past six months, while Battee has appeared routinely with WWE ID prospect Gal. Battee slammed Skye, and Gabriel’s legs struck the ropes and he immediately began selling the pain in his knee. Battee targeted it and he eventually hit a flipping axe kick to the back of the neck for the pin. Both commentators were surprised and considered this an upset. Me too.
Nick Battee defeated Gabriel Skye at 4:26.
* The main show opened with video of last week’s main event, where Bobby Orlando accidentally(?) hit Ryan Clancy, allowing Bryce Donovan to win the Wrestling Open Title. Paul Crockett took over on commentary. Bryce Donovan and Jariel Rivera came to the ring; Bryce was not dressed to wrestle but Rivera was. Donovan got on the mic and demanded to hear “congratulations, Bryce!” but the crowd refused. He made fun of Clancy for “leaving the country” (Clancy literally fought hours ago for Marvelous in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.) Ichiban ran in and wound up brawling with Rivera until the heels scampered to the back. Battee joined Crockett on commentary.
2. Angel Ortiz vs. Giorgio Lawrence. Yes, this is AEW’s Ortiz; I wasn’t aware he was cleared to return to action. Good reversals early on. Ortiz hit a senton for a nearfall at 1:30. He hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and some chops. Lawrence raked the eyes and hit some blows to the ribs and his roundhouse kicks to the chest. Ortiz hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 5:30. and some more chops. Kickboxing specialist Lawrence hit some Yes Kicks and a bulldog for a nearfall. Ortiz got a sunset flip for the clean pin. Good action.
Angel Ortiz defeated Giorgio Lawrence at 7:19.
3. Paris Van Dale vs. Liviyah. This is a rematch; PVD shoved Liviyah into the ring post last week and dove back into the ring to win via countout. Quick reversals to open, and teenager Liviyah hit a dropkick. Paris hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker at 2:00. Paris hit a thrust jab into the throat. Liviyah hit a Russian Leg Sweep, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Liviyah hit a spear for a nearfall at 4:00. She hit some short-arm clotheslines and a second-rope missile dropkick, but Paris rolled to the floor to regroup. Paris got up, but she waved her arm and headed to the back rather than get into the ring.
Liviyah defeated Paris Van Dale via countout at 5:11.
* Liviyah got on the mic and was upset that another match ended in a countout, and next week, she’ll put an end to this feud.
4. “Big Business” TJ Crawford and Victor Chase vs. Julius Draeger and Rain Conway. The Bio Pro students are both heels, so it makes sense they team up. Victor usually teams with Julio Cruz, so this is definitely a new team-up within Big Business. Victor hip-tossed Conway across the ring. Conway is again wearing amateur-style headgear. TJ got in and hit a flying forearm on Conway. BB made quick tags and beat up the rookies. (It is still surreal to see Big Business as babyfaces.)
Draeger whipped TJ back-first into the corner at 3:30 and the rookies began working over Crawford. Conway hit a bodyslam. Victor got a hot tag and hit some clotheslines in opposite corners on the rookies. He hit a uranage and a senton on Conway. TJ nailed the Silver Bullet spin kick to the head. BB then hit the Business Is Booming (team Bulldog Powerslam) to pin Conway. Decent action.
TJ Crawford and Victor Chase defeated Julius Draeger and Rain Conway at 6:07.
* Crawford and Chase got on the mic and said they are going to be regulars on Mondays.
5. JGeorge vs. Brando Lee. Lee is the talented newcomer; JGeorge is the filmmaker, and he just hasn’t quite clicked in the ring yet. Lee hit a huracanrana and a dropkick. JGeorge hit a spinning heel kick. They traded chops. JGeorge hit a series of kicks and a knee strike for a nearfall at 2:30. JGeorge applied a modified Muta Lock on the mat. He stomped on Lee’s knee and remained in charge, hitting a double-stomp to the chest. He hit a back suplex at 6:00. Lee hit a Frankensteiner and was fired up. He hit a rolling Death Valley Driver and a top-rope doublestomp for the pin. Decent.
Brando Lee defeated JGeorge at 7:06.
6. Aaron Ortiz (w/Anthony Vecchio) vs. Jake Lang. Lang is a snobby artist with paint all over his jeans, and he brought a painting to ringside; he wrestled on Thursday’s “Please Come Back!” show in Massachusetts and he did okay. Ortiz is the Shooter Boy with longer hair, and both of these youngsters clearly have some amateur wrestling background. Lang is taller and thicker, and he knocked Ortiz down with a shoulder tackle. Ortiz hit a dropkick.
They had some awkward exchanges early on. Ortiz shook the top rope to crotch Lang on the rope. Ortiz hit an impressive fallaway slam. Lang tossed Ortiz off the top rope to the mat at 2:30. He hit a DDT for a nearfall and he kept Ortiz grounded. Lang hit a spinebuster at 4:30. Ortiz hit a back suplex and they were both down. Ortiz hit a German Suplex and a springboard tornado DDT, then a top-rope elbow drop for the pin. Some rough spots here but they recovered.
Aaron Ortiz defeated Jake Lang at 6:13.
* Vecchio got on the mic and noted some of their recent wins. Vecchio asked the crowd if they should go for the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles. He issued the challenge to “Swipe Right” Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes for next week.
7. Jermaine Marbury (w/Benny the Basketball) vs. Jose Zamora. Zamora is the newcomer who has a body camera around his neck so he can stream his life nonstop; he’s been okay so far. Marbury has been strangely absent lately. Zamora didn’t want to lock up, but then he attacked and he knocked Jermaine down with a shoulder block. Marbury hit his Eurostep Neckbreaker at 3:00 and a clothesline in the corner. Zamora hit an axe kick to the back of the neck for a nearfall.
Jose hit a basement dropkick at 5:00 and he kept Marbury grounded. Benny got the crowd going with a “Defense!” chant. (This basketball gimmick is silly but it sure is over!) Zamora missed a Bronco Buster in the corner. Marbury hit an enzuigiri and he hit his Palm-to-the head dunks, then a top-rope crossbody block for the pin. Solid match.
Jermaine Marbury defeated Jose Zamora at 8:18.
8) Gal (w/Nick Battee) vs. Bobby Orlando vs. DJ Powers vs. Ichiban in a four-way to be the No. 1 contender to the Wrestling Open Title. Gal wore his body-building medals. Powers and Gal are the heels, so quite bluntly, I’m ruling them out as winners tonight, as champ Donovan also is a heel. The babyfaces kicked the heels to the floor, then they squared off and traded fast-paced reversals. Bobby hit a clothesline. Gal got in and hit a guillotine leg drop on Ichiban at 2:00. Ichiban hit a shotgun dropkick on Orlando. Powers hit some kicks on Ichiban and worked him over in the ropes, then hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 4:00.
Bobby tried to get back in, but DJ knocked him back to the floor. Gal hit a fallaway slam on Ichiban, then he dropped Bobby face-first for a nearfall. Gal put Ichiban on his shoulders and did some deep squats, then flipped him to the mat for a nearfall at 6:00. Bobby tried to get back in, but now Gal knocked him back to the floor. Bobby jumped in and the babyfaces suplexed Gal. Powers hit a missile dropkick on the babyfaces. They did a tower spot out of the corner and all four were down at 8:30. Bobby hit clotheslines on all opponents in opposite corners, then a running neckbreaker on Ichiban.
DJ hit some running kicks, then a frogsplash onto two guys for a nearfall at 10:00. Ichiban and Powers got up and traded punches. Ichiban hit a stunner. Bobby hit a powerbomb on Ichiban. Gal hit one on Bobby for a nearfall. Bobby hit a Lungblower on Gal, who rolled to the floor. Battee distracted the ref! Powers got a rollup on Orlando on a nearfall. Battee tripped Orlando and pulled him to the floor. Ichiban hit a huracanrana on Gal and got the pin! That was fun.
Ichiban defeated Bobby Orlando, Gal, and DJ Powers in a four-way to become No. 1 contender to the Wrestling Open Title at 12:49.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event was the standout on the show. While nothing else here was really noteworthy, it is impressive how many guys who have debuted in Wrestling Open in recent months — Jariel Rivera, Nick Battee, Brando Lee, Giorgio Lawrence to name a few — have moved into upper-tier slots. I will go with AEW’s Ortiz vs. Giorgio for second. I watched this live on Monday; this should be posted on IWTV at some point Tuesday morning.
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