By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open RI “Episode 8 – Stars & Stripes”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
May 26, 2025, in Cranston, Rhode Island at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
Wrestling Open is continuing its Thursday shows in Worcester, while adding these Monday events, so they are planning to run two shows a week indefinitely. (They did not have an episode last week because there was a Beyond Wrestling show instead.)
This is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. Paul Crockett, Dustin Waller, and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary over the course of the show. The crowd was maybe 120; it appears to be up from two weeks ago.
1. Pedro Dones vs. JGeorge in a spotlight match. Waller and Robinson called this one. JGeorge stomped on his chest and elbow and was in charge early on, and he hit a spin kick to the chest at 2:30. Pedro hit a Samoan Drop and a shoulder-breaker over his knee for the pin. Basic but fine.
Pedro Dones defeated JGeorge at 3:39.
* The main show opened with footage of Swipe Right beating The Shooter Boys here two weeks ago. (Again, there wasn’t a Rhode Island show last week.) Crockett took over on commentary.
2. “VSK” Vinny Scalise and Jariel Rivera vs. “The Shooter Boys” Aaron Ortiz and Anthony Vecchio. Jariel (think Juventud) opened against long-haired Ortiz, and Aaron hit a dropkick. VSK hit some European Uppercuts on Vecchio. Vecchio hit some bodyslams at 3:30, and the SB hit a team back-body drop on Jariel. VSK tossed Ortiz to the floor and began working him over. In the ring, Jariel hit a snap suplex. VSK hit a brainbuster with a lazy cover for a nearfall at 7:30. Vecchio finally got the hot tag. He hit an Angle Slam, and Ortiz hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. VSK hit a backbreaker over his knee on Ortiz, and Jariel immediately hit a spear for a believable nearfall at 10:30. VSK went for a frogsplash but Ortiz got his knees up. The SB hit a team Blockbuster for a nearfall. VSK hit a low blow mule kick! Rivera immediately hit a twisting DDT move to get the cheap pin on Vecchio.
“VSK” Vinny Scalise and Jariel Rivera defeated Aaron Ortiz and Anthony Vecchio at 12:13.
3. Anthony Greene vs. LJ Cleary. Irish wrestler Clear (fiance to Lyra Valkyria) has relocated to the U.S. and is working a lot. Crockett noted that we saw Cleary in the crowd on a recent WWE show. He attacked Greene before the bell; Greene hit a clothesline. These guys know each other from NOAH in Japan. LJ kept Greene grounded early on. Greene hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 3:30. Cleary hit a Claymore Kick for a nearfall. They traded rollups. LJ got a backslide for a nearfall at 6:00. Greene hit a heel hook kick to the face. Greene hit a superkick and a stunner, but he missed a moonsault. Greene hit a piledriver for the pin. That was really good for the time given.
Anthony Greene defeated LJ Cleary at 6:56.
* Channing Thomas joined Greene in the ring; those two have teamed a lot lately. Greene said this place feels like home. Greene made an open challenge to anyone in the back to take on Channing. Out of the back came Rain Conway, who was loudly booed. (Also, Pedro Dones joined Crockett on commentary here.)
4. Channing Thomas vs. Rain Conway. Standing switches to open, and Channing hit a bodyslam at 1:30 and a twisting elbow drop. Conway grounded Channing, and the crowd chanted for “Rain, rain, go away!” Pedro put over the size of this crowd. (Again, definitely bigger than two weeks ago.) Channing hit a second-rope twisting crossbody block at 4:30 and a diving uppercut, then a dropkick into the corner. He hit a fisherman’s suplex and applied a Texas Cloverleaf, and Rain tapped out.
Channing Thomas defeated Rain Conway at 5:36.
5. Rickey Shane Page vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin. They tied up and RSP easily shoved BRG to the mat; Brett rolled to the floor to stall. In the ring, RSP tied him up on the mat. He hit an elbow drop for a nearfall at 2:30. Brett hit a top-rope axe handle and celebrated, and was loudly booed. RSP hit a running crossbody block and a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. BRG hit a superkick for a nearfall at 5:00. RSP crotched him in the corner, but he missed a Swanton Bomb; BRG immediately rolled him up for a (rare) clean pin!
Brett Ryan Gosselin defeated Rickey Shane Page at 5:56.
6. Gal and Nick Battee vs. “Better Together” Hadar Horvitz and Ori Gold. My first time seeing Better Together; they are billed as being from Israel. (Gal is too.) They wore identical pink pants with their faces on them. (Very heelish pants!) Batee got on the mic and boasted about how smart and muscular they are. Gal opened against the dark-haired Hadar. Ori is blond and looks like a young Nic Nemeth, with his long hair in a ponytail, and he entered and fought Battee. Hadar backed Gal into a corner and hit some chops.
Battee and Gal worked over Hadar in their corner. Gal hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. They hit a team flapjack and both did some push-ups and got booed. Gal hit a guillotine leg drop. Gold got the hot tag at 7:00 and he hit a headscissors takedown and a missile dropkick and a superkick, then a Lungblower move to the chin. Gal hit a gutbuster over his knee, then a team Gory Bomb move for the pin. I liked that; a very good debut for Gold and Hadar.
Nick Battee and Gal defeated Hadar Horvitz and Ori Gold at 8:52.
7. Liviyah vs. Erica Leigh. Liviyah is the impressive 20-year-old second-generation wrestler. Leigh is older with big poofy hair; she was briefly joining the Outrunners to the ring in AEW. This is her WO:RI debut and she has the height advantage. Liviyah hit some deep armdrags. Erica raked the eyes at 2:00 and took control. Leigh hit a running knee and stayed in charge. She hit a back suplex at 4:00. Liviyah hit a flying shoulder block and they were both down. Liviyah pulled Leigh away from the ropes and hit her Eye of the Hurricane slam for the pin. Fairly basic but fine.
Liviyah defeated Erica Leigh at 6:37.
8. Bobby Orlando vs. Julius Draeger. Again, rookie Draeger wears a black, one-strap singlet, and he makes me think of NXT-era Simon Gotch. Bobby immediately put him in a headlock and frustrated Draeger. Julius hit some loud chops. He stomped on Bobby and kept him grounded. He hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 5:00. Orlando hit a running neckbreaker and a splash in the corner, then a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall. Julius grabbed Bobby’s stuffed goat and threatened to kick it, but Bobby hit a stunner, then a top-rope elbow drop for the pin. Great crowd reaction here.
Bobby Orlando defeated Julius Draeger at 7:53.
* Orlando got on the mic. Next week, he and Jermaine Marbury will face Gal and Nick Battee.
9. Bryce Donovan vs. Ichiban (w/Dustin Waller, Kylon King) for the Wrestling Open Title. Pedro and Crockett said several times that Ichiban and “Miracle Generation” Dustin Waller and Kylon King are “brothers,” making me wonder if MG is going to turn heel on Ichiban tonight! MG headed to the back before the bell. No one joined Donovan to ringside, even though we saw VSK and Jariel earlier. A big height advantage to Bryce. Pedro said it was disrespectful for Bryce not to remove his tank top. Ichiban hit a dropkick at 1:30. Bryce rolled to the floor and yelled at the kids in the crowd. Pedro just pointed out no signs of the other heels. In the ring, Bryce hit a bodyslam and took control. (Pedro just said 6’2″ Bryce is 6’5″ or 6’6″!) Ichiban hit an enzuigiri in the corner, then his “one!” punches at 4:30.
Bryce crotched Ichiban over the top rope and took control. Ichiban hit a handspring-back-elbow at 7:00. Bryce hit a clothesline for a nearfall, and he tied Ichiban in a Cobra Twist. Ichiban hit a stunner. He snapped Bryce’s fingers and hit a superkick at 10:00, then a top-rope flying knife-edge chop. He hit another handspring-back-elbow and a missile dropkick. He hit another stunner. Bryce hit a Black Hole Slam at 12:00, but Ichiban kicked out at one! Bryce was frustrated. Ichiban hit a 619 and a superkick. Bryce tossed Ichiban into the ref; Crockett said it was intentional and called Bryce “desperate.” They traded punches while on their knees, then while standing.
VSK and Jariel ran down and attacked Ichiban. Miracle Generation ran down and beat up the heels. Ichiban hit a top-rope dive to the floor on VSK and Jariel. MG and Ichiban surrounded Bryce in the ring, but then MG superkicked Ichiban! I called it right for once! “What the hell just happened, Pedro?” Crockett asked. Bryce rolled on top of the prone Ichiban and got the (very!) tainted pin. Crockett stressed that Bryce doesn’t seem to know what happened. He grabbed his belt and scrambled to the back.
Bryce Donovan defeated Ichiban at 17:20 to retain the Wrestling Open Championship.
* The crowd chanted “traitor!” at MG. They stood over Ichiban. When he got to his feet, they kicked him back to the mat. They hit their superplex-and-frogsplash combo on Ichiban. Crockett said they stabbed Ichiban in the back. “Why, Miracle Generation, why?”
Final Thoughts: I felt MG hinted at the heel turn last week when they vowed to always have his back and would be there for him on Monday. My ‘Spidey-sense’ went off that they weren’t on the up-and-up. So, why did they do it? Are they just cashing in on Max Caster’s open hit on Ichiban? Are they jealous he keeps getting title shots? Whatever the reason, I’m open to seeing them in the role of heels after so long as babyfaces.
The main event was best here, while Cleary-Greene was really good for the time given. Gal/Battee against the debuting Better Together was really good too; let’s have those guys back. The Shooter Boys and Liviyah continue to impress, too. I watched this live; it should be up on IWTV by Tuesday morning.
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