By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 181”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
June 19, 2025, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett, referee Scott Robinson, and Brother Greatness provided commentary over the course of the show. Again, this new location is a bit smaller and a bit darker than their old venue. Attendance was 250.
* The Von Erich Six-Man Tag Tournament will begin tonight with two first-round matches. The eight-team field was announced on Twitter. Aaron Rourke had to withdraw and has been replaced by Brando Lee.
1. JGeorge vs. Armani Kayos in a spotlight match. JGeorge is the filmmaker who has been in nearly every spotlight match over the past month. Kayos is flamboyant and beloved here. Brother Greatness and ref Robinson called this one. Kayos hit a dropkick and a unique headscissors takedown. JGeorge stomped on him and tied him in a modified Tarantula in the ropes at 3:00. Kayos put JGeorge over his shoulders, dropped hard to the mat, and got the pin. Decent.
Armani Kayos defeated JGeorge at 4:37.
* Crockett and Brother Greatness were now on commentary as the main show began.
2. RJ Rude, Rex Lawless, and Nick Robles vs. Brando Lee, Channing Thomas, and Anthony Greene in a first-round tournament match. Rude sang Michelle Branch’s “Everywhere,” and I’m doubtful that he was even born yet when that song was new on the radio. Greene hit a Helluva kick at the bell on 1980s rocker Robles. Robles accidentally hit Rude, then he accidentally hit Rex! His teammates were quite annoyed with Robles, so they hit him back! Brando got in and hit some running back elbows. He hit a doublestomp to Nick’s gut for a nearfall at 3:00.
Rex worked over Lee, as Crockett praised Brando’s match on Monday against champ Bryce Donovan. Greene hit an Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw. Rude and Robles argued some more. “There is no communication between these men,” Crockett observed. Rex hit a spear on Channing on the ring apron, and the heels got a nearfall in the ring at 5:30. Lawless hip-tossed Channing across the ring and got a nearfall, as the heels kept Thomas in their corner. Robles hit a back suplex on Channing at 7:30.
RJ got on the mic and sang some more as he stomped on Channing. The heels got confused over who was legal, but they kept Channing grounded. Brando finally got a hot tag at 11:00 and he hit a German Suplex on Rude. He tried to lift Rex, but Lawless blocked it. Greene and Channing clotheslined Rex to the floor. Meanwhile, Brando hit a Styles Clash on Rude for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. Robles hit a swinging neckbreaker on Brando. Greene hit a release suplex.
Rex hit a Choke Bomb on Greene, but he missed a running splash in the corner. Brando immediately hit a rolling Death Valley Driver on Rex! Everyone was down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Channing and Robles got back in, and Channing suplexed Nick. RJ snapped Channing’s neck across the top rope. Robles immediately rolled up Channing for the flash pin! Everyone was shocked, and Nick Robles looked more shocked than anyone that he got a pin there! A very entertaining six-man tag.
RJ Rude, Rex Lawless, and Nick Robles vs. Brando Lee, Channing Thomas, and Anthony Greene at 14:07 to advance.
* A video package aired, showing off Big Business.
3. Amity LaVey vs. Jazmyne Hao. This is Amity’s debut here; I saw her a week ago and I said she’s like a scary DC Harley Quinn. Crockett told Brother Greatness that “she is the type you preach against in church.” Funny. Jazmyne is a lot like Trish Adora; I’ve seen her 2-3 times. An intense lockup to open, and Hao hit some spin kicks to the thighs. LaVey put her in a Boston crab at 1:30 and stomped on her. Crockett noted the WWE ID show where I saw LaVey wrestle, as she hit a handspring-back-elbow in the corner, then a running Blockbuster for a nearfall.
Hao hit a gut-wrench suplex, then a senton for a nearfall at 4:30. She hit a forward Finlay Roll. She went to the ropes, but LaVey got up and attacked her. Lavey hit Rigor Mortis (a Widow’s Peak neckbreaker) for the pin. I really liked that. A good debut for LaVey, and Hao looked good in this one, too. Hao got a “please come back!” chant.
Amity LaVey defeated Jazmyne Hao at 5:23.
4. Joseph “A-Game” Alexander vs. “Wonderboy” Brian Morris in a Discovery Gauntlet match. A video aired of A-Game’s recent wins. My first time seeing Morris, who has a permanent sneer on his face. He was announced as from New Jersey and certainly has the stereotypical “Jersey meathead” look. Morris got on the mic and praised the returning Steven Stetson and that earned him some boos! (Stetson is known here as the Jersey Cowboy.) They locked up, and I’m guessing Morris is 5’8″ or 5’9″.
Basic reversals early on, and Alexander hit a boot to the chest, then a swinging bodyslam for a nearfall. Morris dropped him throat-first on the top rope at 2:00, and he took control. Alexander hit a superkick and some chops. Morris stood behind A-Game and applied a chinlock and kept him grounded. Morris hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 5:30. A-Game hit a German Suplex, and it fired him up. He hit a running knee to the chest and scored the pin.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander defeated Brian Morris at 7:31 to advance in the gauntlet.
* Next week will feature more tournament action, plus Jazmyne Hao vs. Liviyah.
5. Cosmic vs. Spike Nishimura. I’ve seen green-haired Cosmic before, but this is probably the first time in 2025. Spike hasn’t been here recently, but I did see her last week at Chaotic Wrestling. Cosmic dropped her and celebrated, and was booed. Spike hit an armdrag and a monkey-flip, and she hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 1:30. Cosmic applied a headlock and kept Spike grounded. She hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 3:30. Spike hit a pump kick and some clotheslines. A stiff left-armed clothesline dropped Cosmic. Spike hit a Michinoku Driver for the pin. Solid match.
Spike Nishimura defeated Cosmic at 5:10.
* We had a video package to set up the next match. Sammy Diaz doesn’t trust Mani Ariez!
6. Sammy Diaz (w/Brother Greatness) vs. DJ Powers. Again, 20-year-old Powers is a young Johnny Morrison-type. BG left commentary to lead Diaz to the ring. They charged at each other at the bell and traded punches. (DJ is clearly far too oiled up tonight; Sammy touched DJ and wiped his hands on the ref’s shirt. Funny.) Diaz hit a plancha to the floor, and they traded chops at ringside. DJ accidentally chopped the ring post, and Diaz dropped him on the apron at 1:30. Crockett pointed out the absence of Georgio Lawrence in DJ’s corner.
Back in the ring, Sammy was in charge. He spun DJ around several times then hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 3:30. DJ took control and hit some chops. DJ nailed a pop-up stunner for a nearfall at 5:00. He hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall, and he barked at an eight-year-old kid in the front row. He got some more nearfalls, and he was clearly getting frustrated that he hadn’t put Diaz away. He hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. Diaz dropped him stomach-first on the top rope, then he hit a second-rope superplex at 9:30, and they were both down.
Diaz hit a half-nelson suplex, a powerslam, and a second-rope moonsault for a nearfall at 11:00. He nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. What’s the time limit on this one? DJ nailed a neckbreaker over his knee for a believable nearfall. Diaz hit a Frankensteiner, but he missed a top-rope doublestomp. Powers immediately hit a low-blow uppercut in front of the ref, who saw it and called for the bell. An excellent match before the finish. DJ continued to beat up Powers, but Mani Ariez ran in to make the save. Diaz again walked away instead of shaking Mani’s hand, and Mani was upset about it.
Sammy Diaz defeated DJ Powers via DQ at 12:52.
7. Brett Mettro, Rain Conway, and Jay Tunis vs. “Handyman” Jake Gray, Pedro Dones, and Eye Black Jack Pasquale in a first-round tournament match. Hmmm… the rookies (plus Dones!) get the main event. Interesting. Mettro’s heel team all work basic black singlets. Pasquale, the top rookie of this class, opened again Mettro. Pedro targeted Tunis’ left arm. Mettro tossed around Gray. Pasquale slammed teammate Dones onto Tunis at 4:30. The heels began working over Gray. Dones got a hot tag at 6:30 and he hit an Exploder Suplex on one heel, then a Samoan Drop on another.
Conway choked Dones in the ropes, and the heels took over. Mettro applied a bear hug at 9:30, and he hit a Mark Henry-style World’s Strongest Slam. The ref missed Pasquale getting a tag and ordered him back out of the ring. Pasquale finally got the hot tag, and he slammed Tunis for a nearfall at 12:30. Mettro got in and hit a Flatliner on Pedro. Jake Gray hit a Sliced Bread. Tunis hit a Jarrett-style Stroke. Pasquale hit his twisting uranage. Pedro hit a flying headbutt and pinned Conway. A really good final three minutes; a solid overall effort.
“Handyman” Jake Gray, Pedro Dones, and Eye Black Jack Pasquale defeated Brett Mettro, Rain Conway, and Jay Tunis at 13:44.
Final Thoughts: Powers-Sammy was really good. Sure, I wish we had a clean finish, but these two showed why they are at the top of the card. (If the match had a planned pinfall finish, it probably would have been the main event.) The Greene/Channing/Brando six-man tag was really good and takes second. They told a really good story there of the Rude/Rex/Robles team being fumbling and bumbling and not on the same page, only to get the fluke win. I enjoyed Hao-LaVey as it topped my low expectations, and that takes third.
The main event was alright. With it getting the main event, I was on high alert for shenanigans, but nothing really happened out of the usual. It was fine; not up to the usual main event quality here, but it wasn’t bad, either. As for Brian Morris, he was solid in his debut here — he wasn’t flashy but he did what was important — he got a crowd reaction and they wanted to boo him. So, I’ll give him a mild “please come back” chant. I watched this live; it should be up on IWTV by Friday morning.
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