By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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4th Rope Wrestling “Heels Have Eyes 5”
March 13, 2025, in Austin, Texas, at Empire Control Room
Available on YouTube.com
This event took place during the South By Southwest music festival. It was just released this week for free on YouTube. I’ve seen multiple shows from this venue; it’s outdoors and under a permanent canopy and it seems like a pretty ideal place for an outdoor wrestling show. Even when it gets dark, their lighting is pretty good.
* If you haven’t seen any of the other 4th Rope shows (and they held one in Las Vegas over WrestleMania weekend that took place after this one), this promotion is a celebration of both hip-hop and wrestling. I’ve noted that their prior shows have felt like TNA tapings in their style and presentation. That said, we do NOT have commentary; I wasn’t expecting that.
* Justin Roberts served as ring announcer.
1. Gino Medina vs. Warren J. Medina is the ROW Texas champion, while Warren J is a ROW tag champ. Basic reversals early on. Gino hit a running knee to the jaw in the corner, then a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 2:00. He hit an enzuigiri, then an Angel’s Wings for the clean pin. Acceptable opener.
Gino Medina defeated Warren J at 3:00 even.
2. Diamond Sheik (w/heel manager) vs. Jay Davis. I don’t know these two at all. Sheik had a glittery belt; he’s taller and rotund. Davis looks a lot like Brit star Man Like DeReiss; he has his right eye taped shut and it looks like he might have a legit injury there. Sheik choked him in the ropes, and his heel manager helped cheat, too. Sheik hit a senton for a nearfall at 2:00. Davis put him in an ankle lock. The heel manager hopped on the apron and distracted Davis. It allowed Sheik to hit Davis with the belt. However, the ref saw it and called for the bell. It doesn’t come much more basic than this one.
Jay Davis defeated Diamond Sheik via DQ at 4:08.
* Hip-hop artist Westside Gunn rapped on his way to the ring. He brought out MVP,who is the commissioner. MVP wore a nice suit and tie, and he got on the mic. He rapped too, to the “We Hurt People” tune. MVP gave his basic speech about how this promotion is about the combination of hip-hop and wrestling; he really didn’t say anything of note.
3. Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy vs. “The New Guys” Jake Bosche and Scott Stanley for the 4th Rope Tag Team Titles. I’ve been seeing a lot of TNG in recent weeks; they are talented young kids, probably both under the age of 25. Matt and Bosche opened; Jake sure looks scrawny next to Matt, who did his ‘delete!’ hand gesture and that popped the crowd. Jeffy did a flipping leg drop on Jake. Jeff hit a basement dropkick to Stanley’s back at 2:30, and the Hardys worked over Stanley. Jake began stomping on Matt, and now TNG took control and kept Matt in their corner.
Jeff got a hot tag at 6:30 and he hit a Whisper In The Wind splash in the corner on Bosche. Stanley got in and hit a double clothesline. Jake hit a top-rope elbow drop on Jeff for a nearfall at 8:00. All four brawled in the ring. Matt hit his Twist of Fate, and they hit their team stunner move. The Hardys both pulled off their shirts, and Jeff hit a Swanton Bomb to pin Bosche. Exactly what you’d expect here.
Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy defeated Jake Bosche and Scott Stanley to retain the 4th Rope Tag Team Titles at 9:45.
4. Joe Alonzo vs. Cha Cha Charlie. Chicago-based Alonzo is just so slimy, he gets boos wherever he goes. I’ve only seen Charlie on the prior 4th Rope shows; he dances and wears a big sombrero, and he’s a big babyface here. The bell rang, and Charlie danced, and he got the ref to dance. Alonzo attacked from behind and was booed. Charlie hit a dropkick that sent Alonzo to the floor at 2:00, so Charlie dove onto him. (First dive of the show got a massive pop.)
Back in the ring, Alonzo put the sombrero on and punched Charlie. He rubbed the sombrero over his crotch and that earned massive boos. Joe hit a back suplex at 5:30. Charlie hit a top-rope superplex, and they were both down. Alonzo snapped Charlie’s throat over the top rope. Charlie put Joe on his shoulders and hit a Lumbar Check-style gutbuster to the ribs, then a Lungblower to the back. He put his sombrero back on and hit a top-rope frogsplash for the pin. Pretty basic action, but the crowd was totally into this, just with the great charisma of both guys.
Cha Cha Charlie defeated Joe Alonzo at 9:07.
* Real1 (f/k/a Enzo Amore) came to the ring and did his basic schtick on the mic. Wow, he just kept going and going… (For spell check purposes, I’m writing Enzo in the review.)
5. Real1 vs. Nic Nemeth. A nice pop for Nemeth. The crowd chanted profanities at Enzo. Nemeth said a few words on the mic, but then he superkicked Enzo for a believable nearfall to open the match! (That would have been great if it had ended right there!) Nemeth stomped on Enzo. Enzo slammed Nic’s head on the top turnbuckle, and they fought to the floor at 1:30. Enzo essentially hit a Razor’s Edge into a ring post, and Nemeth was down on the floor. In the ring, Enzo took control and kept Nemeth grounded. He tied him in the Tree of Woe and hit a running forearm to the gut at 3:30. Enzo leapt off the ropes, but Nemeth caught him with a superkick for a nearfall. Enzo intentionally hit a low blow punch in front of the ref, for the DQ. Lame finish, just a ‘meh’ of a match overall.
Nic Nemeth defeated Real1 via DQ at 5:19.
* Real1 kept punching Nemeth on the mat post-match. John “Bradshaw” Layfield, wearing his black hat and long black trench coat, marched into the ring and hit the Clothesline From hell on Enzo that all of us wanted to see. Layfield turned and left. Enzo struggled to his feet, and Nemeth immediately hit the Danger Zone (Zig Zag) on him.
* Hip-hop artist Murder Mook came to the ring and spoke. It brought out AJ Francis, who had his own mic. Max Caster joined them in the ring, too! He wore his “best wrestler alive” jacket. They are having a rap battle! Max rapped and had a few decent, biting jabs. He said he liked AJ when he was fatter “so I could play with those titties.” He said “Triple H fired you twice, you’ve got nerve, you really weren’t shit without Swerve.” (That line got quite the reaction!) Francis just stood there and took it, and Caster kept going and going. Max said Francis sucked as a rapper and as a football player.
Francis finally got on the mic, and said, “I call you maxi-pad because you are a pussy.” Francis said if they were boxing, Max wouldn’t last a whole round. This kept going and going, and honestly, Francis was a bit dull and went off on tangents, rather than take some biting digs at Max. Finally, Max took a punch and nailed Francis in the jaw, and a bunch of guys had to separate them. Francis repeatedly shouted, “I’m gonna f—en kill you!” He told Max to show up next time. This wasn’t as entertaining as I hoped.
6. “Culture Inc.” Eli Knight and Malik Bosede vs. “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean. I’ve seen Culture Inc. several times now and I’ve been really impressed by them. (These two teams would fight again in a few weeks at the show in Las Vegas.) Dean and Knight opened, and Dean dropped him with a shoulder tackle. Eli did some impressive flips and hit a dropkick at 2:30. Bosede tagged in; he’s clean-shaven today (I’m used to seeing him with a short, scruffy beard.) The Infantry hit some quick team offense on Malik. Carlie hit some jab punches. Dean dropped him with a clothesline for a nearfall at 7:00.
Bravo hit a leaping Flatliner for a nearfall, but Eli made the save. Dean hit a leaping elbow drop for a nearfall at 9:00. Bravo hit a suplex for a nearfall. Eli finally got a hot tag at 11:00 and he hit a leaping clothesline and a dropkick, and he was fired up. He hit a superkick, then a German Suplex. He hit a Lionsault for a nearfall. CI hit some quick team offense on Dean and a Doomsday doublestomp. Eli and Bravo traded forearm strikes. CI hit a Magic Killer team slam, then stereo punches to Eli’s jaw, then stereo Stomps for the pin. That was very, very good.
“The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean defeated Eli Knight and Malik Bosede at 14:36.
* Damaris Lewis got in the ring; she’s an actress from the movie “Queen of the Ring” (which was in theaters at the time this event occurred.)
7. A women’s battle royal. Looks like we are getting individual introductions. In order, we have: Brittnie Brooks, Alexis Littlefoot, Trinity King (I thought she was Charity King? Did she have a name change?), Hollyhood Haley J, Thunder Rosa, Maya World, Tiara James, Masha Slamovich, Joseline Navarro. Masha had her TNA Knockouts Title and her JCW World Title. I’ve seen everyone here at least once so far this year; I’ve probably seen Littlefoot the least of these nine. Haley J is the woman who got such a big role in the Netflix series on Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Haley and Brittnie traded mid-ring forearm strikes. They did the spot where they grabbed each other’s hair, and both crashed stomach-first to the mat. Maya tossed Brittnie at 4:30. King and Navarro fought on the ring apron; Thunder Rosa pushed them both to the floor at 7:30. Tiara and Maya traded blows on the ring apron; Tiara got back in and dropkicked Maya to the floor at 10:00, so we were down to five. Alexis hit a stiff back elbow that dropped Haley in the middle of the ring.
Thunder Rosa came up behind Alexis and dumped her to the floor, so we’re down to four: Haley J, Thunder Rosa, Masha, and Tiara James. Masha tossed Tiara. Haley J taunted Tiara; it allowed Masha to sneak up and toss Haley at 12:30, so it was just Masha vs. Thunder Rosa! They traded overhand chops to the chest while they were on their knees, then they got to their feet and traded forearm strikes. They fought on the apron, and Rosa had one leg dangling over the side. Masha tossed Rosa over the top rope, but Rosa held on. She got back into the ring and dumped Masha as Masha was celebrating what she thought was a win.
Thunder Rosa won a nine-woman battle royal at 15:29.
8. Zilla Fatu vs. Elijah for the 4th Rope Heavyweight Title. Elijah hit a Mafia Kick at the bell that dropped Zilla, and they immediately brawled to the floor. They brawled around the seating area. Back in the ring, Elijah slammed Zilla’s face into the mat at 4:00. Zilla hit a bodyslam, then a stiff kick to the spine. Elijah hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 9:00. Zilla hit a frogsplash for a believable nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Ellijah hit a DDT at 11:00. Zilla hit a superkick, but Elijah blocked a Samoan Spike.
Elijah hit a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. Zilla nailed a pop-up Samoan Drop for a nearfall. This crowd was HOT for this match. Zilla came off the ropes, but Elijah caught him with a jumping knee to the chest at 13:00. Elijah picked up a guitar! He swung but accidentally hit the ref! Zilla hit a flying Samoan Spike to the throat and got a visual pin at 14:00, but we had no ref! The ref got up and called for the bell. Justin Roberts informed us that Zilla won by DQ. (Well, that’s just a weird finish; he was already champion. Usually, you see that outcome as a screwjob.)
Zilla Fatu defeated Elijah via DQ to retain the 4th Rope Heavyweight Title at 14:43.
* Joshua Bishop, the big Sid Vicious clone, got in the ring and powerbombed Zilla. He picked up the title belt and walked around the ring with it. He dropped it on the prone Zilla in the center of the ring and left.
* Some of the rap acts returned to the ring to perform to close out the show.
Final Thoughts: This show took place THREE MONTHS AGO. Are you telling me they couldn’t find anyone to dub in some commentary in the past 100 or so days? I don’t know how that can happen. I don’t need commentary, but I sure do prefer it. I think a lot of people who might be interested in watching this will give up on it quickly. (Likewise, leaving those two, short openers on might turn off potential viewers, who might inaccurately think the whole show will be like that. Quite bluntly, that Diamond Sheik-Jay Davis match should have been left on the editing room floor. It was not on the same level as everything else here.)
Okay, I’ll stop complaining, because I liked this show, and my complaints are because I want people to see it, and they might opt not to for the reasons I just wrote. Infantry-Culture Inc. was the standout here. The New Guys are young and raw, but they also brought the energy, and their tag match against the Hardys takes a distant second. I’ll narrowly go with the main event for third, but I applaud the women for putting together a good battle royal, and I certainly can’t complain about having Masha vs. Rosa to close it out. I’ve written a few times lately that TNA should snatch up Zilla; I’d rather see him in a singles push there than get pulled into the Bloodline vortex in WWE. Nemeth couldn’t save Enzo from having a bad match, but the lame finish sure was disappointing.
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