By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, GCW, MLW, and other notable live events or television tapings. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Scenic City Invitational (Night Two)
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
July 19, 2025, in Red Bank, Tennessee, at TWE Arena
This is a two-day, 16-man tournament, and I’m a sucker for tournaments. We have some top-tier indy wrestlers from across the country here. This was held in the TWE arena, which looks like an underground fallout bunker. The ring is lit well while the fans are in the shadows. Attendance is probably 200, and I don’t doubt it’s a sellout. Red Bank is on the Tennessee-Georgia border; it’s about in the middle between Atlanta and Nashville.
ACTION Futures showcase: There was an afternoon show and here are the tournament matches. (I didn’t watch the non-tournament matches.) There are nine competitors in the tournament, so there are three first-round matches and a three-way finale.
1. Tommy Davis vs. Eddie Hindrixx vs. Joey Hyder in a first-round match. I don’t know any of these three. Davis looks like a young Trent Seven. Joey is white and was draped in the U.S. flag and wore flag gear. Hindrixx is a bigger Black man; think Powerhouse Hobbs, and as I check Dot Net records, I’ll note that I saw him in a six-man tag back in March. They all got in the ring, and Davis is much shorter than the other two. Eddie hit a body slam on Hyder. Eddie and Davis traded forearm strikes.
Hyder hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Tommy, and he applied a Figure Four at 3:30. Hindrixx hit a senton to break it up. Eddie did a Gorilla Press, tossing Tommy onto Hyder. Such strength! Eddie hit a spinning uranage for a nearfall. Davis hit a discus clothesline on Eddie. Davis and Joey traded rollups while Eddie was down on the floor, and Davis got the flash pin! Hindrixx impressed me the most of these three.
Tommy Davis defeated Eddie Hindrixx and Joey Hyder at 5:31 to advance.
2. Jay Lucas vs. Shimbashi vs. Saraya Saber in a first-round match. Lucas has been teaming a lot recently with Terry Yaki in the Georgia scene, while Shimbashi is a regular in Texas. I’ve seen trans star Saraya a few times, including at a live show I attended in the Twin Cities earlier this year. Shimbashi rolled to the floor to stall, but Lucas dove onto him. In the ring, Luas hit an enzuigiri on Shimbashi. Saber hit a kick on Lucas. Lucas and Shimbashi traded forearm strikes. Shimbashi powerbombed Lucas onto Saraya, then he got a nearfall on Saber at 3:00. Shimbashi hit a snap suplex. Saraya hit some chops on Shimbashi.
Shimbashi hit a double-underhook suplex, and he was booed. Saraya hit some kicks on each opponent and got a nearfall on Shimbashi at 6:00. Shimbashi and Saber traded forearm strikes, and Lucas hit a second-rope flying Blockbuster on them both! Jay hit a jumping knee on Shimbashi. Shimbashi hit a gutbuster over his knees on Jay for a nearfall. Saraya slammed Shimbashi for a nearfall. Lucas hit a decapitating clothesline on Saraya, then a brainbuster, but Shimbashi tried to steal the pin. Shimbashi hit a DDT on Jay, dropping Jay onto Saraya, and he pinned Jay. I think Lucas is clearly the best of these three.
Shimbashi defeated Saraya Saber and Jay Lucas at 9:03 to advance.
3. Aminah Belmont vs. Pha’Nesse vs. Danny Orion in a first-round match. Orion is a top-five Texas talent who has recently been on some West Coast shows. Belmont routinely competes in the St. Louis-Twin Cities-Chicago triangle; I just watched her wrestle a few days ago in a show from Des Moines. Dot Net records show I’ve seen the flamboyant Pha’Nesse three times before. Pha’Nesse hit a sunset flip bomb on Belmont into the corner. Belmont hit a Flatliner on Pha’Nesse, then a senton for a nearfall at 2:30. Orion stomped on Aminah and got booed. Orion threw Belmont into the corner, then hit a vicious German Suplex.
Orion hit a dropkick on Pha’Nesse, and the commentators believed that Belmont was done for the mat. Orion stomped on her for good measure. Belmont got up and hit a superkick and a headbutt. Belmont hit a headbutt on each opponent. Pha’Nesse hit a DDT on Orion. This has been entertaining. Belmont was flipped onto Orion and got a nearfall at 5:00. Belmont hit a swinging faceplant on Pha’Nesse for a nearfall, but Orion made the save. Aminah hit a Meteora on Orion, but Pha’Nesse made the save. Orion threw Pha’Nesse to the floor and covered Belmont for the pin. Unlike the first two matches, I believe the right person won.
Danny Orion defeated Aminah Belmont and Pha’Nesse at 6:44 to advance.
4. Shimbashi vs. Danny Orion vs. Tommy Davis in the Futures Showcase finale. Orion came out first; Davis came out second but was attacked from behind by Shimbashi! They got in the ring, and the Texas tandem beat up Davis as we got the bell seconds later. Of course, Orion hit a spin kick to Shimbashi’s head, then he stomped on Davis. Orion hit a dropkick on Shimbashi, then a stunner across the top rope and a senton, then a second-rope moonsault for a nearfall at 4:30.
Shimbashi hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee on Orion. Davis hit a discus forearm while the other guys were doing a Canadian Destroyer, and they were all down. Davis hit a missile dropkick on Shimbashi. Shimbashi tried to steal a pin on Davis, but Davis rolled him up for the flash pin. The wrong guy won here, too; Orion was clearly the best wrestler of these nine, and Jay Lucas is easily the second-best.
Tommy Davis defeated Shimbashi and Danny Orion to win the Futures Showcase at 7:14.
* OKAY to the main show! The Scenic City Invitational show features four second-round matches and a four-way finale. The commentators stressed that they don’t know any of the other matches on this show, but it will presumably feature most of the eight first-round losers. And I’m a bit surprised we aren’t kicking off with one of the four second-round matches!
1. Gary Jay vs. Jaden Newman. Newman competed in non-tournament action on Friday. The commentators noted it’s been three years since these two last fought. Jaden put his hands behind his back and let Gary chop him (why would anyone do this?), then Newman hit his own chops. Gary dove through the ropes onto Newman at 1:30; Jaden hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor. They traded more chops in the ring. Jay hit a Death Valley Driver. Jaden hit a DDT onto the ring apron. They went to the floor and traded more chops.
Gary hit a jumping knee. Newman powerbombed Jay against a pillar but Gary bounced off it and struck Jaden, and they were both down on the floor at 5:30. They ducked back in but then traded forearm strikes on the apron. Gary clotheslined him into the ring. Newman hit a suplex for a nearfall. Jay hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 8:30. Jaden hit a powerslam, a Shining Wizard, and a package piledriver for the clean pin. That’s how you start off a show! “What an unbelievable way to start the pace on night two,” a commentator said. We got a ‘both these guys!” chant.
Jaden Newman defeated Gary Jay at 9:55.
2. Hunter Drake vs. Diego Hill in a second-round match. Scrawny Hunter was heavily booed. This is a first-time-ever matchup. I will point out that Diego and Bojack competed last Sunday in New Jersey (a 12-hour drive from here!); it just shows the demanding schedule of the top-tier indy talent. Quick reversals from both and a standoff. Hunter struck Diego as he was setting up for a dive, and Diego was down on the floor. Hill got back into the ring, but Hunter stomped on him. Diego unloaded some LOUD chops. Drake hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 4:30. He hit a doublestomp for a nearfall.
Diego hit a Stundog Millionaire. Drake tried a German Suplex, but Diego rotated and landed on his feet, and Diego hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, and they were both down at 6:00. Diego hit a Pump Kick to the chest and a running kick in the corner, then a hesitation basement dropkick for a nearfall. Hunter hit a buzzsaw kick and a diving forearm strike. Diego nailed a Lethal Injection at 8:00, but Hunter rolled to the floor, so Diego dove onto Hunter. In the ring, Diego hit a spin kick, but he missed another kick. Hunter immediately hit a Purple Haze (Code Red) for the pin. Drat. The wrong guy won!
Hunter Drake defeated Diego Hill at 8:58 to advance to the finals.
3. Colby Corino vs. Kasey Owens in a second-round match. Kasey charged at the bell, and they brawled. Colby hit his inverted senton, and they brawled to the floor at 1:30. Casy took control in the ring and unloaded chops in the corner. Colby hit a Michinoku Driver. Kasey hit a Snapmare Driver (LA Knight’s finisher) for a nearfall at 7:30. Colby hit a running knee in the corner. Colby hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall at 9:30. Colby set up for his One-Winged Angel move but Kasey escaped and hit a back suplex for a nearfall.
Colby hit a jumping knee in the corner, and he flipped Kasey to the mat for a nearfall. Colby put him on his back and hit a rolling cannonball into the corner at 11:00, but Kasey rolled to the floor to regroup. Colby again went for his One-Winged Angel but Kasey escaped and Owens hit a flying headbutt move for a nearfall. Colby hit a stunner in the ropes. Kasey applied a Crossface Chickenwing on the mat, but Colby powered his way to his feet. Kasey hit another diving headbutt to the back and scored the pin. The second half of this was really, really good. Second straight match where the local guy beat a clearly better outsider.
Kasey Owens defeated Colby Corino at 13:25 to advance.
4. Channing Thomas (w/Sidney Bakabella) vs. Mad Dog Connelly in a second-round match. Sidney did his intro for Channing and was loudly booed. He vowed that he and Channing would win this tournament and never come back to this cesspool again. “Not only are we going to win, but we will cheat to do it,” Sidney said, and that got a laugh. Connelly brought his dog collar to the ring. They tied up at the bell, and Channing tried to slow him with a headlock. Connelly hit a powerslam for a nearfall. Sidney pulled Connelly’s ankle, which allowed Channing to get a nearfall. Connelly rolled to the floor; Sidney turned and ran straight into a pillar and knocked himself out!
Connelly got back into the ring and traded chops with Thomas, but he ran shoulder-first into the post, and Channing tied him up on the mat, then hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 4:30. Connelly hit a gut-wrench suplex, then another. then a Doctor Bomb for a nearfall at 6:30. Channing hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Connelly climbed the ropes but Bakabella grabbed his ankle. While Sidney and the ref argued, Channing struck him with the chain and got a believable nearfall at 8:30. The crowd chanted, “throw him out!” The ref obliged and tossed Sidney. Connelly hit Channing with the chain. He hung Thomas along his back, and Channing tapped out. So, all the outsiders have been eliminated.
Mad Dog Connelly defeated Channing Thomas at 9:57 to advance to the finals.
5. Jamesen Shook vs. Krule in a second-round match. Shook tried forearm strikes at the bell, but Krule no-sold them, and Krule hit a chokeslam. Shook tried some flying forearms, but Krule dropped him with a Mafia Kick. Krule slammed him on the ring apron at 2:30. In the ring, Krule hit a sideslam. Shook hit a running Claymore Kick at 5:00 and was fired up. Krule grabbed Shook by the throat and threw him from the corner and into the crowd!
Krule hit a fallaway slam into the crowd! I’ll reiterate that these are hard chairs, not metal folding chairs. In the ring, Shook hit a Death Valley Driver, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest at 7:30 but only got a one-count. Shook hooked a leg, rolled up Krule, and got the flash pin! Even Shook was shocked that he just got the pin!! A good match, and Krule was well protected in the loss.
Jamesen Shook defeated Krule at 8:17 to advance to the finals.
* Intermission at 7:54 p.m. CST. Time to check out a bit of AEW Collision! We’re back at 8:15 p.m., so a 21-minute break.
6. Vinnie Massaro vs. Tank. Tank wasn’t on Friday’s show. The commentators talked about the combined years of ring time between these two. The bell rang. They shook hands, and Tank noted he has 30 years in the ring and Massaro has 28 years of experience. They finally locked up at 2:30. (Yes, they had just played to the crowd so far.) They fought to the floor. In the ring, Tank hit a Saito Suplex for the pin. It was what it was. Tank got on the mic and said that match was on his bucket list.
Tank defeated Vinnie Massaro at 6:46.
7. Shimbashi, Danny Orion, Aminah Belmont, and Hakeem Young vs. Bojack, Kody Manhorn, Mortar, and Terry Yaki in a lucha rules tag match. The announcer clarified it means that rolling to the floor is equivalent to a tag. Most of Shimbashi’s team were in that mini-tournament earlier in the day. Orion is the standout from Texas. Bojack’s team were all first-round losers on Friday. I have seen Hakeem Young just once before, on a show here from March; he’s similar to Booker T. Manhorn, and Aminah opened; he kicked her and was booed.
Bojack and Shimbashi squared off at 3:00. Mortar picked up teammate Manhorn and tossed him to the floor on several guys. In the ring, Mortar hit a senton on Hakeem for a nearfall. Everyone began brawling in the ring. Shimbashi accidentally chopped Orion. Aminah accidentally chopped Orion. Hakeem accidentally chopped Orion. Shimbashi accidentally hit a Helluva Kick on Orion. (Yes, this is some fun comedy; the time-honored tradition of the first-round losers match.)
Aminah ran into Bojack and crashed to the mat. She hit some spin kicks to his head. Everyone started hitting superkicks. Bojack hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Orion for a nearfall. In some silliness, Manhorn was dropped hard to the mat, and the impact caused everyone to fall and crash to the mat. Orion hit a spin kick on Bojack. Terry hit a sideslam on Aminah. Hakeem hit a flying knee on Manhorn, but he didn’t realize Bojack was behind him. Bojack nailed his sit-out piledriver to pin Hakeem. Fun match with plenty of silliness.
Bojack, Kody Manhorn, Mortar, and Terry Yaki defeated Shimbashi, Danny Orion, Aminah Belmont, and Hakeem Young at 10:20.
8. Tim Bosby (w/Dylan Hales) vs. Tommy Davis for the Action World Title. Hales came to the ring in a wheelchair, and he also has crutches. Basic reversals early on, and Davis clotheslined Bosby to the floor. In the ring, Bosby tossed Davis around the ring and was in charge. He hit a fallaway slam at 3:00. Hales hopped out of the wheelchair and choked Davis in the ropes! The commentators were outraged! Bosby hit a back-body drop. He hit a delayed vertical suplex at 5:30.
Davis hit a second-rope flying back elbow for a nearfall, then he applied a Boston Crab, but Bosby reached the ropes at 7:30. Bosby hit a backbreaker over his knee. Davis hit a DDT for a nearfall at 9:30. Bosby distracted the ref, allowing Hales to hit Davis with a crutch. Bosby hit his release F5 slam for the pin. Okay match; this felt like Bosby was playing with his food; he’s clearly leagues better than Davis in the ring at this point.
Tim Bosby defeated Tommy Davis to retain the Action World Title at 10:11.
9. Jamesen Shook vs. Mad Dog Connelly vs. Kasey Owens vs. Hunter Drake in a four-way elimination match in the tournament finals. I’ll reiterate that all four are regulars in this region. Connelly attacked Jamesen, then he grabbed Hunter by his hair and pulled him into the ring, and hit a gut-wrench suplex on Drake. Kasey and Connelly traded chops. Kasey jumped on his back, but Connelly dropped backwards with all of his weight on Owens. Hunter got in and stomped on both of them. Drake hit a diving forearm on Kasey for a nearfall at 4:30.
Jamesen stood up, and he was covered in blood! Hunter hit a Purple Haze (Code Red) but only got a nearfall on Jameson. Connelly hit a second-rope gut-wrench suplex, then a piledriver to pin Hunter Drake at 5:33 and we’re down to three! Kasey hit a frogsplash on Connelly for a nearfall. Kasey hit a flying headbutt and pinned Connelly at 6:27! Just like that, it’s just Kasey vs. Jamesen! Again, Shook was dripping blood from something that I think happened out of view in the opening minute.
They got up and traded jab punches, and Jamesen was staggering from his blood loss. Kasey stood behind Jamesen and hit some crossface blows and he got a nearfall at 10:00. Kasey hit a snap suplex and hit some knee drops across the bloody forehead. Ref Gina had the gloves on. Shook hit a rolling cannonball in the corner, then a dive to the floor onto Kasey at 11:30. In the ring, Shook hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. He hit a second one for a nearfall, then a third with the same result.
Kasey hit a flying headbutt to the back (that’s how he pinned Corino!) for a nearfall. Kasey hit a running knee to the side of the head for a nearfall at 14:00. Shook put Owens on his back and ran him back-first into the corner and they were both down. Shook hit a jumping Stomp to the head for a nearfall at 15:30. Kasey spit in his face! Jameson hit a Psycho Driver (pump-handle powerbomb) for the pin. That was really good. The live crowd came to ringside and pounded their hands on the mat. He was presented with a 2 1/2-foot tall trophy.
Jamesen Shook defeated Kasey Owens, Mad Dog Connelly, and Hunter Drake to win the 2025 SCI tournament at 16:10.
* Shook got on the mic and said that the Southeast is where the best independent wrestlers wrestle. He called out Erron Wade, noting that with this win, he’s now the No. 1 contender to the TWE title. We got a “new champ!” chant. He also called out John Wayne Murdoch for a different upcoming show. He noted that the late, great, Jimmy Rave was the first-ever SCI Winner, and he said he heard Jimmy Rave’s theme song the other day while working out. He asked that Rave’s theme song, “The House of the Rising Sun,” be played to end the show. Everyone pointed to the sky as it played, as the show faded to black. Nice.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event. I was disappointed at the two quick eliminations, but Owens and Shook had an excellent second half of the match, and I really wasn’t sure who was winning. Yeah, I’ve had Shook on my list of guys to watch all year. He and Jaden Newman just won the IWTV Tag Titles a few weeks ago, and he was definitely the right choice to win this tournament. Newman-Jay had a sharp non-tournament opener, and I’ll go with that for second place. Owens-Corino takes third. I watched this live; it should be posted on IWTV sometime on Sunday.
Be the first to comment