By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Dreamwave Wrestling “Summer Spectacular”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
July 12, 2025, in Peru, Illinois, at Lou’s Lagrotto
This show was finally released on IWTV’s website on Friday. This was an outdoor show, and it was the middle of the day as it began. Peru is located about an hour west of Chicago, and the ring is set up in a parking lot, but it’s right next to a sandy beach area. The crowd was maybe 600, and the commentators immediately noted that this was the biggest crowd to ever see a Dreamwave show.
* Due to an injury suffered by Scott Stanley, The New Guys have been stripped of their tag team titles. So, we have four teams competing in a mini-tournament to name new tag champions.
1. Davey Bang and August Matthews vs. “The Premier” SK Bishop and Campbell Myers in a semi-final match. Bang and Matthews have the experience advantage, but I’m fairly certain the Premier are bigger. Bang and Bishop opened, and Davey hit a dropkick. Bang hit their team flying axe kick on Myers. The Premier began working over Bang. Bishop hit a pair of backbreakers over his knee for a nearfall at 2:00. Campbell slammed Matthews to the mat. Matthews hit a DDT on Myers. Bang hit a handspring-back-elbow on Bishop and a basement dropkick in the corner for a nearfall.
Bishop hit a running knee on Bang. Campbell popped Bang up and punted him, then hit a back suplex. Bang tied him in an Octopus Stretch, so Matthews also applied one on Bishop. Myers dropped Bang with a Mafia Kick. Myers hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Bang at 7:00. Bishop hit a frogsplash on Matthews for a nearfall. Matthews hit a Cave-In doublestomp to the collarbone. BandM hit team superkicks, then they hit top-rope doublestomps to the back. Bang hit a spear. Matthews hit a dive to the floor. Bang hit a top-rope 450 Splash to pin Bishop. That was non-stop action! “Let me catch my breath!” a commentator said.
Davey Bang and August Matthews defeated SK Bishop and Campbell Myers at 9:06.
2. Alexander Hammerstone vs. Channing Thomas (w/Sidney Bakabella). Channing has his Good as Gold (money in the bank!) briefcase. Needless to say, Hammerstone is visibly stronger and thicker. Bakabella got on the mic and cut a heel promo and tried to say he’s stronger than Hammerstone. He challenged Hammerstone to a posedown! Sidney removed his shirt and flexed, and that drew some jeers and laughs. (Sidney is committed to his bit, no doubt about it.) Hammerstone did his own poses; Channing attacked from behind, and we got a bell to begin!
Hammerstone hit some shoulder tackles and a series of clotheslines in the corner. He hit a fallaway slam that sent Channing to the pavement at 1:30. In the ring, Channing shoved Hammerstone into the corner and got a rollup, and he choked Hammerstone in the ropes. Bakabella choked him, too. They traded some punches, and Channing remained in charge and stomped on Hammerstone in the corner. A hard knee lift to the gut got a nearfall at 5:00. He did an abdominal stretch and grabbed Bakabella’s arm for added leverage.
Hammerstone fired back with a back-body drop, then a powerslam for a nearfall at 7:00. Thomas hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall, then a top-rope flying knee to the back for a nearfall. Hammerstone nailed a top-rope superplex at 9:00, and that popped the crowd. Bakabella argued with the ref. It allowed Channing to strike Hammerstone in the head with his briefcase! Channing then hit a jumping piledriver for the cheap pin. Thomas remains undefeated here!
Channing Thomas defeated Alexander Hammerstone at 9:45.
3. Hartenbower vs. Vic Capri in a falls count anywhere match. This was supposed to be a mixed tag but Shelly Benson couldn’t make it so it’s a singles match instead. Hartenbower’s overall look (bald with a goatee) always makes me think of Josh Alexander, but Hartenbower is a bit thicker. He came out first; he charged at Vic and they brawled on the sand, before even getting into the ring. Hartenbower had a crate of small water balloons and he let the kids in the front row grab them, and everyone began hitting Vic with water balloons! Fun! “It’s like the end of Platoon,” heel commentator Kyle Fields said. Funny if you’ve seen the movie!
In the ring, Hartenbower hit some running knees in the corner. Capri got a chair and struck Hartenbower across the back with it at 5:00. Hartenbower threw Vic lawn-dart style into a chair wedged in the corner. They brawled back to the sandy area away from the ring. “We’re putting the beach in beach brawl,” a commentator said, as Vic suplexed Hartenbower onto a sand pile that had the Dreamwave logo carved into it at 8:30. Vic got a shovel and hit Hartenbower with it and he got a nearfall. Hartenbower hit a clothesline on a wood boardwalk.
They got back into the ring and kept brawling. Capri hit a back suplex and a running knee to the back as Hartenbower was in the ropes. Hartenbower hit a spear at 11:30, and Capri rolled to the ropes and to the pavement. Hartenbower hit a back-body drop on the apron! He got a nearfall on the apron. Hartenbower powerbombed Capri, slamming him across four open chairs set up on the wood boardwalk, to get the pin. Violent match, but no blood or gross weapons.
Hartenbower defeated Vic Capri at 14:11.
* Val Capone is in the ring! That means she’s about to announce a women’s match!
4. J-Rod vs. Stori Denali vs. Fallyn Grey vs. Brittnie Brooks vs. B3cca vs. Airica Demia in a six-way scramble to become No. 1 contender to the Uprising Alternative Title. The winning woman will get her title shot later tonight! Stori debuted here in April; she was announced at 6’3″ and is a former volleyball player. The other five women are regulars here and are all on my ‘ones to watch’ list. My first time seeing J-Rod since she got back from filming American Gladiators. A big tour bus pulled up for B3cca to get out of! That’s awesome! People with their cameras surrounded the door to take pictures of her as she climbed off. She then sang “On B3cca, On God,” and as I’ve noted recently, it’s funny how many people know the lyrics now and sing along. The girls in the crowd all chanted, “Brittnie!”
We finally got a bell and all six brawled; no tags in this one. J-Rod and Denali stood toe-to-toe, and it’s just stark to see how much taller Denali is than even J-Rod, who is listed at what I believe is a legit 5’10”. Brittnie hit a bulldog on B3cca. Demia hit some spin kicks in the corner on Brittnie. Grey choked Brittnie in a corner. Fallyn went for a crossbody block, but J-Rod caught her and hit a fallaway slam at 3:30. B3cca snapped J-Rod throat-first over the top rope. Stori hit some clotheslines, and everyone was down except her, and Kyle marveled at her height. Denali hit a leg lariat in the corner on Brittnie, then a backbreaker over her knee for a nearfall.
J-Rod and Denali traded forearm strikes, and J-Rod hit a huracanrana. J-Rod hit a crossbody block on her, then a Mafia Kick for a nearfall at 6:00 but B3cca made the save. B3cca hit a huracanrana on J-Rod. B3cca hit some superkicks on J-Rod; everyone else was brawling on the ground. B3cca hit a snap suplex on J-Rod. Fallyn hit a top-rope flying clothesline. Denali grabbed Fallyn by the throat and hit a chokeslam for a believable nearfall at 8:00, but J-Rod made the save. J-Rod hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall, but Demia made the save. Demia hit a DDT. Brittnie hit the “It’s Brittnie Bitch” (Eye of the Hurricane swinging inverted DDT) on Demia. However, Grey threw Brooks to the ground, and she covered the prone Demia for the stolen pin! I really enjoyed that.
Fallyn Grey defeated Brittnie Brooks, B3cca, Stori Denali, J-Rod and Airica Demia in a scramble to become No. 1 contender to the Uprising Alternative Title at 8:56.
5. Kody Lane vs. Stephen Wolf vs. Bobby Orlando vs. Christian Rose in a four-way for the Dreamwave Alternative Title. Lane, the champ, came out last. Wolf rolled to the ground at the bell, and he went for Bobby’s stupid stuffed goat. In the ring, Rose and Orlando took turns chopping Wolf’s back, then Lane hit a senton across Wolf’s back. All four brawled to ringside. Kody hit a senton on Orlando. Rose hit a mule kick to Bobby’s head, then a hard knee lift to the jaw. Lane snapped off a huracanrana on Wolf at 5:00. Rose hit a flip dive to the floor on all three opponents. Kody hit a plancha-style senton to the floor at 6:30.
Rose hit a dive to the floor. Bobby put his stupid stuffed goat on his back and dove onto the three on the floor at 9:00. In the ring, Kody hit his one-legged Lionsault on Rose for a nearfall. Rose hit a Styles Clash on Kody for a nearfall. Wolf hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall, and suddenly they were all down. Bobby hit a Lungblower to Kody’s back at 11:00. Wolf hit a fisherman’s powerbomb for a nearfall. These four are sprinting. Rose put Wolf’s feet on the ropes and hit a Flatliner. Rose hit a neckbreaker on Bobby. Kody hit a Buckle Bomb on Orlando, then a top-rope flying senton to pin Orlando, as Wolf was a second late on breaking it up. That was a blast.
Kody Lane defeated Bobby Orlando, Stephen Wolf, and Christian Rose in a four-way to retain the Dreamwave Alternative Title at 12:36.
6. Matt Cardona vs. Gringo Loco. Cardona came out first, got on the mic, and cut a heel promo, demanding the fans show him some respect! This is a day after Cardona faced Shotzi Blackheart in Dallas. Loco got a nice pop, as he’s a Chicago native. They locked up, and Cardona immediately rolled to the floor to jaw at the crowd. In the ring, Loco hit a hip-toss, and Cardona rolled to the ground again, sold pain in his back, and called for a timeout. Gringo followed and hit a bodyslam onto the wooden boardwalk at 3:30, then he dragged Cardona back to the ring. In the ring, Loco hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall.
Cardona began choking Loco, and he jawed at the ref. Matt ripped off his shirt at 5:30, and he choked Loco with it. He shoved the ref; the ref shoved back, and Loco got a rollup for a nearfall. Loco hit a running powerbomb for a nearfall, then a handspring-back-elbow for a nearfall at 7:30, then a top-rope fadeaway stunner for a nearfall. Cardona hit a Radio Silence flying leg drop. Loco hit a DDT onto Cardona’s fake title belt for a nearfall at 10:00. Loco nailed a Split-legged Moonsault for the pin. Fun match.
Gringo Loco defeated Matt Cardona at 11:24.
7. “Hot Commodity” Hayden Backlund and Trevor Outlaw vs. “The Hype” 12-Gage Noonan and Hunter Holdcraft in a semi-final match. Backlund and Outlaw came out first and were loudly booed. Noonan had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it match in AEW recently, and he has his shoulder brace on, as always. Holdcraft and Backlund began brawling; I started my stopwatch at first contact, and we got a bell 20 seconds later to officially begin. The heels rolled to the floor to regroup. (The commentators were telling a story of Hayden having made passes at Hunter’s girlfriend, Addison, in the past; I just don’t recall that.) In the ring, Outlaw hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Hunter and they worked him over.
Hayden (think MJF in haircut, general looks) hit a dropkick. Outlaw choked Hunter in the ropes. A beach ball was thrown in the ring; Hayden put it in his teeth and popped it, and that got boos. Hunter hit a suplex, and they were both down at 5:30. 12-Gauge got a hot tag and cleared the ring. He hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Hayden hit a doublestomp on Noonan’s back for a nearfall, and now HC worked over Noonan. Hunter hit a Stunner. Holdcraft jumped in the ring and hit a German Suplex; the heel commentator, Fields, noted he wasn’t tagged in. The ref got bumped. Hayden to the floor and grabbed Hunter’s girlfriend, Addison, and threw her into the ring! Outlaw was going to hit a move on her. Addison hit a low blow on Hayden. The Hype hit a doublestomp-and-German Suplex combo to pin Hayden.
Gage Noonan and Hunter Holdcraft defeated Hayden Backlund and Trevor Outlaw at 9:14 to advance.
8. Connor Hopkins (w/Those Damn Coyotes) vs. Donovan Dijak for the Dreamwave Title. In recent months, Hopkins has really captured a 2000-era CM Punk look; it’s really an uncanny tribute, from the black shirt with the white dash, to his arm movements. The TDC duo has seemingly just become managers; I didn’t think either were particularly strong workers. Connor is of average size, so he’s giving up a lot of height and weight to Dijak. Connor demanded a handshake at the bell, and Dijak shook it, but then Connor tried to hit a low blow! Dijak blocked it. Connor stood on the second rope and slapped Dijak, and he grinned. Dijak responded by hitting a decapitating clothesline at 2:00.
Dijak hit a backbreaker over his knee. A few more water balloons were thrown in, to the point that an announcer had to admonish the crowd to stop. Dijak and Connor brawled to ringside, with Donovan in charge. The TDC guys jawed at Dijak; they pushed him into the ring post at 5:00. It allowed Hopkins to hit a flying knee off the apron. In the ring, Hopkins kept Dijak grounded and repeatedly punched him. Connor did an eye-poke; heel commentator Fields called it a “nerve hold to the temple.” TDC choked Dijak in the ropes. Connor hit the Vaquer-style repeated faceplants into the mat at 7:30.
Dijak hit a short-arm clothesline, then some loud overhand chops in the corner. He hip-tossed Connor across the ring for a nearfall at 9:30. Dijak put Connor on his shoulders for Feast Your Eyes, but TDC hopped on the apron to distract him. It allowed Hopkins to get a rollup for a nearfall, then a running knee to the back of the head for a nearfall. Dijak nailed the Choke Bomb for a nearfall at 11:00. Hopkins hit a superkick; Dijak hit one, then his Mafia Kick for a nearfall. Dijak set up for a second-rope Feast Your Eyes, but TDC interfered. It allowed Connor to hit a second-rope slam for a nearfall at 13:00.
Connor got his belt. The ref tried to take it, but Hopkins shoved him to the mat. Hopkins hopped on Dijak’s back and applied a sleeper, but Dijak powered out.. Dijak hit Feast Your Eyes, but the ref got pulled to the floor at 15:00. Dijak hit a moonsault, but Connor grabbed his belt and struck Dijak with it as he landed! Connor climbed on top of the prone Dijak and got the cheap pin. Fun match, but the outside interference really was a bit much; the ref really let a lot go that he clearly saw.
Connor Hopkins defeated Donovan Dijak to retain the Dreamwave Title at 16:07.
9. Rebecca J. Scott vs. Fallyn Grey for the Uprising Title. Again, the short, blonde Scott always makes me think of former TNA wrestler Taylor Wilde. Huey Lewis’ “Power of Love” played, and Scott arrived in a Delorean!!! Plenty of quick “Back to the Future” jokes dropped. Rebecca hit some quick back elbows and knee lifts as Fallyn was in the ropes. Fallyn snapped Scott throat-first on the top rope at 2:00. They brawled to the floor with Grey in charge. I think both women are about 5’2″. In the ring, Grey hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 3:30, and she bent Scott backwards. Rebecca tied her up on the mat, but Grey reached the ropes. Grey hit an awkward clothesline off the top rope, but they kept going.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Scott nailed an enzuigiri at 6:00, then running double knees to the back of the head for a nearfall. Fallyn hit a 619, and she paused to bark at the crowd before hitting a frogsplash for a nearfall. RJS hit a snap suplex at 7:30, then a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall. Grey hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 9:00. Scott accidentally kicked the ref, and the ref was down! Fallyn hit a spin kick to the head! She grabbed the title belt, but Brittnie Brooks ran out and took it from her! A second ref also came to the ring. Rebecca applied a submission hold on the mat, and Fallyn tapped out. Good action.
Rebecca J. Scott defeated Fallyn Grey to retain the Dreamwave Alternative Title at 10:31.
10. Maggie Lee vs. Elayna Black for the Dreamwave Women’s Title. Black (f/k/a Cora Jade) got a nice pop. They took turns playing to the crowd, and Maggie (TNA’s M by Elegance) was loudly booed. Maggie slapped her in the face, then stalled in the ropes and shouted at the fans. They finally locked up, and Black hit a basement dropkick to the face at 2:30, then a huracanrana. Maggie again went to the floor to regroup. Elayna followed, and they brawled on the beach area away from the ring. Maggie whipped Elayna with the ripped-apart plastic beach ball. They got back into the ring at 4:30 with Lee choking Black with that beach ball, then with her wrist tape.
Maggie choked her in the ropes and kicked her in the head and got a nearfall at 6:30. Maggie hit her mid-ring buttbump for a nearfall and she tied up Black on the mat, then a Pump Kick to the chest. Elayna fired up and hit some clotheslines and a hard back elbow for a nearfall. Maggie Lee hit a Helluva Kick. Black hit a gut-wrench suplex for a nearfall at 9:30. Maggie hit a Go To Sleep for a nearfall, but she missed a Moonsault. Maggie hit a Tombstone Piledriver for the clean pin. (I presumed she was retaining but I figured she’d have to cheat to do it!) Good action.
Maggie Lee defeated Elayna Black to retain the Dreamwave Women’s Title at 10:42.
Final thoughts: I have always noted how much I love family-friendly shows. We had a LOT of kids, and specifically, a lot of young girls, in this crowd who loved Brittnie Brooks, Rebecca Scott, and Elayna Black, and they loathed Maggie Lee and Fallyn Grey. I’ll go with the Kody Lane four-way for best match, Hopkins-Dijak for second, and the show-opener tag for third. This was a particularly strong show with some well-known former WWE talents, with Elayna Black, Cardona, and Dijak all bringing star power, plus Hammerstone, who is certainly known from his stints in MLW and TNA.
Just when you think you’ve seen everything in pro wrestling… a crate of water balloons handed to kids adds a new dimension to a fun, outdoors brawl on a beach. With that said… it also showed why a match like that should go on last, because the fans kept throwing balloons later into the show when they weren’t wanted or needed. I also loved that with the outdoor setting, we had some unique entrances, from Rebecca J. Scott in the Delorean, B3cca in the tour bus, and also Christian Rose pulled up on an ATV.
No new faces here, but just my second time seeing Denali. She’s clearly quite green and not smooth in the ring yet, but with that height and just her overall presence and aura, she should get booked often with opportunities to improve.
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