By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open RI “Episode 16”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
July 21, 2025, in Cranston, Rhode Island at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
Wrestling Open is continuing its Thursday shows in Worcester, Mass, while adding these Monday events, so they are planning to run two shows a week indefinitely. This is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. Paul Crockett and Pedro Dones commentary. They continue to draw really well on a weekly basis; the crowd was maybe 175, and they are seeing consistent growth.
1. DJ Powers and Georgio Lawrence vs. “The Shooter Boys” Anthony Vecchio and Aaron Ortiz. The Boys just earned a title shot, so no way they are losing here, right? Powers and Ortiz opened; Aaron tried to tie him up, so DJ rolled to the floor to regroup. The crowd chanted “slimy!” at DJ. In the ring, DJ knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Crockett said DJ has the most Wrestling Open matches of anyone in 2025 and that’s not surprising at all. DJ stalled again on the floor. Back in the ring, Ortiz hit some armdrags at 3:00, so DJ rolled to the floor again, but this time, Vecchio punched DJ and threw him back in! Vecchio finally tagged in, so DJ tagged in Georgio.
Vecchio hit a dropkick at 5:00. The Boys hit a team armdrag. Ortiz hit a suplex for a nearfall. The heels began working over Ortiz in their corner, with DJ hitting a standing neckbreaker at 6:30. Lawrence hit his roundhouse kicks to the back. Vecchio finally got a hot tag at 9:30, and he hit a German Suplex on Lawrence, then one Powers, and he kipped up and got a nice pop. DJ hit a superkick. Lawrence hit a spin kick and DJ hit a neckbreaker over his knee. Powers hit a frogsplash for a believable nearfall on Ortiz at 11:30. This has been really sharp. Ortiz hit a German Suplex on Lawrence, then the Boys hit a team Blockbuster to pin Lawrence. A really good, fast-paced opener.
Aaron Ortiz and Anthony Vecchio defeated DJ Powers and Georgio Lawrence at 12:24.
* A video package aired of Davienne getting a decisive win (via count-out) over Liviyah. Their feud isn’t over! Back to the venue, Davienne was interviewed. She wasn’t dressed to wrestle. The crowd chanted at her. Davienne said she rejects a rematch with Liviyah. Out of nowhere, Liviyah attacked her. Liviyah was wearing a plaid shirt and torn denim jeans, so she wasn’t dressed to wrestle either. Liviyah leapt off a stage and hit a Thesz Press and punches. Davienne got on the mic and now wants a rematch!!
* A video package aired for the return of Ichiban last week!
2. Kylon King vs. Channing Thomas. Kylon came out first. Channing (the babyface now!) charged into the ring. They started brawling, and we had a bell. Channing hit a bodyslam and an elbow drop for a nearfall. He hit a suplex at 1:30 and was in charge. Kylon hit a rolling cannonball into the corner, then a German Suplex for a nearfall, and he took control. Kylon slammed him snake-eyes at 4:00, then hit a missile dropkick.
Channing hit a leg lariat and a back suplex, then a running back elbow for a nearfall at 6:00. Two people ran to ringside and waved at Channing and urged him to come to the back, so he left with them. We had a camera follow them backstage. Anthony Greene was down on the ground! Who attacked him? Ref Gina declared that King won via forfeit because Channing left! (Why isn’t a win by countout?) I thought this might be the main event, so when this went on second, I figured we were having a screwjob ending, which is fine… this feud is ongoing.
Kylon King defeated Channing Thomas via forfeit at about 7:00.
3. Brett Ryan Gosselin vs. Brando Lee. Lee has quickly become a big fan favorite here, and of course, the fans love to boo BRG. BRG offered a handshake but then he slapped Lee in the face and we’re underway! Lee hit a clothesline and a back suplex for a nearfall. BRG began stomping on Brando and kept him grounded. Lee hit another suplex at 1:30. Brett went to the floor and under the ring? He came out another side and hit a sliding baseball dropkick. In the ring, BRG hit some running back elbows and a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 3:30.
BRG hit some ax handles and remained in charge. He hit a DDT for a nearfall at 5:00. They traded chops. Lee hit a Styles Clash for a nearfall at 7:00, and they were both down. Brett got a rollup with a handful of tights, but the ref saw it and stopped counting. Lee hit a shotgun dropkick into the corner and a rolling Death Valley Driver, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for the pin. Fun match; this is a big win for Lee, yet it doesn’t even feel like an upset.
Brando Lee defeated Brett Ryan Gosselin at 8:16.
* A commercial aired for next Monday’s “Open Door War.” It’s a match where you are eliminated after you’ve been put through a door.
* Backstage, It’s Gal, Nick Battee and Jose Zamora were upset they lost the Von Erich Six-Man Tag Classic. Gal said they need to get revenge…
4. It’s Gal and Jose Zamora vs. “Brick City” Victor Chase and Julio Cruz. Where is Battee? Chase and Gal opened. Gal applied a leg lock around the neck and did some push-ups. Chase put him on his shoulders and did some deep squats, then he hit a running crossbody block. BC hit a team armdrag. Cruz got in at 2:30 and bodyslammed Zamora, and BC was in charge. Chase set up for a delayed vertical suplex, but Jose escaped and the heels began working over Victor in their corner.
Gal hit a suplex into the corner, and Jose hit a doublestomp for a nearfall at 6:00. Gal and Chase traded forearm strikes. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. Cruz got the hot tag and hit a back-body drop and a release suplex and he was fired up. Suddenly, Channing Thomas ran into the ring and attacked Gal! He got on the mic and blamed Gal for the assault on Greene. Brick City wasn’t happy about Channing getting involved.
It’s Gal and Jose Zamora defeated Victor Chase and Julio Cruz via DQ at 8:03.
* Bryce Donovan and Bobby Orlando spoke in the ring. “You have to give up your Wrestling Open title shot and you have to join up with us,” Donovan said. “It would be like old times again.” He told Orlando not to listen to the fans, but to listen to him. Bobby simply said, “No.” He rolled out of the ring and left. Bryce got irate and shouted that Orlando “was always holding me back. This is why WWE chose me and not you!” The crowd recoiled at that line! Orlando rolled right back in the ring and stood nose-to-nose with Bryce. Bobby said he can “look at myself in the mirror with respect.” He said the guys with Bryce aren’t his friends, they are his stooges. Orlando vowed he would take the title from Bryce and become the next champion! Brad Baylor rolled into the ring and attacked Orlando!
5. Bobby Orlando vs. Brad Baylor. The ref checked on Bobby, who insisted the match occur. The bell rang and Brad charged and stomped on Bobby. Bobby hit a bulldog for a nearfall. Bobby got up and hit a series of chops. Baylor hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall at 2:30, and he remained in control. He hit some European Uppercuts. Crockett and Dones talked about Baylor’s hectic schedule, noting he just returned from Orlando (he competed on a WWE ID showcase on Saturday.) Bobby hit some clotheslines in the corner. Brad hit his own clothesline for a nearfall at 4:30 and a leaping elbow drop, and he paused to swivel his hips to elicit some boos.
Orlando hit a Lungblower to the back, and they were both down at 6:30, and the crowd rallied for Bobby. He hit a discus clothesline and more in the corner, then a second-rope Athena-style stunner for a nearfall. Orland caught Brad charging and hit a sit-out powerbomb at 8:00. They got up and traded punches, and Baylor hit a jumping knee, then a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Orlando got a rollup out of nowhere for the pin!
Bobby Orlando defeated Brad Baylor at 9:48.
* A video aired for next week’s “Open Door War,” which is a six-man elimination match via being thrown through a door.
6. Oxx Adams and Dustin Waller vs. Love, Doug and Ichiban. Again, Adams is a legit 7’0″ and listed at 350 pounds, and he’s thick, trimmed hair, and covered in tattoos; he definitely “passes the airport test.” Again, Waller turned on Ichiban a few months ago, and Ichiban is still looking for revenge. Oxx stood across from Ichiban, and Adams may legit have 160-170 pounds on Ichiban. Doug hopped on Oxx’s back while Ichiban tried punching Oxx’s ribs. Oxx hit a double clothesline at 1:30. You just gotta see this guy’s size! Waller tagged in and chopped Doug and stomped on him in the corner.
Doug threw petals in Waller’s face and hit a back suplex. Ichiban tagged in so Waller dove to his corner to tag in Oxx. Ichiban hit a handspring-back-elbow on Oxx and a dropkick into the corner. The babyfaces kept trying, kept hitting him, but they couldn’t drop the big man. Finally, a double dropkick sent Oxx to the mat and to the floor. Doug dove onto Oxx at 4:00, then Ichiban also hit a dive. In the ring, Waller hit a springboard crossbody block on Ichiban. Meanwhile, Oxx beat up Doug on the floor. In the ring, Oxx hit a powerbomb on Ichiban for a nearfall, then he tossed Ichiban across the ring.
Oxx hit a sidewalk slam, but he missed a splash. He nailed a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 6:30. Waller made a blind tag, jumped on Ichiban, and repeatedly punched his former friend. The crowd taunted Waller with chants. Ichiban fired up and finally hit a series of punches on Waller, but Dustin quickly tagged out. Oxx scooped up Ichiban and applied a bear hug. Oxx struck the post in the corner. The babyfaces hit stereo superkicks on Oxx. Doug struck Oxx from behind. Waller hit a Lethal Injection on Doug. Suddenly it was just Ichiban and Waller, and they traded punches. Out of nowhere, Kylon King jumped in the ring and hit a German Suplex on Ichiban, right in front of ref Gina, who called for the bell. The crowd chanted, “Shame!” at King and Waller.
Ichiban and Love, Doug defeated Dustin Waller and Oxx Adams via DQ at 10:19.
* King went under the ring and got a door! He slid it into the ring. Doug tried a plancha, but Oxx caught him and slammed him against the ring frame. Meanwhile, King and Waller slammed Ichiban through a door in the corner. The heels left. Ichiban got on the mic and said that the Miracle Generation “broke my heart, but now I’ll break you!”
Final Thoughts: The Bryce-Orlando confrontation was just great. Those two had teamed so long, and they played on that history in their talking points; the line about Bryce being selected for WWE and Bobby wasn’t really struck a raw nerve, and the crowd knew it. Bryce is an underrated speaker; so far on Evolve, he’s been a quiet big man, but he can talk. A really good main event. Wrestling Open doesn’t usually have DQ finishes in main events, so it’s fine to do it once in a while. The opening tag takes second, and Baylor-Orlando earned third.
I am really loving the Monday shows in Rhode Island. This was a great lineup with a lot of the top-tier guys I tune into this promotion to see. The Monday shows are a family-friendly environment (fans are reminded that swearing isn’t allowed!), and I prefer the lighting and overall presentation here, in comparison to the darker room in Worcester. So much to like here.
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