By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open RI “Episode 18”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
August 4, 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, Brett Ryan Gosselin, ref Scott Robinson, and Anthony Vecchio provided commentary. They continue to draw really well on a weekly basis; the crowd was maybe 150-175; still quite good but not as big as last week.
* Wrestling Open is coming off its “Summer Stunner” episodes last week that drew a near-sellout; online, the promotion listed it at 230 (I estimated 250!). It was a superb show, so let’s see how they build on it.
1. JGeorge vs. Erik Chacha in a spotlight match. It is seemingly now an ongoing rib that filmmaker JGeorge is in the spotlight match. Ref Scott Robinson and Anthony Vecchio provided commentary on this one. JGeorge dominated, hitting a doublestomp to the chest of the undersized Chacha. He did an Old School tightrope walk-and-chop to the shoulder. Chacha fired up and hit some back elbows and a running knee for the pin.
Erik Chacha defeated JGeorge at 5:36.
* The main show began with a backstage video, where Brandon Lee and Ichiban talked about teaming up tonight. Crockett and BRG took over on commentary.
2. “Pretty Boy Express” Devin Reno and CLAS (Christopher Landon Anthony Streeter) vs. Brando Lee and Ichiban. I’ve seen Reno and CLAS on a handful of FSW shows from Las Vegas, and I presume this is their debut here. Lee opened against the bald, muscular Reno. Crockett noted how “jacked” Reno and CLAS are. Ichiban got in and hit a huracanrana on CLAS, who is equally muscular as Reno (think former WWE wrestler Shawn Stasiak). The PBE began working over Ichiban in their corner.
Lee got in, but the heels worked him over, too; just lots of basic stomps and punches. CLAS hit a backbreaker over his knee on Lee for a nearfall at 7:30, but Ichiban made the save. Reno kept Lee grounded. Ichiban finally got a hot tag at 9:30 and hit a double missile dropkick, then a bulldog on Reno. Ichiban hit a top-rope crossbody block on Reno for a nearfall. Lee clotheslined himself and CLAS to the floor. Ichiban hit a top-rope splash onto everyone on the floor at 11:30. In the ring, Ichiban hit a frogsplash, and Lee hit a moonsault on Devin. They both covered Reno for the pin. Basic but fine.
Brando Lee and Ichiban defeated “Pretty Boy Express” CLAS and Devin Reno at 12:07.
* Brando got on the mic. He made a challenge to the Miracle Generation, and they want it at Americanrana, here on Aug. 29!
3. Tiara James vs. Liviyah. Tiara has become a regular here, and she always makes me think of Brandi Rhodes. They locked up, and teenager Liviyah has the height advantage, and Tiara stalled in the ropes. Liviyah knocked her down with a shoulder tackle, but she sold pain in her arm from last week’s match. Tiara stomped on her in the corner and hit some chops to the back, then some to the chest, and she was in charge. She hit a Meteora for a nearfall at 3:00. Liviyah fired up and hit some clotheslines and a flying shoulder tackle. She hit an implant DDT for the pin!
Liviyah defeated Tiara James at 4:41.
* Liviyah got on the mic and noted she beat Davienne last week, and now she gets to pick her ‘dream opponent’ for Americanrana. “And my dream opponent is Kris Statlander,” she said. She wants to fight Davienne again and punch her in the face! (I’ll note that Liviyah just earned an upcoming singles match against Masha Slamovich in upstate New York, so she’s getting a few dream opponents!)
* Footage aired of Channing Thomas and Anthony Greene as they are battling “Mint,” led by It’s Gal.
4. It’s Gal vs. Anthony Greene. Gal had his bodybuilding medals around his neck, but his Mint myrmidons weren’t with him. This could be a main event, so I’m expecting a screwjob finish. Greene ran into the ring, charged at Gal, and we’re underway! Greene hit a bodyslam, and Gal went to the floor to regroup. Greene followed, and they brawled at ringside. Greene tried a plancha, but Gal caught him and hit a Gorilla Press, slamming Greene onto the apron at 2:00.
Back in the ring, Gal was in charge and kept Greene grounded. He nailed a discus clothesline for a nearfall. Gal hit a gutbuster over his knees for a nearfall at 4:00. Greene hit a reverse suplex, dropping Gal stomach-first to the mat. He hit his top-rope twisting crossbody block and a clothesline to the floor, then a plancha onto Gal on the floor. They looped the ring and ignored the ref’s count and were both counted out. Good action, and as I surmised, no clear winner this round.
It’s Gal vs. Anthony Greene went to a double count-out at 5:56.
* Backstage, Swipe Right talked about an upcoming match, and they made fun of The Shooter Boys. Brad Baylor was confident that they would be adding another successful title defense. Brad Baylor then came to the ring, holding his tag title, but he’s not dressed to wrestle. He said he was supposed to fight Aaron Ortiz tonight, but decided he just didn’t feel like it. (He wore a shoulder harness during his matches at shows over the weekend, so maybe it’s a good idea for him to take a day or two off.) He selected DJ Powers to take his spot!
5. DJ Powers (w/Brad Baylor) vs. Aaron Ortiz (w/Anthony Vecchio). Powers is just 20, and Ortiz might be even younger. Crockett noted that Powers wrestles singles matches all the time, but Ortiz really hasn’t. Quick reversals on the mat. I believe Ortiz has a legit amateur background, and he out-wrestled DJ, who rolled to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, Ortiz hit a deep armdrag, frustrating Powers. Baylor grabbed Ortiz’ ankle at 4:00, causing Ortiz to miss a frogsplash. BRG tried to explain that Ortiz’s shoelace was undone and Baylor was just trying to help. Funny. Anyhow, Powers seized control and hit a snap suplex.
Powers hit a spear for a nearfall. Ortiz threw him into the corner at 6:00, then he hit a Northern Lights Suplex and a clothesline that sent Powers to the floor, then he dove onto him. Back in the ring, he hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Baylor hopped on the ring apron to distract him, but Vecchio began brawling with Baylor. Meanwhile, Ortiz got a rollup and a clean flash pin on Powers! Good action; these two kids should be fighting each other for the next decade.
Aaron Ortiz defeated DJ Powers at 7:39.
* Footage aired of last week’s “Open Door War” (essentially a tables match but with doors, as no pins are required to eliminate an opponent.) Bear Bronson won the six-way match.
* TJ Crawford came to the ring. Crockett alluded to the pushing-and-shoving on Thursday between Crawford and teammate Love, Doug. Crawford got on the mic and said, “Doug, I’m sorry. I cost us the tag titles because of my temper.” He said he’s going to show Doug how sorry he is by taking out Doug’s latest ‘problem,’ and he called out the seven-footer Oxx Adams!
6. TJ Crawford vs. Oxx Adams. Again, Oxx is bald, heavily tattooed, about 280 pounds, and certainly “passes the airport test.” (Maybe TJ should have challenged someone who is closer to 5’0″?) “TJ Crawford may have bit off a little more than he can chew,” BRG said. They stood toe-to-toe, and Crawford pushed his forehead into Oxx’s chest. The size difference is vast! TJ ducked Oxx’s blows and ran from the giant. Oxx finally caught him at 1:30 and hit a windup uranage. He hit a massive fallaway slam at 3:00 and was in charge, then a sideslam. BRG started laughing, saying this was funny. “Who doesn’t love seeing someone manhandled?” BRG said.
Oxx hit a hard clothesline and a backbreaker over his knee, and bent him in half over the knee. “TJ might not know where he is right now,” Crockett said. TJ tried some leaping forearm strikes. Oxx missed a butt splash as TJ moved. TJ immediately hit some running kicks as Oxx was still seated. BRG left the booth, hopped on the apron, and distracted TJ! It allowed Oxx to immediately hit a chokeslam for the pin! “Was this the plan all along?” Crockett asked.
Oxx Adams defeated TJ Crawford at 6:27.
* Gosselin got on the mic and said “Love is so stupid. Anyone who supports love is stupid, especially the worst town in Rhode Island, Cranston.” BRG said he now has a monster in his corner, as he pointed at Oxx. “We are going to make sure that love never prevails.”
* Smart Mark Sterling sent in a video. He’s dressed in a suit, and in the background are shelves of his law books. He said it was stupid of Bobby Orlando to suggest that someone take out Bryce Donovan. Sterling said they have hired “The Butcher” Andy Williams to take out Orlando. That match is happening next. Back to ringside, BRG has rejoined Crockett on commentary.
7. “The Butcher” Andy Williams vs. Bobby Orlando. I just watched Orlando compete on a show from Saturday in western Illinois, so he’s spent a few hours in the car. (Google Maps says it’s about a 15 1/2 hour drive to get here from La Salle, Ill.!!) They immediately traded punches. Orlando tried some clotheslines that had no effect. Williams hit a Mafia Kick at 1:30, and he barked at the crowd. He hit one loud chop that dropped Orlando backwards to the mat. Butcher hit a knee drop to the forehead, then to the spine, and he stomped on Bobby in the corner.
Butcher hit a backbreaker over his knee, then a Goldberg-style Jackhammer for a believable nearfall. He rolled to the floor in frustration, and the 5:00 call was spot-on. Back in the ring, Bobby hit a shotgun dropkick and some clotheslines into the corner, then a Lungblower move to the chin. Bobby hit a missile dropkick and the top-rope elbow drop for the pin. That was a really good, short match.
Bobby Orlando defeated “The Butcher” Andy Williams at 6:26.
* Footage aired of last week’s unexpected return of “Fancy” Ryan Clancy, who has been in Japan for the past three or so months.
8. Bear Bronson and “Fancy” Ryan Clancy vs. Bryce Donovan and Vinny “VSK” Scalice. Bryce wore his Wrestling Open title and was heavily booed. Scalice is clearly here to eat the pin, right? He opened against Clancy, but Ryan lunged at Donovan and hit him as Bryce was on the apron. Clancy hit a back elbow on VSK and a European Uppercut that dropped him. VSK rolled to the floor at 1:30 to regroup with Bryce. Bear tagged in; the heels bailed again, refusing to get in the ring with him. The crowd chanted, “Bryce is scared!”
Bryce got in and shook hands with Bear, but then sold the pain in his hand as Bronson was squeezing the hand, and they brawled. Bear backed him into a corner and repeatedly chopped Bryce at 6:00. They all started brawling on the floor as they looped the ring. “Clancy has been dreaming of this, many late nights in Japan,” Crockett said. Bear and Clancy circled Bryce in the ring and they began punching him and stomping on him. Clancy bodyslammed VSK onto Bryce at 8:00. Clancy then bodyslammed the massive Bear onto Bryce! VSK knocked Clancy off the top rope, allowing Bryce to hit a clothesline.
VSK jumped on Clancy and stomped on him. Bryce got in and worked over Clancy, and the 10:00 call was spot-on. VSK tied him in an abdominal stretch. Bronson got a hot tag at 11:30 and hit some clotheslines on each heel, and he splashed VSK in the corner and hit a Gorilla Press. He nailed a Black Hole Slam on VSK for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. Bryce hit a chop block on Bronson at 13:00, and he slammed Bear’s knee into the ring post. Ryan tagged in and traded punches with Bryce and hit a sideslam, and a double-underhook suplex. Clancy hit a second-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Clancy hit his Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall, and the 15:00 call was spot-on; are we headed to a time-limit draw?
Clancy applied a Figure Four, but VSK hit a frogsplash on Ryan to break it up, and VSK got a nearfall. VSK nailed a Doomsday Device clothesline for a nearfall, but Bear made the save. Bronson tagged in and hit some blows on each heel. VSK superkicked him. Bryce hit a Pedigree for a believable nearfall at 17:30! VSK accidentally superkicked Donovan. Clancy hit a springboard forearm strike on VSK. Clancy hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall, and we’re at 19:00! (Rich Palladino does a great job with the time calls.) Ryan hit his picture-perfect dropkick for a nearfall, but Bryce put VSK’s foot on the ropes. Bryce pulled VSK out of the ring, and the time limit expired, right on at 20:00.
Bryce Donovan and VSK vs. Bear Bronson and Ryan Clancy went to a time-limit draw at 20:00.
* The heels were going to continue a post-match attack, but Bobby Orlando ran in for the save. Bobby got on the mic and said, “This runs deeper than just a wrestling match.” He said, “The stakes have never been higher.” Orlando challenged him to a title match at Americanrana!
Final Thoughts: A really sharp main event. Sometimes, you can tell when a match is going long (Punk-Gunther immediately comes to mind!) I would not have expected, based on the pace of that main event, that they were going to go to a time-limit draw. That was just some great action. Ortiz-Powers was really good for second, and I enjoyed our first taste of the Gal-Greene feud, and that takes third. I must again applaud promoter Drew Cordeiro and whoever is helping him write these shows. We’ve established three top challengers to Bryce’s title in Bear, Clancy, and Orlando. Clancy doesn’t trust Bobby. I haven’t noted this, but Bryce’s physique has really improved in the past eight months since he got a WWE ID contract, too.
Very few negatives. I’m ready to move on from the JGeorge dark matches. I’ve written it before, but I’d much rather see the Spotlight Match be used for new up-and-comers. The Pretty Boy Express certainly “look the part” — they both have tremendous physiques, but their offense is really limited to punches and stomps. I guess I would rather see some of the young, exciting up-and-coming New England talent here instead. I’ll just be polite and note that they did not get a “please come back!” chant. I watched this live; it should be posted on IWTV by Tuesday morning.
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