By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is so much good indy wrestling out there, there is far more than I can possibly watch. So, in this review, I’m popping in on multiple recent indy shows and watching just a few matches from each show that interest me. The reality is I wasn’t going to get to watch every match from every one of these shows! I picked out matches with top names we’ve seen on TV, some top indy names, and WWE ID prospects.
* In this roundup, I picked out nine matches from across five different recent indy shows.
Xcite Wrestling “Hot Summer Nights” in Horseheads, N.Y., on Aug. 17, 2025 (IWTV)
I’ve never seen one of their shows, and I only recognize a couple of names in the lineup, but I tuned in for the final match. This is a small room, and the lighting was merely okay. The crowd was maybe 80. The commentary track isn’t good; the commentators sound like they are in a tunnel. This room has a really low ceiling, too; that’s going to stop a lot of high-flying moves. Horseheads is located south of Syracuse.
“Primetime” Carmelo Lee and Damien Saint vs. “YDNP” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver vs. “High Seas” Capt. Nick Ando and Cloudy for the Xcite Wrestling Tag Team Titles. This was the main event. Yes, this is the Cloudy who was in ROH 15-20 years ago, and no, he hasn’t gotten any bigger. Ando and Cloudy routinely appear on the GCW shows that take place in upstate New York. I have never seen Lee or Saint; they are both scrawny white kids. Oliver and Price came out last, holding both the Game Changer Wrestling Tag Team Titles and the Juggalo Championship Wrestling Tag Team Titles. (As well as going by “YDNP” they are also now “The Bustah and the Brain.”) We had the bell, and four guys attacked Oliver and Price.
Price hit a Hardy-style Poetry in Motion. Saint hit a springboard stunner at 1:30 on Price. Cloudy hit a doublestomp on Oliver’s back. High Seas backed Oliver into their corner and worked Jordan over. Oliver nailed a superkick. Price hit a double crossbody block at 5:00 and a pop-up dropkick. The commentators were going nuts for Price and Oliver’s offense. Alec dove over the top rope onto the four opponents on the floor. In the ring, Price and Oliver Price hit a Rebound Lariat.
Cloudy hit a low-blow uppercut on Price and rolled him up for a nearfall at 6:30. High Seas hit their team Falcon Arrow for a nearfall, but Carmelo Lee pulled the ref to the floor. Lee hit a coast-to-coast missile dropkick and a flip dive to the floor. All six got back into the ring and brawled. Oliver hit a running guillotine legdrop, and Price hit a senton. They hit their team DDT move and pinned Saint! “Say it ain’t so!” a commentator shouted, as they didn’t want an ‘outsider’ tag team winning their belts. Oliver and Price sat down on the mat, each wearing THREE different tag team title belts!
Jordan Oliver and Alec Price defeated Cloudy and Nick Ando, and Carmelo Lee and Damien Saint to win the Xcite Tag Team Titles at 9:06.
Viral Pro Wrestling “Infection 9” in Augusta, Georgia on Aug. 9, 2025 (IWTV)
This was a large gym, and they drew really well — this crowd might be in the 500 range, and the bleachers are packed, as well as ringside. Lighting is good, and overall, this is a pretty good production.
Airica Demia vs. Mila Johnson in an I Quit match for the Viral Pro Wrestling Women’s Title. Demia is the green-haired girl who is similar in age, looks, and style to Billie Starkz, and I’m a fan. Mila wore black and has long dark hair. (A check of the Dot Net database shows I saw her compete in a tag match on an all-women’s show in Indiana in May). This match was mid-show. She attacked Demia as Airica entered the ring. She choked Demia with a jacket. They traded punches. Mila put some brass knuckles on her fist at 4:00, but she missed the punch. She struck Demia in the ribs with another blow with the brass knuckles, and she tied up Demia’s legs.
Mila tied her in a front guillotine choke at 6:00. A quick check of the IWTV database shows these two have wrestled each other in this promotion twice already this year. They brawled to the floor, where Demia avoided being struck by a kendo stick. Mila tied Demia’s legs around the ring post at 9:00 in a modified Texas Cloverleaf, but Airica refused to quit; she was able to grab the kendo stick and she struck Mila with it. Demia got zip-ties and tied Mila to the second rope, as Mila’s legs were dangling off the apron. Demia hit her in the stomach with the cane, but Mila refused to quit. Demia put on the brass knuckles and was going to hit Mila in the face, when Mila shouted that she quit.
Airica Demia defeated Mila Johnson in an I Quit match to retain the Viral Pro Wrestling Women’s Title at 11:36.
Cedric Alexander vs. Sean Legacy. This was the main event. The commentators noted this was TNA’s Cedric vs. WWE ID’s Legacy, and this crowd was hot and split before they even locked up. They finally tied up 80 seconds after the bell. They tied up in a knuckle lock and they were both trading friendly, babyface offense. Legacy tied Cedric in a Bow-and-Arrow at 5:30, then he hit a basement dropkick on the knee. He hit another dropkick, and Cedric rolled to the floor and sat down in a chair to regroup. Back in the ring, they tied each other up on the mat. Legacy hit a standing moonsault at 8:00.
Cedric hit a German Suplex, a dropkick, and a dive through the ropes onto Sean. They traded chops at ringside; I wouldn’t argue if they claimed a crowd of 750 as I can see how packed these bleachers are. Sean hit a dive through the ropes at 10:30. They got in the ring, and as Legacy tried a springboard move, Cedric caught him and hit a Death Valley Driver, and they were both down. Nice move. Cedric hit a running back elbow and got a nearfall at 13:00, and he slowed Legacy down with a chin lock on the mat. Legacy fired back with a second-rope Spanish Fly, and both guys were down.
They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Sean hit a snap German Suplex at 15:00. Cedric hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. He hit a few slaps to the face; Sean fired back with his own slaps to the face, then a backflip into an inverted DDT for a nearfall, and they were both down. Sean missed a springboard 450. They awkwardly didn’t make a swinging neckbreaker off the ropes work. Cedric hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. Legacy hit another German Suplex, then a second-rope fadeaway stunner at 18:30.
Sean nailed a 450 Splash, but Cedric kicked out, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. He hit some Yes Kicks to the chest. Sean taunted Cedric, and the crowd booed him. They got up and traded punches, and Cedric hit a stiff clothesline, then a dropkick into the corner. He set up for a Lumbar Check, but Legacy hit a Canadian Destroyer, then his twisting suplex for the pin! That was an incredibly good match. Yes, there were two spots they didn’t land perfectly, but I’m okay with that over a match this good, this long, before a really hot crowd.
Sean Legacy defeated Cedric Alexander at 21:00 even.
TWE “11th Hour,” in Red Bank, Tennessee, on Aug. 9, 2025 (IWTV)
This is their usual, dark venue that looks like an underground military bunker. The ring was lit okay. It’s an awkward-shaped room with the ring pushed up against one wall. The show opened with the match that intrigued me.
London Lighting vs. Darian Bengston. London is a young, rising Canadian star, so he’s traveled a distance for this one; he’s had a handful of AEW TV matches. Bengston is one of the top-tier guys here, and he has also been on AEW/ROH TV. They are both babyfaces, so they opened with friendly standing switches and reversals. London hit a backbreaker over his knee at 6:00. Bengston hit a Hardy-style Whisper in the Wind for a nearfall. London hit a Spinebuster and immediately tied Darian in a modified Figure Four leglock. London hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 8:00 and got a rollup for a nearfall. Darian tied London in a unique-looking Cattle Mutilation hold, and Lightning submitted. Good action; these are both guys to watch.
Darian Bengston defeated London Lightning at 8:38.
Chicago Style Wrestling “Trial By Fire” in Franklin Park, Illinois, on Aug. 15, 2025 (IWTV)
This is their usual large room, and it’s packed with maybe 250 fans.
Blair Onyx vs. Shazza McKenzie. This was early in the show. Onyx is the spider-loving spooky girl, similar in style to NXT’s Tatum Paxley. I assume these two have fought before. Shazza hit a basement dropkick. Blair is taller and a bit bigger and she hit some chops. Shazza hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 2:00, and she slowed Blair down on the mat. She hit some Yes Kicks on the apron as Blair was tied in the ropes. Blair hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall at 4:00. Shazza hit a running knee in the corner. Blair nailed a Sister Abigail swinging faceplant.
Shazza hit her Splits Stunner at 5:30. Several men, completely dressed in black, came to ringside, and that distracted Shazza. Blair got a rollup for a nearfall. She set up for a Gotch-style Piledriver, but instead slammed Shazza stomach-first to the mat. Really good action between these two, but it turned out this match was just setting up these men dressed in black to come out and grab Shazza and haul her to the back. (I just checked on cagematch.net; they have shared a ring 13 times now, but they are now just 1-1 in singles action after Blair’s win here.)
Blair Onyx defeated Shazza McKenzie at 6:21.
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Lili La Pescadito. This was second-to-last. Lili just made her Wrestling Open debut and is now getting this big singles match. They are both babyfaces and traded standing switches and reversals on the mat. They both grabbed each other’s hair at 2:30. They shook hands, but then Deonna kicked her in the gut. “Sometimes you don’t want to meet your heroes,” a commentator said as Deonna kicked Lili and kept her grounded. Deonna switched to a sleeper on the mat at 5:30. Lili fired up and hit some chops, but Deonna immediately hit a chop block and applied a cross-armbreaker.
Deonna charged into the corner and crashed shoulder-first into the ring post at 8:30. Lili hit a huracanrana and some basement dropkicks, then a spinebuster for a nearfall. Deonna hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 10:00. Lili hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. Deonna hit a Mafia Kick and a Tiger Driver (flipping powerbomb), and she applied the Venus de Milo armbar, but Lili escaped. Deonna hit a Russian Legsweep and again applied the Venus de Milo. However, Lili flipped her over and got a flash pin! Deonna sat up, shocked that just happened. The commentators agreed it was the biggest win of Lili’s career.
Lilia La Pescadita defeated Deonna Purrazzo at 12:54.
Jay Marston, Solomon Tupu, Rafael Quintero, and Acid Jaz vs. Aminah Belmont and “The Made Men” Marshe Rockett, Steve Boz, and Bruss Hamilton in a Survivor’s Gauntlet Match. This was the main event and it’s an elimination match but with NO TAGS; you are in the match until you are eliminated. Jay got a table that refused to break last show, and it’s going to be their ‘tag partner.’ Quintero replaced Conan Lycan in this, and Jaz replaced Missa Kate, who was attacked as the show began. Jaz and Boz opened, and Steve hugged Jaz, but then tried to hit a low blow that Jaz blocked. Jaz hit a clothesline and a leg drop. The babyfaces beat up Boz on the floor. Boz took control in the ring and worked Jaz over.
Boz hit a senton for a nearfall at 4:30. Boz suplexed Jaz off the corner and onto all the men on the floor. Jaz hit a Sliced Bread out of the corner and pinned Boz at 7:27! The crowd sang the “Na Na, Hey Hey, goodbye!” tune at Boz. Aminah Belmont jumped in and stomped on Jaz; no break between falls here. He slammed her and got a nearfall at 12:00. Aminah hit a low-blow uppercut and a Styles Clash to pin Jaz at 12:40. The big Tupu got in; again, I’ve compared his look to Bronson Reed, but he’s not as heavy. She tried to escape the ring, but he grabbed her and put her on his shoulders. She turned it into a stunner and a tornado DDT and a frogsplash. She hit another one for a nearfall at 16:30, but he fired up. Tupu hit a sit-out piledriver and his own frogsplash for a pin at 17:16.
The massive, wide Bruss got into battle Tupu! They rolled to the floor, and this looked like a lumberjack match, but they got back into the ring with Bruss in charge. Tupu hit a World’s Strongest Slam at 20:30 and a bodyslam. Bruss hit a uranage and pinned Tupu at 21:00 even. Marston jumped in the ring and slammed Bruss. He set up the ‘unbreakable table’ in the corner, and he stomped on Bruss. He tried to spear Bruss into the table, but the massive Hamilton didn’t budge. Bruss splashed onto Marston for a nearfall. Marston kicked Bruss, put the table on top of Bruss, and pinned Bruss at 23:57. Bruss stomped on Marston after the bell, and a commentator called him a “Sore loser.”
Marshe jumped in and immediately hit a stunner and pinned Marston at 24:45. So, just like that, it’s just Marshe vs. Quintero… and Quintero had a match earlier in the show! Quintero hit a shotgun dropkick and a Meteora in the corner, then a hesitation dropkick for a nearfall at 26:30. The commentators wondered if Quintero pins the champ here, if he would get a title shot. Rocket pushed the ropes to cause Quintero to fall and be crotched in the corner. The ref got bumped by Quintero’s feet! Rocket hit another stunner for a visual pin but we had no ref! Marshe grabbed the title belt, but Acid returned, took the belt, and slapped Rocket! Quintero hit a frogsplash for the pin!
Jay Marston, Solomon Tupu, Rafael Quintero (sole survivor), and Acid Jazz defeated Aminah Belmont, Marshe Rockett, Steve Boz, and Bruss Hamilton in a Survivor’s Gauntlet Match at 29:29.
* Quintero got on the mic and noted that he’s worked his butt off to get support from the crowd. He said he knows the crowd is tired of seeing “old ass men” running this promotion. He vowed he would become champion.
Immortal Championship Wrestling “Fury at the Fairgrounds” in Cobleskill, New York, on Aug. 5, 2025 (IWTV)
Another show in upstate New York; this is west of Albany. This was outdoors and under a canopy during the local county fair. Lighting was merely okay; some cameras were definitely better lit than others. They had a really good crowd on hand packed under this tent, and I liked their set/entrance area.
Christina Marie and Kris Jackson vs. Liviyah and DJ Powers. Kris has dark hair and dark features that made me think of shorter-haired Wheeler Yuta. Christina has been on AEW TV (as has Liviyah.) Liviyah beat Marie last month in a singles match, and the women opened. The guys entered and locked up at 2:00 and the commentators said it’s the first time these two met in the ring; they praised Powers for taking over the New England wrestling scene at age 20. DJ hit a European Uppercut in the ropes, and he threw Kris into the ring post. In the ring, Powers hit a hard back elbow and got a nearfall at 5:00.
Liviyah jumped in and hit a snap suplex on Kris for a nearfall; the commentators noted this was mixed tag rules, and they praised Liviyah’s strength. Kris suplexed Powers at 7:30, and they were both down. Liviyah and Christina tagged in, with Marie hitting a dropkick and a splash into the corner, then a Samoan Drop on Liviyah for a nearfall. Marie hit a snap suplex. Marie missed a shoulder block and ran into the ring post; Liviyah immediately rolled her up for the pin! The commentators were shocked that Liviyah has beaten Christina Marie in consecutive months. Christina snapped! She attacked Liviyah and choked her, and when the ref tried to stop her, she hit a low-blow kick on him.
DJ Powers and Liviyah defeated Christina Marie and Kris Jackson at 9:14.
“CXR” Chael Connors and TJ Epixx vs. “Starstruck” Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas for the ICW Tag Team Titles. The CXR team is easily among the best workers in the upstate New York scene, and they showed off their tag belts; they are the babyfaces. Starstruck have been teaming on multiple East Coast promotions; they grabbed the belts and held them up and got booed. Channing opened against the bald Connors. Greene got in and tied up Connors’ left arm. Starstruck began working Chael over and kept him in their corner. Epixx tagged in at 5:30, and he hit some clotheslines and back elbows. Epixx hit a missile dropkick and was fired up. Channing hit a German Suplex on Epixx for a nearfall at 7:00, and the heels now began working TJ over.
Chael was yanked off the ring apron at 9:00, allowing the heels to continue working over Epixx. Chael finally got a hot tag at 10:30, and he hit a Lungblower move to the chin, and he was fired up. He hit a Lethal Injection on Greene for a nearfall. Greene hit a superkick on Connors and slammed him face-first. Channing hit a fisherman’s suplex, and everyone was down. TJ hit a frogsplash, and Chael hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall, but Greene made the save at 13:30. Channing hit a second-rope flying European Uppercut, with Greene getting the nearfall. Epixx hit an assisted uranage, and CXR hit stereo superkicks. They hit a team pop-up stunner to pin Greene. That was a really good match.
Chael Connors and TJ Epixx defeated Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas to retain the ICW Tag Team Titles at 15:00 even.
Final Thoughts: Yes, all five of these shows came from IWTV. If you have the service, make sure you check out the Sean Legacy-Cedric Alexander match, as that’s easily the best of these nine across five shows. They went out and had a dazzling match. That CXR-Starstruck tag match was second best, but I’ll caution that the lighting wasn’t as strong for an outdoor show, so it will turn off some viewers who simply won’t watch it because it was a bit harder to see. Lili-Deonna was a good showcase and a big win for Lili, and was third of these nine matches.
It’s just really good to see that crowds were large and hot at every show. That Viral Pro show was in a packed gym. The CSW show didn’t have many empty seats, and the ICW show pleased the fairgoers.
Be the first to comment