By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 198”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
October 16, 2025, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett, Brad Hollister, referee Scott Robinson, and Steven Stetson provided commentary over the course of the show. Again, this new location is a bit smaller and a bit darker than their old venue. Attendance was 150.
1. Julius Draeger vs. “Handyman” Jake Gray in a spotlight match. Draeger attacked from behind, and we’re underway. Ref Scott Robinson and Steven Stetson provided commentary on this one. We had a bell to officially begin at 00:39. Draeger (whom I always compare to Vaudevillain Simon Gotch) tossed the smaller gray around the ring, and he applied a rear-naked choke and kept Jake grounded. They collided and both went down. Jake hit some clotheslines. Gray hit a Trust Fall (coffin drop!) for the pin. Decent.
Jake Gray defeated Julius Draeger at 6:12/official time of 5:33.
* Crockett took over commentary for the main show. Brad Hollister joined him, at least for the first match.
2. “The Stetson Ranch” Steven Stetson, Brian Morris, and Danny Miles vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale and “Big Business” TJ Crawford and Love, Doug. Morris and Doug opened, with Doug throwing rose petals at each of the heels. Pasquale and Miles traded offense; Jack wore similar gear to his BB teammates; is he joining? They made quick tags and worked over Morris’s left arm. Stetson got in and bodyslammed Doug at 7:00. Crawford entered and hit some spin kicks on Stetson, then a stunner on Morris.
Miles hit a powerbomb. Stetson and Pasquale finally traded punches, as Crockett reminded us they will meet at Wrestling Open 200 in just two weeks! Stetson and Morris hit a team elbow drop. Stetson hit a clothesline to the back of Doug, and he pulled (the legal man) Morris on top of Doug for the pin. Decent match.
Steven Stetson, Brian Morris, and Danny Miles defeated Eye Black Jack Pasquale, TJ Crawford, and Love, Doug at 9:29.
3. Nat Castle vs. Liviyah. Crockett noted it’s been a while since Liviyah has been on a Thursday show. (They come so fast and furious, I don’t pay attention to if someone is only on one show or the other.) Basic standing switches to open; Liviyah is taller and a bit thinner. Castle pushed her foot into Liviyah’s throat. She unloaded some overhand chops and was in control early on. Nat hit some Yes Kicks. Liviyah hit a flying shoulder tackle and some clotheslines, then a DDT for the pin! Nat was in charge of 90 percent of that match.
Liviyah defeated Nat Castle at 5:18.
* Liviyah got on the mic and said it’s great to be back here, and she got a nice pop. She issued a challenge to Gabby Forza for a match at Wrestling Open 200 in two weeks!
* Ryan Clancy came out, wearing a button-down shirt, tie and vest; he looks like a banker or an investor, not a pro wrestler! He made fun of Brett Ryan Gosselin for being “in the friend zone” with Ryan’s ex-girlfriend. He then switched to talking about his IWTV title shot against champion Marcus Mathers on Monday. He then pivoted to making his own challenge for Wrestling Open 200 — he wants an “all-star 10-man tag match.” Clancy will lead one team against a team led by BRG.
4. Jariel Rivera vs. Joseph “A-Game” Alexander. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve seen Rivera; I’ve compared him to a young Juventud, and this kid has a great physique. This is an intriguing matchup! Standing switches to open. A-Game hit several body blows to the ribs. Alexander slammed Rivera to the ground, and he hit a German Suplex at 2:00. Rivera dropped him snake-eyes, then hit his own German Suplex. A-Game fired up and hit some clotheslines and a knee drop to the chest at 5:30, then a double-underhook suplex. He nailed the running knee for the pin.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander defeated Jariel Rivera at 5:59.
* It was now A-Game taking the mic and making a challenge for Wrestling Open 200… he wants to face Wheeler Yuta!!!
5. Christian Darling vs. Anthony Bennett in a Discovery Gauntlet match. The winner will return next week; Robinson announced in the spotlight match that this is the final week of the gauntlet! Darling has turned into a nice heel here. Crockett said Bennett was in the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic! He’s a Black man with a good physique, and with those green trunks, he makes me think of a young Kofi (Okay, I had enough to look it up; he lost in the first round to Tony Nese that year).
Quick reversals and armdrags early on; Wikipedia has Bennett’s weight listed at 147 pounds, and he’s probably close to that today (because he’s probably 5’5″). Darling caught Bennett and hit a fallaway slam at 1:30. Darling kept Bennett grounded, and he jawed at the crowd. Bennett hit a Russian Leg Sweep at 3:30. Darling hit a big boot but only got a nearfall. Bennett hit a Crucifix Driver and a Sliced Bread out of the corner for a believable nearfall. He hit a top-rope flying headbutt for a nearfall at 6:30. Darling hit a TKO Stunner for a nearfall, but he pulled Bennett up at the two-count. He hit a second TKO for the decisive pin. He has broken the record for most consecutive wins in the Discovery Gauntlet.
Christian Darling defeated Anthony Bennett at 7:32 to win the Discovery Gauntlet.
* It’s open mic night! Darling got on the mic and boasted about setting the record. With the win, he’s earned a title shot, and he called out Bobby Orlando for Wrestling Open 200! Pedro Dones slid into the ring and chased off Darling. Dones challenged Darling to a match next week!
6. DJ Powers and Georgio Lawrence vs. Dezmond Cole and Pedro Dones. Powers and Dezmond opened, and Cole hit a guillotine leg drop. Dones entered to battle Georgio. Dones hit a back-body drop on Powers at 3:30. The heels kept Dones grounded. The fire alarm went off at 5:00... and the ref stopped the match. Well, that’s a first! We’re taking a break until this matter is resolved. I flipped over and watched the baseball playoffs, but returned in time for the main event. BUT, I had to watch the rest of this match on Friday morning.
When the match returned, the four wrestlers were fighting by the bar, and Crockett said a fire alarm can’t stop the fight! Rich Palladino announced we were five minutes down, five minutes remaining. Dones hit a Samoan Drop in the ring on Lawrence. Cole tagged in and hit some flying forearms on each heel. He hit a brainbuster on Lawrence at 7:30. Cole hit a uranage, and Dones went for the cover, but Powers made the save. Powers hit a running Claymore Kick for a nearfall. Cole hit the Splits Stunner on Powers. Dones hit his Bullseye (flying headbutt) and pinned Lawrence. These guys did a great job getting the crowd right back into this after what was actually a pretty long break.
Pedro Dones and Dezmond Cole defeated DJ Powers and Georgio Lawrence at 9:34.
7. Will Kroos vs. Tyree Taylor. Again, Kroos is the UK star who has the look of Sami Callihan but the size and build of Bronson Reed; he is HUGE! They opened in a test of strength; both of these guys must be 350-400 pounds. They brawled to the floor. Kroos splashed against him, sending Tyree into the ring post at 4:00. In the ring, Kroos hit a senton; Hollister started laughing and said the whole ring shook. Kroos hit some chops in the corner. Kroos hit a big boot, sat on Tyree’s chest, and got a nearfall at 6:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Kroos hit a bodyslam.
They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down at 8:30. They got up, and Kroos hit some headbutts to the chest. Tyree hit a splash into the corner and an enzuigiri and a Facewash kick in the corner for a nearfall. Kroos hit a twisting Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. “This guy is a freak!” Hollister said. Kroos went for a piledriver, but Tyree escaped, and Tyree hit a discus clothesline for a believable nearfall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Kroos hit a rolling cannonball in the corner, but Tyree kicked out at one! Kroos hit a clothesline for another nearfall! The commentators reiterated that this is Tyree’s first match in nine months. Kroos climbed the ropes, but Tyree got underneath him and hit a running powerbomb for the pin! That was a blast.
Tyree Taylor defeated Will Kroos at 13:38.
Final Thoughts: That main event was a blast and earned the best match of the night. I’ll go with the six-man tag for second, and Darling-Bennett for third. Not much you can do when the fire alarm goes off, but take a break and try to regain the energy later, and those four did an excellent job of continuing the action. I will miss the Discovery Gauntlet. A-Game and Brian Morris made strong enough impressions that they worked their way into the regular roster. It’s been fascinating watching these wrestlers have ‘do or die’ matches in front of a smart crowd that knows what it likes; a “please come back!” chant usually earned a wrestler a return trip; silence after a match was the proverbial kiss of death.
The biggest takeaway from tonight’s show is the build-up for Wrestling Open 200 in two weeks, when they finally return to the White Eagle; it sounds like they will be back there permanently, too. The Electric Haze has been an acceptable replacement while the White Eagle has undergone some renovations, but the lighting is better at the White Eagle.
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