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 that 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 eight matches from across five different recent indy shows.
German Wrestling Federation “Legacy 30” in Berlin, Germany, on November 2, 2025 (live and free on YouTube)
This is a small music hall, and the crowd appears to be 400-500. The ring area was well-lit. The commentary is German only; I just tuned it down.
1. Fast Time Moodo vs. Big Damo. Again, Moodo reminds me of early 2000s indy star Michael Shane. If you haven’t seen Damo (Killian Dain in WWE) in a while, he’s looking more and more like A-Train, as he’s bald with a big bushy beard, and of course, lots of hair all over his body. Moodo might be 100 pounds lighter, and he was hesitant to get into the ring. Damo opened with a running shotgun dropkick! It sent Moodo to the floor in shock over what just happened. Back in the ring, Damo hit a bodyslam and a guillotine leg drop. Moodo grounded him in a chin lock, and he choked Damo in the ropes.
Moodo hit some Yes Kicks at 4:00, but it only angered Damo, who got to his feet, threw Moodo into the corner, and hit blows to the ribs, then some clotheslines, then a Choke Bomb. They traded forearm strikes. Moodo hit a pumphandle powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:00! He was shocked that he didn’t win with that. Moodo fell backwards onto the ref in the corner, knocking the ref out. Damo put Moodo across his shoulders, but Moodo escaped and hit a low-blow uppercut. He got a guitar and brought it into the ring, but someone jumped in and took it from him, and hit Moodo over the head with it. Damo covered Moodo as the ref made the count for the pin.
Big Damo defeated Fast Time Moodo at 9:47.
Mustafa Ali vs. Peter Tihanyi. Ali, of course, was the reason I tuned in. Tihanyi is a regular in wXw; he’s thin and lanky and a decent heel. An intense lockup to open. Ali hit a deep armdrag and got some creative rollups. They traded some fast-paced rollups, and Tihanyi got a backslide for a nearfall, and they had a standoff at 4:30. Tihanyi rolled to the floor to stall; Ali dove through the ropes and crashed onto Tihanyi at 7:30, then he threw Peter back into the ring. Ali hit a running neckbreaker and a standing moonsault for a nearfall.
Ali hit a delayed vertical suplex. Tihanyi hit a running double knees, and they were both down at 10:30. Peter hit a running pump kick to the chest, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Ali charged but crashed head-first on the middle turnbuckle, and Peter immediately hit a stunner for a pin at 11:47; the ref saw Ali’s foot was in the ropes and immediately waved off the pin. Peter sat up in disbelief. Ali hit a jumping piledriver! Ali nailed a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall, and now it was Ali who was shocked at the kickout! Tihanyi rolled up Ali for the clean, flash pin! That was a sharp match.
Peter Tihanyi defeated Mustafa Ali at 14:32.
Immortal Championship Wrestling, “Halloween Havok VI” in Rome, New York, on October 25, 2025 (IWTV)
This is a fairly small room, but it was packed with perhaps 250 fans. The lights are on. There is commentary, although it is really low and filled with static.
“CXR” Chael Connors and TJ Epixx vs. Jordan Oliver and Ryan O’Neill for the ICW Tag Team Titles. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of CXR; they appear to be among the best workers in upstate New York. Chael wore blue pants; TJ wore red. O’Neill has appeared on a few GCW shows in recent weeks, too, and he’s a decent high-flyer. And of course, I’ll tune in to watch any Jordan Oliver match. O’Neill opened the bald Chael, and they traded quick reversals and a standoff. O’Neill hit a standing moonsault. TJ hit a double missile dropkick. O’Neill hit a flip dive to the floor onto the champs at 2:30.
In the ring, Chael hit a Lungblower on O’Neill, and TJ hit a Lionsault, and they worked the kid over. Chael hit a backbreaker over his knee and a faceplant, and he put O’Neill in a Camel Clutch. O’Neill hit a spin kick to TJ’s face. Oliver got a hot tag at 6:00 and hit some quick kicks on the champs. Chael flipped Oliver in the air, and TJ caught Jordan and hit a stunner. Epixx hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 8:00. O’Neill and Epixx were on their shoulders, and they started to ‘chicken fight.’ O’Neill hit a Doomsday Canadian Destroyer, and that popped the crowd. Oliver hit a flying blow (camera angle wasn’t ideal, not sure what it was), and suddenly everyone was down at 10:00.
Oliver and Epixx got up and traded loud chops. TJ hit a superkick. Oliver hit a German Suplex at 12:00. O’Neill hit a top-rope double crossbody block. O’Neill hit a fisherman’s suplex on Chael. O’Neill hit a Frankensteiner, and Oliver hit a frogsplash, then O’Neill hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall, but Chael made the save. O’Neill hit a spin kick in the corner on Epixx, then a top-rope stunner to the mat for a believable nearfall at 14:30. This has been insanely good. Chael got a hot tag and hit a series of clotheslines, then a twisting neckbreaker on O’Neill, then a Lethal Injection, and he was fired up. Chael came off the top rope, but Jordan caught him with a leaping dropkick. The champs hit stereo superkicks on Oliver, then a team pop-up stunner to pin Oliver. That was stellar indy-style tag action; I really liked that one.
Chael Connors and TJ Epixx defeated Jordan Oliver and Ryan O’Neill to retain the ICW Tag Team Titles at 17:33
Naptown All Pro “Dreams and Nightmares III” in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 12, 2025 (IWTV)
I’ve seen action from here before; this is a small room, and the crowd was less than 100.
“The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean vs. Juwan Thomas and “The Wall” Tyler Stevens vs. “Latinos Most Wanted” Sabin Gauge and Koda Hernandez for the NAP Tag Team Titles. I’ve repeatedly praised Koda as among the best from the Chicago area. I haven’t seen Juwan before; he is a tall, Black man with a bushy beard. The Wall is looking a bit like a young Chris Hero today. Juwan opened with the short Sabin and easily shoved Gauge to the mat. Wall hit a double shoulder tackle on LMW at 1:30. Dean hit a spear. Bravo hit a running neckbreaker.
The Infantry superkicked some guys who hopped on the ring apron, too. Wall and Juwan worked over Sabin in their corner and stomped on him. Juwon hit a Spinebuster for a nearfall at 5:00. Wall hit a Mafia Kick on Koda for a nearfall. Koda hit a second-rope crossbody block on Wall at 7:00. Bravo got in and hit a series of clotheslines. He hit a uranage on Juwon. Dean hit a superkick, and Bravo hit a swinging faceplant, and the Infantry were in charge. Gauge hit a diving forearm on Bravo, then a spin kick in the corner on Dean. Koda hit a swinging uranage on Dean; the LMW both covered Dean for a nearfall at 9:00. LMW and the Infantry all got up and traded punches.
Wall and Juwon started to get in, but they were superkicked to the floor. Bravo and Sabin hit stereo dives onto four guys on the floor at 10:30. Koda and Dean began brawling in the ring. This has been really sharp, too. Dean hit a stunner on Koda. Gauge hit a crossbody block. Juwon hit a Black Hole Slam on Koda. Wall hit a swinging uranage and pinned Gauge! New champions! Unsurprisingly, the Infantry lost the tag team titles without getting pinned in the process.
Juwon Thomas and “The Wall” Tyler Stevens defeated “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo, and “Latinos Most Wanted” Koda Hernandez and Sabin Gauge to win the NAP Tag Team Titles at 11:36.
Beyond Wrestling “Green Hell” in West Boylston, Massachusetts, at the School Yahd on October 31, 2025 (IWTV).
This show was at a large indoor sports center, where Beyond runs its Bio Pro wrestling school. So, this show had a lot of students, including many I didn’t recognize in the show-opening costume battle royal. The lights were on, and it was easy to see. The crowd was maybe 40-60, all standing around the ring. Promoter Drew “Denver Colorado” Cordeiro provided commentary.
Krule vs. PCO in an “anything goes” match. This was mid-show. Krule carried his MLW World Title belt. They glared at each other at the bell, then Krule hit some back elbows in the corner. PCO hit a jawbreaker, and he clotheslined them both over the top rope to the floor at 1:30. There were cinder blocks and chairs at ringside. PCO hit his rolling cannonball dive through the ropes, crashing into Krule. Cordeiro reiterated that PCO is 57 and has been competing for nearly 40 years. PCO picked up a cinder block and struck Krule with it. Krule rammed PCO’s head into a door at ringside at 4:00.
They finally got back into the ring, and PCO threw a chair at Krule’s head; it wasn’t thrown particularly hard, but I still hate that. Krule hit a back suplex that sent them both across four open chairs at 6:00. PCO hit a spear that sent Krule back-first through a door in the corner. Drew noted that neither man has attempted a pin. Krule hit a shoulder tackle that sent PCO through a door. PCO chokeslammed Krule onto six cinder blocks. “He broke his damn back!” Drew said. However, Krule got up and slammed PCO on the cinder blocks. Krule then hit his faceplant slam to pin PCO. An acquired taste. They brawled their way to the back.
Krule defeated PCO at 9:20.
Bear Bronson, Slade, and Gabby Forza vs. Rex Lawless, RJ Rude, and Nick Robles in a casket match. This was the main event. Bronson’s team all work masks of movie serial killers, and they immediately went to the floor and attacked the heels. We had a bell at 00:32 to officially begin. Gabby was wearing a “Chucky” mask that looked particularly frightening. In the ring, each babyface hit a bodyslam as they piled the heels on top of each other. The babyfaces were all pushed into each other in the middle of the ring at 2:00. Rude, who had KISS makeup on, started singing “Rock and Roll All Nite” as the heels stomped on the babyfaces.
Gabby got in and hit a double clothesline at 4:00. The big guys, Rex and Bear, started trading forearm strikes, and Bronson hit a Black Hole Slam at 6:00. Gabby hit a spear on Rude. Robles hit a Rocker Dropper leg drop on Gabby. Slade (wearing a Krule mask!) hit a chokeslam on Robles. Bronson and Lawless did the double chokeslam spot I hate so much; it defies logic and gravity. Rex hit a spear on Gabby at 8:00! The heels put Gabby in the casket, but she powered out as they tried to slam the lid shut. The babyfaces hit a team powerbomb on Rude, then they put him in the casket and slammed it shut to win the match. A nice mix of some comedy and action without ever getting violent or disgusting.
Bear Bronson, Slade, and Gabby Forza defeated Rex Lawless, RJ Rude, and Nick Robles in a casket match at 10:15.
St. Louis Anarchy “Mega Bowl” in Alton, Illinois, on September 26, 2025 (IWTV)
This show was just released this week (they definitely need to work on their speed in releasing shows!) It includes the final match of Jake Bosche, who announced he has suffered a back injury. This is a plain white room with a low ceiling, and the crowd was perhaps 200. The lights are on and it’s easy to see.
Billie Starkz vs. Anakin Murphy in an intergender match. Anakin is the scrawny emo kid with zero muscle mass, despite having wrestled a few years now; no, I’m not a fan. Billie, of course, is maybe 5’9″, and she’s not that much smaller or lighter than he is. Standing switches to open as they twisted each other’s left arm. The commentators noted “these two came up together and are best friends.” He punched her in the corner. They went to the floor at 3:30, and she dove through the ropes and barreled onto him, then she whipped Anakin into the ring post. In the ring, she hit a spin kick to the side of his head at 5:00, and she was in charge.
Billie hit a suplex for a nearfall. She hit a DDT out of the corner for a nearfall at 6:30, and she bit his fingers! She went for a Swanton Bomb, but Murphy got his knees up to block it. He hit a fisherman’s twisting suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Billie hit a neckbreaker over her knee, and they were both down. Billie hit a package piledriver, but he kicked out at a one-count at 12:00. They fought on the ropes, and she bit him again. He fell to the mat; she hit a Swanton Bomb for the pin. A fun match.
Billie Starkz defeated Anakin Murphy at 12:59.
Aaron Williamsl, Christian Rose, Jeremy Wyatt, Mat Fitchett, and Shazza McKenzie vs. Camaro Jackson, Connor Hopkins, “Warhorse” Jake Parnell, Ken Broadway, and Lenny Mephisto in a 10-person tag. This was the main event. I don’t know who Mephisto is; he is white, heavy, and wore ghost white face paint, somewhat like Tama Tonga, etc., are doing on Smackdown. Camaro’s team came out first; Williams’ team charged into the ring, and everyone brawled! Everyone was fighting at ringside. Williams hit an Asai Moonsault onto several guys. Shazza hit a top-rope crossbody block onto all the guys on the floor. We had a bell at 1:50 to officially begin!
They immediately did the 10-person suplex spot, with the heels taking the bumps. The babyfaces took turns twisting Parnell’s left arm. Williams dropped Warhorse with a kick at 4:30. Warhorse distracted the ref, then hit a low-blow punt kick on Williams. The heels began working over Williams in their corner and on the floor. Camaro hit a suplex for a nearfall. The babyfaces began working over Connor Hopkins, with Mat hitting a snap suplex for a nearfall at 11:30. Shazza hit a back-body drop on him. Broadway and Williams tagged in at 14:00. Camaro hit a slingshot shoulder block on Williams, then a uranage in the corner. Broadway hit a Flatliner on Williams for a nearfall.
Fitchett hit a senton on Camaro. Hopkins hit an Exploder Suplex on Wyatt at 16:30. Rose hit a Styles Clash on Hopkins. Shazza nailed the Splits Stunner on Mephisto. Camaro hit the POUNCE that sent tiny Shazza flying! Mephisto hit a Michinoku Driver on Wyatt. Several masked guys in red jumpsuits came to the ring and attacked people; Broadway dove onto them at 19:00. Parnell got some rollups for nearfalls. Wyatt hit a swinging sideslam on Parnell. Jake tagged out to Hopkins. The commentators said all the other heels had abandoned Hopkins! The babyfaces took turns kicking Hopkins, then they all covered him for the pin.
Aaron Williams, Christian Rose, Jeremy Wyatt, Mat Fitchett, and Shazza McKenzie defeated Camaro Jackson, Connor Hopkins, “Warhorse” Jake Parnell, Ken Broadway, and Lenny Mephisto at 21:22.
Final Thoughts: Some really good action across these eight matches. You can never go wrong with a Mustafa Ali match, and I love the energy of the European crowds. The CXR-Oliver/O’Neill tag match was really good for second, and the Infantry’s three-way tag was third-best here.
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