By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is far more good indy wrestling out there 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 ten matches from across five different recent indy shows.
Chaotic Wrestling “Holiday Hijack” in Watertown, Massachusetts, at Watertown Sons Of Italy on December 19, 2025 (free on YouTube)
I’m hit-or-miss on this promotion and have really settled in on watching matches only with the wrestlers I like, rather than sit through the whole show. This is a ballroom with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The crowd was maybe 200. Overall production is decent; they have a really good stage. Watertown is located on the west end of the Boston metro area.
“Powers of Influence” Jose Zamora and DJ Powers vs. “The Monarchy” King BMT and Prince Jamari (w/Queen Ariel) for the Chaotic Tag Team Titles. Jose and Jamari opened. The scrawny Jamari hit a dropkick. Powers jumped in the ring and stomped on the Prince. The PoI worked over Jamari and kept him grounded. They hit a DDT and celebrated. Powers kept him grounded in a rear-naked choke at 6:00. Jamari hit a double Lungblower to the chests, and BMT finally got a hot tag.
BMT hit a swinging neckbreaker on Jose, then a dive through the ropes onto Powers on the floor at 7:30. In the ring, BMT hit a version of an Arabian Press for a nearfall on Jose. Powers struck Ariel in the head with his title belt! The crowd booed him; the commentators thought Powers didn’t realize it was her. However, Zamora intentionally hit her with the belt. Jamari went to check on her. (This has a whole Hogan-Savage-Elizabeth feel to it in the Monarchy.) DJ hit a Claymore Kick on BMT and pinned him.
Jose Zamora and DJ Powers defeated King BMT and Prince Jamari to retain the Chaotic Tag Team Titles at 10:57.
Anthony Greene vs. Shannon LeVangie. Both are really talented and I’m a fan of both, but of course, Shannon is giving up a lot of height, weight, and strength. He knocked her down with a shoulder tackle; she knocked him down with one. He tossed her to the floor at 2:00. They fought at ringside, where she hit an armdrag. She accidentally hit a security guard with a running knee. She went for a running somersault off the apron, but he caught her and swung Shannon head-first into the guardrail at 3:30! Ouch!
In the ring, he hit an elbow drop for a nearfall. He planted his foot in her throat in the corner. She got up and hit some blows to the ribs, so Greene hit a swinging faceplant for a nearfall at 5:30. She hit a tornado DDT, and they were both down. Shannon hit a top-rope Meteora for a believable nearfall at 8:30. She got an O’Connor Roll and went for another Meteora, but he rolled through it and applied a half crab; Shannon got to the ropes. Greene hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
The crowd chanted, “You can’t beat her!” She hit a spin kick in the corner, then he threw her into the turnbuckles. She hit a Lungblower to the chin. He hit a superkick. She hit a Matt Hardy-style Twist of Fate for a believable nearfall at 10:30. Greene hit a second-rope TKO stunner for a believable nearfall. This has been really entertaining. They traded blows on the ring apron. He superkicked her; she hit some kicks and a Twist of Fate on the apron at 12:30, then a top-rope crossbody block to the floor. In the ring. Shannon hit a Twisted Bliss-style frog splash for the pin. Good action.
Shannon LeVangie defeated Anthony Greene at 13:08.
Mortar vs. Donovan Dijak for the Chaotic Heavyweight Title. This was the main event. I’ve routinely compared Mortar to Rhino for his thick build and long, dark hair. Dijak had a significant height advantage. An intense lockup at the bell as they bounced along the ropes. Dijak hit a shoulder tackle that knocked Mortar to the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Mortar hit a seated senton out of the corner. Mortar dove through the ropes, but DIjak caught him by the throat. Mortar hit a running somersault off the apron and crashed onto Donovan at 5:00.
Dijak whipped Mortar into the guardrail and tossed him back into the ring at 7:00, and he was in charge. Mortar hit a second-rope twisting crossbody block at 10:00. He hit a Lionsault and a senton, then a discus clothesline for a nearfall. Dijak hit a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, he hit his discus Mafia Kick for a nearfall at 13:30. Mortar hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. He dove through the ropes onto Dijak!
In the ring, Donovan hit a standing powerbomb, but he missed a top-rope moonsault. Mortar missed his own top-rope moonsault! Mortar hit a top-rope superplex for a believable nearfall at 18:00. Dijak hit a chokeslam but only got a one-count! Mortar hit an F5 Slam, then he locked in a Boston Crab, and Dijak tapped out! A really good match.
Mortar defeated Donovan Dijak to retain the Chaotic Heavyweight Title at 18:56.
* Tyree Taylor jumped in the ring and attacked Mortar.
Future Stars of Wrestling “Seasons Beatings” in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the FSW Arena on December 20, 2025 (free on YouTube)
I’ve seen several shows from the small FSW Arena; they have banners hanging of some of their top graduates like Hammerstone, Killer Kross, and Chris Bey, and they hosted multiple shows during WrestleMania weekend earlier this year. I’ll note that FSW recently moved their shows from Triller+ to Title Match Network.
Brittnie Brooks vs. Fallyn Grey vs. Zamaya for the FSW Women’s Title. I’ll reiterate that fallen angel character Grey is really dialed in, and I’m a fan. Brooks is the pink-loving Barbie in a Santa outfit tonight, and Zamaya always has her hair straight up and looking like a monster. Fallyn got a rollup on Zamaya just seconds in. She hit a running Meteora on Brittnie. Zamaya slammed Grey to the mat. Brooks suplexed Zamaya, then she hit a penalty kick on Fallyn. Brittnie hit a slingshot elbow drop for a nearfall on Zamaya.
Zamaya hit a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall on Brooks. Fallyn hit a 619 on Brooks, then a superkick and a neckbreaker over her knee on Brittnie. Zamaya yanked Grey to the floor and slammed her head on the apron at 4:00. Zamaya hit a sliding clothesline on Brooks for a nearfall. Fallyn hit a double missile dropkick at 6:00, then clotheslines on each. Fallyn hit a clothesline-and-bulldog combo for a nearfall. She hit a second-rope Lungblower to the chest on Zamaya for a nearfall, but Brooks made the save.
Brittnie hit a jumping neckbreaker on Fallyn, but Zamaya made the save. Zamaya nailed a Samoan Drop, but Brooks made the save. Fallyn hit a Code Red for a nearfall. Zamaya dropped Brittnie with a clothesline. Zamaya clotheslined both in the corner at 8:30, then a running buttbump on Brooks, then a spear on Grey. However, Brooks tossed Zamaya to the floor and stole the pin on Fallyn Grey. Really good action; they got a lot of action into a match that short.
Brittnie Brooks defeated Fallyn Grey and Zamaya to retain the FSW Women’s Title at 9:06.
Greektown Wrestling “10th Anniversary” in Toronto, Ontario at 310 Danforth Ave on December 21, 2025 (Triller+)
I watched the last show from here as well; it looks like an odd-shaped gym, and they draw about 400. In action in matches I didn’t watch were the Good Brothers, Joey Janela, and Sonny Kiss. (Janela’s main event match was a no-rope barbed-wire match, and that’s just not for me.)
Notorious Mimi vs. Sydney West. Mimi was in Christmas red gear and a Santa hat. She came out first and said her opponent isn’t here, so she made an open challenge. My first time seeing cowgirl West, and the ring announcer said it’s her debut here. The commentators said she’s from the Calgary Stampede and West wore pink-and-black to represent the Harts. She has straight blonde hair halfway down her back and a black cowboy hat. They took turns playing to the crowd before locking up (with their hats on!)
Silliness as Mimi forced her Santa hat onto West’s head. Sydney hit a flying forearm in the corner and a Bronco Buster for a nearfall at 2:30. Mimi fired back with a Pump Kick for a nearfall, then a side slam and a guillotine leg drop for a nearfall. Mimi hit a series of knee lifts in the ropes and got a nearfall. Sydney hit a DDT, and they were both down at 5:30. Sydney fired up and hit some clotheslines and a splash to the mat for a nearfall. Mimi hit an Implant Buster faceplant for the pin; that wrapped up out of nowhere. Solid action.
Notorious Mimi defeated Sydney West at 6:36.
Tommy Dreamer and Jody Threat vs. “The Production” Derek Dillinger and Katie Arquette. I just watched the Production on an IWC show from Pittsburgh, and they are really good; Derek was on last week’s Revolver show in Ohio. The women opened in a lockup and standing switches. The guys got in and locked up at 3:30; Dillinger is bigger and thicker. They traded shoulder blocks; Dreamer eventually dropped him. Jody tagged back in, and she twisted Derek’s left arm. Katie tagged in, but Dreamer gave her an armdrag at 6:00, and he twisted Arquette’s arm. (Yes, she is the cousin of a former WCW World Champion.)
Jody hit an armdrag on Derek that popped the crowd. In some humor, Tommy climbed the ropes, thought better of it, and leapt off the bottom rope to hit an elbow strike on Derek at 8:00. Derek hit a bodyslam on Tommy and stomped on his forehead. Katie hit a running back elbow in the corner as the Production worked over Dreamer. Derek splashed onto Dreamer at 10:30, but he missed a second-rope moonsault.
Jody got the hot tag, and she traded punches with Katie, then Threat hit some clotheslines and a kick to the side of Arquette’s head, then a running knees to the back and a German Suplex for a nearfall at 12:00. Tommy hit some jab punches on Derek, then a snap suplex! Katie tried a German Suplex, but she couldn’t lift Tommy. Jody hit a DDT on Katie. Derek accidentally hit a senton on Katie! Tommy hit a stunner on Dillinger. Tommy set up for a piledriver on Katie, but Derek hit a discus forearm on Tommy, allowing Katie to roll up Dreamer for the pin!
Katie Arquette and Derek Dillinger defeated Jody Threat and Tommy Dreamer at 13:56.
* Jody put Dillinger on her shoulders and hit an F5, and that got a nice pop.
Sam Holloway vs. Bill Collier vs. The Blade for the Greek Town Cup. Interesting that we have one person each associated with WWE, AEW, and TNA! Good to see Blade healthy and back in the ring; I knew he had a match a few weeks ago in Buffalo. Blade charged into the ring and immediately punched Holloway, and we’re underway! Blade hit some chops; he still hasn’t removed his black jacket! Sam dropped Blade with a Mafia Kick; Collier dropped Holloway with a kick, and Bill began punching both opponents.
Collier hit a double clothesline at 2:00. Sam threw Collier stomach-first onto the top rope. After some back-and-forth attempts, Blade suplexed Holloway. Sam hit a clothesline at 4:00 and celebrated. Sam hit a dive to the floor, and they all brawled at ringside. Collier dropped Blade face-first on the apron at 7:00. Sam missed a top-rope move in the ring, and Collier hit some clotheslines, then a big fallaway slam at 8:30. Sam hit a shotgun dropkick on Collier. Blade hit a clothesline on Sam, and they were all down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant.
Blade hit some punches on Collier, then a scoop powerslam for a nearfall at 10:00, but Sam made the save. Sam hit a chokeslam on Collier for a believable nearfall. Collier hit a big Cradle Shock on Holloway for a nearfall at 11:30, but Blade made the save. Blade hit a jumping knee on Collier, then a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall. Collier hit a spear on Blade. Sam pushed Collier to the floor and attempted to steal the pin on Blade. However, Blade flipped Sam over and got the flash pin! New champion! Sam sat up in the corner, utterly shocked that he lost.
The Blade defeated Sam Holloway and Bill Collier to win the Greek Town Cup at 12:23.
Combat Zone Wrestling, “Blacklight” in Croydon, Pennsylvania, at Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company on December 20, 2025 (IWTV)
This is an old, white brewery building, and I’ve seen shows from this narrow room before. Fans are seated on just two sides of the ring. I’m not a fan of CZW’s death match style, but there was one match in the lineup that caught my eye. Croydon is northeast of Philadelphia; it’s closer to Trenton, N.J.
“The Mane Event” Jay Lyon and Midas Black vs. “Post Game” Mike Walker and Vinny Talotta. These are two top-tier indy teams in the Northeast. Black and Walker opened with standing switches. Lyon and Vinny locked up at 1:30 and traded quicker moves. Jay ”scared’ Vinny, dropping him to the mat. Lyon dove through the ropes onto both Post Game. In the ring, Midas got a nearfall on Vinny. Walker tied up Black’s left arm, and PG kept Midas in their corner. Mike hit a backbreaker over his knee at 5:30, and Vinny slammed Black to the mat.
Midas hit a spin kick to Walker’s head. Lyon got the hot tag, and he hit an enzuigiri on Vinny and an Exploder Suplex on Walker. He hit a spinning sideslam on Walker for a nearfall at 7:30. Midas hit an inverted DDT move on Walker for a nearfall. Vinny got a hot tag and hit some clotheslines on each of TME. He scooped up Midas and slammed him onto Lyon in the corner, then Vinny hit a fallaway slam on Black. Nice! Vinny hit a Spinebuster on Lyon at 9:30.
Vinny hit a stalling German Suplex on Lyon. Vinny helped launch Mike into a plancha to the floor on TME. They hit a team slam on Lyon for the pin; there was a lot of confusion if that was the finish or not. Midas stood up, and he was bleeding heavily near his eye; where did that come from? (I think they might have wrapped it up early because of the cut.)
Mike Walker and Vinny Talotta defeated Midas Black and Jay Lyon at 11:02.
* I rewound the feed, and it appears that Midas somehow got his face cut on that plancha from Mike Walker; he immediately fell to the cement floor and clutched his face. Strange how that happened.
Ichiban vs. Troy Parker. I don’t think I’ve seen Parker before, but I’m always game for an Ichiban match. Troy is a thick Black man with a bushy beard; not rotund but definitely thicker. He has the weight and overall size advantage over Ichiban. Quick reversals at the bell. Parker backed him into a corner and hit some chops. Ichiban hit his “One!” punches in the corner at 3:00 as the crowd counted along. Parker hit a dropkick, and the commentators marveled that he could hit that at his size. Troy hit some chops in the corner.
Ichiban hit a dropkick that sent Parker to the floor. Parker hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron at 6:00. Ichiban rolled back in, but Troy hit a running stomp and a senton for a nearfall. Parker dropped him throat-first on the top rope and immediately hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:00. Nice combo. Ichiban hit a stunner, then a handspring-back-elbow in the corner and a missile dropkick. Ichiban hit a springboard spin kick and got a nearfall at 10:30. Ichiban went for his leaping Flatliner, but Troy blocked it, and Troy nailed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall.
Ichiban hit a huracanrana and a 619. Parker slammed him to the mat and immediately locked in a sleeper! Ichiban hit a Canadian Destroyer, and they were both down. They got up and traded punches. Parker hit a pump kick to the sternum. Ichiban hit a twisting neckbreaker off the top rope for a nearfall at 14:00. This has been really good. Parker hit an enzuigiri; Ichiban hit a superkick. Parker caught Ichiban coming off the ropes and hit a Go To Sleep knee strike for the pin. I liked that a lot.
Troy Parker defeated Ichiban at 14:54.
TWE Chattanooga “Fools Holiday” in Red Bank, Tennessee, at TWE Arena on December 12, 2025 (IWTV)
This is the dark building that looks like an underground military bunker, and the ring is pushed up against one wall, with most fans seated on opposite sides of the ring. John Mosely was on commentary; he’s the voice of Action Wrestling, and he’s been doing a lot of GCW this year, too.
Darian Bengston vs. Kody Manhorn for the Action Wrestling Heavyweight Title. Ring vet Manhorn is decent, but he’s undersized; I’ve probably only seen one or two of his matches this year. Bengston just won this belt from Tim Bosby last month. They shook hands and locked up, and they immediately tied up on the mat. Kody hit a crossbody block in the ropes, then a top-rope flying butt splash at 2:30. Darian took control, and he twisted the left knee and kept Manhorn grounded. He hit a back chop at 5:00, leaving quite the mark. Bengston hit a German Suplex that sent Kody to the floor. In the ring, Kody hit a forearm strike to the jaw for a nearfall at 7:00. Bengston applied a modified Stretch Muffler, twisting the knee, and Manhorn tapped out!
Darian Bengston defeated Kody Manhorn to retain the Action Wrestling Heavyweight Title at 7:34.
Final Thoughts: Mortar-Dijak was predictably good, and I’ll go with that for best match. The Holloway-Blade-Collier match was really good and was the second-best of these matches. Parker-Ichiban was really good for third.
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