By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 210”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
January 8, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting is good, and it’s easy to see. The crowd was maybe 100 (they always have a late-arriving crowd; I don’t get that!) Paul Crockett, Brett Ryan Gosselin, referee Scott Robinson, and Eye Black Jack Pasquale provided commentary over the course of the show.
* Ring announcer Rich Palladino’s mic was going in and out.
1. Bobby Casale vs. All Go Nelli in a spotlight match. Robinson and EBJ provided commentary for this one. I’ve seen Nelli just a few times; I think he’s in the rookie class at Bio Pro. Basic reversals early on as Robinson and Jack talked about Jack being on the first losing streak of his career, and how he needs to reverse that. Shoot fighter Casale hit a neckbreaker over his knee, mounted Nelli, and hit some punches. Bobby rammed him back-first into the corner at 3:00. Nelli hit a dropkick. Casale hit a Dominator swinging faceplant for the pin.
Bobby Casale defeated All Go Nelli at 4:09.
* Crockett took over solo on commentary as the main show began.
2. Oxx Adams (w/Brett Ryan Gosselin) vs. Brando Lee. BRG has a separate shoulder, so his right arm was in a sling. He got on the mic, but as I noted, the sound was going in and out. (It must be okay in the building, because he’s not flinching at all as the sound drops.) I’ve compared Brando to Lee Moriarty; he’s talented, but he’s giving up a LOT of size to the seven-footer, and a lot of weight, too. (I’ve noted that the tattoo-covered Oxx isn’t that different from Brody King.) Lee charged and hit some chops that had no effect.
Oxx hit a Claymore Kick at 1:00, and he kept Lee grounded, and he choked Lee in the ropes. He made a cocky, one-footed cover at 2:30. Lee fired up and hit some chops, but Oxx hit a running body block, and he applied a bear hug. Lee broke free and hit some more chops. Oxx hit a splash to the mat for a nearfall. Oxx put him in a Luger-style Torture Rack stretch across his shoulders, but Lee was able to escape and flip Oxx to the floor.
Lee hit a Penalty Kick. While standing on the floor, Oxx hit a hard chop to Lee’s chest, as Lee was standing on the apron! Lee hit a top-rope doublestomp and some more chops, then a tornado DDT at 6:30. BRG grabbed Lee. It allowed Oxx to hit a Choke Bomb. He again made the cocky, one-footed cover for the pin. That’s exactly as it should have gone. Oxx is just such a beast.
Oxx Adams defeated Brando Lee at 7:14.
3. Sammi Chaos vs. Shannon LeVangie. I’ll reiterate that Chaos is the size of Nyla Rose or Nia Jax, so she has a big advantage over the petite Shannon. Sammi easily pushed her into a corner. Shannon went for a German Suplex but couldn’t lift Sammi. Shannon hit a dropkick that staggered Chaos. She tried a sunset flip but Sammi flattened Shannon’s sternum with a butt drop at 1:30! Ouch! Sammi stood on Shannon’s hair as she pulled up on Shannon’s wrists, and she was in charge.
Chaos hit a running knee in the corner for a nearfall at 3:00. She hit a back suplex. LeVangie fired up and hit some chops. She avoided a chokeslam. Sammi applied a bear hug and turned it into a suplex for a nearfall; a lazy cover cost her the win! LeVangie jumped on Sammi’s back and locked in a sleeper, but Chaos flipped her to the mat at 6:00. Shannon hit a second-rope Lungblower to the chest and a shotgun dropkick, and she hit the German Suplex! Shannon got a flash rollup for the clean pin; Crockett said Shannon “survived” the match.
Shannon LeVangie defeated Sammi Chaos at 7:05.
* Brett Ryan Gosselin joined Crockett on commentary. He can be obnoxious at times, but overall, I do appreciate his insight.
4. Christian Darling vs. Mani Arriez (w/Sammy Diaz). No Brother Greatness tonight. An intense lockup to open; Darling has a slight height advantage, but these are both taller-than-average guys. Darling rolled to the floor and stalled. He got back into the ring and slapped Mani, so Mani hit a back-body drop at 2:00 and some chops and punches. Mani hit a shoulder tackle that dropped Darling. They went to the floor, where Darling threw Mani leg-first into the ring post; Arriez collapsed to the floor and sold the leg injury.
Arriez crawled back into the ring, but Darling grabbed the injured leg and hit a leg drop across it at 4:00, then he slammed the knee repeatedly into the mat. Darling wrapped Mani’s legs around the ring post and slammed them against the post. In the ring, Ariez hit a DDT and some back elbows, then a spinebuster at 6:30, and he was fired up. Mani set up for a Doctor Bomb, but his knee buckled. Darling kicked out the knee and hit a TKO stunner for the pin. Good action.
Christian Darling defeated Mani Arriez at 7:22.
5. Nick Robles vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale. No RJ Rude or Rex Lawless with rocker boy Robles. This one might be quick. They locked up at the bell, and Nick hit some punches. Jack hit some forearm strikes, then a delayed vertical suplex at 2:00. Robles hit a dropkick for a nearfall. He hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Jack fired up and hit some clotheslines, then a Bulldog Powerslam, then his twisting uranage for the pin. Nothing against Robles, but I wouldn’t have minded if Jack won that in two minutes; he needed a statement (rebound) win.
Eye Black Jack Pasquale defeated Nick Robles at 4:49.
* Backstage, Dustin Waller challenged Alec Price to another match… but he wants it to be Kylon King & Dustin vs. Price & Jordan Oliver! That’s a marquee match!!!
6. “Stetson Ranch” Steven Stetson and Brian Morris (w/Bobby Casale) vs. “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love Doug (w/TJ Crawford) for the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles. They immediately brawled to ringside. (And I’ll add here the crowd has again swelled to maybe 150). In the ring, the Ranch worked over Hollister. Stetson hit a backbreaker over the knee at 3:30. Doug got the hot tag and cleared the ring. He hit a Stinger Splash in the corner. BB hit a Team 3D on Morris for a nearfall at 6:00. They hit some Atomic Drops and sent the heels to the floor.
Morris hit a missile dropkick on Doug for a nearfall. Stetson hit a bodyslam on Doug for a nearfall, and they kept Doug in their corner. Brad got a hot tag at 10:30 and hit some clotheslines. He nailed a pop-up powerbomb on Stetson and immediately switched to an ankle lock. BRG begged Stetson not to tap out. Stetson hit a Pump Kick to Hollister’s chest for a nearfall. Casale hit a cheap shot punch on Doug!
The Ranch hit Chasing the Dragon (spin kick-and-brainbuster combo) for a believable nearfall at 13:30! Stetson hit a World’s Strongest Slam on Hollister. Doug threw petals in Stetson’s eyes! Doug hit a Sliced Bread while Brad was also hitting a powerbomb for a believable nearfall! Several fans were pounding on the mat, rallying Doug. Doug hit a Michinoku Driver on Morris for a nearfall at 16:00. Casale got on the apron, but Crawford hit him with a stunner. Morris ducked a Rebound Lariat and rolled up Doug for the flash pin! That was really good.
“Stetson Ranch” Steven Stetson and Brian Morris defeated “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love Doug to retain the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles at 16:49.
* Doug, who was upset at Brad and TJ, stormed to the back. Brad then headed to the back, leaving TJ alone in the ring! TJ was irritated; he didn’t cause them to lose!
* A video package aired to set up the next match!
7. Pedro Dones (w/an 8-ish-year-old son) vs. 23 Hazard. These guys fought last week with no clear winner, so they’re back for a rematch. Hazard told Dones that he was “a horrible father,” which has prompted Dones… to bring his young son to be with him at ringside? Okay. Dones came out first, but Hazard struck him from behind with a chair, and we’re underway! They got in the ring, and Hazard hit another chairshot across the back. The son got in the ring to check on Dones. Hazard picked up the kid and threw him hard to the mat! The locker room ran out to chase off Hazard and check on the boy. “I’m at a loss for words,” BRG solemnly said. Pedro scooped up his son in his arms and carried him away.
Pedro Dones vs. 23 Hazard never officially began; they brawled for about 90 seconds.
* I LOVE that they show a video of the prior Wrestling Open champions when we have a title match. (Ichiban, Brad Hollister, Ryan Clancy, Bryce Donovan before Bobby Orlando). Very NJPW-like. During the opening minutes of the match, BRG and Crockett noted that the belt is closing in on three years since the first champion was crowned.
8. Bobby Orlando vs. DJ Powers for the Wrestling Open Title. No Georgio Lawrence with Powers; I think they have officially parted ways as a tag team here. BRG put DJ over as a rising star, but acknowledged he’s the underdog tonight. They shoved each other, and we got the bell. Bobby clotheslined him to the floor. They traded chops at ringside, and DJ accidentally chopped the ring post at 2:00. They got in the ring, and Powers took control, hitting some chops and pushing his foot in Orlando’s throat. BRG praised Powers for wrestling more than 170 matches in 2025, and we got the tired “iron sharpens iron” cliche.
DJ hit a hard Irish Whip and got a nearfall at 6:00. Eye Black Jack appeared on the stage (according to Crockett; Jack hasn’t appeared on screen yet.) Powers hit a suplex for a nearfall. Bobby finally hit a sunset flip bomb, and they were both down at 9:00. Bobby hit some clotheslines and a running neckbreaker, and he was fired up. DJ hit a Helluva Kick and a Claymore Kick for a nearfall. Orlando hit a top-rope superplex, but DJ immediately hit a neckbreaker over his knee and a frog splash for a believable nearfall at 12:00.
DJ stomped on Bobby’s chest some more. Orlando dove through the ropes and crashed onto Powers, and they were both down at 13:30. Suddenly, Orlando was face-to-face with Eye Black Jack! They spoke, and it was a bit heated. Bobby turned around and was struck by a Powers’ superkick! DJ now jawed at Jack, and he shoved Pasquale; Jack shoved DJ, and the ref ejected Jack! Bobby and DJ got back in the ring, and DJO got a rollup for a nearfall. Orlando went for his Athena-style stunner, but Powers blocked it. Seconds later, Bobby hit the Athena-style top-rope flying stunner for the clean pin. A strong match.
Bobby Orlando defeated DJ Powers to retain the Wrestling Open Title at 15:20.
Final Thoughts: A really strong show with two really good title matches. The main event was really good, and it did earn best match, but I’ll add that I never once thought Powers was winning. I thought there was an outside chance that Big Business was winning the tag belts, and that was a really good tag match. (I feel like I missed something, though — why was Doug upset at TJ? TJ helped by pulling Casale off the apron.) Darling-Arriez takes a distant third.
I’m always hit-or-miss on young children getting involved in the match. Give Dones’ son credit — he took a pretty hard bump while being thrown to the mat. If Hazard was a bit surprised at how hard he threw the kid, he sure did a great job of hiding it. Good for them — a match I had no interest in has now caught my attention. I’m definitely intrigued to see what happens now.
It’s been a while since I wrote it, but this promotion does such a great job of building week-to-week storylines, and they are building up to some big matches — Bear Bronson will face VSK on Monday’s show from Rhode Island, then we have the huge Oliver/Price vs. Waller/King match next Thursday.
The only complaint tonight was the mic going in and out, but again, it seemed to me it was only coming across poorly on TV, and not in the building. I watched this live; it should be available on IWTV by Friday morning.
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