By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 225”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
April 23, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting is good, and it’s easy to see. The attendance was maybe 150; it’s packed across from the hard camera. (They are drawing fairly even numbers on a week-to-week basis.) Paul Crockett, Brother Greatness, Joseph “A-Game” Alexander, and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary. (I am surprised A-Game is here, as he recently moved to the Carolinas!)
1. Oxx Adams vs. All Go Nelli in a spotlight match. Robinson and Joseph “A-Game” provided commentary on this one. Oxx caught him and hit a uranage. As I’ve noted, Oxx is a seven-footer, and he has a huge weight advantage over the slender youngster Nelli. Oxx hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 2:30. Oxx hit a sit-out choke bomb for the pin. Nelli has been decent in a handful of matches here, but this was the logical booking for this match.
Oxx Adams defeated All Go Nelli at 3:24.
* Crockett and Brother Greatness provided commentary as the main show began.
2. “The Haven” Shawn Knyte and Jay Onyx vs. “The Vibe” Mani Ariez and Sammy Diaz (w/Brother Greatness). Sammy opened with Knyte, and Shawn hit an armdrag. They traded chops. Sammy hit a huracanrana and an armdrag. Mani and Onyx traded offense at 2:00. Shawn hit a flying knee to Mani’s sternum. Sammy got in, but the Haven kicked out his knee and kept him grounded as they targeted the damaged leg.
Onyx hit a rolling cannonball at 5:00, and Shawn got a nearfall. Sammy hit a double huracanrana. Mani got the hot tag. Sammy hit a stunner and a Pele Kick. Mani put Jay in a Torture Rack and spun him into a powerbomb for the pin. Good action. Good to see the Haven back here. The teams shook hands before the Haven left.
“The Vibe” Mani Ariez and Sammy Diaz defeated “The Haven” Shawn Knyte and Jay Onyx at 7:10.
* Brother Greatness got on the mic and addressed the crowd. He said that Ariez and Diaz want to end their conflict with Tyler Jordan and Christian Darling. Next week, he wants their feud to end in a street fight! “And we will not apologize for what we will do that night! Hallelujah!”
3. DJ Powers vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale. This was an immediate rematch — Jack just beat DJ on Monday to advance in the Wrestling Open Title Tournament. DJ came out first and grabbed the mic, and he vowed to outsmart Jack and humiliate him. Jack charged into the ring, and they immediately brawled. Jack hit a hard back elbow for a nearfall at 2:30. Jack hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall. Powers hit a stiff kick to Jack’s spine at 4:30 and kept him grounded in a headlock.
Jack fired up and hit a series of back elbows in one corner, but DJ hit a Helluva Kick, then a Claymore Kick for a nearfall at 7:30. DJ missed a top-rope doublestomp, and Jack got a rollup for a nearfall. Jack hit a standing powerbomb, then a frog splash for a believable nearfall! Crockett was surprised that DJ kicked out! Jack got his necklace chain back, but DJ grabbed it again and bailed to the floor as the time limit was ending! He ducked DJ for the final 30 seconds until we got the bell.
DJ Powers vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale ended in a time-limit draw at 10:00.
4. Pedro Dones and a mystery partner vs. Cash McGuiness and Patrick Wheatman. Cash and Patrick are both scrawny teens and have been regulars in nearby Chaotic Pro Wrestling. Cash was destroyed in seconds on Monday. Patrick has bright orange hair, and he also has quite the babyface. Dones came out and revealed his surprise teammate, and Aaron Rourke got a big pop. He wore his WWE Evolve Title. Rourke fought Wheatman. Cash got in at 1:30 and taunted Rourke and tried a headlock.
These kids are annoying as hell, so they are getting great heat. Cash did a Bronco Buster in the corner and bounced on Pedro several times at 5:00. Pedro gave Cash an airplane spin. Rourke jumped back in and hit a Mafia Kick on Wheatman. He spun and slammed Cash. Aaron hit a shotgun dropkick in the corner on Patrick, then the Molly-Go-Round top-rope somersault cannonball for the pin on Patrick. The crowd treated Aaron like returning royalty.
Pedro Dones and Aaron Rourke defeated Cash McGuiness and Patrick Wheatman at 6:29.
* Rourke said he first fought in this building, in this ring, seven years ago. He showed off the Evolve title and said he’ll put it on the line at an upcoming ID showcase event here. Oxx Adams charged into the ring and he hit a Choke Bomb on Pedro, then jawed at him.
5. “Stetson Ranch” Steven Stetson, Brian Morris, and Bobby Casale vs. Bear Bronson, Brando Lee, and Ichiban. Crockett wondered what was going on with the absent Danny Miles. The crowd, as usual, shouted profanities at Stetson. Morris and Brando opened. This crowd is insanely loud and all over the Ranch! Brando hit a dropkick and a splash into the corner. Ichiban and Lee hit stereo dropkicks. Bronson and Casale tagged in, and they traded chops at 4:00, and Bobby landed some roundhouse kicks.
Ichiban hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Stetson caught Ichiban in the ring curtain at 6:00 a la Fit Finlay, and stomped on him. The Ranch began stomping on Ichiban and worked him over in their corner. The crowd chanted their unique profanities at Stetson — it really is pretty hilarious. Brando finally got a hot tag at 9:00, and he hit some double-handed chops, then a splash on Casale in the corner and a doublestomp to Morris’ chest. Lee hit a Styles Clash on Casale, then a rolling DVD on Morris. Lee hit a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall, but Stetson made the save.
The Ranch worked Brando over for several minutes. Lee hit a tornado DDT and tried to tag out, but his partners were pulled off the apron. Bear got a hot tag at 14:30, and he hit a uranage on Stetson, then a butt drop onto his sternum. Bronson hit the Black Hole Slam on Stetson for a nearfall. Bronson hit a Fire Thunder Driver (piledriver). Lee hit a dive to the floor. Ichiban hit a top-rope flip dive to the floor onto the heels. Casale accidentally hit a spin kick on Morris! Bear immediately hit a Choke Bomb on Casale for the pin.
Bear Bronson, Brando Lee, and Ichiban defeated “Stetson Ranch” Steven Stetson, Brian Morris, and Bobby Casale at 17:44.
* Morris was angry, so he shoved Casale. Casale shoved back harder, and Bobby left! Stetson was perplexed. The commentators wondered if we could be seeing the end of the Ranch!
* Gabby Forza came to the ring for a special announcement. I’m pretty sure I know what it is. She came to the ring and was not dressed to wrestle. She confirmed that on May 14, there will be a women’s tournament, with the winner becoming the first-ever Wrestling Open Women’s Champion. (This has been hinted at for a few weeks, going back to Allie Katch bringing it up.) Gabby said she’ll be in it. Lauren St. James came to the ring; she broke her arm in her first-ever match a year ago. She talked about that and her long recovery. She broke it in three spots! She is cleared to return to the ring. Kylie Alexa came out and attacked them both. Kylie and Lauren brawled. Kylie hit an elbow strike on the surgically repaired arm! Gabby made the save. Alexa vowed she would be the first-ever champ.
* I thought we were headed to the main event, but Rain Conway hit the ring, and he called out Joseph “A-Game” Alexander. Oh yeah, A-Game said he had a match later! Again, A-Game just moved to the Carolinas, so I didn’t expect to see him back here anytime soon. This should be three minutes or less, right? Crockett just noted that A-Game has moved to South Carolina; I couldn’t remember which one.
6. Joseph “A-Game” Alexander vs. Rain Conway. A-Game is still wearing a brace on his left shoulder. Standing switches to open. A-Game hit a back suplex at 2:00, then some punches to the ribs. Rain shoved A-Game’s head into the middle turnbuckle, and he hit some punches. The crowd chanted, “Rain, rain, go away!” Alexander fired up and hit a series of chops. Conway slammed him for a nearfall at 4:00.
Rain got up and hit a few more punches. Rain hit a Falcon Arrow and went to a rear-naked choke! A-Game got to the ropes. Conway dropped A-Game with a punch. They both began throwing heavy punches! A-Game hit a clothesline and a jumping knee into the corner. A-Game finally hit the running knee to the chest for the pin. Well, that was far more competitive than I anticipated, and that’s the best match Conway has had yet at either Wrestling Open.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander defeated Rain Conway at 6:47.
* A nice video package to preview our main event. We’ve been building to this tag title match for maybe two months!
7. “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug vs. “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller for the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles. Brad tackled Kylon and repeatedly punched him at the bell. Brad hit a double suplex. Doug entered at 1:30 and hit some chops on King, then a dropkick, and he was fired up. Hollister got back in and hit a delayed vertical suplex on Waller at 3:30. Brad dropped Dustin with a hard chop. Dustin fired back with a top-rope flying clothesline on Hollister. Kylon jumped in, and the MGen worked over Hollister.
Brad and Dustin traded chops. Doug finally got a hot tag at 8:00, and he hit some clotheslines and flying back elbows. He hit a bulldog on Dustin. MGen dropped Doug throat-first on the top rope at 9:30, and they now began working him over. Doug hit a Michinoku Driver at 11:00, but he couldn’t tag out, and MGen continued to work Doug over. Kylon hit a standing moonsault, then he slammed teammate Dustin onto Doug for a nearfall at 13:00.
Brad finally got a hot tag, and he hit a big back-body drop on Kylon, then an Angle Slam on Waller, then a big senton on Kylon for a nearfall at 14:30. Big Business hit stereo powerbombs for nearfalls. Crockett noted it’s now 10 p.m. local time and they are going long tonight. Dustin hit a double Lethal Injection. Kylon hit a top-rope moonsault for a nearfall at 16:00. Dustin dropped Doug with a superkick. Doug hit the Slice of Love (mid-ring Sliced Bread) on Dustin for a nearfall. Dustin slammed Doug. MGen hit a team powerbomb on Hollister for a nearfall at 18:30.
Brad hit a double German Suplex, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Kyon hit a low blow on Doug while the ref was out of position. Dustin hit one, too! They hit stereo knee strikes to Doug’s forehead for a nearfall at 21:00, but Brad made the save. Doug got up and hit blows on each opponent. Big Business hit their Doomsday Sliced Bread, then a team 3D for a nearfall on Kylon, but Dustin jumped in and stomped on the ref at 23:00! “Why the hell would he do that?” Crockett shouted.
Dustin and Brad traded blows. Dustin went for a Lethal Injection, but Brad hit a German Suplex. Dustin nailed Brad in the head with a title belt, and Kylon got a nearfall! The 25:00 call was spot-on. MGen accidentally kicked each other. All four fought. Kylon hit a tornado DDT. Doug nailed the Lariat of Love (rebound lariat). BB hit the “Business is Booming” (team Bulldog Powerslam) and pinned Kylon. That was awesome. That’s a top-notch tag match. Bravo to all four.
“Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug defeated “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller to retain the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles at 26:13.
* Dustin continued to attack Big Business after the bell, but A-Game ran in for the save. Alexander got on the mic and told Dustin that they have “some unfinished business.” He challenged Waller to a match next Thursday!
Final Thoughts: A stellar main event. I’m always cautious about not using too much hyperbole because not every show has an awesome or stellar or incredible match, but this one meets that level of praise. This crowd was hot, and it felt like a title change was truly possible. I’m glad that no outside interference ended the match. (I’m still always assuming that TJ Crawford returns and turns on his Big Business partners.)
Bronson’s six-man tag takes second, and another good Powers-Jack match takes third. Easily Rain Conway’s best and most competitive match tonight. (Knowing that A-Game had moved, I was starting to think Rain might steal a pin!)
I can’t say enough about this crowd tonight. Not kidding, Rourke was treated like the Prodigal Son returning home. They love to boo the Ranch. They just love it. They get their unique profanity-laden chant going, just for him. He tries his best to ignore it, but he must secretly love it.
I easily compiled a list of 16 recent female wrestlers who have competed here in recent months that I could see in a tournament. I really hope the tournament has that large a field! And that list didn’t include Lauren. Even before her first match… she struck me as a fragile young woman. I hope she doesn’t get injured again.
Complaints tonight? Um, no women’s match, but we have the tournament coming and one set up for next week. That’s the best criticism I can think of right now. A really good show. I watched this live; check it out Friday on IWTV.
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