By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 227”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
May 7, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting is good, and it’s easy to see. The attendance was maybe 150; once again, it clearly grew as the show went on. Paul Crockett and Brother Greatness provided commentary.
1. Eye Black Jack Pasquale vs. Cash McGuinness. Again, Cash is a scrawny kid who simply has to still be a teen; he recently debuted here, but I’ve seen him in nearby Chaotic Pro. Cash shoved him and rolled to the floor and sold pain in his own elbow! Cash tried a clothesline, then a dropkick on the knee that finally dropped Jack. Jack nailed a clothesline and a sit-out powerbomb for the pin. Yes, it was that short.
Eye Black Jack Pasquale defeated Cash McGuinness at 1:45.
* DJ Powers emerged from the back to confront Jack. He recently stole Jack’s necklace chain. The crowd chanted, “Cut the mic!” Powers asked Jack, “How many times are we gonna do this? How many times have I outsmarted you and humiliated you?” Powers said they are going to fight again next week … but it will be a “chain on a pole match.” Jack said next week, he’s not only going to take back his chain, but he’s going to knock Powers out! DJ then headed to the ring for his match!
2. DJ Powers vs. Love, Doug (w/Brad Hollister). Doug and Brad wore their tag title belts. The bell rang, but they let the crowd do some alternating chants before they locked up. Doug shoved DJ head-first into the turnbuckle at 2:30. He hit a bodyslam and an elbow drop for a nearfall. He went for a mid-ring Sliced Bread, but DJ escaped and hit a clothesline. DJ punched Doug and worked him over. He did a Rick Rude hip swivel before hitting a Rude Awakening at 4:00; Crockett noted the Rick Rude tribute after I wrote it.
Doug hit a springboard-back-elbow and a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 6:00. DJ hit his Claymore Kick for a nearfall. He applied a half-crab, and the crowd rallied for Doug, who eventually reached the ropes. Doug threw the rose petals for a distraction and hit the mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 8:30. Steven Stetson came out of nowhere and attacked Doug! Hollister chased off Stetson. The official ruling was a DQ, but shouldn’t it be a no contest? Stetson didn’t attack on behalf of Powers! Stetson returned and hit Doug in the knee with a chair!
Love, Doug defeated DJ Powers via DQ at 9:01.
* Hollister helped Doug to the back. Stetson rolled into the ring, got on the mic, and ordered his Ranch hands to come win a match and earn a title shot. However, Bobby Casale came out and told Stetson they are going to win the match for themselves, and not for the Ranch! Crockett was surprised and called it “insubordination.” (This feels like a swerve.)
3. Danny Miles and Bobby Casale vs. “The Residency” Rex Lawless and Nick Robles in a No. 1 contender’s match. Still no sign of RJ Rude. Casale hit a roundhouse kick to Robles’ chest. Robles picked up teammate Miles and dropped him on Robles at 1:30. Miles hit a senton, then a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. The muscular Lawless entered and worked over Casale in their corner. Miles got a hot tag and hit a series of clotheslines at 6:30. Miles hit a gutbuster over his knees on Robles. Casale hit an Angle Slam. Miles hit a World’s Strongest Slam to pin Robles. Basic but fine.
Danny Miles and Bobby Casale defeated “The Residency” Rex Lawless and Nick Robles in a No. 1 contender’s match at 7:41.
* Steve Stetson returned to the ring and tried to celebrate with Miles and Casale. Stetson said Danny should have read the contract more closely! Because the contract says “representatives of the Stetson Ranch will receive the title shot.” And Steven Stetson and Brian Morris will take that No. 1 contender’s match. Stetson admonished Miles, telling him he had better be there next week. Miles assured Stetson he would be there… in an ominous tone!
* Rain Conway came to the ring and issued a “Rain Check Open Challenge!” It was answered by Jermaine Marbury! I was JUST noting that Marbury has not had a Wrestling Open match in 2026.
4. Jermaine Marbury (w/Benny the Basketball) vs. Rain Conway. Standing switches to open. Jermaine knocked him down with a shoulder tackle and he hit a splash to the mat for a nearfall at 1:30. Rain hit a running back elbow in a corner. Marbury nailed the Eurostep Neckbreaker. Rain grabbed Marbury’s goggle glasses, then hit a spinebuster at 3:30, and he stomped on Jermaine, and the crowd chanted “defense!” to rally behind Jermaine.
Rain hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Jermaine fired up and hit some clotheslines and his mis-direction offense, then he ‘dunked’ Rain’s head to the mat. He missed the Mamba Splash. Rain hit a suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Jermaine hit a top-rope crossbody block and got a rollup to pin Conway. Decent match; it’s good to see Marbury back here.
Jermaine Marbury defeated Rain Conway at 8:09.
* Outside, we saw Ichiban dig a hole in the ground and unearth a shoebox filled with pictures of him, teaming with the Miracle Generation. Very dramatic video.
5. “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller vs. Ichiban and Brando Lee. This was billed as a preview of the Ichiban-Waller tournament match that will take place next Monday. Ichiban and Waller opened. Ichiban and Brando hit stereo dropkicks on Kylon, and Brando dove through the ropes onto Kylon. In the ring, Lee hit a Dragon Suplex on Waller at 2:30. Dustin stomped on Ichiban in their corner. Kylon hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee, then a German Suplex for a nearfall at 4:30. Kylon put him in a bear hug.
Waller re-entered and stomped on Ichiban’s ankles and dropped his butt on Ichiban’s back. Ichiban hit a huracanrana on Kylon for a nearfall at 7:00. Dustin hit a snap suplex, then another, but Ichiban blocked a third one and hit his own suplex. Kylon accidentally hit Dustin! Brando got the hot tag at 8:30. He hit a double stomp on Kylon’s chest. He hit a Styles Clash on Dustin, dropping Dustin onto Kylon! This has been really good.
Lee hit a shotgun dropkick on Waller at 10:00. Kylon hit a jumping knee on Brando. The MGen hit a team powerbomb move on Brando for a believable nearfall. Brando nailed a Poison Rana on Kylon, then a rolling DVD. Ichiban hit a frosplash, and Brando hit a moonsault for a nearfall, but Waller hit a Mamba Splash to break up the pin, and everyone was down at 12:00. This has been top-notch action. Waller and Ichiban got back up, and Ichiban hit his “One!” punches in the corner.
Ichiban hit a superkick and his springboard Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall, but Kylon made the save. Ichiban hit a 619 on Kylon. MGen hit a team stunner, and Waller hit a Lethal Injection but made a lazy cover and he only got a nearfall at 14:00. MGen hit superkicks on Ichiban. However, Brando tripped Waller and held onto his ankle. It allowed Ichiban to hit his leaping Flatliner on King for the pin! Waller and Ichiban glared at each other. Awesome. “I cannot wait for Monday for the semifinals,” Crockett said.
Ichiban and Brando Lee defeated “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller at 14:46.
6. Brett Ryan Gosselin vs. Pedro Dones in a no-DQ match. Per a stipulation set last week, if Dones loses, he must leave Wrestling Open forever! Ring announcer Rich Palladino reminded fans to pay attention to the action, as this is no-DQ (and I presume will spill to the floor). No Oxx Adams with BRG, which is a bit of a surprise. (He appears before the match is over, right?) We got the bell, and they immediately traded punches. Pedro hit a back-body drop, and he clotheslined BRG to the floor at 1:30. They fought at ringside. Brett accidentally chopped the ring post.
Pedro bit Brett’s ear! BRG bit Pedro’s head! Pedro got in the ring and dove onto Brett at 3:00. Pedro grabbed the ref’s glove, put it on, and applied a Mankind-style Mandible Claw! They got in the ring, but Brett hit a thrust to the throat. He grabbed a chair and jabbed it into Dones’ throat. Brett struck Pedro with a crutch. Pedro hit a drop-toe-hold onto an open chair at 7:00, and they were both down. Pedro grabbed a cookie sheet and hit Brett three times over the head with it. He cracked the crutch over the back and hit a bodyslam for a nearfall.
Brett hit a swinging neckbreaker onto a folded chair for a nearfall at 8:30. Dones pushed Brett head-first into a chair wedged in the corner. Dones hit a top-rope diving headbutt for a nearfall at 10:30, and he switched to a crossface. Dones had a bloody nose and it was dripping. He grabbed the crutch and pushed it into Brett’s mouth. There is Oxx Adams! He walked into the ring and stomped on Pedro. Of course, it’s no-DQ. Oxx hit a chokeslam, dropping Dones across two open chairs! BRG made a cover, but Pedro kicked out!
Oxx went under the ring, found a street sign, and shoved it inside the ring. “Did they steal that overnight somewhere?” Crockett asked. Oxx threw in some more chairs, too. Oxx jawed at the ref. (Isn’t there anyone in the back who will come out to help Pedro? He’s teamed with Eye Black Jack before.) Oxx accidentally struck BRG! Pedro hit a Samoan Drop on Oxx, slamming him onto a folded chair. BRG hit a low-blow uppercut on Pedro. BRG hit a Gotch-style piledriver onto a folded chair for the pin! Crockett and Brother Greatness were horrified! “It’s over,” Crockett said solemnly. “His Wrestling Open career is over.”
Brett Ryan Gosselin defeated Pedro Dones at 15:17; Dones must leave Wrestling Open.
* The heels left. Pedro slowly got to his feet. The crowd chanted “Thank you, Pedro!” He took off his wrist tape and left the ring. (For a second there, I really thought he was taking his boots off, too. I don’t know where else he’s wrestling besides here in Wrestling Open.)
7. Brooke Havok and Anthony Greene vs. “The Savage Gnomes” Bear Bronson and Gabby Forza. Bear and Brooke opened; the size difference is humorous. After a lockup where she couldn’t budge him, Brooke tagged in AG. Greene couldn’t budge Bear, but he laid in some chops. Greene tried some shoulder blocks that didn’t move Bear. Gabby entered at 2:30 and got in a test of strength with Brooke, and she easily overpowered Havok. Brooke got on Greene’s shoulders, so Gabby got on Bear’s shoulders. The women then locked up while on their partner’s shoulders, and they traded punches.
The Gnomes hit stereo Gorilla Presses, then Gabby bodyslammed her husband onto AG at 5:00, and that always draws a pop. Greene hit a running neckbreaker on Bear for a nearfall. Havok jumped in and hit a Shining Wizard on Bear, allowing AG to cover him for a nearfall at 7:00. Bear hit his butt drop to Green’s sternum, and they were both down. The women tagged back in, and Gabby hit a World’s Strongest Slam, then the Gnome Bomb (Vader Bomb). On the floor, AG superkicked Bear. Brooke hit a tornado DDT on Gabby for a nearfall at 9:00.
Gabby charged at AG, but she missed, and her shoulder struck the post. Bear got back in, and he traded chops with Greene. Bronson pulled down the straps of his singlet and invited Greene to chop him. Greene let Bear chop him. (Are you nuts, Anthony???) They traded forearm strikes. Greene hit an Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw. Havok kicked Bear in the stomach, but he picked her up and used her feet to strike Greene. Greene threw Havok, who hit a flying stunner on Bear! They were all down at 12:00.
All four traded forearm strikes and punches. Brooke again tried some forearm strikes on Bear, then a side kick to his stomach and one to his face. She hit a double stomp on his back! However, Bear caught her and hit a Black Hole Slam! Bear hit a Choke Bomb on Greene for a nearfall at 13:30. Bear hit a clothesline on Greene. Havok hit a snap suplex on Bear! Gabby speared Havok into a corner. Greene superkicked Gabby, but she scooped him up, and also got Brooke on her shoulders, and she hit the double Samoan Drop! Gabby then speared Havok for the pin. That was fun.
Bear Bronson and Gabby Forza defeated Anthony Greene and Brooke Havok at 15:54.
Final Thoughts: A top-notch back-half of the show. I loved the MGen tag match, and it perfectly set up the Waller-Ichiban match for Monday. I loved Ichiban glaring at Waller while he scored the pin, and Dustin couldn’t break free in time to make the save. Loved it! I’ll go with that Dones-BRG brawl for second, ahead of the mixed tag main event.
The street fight was really good, and I wasn’t terribly surprised that Dones lost. I’m assuming he’s in his late 30s and possibly early 40s. One flaw, though — we needed some sort of segment where Pedro tells his friends backstage to NOT come out and save him. Pedro has been a babyface here for a couple of years, and it’s just hard to believe that none of the babyfaces on this show (particularly Eye Black Jack) wouldn’t come out and even the odds when Oxx Adams entered.
No new faces tonight, but it’s definitely good to see Jermaine back in the mix. This show is now available on IWTV.
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