By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
C*4 Wrestling (Capital City Championship Combat) “Fighting Back 15”
August 14, 2026, in Ottawa, Ontario, at Preston Event Centre
Streamed live on the C*4 Wrestling
For the very first time, C*4 aired live on their YouTube channel. (This is just a week after Blitzkrieg Pro aired live on YouTube for the first time. More and more companies are airing entire events on the streamer now.) Anyhow, this is always one of my favorite venues; it’s new, clean and well-lit, and they always draw maybe 500 eager fans. It seems especially PACKED today.
* This show is a fundraiser for combating cancer. It was announced earlier in the day on social media that Eddie Kingston was unable to make the show.
1. The Blade vs. Puf. The beloved 350+ pound Puf got a nice pop. Blade brought drinks into the ring and shared one with Puf. Lots of comedy. Blade finally kicked Puf in the gut. The bell rang, and they immediately brawled to the floor. Puf took off his Croc sandal and struck Blade with it. They got back in the ring at 2:00, holding chairs. They sat down across from each other and traded punches. They got up and traded more punches.
Puf forcibly kissed him at 4:00; Blade didn’t know how to react! Puf hit a spear for a nearfall, but Blade got a foot on the ropes. Blade hit a stunner across the top rope. Puf hit a standing powerbomb. Blade threw a chair at Puf’s head (so completely unnecessary) and hit a clothesline for the pin. Well, that wrapped up suddenly.
The Blade defeated Puf at 5:13.
2. Amira and Leah Sparks vs. “The Backslide Girls” Kingsley and Shay Kassidy. Portland-based Amira competed in Wrestling Open on Thursday. Pink-haired Leah is comparable to Candice LeRae. The Australian natives Backslide Girls sang their way to the ring. Shay (with pink-and-blue hair) opened against Leah. Amira tied up Kingsley (who wore red gear and had long black hair). Amira set up for her rolling cannonball, but Kingsley hid behind the ref. Shay struck Amira from behind, allowing the Girls to take control. They hit stereo kicks to Amira’s face.
Kingsley got a hot tag at 5:30, and she hit blows in opposite corners on the Backslide Girls. She hit a running Blockbuster on Shay, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Amira put Shay in a Boston Crab. Amira and Kingsley got up and traded forearm strikes at 7:30. Amira hit a spinning back fist that dropped Kingsley. Amira hit her rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall. The Australians couldn’t get stereo backslides; Amira and Leah applied stereo Boston Crabs. The Backslide Girls both tapped out. Fun match.
Amira and Leah Sparks defeated “The Backslide Girls” Kingsley and Shay Kassidy at 9:12.
3. Stu Grayson vs. Joseph Sawyer for the MLW Interim Canadian Title. Sawyer (the former Joe Gacy) sure is busy in the post-WWE run. He wore a black vest today and is looking more like Sami Callihan than any character he ever played in WWE. (Good! Make a clean break from that!) We got the bell; they circled each other, shook hands, then locked up. The commentators talked about how Stu “has been killing it” in Maple Leaf Pro. They tied up and went to the mat and had a standoff at 1:30. They began trading forearm strikes, and Stu hit a dropkick.
Stu hit a slingshot senton onto the apron at 3:00. Sawyer hit a twisting uranage and some elbow drops. Stu dove through the ropes onto Sawyer. Immediately back in the ring, Stu hit a flying back elbow for a nearfall at 4:30. Joseph mounted him and hit some punches. They got up and traded punches. Sawyer hit a back suplex at 6:00. More basic brawling. Sawyer hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Stu hit an overhead suplex, and they were both down at 9:30. They got up and traded more punches. Stu hit five consecutive overhead release belly-to-belly suplexes!
He hit a Lionsault for a nearfall at 12:00. We got a “This is awesome!” chant. Stu hit a tornado DDT; the crowd jeered the ref, thinking it was a three-count. Stu missed a double-jump moonsault but landed on his feet. Sawyer immediately hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Stu hit a Pele Kick. Sawyer hit a handspring-back-clothesline for a nearfall, and they were both down at 14:00. Stu nailed a top-rope Superplex. He hit a running knee to the sternum, then the Night Fall (Torture Rack-into-a-backbreaker over the knee) for the pin. Sharp match. They shook hands, and the crowd applauded.
Stu Grayson defeated Joseph Sawyer to retain the MLW Interim Canadian Title at 15:34.
4. “Project 8100” Haddy and Dexter Doom vs. “Northern Thunder” London Lightning and Storm Ryder for the C*4 Tag Team Titles. Haddy and Ryder opened and immediately tied up on the mat. London hit a slingshot shoulder tackle. The brothers hit a team powerbomb move, but Doom made the save. London hit a plancha onto Doom. In the ring, Project 8100 worked over Lightning. Ryder was pulled off the apron at 4:00, so London couldn’t tag out. Haddy hit a senton for a nearfall.
Ryder got in, but Project 8100 worked him over, too. Doom hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 9:00. Doom dove through the ropes. Haddy grabbed a tag title belt and struck Ryder in the head. However, Storm kicked out at the one-count! Ryder hit some German Suplexes on Haddy, then a double back suplex at 10:30. Doom grabbed the belt, but London confiscated it, and London hit Doom with it! The brothers again hit their team powerbomb move on Haddy and this time scored the pin! New champions!
“Northern Thunder” London Lightning and Storm Ryder defeated “Project 8100” Haddy and Dexter Doom to win the C*4 Tag Team Titles at 11:18.
* London got on the mic and called their mom to the ring. She got in, and London said she’s “one of the strongest moms in the world” because she also overcame cancer. They put the tag title belts on her shoulders.
5. Vaughn Vertigo vs. Dalton Castle for the C*4 Underground Title. A nice pop for the always popular Dalton. He had four “boys” with him, and he wore his ROH Six-Man Tag Title belt. Again, Vaughn has wrestled in Maple Leaf Pro, and he looks a lot like James Drake or Alex Reynolds. He’s competed all over the U.S. in the past two years, too. Under “Vaughn Vertigo rules,” there is no fighting on the floor! A feeling-out process early on as they twisted each other’s left arm. Dalton is much thicker. Vaughn complained about his hair being pulled. They grabbed each other’s hair. The ref finally grabbed both of them by their hair and told them to cut it out!
Dalton set up for Bang-A-Rang at 2:30, but Vaughn escaped and regrouped on the floor. (You can stall on the floor, just no fighting!) Dalton took his turn on the floor, as he looked at the ring with the four boys following in a ‘conga line.’ Vaughn got on the mic at 5:30 and was frustrated. “I specifically said, NO boys allowed.” He brought his own boy! He has “Brian from health and safety.” Brian emerged from the back, wearing an orange vest. He said he’d received a tip that there was a health and safety violation. He said the Boys should be ejected.
Vaughn attacked at 8:00, and it looks like we might get back to wrestling. He stomped on Dalton in the corner. “That’s right, we do have a match still going on,” a commentator said. Brian choked Dalton in the ropes! That seems like a health and safety violation! Dalton hit a hard clothesline and a jumping knee, then a bulldog for a nearfall at 11:30. Dalton went for Bang-A-Rang, but the ref got bumped! Dalton knocked Brian off the ring apron. Dalton put Vaughn in a single-leg crab, and Vaughn tapped out! The ref saw it and called for the bell! New champion! BUT WAIT. The ref was angry at Dalton, saying, “You struck me!” and he disqualified Dalton. Merely okay; this didn’t meet my expectations.
Vaughn Vertigo defeated Dalton Castle via DQ to retain the C*4 Underground Title at 13:13.
* Intermission. They replayed the TDT vs. Butcher and Blade match from a recent show. Intermission went roughly 21 minutes.
6) Alexia Nicole vs. Zoey Serrano for the C*4 Women’s Title. Not sure if this is Zoey’s first match on the indy scene since her WWE release; she has a huge brace on her right knee. Nicole recently had a match on MLP TV. She’s talented, but she is listed at 4’11” and 103 pounds. A clean lock-up, and Zoey mockingly patted Nicole on her head. She shoved Alexia to the mat and relaxed on the ropes in the corner; she’s making sure the crowd is going to turn on her.
Zoey dropped her with a shoulder tackle at 2:30. Alexia hit a shotgun dropkick. She stalled on the floor and sat in the front row. Back in the ring, Zoey hit a suplex for a nearfall at 5:00, and she kept Alexia grounded. They again went to the floor, where Zoey hit some loud chops as they looped ringside. Nicole finally fired up and hit some chops. In the ring, Zoey hit a backbreaker over her knee for a nearfall at 8:00. Alexia hit a kick to the side of the head and a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall.
Zoey hit a German Suplex, then a neckbreaker over the knee for a nearfall at 10:00. Zoey hit a hard knee lift to the ribs. Alexia hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Zoey hit a superkick to the forehead, then a running knee to the chin for a nearfall. Alexia tied up Zoey’s legs and leaned back into a Muta Lock! Zoey fought it for a minute but tapped out as she was passing out. That might be the best match of the show so far.
Alexia Nicole defeated Zoey Serrano to retain the C*4 Women’s Title at 12:31.
* Again, Eddie Kingston is not here, so who will replace him? Evil Uno was the surprise partner joining the babyfaces. (He’s really been presented, more or less, as a heel here.)
7. Sheldon Jean, Jesse V, and Mark Wheeler vs. Angel Ortiz, Gabriel Fuerza, and mystery partner Evil Uno. Sheldon wore his C*4 Title. (Where’s the MLP Tag Title belt?) I just saw Jesse and Wheeler feuding in nearby Alpha-1 Wrestling, but they are still getting along here. Sheldon and Fuerza opened, but Jean tagged out before even locking up. Gabriel hit an arm drag and a dropkick on Wheeler. Sheldon and Ortiz entered at 1:30, and Jean shoved the smaller Ortiz to the mat.
Evil Uno and the massive Jesse V got in at 3:00; Uno sidestepped a lockup and danced. Uno hit a running neckbreaker. Ortiz entered and raked Jesse’s back. Fuerza hit a running Shooting Star Press. The heels began working over Ortiz in their corner. Jesse hit a leaping elbow drop for a nearfall at 7:00. Ortiz got in and hit some splashes in opposite corners. Ortiz hit a huracanrana on Wheeler at 8:30, then a dive through the ropes. Fuerza tied Wheeler in a cross-armbreaker in the ropes, but Jesse made the save. Wheeler hit a Lungblower to Fuerza’s back for a nearfall at 10:00.
Jean hit a leaping leg lariat on Ortiz. Jesse V hit an enzuigiri in the corner. Jesse hit a double fallaway slam, and the crowd popped for the show of strength! Uno hit a brainbuster on Jesse V, then a clothesline on Wheeler. and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Wheeler went to tag out, but Sheldon pulled his hand back, stepped off the apron, and left! Why??? (It’s not like they had accidentally collided earlier in the match!) Uno clotheslined Jesse over the top rope to the floor. Fuerza hit a piledriver to pin Wheeler.
Angel Ortiz, Gabriel Fuerza, and Evil Uno defeated Sheldon Jean, Jesse V, and Mark Wheeler at 12:37.
8. The Fighting Back Invitational Rumble. The commentators indicated there are “about 25” participants, but they aren’t sure of the exact number. UGH, no on-screen graphics, so anyone I don’t know is getting “???” next to their name. (Luckily, results were submitted to cagematch.net, so I corrected spellings after I had watched the match.) Brent Banks drew No. 1, and Mathis Myre (???) was No. 2. Myung-Jae Lee drew No. 3. He hit dropkicks in opposite corners. Nathan Yarymowich (???) was No. 4 at 2:30. He wore white trunks with a belt, and the commentators noted he’s a judo fighter. Johnny DeLuca was No. 5. Four guys surrounded heel DeLuca and attacked him. Heavy Rox was No. 6, and she’s our first woman. She wears a baseball cap, and her checkered gear makes me think of NASCAR.
Alvin Turner (???) was No. 7 at 6:00; think Kevin Blackwood but heavier. Yarymowich was eliminated while the cameras focused on Turner’s entrance. Cecil Nyx was No. 8, and he got a crowd pop. Alexander Kable (???) was No. 9 at 8:30; he’s heavy and has frizzy hair. Pat ATK (???) was No. 10. Turner was tossed. Pat hit a top-rope crossbody block. Xander Orion (???) was No. 11. The cameras again missed eliminations as Pat ATK and Heavy Rox were tossed. Dreya Mitchell was No. 12 at 12:00, and she’s our second woman. Cable was eliminated off-screen. The production team is doing a terrible job catching footage of eliminations! Dreya knocked Myre out.
Jason Exile (??) was No. 13. He was carried to the ring and dumped in. (He apparently is doing a “Weekend at Bernie’s” gimmick, as the fans chanted, “He’s alive!”) He just laid on the mat. Macrae Martin was No. 14 at 15:00; he has to be among the favorites! Macrae eliminated DeLuca. The powerful Layla Wilde was No. 15; think ODB, J-Rod, or Jordynne Grace for her sheer power. She hit a suplex on Banks, then a Dragon Suplex. Dreya and Layla locked up. (I cannot make out anything the ring announcer is saying.)
Vikton (???) in an orange prison jumpsuit, entered at No. 16. Banks was eliminated. Vikton eliminated Jason Exile. Skinny Rick (???) was No. 17. He wore a black vest. He squared off with inmate Vikton, and they traded chops. Rick slipped coming off the ropes. He hit a Black Hole Slam. Kristara was No. 18 and our fourth woman. She immediately hit some kicks on Dreya. Myung-Jae Lee was tossed. Skinny Rick tossed Vikton. Junior Benito was No. 19 at 22:00. Will he and Macrae get along? They shook hands, but then they traded some blows.
Tyler Nox (???) was No. 20 at 23:30 (they’ve been pretty good at 90-second or so intervals). Everyone ganged up on Nox! Thomas LeDuc (???) was No. 21; the commentators said he’s a deathmatch specialist. James Stone was No. 22; the commentators noted it’s been a while since he’s been on a C*4 show. (His feud with Brent Banks limped on a bit too long.) KJ Swayde (???) was No. 23 at 27:30. I am seeing 10 in the ring. Xander Orion was tossed. Layla tossed Skinny Rick. Tyler Nox tossed Layla and was loudly booed for that.
Matthieu St.-Jacques was No. 24. (The commentators thought he was No. 25, but I don’t think I’m off.) I am again seeing 10 in the ring. Beef Wellington (???) was No. 25. Leduc was tossed. Our FINAL entrant (No. 26) was Buxx Belmar (???) at 33:30. The crowd seems to know who Bucks is, but I haven’t seen him before. Right on cue, the commentators said new people won’t “know what is going on.” My guess is there are 11 in the ring. Dreya tossed Beef Wellington. She tossed Bucks. Cecil Nyx was eliminated off-screen at 36:00; the camera work is missing too many eliminations.
I am seeing eight left. Stone eliminated KJ Swayde. Stone tossed Tyler Knox. The commentators agreed we have SIX left: Stone, Dreya, Kristara, St. Jacque, Macrae Martin, and Junior Benito. (Everyone left is a regular!) The four guys fought while the women were down on the mat. Macrae hit a leaping Flatliner. Matthieu hit a stunner. The guys fought against the ropes. The women hopped up! Kristara flipped out two guys, and Dreya flipped out two! It’s down to two women at 40:30! The crowd chanted, “Holy shit!”
They traded forearm strikes. Dreya played basketball, and she’s maybe 5’11” and towers over Kristara. Mitchell hit a backbreaker over her knee. Vaughn Vertigo appeared at ringside and pushed a door into the ring. Kristara speared Dreya through the door in the corner! She immediately flipped Dreya to win the match!
Kristara won a 26-person (22 men, four women) Fighting Back Invitational Rumble at 42:34.
* Kristara hugged a promoter as the crowd chanted, “You deserve it!” She was handed a title belt for winning the match.
* The ring announcer told the crowd that they raised $139,000 for cancer prevention.
Final Thoughts: An okay show. Zoey Serrano showed up like she had something to prove, and her match with Alexia was easily best of the night. Likewise, Joseph Sawyer had a strong match with Stu Grayson, and that takes second. (Of course, with the MLP interim title on the line, it completely erased any mystery over the winner. Same with Nicole-Zoey, though.)
The six-man tag was good action; however, usually there is a collision that leads to a wrestler walking out on their teammates. If that happened between Sheldon Jean and Mark Wheeler, I missed it. I’ll still give that match third place.
Scott D’Amore would be wise to have Northern Thunder among the debuting wrestlers at the next Maple Leaf Pro taping. In my reviews of the early MLP shows, I’ve called for more Canadians and fewer wrestlers under AEW contract. I didn’t love that tag match, but I think the idea of moving the tag belts to Ryder and Lightning was the right decision.
The final five minutes of the Rumble were good, and of course, it came down to six regulars. I’m glad to see Kristara win, too. That said… the match had a lot of wrestlers who have been here five or fewer times. (I put “???” next to FOURTEEN of the 26 competitors. None of those 14 have been regulars here in the past year. And Heavy Rox has only been here a few times, too.) SO, a lot of unknowns in that match. And I hate to bash the production team, but a lot of those eliminations were just not captured on film. Not a bad Rumble… but I’ve seen many better-produced Rumbles in the past year, both in how the match was scripted and how the camera crew filmed it.
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