By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 246”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
September 17, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting is good, and it’s easy to see. The crowd was maybe 150. Referee Scott Robinson, Brother Greatness, and Aaron Ortiz provided commentary.
1. Jesse Lambert vs. James Hartness in a spotlight match. Two fresh, new faces! Robinson said Hartness holds a 2-1 record in head-to-head matches. Hartness is an unwashed emo kid. Lambert wore NASCAR-themed gear that sadly reminds me of Thurman “Sparky” Plugg. Hartness is bigger and hit a big senton for a nearfall at 1:30. Lambert hit some flying forearms and a stunner at 3:00. He hit a top-rope flying forearm for the pin. Basic but fine — this is what I want to see in a spotlight match.
Jesse Lambert defeated James Hartness at 3:39.
2. Cash McGuiness (w/Patrick Wheatman) vs. Brother Greatness. These scrawny “Breadwinner” kids are back? Ugh. Basic action early on, and BG got some rollups, then a crossbody block. Cash hit a clothesline at 2:00. He hit a shotgun dropkick in the corner, and he kept Brother Greatness on the mat. BG hit a dropkick at 4:30, and he was fired up. He hit a suplex. Cash hit a superkick. Brother Greatness got a rollup for the pin. Solid.
Brother Greatness defeated Cash McGuiness at 6:02.
3. Tony Navarro vs. Peter Gianni in a Discovery Gauntlet match. Navarro won last week to advance to this week’s match. My records show I saw Gianni on BST shows in May and June; his hair is pulled back tightly into a bun. Both men played up their Italian heritage. Gianni hit some strikes; he has a legit shootfighter vibe going for him. Navarro hit a faceplant. Cagematch.net records show Gianni is 35 and has 87 career matches under his belt. Gianni stomped on Navarro and kept him grounded. Gianni raked the eyes and hit a running knee for the pin! Okay action.
Peter Gianni defeated Tony Navarro at 5:55 to advance in the Discovery Gauntlet.
* Kylie Alexa skipped to the ring to Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend.” She made an open challenge; she’s not afraid of anyone in the locker room! Out of the back came the mentally unwell Amity LaVey; think a scary Harley Quinn from DC.
* Brother Greatness joined Robinson on commentary here, as Aaron Ortiz has a match to get ready for.
4. Kylie Alexa vs. Amity LaVey for the Wrestling Open Women’s Title. Kylie knocked her down with a shoulder tackle, then she hit a pump kick. Amity hit a running Blockbuster and a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 1:30. Alexa stomped on Amity and kept her grounded. She hit a stiff kick to the spine at 3:00 and some shoulder thrusts to the ribs. Alexa hit a rolling cannonball as LaVey was against the ropes, and they were both down at 5:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Amity hit some clotheslines. Amity hit a Heart Punch and a swinging neckbreaker. Kylie hit a modified Cradle Shock slam for the pin!
Kylie Alexa defeated Amity LaVey to retain the Wrestling Open Women’s Title at 6:16.
5. Aaron Ortiz vs. Colton Charles. I’ll reiterate that Colton strikes me as a younger version of Powerhouse Hobbs; he has some size and a big frame, and I see a lot of potential there. Ortiz hit some shoulder tackles, but Colton didn’t budge; Colton finally dropped Aaron with his own shoulder tackle. Ortiz hit a headscissors takedown that sent Colton into the turnbuckles. Colton hit a big bodyslam at 2:00, and he jawed at the crowd. Colton hit some punches, then a delayed vertical suplex. He made a cocky, one-footed cover.
Ortiz fired up and hit some chops. Colton hit a Pounce for a nearfall at 4:30, and he kept Ortiz grounded in a chinlock. Ortiz hit some forearm strikes and an enzuigiri. Ortiz hit a flip dive to the floor, but he landed hard on his butt at 6:30; he’s lucky he didn’t break his tailbone. Ortiz went for a top-rope crossbody block, but Colton caught him, so Ortiz turned it into a Crucifix Driver! Nice. Colton pushed the ref into the ropes, causing Ortiz to fall and be crotched in the corner. Colton hit a spear for the pin! Yes, it was a tainted win, but that’s still a big win for Charles.
Colton Charles defeated Aaron Ortiz at 7:48.
* A video package aired to set up the next match.
6. Steven Stetson vs. Bobby Casale. Stetson came out first, holding his tag title belt, but Brian Morris was nowhere in sight. (These fans love their unique profanity-laden chant for Stetson.) Stetson stalled on the apron, so Casale finally grabbed him and hip-tossed him into the ring and hit some punches to the ribs and some European Uppercuts. He hit a spinebuster and a running penalty kick, then a senton, and Stetson rolled to the floor at 2:30. Casale followed and dragged Steven back to ringside, where he hit some European Uppercuts.
In the ring, Stetson hit a butt drop to the sternum and his own senton at 4:00. The crowd performed their profanity-laden chant at Steve. (I don’t know how he doesn’t crack up in laughter.) Casale applied a front guillotine choke. Stetson hit a sidewalk slam for a nearfall at 5:30, and he hit some more stomps. Casale hit some roundhouse kicks to the chest. Stetson hit some blows to the back and European Uppercuts. He missed a splash into the corner. Bobby hit another flurry of punches to the ribs, then dropped Stetson with some roundhouse kicks.
Casale hit a Gory Bomb, slamming him stomach-first, then a German Suplex at 9:00! Bobby hit a Facewash Kick and a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. This has been pleasantly good and exceeding my expectations. Stetson snapped him throat-first across the top rope, then hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. They got up and traded punches. Bobby hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. He applied a mid-ring rear-naked choke, then some more roundhouse kicks to the chest. Stetson hit a Helluva Kick. Casale ducked a Northern Lariat and rolled up Stetson for the flash pin!
Bobby Casale defeated Steven Stetson at 12:04.
* Stetson attacked him from behind, striking him with his title belt. He stood over Bobby and jawed at him.
7. Jodi Aura vs. Angel Aviles. I love that Aura is back here again. The cocky, arrogant Angel has been here a few times; Robinson said he’s only 20. He jawed at fans as he walked to the ring. Jodi is “the Nightwalker,” and with his long black trench coat, I always compare him to Marvel’s Blade. Jodi has a big height advantage. Jodi did a leapfrog and stomped on Angel’s back! He hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 1:30. Angel hit a hesitation dropkick into the corner for a nearfall. Angel hit a dropkick and mockingly did the ‘Eddie hip swivel’ and got booed.
Angel hit a running Claymore Kick, then a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 4:00. He hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. (This has been competitive; I thought Aura was going to win this one quickly!) Angel bit him! Jodi hit a huracanrana and a clothesline to the back of the neck. Aura hit a series of roundhouse kicks. Aura hit a rolling kip-up stunner, then the End Game (modified Go To Sleep) for the pin. I liked that; both guys impressed, and that also topped expectations.
Jodi Aura defeated Angel Aviles at 7:39.
* Jodi got on the mic and said his feud with J Bouji isn’t over, and he challenged J to come back here and fight him next week.
* A video package aired to set up the next match. Brick City turned on Brad Hollister recently, after Brad decided to side with Love, Doug.
8. “Brick City” Julio Cruz and Victor Chase vs. “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug. (Robinson accidentally said Victor Cruz and Julio Chase. Unintentionally funny.) Big Business came out second, charged into the ring, and they all immediately began brawling. Doug slammed Cruz’s head into the turnbuckles. Doug hit a plancha to the floor. In the ring, he hit a bulldog and a falling punch on Cruz for a nearfall at 2:00. Brad tagged in and hit a series of kicks to Victor’s ribs. Big Business worked over Chase in their corner, with Hollister hitting a sideslam.
Brick City began working over Hollister in their corner and stomped on him. Doug got a hot tag at 6:30, and he hit a series of back elbows on Cruz, then the mid-ring Slice of Love (Sliced Bread) for a nearfall. They fought in the corner; Doug shoved Julio to the mat. Chase stopped Doug from diving. However, Doug hit a Blockbuster on Cruz for a nearfall at 9:00. Chase jumped in and hit some kicks on both babyfaces. Brick City hit their team splash on Doug for a believable nearfall. Chase hit a powerslam on Doug for a nearfall.
Hollister finally got a hot tag at 11:30, and he hit some German Suplexes. He hit running splashes in opposite corners on each opponent. He hit an Angle Slam, then a pop-up powerbomb on Cruz for a nearfall. Doug threw rose petals in Cruz’s face as a distraction, then Big Business hit a Team 3D for a believable nearfall. Chase again knocked Doug off the top rope. Hollister was thrown into a turnbuckle, and Chase also threw him into the ring post!
Brick City hit “Business Is Booming” (team Bulldog Powerslam) on Doug for another believable nearfall at 14:30. Big Business hit a team suplex on Chase. Cruz crotched Hollister around the ring post. He grabbed tape and tied Hollister’s legs together as they were around the ring post! Brick City hit a team Chokeslam on Doug, then a “Brick End” flying elbow drop to pin Doug. Hollister was unable to free his legs in time to break it up. Brother Greatness said the finish was “absolutely disgusting.”
“Brick City” Julio Cruz and Victor Chase defeated “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug at 16:51.
9. Bear Bronson vs. 23 Hazard in a no-DQ match for the Wrestling Open Title. I didn’t check the betting markets, but I wouldn’t wager on 23 Hazard pulling off the upset. Bronson is coming off a stellar tag match last Saturday in Los Angeles for GCW. Hazard had a chair and charged at the bell, but Bear knocked him down. Hazard stalled on the floor, and the crowd taunted him. Bear followed, and they brawled at ringside. They fought on the floor for several minutes, with Bronson in charge. Bear jabbed the chair into the ribs at 4:00.
Back in the ring, Hazard hit a crossbody block into the corner at 7:00, then a DDT for a nearfall. Bear threw Hazard head-first into a steel chair at 9:00. He hit a running splash into the corner, then another. Bronson hit a bodyslam onto a dog collar chain, then his butt drop to the sternum for a nearfall. The Breadwinners ran to ringside to assist Hazard! Hazard hit a powerbomb onto an open chair for a nearfall at 11:30. Bear got angry and pulled down the straps of his singlet. He nailed a Choke Bomb for a nearfall, but the Breadwinners jumped in the ring for the save.
Patrick Wheatman hit some chairshots to the back. Hazard hit a discus forearm at 13:00, but Bear popped up at the one-count and hit some clotheslines on all three heels! (Brother Greatness showed great fire on commentary, too!) Wheatman got a wrench. Brother Greatness ran into the ring and took it away. Hazard swung a chair and missed. Bear immediately hit a Black Hole Slam and the Fire Thunder Driver for the pin. Good brawl.
Bear Bronson defeated 23 Hazard in a no-DQ match to retain the Wrestling Open Title at 15:05.
* TJ Crawford popped into the ring, hit the Silver Bullet spin kick to the head, then slammed Bronson! He posed with the belt over his head and a foot on Bronson’s chest.
Final Thoughts: I really liked that Casale-Stetson match, and it earned my pick for best match. (Have I ever given that spot to Stetson before?) I’ll go with the Big Business tag match for second. The main event was a solid brawl, but I have just never seen Hazard as even a mid-carder, so it was hard to buy him as a legit threat to win the title. I loved the TJ Crawford post-match attack! Crawford is a great choice to be the next foil for Bronson, and it was time for TJ to move on from his feud with Big Business. This was totally the right call.
Aura-Aviles was pleasantly good, too. Kylie continues to do an admirable job leading the women’s division. Negatives tonight? Until Wheatman and McGuiness put on some size, they have no business lasting longer than three minutes in a match. I don’t mind them being cocky doofuses who think they are good, only to be torn apart… but I don’t buy them as legit threats to beat… well, anyone, really.
I watched this live; it should be available on IWTV at some point on Friday.
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