By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 127”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
June 6, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
The crowd appears to be in the 250-300 range. Paul Crockett and Brother Greatness provided commentary.
* We opened with some vignettes of the tag teams talking outside. The Eliminator Cup Tag Team Tournament will begin NEXT Thursday. (It was postponed a week due to some scheduling issues.)
1. Love, Doug (w/TJ Crawford) defeated Isaiah Broner at 6:47. Doug has joined Big Business and he looks absolutely miserable. Broner has a significant size and muscle mass advantage; again I compare him to Ezekiel Jackson. Doug threw rose petals in Broner’s face to open. “I don’t know if that’s a wise strategy,” Crockett said. Doug tried a plancha but Broner caught him and threw him into the ring. Doug immediately hit a plancha! In the ring, Broner hit a Black Hole Slam for a nearfall at 2:00. They traded chops; Broner got a nearfall after a hard chop, then a suplex for a nearfall. He hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 4:30, then an F5 for a believable nearfall. Doug hit some running knees and a Rebound Lariat for the pin.
* Outside, Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes made fun of their first-round opponents, Above the Rest. Back in the ring, Bryce Donovan stormed in the door!
2. Bryce Donovan defeated Tate Mayfairs at 4:41. Tate is British and this is a debut for him here. (Donovan’s matches have increased in difficulty each week; these aren’t squash opponents anymore.) Tate hit some forearms and punches to open. Bryce hit a Mafia Kick and was still putting his wrist tape on. Bryce hip-tossed Tate across the ring, then whipped him into the corner, and Donovan was in full control. Tate hit a superkick and a Superman’s Punch at 2:30, but Bryce immediately hit a Black Hole Slam. Mayfairs hit a coast-to-coast forearm, but Bryce hit a powerbomb, a hard clothesline, and a modified Storm Breaker for the pin. Good while it lasted.
* Once again, “Smart” Mark Sterling came to the ring and tried to interview Bryce. He asked him if his benefactor is “someone you have history with.” Bryce walked out the door and slammed it in Mark’s face.
* Backstage, Victor Chase asked Julio Cruz if he was cool with Love, Doug joining the group. Julio said he’s “a man of his word.” Doug, Brad Hollister and TJ Crawford walked up, and Brad was enthusiastic and optimistic that “they are back.”
3. Megan Bayne defeated Joseline Navarro at 7:09. I just saw Navarro wrestle in AIW in Cleveland a few days ago. Bayne is on a roll in recent weeks, beating several men (including Joey Janela, Alec Price and Mike Bailey!) and women (including Allie Katch) across multiple promotions. Megan pushed her into the corner and hit a series of knee strikes, then a double underhook suplex at 2:00, then a bodyslam. Navarro hit a basement dropkick. Bayne went for an F5 but Navarro turned it into an X-Factor Faceplant for a nearfall at 5:00. Bayne hit an Exploder Suplex and a German Suplex that popped Brother Greatness, then a Fallaway Slam for a believable nearfall. Navarro hit a shotgun dropkick. Megan hit a leaping clothesline, then the Tombstone Piledriver for the clean pin. That was really good.
* Allie Katch came out immediately after the match ended and she confronted Bayne. She wants another match against Bayne. Megan said that Allie must beat an opponent of Megan’s choice next week to get a re-match. We then flipped to a video package of the feud between Gal and Pedro Dones.
4. Gal defeated Pedro Dones at 8:07. Gal attacked as Dones slid into the ring and they immediately brawled. Gal choked him on the mat while doing push-ups at 2:30 and was in charge. Gal hit a bodyslam and playfully kicked at Dones on the mat. Gal hit a flying shoulder block from the apron to the floor and was fired up. He hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Gal hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall at 7:30, then a spear. He hit a second spear for the clean pin. That was a DOMINANT win. “I’m stunned,” Crockett said. “It’s really hard to watch what we just saw. He practically broke the guy in half.” Brother Greatness added, “It’s devastating.” I love this; sometimes you need a shocking one-sided win.
5. Ichiban defeated Delirious at 9:06. This is Delirious’ Wrestling Open debut and I have been a huge fan for a full 20 years now, and he still looks great. (I really don’t know why he isn’t also competing in TNA on a regular basis.) As per usual, Delirious was a statue, then went crazy at the bell, and he jawed at Ichiban in his own lizard tongue. Ichiban hit some deep armdrags and a dropkick to the face. Delirious hit a missile dropkick to the back at 2:30 and took control. Ichiban hit a Stinger Splash and hit his “1” punches in the corner. Delirious hit a high back suplex and raked Ichiban’s back at 4:30, and he choked Ichiban with his tassels. He jawed with fans as Crockett listed some of Delirious’ past opponents.
They traded chops. Ichiban stomped on the bare feet and got a rollup for a nearfall at 6:30, then a handspring-back-elbow in the corner and a missile dropkick, then a shotgun dropkick. Delirious nailed the Panic Attack running knee, then the Shadows Over Hell backsplash for a believable nearfall. (Crockett doesn’t know the names of Delirious’ signature moves!) They got up and traded chops. Ichiban hit a hard dropkick and they were both down at 8:30. Delirious hit a thrust jab to the throat. However, Ichiban nailed his leaping Flatliner for the clean pin. That was such a blast.
* A video package aired leading up to our next match. The common theme is that Max Caster kept cheating without Bobby Orlando being aware of it, and when Bobby saw it, he didn’t approve of it.
6. “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller defeated “Shook Crew” Bobby Orlando and Max Caster to retain the IWTV Tag Team Titles at 10:33. This match has a 60-minute time limit; a normal match here is just 10 minutes (except the main event is usually 20 minutes.) Caster wore an Acclaimed shirt. “Who hasn’t the Miracle Generation beaten in independent wrestling?” Crockett asked. Orlando and Dustin traded offense and had a standoff. Caster tagged in at 1:30 and was booed. Kylon hit a rolling cannonball on Max for a nearfall. Max began working over Dustin. He threw Dustin in the corner, but Bobby refused to take a cheap shot on Waller.
Kylon got in and hit a German Suplex on Max at 6:30, then two more. He hit a missile dropkick. Bobby hit a top-rope crossbody block and some bodyslams and he was fired up. Orlando hit a Death Valley Driver on Waller or a nearfall at 8:00. Caster made a blind tag and was booed again. Waler hit a Lethal Injection on Caster, and Kylon hit a moonsault for a nearfall. Waller hit a superkick on Orlando. MG hit a team powerbomb on Orlando for a nearfall at 9:30. Orlando sat down to reverse a sunset flip; Max tried to grab Bobby’s arms for leverage but Orlando yanked his arm free! Waller got a rollup on Orlando for the pin.
* Max got on the mic but the crowd chanted profanities at him. Max told Orlando that he disappointed Max and all the fans by not winning the belts tonight. He stormed out of the ring. “All Bobby wanted to do was win in a positive fashion,” Brother Greatness said. Orlando got on the mic and said he is sick and tired of the name-calling and Max talking “down on me,” and he’s sick of being called a disappointment. Orlando said he wants a one-on-one match with Caster next week!!
* Ray Jaz got in the mic; more profanities from the crowd before he spoke. Then they chanted, “Oh, go back to Jersey!”
7. Dezmond Cole vs. Ray Jaz ended in a time-limit draw at 10:00 even. Cole is the Ricochet clone and he is competing with Ichiban for the biggest babyface here. Jaz hit shoulder blocks to the gut in the corner and was in charge early on. Cole hit a moonsault press and a dropkick that sent Jaz to the floor at 3:00. Dezmond dove through the ropes onto Jaz. Cole leapt off the ropes but Jaz caught him with a leg lariat! Jaz hit a sliding guillotine legdrop and took control. He hit a snap suplex, then a back suplex for a nearfall at 7:00. He hit a gut-wrench suplex for a nearfall and Jaz was frustrated he didn’t win there.
Jaz set Cole on the top turnbuckle and he hit an impressive leaping dropkick at 9:00, and right on cue, we were told we had one minute remaining. Dezmond hit a top-rope corkscrew splash and some kicks, then a suplex and he was fired up. He hit a rolling guillotine legdrop for a nearfall. Jaz locked up Cole’s legs, but Dezmond held on until the clock expired. Brother Greatness wondered if Cole would have been able to escape if he wasn’t saved by the time limit. They continued to brawl to the back! (I appreciate that the clock was right on. My time is usually within two seconds of their announced match time, as it should be!)
8. “Big Business” TJ Crawford, Victor Chase, and Julio Cruz (w/Brad Hollister & Love Doug) defeated Ryan Clancy, Gabriel Skye, and Alec Price at 13:06. Yeah, this is a star-studded match, and Price’s babyface pop matches what Ichiban and Dezmond Cole received. Cruz and Clancy opened. Crawford entered and battled Skye. Price tagged in and hit a loud chop on TJ at 2:30, and they traded reversals. Victor was the last man to enter at 4:30 and he beat down Price, and the heels began working over Alec. TJ and Cruz hit a team suplex on Alec at 6:00. The heels then began working over Clancy. Skye got a hot tag and hit some quick kicks at 9:00, then a top-rope double dropkick.
Skye hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall but Victor made the save. Price hit a top-rope flying leg drop, then a half-nelson suplex, then a springboard crossbody block at 10:30. Clancy hit a plancha but was caught, so Price dove onto all the heels. Doug pulled Julio off the apron! Julio was livid at him! Skye dove through the ropes onto the heels! Skye hit a frogsplash on Cruz for a believable nearfall at 12:30. TJ tried to get in but Skye kicked him in the face. Julio and Chase hit a team Bulldog Powerslam move to pin Skye! That came out of nowhere; I presumed the babyfaces were winning to create more dissension among the heels. That said, Julio needed to be held back from going after Doug! Good match.
* Brother Greatness got in the ring and reminded Victor Chase and Julio Crew that they will be fighting the Church of Greatness in the first round of the Eliminator Cup. Cruz pushed Chase to the mat and stormed off!
Final Thoughts: Easily one of the best Wrestling Open shows in a long time. I loved Delirious-Ichiban for best match. Delirious’ brand of humor just works for me, and I’m generally not a guy who likes comedy in action. Delirious had a training session in the afternoon and I hope he had a great turnout; he has a great mind for the business. Cole-Jaz was really good and was better than other recent main events. I’ll go with MG vs. Caster and Orlando for third. That strong main event only gets honorable mention, which speaks volumes about how good this show was.
I’ve written this for three straight weeks, but it really feels like Wrestling Open is the place to be seen on the indy scene. We’re consistently seeing wrestlers from outside the area coming in; tonight we had Isaiah Broner, Joseline Navarro, Delirious and Tate Mayfair. The storylines here usually work for me and this was a strong episode there, too. I love Pedro Dones suddenly being in self-doubt just weeks after his big title match. I love the continued questions about who is Bryce Donovan’s mysterious benefactor. And undoubtedly, Caster vs. Orlando next week will pack this building and will have the crowd fully into it. Definitely check out this show.
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