By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is so much good indy wrestling out there, there is far more than I can possibly watch. So, in this review, I’m popping in on multiple recent indy shows and watching just one or two matches from each show that interest me. The reality is I wasn’t going to get to watch every match from every one of these shows! I picked out matches with top names we’ve seen on TV, some top indy names, and WWE ID prospects.
Barrie Wrestling, “Walking In A Weapon Wonderland,” Barrie, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 7, 2024 (IWTV)
Barrie is located about a 90-minute drive straight north of Toronto. This looks like an elementary school gym at a private school (crosses on the wall!) with a stage against one wall. The crowd is maybe 150-200. The lights are on and this is easy to see.
Josh Alexander vs. Myung-Jae Lee. This match was actually mid-show. Lee is South Korean, and I’ve seen him on multiple occasions on Canadian shows and a few in the Upper Midwest. The commentators noted this is Josh’s final indy match, as Josh recently announced he wasn’t going to be taking indy dates in 2025. Josh is taller and thicker; Lee stalled on the floor as the crowd chanted, “walking weapon!” In the ring, Josh backed him into a corner and repeatedly punched Lee. Josh hit a suplex at 4:00. Lee repeatedly rammed Josh’s head into the turnbuckles. Josh hit two consecutive German Suplexes.
Josh hit his flying crossbody block as Lee was in the ropes at 7:00. Lee hit a top-rope missile dropkick, then a uranage for a nearfall. Josh applied an ankle lock, then he hit a forward Finlay Roll, then a stiff backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 10:00. Lee hit a running knee for a nearfall. Josh put him on his shoulders and spun him to the mat for a nearfall, then Alexander immediately re-applied the ankle lock. Lee hit a low blow kick, then another running knee, and scored the tainted pin! I didn’t expect that! The commentator said it was “one of the greatest upsets in Barrie Wrestling history.” The crowd gave him a standing ovation, as Josh Alexander left his headgear in the center of the ring. Nice touch.
Myung-Jae Lee defeated Josh Alexander at 12:10.
North Shore Pro Wrestling, “Final Chapter 2024,” Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, Dec. 7 (IWTV)
Quebec City is nearly a three-hour drive northeast of Montreal, so this show has a completely different roster than the Barrie Wrestling event (listed above.) Lights are low but this appears to be a good crowd of maybe 500. Ring introductions are in French, but there is an English commentary team. (One of them sounds like Pat Patterson as he has the French-sounding English accent that Pat had.)
Kristara vs. Loue O’Farrell (w/Vlada) for the NSPW Junior Heavyweight Title This was mid-show. Kristara has competed recently in Wrestling Open in Massachusetts and is on a lot of Canada shows I see. I think I’ve seen O’Farrell just once; she’s of average size with black hair that reaches her shoulders. They are both about 5’4″. Loue slapped the ring announcer! Kristara hit a spinning heel kick that sent Loue to the floor. In the ring, Loue mounted Kristara and repeatedly punched her and kept Kristara grounded. She applied a half-crab at 3:30, but Kristara reached the ropes. Loue hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Kristara fired up and hit a series of chops in the corner. Kristara hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor on Vlada, and she hit more chops on Loue at ringside, then some roundhouse kicks to Loue’s chest. In the ring, Kristara hit more kicks to the chest and kept Loue grounded. Loue applied a Dragon Sleeper at 10:00, but Kristara powered up and reached the ropes. Loue hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Vlada grabbed the title belt, but the ref ejected her before she could do anything with it. Kristara hit a running kick to the chin and scored the pin. Fun match.
Kristara defeated Loue O’Farrell to retain the NSPW Junior Heavyweight Title at 12:35.
Trevor Lee vs. Matt Angel. This was the co-main event. I just saw Angel for the first time; he’s white with dark hair and made me think of a young Paul London, or maybe NJPW’s Oskar Leube (but not nearly that tall!) I just watched a show where Lee was competing in Australia weeks ago, and now he’s here in Canada, so he’s certainly in-demand post-WWE run. Good mat reversals early on; Trevor is notably thicker and he worked Matt’s left arm. Trevor hit a running penalty kick on the ring apron at 4:30. On the floor, he slammed Matt back-first across the guardrail! Back in the ring, Lee remained in charge; the commentators noted he has a “cocky swagger.” Lee hit some Yes Kicks to the chest at 9:00, but it just fired Angel up. They traded forearm strikes, and Angel hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread.
Angel dove through the ropes onto Lee, then he hit a second dive. In the ring, Lee went for a German Suplex, but Angel rotated mid-air and landed on his feet, and Matt hit a German Suplex at 11:00! Lee hit a decapitating clothesline and a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Angel hit a dropkick and a Buzzsaw Kick. Lee hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall, and they were both down at 13:30. This has been really good. Lee hit a German Suplex. Angel hit a second-rope stunner and a Helluva Kick, then the Falling Angel (Spanish Fly move out of the corner) for the pin. Really good action; I’ve been impressed with two Angel matches in the past week.
Matt Angel defeated Trevor Lee at 14:39.
Travis Toxic vs. Stu Grayson for the NSPW Title. This was the main event. Toxic also is bald with a beard that is a bit shorter than Stu’s, and he’s maybe two inches shorter than Stu. Standing switches early on and they worked each other’s left arm. Toxic hit a huracanrana and a missile dropkick at 1:30. Stu hit a huracanrana and a dropkick that sent Toxic to the apron, so Stu hit a senton onto him at 3:00. In the ring, Stu hit a belly-to-belly release suplex and he celebrated. Stu hit a release German Suplex at 6:30 and remained in charge and kept Toxic grounded. He hit an Irish Whip at 10:30 and celebrated some more.
Toxic hit a running back elbow that sent Stu to the floor, then he nailed a flip dive over the ropes onto Stu at 12:30. He hit a top-rope crossbody block, but Stu caught him and hit an F5 slam for a nearfall. Stu nailed a 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. Stu put Toxic on his shoulders, but Toxic escaped. Stu shoved the ref into the corner and into Toxic at 15:30; one commentator said that should be a DQ. Stu nailed a running knee. Mike Marston got into the ring and confronted Stu! They brawled, and Mike clotheslined him to the floor, then hit a plancha onto him. In the ring, Mike hit a Mafia Kick, then he left! Both Toxic and the ref slowly got up. Toxic hit a Canadian Destroyer, then a top-rope Shooting Star Press for the pin! Good match.
Travis Toxic defeated Stu Grayson to retain the NSPW Title at 18:23.
Graphouse, “Popular Demand,” Las Vegas, Nev., Nov. 2, 2024 (IWTV)
I watched one of their shows recently; it was from early September but was just released on IWTV. This is an outdoor show that gives it a gritty backyard wrestling vibe, as there is a tall wood fence around the lot. Unfortunately, there might only be 50 people in attendance; I just don’t understand how everyone gets paid with a draw this small. Lighting is better than expected for it being outside at night.
G Sharpe vs. Trish Adora in an intergender match. G Sharpe is a big Black man who has competed for New Japan Strong, and he’s bigger than Trish. He immediately brought her to the mat and twisted her left leg. She went to work on tying up his arms, and she snapped the right arm backward at 3:00. She tied him up in an Octopus Stretch with Sharpe upside-down. Sharpe stomped on her left elbow and worked her damaged arm. He hit an enzuigiri, then a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a Sliced Bread out of the corner and immediately locked in a Triangle Choke, but she reached the ropes.
They traded roundhouse kicks to the arms, then simultaneous clotheslines. She hit a clothesline and they were both down, and of course the crowd was fully behind her. She hit her German Suplex while on her knees, then another one. She hit a Straitjacket German Suplex and scored the pin! Good intergender action.
Trish Adora defeated G Sharpe at 11:59.
“Los Suavicitos” Ricky Gee, Danny Rose, and Adrian Quest vs. Koda Hernandez, Davey Bang, and August Matthews. I was surprised to see these three topnotch Chicago-based talents had headed out to Las Vegas to face SoCal’s Los Suavicitos. Quest and Matthews opened. Bang and Rose locked up at 2:00; they are the shortest men on each squad, and they traded faster-paced offense. Koda entered at 5:30 for the first time and he slammed teammate Bang onto Gee, then Koda got the nearfall. Los Suavicitos hit some quick team offense on Koda and kept him grounded. Rose cut Koda off from being able to tag out at 10:30. Koda eventually tagged in Bang, who hit a handspring-back-elbow on Quest.
Bang hit a slingshot senton and a frogsplash for a nearfall. Rose and Gee hit stereo dives through the ropes to the floor at 13:30. In the ring, Matthews hit a Blockbuster, and Koda hit a DDT on Quest on the apron. Bang hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor, while Matthews hit a flip dive to the floor on the opposite side. In the ring, Koda hit an Angel’s Wings faceplant for a believable nearfall at 15:30. Quest hit a Canadian Destroyer on Matthews, then a Spinebuster on Bang. Rose hit a Swanton Bomb. Suddenly, all six were down. They all got up and brawled. Davey Bang nailed a Poison Rana. Koda hit a second-rope Exploder Suplex. Bang and Matthews hit their team top-rope doublestomps. Bang nailed a top-rope Shooting Star Press for the pin! I’m a big surprised the visitors picked up the win! Good, messy match, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Koda Hernandez, Davey Bang, and August Matthews defeated Ricky Gee, Danny Rose, and Adrian Quest at 18:56.
Rhodes Wrestling Association, “RWA Fall Fury,” Leander, Texas, Nov. 21, 2024 (free on YouTube, released Dec. 2)
This is from a wrestling school in a warehouse with a really high ceiling, so fans are basically all seated on one side of the ring. The crowd is maybe 100-150. I saw several people had written comments on the youtube page saying they didn’t like the male commentator and I will agree with those sentiments, and I’ll leave it at that.
* Dustin Rhodes came to the ring to open the show and got a standing ovation. Dustin thanked them for coming out and he said “these kids are busting their asses.” Their next show will be Dec. 19.
Vert Vixen vs. Sophia Rose vs. Jael in a three-way. Rose is from Al Snow’s OVW and I just saw her compete in a Royal Rumble last weekend in Dreamwave Wrestling in Illinois. I consider Vert to be a top-10 women’s indy talent. Jael’s looks immediately made me think of Amale, the French woman who competed in NXT-UK; she wore black and taunted the crowd. They traded quick reversals. Vert hit some hard chops on Sophia. The annoying male commentator was openly rooting for Rose to lose. Vert did a Sabre-style neck snap between her ankles on Rose. Vert hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Jael for a nearfall at 5:00.
Rose hit a stunner on Vert for a nearfall. They did a tower spot out of the corner, and Vert got a nearfall on each opponent, and she kicked each opponent in the head. Vert hit a springboard spin kick. Sophia hit a top-rope moonsault on Vert for a nearfall at 8:30. Jael hit a Bulldog on Rose, then an inverted DDT for a nearfall. Vert hit a stunner on Jael. Rose went for another moonsault, but this time, Vert got her knees up. Vert hit a Brainbuster and pinned Rose.
Vert Vixen defeated Sophia Rose and Jael to become the inaugural RWA Women’s Champion at 10:41.
“The Texas Outlaws” Wayne Rhodes and Wyatt Rhodes vs. Romero Crews and RTJ. I tuned in to see the Rhodes brothers, who are the sons of Dustin Rhodes’ sister (and Cody’s half-sister.) Wyatt is blond with floppy hair and certainly reminds me of when I saw Dustin in WWE in 1990. Wayne has dark, shorter curly hair. Cagematch.net shows this is literally their FOURTH match. The heels attacked from behind and the action went to the floor. Wyatt hit a dropkick. The heels stalled on the floor and barked at the fans. In the ring, the heels worked over Wyatt.
Wayne got a hot tag at 7:30. RTJ hit a standing powerbomb on Wayne for a nearfall, then a uranage for a nearfall. RTJ hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 10:00. The masked Crews hit a clothesline. Wyatt got a hot tag at 12:30 and he hit a powerslam on RTJ. He dropped to his knees and hit an uppercut, then a bulldog. “I’m not gonna lie, I saw Dustin there for a second,” the male commentator said. All four traded punches while on their knees, then while standing. The Rhodeses hit a Team 3D, with Wyatt getting the pin. Decent match. They are certainly raw and young, but the potential and pedigree is definitely there.
Wayne Rhodes and Wyatt Rhodes defeated Romero Crews and RTJ at 14:43.
* Lucas Chase and another heel hopped in the ring and attacked the Rhodeses, so Dustin ran in to clear the ring to save his nephews!
Final Thoughts: Of these eight matches, Trevor Lee vs. Matt Angel was the best. The Joshua Alexander ‘farewell to the indies’ moment felt special, although the match wasn’t really a standout. I really liked seeing some of the best in Chicago take on the best of Los Angeles in that six-man tag at Graphouse in Las Vegas, so I’ll go with that for second place of these eight matches.
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