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.
West Coast Pro “Larger Than Life” in San Francisco, California on January 10, 2025 (free on YouTube)
WCPW just switched from airing their shows, going from IWTV to Highspots, so this whole show is not available to me. However, WCPW posted two of the matches on Tuesday for free on YouTube. This venue has busy artwork on the walls, and the chandeliers are too close to the ring, but they have a hot crowd of perhaps 200-250.
Zara Zakher vs. B3cca for the West Coast Pro Women’s Title. Zara is the WWE ID prospect who is a short powerhouse, and she recently beat Takumi Iroha to win this belt. B3cca flew back and forth from coast to coast this weekend to appear on this show. International pop star B3cca sang her way to the ring. An intense lockup to open. B3cca slapped her in the face, getting a “you f—ed up!” chant from the crowd. Zara hit a basement dropkick. B3cca hit a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 1:30, then a running knee in the corner for a nearfall, then a snap suplex at 3:00, then another one, and she celebrated and was booed.
Zakher hit her own suplex, then a spinebuster, then an enzuigiri and a German Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall at 5:00. They traded rollups. (A five-minute call was more than a minute late!) Zakher hit a hard standing powerbomb. She hit a running knee for a believable nearfall. B3cca hit a doublestomp on the chest, then a TKO stunner for a nearfall at 8:00. She mounted Zara and hit some forearms to the face. B3cca hit a Flatliner and applied a leg lock submission hold around the neck. She hit a superkick, but Zara did a backflip into a stunner for the pin!
Zara Zakher defeated B3cca to retain the West Coast Pro Women’s Title at 10:00 even.
* Johnnie Robbie got in the ring and confronted Zara, indicating she wants a future title shot.
Titus Alexander vs. Kevin Blackwood for the West Coast Pro Heavyweight Title. Titus just returned from a NOAH tour in Japan. Kevin charged and hit a Helluva Kick before the bell! Titus hit a dropkick, then a suplex for a nearfall. They brawled to the floor and through the crowd. They got back into the ring, where Blackwood hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall at 3:00, then a stiff kick to the spine, and another. Titus hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. They fought in the corner, where Kevin hit a top-rope back suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. Titus hit a uranage and a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Blackwood hit a German Suplex for a nearfall.
They traded forearm strikes. Kevin hit a spin kick to the head; Titus hit a superkick and a running knee at 9:00, and they were both down. Titus got an inside cradle for a nearfall, then a Panama Sunrise destroyer, then a Lethal Injection for a believable nearfall at 11:00. Judas Icarus and Travis Williams appeared at ringside, but Daniel Garcia and Starboy Charlie showed up and they all brawled to the back. Titus hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor. Alan Angels also tried to interfere. As Titus got into the ring, Kevin hit a running knee and a brainbuster for a believable nearfall. He hit a Tombstone Piledriver for another believable nearfall.
Kevin came off the top rope, but Titus caught him with a superkick, then a running knee, then the Chaos Theory rolling German suplex for a believable nearfall at 13:30. This crowd was HOT and chanted “West Coast!” Angels tripped Titus! Kevin hit a running knee, a Mafia Kick, and his top-rope doublestomp to the collarbone for the pin! New champion! The crowd was livid! Angels jumped in the ring and celebrated with Blackwood. This was tremendous action.
Kevin Blackwood defeated Ttus Alexander to win the West Coast Pro Heavyweight Title at 14:22.
Demand Lucha “A Very Merry Lucha X-Mas” in Toronto, Ontario on December 19, 2024 (IWTV)
This show was just released this week. They always draw a good crowd of maybe 400-450 and they are hot and into the action. Lighting could be a bit better.
Sidney Akeem vs. Gringo Loco for the DDT Universal Title. This was the co-main event. They immediately worked each other’s left arm and traded lucha moves with a standoff at 2:00. Akeem hit a huracanrana off the ropes, then a dive through the ropes onto Loco. He hit some kicks to the gut as they fought on the floor. In the ring, Akeem hit a dropkick at 5:00. Loco hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall, and he choked Akeem in the ropes. He hit a flipping axe kick for a nearfall at 7:30 and remained in charge. Sidney hit a top-rope crossbody block, getting great height on the move. Loco hit his split-legged moonsault for a nearfall at 10:00. Loco got a ‘lucha-door’ from under the ring, and he hit Akeem with a chair.
They brawled back to the floor, with Loco still in charge. Back in the ring, he set up a door bridge. Sidney moved, and Loco missed a top-rope corkscrew splash and crashed through the door bridge at 14:00. Akeem hit his twisting crossbody block, then a step-up mule kick, then a top-rope moonsault on a standing Loco for a nearfall at 15:30. He went for the Final Act, but Loco caught him and nailed a German Suplex, then a decapitating clothesline for a believable nearfall. Loco nailed his second-rope Falcon Arrow for a believable nearfall at 17:30. Akeem hit a superkick and a top-rope corkscrew seated senton. He then nailed the Final Act for a believable nearfall, but Loco grabbed the ropes at 19:00! Loco hit a top-rope inverted Olympic Slam for the pin! That was every bit as good as I hoped for.
Gringo Loco defeated Sidney Akeem to retain the DDT Universal Title at 20:15.
Lince Dorado vs. Jack Cartwheel in a Premier Championship Unification match. Dorado got on the mic and said he “already beat the shit out of your champion, so shut up and let me talk,” and he was immediately booed. Dorado noted he competed in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic, and he got signed after his showing there. They immediately traded punches while both still wearing their robes! They brawled at ringside as they got those robes off. Jack did a cartwheel-into-a-kick on the floor, then a slingshot senton for a nearfall in the ring. The commentators talked about Cartwheel’s WWE ID contract, as Jack hit some bodyslams, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 2:30.
Dorada hit a Frankensteiner out of the corner, then a dive over the top rope onto Jack. In the ring, he hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee at 4:30 and he remained in charge. He hit a dropkick and applied a rear-naked choke. Jack hit some dropkicks then a handspring-back-elbow at 8:00, then his rolling Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Jack nailed the Sasake Special to the floor and that popped the crowd. Dorado hit a Lethal Injection and a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall at 10:30, then a powerslam and a nice Tiger Driver (butterfly powerbomb) for a nearfall. He went for a moonsault, but Jack got his feet up to block it. Lince hit a nice top-rope Shooting Star Press for a nearfall.
Lince slapped Jack in the face and was booed. Jack hit a German Suplex. Lince accidentally hit the ref, but then he intentionally hit the ref! Jack hit his own Shooting Star Press for a visual pin at 15:00 but we had no ref! Jack ducked being hit by the belt, and he nailed a superkick! Lince pulled off his mask, threw it at Jack, and fell to the mat! That’s a new way to do the ‘Eddie spot!’ The ref got up, saw Jack holding the mask, and called for the bell! Lince wins both titles! The crowd HATED this outcome! Fun because of the crowd reaction. Jack’s one-year title reign is over! Really good match.
Lince Dorado defeated Jack Cartwheel via DQ to unify the Premier Championships at 16:21.
Zowa “Help I’m Alive” in Nelson, Illinois on January 11, 2025 (IWTV)
This city is about an hour’s drive west of Chicago along the I-80 corridor (if you were headed west to Des Moines). This is a big VFW hall-type building, and the crowd was maybe 150. I watched clips of some of the matches and generally, the wrestling quality isn’t what I’d prefer. However, this one match intrigued me.
Blair Onyx vs. Ashlyn Alexander. This was mid-show. Blair is similar to Tatum Paxley for being spooky/scary; she has lost a lot of weight in the past year, looks great, and just had two matches on ROH TV, and she wore her Spider-Woman themed gear. I’ve compared Ashlyn to Piper Niven in size and strength, and she’s a babyface here. (I’ve only seen her as a heel.) An intense lockup to open, and Blair stalled in the ropes. Ashlyn hit a running splash into the corner at 1:30. They went to the floor, where Ashlyn chopped her in front of the fans.
In the ring, Blair took control and hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall at 4:30, then a Flatliner, and she locked in a submission hold around Ashlyn’s neck. Ashlyn hit a running body block as Blair was in the ropes at 7:00. She hit a punch that had Blair lean backward, but she bridged back up, looking scary. Blair hit a DDT for a nearfall. Ashlyn hit a pumphandle twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. Blair got a rollup with her feet on the ropes at 9:00, but the ref saw it. Blair argued with the ref; it allowed Ashlyn to hit a headbutt and a Saito Suplex for the pin. I liked this.
Ashlyn Alexander defeated Blair Onyx at 9:27.
North Shore Pro Wrestling “Kick Off 2025” in Quebec City, Quebec on January 11, 2025 (IWTV)
Again, Quebec City is northeast of Montreal. I’ve seen a few shows from this venue, and they draw quite well. Lighting is good, and there is English commentary.
“Fresh Air” Macrae Martin and Junior Benito vs. “Le Pacte” Alex Silva and Kevin Blanchard for the IWTV Tag Team Titles. This actually was the show-opener. I haven’t seen Le Pacte before. Blanchard wears white paint all over his head, and he opened against Benito, and Kevin hit a doublestomp on Benito on the floor. Macrae tagged in; he had an injury recently so I don’t think they’ve defended the title often of late. He fought Silva, who has the overall look of Josh Woods, and I’m impressed. Macrae flipped Benito onto Silva for a nearfall at 4:00. Le Pacte began working over Macrae.
Blanchard hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 7:00. Le Pacte did a ‘wish-bone’ on Martin’s legs. Macrae hit a back suplex. Benito got the hot tag and hit a forward Finlay Roll and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Silva hit a running knee. Macrae hit a spin kick. FA hit a team slam on Blanchard for a nearfall at 10:30. Blanchard hit a top-rope superplex on Junior. He put Benito on his shoulders and spun him to the mat. Fresh Air hit a team stunner move on Silva, with Junior making the pin. Good action.
Junior Benito and Macrae Martin defeated Alex Silva and Kevin Blanchard to retain the IWTV Tag Team Titles at 12:18.
Stu Grayson vs. Mike Marston in a street fight. This was mid-show. I’ve noted that Marston’s overall cowboy look makes me think of Outlaw Ron Bass, but Marston is slender with a great physique. The bell rang and they glared at each other from across the ring. They rolled to the floor and got doors and garbage cans. They got into the ring and finally started brawling at 2:30, and Stu hit a dropkick. He got a kendo stick and struck Mike’s back. Marston hit a garbage can over Stu’s head at 4:00. They brawled to the floor and fought at ringside. Stu hip-tossed Marston through a board leaning against a guardrail at 6:00. In the ring, they took turns whacking each other with weapons.
Stu suplexed Marston onto a garbage can for a nearfall at 9:30. Stu hit a top-rope 450 Splash onto Marston, who was on board, for a nearfall. Marston hit a plancha to the floor at 12:00 and they were both down. They brawled on the floor for a few minutes. As they got in the ring, Stu got an inside cradle and scored the pin! I am unclear if Marston suffered a legit injury on that plancha, or if that was the planned finish all along. Decent brawl, even though not my preferred style. I consider Stu to be one of those guys who never got the shot he deserved in AEW.
Stu Grayson defeated Mike Marston at 14:35.
Remarkable Wrestling “Halloween Haunted Havoc 3” in Hesconset, New York on October 18, 2024 (IWTV)
This is now a few months old but it was just released on IWTV in the past week. This is a dark room and it was dressed with spooky decorations. Lighting is far below average; that will turn off a viewer who wants to sample this show. The crowd was maybe 100.
Sage Chantz vs. Kylie Paige in an intergender match. This match went on second. As I’ve noted, I hadn’t watched any NWA in 2024, but I’ve also said the women’s division was the only reason to watch it, and that includes the young, talented Kylie. I don’t know Sage; he’s a scrawny, thin white kid and he wears a generic black T-shirt. Even though it looks like he’s never seen a weight room before, he still has a height and overall size advantage, as Kylie is listed at 5’2″ and she’s maybe 115 pounds. He slapped her in the face to open, so she hit a harder one back and rolled him up for a nearfall. She hit a running buttbump that sent him to the floor at 1:30.
In the ring, he hit a crossbody block to her back as she was in the ropes, and he made a cocky cover. He choked her in the ropes and kept her grounded. He hit a double-handed chop at 4:30. He put her on his shoulders, but Kylie turned it into a DDT. They got up and traded forearm strikes. She suplexed him into the corner at 7:00 and was fired up. She hit a running buttbump and got a nearfall. He hit a running knee, then a sideslam for a nearfall. He hit a running kick to her sternum and got a nearfall at 9:00. Kylie hit a German Suplex and a running knee for a believable nearfall. They fought to the floor, and he slammed her into the guardrail. He hit a frogsplash for the pin. Very watchable match. I hope to see more of her on the indy scene.
Sage Chantz defeated Kylie Paige at 11:05.
Dezmond Cole vs. KC Navarro for the Remarkable Championship. This was mid-show. KC rolled to the floor before locking up. They finally locked up at 3:00 and KC kept them grounded. Cole hit a spin kick to the head that dropped Navarro, and Dezmond got a jackknife cover. Dezmond nailed a Michinoku Driver at 7:30, and Navarro rolled to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, Navarro hit some punches and kept Cole grounded. KC hit a dropkick at 9:30. Cole fired up and hit some clotheslines, then a split-legged stunner.
Navarro hit a doublestomp on the collarbone for a nearfall at 11:30. Cole hit a Lionsault Press on a standing Navarro. This has been really good. Dezmond hit a Helluva Kick, then a kick to the face in the corner, then a German Suplex and his Rolling Thunder leg drop for a nearfall at 14:00. KC hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Cole hit a superkick, then he got a rollup for the clean pin. Fun match.
Dezmond Cole defeated KC Navarro to retain the Remarkable Title at 15:41.
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