By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Defy Wrestling “Hundredth”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
February 7, 2025 from Seattle, Washington at Washington Hall
This is Defy’s eighth anniversary show, and it aired on Triller+. Rich Bocchini, Paul Lasabee and Swerve Strickland provided commentary, with Swerve putting over the Seattle wrestling scene and talking about being part of Defy’s inception and growth. As usual, this building is sold out with perhaps 500 fans in attendance.
* The show opened with a backstage promo from Ricky Starks, who challenged Kenta to a Defy World Title shot. He said everyone knows 2024 didn’t go his way, but he’s starting “the summer of Starks” in February! In another backstage segment, Arez and Gringo Loco were upset that they lost their tag titles, and they want a rematch in a three-way tag ladder match. Kenta then cut a promo, declaring he’s the best Defy champion of all time.
1. “The Sovereign” Travis Williams, Judas Icarus, and Evan Rivers vs. “Los Desperados” Arez, Gringo Loco, and Latigo in a ladder match for the Defy Tag Team Titles. Yes, the tag titles are being defended in six-man action. The luchadors all hit dives to the floor on the heels. Loco hit a split-legged moonsault on Icarus at 2:00. All six traded punches. In a neat spot, LD trapped the heels’ heads in a ladder and cranked back on it. Bocchini wondered if the winning team will have “Freebird Rules” as to who defends the belts going forward. Icarus hit a senton at 5:00. Williams put Loco on a horizontal ladder, and Judas hit a senton onto Loco. Latigo hit a top-rope superplex on Williams. Rivers hit a top-rope moonsault on Latigo at 8:00.
The heels opened the ladder, as Bocchini noted no one had gone for the belts yet. (Swerve left the booth here.) The heels all applied an Octopus Stretch, but the babyfaces hit slingshots to send the opponents into three ladders in different corners at 10:00. Loco hit a chairshot to Rivers’ back. Arez hit a top-rope doublestomp on Rivers, who was lying on a horizontal ladder at 12:00, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Loco hit a powerbomb on Icarus onto the horizontal ladder, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Loco hit a Canadian Destroyer. Icarus and Arez fought on the middle ladder and traded punches, and Arez put the ladder on Icarus’ bare feet! Arez hit a moonsault to the floor onto several guys at 16:30. In the ring, Latigo hit a Falcon Arrow on Icarus. LD set up a door bridge in the ring; Loco leapt off the top of a ladder and did a Swanton but he crashed through the door bridge. Icarus climbed the ladder and pulled down the belts to win. A really good opener.
Travis Williams, Judas Icarus, and Evan Rivers defeated Arez, Gringo Loco, and Latigo to retain the Defy Tag Team Titles at 18:45.
“Whose House?” played and the crowd popped, but then Ricochet walked through the curtain, wearing Jimmy Rave’s glamorous robe. The crowd chanted, “F— you, Trevor; you are bald!” They shouted him down as Ricochet tried to speak. They switched to “Swerve is gonna kill you!” Ricochet claimed that “Swerve is not here,” (but us watching on TV know he is!) The lights went out, and when they came back on, Swerve was in the ring behind Ricochet. We got a “You f—ed up!” chant, as Swerve speared Ricochet, mounted him and punched him. Swerve set up for the House Call but Ricochet raked Swerve’s eyes and ducked out of the ring. Prince Nana came up behind Ricochet and threw him in the ring, so Swerve could hit the House Call (step-up mule kick.) What a hot segment.
Swerve got on the mic and congratulated Defy on eight years, and he noted he was in the main event for day one. He said without their support, he doesn’t become an AEW champion. They played Swerve’s music so Nana could lead the crowd in a dance.
* Defy ‘match of the year’ No. 5 was Artemis Spencer vs. Mark Haskins from October.
2. “Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra vs. “C4” Cody Chhun and Guillermo Rosas. Two babyface teams; I’m still waiting for the day Rosas turns on Chhun, though! Bocchini said the BB “had a bit of an edge to them” the last time we saw them. Rosas and Gurv opened. C4 hit a team elbow drop and simultaneous dropkicks. They fought on the floor and BB hit Cody with a chain! Paul on commentary was shocked they did that. Cody sat up and he had a cut on his forehead, and they threw him into the ring at 5:00, and the crowd started to boo the BB, as they stomped on Cody and were displaying more heelish mannerisms. They hit a team suplex with Harv getting a nearfall at 7:00, and they took turns applying a chokehold on the mat.
Chhun finally hit a back suplex. Rosas got the hot tag and hit some shoulder blocks and he was fired up. He nailed a double clothesline at 9:30, then a bulldog-and-clothesline combo. Rosas hit an Angle Slam for a nearfall. Cody tagged back in and traded punches with Harv. However, Gurv was the legal man, snuck up from behind, and pinned Cody. Bocchini shouted that Gurv also hit a low blow; even upon seeing the replay, I didn’t see that. The Bollywood Boys continued to beat them up after the bell, and Gurv choked Rosas with the chain! They got canisters of spray paint and used it on C4’s backs.
“Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra defeated “C4” Guillermo Rosas and Cody Chhun at 11:59.
* Match of the year No. 4 was Kenta vs. Artemis Spencer from September.
3. Nick Wayne vs. Marcus Mathers. Intriguing… an AEW signed wrestler versus a WWE ID prospect. Mathers is 21, while Wayne I believe will turn 20 in June or July. An intense lockup to open. Wayne is 5-0 in past singles matches. They traded moves on the mat while still locked in a collar-and-elbow tie-up, and we had a standoff at 2:30. Wayne hit a flying back elbow, kipped up and was booed. He hit some chops and was in charge. They traded chops. Mathers went for a plancha, but Wayne caught him with a knee to the sternum at 5:30. Wayne hit some roundhouse kicks to the chest, then he ran the length of the apron and hit a doublestomp on Mathers’ chest as Marcus was seated in the front row.
In the ring, Wayne hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 7:30 and he kept Marcus grounded. Mathers finally nailed a top-rope twisting crossbody block at 10:30 and he hit a stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall, and we got a “both these guys!” chant. Wayne went for a handspring move, but Mathers caught him with a dropkick to the face, and Marcus hit a stunner for a nearfall at 14:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Wayne hit a headbutt that dropped both of them at 16:30, and the crowd chanted “CTE!” Marcus hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip in the ropes, then a second one. Wayne hit a top-rope superplex and they were both down at 19:00.
They got up and traded clotheslines. Marcus hit a Mafia Kick and got a jackknife cover, then an enzuigiri and a Poison Rana. Wayne hit a Dragon Suplex. Marcus clotheslined him to the floor, then hit a running Canadian Destroyer off the apron to the floor, earning a “holy shit!” chant, and they were both down on the thin mat at ringside. They both got back in before a 10-count, but Mathers hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 23:00. Mathers hit a fadeaway stunner for a nearfall and he was in disbelief he didn’t win there. Mathers hit a superkick, and he came off the ropes, but Nick caught him with a stunner, then Nick hit the Wayne’s World stunner and his own version of a Canadian Destroyer for the pin. An excellent bout; who knows if these two will be able to do this one again, especially as I expect Mathers to be a star in WWE’s Evolve when it launches. They shook hands in a show of respect and hugged.
Nick Wayne defeated Marcus Mathers at 27:02.
* Match of the year No. 3 was Mustafa Ali vs. Judas Icarus from February 2024.
4. Marina Shafir vs. Zamaya for the Defy Women’s Title. I’ve always compared Zamaya’s look to Bull Nakano; I swear I wrote that before Rich Bocchini said the exact same thing! A feeling-out process early on, and Shafir kept Zamaya grounded. Zamaya hit a running buttbump as Shafir was in the ropes at 5:00. They went to the floor and brawled in front of the fans, where Zamaya hit a suplex. In the ring, Marina hit some judo tosses. Zamaya hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Marina hit a butterfly suplex, then a back suplex for a nearfall at 10:00. Zamaya hit some clotheslines and a Samoan Drop, then a running splash into the corner. Marina dropped her with a roundhouse kick, slammed Zamaya to the mat, and locked in Mothers Milk (belly-to-belly submission hold), and Zamaya tapped out. Good match.
Marina Shafir defeated Zamaya to retain the Defy Women’s Title at 12:18.
* The No. 2 match of the year was Kenta vs. Bryan Keith from May.
5. Paul Walter Hauser vs. Joey Janela in a street fight. I am ready for Hauser to leave the indy wrestling scene, but he must be considered a good draw, because he keeps getting booked. A huge pop for Aubrey Edwards as the ref! They brawled early on as Bocchini listed Hauser’s past acting credentials. Janela hit him with a stop sign at 3:00. They fought to the floor, and Hauser hit a running somersault off the stage onto Joey on the floor at 5:00, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Joey bodyslammed Hauser onto some folded chairs at 7:00. Hauser hit a second-rope superplex onto a folded chair, and they were both down. Hauser hit a clothesline. Joey hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:00.
Hauser hit a spinebuster onto a board covered in mousetraps and got a nearfall at 10:30. Hauser charged but crashed into the board as it was set up in the corner. Joey hit a Death Valley Driver across an open chair for a believable nearfall at 12:30; that should have been it. (Hauser is the new Sweaty Shane-O-Mac, kicking out of moves that put away ‘normal human wrestlers. Ugh.) They went to the apron; Hauser put Joey on his shoulders and slammed Joey through several open chairs set up on the floor, and Hauser got a nearfall back in the ring. Joey hit Hauser in the head with a chair; I really hate that. Joey hit a top-rope doublestomp onto a door bridge that was OVER Hauser and got another believable nearfall at 16:00.
Janela hit a package piledriver onto a folded chair for a believable nearfall. Okay this is now just stupid at the moves Hauser is kicking out of. Joey threw several chairs at him, then hit him with door shards over the head. Hauser got angry and unbuttoned and removed his jersey and they traded chops. That belly was really jiggling as they traded blows. Hauser applied a keylock behind Joey’s head and hit a DDT for the pin. The crowd loved this, I want to be clear on that… but I found the kickouts to be so absurd and ridiculous. I just hate seeing a celebrity kicking out of moves that put down 99.9% of wrestlers. He got a “please come back!” chant (I have no problem acknowledging my opinion is in the minority here.)
Paul Walter Hauser defeated Joey Janela at 18:29.
* The Defy match of the year was Nick Wayne vs. Joey Janela in a 60-minute iron match from May.
6. Ethan HD and Mike Santiago vs. “Midnight Heat” Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson. MH came out first; the babyfaces ran into the ring and all four immediately brawled. Santiago and Ethan were the first-ever Defy tag champs but this is Santiago’s first time back in five years; he’s short and a bit heavy. He dropkicked Gibson, then Pearl. The heels worked over Ethan in their corner. Santiago got a hot tag at 8:00 and hit some back elbows and a double-underhook suplex. Ethan hit a top-rope doublestomp on Ricky’s chest as Ricky was on the ring apron. Ethan hit a dive to the floor. In the ring, Gibson hit a guillotine leg drop on Santiago for a nearfall at 11:00. Ethan hit a top-rope doublestomp on Ricky’s chest, and Santiago covered Ricky for the pin. Solid; the crowd was really into this.
Ethan HD and Mike Santiago defeated “Midnight Heat” Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson at 11:45.
7. Kenta vs. Ricky Starks for the Defy World Title. Kenta has carried this belt at shows across the U.S. and Japan. An intense lockup to open and it appears Starks has the slight height advantage. They traded chops. Starks did an Old School tightrope walk into the chop on the shoulder and he did his pose at 3:00. He hit some forearm strikes to the lower back, and planted his knee in the lower back. Kenta hit a top-rope kneedrop to the head, and they went to the floor at 5:30, with Kenta hitting some punches, and they brawled at ringside. Kenta hit a backbody drop onto the thin mat at 7:30, and he barked at fans. They got back into the ring, and Kenta kept Starks grounded.
Starks hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 13:00. Kenta hit a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall. Kenta nailed the hesitation dropkick in the corner at 15:00, then the top-rope doublestomp (he overshot and barely grazed Ricky’s stomach) but got a nearfall. He hit a head-scissors that sent Ricky into the ropes. Ricky put him in a Boston Crab at 16:30. Starks hit a tombstone piledriver. Starks accidentally speared the ref at 18:30; Kenta immediately hit a DDT. Kenta got his title belt and went to swing it, but Starks hit a low blow uppercut! Kenta nailed Go To Sleep, but we had no ref! Aubrey Edwards ran in and made the two-count at 20:30.
Starks hit a spear for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Kenta hit some open-hand slaps to the face and a buzzsaw kick. Starks nailed the Roshambo swinging faceplant off his shoulders for the clean pin! A good match with a surprising finish; Kenta has done such a great job representing this company for more than 600 days. I didn’t expect this.
Ricky Starks defeated Kenta to win the Defy World Title at 22:26.
Final Thoughts: A really strong show. I will go with Mathers-Wayne for best of the show, with that six-man tag for second. A very good main event takes third. The Ricochet-Swerve stuff was a blast. Bollywood Boyz turning heel was good. No, I didn’t like Janela-Hauser, but the live crowd did.
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