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.
* I’m starting off with three straight matches involving WWE ID prospects.
WWN Live “Proving Ground: Monday Night Mayhem” in Clearwater, Florida on February 17, 2025, (free at WWE ID on Twitter/x)
Lighting is good in a huge warehouse venue but there are maybe 40 people present and many aren’t paying that much attention. Ugh; how do these indy promotions even break even with a crowd this small?
Gal vs. Freedom Ramsey. Both are among the 19 WWE ID prospects. They locked up and Gal is thicker. He put Ramsey (think Anthony Bowens) on his back and did some deep squats. Gal snapped him throat-first over the top rope and hit a Mafia Kick at 2:00, then stomped on Ramsey. Ramsey hit a suplex. Gal hit a German Suplex and laid in some loud chops. He did some push-ups while choking Ramsey and hit a guillotine leg drop for a nearfall at 4:00. He backed Ramsey into a corner and hit some jab punches. Ramsey hit a back suplex at 6:00 and they were both down. Ramsey hit an enzuigiri and a jumping knee, then a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. He hit a German Suplex and some punches in the corner. Gal hit a low blow and a Blue Thunder Bomb for the pin. Good match; I’ve only seen a bit of Ramsey now but I’ve liked what I’ve seen.
Gal defeated Freedom Ramsey at 7:59.
Future Stars of Wrestling “No Escape – Apocalypse” in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 2, 2025 (Triller+)
I’ve seen FSW run from this room before; this is not their small training center. A cage was set up mid-show, so they had a couple cage matches. I watched just the main event, featuring WWE ID prospect Ice Williams.
“Notorious” Nino Black, Bad Dude Tito, and Danny Limelight vs. “Lights Camera Faction” Watson, Fresco, Action Braxton, and Ice Williams in a handicap No Escape match. This is a War Games-style match but with just one ring; submission or surrender are the only ways to win. Nino and Watson opened. Watson hit a Whisper In The Wind. Tito entered at 3:00 to give the heels a man advantage. Fresco came to the ring at 6:30 with a door to even the sides. Basic brawling by all four. Limelight brought a garbage can filled with weapons to the ring and he entered at 11:00. Danny cracked a chair across Watson’ s back and jabbed it into the throat. Braxton entered at 14:30. Nino Black hit a top-rope Spanish Fly at 16:30. Ice Williams entered at 17:00 and we have now entered the phase where a team can win.
The commentators talked about the challenges facing LCF, as Ice hit the ring with his teammates already quite beaten up. Tito slammed a door shard over Ice’s head at 19:30 and taunted him, asking him to quit. Limelight choked Ice and also demanded he quit. Watson speared Tito through a door in the corner at 23:00. The four members of LCF all stomped on Limelight. They were about to hit a running knee on Limelight, but Nino Black jumped in, grabbed the mic, and quit. A good brawl that was violent but not hardcore; no one bled and we didn’t have any gross weapons.
Watson, Fresco, Action Braxton, and Ice Williams defeated Nino Black, Bad Dude Tito, and Danny Limelight at 24:12.
Love Wrestling “LPW 34: How The West Was Won” in Edmonton, Alberta on February 28, 2025 (IWTV)
This is a dark theater and I’ve seen several shows from here before. Lighting is just so-so. The ring is next to the theater stage, and the crowd is maybe 200.
Zoe Sager vs. Casey Ferreira. Zoe is the short, blonde WWE ID prospect that I’ve compared to former NXT-UK wrestler Millie McKenzie. This match opened the show. Casey is talented; he’s thin with a good physique and of course, has a clear height and overall size advantage. They traded reversals on the mat. She dove through the ropes onto him at 2:30. In the ring, he kicked at her left knee and hit a German Suplex for a nearfall, then a back suplex for a nearfall at 4:00. They traded forearm strikes, which I just find highly absurd. He hit a jumping enzuigiri in the corner.
Zoe hit a second-rope missile dropkick at 6:30 and they were both down. She hit an STO uranage and the crowd was behind her. She hit a second-rope moonsault for a believable nearfall at 8:30 and the crowd chanted “That was three!” They traded rollups and Casey applied a crossface, then a Pele Kick and a springboard stunner and a pop-up Pele Kick for a nearfall at 10:30. Casey hit a frogsplash, but she somehow rolled through it, covered him and got the flash pin! Good action even though the size difference here makes it hard to suspend my disbelief.
Zoe Sager defeated Casey Ferreira at 10:54.
Rad Pro Rasslin “Code of Hero” in Amesbury, Massachusetts on February 15, 2025 (IWTV)
Rad Pro is a comedy promotion where wrestlers can perform under cartoonish alter egos, as we’re set in 1998 or 1999. I am not going to use their comedy alter ego names to avoid confusion. Lighting is good and this room is packed with maybe 200 fans.
Dononvan Dijak vs. Channing Thomas (w/Sidney Bakabella). Dijak wore a red USSR shirt, looking like he’s Ivan Drago, right out of Rocky IV. An intense lockup and Dijak of course has the height advantage. The piledriver is apparently an illegal move here. A commentator just made the Rocky IV reference as Dijak overpowered Channing and kept him grounded. Channing hit a Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall at 4:30. Dijak hit a second-rope springboard splash for a nearfall. Channing hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and kept Dijak grounded. They went to the floor, where Dijak whipped Channing into the ring post at 7:30. Channing wrapped Dijak’s leg around the ring post and kept him grounded as they re-entered the ring. I find this frustrating as Dijak in his USSR shirt should be the clear heel, but that’s not how they are playing it at all.
Dijak fired up and hit some punches to the gut and some running back elbows. Dijak backed him into the corner at 12:00 and hit some loud chops, then a hip-toss across the ring. Dijak shouted “NORMAL Leg Sweep” as he hit a Russian Leg Sweep. Dijak hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 14:00. Channing hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall and he stomped some more on the damaged knee. Dijak nailed a superkick. Channing hit an enzuigiri. Dijak nailed his discus Mafia Kick and the commentators popped for it. Channing hit a chokeslam for a nearfall. Dijak went for another discus Mafia Kick, but Channing hit a kick on the damaged knee and he tied Dijak in a leg lock, and Dijak tapped out. Really good action… but who was the babyface here?
Channing Thomas defeated Donovan Dijak at 17:57.
Action Wrestling “Prepare For Battle” Tyrone, Georgia on February 28, 2025 (IWTV)
The host venue is their training center. The lights were on and this looked good. The crowd was maybe 200.
“The Good Hand” Suge D & The Wall vs. “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean vs. “Top Team” Jay Lucas & Terry Yaki for the Action Tag Team Titles. This match was mid-show. Yaki got a great pop as a security guard on a recent AEW TV program. Carlie and Yaki opened with some good reversals and a standoff at 2:00. Jay and Shawn entered, but Suge D made a blind tag to replace Dean, and he was booed. Jay Lucas (think Je’Von Evans) hit a clothesline. The Infantry beat up Yaki in their corner. Suge D hit a snap suplex on Lucas for a nearfall at 6:30. The Good Hand beat up Lucas in their corner. Jay finally hit a dropkick on Wall, then a dive through the ropes onto him at 10:00.
In the ring, Carlie hit a running neckbreaker on Suge D (we have Lucha rules so no tags necessary.) The Infantry hit a team backbreaker over their knees on Suge D for a nearfall. Yaki dove at Wall, but Wall caught him and hit a fallaway slam. Wall hit a tilt-a-whirl sideslam on Bravo for a neafall at 11:30. The Good Hand now worked over Bravo and kept him grounded. Terry hit a top-rope missile dropkick and a huracanrana at 14:00 and he was fired up. Yaki hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor on Wall. Lucas got in and hit a clothesline on Suge D for a nearfall. Suge D hit a decapitating clothesline on Lucas. Bravo hit a Superman Punch and he was fired up.
Bravo hit an axe kick on Wall, and Dean hit a frogsplash on Wall for a nearfall, but Lucas and Yaki made the save, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Top Team and Infantry brawled in the ring. This has been really good. Top Team hit a Tankbuster team DDT move at 17:00. Bravo hit a DDT. Dean hit a flying clothesline on Lucas. The Infantry hit a team Stomp move for a nearfall, but Suge D broke up the pinfall, and Suge D stole the pin. That was really good action. The heels left; Infantry and Top Team hugged and those four celebrated in the ring, raising each other’s arms.
Suge D & The Wall defeated Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean and Jay Lucas & Terry Yaki to retain the Action Tag Team Titles at 18:08.
North Shore Pro Wrestling “Ground Zero” in Quebec City, Quebec on March 1, 2025 (IWTV)
I’ve seen shows here; the room is dark but the ring is well lit. Overall good production; the ring introductions are in French but we do have English commentary; the guy sounds like Pat Patterson. The crowd is 250-300.
Stu Grayson vs. Yann Pike. This was the show-opener. My first time seeing Pike; I’ll compare him to Cash Wheeler. Stu came out first and cut a heel promo in French; I’ve never heard him speak French before. Stu taunted Yann; Yann unloaded some punches at the bell. Stu hit a German Suplex and was in charge. He hit a belly-to-belly release suplex at 4:00 and he stomped on Pike. He hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Yann hit some dropkicks and a faceplant for a nearfall. Pike hit a Frankensteiner at 7:30 and they were both down. He went for a split-legged moonsault, but Stu got his knees up. Stu hit a running knee and a backbreaker over his knee for the pin. Good action.
Stu Grayson defeated Yann Pike at 8:07.
Rhodes Wrestling Association “The Rhodes Cup” in Leander, Texas on February 21, 2025 (free on YouTube)
I really like this training academy; it’s well lit with a high ceiling. All fans sit on one side of the ring. I’ll note we have a new commentary team for this show; the really annoying guy who has done past RWA shows isn’t here.
Vert Vixen vs. Sophia Rose for the RWA Women’s Title. I consider Vert to be the top free agent female wrestler on the U.S. indy scene. I’ve seen the blonde Sophia a few times; she wore her green-and-black top and bottom. Rose had a stroke at age 19 and has come back from that. Standing switches to open, and Rose tied her in a Muta Lock at 2:30. Rose hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall. Vert laid in some loud chops. Sophia fired back with her own. Vert hit a snap suplex for a one-count at 5:30. She hit a clothesline for a nearfall and kept Rose grounded. The commentator said Vert is “in the conversation” for best female wrestler, as Vert hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:00 and she locked in a rear-naked choke on the mat.
Vert applied a Sharpshooter but Rose reached the ropes at 9:30. Rose hit a Samoan Drop and a Mafia Kick, then an X-Factor faceplant for a nearfall. Vert trapped her head in the corner and kicked Rose in the face, then hit an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 11:30. They traded rollups and Rose hit a Flatliner and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Vert hit a Helluva Kick for a nearfall at 13:30. Rose hit a superplex and a moonsault for a nearfall. Vert got a Crucifix Driver for a nearfall. Vert hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall, then a DDT for the pin. Good match.
Vert Vixen defeated Sophia Rose to retain the RWA Women’s Title at 15:09.
Final Thoughts: Some really good action in these seven matches, with the three-way tag from Action Wrestling as the most must-see of this bunch. I’ve seen Gal for a few years on shows from the Northeast, and it’s been fun watching him progress and become a WWE ID prospect, and I’ve give his match with Freedom Ramsey second-best here. The women’s match takes third. Vert Vixen is 35 and I think her age is the only reason she isn’t signed to a major promotion. If she had these skills but was age 22, I think she’d be under a contract.
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