By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is so much good independent 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.
* Here are eight matches from four shows that all took place over last weekend, or were released for the first time last weekend.
Awesome Championship Wrestling “After Shock” in Poughkeepsie, New York at MJN Convention Center on May 17, 2025 (Triller+)
This show was released over the weekend. I reviewed their prior show. This is north of downtown New York. and they draw a great crowd here, perhaps 600-800. The lights are low but the ring is really well lit. Overall, this production, including the commentary team, is well above average. Besides the three matches I watched, this show also included Crowbar, “Real1” (Enzo Amore) and Tommy Dreamer.
Kelly Madan vs. Tina San Antonio vs. Rebecca J. Scott vs. Vicious Vicki Venuto vs. Tiara James vs. Indi Hartwell in an elimination match for the vacant ACW Women’s Title. I wrote their names in order of introduction. Madan has dark hair. Tina is a bit older; definitely closer to 40 than 20. I’ve always compared Rebecca to former TNA wrestler Taylor Wilde. I don’t know if I’ve seen Venuto; she has long dark hair. Indi came out last and got a nice pop. Kelly and Tiara opened while the other four were on the ring apron. The heel commentator pointed out that those on the apron have a zero percent chance of being eliminated. Indi and Tina locked up. Rebecca got a rollup for a nearfall. “Why would you offer to tag in?” the heel commentator (accurately) said. Rebecca kicked Tiara hard in the face at 3:00.
Tiara blocked a sunset flip, sat down on Madan, grabbed the ropes for leverage, and pinned her at 3:55. Venuto hit an inverted DDT and pinned Tina at 5:09. Rebecca got a Crucifix Driver on Tiara for a believable nearfall. Tiara rolled up Rebecca, put her feet on the ropes, and pinned her at 6:41. Tiara hit a Lungblower to Indi’s back for a nearfall, and they traded rollups. Indi hit a swinging faceplant and pinned Tiara at 8:38. Venuto, who had been on the floor for a couple of minutes, jumped in and attacked Indi and kept her grounded. Indi hit some clotheslines and a spinebuster for a nearfall. Indi hit another swinging faceplant to pin Vicki.
Indi Hartwell defeated Kelly Madan, Tina San Antonio, Rebecca J. Scott, Vicious Vicki Venuto, and Tiara James to win the ACW Women’s Title at 11:51.
Mike Santana vs. Moose. This was mid-show, which immediately tells me we are not getting a clean pin here. Moose had his TNA X Division Title belt. Santana came through the crowd. A lockup to open, and they traded chops. Santana hit a running somersault from the apron onto Moose on the floor. Moose accidentally chopped the ring post at 1:30. Santana hit more chops as they looped the ring, and Moose whipped him into the guardrail. They got back into the ring and traded more chops. Santana hit his kip-up stunner for a nearfall at 5:00. Moose hit a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall.
Moose hit his top-rope twisting crossbody block, and that popped the crowd. Santana hit his own sit-out powerbomb at 6:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Moose hit a superplex at 8:00. Santana hit the Spin The Block discus clothesline, and they were both down. They couldn’t make it to their feet, and the ref counted to 10. The ref ruled this was a double count-out, and the crowd booed the finish. It was a very good match until the finish, too. Mike wanted to continue with “five more minutes,” but Moose gave him the middle finger, rolled to the floor and left.
Moose vs. Mike Santana went to a double count-out at 8:53.
Richard Holliday vs. Matt Cardona for the ACW Title. This was the main event. Cardona charged and hit a Radio Silence leg drop at the bell for a nearfall! They brawled to the floor, and Matt bodyslammed him on the floor. Matt held Richard’s arms and let the young kids in the front row chop Holliday. (I admittedly love the pure joy of watching a six-year-old girl chop a heel.) In the ring, Holliday hit a low blow but it hurt his arm. Cardona removed his athletic cup, and he hit Richard with it at 3:30. It was stupid to remove the cup because Holliday crotched him in the corner and took control.
Holliday whipped him into the corners. Matt hit a back-body drop. Holliday rolled to the floor, grabbed his belt, and tried to leave, but Matt tossed him back into the ring. Richard hit a back elbow and was back in charge. He stomped on Matt’s gut, and he hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 8:00, but he missed a top-rope elbow drop and they were both down. Cardona hit a missile dropkick and peeled off his shirt. “You have a whole arena of people who wish they were Chelsea Green right now,” the heel said. He hit a Broski Boot in the corner. Matt hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor at 12:00.
In the ring, Holliday hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Matt hit a Chelsea-style Unprettier for a nearfall! “Chelsea Green was almost one-half of the ACW champion!” the heel said. Holliday put him in a Torture Rack and spun him to the mat for a nearfall at 15:00. He grabbed his title belt, but the ref stopped him. Holliday accidentally(?) hit the ref with it. Matt nailed the Radio Silence leg lariat for a visual pin. Holliday hit Matt in the head with the belt; a second ref made a two-count at 17:00. Holliday hit a low blow uppercut on the second ref! He got a chair and jabbed it into Matt’s ribs. Matt whipped him into a chair in the corner, and he hit a third Radio Silence! He got a believable nearfall from our original ref. Matt grabbed the belt, but the ref took it. Holliday immediately hit the low blow uppercut and his 2008 spinning suplex for the tainted pin. Good match.
Richard Holliday defeated Matt Cardona to retain the ACW Title at 19:51.
Chaotic Wrestling “Boston Brawl 4” in Boston, Massachusetts on March 23, 2025 (free on YouTube)
This aired live on Friday. I chose to watch just the show opener. There are some wrestlers here I really like, like Mortar and Brad Hollister and DJ Powers, but in each case, they were opposite someone I would consider to be a lower-tiered wrestler. Lighting is solid and the crowd was perhaps 300 in a large gym.
Jack Cartwheel vs. Ricky Smokes in an official WWE ID match. Jack kept Smokes grounded in a headlock early on. The commentators noted these two have battled on WWE Evolve TV. Jack hit a plancha to the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Smokes hit a spear for a nearfall, then a suplex. They went to the floor and fought at ringside. Several fans put their feet on the guardrails, and Jack rammed Smokes’ face into the shoes. In the ring, Smokes hit a Flatliner at 5:00 that sent Jack’s face into the middle turnbuckle.
Smokes hit a backbreaker over his knee, then a second one for a nearfall at 6:30. Jack fired up and hit an enzuigiri, then a German Suplex, and they were both down at 8:30. He hit a kip-up neckbreaker, then his Crucifix Driver for a nearfall. They fought on the ropes, and Jack hit a doublestomp to the back, then a Sasuke Special to the floor. In the ring, he went for a top-rope Shooting Star Press, but Smokes got his knees up to block it. Smokes immediately hit a Cameron Grimes-style Cave-in stomp to the chest for the clean pin. A very good match.
Ricky Smokes defeated Jack Cartwheel at 10:32.
Premier Wrestling Federation “The Greatest Generation” in Newport, N.C. on Saturday, May 24, 2025 (IWTV)
This was at their training center, which is a large pole barn. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the crowd was maybe 40-60. These shows are decent, but they just don’t consistently draw well, and that’s too bad because there are a lot of talented wrestlers that come through here.
Jackson Drake vs. Jada Stone in an intergender match. This was mid-show. Drake is the smarmy WWE ID prospect. Jada is talented, but really short, and she’s giving up a lot of size to him. She has done some Japan tours and is definitely a top-20 indy woman’s talent in the U.S. He offered a handshake but instead shoved her in the shoulder. The bell rang, and they immediately traded reversals on the mat, and she got a leglock around his neck. He escaped and applied a single-leg crab.
Jada hit a huracanrana and a spin kick to his jaw at 2:00. Jackson put her on his shoulders and nailed a Lumbar Check that popped the commentators, and he got a nearfall. He planted a boot in her throat and kept her grounded. Jackson hit a senton but only got a one-count. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 5:00, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Jada countered with a mid-ring huracanrana. She hit a German Suplex at 6:30 and was fired up. Jada went for her backflip-into-a-stunner, but he cut her off.
Jada went for a moonsault, but he caught her, so she turned it into a tornado DDT, then a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. She again went for her backflip-into-a-stunner, but he caught her ankle. She hit another huracanrana. They rolled to the floor, where he slammed her on the ring apron. In the ring, Drake hit a running knee at 9:00, but Jada rolled to the floor to avoid a pin. Jada hit a top-rope Spanish Fly for a believable nearfall. He hit a huracanrana and they traded rollups, and she got the flash pin! Jackson was in disbelief that he lost. A fun match between two very good talents.
Jada Stone defeated Jackson Drake at 10:42.
“High-Flying Star Machines” Bojack and Diego Hill vs. Rob Killjoy and LDJ for the PWF Tag Team Titles. The storyline here is that BoJack has cheated in each of their past couple of wins, and Diego is just oblivious to it. The commentators noted that Killjoy and LDJ have only teamed once before. (SO why are they getting a tag title shot, then?) A commentator wondered, “Which Bojack are we going to get tonight?” Killjoy is the Duck Dynasty reject, while LDJ is bald and muscular and reminds me of Eric Young. Killjoy and Diego opened and traded fast reversals.
The 350-pound Bojack and LDJ got in at 1:30. They traded shoulder blocks with neither man going down. Bojack finally sent LDJ flying to the mat, then he hit a bodyslam. Diego hit some rolling suplexes on LDJ. Killjoy hit a guillotine legdrop on Diego for a nearfall at 4:00. Bojack hit a uranage on LDJ, and Diego hit a slingshot senton for a nearfall, and they worked over LDJ in their corner. Diego hit a 619 and a doublestomp at 7:00 for a nearfall. LDJ hit a flapjack on Diego and they were both down.
Bojack yanked Killjoy off the apron so he wasn’t there for a hot tag. LDJ hit a stunner on Bojack at 10:00 and finally made the hot tag to Killjoy. Rob hit some running back elbows and was fired up. He hit a slingshot bodyslam on Diego for a nearfall. LDJ and Rob tried but couldn’t suplex the massive Bojack at 12:30. Diego hit a spin kick in the corner. Bojack hit a Death Valley Driver. Diego hit a Swanton Bomb for a believable nearfall. Rob hit a doublestomp on Bojack’s back. Diego hit a Poison Rana on Killjoy. Bojack took LDJ’s head off with a clothesline and suddenly everyone was down at 14:30.
Killjoy again tried to lift Bojack but failed. Bojack hit a uranage on Killjoy, and Diego hit a moonsault on Killjoy, then a flip dive to the floor on LDJ. Bojack hit a slam in the ring (the cameras missed it!) for a nearfall. Killjoy hit a Canadian Destroy on Bojack that defies gravity and belief. LDJ hit an axe kick for a nearfall, but Diego made the save at 17:00. Killjoy hit a stunner on Diego. Bojack hit a Pounce on LDJ that sent him crashing into the ropes, which crotched Killjoy in the corner. The champs hit a team Lungblower move for the pin on LDJ. A really good match.
Bojack and Diego Hill defeated LDJ and Rob Killjoy to retain the PWF Tag Team Titles at 18:06.
Freelance Wrestling “One Goal” in Chicago, Illinois on May 23, 2025 (IWTV)
This show was back at Logan Square, an attractive two-level ballroom and perhaps the best venue to watch indy wrestling in Chicago; a crowd of 300 always looks packed in here. Dave Prazak provided commentary, and he always brings great energy to calling the action.
“Home Cooking” Dan the Dad and Kody Lane vs. “The New Guys” Scott Stanley and Jake Bosche for the Freelance Tag Team Titles. TNG are the tag champs in St. Louis-based Glory Pro Wrestling, and they are an entertaining, young, rising team. (Dan and Kody are regulars in Glory Pro, too!) Dan and Stanley opened; no coffee cup for Dan! They did some of Dan’s juvenile antics, but Scott wasn’t interested in it. Dan hit some straight punches to the jaws of both TNG at 1:30. Kody backed Bosche into a corner and chopped him, and he hit a senton at 3:30.
Jake and Dan traded chops. Kody hit another senton for a nearfall. Stanley got a hot tag at 5:30 and hit a shoulder block to the gut in the corner on both champs, then some German Suplexes. Dan and Jake traded forearm strikes on the ring apron at 7:00. Kody tossed Stanley onto Jake, sending Bosche flying to the floor. Stanley and Kody traded chops. Dan hit a DDT on Bosche, and Kody hit his one-footed Lionsault for a nearfall at 8:30.
Bosche hit a top-rope doublestomp on Dan and went for a pin, but Kody hit a top-rope senton to break it up, and everyone was down. Bosche hit an axe kick on Kody. Dan hit a punch to Bosche’s jaw. Stanley hit a spear on Dan at 10:30. Jake hit a spin kick on Kody’s head. Dan hit a spinebuster on Bosche. Kody hit a rope-assisted top-rope senton splash to pin Jake. A very good tag match.
Dan the Dad and Kody Lane defeated Scott Stanley and Jake Bosche to retain the Freelance Tag Team Titles at 11:29.
Koda Hernandez vs. Sabin Gauge in a chain match for the Freelance Legacy Title. These two are long-time teammates dubbed “Latinos Most Wanted,” and I consider Koda to be among the top-tier workers from the Midwest; he’s similar to Mike Santana. The 15-foot chain was attached to their right wrists. The bell rang, and they immediately brawled in the ring, then down to the floor just seconds in. In the ring, Koda whipped Sabin into opposite corners; he’s much bigger than Sabin. Koda has half his face painted, like Darby Allin. He got a chair at 2:00 and wedged it into a corner in the ring.
Koda whipped the chair at Sabin and put it back in the corner. They went to the floor, where Koda hit him over the head with a garbage can lid at 5:00, and they got back into the ring. Sabin tossed a chair at Koda and took charge. They brawled out of the ring and up onto the entrance stage. Koda was bleeding heavily above his eye, probably from taking that thrown chair. He pulled a door out from under the ring at 8:30. Sabin hit a running spear on the stage, with them both crashing through a door bridge below on the floor at 10:00, earning a “holy shit!” chant.
They got back into the ring, and several chairs were opened and set up. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Sabin pushed Koda down onto the chairs, then he hit a top-rope doublestomp at 13:30 for a nearfall. They got up and traded strikes, then both collapsed. They got up and traded more forearm strikes, with Koda winning the exchange. He hit an Exploder Suplex at 16:00. Koda threw a chair at Sabin’s head; I really hate that. (This match has been violent enough, you don’t need that.)
Koda dove through the ropes and barreled onto Sabin, and this crowd was going NUTS for this action. Koda placed more doors horizontally between the ring and the guardrails. They continued to brawl in the ring, but Koda found even more doors. Sabin hit a half-nelson suplex across two open chairs for a nearfall at 21:00. Koda nailed a top-rope superplex with them crashing through the two doors that bridged the ring and the guardrails, again earning a loud “holy shit!” chant.
They got into the ring, and Sabin hit a running back elbow for a nearfall at 25:30. They continued to brawl, and yet another door bridge was set up in the ring. (Seriously, how many have they broken?) Koda hit a second-rope Razor’s Edge through the door bridge for the pin. That was a WAR. No, I generally don’t like hardcore matches because they are often “hardcore for the sake of having a hardcore match.” But I don’t mind when it’s a feud that has been built up for months and some storyline hatred between them. I can do without the chairs to the head but this was otherwise great brawling.
Koda Hernandez defeated Sabin Gauge to retain the Freelance Legacy Title at 28:45.
Final Thoughts: Some really good action across these eight matches and a good sample from what the top guys on the indy scene are doing today. Both the Freelance and PWF tag title matches really stood out here. Again, I wish I could have found time to watch all four of these shows in their entirety, as I liked what I saw in each of these eight events.
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