By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Focus Pro “All The Way Up”
July 13, 2025, in Medford, Massachusetts, at Great American Beer Hall
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
This is a small, two-level room and the crowd was standing at ringside. We have perhaps 80-100 spectators, including some on the second story. The lights were on.
* Medford is in suburban Boston. Expect the Unexpected held a show at the same time in New Jersey (directly across the river from New York city), about four hours away. It certainly meant that a lot of the top Northeast talent was in action split between the two events.
1. Leo Sparrow vs. Milo Mirra. Leo is typically a heel; he had a really short AEW TV match not too long ago. Milo is the popular kid who looks like a shorter Drew McIntyre but he’s such a dork with that Pogo stick. (Yes, I absolutely hate it!) We had the bell, and Milo bounced around ringside on his stick, chasing Sparrow. (Because I’m older than age nine, I’m not amused.) Leo took control in the ring and hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor at 3:00. In the ring, he missed a moonsault. He hit a running knee for a nearfall at 6:00. Milo dove through the ropes onto Leo. Milo grabbed the Pogo Stick and bounced into the ring. He hit a swinging Flatliner for the pin. Okay.
Milo Mirra defeated Leo Sparrow at 7:13.
2. Vinny Pacifico vs. Diego Alvarez. I’ve seen Vinny a few times; he has short, trimmed dark hair, and he’s of average size. I’m sure I’ve seen Diego once; he has his hair up in a bun in the back , and he’s arrogant. Diego got on the mic, but the crowd booed him. They brawled briefly on the floor. In the ring, Diego hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker at 2:30 and was in charge. Pacifico fired up and hit some back elbows. He hit a DDT out of the ropes for a nearfall at 5:00, then an Angle Slam for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Vinny hit a stunner and a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Diego got a rollup with a handful of trunks for the tainted pin. Basic but fine.
Diego Alvarez defeated Vinny Pacifico at 7:21.
3. “Post Game” Vinny Talotta and Mike Walker (w/heel manager) vs. “Shot Through The Heart” TJ Crawford and Love, Doug for the Focus Pro Tag Team Titles. I’ve seen PG a few times now, and they are a pretty good indy tag team, and they are the heels. I don’t think I’ve seen their heel manager, who wore a purple suit that has to be inspired by DC’s Joker. Walker, a taller blond, opened against Crawford. Doug got in and did some humor with Walker. Vinny got in, and they did some more humor with Doug; the crowd enjoyed it. Doug dove through the ropes onto both of them at 3:00. In the ring, PG snapped TJ throat-first over the top rope, and they began working over Crawford.
TJ finally hit a springboard double stunner at 8:30. Doug got the hot tag and hit some clotheslines. He hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall. Walker hit a plancha to the floor on both challengers. In the ring, Vinny hit a Burning Hammer on Doug for a believable nearfall at 10:30 (this has been much better than the first two matches). Everyone hit some kicks. Vinny hit a spear that cut Doug in half. They hit a team uranage move for a believable nearfall, but TJ made the save at 12:00. Doug hit a plancha to the floor; in the ring, Crawford hit an Angle Slam for a pin at 12:41! New champions! But wait! Walker’s foot was on the ropes, so the match will continue! Walker almost immediately got a rollup with a handful of tights for the cheap pin.
Vinny Talotta and Mike Walker defeated Love, Doug and TJ Crawford to retain the Focus Pro Tag Team Titles at 13:50.
4. Sammi Chaos vs. Gabby Forza in a women’s tournament first-round match. Sammi is on par with Nia Jax in size; I’ve seen her a few times now, and she’s still a bit green. It’s not usual for Gabby to be the smaller competitor, and they locked up at the bell with neither really budging. Gabby tried a top-rope flying shoulder block at 2:00, but Sammi still didn’t go down! She finally hit a stiff kick to drop Chaos. Sammi took control and grounded Gabby and put her in a modified Camel Clutch, but Gabby powered out. Gabby hit a DDT on the apron at 5:30.
They brawled on the floor, but Gabby accidentally chopped the ring post. Sammi charged but accidentally hit a pillar. They brawled over to a bar. In the ring, Sammi hit a snap suplex at 7:00, and they were both down. Gabby fired up and hit some clotheslines, then a shotgun dropkick to knock Sammi down. She hit a crossbody block in the corner and a Vader Bomb for a nearfall at 9:00. Gabby jumped on her back, but Sammi fell backwards to flatten her. This crowd was 100% behind Gabby.
Sammi went to the top rope, but Gabby cut her off and hit a second-rope superplex, and Gabby eventually got a nearfall at 11:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes and chops. This has topped my expectations. Sammi hit a snap Dragon Suplex, and she jawed at a fan. Sammi hit her own Vader Bomb for the pin! Wow, I expected Gabby to win that one. These women were really able to show off their strength.
Sammi Chaos defeated Gabby Forza at 12:22 to advance.
5. Effy vs. Brian Bayside for the GCW World Title. Brian is really short, chubby, and wears a bright pink singlet; I admittedly am not a fan. Yes, Effy is putting his GCW belt on the line at a non-GCW show, and that announcement got a “holy shit!” chant. This was Effy’s 27th title defense across 14 promotions over a 175-day reign, says ring announcer Rich Palladino. Bayside forced him to dance early on. Effy hit a Helluva Kick in the corner at 3:30 and tied him up in the ropes. Some music played, and this suddenly turned into a lewd dance-off. The crowd was loving it, anyway. They both collapsed to the mat at 6:30, and we’re back to the match.
Effy bit him on the nipple and hit a snap Northern Lights Suplex, then a Doink-style buttdrop at 8:00. Bayside hit a senton but missed a splash. Effy hit his second-rope flying Blockbuster. He hit a spear, but just bounced off Bayside’s belly. “It did more damage to Effy than it did to Bayside!” one commentator said. Effy hit a pair of flying leg lariats and got the pin. Okay match; the crowd loved the light-hearted gay humor more than I did.
Effy defeated Brian Bayside to retain the GCW World Title at 10:57.
6. Griffin McCoy vs. Bear Bronson. A nice pop for Bronson. The bell rang, but Bear rolled to the floor and drank a full glass of beer before returning to the ring. They finally locked up at 1:30. Griffin is probably a bit taller but Bear is thicker and has the weight advantage. Bear knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Griffin dropped him with a roundhouse kick to the chest. Bear hit a Gorilla Press and a stiff clothesline at 3:30. They brawled to the floor and through the crowd. Bear pushed him head-first into a pillar at 5:00, then a second time!
They got back into the ring, with Bear still in charge. McCoy hit some more roundhouse kicks. Bronson dropped all his weight on Griffin’s chest for a nearfall at 7:00. Griffin hit a suplex, then a Mafia Kick to the chest at 9:00. He leapt off the top rope and crashed onto Bear on the floor. (That’s not a small man, either!) McCoy hit a top-rope missing dropkick for a nearfall. Bear caught him and hit an overhead suplex, then a Choke Bomb for a nearfall at 11:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Bronson kept knocking him down.
McCoy hit a half-nelson suplex at 13:30 and a big clothesline, then a top-rope stomp to the back for a nearfall. McCoy hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. This match has delivered. They got up and traded forearm strikes again. Bear hit a clothesline in the corner. Griffin hit a basement dropkick. Bear hit a clothesline and the sit-down piledriver for the pin. That was the first match out of intermission, and these guys just had a really nice fight! “What a battle that was,” a commentator said. The crowd gave them a nice “both these guys!” chant.
Bear Bronson defeated Griffin McCoy at 16:04.
7. Danny Miles vs. Charles Mason in a relaxed rules match. Intriguing, as I usually see both of these guys as heels. Miles had a barbed-wire-wrapped crutch, and I guess he’s the babyface tonight. Mason wore his red suit and black button-down shirt; he attacked Miles from behind. They went to the floor, and Mason hit him with the crutch. He quickly peeled off the vest and shirt and choked Danny with it. In the ring, Mason hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 2:00. Miles dumped a bag of thumbtacks in the center of the ring. Mason sprayed fluid in Miles’ eyes and hit a DDT on the ring apron, and they again looped the ring on the floor.
The guys vanished from view, and suddenly they were on the balcony. That’s a pretty high second level! We had a tease of someone going over, but that would be too high up! They came back down the stairs, got in the ring, and Mason hit his rolling Death Valley Driver into the thumbtacks for a nearfall at 9:00. Mason put a plastic bag over Miles’ head and choked him with it; Danny was able to shred the bag. Danny powerbombed Mason into a door in the corner. He did it a second time, and that time the door broke, and he got a nearfall at 11:30. Miles applied a rear-naked choke, and Mason passed out! A solid brawl; the crowd liked it.
Danny Miles defeated Charles Mason at 12:24.
8. Brittnie Brooks vs. Kaia McKenna in a women’s tournament first-round match. They shook hands at the bell, and they immediately targeted each other’s left arm. Brittnie applied a leg lock around the head and did some push-ups at 2:00. Good reversals on the mat early on. Brittnie applied a straitjacket choke, then a snap suplex at 4:30. Brooks hit a bulldog for a nearfall. They got up and traded chops. Brooks hit a Lungblower move to the chin for a nearfall at 6:30.
They hit stereo discus forearms, then stereo clotheslines, and they were both down. Kaia hit a pump kick to the chest and a splash in the corner, then a back suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Brittnie hit an enzuigiri, then a slingshot elbow drop for a nearfall at 10:00. Brooks set up for the It’s Brittnie Bitch (Eye of the Hurricane) but Kaia blocked it, hit a clothesline, and got a believable nearfall. Brooks hit a sunset flip powerbomb into the corner for a nearfall. Kaia scooped her up, slammed Brittnie to the mat, and got the pin. Solid match; because this was a tournament, I figured the local talent was winning.
Kaia McKenna defeated Brittnie Brooks at 11:49 to advance.
9. Mani Ariez vs. Channing Thomas (w/Sidney Bakabella) for the Focus Pro Title. Again, I loosely compare Mani to Mike Santana, and he’s been champion here for a few months now. Sidney did his ridiculously long heel introduction for Channing. Mani offered a handshake; Channing kicked it away, and they locked up. Basic action early on, and Channing had a quick conference with Sidney. Mani hit a suplex and a Falcon Arrow at 4:30. He hit a missile dropkick and got another nearfall. Bakabella grabbed Mani’s ankle. Mani went for a top-rope move, but Channing caught him with a dropkick at 6:30, and Thomas seized control.
Channing shoved Mani head-first into the middle turnbuckle. He tied up Mani on the mat and barked at the crowd. Mani applied a Crossface, but Channing rolled him over and got a nearfall. They got up, and Channing hit some chops, but it just fired up Mani! Mani hit a bodyslam at 11:30, a running knee into the corner, and a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Mani hit a fisherman’s suplex. Channing hit his own fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall at 14:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Mani accidentally hit a shotgun dropkick on the ref at 16:30!
Mani hit a back-body drop and a frogsplash for a visual pin, but we had no ref! He checked on the knocked-out ref. Bakabella rolled into the ring and put himself between Channing and Mani. Channing struck Mani in the back of the head with the title belt, hit a piledriver, and got a believable nearfall, and the crowd popped for the kickout. Sidney helped stomp on Mani! Mani hit a shotgun dropkick on Channing, then he yanked the mop off Sidney’s head. Mani dropped Channing on top of Sidney, and he hit a frogsplash across both of them and got the pin. Good match.
Mani Ariez defeated Channing Thomas to retain the Focus Pro Title at 18:57.
* Suddenly on the screen, Richard Holliday appeared. He challenged Mani to a match! It’s coming in August!
Final Thoughts: Bear-McCoy was really good and takes best of the night. I’ll narrowly go with the Post Game tag title match for second, with the main event third. The first half had some wrestlers that generally don’t work for me — but the crowd loved the silliness of Bayside. The first two matches were fine but forgettable. I enjoyed Sammi-Gabby, even though I thought Forza was winning. I think Sammi sometimes looks like her offense is ‘soft,’ probably because she is usually fighting much smaller women. Here, she fought someone with muscles and was every bit as tough as her, and it was a good brawl.
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