By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Black Label Pro Wrestling “Hot Shotz”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
August 9, 2025, in Crown Point, Indiana, at the RDS
The show title is a reference to having Shotzi Blackheart in the main event. This is a small gymnasium — the basketball backboard is in the background — and the lights are on so it’s easy to see. The crowd was about 150. Jason Midas and Angel Escalara provided commentary. I’ve seen everyone in this lineup at least once so no new faces (although two of the women I have literally seen just once each.)
* This promotion went on hiatus last year and I would not have been surprised if they hadn’t returned, so I’m glad to see they are back. They returned at a wrestling convention a few months ago. NOTABLY, they have switched from Triller+ to IWTV in the past year. I don’t claim to know or understand how those deals work, but I presume they feel they are getting more revenue from this arrangement, and I hope it works out well for all parties involved.
* It appears we have a carload of guys from the New England area who made this drive! Crown Point is roughly an hour’s drive southeast of Chicago. I also want to note that this show was up against a Wrestling Revolver show in Ohio. So, the top-tier indy workers in those two states are split between those shows.
1. Griffin McCoy vs. Dex Royal. McCoy is one of those East Coast guys on the show; he’s around 6’2″ and cocky and always the heel. Dex missed a lot of time with an injury, and I’m glad to see him back; I’ve noted before that he looks too similar to Swerve Strickland, and I don’t know how you can really change that. Anyhow, I’m a big fan, and this first-time-ever singles match should be really good. They tied up; McCoy slapped him in the face, so Dex slapped him back, and they traded armdrags. Dex unloaded some chops. McCoy dropped him with a roundhouse kick at 3:00 and was booed.
McCoy hit a back suplex, and he planted his knee in Dex’s spine. Dex hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 5:30. Griffin hit a Helluva Kick and a decapitating clothesline. He tried a springboard move, but Royal clocked him with a jumping knee, then a brainbuster for a nearfall at 7:00. They fought on the ring apron, where McCoy hit a Tombstone Piledriver. In the ring, McCoy hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. He got the ref in the middle to avoid being struck. McCoy hit a springboard spin kick for the pin. Good action. Dex was angry and he shoved the ref to the mat before leaving.
Griffin McCoy defeated Dex Royal at 9:27.
2. Marino Tenaglia vs. Stone Ambrose. With his curly locks, I’ve compared Marino’s looks to Kenny Omega, but I’m used to seeing him in tag matches. I’ve seen Ambrose a few times in Chicago’s Freelance Wrestling; he’s a young kid. (So, these two have at least shared a locker room before.) They traded armdrags while Stone had a rubber tennis ball in his mouth, because “he’s a good boy.” (Yes, I roll my eyes that he might think he’s a dog.) Stone hit some dropkicks and got a nearfall at 2:00. Marino hit a roundhouse kick and kipped up and hit a guillotine leg drop for a nearfall. Marino ‘stole the ball’ and tucked it away and got booed (more eye rolls from me).
Marino hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. He hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Ambrose kept trying to get his tennis ball back. They traded forearm strikes. Ambrose bit Marino on the butt and got his ball back, then he hit a DDT for a nearfall. Marino hit a leaping double-arm DDT for a believable nearfall at 7:30; I thought that was it. Ambrose hit a Code Red for a nearfall. Marino hit a spin kick and a fisherman’s buster for the pin. Good action; the right man won. Marino helped Stone to his feet, and the crowd applauded them.
Marino Tenaglia defeated Stone Ambrose at 8:38.
3. Freya the Slaya vs. Lovely Miss Larkan vs. Leela Hall vs. Rachel Armstrong. I’ve seen Leela just once on an all women-show in May; she has long blonde hair (think cheerleader Julia Hart when she first debuted in AEW) and my guess is she’s still a teen, and she was trained by Truth Martini in Michigan. Notable that Freya is around 6’1″ and Rachel might barely be 5’0″. I’ve seen Larkan just once (on the same show I saw Leela); she’s blonde and she’s certifiably crazy, muttering under her breath non-stop; she has a neckbrace on today. “She’s a competitor who is always going through it,” a commentator said. Freya carried a small dog in her arms to the ring (she’s always a heel, so this feels like a weird thing to do! She let a fan hold the animal.)
The bell rang and Larkin screamed. Leela tried a rollup on Larkan. Freya tossed the smaller woman around, and she hit a rolling cannonball in the corner on Larkan. Larkan hit a spin kick on Freya. Suddenly, it was just Leela and Rachel in the ring, and they traded offense. Freya scooped up two women and hit a double fallaway slam at 4:30. Leela hit an X-Factor faceplant on Larkan for a nearfall. Larkan went to the floor and grabbed the dog! Freya went to the floor to save the dog; she was now distracted and didn’t return to the ring. Rachel hit a top-rope 450 Splash on Larkan for the pin. A disjointed match; Larkan and Leela are not as experienced in the ring as Rachel and Freya. I admire the effort.
Rachel Armstrong defeated Leela Hall, Freya the Slaya, and Lovely Miss Larkan at 6:50.
4. “Hot Commodity” Hayden Backlund and Trevor Outlaw vs. “Post Game” Mike Walker and Vinny Talotta for the BLP Tag Team Titles. I’ve seen Post Game several times in the Northeast (and I presume they drove here with McCoy and Oliver); the commentators indicated this was their debut here. Outlaw is always the heel; think Marty Scurll in looks. Hayden and Walker opened with some reversals on the mat. Trevor slammed Talotta; Vinny fired back with a loud chop. The heels headed to the floor to regroup; they grabbed their belts and wanted to leave, but Post Game attacked them and they brawled around the gym.
In the ring, Hayden hit a superkick on Walker, and Outlaw made the cover for a nearfall at 4:30. Hayden choked Walker in the ropes as the heels took over and kept Walker grounded. Vinny finally got a hot tag at 8:30 and he hit some clotheslines. He speared both guys into the corner, and he hit a fallaway slam on Hayden, then a spinebuster on Outlaw for a nearfall. Walker got in and hit a superkick on Hayden. Walker and Backlund traded blows. Hayden hit a superkick on Vinny. Hayden hit a doublestomp on Walker’s back for a nearfall. Vinny hit a spear on Outlaw at 12:00. Walker got pushed into the ropes, where Hayden struck him with a weapon in his hands; Outlaw immediately got a rollup with a handful of tights for the cheap pin.
Hayden Backlund and Trevor Outlaw defeated Vinny Talotta and Mike Walker to retain the BLP Tag Team Titles at 12:31.
5. Myung-Jae Lee vs. Hunter Drake. I’ve routinely seen Lee in Canada’s C*4, but I’ve seen him here a few times, too. I’ve seen the scrawny, long-haired Drake multiple times, usually in the deep South. Right on cue, a commentator noted that these two came from a long distance to be here. Basic reversals early, and Lee hit a headscissors takedown and a shotgun dropkick at 1:30, then a hesitation dropkick for a nearfall. Hunter hit his own headscissors takedown, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall.
They traded chops in the corner. Drake hit a plancha to the floor at 4:00. In the ring, Lee hit a German Suplex, and they were both down. Lee hit a top-rope Meteora for a nearfall at 6:00. Hunter hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. This has been good action. Drake missed a Swanton Bomb. Lee immediately hit a Code Red for a nearfall at 8:00. Drake hit a springboard Code Red for a nearfall. Lee hit a Frankensteiner, a running knee, and a Michinoku Driver for the pin. I enjoyed that. “What a match!” a commentator shouted.
Myung-Jae Lee defeated Hunter Drake at 9:18.
6. Davey Bang vs. August Matthews. Tag team partners collide! The commentators noted these two have traveled the country together. August has the height advantage. They locked up and had a basic feeling-out process. “This is like watching two brothers fight,” a commentator said. Bang hit an armdrag and targeted the right elbow. Bang hit a dropkick and a Lionsault for a nearfall at 3:00. August hit a tilt-a-whirl sideslam for a nearfall, then he tied him in a half crab, and he unloaded some hard chops, so Davey fired back with his own. Davey hit a handspring-back-elbow at 7:00, and they were both down.
Bang hit a tornado DDT. Matthews hit a leaping European Uppercut at 8:30. Bang got an O’Connor Roll with a bridge for a nearfall. Matthews hit a rolling cannonball in the corner, then he got a magistral cradle for a nearfall. They fought on the top rope and traded slaps; they both fell off the top rope onto opposite aprons, then rolled to the floor at 11:00. They both got back in before a count-out. Bang hit a spear through the ropes into the ring, then a dropkick into the corner and a rolling Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 12:30. He hit a gutbuster over his knees and a top-rope frogsplash for a nearfall.
Bang hit a modified Air Raid Crash. Matthews hit a Grimes-style Cave-In stomp. He hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall at 15:00. A commentator wondered how these two will be able to get along now, after the beating they are giving to each other. Bang hit a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron, with Matthews falling to the floor. Bang hit a moonsault to the floor. Bang hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly. He got an O’Connor Roll and leaned back, but all four shoulders were down! The ref made a three-count on both men! The crowd booed this outcome; they wanted to see a winner!
Davey Bang vs. August Matthews went to a draw via a double pin at 16:32.
* Leyla Hirsch is here and has issued an open challenge… it was answered by Puf! Puf might be 450 pounds, and Leyla is probably 125 pounds? “I would call this a mismatch of styles,” a commentator said. Being as I often see him on C*4 shows, my guess is he drove here with Myung-Jae Lee. Hirsch asked him to put his title on the line!
7. Puf vs. Leyla Hirsch for the Abro’s Cheese Big Dip Championship. Yes, this championship came from a sponsor at one of the wrestling convention shows a couple of years ago, and I’ve seen it defended before. “It’s probably the most prestigious title in all of wrestling,” a commentator deadpanned. We got a bell, but she had the ref check Puf’s shoes. They finally touched at 1:30, as he easily shoved her to the mat. She eventually knocked him down and repeatedly stomped on him as he struggled to get to his feet.
They brawled to the floor. Puf looped the ring to build up some steam, but he’s too heavy and got gassed before he got to her. He sat down in a chair to catch his breath. So, Leyla looped the ring, but she was also out of breath by the time she got back to Puf, as this was all comedy. In the ring, she hit a chop block to the back of his knee, a dropkick, and a clothesline. She hit a top-rope moonsault for a nearfall. Leyla hit a German Suplex and a running knee for the pin! New champion!
Leyla Hirsch defeated Puf to win the Arbos Cheese Big Dip Championship at 10:46
8. Shotzi Blackheart (w/Black Dahlia) vs. Jordan Oliver for the Internet Championship. This was the reason to tune in. Jordan is about 6’2″ and has a significant height, size, and thickness advantage. Shotzi carried Matt Cardona’s Internet Title, which she stole from him. She’s putting it on the line! They shook hands, but then he kicked her in the face and slammed her to the mat! He mounted her and repeatedly punched her until the ref pushed him off of her. Shotzi hit a headscissors takedown at 1:00, then a second-rope huracanrana, and he rolled to the floor to regroup. She hit a rolling somersault off the apron onto Jordan on the floor.
They brawled at ringside as she laid in some loud chops. She hit a leaping flying knee as he was seated in a chair. They got in the ring and traded rollups. He slammed her to the mat and got a nearfall. He hit a dropkick on Black Dahlia at 4:00, knocking her off the apron to the floor, and he was booed. Shotzi hit a series of forearm strikes in the corner and a faceplant. She hit a spin kick to the back of the head and a DDT at 6:00, then a rolling cannonball for a nearfall. Oliver hit a superkick and a German Suplex, then a Tiger Driver flipping powerbomb for a nearfall, and he was shocked when she kicked out.
Shotzi hit a second-rope crossbody block, and they were both down. She dove through the ropes, caught his head, and hit a tornado DDT to the floor at 8:00. In the ring, she hit a springboard Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. She hit a suplex. He hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 10:30, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes on the ring apron, and she superkicked him. Black Dahlia hit him with the title belt. She tried a Sliced Bread, but they fell off the apron and crashed to the floor. It appears they are both okay. In the ring, she hit a top-rope flying senton for the pin.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Jordan Oliver to retain the Internet Title at 12:36.
Final Thoughts: I often think about how I would have booked a show differently with the same roster available to me (often, I’m doing this to think of better uses for the women, rather than intergender matches). Because, quite frankly, I would rather watch Shotzi vs. Leyla Hirsch than them each facing a bigger, stronger male competitor. So, with the lineup available, I would have had Puf face Griffin McCoy and Jordan Oliver facing Dex Royal, to go with Shotzi-Leyla.
So, I’ll go with Bang-Matthews for best match, a good Royal-McCoy opener for second, and a better-than-expected Drake-Lee match for third. The crowd liked the intergender matches to close the show, but I couldn’t get past how cartoonish they looked because of the clear size and strength differences. That said, Shotzi is having a heckuva post-WWE run. I’ll reiterate that the live crowd loved both of those final two matches.
On the negative side, I had multiple problems with this video stream freezing. Nothing wrong with my internet connection; this was an issue from IWTV that I experience from time to time. I don’t usually point this out, but Angel Escalara was really annoying on color commentary. He tended to shout a LOT.
Be the first to comment