By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
4th Rope Wrestling “Heels Have Eyes: Westside Gunn Day”
August 28, 2025, in Buffalo, New York, at Buffalo RiverWorks
Released February 17, 2026, on YouTube.com
I’ve noted this before, but the production and setup of a 4th Rope show looks and feels exactly like a TNA show. The entrance ramp is across from the hard camera. Kazeem and Ernest Miller provided commentary.
* 4th Rope is a celebration of hip-hop culture and pro wrestling. They also held a show in November that has yet to be released.
* 4th Rope Commissioner MVP came to the ring, wearing a suit and carrying his cane. MVP said it was a historic day, and he fired up the crowd.
1. Real1 (f/k/a Enzo Amore) vs. Mo Jabari for the 4th Rope Flyweight Title. I’ve noted that Jabari looks a bit like Rich Swann; he hit a shotgun dropkick at the bell. They brawled onto the entrance ramp. Mo hit a top-rope elbow drop and applied a Sharpshooter, but Real1 escaped to the floor at 2:00. Real1 hit a Razor’s Edge against the ring post, and he took control back in the ring. He hit a second-rope flying DDT for a nearfall at 2:30. Real1 hit a dive off the apron and landed in the front row! Back in the ring, Jabari again applied a Sharpshooter, with Enzo again reaching the ropes. Real1 hit an Eat D’Feat and scored the pin! That wrapped up out of nowhere.
Real1 defeated Mo Jabari to retain the 4th Rope Flyweight Title at 6:16.
* Backstage, Tiara James spoke to Mara Sade. They won their tag match at the last show, and they’re going to take over.
2. Cha Cha Charlie and Ninja Mack vs. “5150” Slice Boogie and Danny Limelight. Charlie had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the MLW Battle Riot earlier this month. The 5150 team attacked from behind, and we’re underway. Danny hit a senton. Boogie tried a huracanrana on Mack, but Mack rotated and landed on his feet at 1:30. Mack hit a flying back elbow on Limelight. Charlie tagged in and hit a frog splash, and Limelight bailed to the floor. Charlie and Mack hit stereo dives through the ropes onto 5150.
In the ring, Charlie hit a German Suplex on Danny and a running knee and a guillotine leg drop at 3:30. Boogie hit a Vader Bomb-style elbow drop, and 5150 began working over Charlie in their corner. Boogie hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Limelight missed a top-rope move. Mack got a hot tag and hit some chops on Danny, then some quick kicks, and he nailed the Sasuke Special dive onto Danny. He landed that perfectly. Mack went for a top-rope move, but Boogie caught him with a powerbomb, and Limelight made the cover for the pin. Fast-paced and fun.
“5150” Slice Boogie and Danny Limelight defeated Ninja Mack and Cha Cha Charlie at 6:54.
3. AJ Francis vs. Oni King. Oni has competed on some recent JCW shows, and he looks a bit like Jay Lethal. He charged at AJ and hit some forearm strikes at the bell and kicked his thigh. AJ dropped him with a pop-up punch at 1:00, and he immediately choked Oni in the ropes. Francis hit a splash in the corner and was in control. Oni hit a dropkick at 3:00 and running knees in the corner, then an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. He put Francis across his back, but his knees buckled, and AJ escaped. Francis immediately hit a spear and a Down Payment chokeslam for the pin. Solid.
AJ Francis defeated Oni King at 4:20.
4. Mara Sade vs. Maya World. Maya tried some shoulder blocks but Sade didn’t budge. They traded reversals. Sade hit a clothesline off the apron to the floor at 2:00. Maya World dropped her head-first on the ring apron. In the ring, Maya hit a running one-footed dropkick for a nearfall and she kept Sade in a chinlock on the mat. Sade hit a running neckbreaker at 4:30 and a Sling Blade clothesline, then a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Maya trapped Sade’s head in the corner, kicked her in the face, hit a German Suplex, then a running neckbreaker. Maya missed a move off the ropes, and Sade hit a double-arm suplex, then a top-rope moonsault for the pin. Everything has been fast-paced but short.
Mara Sade defeated Maya World at 6:32.
5. Kevin Blackwood vs. Kevin Knight vs. Gino Medina in a three-way. Blackwood is set to retire this weekend, in a big loss to the indy scene. This could be a show-stealer. Gino pushed the Kevins into each other. Knight hit a dropkick that sent Gino to the floor, and he got a backslide on Blackwood for a nearfall. Blackwood hit a German Suplex on Knight. Medina tied up Blackwood on the mat. Knight hit a flying clothesline on Blackwood and a flying splash onto Medina. Blackwood hit an Exploder Suplex, then a top-rope doublestomp on Medina’s black, then a brainbuster.
Knight hit a top-rope clothesline on Blackwood. Medina hit a running clothesline on Knight at 4:30, then a Michinoku Driver. Blackwood hit a running knee on Medina. Blackwood and Medina traded forearm strikes. They hit stereo spin kicks to the head. Knight hit a double dropkick, and everyone was down. Yeah, this has been really good. Blackwood hit a top-rope back suplex on Medina, but Knight immediately hit a frog splash to pin Blackwood. That was really good.
Kevin Knight defeated Kevin Blackwood and Gino Medina in a three-way at 6:42.
* Joe Alonzo came out and cut a heel promo.
6. Joe Alonzo vs. Daniel Garcia. A nice pop for the Buffalo native Garcia. Alonzo mockingly did Garcia’s signature dance, then they locked up. Alonzo stalled, then they traded rollups, and Alonzo bailed to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, Garcia hit some hard chops in the corner. Alonzo stomped on Daniel and did the Garcia dance some more. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Garcia fired up and hit a series of punches in the corner, then a swinging neckbreaker, then two more.
Alonzo hit a baseball slide dropkick that sent Garcia from the apron to the floor at 6:00. Daniel jumped back in before the countout. Alonzo hit a spinning neckbreaker for a nearfall. Garcia set up for a Boston Crab, but Alonzo rolled him up for a nearfall. Alonzo slapped him and immediately apologized! Garcia hit his own open-hand slaps and a Saito Suplex. Alonzo hit a leaping inverted DDT for a nearfall at 7:30. Alonzo grabbed the ring bell, but the ref confiscated it. Garcia applied the Sharpshooter, leaned back for added pressure, and Alonzo tapped out. I liked that a lot.
Daniel Garcia defeated Joe Alonzo at 8:41.
7. Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy vs. “The Good Brothers” Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo in a three-way for the 4th Rope Tag Team Titles. Jeff and Karl opened; everyone else was on the ring apron; they played to the crowd, and it took almost a minute before they locked up. Matt tagged in and tied up Anderson’s left arm. The Hardys hit some team moves. Gallows jumped in, but the Hardys hit a team DDT on him.
Karl hit some moves and mockingly made the “delete!” arm motion. The Infantry began working over Matt in their corner. Dean hit a Bronco Buster at 5:00. Gallows got back in, and he threw Matt into his corner. Anderson jumped back in and hit some kicks as they kept Matt grounded. Matt finally hit a sideslam on Karl. Jeff got the hot tag at 8:00 and hit a series of clotheslines and back elbows on the Infantry, then a basement dropkick on Dean for a nearfall and a Russian Leg Sweep.
Jeff hit a Whisper In The Wind onto both Infantry members for a nearfall, then a Poetry In Motion on Dean and a second-rope frog splash for a nearfall. The Good Brothers jumped in, and everyone was brawling. The Infantry hit a running team neckbreaker on Gallows. Dean and Anderson fought on the floor. Matt hit a Twist of Fate on Anderson, and Jeff hit a stunner on Gallows. The Hardys peeled off their shirts, and Jeff hit the Swanton Bomb on Dean for the pin. Fairly paint-by-numbers but fine.
Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy defeated “The Good Brothers” Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows and “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo in a three-way to retain the 4th Rope Tag Team Titles at 11:41.
* The Good Brothers beat up both teams after the bell and posed with the 4th Rope Titles and the TNA Tag Team Titles.
* Mara Sade joined commentary for the next match.
8. Rhio vs. Alexis Littlefoot vs. Nikki Blackheart vs. Tiara James in a four-way for the inaugural 4th Rope Women’s TItle. Nikki hit a powerbomb at the bell on Alexis, and she knocked Rhio down with a shoulder tackle. I’ve noted before that Alexis is really slender; she tried a series of clotheslines on the taller, thicker Nikki, who no-sold them all, and Blackheart dropped her snake-eyes in the corner. Rhio hit a spinning heel kick to Nikki’s jaw. Tiara jumped on Rhio’s back and applied a sleeper, but Rhio ran backwards into the corner to escape.
They did a Tower of Doom spot out of the corner at 3:30, with only Nikki left standing! Nice. (I’ve never understood why the bottom person in a Tower of Doom also sells the move.) Nikki hit a Tiger Driver powerbomb on Littlefoot for a nearfall. Mara Sade left commentary and distracted Nikki. Tiara hit a top-rope Meteora on Nikki, but Rhio made the save. Rhio hit a Package Piledriver on Alexis for the pin! Fun, but that was just far too short.
Rhio defeated Nikki Blackheart, Alexis Littlefoot, and Tiara James in a four-way at 5:25 to become the inaugural 4th Rope Women’s champion.
9. Zilla Fatu vs. Journey Fatu for the 4th Rope Title. I’m a big fan of Zilla’s look and ring skills, but the son of Umaga remains a free agent. They stood nose-to-nose and glared at each other before they each backed up, then they charged at each other and traded shoulder blocks. Zilla knocked Journey down, but Journey popped up. Journey is heavier and he hip-tossed Zilla, who rolled to the floor at 2:00 to regroup. Zilla got back in and hit his own armdrags and a crossbody block for a nearfall.
Zilla tried to put him across his shoulders, but Journey blocked it and hit a clothesline. They fought to the floor and looped ringside. In the ring, Journey kept Zilla grounded. Journey missed a moonsault, and Zilla immediately hit a flying forearm, and they were both down at 7:30. They got up and traded multiple headbutts. Journey ducked a Samoan Spike. Zilla hit a frog splash for a nearfall at 9:00. Zilla jumped off the ropes, but Journey caught him across his shoulders and hit a Samoan Drop. Journey went for a Yokozuna-style Buttdrop, but Zilla avoided it. Zilla nailed the Samoan Spike to the throat for the pin.
Zilla Fatu defeated Journey Fatu to retain the 4th Rope Title at 10:19.
* A long hip-hop concert here, roughly 30 minutes, as the steel cage was erected. I fast-forwarded.
10. Joshua Bishop vs.Matt Riddle in a steel cage match. This cage is more metal beams with squares that you could fit your whole arm through; it’s not a mesh, chain-link fence like what JCW used a week ago. I see there are some tables placed in the ring, leaning against the wall. We got a bell, and they immediately traded chops. Matt’s hair was bright red at this time. Bishop was already bleeding, and he had a trickle of red in his blond hair. Riddle tried a move off the top rope at 4:00, but Bishop threw a chair at him.
Bishop hit a hard back elbow and was in charge. Matt cracked him across the back with a chair. Riddle hit a suplex for a nearfall at 6:00. He hit some jab punches to the forehead, and Bishop’s hair was getting redder and redder. Bishop hit a fallaway slam for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Matt missed a moonsault, and Bishop immediately hit a Black Hole Slam at 8:30. Josh set up a table. He set up for a Razor’s Edge, but Riddle escaped.
Matt hit a jumping knee that caused Bishop to fall through the table. Riddle hit a second-rope senton for a nearfall at 10:30. Riddle got a second table and opened it in the center of the ring. The Good Brothers appeared at ringside and reached through the cage and held Riddle’s ankle! It allowed Bishop to hit a chokeslam, then the Razor’s Edge onto the table, shattering it, for the pin. Solid. Anderson and Gallows jumped into the ring to celebrate with Bishop.
Joshua Bishop defeated Matt Riddle in a steel cage match at 12:15.
Final Thoughts: A fun show, but most of the matches were just far too short. I liked the Blackheart-Knight-Medina match most, even though it was short. Garcia-Alonzo was really good for second, with the Fatu-Fatu match third. The cage match was fine. While I don’t like the interference finish, at least no one tried to win a cage match by running to the floor to escape (a big pet peeve of mine)!
The more I see of the Hardys’ work over the past year, especially on indy shows, the more I see that Matt works 90 percent of the match, with Jeff not doing much other than hitting the Swanton at the end. No new faces on this show; I’ve seen everyone before. That said, Littlefoot stood out as not being ‘TV-ready’ compared to the other three women in her match.
I’ll reiterate that the production values are pretty good, and this looks like a TNA taping. I’ll note that the results of this show had not yet been posted on cagematch.net, which indicates to me this really is the televised debut of this show. I just don’t see why a promotion waits roughly six months to release a show. This show has a 3:06 run time, but as I noted, you can skip 30 minutes between the Zilla Fatu match and the cage match.
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