By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 217 – Redemption”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
February 26, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting is good, and it was easy to see. The crowd was maybe 50 as the show began (update: it eventually got up to 125-150); they had a lot of snow, and Monday’s show was canceled due to the blizzard. Paul Crockett, Eye Black Jack Pasquale, and referee Scott Robinson provided commentary over the course of the show.
1. Rain Conway vs. Michael Solar in a spotlight match. My first time seeing Solar, who is white with short blond hair and he wore a singlet. (He looks a lot like a 20-year-old Jake Crist, when he was in Irish Airborne!) Eye Black Jack and Ref Robinson provided commentary on this one. Solar tied a leg lock around the neck and kept Rain grounded. Rain dropped him with a forearm strike. Conway nailed a German Suplex at 3:30.
Solar hit a backbreaker over his knee and a senton. Solar hit a second-rope crossbody block, but Rain rolled through and got a nearfall. Conway hit the Rainmaker (Okada’s short-arm clothesline) for the pin. Robinson and Pasquale were shocked that he actually won! The crowd didn’t give Solar the all-important “Please come back!” chant, and I’ll let that speak for itself.
Rain Conway defeated Michael Solar at 6:04.
* Crockett took over on commentary for the main show. The crowd has grown a bit in the past 15 minutes but it’s still well below-average. Again, I’m assuming that snow-covered roads are still an issue. DJ Powers came out to start the main show and the crowd booed him as he got on the mic. He belittled the crowd and said they bully him. He vowed he is fixing a blemish on his record.
2. DJ Powers vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale. These two recently went to a time-limit draw. Jack is younger and less experienced, but he does have the size advantage. Jack took off his chain and set it in the corner. DJ picked it up, wrapped it around his fist, and punched Jack with it! The ref called for the bell! DJ hit a few more punches. DJ got on the mic and said he was fixing that blemish on his record. He pulled out the Roddy Piper line: “Just when you think you have the answers, I change the question.” This clearly isn’t over!
Eye Black Jack Pasquale defeated DJ Powers via DQ at 00:44.
* A video package aired that showed how Ryan Clancy reached the finals of the No. 1 contender’s tournament.
3. Joseph “A-Game” Alexander vs. J-Spade. My first time seeing J-Spade, and he’s making his debut. He has some size on his frame! A-Game is replacing Kylon King, who was originally slated to be in this one. J-Spade did some ‘shadow-boxing’ on the ref’s hands before locking up with A-Game. Alexander hit a flying forearm in the corner, then a spin kick at 2:00. J-Spade hit a sidewalk slam for a nearfall. Crockett said J-Spade is from the New Orleans indy scene. (I think they said Solar also was from there.)
J-Spade again slammed A-Game for a nearfall. A-Game still has a brace on his shoulder, and Crockett talked about that recent injury. A-Game nailed a clothesline at 4:30 and was fired up. He hit some flying forearms and a Saito Suplex, then a German Suplex. He hit a jumping knee into the corner and a double-underhook suplex for a believable nearfall. J-Spade hit a spin kick to the jaw at 6:00. He got A-Game up into a Torture Rack and dropped him chest-first over his knees for a nearfall. A-Game finally nailed his running knee to the sternum for the pin. Decent.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander defeated J-Spade at 6:51.
* In a taped segment, Dustin Waller spoke about his match against Jonathan Gresham. Back to the venue, where Waller came out and brushed his shoulder against A-Game, who was still at ringside, and it really irked A-Game.
4. Dustin Waller vs. Jonathan Gresham. They tied up, but Dustin rolled to the floor to stall. Some basic tie-ups in the ring, and Gresham hit a dropkick at 3:30. He pulled the do-rag off of Dustin’s head and handed it to A-Game, who was still watching at ringside. Gresham chased him on the floor and back into the ring. Waller turned and punched A-Game! A-Game hopped on the apron; Waller pushed Gresham into A-Game, then Dustin hit a Michinoku Driver, and he took control. They traded chops at 7:00.
The ref was out of position, and Gresham tapped Waller in the groin! Crockett wasn’t happy with Gresham for doing that. Jonathan hit some armdrags, and he tied up Dustin on the mat. They traded rollups on the mat, and Gresham hit a huracanrana at 12:30. Waller went for the Lethal Injection, but Gresham caught him by the waist and turned it into a Chaos Theory (rolling German Suplex) for the pin! Good action.
Jonathan Gresham defeated Dustin Waller at 12:55.
* A-Game and Waller stood toe-to-toe. A-Game posed with Gresham; those two will fight Friday night!
* A nice video package aired for Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor, who got their starts here.
5. Jordan Blade vs. Gabby Forza. Blade competed in the mini-tournament where Laynie Luck won the WWE ID Title; I think this is her first time here since then. Gabby offered a handshake, but Jordan slapped her in the face! Jordan immediately applied a cross-armbreaker. Gabby hit a bodyslam and a senton for a nearfall at 1:30. Jordan hit a running knee to the sternum, mounted Gabby, and repeatedly punched her, then hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall.
They got up, and Blade hit some jab punches to the jaw for a nearfall at 4:00. Crockett just noted what I wrote earlier about Blade being in that ID match. Jordan hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Gabby hit a delayed vertical suplex, and they were both down at 6:00. Gabby rammed Blade into the corner and tied her in the Tree of Woe and hit some running kicks to the midriff, then a dropkick. She hit the Gnome Bomb (Vader Bomb) for a nearfall.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Blade applied a crossface on the mat at 8:00, and she turned it into a Rings of Saturn double armbar. Gabby escaped and hit a clothesline. Blade hit a pump kick in the corner and a back suplex for a believable nearfall. Gabby caught her and nailed a sit-out powerbomb, then the spear for the pin. That was really good; these two worked well together.
Gabby Forza defeated Jordan Blade at 9:28.
6. Aaron Rourke vs. Mike Cunningham in a WWE ID match. These two teamed up on Evolve on Wednesday (but that obviously wasn’t live.) Again, Cunningham no longer looks like Archie from Riverdale as he now has dark hair, and he danced his way to the ring. The crowd chanted for “Evil Gay!” at the bell as they locked up. Cunningham playfully slapped him, danced, and pulled off the tear-away pants… so Rourke gave him a spank, then a standing neckbreaker and a Russian Leg Sweep at 1:30… then another spank.
Rourke hit a double-chop to the chest. Cunningham pushed the ropes to cause Rourke to fall and be crotched in the corner, then he hit a dropkick and a running clothesline for a nearfall. He hit a Stinger Splash at 3:00 and Crockett praised Mike’s athleticism. Rourke went for an X-Factor but Mike partially blocked it, and Mike hit a flying back elbow for a nearfall. Rourke hit some jab punches to the jaw and some kicks and a superkick at 5:00, then a German Suplex. This has been a sprint!
Rourke hit a Lungblower to the chest and the crowd was fired up. Cunningham hit a discus punch and a spinebuster for a nearfall. Rourke nailed the Molly-Go-Round (second-rope somersault cannonball on a standing Cunningham) for the pin. Good action. Cunningham clearly is going to be a great heel who thinks he’s an all-American babyface.
Aaron Rourke defeated Mike Cunningham at 6:43.
* A video aired of how Tyree Taylor advanced to the finals of the No. 1 contender’s tournament.
* The crowd has grown now to maybe 125-150. I love the diehards … they might have missed the first two or so matches, but still made it. “The World Is Not Enough” by Garbage played, which can only mean the “Fancy Man” Ryan Clancy has arrived! He was competing on the West Coast last weekend.
7. Ryan Clancy vs. Tyree Taylor in the No. 1 contender’s tournament finale. Tyree (again, he’s a mix of Shane Taylor and Willie Mack with size and agility) has been on quite a roll since returning from an injury. The winner gets a title shot NEXT THURSDAY. Ring announcer Rich Palladino said Tyree weighs 305 pounds, and that feels accurate. Clancy was hesitant to lock up, and he barked at Tyree that the fans used to love him, too, but they turned their backs on him. Standing switches as Clancy tied up the left arm.
Clancy tried some shoulder tackles, but he ricocheted and fell to the mat. Tyree hit a big back-body drop at 3:00, and Clancy rolled to the floor to avoid a discus forearm. Crockett noted that each man has won once against the other. Clancy applied a cross-armbreaker in the ropes at 4:30. He let go before the five-count, but Tyree sold the pain in the limb, and Clancy targeted the damaged arm. He snapped the arm between his ankles and kept Tyree grounded, then he hit his Russian Leg Sweep at 6:30, and went back to tying up Tyree’s left arm.
Tyree fired back with a big Pounce that sent Clancy flying! He hit a shoulder thrust to the ribs in the corner, then another, then a uranage for a nearfall at 9:00. Clancy again applied a cross-armbreaker on the mat. Tyree fought free and hit a clothesline for a nearfall, while still selling the arm pain. Their heads collided, and Tyree hit a massive dropkick for a nearfall at 11:30. Someone in a black hoodie jumped on the apron and distracted Tyree! Clancy hit his Picture Perfect Dropkick for the tainted pin! “Who in the hell was that?” Crockett asked. The masked man vanished into the crowd before we found out.
Ryan Clancy defeated Tyree Taylor at 12:15 to win the tournament and become No. 1 contender to the Wrestling Open Championship.
* A video package set up the main event, including footage of Lucas Chase’s return; he had been out with an injury since May.
8. “Big Business” Brad Hollister, TJ Crawford, Julio Cruz, Victor Chase, and Love, Doug, vs. “Stetson Ranch” Steve Stetson, Brian Morris, Bobby Casale, Lucas Chase, and Danny Miles. This feud has been building for a couple of months now. Doug and Lucas Chase opened. The Ranch members all wore blue jeans and white T-shirts. It didn’t take long until all 10 were fighting in and out of the ring, and the crowd chanted “Wrestling Open!” TJ hit a scoop bodyslam on Casale at 2:00. Cruz slammed Brian Morris. Victor entered and hit a pump kick on Morris. Victor hit a senton. Hollister got in, and BB was in charge as they worked over Morris.
Stetson got in at 4:00, and he stomped on TJ and kept him grounded. Miles entered and targeted the right knee and ankle. Doug got back in at 6:00 and hit a flying forearm on Miles. Doug hit a mid-ring Slice of Love (Sliced Bread) for a nearfall. Casale scooped up Doug and threw him to the floor onto the other BB members. TJ was helped to the back as he was limping. (This is a kayfabe injury, but Crockett sold his concern and said he’ll pass along medical updates if he gets any). Back in the ring, the Ranch continued working over Doug. (Could TJ return and turn on his team?)
Lucas Chase repeatedly punched Doug. Miles worked him over. (This five-on-one beatdown has gone too long.) Hollister finally got a hot tag at 12:30, and he hit a Bulldog Powerslam. He cleared the ring and was fired up. The Ranch hit high-low blows on Victor. Stetson hit a brainbuster on Doug. Crawford limped to ringside at 15:00! He got in the ring and punched Stetson. Big Business surrounded Stetson, and they all worked him over. Victor and Cruz hit a team choskeslam. Julio hit a dive to the floor. Victor hit a flip dive to the floor, and he nearly landed on the top of his head — it made me jump!
Brad and Doug hit the “Business is Booming” team powerslam for a believable nearfall on Stetson. Morris made a blind tag. Victor got in and hit a flying headbutt, so he’s clearly okay. Morris hit an Impaler DDT. Stetson and Hollister hit a team 3D for a nearfall on Morris, but Stetson pulled the ref to the floor and struck him! The heels hit several low blows. Stetson hit Doug with the belt across his forehead. Stetson made a lazy cover on Doug and only got a nearfall at 19:30.
Lucas hit a Buckle Bomb on Doug. Casale and Morris hit their own “Business is Booming” on Doug for a nearfall! The heels surrounded Doug, who got up and tried to fight them off, but Stetson hit his clothesline to the back of the neck. Crawford got back in and hit a Silver Bullet spin kick for a nearfall. All ten climbed into the ring and were limping, but they all started throwing punches! Doug hit his clothesline on Casale. Doug and Hollister again hit “Business is Booming” for the pin! That was really good.
“Big Business” Brad Hollister, TJ Crawford, Julio Cruz, Victor Chase, and Love, Doug defeated “Stetson Ranch” Steve Stetson, Brian Morris, Bobby Casale, Lucas Chase, and Danny Miles at 22:27.
Final Thoughts: I was a bit surprised that Clancy-Tyree wasn’t the main event, so my Spidey-Sense alerted me to expect a swerve or screwjob finish, and that was the case. A very good match nonetheless, and now we have a new mystery to solve — who was that man in the hoodie? I will go with that match for best of the show, ahead of the main event.
I really did expect a TJ heel turn on his team, too! When the ref was pulled to the floor — with so many people standing around ringside, I initially thought it was Crawford who had pulled the ref out (thus turning on his team!), but it was Stetson. So, we just got a good old-fashioned brawl and a heckuva war without a screwjob heel turn, and that totally works for me. Just by glancing at my time-checks, you can see Doug was in a five-on-one beat down for about 6 1/2 minutes before he finally was able to tag out. But the match really picked up in those last 10 minutes and just kept going at a high-energy pace.
Even though it was short, Rourke-Cunningham takes third. Cunningham has gone from a cowboy to a dancing gigolo in a matter of just a few months. As I said, I think his future is as a smarmy ‘I’m better than you” heel who thinks he’s a babyface. Waller-Gresham was predictably good, and Forza-Blade was really good, too. So, a lot to like here. I watched this live; it should be posted on IWTV by Friday morning.
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