By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open RI “Episode 45 – Milestone”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
March 30, 2026, in Cranston, Rhode Island, at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
This is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. The crowd was perhaps 200. Paul Crockett provided commentary.
* This event marks the first anniversary of the shows here. (Obviously, they have had a few weeks where the venue was otherwise booked and at least one weather-related cancellation, as they aren’t at episode 52!)
1. Ichiban and Brando Lee vs. “The Stetson Ranch” Brian Morris and Bobby Casale. Crockett noted that Steven Stetson was absent, as the Ranch imploded in recent weeks. The Ranch worked over Lee at the bell. Brando bodyslammed Morris. Ichiban hit a dropkick on Morris at 1:30. The Ranch began working over Ichiban in their corner. Casale accidentally kicked Morris at 4:00! “Things keep getting worse for the Stetson Ranch!” Crockett said.
Casale hit an Angle Slam on Lee, then one on Ichiban, then another on Lee for a nearfall. Morris yelled at Casale; Bobby calmly tagged out. However, Lee immediately rolled up Morris for the pin! Casale made no effort to make the save. Morris yelled at Casale some more.
Ichiban and Brando Lee defeated Brian Morris and Bobby Casale at 5:36.
* Brando got on the mic and noted that this is the first anniversary of Wrestling Open: Rhode Island. He turned his attention to Ryan Clancy, and mentioning that name drew boos.
2. Notorious Mimi vs. Liviyah. Mimi was officially given her WWE ID contract over the weekend! She threw Liviyah to the mat at the bell and tied her up. She knocked Liviyah down with a shoulder tackle. Liviyah hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Mimi hit a chop to the throat, and she rammed Liviyah’s head into the turnbuckles, then she hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 2:00.
Mimi hit a Pump Kick to the chest for a nearfall. Liviyah hit a second-rope missile dropkick, and they were both down. Liviyah hit a German Suplex for a nearfall, a second-rope superplex, and a delayed vertical suplex. She went to a corner to set up for a spear, but Kylie Alexa appeared at ringside and grabbed Liviyah’s ankle. Alexa jumped in the ring, attacked Liviyah, and the ref called for the bell.
Liviyah defeated Notorious Mimi via DQ at 5:22.
* Mimi got on the mic and boasted that she’s a “real superstar.” Mimi said she and Alexa are the real stars here.
3. Bobby Orlando vs. Dustin Waller. Dustin rolled to the floor at the bell. In the ring, Bobby hit a shoulder block, then a dive through the ropes onto Dustin at 1:30. Waller trapped Orlando in the apron, Fit Finlay style, and beat on him. Dustin hit a springboard crossbody block at 3:00. He hit a dropkick and remained in charge. Orlando hit a hard clothesline and a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 6:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes.
Waller went for a Lethal Injection, but Orlando caught him and hit a Lungblower to the back, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 7:30, and they were both down. Waller hit a flying forearm, and this time, he nailed the Lethal Injection for a nearfall. We got the one-minute warning at 9:00! Dustin missed a 450 Splash. Orlando went for his Athena-style stunner, but Waller blocked it. Dustin raked the eyes, got a rollup with a handful of tights, and scored the pin! Yes, it’s a tainted win, but he beat the former champ!
Dustin Waller defeated Bobby Orlando at 9:40.
4. “Waves & Curls” Traevon Jordyn and Jaylen Brandyn vs. “The Shooter Boys” Anthony Vecchio and Aaron Ortiz. This crowd was hot and split between these babyface teams, and it merged into an “All these guys!” chant. Vecchio and Brandyn opened in a basic lockup. Crockett said Waves & Curls have to be feeling the pressure in this one, as the Boys have had more success of late. Jaylen hit some armdrags, and they both missed dropkicks. Jordan entered and hit a delayed vertical suplex. Ortiz entered and hit a Lungblower to the chest at 2:30.
The Boys hit a team swinging faceplant on Brandyn for a nearfall. They kept Jaylen in their corner and worked him over. Again, both teams are babyfaces, so this is clean offense by the Boys. Jaylen hit a Poetry in Motion on Vecchio at 4:30. Jordan applied a headlock on Vecchio. W&C now worked over Vecchio in their corner. Jordan twisted Vecchio’s left arm and kept him grounded. Ortiz finally got a hot tag at 7:30, and he suplexed Jaylen and was fired up!
Ortiz hit a tornado DDT on Jordan, then a brainbuster for a believable nearfall. Ortiz hit a German Suplex at 9:00 as we again got a one-minute warning. Ortiz and Jordan traded forearm strikes. Crockett pointed out that neither team was showing “any urgency” to try to win in the final seconds. The Boys were setting up for a Doomsday Device move on Brandyn, but Jordan ran over and grabbed an ankle to block it, and the bell went off at 10:00 sharp. The crowd chanted, “Five more minutes!”
“Waves & Curls” Traevon Jordyn and Jaylen Brandyn vs. “The Shooter Boys” Anthony Vecchio and Aaron Ortiz went to a time-limit draw at 10:00.
* Jordan got on the mic and put over the Boys, saying he and Jaylen are impressed with them. Jordan told them, “We’ve got your back” in their feud with The Verdict.
* Corey Duke, the cowboy character, came to the ring. Again, he has the mustache and mullet of AEW’s Turbo Floyd. He wore his cowboy hat and blue jeans; he’s not dressed to wrestle. He talked about being the No. 1 contender and waiting for his match against Ryan Clancy, who has a minor injury. Duke called out Clancy. Ryan Clancy hit the ring, also not dressed to wrestle, but he was holding his Wrestling Open title. Clancy laughed at the notion that he’s “ducking” Duke. He said Duke doesn’t even belong in the ring with him, and that drew boos. He vowed he won’t overlook him, like Mike Tyson overlooking Buster Douglas. He slapped Duke in the face and left! Lee and Ichiban confronted Clancy, allowing Duke to punch Ryan.
5. “Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug vs. “The Verdict” Bryce Donovan and Vinny “VSK” Scalice (w/”Smart” Mark Sterling) for the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles. VSK and Doug opened with basic reversals and some of Doug’s humor, then Doug hit a dropkick at 1:30. Bryce entered and hit a Mafia Kick on Doug. Brad entered and hit a grazing senton on Bryce at 3:00. Doug repeatedly stomped on Bryce in a corner, and the champs were in charge. Sterlig distracted Doug, and it allowed Bryce to throw Doug into the corner post at 5:00.
Doug fell to the floor, and Bryce stomped on him, rolled him in the ring, and got a nearfall. The Verdict began working over Doug, with VSK hitting a slingshot senton for a nearfall. The crowd was loud and behind Doug. Bryce hit a fallaway slam at 7:00. Doug finally hit a flying back elbow on Bryce at 9:00, and they were both down. Brad got a hot tag and hit some running back elbows, and he was fired up. He hit a German Suplex on VSK and a running buttbump and an Angle Slam on Bryce, then a sit-out powerbomb on Scalice for a nearfall.
Doug got in and threw rose petals on Bryce, and the distraction allowed BB to hit a Team 3D for a nearfall at 11:00. Bryce shoved Brad into Doug. Bryce hit a Black Hole Slam on Hollister for a nearfall. Hollister hit a German Suplex on Hollister at 12:30. Doug tagged in and hit a top-rope crossbody block on Bryce, then he traded punches with Scalice. Doug forcibly kissed Scalice, rolled him up, and got a nearfall. He hit the mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall, but Bryce made the save.
Brad and Bryce traded punches, and Hollister hit a headbutt. They collided and were both down at 14:30. Sterling again distracted the ref. VSK hit Doug with Sterling’s arm brace for a believable nearfall. The Shooter Boys came to ringside, and they sent Sterling to the back! It allowed BB to hit the “Business is Booming” (team Bulldog Powerslam) on Scalice for the pin! Good action.
Big Business” Brad Hollister and Love, Doug defeated “The Verdict” Bryce Donovan and Vinny “VSK” Scalice to retain the Wrestling Open Tag Team Titles at 15:47.
* Ortiz got on the mic and said he’s sick of The Verdict ruining shows here. He challenged them to a multi-man match. Sterling claimed he tore his bicep again last week; the crowd chanted “faker!” at him. Sterling said he will get Max Caster to fill in for him. Vecchio said their partner for next week will be their trainer, Brian Myers! That drew a “TNA!” chant!
Final Thoughts: A really strong main event. I didn’t think Big Business would lose their belts this early into their title reign, but I wasn’t ruling it out, either. The Shooter Boys vs. Waves & Curls was really good and the second-best match. I presume Waves & Curls will stay as babyfaces — I’ve seen them as heels elsewhere, and it does NOT work for me at all — but their vow to be there for the Shooter Boys had me casting doubt on that claim. We’ll see, but they are definitely better as babyfaces.
One of the nice things here is getting mic time for some new faces. Corey Duke got to establish his cowboy character, and the young duo of Ortiz and Vecchio also got to speak, too. The opening two matches did a fine job of forwarding storylines — the implosion of the Stetson Ranch and creating a new heel faction among the women. If it means more of Mimi and Alexa here, I’m all for it.
I really do like Crockett on commentary, but he needs a partner to step in. Brian Morris wrestled early in the show, and I hoped he would join the booth, as he’s been well above-average on commentary.
Be the first to comment