By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Black Label Pro Wrestling “@SCX4”
March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Wyndham Hotel
Released March 29, 2026, via IndependentWrestling.TV
This show was held at the Squared Circle Expo IV. This is at least my third straight year reviewing shows from this event. The wrestling shows in this convention hall typically draw 500. (There is another show with Al Snow, the OVW roster, and a bunch of wrestlers in their 50s and 60s, also available on YouTube.) They put the ring in a corner of the room, which really hides how many people are in this large convention hall, watching the show. The lights were on, and it’s easy to see. Nick Maniwa and Jim Fanin provided commentary, and the sound is awful; it’s tinny like you are listening to AM radio from a city 100 miles away. This was posted on IWTV on Sunday.
* I see just two names in the lineup I don’t know (I may have seen them before, but the names aren’t sticking out to me.)
1. Jake Omen vs. Sidney Akeem for the SCX Title. Sidney has been wearing a mask lately and calling himself “Soleil,” but he’s maskless tonight. Omen’s long goatee has really turned gray since I last saw him; he must be at or near 40, but his physique is still tremendous. He knocked Sidney down with a shoulder tackle. They tied up each other’s left arms. Jake hit a flying back elbow and a snap suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Sidney hit his twisting crossbody block. He leaned Jake against the ropes and repeatedly chopped him.
Jake hit a left-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 5:30, and he kept Sidney grounded. Sidney hit a step-up mule kick at 8:00, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Jake hit a backbreaker over his knee, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Sidney hit a superkick and a rolling DVD, then a Meteora running knees for a nearfall at 10:00. Omen locked in a Boston Crab, but Akeem reached the ropes. They got up and traded chops, then forearm strikes. Sidney did some backflips to avoid moves. Omen nailed a Shining Wizard for the pin. That certainly topped my expectations; it was pretty good!
Jake Omen defeated Sidney Akeem to retain the SCX Title at 12:09.
* (We could hear Maniwa tell someone that the static was really high in their headphones.)
2. Rhys Maddox vs. Bruss Hamilton. This match isn’t on the IWTV lineup! Maddox has become a regular at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling. I think he’s now 20. Bruss has a wide, muscular body, and he’s become a regular in AAW and Chicago Style Wrestling. Bruss is significantly thicker and visibly stronger than Maddox. They took turns playing to the crowd before locking up, and Bruss easily shoved the kid to the mat.
Bruss hit a Pounce! He hip-tossed the poor kid across the ring and flattened him with a splash in the corner. Rhys hit a series of kicks to the thigh and tried to chop down the thick tree, and he choked Bruss in the ropes. Bruss dropped him with a loud overhand chop. Maddox hit a top-rope crossbody block and a superkick for a nearfall at 4:30. Bruss knocked him down with some shoulder tackles and a pop-up knee strike, then an overhead bodyslam for the pin. I thought it might have been even shorter than this.
Bruss Hamilton defeated Rhys Maddox at 5:23.
3. Dan the Dad vs. Marino Tenaglia. Both guys are regulars at Glory Pro in St. Louis and have fought before, but this is somehow a first-ever singles match! I’ve noted before that with his frizzy, curly hair, Tenaglia always reminds me a bit of Kenny Omega. Marino knocked him down with a shoulder tackle, and Dan rolled to the floor and sold his back sciatica, and he got his cup of coffee. They traded standing switches while Dan sipped from his mug. He did an armdrag without spilling a drop, and he put Marino in an abdominal stretch at 3:00. Marino took a sip, but then he sprayed it in Dad’s face!
Marino kept him grounded in a straitjacket choke. Dan got up and hit some jab punches at 6:00. Marino hit an enzuigiri. He came off the ropes, but Dan landed a punch. Dan hit a Helluva Kick and a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Marino got a rollup with his hand on the ropes for a nearfall at 7:30; I thought that was it. Marino hit a second-rope leaping Flatliner and a superkick. Dan put Marino’s feet on the ropes and hit a Flatliner at 9:00. Dan removed his belt and swatted Marino once. Dan hit a Backpack Stunner for the pin. The right mix of action and comedy; I usually do enjoy Dan’s schtick.
Dan the Dad defeated Marino Tenaglia at 9:35.
4. Isaiah Broner vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. Two big guys here! I have no idea if Davey Boy is active — I don’t think he’s even been on MLW tapings of late. He hit a snap suplex on Broner and applied a headlock on the mat. Broner grapevined a leg on the mat. Broner hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 3:30 and immediately applied a half-crab. Davey hit an enzuigiri, and they were both down.
They got up, and Davey hit some forearm strikes and European Uppercuts. Davey Boy hit a snap suplex at 5:30 and a diving headbutt, then a sideslam for a nearfall. Broner hit a chop block on the back of Davey’s left knee. They traded rollups when Davey suddenly got the flash pin! An okay match — not bad, but I expected a bit more brawling. They hugged afterwards.
Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Isaiah Broner at 6:56.
5. Shazza McKenzie vs. Myung-jae Lee in an intergender match. Lee is a regular here and at C*4 in Canada. He’s fairly slender, so he’s not really much bigger than her. They jawed before finally locking up, and Lee backed her into a corner. She complained to the ref that Lee pulled her hair (he didn’t!), and she jawed at the fans. She tried a shoulder tackle, but he didn’t budge. Lee dropped her with a shoulder tackle. He nailed a shotgun dropkick at 2:30. She rolled to the floor and called for a timeout. He reached down to grab her, but she snapped his neck on the top rope, then kicked him.
In the ring, she raked his eyes and stomped on Lee, and kept him grounded. She tied him in an abdominal stretch on the mat at 5:00. Lee did a hip-toss to escape, and he hit some clotheslines. Lee hit a top-rope missile dropkick and a hesitation dropkick in the corner for a nearfall. McKenzie hit an Angle Slam at 7:00! Lee hit an Impaler DDT for a nearfall. He missed a move into the corner; she immediately rolled him up with her feet on the ropes for added leverage and scored the pin!
Shazza McKenzie defeated Myung-jae Lee at 8:03.
6. Koda Hernandez vs. Crash Jaxon vs. Gaston Larue vs. Hayden Backland vs. Anthony Musso. Musso and Larue are the guys I’m not sure if I’ve seen before. Musso is a bit heavyset, bald with a goatee; Maniwa is also unfamiliar with him. Gaston has dark hair and more chest hair than you usually see from a pro wrestler! Maniwa said he’s from Kentucky. Koda is one of my favorites from the Chicago area, and he’s had some good battles recently with Mike Santana and Mustafa Ali. Crash wore a black singlet tonight. (Last time I saw him, he wore purple and looked like a grape.) Hayden came out last, and he wore his BLP Tag Title belt.
They opened in a five-way knuckle lock, and Crash overpowered all of them for some good comedy. Koda and Backland fought in the ring, with Koda hitting an Exploder Suplex. Gaston dove through the ropes onto Crash at 5:00. In the ring, Crash flattened Gaston with a running body block. Backland nailed a superkick, and suddenly everyone was down. Musso hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 6:30. Koda hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Crash hit some clotheslines. He nailed a Pounce on Gaston. Hayden hit a powerbomb out of the corner on Crash. Gaston hit a top-rope diving headbutt. Koda hit a frog splash and pinned Crash. Fun action.
Koda Hernandez defeated Crash Jaxon, Gaston Larue, Hayden Backland, and Anthony Musso at 9:19.
7. Mickie Knuckes (w/Jim Fanin) vs. Nate Webb. These two were on the very first IWA Mid-South show I attended in Indiana in 2004! Nate danced and partied to “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus; as he got in the ring, Mickie attacked him from behind and tossed Webb to the floor. Fanin kicked Nate in the ribs. Mickie rolled to the floor and brawled with Nate and up onto the entrance stage. She hit a suplex on the stage at 1:30, and Webb rolled to the carpet.
In the ring, she hit some running buttbumps in the corner. She pulled her trunks up, like Rikishi, and she rubbed her butt in his face. She hit a senton at 3:30, then another. Webb got a chain, tossed it to Knuckles, and collapsed on the mat, a la Eddie Guerrero. The ref turned around, saw Webb down and Mickie with the chain, and called for the bell!
Nate Webb defeated Mickie Knuckles via DQ at 5:32.
8. Chris Masters vs. Dex Royal. I’ve said before, but the talented Dex Royal looks so much like Swerve Strickland that I think it hurts him. (Think how Mason Ryan couldn’t escape the comparisons to Dave Batista.) I have suddenly seen five or six Masters matches already in 2026. They worked each other’s left arms early on. Masters shook his hand but kicked him in the gut and choked him with a shirt at 3:00!! Dex hit a top-rope crossbody block.
Masters took control and hit some jab punches, and he whipped Dex into the corner at 5:00. He hit a butterfly suplex, and the crowd chanted, “You still got it!” He tossed Dex to the floor. In the ring, Masters tied both of Dex’s arms behind his back. Dex missed a top-rope double stomp. Chris went for the Master Lock, but Dex escaped and hit some kicks. Dex nailed a frog splash for a nearfall at 9:30. Dex applied his own Master Lock, but Chris powered out. Chris applied his own Master Lock, but Dex dropped down to escape, and Dex nailed a superkick to the cheek! Seconds later, Chris applied the Master Lock, and they dropped to their knees. The ref checked Dex and called for the bell! Satisfying.
Chris Masters defeated Dex Royal at 10:56.
9. La Estrella vs. Javi (Bernal). I’ve seen the short, masked Dragon Gate wrestler Estrella before. They shook hands at the bell. Estrella is listed at 5’3″, but he may be even shorter than that. Some quick reversals, and they traded rollups. They rolled to the floor at 2:30 and traded chops. In the ring, Estrella hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a twisting dive through the ropes onto Javi. In the ring, Estrella hit a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 4:30. Javi hit a superkick and a fisherman’s buster for the pin. Shockingly short!
Javi (Bernal) defeated La Estrella at 4:51.
10. Kevin Ku vs. Taka Michinoku for the BLP Title. A nice pop for Taka. It’s been a few months since I’ve seen him compete in NJPW. They twisted each other’s left arms and had a feeling-out process early on. They traded shoulder blocks with neither budging. Ku finally dropped Taka at 3:00, and he got a one-count. Ku tied up the legs and stomped on the back of the thighs. Ku hit some forearm strikes. Taka hit a Pump Kick to the jaw at 5:00. Taka took control, choking Ku in the ropes. He tied up Ku on the mat, but Kevin reached the ropes. Ku hit an Angle Slam at 7:00.
Kevin hit some clotheslines in the corner and was fired up. He hit a dropkick to the jaw in the corner for a nearfall. Ku put him in a crossface on the mat, but Taka escaped and applied the headlock on the mat. Kevin went for a half-crab, but Taka escaped. They traded rollups and rolled around the mat. Taka hit a jump-up knee to the chin in the corner, then a running knee for a nearfall at 10:00. Taka set up for a Michinoku Driver, but Ku rolled through it and got a nearfall. Ku hit a Doctor Bomb for a nearfall, then a fisherman’s buster for the pin!
Kevin Ku defeated Taka Michinoku to retain the BLP Title at 12:46.
Final Thoughts: A satisfying show. Nothing really must-see, but it was a solid event, with a dose of nostalgia, some comedy, and decent action. That show-opener between Omen and Akeem turned out to be the match of the show. I don’t see Omen’s name pop up often, but he’s a talented vet. (I see he is indeed listed at 39. He should dye that gray out of his beard!) The main event was fun, and I’ll go with that for second. The five-way had a lot of high-flying and bumps, and I enjoyed watching the bigger Crash toss people around, so that takes third.
Only a few disappointments. Estrella and Javi got off to a dazzling start, but then they ended just as they were kicking into the next gear. The Webb-Knuckles match also ended abruptly. Despite 10 matches, the show comes in at just two hours, 13 minutes. (Because it didn’t air live, breaks between the matches had been edited out, but the intros were all still there.)
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