By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open RI “Episode 51”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
May 11, 2026, in Cranston, Rhode Island, at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
The venue is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. The attendance was perhaps 175; it appeared up from last week. Paul Crockett, Jake Gray, DJ Powers, and Ref Scott Robinson provided commentary.
* Due to tearing his ACL, Wrestling Open Champion Ryan Clancy recently relinquished the title. A 15-man tournament to crown a new champion is underway. It is down to the final four! They once again have a stacked lineup…
1. Rain Conway vs. Brett Mettro in a spotlight match. Brett just returned from a long layoff due to injury; he’s put on some weight around the middle. Robinson and Powers opened. Mettro put him in a full nelson and forced him to dance (is he a member of Waves & Curls now? Traevon might shout this is gimmick infringement!) Brett hit a Pounce. Conway choked him on the ropes. Powers fumed that he didn’t have a match tonight. Conway hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 2:30. Rain applied a front guillotine choke, but Brett powered out. Brett did an airplane spin and hit a Samoan Drop. Conway hit the Okada-style Rainmaker clothesline for the pin. Okay.
Rain Conway defeated Brett Mettro at 4:54.
* Crockett and the injured “Handyman” Jake Gray ttook over on commentary for the main show.
2. Bobby Orlando vs. Max Caster. Max had a framed certificate that declared he’s the “best wrestler alive.” I guess that settles it! Orlando came out second, charged into the ring, and they immediately started brawling. Orlando popped him in the nose at 1:30 and some punches in the corner. Bobby hit a dive through the ropes. They fought on the floor, and Max slammed Orlando back-first on the apron two times at 4:00.
They got in the ring with Max in charge, and he kept Orlando grounded. Max hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 6:30. Bobby hit a Sunset Flip Bomb, but he missed a top-rope elbow drop. Max grabbed his framed plaque and struck Bobby with it! The ref saw it and immediately called for the bell. Crockett called Max a “snake” for that attack. Max continued to stomp on Bobby’s left elbow until some referees came in to separate them.
Bobby Orlando defeated Max Caster via DQ at 7:52.
* Max then turned babyface (I kid!) by punting Bobby’s stupid stuffed goat and it got caught up in a curtain along the ceiling. Hopefully, no one can get it down.
* Corey Duke appeared on the stage, and he was upset that he lost to Dustin Waller last week. He also called Dustin a “snake.” He was interrupted by Kylon King, who was sick of Duke’s complaining. He’s not dressed to wrestle. They agreed to a match at a future show.
3. Brooke Havok vs. Notorious Mimi. Brooke had a whirlwind tour of New England the past five days, and she’s ‘checking off another state’ with this Rhode Island debut. I’ll point out she’s not wearing the big, clunky knee braces anymore. ID prospect Mimi is taller. Basic reversals and a standoff. Havok hit a springboard armdrag and a missile dropkick. Mimi pulled Havok to the mat by her hair at 1:30 and repeatedly stomped on her. Mimi choked her in the ropes and got booed, and she dropped Brooke snake-eyes, then hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 3:00.
Mimi hit a hard clothesline with a lazy cover for a nearfall. She hit a guillotine leg drop and some elbow drops for a nearfall. Brooke fired up and hit some clotheslines, a chin-breaker over her knee, a running neckbreaker, and a running knee for a nearfall. Mimi again slammed her head-first in the corner. Brooke hit a pumphandle side slam for a believable nearfall at 5:30. Mimi nailed the Cargill-style Implant Buster. She applied the Siren Song (Muta Lock) and cranked on Brooke’s head until she tapped out. Good action.
Notorious Mimi defeated Brooke Havok at 6:18.
* Mimi got on the mic, but she was hard to understand. I think she introduced Kylie Alexa, because he danced to the ring!
4. Kylie Alexa (w/Mimi) vs. Liviyah. They immediately traded forearm strikes — no feeling-out process here! (Liv is doing something different with her hair today. It seems bigger, fuller, and blonder than days ago.) Liviyah dropped her with some shoulder tackles. Crockett noted that Liviyah is still without the aid of the injured Shannon LeVangie. They went to the floor and brawled. Mimi and Kylie celebrated. Liv dropped Kylie face-first on the mat. Mimi hit a spin kick to Liv’s head at 2:30 while Kylie distracted the ref.
Kylie pulled Liviyah into the ring and choked her in the ropes. Alexa tied her in a crossface, but Liv rolled her over for a nearfall. They popped up and Livyah hit a superkick at 4:30. Liv hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Mimi hopped on the apron, but Kylie accidentally ran into Mimi! Liviyah immediately got a flash rollup for the pin.
Liviyah defeated Kylie Alexa at 5:59.
* Kylie got on the mic and was angry.
* Bonus footage (this aired on Twitter/X this week) was shown of the Shooter Boys and the Stetson Ranch brawling into the parking lot. Crockett said it’s unclear when Aaron Ortiz will be healed and able to return to action after that assault.
5. “Star Struck” Channing Thomas and Anthony Greene vs. “The Bread Winners” Cash McGuinness and Patrick Wheatman. Again, Cash and Patrick are scrawny, cocky teens, and their matches have generally lasted less than three minutes. Channing and Cash opened. Gray asked if Cash graduated from high school. Greene got in; Crockett said he thinks Star Struck is going to have fun and play with these kids. Channing hit some loud chops at 2:00. The redhead Wheatman entered, but AG bodyslammed him. Channing hit an elbow drop.
Greene hit a running neckbreaker on Cash for a nearfall at 3:30. Cash hit a Flatliner on AG but only got a one-count. The kids worked over Greene in their corner. Crockett wondered if these kids could actually get an upset. Cash hit a dropkick for a nearfall. Channing got a hot tag, and he hit a running clothesline. He hit a release Northern Lights Suplex on Cash, then a top-rope flying double clothesline at 7:00. AG clotheslined Wheatman to the floor. Channing hit a top-rope elbow drop on Cash, with Greene scoring the pin. An extended squash. The fans want to see these kids get the crap beaten out of them.
“Star Struck” Channing Thomas and Anthony Greene defeated “The Bread Winners” Cash McGuinness and Patrick Wheatman at 7:17.
* Greene said Ortiz is out for an ‘unknown amount of time’ due to that parking lot attack. Channing challenged the Stetson Ranch to a Memorial Day six-man tag match! Shooter Boy Anthony Vecchio will team with Star Struck.
* A new music video and highlight reel aired for The Verdict tag team. Give credit to Wrestling Open — they’ve unveiled several new videos in recent weeks. (They had aired the same four or five for weeks, including one for Swipe Right, even though they weren’t here anymore.)
* “Smart” Mark Sterling appeared on the stage. He now has tubes blowing air into his nose! His body is breaking down! His right arm is already in a brace. He informed the crowd that he sadly has torn his bicep once again. He can’t catch a break! He fought back (fake) tears, saying he will be coming back! “After the last couple of weeks, the lawsuits are coming!” he shouted. Brando Lee appeared on stage and confronted him. Sterling tried to claim that Brando was blackmailing him.
* It’s time for the tournament matches! Eye Black Jack shocked everyone (especially me) with a clean win over the seven-footer Oxx Adams to reach the semifinals.
6. Bear Bronson vs. Eye Black Jack Pasquale in a tournament semifinal match. Jack pulled his best WCW Shockmaster impersonation by tripping and falling coming through the curtains. (Jack, you turn around, go to the back, and come out like it never happened! They can edit that out!) The bigger Bronson easily shoved him to the mat. They traded chops. Bear hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 2:00. They traded more chops, and Jack hit an impaler DDT for a nearfall at 4:00.
Jack grounded him in a headlock. Bear hit his butt drop to the chest, then a Black Hole Slam for a nearfall at 6:00. Jack hit a powerbomb out of the corner for a nearfall. Jack went for the “Blackout” uranage, but Bear blocked it. Jack hit a DVD and a frog splash for a believable nearfall at 8:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes, with Jack mixing in some European Uppercuts. Bronson hit a hard clothesline, then a Choke Bomb for a nearfall at 10:30. Bear scooped him up and hit the Fire Thunder Driver (piledriver) for the pin. Good match.
Bear Bronson defeated Eye Black Jack at 10:45 to reach the finals.
7. Ichiban vs. Dustin Waller in a tournament semifinal match. No time limit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes long. Dustin jawed at him before the bell. We got the bell, and they charged at each other and traded forearm strikes. Ichiban hit a dropkick. Dustin dropped him face-first on the ring apron. In the ring, Ichiban hit his “One!” punches and a bulldog for a nearfall at 2:30. He hit some armdrags and a spin kick to the head, then a top-rope knife-edge chop to the head at 4:00. Dustin dropped him back-first on the apron.
Waller hit a springboard flying clothesline for a nearfall at 5:30 and he took control. He went for covers but could only get one-counts, and Dustin was frustrated. He snapped Ichiban’s fingers. Ichiban hit a stunner and they were both down at 7:30. Ichiban hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Ichiban hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall, and they were both down at 9:30. Dustin hit a DVD and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall, then a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall as the 10-minute call was spot on.
Ichiban hit a Lethal Injection (Dustin’s move!), then a flip dive to the floor. He missed a top-rope move. Waller hit an “Ichiban Kai” (leaping Flatliner) and a brainbuster for a nearfall at 12:00. Ichiban hit a vertical suplex on the ring apron, and they both collapsed to the floor, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. They got into the ring and traded forearm strikes as we got the 15:00 call. Waller avoided the Ichiban Kai; Ichiban avoided a Lethal Injection, and he hit a 619, the springboard Canadian Destroyer, and the Ichiban Kai for a believable nearfall.
Dustin hit a Spanish Fly, the Lethal Injection, and a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall! “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Crockett shouted, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Dustin looked Ichiban in the face and said, “I don’t love you anymore!” and slapped him in the face. Ichiban slapped him back and kicked him. Ichiban nailed a second-rope Ichibain Kai for a believable nearfall at 19:30. They traded punches on the ropes. Dustin tugged on the mask, and Ichiban fell to the floor! Waller threw him in the ring and hit a brainbuster for the tainted pin.
Dustin Waller defeated Ichiban at 20:33 to advance to the finals.
* Waller immediately got on the mic and called out Bear Bronson! Bronson emerged from the back. Bronson got on the mic and put over the match he just saw. The crowd chanted, “That was awesome!” Waller got on the mic and said: “I hate you as a person. I hate the fact that when All Elite Wrestling fired you, you used MY platform to find yourself. I hate the fact that these people love you so much! What I hate about that is that was, for me, just a few years ago.”
Waller asked Bear if he knew how much this all meant to him. Bear told him that Dustin can hate him all he wants, “but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m on the run of my life.” An awesome, intense promo from Waller — he’s really come into his own in recent months, really finding his groove as a heel.
Final Thoughts: Ichiban just had two straight weeks of stellar matches. His quarterfinal match against Bryce Donovan is a candidate for Wrestling Open match of the year, and this match with Waller was nearly on that level. Waller and Ichiban had a sprint for a full 20 minutes — that truly never dragged at all. Jack-Bear was very good, but I never quite got to the point where I thought Jack was winning. For a match as short as it was, Mimi vs. Brooke was really good, and I’ll go with that for third.
No show next Monday, so they’ll be back in two weeks! I watched this live; it should be available on IWTV by Tuesday morning.
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