By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
World Series Wrestling “Rise Against Melbourne, Night 1”
Kensington, Australia, at Melbourne Pavilion
Streamed live on May 16, 2026, on YouTube.com
This is the second event of a four-show tour spanning four days. This show streamed live and free on their YouTube channel, so it aired in the United States early Saturday morning. Clearly, several wrestlers who might have been at that TNA taping on Thursday were here instead.
Benjamin Rosenthal and Sean Thomas provided commentary. This venue is a large room with everyone seated on the floor; no risers or bleachers. The lighting over the ring was pretty good. Production is top-notch. Unfortunately, I had some pesky YouTube commercials cutting into the action today.
* Nic Nemeth came to the ring first. Bishop Dyer and Donovan Dijak came out to confront him. Ryan Nemeth came out. They all argued. Ryan challenged Dijak to a match, but Donovan said no. The crowd chanted profanities at Dijak. Dyer challenged Nic to a no-holds-barred match, and Nic agreed.
1. Man Like DeReiss vs. Ilia vs. Moose. Ilia, also known as Eli Theseus, wrestled on Friday’s show, too. (Think Shawn Spears). He refused to shake Moose’s hand and gave him the middle finger! Moose dropped him with a stiff Pump Kick to the chest! He backed DeReiss into a corner and chopped him. DeReiss knocked Ilia down with a shoulder tackle, and he hit a guillotine leg drop. Ilia hit a headscissors takedown on Moose at 3:30, but Moose chopped him. Ilia hit another headscissors and a DDT on Moose. Ilia hit some punches, but it only fired up Moose. Moose hit a uranage and a senton at 5:30. DeReiss got back in, and he tried some chops that Moose no-sold, and Moose dropped him with a single chop. DeReiss hit a huracanrana.
DeReiss hit a 619, then a plancha to the floor on Moose. He hit a top-rope Blockbuster on Ilia for a nearfall at 7:30. He put Ilia in a Sharpshooter, but Ilia got a rollup for a nearfall. DeReiss re-applied the Sharpshooter, and he dragged Ilia to the center of the ring, but Moose made the save at 9:00. Moose charged at MLD, but he fell over the top rope to the floor. Ilia hit a Spinebuster on DeReiss, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Moose nailed a discus clothesline on Ilia! DeReiss rolled up Moose for a nearfall, but Moose hit a standing powerbomb on DeReiss for a nearfall at 11:00. Moose charged but crashed shoulder-first into a corner.
DeReiss hit a shotgun dropkick on him, then he nailed a 450 Splash for a nearfall, but Ilia pulled the ref to the floor! Ilia got in the ring and hit a low-blow mule kick on DeReiss. He slammed MLD to the mat and got a nearfall at 12:30. Moose hit a dropkick on Ilia, who was seated on the turnbuckles! DeReiss tried several times to suplex Moose, but his lower back gave out. Moose hit a top-rope superplex, but DeReiss held on and hit a brainbuster! Ilia immediately splashed onto both! Ilia set up for a move, but some music played, and out came King Kreus, who walked out on Ilia on Friday. The distraction allowed Moose to hit a spear and pin Ilia. That was a really good opener.
Moose defeated Ilia and Man Like DeRiess at 16:56.
* I just want to point out that there were no YouTube commercials during the match itself. As someone who times the matches … that matters a lot. But they really do harm the flow of a match.
2. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Myla Grace. Standing switches and basic reversals early on. Shotzi hit her 619 by the ring post and a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 1:30. She hit her double leg drop across the groin, and Myla sold the pain. (Forty years of being a pro wrestling fan has taught me that it doesn’t hurt women, so I’m confused.) Myla hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. She pushed her foot into Shotzi’s throat and kept her grounded. Shotzi hit a missile dropkick and some clotheslines. She hit a suplex into the turnbuckles at 4:30 and her rolling cannonball for a nearfall.
Myla hit a back suplex and a bodyslam for a nearfall. Shotzi hit a DDT, but she missed a top-rope double stomp. Myla removed a turnbuckle pad, but the ref saw it and re-attached it! Myla hit a low-blow uppercut from behind! (So he didn’t see who did it.) Shotzi’s head crashed onto the unprotected turnbuckle! Myla rolled up Shotzi, put her feet on the ropes for added leverage, and scored the tainted pin! The commentators were shocked that Myla cheated like that. A busy final 30 seconds, but it worked.
Myla Grace defeated Shotzi Blackheart at 7:06.
3. Donovan Dijak vs. Ryan Nemeth for the WSW Australian Title. They shoved each other early on, and Dijak offered a handshake; Ryan caught a leg on a kick attempt. They brawled to the floor. A young kid in the front row held Dijak’s arms so Nemeth could chop him at 4:00. (Absurd, but the crowd loved it.) Dijak dropped Nemeth throat-first across the guardrail. They continued to loop the ring as they fought in front of the fans. Back in the ring, Nemeth hit a DDT at 6:00. Dijak hit a superkick, but he couldn’t hit Feast Your Eyes. Nemeth hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker, and they were both down.
Dijak caught him, put Nemeth on his shoulders, and hit a spinning Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 7:30. He hit a Choke Bomb for a nearfall. Dijak missed a moonsault. He again couldn’t hit Feast Your Eyes, but he hit his Cyclone Mafia Kick. Nemeth got a rollup for a nearfall. He jumped on Donovan’s back and applied a sleeper. However, Dijak was able to spin Ryan, hit the Feast Your Eyes (pop-up knee strike), and scored the clean pin. I always say … sometimes the heel has to win clean simply because they are the better wrestler.
Donovan Dijak defeated Ryan Nemeth to retain the WSW Australian Title at 10:28.
4. Nic Nemeth vs. Bishop Dyer in a no-holds-barred match. They circled each other. Dyer rolled to the floor as the crowd chanted, “You are a wanker!” at him. They finally locked up as Nic applied an abdominal stretch. These guys are just milking a hot crowd. Dyer stomped on him as the crowd taunted him for being bald. Nemeth grabbed Dyer by the groin, and that popped the crowd. The commentators reminded us that ‘hold’ was legal. A commentator said this is the 35th-ever singles match over a decade between these two! Thirty-five! Dyer clotheslined him to the floor at 6:00. They fought on the floor, and Dyer jabbed him in the ribs with a chair.
They went past the guardrails and fought into the crowd. This was harder to see as they were in the shadows. (I’ll reiterate that the ring is well lit!) They brawled up onto the entrance stage, and Dyer finally dumped Nemeth back into the ring at 10:00. However, Nemeth immediately hit a Fameasser legdrop for a nearfall. Nemeth hit a chairshot to the back. Dyer hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 12:00. Dyer got a door — the crowd cheered! — so Dyer put it away and got booed, and he gave the crowd the middle finger. Nemeth hit the Danger Zone/Zig-Zag for a nearfall.
Nemeth set up for a superkick, but Dyer hit a low-blow uppercut at 14:30. Dyer got the door and pushed it into the ring. Dyer hit the Deep Six sideslam. Nemeth hit a superkick. Dyer hit a DVD through the door in the corner, earning a “Holy shit!” chant. However, Dyer was cut open on his head and seemed wobbly. Nemeth hit a low blow and gently rolled up Dyer for the pin. I can’t believe that was the planned finish — I think the exploding door got pushed into Dyer’s head and cut him open. Hopefully, Dyer is okay and can continue the tour.
Nic Nemeth defeated Bishop Dyer at 16:10.
5. “The Good Brothers” Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows vs. Mitch Waterman and Ryan Rapid for the WSW Tag Team Titles. I believe I’ve seen Waterman before, but I don’t recall Rapid’s name before. Both guys are much smaller than their opponents. Karl opened against Rapid, who had green “RR” on his trunks. Gallows entered for the first time at 4:00, so Waterman also entered. Mitch hit some dropkicks. At first glance, Waterman is giving off David Finlay vibes.
Gallows hit a fallaway slam, then a delayed vertical brainbuster on Waterman. Anderson got back in at 8:00 and worked over Mitch in their corner. Rapid made the hot tag at 10:00 and hit a Lionsault Press on Karl and a running Mule Kick to the head. He hit a DDT on Gallows and was fired up. Anderson hit a spinebuster for a nearfall. The Good Brothers went for the Magic Killer, but Mitch made the save. Gallows hit a decapitating clothesline on Rapid, and they hit the Magic Killer team slam for the pin. That topped my (admittedly low) expectations.
“The Good Brothers” Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows defeated Mitch Waterman and Ryan Rapid to retain the WSW Tag Team Titles at 13:38.
6. Ash By Elegance vs. Priscilla Kelly in a no-DQ match for the WSW Women’s Title. Kelly immediately put her in a headlock and dragged her to the mat. Ash grabbed Kelly and pushed her face into Ash’s breasts. Kelly responded by hitting a Bronco Buster into the corner at 4:30, then she rubbed her butt in Ash’s face. Ash hit some chops and punches in the corner as the crowd counted along. They rolled to the floor, where Ash let a guy in a Shrek costume chop Kelly. Kelly got an aerosol bottle and sprayed the chemical in Ash’s eyes! She whipped Ash into the guardrails at 7:30.
Kelly hit a running boot as Ash was against the guardrail. She slid a door into the ring. Kelly got a chair and cracked it across Ash’s back at 10:00, then hit her with a garbage can lid. Priscilla hit a running crossbody block as Ash was seated in a chair, and she got a nearfall, then she hit a short-arm clothesline. Ash speared Kelly through the door in the corner and got the pin. Good brawl with a bit of raunchy comedy that the crowd approved of.
Ash By Elegance defeated Priscilla Kelly in a no-DQ match to retain the WSW Women’s Title at 11:50.
7. Killer Kross (w/Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Matt Riddle for the WSW World Title. The crowd booed Riddle, so he gave them the middle finger! Some basic reversals early on, and Kross did a ‘crotch chop’ that made Riddle irate. Matt went for a cross-armbreaker. Kross locked in a sleeper at 2:00, but Riddle scrambled to the ropes! He rolled to the floor to regroup, and the crowd was all over him. In the ring, Kross backed Riddle into the corner and hit a series of punches as the crowd counted along. They went to the floor, and Riddle hit some Yes Kicks. Kross leaned Riddle against the guardrails and hit some chops. Kross grabbed Riddle’s (bare) foot and snapped his toes at 5:30! Ouch!
Kross rolled Riddle into the ring, but Matt hit a running knee to the head as Kross got in, and Matt took control. Matt hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall at 7:00, and he jawed at Scarlett before hitting a senton on Kross. He hit another one. He went for a third one, but Kross got his knees up. Kross hit a German Suplex, then an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. Riddle hit a flying forearm and an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 9:00. He hit a running knee to the jaw. Kross hit a clothesline, and they were both down. They got to their knees and traded forearm strikes. Kross hit a stunner. Kross hit a clothesline in the corner and a back suplex. Riddle hit an RKO for a nearfall, and he immediately applied a sleeper on the mat at 11:30. However, Kross flipped his body over and pushed Riddle’s shoulders to the mat for the flash pin!
Killer Kross defeated Matt Riddle to retain the WSW World Title at 12:24.
* Moose came out of the back and confronted Kross! Looks like he’s got next!
Final Thoughts: I hope more wrestling fans check out these shows. The sound, lighting, and overall production are quite good. We know all the top stars on this tour from their runs in WWE, TNA, and MLW. The action has been really good. Nothing today was on the level of that four-way from night one, but a good event nonetheless.
I really liked that opening three-way, and I’ll rank that best of the show. Kross had a really good main event for the second straight night, and that earned second. I’ll go with Dijak-Ryan Nemeth for third. The crowd enjoyed the Nick Nemeth-Dyer brawl, and hopefully, Dyer was just momentarily dazed by that cut from the door and is okay.
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