By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open “Episode 231 – Hell Or High Water”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
June 4, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at The White Eagle
The lighting was good, and it was easy to see. The crowd was maybe 125; it always grows significantly as the show goes on. Paul Crockett, “Wonderboy” Brian Morris, Dustin Waller, and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary.
* The inaugural Wrestling Open Women’s Title tournament is underway! We have our semifinal matches tonight!
1. Corey Duke vs. Patrick Wheatman in a spotlight match. Robinson and Waller provided commentary on this one, and Dustin talked about how he will issue an “apology” tonight for some cruel remarks he made to Sammy Diaz last week. Redheaded, scrawny Wheatman wore camouflage pants today. Duke hit a leg lariat and some chops. Wheatman hit a clothesline and a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall at 3:00. Duke hit some jab punches and a Fameasser for the pin. The winner was never in doubt.
Corey Duke defeated Patrick Wheatman at 4:39.
* Crockett and Morris took over on commentary for the main show. I’ve noted before that Morris does a great job in providing heel color commentary.
2. “Handyman” Jake Gray vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin. BRG came out solo and boasted about how he retired Pedro Dones. He vowed he would beat Gray “fair and square” tonight. (No sign of Oxx Adams.) Brett hit some punches in the corner. Gray hit a springboard dropkick for a one-count at 2:00. Brett stalled on the floor. In the ring, he hit a double axe handle and took control. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Jake hit some clotheslines for a nearfall. He hit a shotgun dropkick. BRG got a rollup with his feet on the ropes for the tainted pin. (So much for not cheating!) “Clean as a whistle,” Morris said.
Brett Ryan Gosselin defeated “Handyman” Jake Gray at 6:51.
* Footage aired of Dustin Waller saying disparaging things to Sammy Diaz, leading to a brawl. Waller came to the ring, wearing a suit and jacket; he’s not dressed to wrestle! Waller said Diaz isn’t here. He pulled out his phone to read his ‘apology.’ He admitted his comments “may have gone a little too far.” However, he made even MORE mean-spirited comments about Diaz’s father. Mani Ariez ran into the ring and chased off Waller. Mani said that Sammy “is my family.” Ariez challenged Dustin to a fight! Dustin noted he doesn’t have his kneepads, so he said they can do it next week!
3. DJ Powers vs. Bobby Casale. The oiled-up Powers is always the heel. Casale did not come out to any music! (Thus, not the Stetson Ranch theme.) DJ tried some shoulder blocks, but Casale didn’t budge. Casale knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. He hit some shoulder thrusts into the corner. Morris noted, “I taught him well” (taking all the credit, of course!) Casale hit a vertical suplex for a nearfall at 2:00. DJ hit a running knee to the side of the head for a nearfall. DJ hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall.
DJ hit a DDT at 4:30, and he jawed at the crowd, and he kept Bobby grounded. Casale hit a pumphandle back suplex, and they were both down at 6:00. Bobby hit some clotheslines and a release German Suplex, then a neckbreaker over his knee, and he was fired up. Casale hit an Olympic Slam for a nearfall. Powers hit his running Claymore Kick for a nearfall at 8:00. Bobby hit a standing powerbomb, then a swinging Dominator faceplant for the clean pin. Good match. Casale is on a roll!
Bobby Casale defeated DJ Powers at 9:03.
4. TJ Crawford vs. All Go Nelli. Crawford has destroyed some rookies since he turned heel. Nelli is a decent young kid, but he’s out of his league here. (After all, TJ just went toe-to-toe with RUSH on AEW Collision in May!) They shook hands, but TJ hit him, then nailed the Silver Bullet spin kick to the head. He hit a side slam for the pin. That lasted about as long as TJ lasted against RUSH!!!
TJ Crawford defeated All Go Nelli at 00:48.
* The “Big Business” music played! Brad Hollister came out of the back and chased TJ! “I can explain!” Crawford said on the mic. “I’ve got three years’ worth of things I want to say to you!” However, TJ fled to the back. Hollister got on the mic and vowed he’s going to kick TJ’s butt!
5. Gabby Forza vs. Sammi Chaos in a Wrestling Open Women’s Championship tournament semifinal match. Crockett noted how Chaos unexpectedly dominated Liviyah in the first round. Forza is a powerhouse, but I’ll reiterate that Sammi is so tall and the size/body shape of Nyla Rose. They had a clean handshake before locking up. Gabby put her arms around Chaos but couldn’t budge or lift her. Chaos collapsed on her and got a nearfall. Chaos cranked Gabby’s neck. Sammi hit a running body block at 4:00, and she stomped on Gabby while jawing at her.
Gabby hit a splash in the corner. Sammi hit a Facewash kick in the corner at 5:30. She missed a rolling cannonball in the corner, and the crowd rallied for Forza. Gabby hit a German Suplex into the Turnbuckles at 8:00! She went for the Gnome Bomb (Vader Bomb), but Sammi got her feet up. They hit crossbody blocks and were both down. Gabby got under her in a corner and set up for a powerbomb, but Sammi turned it into a huracanrana! What??? She charged at Gabby, but Gabby hit a powerslam at 10:00. Sammi jawed at the ref and took her eyes off Forza for just a second… and Gabby hit a spear for the pin!
Gabby Forza defeated Sammi Chaos at 10:48 to advance to the finals.
6. Ichiban vs. Kylon King. These two went to a time-limit draw last week. They charged at each other at the bell, and Ichiban hit a springboard crossbody block. He hit his “One!” punches in the corner and hit a bulldog. Kylon placed a shirt around Ichiban’s neck and threw him across the ring. King hit some chops. Ichiban hit a dropkick and a clothesline that sent Kylon to the floor at 2:30. They fought on the floor, and Ichiban hit a drop-toe-hold onto an open chair. They got back into the ring, and King hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
King took control, and he choked Ichiban in the ropes. Ichiban rammed Kylon’s head into each of the top turnbuckles at 6:30. Kylon hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall, and he switched to a half-crab. He whipped Ichiban into the corners and paused to do some push-ups at 9:00. Ichiban hit a back-body drop and was fired up. He hit a missile dropkick and a flip dive to the floor. Brian Morris noted the time limit is coming up soon. In the ring, Ichiban hit a tornado DDT at 11:00, then a top-rope axe kick to the back of the neck for a nearfall.
Ichiban hit a stunner. He went for a 619, but Kylon caught him and hit a leaping piledriver for a nearfall! Ichiban hit a dropkick and a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall at 13:30. He hit an enzuigiri in the corner, and they fought on the ropes. Kylon blocked a Frankensteiner, and he hit a second-rope powerbomb. They tried to get last-second rollups. They went to another time-limit draw!
Ichiban vs. Kylon King went to a time-limit draw at 15:00.
* King got on the mic and demanded they have another match, this one with no time limits!
7. Kylie Alexa vs. Jordan Blade in a Wrestling Open Women’s Championship tournament semifinal match. An intense lockup and standing switches to open. As per usual, Alexa is giving up a few inches. Jordan applied a cross-armbreaker on the mat. Alexa hit a basement dropkick on the knee, and she targeted the damaged leg. Alexa hit some chops and twisted Blade’s leg in the ropes. Blade applied a crossface on the mat at 5:30. She set up for a Gotch-style piledriver, but Kylie escaped and hit another basement dropkick on the knee.
Blade hit a German Suplex, and they were both down. They got up and traded chops and forearm strikes. Blade hit a Helluva Kick and a back suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Alexa hit a running knee for a nearfall. Blade set up for a piledriver but dropped Kylie face-first for a nearfall. Kylie suplexed her into the turnbuckles at 9:30 and hit another dropkick on the knee. Blade hit a running knee to the jaw! They both slammed to the mat and had a hand over each other! The ref made a double count! We have no winner! Crockett was perplexed. “It’s the semi-final of a tournament! How do we have no winner? This has never happened before.”
Jordan Blade vs. Kylie Alexa went to a draw via a double pin at 11:06.
* Ring announcer Rich Palladino told fans to stay tuned to social media about what will happen next. (In every wrestling tournament I’ve ever watched, they have threatened that if no one wins, then Gabby automatically becomes champion as the winner of the other semifinal. So… that should happen here, right?) My guess is we have a three-way finale.
8. Bear Bronson vs. Steven Stetson (w/Brian Morris) for the Wrestling Open Title. Morris and Stetson showed off their tag title belts. They stood toe-to-toe and jawed at each other before locking up; it appears Stetson has an inch on Bear! (He might be 6’2″.) Bronson is thicker and appears to have the weight advantage. The crowd offered their unique profane chant at Stetson immediately! I’m always amused by it. They traded chops. Stetson tried a shoulder tackle, but Bear didn’t budge. He tried a few more. Bear hit some more chops.
Bronson hit a back-body drop and a bodyslam at 4:00, then a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. They fought to the floor. Bear picked him up and tossed him back into the ring at 6:00, and he was fired up. Morris reached into the ring and grabbed Bear’s ankle! It allowed Stetson to hit a World’s Strongest Slam and a buttdrop to the chest. He stomped on Bear and kept him grounded. He hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 9:30. Bear hit a uranage and a buttdrop to the sternum. He hit a big splash in the corner and a Black Hole Slam for a nearfall at 11:00.
Stetson hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. They bit each other’s hands! They hit stereo clotheslines without going down. They finally hit double clotheslines and were both down at 14:00. Morris pulled out a baseball bat! He got in the ring, but Bobby Casale ran down and stopped him from using it! The ref ejected both Casale and Morris! Bear hit the Choke Bomb for a nearfall. Bear accidentally splashed the ref in the corner! Stetson hit a low-blow uppercut. However, Danny Miles came into the ring and hit Stetson with a stunner! He hit a cannonball, too! Bear hit the Fire Thunder Driver (piledriver) for the pin.
Bear Bronson defeated Steven Stetson to retain the Wrestling Open Title at 17:41.
Final Thoughts: A good episode — this roster is so stacked. The main event earns best match, and I really liked Casale-Powers for second. Gabby-Chaos takes third. That huracanrana from Sammi wasn’t perfect, but I admire the attempt.
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