By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
There is far more good indy wrestling out there than I can watch. So, in this review, I’m popping in on multiple recent indy shows and watching just a few matches from each show that interest me. The reality is that I wasn’t going to get to watch every match from every one of these shows! I picked out matches with top names we’ve seen on TV, some top indy names, and WWE ID prospects.
* In this roundup, I picked out ten matches from across five different recent indy shows.
Smash Wrestling, “Forest City Rampage” in London, Ontario, at London Music Hall on April 26, 2026 (free on YouTube)
This venue is a really small auditorium. These shows are well-lit with good production. The crowd was maybe 150. I picked out two mid-show matches.
Vaughn Vertigo vs. Gabriel Fuerza. These two have been teammates and fierce rivals over the past few years. Vaughn has competed in a significant number of U.S. states in the past two years, too. The commentator noted the high number of matches these two have had with or against each other. An intense lockup and standing switches to open; it appears neither is a heel. These two have teamed going back to 2014!! Vaughn applied an Octopus Stretch at 2:30. Fuerza hit a back suplex for a nearfall, then a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 4:00.
Fuerza hit an Irish Whip and took control. Vaughn hit a second-rope tornado DDT, and they were both down. Vaughn hit some European Uppercuts and a leg lariat, and he was fired up. He hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 6:30. Fuerza applied a Boston Crab, but Vaughn immediately got to the ropes. Fuerza hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor. Back in the ring, Vertigo hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee for a nearfall at 8:30.
Fuerza hit a Lethal Injection and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Vaughn hit a huracanrana. Fuerza hit a piledriver for a believable nearfall at 10:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Vaughn got a rollup for a believable nearfall. He hit a German Suplex and a Shining Wizard for the pin! Really good action — you can tell how well these two know each other. Vaughn offered a handshake, but Fuerza kicked the hand away and hugged him, and that got some cheers.
Vaughn Vertigo defeated Gabriel Fuerza at 11:56.
Jody Threat and Travis Williams vs. “Locked And Loaded” Jessie V and Mark Wheeler. I believe Judas Icarus had an injury at this point, which is why Jody stepped in. It is worth reiterating that Jessie V has the height and muscle mass of Donovan Dijak. Wheeler and Travis opened with some quick reversals, and Williams hit a basement dropkick for a one-count. Travis hit a snap suplex. Jody entered and hit a clothesline for a one-count at 1:00. She unloaded a series of chops on Mark. Jessie tagged in.
Jody hit a huracanrana and a series of forearm strikes in the corner. A commentator pointed out that Jessie hadn’t been knocked off his feet yet. Jessie slammed her, and Mark made a cover for a nearfall. She hit an Exploder Suplex on Wheeler for a nearfall at 3:00. Jody dove off the apron, but Jessie caught her on the floor and slammed her. In the ring, Wheeler worked over Williams and kept him grounded. Williams finally hit a handspring-back-clothesline at 6:00, but he couldn’t tag out.
Jessie hit a leaping enzuigiri in the corner, and he tossed Travis from the turnbuckles to the mat. However, Jessie missed a frog splash. Jody got a hot tag, and she unloaded some forearm strikes on Wheeler, then some clotheslines, and she was fired up! She tried to put Jessie across her shoulders, but he blocked it. She hit a Michinoku Driver on Wheeler for a nearfall at 8:00. She hit a senton on Wheeler, and Travis hit a brainbuster on Wheeler for a nearfall, but Jessie made the save.
Jessie hit a Flatliner on Travis, and Mark hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall, but Jody made the save. Jody got Jessie up on her shoulders, and the crowd popped! However, Mark hit a superkick to her jaw before she could slam Jessie. Travis hit a dive through the ropes. Jody hit a rolling dive off the apron onto Mark on the floor. In the ring, Travis hit a powerbomb on Wheeler, and they both covered Mark for the pin. Good tag action.
Jody Threat and Travis Williams defeated “Locked And Loaded” Jessie V and Mark Wheeler at 11:00 even.
Evolution Dojo “Dojo Wars” in Houston, Texas, at the Evolution Dojo on June 6, 2026 (free on YouTube)
This show was held on the Title Match Network; this single match was released Thursday on YouTube, NOT the full show. This room looks like a training center with the weight-lifting equipment moved to the side. The lighting and production were good, and the crowd was maybe 80. NO commentary, though. Also, we have just ONE camera at ringside, so no hard camera. I have not heard of this promotion or dojo before today.
Nixon Newell vs. Brooke Havok. This was billed as a first-time-ever meeting. A clean lockup and I’ll put them both at about 5’4″. Nixon might have a one-inch advantage. Brooke grounded her in a headlock. I’ll point out that both wore knee pads, but no big, bulky knee braces (both have had significant knee injuries). They reset at 2:00 and tied up in a knuckle lock. Brooke hit an arm drag and a missile dropkick. She hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 3:30. Nixon fired up and hit some forearm strikes, then a huracanrana.
Nixon hit a missile dropkick and a running knee for a nearfall. They fought to the floor and looped ringside. A fan handed them each a beer at 6:30. They cracked them open, took a big drink, and resumed fighting. In the ring, Nixon hit a pump kick to the sternum. They traded forearm strikes and chops. They hit stereo headbutts, then stereo clotheslines, and were both down at 8:00. They got up and resumed trading forearm strikes. Nixon hit a Canadian Destroyer, so Brooke hit her own Canadian Destroyer, and they were both down.
Nixon hit a uranage for a nearfall at 10:00. She hit a running forearm strike and a cannonball in the corner, then a faceplant for a nearfall. She hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall, and she was shocked she didn’t get the win there. Brooke hit a buzzsaw kick and her own Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Havok hit a pumphandle powerbomb move for a nearfall at 12:00, and she was shocked she didn’t win! Nixon gave her the middle finger, so Brooke bit the fingers! She hit a running knee for a nearfall. Nixon rolled her up for the clean, flash pin! That was really entertaining.
Nixon Newell defeated Brooke Havok at 12:58.
Pro Wrestling Supershow “Guts and Glory” in Brockton, Massachusetts, at Brockton VFW Post 1046 on May 22, 2026 (IWTV)
I have always enjoyed PWS’s family-friendly shows. This is a small room, and they pack in maybe 150 people. The biggest drawback of PWS is that they don’t have commentary. I watched three of the final four matches.
DJ Powers vs. TK O’Ryan. O’Ryan was in ROH at the tail end of the Sinclair era. He retired for a bit after issues with concussions. He competes here, but I don’t think he takes too many dates. Powers is the smarmy 20-year-old I have compared to a young Johnny Morrison. TK wore a Mexican poncho, making me think of Bryan Keith. Brett Ryan Gosselin was going to be the ref, but TK beat him up! BRG was helped to the back, and we got a regular ref. We got the bell, and we’re underway! The crowd, of course, was 100% behind TK.
They opened with standing switches and fought to the mat with intense reversals. DJ rolled to the floor at 2:00 to regroup. Back in the ring, TJ hit some chops and forearm strikes. They are roughly the same height and have the same long dark hair halfway down their backs. They fought to the floor and looped the ring. DJ accidentally chopped the ring post at 4:30. TK tossed him back into the ring. DJ hit a Claymore Kick for a nearfall. He hit a running knee lift and a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:00.
DJ hit a clothesline for a nearfall, and he kept O’Ryan grounded. TK fired up and hit a series of punches. He hit a Stinger Splash and a bulldog, then a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 8:30. DJ hit a Helluva Kick and a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. TK hit a second-rope superplex and applied a Texas Cloverleaf at 11:00! BRG returned to ringside! He pulled the ref to the floor and punched him. BRG told the ring announcer he has disqualified O’Ryan! Really? This is how we’re ending this? Ugh.
DJ Powers defeated TK O’Ryan via DQ at 11:45.
* BRG and DJ Powers continued to beat up O’Ryan. Finally, about ten guys from the locker room hit the ring to break up this post-match fight.
Liviyah vs. Nikki Valentine. This one wasn’t in the IWTV match listings! Nikki has long black hair, and she has some size to her, and she’s clearly a bit older. I searched her name, and it doesn’t appear I’ve seen her before. The recent NWA signee Liviyah was wildly over with the young girls in the crowd! They got in a knuckle lock and had a test of strength, and the larger Valentine won that. Liv hit a series of clotheslines in the corner, then a shotgun dropkick. They fought to the floor. Valentine tripped Liv, and Liv’s head hit the apron at 4:00.
They got into the ring, and Nikki was in charge. She choked Liviyah in the ropes and kept her grounded. Nikki hit a clothesline. Liv got up, and they traded chops. Liviyah hit some clotheslines, and she was fired up. Nikki hit an X-Factor for a nearfall at 6:00, but she missed a senton. Liviyah hit her leaping DDT for the pin out of nowhere. Decent action. I see on cagematch.net that they list Nikki as a 24-year pro (with only 93 career matches!), so she likely is in her 40s. (I never want to guess a woman’s age, but that was my initial reaction when she came through the curtain.) That was solid.
Liviyah defeated Nikki Valentine at 7:11.
“Waves & Curls” Jaylen Brandyn and Traevon Jordan vs. “Star Struck” Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas in a street fight. W&C are inexplicably heels here, and they came out first. Star Struck ran out of the back, and they all started brawling on the floor. I started the stopwatch at first contact, and they looped the ring and fought by the bar on the far wall, opposite the hard camera. Greene hit a punch with a drink in his hand, so it flew everywhere. Greene picked up an eight-year-old boy and used the kid’s feet as a battering ram.
Greene dragged Jaylen into the men’s bathroom and into a stall, as the camera followed them. They returned to the main room, and Jaylen had wet hair (implying he was shoved into the toilet, but of course, we didn’t see that.) Channing and Jaylen finally got in the ring at 5:00; if the ref ever called for the bell, I didn’t hear it. Star Struck worked Jaylen over. Meanwhile, Channing hit a bodyslam on Jordan onto the cement floor! Traevon used a cookie sheet to strike the babyfaces. Curls took control.
Jaylen got a chair, but Channing kicked him to knock it away. Channing grabbed the chair, and he jabbed it into the stomachs of the heels, then he cracked Jordan over the back at 8:30. Jordan hit a chairshot to Channing’s back. Channing slammed Jaylen onto Traevon. Traevon hit a back-body drop. W&C hit a Team 3D at 11:00. Jaylen hit Channing repeatedly with a thin metal pizza tray. Greene returned, and he fired a confetti gun at Curls at 14:30.
Greene hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Curls hit a springboard Doomsday Device clothesline. Channing hit a second-rope double clothesline on the heels. He hit a piledriver on Jordan for a nearfall at 16:30. A table was slid into the ring. The heels hit a low blow on Channing. Greene got a kendo stick, and he struck Jaylen with it. Meanwhile, Channing powerbombed Jordan through the table! Star Struck piled on Jordan for the pin. Fun brawl that didn’t get gross or bloody.
“Star Struck” Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas defeated “Waves & Curls” Jaylen Brandyn and Traevon Jordan in a street fight at 18:40.
Action Wrestling “Beer Bash” in Atlanta, Georgia, at Meehan’s Public House at Vinings on May 11, 2026 (IWTV)
This was an outdoor show in the parking lot of a tavern or restaurant. Maybe 80 people were watching. It was the middle of the day or early evening when the show took place, so the lighting wasn’t an issue.
“Kisses and Crosshairs” Grayson Pierce and Corinne Joy vs. Riley Judah and Michael Solar in a mixed tag. I’ve compared Pierce’s whole look and gimmick to a young HBK, and I’ve said Corinne is a cross between former WWE diva Layla El and Willow Nightingale – I’m a big fan of both, and they are quite a power couple, teaming frequently in mixed tags. I saw Riley on an all-women’s show from Indiana a month or two ago, and I recall the commentators said she only had a handful of matches under her belt. I think I’ve seen Solar once; he’s a bit thicker and wore a singlet.
Pierce and Joy are the heels, and they attacked from behind, and we’re underway! They immediately fought to the parking lot, as Riley shoved Corinne’s head into a flower pot at ringside. They got back into the ring at 1:30, and Solar hit a running splash in the corner on Pierce, then a backbreaker over his knee and a senton for a nearfall. Corinne tagged in. Riley got in and hit some armdrags. The men traded more punches. Corinne tripped Solar in the ropes, and she hit some blows. Pierce hit a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall at 3:30. Pierce hit a backbreaker over his knee.
Joy tagged in and repeatedly jumped on Solar’s chest in the corner at 5:00. The commentators talked about Joy’s growth, as the teen has only been wrestling for about 15 or so months. Solar fired up and hit some punches and a springboard crossbody block for a nearfall. Judah got a hot tag at 6:30, and she hit some clotheslines on Joy, then a standing neckbreaker on Pierce! She hit a Pedigree on Joy, dropping Corinne onto Pierce! Judah hit a Lungblower to Pierce’s chest, and Solar got a nearfall on Grayson.
All four brawled. The ref got caught in the middle, and he missed Pierce hitting a low-blow punt kick on Solar. The heels hit stereo suplexes into turnbuckles, then stereo frog splashes for the pin! That was fun. Both Joy and Pierce are “ones to watch.” For being just 18 or 19, Corinne has already competed from Las Vegas to Massachusetts, and of course, all over the Deep South. I’ll also point out that NOT ONCE in that match did a man strike a woman. I like that.
“Kisses and Crosshairs” Grayson Pierce and Corinne Joy defeated Riley Judah and Michael Solar in a mixed tag at 8:33.
Darion Bengston vs. Herculon Rage for the Action World Title. This was the main event. It was now dark! Considering this was outdoors, the lighting was exceptional. I’ve seen Rage just once, but he’s a big, bald, thick man, similar to indy darling 1, Called Manders. An intense lockup and the larger Rage easily shoved him to the mat. Bengston moved his long curls over Rage’s bald head to make it look like Rage had hair, and that just angered Herculon. Darian applied the Makabe Lock (Cattle Mutilation) at 3:00, but Rage got his feet in the ropes.
They traded chops. They went to the pavement, and Rage powerbombed Darian against the edge of the ring frame at 4:30! Ouch! Rage threw Darian against a nearby shed as they fought through the parking lot. They got back into the ring, and Herculon was in charge, and he kept Darian grounded. They fought in the corner, and Bengston hit a standing powerbomb at 10:00, and they were both down. They got up and traded punches.
Bengston hit a spin kick in the corner, then a top-rope Whisper In The Wind for a nearfall at 11:30. He hit a huracanrana and a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Rage hit a powerbomb. They fought on the ropes, and Bengston hit a headscissors to the mat. He re-applied the seated Makabe Lock, and this time, Rage tapped out. Fun match. Bengston has been a really good champion and defended this belt across multiple states in the South.
Darian Bengston defeated Herculon Rage to retain the Action Title at 14:38.
Focus Pro “Till I Collapse” in Braintree, Massachusetts, at Widowmaker Brewery on May 30, 2026 (IWTV)
I’ve seen a few shows from this brewery. They push the ring up against one wall, and fans are standing around the ring and consuming drinks; this looks like a really good venue for a show. The lighting is merely okay; it could be better, but it isn’t terrible, either. I watched the final two matches.
Izzy Moreno vs. Amity LaVey. Izzy is the 19-year-old Bayley superfan, and she’s really talented. LaVey is a scary Harley Quinn-esque character. Izzy hugged the ref. She went to hug Amity, but LaVey shrieked at her! Izzy ran the ropes and hit a basement dropkick, then a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 1:30. The commentators talked about Izzy being a fan in the NXT audience when she was just a kid. Amity hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. She applied a straitjacket choke on the mat, then hit a Lungblower to the back.
Izzy got a backslide for a nearfall at 3:30. Amity stomped on Izzy, and she jawed at the ref. She hit some Irish Whips and was in charge. Izzy hit a Flatliner at 5:00, and they were both down. Izzy fired up and hit some clotheslines and a spear into the corner. She hit a second-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Amity hit a pump kick and a running swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall. Izzy hit a tornado DDT and a running knee for the pin. They fit a lot in for a match that short.
Izzy Moreno defeated Amity LaVey at 6:57.
Eran Ashe (CZW) vs. Mani Ariez (Focus Pro) in a title vs. title match. Ashe is fairly rotund; I’ve only seen him a few times, but he’s a beast. Ariez gets a lot of Mike Santana comparisons, and he’s become a regular in Wrestling Open/Beyond Wrestling. (I fully expect a draw or a DQ with no titles changing hands, right?) An intense lockup; Ashe might be 350 to 400 pounds, and he easily shoved Mani to the mat. Mani hit a series of punches. Ashe hit an Irish Whip at 3:00. Mani low-bridged the top rope, and Ashe fell to the floor. Ariez dove off the corner onto Ashe, and they brawled at ringside.
Back in the ring, Ashe was in charge. He peeled off Mani’s shirt and punched him. Ariez hit an enzuigiri at 6:00. Ashe hit a suplex into the turnbuckles and got a nearfall. He hit some blows to the ribs and kept Ashe grounded. Mani hit a second-rope missile dropkick at 7:30 and a clothesline into the corner. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Ashe dropped him with a thudding headbutt at 9:30. Mani hit a Rebound Lariat and a hard back elbow in the corner and a running knee in the corner. Mani hit a running knee to the sternum for a believable nearfall, but Ashe got his hands on the ropes.
Eran hit a vicious uranage and a massive senton for a believable nearfall at 11:30. Eran nearly ran into the ref! Mani hit a running kick. He went to the top rope, but Diego Alvarez ran into the ring and attacked Ariez! The ref saw this and called for the bell. Ashe grabbed Diego and hit some standing powerbombs. The finish that everyone expected here. The fans demanded another powerbomb, and Ashe obliged.
Eran Ashe vs. Mani Ariez went to a draw due to outside interference at 12:31; both men retain their respective titles.
Final Thoughts: Ashe looks like a star. Yeah, he’s big, but he looks mean and legit tough. I’ll go with the Fuerza-Vaughn match for best of these 10, then Ashe-Mani, then Havok-Newell for third.
As I noted, teenager Liviyah just got signed to NWA. Corinne Joy is a teen. Izzy Moreno also just turned 19. Brooke Havok is 26. I would consider Corinne, Izzy, and Brooke to all be in my top 15 unsigned U.S.-based female talents. (And Liviyah would be on that list if she hadn’t signed with NWA!)
I do like Waves & Curls, but I do question the logic of having them as heels, as they are such natural babyfaces. Not as many former WWE or AEW names in this lineup, but I saw a lot of my favorite, young, up-and-coming talents here.
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