By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Wrestling Open RI “Episode 59”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
July 20, 2026, in Cranston, Rhode Island, at Rhodes On The Pawtuxet
This is an attractive two-story, white ballroom, and the lighting is really good. The crowd was perhaps 150; they draw steady numbers weekly. Paul Crockett, Dustin Waller, Brett Ryan Gosselin and Ref Scott Robinson provided commentary.
1. Rain Conway vs. All Go Nelli in a spotlight match. The always-hated Conway is on a winning streak. Nelli is a young, slender Black man and this is maybe his sixth match here. This was advertised as Nelli vs. Devin Reno. BRG and Robinson provided commentary. Nelli hit some bodyslams and a delayed vertical suplex early on. Rain hit some Irish Whips and took control. Nelli hit a dropkick to the jaw, then a backbreaker over his knee at 4:00, then a Flatliner. Conway hit the Rainmaker short-arm clothesline out of nowhere for the pin. Decent. “Kazuchika Okada, eat your heart out, that’s the real Rainmaker right there!” BRG shouted.
Rain Conway defeated All Go Nelli at 4:31.
* The main show opened with an extensive video highlighting the chapters that led to the next match (which easily could have been the main event!) Waller and Crockett took over on commentary.
2. “The Verdict” Bryce Donovan and Vinny “VSK” Scalice vs. Ichiban and Sammy Diaz in an ‘I Quit’ match. Only one team member has to quit to end the match. No Smart Mark Sterling tonight; he is presumably at the ROH taping in Jacksonville. The babyfaces came out second, charged into the ring, and everyone immediately brawled. Ichiban hit a flip dive to the floor onto everyone at 1:30. The babyfaces hit stereo top-rope axe handle drops onto The Verdict. They hit stereo superkicks on Bryce. Sammy hit a standing moonsault on VSK.
The heels tossed Sammy to the floor and injured his elbow, but he refused to quit. So, the Verdict worked over Ichiban in the ring. Bryce held Ichiban’s wrists while he stomped on his chest at 4:30. Sammy got back in the ring and hit several spin kicks to Bryce’s head in the corner. Vinny pulled out some zip-ties! He tied Sammy’s wrists in front of his stomach, and he cranked on Sammy’s face. Ichiban jumped back in and hit a series of punches. Bryce nailed a Black Hole Slam at 8:00, but Ichiban refused to quit. So, Bryce hit a second Black Hole Slam, then a third one!
Vinny hit a superkick on Ichiban, who collapsed. “The Verdict might have to beat them unconscious,” Crockett said. They fought to the floor. Bryce put the mic in front of kids in the front row and told the kid to “tell Ichiban to quit.” Each of the kids shouted, “No!” I’m loving the fan interaction with kids. Vinny cracked a chair across Ichiban’s back at 10:30. Bryce set up for a Razor’s Edge on the stage, but Ichiban escaped. Sammy came in out of nowhere and flew onto the heels! Ichiban found some clippers and cut the zip-ties. In the ring, Ichiban and Sammy hit chairshots on the heels’ backs.
Ichiban and Sammy hit a team powerbomb on Bryce. Ichiban hit a Sabu-style flying dropkick after launching off a chair. He applied a Fujiwara Armbar on Bryce at 13:00, but Donovan refused to quit. Sammy put Vinny in a Texas Cloverleaf! Ichiban switched to a cross-armbreaker. Bryce shouted “no!” into the mic, but he was audibly in pain! The heels escaped. Bryce hit a massive chokeslam on Sammy. Ichiban hit the Ichiban Kai leaping Flatliner on Bryce. Bryce teased he was quitting, but then he hit a low blow uppercut on Ichiban, then a chokeslam at 15:30. Waller laughed at Ichiban falling for Bryce’s shenanigans.
The heels wrapped a dog collar around Ichiban’s neck and choked him out. The Verdict thought they won, but Ref Gina told them that didn’t count. Meanwhile, Sammy hit a top-rope double clothesline at 17:30. Sammy hit a springboard fadeaway stunner on Bryce. The babyfaces flipped VSK through a door in the corner! On the floor, Ichiban put the dog collar around Bryce’s neck and kicked him in the head a couple of times. Ichiban and Sammy put the chain over the top rope, and they pulled on it until Bryce was hanging off the ground! Bryce frantically told Ref Gina that he quit! A very good I Quit match. Bravo to all four guys.
Ichiban and Sammy Diaz defeated “The Verdict” Bryce Donovan and Vinny Scalice in an ‘I Quit’ match at 19:23.
* Cash McGuinness came to the ring. The onscreen graphic spelled it “McGuinness” with two “N’s” this week — they have been inconsistent on that. He belittled Bobby Casale, and Cash claimed he is tougher than Bobby.
3. Bobby Casale vs. Cash McGuinness. If this goes more than five minutes, I’ll be disappointed! Cash rolled to the floor at the bell and peeled off his T-shirt to show off that scrawny, lanky frame. He dove into the ring, but Bobby grabbed him and hit an Exploder Suplex at 1:00, and Cash immediately bailed again. He charged back in, but Bobby hit a roundhouse kick to the chest, then a Dominator swinging faceplant for the pin. Yep, it was a three-move match.
Bobby Casale defeated Cash McGuinness at 1:49.
* Devin Reno jumped in the ring and hit a chop block to the back of Bobby’s knee! He wrapped Casale’s knee around the ring post. Crockett and Waller talked about how these two went to a time-limit draw last week. The ref helped a limping Casale to the back. Waller left the booth, telling Crockett he had things to do. Hmmmm.
* Flyin Ryan O’Neill came to the ring. He competed in Oklahoma about 26 hours ago for GCW. He talked about “taking Dustin Waller to the absolute limit” last week. He wants a rematch against Waller. Dustin came out of the back, wearing a suit and holding his “Opportunity Knocks” contract. He said he’s not here to wrestle tonight, and he already beat Ryan. Besides — Ryan already has a match tonight, Waller said… and it’s next! Dustin sat at ringside.
4. Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill vs. Rex Lawless. None of the Residency teammates were with Rex tonight. Rex has a massive frame and is visibly stronger. They went to a test of strength, which of course Rex won, so Ryan switched to a headlock. He tried a shoulder block but bounced off of Rex. Dustin still had a mic, and he jawed at Ryan as the match was going! Rex hit some chops at 2:00, then a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall. Rex hit a rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall.
Waller got up out of his seat and approached the ring, and he kept taunting O’Neill. Meanwhile, Rex hit a massive hip-toss at 3:30. Rex hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall, and he jawed at the ref. Crockett said Rex underestimated the kid. Ryan hit a flying forearm and an enzuigiri. Dustin hopped on the apron, so Ryan punched him. Ryan hit a springboard tornado DDT on Rex at 6:00! He hit a Swanton Bomb for the pin! Waller started to slide into the ring but was too late to hit Ryan before the pin.
Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill defeated Rex Lawless at 6:21.
* Waller returned to commentary.
5. DJ Powers and Nick Battee vs. “Night Train” Allin Bayno and Brett Mettro. Crockett said the heel team is the “superpower of being obnoxious.” Battee cut a lengthy heel promo. I’ve noted before that rookie Bayno looks closer to 40 than he is to 20; he has the Hugh Morrus singlet to cover his massive gut. He opened against Battee. DJ stomped on Mettro. The heels worked over Brett and kept him in their corner. Battee hit some chops.
Brett finally hit a double suplex at 5:00, but DJ cut him off from tagging out! Battee hit a top-rope elbow drop, and DJ covered Mettro for the pin. (I’ve seen this more in Wrestling Open than I have ever anywhere else — a babyface just never makes that hot tag and winds up losing.) DJ and Nick got on the mic, and they challenged Jermaine Marbury to a match next week!
DJ Powers and Nick Battee defeated Brett Mettro and Allin Bayno at 5:29.
* Footage aired of Oxx Adams pinning Bear Bronson in a tag match last week. Bear Bronson came to the ring, holding his Wrestling Open title. Bear got on the mic and said he is offering Oxx a title match in two weeks at “Summer Stunner.” Brett Ryan Gosselin strolled to the ring. He’s not dressed to wrestle. The crowd chanted, “The worst!” at him. Bear told Brett that he is “writing checks with his mouth that he can’t cash.”
BRG said that Bear only got his AEW contract he knows MJF, and only got his TNA contract because he was trained by Brian Myers. BRG mentioned Gabby Forza’s name – he’s moving into dangerous territory now! The crowd chanted, “Bear’s gonna kill you!” BRG replied to the crowd, “I’d like to see him try!” BRG said he’s been grinding for 13 years and it’s his turn to get a contract! He said he can beat Bear Bronson without Oxx Adams. Bronson liked what he just heard. Bear challenged him to a non-title match next week! And … Oxx Adams is banned from the building! BRG threw a temper tantrum.
* A video package aired before the main event, including hearing from wrestlers who they thought would win. Again, all the heels thought Kylie Alexa would win, and the babyfaces backed Gabby Forza. When we returned to the venue, we saw the title belt and a two-foot-tall trophy for the winner of the tournament.
6. Gabby Forza vs. Kylie Alexa for the inaugural Wrestling Open Women’s Title. The finale has been delayed a few times due to wrestler unavailability. Gabby, like Bear and Ryan O’Neill, was in Oklahoma a day ago. Kylie is much shorter and is giving up strength, too, so she rolled to the floor at the bell and stalled. Dustin said Kylie once had a 60-minute match, so she can go. In the ring, Gabby hit a bodyslam, but she missed a senton at 2:00. Alexa hit a huracanrana. Gabby hit a splash in the corner, and this time she hit the senton.
Alexa again rolled to the floor to regroup. She grabbed Gabby’s leg and slammed it against the ring post at 4:30! In the ring, Alexa stomped on Forza and kept her grounded. She hit a German Suplex at 6:30, then a running buttbump for a nearfall. Gabby hit a fallaway slam, and they were both down. They got to their knees and traded forearm strikes, and more once standing. Gabby hit some clotheslines and her Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall at 8:30. She hit a one-legged Vader Bomb for a nearfall (doing a great job of selling the pain in her other leg!)
Kylie hit a running knee to the face for a nearfall. She hit a snap suplex into the turnbuckles at 10:00, then a running boot to Gabby’s face! Kylie hit another German Suplex, but Gabby popped to her feet and hit her own German Suplex! Gabby hit an Airplane Spin-into-a-powerbomb for a nearfall. Kylie kicked Gabby, and they were both down. They got up and traded more forearm strikes at 12:30. Gabby hit a decapitating clothesline. Kylie hit a Code Red, then her basement dropkick into the corner for a believable nearfall. Waller pointed out (as I was about to!) that no one has kicked out of that here.
Kylie got up and yelled at Ref Gina. She shoved Gina, so Gina shoved her back! Kylie accidentally kicked Ref Gina, who didn’t look upset about it! Gabby hit a Jackhammer slam for a visual pin at 15:00, but we had no ref! A male ref got in. Gabby charged, but she accidentally speared him! Kylie hit a mid-ring buttbump on Gabby! Kylie went to grab the title belt but ring announcer Lauren St. James refused to hand it over. Kylie forcibly took it, and Lauren fell awkwardly to the floor at 16:30.
Alexa got in the ring with the belt, but Gabby hit a spear! She nailed the Fire Thunder Driver! Ref Gina was up but only got to a two-count! We got a loud, “This is awesome!” chant. Gabby picked up the belt but set it down. However, Kylie dropkicked Gabby to the back, then another one to the face in the corner and scored the tainted pin. Excellent action. Crockett said it was “an absolute travesty of justice.”
Kylie Alexa defeated Gabby Forza to become the inaugural Wrestling Open Women’s Champion at 18:28.
Final Thoughts: Two great matches to book-end the main show. A sharp main event. I loved that Gabby was the first person to kick out of that basement dropkick, as Kylie has won match after match with it here. (The little things that being a devout follower of the product is rewarded.) The Verdict’s I Quit match was well done. I’ll reiterate that they had some weapons (chairs, etc.), but we had no blood and nothing gross. It can be done. The rest of the show was fine. I figured we’d have a follow-up to Casale-Reno, and that should be a good rematch. I watched this live, and it should be up on IWTV by Tuesday morning.
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