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 (two matches from each event).
Boca Raton Championship Wrestling “Summer Smash 2026” at The Studio At Mizner Park, in Boca Raton, Florida, on Sunday, August 16, 2026 (free on YouTube)
This venue is the home of a bunch of ex-NXT wrestlers who still live in Florida, as Sam Shaw, AJ Francis, Sean Maluta, Cezar Bononi and Noah Kekoa all wrestled on the show. Steve Maclin and Harley Cameron were announced for the top two matches, but both missed the show. Survivor contestant Jonny Fairplay also had a match that I most definitely was not watching! The crowd was 250 (most fans are seated below the hard camera; there are more here than it looks from the hard camera view!). Matt Rehwoldt provided commentary.
Shayna Baszler vs. Lacey Lane for the BRCW Women’s Title. Lacey replaced Harley Cameron. Standing switches to open, and Shayna didn’t seem to be taking this too seriously. Lacey hit a dropkick. They rolled to the floor at 3:00. Lacey hit a running cannonball onto a seated Baszler. In the ring, Baszler struck Lacey in the corner. She applied a half-crab at 8:00. Baszler hit some spin kicks to the thighs, then a twisting sideslam. Lacey hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner and a flying buttbump, which led to a near fall.
Shayna grabbed her and applied the rear-naked choke on the mat. Lane escaped and applied her own rear-naked choke. Baszler separated, and they had a standoff at 11:00. Lane snapped her throat-first across the top rope, then Lacey hit a DDT onto the ring apron. Shayna applied a rear-naked choke on the mat, but Lacey flipped her body over, pushed Shayna’s shoulders to the mat, and got the pin! The ref was awkwardly slow in making that final count. New champion! Shayna was livid.
Lacey Lane defeated Shayna Baszler to win the BRCW Women’s Title at 12:37.
* A man in the front row taunted Shayna about her loss. She grabbed him, pulled him over the guardrail, and beat him up. She threw him into the ring and kicked him a few times.
Matt Riddle vs. Matt Taven vs. Stallion Rogers vs. Madman Fulton in a four-way for the vacant BRCW Title. This was supposed to be Riddle vs. Maclin. A reminder that Riddle has really short hair now, and it’s really startling to see. Again, Rogers had a short stint in NXT as Curt Stallion. Riddle hit a series of stunners to open the match. He battled Rogers. Taven hit a dropkick on Rogers. Fulton hit a Mafia Kick on Taven. Rogers hit a German Suplex on Riddle at 1:30, then one on Taven. The Matts teamed up to clothesline Fulton to the floor.
Taven immediately hit a spin kick on Riddle. Rogers shoved Taven face-first into the ring post. In the ring, Fulton did a Castagnoli-style Giant Swing on Rogers at 3:30. Riddle applied a cross-armbreaker in the ropes on Fulton, and they fell to the floor. Taven hit a snapmare driver on Rogers for a near fall. Riddle hit some Exploder Suplexes, then some sentons, and he was fired up! He hit a top-rope corkscrew cannonball and got a near fall on Fulton at 5:30.
The Matts fought in the corner. It was turned into a Tower of Doom, and everyone was down. Kerry Morton and Ben Bishop appeared at ringside and grabbed Taven! Bishop slammed Taven through a table at ringside! Bull James (another former NXT guy!) ran to ringside and brawled with Kerry Morton. It was suddenly just Riddle and Rogers in the ring! Riddle hit two RK-Bro stunners and scored the pin! New champion!
Matt Riddle defeated Matt Taven, Madman Fulton, and Stallion Rogers in a four-way to win the BRCW Title at 8:57.
SPO Wrestling “Where Have You Been” at the Pro Wrestling Star Academy in Mount Holly, New Jersey, on August 14, 2026 (free on YouTube)
I haven’t seen this promotion before. It’s a very small training center; the ring barely fits in one end of the room! Lighting over the ring, especially from the hard camera, is shockingly good. I watched a mid-show match and the main event. Fans sit on just two sides of the ring. The ring is really short, too. There seriously might be 20 to 30 fans here. Mount Holly is located just northeast of the Philadelphia metro area in southern New Jersey.
* Earlier in the day, Alec Price and Jordan Oliver were speaking outside. Oliver headed inside. Two guys attacked Alec Price and injured his shoulder. He won’t be able to compete tonight! Those heels, “High Fashion” Sebastian Valentino & his partner, joined commentary.
Jordan Oliver and Leedz Lewis vs. “Controlled Kaos” Kid Chaos and Papa Juice. Controlled Kaos are a father-and-son tag team who competed in GCW on Sunday. Jordan opened against the younger, bald Kid Chaos. French star Lewis entered at 1:30 to face Papa Juice, who really can’t be much older than his early 40s. Papa Juice slammed Kid Chaos onto Leedz for a near fall at 3:30. Oliver got back in and hit some chops. Jordan got both opponents across his shoulders and hit a double Samoan Drop! Leedz and Oliver applied stereo Boston Crabs at 5:30, but the father-and-son duo escaped.
Kid Chaos hit some clotheslines on Oliver, and they were both down. Papa Juice hit an enzuigiri on Lewis at 7:00, then a bulldog. He hit a German Suplex on Oliver, then a running DVD on Leedz. Controlled Kaos hit a team superkick on Oliver. They all hit dropkicks, and everyone was down at 9:00, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Papa Juice hit a frog splash for a near fall. Leedz hit a running Blockbuster at 11:00, then a springboard Canadian Destroyer. Jordan nailed a faceplant to pin Papa Juice. I was thoroughly entertained.
Jordan Oliver and Leedz Lewis defeated “Controlled Kaos” Kid Chaos and Papa Juice at 11:43.
Pat Dynamite vs. Griffin McCoy. This was the main event. These two used to be teammates in the “Young Dumb N Broke” faction (along with Jordan Oliver). Maybe two years ago, Dynamite (think Jack Perry) changed his name from “Ellis Taylor.” (I’ve never understood changing your name after you’re established on the indy scene.) Griffin is 6’2″ or so, and he’s always the heel. Some quick reversals at the bell, and McCoy rolled to the floor at 1:30 to regroup. In the ring, Pat knocked him down with a shoulder tackle, then hit a dropkick to again send McCoy to the floor.
Dynamite hit a running penalty kick on the apron, then he threw Griffin into the wall! McCoy hit a DDT onto the ring apron. In the ring, Griffin applied a top hammerlock and stomped on Pat’s left elbow at 6:30. McCoy stretched Dynamite and kept him grounded for several minutes. Dynamite tied McCoy in a Crippler Crossface, but Griffin reached the ropes at 11:00. Pat hit a back suplex that sent McCoy back to the floor. McCoy hit a Tombstone Piledriver on the ring apron at 13:00, then a top-rope flying double stomp to the chest for a near fall. McCoy tied Dynamite in a Hammerlock on the mat, but Pat reached the ropes.
They hit clotheslines and were both down. These two clearly know each other well. Dynamite hit a superplex. They did the stereo suplex against the ropes that flipped both to the floor at 17:00. They both got back in before a count-out. Griffin flipped him snake-eyes into the corner, then he hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Pat hit a springboard fadeaway stunner for a near fall at 18:30. Pat hit a Jay Driller for a believable near fall. They traded rollups. Pat applied a crossface. They traded a few more rollups. The ref made a three-count, and it appeared to me that Pat had won. However, the referee ruled that all four shoulders were down!
Pat Dynamite vs. Griffin McCoy went to a double-pin at 20:56; Pat retains his SPO Title.
* McCoy attacked the ref out of frustration! He then attacked Dynamite and was loudly booed!
Pro Wrestling Symphony “No Remorse” at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 8, 2026 (IWTV)
This was held in an auditorium, so the hard camera faced an empty stage. The lighting was really good. The crowd was maybe 200, with many watching in the balcony.
Anya Rune vs. Corinne Joy. WWE ID prospect versus MLW’s latest signee. The commentators noted this is a first-time matchup between two rising stars. Basic reversals early on. Rune hit her two-handed anime-style strike at 1:30. Joy hit a dropkick into the corner, and she stomped on Rune. Corinne choked her in the ropes and was booed. Rune hit some chops, but Corinne yanked her to the mat by her hair at 3:30. Corinne hit a stiff kick to the spine, then a punt kick to the ribs for a near fall, and she applied a choke on the mat.
Rune hit a sliding forearm strike for a near fall. She planted Corinne’s head in the mat. Corinne hit a running knee at 6:30, then the splits across Rune to the back, driving Rune face-first to the mat. Rune hit a flying Superman Punch into the corner. She trapped Corinne’s head in the corner and punched her in the face, then hit a Dragon Suplex at 8:00. Rune hit the anime-style wind-up punch and scored the pin. I’m a big fan of Rune, but that finisher just doesn’t work for me.
Anya Rune defeated Corinne Joy at 8:13.
“Royal Prestige” Majestic and Tevon Jordyn vs. “Top Team” Terry Yaki and Jay Lucas for the PWS Tag Team Titles. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from the Royal Prestige duo on past shows I’ve checked out here. Jay opened against Jordyn, who has blue-and-black pants. They traded quick reversals, some rollups, and had a standoff at 1:30. Yaki and Majestic (donning purple pants) tagged in. Majestic hit a swinging uranage for a near fall. Majestic was pushed to the floor at 4:30, and Lucas stomped on him on the floor! The commentators were surprised by Top Team’s aggression.
In the ring, Top Team hit a team suplex for a near fall. Yaki choked Majestic in their corner. Lucas tied him up on the mat. Jordyn finally got a hot tag at 9:00, and he hit a double DDT and was fired up! The champs hit a team stunner move for a near fall. Top Team hit stereo dropkicks, then a Magic Killer slam for a believable near fall. Terry hit a superplex, and Jay immediately hit a Swanton Bomb for a believable near fall at 12:00, and the crowd chanted, “That was three!” The champs hit stereo running knees to Terry’s head and scored the pin. Good action.
“Royal Prestige” Majestic and Tevon Jordyn defeated “Top Team” Terry Yaki and Jay Lucas to retain the PWS Tag Team Titles at 13:01.
International Wrestling Cartel “Caged Fury” at Marx’s Court Time in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, on August 8, 2026 (IWTV)
Lighting is really good over the ring today. I opted to watch the final two matches. They have a mesh cage, like a yard fence. It looks pretty sturdy. Joe Dombrowski was on commentary, but it kept cutting in and out, which is highly annoying; I turned down the volume.
Dani Mo vs. Ava Brooks in a cage match for the IWC Women’s Title. Again, ring vet Dani Mo is fairly comparable to Sol Ruca; she’s slender and athletic. She apparently is undefeated in Power Slap. (I am so uninterested in that!) Ava is much younger with long brown hair. Ava wore denim shorts and a black T-shirt — she’s here for a fight! Basic brawling early on, and Mo is taller. Ava mounted her and hit repeated punches, then a double knee-drop to the ribs for a near fall at 3:00. She hit a basement dropkick in the corner.
Ava hit a Vader Bomb-style elbow drop for a near fall. They fought on the turnbuckles and traded punches. In the center of the ring, they traded forearm strikes. Dani hit a powerbomb for a near fall at 8:00. Ava nailed a Gory Bomb faceplant for a near fall. She nailed a running knee to the chest, and she started to climb out of the cage. They fought while standing on the top rope, with their heads peeking over the top of the cage. Mo hit a stunner to the mat for a near fall at 10:00! Dani got up and climbed over the cage and to the floor to win.
Dani Mo defeated Ava Brooks in a cage to retain the IWC Women’s Title at 11:05.
Spencer Slade vs. Zach Nystrom for the IWC Super Indy Title. Slade wears headgear and is a mix of Kurt Angle and Josh Alexander. They started brawling on the floor, and I started my stopwatch. Slade whipped Zach into the cage wall, then pushed him into the ring, and the ref called for the bell at 1:07. Slade hit some chops and slammed Zach’s face into the cage walls. Slade stomped on Zach, and he yelled at the ref, who was in charge early on. Nystrom hit a suplex at 5:30. He got up and hit a series of chops.
Slade hit a jumping knee to the jaw and a clothesline for a near fall. They stood on the ropes, and Zach slammed Slade’s head into the cage wall, and Slade fell to the mat. Slade jumped to the top and hit a suplex to the mat at 9:00, and they were both down. Slade hit a series of European Uppercuts and a suplex. Zach hit a powerslam for a near fall, and they were both down at 11:00. Slade hit a German Suplex. Zach tied him in a Figure Four and got a near fall. Slade applied an ankle lock.
Slade tried to escape through the cage door at 13:30, but Zach grabbed Slade’s ankle and pulled him back in. Slade slammed the door against Zach’s head. Nystrom accidentally kicked the ref! Slade immediately hit an Air Raid Crash at 15:00. Slade grabbed the title belt and struck Nystrom in the head and got a near fall. Zach hit a piledriver for a near fall. He hit a hard clothesline, then a top-rope diving headbutt for the pin!
Zach Nystrom defeated Spencer Slade to win the IWC Super Indy Title at 17:32/official time of 16:25.
Blood Sweat Tears (BST) Wrestling “All Black Everything” at Devonshire Hall in Hamden, Connecticut, on July 5, 2026 (IWTV)
The entire roster for the show is composed of Black wrestlers. Notably absent were any women’s matches. I’m fairly familiar with everyone on the show. I’ve seen wrestling from this room before; it has gray walls and is lit okay. The crowd was maybe 100.
“Prolific” Tyree Taylor and Isaiah Wolf vs. “Waves & Curls” Traevon Jordan and Jaylen Brandyn for the BST Tag Titles. The crowds everywhere always pop for Whitney Houston, as Waves & Curls danced through the room. Tyree and Jaylen opened; the commentator noted this was a “mismatch” of size, as Tyree is much thicker. Jaylen hit a dropkick. Traevon entered and twisted Tyree’s left arm. Jordan put Wolf in a full nelson at 3:00 and forced him to dance. Jaylen hit a springboard clothesline for a near fall. The champs began working over Jaylen in their corner.
Wolf hit a suplex for a near fall at 4:30, and they worked Jaylen over for several minutes. Traevon got the hot tag at 9:00. He hit some punches, and he clotheslined Tyree to the floor. Jaylen tried a dive to the floor, but the champs caught him. Traevon dove over the top rope onto all three! In the ring, Wolf hit a kick to the back of Traevon’s head, and suddenly everyone was down at 11:00. Waves & Curls slammed Tyree for a near fall. The champs hit a team Styles Clash, and Tyree pinned Jaylen. Good action.
“Prolific” Tyree Taylor and Isaiah Wolf defeated “Waves & Curls” Traevon Jordan and Jaylen Brandyn to retain the BST Tag Titles at 12:18.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander vs. Andy Brown. Andy is much thicker. A-Game is one of the most improved wrestlers in the past year, and he’s always fun to watch. There were standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. Brown hit a Pounce at 2:00 and peeled off his shirt. He hit a release suplex and was in charge. He nailed a rolling cannonball in the corner and got a near fall. They traded punches, and Brown hit a spinebuster and a senton for a near fall at 6:00.
Brown missed a rolling cannonball into the corner. A-Game hit a hip toss. Andy knocked Alexander to the floor at 7:30, and the ref started counting out A-Game. They traded forearm strikes on the apron. Brown hit a corner fadeaway stunner for a near fall. He hit a decapitating clothesline for a near fall at 10:00, then a flipping powerbomb for a near fall. Brown stood over him as Joseph was on his knees and peppered him with punches. A-Game fired up, got to his feet, and they traded forearm strikes.
Brown nailed a thudding headbutt, but A-Game hit a jumping knee and a superkick. Brown put him in a Boston Crab. A-Game escaped and hit a discus clothesline, and both men were down at 12:30. “What a match!” a commentator exclaimed. Brown went for another corner fadeaway stunner, but A-Game caught him with a dropkick to the back. A-Game charged, but Brown caught him with a hard punch! Brown hit a piledriver for a believable near fall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. A-Game hit a brainbuster, then his running knee for a believable near fall. A-Game hit one more running knee for the pin! That was indeed quite awesome.
Joseph “A-Game” Alexander defeated Andy Brown at 15:02.
Final Thoughts: I’ll reiterate that all five shows are available in their entirety, and two of them are free on YouTube. I liked a lot of what I saw here, but watching all five shows in their entirety would have taken 11 to 12 hours. Thus, just two matches from each event. The final match I watched of the ten, A-Game vs. Andy Brown, was the best of the bunch. Oliver/Leedz tag match takes second. I’ll go with the Top Team’s tag match for third.
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