By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Chicago Style Wrestling “Under Pressure”
September 11, 2026, in Franklin Park, Illinois, at VFW Post 974
Replay available via Independentwrestling.tv
The show was held at their usual, small venue in suburban Chicago. They always pack this room, but it only holds about 200 fans.
* Notably absent tonight are Lili La Pescadita Ruiz and Victor Iniestra. They missed the show for their wedding! They posted a fun photo on social media of Ruiz attempting a suplex on the dance floor at their reception. Congrats to both!
1. Joey Pierson vs. FXB vs. Brian Gorta vs. Daddy Andy vs. John Bonhart in a five-way scramble. I’ve seen everyone in this match at least once before, and no one really jumped out at me. Pierson (think Jack Perry’s long, curly hair) hit a top-rope missile dropkick to send an opponent to the floor, and then he covered Gorta for the pin.
Joey Pierson defeated FXB, Brian Gorta, Daddy Andy, and John Bonhart in a scramble at 6:36.
2. “The Made Men” Erik Surge, Marshe Rockett, and Steve Boz vs. Bruss Hamilton, Eddie Grayson, and Jack Valor. Bruss just returned from a tour of the East Coast, competing in Wrestling Open and Limitless. The scrawny kids, Grayson and Valor, just competed on a recent episode of NWA. The Made Men attacked from behind and we’re underway! Bruss hit a series of clotheslines in the corner on Boz, and he slammed one of the kids onto him for a nearfall at 2:00. Marshe pulled Grayson (wearing a singlet) into their corner, and the heels began working him over.
Rockett hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. Surge (think David Otunga) hit a clothesline at 3:30. Boz and Surge hit a team suplex. On the floor, Boz leaned Grayson against the guardrails and hit some chops and a snap suplex on the thin mat at ringside, then shoved Eddie into the ring and got a nearfall. Surge hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall at 6:00, then he ran Grayson back-first into the turnbuckles. Grayson finally hit a second-rope flying clothesline on Surge, and they were both down at 7:30.
Bruss got the hot tag, and he hit some clubbing clotheslines on each of the three heels. He hit a Bulldog Powerslam on Surge, then an impressive delayed vertical suplex. Marshe finally jumped in to break it up and hit a stunner on Bruss. Valor jumped in and brawled with the bigger Rockett and hit a Lethal Injection. Valor hit a dive to the floor on Rockett. In the ring, Boz hit a Shellshock swinging faceplant on Valor. Rockett hit a Spinebuster on Grayson. Surge hit a Hidden Blade to Valor’s jaw for the clean pin. The last three minutes (after the hot tag) were a fun sprint.
“The Made Men” Erik Surge, Marshe Rockett, and Steve Boz defeated Bruss Hamilton, Eddie Grayson, and Jack Valor at 10:34.
3. Victor Analog vs. Warhorse. This match was teased last month, but we really didn’t get a winner. Again, Warhorse just returned after breaking his ankle last December. He charged at Victor at the bell and hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and some chops. They rolled to the floor, where Warhorse hit some chops against the guardrails. In the ring, Warhorse hit a backbreaker over his knee and a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 2:30. Victor stomped on Warhorse and hit a running Facewash Kick for a nearfall.
Analog threw him to the floor at 4:00. As Warhorse got back into the ring, Analog hit a top-rope double stomp to the back, then some Yes Kicks. Warhorse hit a second-rope missile dropkick at 5:30 and some clotheslines, then a flying headbutt. He tied Analog in the corner and hit a rolling cannonball, then a German Suplex into the turnbuckles for a nearfall. Analog collapsed at 7:30 and feigned an injury, and the match was stopped. (Absolutely no one was buying this.)
Warhorse defeated Victor Analog via forfeit due to injury at 7:30.
* Two additional refs helped Analog. Warhorse helped, putting Analog’s arm over his shoulder to assist him to the back. Analog vanished through the curtain to the back … but of course, he came running out and attacked Warhorse. He jumped up and down in the ring to show he’s perfectly fine.
4. Hans Carden vs. Jay Marston for the CSW Metra Division Title. Hans immediately threw him to the mat. He hit a spear into the corner, then a bodyslam at 1:30. Marston hit a Helluva Kick, and he threw Hans to the mat. He hit a clothesline and took control. Hans hit a pumphandle back suplex, and they were both down at 4:30. Hans hit a Claymore Kick for a nearfall. Marston hit a flying headbutt, then a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 6:00. Hans applied a half-crab (his finisher!), but Marston scrambled to the ropes.
They fought to the floor. Hans hit a bodyslam on the thin mat at ringside at 8:30, and he threw Marston back into the ring. However, Marston nailed a package piledriver for a nearfall, but the ref saw that Shane had put his feet on the ropes and stopped counting. They fought on the ropes. Hans tied him in the Tree of Woe and hit a rolling cannonball. He pulled Shane into the center of the ring, applied a half-crab, and Marston tapped out. Solid match.
Hans Carden defeated Jay Marston to retain the CSW Metra Division Title at 10:54.
5. Shazza McKenzie vs. Haven Harris vs. Sofia Sivan in a three-way for the CSW Women’s Title. Florida-based Sivan has been here before; she was previously seen taking a selfie with Andrade El Idolo in AEW. They opened in a three-way knuckle lock and standing switches. Haven really stands out as taller than the other two. New black-and-white gear for Shazza. The challengers hit stereo kicks on Shazza, sending her to the floor at 1:30. Haven hit a slingshot splash onto Sofia for a nearfall. Shazza jumped back in and traded reversals with Sofia, with Sivan hitting a bodyslam and a basement dropkick for a nearfall.
Shazza piled both opponents in the corner and hit a running Facewash Kick, and she got a nearfall on Sivan at 3:30. Shazza jumped on Sivan’s back and applied a sleeper. Haven missed a top-rope missile dropkick. Shazza slammed Sofia’s head into the mat and got a nearfall at 5:30. Shazza choked Sivan in the ropes, then she hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Shazza tied Sivan in the ropes and hit her Yes Kicks to Sofia’s chest. Haven got back in and hit running back elbows in opposite corners on each opponent.
Haven hit a leaping Jarrett-style Stroke faceplant on Shazza for a nearfall, but Sofia made the save. Sofia and Haven both fell into the splits and traded forearm strikes while on the mat. Shazza joined them! We had a triple splits, and the commentators agreed they hadn’t seen that before. Sofia hit a spin kick that dropped Haven. Sofia hit a slingshot double knees to Shazza’s chest for a nearfall at 9:00, but Haven made the save.
Haven hit a piledriver out of the ropes on Sivan for a nearfall, but Shazza pulled the ref from the ring! Haven was irate, realizing she was about to win there. Shazza hit her Splits Stunner on Haven, dropping her to the floor. Shazza pulled Sofia to the mat by her hair. Shazza immediately got a rollup with her feet on the ropes for the pin. Great athleticism was on display here by all three. Shazza looks great and is on a roll.
Shazza McKenzie defeated Haven Harris and Sofia Sivan in a three-way to retain the CSW Women’s Title at 10:22.
6. “Machine 17” KJ Carter and Nathan Nile vs. AMB and Shain Boucher for the CSW Tag Team Titles. Machine 17 captured these belts last month. I don’t think Shain and AMB have teamed up before. (So why do they get a title shot?) I’ve seen AMB a few times now, and he’s really talented; he looks like a (very) young Callum Newman. KJ and AMB opened with standing switches, then sped it up with some reversals. Carter hit a flying forearm. Shain entered to face the masked Nile. AMB hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 3:00. He chopped and hit some armdrags, then a dropkick.
Shain got back in and suplexed Nile. Nathan hit a dive through the ropes onto both opponents. Carter hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor on both opponents at 5:30. In the ring, AMB hit chops on both champs. He hit a double fadeaway stunner, and Shain hit a top-rope double stomp. AMB hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly on Nile at 7:30. Nathan hit a running knee to the side of AMB’s head, then Carter spun AMB to the mat for the pin. Good action while it lasted. AMB has really caught my eye in just a few matches.
“Machine 17” KJ Carter and Nathan Nile defeated AMB and Shain Boucher to retain the CSW Tag Team Titles at 8:24.
7. Blair Onyx and Eric Schultz vs. Axel Rico and Maggie Lee. Blair was back in her Spider-Woman gear. She was supposed to team with Adam Stallion, but the tie-wearing heel Schultz took his place. Rico came out last, and he’s dressed like Venom! A commentator said Rico is playing mind games with Blair with that gear. The women opened, and they shook hands. Schultz made a blind tag in before the women had even locked up. (This tag team is off to a bad start!) Eric locked up with Maggie, and he backed her into a corner. They traded standing switches.
Blair tagged back in at 2:00, but she wants Rico! They traded some quick rollups that ended in a ‘superhero pose.’ Blair talked to the invisible voices in her head, and Rico pretended to fight the invisible voice. Silliness. Schultz tagged in and fought Rico. Blair hit some chops and hard back elbows. Schultz got back in and hit a series of guillotine leg drops at 5:00. Blair planted her foot in Rico’s throat. Rico finally hit a tornado DDT on Schultz at 6:30, and they were both down. Eric went to tag out, but Blair hopped off the apron to argue with her voices! Maggie got a hot tag and hit some roundhouse kicks on Schultz, then a Helluva Kick.
Maggie hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. She hit a Lungblower to his chest. Blair hit a faceplant on Maggie. Rico hit a snap suplex on Blair. Schultz hit a Jarrett-style stroke on Rico for a nearfall at 8:30. Schultz beat up “Source,” Blair’s invisible voice! That angered Blair, who jumped in and hit a Thesz Press on Schultz (her teammate!) She left him. Rico immediately hit a running knee to his jaw, and Maggie hit a Swanton Bomb for the pin on Schultz. All very silly, but I enjoyed it.
Axel Rico and Maggie Lee defeated Blair Onyx and Eric Schultz at 9:51.
8. Solomon Tupu vs. Rafael Quintero for the CSW Heavyweight Title. This should be really good. Again, Tupu is rotund and reminds me of a shorter Bronson Reed. They took turns playing to the crowd, but they are both babyfaces. A clean lockup to open, and Tupu shoved Quintero into a corner. Tupu hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall at 3:00. Quintero hit a dive to the floor, but Tupu jumped back in and hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Tupu hit some chops in the corner at 6:00 and was in charge. They fought on the ropes in the corner. Quintero hit a top-rope crossbody block at 8:00.
Quintero hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Tupu flipped Quintero to the floor, and Rafael crashed upon landing. Back in the ring, Tupu hit some clotheslines and an STO uranage out of the corner, then a senton for a nearfall at 11:30. He hit a headbutt and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall, and both were down. Quintero hit a Lethal Injection at 13:00. He scooped the big man up, but his knees buckled, and Tupu collapsed on him. Quintero again got Tupu onto his shoulders, and this time he hit a DVD for a nearfall. He missed a frog splash.
Tupu immediately hit a running body block, then his own frog splash (Tsunami?) for a believable nearfall at 15:00, and he was in disbelief that Quintero kicked out! Quintero hit a Death Valley Driver out of the corner, then a top-rope flying elbow drop for a believable nearfall at 16:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Quintero hit a German Suplex at 19:00. Quintero hit a powerbomb for a nearfall, and they were both down. Quintero got up first and hit a series of punches and kept Tupu grounded. He went to the top rope, but Solomon grabbed him and hit a Burning Hammer, a frog splash, and a piledriver for the pin. Awesome stuff.
Solomon Tupu defeated Rafael Quintero to retain the CSW Heavyweight Title at 21:15.
* Quintero left, and Tupu celebrated with his belt, clearly exhausted. Erik Surge ran into the ring, attacked Tupu, and picked up the title belt! Quintero returned and chased Surge away.
Final Thoughts: A truly top-notch main event, and I can’t fathom anyone else picking a different match for best of the night. These two mesh so well. I’ve noted before that Quintero is one of the more talented guys that I just don’t see travel much to other territories (so I was surprised when he popped up at a Texas indy last month). The women’s three-way was really good, with some athleticism and agility that men cannot do. Shazza has never looked better; read her Twitter/X page for her thoughts on her hard work in that aspect.
I’ll rank the men’s tag match third. My objection, as I noted, is that the makeshift team doesn’t deserve a title shot. I like that AEW does these qualifier matches; you win a non-title match, you get a title shot. As I noted, AMB has quickly emerged as one to watch from the Chicagoland scene. A mild thumbs-up overall; the other five matches are all fine, but you could skip them and just catch the top three I outlined.
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