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 eight matches from across four different recent indy shows.
Combat Zone Wrestling “Hunt For Blood” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 3, 2026 (IWTV).
This venue is a dark room, and the crowd was sadly only maybe 80. (What happened to CZW’s crowds?)
Devious Cass vs. Desean Pratt. This opened the show. I’ve only seen Pratt a few times; he’s a young, Black man with a beard. (Think a young Bryan Keith.) The commentators talked about the “name Cass has made for himself” in his rookie year, and this is apparently his CZW debut. Cass got some quick rollups early on, and Pratt was surprised. They shook hands, but then Desean unloaded a series of kicks. He backed Cass into a corner and hit some punches to the ribs at 3:30.
Cass hit a twisting dive off the ropes, and an enzuigiri in the corner, then a dropkick, and he was fired up! On the apron, Cass kicked Desean hard in the face at 5:30. He whipped Pratt into the ring steps. In the ring, Cass came off the ropes, but Pratt caught him with a kick. Pratt hit a snap suplex, then a powerslam for a nearfall at 7:30. This crowd was hot! Pratt nailed a superkick. Cass hit a huracanrana, then a flip dive to the floor!
“There is not enough people in here tonight! Get the word out!” a commentator said. Cass hit a top-rope flying stunner for a nearfall at 9:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Cass hit an Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw, a Poison Rana, and a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall! Cass again came off the top rope, but Pratt caught him with a stunner. Desean hit a running Blockbuster and a top-rope double stomp to the chest for the pin. That was a really sharp opener!
Desean Pratt defeated Devious Cass at 10:56.
Kylie Alexa vs. Jenny Rose. I don’t think I’ve seen Rose before; she wore a black one-piece. She’s white with curly brown hair. Kylie is shorter and visibly lighter; she jawed at the crowd before the bell. There were standing switches early on. Rose hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 2:00. Alexa grabbed Rose’s hair and yanked her to the mat. Kylie grabbed Jenny’s wrists while standing on Rose’s hair.
Alexa stomped on Rose’s hand and kept her grounded in a headlock. Kylie hit an Irish Whip at 5:00 and an overhand chop. Rose hit a running splash into a corner. Kylie hit a senton for a nearfall. They traded overhand chops, and Rose hit a swinging sideslam for a nearfall. Kylie hit her flying dropkick into the corner for the pin. Solid match.
Kylie Alexa defeated Jenny Rose at 6:50.
Dustin Waller (w/Kylon King) vs. Ichiban. These two are legit good friends and always dazzle in the ring. Standing switches to open. The taller Dustin applied a headlock and dropped Ichiban with a shoulder tackle. Dustin missed a running Shooting Star Press. They traded quick reversals and had a standoff at 1:30. Ichiban walked the top rope into an arm drag. Ichiban hit his “One!” punches in the corner, and Waller rolled to the floor. Ichiban followed, and they brawled at ringside. Ichiban hit a 619 from the floor at 3:30. They continued to brawl on the floor. Ichiban was upside down on the apron, and Waller kicked him in the face!
They got back into the ring at 5:00, with Dustin in charge. Ichiban hit some jab punches. Dustin hit the running Shooting Star press for a nearfall at 6:30, and he slowed Ichiban down with a headlock. Ichiban nailed a StunDog Millionaire at 8:00, and they were both down. Ichiban hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Ichiban hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor at 9:30. They again brawled at ringside. Kylon King hit a hard clothesline on Ichiban! He slammed Ichiban’s head into the ring steps. Ichiban hit a 619 around the ring post on King.
Ichiban got in the ring, but Waller grabbed him and hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 12:00. Desean Pratt got in the ring and brawled with Kylon! Those two hit stereo clotheslines, and those two rolled to the floor. Dustin hit a Lethal Injection on Ichiban. Ichiban hit a 619 and a top-rope frog splash for a nearfall at 13:30. Kylon again got in the ring and struck Ichiban with a chair. Waller took the chair, but he accidentally struck Kylon! Ichiban hit a Canadian Destroyer on Waller and his Ichiban Kai (leaping Flatliner) for the pin. That was a blast and every bit as good as I expected.
Ichiban defeated Dustin Waller at 14:49.
Chaotic Wrestling “Overdrive” at Sons of Italy in Watertown, Massachusetts, on September 25, 2026 (free on YouTube).
This is a ballroom with a fairly high ceiling; the chandeliers don’t appear to be over the ring. It’s packed, but the crowd was only maybe 150.
“The Breadwinners” Cash McGuiness and Patrick Wheatman vs. DJ Powers and Liviyah for the CW Tag Titles. This was the show opener. The scrawny kids are babyfaces here. I love when real-life couple DJ and Liv team up — he’s such a natural heel, but she is such a natural babyface, so it’s good to see her try being a heel. They kissed several times and were booed. DJ opened against brown-haired Cash, shoving him to the mat, and DJ kissed Liviyah again. Cash flirted with Liv, but she shoved him, and she kissed DJ again. More boos! The Breadwinners tried to break up this lip-lock.
Patrick grabbed her and gave Liv a Giant Swing at 2:30! He then executed a Giant Swing on Powers! Cash hit a flip dive to the floor onto the heel couple at 4:00. In the ring, the heels took control and kept Cash grounded. DJ choked him in the ropes. DJ scooped her up, kissed her, but then slammed Liviyah onto Cash for a nearfall at 6:30. DJ hit a bodyslam. He again went to slam Liv onto Cash, but this time McGuiness got his knees up.
The redhead Wheatman got in and hit splashes in opposite corners on each heel. He hit a windup uranage on Liviyah for a nearfall at 8:30. Liv missed a Helluva Kick. However, she got underneath Wheatman in a corner and hit a powerbomb! DJ immediately hit a frog splash on Patrick for a nearfall at 10:00. The champs hit a team Jarrett-style Stroke and pinned Liviyah. Fun match.
“The Breadwinners” Cash McGuiness and Patrick Wheatman defeated DJ Powers and Liviyah for the CW Tag Titles at 10:28.
Tyree Taylor (w/Coach Cashew) vs. Danny Miles in a street fight for the CW Title. This was the main event. Miles came out first, holding a crutch wrapped in barbed wire. Taylor went under the ring and grabbed a chair. They swung their weapons at each other, and we’re underway! Taylor pushed the barbed-wire crutch into Danny’s back (Miles was wearing a shirt), and Tyree stomped on the crutch, too. They brawled to the floor at 2:00 and fought over by the merchandise tables. They made their way to ringside. Miles trapped Tyree’s hand in the ring bell, and he repeatedly struck the bell with the hammer at 5:00!
Miles got a door from under the ring. However, Tyree hit a uranage through a door bridge on the floor at 6:30. He pushed Danny into the ring and got a nearfall. Tyree sat on a chair over Miles. He whipped Miles into a corner and got a nearfall. They got some big, thick chains and had a tug-of-war with them. Miles hit a flying shoulder tackle for a nearfall at 10:30. Tyree hit a back-body drop onto an open chair for a nearfall! “That sent shocks down my leg!” a commentator said. Taylor sat down on a chair across from Miles and hit some jab punches, then a headbutt at 12:30.
Miles hit a single-leg Lungblower to the chest and a flying headbutt! He hit some running back elbows into the corner. Danny hit a rolling cannonball and got a nearfall at 14:30. Danny’s shirt was off now, and he dumped a bag of thumbtacks onto the mat. They traded punches. Miles speared Taylor through a door in the corner at 17:00. Danny hit a frog splash for a nearfall. Taylor hit an enzuigiri into the corner. Taylor picked up the big, thick chain (seriously, what do you even use a chain that thick for?) He wrapped it around Danny’s body, trapping Danny’s arms by his side! Taylor applied a claw to the ribs.
Danny eventually freed himself and pulled his arms from the chain. Tyree hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Taylor set up for a powerbomb, but Danny got a rollup for a nearfall. Miles repeatedly hit him across the back with a chair at 21:30. Miles went to the floor and retrieved the barbed-wire crutch! However, Coach Cashew snuck out of the back, into the ring, and hit Miles across the back with a metal briefcase. Tyree hit a discus forearm strike, using that thick chain. Tyree then hit the Brooklyn Zoo powerbomb onto the thumbtacks for the tainted pin. Good action.
Tyree Taylor defeated Danny Miles in a no-DQ match to retain the CW Title at 23:01.
* Cashew opened the briefcase, and he presented Taylor with a brand new CW Title, replacing the one Tyree won from “Skinnyweight Champion” Armani Kayos.
Over The Top Wrestling “OTT After Dark” at The Button Factory in Dublin, Ireland, on September 17, 2026 (free on YouTube)
This is a small club, and the crowd was insanely hot. This was GOING TO BE Sosa and Kuro teaming, but a GM switched up the teams and called for the bell!
Ricky Sosa and Calum Black vs. Kuro and Matthew Smyth. I haven’t seen Calum or Smyth before. Kuro is similar to Ricky Sosa but a bit shorter (he looks a lot like Maple Leaf Pro’s Sheldon Jean). Smyth and Calum were supposed to be teammates, but they slapped each other at the bell! They traded armdrags. Kuro and Sosa traded quick reversals, and Sosa landed a dropkick at 3:00. Calum (black singlet with reddish hair and a beard) hit a backbreaker over his knee on Kuro. Kuro (wearing hot pink pants) hit a double stomp on Smyth (white, curly hair with a mustache), got back in, and hit some chops on Black.
Kuro hit a Falcon Arrow on Black for a nearfall at 6:00. Black hit a release German Suplex on Smyth, then one on Kuro. Sosa got a hot tag, and he hit a big back-body drop on Smyth. He hit flying forearms in opposite corners on each opponent, then a Moonsault Press onto both standing opponents at 8:00. Sosa hit a pop-up powerbomb on Smyth for a nearfall, but Kuro made the save. Kuro and Sosa traded forearm strikes at 9:30, then they traded pump kicks to the chest. Sosa hit an enzuigiri.
Kuro hit a huracanrana on Sosa. He went for a moonsault press, but Sosa caught him and hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex! Sosa came off the ropes, but Kuro caught him with a superkick at 11:00, and they were both down. Smyth hit a superkick on Calum, then a neckbreaker over his knee. Sosa hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Smyth for a nearfall, and suddenly everyone was down. Smyth hit a chokeslam on Calum. Kuro hit a coast-to-coast missile dropkick on Calum at 13:00.
Smyth and Kuro both piled on Black, but he kicked out! Kuro and Smyth accidentally kicked each other! Black hit a backbreaker. Kuro hit a pumphandle powerbomb on Black. Sosa hit a TKO stunner on Kuro. Smyth hit a Canadian Destroyer on Sosa! Calum hit a backbreaker over his knee on Smyth, then a powerbomb for a believable nearfall. However, Smyth got a rollup and pinned Black! Fun action. I really liked everything I saw here.
Kuro and Matthew Smyth defeated Ricky Sosa and Calum Black at 15:09.
Central States Wrestling “Summer of Sweetness” August 15, 2026 (released Sept. 30 on YouTube)
This venue is an auditorium with a high ceiling; even a chandelier is barely in view. The ring is next to the auditorium stage; fans sat on the other three sides of the ring. It’s fairly packed, but the crowd was maybe 200. I’ll point out this aired without any of the annoying, random YouTube commercials disrupting the flow of matches.
Blair Onyx vs. Shazza McKenzie vs. Sadie Bell vs. Miranda Gordy for the CSW Heart of the Champion Women’s Title. I don’t think I’ve seen Sadie; she’s a redheaded cowgirl in green gear. Blair, the champion, came out last. Everyone took turns slugging Shazza. Blair and Shazza fought to the floor, while Sadie and Miranda fought in the ring. Blair got into the ring and hit a huracanrana on Miranda at 2:00. Blair and Shazza traded blows.
Miranda backed Onyx into a corner and hit some overhand chops at 4:00. Shazza and Miranda worked together to beat down Blair. Miranda hit a splash into the corner. On the floor, Miranda whipped Onyx into the guardrails. In the ring, Sadie hit a sit-out powerbomb on Shazza for a nearfall at 5:30. Shazza hit a snap suplex on Bell. Miranda hit a suplex on Bell; Shazza tried to steal the pin! Blair hit a top-rope crossbody block on Shazza and Miranda at 7:30, and she was fired up!
Blair hit a double DDT on the heels, and she tied up their legs and applied a double Muta Lock! Nice! Sadie made the save. Sadie and Onyx shoved each other. Sadie hit a running twisting neckbreaker on Onyx, then an X-Factor for a nearfall at 9:30. Shazza was trying to negotiate with the taller, thicker Miranda, but then she hit the Splits Stunner on Miranda! However, Blair got a rollup for the clean pin on Shazza. Fun match.
Blair Onyx defeated Shazza McKenzie, Sadie Bell, and Miranda Gordy to retain the CSW Heart of the Champion Women’s Title at 10:26.
Dak Draper vs. Luke Langley vs. Austin Lee. Luke is white, taller than average, with trimmed hair; I’ve seen him a few times in St. Louis Anarchy. I don’t think I’ve seen Austin; he’s a young Black man with a mustache and goatee. At 6’4″, former ROH wrestler Dak Draper is always the heel. He’s grown a thick Tom Selleck mustache. (Everyone gets that reference, right?) They all fought at the bell. Langley hit a headscissors takedown that flipped Austin onto Dak. Austin is much shorter than his opponents here.
Dak hit a snap suplex on Austin. Dak suplexed Langley at 1:00. Austin hit a shotgun dropkick on Draper, then a double-underhook suplex on Langley. Langley hit an inverted DDT-and-Flatliner combo on both opponents at 2:30. Dak hit an Electric Chair on Austin, who was going for a Superplex on Langley (essentially a different form of a Tower of Doom), and they were all down. They all got back to their knees and traded punches. Dak and Austin traded punches after they knocked Langley down.
Austin hit a spinning punch on Dak at 5:30. Langley hit an Exploder Suplex on Austin. A woman at ringside got knocked down; I hadn’t even seen her before this. She was helped to the back. In the ring, Langley hit a second-rope flying Flatliner on Dak. Langley hit flying dropkicks in opposite corners. He picked up Dak and hit a DVD into the corner onto Austin and got a nearfall at 7:30. Austin hit an Angle Slam on Langley, and he slammed Dak, and they were all down.
A heel manager with Dak distracted Austin. Dak hit a powerslam on Luke, then a second-rope superplex on Austin. Dak hit a German Suplex on Langley and a sit-out powerbomb on Austin. Langley nailed a brainbuster on Dak! Langley then hit a brainbuster on Austin for a visual pin, but a manager pulled Langley to the floor! Dak immediately jumped on Austin and stole the pin! Good action.
Dak Draper defeated Austin Lee and Luke Langley at 10:01.
Final Thoughts: I’ll reiterate that several of these shows are free on YouTube. I’ll go with Ichiban vs. Waller for best match, ahead of the Sosa tag match from Ireland. I love the pub atmosphere at the OTT show, and it looked like a good time. A lot of great, young talent here.
