In April, Square One Pro, a Taiwan-based promotion that organizes professional wrestling fan meetings, autograph sessions, and talk events, officially announced that Japanese wrestling legend Kenta Kobashi will hold a fan meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 29.

Kenta Kobashi is widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of all time. Best known for his legendary career in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling NOAH, he was one of AJPW's famous "Four Pillars of Heaven," alongside Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue. During his career, Kobashi held major titles including the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and NOAH's GHC Heavyweight Championship. His hard-hitting style, famous chops, and memorable matches made him one of the most respected figures in Japanese wrestling.

At the event, fans will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with Kobashi. The event will also include an autograph session, a talk session, and a special opportunity for fans to experience one of Kobashi's famous chops. According to Square One Pro's official Facebook page, a limited number of additional spots for the fan meeting will be announced soon.

Square One Pro was officially established in January 2023 by its founder, Shane Liu. Before starting Square One Pro, Liu had experience working as a booker and promoter and had helped bring several major wrestling matches to Taiwan. One of the most well-known examples came in late 2018 at an NTW event in Taiwan, when Johnny Impact defended the Impact Wrestling World Championship against Matt Sydal. The match was made possible through Liu's efforts.

Since 2023, Square One Pro has invited internationally known professional wrestlers to Taiwan almost every year to meet and interact with local fans. Previous guests have included Japanese wrestler Yuki Kamifuku, former WWE wrestlers Mike Rallis and Tenille Dashwood, Japanese wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki, legendary women's wrestler Manami Toyota, and now Kobashi. With such an impressive list of guests, Square One Pro's events have become some of the most anticipated annual events for wrestling fans in Taiwan.

Liu previously told us that the idea for Square One Pro came from his own experience attending wrestling fan meetings. At the time, he was disappointed that, for various reasons, he wasn't able to interact more with the wrestlers. That experience inspired him to create something different. His goal was to give wrestling fans in Taiwan the opportunity to create memories and experiences worth more than what they paid for.

Today, with the efforts of Liu and the many people working alongside him, Square One Pro has gained support from wrestling fans in Taiwan and around the world. For many fans, its events have also become some of their most memorable experiences as professional wrestling fans.

DSR's Andy Chen will also attend the fan meeting in person. Afterward, he will bring readers a more detailed look at the fan meeting, as well as reactions from fans in attendance.

A-Yong-Go: The Man Carrying NTW Wrestling on His Shoulders

August 14, 2026WrestlingAndy ChenComment

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1984, A-Yong-Go has loved sports since he was young. During junior high school, he trained in judo and amateur wrestling, and even finished second in a wrestling competition.

His connection with professional wrestling began when he was in the third or fourth grade of elementary school, first watching professional wrestling with his father. Although his father couldn't remember the wrestlers' names, he would identify them by the colors of their gear. Mitsuharu Misawa was ‘the guy in green,’ while Toshiaki Kawada was ‘the guy in yellow.’ Jumbo Tsuruta was given another nickname by his father because of his personality.

After some time, his father became busy with work, so they didn't watch wrestling together as often. However, A-Yong-Go had already fallen in love with professional wrestling, beginning the search for wrestling information online and renting wrestling tapes to watch on his own. During high school, he discovered an online forum for professional wrestling fans in Taiwan. That discovery slowly started a fire inside him and turned his passion into a dream…A-Yong-Go wanted to be a professional wrestling.

A-Yong-Go attended an exhibition show at Xinyi Elementary School held by Impact Wrestling Love, one of Taiwan's early professional wrestling promotions. After watching the show, he began to believe that he might have a chance to become a wrestler himself. Wanting to see what he was capable of, he decided to join IWL, making his professional wrestling debut in 2004. His performances eventually led him to win IWL's top title, the UWC Championship, in 2006. Three years later, an opportunity to learn from a legendary Japanese wrestler became another important moment in his life.

In 2009, Japanese wrestler Ikuto Hidaka came to Taiwan and helped improve the fundamentals and techniques of Taiwanese wrestlers at the time. Although Hidaka was only there for a few days, he shared as much of his knowledge as possible with his students.

Hidaka carefully wrote down what each wrestler needed to improve and gave them individual advice. His notebook was eventually filled with notes about his Taiwanese students. Seeing how seriously Hidaka treated them made an important impression on A-Yong-Go and strengthened his determination to continue pursuing his dream.

In 2011, A-Yong-Go wanted to build the kind of wrestling promotion he had always imagined. Together with several partners, he helped establish a new professional wrestling promotion in Taiwan: New Taiwan Entertainment Wrestling, better known as NTW. His longtime partner Super Da-Zhi provided the initial funding and invited A-Yong-Go to help organize the promotion in Taiwan, with A-Yong-Go becoming NTW's first president. From that moment, a new chapter in Taiwanese professional wrestling began.

After losing the match to crown NTW's inaugural Undifferentiated Champion, A-Yong-Go later decided to travel to Okinawa in 2014, where he trained and gained experience with Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling. Returning to Taiwan toward the end of that same year, A-Yong-Go once again took on the role of NTW president. His career also began to take him outside Taiwan. He competed for CWF in China in 2016 and Hong Kong Wrestling Federation in 2017.

After receiving several invitations from The Joker, the leader of Moon Circus, a faction made up of NTW's younger generation of wrestlers at the time, A-Yong-Go officially joined the group. With a new group of partners around him, he went on to capture both the NTW Undifferentiated Championship and Tag Team Championship in 2017, becoming only the second wrestler in NTW history to hold both titles at the same time.

However, things changed in 2019. After losing the Tag Team Championship, A-Yong-Go was forced out of Moon Circus. Looking back at the regret and lack of understanding between the former partners, A-Yong-Go now speaks about it calmly. He doesn't have many feelings about what happened anymore. In his view, both sides simply got what they needed from each other. In 2020, A-Yong-Go established the babyface faction BIG WAVE. As the group's spiritual leader, he has continued to support and lead BIG WAVE.

Beginning in 2024, A-Yong-Go helped establish NTW's annual collaborative event with Big Japan Pro Wrestling. NTW has also worked with Japanese women's promotion DIANA for several years, as A-Yong-Go has continued using his connections to expand NTW's relationships across Asia. In recent years, he has also helped NTW wrestlers compete internationally for promotions including Dropkick, PPP TOKYO and FTO in Japan, GrappleMax in Singapore, and APAC Wrestling in Malaysia.

More than two decades after making his debut, A-Yong-Go is no longer simply a wrestler. As NTW's President, a veteran performer, and someone who continues creating opportunities for the next generation of Taiwanese wrestlers, he has become one of the most important figures behind the promotion.

From a young boy watching Japanese wrestling with his father to becoming one of the people leading NTW forward, professional wrestling has been part of A-Yong-Go's life for more than two decades. Today, he continues to help Taiwanese wrestlers find opportunities across Asia. He has carried NTW through its past and present, and now he is helping build its future. He is A-Yong-Go, the man carrying NTW on his shoulders.

The Zodiac Guide to Independent Wrestling: A Guide to GCW, EVE, Primos, TJPW and More

August 6, 2026WrestlingJenny CatlinComment

Independent wrestling is enormous, gloriously messy, and not especially easy to navigate. There are promotions built around deathmatches and promotions that feel like a punk show. Others feel like hip-hop, fashion-forward VIP lounges. Some wrestling is deadly serious, and some will have wrestlers dressed like breakfast food. Many promotions will have a little bit of all of those. Where does one even get started if you're new to indies or even a new wrestling fan, in general?

Astrology, naturally. Whether you're an Aries who treats bad ideas as a challenge, a Virgo who just wants everyone to respect the rules, or a Pisces ready to become emotionally attached to 12 strangers in dreamy gear, I promise you there’s an indie promotion waiting for you.

To be clear, this is less an expert guide to astrology than another excuse to hype up independent wrestling and point you toward promotions you might not otherwise find. So consider this less a horoscope than a questionable viewing guide. The stars have spoken — fine, possibly incorrectly — but let's find you a wrestling promotion anyway.

Aries – Game Changer Wrestling (GCW)

People are wrong about you, Aries; you don’t always choose violence. But when violence shows up at your door, you know it would be rude not to answer. GCW is your promotion. Stubborn, a touch unpredictable, and forever unwilling to back down from a dare, GCW has gorgeous technical wrestling, but it’s not afraid of introducing a spool of barbed wire into the discussion either. You're impulsive, competitive, and loud. You’re extremely confident that consequences are a reward or, at worst, a problem for future Aries. GCW understands.

Matt Cardona after defeating Nick Gage and becoming GCW Deathmatch Champion in 2021. — Matt Cordona after defeating Nick Gage to claim the GCW Deathmatch Championship

Taurus – Limitless Wrestling

Taurus, you care about quality, consistency, and most importantly, knowing there will be snacks. Welcome to Maine's self-described “Pine Tree State Pro Wrestling Party.” At Limitless, a stubborn regional identity alchemizes with first-rate indie wrestling. There are plenty of familiar faces worth getting attached to. You may claim to hate change, but really, you need a few months to decide the change was your idea in the first place. Pick a favorite wrestler here and become emotionally unreasonable about them.

Gabby Forza, now signed with TNA, with Limitless.

Gemini – Freelance Wrestling

Gemini, you need options. Freelance gives you exactly that: punk rock partying Chicago weirdos, rising indie talent, and enough stylistic whiplash to keep you from getting bored and opening another tab. One match may be a hard, technical fight between wrestlers trying to prove they belong on a bigger stage; the next may be loud, funny, deeply Chicago and built around a character the crowd already treats like family. Perfect. You're curious, social, and adaptable and, famously, you are full of duality, much like Freelance. You're also absolutely going to leave with four new favorite wrestlers and no memory of the one you came to see.

Cancer – Primos Premier Pro Wrestling

Cancer, you came here looking for community, and that's why you ended up in Denver indie wrestling. Primos has a training school, deep local roots, a proudly LGBTQ-supportive community, and enough deathmatch street cred in its DNA to remind you that family occasionally requires someone to respond to a challenge with a sharp object a fan found at the hardware store. You'll care deeply about everyone involved and then immediately deny it when asked.

Leo – 4th Rope

You wanted wrestling, Leo. You wanted an event. Can’t do anything without some flourish, can you? Westside Gunn’s 4th Rope mixes wrestling with hip hop fashion and enough cultural swagger to make just walking to the ring feel insufficiently ambitious. Naturally, you approve: the upside of Leo is charisma, confidence, and excellent taste. Extraordinary exhibition. By match three, you’ll have opinions about everyone’s entrance and a detailed plan for your own.

“4th Rope is a Lifestyle” - Westside Gunn

Virgo – Deadlock Pro-Wrestling

DPW has time limits, defined match formats, contender systems, and a website that will actually explain the rules to you. Virgo, try to contain yourself. There are so many rules. This is wrestling for people who enjoy chaos significantly more whenever the chaos is properly organized. DPW calls itself “all killer no filler,” which is essentially what Virgo has been trying to put into the group project guidelines for years.

** Technically, DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling (DPW) announced an indefinite hiatus following their final US show on December 12, 2025, in Cary, North Carolina, with one final show scheduled in Japan. But they really are Virgo’s soulmate.

Libra -- Pro-Wrestling: Eve

Of course, Libra found the wrestling promotion with punk rock, cabaret comedy, and extremely talented women beating the hell out of each other. Eve is glamorous, political, inclusive, and chaotic without ever losing the plot. Libra, you came for beauty, justice, and excellent outfits, but you stayed because apparently all three can include a pile driver. The only real problem is that eventually someone will expect you to choose a side.

Scorpio – Wrestling REVOLVER

Scorpio does not believe in letting things go. Wrestling REVOLVER is happy to indulge that instinct with blood feuds, bitter rivalries, and matches that feel personal long before the bell rings. You like intensity, loyalty, and the occasional spectacular overreaction. This is basically your emotional support promotion. Wrestling REVOLVER favors intense personalities, hard-hitting matches, and wrestlers like Mance Warner, Killer Kelly, Sammy Callahan, and John Moxley, who rarely suggest that everyone process their feelings safely. You wanted emotional risks, danger, and commitment. Congratulations, Scorpio, you have once again mistaken escalation for closure.

Wrestling REVOLVER World Champion - Mance Warner

Sagittarius – New Texas Pro Wrestling

Sagittarius needs room to roam, so we're giving you the big old state of Texas. New Texas Pro runs across Houston, Austin, and beyond with tournaments, a contender series, and wrestlers representing different corners of the state that treat nearby as a philosophical concept. It's a great promotion for discovering names before everybody else knows them. You'll love the exploration; you'll love the I was here 1st bragging rights. You'll also immediately begin explaining why everybody should take a wrestling road trip with you.

Capricorn – West Coast Pro Wrestling

Capricorn, we know you respect a five-year plan. West Coast Pro is all about building a new Bay Area wrestling legacy while developing the next generation through its Academy. The card brings top independent wrestlers together with new and developing talent. It tends to take the wrestling itself very seriously: competence, ambition, long-term development, stability. You're delighted; please resist the urge to ask the rest of where they see themselves professionally in 2031.

Aquarius – Hoodslam / Slamtown

Surprised Aquarius? You shouldn't be. Obviously, Aquarius gets Oakland’s glorious Hoodslam universe. Who else were we going to give the wrestling promotion in which conventional good taste has historically been treated more like a curse than a virtue? Now appearing under the Slamtown banner, it remains theatrical, irreverent, intense, and deeply committed to doing wrestling its own way. You'll call it visionary; your friends will call it the “wrestling thing you made us watch, which we sort of liked but was also confusing.” Both of those things will be true.

From *the Bold Italic*, “Oakland’s Hoodslam is Crazy; Go To It”

Pisces – Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling

You and your feelings, Pisces. You want feelings, friendship, and whimsy, preferably followed by Miyu Yamashita breaking into tears. TJPW gives you vivid characters, absurd comedy, and stories built around relationships and then casually reminds you that these women are exceptionally skilled athletes and wrestlers. It looks like the dreamiest assignment on this list until you realize you’ve developed sincere feelings about twelve different wrestlers and are now furious about something that happened three years ago. As usual, you came for whimsy and left with everyone else’s emotional baggage.

Does the time you were born on a Tuesday really affect whether you enjoy watching someone get hit with a door in GCW; if you’ll find yourself crying over a TJPW friendship; or if enlightenment comes with discovering that Oakland wrestling can involve a detective, a cereal-themed superhero, and sometimes maybe, a bear?

Who am I to say?

Independent wrestling is much easier to explore and appreciate once you stop thinking of it as a monolith. Every promotion has its own crowd rhythms, obsessions, and particular flavor of athletics. Maybe your sign will predict your favorite. Maybe it sends you way outside your comfort zone, and you love it. Maybe you hate it and watch the rest of the promotions on the list to spite me specifically.

Sometimes a questionable system is still a decent way to find something unexpected. Both indie pro wrestling and astrology have survived worse methodology.

Jenny Catlin is an award-winning writer and pop culture enthusiast based in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and the co-editor of the upcoming anthology Wrestling with Writing. She’s obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack,

How to Watch: Regional and Indie Wrestling: August 2026

July 31, 2026WrestlingJenny Catlin1 Comment

Wrestling keeps moving platforms. MyAEW has spent the summer expanding its independent-wrestling footprint, while SiriusXM replaced Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 with the new WWE Radio channel on July 27. Access to wrestling is better than ever, but finding it and keeping up with it can still be a challenge. Dirt Sheet Radio’s monthly How to Watch cannot cover every indie and near-indie production; there are simply too many. Instead, this is a curated list of the best bets, largest cards, biggest-impact matches and some shows that are just plain fun.

Best Bets

Best Regional: Primos Premier Pro Wrestling: Scorched Summer Aug 16.

Best free weekly shows: JCW Lunacy, Lucha Libre AAA and MLW Fusion.

Best service for regional wrestling: IWTV.

Best concentrated indie weekend: GCW’s Minneapolis events on Aug. 1 and 2.

Best lucha event: CMLL’s International Grand Prix on Aug. 7.

Biggest single event: TNA Lockdown on Aug. 23.

Primos Premier Pro Wrestling

Scorched Summer 2

When: Sunday, Aug. 16; doors at 8 p.m. ET, bell time at 9 p.m. ET

Where: The Roxy Theatre, 2549 Welton St., Denver

Where to watch: The Roxy Theatre or live on TrillerTV+

Cost: TrillerTV+ is $7.99 per month or $69.99 per year

Why Watch

Scorched Summer 2 is the easiest way for viewers outside Colorado to get a look at Primos. The Denver promotion mixes traditional wrestling, lucha libre, hardcore matches, and the occasional bit of absolute nonsense, all without sanding down the DIY character that makes the company distinctive. Primos has spent more than two decades building its own roster, training wrestlers through the Butcher Shop and maintaining deep ties to the American deathmatch scene. The full lineup has not yet been announced, but Scorched Summer 2 will stream live on TrillerTV+ on Aug. 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

Pro-Wrestling: EVE

EVE x The World 2

Links: EVE home |Watch EVE

When: Friday, Aug. 28, at 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: Big Penny Social, London, England

Where to watch: Live and on demand through EVE’s Champion YouTube membership tier.

Cost: Paid YouTube membership for live and latest full shows; selected content is free

Why Watch

London-based Pro-Wrestling: EVE has been running since 2010, combining women’s wrestling with punk rock, comedy, cabaret and an intentionally rowdy live-show atmosphere. Its roster has included major names from British wrestling, joshi and the international scene, including Meiko Satomura, Toni Storm, Kay Lee Ray, Emi Sakura, Manami Toyota, Kris Statlander and Miyu Yamashita. EVE is currently produced by Emily and Dann Read alongside AEW’s Will Ospreay.

EVE offers something most wrestling streams do not: a promotion built specifically around women without simply recreating the structure and feel of a conventional wrestling company. Its roster moves easily between British indie wrestling, Japanese joshi, AEW and the wider international scene. At the same time, the punk-rock and cabaret presentation gives the promotion an identity beyond the matches themselves.

EVE x The World 2 lands during the major London wrestling weekend, giving EVE access to an unusually deep pool of international talent. The biggest announced match has EVE International champion Miyu Yamashita defending against Kay Lee Ray. AEW’s Marina Shafir will make her EVE debut against Swedish martial artist Aliss Ink, while Aubrey Edwards is scheduled as a special guest referee. Skye Blue is also advertised to return.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Miyu Yamashita vs. Kay Lee Ray for the EVE International Championship, Marina Shafir vs. Aliss Ink, Skye Blue, Aubrey Edwards as special guest referee, EVE roster members, AEW talent, international guests, additional matches and mystery appearances to be announced.

PRODUCE

Volume 3 — Azúcar

Links: Official event page |MyAEW

When: Monday, Aug. 3; in-person bell time at 7:30 p.m. ET; MyAEW lists the broadcast for 8 p.m. ET

Where: Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, New York

Where to watch: MyAEW lists Volume 3 as a PPV; PRODUCE has also advertised the show as free and live on The Produce Network YouTube channel.

Cost: MyAEW’s established PRODUCE PPV price is $14.95, but PRODUCE’s July 17 announcement advertised the Aug. 3 YouTube stream as free; verify the listing before bell time

Why Watch

Launched in early 2026 by Adam Abdalla, creator of the wrestling and art glossy Orange Crush, PRODUCE operates like a curated performance series rather than a traditional wrestling promotion. Events are co-produced by Abdalla and a wrestler who not only competes on the card, but also helps assemble the lineup and shapes the show around their own artistic and wrestling influences. Original music, visual art, and film are shown alongside the matches, giving every volume a distinct identity.

Jonathan Gresham and Lee Moriarty curated the first two editions. Volume 3 belongs to Rocky Romero, whose heavily international card draws from lucha libre, Japanese wrestling, shoot-style grappling, women’s wrestling, and several corners of the American indie scene. Romero faces CMLL star Místico; Minoru Suzuki meets Hechicero; former UFC Heavyweight champion Josh Barnett faces The Butcher, musician Andy Williams; and veteran shooter Carl Greco-Malenko faces Tim Bosby. The show closes with a 30-person Royal Ranbo to crown the King of New York.

PRODUCE doesn’t depend on fixed champions, divisions or weekly storylines. Its appeal is the curation: each wrestler-producer builds a card around personal taste, creative influences and individual stylistic connections. Romero’s edition resembles a wrestling mixtape assembled by someone with an exceptionally deep contact list.

Dirt Sheet Radio writer Robert Acosta said PRODUCE’s debut “restored the feeling” of New York’s 2010s indie scene, praising its technical wrestling, international lineup and unusual touches such as live music and soccer-style yellow and red cards.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Rocky Romero vs. Místico, Minoru Suzuki vs. Hechicero, Josh Barnett vs. The Butcher, Fuwa-chan, Hazuki and Ranna Yagami vs. Janai Kai, Jordan Blade and Nixi XS, Violence Is Forever vs. Cowboy Way for the RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship, Skadi vs. Persephone, Tim Bosby vs. Carl Greco-Malenko, Tiger Mask IV and Dynamite Kid Tommy Billington vs. Black Tiger IV and Black Tiger IX, 30-person Royal Ranbo for the title of King of New York.

Juggalo Championship Wrestling

JCW Lunacy

Links: JCW home |Psychopathic Records on YouTube

When: Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Recorded and live events from venues around the United States

Where to watch: Psychopathic Records’ YouTube channel and JCWLunacy.net

Cost: Free

Why Watch

Co-founded by Insane Clown Posse in 1999, Juggalo Championship Wrestling combines traditional indie wrestling with carnival spectacle, violent stipulations, backstage comedy and dramatic serialized stories. Its weekly flagship, JCW Lunacy, creates its own unstable world of clowns, monsters, criminal factions and corrupt authority figures, with recognizable veterans appearing alongside developing talent and a stable of wrestlers suited to JCW’s deliberately unruly style.

Specific cards are usually teased on social media leading up to airtime and announced shortly before the show, but episodic stories develop through JCW’s weekly programming and touring events. Recent angles have centered on Caleb Konley, Vince Russo’s ‘Chosen One,’ maneuvering within the company, Jasmin St. Claire’s surprise pregnancy and Dani Mo’s status as Barnabas the Bizarre’s estranged daughter. The larger fight over who controls JCW is never far away.

Lunacy is one of the easiest independent shows to sample because it streams free and rewards weekly viewing. JCW delivers low-budget serialized chaos that would be difficult to confuse with any other promotion.

In July, JCW launched JCWLunacy.net as a central home for weekly episodes, archives, roster information, and results. The current JCW Lunacy World champion is Caleb Konley. Read my write-up of JCW for more reasons to watch.

Also in August: Bloodymania 19

JCW’s biggest annual event, Bloodymania 19, is scheduled across two late-night cards at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Macks Creek, Missouri, on Aug. 20 and 21. JCW’s official site lists the event, but a dedicated livestream has not yet been announced; check JCWLunacy.net close to the show.

Game Changer Wrestling

Links: GCW Instagram |GCW on TrillerTV

Game Changer Wrestling is one of the country’s most visible touring independent promotions. Originally a New Jersey regional company, GCW has grown into a national and international brand by mixing deathmatches, technical wrestling, lucha libre, comedy and emerging talent on the same cards. Its events stream live and on demand through TrillerTV+.

GCW: Rude Awakening

When: Saturday, Aug. 1, at 2 p.m. ET

Where: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota

How to watch: Live and on demand through TrillerTV+; included with a subscription.

GCW’s first Minneapolis event takes place at one of the city’s best-known music venues during SummerSlam weekend. The card combines established GCW regulars, Minnesota talent and new arrivals, including the GCW debut of Avery Styles.

The appeal is GCW’s unpredictability. Technical wrestling, comedy and heavyweight violence can all appear on the same show, and Rude Awakening gives the promotion a chance to introduce that style to a new regional audience.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Marcus Mathers vs. Avery Styles, Atticus Cogar vs. Devon Monroe, Bear Bronson vs. Shotzi Blackheart, additional matches to be announced.

GCW vs. F1RST Wrestling

Links:F1RST Wrestling |Watch on TrillerTV+

When: Sunday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m. ET

Where: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota

How to watch: Live and on demand through TrillerTV+; included with a subscription.

GCW returns to First Avenue for a crossover with Minnesota-based F1RST Wrestling. The card pairs GCW’s touring roster with wrestlers from the Upper Midwest scene, giving the second show a stronger regional identity.

GCW brings national exposure and a deliberately unpredictable roster. F1RST brings Minnesota history, local loyalties, and wrestlers who may be unfamiliar to viewers outside the region. The show should work as both an interpromotional event and an introduction to Upper Midwest wrestling.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

GCW and F1RST Wrestling representatives in interpromotional matches; full lineup to be announced.

All Caribbean Wrestling

Georgetown Smash

Links: ACW home |Georgetown Smash |Watch on TrillerTV

When: Saturday, Aug. 8, at 6:05 p.m. ET

Where: Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Georgetown, Guyana

How to watch: Live through TrillerTV as an individual pay-per-view purchase.

Why Watch

All Caribbean Wrestling is a young touring promotion focused on Caribbean wrestlers, audiences and identity. It is led by wrestler-promoter JB Cool, with Mark Henry billed as the company’s CEO and public face. ACW has expanded across Jamaica, the Bahamas and Guyana while pairing regional performers with recognizable names from WWE, TNA and ROH.

Its style is traditional, family-oriented sports entertainment built around championship stories, veteran personalities and a broad mix of wrestling styles. The weekly series Saturday Night VIBE debuted on Tempo Networks, while ACW also distributes events internationally through TrillerTV. The promotion is still building its homegrown roster and regional circuit, which makes it especially worth following for viewers interested in emerging Caribbean talent.

Georgetown Smash brings ACW to Guyana as the promotion continues expanding beyond the Caribbean islands. ACW is promoting Kenny King’s appearance as a Guyana homecoming tied to his family heritage. ACW champion Prince Agballah and Digital Media champion Leroy Jones are also advertised, along with Women’s champion Kaylia Capri.

The card may not have the depth or production polish of a larger promotion. What ACW offers instead is a globally streamed event that treats Guyana as the center of the story rather than an exotic backdrop, and a chance to follow a company trying to build a sustainable wrestling circuit around Caribbean talent and audiences.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Kenny King, Mark Henry, Elijah Burke, The Bollywood Boyz, Paola Mayfield, Kaylia Capri, Prince Agballah, Leroy Jones and El Diablo Maduro. Additional matches and appearances will be announced.

SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling

Under the Same Moon

Links: Official page |SETUP on YouTube

When: Saturday, Aug. 29, at 5:30 p.m. ICT

Where: The Circus Studio, Bangkok, Thailand

Where to watch: No live stream has been confirmed; SETUP regularly posts full events and matches on its official YouTube channel after release

Cost: Free on YouTube after release; in-person tickets begin at 550 Thai baht.

Why Watch

Founded in Bangkok in 2019, SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling has become a meeting point for Thailand’s developing wrestling scene and the wider Asian circuit. Its cards combine homegrown Thai wrestlers with performers from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Japan and India. The style varies accordingly, moving between Japanese junior-heavyweight wrestling, American sports entertainment, comedy and the faster pace common across Southeast Asia’s smaller promotions.

Under the Same Moon celebrates the 15th anniversary of Thai wrestler and promoter Pumi. SETUP is presenting the anniversary show as a reunion of wrestlers and partner promotions that have helped build professional wrestling across Southeast Asia.

SETUP offers a look at a wrestling culture that rarely reaches American streaming guides. The promotion is not simply importing Japanese or American stars into Bangkok; it is helping connect wrestlers from countries whose local scenes are still small, geographically scattered and often difficult to watch outside the region.

Scheduled to Appear

Pumi, SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling roster members, representatives from partner promotions across Southeast Asia, returning Thai wrestlers, additional matches and appearances to be announced.

TNA Wrestling

TNA Lockdown

Links:TNA home |Lockdown event page |TNA+

When: Sunday, Aug. 23; preshow at 5 p.m. ET and pay-per-view at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, Illinois

How to watch: Live through TNA+ and participating pay-per-view providers

Cost: $39.99 as an individual PPV; TNA+ annual plans that include PPVs also carry the event, while the $9.99 monthly tier does not include PPVs

Why Watch

Founded in 2002, TNA Wrestling occupies the space between the independent circuit and wrestling’s largest national companies. Its programming combines established television names with emerging talent, continuing storylines, the women’s Knockouts division and the fast-paced X Division. Crossovers with WWE’s NXT and wrestlers from the wider independent scene have also become a regular part of the company’s current identity.

First held in 2005, Lockdown returns for the first time since 2016. Every match takes place inside a steel cage, giving the event a built-in sense of escalation and making it a natural setting for rivalry conclusions, title matches and faction warfare. The complete card has not been announced.

Lockdown was once one of TNA’s defining events, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory. Its return gives the company a chance to revive a concept strongly associated with its earlier identity while introducing it to a newer roster and audience.

Scheduled to Appear

Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Nic Nemeth, Mustafa Ali, Moose, AJ Francis, Brian Myers, Leon Slater, Ricky Sosa, Xia Brookside, Elayna Black, Indi Hartwell, Rosemary and Allie. Additional matches and appearances will be announced.

Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide

Weekly Lucha Libre AAA

Links: AAA on WWE |WWE YouTube

When: Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Events recorded or broadcast from venues throughout Mexico

How to watch: FOX in Latin America; YouTube and Facebook in other markets through AAA/WWE distribution

Cost: Free on YouTube/Facebook where available

Why Watch

Founded in 1992, Lucha Libre AAA combines Mexican lucha libre with elaborate characters, faction warfare and American-style sports entertainment. Its cards are known for masked rivalries, fast multi-person matches and a willingness to favor spectacle over strict realism. AAA’s expanding relationship with WWE has also brought its wrestlers into regular crossover stories with WWE and NXT talent.

AAA’s August programming continues the aftermath of Verano de Escándalo. Dominik Mysterio betrayed El Grande Americano and aligned himself with Omos and Dorian Roldán. At the same time, La Hiedra and Laredo Kid defeated Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana to become AAA World Mixed Tag Team champions. General manager Rey Mysterio is also resisting attempts to place the vacant Latin American Championship directly onto Omos.

The weekly series is one of the easiest entry points for viewers curious about lucha libre. It streams free in many markets, the matches are colorful and fast, and the WWE crossovers provide recognizable names without completely displacing AAA’s own wrestlers and rivalries.

The month also leads toward AAA x NXT Heatwave on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas. The full card is still being announced. Triplemanía 34 follows with events in Las Vegas on Sept. 11 and Mexico City on Sept. 13.

Wrestlers and Storylines to Watch

Rey Fénix vs. Mini-Vikingo, Dominik Mysterio, El Grande Americano, Rey Mysterio, Dorian Roldán, Omos, Daga, Angel, La Hiedra and Laredo Kid.

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)

International Grand Prix

Links: CMLL home |CMLL YouTube

When: Wednesday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Arena México, Mexico City

Where to watch: CMLL’s paid YouTube membership in Spanish; MyAEW also offers the event with English commentary.

Cost: CMLL YouTube membership varies by tier; MyAEW lists the Grand Prix at $20, with a three-event CMLL bundle for $35

Why Watch

The men’s Grand Prix takes place Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Arena México, pitting 11 wrestlers from Team World against 11 from Team Mexico in an elimination field that ultimately produces one winner. Team World includes PAC, Claudio Castagnoli, Orange Cassidy, Bandido, Roderick Strong, DOUKI, Yujiro Takahashi, Austin Aries, Blake Christian, Leon Cage and Rohan Raja. Team Mexico includes Xelhua, Volador Jr., Titán, Último Guerrero, Máscara Dorada, Hechicero, Templario, Ángel de Oro, Bárbaro Cavernario, Soberano Jr. and Místico.

CMLL also runs throughout the week, generally presenting Monday cards from Arena Puebla, Tuesday and Friday cards from Arena México, Saturday events at Arena Coliseo and Sunday family shows at Arena México. Premium live programming is available through its official YouTube membership tiers, while selected matches, interviews and archival material are posted free.

Major League Wrestling

MLW Fusion

Links: MLW home |Where to watch |MLW YouTube

When: Saturdays at 6:05 p.m. ET on YouTube, 9 p.m. ET on VEEPS and 10 p.m. ET on beIN SPORTS

Where: Episodes taped at MLW events around the United States

How to watch: Free through MLW’s YouTube channel and VEEPS; also on beIN SPORTS, with a later NJPW World window in Japan

Why Watch

Major League Wrestling combines a sports-oriented presentation with faction stories, heavyweight wrestling, lucha libre and international talent. Partnerships with CMLL, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and STARDOM regularly bring Mexican and Japanese wrestlers into MLW’s weekly programming.

New episodes of Fusion continue throughout August, beginning with matches built around MLW’s FantasticaMania collaboration with CMLL and New Japan. The weekly series offers a more traditional television structure than many smaller indie shows, with commentary, continuing feuds and established championships.

Its international partnerships are the main attraction. A single episode can move from American heavyweight wrestling to Mexican lucha libre and Japanese junior-heavyweight action without requiring viewers to follow several promotions or streaming services.

Announced for Aug. 1

Místico, El Desperado and Diego Hill vs. Último Guerrero, DOUKI and Austin Aries, Big Damo vs. Mads Krule Krugger, Mark Coffey and Wolfgang vs. Okumura and Ikuro Kwon, appearances by Donovan Dijak, Bishop Dyer and Josh Bishop, additional matches to be announced.

Hoodslam

Hoodslam: Revelations 8:28

Links: Hoodslam on TrillerTV |Revelations 8:28 stream

When: Live event Friday, Aug. 28, at approximately 8 p.m. PT; TrillerTV+ currently lists the streaming broadcast for Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Continental Club, Oakland, California

How to watch: TrillerTV+ on Sept. 1; no live Aug. 28 stream is currently listed

Why Watch

Hoodslam is an adults-only Oakland promotion combining wrestling with performance art, comedy, fantasy and sprawling fictional mythology. Its setting, SlamTown, operates as a complete universe populated by supernatural creatures, detectives, corrupt officials and alternate versions of familiar wrestlers. Character and story frequently matter more than conventional sporting logic.

The story follows Wrestle Detective Contra Costa Cooper as he investigates a banned religious text written by Sheikah and evidence that several SlamTown residents may have lived in another universe. The mystery also draws in former mayor Mike Rayne, current mayor Christina Von Eerie, and wrestlers beginning to recover memories of identities outside SlamTown.

Hoodslam is deliberately theatrical, strange and difficult to understand completely without accepting some confusion. Viewers seeking rankings and clean athletic competition may struggle with it. Viewers interested in wrestling as camp, queer performance, community theater and living comic-book mythology will find little else like it.

Scheduled to Appear

Ricky Stoner, Scotty Stoner, Anton Voorhees, Contra Costa Cooper, Sheriff Boone, Deputy Regular Rob, Justice Jaguar, Justice Gonzo, Daniel T, Lara Frazier, Sheikah, Dave Reckoning and KEiTA.

Streamable Regional Promotions to Keep on the August Radar

Keep in mind, many local promotions do not release complete monthly calendars in advance. Some broadcast every event live, while others upload complete shows after a delay or post only selected matches for free. Listings can change during the final week before an event, so viewers should check both the promotion’s official page and its streaming platform before bell time.

Pacific Northwest

DOA Pro Wrestling — Portland, Oregon

Links: Official |IWTV

DOA is one of Portland’s established local promotions, with recent complete events available through IWTV. Its cards tend to mix regional regulars with wrestlers moving through the broader West Coast circuit.

SOS Pro Wrestling — Washington

Links: Official |IWTV

SOS is a useful entry point into Washington’s scene beyond the better-known Seattle brands. Its official site links both IWTV and YouTube, while live dates are often added relatively close to showtime.

Northeast

Beyond Wrestling and Wrestling Open — Worcester, Massachusetts

Links: Official |IWTV

Beyond remains one of the most reliable weekly indie products in the country. Its Wrestling Open series provides regular matches rather than waiting for occasional supercards, while larger Beyond events also stream through IWTV.

Limitless Wrestling — Maine

Links: Official |IWTV

Limitless regularly brings national names into cards built around wrestlers from Maine and the wider New England circuit. Its on-demand home remains IWTV, and the promotion also posts selected material on YouTube.

Mid-Atlantic

MCW Pro Wrestling — Maryland and West Virginia

Links: Official |YouTube

MCW runs frequently throughout Maryland, with occasional West Virginia dates. Free matches are posted on YouTube, while channel members receive access to longer and complete-event videos.

H2O Wrestling — Williamstown, New Jersey

Links: Official |IWTV archive

H2O is best known for hardcore and deathmatch programming, although its cards also include conventional singles, tag-team and tournament wrestling. A large archive remains on IWTV; current live-stream availability should be checked event by event.

Appalachia

International Wrestling Cartel — Pittsburgh region

Links: Official |IWTV

IWC has promoted wrestling in Western Pennsylvania for more than two decades. In 2026, it began moving its video library to IWTV, and it also sells individual digital events. August live dates include Caged Fury on Aug. 8 and an Iron City Comedy Festival card on Aug. 19.

TWE Chattanooga — Chattanooga and Red Bank, Tennessee

Links: Official |IWTV

TWE is rooted in the Chattanooga-area scene but regularly draws wrestlers from Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and the wider Southeast. Complete recent events are available through IWTV.

South

ACTION Wrestling — Tyrone, Georgia

Links: Official |IWTV

ACTION is based outside Atlanta and consistently produces compact, wrestling-heavy cards. It is closely connected with the Scenic City Invitational weekend, one of the Southeast’s strongest showcases for emerging independent talent.

Southern Honor Wrestling — Canton, Georgia

Links: Official |IWTV

Southern Honor offers a more traditional, storyline-driven regional product with recurring characters, championships and longer local arcs. Its archive is available on IWTV, and an Aug. 7 event is advertised in Canton.

Deep South

New South Pro Wrestling — Alabama

Links: Official |IWTV

New South has built a substantial archive of events and continues to tour Alabama and nearby states. IWTV carries its library, while selected programming is also posted on YouTube.

WildKat Sports — New Orleans, Louisiana

Links: Official |YouTube

WildKat is one of Louisiana’s more durable promotions, operating live events and a wrestling school in the New Orleans area. Its current official video presence is easiest to follow through YouTube; do not assume every live card is streamed.

Plains and Rockies

New Texas Pro Wrestling — Houston, Texas

Links: Official |IWTV

New Texas Pro is one of IWTV’s more active regional promotions, presenting main cards alongside the recurring Texas Contenders Series. The Contenders shows are especially useful for following wrestlers before they move onto larger Texas and national bookings.

Wrestling for a Cause — Oklahoma

Links: Official |IWTV

Wrestling for a Cause presents community-centered events around Oklahoma and has built a substantial IWTV archive. Its cards emphasize accessible regional wrestling rather than nationally imported dream matches.

California

West Coast Pro Wrestling — Northern California

Links: Official |YouTube

West Coast Pro regularly brings together California talent, national indie names and wrestlers from Japan, Mexico and Europe. Its current official site directs viewers to YouTube for full matches and complete shows; IWTV is useful mainly for older archive material.

Desert Southwest

Future Stars of Wrestling — Las Vegas, Nevada

Links: Official |Title Match Network

FSW is Las Vegas’s primary developmental and regional promotion, with alums who later appeared for WWE, AEW, TNA and other national companies. Current events are available through Title Match Wrestling Network and FSW’s own network, with free material on YouTube.

Arizona Wrestling Federation — Phoenix, Arizona

Links: Official |YouTube

AWF tours across Arizona and releases episodes of High Voltage and other material free on its official YouTube channel, making it one of the simplest no-cost options for following local Southwestern wrestling.

Jenny Catlin is a sports and pop culture writer in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and an award-winning essayist obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack.

Have a show you think should be listed?

Send SHOW NAME, HQ POSTER, FULL CARD, LINK TO EVENT to DSRHowToWatch@gmail.com

#Indys4life

Mystery Wrestling Stuns in Montreal Debut: Mystery Wrestling 27 Recap & Review

July 29, 2026WrestlingAmanda WoodsComment

I’m going to tell you all a little secret: I planned my entire Redemption weekend in Montreal not around the pay-per-view itself, but around Mystery Wrestling 27. Why might you ask? Because, in my opinion, Evil Uno and the rest of the Mystery Wrestling crew have come together to secretly build one of the top independent promotions internationally in their own wacky and wonderful way. I mean where else would a wrestling ring in a renovated swimming pool instantly make sense?

I started keeping up with Mystery Wrestling back in March after their trip over to Japan to host joint shows with Baka Gaijin and ChocoPro, which are both excellent promotions in their own right. I soon found out that their home base of Gatineau, QC was only a couple hours north from where I grew up in New York. Growing up so close to the border, I’ve always had close ties to Canada, so to see a proudly Canadian, specifically Quebecois promotion, absolutely killing it warmed my heart. Overall, their Montreal debut felt like a culmination of all the work Mystery Wrestling had done for the past few years to make it to the point where they’re selling out practically every show whenever they venture outside of Gatineau. The overall love the crowd had for this promotion is the type of community that any promotion of any size would kill to have.

For the uninitiated, part of the allure of Mystery Wrestling is that none of the matches on the show are announced beforehand. This means that the crowd and everyone at home finds out the participants and stipulations in real time, leading to some fantastic moments, but also a plethora of surprises.

Typically, Mystery loves to open the show with a fatal four-way match where participants are revealed one at a time. This show was no exception, with Cool Ref, James Stone, Surfer Mitch, and The Visible Man kicking off the show with special guest referee “Definitely Alive” Jason Exile. This match was a fun way to get the crowd ready for the show ahead and introduce people who are new to Mystery Wrestling to the fun, goofy style Mystery is known for.

Match two saw independent staple Joey Janela take on Mystery Wrestling regular Cecil Nyx in a 12 Minute Iron Man Falls Count Anyone match. The rules are simple: if Janela/Nyx pin anyone, they get a point, but if either man gets pinned by anyone, they lose a point. With a stipulation like this, there are bound to be some shenanigans. I’m not going to spoil who specifically cameos in this match, but some familiar faces from both sides of the border appear throughout the twelve minute match. Ultimately, the match ends with a reference to the famous Montreal Screwjob, even though the spot had little bearing on the final score of the match. I loved seeing the nod to the infamous event, but wished it would’ve had a bit more of an impact on the result of the match.

Match three featured our first bout featuring an AEW wrestler with a returning Orange Cassidy taking on Montreal native Beef Wellington. Now, I was prepared for some surprises on the show, but when I saw Orange Cassidy enter from across the venue, I turned into a complete fangirl. Like so many other new-ish wrestling fans, Orange Cassidy was one of my gateway wrestlers into this world. Needless to say, seeing him wrestle from about five feet away was an insane moment for me. Despite being completely pro-Orange, I found myself won over by Beef Wellington as well. For a guy who ‘doesn’t do this so much anymore,’ Beef Wellington held his own during his second attempt at Orange Cassidy. Who knows, maybe his unretirement will stick this time because I would definitely be interested in seeing some more of his work.

Le Tabarnak De Trio, the trio sporting the best faction name in wrestling, who have the best faction name in wrestling, squashed the team with the most apt name in wrestling, The Jobbers, in match four on the card. Afterwards, the three men called out the locker room to send out three people crazy enough to face them in a Street Fight. Out walks Dreya Mitchell, Kristara, and Layla Wilde to kick off what was my personal favorite match of the night. An intergender match like this, in my opinion, can be extremely difficult to pull off for obvious reasons. However, both teams put together stellar performances, trading violent blow after blow until the very end. It’s the type of match that I can see myself watching again and again and again because of how much I enjoyed it.

Although I have become fans of Kristara and Layla Wilde through my past few months of watching Mystery Wrestling, I specifically want to highlight TDT as stand-outs of the night. These three Quebec natives are the epitome of men you do not want to find yourselves across from in a bar fight. Their chemistry and charisma as a group instantly drew me in despite not knowing anything about them beforehand. They absolutely crushed it in both matches they had and I would 100% make the trip up north to watch any of these three men wrestle again because they were just that good.

After the break, the show returned with a match between Interim MLP Heavyweight Champion Stu Grayson and a newly robotized Jason Exile. Even though Jason Exile was the one person announced for the show, the surprise of this new, fully restored version immediately won over the crowd in one of the largest pops of the night. Sadly, Stu Grayson was hellbent on committing muder that night. After Grayson becomes increasingly frustrated in his attempts to get one-up on the cyborg, he resorts to throwing Exile off of a balcony, electrocuting him, and ripping out his circuitry. I think after all of that, it’s safe to say Jason Exile might be definitely dead, or at minimum, have found himself in exile.

The penultimate match featured Fresh Air taking on the Death Riders Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta, both of whom were on specific instruction from Jon Moxley to NOT get their cheeks clapped by Junior Benito. Spoiler alert: they failed at Mox’s mission but were able to pick up the win regardless. This was a great match that proved just how good Macrae Martin and Junior Benito are as a duo, going toe to toe against the established team of Garcia and Yuta. However, Fresh Air could be heading into a rough patch soon after some post-match tensions between Martin and Benito. Hopefully, the two can put this loss behind them because they have a bright future together as a tag team.

Our main event of the night was for the Mystery Wrestling Championship AND all the marbles. On one side, the champion London Lightning with his brother Storm Ryder. The other, the challenger Johnny Mystery, of course referring to the former Johnny Nitro who has altered his name to fit the promotion for as long as anybody can remember.. This title match was back and forth throughout and had me on the edge of my seat seeing who would win. Ultimately, a disagreement between the two brothers surrounding Lightning’s injured knee gave Johnny Mystery enough of a window to get the upperhand. Not soon after, Johnny Mystery captures the win, becoming the new Mystery Wrestling Champion. Despite his loss, seeing London Lightning confirmed to me that this guy is someone to keep an eye on. He’s someone that fundamentally understands so much of pro-wrestling at such a young age. I wouldn’t be shocked if a larger company picks London Lightning up in the next couple of years. I seriously believe he has the potential to be a top Canadian star of the next generation of wrestlers.

Overall, I think Mystery Wrestling put forward a fantastic show. The unique environment of the Bain Mathieu made the show feel so close, intimate, and unlike anything I had experienced before. Now, did I have some gripes with the show? A little. It would’ve been nice if there was a bit more seating and I did unfortunately get stuck behind someone blocking my view by filming for part of the night, but by no means did this significantly impact the amazing time I had that night. I even got to brush up on some of my French too (spoiler: I’ve forgotten most of it).

If you’re a fan of independent wrestling and Mystery Wrestling somehow isn’t in your rotation, I highly recommend changing that. Every show I’ve watched streaming and now live has been nothing but a great wrestling show. The dedication that every person in-ring and behind the scenes put into this show was palpable in the venue. In general, I feel like not enough promotions are scared to dip their toes into the goofy wrestling niche. Mystery Wrestling does the opposite, fully embracing all styles of wrestling, but particularly wrestling comedy. It’s the type of show you can take anyone to, regardless of their wrestling knowledge, and everyone will have a fantastic time.

After Mystery Wrestling 27, I could see the company returning to Montreal in the future, if not frequently. In the meantime, I know I’ll be planning a trip to Gatineau to catch Mystery Wrestling again sometime soon.

If you want to learn more about Mystery Wrestling, visit their website or support their shows through their Patreon.

Amanda Woods is an independent filmmaker and writer residing in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. She loves any medium that is able to tell a good story. Recently, she’s fallen in love with international pro-wrestling, having watched matches in three different countries and hopes to travel for more shows soon! Amanda really should have a website to view all of her work, but for now, her Instagram page will do.

Produce Wrestling Restores The Feeling

July 14, 2026WrestlingRobert Acosta1 Comment

It's Monday night and I'm walking in at 11:49pm. If you're an adult, particularly in your mid 30s with the traditional 9-5, this is a crazy thought and one you prevent yourself from doing. But it's Monday night in Red Hook, Brooklyn - a place I got jumped in as a teen - and I get to see some professional wrestling.

Long gone are the days for me where indie wrestling is something I frequent. I look back fondly on the 2010s: ROH before it sold to AEW, Dragon Gate USA & EVOLVE weekends at the Queensboro Elks Lodge, the PROGRESS Elmcor show, Family Wrestling Entertainment. Me and my friends were Weekend Warriors and the indies coursed through our veins. Three High School friends, improving to four over time, taking in the one thing that bonded us most. Navigating the work week in your 20s can be a shock to the system, but we knew once the weekend arrived, we'd be holed up in some hot, over-capacity venue that might run out of water and whose restrooms will undoubtedly be sketchy. It didn't matter though. This UK wrestler by the name of Zack Sabre Jr. was starting to make waves in Japan and is on this NYC show. Lionel Richie’s All Night Long is going to play and Rich Swann is about to burst through the curtain. Fellow Brooklynite, Tracy "Hot Sauce" Williams is going to bring his signature fire and intensity and make me really proud to be from our city.

The New York City indie scene was once a bevy of promotions running with hungry fans looking to consume some of the best wrestling could offer for an affordable price in an intimate setting. NYC has been host to so many historical moments and times in the independents: The story of Homicide chasing and winning the ROH World Title, Kevin Steen vs. El Generico cementing itself as the greatest feud, Chris Hero returning to the indies following his first stint in the WWE. A scene so hot, international promotions would often use NYC as a way into the American market; IE: New Japan in 2011 & 2014; PROGRESS Wrestling in 2017. For me and my circle of friends who’d become my family, in the 2010s when we were first financially able to go to shows, it felt like every weekend we were at the aforementioned Queensborough Elks Lodge, La Boom or the Elmcor Center, no matter the promotion.

As you get older, oftentimes life has a way of changing the things you love to a point where it looks unrecognizable and your role within it becomes questionable. I don’t mean to be bleak but I feel that NYC is its own living organism that changes before you’ve had a moment to even reflect on what you have and how good things are. I’ve lived in this city long enough to watch the ghosts of my old neighborhood linger aimlessly around their old spots. To quote the fictitious Andy Benard: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

So what happened? The answer is two fold but pretty simple. In 2016, the nearly twenty year ban of MMA in New York came to an end. With it came new regulations handed down from the New York State Athletic Commission that indirectly sent ripples through the indie scene. No longer could promoters “rent out” their promoting license to someone looking to run a show but not willing to or unable to pay the fees associated with having a promoting license - a normal business practice of the time. Add on the requirement of having an ambulance plus one paramedic present at the show and promotions were being priced out of the city. WWE, ROH, NEW (North East Wrestling) were still able to run but outside of that, other smaller promotions had to make changes to combat shows being more expensive to run while many of them just (understandably) folded. The other part in this decline comes from the most known entity in all of professional wrestling, the WWE. Much of the talent pool from the indie scene pre-2010 seemed ignored by the giants in Connecticut. Yes, the likes of Punk, Danielson & Cabana all got signed and TNA had managed to grab Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and so on but the pool was deep enough to be sustainable. Post-2010, many names were coming off the board and by the time we got to the end of the decade, the pool wasn’t dry but it had seen better days.

Little by little all of the promotions I frequented and loved were becoming defunct (FWE, DGUSA), or in cahoots with the WWE (EVOLVE) while some of the promotions I would’ve transitioned to (GCW, JCW) were running on the outskirts of NYC. The wrestlers I had come to know and connect with were now signed. To be clear, indies in NYC still existed and ran shows after the new regulations but they all just blended together for me and didn’t offer anything unique. So I stopped going.

Enter Produce Wrestling, a brand new promotion owned and operated by Adam Abdalla under the Orange Crush brand. Their debut emanating from Pioneer Works, a nonprofit culture center in Brooklyn. With the premise that each show is curated by a wrestler around their style, what they represent and people they want the audience to see. Jonathan Gresham has the reins for the first show and in the video played before his main event match against Japanese freelancer Fuminori Abe, he says, "After I left AEW, I started seeing all of these great technical wrestlers all across the world, and I wanted to bring as many of them here as I could."

And that's why I'm here at this specific show in Red Hook, it’s what drew me in. How could I not love a theme! A show curated for those who love the technical aspect of wrestling, as I do. It's different in every region but you know when you see it. Watching on the outset what looks like a basic move - take an Arm Drag for example - and executing said move in a fluid way, as if they’d done it a thousand times and then a thousand more in their sleep. Working a specific body part because they know their finishing move affects that body part the most and will lead to victory. Effortless but brutal.

The list of talent used on this show feels like a super indie, a term that feels antiquated in this scene but is apt here: Jonathan Gresham, Zack Sabre Jr., Amazing Red, Lee Moriarty, Billie Starkz, Fuminori Abe, Joey Janela, Rich Swann, Tracy Williams, Effy, 1 Called Manders. People who are signed to AEW, signed to New Japan, people working every indie imaginable, international imports, all in an “arthouse arena” in my backyard.

I haven’t even touched on a couple of the facets of this show that make it distinctive! Referees have the ability to issue a “yellow card” or a “red card” to wrestlers breaking the rules - how topical it feels with the World Cup on now. Not just some gimmick but something that we would see have real consequences in multiple matches. And just as unique as the premise of the wrestling show itself, we also got two live performances from Abel Ferrara (Yes, that Abel Ferrara) and his band. The first coming after hour one of the main show, the second preceding the final two matches of the night. Although it may not have landed with some, particularly those conscious of the time on a Monday night, I was delightfully tickled by this. In all my years of watching and attending indie wrestling shows, I had never seen this. I was happy to get back to the wrestling when the performances were over but this was still something worth talking about.

Every match delivered on different levels for me. Zack Sabre Jr. opening the show (wild sentence here) against Iowa native, Darian Bengston was a phenomenal showcase of technical wrestling with a built-in story that somehow pulls on something Sabre said back in 2019, and is incorporated in a fun way. Cowboy Way (Manders & Thomas Shire) vs. Adam Priest & Tommy Billington had an absolute brawl of a tag team match (a form of wrestling I hold in the highest regard) where all four competitors had such impeccable chemistry. Finally, the main event. Jonathan Gresham vs. Fuminori Abe, the latter to my knowledge flying in from Japan to wrestle a 16 minute match in NYC and then fly right back to Japan, in an outright slugfest. Strikes so loud they could be heard across the river in New Jersey. And there I was, sandwiched between the barricade and a brick wall, smiling ear to ear, eyes wide, watching these wrestlers tear into each other to close out a fantastic night of wrestling.

I was once told “nostalgia is a sickness,” and maybe they’re right. But I also choose to believe that nostalgia is the the way the heart reminds you of something you once loved. And so I stand, alone, 35, with all of my friends having moved away, getting that same feeling I had in the 2010s. “Restore The Feeling” is a phrase you may have heard if you’ve been a die hard, day one, AEW fan but today, I take that phrase and re-apply it. Because on a Monday Night, not 20 minutes from my home, Zack Sabre Jr was stretching someone right before my eyes. Rich Swann came out to All Night Long. Tracy Williams gave everything he had and made this Brooklynlite proud and I felt “it”. The feeling has been restored for me.

If you’d like to see more of Produce Wrestling, check out their upcoming shows, which can be found on AEW’s new service.

Independent Wrestling Watch Guide: July 2026

July 9, 2026WrestlingJenny CatlinComment

Supporting independent wrestling helps keep the form alive at the street level. It’s where new talent starts, learns, fails, and reinvents itself, and sometimes gets called up to one of the two companies on national television. But some of the most unique, seasoned wrestlers in the world stay indie for a myriad of reasons; after all, not every great band got signed to a major record deal.

I am a fan who likes to matter, maybe a bit of a prima donna. That’s probably part of why I love the indies and almost always choose to watch an indie promotion over WWE or AEW. The fans here really matter. A ticket matters, a shirt matters, crowd reaction matters, and it is, for the most part, unscripted. At least in a more traditional sense. It’s like voting in a small-town school board election compared to voting in a presidential race. Both have their merit, but your single vote matters a heck of a lot more at the small-town level.

The major promotions have star power and production value; the best techs in the field are there. And that makes for a hell of a show. But the indies do what they do best, better. They give you proximity to risk, experimental characters and stories that would be unlikely to make the cut elsewhere, and the general pleasure of being part of a show.

Ideally, we would all be able to get out and support our local promotions by buying tickets and showing up, but that’s just not always possible. Not everyone even has a local company, and sometimes you want to check out what else the massive world of independent pro wrestling has to offer.

Last week, I talked about one of my favorite indie promotions, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, a fun, wild company that anyone who grew up in the drama of the daily talk show will appreciate. Sadly, JCW tends to film in ICP’s home territory in Michigan, and I am in the big square states. But it’s easy to keep up with their episodic franchise because Lunacy airs Thursdays at 7PM Eastern on YouTube.

Streaming has made it easier than ever to brush up on or keep up with tons of indies from just about anywhere. You no longer need a secret decoder ring, message boards, bootleg tapes, or a friend who “knows a guy.” But I thought a How-To Guide might be helpful, as the scene is scattered across platforms.

This is not an exhaustive guide; IWTV alone carries over 400 promotions. The list below is most certainly missing some phenomenal promotions and matches, but this should help you get into the right rooms on the right nights. But it should serve as a starting point to make independent wrestling more accessible for those who aren’t nearly as familiar with it.

Cards, times, and streaming availability can change, so check the promotion or platform before showtime. All times listed are Eastern.

Best live-stream bets for the rest of July

The most comprehensive starting points are IWTV’s live schedule and TrillerTV+ for the biggest traveling indie shows, including GCW, JCW, Hoodslam, and other event-driven promotions.

July 9

Wrestling Open, Episode 236

Watch: IWT

Time: 8 p.m.

Rocky Mountain Pro: Milestone XVIWatch: RMP live PPV / event stream

Time: 8:30 p.m.

July 10

No Holds Barred: The Chains Vol. 98 Watch: IWTV Time: 8 p.m.

No Man’s Land Wrestling: Death Roulette, Night One Watch: IWTV Time: 8:30 p.m.

Absolute Intense Wrestling: Absolution XIX Watch: AIW event page / promotion channels

Time: 7:30 p.m.

I’ve started thinking about finding the best companies, talent, and ways to watch, like crate-digging at the record store. Sometimes you really do have to dig, but the hunt is part of the fun. Some promotions are weekly. Some are event-based. Some live on YouTube. Some are buried inside IWTV, TrillerTV+, Title Match Network, or a promotion-specific archive. Here are a few ways to keep up with promotions that you likely already know about.

Larger Companies and Familiar Names

Ohio Valley Wrestling Watch: OVW TV on YouTube, plus select TrillerTV+ OVW archives.

OVW has history, depth, a long, if complicated, developmental legacy, and a predictable schedule. It’s one of the easiest larger indies to sample, especially for fans who want something that feels familiar in structure and format.

Game Changer Wrestling Watch: TrillerTV+

GCW is one of the most visible U.S. indies and a ballast for independent wrestling on TrillerTV+. Chances are you know them, and though they’ve gone through some changes since they were founded in 1999 by Randy O, they're still the go-to company for hardcore matches. If you want blood, chaos, and shoot-style matches, GCW is for you.

Juggalo Championship Wrestling Watch: TrillerTV+ and JCW Lunacy on YouTube.

I will sing the praises of this company as having the best storylines in the indies. Lunacy makes sense as a free YouTube on-ramp for fans who want great wrestling and are open to old-school carnie vibes and wild, episodic plotlines.

Major League Wrestling Watch: MLW YouTube, VEEPS, and beIN Sports

MLW is traditionally TV-shaped indies. Big names, solid skill. Fusion is a strong weekly alternative for fans looking outside of or in addition to WWE and AEW.

National Wrestling Alliance Watch: NWA watch page, Comet, Tubi, Roku, and on-demand

NWA is not “indie” in the scrappy local sense, but it fits the broader non-WWE/AEW/TNA lane. This is another one that most wrestling fans know, if for no other reason than because it’s the company headed by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan.

Wrestling Revolver Watch: TrillerTV+

Sami Callihan’s Revolver is a strong add for readers who want a bigger-feeling indie with name talent and a deep replay lane.

House of Glory Watch: TrillerTV+

HOG is another larger indie with a polished event feel and regular appearances from wrestlers fans may recognize from AEW, WWE, TNA, and the wider circuit.

DEFY Wrestling Watch: DEFY on YouTube, plus TrillerTV+ DEFY archives.

DEFY gives the guide a Pacific Northwest pillar and has enough recognizable talent to work as a strong entry point. Since its inception in 2017, DEFY has risen to prominence in the indies in part because of its connection to national names like Darby Allin and Swerve Strickland.

Prestige Wrestling Watch: TrillerTV+ Prestige search.

Prestige is another name fans may already hear about through crossover talent, Mania-week shows, and West Coast indie circles.

Beyond Wrestling and Wrestling Open Watch: IWTV

Wrestling Open is one of the clearest weekly indie products on IWTV, and Beyond remains one of the essential modern indie names.

Limitless Wrestling Watch: IWTV and YouTube.

Limitless is always a solid option, especially for fans who want an indie that often catches major names before or between bigger stages.

AAW Pro Watch: AAW on YouTube, plus Highspots Wrestling Network

AAW is a Midwest anchor. This Chicago-based company is a well-established indie with a long track record.

Pro Wrestling Eve Watch on YouTube

Pro Wrestling Eve is an all women’s BritWres promotion who uses a subscription model through YouTube. This promotion has been one of the best in the women’s game for nearly ten years, but it’s also the promotion that kickstarted the careers of a number of the biggest stars in women’s wrestling. The company uses an underground punk feel, similar to that of what the Batcave in the Soho district was for punk but instead for wrestling.