5 Count: August 2025

1) Billy Dixon & Sonny Kiss (c) vs. Mikey Montgomery (Enjoy Hot To Go 8.5.25) Enjoy Title Two On One Handicap Match. Winner: Montgomery. The triumphant culmination of the Pittsburgh indie's main storyline. A classic babyface finally beating the odds and capturing gold.

On the heel side, we have Enjoy's resident Beauty and the Beef, champ Sonny Kiss and her heater, Billy Dixon. Kiss seems to be enjoying her villain era, and her heel work has certainly showcased more personality than was seen during her AEW stint. Her physique is still impressive, but alas her in ring work is still not nearly as dynamic as her athletic build would suggest. (tho props to perfect gorilla press drop). Dixon ain't gonna be mistaken for prime Curt Henning either. Still, he is willing to take the bumps, and adequately works his role as a bruiser and Kiss's paramour.

Lanky and outsized by his opponents, Montgomery is the definition of an underdog babyface. A good looking kid with a genuine crowd connection. Also shows some nice work--Move of the Match was Montgomery hitting Dixon with a top rope missile dropkick then twisting on the fall to hit a body splash on Kiss. His small build will likely keep him from making the jump from the indies to the national scene. He needs to put on bulk just to get to Adam Cole's size. He looks like Steve Rogers before the super serum but he has that "I can do this all day" fighting spirit that wins over crowds. Montgomery has star potential– it may not shine on wrestling's bigger stages, but it will burn brightly just the same. Rating: Rocks

2) Rising HAYATO vs. Atsuki Aoyagi (AJPW Summer Action Wars 8.3.25) Zennichi Junior Festival 2025 Final Match. Winner: Aoyagi. The preceding six months of All Japan were a mostly lackluster affair. Some good matches, a couple really good matches, but mostly adequate and unmemorable. The Carnival was a snooze. ELPIDA unceremoniously disbanded. Ashino is getting a push but its with a couple NXT rejects. Jun Saito's title bouts have been decent enough. He is better worker than his critics allow but there is still a ceiling to his matches. His reign climaxed with his so so victory over his brother, but dragged on until his recent defeat to Kento. Overall, the promotion has been uninspired. So it was nice surprise that the juniors had a fun tournament, and a hell of a finale.

From the start, the vibes between HAYATO and Astsuki were, more focused than usual . HAYATO tried to play his usual indifference, but you could see in his eyes this one had personal stakes. After the usual opening of chain wrestling and series of counters, a pair of big spots came in short order. First, Atsuki surprised HAYATO with top turnbuckle dropkick while HAYATO was mid air on a springboard back flip. After some tussling into the crowd, HAYATO went full Jeff Hardy and hit a dead drop cross body from the top of the bleachers to the floor.

In the midst of all this, HAYATO got a hard-way gash near the eye and damn, if it didn't look cool as hell. His cheek was just a splotch of blood, and the tips of his blonde emo fringe were frosted crimson.

The action returned into the ring, and from here to the finish no quarter was given. Every attack had intensity and urgency. No shortcuts, no relying on wrestling tropes when busting an elbow to the chest would do. The crowd was buzzing-not so much rooting for one wrestler over the other, but a constant excited agitation.

After trading pin attempts and package drivers. Atsuki finally won with a 450 splash. HAYATO looked good in the loss, and his character works better on the chase. This match felt like the start of something, both for the participants and the promotion. Rating: Roast

3) Robbie Eagles (c) vs. The Tuckman (PWA Black Label The Climb 8.1.25) Soul Of PWA Title Match. Winner: Tuckman. Another solid PWA show. Great production for an indie. Nice setting with a good sized and engaged crowd. The house-style is a little too classic NXT for me but the promotion does deliver for its fans.

The Soul Of PWA Title is the perfect prize for this study in contrasts. The champ is Eagles--a New Japan regular and a technical assassin. His strikes are surgical and on point. Any disadvantage of his smaller stature is removed by quickness and creativity (a bottom rope 619 for a leg sweep, a crazy inverted exploder from the apron to the floor). In addition, he's got a healthy arsenal of submission moves worthy of his TMDK stablemate, Zack Sabre.

On the other hand, Tuckman is tall, lanky mulleted galloot. A fence swinger fighter--maybe strike out more than he hits, but when he connects it's going yard. A nice big looping right and a stiff forearm round out his offense. The story of the 30 minute plus match is Eagles picking Tuckman apart with kicks and knee attacks and dragging Tuckman down to the mat with a series a leglock submissions. Tuckman sold well throughout--grimacing in pain, jumping around on one foot, then would hit a big power move (a package pile drive, a superplex). Kudos to hot crowd rooting the challenger, it added to the drama of every Tuckman comeback.

9 times out of 10, the Eagles would eventually outwrestle his technical inferior for the victory, but on this night, Tuckman had the fighting spirit with crowd behind him, he hit one final big move (a RAWKET of a top rope springboard forearm,) to pull of the upset. Rating: Roast

4) Izzy James (c) vs. Jesse Funaki (New Texas Pro Texas Contenders Series 8.21.25) LoneStar Title Match. Winner:James. A solid match with compelling match-up between a longtime indie vet who has found his footing as a performer, and fresh wrestling rookie with a golden pedigree.

James looks like a tatted up Steven Weber with a natural "what a dick" personality. Similar to Prestige's use of Alan Angels, he's a perfect heel champ for the indies. In-ring work that fits any style of opponent, offense that is credible enough to be the champ, but with minimum flash; letting his babyface challengers shine. Still puts some cocky shine on his basics (ie bridging out from a pin then smugly sitting on his competitor's back) gets his heel persona over. Also he should get alot of credit for leading this match, it was well-paced without the slop that can bog down an indie match. He knew when press his offense and when to allow the comebacks. Funaki is a talent, but still green and James made him look like veteran.

Funaki is impressive for someone in his first year of wrestling. Being a second generation performer probably helps, but the kid is putting in the work. Handsome with a great physique; he has a natural athleticism and a skill level that speaks to a high ceiling and a bright future. Kid's already got that high Okada-style dropkick down. Offense is crisp and strong, and understands how to sell. James won the match clean--no shortcuts needed, the vet was just better this time and the loss gives the rookie something to build off. Rating: Rocks

5) Bobby Lashley vs. Aigle Blanc vs. Mecca (APC/BZW French Touch 8.30.25) Winner: Lashley. The rare indie Lashley sighting! APC/BXW putting up de gros sous for their cross promotional event. It hasn't been uncommon for these French indies to bring in some known US wrestlers, but Lashley is a big jump from Jinder Mahal and Cedric Alexander. It paid off as the event moved from their usual gym hall to packing a mid-sized arena with a hot crowd.

Now Lashley and his Hurt Syndicate brethren have their critics, and him getting the win here ain't going to exonerate the "not doing the job" charges. I would counter with if he ain't doing the favor for Swerve, he certainly shouldn't be pinned by a couple of indie guys (talented as they may be). You save those losses for top of the card national talent (which to be clear includes Strickland).

While Lashley got the victory, he knew the assignment--make the hometown heroes look good. From toe to toe hoss brawling with Mecca to giving Blanc his props for a series of counters and taking a nasty diving DDT to the apron. Big Bob was putting in the work here.

The "White Eagle" was the crowd favorite here and the dude can hit those showy spots--leaping over a Lashely spear, flapjacking the bigger Mecca, and the highlight of the match: a springboard cross body into the crowd to take out a brawling Lashley and Mecca. The problem is everything else he does looks rough and awkward. His tall and slim build doesn't help--makes him look clumsy at times. The gear needs an upgrade as it comes off goofy. There is talent there, and he deserves props for getting over in the Euro scene enough for WWE to take notice. Still, I can't see him really breaking thru on the U.S. TV scene.

Mecca, however, has got something. A beast who has been taking notes from Samoa Joe matches including working in the well timed "Walk Away" spot here. There is also a little Jacob Fatu in his work as well--not afraid to do some tope rope spots like Spanish Fly and a bomb of a Moonsault. Throw in his decapitating lariats and we got a hoss to keep an eye on.

The match ended with Lashley hitting spears on everyone and crowd was disappointed, chanting "We Hurt People", then giving their boys a loud pop. Rating: Rocks