From the weekend of Friday, September 19th, through Sunday, September 21st, independent wrestling was running wild from the west coast to the east. There was certainly no scarcity of action between a number of different promotions this weekend. From the likes of Focus Pro, WrestlePro, Game Changer Wrestling, and DEFY Wrestling, here are five must-see matches for any fan of independent wrestling.

5. Danny Miles vs. Akira from Focus Pro’s “My Friends Over You”

Kicking off the list of my five must-see matches of the weekend, we saw Danny Miles put his newly won Focus Pro Championship on the line against Akira at Focus Pro’s “My Friends Over You” on Saturday night. This was a match that, simply put, was the tale of two halves. The first half saw Miles and Akira straight up in a standard wrestling match. The second half took a turn in which weapons filled the ring, and we saw a brawl between the two men. Not enough people talk about how damn good both Miles and Akira are. However, it shouldn’t be forgotten. Miles is one of the scariest, hardest-hitting, and most intense wrestlers around today. Every move he lands and every strike he hits, you can feel. As for Akira, he continues to show the world that, despite no longer belonging to a national company, he hasn’t lost a single step. It’s only a matter of time before Akira finds himself back on another roster, with Miles hopefully not far behind. This is one to go back and check out as soon as you can on IWTV.

4. Killer Kross vs. Richard Holliday from WrestlePro’s “Killer Smokeshow”

Next up, we saw Killer Kross, with Scarlett, face off with Richard Holliday on Sunday at WrestlePro’s “Killer Smokeshow” in a no-disqualification match. This is one I’m still so shocked we got to see for free. Kross, now active again on the independent wrestling scene, is showcasing his talent from the West Coast to the East Coast. He’s continuing to show that, despite leaving WWE, he’s one of the very top talents around today, regardless of who you put up against him. This match was a blast. Holliday and Kross tore the Rahway Rec Center down to the ground, fighting up the bleachers, in the crowd, on the entrance ramp, and all over the venue. While we know how great Kross truly is, it’s also important to give Holliday his flowers. While Holliday is a fantastic heel, he truly is one of the best on the microphone and in the ring. We saw this on full display in his match with Kross as he faked a phone call from Triple H. He’s someone who can not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. Go check this match out for free on the WrestlePro YouTube channel. Also, spoiler alert, we saw The Righteous and Killer Kross officially join forces after the match, which is a match made in heaven.

3. Bear Bronson vs. Mance Warner from Game Changer Wrestling’s “GCW Homecoming, Los Angeles 2025”

On Saturday night, we saw Game Changer Wrestling return to the Ukrainian Culture Center in Los Angeles, CA, for its big event, “GCW Homecoming Los Angeles.” The event saw a ton of great action and big moments, including a nearly 35-minute Steel Cage match which opened the show between Sam Stackhouse and KJ Orso. However, perhaps no match stole the show as well as Bear Bronson’s battle with Mance Warner. If you’re looking for a match between two people who respect each other but just want to beat the hell out of each other and then have a beer afterwards, this one is for you. I can’t say enough good things about Bear Bronson. Bronson, who finds himself back on the independent scene is truly showing the world just how valuable he is. I hate using the term “fumbled,” but AEW not using Bronson to his full potential could be one of the company’s biggest “fumbles.” Mance Warner remains one of the standards in GCW, and a win over Warner could put Bronson in instant championship conversation. This one was fantastic. Go check out this fight, it wasn’t a wrestling match, it was a fight, on TrillerTV+.

2. Vipress vs. Brittnie Brooks from Game Changer Wrestling’s “GCW Keep In Touch 2025”

Sticking along the lines of Game Changer Wrestling, the night before Homecoming, we saw “GCW Keep In Touch” live from The Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ. One of the best matches on the card, if not THE best match on the card, saw Vipress go one-on-one with Brittnie Brooks. Without spoiling too much for you, Vipress and Brooks were on a mission in this one. They were out to truly tell Marcus Mathers, Oro, 1 Called Manders, & Man Like DeReiss to hold their beer. It’s always a blast seeing Vipress compete in the ring, and the same can absolutely be said for Brooks. Together, these women made magic. They went extreme, using weapons, and had just as hard-hitting a fight as any other match you’d see on the card. Brooks continues to raise her stock with every single performance, and it’s only a matter of time before you see her and Vipress on television full-time. Go check this one out on TrillerTV+.

1. Super Heavyweight Cup: Killer Kross vs. Calvin Tankman from DEFY Wrestling’s “AEON”

The match of the weekend by far happened on Friday night at DEFY Wrestling’s “AEON.” The main event of the show saw the inaugural Super Heavyweight Cup winner crowned as Killer Kross battled Calvin Tankman in a true battle of the big men. If you are a fan of big men, powerhouse-type wrestling, this match is for you. Kross is on a mission to show how damn good he is, and that’s apparent every time he steps in the ring. As for Tankman, what more can we say? Tankman has been the guy to beat on the independent wrestling scene for some time now. He’s truly one of the best heavyweights around today. So, we knew these two men were going to make some magic, and we were not disappointed. Without giving too much away, Kross and Tankman tore the roof off of Washington Hall. It was as hard-hitting as they come. Everything Kross hit Tankman with, Tankman returned and hit Kross with even harder. This was a fantastic main event to a fantastic DEFY Wrestling show. Check it out on TrillerTV+.