From the likes of No Holds Barred, Game Changer Wrestling, and wXw, we saw many amazing matches this past weekend. These matches included going to the extreme, a couple of tag team showcases, a singles match featuring a foreign talent making a name for himself on American soil, and a match of the year contender between two of the absolute greatest around today to ever lace up a pair of boots. Here are five matches that every fan of professional wrestling should go back and check out on their respective streaming platform.
5. Reed Bentley vs. Nino Extremo from No Holds Barred “NHB 98”
Kicking off the list, we saw a battle between the past/present versus the future. At No Holds Barred big “NHB 98” event, we saw one of the top deathmatch wrestlers, Reed Bentley, square off with one of the top up-and-coming deathmatch scene stars, Nino Extremo. Since he arrived on GCW, everyone has wanted Nino Extremo to be on their show. It’s very easy to see why. This is a young, hungry, and above all else talented deathmatch wrestler. He first was discovered over highlight reels on social media. This led to GCW taking a chance on him and bringing him in. He showed up and showed out at Tournament of Survival, and put himself on the map after a war with Sicko The Clown. Now, the deathmatch star, of Nino Extremo, was officially born. I haven’t always been the biggest deathmatch guy, but I can watch Nino Extremo for hours on end. He’s that good. He’s going to be facing Jamesen Shook on Thursday night in a can’t-miss Hellevation Deathmatch at Jamesen Shook’s big event, Night Zero. This is a match that can very well end up on this list again next week. However, what made this match with Bentley so special was that it was a styles clash, no pun intended. Bentley embodies everything a deathmatch wrestler has been, and still is. He is truly one of the very best of the scene. However, Extremo is the next generation type of deathmatch wrestler. He’s going extreme in ways that many haven’t seen done, probably ever. He’s a high-flying risk taker, and is establishing himself as a presence in the current deathmatch scene. This match was a blast. Even if you don’t love deathmatch wrestling, I cannot recommend this one enough. The psychology, the moveset, the skill, the characters, everything about this was fantastic. Go back and check this one out on IWTV.
4. Bustah & The Brain vs. Star Struck from GCW’s “Melee In Manchester”
Next on the list, we saw Bustah & The Brain’s Alec Price & Jordan Oliver put their GCW World Tag Team Championships on the line against Star Struck’s Anthony Greene & Channing Thomas in GCW’s debut in New Hampshire, “Melee In Manchester.” Any time we get to see some sort of resemblance of Alec Price and Channing Thomas lock up, you know you’re in for a good match. In this case, we saw tag team action, which only upped the ante. Sometimes, when I find myself watching GCW World Tag Team Championship matches, it’s hard to get into them. Mainly because you know that nine out of ten times, Bustah & The Brain will retain, and the rest is just a formality. In no way is that a knock on the skill of Bustah & The Brain, they’re absolutely an outstanding tag team. It’s more just about how GCW books the shows. When the champions defend their titles against someone who’s not a real member(s) of the GCW roster, it’s hard to sometimes get into a match. However, I cannot say that about this match. This match really was a truly incredible tag team showcase. Alec Price & Jordan Oliver, what more can be said. They are out of this world talents. They are a blast to watch and deserve every ounce of success they’re achieving. With that said, I hope to see AEW use them much more and put them in prominent stories. They’re truly a remarkable team, and arguably the best on that entire AEW roster… Argue with a wall… With that said, what I really loved about this match was Star Struck. Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas, with myself being from the East Coast, have really been pillars of the independent wrestling scene. I cannot watch Greene and Thomas enough. They are mainstays at Limitless Wrestling and have made me a lifelong fan of that promotion. I cannot sing their praises enough. This was a recipe for tag team greatness. Go back and check this one out on TrillerTV+.
3. Jordan Oliver vs. Leedz Lewis from GCW’s “You Only Die Once”
Coming in at number two on this list, we saw a singles contest at GCW’s big event, “You Only Die Once.” This match featured one half of the GCW World Tag Team Champions, Jordan Oliver, compete in singles action against the international star from France, now introducing himself to American fans on the United States soil, Leedz Lewis. This was one of those rare shows where both members of Bustah & The Brain were there, but doing their own thing. Alec Price had Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Championship later in the evening, which led Oliver to fend for himself against a very game and a very ready Lewis. This match truly left my jaw on the floor. I’m fairly new to Leedz Lewis. He is introducing himself to many new fans now being on American soil, and he wasted very little time making a fan out of me. He reminds me a lot of a younger Oliver, which made this match so fun. Lewis is becoming one of the most underrated talents around today. Give it a couple of years before Lewis is truly a top name all over the independent wrestling scene, regardless of France or here in America. As for Oliver, he remains one of the guys to beat on the independent wrestling scene. While he’s around much less now due to his and Alec Price’s AEW contracts, he still is a mainstay at GCW. Oliver is someone I will never get bored watching. He and Price truly compliment each other so well, and that’s what makes them an amazing tag team. However, it’s sometimes easy to forget that they can both still go as singles stars. This match was nothing more and nothing less than a reminder for Oliver that he can absolutely still hang with whoever you put in front of him. However, the most impressive part to me about this whole match was how great Lewis held up against someone like Oliver in singles action. He did his part and looked amazing doing it. This was a very fun, fast-paced, and above all else amazing match. Go back and check this out on TrillerTV+.
2. The Cowboy Way vs. Elijah Blum & Ahura from wXw’s “Broken Rules”
Coming in at number two on this list, we saw The Cowboy Way’s 1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire, travel overseas to return to wXw to face off with the wXw Undisputed Champion, Elijah Blum, and the #1 contender for that very title, Ahura. It almost feels wrong to give this number two, because any other week, this would be in the top spot. So, think of this more as the 1b) slot, and the next match on this list as 1a). This match was truly that damn good. I cannot stress that point enough. Blum will be defending that title against Ahura in August, so while this was the “stereotypical” can they coexist tag match, it was so much better than that. Some of the best wrestling in the world right now is happening overseas, and this is yet another testament to that. The Cowboy Way are American through and through, and I’m very grateful for that. The Cowboy Way is one of my personal favorite tag teams. I cannot sing 1 Called Manders praises enough, and he and Tombstone Thomas Shire just work so, so well together. Whether in GCW, wXw, or wherever they team up, I will always follow their work. They are truly one of the most cohesive teams around today. They’re a callback to the great old-time wrestling like Stan Hansen, or even more recent bruisers like Bradshaw. However, Blum and Ahura are two of the top talents in all of Germany, and watching their matches, it’s very easy to see why. Ahura is having a hell of a 2026, winning the 16 Karat Gold tournament to earn his shot at Blum. Blum is someone who I’m fairly new to watching, but someone who is truly a fantastic talent. He’s someone I’m shocked every single time I see him that he’s not booked in the United States more, or that he’s not signed anywhere. He has the look, talent, charisma, and everything a major company would want to be an absolute star there. As for Ahura, he remains a fan favorite at wXw, and when these two finally meet next month, it will be a match of the year contender. Go back and check this one out on IWTV.
1. Megan Bayne vs. Marcus Mathers from GCW’s “Melee In Manchester”
Coming in at number one on the list, we saw Megan Bayne make her way back to GCW, for GCW’s debut in New Hampshire, “Melee In Manchester,” to take on WWE ID prospect, and one of the very best professional wrestlers in the world, Marcus Mathers. Spoiler alert, this was a real match of the year contender. Megan Bayne is someone who used to rule the indies. While she still kind of does, we do see her far less often then we used to since she’s signed with All Elite Wrestling, and that’s far from a bad thing. She’s showcasing her talents on a national scale and it’s beyond well-deserved. Bayne, who had a match of the year contender with Joey Janela a couple of years back at Beyond Wrestling’s “Shamrock Slam,” flirted with another one on this GCW show. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better Game Changer Wrestling match in 2026 than this one. Bayne absolutely held her own in this one against a very, very good Mathers. Mathers continued to look like one of the all-time greats. He’s truly a can’t-miss talent. It’s a damn-shame he’s not already on NXT or even the main roster. He’s one of the true best professional wrestlers in the world, and it’s not particularly close. I’m a sucker for a good intergender match, and that’s exactly what this was. We saw nearfall, after nearfall, after nearfall, and Mathers throw everything he had to try and take down the Goddess. Putting Bayne vs. Mathers is always a recipe for success, but this match was truly next level. This whole show was downright fantastic, however, this match was the true show stealer, and could very well be the 2026 Match of the Year. Go back and check out this whole show, and especially this match on TrillerTV+. You will not be disappointed.