The Indy Wrestling Experience

Episode #23 - Ragin Rich Recaps RPW Homecoming

We are back with an episode in flux as some last minute happenings forced us to adjust on the fly. We start the episode with Jon in the car as Rich Buchholtz helps us open the show. Rich tells us all about what happened at RPW Homecoming, the ways in which Homecoming affects storylines moving forward for Destiny V in September, and how he was inspired to announced a Women's Cup tournament which will take place next May at Envision. Also, we discuss the Jeff Cannonball benefit show in September, Shotzi's return to the indies, and Matt Tremont's big win in the Tournament of Survival XI over the weekend.
 
A late scheduling issue forced us to move Sampson's appearance to next week. At that time, he will respond to comments made by Tully Bertorelli on last week's show. In the meantime, Bob and Jon make our YouTube recommendation for the week. This week, we recommend you check out AIWF Mid-Atlantic, Season 33, Episode 501. This episode features Kidd America vs ICW Tri-Cities Champion, PD Hogg plus AIWF TV champion Joe Harrison defends against Kaydin Pierre. It's a really fun episode. Listen to us talk about it...then check it out!!
 
As always, we congratulate twenty #ANDNEW champions crowned over the past week. Plus we preview this weekend's action at:
Chaotic Wrestling
Appalachian Championship Wrestling
2econd Wrestling
Lucky Pro Wrestling
Olde Wrestling
Defy Wrestling
IWA Deep South
MCW Pro Wrestling
Mid States Wrestling
Wrestling Revolver
Pioneer Valley Pro Wrestling
Appalachian Mountain Wrestling
Next week, Sampson returns, plus we catch up with Dr. Lawrence Zirconium in advance of Dangerous Adrenaline Wrestling Gladiators next event, which takes place on June 28, featuring OVW star, Deget Bundlez, who we will have on the show in two weeks! A lot going on here at Indy Wrestling Experience. So, STAY TUNED!!

EPISODE #22 - Bertorelli's Back and Tully Talks!

We're back this week and we're joined by Tully Bertorelli, fresh off of his showdown with Sampson at Marquette Mania 3. We'll discuss what happened in the match and afterward between Tully, The Collective, Sampson and UPW management. In addition, Tully tells us about the inspiration for the new look he debuted at Marquette Mania, possibly writing a book called Tully Talks, and getting chewed out on national television by Steve Harvey. We got the audio from that show and present it to you at the end of the episode. It's pure gold. Enjoy.
 
Before we bring Tully on, Bob and Jon discuss the end of the School of Morton, R-Truth's release, a new WWC champion, Joey Janela's update on Drake Younger, and the women's title match from Marquette Mania, Dani Mo vs Zondra Lee vs Crystal White vs Leela Hall.
 
Our YouTube recommendation of the week is World Domination Wrestling Alliance Frontline from 5/29/25. This episode includes a dominant performance by AK Baine, Stevie Brooks challenging Gabby Gilbert to a lumberjill match, and a fatal four way for the Light Heavyweight Title, Stan Stylez vs Tommy Vecs vs Merrick Miami vs Just Jay with a twist at the end!
 
As always, we congratulate twenty new champions that were crowned over the past week, plus we preview the action coming up this weekend at the following promotions:
Atomic Legacy Wrestling
Hoodslam
4th Wall Wrestling
Titan Championship Wrestling
Funkdafied Wrestling Federation
Flophouse Wrestling
Atlantic Pro Wrestling
Absolute Intense Wrestling
NWA World League
Pro Wrestling Rebellion
Victory Pro Wrestling
River City Championship Wrestling
Coastal Championship Wrestling
New South Pro Wrestling
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00:00:00 - Intro, News and Notes
00:28:02 - #ANDNEW
00:32:45 - Youtube Recommendation - WDWA Frontline 5/29/25
00:51:47 - Tully Bertorelli
02:04:14 - Weekend Preview
02:22:54 - Yo Mama a Wingman!

Episode #21 - Interview with John D. Crazy Hillbilly & Steel Cage Roundtable

We are back this week after an unexpected week off and we have a packed show for you. We have a really fun and unique interview guest. John D. Crazy Hillbilly joins us to talk about his big match coming up against Nick Hamrick in the Route 33 Wrestling Wild and Wonderful West Virginia Title match and his upcoming appearance at FTC Art of Grappling next month. John D. also tells us how he has to walk to matches because he has no car, how the Boss Lady pays him in pizza and tells him not to flirt with the pretty ladies and much more. I guarantee you’ll laugh out loud.
 
Also, Rich Buchholtz is back for the go-home show for RPW Homecoming which takes place this Saturday, May 31 at the Waupaca Expo Center in Waupaca, Wisconsin. There have been some changes to the card and Rich will tell us about that. However, the two huge steel cage matches are still on, so we thought we would talk steel cage matches this week. Bob, Jon and Rich each recommend three historical steel cage matches for you to watch (Jon got excited and threw in a fourth match to make an even ten).
 
Bob and Jon review two individual matches in addition to our YouTube recommendation. First, we review the Sampson vs Tully Bertorelli match from UPW Marquette Mania 3, then we discuss the Donovan Dijak vs Goldy match from DAWG’s wRAHstlemania. Our YouTube recommendation of the week is Mid-Atlantic Territory Wrestling National TV from May 13, 2025 featuring Brutal Bob Evans vs Manowar and Preston Quinn taking on a new Indy Wrestling Experience favorite, Moshpit!
 
As always, we congratulate nearly thirty new champions crowned over the past two week. And finally, we preview this weekend’s action. We had some technical difficulties that caused parts of the show to get cut, including some of the shows we wanted to preview. So, this week, it’s shorter. We preview shows from:
 
Divine Women’s Pro Wrestling
Minnesota Independent Wrestling
Insane Championship Wrestling MKE
Pro Wrestling King
Reality of Wrestling
Pro Wrestling Turbo
Prestige Wrestling
 
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00:00:00 – Intro, Crockett Cup
00:16:24 – Sampson vs Tully Bertorelli review
00:22:15 – Goldy vs Donovan Dijak review
00:34:50 – Rich Buchholtz Steel Cage Match Roundtable
01:21:20 - #ANDNEW
01:29:26 – YouTube Recommendation – Mid-Atlantic Territory Wrestling – 5/13/25
01:37:21 – John D. Crazy Hillbilly Interview
02:07:20 – Weekend Preview

Episode #20 - Deathmatch Watch-Along - ICW No Holds Barred 74

We're back this week with a special watch-along episode. In honor of the passing of hardcore legend Sabu, Jon decided this was his week to be introduced to the DEATHMATCH. So, we decided to watch the recent ICW No Holds Barred show, ICW NHB74 which took place on May 2. The card features Danny Demanto vs Tank, Bobby Beverly vs Nathan Mowery, and the Pillars vs The Rejects in the main event. On top of that, we add another performer to the list of Indy Wrestling Experience favorites, Lil Sicko!!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - RPW Destiny 5 Talent Signing

Today Bob is here with Rich to announce an incredible signing for RPW Destiny 5, taking place on September 27, 2025. This stacked ten-match card already features Ken Anderson vs Silas Young, Trevor Lee vs Hayden Backlund and more. Now, RPW has signed a huge name to be added to the Maggie Lee vs Lili Ruiz match. Who will it be??? 

Episode #19 - Interview with Tully Bertorelli

Jon has returned from assignment and we’re ready to get back into talking about independent wrestling. We start the show covering some news and notes from the past two weeks, including the eight AAA wrestlers signed to WWE, Fuego del Sol’s new name, and Minoru Suzuki vs Joey Janela coming up at Defy Fatal Fantasy.
 
Our guest this week is Tully Bertorelli, who will be challenging Sampson for the UPW Heavyweight Championship at Marquette Mania 3 on May 17. Tully talks about the road that led to this epic clash and his strategy for taking down the giant Sampson. In addition to UPW, Tully has matches coming up for OnlyWrestlers.com later this month, Frozen Tundra Wrestling this Saturday, and an appearance at  Fantastic League of Wrestling (FLOW).
 
Outside of wrestling, Bertorelli is an artist, a musician, and an actor. You can see Tully in Weekend Deadaway on Tubi right now, plus he’s appeared in Fargo, Empire, and Chicago PD. You can check out his music at
 
https://tullybertorelli1.bandcamp.com/
 
Tully has a very interesting story to tell about his unique journey to, and through, the world of professional wrestling, while working with special needs kids during the day and staying strong through five and half years of sobriety. We’re already looking forward to having Tully back on the show.
 
Our YouTube recommendation of the week is Elevate Pro Wrestling – Still Standing which took place on April 26, 2025 and was just recently uploaded to YouTube. This show features six really good matches, one of which includes friend of the show Brox Boulder in a six-man tag match teaming with Titan Try and Zexy Zee to take on Jekyllz, Repik, and the Fiji Wildman. In addition, there are two semi-final matches in the tournament to crown a Next Level Champion, plus a heavyweight title clash in the main event, Brutus vs Jake Raynor. Most importantly, we found new Indy Wrestling Experience favorite in Nikeem the Dream!
 
As always, we congratulate twenty #ANDNEW champions crowned over the past week. Finally, we preview a huge slate of wrestling action coming up this weekend, including shows at:
 
Lionheart Championship Wrestling
Coastal Championship Wrestling – featuring friend of the show King Eddie Valentine
Emerge Wrestling
Apple City Championship Wrestling
Pinfall Wrestling Association
Frozen Tundra Wrestling
New Texas Pro Wrestling
Zero1 USA
Iron Spirit Pro
MLW
Best of the West Wrestling
SHINE
Inspire Victorious
 
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00:00:00 – Intro, News & Notes
00:25:25 - #ANDNEW
00:30:05 – Youtube Recommendation – EPW “Still Standing”
00:39:05 – Interview with Tully Bertorelli
02:01:20 – Weekend Preview

Episode #18 - Interview with King Eddie Valentine & Ragin' Rich Rates Referees

 
We’re back…well, Bob is back. Jon is on assignment this week, so we brought in Rich Buchholtz to start the show and he does so in a BIG way. Over the weekend, RPW announced a two-day event called Perseverance, to take place on November 7-8, at Big Apple in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Over those two days, a sixteen-person, single elimination tournament will be held for the title of best in the Midwest and, more importantly, a future RPW title shot. Rich begins this episode by giving us an exclusive and announcing the first fourteen participants in the tournament!
 
On top of that, Rich gives us updates on RPW Homecoming and RPW Destiny, and shares his thoughts on the sales of OVW and AAA in the past couple of weeks. Finally, Rich and Bob discuss wrestling referees. As a referee himself, Rich has strong opinions on referees and shares his thoughts on what good referees do, what bad referees do that they shouldn’t, and the things he finds important when he referees a match. It’s a very informative discussion and worth a listen.
 
As if that wasn’t enough, CCW Heavyweight Champion, King Eddie Valentine joins Bob to discuss his early career and his current run in Coastal Championship Wrestling. Listen as King Eddie discusses his arrival in CCW, his early shots at then-CCW Champion Ariel Levy, the formation of the Night Riders, and why he calls Domino estúpido. In addition, the king previews his upcoming match with Cha Cha Charlie at Bash at the Brew 52, as well as his defenses against Chris Farrow and Danny Briggs coming up later this month.
 
As always, we congratulate a bunch of new champions crowned over the past week. Plus, we preview a handful of shows coming up this weekend at:
ICW No Holds Barred
VIP Wrestling
DCW
Route 33 Wrestling
Northeast Wrestling
ZOWA Live
Virginia Championship Wrestling
Coastal Championship Wrestling
New South Pro Wrestling
Pro Championship Wrestling
Next week, Tully Bertorelli joins us to talk about Marquette Mania 3 (May 17), and his efforts to get a shot at UPW Champion, Sampson, on that show, plus much much more. STAY TUNED!!
 
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00:00:00 – Intro, RPW Midwest Tournament Participant Announcement, OVW Sale
00:43:07 – Rich Buchholtz on Referees
01:10:25 – “Once Known As” Game with Rich
01:20:30 - #ANDNEW
01:25:54 – Youtube Recommendation – NWA JCP EP 61
01:29:52 – Interview with King Eddie Valentine
02:23:43 – Weekend Preview

Episode #17 - Sampson's Vegas Vacation, Wrestlemania Week

We’re back with our post-Wrestlemania week show as everyone is making their way back from Las Vegas. One of the first to return was UPW Heavyweight Champion, Sampson, fresh off of his clash with Super Beast at UPW Vegas Vacation last Friday. Sampson will join us to review Vegas Vacation, preview Maquette Mania 3, which takes place on May 17, and give us some history behind Marquette Mania and the Lakeview Arena on the campus of Northern Michigan University. After that, Sampson watches along with us as we view UPW Uprising Season 3 Episode 15, featuring Sinn Bodhi & J-Sin vs Onyx Andretti & Tully Bertorelli. Follow along with using the link below or search Youtube for the episode and listen along as Sampson tells stories and gives us some behind the scenes info.
 
UPW Uprising Season 3, Episode 15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCDx-cfYgUU
 
Before that, Bob and Jon review both nights of Wrestlemania, as well as NXT Stand and Deliver, plus we discuss news from the indies that happened over the course of Wrestlemania week, including: Natalya’s confrontation with Kenzie Paige, Minoru Suzuki’s battle with Butterbean, Mickie James and Maki Itoh’s sing-off, Paul Walter Hauser winning the PROGRESS Proteus Title, and Fuego del Sol’s unmasking.
 
As always, we congratulate nineteen new champions crowned last week, plus we preview a huge slate of wrestling action coming up this weekend, including events presented by:
 
Ohio Valley Wrestling
St. Louis Anarchy
World Domination Wrestling Alliance
Pro Wrestling Battleground
Frontline Pro
Palmetto Championship Wrestling
MCW Pro Wrestling
Reality of Wrestling
Focus Pro
Intergender Bonanza
Arizona Wrestling Federation
POW! Pro Wrestling
Pro Wrestling Turbo
Adrenaline Championship Wrestling
Reactivate Pro Wrestling
 
Next week, Rich Buchholtz returns to discuss what makes a great wrestling referee, as well as to update us on RPW Homecoming on May 31, and Destiny on September 27. Also, next week, we will be joined by CCW Heavyweight Champion, King Eddie Valentine. It’s going to be a lot of fun. STAY TUNED!!
 
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00:00:00 – Intro, Wrestlemania Week
00:27:13 - #ANDNEW
00:00:00 – Sampson Interview
01:25:18 – Weekend Preview

BONUS EPISODE - Bob & Lauryn Watch Cena vs Cody

At the last minute, my youngest daughter Lauryn agreed to come on the podcast while we watch night 2 of Wrestlemania. We decided to hit record before the main event WWE Championship match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes. My daughter told me she has opinions. Now, you get to hear them! We talk about the disparity between Night 1 and Night 2, Jey Uso's appearance at the post-night 1 press conference, and why she is anti-babyface and pro-kids crying. 
 

Episode #16 - Uprising: Women Athletes 5 Watch-Along

We're back, but everyone else is in Las Vegas for Wrestlemania week. So, we thought it would be a good time to do a watch-along episode and, boy, did we pick a good one. Last weekend was DREAMWAVE weekend, culminating with DREAMWAVE X on Sunday, April 12. Before that, there was Uprising: Women Athletes 5 from the Berwyn Eagles Club in Berwyn, Illinois on Friday, April 11. 
Neither Bob nor Jon watched this in advance. So, watch along with us as we discuss a stacked card of women's wrestling featuring Maggie Lee vs Kylie Rae for the DREAMWAVE Women's Championship, Rebecca J. Scott defending the Uprising Alternative Championship in a fatal four way with. On top of all that, Masha Slamovich is in action against Zamaya, and Brittnie Brooks takes on B3CCA. We also name two new Indy Wrestling Experience favorites, Gabby Forza and Fallyn Grey! 
It's a fun time and a fun show. Join us!!