The Indy Wrestling Experience

06/11/2026

EPISODE 72 - SAMPSON, PRODUCE WRESTLING, & UNDERGROUND LUCHA - LINK IN PROFILE!!

We are back this week with the big announcement that, starting Monday June 15, the Underground Lucha Experience becomes a stand-alone podcast. Join us as Bob discovers Lucha Underground for the first time, Jon relives the memories of watching every episode the first time, and we react in real time. The old Lucha Underground episodes are being uploaded to the Lucha Underground YouTube channel as we speak, so watching along with us just became easier than ever!

Join us Monday at www.undergroundlucha.com

In our News and Notes, Bob and Jon discuss the unique structure of the new PRODUCE Wrestling , its recent addition to the MyAEW streaming app (even before its debut show), and the stacked card that Jonathan Gresham has curated for their debut event. Also, we discuss:

Zoey Serrano (fka Zoey Stark) announced for match at Honor Among Wrestling vs Leyla Hirsch
Tiphani Grady nears one full year with two separate championships
Bobbi Thunder to get a shot at the WWE ID Championship
Vito Fratelli wins the IWRG Championship
WWE ID performers now required to use their WWE name when wrestling independent shows

Next, UPW Heavyweight Champion, Sampson, returns to update us on his nationwide tour defending the UPW Championship (and looking to pick up even more titles), Roxy Astor's show in LA being a huge success, his ever growing presence with the NWA, and what's next for The Collective after MarquetteMania IV.

In our Control Center, we preview shows from three companies coming up this weekend. As always, we thank these promotions for permission to use their audio to enhance The Control Center:

River City Championship Wrestling
All Star Wrestling WV
Pure Vanguard Wrestling

Next week, the Danger Ginger returns to update us on the happenings at the Pro Wrestling Star Academy and much more. STAY TUNED!!

06/11/2026

EPISODE 72 - SAMPSON, PRODUCE WRESTLING, & UNDERGROUND LUCHA

We are back this week with the big announcement that, starting Monday June 15, the Underground Lucha Experience becomes a stand-alone podcast. Join us as Bob discovers Lucha Underground for the first time, Jon relives the memories of watching every episode the first time, and we react in real time. The old Lucha Underground episodes are being uploaded to the Lucha Underground YouTube channel as we speak, so watching along with us just became easier than ever!

Join us Monday at www.undergroundlucha.com

In our News and Notes, Bob and Jon discuss the unique structure of the new PRODUCE Wrestling , its recent addition to the MyAEW streaming app (even before its debut show), and the stacked card that Jonathan Gresham has curated for their debut event. Also, we discuss:

Zoey Serrano (fka Zoey Stark) announced for match at Honor Among Wrestling vs Leyla Hirsch
Tiphani Grady nears one full year with two separate championships
Bobbi Thunder to get a shot at the WWE ID Championship
Vito Fratelli wins the IWRG Championship
WWE ID performers now required to use their WWE name when wrestling independent shows

Next, UPW Heavyweight Champion, Sampson, returns to update us on his nationwide tour defending the UPW Championship (and looking to pick up even more titles), Roxy Astor's show in LA being a huge success, his ever growing presence with the NWA, and what's next for The Collective after MarquetteMania IV.

In our Control Center, we preview shows from three companies coming up this weekend. As always, we thank these promotions for permission to use their audio to enhance The Control Center:

River City Championship Wrestling
All Star Wrestling WV
Pure Vanguard Wrestling

Next week, the Danger Ginger returns to update us on the happenings at the Pro Wrestling Star Academy and much more. STAY TUNED!!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YRGM3PfeC78qbG5xHfnXy?si=7b03eeb0d0084b58

The Indy Wrestling Experience · Episode

06/08/2026

UNDERGROUND LUCHA EXPERIENCE PODCAST COMING MONDAY JUNE 15!!

The folks from the Indy Wrestling Experience have launched a new podcast...sort of.

Beginning Monday, Bob and Jon continue watching Lucha Underground from start to finish, episode by episode, on The Underground Lucha Experience podcast.

If you've listened to the Indy podcast, you may have already heard the first couple of episodes. Now we will drop a new episode each week!!

Bob has never seen Lucha Underground. Jon has seen every episode. Watch and listen to us react, reminisce, and try to give perspective to this industry-changing concept twelve years after its debut.

Check the comments for the link to follow the Underground Lucha Experience social media links and STAY TUNED for more information to be announced this week.

06/04/2026

We are back this week and we're switching things up a bit. Bob has been trying to introduce Jon to Discover Pro Wrestling, so we decided to do a watch along of DPW 8: Warpath on Youtube. Bob thinks this promotion is the best possible example of sports entertainment in independent wrestling. The shows feature interconnected stories, in-ring promos to set up events later in the show, and a video production that is out of this world.

At the same time, we've been wanting to catch up with our pal Tully Bertorelli so we invited him to join us! Tully, Bob and Jon watch the first two hours of DPW 8 featuring:

Jack Ledger vs Aaron Arsenal vs Brock Hall vs Sierra (DPW Title #1 Contenders Fatal Four Way)
Paul Virk (c) vs Jack Ledger (DPW Title)
Ethen Matthews vs Wyatt Tordsen
Devlin Kain vs X
Royal Flavuh vs Alvin Gray & ARLEN vs Bobby Brennan and Koda Jacobs

Tully has worked with many of the folks on this show and gives everyone some great insight on the performers and tells plenty of fun stories. Along the way, on top of the reactions to the show, Tully tells stories from UPW MarquetteMania IV, being Santa Claus like Mick Foley, performing in the Air Guitar Championships, Meeting Luke Perry and Joey Lawrence, wrestling Mike Anthony, the first female member of The Collective, and much more.

Next week we return with UPW Champion, Sampson and we will watch the final hour of DPW Warpath featuring two Slammy Davis Jr. matches and a title vs streak match as Paul Virk defends the DPW title a second time in one night against Joey Avalon. STAY TUNED!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Y11jc1VDhkLKToyRDUuQM?si=8ae11a7c69ca45bf

The Indy Wrestling Experience · Episode

06/01/2026

IWX NEW ENHANCED RANKINGS FOR JUNE ARE UP!! LINKS IN COMMENTS!!

Well, this month was more of the same at the top of the power rankings, as all four number ones maintained their position. However, there are challengers. Darian Bengston's numerous defenses of the ACTION Championship draw him ever closer to stalwart #1, UPW Champion, Sampson.

On the women's side, Zamaya won the Future Stars Of Wrestling Women's title over the weekend. That title change was not recorded for these rankings, but they will factor heavily as Zamaya and Tiphani Grady showdown next month in a battle of the belt collectors.

Finally, Post Game did manage to hold on to their number one spot, even after losing by DQ to Bustah and the Brain, but how much longer can they hold on as Divine Chaos and Los Suavecitos are also charging.

Check out the full rankings right now!! Power Rankings videos begin tomorrow!! STAY TUNED!!

05/28/2026

We are back this week and hitting the ground running as RPW CEO, Rich Buchholtz, joins us to preview this weekend's big double header in Waupaca, Wisconson. Envision (with the Women's Midwest Cup Tournament) takes place on Friday and Homecoming takes place on Saturday. Rich previews the women's tournament, gives us a status update the raffle for the custom RPW championship belt, and discusses LFG's impact on these shows.

After that, Bob and Jon review Freelance Wrestling "These Final Hours," which featured a tag team match of the year candidate, an intergender showdown, and the best person winning the Freelance Rumble. Also, we take a look at the new MyAEW streaming service and its addition of 1FW to the service. We discuss the TV companies' continued attempts to gain footholds in the indies, the reason for 1FW's inclusion, and whether Tony Khan really sees an opportunity to replace Triller. Finally, we react to news that dropped right as we were recording. Big Damo and Nikki Cross purchased PROGRESS, and a co-ownership stake in DEFY Wrestling. We discuss the pros and cons of the purchase and whether it says anything specific about the state of independent wrestling.

In our Control Center, we preview two shows taking place this Friday. We thank these promotions for allowing us to use their audio in our promotion of their event:

Federated Wrestling Alliance
Retinal Pro Wrestling

Next week is a watch along episode and we will be joined by Tully Bertorelli, who has tons of news to share, projects to discuss and wrestling to analyze. STAY TUNED!!

The Indy Wrestling Experience · Episode