A reckoning came to ACW on Saturday, May 16, consisting of title defenses, high-energy match ups, tag team chaos, talent announcements for IndyPendence Day on July 18, 2026 and a disturbing ending.
Killer Kross is coming back to Poughkeepsie
IndyPendence Day is set to be killer. The show kicked off Saturday with a video sent in by “The Devil You Know,” announcing his highly anticipated return to ACW on Saturday, July 18 at the MJN Center. Kross will be defending the ACW World Heavyweight Championship to anyone willing to step up to the plate– who will answer his open challenge?
Leo Sparrow Defends the ACW Cruiserweight Championship against GKM and Liamo
What better way to officially get the night started than with a Cruiserweight title match? Leo Sparrow, the inaugural ACW Cruiserweight Champion, had his work cut out for him in his first title defense after winning the belt at Aftershock back in March, taking on “The Phoenix” GKM– a high-flying expert of his craft, and Ireland’s own Liamo.
Ultimately, neither challenger could stand victorious over the “Son of the Sun,” and Sparrow walked out of Reckoning “AND STILL” the ACW Cruiserweight Champion.
The Righteous vs. Yoscifer El and Wrecking Ball Legursky
Up next TNA’s The Righteous (Vincent and Dutch) took on the unexpected, yet brilliant, pairing of Yoscifer El, accompanied by Shir’rak, and Wrecking Ball Legursky. Vincent and Dutch brought their signature unsettling presence to the ring, while the unlikely duo of Yoscifer and Legursky came prepared for battle, capitalizing on their size and power advantage.
From the opening bell, the match felt less like a traditional tag team match and more like a full-on fight. Every time The Righteous tried to slow things down, the “Barbarian” and Wrecking Ball answered with unadulterated brute force.
The Righteous thrive in chaos, though, and Vincent and Dutch were able to use that to their advantage, ultimately getting the win. But this wasn’t the last time ACW saw The Righteous this evening…
And New Number One Contender for The ACW National Championship… Flip Gordon!
Flip Gordon survived one of the most chaotic matches of the night at ACW: Reckoning, outlasting four other competitors in the brutal 5-Way Survival Match to become the number one contender for the ACW National Championship (currently held by Zack Clayton).
Entering at staggered intervals with eliminations coming by pinfall, submission, or over-the-top-rope, five men entered the match: Hammerstone, Brian Cage, Mance Warner, Flip Gordon, and the mystery entrant. When it came time for the final mystery entrant to be revealed, fans went crazy as ACW’s own Joe Clean’s music hit and he made his way to the ring, only to be taken out by AEW’s Matt Taven, who replaced him as the fifth contestant.
Battling through powerhouse opponents and total mayhem, Gordon used his speed and high-risk offense to stay alive until the very end, earning himself a future shot at the ACW National Championship.
Steph De Lander & Indi Hartwell vs. Vicious Vicki Venuto & Lady Frost
Up next, the ACW Women’s Champion Steph De Lander teamed up with longtime friend and former ACW Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell against Vicious Vicki Venuto and a debuting Lady Frost, with J-Rod as the special guest time keeper following the fallout of Aftershock.
What started as a heated tag team match quickly spiraled into chaos, with tensions between all five women continuing to grow throughout the night.
In the closing moments of the match, J-Rod abandoned her duties as timekeeper and inserted herself into the match, creating the opening Venuto needed to secure the win. After the distraction, Venuto pinned ACW Women’s Champion Steph De Lander in the center of the ring, scoring a massive victory and further shaking up the ACW women’s division.
Shotzi Announces a Women’s Battle Royal for IndyPendence Day
As hostile exchanges escalated inside the ring between the women, Shotzi Blackheart suddenly appeared on the big screen to shake things up. She announced that at IndyPendence Day, a Battle Royal will be held to determine the new number one contender for the ACW Women’s Championship. The match will open the door for the entire women’s roster to stake their claim at gold, including Shotzi herself.
Crowbar vs Danny Doring… or Vargas?
Fans were expecting Danny Doring to step into the ring against Crowbar, but the matchup took a sudden turn when it was revealed by Doring that Crowbar’s opponent would instead be the “Dominican Destroyer” Vargas in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
The late change immediately shifted the tone of the contest, with Vargas bringing a more aggressive and unpredictable style to the ring, especially following the events that took place between the two at Aftershock.
After a back-and-forth fight that spilled all over ringside, Crowbar ultimately secured the victory after executing a devastating table leg drop from the top rope onto Vargas.
MJN Center Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductees
The MJN Center inducted wrestling legend Randy “Macho Man Randy Savage” Poffo, who made his WWF debut inside the very building, alongside Poughkeepsie native “Mad Dog” Mike Bell, into the MJN Center Wrestling Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Fans got to enjoy video packages on the two inductees, as well as hear from their friends and family members. It was a rare pause in the chaos of Reckoning, giving fans a chance to celebrate the history of the venue and the legacy built inside it.
Zack Clayton (c) vs. Dante Casanova for the ACW National Championship
At Reckoning, “The Reality” and ACW National Champion Zack Clayton defended his position as one of ACW’s most dominant forces against “El Jaguar” Dante Casanova, a rising standout known for his unique blend of intensity, technical mastery, and showmanship.
Casanova showed heart throughout, pushing through punishment and finding short openings to fight back, but Clayton stayed composed and dictated the majority of the contest. In the end, Clayton secured the victory and reinforced his dominance in the ACW National Title scene.
“Big Trouble” Ben Bishop vs. “Firework” Foxx Vinyer
Big trouble came for Foxx Vinyer on Saturday.
The “Firework” tried to use his explosive offense to overwhelm Ben Bishop, hoping to keep the larger man off balance early. For a brief moment, the strategy showed promise as Vinyer built momentum and fired off rapid, high-impact offense.
But at 6’12”, the larger-than-life “Big Carny Cool” Ben Bishop quickly shut it down. Leaning on his size and power advantage, Bishop took control of the match and scored the pin over Vinyer in a matter of minutes.
Richard Holliday vs Andrade El Idolo
In a clash of confidence and world-class experience, two-time former ACW Heavyweight Champion Richard Holliday met WKC Heavyweight Champion Andrade El Idolo in Andrade’s ACW debut during the semi-main event.
Holliday fully embraced his “Most Marketable Man” persona, turning the match into his own spotlight. Every pause, smirk, and taunt was designed to keep the attention exactly where he wanted it: on himself.
Andrade, meanwhile, brought a calm, focused intensity. Unbothered by the theatrics, he stayed composed and measured, letting Holliday’s performance play out while waiting for his opening.
At ringside, the looming presence of Ben Bishop was impossible to ignore– partially because he’s nearly seven feet tall– but also because he added a layer of anxiety to the match, with the crowd acutely aware that any involvement could swing the outcome in Holliday’s favor.
Despite the outside tension and attempted interference, Andrade stayed locked in and ultimately secured the pinfall victory over Holliday.
The Final Chapter: The NOW vs. Sent 2 Slaughter
The long-simmering war between the ACW Tag Team Champions The NOW (Hale Collins and Vik Dalishus) and Sent 2 Slaughter (Danny Maff and Shawn Donovan) finally reached its breaking point inside the unforgiving steel cage at Reckoning.
Billed Steel Cage War: The Final Chapter, this feud has been building since early last year, and this was not the first time the two teams have met inside four steel walls.
From the opening bell, it was more of a contained riot (although it did not stay contained long) than a wrestling match. The cage did not slow the chaos, it amplified it. Both teams tore into each other, trading brutal blows, weapon-assisted offense, and desperate attempts to escape their team’s way to victory.
The finish came in controversy: Collins and Maff both ended up on the floor at nearly the same time, triggering confusion over who actually escaped first. With no clear winner, officials struggled to separate fact from chaos, and the match was ultimately ruled a no contest, leaving the rivalry unresolved and the cage filled with frustration instead of closure.
What followed was an even more disturbing aftermath—one that quickly spilled beyond the confines of the match and into chaos fans have likely already seen circulating across social media and wrestling news outlets.
Furious over the ruling, Sent 2 Slaughter lashed out at referees, security, and even the ring announcer in a post-match rampage. Their manager, Josh Shernoff, then locked himself inside the cage with Maff, Donovan, and an already-worn-down Dalishus, where the assault on Vik continued as Collins struggled helplessly outside the structure.
At that point, The Righteous emerged, initially appearing as if they might come to The NOW’s aid. Instead, they shockingly turned on Collins, cuffing him to the cage and stealing the tag team titles, forcing him to watch as his partner was relentlessly beaten down inside the ring.
The situation escalated further with the return of Mrs. Dalishus, who rushed to ringside in a desperate attempt to protect her husband from the carnage unfolding inside the cage.
Once officials were finally able to get things under control, Vik Dalishus was stretchered from the arena after suffering multiple injuries, and is currently undergoing further medical evaluation to determine the full extent of the damage done.
What was meant to be the definitive conclusion to a grueling rivalry instead became its most chaotic chapter yet—escalating violence, deepening betrayals, and ensuring that neither side walked away with closure. What’s next for these two teams?
Come See What Happens Next at IndyPendence Day
ACW will be back at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie, NY on July 18 for IndyPendence Day.
Already announced:
ACW Heavyweight Champion Killer Kross with Scarlett Bourdeaux
Shotzi Blackheart
Steph De Lander
Richard Holliday
Flip Gordon
Zack Clayton
Indi Hartwell
Tommy Dreamer
J-Rod
With more to be announced soon!
Tickets are available NOW and moving quickly… get yours today!
