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WrestleMania 42 is looking lackluster, especially against the backdrop of the biggest event in pro wrestling. That doesn't mean Las Vegas will be lacking for incredible matches, however.
The two-day extravaganza's return to Las Vegas means a wide swath of independent shows featuring incredible, unsigned wrestlers nestled in areas across Sin City. Smaller companies ranging from recent startups to long-established darlings will host events for fans who arrived a few days early or, after seeing the truly outrageous prices for WrestleMania itself, decided to go to 10 other shows that week instead.
I couldn't fit every event here, so I made some subjective choices about what to watch. And, honestly, as long as Blackcraft isn't involved there are no wrong answers for what show you should attend. Let's take a look at this year's WrestleMania week lineup.
Events and match listings are courtesy of the incredibly helpful Voices of Wrestling and Reddit. All times are in MST.
Poder Mania~! (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
This all-women event is loaded with a mix of established veterans and rising stars.
Hybrid Wrestling & Pro Wrestling Unplugged: Midnight Xpress (11:59 PM)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
This late night event is loaded with indy all-stars, setting the stage for the rest of the week. It earns bonus points for featuring a vampire wrestler in his 50s and a Frankenstein wrestler in his 50s, somehow not facing each other.
PROGRESS Wrestling: Chapter 193 – PROGRESS Las Vegas II (11 a.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
There's some exciting women's bouts on this card, but I am a simple man. If I have the opportunity to see a Golden Globe winning actor take on a massive Irish man, I take it.
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling: TJPW LIVE in Las Vegas 2026 (11 a.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
TJPW doesn't miss.
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (3 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
A solid combination of some of Mexico's top performers mixed with a few names more recognizable to a domestic U.S. audience.
WrestleCon: Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
The WrestleCon main event always lives up to its billing as one of the best non-WrestleMania events of WrestleMania week. 2026's version offers some nostalgia plays alongside a handful of AEW stars who should put on one hell of a show.
El Desperado Presents Death Vegas Invitational (8 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
Oh, this is gonna be a big violent mess. And if you're into that, it's gonna be incredibly entertaining.
House of Glory Wrestling: Culture Clash (8 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
Another solid mix of nostalgia and young(er) stars. As a rule, seek out Bandido whenever possible.
Ladies Night Out 16: Sin City Showdown (10 p.m.)
Where: HyperX Arena
Key matches:
Another all-women show loaded with talent from across the globe.
STARDOM: American Dream 2026 in Las Vegas (3 p.m.)
Where Pearl Theater
Key matches:
There are only six matches on the card as of Monday, and half haven't been completed fleshed out yet. It doesn't matter, STARDOM's gonna deliver no matter who is out there (and the names revealed so far are great).
Game Changer Wrestling: Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
Barnett's MMA-tinged Bloodsport events have long been a staple of WrestleMania weeks, delivering gritty, catch-as-catch-can violence featuring plenty of familiar names.
Game Changer Wrestling: Joey Janela’s Spring Break X (7 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
Janela built his name thanks to his audacious Spring Break events. 2026's promises equal parts action and glorious stupidity.
Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling: Multiverse (8 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
More AEW talent, a banger of a women's title match, a Paul Hauser street fight and even a son of Sting sighting (Steve Borden is on the card)? Hell yeah.
Killer Kross Presents FSW Mecca XI (10 p.m.)
Where: HyperX Arena
Key matches:
The former Karrion Kross has no shortage of big meaty dudes available to throw around other big, meaty dudes.
Juggalo Championship Wrestling: Strangle-Mania: Viva Las Violence (11:59 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
[Marie Kondo "I love mess" gif goes here]
Game Changer Wrestling: Effy’s Big Gay Brunch 2026 (11 a.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
Remember, wrestling is for everyone, but just because this is an LGBTQIA+ event doesn't mean it won't also be pretty great in the ring.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What are the best non-WWE shows of WrestleMania week?
Continue reading...
The two-day extravaganza's return to Las Vegas means a wide swath of independent shows featuring incredible, unsigned wrestlers nestled in areas across Sin City. Smaller companies ranging from recent startups to long-established darlings will host events for fans who arrived a few days early or, after seeing the truly outrageous prices for WrestleMania itself, decided to go to 10 other shows that week instead.
I couldn't fit every event here, so I made some subjective choices about what to watch. And, honestly, as long as Blackcraft isn't involved there are no wrong answers for what show you should attend. Let's take a look at this year's WrestleMania week lineup.
Events and match listings are courtesy of the incredibly helpful Voices of Wrestling and Reddit. All times are in MST.
Wednesday, April 15
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Poder Mania~! (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Poder Women’s Championship: Brittany Blake (c) vs. Shotzi Blackheart
- Ladies Night Out Championship: Jazmin Allure (c) vs. Alejandra La Leona
- Allie Katch vs. Kaia McKenna
- Joseline Navarro & Mazzerati vs. Leva Bates & Su Yung
- Billie Starkz vs. Charli Evans
This all-women event is loaded with a mix of established veterans and rising stars.
Hybrid Wrestling & Pro Wrestling Unplugged: Midnight Xpress (11:59 PM)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Bustah & The Brain (Alec Price & Jordan Oliver) vs. Backseat Boyz (JP Grayson & Tommy Grayson) vs. Effy & Joey Janela
- Gangrel vs. Matt Tremont
- 1 Called Manders vs. PCO
- Priscilla Kelly vs. Mercedes Martinez vs. Lacey Lane
- PWU World Championship: Pat Dynamite (c) vs. Jack Evans
This late night event is loaded with indy all-stars, setting the stage for the rest of the week. It earns bonus points for featuring a vampire wrestler in his 50s and a Frankenstein wrestler in his 50s, somehow not facing each other.
Thursday, April 16
PROGRESS Wrestling: Chapter 193 – PROGRESS Las Vegas II (11 a.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- PROGRESS Men’s World Championship: Man Like DeReiss (c) vs. Michael Oku
- PROGRESS Proteus Championship: Paul Hauser vs. Big Damo
- Emersyn Jane vs. Lena Kross vs. Renee Michelle vs. Mercedes Martinez
- Super Strong Style 16 First Round: Ethan Allen vs. Lio Rush
- Super Strong Style 16 First Round: Rhio vs. VertVixen
There's some exciting women's bouts on this card, but I am a simple man. If I have the opportunity to see a Golden Globe winning actor take on a massive Irish man, I take it.
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling: TJPW LIVE in Las Vegas 2026 (11 a.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
- Princess of Princess Championship: Yuki Arai (c) vs. J-Rod
- Princess Tag Championship: The IInspiration (Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee) (c) vs. Kyouraku Resonance (Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao)
- International Princess Championship: Suzume (c) vs. Sakura Hattori
- Miyu Yamashita vs. Mizuki vs. Miu Watanabe
- Raku, Yuki Aino, Pom Harajuku vs. Shino Suzuki, HIMAWARI, Alexis Lee
TJPW doesn't miss.
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (3 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
- Mistico vs. Hechicero
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Atlantis Jr.
- Mascara Dorada & Neon vs. Flip Gordon & Capitan Suicida
- Blue Panther vs. Ultimo Guerrero
A solid combination of some of Mexico's top performers mixed with a few names more recognizable to a domestic U.S. audience.
WrestleCon: Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, Bishop Kaun) vs. Michael Oku, Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey
- The Swirl (Blake Christian & Lee Johnson) vs. Subculture (Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews)
- The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) vs. Rhyno & Heath
- Bandido vs. Galeno del Mal
- Masato Tanaka vs. Mark Davis
The WrestleCon main event always lives up to its billing as one of the best non-WrestleMania events of WrestleMania week. 2026's version offers some nostalgia plays alongside a handful of AEW stars who should put on one hell of a show.
El Desperado Presents Death Vegas Invitational (8 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Love & Pieces 3-Way Deathmatch – At Journey’s End: Nick Gage & Matt Tremont vs. El Desperado & Jun Kasai vs. Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita
- “Deadly” Air-Time & Cutie Crime – High-Stakes Heartbreak Jackpot Match: Dragon Kid & Starlight Kid vs. El Phantasmo & X
- Cute? Sexy? Hardcore 3-Way Match: Effy vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. ISHIN
- Runway Rush & Crash: A Drop-Dead Gorgeous 3-Way Tag: Bustah & The Brain (Alec Price & Jordan Oliver) vs. KUSHIDA & YAMATO vs. MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden)
- The Rigged Roulette: House Rules Hardcore: Gedo & Daisuke Sasaki vs. Joey Janela & Gringo Loco
Oh, this is gonna be a big violent mess. And if you're into that, it's gonna be incredibly entertaining.
House of Glory Wrestling: Culture Clash (8 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
- HOG World Championship: Charles Mason (c) vs. Michael Oku
- HOG Tag Team Championship: The Hardys (Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson)
- HOG Women’s Championship: Shotzi (c) vs. Charlie
- Brody King vs. Zilla Fatu
- Bandido vs. Amazing Red
Another solid mix of nostalgia and young(er) stars. As a rule, seek out Bandido whenever possible.
Ladies Night Out 16: Sin City Showdown (10 p.m.)
Where: HyperX Arena
Key matches:
- LNO Championship, Jazz as Special Guest Referee: Jazmin Allure (c) vs. La Rosa Negra vs. Izzy Moreno
- Steph De Lander vs. Airica Demia
- Thunder Rosa vs. VertVixen
- Violent Romance (Nixon Newell & Miranda Alize) vs. Ray Lyn & Dani Mo
- Laynie Luck & Shazza McKenzie vs. Kingsley & Frankie B
Another all-women show loaded with talent from across the globe.
Friday, April 17
STARDOM: American Dream 2026 in Las Vegas (3 p.m.)
Where Pearl Theater
Key matches:
- STRONG Women’s Championship: Alex Windsor (c) vs. Saya Iida
- Mei Seira, Starlight Kid, AZM vs. Willow Nightingale, Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander
- Athena vs. Rina
- Maika and Mina Shirakawa vs. Hanako and TBA
- Cosmic Angels (Natsupoi and Aya Sakura) vs. TBA and Saki
There are only six matches on the card as of Monday, and half haven't been completed fleshed out yet. It doesn't matter, STARDOM's gonna deliver no matter who is out there (and the names revealed so far are great).
Game Changer Wrestling: Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV (3 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Masashi Takeda vs. Pete Dunne
- Timothy Thatcher vs. Charlie Dempsey
- Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ray Jaz
- Shayna Baszler vs. Nattie Neidhart
- Josh Barnett vs. Yuji Nagata
Barnett's MMA-tinged Bloodsport events have long been a staple of WrestleMania weeks, delivering gritty, catch-as-catch-can violence featuring plenty of familiar names.
Game Changer Wrestling: Joey Janela’s Spring Break X (7 p.m.)
You must be registered for see images attach
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Joey Janela vs. Brodie Lee Jr.
- The Sandman vs. Invisible Man
- GCW World Championship: Atticus Cogar (c) vs. Hayabusa
- YDNP (Alec Price & Jordan Oliver) & Marcus Mathers vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, Myron Reed)
- Loser Leaves GCW: Effy vs. Allie Katch
- Grab The Brass Ring Ladder Match: Gringo Loco vs. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Bear Bronson vs. 1 Called Manders vs. Sidney Akeem vs. Vipress vs. Charles Mason vs. Terry Yaki vs. Man Like DeReiss vs. Vengador
- Jack Perry & Marko Stunt vs. KJ Orso & Sam Stackhouse
- Mance Warner & Steph De Lander vs. Megan Bayne & TBA
Janela built his name thanks to his audacious Spring Break events. 2026's promises equal parts action and glorious stupidity.
Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling: Multiverse (8 p.m.)
Where: Pearl Theater
Key matches:
- Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Myron Reed, Zachary Wentz)
- MLP Women’s Championship: Gisele Shaw (c) vs. Persephone vs. Shotzi Blackheart
- CMLL World Heavyweight Championship: Hechicero (c) vs. Jonathan Gresham
- Street Fight: QT Marshall vs. Paul Hauser
- Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku, Rich Swann vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, Bishop Kaun)
More AEW talent, a banger of a women's title match, a Paul Hauser street fight and even a son of Sting sighting (Steve Borden is on the card)? Hell yeah.
Killer Kross Presents FSW Mecca XI (10 p.m.)
Where: HyperX Arena
Key matches:
- Killer Kross vs. Zilla Fatu
- FSW Women’s Championship: Brittnie Brooks (c) vs. Notorious Mimi
- Jonathan Gresham vs. TJP
- Brian Cage vs. Resplandor vs. Gringo Loco
- Hammerstone vs. Richard Holliday vs. Bad Dude Tito
The former Karrion Kross has no shortage of big meaty dudes available to throw around other big, meaty dudes.
Juggalo Championship Wrestling: Strangle-Mania: Viva Las Violence (11:59 p.m.)
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Vampiro’s Retirement Match: Vampiro vs. PCO vs. Big Vito
- JCW World Championship, EC3 as Special Guest Referee: Cokane (c) vs. Matt Riddle vs. Nic Nemeth vs. Caleb Konley
- 2 Tuff Tony, Willie Mack, Rob Van Dam vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, KENTA
- JCW Women’s Championship, Katie Forbes as Special Guest Referee: Alice Crowley (c) & Dani Mo vs. J-Rod & A Mystery Partner???
- St. Claire Monster Corp (Mr. Happy, Kongo Kong, Beastman) vs. Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, George South
[Marie Kondo "I love mess" gif goes here]
Saturday, April 18
Game Changer Wrestling: Effy’s Big Gay Brunch 2026 (11 a.m.)
You must be registered for see images attach
Where: Horseshoe Las Vegas
Key matches:
- Effy vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Nyla Rose vs. Dark Sheik
- Mad Dog Connelly vs. Brick Savage
- Mercedes Martinez vs. Vipress
- Charli Evans vs. Allie Katch vs. Steph De Lander vs. Kidd Bandit
Remember, wrestling is for everyone, but just because this is an LGBTQIA+ event doesn't mean it won't also be pretty great in the ring.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What are the best non-WWE shows of WrestleMania week?
Continue reading...
