By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “No Signal in the Hills 2”
Streamed on FITE TV
July 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California at the Ukrainian Cultural Center
Kevin Gill and Emil Jay provided commentary. The crowd was perhaps 500 to 700.
1. Gringo Loco defeated Rocky Romero at 15:44. Johnny “Game Changer” Hennigan was slated to be Loco’s opponent, but he couldn’t compete. Romero was a great replacement. They traded armdrags and Romero bailed to the floor. Romero got a huracanrana in the ring for a nearfall and they traded rollups and had a standoff. They started exchanging overhand chops at 4:30, and rolled to the floor to hit more chops in front of the fans.
Back in the ring, Romero began working over the left arm. Loco hit a suplex for a nearfall at 8:00. This crowd is hot. Rocky began hitting his Forever Clotheslines in the corner. However, Gringo caught him with a Cloud Cutter for a believable nearfall, and they were both down at 10:00. Gringo hit a swinging side slam and a moonsault for a nearfall. Romero came back with a springboard DDT, then a dive to the floor that he turned into a huracanrana. Romero immediately hit a dive through the ropes, then back in the ring, he hit a Slice Bread swinging overhead faceplant for a believable nearfall at 12:30.
Romero peppered him with kicks and another huracanrana. They fought on the ropes in the corner, with Romero trying to hit another Sliced Bread. However, Gringo Loco hit his swinging powerbomb to the mat for the pin. Really strong opening match to get this show off on a good note. Romero is so good, and he’s teflon too… losses don’t hurt his standing in the eyes of fans.
* Wrestling podcaster Denise Salcedo served as ring announcer.
2. Tony Deppen defeated Komander at 11:53. Komander is a masked luchador who reminds me of Bandido, and he dove on Deppen as Tony walked to ringside to kickstart the match. In the ring, Komander hit a huracanrana. Gill said Komander is just 23 years old. He went for a dive, but Deppen cut him off, allowing Deppen to take control in the ring. Deppen went for a senton, but Komander got his knees up at 4:00. They had an awkward exchange where Komander wanted to hit a Poison Rana. Komander ran across the top rope, then hit a moonsault onto Deppen at 5:30. That is an insane spot.
Komander hit a springboard moonsault in the ring for a nearfall. Deppen nailed a knee strike to the face in the corner for a nearfall. They fought on the ring apron, then Deppen hit a Tombstone Piledriver on the floor, followed by a top-rope double stomp in the ring for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Komander came back with a backbreaker over his knees, then a top-rope Shooting Star Press for a believable nearfall.
They traded stiff mid-ring forearm shots. Komander hit an enzuigiri and a Canadian Destroyer. Komander walked the top rope, but he missed a springboard 450 Splash. Deppen immediately nailed a Shining Wizard knee strike to score the win. Good match, and they did a great job overcoming some awkward early exchanges.
3. Alex Zayne defeated Titus Alexander at 10:56. Zayne has just returned from a lengthy tour in New Japan and Australia, and Gill put over how Zayne is finally getting his due, and I entirely agree. Alexander has the same smug look, haircut and body shape of Ethan Page. Zayne hit a shoulder tackle but Titus kipped up immediately and Zayne was surprised. Zayne hit a corkscrew senton splash at 2:00. Zayne did a springboard backflip into the ring, caught Titus’ head and hit an inverted DDT. Titus nailed a dive through the ropes, sending them both crassing into a row of empty, wood chairs.
Titus remained inn control as they brawled back into the ring, and he’s earning massive heel heat. Zayne hit a hard clothesline and they were both down at 6:00. Zayne hit a nice spin kick to the head. Zayne hit his forward roll-into-a-huracanrana out of the corner. Titus hit a handspring-back-stunner,, and they were both down at 8:30. Zayne hit an impressive knee strike to the jaw. He went for his top-rope corkscrew press, but Titus got his knees up. Titus hit the Chaos Theory/rolling German Suplex for a believable nearfall. Zayne nailed the Taco Driver/pumphandle sit-out powerbomb for the pin. Really good match.
4. Blake Christian defeated Starboy Charlie at 14:56. No one is hotter on the indy scene this year than Christian. I mentioned this in other recent reviews; he has cut off his long ponytail and looks older and a bit more sinister, and he has a huge match with Jon Moxley later this month. Before they can lock up, Lio Rush walked out, wearing a red jacket with a New Japan logo. I thought we might have an impromptu three-way, but instead Lio Rush joined the commentary booth. Starboy Charlie is a scrawny teen who missed a lot of action in the past year with an injury. They traded basic reversals early, with Blake having a (rare) size advantage. Blake hit a shotgun dropkick at 3:00.
Charlie hit a top-rope crossbody block, then a flip dive to the floor on Blake. In the ring, Blake hit a nice Northern Lights suplex and a basement dropkick for a nearfall. Blake flipped him into the corner turnbuckles and got a nearfall at 6:30. Blake strutted a bit and got some boos! Starboy caught him with a spin kick to the jaw. Charlie hit his own shotgun dropkick, then a running dropkick to the face in the corner for a nearfall. Charlie hit a second-rope corkscrew press for a nearfall at 8:00.
Charlie went for another spin kick, but this time Blake caught him and hit a slam. Blake hit a half-nelson suplex and a Finlay forward roll, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Lio has been a good foil on commentary, but also putting over Blake for being so good. Charlie avoided the Rollins-style stomp. Blake hit a German Suplex, and the crowd is really getting on Blake. Charlie hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly. Charlie hit a Tombstone Piledriver, but was too exhausted to make a cover, and they were both down at 11:00.
Blake dove through the ropes, barreling into Charlie. In the ring, Charlie hit a Spinebuster, then a swinging brainbuster for a nearfall at 13:30. Blake nailed a top-rope superplex, then a swinging neckbreaker, followed by his Rollins-style stomp to the head to score the pin. Lots of boos through the match that only grew. I think Blake is a great babyface, but he acted the part of the heel here.
* Blake got on the mic and put over Charlie, saying he should change to “Star Man.” However, Blake turned his attention to Lio Rush, saying he stomped Rush “straight through the mat” the last time they fought. He then promised he was going to beat Jon Moxley and bring the title back to where it belongs. He said he would defend the title every night, and not just “every now and then” (like Moxley.)
5. Ciclope and Miedo Extremo defeated Jordan Oliver and Nick Wayne at 14:44. Jordan and Oliver hit team flip dives to the floor to get the match rolling. In the ring, Oliver slammed Wayne onto an opponent for a nearfall, but we had a chairshot to break up a pin. So, we are going to no-DQ right away. Extremo slammed Wayne onto a folded metal chair at 2:00. The luchadors began working over Wayne. Miedo did a Claudio Castagnoli-style airplane spin, swinging Wayne by his feet, until Ciclope hit a dropkick on Wayne’s head at 4:30.
Wayne hit a snap suplex and a Canadian Destroyer, then made the hot tag to Oliver. Jordan hit a stunner on Cicople and a sit-out powerbomb on Extremo. Oliver was now in charge of the offense, working over Ciclope. A door was slid into the ring, as Ciclope did a spot causing Jordan to kick Wayne in the groin at 8:00. All eight brawled in the ring. Miedo gave Wayne a Razor’s Edge overhead powerbomb through the door, set up in the corner, for a nearfall at 9:30. Wayne accidentally kicked Oliver! Wayne hit a Swnaton Bomb on Miedo for a believable nearfall. Wayne and Oliver hit a team superplex, but the luchadors immediately hit simultaneous spears at 11:30.
Another door was taken out from under the ring. Wayne did a flip over the top rope and hit a powerbomb on Miedo onto the door set up on the floor; it cracked but didn’t break. A third door was brought out and set up in the ring. Ciclope hit a second-rope swinging neckbreaker on Wayne, sending Nick crashing through the door. Miedo immediately hit a 450 Splash on Wayne for the pin. Really good match.
* Barbed-wire boards were set up. Ugh.
6. Hunter Freeman defeated Rob Shit in a hardcore match at 10:05. I don’t really know either of these guys. Rob looks like an aging rock star in his rocker vest and a passing resemblance to Brian Pillman Sr. Freeman hit an unprotected chair shot to the head to start the match, then he dove to the floor on Rob. Hunter is tall and lanky. Rob used a staple gun on Hunter. Hunter hit a basement dropkick in the corner for a nearfall at 5:00. Hunter went to the top rope, but Rob shoved him off, sending Hunter crashing through the barbed-wire board on the floor.
They continued to brawl on the floor, using barbed-wire boards. In the ring, Rob choked Hunter with barbed wire. This is getting disgusting. Hunter used the staple gun. Hunter shoved him through the barbed wire board, set up in the corner. Hunter hit a top-rope moonsault onto Rob, who was sandwiched between two halves of the barbed-wire board. Not my style of match.
7. Effy and Allie Katch defeated “Second Gear Crew” of Matthew Justice and Mance Warner to retain the GCW Tag Titles at 17:08. Mance and Justice have a Sandman-style entrance, partying with the crowd and drinking beers handed to them. All four brawled at the bell, in and out of the ring. Mance slammed a chair across Allie’s back at 2:30. In the ring, Effy hit a Whoopee Cushion butt drop for a nearfall. Mance whipped a chair at Effy’s unprotected head as Effy was on the top rope. That is stupid and dangerous; that chair could have easily gone into the crowd and struck a fan.
Mance hit a running boot on Katch’s head as her head was in a pal at 6:00. Effy hit a double Blockbuster on his opponents, sending them crashing through a door set up in the ring. Effy hit a Helluva Kick on Mance, and Allie followed it up with a rolling cannonball. Effy applied a Dragon Sleeper on Mance. Justice leapt off a chair and did a flip dive to the floor on everyone at 10:00. Katch and Mance traded mid-ring headbutts, and Katch hit a Tombstone Piledriver.
Justice picked up Katch and gave her a Death Valley Driver through a door set up in the corner. Mance was bleeding hard from the forehead. Mance hit a second-rope suplex on Effy through a door set up in the ring at 13:00. Mance and Justice headed to the back, and returned with a large pane of glass. Justice hit a chairshot on Effy’s head for a nearfall. Allie got in and hit several unprotected chairshots to the head on both opponents. Stupid and dangerous. She set up the glass pane in the corner. However, Mance hit a spear, sending Katch through the pane at 17:00. Justice hit a top-rope double stomp on Effy, but Effy somehow rolled up Justice for the pin. My enjoyment of this match is marred by the dangerous and unnecessary shots to the head.
8. Dark Sheik defeated Cole Radrick at 9:51. Radrick is the dorky-looking Gomer Pyle of the GCW roster. Both of these wrestlers have cult followings. Sheik hit a huracanrana that sent Radrick to the floor, then she dove through the ropes on him. She hit her slingshot leg drop at 3:00. She dove off the corner, but Radrick caught her and hit a powerbomb. Radrick hit an Air Raid Crash for a nearfall at 6:00.
Sheik hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Radrick hit a stunner and a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 8:30. Sheik hit a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. Sheik hit a pump-handle bodyslam for the pin. This was ugly. It got a decent reaction in the building, so apparently everyone there liked it more than I did.
9. Joey Janela defeated Kevin Blackwood at 27:43. Janela also just returned from the Australia tour with Alex Zayne. He got on the mic and taunted the crowd. Mat reversals to open. Janela picked up Blackwood, held him upside down for half a minute, before hitting the delayed vertical suplex at 3:30. Blackwood hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor. In the ring, Janela hit a German Suplex and a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker at 6:00, and he was dominating the action.
Janela tied up the legs and applied the Muta Lock, cranking on Blackwood’s neck then he applied a cravat, keeping Kevin grounded. Blackwood nailed a Lungblower to the back at 11:00. They traded forearm shots. Blackwood hit a T-Bone suplex for a nearfall and a knee strike to the jaw in the corner, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 13:30. Janela hit a running neckbreaker and a jumping piledriver for a nearfall.
Janela set up a door between two chairs on the floor. They traded rollups in the ring. Blackwood applied a Texas Cloverleaf at 20:00, but Janela reached the ropes. Blackwood hit a second-rope double stomp to Janela’s chest as Janela was lying on the door; Kevin rolled him in the ring and got a nearfall. Blackwood hit a Snow Plow driver for a believable nearfall. Janela hit a Death Valley Driver, so Blackwood hopped up and hit his own DVD.
They traded forearm shots and Janela hit a hard clothesline. Blackwood hit a jumping Tombstone Piledriver at 24:30, but Janela kicked out. Blackwood got more doors from under the ring. Janela slammed the door on Blackwood. Janela hit a top-rope superplex through the door set up in the ring for a nearfall. Janela immediately applied a crossface submission hold,, and Blackwood tapped out.
Final Thoughts: As per usual, I feel like GCW shows peak early with the best matches on the first half of the show. I really enjoyed Gringo Loco vs. Rocky Romero leading off the show, and that earns my pick for best match. The slow burn of a Blake Christian heel turn, or at least becoming darker and more serious heading into his title match, is certainly intriguing. Mix in Lio Rush’s involvement, and Blake-Starboy earns second best. I’ll go with Zayne-Alexander for third-best.
The main event was solid and gets honorable mention, but it went far too long. Blackwood is really good, but he has barely won any matches in GCW, and that hurt the main event, as I never really thought he was going to win.
I really want to point out that the crowd didn’t taunt Deppen and Komander with any sort of “you f–ed up” chants when they didn’t perfectly execute a couple moves. These guys are busting their butts, and this is probably their first time touching in the ring. They recovered from a blown spot and moved on. I wish fans would think about it and retire that chant.
Dark Sheik and Cole Radrick are admittedly not among my favorite wrestlers on this roster. This just looked amateur and bad, and not top-tier indy wrestling.
I love GCW, or I wouldn’t watch it, but I will say this again — they have matches with glass panes and light tubes, and wrestlers carelessly and recklessly throwing chairs, at the same time they don’t have guardrails separating fans from the ring. This is a dangerous mix. It is just a matter of when, not if, a fan gets injured from glass debris or a chair hitting a fan. There are ways to have hardcore matches that satisfy fans who like that style without being dangerous to the wrestlers or the crowd.
The show clocked in at just over three hours.
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