By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, MLW, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
GCW “Shooting Star”
Streamed on FITE TV
September 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California at Ukrainian Cultural Center
This is the ornate building with a high ceiling. The crowd is hot and we have perhaps 400 to 600 fans in attendance. Dave Prazak and Emil Jay provided commentary.
I know I’m repetitive, but I just absolutely hate that GCW doesn’t use guardrails to keep fans a safe distance from ringside.
1. Arkangel Divino defeated Ultimo Maldito at 7:05. I don’t know these masked luchadors; Prazak says they are brothers. Maldito is thicker and the heel. Arkangel hit a flip dive to the floor and immediately removed his mask. Maldito hit a sit-out powerbomb. Divino hit an incredible step-up head-scissors takedown that popped the crowd, then a Code Red. This was really good lucha chain wrestling.
They went to the floor, where Maldito hit Divino with a chair to the head at 4:30, and he powerbombed him onto the edge of the ring apron. Maldito hit a flip dive through the ropes onto his brother, who was sitting on a chair at ringside. In the ring, Arkangel hit a satellite head-scissors takedown, then a top-rope Asai Moonsault to the floor. He is insanely good. They climbed back in the ring, where Arkangel applied a Fujiwara Armbar, and Maldito tapped out. That was as good of a seven-minute match as you’ll see. Fans threw crumpled-up bills into the ring at them as a great sign of respect.
2. Joey Janela and Starboy Charlie defeated “The South Pacific Savages” Juicy Finau and Jacob Fatu via DQ at about 14:00. Charlie is the talented teenager who recently returned from injury. Prazak pointed out a few times that Charlie’s mom was seated at ringside, and that would matter later. Finau is wearing a one-strap singlet tonight, so his gut isn’t hanging out like usual. Charlie and Janela jumped in the ring and attacked their opponents. Janela hit a top-rope crossbody block, but the Samoans caught him; Starboy then dove onto them to knock the heels down.
However, the heels took control in the ring, with Juicy standing on Janela’s back. Juicy applied a belly-to-belly bearhug. Starboy Charlie made the hot tag at 5:30 and got in some quick offense. Janela dove through the ropes onto FInau. Charlie hit a shotgun dropkick into the corner on Fatu, then a springboard corkscrew press. Finau hit a splash on Charlie for a nearfall, but Janela made the save. Janela got Finau on his shoulders and hit a Samoan Drop at 9:00, drawing quite a pop.
The Samoans got doors and chairs from under the ring. However, both Samoans wound up crashing through separate doors. A masked person jumped on the ring apron and hit Charlie. This allowed Finau to hit a Samoan Drop on Janela. The mask was removed to reveal it was Toa Leonne, who stabbed Charlie in the head. Starboy Charlie’s mom hopped in the ring and she yelled at the heels, then she left. She got a steel chair and hit Juicy over the head with it at 15:00.
Juicy hit the woman with a headbutt. “She’s not a wrestler! She’s just sticking up for her son!” Prazak shouted. The Savages held down Starboy Charlie, but he scampered free and laid across his mom. Fatu hit a top-rope frogsplash onto Charlie’s back. The heels left. Janela got on the mic and said he wanted the Savages in October in a steel cage match.
3. Jordan Oliver defeated Kevin Blackwood at 15:50. Prazak updated us on GCW’s tour in Japan over the next two weeks. They avoided each other’s big moves early. Oliver hit a dropkick into the corner at 3:00, then a snap suplex. They began trading mid-ring chops. Blackwood hit a dragon screw leg whip and began focusing on the damaged left leg. Kevin applied a leglock on the mat. Oliver hit a Helluva Kick, then a top-rope faceplant for a nearfall at 8:30. Blackwood fired back with a series of kicks and strikes to regain control of the match. Oliver hit a superkick. Blackwood hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 10:30.
Oliver hit a Tiger Suplex then a mid-ring Mafia Kick, then a piledriver for a believable nearfall, and Oliver was stunned that didn’t get the win. Blackwood hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. Blackwood went for a move off the ropes, but Oliver caught him and hit a sit-out powerbomb, and they were both down at 13:30. They traded forearm shots while on their knees. Oliver hit another Helluva Kick and a Cloud Cutter, then a piledriver and a second Cloud Cutter for the pin. That was absolutely great.
4. Cole Radrick defeated Jack Cartwheel to retain the GCW Extreme Championship at 11:07. They noted this is Cartwheel’s first match in six weeks, while Radrick has been competing frequently on the East Coast and in the UK. Radrick is the Gomer Pyle-meets-James Ellsworth dork, who didn’t even bother trying to do a cartwheel. Cartwheel hit some headscissor takedowns. Radrick did a cartwheel at 3:30 and celebrated, with the crowd cheering the silliness. They went to the floor, where Radrick threw a chair at Cartwheel’s head (and nearly hitting a nearby fan. Just stupid.)
Cartweheel put on football shoulder pads and a football helmet, and he climbed in the ring. So, a chairshot to the head had no effect. Cartwheel hit a spear for a nearfall at 6:30, then he discarded the pads. Radrick did a lot of dorky dancing in this match, and the boos for him kept growing. Cartwheel hit an enzuigiri, then a nice pop-up Death Valley Driver and a standing corkscrew moonsault for a nearfall at 8:30.
Radrick hit a second-rope missile dropkick, then a springboard stunner; Cartwheel rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned. Cartwheel hit his catapult senton, then a Sasake Special flip to the floor at 10:30. However, he missed a top-rope Phoenix Splash in the ring. Radrick immediately hit a fisherman’s piledriver move for the pin. Decent match, but Cartwheel is the better talent and he really needs some wins.
5. Blake Christian defeated Titus Alexander at 14:00. Again, Titus reminds me of Ethan Page in look and demeanor. Blake got a nice face pop, so he’s apparently a babyface everywhere for GCW except in New Jersey. Titus apparently won their first-ever meeting. They opened with intense reversals. Blake hit a springboard moonsault, then a Fosbury Flop to the floor at 4:00. Blake went for a springboard move into the ring, but Titus caught him with a dropkick, allowing Titus to take control of the match. Titus got angry and kicked in the direction of the female ref, which drew boos.
Blake hit a spin kick to the head, and they were both down at 7:00. Blake hit a handspring-back-spin kick, then a flip dive to the floor, then a springboard flying forearm for a nearfall. Titus hit a neckbreaker over his knee, then a Go To Sleep kneestrike for a believable nearfall at 9:30. Blake hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly then a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall at 11:30. Titus fought back with a brainbuster for a believable nearfall. Blake applied a sleeper, but Titus powered out. Blake hit his Rollins-style stomp to the back of the head (he didn’t get all of it) for the pin. Really good match.
This show has been really good so far. Right on cue, they bring out the garbage weapons to ruin the good time.
6. Mance Warner defeated Hunter Freeman at 19:11. Freeman is tall and lanky and he’s competed on the GCW shows here in Los Angeles. They immediately traded forearm shots, and Prazak noted Hunter’s height advantage. They immediately brawled to the floor. Hunter got a staple gun and a screw driver, and he jabbed the screw driver into Warner’s forehead. He stapled money onto Warner’s forehead. I am not into this. Freeman hit a Bulldog powerslam through a door in the corner at 8:30. Hunter hit a moonsault onto Warner, who was lying on a door between two open chairs, for a nearfall.
Mance threw a (completely unnecessary) chair at Hunter’s head. Mance hit a top-rope superplex through a barbed-wire covered door. Both men are bleeding from their forehead. Hunter hit blows to the head with shattered parts of the door. Mance got a couple beers and they drank. Mance (who always channels Steve Austin anyway) suddenly kicked him in the gut and got the pin. Blah. At least no glass or light tubes.
7. B-Boy defeated Marcus Mathers, Jimmy Lloyd, Dylin McKay, Jordan Cruz and Eli Everfly in a six-way scramble match at 7:06. Cruz is a tall, muscular Latino and I’ve been impressed with him; he just had a good showing on New Japan Strong last week. McKay and Mathers did some team moves. Eli hit a top-rope flip dive onto everyone. Dylin hit a Poison Rana on Lloyd. Cruz hit a Styles Clash on B-Boy at 4:00. Mathers hit a Lionsault, then a flip dive to the floor. Lloyd hit a piledriver. Everfly hit a Canadian Destroyer. Cruz hit an impressive second-rope superplex. B-Boy hit a flipping powerbomb on Everfly to score the pin. Solid scramble; not my favorite scramble but it had good action.
8. Jonathan Gresham defeated Nick Wayne at 8:41. Good reversals to open. Gresham hit a dropkick to his back as Wayne sat on the apron. Prazak noted that Wayne “isn’t 100% entering this match,” and I see he does have tape on his right shoulder. (Wayne had to miss the final night of the London tour last week because of the injury.) Gresham hit a backbreaker over his knee at 3:30.
Wayne hit a fisherman’s suplex with a bridge for a nearfall, and he tried to apply a full nelson, but Gresham blocked it. Wayne hit a Dragon Suplex and a Code Red for a nearfall. Gresham hit a Lionsault Press and applied an anklelock at 8:00, and he turned it into a Figure Four Leglock. Gresham leaned backward while keeping Wayne’s legs tied up to score the pin. That was shockingly short, and frankly, quite underwhelming. Prazak said he’d love to have a rematch when both are fully healthy.
9. Alex Colon and John Wayne Murdoch defeated “Bussy” Effy and Allie Katch to retain the GCW Tag Titles at 14:29. It is just absurd to think that Katch can battle either taller, stronger man. Murdoch and Colon attacked at the bell. Colon dove through the ropes, striking a door on the floor, and all four brawled on the floor. They brawled in the ring with chairs and broken shards of the doors. Allie hit a piledriver for a nearfall. This is sloppy. Colon hit a dive to the floor on Effy. Murdoch hit a half-nelson suplex on Allie.
Katch hit a top-rope superplex on Murdoch onto a door lying in the ring at 8:30. Murdoch nailed an unprotected headshot with a chair on Effy. Allie hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Effy headed to the back and returned with a ladder. However, Murdoch hit a superplex on Effy off the ladder. Effy hit a Doomsday clothesline for a nearfall. Murdoch hit a Canadian Destroyer on Effy through a door for a believable nearfall. Colon and Murdoch hit a modified Team 3D on Allie, and Murdoch immediately applied a crossface move on her, until she passed out or tapped out.
Final Thoughts: Oliver continues to impress and Blackwood always looks good, even though he never seems to win. Those guys worked hard and earned best match. Blake Christian had a strong showing against Titus Alexander for second-best. Maldito and Arkangel had one heck of an opener for third place. I bet they’ve had that match (or similar to it) countless times in their lives, but it was fresh and fun for me.
Wayne-Gresham was just ok. It certainly wasn’t bad, but it was far below the high hopes anyone would have for the match.
I loved the massive heat on the South Pacific Savages as the attacked Charlie’s mom, while Charlie was helpless on the mat watching. The match just sort of ended, though, without a clearly heard bell, or statement of who won or lost.
One of my bigger complaints here is the West Coast talent that pop up on GCW shows there never seen to win, and it made it feel pretty straight forward on who was winning each match featuring East Coast vs. West Coast competitors. Anyone watching Cartwheel vs. Radrick can easily see Cartwheel is the far better talent.
While I didn’t like the two hardcore matches, at least we didn’t have glass or light tubes. If I was booking GCW, I would make a simple rule for hardcore wrestlers: under no circumstances should a chair leave your hands. You shouldn’t throw it anyone’s head. There is no upside for these types of blows to the head.
The show clocked in at just under three hours.
I think going to a GCW show and complaining about the hardcore matches is like going to an opera and complaining that there’s singing. You KNOW its part of the show, to either don’t go or accept its going to happen.