GCW “Til Infinity” results: Vetter’s review of Mike Bailey vs. 2 Cold Scorpio, Janai Kai and Yoya vs. Billie Starkz and Brogan Finlay, Willie Mack vs. Starboy Charlie, Ciclope and Extremo Miedo vs. Masha Slamovich and Akira in a death match for the GCW Tag Titles, Allie Katch vs. Maki Itoh, Effy vs. Blake Christian, Kerry Morton vs. Jimmy Lloyd for the NWA Jr. Hvt. Title

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By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)

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GCW “Til Infinity”
Replay available via Fite.TV
December 31, 2022 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at The Showboat

Dave Prazak and Veda Scott provided commentary. The show started at 8 p.m. EST, and Prazak said the goal was to have a four-hour show to go to midnight. The attendance appears to be similar to most events here, in the 400-600 range. Note: the main event of Hijo Del Vikingo vs. Joey Janela will be seen in the building but is not being streamed to fans, as per AAA rules.

1. “The East-West Express” Nick Wayne and Jordan Oliver defeated “Wasted Youth” Marcus Mathers and Dylin McKay at 16:53. When Wayne and Oliver team, they wear identical gear. Oliver and Mathers started. Oliver slammed Wayne onto Mathers at 3:30. McKay hit a running Shooting Star Press on Wayne, and WY started working Wayne over. Mathers hit a nice Northern Lights suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Jordan finally made the hot tag and he hit a stunner on Mathers, then a sit-out powerbomb on McKay for a nearfall.

McKay hit a tornado DDT on Oliver and a twisting suplex into the turnbuckles for a nearfall at 10:00, and they traded chops. Wayne entered and hit a Code Red on McKay for a nearfall. Mathers made a blind tag and he hit a Lungblower out of the ropes on Wayne. McKay hit a tombstone piledriver for a nearfall, but Oliver made the save at 12:30, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Wayne hit a superkick on Mathers. Mathers fired back with a German Suplex on Wayne.

Oliver hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, while Wayne hit another Code Red, and all four were down at 14:00. They all got up and traded blows. Oliver hit a Mafia Kick. WY hit team superkicks on Wayne. Mathers hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press, and Mathers nailed a 450 Splash on Wayne for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. The crowd chanted “Nick F’n Wayne!” Wayne hit a Poison Rana. Oliver hit a Helluva Kick. They hit a team spinning faceplant on McKay for a nearfall, then a team Clout Cutter, with Wayne pinning McKay. WOW, that was a tremendous opener.

2. Kerry Morton defeated Jimmy Lloyd to retain the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title at 7:28. Yes, Morton had the title belt, and Prazak doubted if Lloyd was under the weight limit. (He definitely is not.) Lloyd has to have been pinned more than any other wrestler in GCW this year, but the crowd chanted “New champ!” before the bell. Morton opened with a wristlock and got booed! Prazak laughed and said the fans here want violence, not Morton’s southern-style offense. This crowd booed anything and everything that outsider Morton tried.

Morton hit a snap suplex at 3:00. Lloyd fired up and hit some forearm shots, then a second-rope superplex at 5:30. Morton hit a stunner and a discus clothesline to more boos. The fans chanted, “F**k you, Kerry!” Lloyd hit a bulldog powerslam for a nearfall. Morton nailed a jumping knee to the chin for the pin out of nowhere. Loud boos for the finish, but no one thought Morton was losing his title here.

3. Effy defeated Blake Christian at 10:59. Blake is a babyface in all other GCW venues but has been booed by the Showboat crowd most of the year, and taking on a fan favorite like Effy isn’t going to help. I’ve said this before, but Effy is deceptively big, with a height and weight advantage. Blake tossed him to the floor seconds in and got loudly booed. Blake nailed a flip dive to the floor at 4:00, and he beat up Effy on the floor. In the ring, Blake hit a German Suplex.

Effy fired back with a Northern Lights suplex and a Doink-style whoopee cushion splash at 7:30, then a Stomp for a nearfall. Blake hit a 619; when he kipped up he got booed. Blake hit a springboard 450 Splash for a nearfall. They traded forearm shots. Blake nailed a running forearm and a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:00, and the crowd chanted for Effy. Effy got a schoolboy rollup out of nowhere for the pin; he didn’t even believe he won.  Blake teased leaving the ring and got booed; he went back in, kissed Effy on the top of his head and hugged him. That’s as good as Effy has looked, with absolutely none of his typical gay humor.

4. Tony Deppen defeated Leon Slater at 12:54. Emil Jay joined commentary and put over Slater. Leon is the Black British teenager; he is Europe’s version of Nick Wayne, with similar size/height/age. Deppen is literally twice his age, and he tried grounding Slater with mat holds early on. Slater hit a nice dropkick at 1:30. They traded chops. Slater hit a handspring-back-elbow at 5:00, then a dropkick in the corner for a nearfall. Deppen hit a Lungblower; Slater hit a Helluva Kick. (We have our first countdown clock appearing on screen telling us it is 9:05 EST and we are three hours until midnight).

Deppen applied a Crossface Chickenwing but Slater escaped. Slater dove through the ropes, barreling onto Deppen at 9:00. Slater hit a flip dive over the corner of the ring onto Deppen, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Slater hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Slater set up for a springboard move, but Deppen pushed the referee in front of him as a human shield. Slater nailed a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 11:00.

Slater hit a knee strike to Deppen’s head for a nearfall, and Deppen was disoriented. Deppen hit an enzuigiri in the corner. They fought on the ropes, but Slater hit a top-rope twisting suplex. Slater nailed a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall. Deppen nailed a kneestrike to the forehead for the pin. Another really good match. Deppen rolled out of the ring and left, leaving Slater in the ring, who got a nice “please come back!” chant.

Nick Gage came to the ring, with his elaborate entrance, soaking in the love of the crowd. Maki Itoh hit the ring and tried to mimmick Gage’s entrance. He told her she needs to win the next match to become “gang affiliated.”

5. Maki Itoh defeated Allie Katch at 11:35. Katch has the height and weight advantage. Itoh hit a series of punches to the head in the corner, but she missed the Kokeshi falling headbutt. Katch hit a Northern Lights Suplex at 3:00. Itoh gave her the middle finger, so Katch grabbed it and twisted it. Katch slammed Itoh’s head into the turnbuckle but it had no effect. Itoh nailed a Facewash in the corner, and this time, hit the Kokeshi for a nearfall at 5:00. Itoh hit a DDT onto the ring apron.

Itoh went under the ring and got a pizza cutter! Prazak said she is trying to earn Gage’s respect, as she used it across Katch’s forehead, with the fans chanting, “over here!” Katch was bleeding on the top of her forehead. Katch nailed a second-rope superplex, but Itoh hit a tornado DDT, and they were both down at 8:00. They traded forearm shots, with Katch getting the better of the exchange. Itoh began crying. Funny. Katch nailed her buttbump and rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall. Katch was really bloody now.

Itoh got some rollups, then a DDT for a nearfall. Itoh rolled to the floor and got a light tube from under the ring, getting a huge pop. Katch cut her off and stole it. Itoh got it back and cracked it over Katch’s head at 11:00. Itoh then leapt off the second-rope, caught Katch’s head, and hit a DDT for the pin. That was fun. While I don’t like these weapons, it made total sense for this match, as Itoh was showing she was willing to wrestle like Gage to become ‘gang-affiliated.’

6. “Los Macizos” Ciclope and Extremo Miedo defeated Masha Slamovich and Akira in a death match to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 15:39. I’ve seen Akira before; he has a mohawk. (This is not NJPW’s Francesco Akira.) Several rolls of light tubes were set up in the corner. Ugh. Everyone grabbed a light tube before the bell. Nice to see Miedo doesn’t have his shoulder taped up; he’s been nursing that injury since mid-summer. Just seconds in, Masha hit a top-rope flip dive onto all three men.

This devolved into everyone whacking each other over the head and back with light tubes. Masha got a shopping cart and a ladder; she was in the shopping cart but it tipped over as she slammed the ladder into her opponents at 6:00. In the ring, Ciclope hit a suplex on Masha. Miedo hit her with a superkick and a powerbomb for a nearfall, but Akira made the save. Akira got a weed whacker and used it on Ciclope’s head at 10:30. Miedo hit a backbreaker over his knee on Masha.

Miedo hit a German Suplex on Akira. Miedo slammed Masha through a pane of glass, then he hit a brainbuster on Akira at 13:00. Masha hit an Air Raid Crash on Ciclope for a nearfall. In a scary spot, Miedo hit a Razor’s Edge overhead powerbomb on Masha over the top rope and through a door set up on the floor. Akira hit a German Suplex on Miedo. Ciclope hit a Doomsday Clothesline through a pane of glass on Akira, but Masha made the save. Miedo immediately hit a piledriver on Akira for the pin, with Ciclope holding Masha at bey. Glad she got back up, because that toss to the floor had me jump out of my seat.

* A very, very long intermission. I watched a half-hour TV show.

7. 1 Called Manders, Cole Radrick, Dark Sheik, and Mance Warner defeated Rob Shit, Shane Mercer, Axton Ray, and Sam Stackhouse at 12:09. Mercer and Axton teamed up recently and dominated some smaller guys, and I wrote at the time I hoped they would have future matches together. Stackhouse is big, like ROH’s Brian Milonas big. Rob Shit is a West Coast guy. They all started brawling before all the ring intros were finished. Sheik hit a dive onto several guys on the floor. Stackhouse dove between the ropes onto everyone.

They all brawled on the floor. Mance whipped a computer monitor at Axton’s head. (Stupidly dangerous; if I were a wrestler, I’d refuse to get in the ring with Mance.) Manders powerslammed someone through a door in the corner. Mercer did a gorilla press on Manders; that’s a big man to lift like that! Mercer nailed his top-rope fallaway slam on Sheik for a nearfall at 6:30. Axton hit a powerbomb on Radrick. In another impressive spot, Mercer hit an overhead release belly-to-belly suplex, tossing Rob Shit through a door set up in the corner. Mance threw another chair at Mercer’s head. Stupid and unnecessary.

Axton hit a powerslam on Radrick at 9:00. Sheik hit a straight punch to Axton’s groin, then a tornado DDT onto an open chair. Stackhouse set up for a Vader Bomb; I can’t stress enough he might be 500 pounds. Manders and Radrick chokeslammed Stackhouse from the corner through a table in the ring. Sheik immediately hit a top-rope legdrop to pin Stackhouse. I’ll be blunt: I only like Manders, Axton and Mercer of these eight competitors. This was hard to watch at times, especially those dangerous spots of weapons being thrown at an opponent’s head.

8. Mike Bailey defeated 2 Cold Scorpio at 16:49. Scorpio, age 57, had a really strong singles match two weeks ago against Rich Swann, so I’m optimistic for more here. He danced extensively and we have the on-screen graphic telling us we’ve reached 11 p.m. EST. Standing switches to begin. Bailey switched to a series of kicks at 3:00. Bailey nailed a Helluva Kick in the corner. They traded forearm shots, and Scorpio flipped Bailey to the floor at 6:00. Scorpio went for a plancha, but Bailey caught him with a kick to the chest.

Bailey leapt off a short bar and hit a crossbody block as they brawled around the building. Bailey hit a senton; Veda Scott said she didn’t expect them to fight so much on the floor. They finally re-entered the ring, with Bailey hitting his moonsault kneedrop for a nearfall at 13:30. Bailey has a cut along his left eye. Scorpio hit a second-rope summersault for a nearfall. Scorpio hit a top-rope moonsault for a believable nearfall at 15:30.

Bailey nailed a Frankensteiner out of the corner, but he missed the Ultimo Weapon summersault kneedrop. Bailey nailed a superkick, then his tornado kick. He nailed the Ultimo Weapon for the clean pin. “An absolute battle between two innovators of professional wrestling,” Veda Scott said.

9. Willie Mack defeated Starboy Charlie at 14:56. Charlie is yet another teenager on this show. (At least four!). He is another West Coast guy, but he’s wearing bib overalls that looks indy-riffic; did his gear get lost? Mack competed in AAA in Mexico just days ago. Mack has a huge weight and overall size advantage, and he easily shoved Charlie to the mat. Mack nailed a Pounce at 3:30, and he unloaded some chops in the corner. Charlie clipped the knee at 6:30 and hit a Lionsault for a nearfall.

Mack nailed a decapitating clothesline, and he overpowered Charlie with some forearm shots. They brawled to the floor, where Charlie hit an Asai Moonsault at 10:30. In the ring, Charlie hit a top-rope crossbody block. Mack hit a Samoan Drop, and they were both down. Mack kipped up and hit his standing moonsault for a nearfall at 12:00. Mack nailed a pop-up forearm shot, then a running knee for a believable nearfall. (Mack made a lazy cover and I expected Charlie to flip him over for a surprise pin.)

Charlie nailed a stunner and a shotgun dropkick, then a second-rope Phoenix Splash for a believable nearfall at 14:00. This is really good. Mack nailed a stunner, then a second stunner. Mack nailed a top-rope frogsplash for the clean pin. That was a fun match. Prazak said there was “no shame in that loss.”

10. John Wayne Murdoch defeated Sawyer Wreck in an intergender hardcore match at 7:08. Ugh, I really don’t like intergender matches, especially hardcore matches. Weapons are set up in the ring. I always point this out, but Sawyer is a legit 6’1″ or so, and is taller than her male competitors. Murdoch immediatey broke light tubes over her head and tossed her through a pane of glass, just seconds in. She bodyslammed him on a light tube bundle for a nearfall. She was bleeding from a cut on her arm.

She hit a sideslam. Prazak and Veda pointed out that she is losing a lot of blood. They took turns whacking each other over the head with light tubes and this is getting rather dull. She chokeslammed him onto four open chairs for a nearfall at 6:30. Murdoch hit a snap suplex through a glass pane for the pin. Not my idea of fun.

* Murdoch got on the mic and put Sawyer over. Nick Gage returned to the ring, along with most of the top stars, as we are now about five minutes to midnight EST. Joey Janela spoke on the mic about spending the past several NYE in a wrestling ring, and saying it is better than being in an overpriced night club. A nice celebration to close out 2022. We had a short break to clean up the ring.

11. Janai Kai and Yoya defeated Billie Starkz and Brogan Finlay at 7:28. Yoya is the short Cambodian man who is maybe 5’2″. Brogan is the 20-year-old son of Fit Finlay. Starkz and Janai opened against each other. Starkz hit an ugly German suplex, dropping Yoya on his head. She then hit a snap suplex on him for a nearfall. Finlay hit a senton on Yoya for a nearfall at 3:30. The men traded hitting German suplexes.

Janai got back in and hit a series of kicks on Billie. Brogan nailed a superkick on Janai at 5:30. Starkz hit a Gory Bomb on Yoya. Starkz hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall on Yoya. Everyone fought in the ring. Kai and Yoya hit a team brainbuster on Brogan for a nearfall. Janai then hit a slam to pin Brogan. The show signed off at about 12:20 a.m. EST.

* A reminder that fans in the building had the bonus match of Hijo Del Vikingo vs. Joey Janela.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed that show opener and it gets my best match. I’lll go with Deppen-Slater for second best, followed by Scorpio-Bailey. The Mack-Charlie match unfolded nicely and deserves honorable mention.

I didn’t mind the long show, and it felt like they found a spot for nearly everyone who was a regular in 2022. It was a nice celebration to close out a good year.

I know I point this out frequently, but GCW doesn’t have guardrails separating fans from ringside. So, fans are seated way too close to ringside when glass and light tube debris is flying from the ring. It is a recipe for a fan injury and a lawsuit. They can’t say they haven’t been warned…

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