By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Garden State Pro Wrestling “Duality”
Available via YouTube.com
January 15, 2023 in Ridgefield, N.J. at Phil Sheridan Building
This is a small convention hall room, and attendance is 250-350. Alyssa Marino and Veda Scott provided commentary. They sound a lot alike; not their fault, but it was harder for me to differentiate between the two voices. I want to add that GSPW does a great job of showing replays in the middle of a match.
* The show began with several guys in the ring, arguing. It sounds like they were in a pre-show match. By the time they were done arguing, the woman in each faction agreed to a match.
1. Ruthless Lala defeated Kiah Dream at 8:41. Lala is Black and heavier. I think Kiah is Hispanic; I am almost certain she has competed in AEW before. Lots of stalling early. The male wrestlers continued arguing on the floor. Lala hit a senton for a nearfall at 4:00. Kiah hit a stunner, then a top-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall, but the heels put Lala’s foot on the ropes. Lala hit Kiah with a weapon; the cameras missed it. Kiah hit a top-rope dive onto all the men on the floor, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Kiah hit a rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall at 8:00. Lala nailed a tornado clothesline for the pin. Rough at times.
2. Kevin Blackwood defeated Bobby Orlando at 10:02. I don’t think I’ve seen Orlando before. He carried a stuffed goat toy “Bobby Jr.” and he wore colorful clothes he picked up at Hot Topic or Matt Hardy’s closet in 2000. I’m a big fan of the tattoo-covered, hard-hitting Blackwood; he will make his AEW Elevation debut this week from the Los Angeles taping. An intense lockup to start. Orlando hit a Rude Awakening neckbreaker for a nearfall at 2:00. Blackwood hit a German Suplex for a nearfall and some Yes Kicks to the chest.
Orlando fired back with a hard clothesline at 5:30, then a second-rope stunner for a nearfall. They traded forearm shots on the top rope. Blackwood nailed a second-rope superplex, and they were both down at 8:00. They fought over the stuffed goat, and they both begged the toy to come to them. Dumb. Orlando missed a top-rope moonsault. Blackwood hit a top-rope double stomp, and he applied a Texas Cloverleaf. Orlando reached for the stuffie, but he ultimately tapped out. Good match that was hampered by the stupidity over a stuffed toy. Blackwood picked up the stuffie and teased leaving with it, but he gave it back to Orlando.
3. “Young Dumb and Broke” Charlie Tiger and Ellis Taylor defeated “American Violence Dealers” Masha Slamovich and Akira at 12:25. This is a tournament match. I don’t read spoilers, but I presume Masha competed at the Impact taping on Saturday. Tiger is starting to look like Cameron Grimes, with his thick shoulder-length hair and noticeable chest hair. Akira and Tiger started. Masha tagged in, but Ellis stalled on the floor. Tiger dropped Taylor onto Masha for a nearfall at 3:30, and they began working her over. Akira hit an enzuigiri in the corner on Ellis, then he hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. The heels began working over Akira in their corner, with Ellis hitting a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall at 7:00.
Masha made the hot tag and she hit a knee strike to Tiger’s jaw in the corner, then a crucifix takedown rollup for a nearfall. Akira tagged in and nailed a head-capture suplex on Tiger for a believable nearfall. Tiger hit back suplexes on both opponents, showing impressive strength, and earning a “Holy shit!” chant at 10:00. Akira applied a Dragon Sleeper on Ellis and spun him several times. Akira hit a Doomsday legdrop on Ellis, but the ref got pulled from the ring before the three-count. Ellis hit a low blow, then a spin kick, to score the tainted pin on Akira.
4. Alan Angels defeated Alec Price to retain the GSPW Openweight Title at 13:43. Alyssa and Veda talked about Price’s whirlwind first two weeks of 2023, with matches in San Francisco and Chicago last week, and is now back here on the East Coast. Angels wore a “The Design” shirt; I presume he also was at Impact Wrestling a day ago. The lanky Price has a height advantage. I generally consider these guys to be heels, but Price is the babyface here. Standing switches to start. Price nailed a leaping shoulder tackle at 3:00, a huracanrana and a dropkick, sending Angels to the floor to regroup.
Angels hit a DDT as Price was tied in the ropes, and Price fell to the floor, selling the pain of the move. Back in the ring, Angels slammed him stomach-first to the mat and scored a nearfall, and he choked Price in the ropes. He hit a standing neckbreaker at 6:30 and was in charge. Price fired back with a second-rope crossbody block, and they were both down. Price nailed an enzuigiri and two running knees to the jaw, then a legdrop for a nearfall.
Price dove over the top rope onto Angels at 9:00. In the ring, Angels nailed a belly-to-bely overhead release suplex for a nearfall. They traded kicks to the thigh, then traded forearm shots. This has been really good. Angels nailed a snap Dragon Suplex and a spinning clothesline for a believable nearfall, and the commentators popped for the kickout. Price nailed an overhead flipping faceplant (Ace Austin’s “The Fold”) for a believable nearfall. Angels nailed a spin kick to the head for the clean pin. That was really entertaining.
Intermission. GSPW joins the other smart promotions that decides to air a match from a prior show. Brian Keith defeated Yuya Uemera at 9:39. This is in a hockey arena/fieldhouse; you can see the plexiglass behind the fans. This is from “Dynasty Clash;” Uemera is wearing his new red-and-white trunks so this is clearly a fairly recent matchup. As good of a sub-10 minute match as you’ll see, with Keith hitting a Tiger Driver powerbomb for the pin.
5. “The Bounty Hunter” Brian Keith defeated “The Corn-fed Cowboy” 1 Called Manders at 13:16. Well this should be a hoss fight. Keith just came off a great showing at PWG’s BOLA where he reached the semi-finals. The crowd chanted “both these guys!” A test of strength to open, and they quickly changed to trading chops. They brawled to ringside and traded chops in front of the fans. In the ring, Keith hit a suplex at 7:30. He hit another suplex into the turnbuckles, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!”
Manders fired back with a gut-wrench Doctor Bomb for a believable nearfall. He set up for his clothesline but Keith avoided it and he hit a suplex, and they were both down at 10:00. They traded headbutts while on all fours. Back on their feet, they traded more chops, and the crowd got more fired up as they kept going. Manders nailed a clothesline for a nearfall at 13:00. However, Keith nailed the Tiger Driver powerbomb for the clean pin. That was really entertaining. They tipped their hats at each other as a show of respect.
6. Edith Surreal defeated Jordan Blade at 11:05. I have only seen Edith once before in a tag match with Delirious; Edith is transgender and uses she/her pronouns. I don’t think I’ve seen Blade before; she’s a Black woman and a babyface. A quick background check says Blade had an AEW Elevation tag match against Ruby Soho and Thunder Rosa; I know I saw it but I don’t recall it. Edith has a height advantage, and she applied an anklelock on the mat at 5:00. Blade hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall, then a German Suplex. Edith hit a baseball slide dropkick as Jordan was tied in the ropes, sending her to the floor at 9:00. In the ring, Jordan hit a kneestrike that dropped Edith. They traded multiple rollups, and Edith scored the pin.
7. Marcus Mathers defeated Jordan Oliver, Hunter Drake, and Allie Katch in a four-way at 13:46. Katch wrestled Friday in Minneapolis for F1rst Wrestling; it is just insane the travel schedule of indy wrestlers today. I don’t know Hunter Drake; he has long hair but he’s short and probably the lightest person in the match; he’s a mini-Jordan Oliver in looks. At 6’2″, Oliver is just towering over these other three. Katch hit a tornado DDT on Mathers just seconds into the match. Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block on her, then a mule kick to her jaw. Oliver hit some quick kicks and a dropkick on Mathers. Drake hit a running Shooting Star Press at 2:00.
Mathers nailed a flip dive to the floor on everyone. In the ring, Oliver hit a Helluva Kick on Drake, and they traded quick offense. Oliver hit a Tiger Suplex for a believable nearfall. Oliver applied a Boston Crab at 5:00 and sat down for added pressure; Mathers hopped in the ring to break it up. Hunter nailed a Poison Rana on Oliver, then a mid-ring Spanish Fly on Oliver, and they were both down. Mathers powerbombed Drake onto Oliver!
Katch re-entered the ring and hit her rolling cannonballs in three separate corners. Oliver hit a sideslam on her. Hunter hit a lungblower on Oliver. Oliver hit a second-rope moonsault to the floor. Katch hit a second-rope superplex on Hunter, then a Death Valley Driver into the corner; both Oliver and Mathers hit coast-to-coast missile dropkicks to break up a pin attempt at 9:00. They all got up and traded chops. Everyone began hitting superkicks. Katch nailed a Michinoku Driver on Mathers for a believable nearfall.
Mathers hit a German Suplex on Oliver. Hunter hit a Canadian Destroyer on Mathers for a believable nearfall, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Katch hit her double suplex on Oliver and Hunter. Oliver hit a top-rope double stomp on Katch, but Hunter immediately hit a Swanton Bomb on Oliver! However, Mathers hit a top-rope 450 Splash on Hunter to score the pin. That was a really, really good four-way and a nice rapid-fire sequence for the pin. Hunter Drake made a really good first-impression.
8. Baliyan Akki and Mei Suruga defeated Yoya and Janai Kai in an intergender match at 13:28. Yoya is the short Cambodian man. Kai has the kickboxer vibe going, and I’m a fan. Suruga wears a Dalton Castle-style peacock robe. The women started with an intense lockup and standing reversals. Suruga hit Mike Bailey-style right-and-let kicks to the thighs. The men entered at 2:00, and Akki has a big height and weight advantage; they sped it up with neither man able to land a big blow, until Yoya hit a basement dropkick.
Akki hit a backbreaker over his knee. He did the “Dirty Dancing” spot where he hoisted Mei up in the air, then she dropped her weight onto Yoya. Mei did a never-ending rollup spot on Yoya and he was dizzy. Yoya hit a clothesline to the back of Akki’s head, and he tagged in Kai at 6:00. Janai hit a series of kicks on Akki. Mei hit a top-rope doublestomp on Kai’s back. Kai and Mei traded some really entertaining reversals, with Kai hitting a hard kick for a nearfall.
All four brawled in the ring. In a funny spot, Mei traded opponents so she could brawl with the shorter Yoya. Suruga hit a backflip off of Akki’s shoulders onto Yoya for a nearfall. Yoya and Kai hit a team suplex on Akki for a nearfall at 11:00, but Mei made the save. Yoya hit a Dragon Suplex and a stunner on Akki and he was fired up. Akki hit a sit-out powerbomb on Yoya for a believable nearfall, but Janai made the save. Akki hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee, then a neckbreaker over his knee on Yoya. In a cool spot, Akki flipped Mei mid-air and she slammed down on Yoya; they both covered Yoya for the pin. That was a blast.
9. Robert Martyr defeated Titus Alexander in a No. 1 contender’s match at 12:31. Alexander is the West Coast kid who reminds me of Ethan Page in looks and demeanor; he competed in PWG’s BOLA last week. I’ve now seen Martyr three times and I’m just not seeing “it;” I don’t see anything special there that puts him in the main event, but let’s see if this one changes my mind. Martyr has the short curly black hair and a thin mustache; both of these guys competed on the West Coast Pro Wrestling show nine days ago in San Francisco, which I previously reviewed. Martyr is wearing a heavily-wrapped brace on his left shoulder.
Titus has the height advantage and he dropped Martyr with a shoulder tackle seconds into the match. Martyr immediately rolled to the ring and sold pain in his shoulder. Back in the ring, Martyr hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, then a dive through the ropes onto Titus. Back in the ring, Titus unloaded some hard chops and he took control. Titus hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 5:00, and he got in the ref’s face after the kickout.
Titus hit a Northern Lights suplex and a double stomp to the chest, remaining in control. Martyr fired back with a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. They went back to the floor and traded chops in front of the fans. In the ring, they traded German Suplexes. Martyr’s brace came loose but they kept going. Martyr nailed a discus lariat, and they were both down at 9:30. They got up and traded forearm shots. Titus hit a Go To Sleep kneestrike for a nearfall. Titus hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Martyr nailed a piledriver for a nearfall at 12:00, then a running knee to the jaw for a believable nearfall. Martyr then nailed a twisting brainbuster for the pin.
* Martyr got on the mic and said he dislocated his shoulder last Friday. He said he has cemented himself as one of the best. He said he’ll be in the ring seven days a week, even if it kills him. He vowed to win the title from Alan Angels.
Final Thoughts: This was a good show with five really strong matches, and I could put those five in any order, but I’ll go with the four-way for best, Angels-Price for second, Mathers-Keith for third place, followed by the main event, then the mixed tag. I wouldn’t argue with anyone who put those top five in a different order, but all five matches deserved to be noted as above-average, quality indy matches. Masha/Akira’s match was good, but still can’t break into the top five on a night with so much good action.
Yes, Martyr looked better here than any match I’ve seen him in. The first time I saw him, Davey Richards tossed him around the entirety of the match before losing. Titus is a really good heel, and I think he carried Martyr to a watchable match here.
I know I’m a broken record, but it is just aburd to think Allie Katch could hold her on in a believable fight against Jordan Oliver, or Jani Kai could stand a chance against Akki. Yes, I object to watching a man fight a woman. With all that said, both of those matches were really entertaining and highly watchable.
Blade and Surreal were put in a really tough position, after that hot, hard-hitting Manders-Keith match. In retrospect, they should have been the ‘popcorn match’ coming out of intermission. It was rough going most of the match. Likewise, that was not a good opener.
This show ran three-and-a-quarter hours and I will reiterate this is free and available on YouTube.com, and this is definitely worth checking out.
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