By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, MLW, ROH, 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 “GCW in Liverpool”
Streamed on FITE+
September 16, 2023 in Liverpool, England at Hangar 34
This is the second consecutive night in this venue and it once again is packed with maybe 600 people. Several GCW roster members who didn’t compete on Friday are here.
1. Starboy Charlie and Jimmy Lloyd defeated “CPF” Joe Lando and Danny Black at 6:19. Lando, a short, white redhead, toured the U.S. last year until he hurt his ankle. CPF wore pink and came to the ring to a Backstreet Boys song. Lando and Charlie opened. Black, who is really thin with a dark complexion and lots of tattoos, entered and got in some offense. Lloyd grounded the smaller Lando. Charlie hit a senton for a nearfall on Lando at 3:00, a dropkick and a running Shooting Star Press.
Black accidentally kicked Lando, earning a “you f—ed up!” chant. Charlie hit a Poison Rana. Lando hit an impressive Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Black went for a dive to the floor but Lloyd cut him off with a kick, and he hit a piledriver. Charlie hit a second-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall. Charlie hit a doublestomp while Lloyd hit a piledriver on Lando for the pin. Good match.
* Note: I’m watching live but the commentary and crowd reaction is two seconds ahead of the picture, so I’m turning the commentary off. I found it distracting to hear a crowd pop for a kick-out before I saw it happen. I presume this is just a delay issue being as this match is happening six time zones away.
2. Jordan Oliver defeated Man Like DeReiss at 14:53. I compare DeReiss to a young Shelton Benjamin, and he rapped on the way to the ring. Oliver wore his JCW title belt but it was not on the line here; I prefer that because if it was a title match, I’d presume Jordan was winning and retaining. They played to the crowd at the bell, as these are both quite popular babyfaces. An intense lockup to open and they battled in a knucklelock. DeReiss hit a shoulder tackle that dropped Oliver at 3:30. Oliver tied up DeReiss on the mat. Oliver hit a Helluva Kick at 7:00. DeReiss hit a fallaway slam.
DeReiss nailed a top-rope Blockbuster for a nearfall at 8:30. Jordan hit a hard clothesline, then a plancha to the floor at 10:30. Oliver hit a Helluva Kick then his face-first Acid Bomb for a believable nearfall. Oliver hit a stunner then a Mafia Kick, but DeReiss popped up and hit a stunner. DeReiss hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 12:30. DeReiss hit a forearm that dropped Oliver, who (kayfabe) was knocked loopy and the ref checked on him to make sure he was okay. They traded rollups. Oliver got an O’Connor Roll for a nearfall. DeReiss hit an enzuigiri. Oliver nailed his springboard Clout Cutter for the clean pin! That was fantastic.
* Oliver got on the mic so I turned the volume back up. He called MLD back to the ring. “This guy is pretty good, right?” he said and the crowd popped. Oliver said, “when you are willing and ready, come to the United States and let’s do it again.” He then suggested Oliver and Nick Wayne vs. Man Like DeReiss and Leon Slater in a tag match, and that popped the crowd.
3. Joey Janela defeated Blue Kane at 7:44. I don’t understand the popularity of Blue Kane, who just wears a blue Kane mask and outfit. Janela came to the ring first. Kane came out and we had some fake snow falling on him, a la Sting. Whoever this guy is, he’s tall and has Glenn Jacobs’ mannerisms down. Janela stalled on the floor and looked terrified. Janela hit some kicks to the gut that Blue Kane no-sold. Janela is 5’8″, then Blue Kane is 6’4″. They fought to the floor, where Janela hit some kicks. He put on his jacket, pretending like the falling fake snow was making him cold. He got back in the ring and was making really exaggerated facial features showing he was terrified.
In the ring, Janela applied a sleeper but Blue Kane powered out at 4:00, and he hit a running Stinger Splash in the corner, then a side slam. Janela hit a Death Valley Driver but Kane immediately sat up. Janela hit a kick to the head, but Blue Kane sat up again. They did this several times. Blue Kane hit a chokeslam, but Janela rolled to the floor at 6:00. In the ring, Janela hit a DDT onto a folded chair for a nearfall. Janela threw a chair at Blue Kane’s head but he sat up again. Janela hit a doublestomp onto a chair on Blue Kane’s chest for the pin. Solid match, and Blue Kane certainly has mastered the copycat of Kane.
4. Gringo Loco defeated Arez and Latigo in a three-way at 14:28. This was billed as just Arez vs. Gringo Loco, but they apparently turned it into a three-way. Arez and Latigo teamed a day ago, so this could/should feel like two-on-one. Quick lucha reversals from all three and we had a standoff at 1:00. Arez hit a satellite huracanrana on Loco. Arez ran up their backs and posed and got a nice pop. He hit a flip dive to the floor on both opponents at 3:00. In the ring, Arez hit a top-rope crossbody block on Latigo. Loco applied a Tajiri-style Tarantula in the ropes on Arez. Latigo hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor, then a flip dive to the floor, hitting so hard he went over the guardrail and into the crowd!
In the ring, Latigo got a nearfall on Arez at 6:00. Loco hit his reverse Angle Slam, dropping Arez stomach-first. Latigo hit a crossbody block in the corner on Loco, then a backbreaker over his knee on Arez for a nearfall. Arez hit a stunner. Loco hit a fallaway stunner. Arez hit a Poison Rana on Latigo and all three were down at 10:30. Arez hit a moonsault to the floor on both. In the ring, Latigo and Arez brawled in the corner, and Latigo hit a fallaway slam! However, Loco hit a dive onto Latigo, then a corkscrew moonsault onto Arez for a believable nearfall at 13:00. Loco hit a Doomsday Canadian Destroyer on Arez, then his top-rope swinging powerbomb to the mat on Latigo for the pin. That was fantastic. These three clearly know each other quite well.
* Loco got on the mic and said, “Give it up for authentic lucha libre right now.” He said GCW is on a f’n roll, and he put over both Arez and Latigo. Arez got on the mic and said “I don’t speak good English, but I love you guys. Thank you.”
* A video previewing a double-ring hardcore match on Oct. 7. When we return, there were a handful of light tubes in the ring. Ugh.
5. Rina Yamashita defeated Session Moth Martina to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 17:42. Rina was in a bloody war a day ago; while it’s not my favorite style of match, I truly am amazed she’s wrestling again a day later. SMM is the blonde sorority party girl who often has a drink in her hand, and she had a short run at the end of the ROH Sinclair era. (The onscreen graphic just says “Session Moth” but the commentator and ring announcer called her by the full name.) I’ve seen maybe 10 matches of hers over the past few years but I admittedly haven’t seen her in an ultraviolent match. “She looks a bit out of her depth” the commentator said, seemingly reading my mind. Rina came to the ring second, and SMM ran from the ring, looking terrified. Heck, I would be too, SMM!
She looked reluctant to get into the ring, as she picked up a barbed-wire-covered paddle. The referee has gloves on and goggles. He called for the bell but SMM didn’t want to lock up. She laid down on the mat, ready to forfeit. In something I’ve never seen before (truly!), Rina made the cover, but then pulled Martina up before the three-count! Martina dove to the floor, rolled under the ring, and brought a bouquet of roses into the ring and offered them to Rina. I’m really enjoying this comedy. Rina hit Martina over the head with the roses, and Martina went right back to the floor and had a drink of someone’s beer.
In the ring, Rina laid down and Martina hesitantly covered her and got a nearfall at 4:30. Martina went under the ring and got a long stick. However, Rina broke a light tube over SMM’s head. (This happened on the floor, just feet away from fans in the front row. Just a terrible idea when these light tubes cause flying debris.) In the ring, Rina broke a light tube over her own head and she gauged the broken tube into SMM’s forehead at 7:00, and Martina was bleeding. This is now gross. Rina hit a Stomp on Martina’s back for a nearfall at 9:30. (Why would Martina kick out???) They traded forearm shots.
Rina poured beer into SMM’s mouth. I can’t stress enough how much blood Martina has lost now. She picked up her kendo stick and hit several blows to Rina’s unprotected head. Martina hit a spear then another kendo stick strike to the top of Rina’s unprotected head at 12:30. Rina hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall, but she again pulled up Martina rather than pin her. Martina applied a mid-ring Octopus but Rina reached the ropes.
Rina delivered an enzuigiri and a hard clothesline, but she again pulled up Martina at 15:00. Rina left the ring and got a board that she tossed in the ring and set up in the corner. Martina hit a lungblower move to the chin for a nearfall. Rina hit a Death Valley Driver through the board for a nearfall at 17:30. (Again, why would Martina kick out????) Rina hit a Razor’s Edge onto a pile of light tubes for the pin. Well, they definitely told a story. They celebrated with beers afterward.
* A 15-minute break to clean up the ring. I’ve noticed the sound is back aligned with the picture so I’m listening to commentary again.
6. Dark Sheik and “Bussy” Effy and Allie Katch defeated Tate Mayfairs, James Ellis, and Mulligan at 13:53. The heels attacked from behind to start the match. I don’t know the heels and the commentator isn’t helping. Mulligan is really, really tall. Tate and Ellis are dressed identically and with the low lighting, I couldn’t keep them apart. Katch and Tate entered at 2:30; he slammed her to the mat and stood over her and jawed. The heels took turns stomping on Allie in the corner. Effy finally made the hot tag and hit a double Blockbuster at 9:00, then some Helluva Kicks. He hit a double Rough Rider legdrop. Sheik tagged in but missed a top-rope legdrop at 10:00.
Sheik hit a huracanrana. They did some comedy where Allie accidentally kissed Effy and they were both grossed by it. Mulligan chokeslammed Sheik to the floor. She began beating the heck out of all the men with some absurd offense. She hit her piledriver out of the ropes at 13:00. Allie hit another piledriver on Ellis for the pin.
7. Masha Slamovich defeated Tony Deppen at 11:49. He called her “a bitch” seconds into the match. They mat wrestled and Tony couldn’t kip up to his feet. Deppen mocked her early on and he slammed her face-first on the ring apron at 3:30. He tied her up on the mat and wasn’t taking this seriously. She hit a Helluva Kick at 5:30, then a spinning heel kick for a nearfall. She hit a back suplex for a nearfall, then a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 7:00. He hit a running sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
She avoided a running knee, and she hit another spin kick to the head. She hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. He hit a leaping knee to her jaw, then a Half Nelson Suplex at 9:30, then a Meteora running double kneestrike for a nearfall. He hit a doublestomp to her chest, then a piledriver for a nearfall, and the crowd rallied for Masha. Masha hit a package piledriver for the pin.
8. Blake Christian defeated Leon Slater to retain the GCW Heavyweight Title at 18:58. Again, Slater is the lanky, talented Black teen, who I compare to Nick Wayne for their age and body type. Blake attacked to start the match. They avoided each other’s big moves. They went to the floor, where Leon hit some hard chops in front of the fans, then a running boot to the jaw at 3:00. In the ring, Blake hit a jump-up spin kick in the corner. They brawled back to the floor, where Blake shoved Slater shoulder-first into the ring post, and he focused on the damaged limb in the ring. Blake hit a spinebuster at 7:30, then a Mafia Kick. Blake bent both of Slater’s arms behind his back and he kicked on one, and it made an awful snapping sound at 9:30.
Leon hit a stunner and was fired up. He hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall at 11:00. Blake nailed a running knee and was back in charge. Slater hit a Blue Thunder Bomb at 13:00. Blake nailed his handspring-back-spin kick, then a flip dive to the floor at 15:00. He nailed a springboard 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. Blake went for a rolling kick but he accidentally struck the ref! Slater hit a powerbomb for a visual pin but we didn’t have a ref!
Slater hit an enzuigiri that sent Blake to the floor. Slater hit a flip dive over a turnbuckle onto Blake on the floor. In the ring, Slater hit a corner-to-corner missile dropkick, then a top-rope 450 Splash; the ref woke up and Slater got a two-count at 18:00. Blake applied a crossface chickenwing, then the Rollins-style Stomp to the back of the head for the pin. That was really good, too.
* They once again aired a video package of El Hijo Del Vikingo vs. Nick Gage from Sept. 1 in Chicago. (This package aired during the GCW New York shows last week, too.) A very good highlight reel from an excellent match, so I’m not surprised they aired it again.
9. “Los Macizos” Ciclope and Miedo Extremo defeated Big F’n Joe and Clint Margera in a death match at 13:08. As we return to ringside, we have more light tubes set up in the ring. Ugh. I’ve seen Joe before; he wrestles in a white button-down shirt, a black tie, and his white underwear; he’s a bigger Joe Coffey. Margera wore black and he has short black hair; I don’t think I’ve seen him before. They took turns whacking each other with light tubes over the head. Ciclope hit a piledriver on Clint onto a pile of glass shards. Joe hit a backbody drop, sending Miedo onto a tray of glass at 6:30. More light tubes were brought to the ring. Joe shoved cooking skewers in Miedo’s head. Needless to say, everyone was bleeding and there was glass everywhere. Ciclope leapt off the ropes and slammed a light tube onto Joe for the pin. Yuck.
Final Thoughts: You had three superb matches here, and I’ll actually go with Oliver-DeReiss for best match, the lucha three-way for second, and Slater-Blake for third. Janela-Blue Kane and Deppen-Masha were fine, and considering how much I hate light tubes and excessive blood loss, I enjoyed Rina-SMMartina, watching Martina at first trying to duck out of the match, but getting more and more violent as the match kept going. But, you really only need one death match, and the main event didn’t hold my interest at all. I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough today to buy that Allie Katch could hit all those blows on her male opponents, and some of them comically oversold them to the point of being cartoonish.
I really like that this show had a vastly different lineup than what was shown Friday. I definitely want to see DeReiss and Slater, but I’m fine with rotating the other British wrestlers as they square off against the GCW roster. There is one more GCW show here on Sunday. Check out GCW shows at Fite+
Be the first to comment