By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “C’Mon Dude”
Streamed on FITE+
December 2, 2023 in Hartford, Connecticut at The Webster Theatre
The venue is a theater, with the ring pushed up next to the stage. So, most of the fans were seated below the hard camera. Dave Prazak and Emil Jay provided commentary…
* Nick Gage came to the ring and was mobbed by fans. He fired up the fans but said nothing that furthered any storylines.
1. Jordan Oliver defeated Azriel to retain the JCW Title at 10:09. Prazak said this is Oliver’s 19th title defense. Azriel replaces the announced Tony Deppen, who posted on Twitter/X that his car broke down on the drive to the show. Standing switches to open. Oliver hit a springboard dropkick at 2:00. Azriel hit a top-rope crossbody block. Oliver suplexed Azriel into a corner. Oliver hit a sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 6:00. Azriel hit a superkick and a buzzsaw kick. He placed Oliver’s feet on the top rope and hit a DDT. Azriel hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Oliver set up for his Acid Bomb but Azriel avoided it. Oliver hit a Cleopatra stunner. Azriel hit a German Suplex at 9:30. Oliver hit a stunner, the Helluva Kick in the corner, then he hit the Acid Bomb for the clean pin. Good back-and-forth match, but the winner was never in doubt.
2. Cole Radrick defeated Marcus Mathers at 8:56. This is a bonus, unadvertised match. Brett Lauderdale joined Prazak on commentary. Mathers hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 3:00. Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block. Cole hit a forearm to the back of the head at 5:00, then a 619. Cole hit a top-rope Swanton Bomb for a nearfall. Mathers hit a stunner and a German Suplex, then another stunner for a nearfall. Mathers nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 8:00. Mathers hit a series of kicks. Cole hit a roundhouse kick and a springboard stunner, then his Little Sebastian’s Curse pumphandle powerbomb for the pin. The wrong guy won; this was the time to elevate Mathers here.
3. Masha Slamovich and Rina Yamashita defeated “Miracle Generation” Dustin Waller and Kylon King at 14:14. Masha and Rina each held a title belt; they rarely lose to men and I don’t expect it here, despite the winning streak MG are on. The women attacked at the bell. Masha hit a running knee on Kylon for a nearfall. Kylon slammed Waller onto Masha. The MG set up for dives to the floor, but the women struck them with chairs to the head. Everyone brawled on the floor. MG both leapt off a ledge and onto the women at 4:00. In the ring, Kylon hit a German Suplex on Masha for a nearfall. Waller hit forearm strikes on each woman.
Waller and Rina traded forearm strikes which I just find so absurd that she could hang with him. Rina grabbed him in the groin, then hit an enzuigiri. The women suplexed Waller onto a pile of folded chairs for a nearfall at 7:30. Masha hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Dustin. Kylon hit a springboard dropkick onto both women. Waller hit a double Lethal Injection, and Kylon hit a double Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Masha and Kylon traded forearm strikes (equally ridiculous). She hit an axe kick to the back of the head. MG hit superkicks on each woman, then stereo knee strikes on Masha. They hit a team slam for a nearfall but Rina made the save at 11:00.
MG hit double knees to Rina’s chin. The women hit a team Tiger Driver on Kylon for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. Masha got a board from under the ring. However, Waller ran from the stage, leapt over the top rope and hit a stunner on Masha. Waller hit his Mamba Splash frogsplash on Masha for a believable nearfall; that should have been it. MG got their own wood door, and they set up a door bridge. However, Rina attacked with chair strikes. The women hit a team Razor’s Edge/overhead powerbomb on Waller, slamming him through the door bridge, to pin him. That was insanely entertaining.
* Footage aired from the “WrestleCade” show last weekend. GCW has been doing this a lot recently and I really like it… make it clear that each show is a must-see event.
4. Effy defeated Santana Jackson at 12:38. I still find the use of a Michael Jackson tribute act to be gross and disturbing. Santana walked the top rope and hit a twisting press. Santana vanished and returned to the “Thriller” soundtrack and he wore the wolf head. Effy hit the Fameasser leg drop for the pin. Meh. Not much action; you’ve seen one Santana match, you’ve seen them all.
5. “The Mane Event” Jay Lyon and Midas Black defeated “Waves & Curls” Traevon Jordan and Jaylen Brandyn at 12:28. W&C are essentially Street Profits or Private Party, and they always get the crowd going with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Midas and Jaylen opened. The much taller Traevon entered and squared off with the masked Lyon. Jaylen hit a dive to the floor on TME at 2:30. In the ring, Traevon hit some loud chops on Lyon. Lyon bodyslammed Jaylen at 5:00. Lyon dove through a hoop and speared Jaylen in the ring. Lyon hit a mid-ring moonsault by launching off Black’s back.
TME worked over the shorter Jaylen in their corner. Traevon finally made the hot tag at 9:00 and he hit a sit-out powerbomb on Midas, and he was fired up. Lyon nailed a Jay Driller on Traevon, and Midas hit a Mark Briscoe-style Froggy Bow elbow drop for a nearfall. The commentators pointed out TME had quite a run against the Briscoes last year. Some awkward spots, with Traevon almost dropping Midas on his head on a chokeslam attempt. Lyon hit a spear for the pin. Good match except for that awkward exchange right before the finish.
* More footage aired from Wrestlecade, highlighting Richard Holliday’s win there. Prazak said Alexander Hammerstone had travel issues and is off the show. (This next match is as advertised by Hammerstone was supposed to be in Holliday’s corner.)
6. Parrow (w/Charles Mason) vs. Richard Holliday ended in a draw at 10:00. Mason got on the mic and said that Alexander Hammerstone was too good for a “small shitty town like Hartford,” which drew boos. Holliday charged at Mason. Parrow grabbed Richard and hit a chokeslam and a senton. Parrow hit a fallaway slam. Mason, standing on the floor, punched at Holliday. Richard fired up and hit a series of punches on Parrow. However, Parrow hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 3:30. Holliday hit a spinebuster. I like that Holliday is wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, signifying this is a street fight.
Holliday hit a clothesline for a nearfall. He hit a low blow mule kick at 6:00. Holliday hit a powerbomb for a nearfall, but Mason pulled the ref out of the ring. Mason hit Holliday with a chain! Mason wrapped the chain around ref Dan Perch’s throat! “He’s gonna kill him!” Emil shouted. Prazak said this shows why GCW needs disqualifications. Holliday stood up and tried to fight both men, but Mason and Parrow quickly put the boots to him. Mason got a door. Prazak reiterated that we have no referee.
Music played, and Hammerstone ran to ringside! He hit clotheslines. Mason hit Hammerstone with a chairshot to the back that Alex no-sold. Holliday speared Parrow. The heels scrambled to the back.
* Hammerstone got on the mic and vowed that he and Holliday would beat Parrow and Mason on Sunday night.
7. Unagi Sagaka defeated Lufisto at 10:19. Unagi looks like Kairi Sane but with blonde hair. They appear to be the same height as they had an intense lockup, but Lufisto has a size advantage. Unagi hit a stunner across the top rope at 1:30 and she took control. Lufisto began tying up Unagi on the mat. Unagi hit an X-Factor faceplant, then a Hogan Legdrop for a nearfall at 6:30. They traded stiff forearm strikes with Unagi getting the better of the exchange. Lufisto hit a suplex for a nearfall at 9:30. Unagi hit a Flatliner and a diving forearm for the pin. Good action.
* A very cinematic video aired featuring Nick Gage and Jun Kasai.
8. Griffin McCoy defeated Nolo Kitano, Raheem Royal, R1, and Gabriel Skye in a five-way scramble at 7:02. Both Griffin and Nolo have recently debuted on MLW TV. Nolo had his sword with him. I don’t know R1; he’s a thin Black man and he’s a “pro gamer” from France. Raheem has Kofi-style dreadlocks and a similar look. Raheem hit a huracanrana and a Lionsault on Kitano at 2:00. Skye hit a dropkick. Griffin hit a Helluva Kick on Skye. and these two exchanged some good offense. Raheem hit a Pele Kick. Nolo hit a Meteora double knees. Nolo and Kitano did a springboard Spanish Fly at 5:00; never seen that before.
Skye hit a nice Tiger Suplex on McCoy, then a Shining Wizard for a nearfall, but R1 made the save. Royal hit a flipping slam on R1. Kitano hit a swinging neckbreaker. Griffin hit a half nelson suplex and a springboard spin kick to pin Nolo. Good action; the crowd was fairly quiet as they didn’t know some of these guys.
* McCoy loudly called out Jordan Oliver, his former Young Dumb N Broke teammate. Oliver hit the ring, holding his JCW title belt. McCoy shoved him, then he took off runnig to the back. Good post-match segment. Oliver leaned into a camera and called Griffin a “p—y” and said they aren’t friends anymore.
* A video aired of the feud between Matt Cardona and Jimmy Lloyd. Meanwhile, barbed-wire boards were set up in the ring…
9. Sawyer Wreck defeated Jimmy Lloyd in an ultraviolent intergender match at 10:29. Sawyer immediately speared Lloyd through a barbed-wire table in the corner at the bell! She was quickly bleeding from her head. She rammed a chair into his groin at 3:30, then she hit another chair onto that chair, pushing it further into his crotch. They brawled to the floor. Jimmy was now bleeding from his forehead too and this has crossed over into being too gross for my tastes, as she used a staple gun to attach dollar bills to his body. Llody hit her with a light tube at 6:00; I hate this, as fans are seated far too close and there aren’t any guardrails.
Back in the ring, we had more light tubes and they whacked each other with them. Sawyer hit a forward Finlay Roll off the apron through a barbed-wire door on the floor at 8:30, and the fans chanted “This is awesome!” The ring was covered in glass now. (Okay, why wasn’t this saved until after Blake Christian’s match?) Steph De Lander appeared out of nowhere and hit Lloyd over the head with light tubes! Sawyer hit a chokeslam to pin Lloyd. However, Sawyer hit Steph, making it clear she didn’t ask for, or need, Steph’s help.
* Justin Credible got in the ring, holding a kendo stick. He must be at or near 300 pounds and looks rather unhealthy at that weight. He spoke on the mic and said that all he wanted to do was entertain wrestling fans. He joked about wearing a ‘jock strap on his head’ as Aldo Montoya in WWF. Music cut him off as Blake Christian walked to ringside. “He could have waited until (Justin) was done talking first,” Prazak said. Blake told Justin if he got in the ring with him today, “I’d eat you alive.” Justin said he is “fat as f—” and doesn’t want to fight him. Alec Price’s music hit to end this argument.
10. Blake Christian defeated Alec Price to retain the GCW Championship at 20:27. Blake attacked from behind during ring introductions and stomped down Price. Alec hit a second-rope twisting crossbody block for a nearfall at 2:00. Blake hit a dropkick and posed and celebrated. Blake nailed a Fosbury Flop and landed on his feet. In the ring, Blake hit a foream to the back of the head at 5:00 and a back suplex, and he was in charge of the action. Blake hit a backbreaker over his knee and remained in charge. Price nailed his dive over the top rope at 7:30. In the ring, Price hit a half-nelson suplex.
Price hit an enzuigiri at 10:00. Price launched off the stage and hit a springboard DDT for a nearfall. Cool. (Many wrestlers have used this stage for innovative moves.) Blake hit another backbreaker over his knee, then a leaping headbutt for a nearfall at 12:30. The crowd started chanting “new champ!” to rally Price. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees. They got up and hit simultaneous kicks and collapsed. They clutched each other’s left wrist and traded more forearm strikes. Blake nailed a handspring-back-spin kick at 14:30. Blake nailed a mid-ring Spanish Fly. Price hit a Rebound Lariat and they were both down and this crowd was fired up.
Blake avoided the Surprise Kick, but Alec threw a superkick. Blake nailed a Lethal Injection for a believable nearfall. Blake nailed a Springboard 450 Splash for a believable nearfall at 16:30 and the fans chanted “new champ!” Blake hit a hard chop in the corner. The ref got bumped and Blake immediately hit a low blow, then a top-rope superplex. Alec hit his own low blow uppercut! Alec nailed a Tiger Driver, a top-rope flying legdrop and a running flipping neckbreaker for a nearfall. Alec nailed the Surprise Kick/step-up mule kick for a believable nearfall at 19:30, with the fans chanting, “That was three!” Blake rolled up Price out of nowhere, jumped to his feet, hit the Rollins-style Stomp to the head, and scored the pin! What a fast finish out of nowhere to a fantastic match.
Final Thoughts: In recent months, Blake Christian has fought a variety of opponents from the big Tank to the aging Mike Jackson… that hasn’t allowed him to have a ‘showcase four-star match.’ So, it was great to see him go out and have a barnburner like this one. One of my favorite Blake matches in the U.S. in a long time. It was easily match of the night. I’ll go with that Masha/Rina match against MG for second, and Unagi-Lufisto for third, just ahead of the Oliver opener.
I like this venue. The lighting is good, and we some some really innovative spots of wrestlers using the stage next to the ring to set up for cool moves. Several GCW regulars were at Black Label Pro or Wrestling Revolver on Saturday, but are headed to the Sunday show.
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