By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Worst Behavior”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
July 5, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario at The Opera House
This is a VERY small opera house; maybe 300 fans are packed in here. The lights are low but lighting is okay over the ring. The fans are seated (too) close to the ring. The ring is right next to the stage, that would matter in a later match. Dave Prazak and Veda Scott provided commentary. We have late cancellations from Steph De Lander and Nick Gage. Jack Cartwheel was supposed to face Masha Slamovich but he’s been thrown into the opener…
1. Jack Cartwheel defeated Marcus Mathers, Harlon Abbott, and Charlie Tiger in a four-way at 11:22. I don’t know Harlon at all and this is his GCW debut; he has a beard and his hair in a long ponytail; very much the ‘Brodie Lee look.’ Cartwheel just returned this week from the Australian tour. Tiger tossed Abbott around the ring and hit a back suplex. Abbott hit an enzuigiri on Jack at 5:30. He hit a flipping senton on Mathers. Jack hit a Poison Rana on Charlie. Mathers hit a stunner. Mathers and Jack traded forearm strikes at 8:00, then traded enzuigiris.
Jack hit a Poison Rana on Marcus for a nearfall. Marcus hit a flip dive to the floor on Tiger and Abbott. Jack hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor. Harlon held an opponent high over his head and hit a Jay Driller! Nice! Mathers hit a superkick. Charlie hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner. Harlon hit a coast-to-coast dropkick, then a top-rope superplex on Mathers at 11:00. Jack hit a top-rope Phoenix Splash to pin Charlie. That was fun, and Harlon looked like he belonged with the GCW regulars.
* Highlights aired of Joey Janela and Megan Bayne vs. Los Macizos. They included the footage of Mance Warner whipping a chair at Bayne and clocking her in the forehead before she could get her hands up to protect herself. Just as disgusting as last week…
2. Megan Bayne defeated Jody Threat at 8:27. Bayne wrestled 24 hours earlier at Beyond Wrestling. They stood nose to nose and Bayne has a several-inch height advantage. The crowd was fully behind fellow Canadian Threat. Jody hit a head-scissors takedown, then a clothesline into the corner at 2:00, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Bayne hit a double-underhook suplex at 3:30 and was booed. Jody jumped on her back and applied a sleeper, but Bayne shrugged her off.
Bayne hit a delayed vertical suplex and dropped her stomach-first at 5:30, then hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. Threat hit a series of forearm strikes and a kick to the side of the head, then running double knees to the back and a German Suplex at 7:00. Jody hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Jody drank a beer given to her by a fan and that fired her up. She leapt off the second rope but Bayne caught her, hit the Tombstone Piledriver, and scored the pin. They fit a LOT of action into a match that short. Prazak wondered who would be able to beat Bayne.
3. Gringo Loco defeated Galeno Del Mal at 14:55. I must reiterate that Galeno is about 6’6″ and near 300 pounds; he is a massive luchador and has become one of my favorites of late. Quick lucha reversals and a standoff at 1:30. Gringo hit a flip dive to the floor, and they traded chops on the floor. In the ring, Gringo hit a top-rope moonsault for a neafall at 4:30. Galeno spit on Loco and was loudly booed. Galeno hit a basement dropkick and was in control of the offense. He hit a leaping splash to the mat at 7:00; he posed before getting a nearfall.
Loco hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a swinging powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:30. Galeno hit a suplex for a nearfall. They traded kicks. Loco hit a top-rope fadeaway stunner, and they were both down at 10:30. Galeno hit a running summersault from the apron onto Loco on the floor and got a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Galeno hit a top-rope frogsplash, going more than halfway across the ring, for a nearfall at 13:00. Impressive! He missed a rolling cannonball in the corner. Loco again came off the top rope, but Galeno cut him in half with a spear for a nearfall! They fought onto the top rope, where Loco hit a Spanish Fly for the pin. That was a blast.
* A Zilla Fatu highlight package aired. The kid is the real deal.
4. Mike Bailey defeated Kerry Morton at 11:52. I admittedly haven’t watched much of NWA in 2024, so I’ve only seen a handful of Kerry’s matches in GCW this year. Kerry got on the mic and proclaimed himself the future GCW champion and was booed. Bailey kicked him before the bell. They brawled to the floor; Bailey had the mic and ripped into Kerry as they brawled into the crowd. In the ring, Bailey came off the top rope but Kerry slammed him to the mat at 2:00. He dropped Bailey stomach-first across the top rope and did some push-ups to get more heel heat, and he was in charge. Bailey fired up and hit some kicks, then his running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 5:30.
They traded forearm strikes and Bailey hit some more kicks. Bailey nailed the Triangle Moonsault to the floor at 7:30. In the ring, Bailey hit a top-rope missile dropkick. Kerry hit a Lungblower to the back. Bailey hit a moonsault kneedrop, then a top-rope Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 10:00 but Kerry got to the ropes. The ref got bumped and Kerry immediately hit a low blow, then a running knee for a nearfall. Kerry got on the mic and shouted expletives at Bailey, so the fans chanted expletives back at him. He turned around and Bailey caught him with a superkick. Bailey then nailed the Ultima Weapon for the pin. Wow, I’ve missed Bailey on GCW shows.
* A new backstage promo from Blake Christian who showed off his “real” GCW world title. He’s livid he was stripped of his title while competing at NJPW Best of Super Juniors.
5. “Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra defeated “Gahbage Daddies” Alec Price and Cole Radrick at 11:00 even. Price also competed on the Beyond Wrestling show 24 hours ago. The BB came out in hockey jerseys. Dork Radrick still has the brass ring around his neck that gives him a future “match of his choosing.” The bell rang but Price took the mic and said they came here to wrestle, but the BB came here to dance. They had hockey sticks and the ref ‘dropped the puck’ so this was comedy early on.
Of course, Price and Radrick attacked and were booed. (BB, like Jody Threat, were going to be babyfaces here.) Price hit a Blockbuster on Gurv. Price and Cole did the Bollywood dance and were booed. The GD worked over Harv in their corner. Harv hit a flying elbow drop for a nearfall at 7:30. Price hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall but Gurv made the save. The BB used hockey sticks to crotch the GDaddies. Harv hit a top-rope elbow drop to pin Cole. Okay match. The Gahbage Daddies have a TERRIBLE win-loss record. When will Price drop the dead weight? All four danced together afterward. (Someone just hits you in the groin with a hockey stick and you dance with them minutes later?)
6. Gabe Kidd defeated Joey Janela at 13:05. I’ve become a HUGE fan of Kidd’s work in the past year in NJPW. Prazak noted this is Kidd’s singles debut in GCW; he’s been in tag action before. He got on the mic and ripped into Canadians. They immediately traded hard chops. Joey hit a dive to the floor. They got back into the ring and traded more chops. Joey hit a top-rope superplex at 4:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes and chops. Joey hit a standing neckbreaker and a swinging DDT.
Gabe set up a board bridge in the ring. However, Joey hit a top-rope doublestomp onto Gabe’s chest as Gabe was lying on the board at 9:00. Gabe hit a back suplex, which of course Joey no-sold and Joey hit a standing powerbomb, and they were both down. They traded German Suplexes. Joey hit a superkick. Gabe hit a decapitating clothesline but Joey kicked out at one. Gabe hit a piledriver for the pin. Good action. Joey threw up the “Too Sweet” hand gesture but then gave Gabe a middle finger.
7. Jordan Oliver defeated Charles Mason at 13:14. This match came together last week when Mason attacked Fuego Del Sol. Prazak reiterated that Oliver is slowed by a knee injury. They traded punches early on, but Jordan collapsed to the mat and sold the knee pain. Mason hit Oliver with a chair at 2:30 and the ref went to call for the bell; I think he momentarily forgot that GCW doesn’t do DQs. So, the match continued and they brawled onto the floor. In the ring, Oliver set up for Shellshock but Mason broke free. Oliver went for the Clout Cutter but his knee buckled. Mason immediately hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 5:30 and he kicked at the leg.
Mason hit his rolling Death Valley Driver. He hit a tombstone piledriver for a nearfall, and he grapevined Oliver’s leg. Oliver hit a stunner at 8:30 and they were both down. They got up and traded punches. Oliver hit a clothesline. He nailed a Shellshock swinging faceplant for a nearfall at 10:30. Mason applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. However, Oliver flipped his body over Mason and got the flash pin! Solid match. Oliver continued to sell the leg pain. Sure enough, Mason chop-blocked the knee and slammed it against the ring post, then a chairshot to the knee and grapevined the leg again.
* A video package aired of the “Backyard Wrestling” show from July 4.
8. Masha Slamovich and “Bussy” Effy and Allie Katch defeated “Team IWS” Sexxxy Eddie, Green Phantom, and PCP Manny at 8:50. Masha was supposed to face Cartwheel but she was the mystery replacement for the injured Nick Gage. All six brawled. Eddy slapped Masha, then he slapped Allie. Manny hit a chokeslam over his knee on Masha at 3:00. Eddy got a cheese grater and used it across Allie’s tongue. Gross. They planted cooking skewers in Green Phantom’s head. This isn’t for me. Allie hit a piledriver on Eddy at 8:00. The Team GCW squad tossed Manny from the stage onto a board bridge in the ring for the pin. Blah. Nothing about this match was good.
9. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini defeated “The Dynasty” Sway Archer and Jaxon Roy (w/Mikey Truth) to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 6:52. The Dynasty are three average-sized Black men; I believe I’ve seen Sway before but not the other two. ViF attacked from behind before the bell. Garrini hit a gutwrench suplex and ViF beat up the long-haired Archer early on. Roy, who has a buzzcut, entered at 4:00 and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Garrini for a nearfall. Archer and Ku traded chops. The Dynasty hit a team Flatliner move for a nearfall and the crowd was behind them. ViF hit the Chasing the Dragon spin kick-and-brainbuster combo to pin Archer. I enjoyed that and want to see more of the Dynasty.
* A video package aired before our main event! Matt Cardona, Steph De Lander and Jimmy Lloyd hit the ring, and we got a “we want Chelsea!” chant. SDL said she’s decided she is only going to wrestle in the greatest country in the world… the USA! Plenty of boos. “She’s Australian!” Prazak shouted. Cardona said he’s only in Canada to watch Chelsea win Money in the Bank, and he’ll be “one-half of Mrs. Money in the Bank.” Blake came out first and he taunted Cardona.
10. Mance Warner vs. Blake Christian went to a draw at 24:00. . Again, both men claim to be the GCW champion and both have a belt to prove it. The bell rang and Blake got on the mic and wondered why this wasn’t for the GCW title, but he added that Mance is a fake champion so he can’t give him a title match. They brawled to the floor. Blake wrapped Mance’s arm around the ring post. This is heel-heel and the crowd isn’t cheering for either. Blake hit a dropkick on the arm at 3:00. Blake bit Mance’s fingers. Mance crotched him in the corner and bit Blake’s forehead, then bit his nose at 5:30.
Mance hit a chairshot to the back. He tossed Blake into a chair that was wedged into the corner at 8:30. Blake suplexed Mance onto an open chair for a nearfall. Blake snapped Warner’s arm behind his back at 11:00. He kept working the damaged arm. Mance hit a DDT onto a board bridge at 13:00, and they were both down. This is such an odd match as it has so little crowd heat for a heel-heel matchup. Blake hit a Divorce Court armbreaker and switched to a Fujiwara Armbar.
They traded blows while on their knees, then they traded headbutts. Mance hit a pair of clotheslines and got a nearfall at 17:00. Blake kipped up and hit a Superkick. Mance hit a running knee for a nearfall. Blake whipped Mance into a board in the corner. Blake hit a doublestomp to Mance’s chest as Mance was lying on a board. He did it again; the board didn’t break either time, but Blake got a nearfall at 21:00. Lloyd attacked Blake! Jimmy swung a chair but accidentally hit Mance.
Blake hit a 450 Splash for a nearfall, but Joey Janela hit Blake. SDL and Lloyd beat up Joey. Bayne hit the ring and speared Lloyd. SDL and Bayne stood nose-to-nose. Mance hit a DDT on Bayne. Mance pulled out his screwdriver but Blake confiscated it. Blake hit a Stomp on Bayne! Mance kept beating up Joey Janela as Blake headed to the back, continuing GCW’s streak of non-finishes to Mance Warner matches, despite this being a promotion that (used to!) take pride in having no DQs.
Final Thoughts: As often the case, GCW shows start strong and lose momentum as they go. Gringo Loco-Galeno Del Mal was easily my favorite match of the show. I have often compared the massive Galeno to DC’s Bane. I’ll go with Bailey-Morton for second, ahead of Kidd-Janela for third. GCW has a strong core of wrestlers that are capable of having stellar matches — Blake Christian, Mike Bailey, Jordan Oliver, Alec Price, Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers, Masha Slamovich, Jack Cartwheel — and for the first time in a long time, they were all on the same show. Bayne can now be added to that list, too, as it appears she is going to be a regular on the roster.
The main event was just odd to have a main event go that long for a heel-heel match, when I presumed the entire time that Jimmy Lloyd, SDL, Joey Janela and Megan Bayne were all getting involved. They sure worked hard and Blake is one of my favorites going, but at no point did either try and court a babyface reaction from the crowd. It was just odd to watch a match that good with so little crowd investment. This show is well worth checking out.
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