By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Believe Me”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
July 18, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky at Headliners Music Hall
This is a small, dark tavern with a second level that had fans lined up against the railing. The crowd was maybe 300-400. Dave Prazak and Nick Maniwa provided commentary. It’s notable that there were guardrails. Promoter Brett Lauderdale said on Twitter/X those are required by the Kentucky Athletic Commission, which makes total sense.
* The show opened with a video package from the last show in Toronto.
1. Shane Mercer defeated Nate Webb at 9:06. Maniwa said he’s heard Webb’s “Teenage Dirtbag” intro more times in his life than “Happy Birthday.” The crowd chanted “Iron Demon!” at Mercer. Webb hit a spinning Arachnid Kick, then a flip dive to the floor at 2:30. Webb hit some chops. They fought up onto the entrance stage. They got back into the ring, but Webb missed a rolling cannonball at 5:00. Mercer hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 7:00. Webb hit a sunset flip powerbomb out of the corner and they were both down. Webb tried a moonsault with a chair in his hands; he overshot Mercer. Mercer immediately hit Moonsault & Battery (second-rope flipping fallaway slam) for the pin. Decent opener.
* A “mysterious video” showed two people hidden in shadows outside a building, and they were looking at Effy and Allie Klatch.
2. Bobby Flaco defeated Facade (w/Dani Mo) at 8:59. Flaco is the short dork I love to hate. Facade is the high-flying veteran. Facade hit a missile dropkick at 2:30. Flaco hit a top-rope crossbody block, then a DDT for a nearfall at 5:00. Facade hit a Burning Hammer for a nearfall. He hit a triple-jump Lionsault for a nearfall. Facade leapt off a chair, onto the top rope, landed awkwardly, but still dove to the floor on Flaco. Impressive. Dani Mo hopped on the apron and she pushed Flaco. Flaco swung and missed at Mo; she hit a Canadian Destroyer on Bobby. Facade hit a springboard dropkick on Flaco for a believable nearfall at 8:00. Flaco hit a springboard stunner, then a top-rope doublestomp for the pin. The wrong guy won.
3. Masha Slamovich defeated Cole Radrick to retain the JCW Title at 11:43. Dork Radrick in the match right after dork Flaco? Ugh. Radrick still has the brass ring around his neck that gives him “the match of his choosing” in the future. She tied him up on the mat. She hit some stiff kicks to his back. He hit a hard clothesline and they were both down at 6:30. He slammed her head into the turnbuckles and hit a clothesline to the back of the head for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Radrick hit a springboard stunner for a nearfall at 9:00.
Masha hit a spin kick to the head, then a spinning back fist, and she applied a crossarm breaker. Masha applied a rear-naked choke, but Radrick eventually got a foot on the ropes. He hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. She escaped an Air Raid Crash attempt, but Cole hit a back suplex. Masha nailed the White Knight Driver/piledriver for the pin. Solid match.
4. Sam Stackhouse defeated Hunter Drake at 5:12. Hunter has long blond hair and he’s really thin; think a less muscular Matt Riddle, and he’s become a regular when GCW heads into the South. Stackhouse is in the 400 pound range and he’s easily twice or more of Hunter’s weight. Hunter hit a moonsault to the floor on Stackhouse at 1:30. In the ring, Stackhouse hit an impressive spin kick to the chin. They traded blows and Sam removed his shirt, which always gets a reaction. Hunter hit a powerbomb out of the corner at 4:30, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall. Stackhouse hit a Jay Driller for the pin. Solid.
5. Effy defeated Sean Ross Sapp at 9:33. This match is to raise money for charity. Sapp, the wrestling journalist, came out first and was loudly booed. He got on the mic and said he made the very long drive from Lexington, and he ripped on Louisville, getting a “shut the f— up!” chant. SRS hit a German Suplex at 2:00 and was booed. Effy hit a low blow and a Helluva Kick at 4:00. Effy hit a few spanks and an Atomic Drop. Sean hit him with a chair at 6:00. Effy hit a headbutt. Sean hit a DDT for a nearfall. Sean hit a Jarrett-style stroke onto a chair for a nearfall. Effy speared Sapp through a table in the corner, then he hit a top-rope Whoopee Cushion to the sternum for the pin. Adequate; the crowd stayed into it.
* A commercial aired for future return dates for Zilla Fatu.
6. Hoodfoot defeated Broski Jimmy Lloyd at 8:36. Hoodfoot is a death match fighter; I recall seeing him cut open so badly just two minutes in that the match had to be stopped. JImmy got on the mic and demanded fans show him respect. He pie-faced Hoodfoot at the bell. Hoodfoot hit a bulldog, then a dive to the floor on Lloyd. In the ring, Jimmy threw a chair that struck Hoodfoot in the head; I really hate that. Hoodfoot hit one of his own chairshots, and he hit a powerbomb for a nearfall at 4:30.
They traded punches while on their knees. Hoodfoot hit a stunner. He set up a board bridge in the ring. However, Lloyd hit a flying leg lariat to slam Hoodfoot through the board bridge at 7:30. Hoodfoot hit a brainbuster-style move onto an open chair for a nearfall, then a clothesline and a back suplex for the pin. Adequate.
* Intermission wasn’t edited out.
7. Billie Starkz defeated Rachel Armstrong at 11:04. Starkz is from this area and she got a nice pop. She carried her ROH TV Title belt, and she has a clear height and overall size advantage. They shook hands before locking up, and they traded offense in a knuckle lock. Rachel hit a shotgun dropkick at 3:30. Billie hit a running knee in the corner. They traded rollups, and Rachel hit a backpack stunner at 7:00. Rachel hit a running swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall. Billie hit a second-rope superplex. Rachel hit a Spanish Fly off the second rope at 9:30. After an awkward exchange, Rachel hit a Canadian Destroyer. She went for a Sliced Bread but Billie blocked it. Billie hit a jumping Tombstone PIledriver for a believable nearfall. Billie then hit a Shock Arrow-style piledriver for the pin. Good match and best of the show so far.
* Billie got on the mic and cut a gracious promo and got a nice pop.
8. 2 Tuff Tony and 1 Called Manders defeated “The Rejects” John Wayne Murdoch and Reed Bentley at 16:02. Tony shared a bottle of alcohol with fans as he walked to ringside. Reed attacked Manders to open the match, and they traded chops. Manders hit a suplex for a nearfall at 1:30. Tony and Murdoch entered and traded forearms and chops. Tony hit a dropkick and a Pele Kick for a nearfall. Tony and Manders hit a team shoulder tackle on Murdoch at 4:00. The heels slammed Manders through a door placed in the corner and they hit basement dropkicks on him. The heels began working Manders over. Reed choked him in the ropes.
Manders finally hit a clothesline to the back of Reed’s head at 10:00 and they were both down. Tony got the hot tag and he hit some body slams. The babyfaces hit a team second-rope superplex, slamming Murdoch through a door bridge for a nearfall. This match is in slow motion. Tony hit a springboard press onto a board to get a nearfall on Bentley. The heels hit a team suplex onto an open chair on Tony for a nearfall at 15:00. Manders hit a hard clothesline. He hit a Bulldog Powerslam on Murdoch. Tony hit an ugly moonsault move on Murdoch. Tony threw a fireball in Murdoch’s eyes and pinned him. This match just felt like it stayed in first gear but the crowd liked it.
9. Mance Warner defeated Myron Reed to retain the GCW Heavyweight Title at 24:10. Mance has the height and overall size advantage, but he rolled to the floor at the bell and stalled. In the ring, Mance hit some jab punches. They brawled at ringside and Mance hit some chops in front of the fans. Myron hit a plancha to the floor at 3:30. In the ring, Mance hit a Nigel-style Tower of London stunner, and he began stomping on Myron. He hit some hard chops in the corner. Warner wrapped Myron’s legs around the ring post at 6:30 and he slammed Reed’s knees against the post.
Mance slid chairs and boards into the ring. In the ring, he jabbed Myron in the stomach with a chair at 9:00. In a nice spot, Myron leapt off the stage and hit a flip dive on Mance and some security guards. In the ring, Myron hit a doublestomp on the back. He hit a buzzsaw kick to the head and a Helluva Kick, then a Lungblower move to the chest for a nearfall at 12:30. Myron set up for a dive but Mance clocked him with a chairshot to the head; I really hate that. In the ring, Mance hit a clothesline and a chokeslam across an open chair for a nearfall at 14:30. Mance hit a running knee and got a nearfall. Mance hit a piledriver onto a folded chair for a nearfall.
They crashed through a board set up in the corner. Reed set up a board bridge, using the broken door. However, Mance hit a superplex through the board bridge at 18:30 for a believable nearfall. Myron nailed an Air Raid Crash for a believable nearfall. He set up a board bridge on the floor. They fought on the ring apron. Reed leapt over the top rope, grabbed Mance’s head, and hit a stunner through the board bridge. He rolled Mance in the ring and got a nearfall at 23:00. He got an inside cradle for a nearfall. Mance hit a clothesline, then a DDT for the pin. A very good match, and my favorite Mance match in a long time.
Final Thoughts: Jordan Oliver is out of action for probably 9-12 months. This show was missing nearly every one of the top GCW male stars: Gringo Loco, Blake Christian, Mike Bailey, Jack Cartwright, Alex Zayne, Alec Price to name a few. The guys who normally deliver the top-notch matches that are the reason I tune in for just weren’t on this show. A good main event does take best match, and I enjoyed Billie-Armstrong for second place. The opener takes third. While I admittedly am not a fan of Radrick or Flaco, their matches weren’t bad; they just don’t do anything for me. Sapp’s match was fine and was for a good cause.
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