By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, 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 “Homecoming, Night 1”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
August 24, 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at The Showboat
There was a really good crowd of perhaps 500-600. Lights are on so it’s easy to see. Only seven matches were announced in advance but I’d guess we’ll have around 10. Dave Prazak and Emil Jaye provided commentary.
1. Zilla Fatu vs. Matthew Justice in a tables match. A loud “GCW!” chant at the bell. We have a camera somewhere upstairs that panned and showed the size of the crowd. They immediately traded chops and forearms; Prazak reminded us that Zilla still only has about 30 matches under his belt. Prazak just said we have 11 matches! Justice hit a summersault off the apron onto Zilla on the floor at 3:00, and he struck him with a chair on the back, and they brawled in front of the fans, with Justice hitting another chairshot. In the ring, Fatu caught him coming off the ropes and hit a uranage.
Zilla got the chair and struck Justice across the back at 6:00. Zilla hit a belly-to-belly suplex, with Justice coming down on the chair. Zilla was bleeding from the forehead. Justice hit a spear at 7:30 for a nearfall. (This was announced as a tables match so I’m surprised we have pinfalls. I guess this means that tables are allowed?) Zilla threw Justice off the apron and through a door bridge on the floor. In the ring, Justice speared Zilla through a table set up in the corner at 9:00. Justice came off the top rope, but Zilla nailed him with a Samoan Spike for the pin! A very good brawl.
Zilla remains one to watch.
Zilla Fatu pins Matthew Justice at 9:22.
* In footage from “earlier today,” Blake Christian pulled up in a sports car.
* Matt Cardona, Steph De Lander and Jimmy Lloyd came to the ring. Prazak stressed that Cardona returns to action tomorrow. (Does he get to remain general manager? Seems like that would be a conflict of interest.) Lloyd got on the mic and demanded the fans show Cardona some respect; they responded by chanting profanities at him. Cardona said Nick Gage has been a thorn in his side, and he speculated Gage is in jail and won’t make it to face him Sunday. The crowd chanted, “We want Chelsea!” Cardona said he’s going to make sure Mance Warner wins the title ladder, because “that’s what is best for business.”
2. Sidney Akeem vs. Tony Deppen. Sidney (f/k/a Reggie/Scrypts) has had a streak of impressive matches here, as GCW has really picked opponents who can highlight his skills. Prazak noted this match is NOT pairing Sidney with a high-flyer. They traded quick reversals, and Akeem hit a dropkick, sending Deppen to the floor at 1:30. In the ring, Deppen hit a top-rope senton as Akeem was tied in the ropes. He hit a diving European Uppercut for a nearfall and was in charge. He stomped on the left elbow and used his shirt to choke Akeem. In a funny spot, Deppen set up for a standing moonsault.. but then just fell backward on Sidney at 5:00. Sidney hit a twisting crossbody block for a nearfall.
Deppen nailed a Brainbuster for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes; Sidney is just doing so much better in long-form matches. Deppen applied a rear-naked choke on the mat, and he hit some Moxley-style elbows to the side of the head, then he switched to a Rings of Saturn at 8:30, but Sidney reached the ropes. Sidney nailed a dive through the ropes onto Deppen. Tony responded with a flip dive to the floor on Sidney! In the ring, Sidney hit his double backflip-into-a-stunner for the pin! That finisher move really needs a fun name. A strong match.
Sidney Akeem defeats Tony Deppen at 9:47.
3. “Los Macizos” Ciclope and Miedo Extremo vs. Brandon Kirk and Kasey Catal in a death match. Los Macizos have been on a losing streak, which led Miedo to shove Ciclope recently, so let’s see if there are further issues today. Kirk and Catal are husband-and-wife; she is so small, I just have never bought her in matches against men. There are barbed-wire boards in the ring and a big box of wire at ringside. Miedo and Katal opened, then Miedo faced Brandon. Miedo and Ciclope collided and Prazak wondered if they would realize those things just happen. Miedo splashed Ciclope onto Kirk. Los Macizos hit double Dragonscrew Legwhips at 3:00.
Los Macizos set up some door bridges in the ring; they were going to slam Kasey through it but Brandon made the save. Brandon threw a chair at Ciclope’s unprotected head at 5:00 and I really hate that. Brandon hit a jumping piledriver on a door bridge on Ciclope. Ciclope hit a Doomsday Device clothesline on Kasey, sending her through a door bridge for a nearfall. Brandon hit a chairshot across Ciclope’s back at 8:00. Miedo and powerbombed Catal onto the barbed-wire box. Ciclope accidentally sent Miedo onto the barbed-wire box at ringside! In the ring, Kirk hit a Psycho Driver onto several open chairs to pin Ciclope! Several times the former tag champs were just not on the same page. Decent hardcore match — it actually didn’t get bloody — but we REALLY need to end throwing chairs at each other.
* Miedo and Ciclope had some words, then Miedo turned and left the ring solo. No punches were thrown… this time.
Kasey Catal and Brandon Kirk defeated Miedo Extremo and Ciclope at 9:31.
4. Big F’n Joe vs. John Wayne Murdoch in a death match. As usual, Joe wrestles in a T-shirt and his white underwear. Joe has a tree limb, and he hit Joe with it. He hit Murdoch over the head with a light tube and I’m already over this match. Both men bled a lot. Joe used a weed whacker on the stomach, then hit a Death Valley Driver for the pin.This ring is so covered in blood they had to take a short break to clean.
Big F’n Joe defeated John Wayne Murdoch.
* A video package aired of Charles Mason attacking Fuego Del Sol from a recent show.
5. Galeno Del Mal vs. Masha Slamovich. Galeno is the 6’5″ 290-pound luchador who is now my No. 1 indy pick, just for his size as a luchador. This is a massive size difference. He shoved her against the ropes and gave her a clean break. He easily shoved her to the mat. She got a sunset flip for a nearfall. He dropped her with a shoulder tackle at 2:00. She dove through the ropes but he caught her and slammed her on the ring apron, and the crowd rallied for Masha. In the ring, he hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall. He hit a splash to the mat for a nearfall at 5:30.
They traded forearm strikes and he dropped her with a stiff blow. Masha hit a rolling Koppo Kick for a nearfall. She hit some Yes Kicks to the chest. She got an inside crable for a nearfall. He hit a discus clothesline for a nearfall at 8:30. Masha hit a snap suplex! Jimmy Lloyd tried to interfere. She hit a spin kick on Galeno. Galeno missed a rolling cannonball in the corner. She applied a sleeper, and Galeno tapped out!Lloyd hopped back in the ring and beat her up some more; they will be fighting for her JCW Title at midnight Eastern Time!
Masha Slamovich defeated Galeno Del Mal at 10:11.
6. Raj Dhesi and “Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra vs. Effy, Dark Sheik, and 1 Called Manders. A cool, elaborate entrance with a traditional drummer for the Bollywood Boyz, and they got a nice pop. Harv told them to stand up and show respect. Dhesi (f/k/a Jinder Mahal) came out next. Fans put on ski masks to show support for Efy’s team, and Effy’s team came out wearing masks, too. All six brawled at the bell. Effy hit a huracanrana on Raj in the ring while the others fought on the floor. Sheik entered and hit some punches on Raj. Raj tossed Sheik to the floor onto Manders and Effy, and they all brawled on the floor again. Raj’s team began working over Effy in a corner.
Raj hit a spinebuster on Raj at 3:30. The BB hit superkicks on Manders. Sheik hit a low blow jab punch on Harv. Effy hit a double Blockbuster on the BB at 5:30. Raj hit a Death Valley Driver on Effy for a nearfall. The BB pushed doors into the ring and they constructed a door bridge. Raj chokeslammed Effy through the door bridge for a nearfall, but his teammates made the save. The BB applied stereo Sharpshooters on Sheik and Effy at 8:00. Manders made the save. Raj snapped Manders’ throat across the top rope. A table was set up on the floor. Manders has a cut on his upper right arm. Manders powerslammed Raj through the table at 11:30. The BB set up for a Doomsday Device but Sheik made the save. Effy hit the flying leg lariat to pin Gurv. That was really, really good; it was non-stop action
Effy, Dark Sheik, and 1 Called Manders defeated Raj Dhesi and “Bollywood Boyz” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra at 12:27.
* Backstage, Danhausen talked about facing Ultramantis Black.
7. Danhausen vs. Ultramantis Black. The masked UBlack carried a staff with a skull on top. Danhausen came out second. Danhausen came out second and he has his jar of teeth. The crowd was hot and split as they locked up. Danhausen ‘cursed’ UBlack at 2:00, rolled him up, and got a nearfall. Danhausen hit a bulldog and a crossbody block for a nearfall. He stomped on UBlack in the corner and was in charge. As Danhausen entered the ropes, UBlack kicked him in the head at 6:30 and took control. He hit a Full Nelson slam for a nearfall. Danhausen hit a German Suplex and they were both down. Danhausen poured the teeth into the mouth then kicked them out for a nearfall at 8:30. UBlack hit a sit-out piledriver move. Danhausen got a jackknife rollup for the pin. Okay match. They raised each other’s hands.
Danhausen defeated Ultramantis Black at 9:29.
* Next up is Megan Bayne’s open challenge! It was accepted … by Vipress. She’s an adequate wrestler but hardly worth being billed up as a mystery opponent. However, seconds after the bell rang, Sawyer Wreck came out to a HUGE pop. She has been injured with a broken wrist most of this year. They were about to tie up when Jordynne Grace came out, too! (This is less of a surprise, as Bayne and Grace fought 24 hours ago not too far from here in New Jersey. So, we have a FOUR-way!
8. Megan Bayne vs. Vipress vs. Sawyer Wreck vs. Jordynne Grace in a four-way. Needless to say both Sawyer and Megan are MUCH taller than Vipress. The bell rang again so I cleared and started at zero. Bayne hit a belly-to-belly on Vipress. Jordynne hit a Spinebuster on Vipress, who is clearly in this match to eat the pin. The three threw Vipress to the floor. Bayne and Weck hit a team chokeslam on Grace at 1:30. Megan and Wreck traded chops. Sawyer hit a back suplex on Bayne for a nearfall at 3:30. Jordynne hit a hard clothesline on Sawyer for a nearfall. Bayne threw Grace onto Vipress in the corner, then hit a Stinger Splash on both. Grace hit a fallaway slam-and-Samoan Drop combo for a nearfall at 5:00.
Vipress hit a Canadian Destroyer, then a Code Red on Bayne. Vipress hit a top-rope crossbody block onto several people. Grace and Bayne each put an opponent on their shoulders so they could chicken-fight, and they all fell down at 7:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. It appears Sawyer is a bit taller than Bayne but probably weighs less. Jordynne hit a rolling Death Valley Driver. Bayne hit a sit-out powerbomb. Sawyer got the TNA Women’s Title at 9:30. She hit Grace with the belt on the floor! She put it around her own waist! In the ring, Megan hit a running boot on Vipress. Vipress hit a Saito Suplex. Bayne hit a leaping clothesline; the other two had brawled to the back. Bayne hit the Tombstone Piledriver to pin Vipress. That was fun and the Vipress swerve was great.
Megan Bayne defeated Vipress, Sawyer Wreck, and Jordynne Grace in a four-way at 10:41.
* Weapons were set up in the ring, including panes of glass. The next match is supposed to be Drew Parker vs. Nick Gage, but Nick isn’t here, and he probably won’t be here for the big match on Saturday. I had speculated this all week when he didn’t show up in Los Angeles last week. The way the guy spoke, he made it sound less than likely that Nick returns anytime soon.
9. Drew Parker vs. Brandon Kirk in a death match. I see those glass panes and I’m out. I thought Parker had retired from death matches. I will again point out that GCW does NOT use guardrails. Glass can fly anywhere. Two years ago, Alex Zayne had a shard of glass penetrate his eyeball. Kirk wrestled just over an hour ago. Drew hit a Swanton Bomb onto light tubes for a nearfall. There was glass everywhere and both men were heavily bleeding. Parker hit a kneestrike onto a light tube on Kirk’s collarbone and scored the pin. The crowd seemed to like it.
Drew Parker defeated Brandon Kirk in a death match.
10. Alec Price, Jack Cartwheel, Mr. Danger, Griffin McCoy, Dustin Waller and Fuego Del Sol in a scramble. This match was a bonus. Waller and his teammate just lost his IWTV tag titles last week after 49 successful defenses over 17 months.Griffin is easily the tallest. Danger hit a springboard dropkick. Waller hit a 619. Jack hit a standing moonsault. Fuego hit a huracanrana, but Jack just cartwheeled out of it at 2:00; Fuego did the same thing. Alec hit a second-rope twisting crossbody block. Griffin hit a spin kick on Danger’s jaw. Griffin hit a karate chop to Jack’s groin at 4:00! Fuego hit a moonsault press on McCoy. Fuego went for a tornado DDT but Jack again cartwheeled out of.
Waller nailed a running Shooting Star Press. Price hit a half nelson suplex on Waller. Price hit a top-rope crossbody block on two guys. Fuego and Griffin each hit Coast-to-Coast missile dropkicks at 6:30. Jack hit a German Suplex. Fuego hit a Poison Rana, so Jack hit one back. Waller nailed a flip dive to the floor onto several guys. Danger hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor on everyone at 8:00. Jack and Fuego hit stereo moonsaults to the floor. Jack hit a superkick on Griffin. Griffin kicked the ref into the ropes, causing Jack to fall. Griffin hit a sidewinder uranage. Waller hit a Shooting Star Press. Price hit a Blockbuster then a dive to the floor. In the ring, Price hit a springboard tornado DDT to pin Waller. Fantastic scramble.
Alec Price defeated Jack Cartwheel, Mr. Danger, Griffin McCoy, Dustin Waller and Fuego Del Sol in a scramble at 10:31
10. Joey Janela vs. Mance Warner vs. Blake Christian in a ladder match for the GCW title. Again, Blake was stripped of the title while competing in Japan (which makes zero sense because he had defended it right before he left.) Both Blake’s belt and Mance’s belt are being hung from the ceiling, and you must pull down BOTH to win the match. Blake hit a superkick on Joey at the bell, and he traded forearm strikes with Mance. He hit a flip dive to the floor on Mance. Joey threw a ladder onto Blake on the floor and that seemed unnecessarily dangerous. Prazak noted that Joey held the title for a mere two minutes a couple months ago. In the ring, Mance clotheslined Blake at 2:00.
They brawled again to the floor. Mance grabbed a screwdriver. In the ring, he jabbed the screwdriver into the knee. (I am fairly certain the kneepad blocked it from touching his skin.) Mance jabbed the screwdriver into Joey’s forehead, and of course Joey was quickly bleeding. Joey hit a series of chops on Mance. Joey climbed the ladder at 6:00 but Blake kicked him off it. Blake hit a springboard 450 onto Mance, who was lying on a ladder. Joey powerbombed Blake onto a door in the corner, then he hit a Death Valley Driver through the door at 8:30. Mance hit a backbody drop sending Joey over the top rope and through a table on the floor!
Mance put the ladder over his head and swung it on Blake. Joey tossed a ladder into the ring and it hit Mance at 10:30. Mance chokeslammed Joey through an open chair! Mance chokeslammed Blake onto Joey, who was lying on a ladder. Joey repeatedly rammed Mance’s head against a ladder, and Joey climbed a ladder, Joey and Blake fought on top of the ladder. The ladder tipped and they crashed at 13:30. Emil noted this room used to be a bus terminal, so the ceiling is extra high. Broski Jimmy Lloyd got in the ring and hit Janela with a chair at 15:00. Masha Slamovich attacked Jimmy Lloyd! Joey hit a dive off the ladder onto a table on the floor. Steph De Lander now got in the ring to help Mance! Megan Bayne ran in for the save!
Mance accidentally hit SDL with his screwdriver at 17:00! Megan got the screwdriver and she repeatedly jabbed it into Mance’s forehead! Shane Mercer came out and he beat up Bayne! Shane nailed an AWESOME moonsault and battery off near the top of the ladder at 18:30. Joey and Blake again fought on top of the ladder. Joey hit a superplex and they were both down and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Mance hit a chairshot on Joey’s back at 20:30. Mance hit a DDT on a table on Joey; they bounced off as it didn’t break, and they rolled to the floor. Blake and Mance fought on the ladder, and Blake powerbombed him through a board bridge at 23:30.
Joey and Blake fought on the ladder, and Joey hit a package piledriver onto a horizontal ladder, and it broke clean in half. Joey has welts forming on his back. Joey set up another horizontal ladder between an open ladder and the ring post. Joey hit a hard chairshot to Mance’s head and I don’t think Mance made much effort to block it. Joey and Blake fought on top of the ladder with the belts directly above them. Joey hit a Death Valley Driver off the ladder, sending Blake through a table.
Matt Cardona hit the ring at 29:00 and said he is entering the match! However, 1 Called Manders grabbed him and they brawled to the back. Effy jumped in the ring and brawled with Mance! Cole Radrick’s music played! But he has a show elsewhere and isn’t here. Instead, JBL came out through the crowd. “What is he doing here?” Prazak shouted. He hit some Clotheslines From Hell on Effy! JBL stood guard, allowing Mance to climb the ladder and pull down the belts and win the match. Mance, Cardona, SDL and Lloyd celebrated in the ring as the show came to a close.
Mance Warner defeated Joey Janela and Blake Christian in a ladder match to become the undisputed GCW Champion at 32:02
Final Thoughts: Well, I did not have JBL showing up in GCW on my bingo card. A very good main event that lived up to its billing; it was violent but it didn’t tun my stomach either. That gets best match. I’ll go with the women’s four-way for second and Sidney-Deppen for third. A really good scramble takes honorable mention. Also, the Raj/Bollywood Boyz match topped all expectations as the six of them just had a full sprint.
Prazak called the women’s four-way and the following death match solo; when Emil Jay returned he was clearly shaken, and my guess is the Nick Gage news went down right then and there. We’ll see what happens to Gage and how GCW adjusts its plans for Sunday’s show and moving forward.
This show had three death matches, not counting the main event, and for me, that’s at least two too many. Unfortunately, it feels like Tony Khan is just letting Danhausen’s contract run out; the fact he isn’t in Europe — but Ariya Daivari is — is very telling. That’s not meant as a dig at Ariya, but I acknowledge Danhausen sells a lot more merchandise than Ariya does.
Be the first to comment