By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Live Fast, Die Young”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
August 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois at Thalia Hall
GCW has run in this music hall several times now, and it seems like a good venue for wrestling. This is a really good crowd of maybe 600 including those upstairs. Lighting is good here. Dave Prazak and Emil Jay provided commentary, and Prazak said we have 10 matches tonight.
* The show opened with footage from the “Homecoming” weekend shows in New Jersey a week ago, notably the debut of JBL.
1. Alec Price vs. Bobby Flaco. Flaco is the short, bald dork from Georgia. Price has a significant height advantage. They traded quick reversals. Flaco hit a missile dropkick at 1:30. Price hit his springboard crossbody block. He hit a basement dropkick to the base of the neck for a nearfall. Alec hit his series of kneestrikes in the corner. Price hit the half-nelson suplex at 6:00. Flaco hit a top-rope splash to the floor on Price. In the ring, Flaco hit a top-rope flying stunner. Price held Flaco’s ankles and swung him into a faceplant. Price then hit a tornado DDT for the pin. Good action but the winner was never in doubt.
Alec Price defeated Bobby Flaco at 7:00 even.
2. Joey Janela vs. Griffin McCoy. My guess is this is McCoy’s first travels to the Midwest; he has the height and overall size advantage on Janela. He slapped Joey to start; Janela responded with some European Uppercuts. Griffin stomped on him in the corner and was booed. On the floor, Griffin hit a running dropkick on Joey, who was seated in the front row, at 3:00. In the ring, Griffin hit some quick kicks and was in charge. Joey fired up and hit a series of chops in the corner. He hit a diving European Uppercut at 5:30, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Joey hit a superkick. Griffin hit a Helluva Kick and a basement dropkick in the corner. He went for a frogsplash, but Joey got his knees up at 7:30. Janela hit a suplex. Griffin leapt to the top rope and hit a superplex on Janela for a nearfall. Griffin hit a half-nelson suplex. He leapt off the ropes but Janela caught him and hit a stunner. Joey hit a clothesline and a package piledriver for a nearfall at 10:30. Janela hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner, then a top-rope doublestomp for the pin. Good action and a big performance for McCoy in a new area.
Joey Janela defeated Griffin McCoy at 10:56.
3. 1 Called Mathers and Sawyer Wreck vs. Davey Bang and August Matthews. The Chicago-based Bang and Matthews team really need a breakout win. Sawyer just returned from a broken wrist that has sidelined her most of the year. She’s close to 6’0″ and taller than anyone else in the match. Manders and Matthews opened, then Sawyer tagged in at 1:30 to face Bang; she held her arms up to show he can’t reach her hands. He tried a shoulder tackle but he ricocheted off (she isn’t particularly thick.) She hit a double shoulder tackle at 3:30 and she chopped August. Manders got in and also chopped Matthews.
Bang hit a modified 619 on Manders, and they hit their team doublestomps on Manders’ back at 6:00. They went for dives to the floor but were caught; Manders and Wreck beat them up on the floor. In the ring, Sawyer hit a back suplex for a nearfall on Matthews. Matthews tried a leaping bulldog on Wreck that didn’t quite connect and they were both down. Bang got the hot tag at 9:00 and he hit some chops on Manders. He hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a running leg lariat in the corner on Manders, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall.
Bang hit her with a forearm strike that she no-sold. Bang got on Matthews’ shoulders, so Sawyer put ref Dan Perch on her shoulders! Funny. Manders got in, got Perch down, and he put Sawyer on his shoulders so they could ‘chickenfight.’ Back on the mat, Sawyer hit a Mark Henry Slam, and Manders hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. Bang and Matthews hit superkicks. Bang nailed the Spears Tower at 13:00. Matthews hit a dive to the floor on Manders. In the ring, Sawyer chokeslammed both opponents, then she covered Matthews for the pin. Entertaining stuff.
1 Called Manders and Sawyer Wreck defeated August Matthews and Davey Bang at 13:49.
4. Zilla Fatu vs. Blake Christian. Zilla still has less than 30 matches under his belt but just carries himself like a star. He has a significant height, weight, thickness advantage. Feels strange to see Blake without a GCW belt on his shoulder, after he lost the ladder match a week ago, and he looks like he’s moping about it. He stalled on the floor before the bell. The bell rang and the commentators speculated on what is going on with him. Blake hit an enzuigiri. He tried a shoulder tackle but he ricocheted off. Zilla hit a shoulder tackle that sent Blake flying.
Blake avoided a Samoan Spike at 1:30, and he was able to flip Zilla to the floor. They fought at ringside. Zilla launched him like a dart at the ring post at 3:00 and he was in charge. In the ring, Zilla again set up for the Samoan Spike but Blake collapsed. Blake avoided a flying headbutt, and he hit a top-rope missile dropkick. Blake set up for a dive, but Zilla hit him with a door he grabbed from under the ring at 5:00. Blake dove onto Zilla and the door and we got a “GCW!” chant. Blake ran the length of the stage and hit a summersault splash onto Zilla, and they were both down on the floor.
Blake whipped Zilla’s right arm into the ring post and damaged the fingers; Prazak said he’s trying to take away the Samoan Spike. Blake set up the door in the corner in the ring. He threw Zilla shoulder-first into the corner at 8:30, then he snapped Zilla’s left arm backwards. Blake hit a handspring-back-spin kick at 10:00. Zilla caught him and hit a swinging uranage and a flying shoulder tackle, then a gutwrench suplex for a nearfall. However, Blake again blocked the Samoan Spike. Blake nailed a German Suplex through the door in the corner for a nearfall at 12:00.
Blake got another door from under the ring and he set up a door bridge. This crowd was hot for this action. Zilla nailed a pop-up Samoan Drop, sending Blake through the door bridge for a believable nearfall at 15:00. Zilla hit another uranage. Zilla went for the Samoan Spike but Blake turned it into a mid-ring Spanish Fly! Awesome! Blake hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. This is Blake’s best match in months. They fought on the top rope, where Zilla nailed the Samoan Spike, sending Blake crashing to the mat, and Zilla scored the pin. That was stellar.
Zilla Fatu defeated Blake Christian at 17:05.
5. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini vs. Dark Sheik and Effy for the GCW Tag Team Titles. ViF have the most title defenses of any team in GCW history. Effy’s team came out to a dance track instead of Elton John. I’ll note that Allie Katch was at Beyond Wrestling in Rhode Island, thus her absence here. Garrini and Effy opened with some basic offense, as Prazak and Emil talked about how Miedo Extremo turned heel on tag partner Ciclope last week. Sheik tagged in at 2:30, hitting a Helluva Kick on Garrini. Sheik hit a splits leg drop on Garrini. Ku beat up Effy on the floor, so Effy wouldn’t be there when Sheik wanted to tag out.
ViF continued to beat up Sheik in their corner. Sheik hit a 619 at 5:00, then a twisting DDT. Effy got the hot tag and hit a Helluva Kick on Garrini, then a Blockbuster, then a spear for a nearfall. Effy and Garrini hit simultaneous clotheslines and were both down at 7:00. Ku hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Sheik. Effy hit a spear on Ku at 8:30. He hit a standing powerbomb. Sheik hit a top-rope flying legdrop for a believable nearfall, but Garrini pulled the ref from the ring. Sheik and Ku traded forearm strikes. Sheik hit a spin kick to the back of Ku’s head, then a straight punch to Ku’s groin. However, Garrini slid in and pinned Sheik out of nowhere! Effy and Sheik were baffled as to what just happened.
“Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini defeated Dark Sheik and Effy to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 10:39.
6. Sidney Akeem vs. Mustafa Ali. Akeem is undefeated in GCW at 6-0, and has delivered the best matches of his career. Chicago native Ali got a hero’s welcome. No secret service agents with him tonight. Ali got in his face and jawed at Akeem before they tied up. They traded quick reversals with neither able to land a blow. Ali hit a huracanrana at 1:30, and they had a standoff. Ali hit a second-rope tornado DDT for a nearfall, and he tied up Akeem on the mat. Ali leaned backward and applied the Muta Lock at 5:00, but Akeem reached the ropes. Akeem hit a plancha to the floor. Ali hit a dive through the ropes and they both landed deep into the rows of chairs at 6:30.
It was now Akeem’s turn to dive through the ropes and crash onto Ali deep into the crowd. In the ring, Ali crashed head-first into the middle turnbuckle. Sidney immediately hit a moonsault press for a nearfall at 8:00. Ali hit a sunset flip powerbomb out of the corner. Akeem hit a top-rope Spanish Fly and they were both down at 10:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Akeem hit his double backflip-into-a-stunner for a believable nearfall! (That has scored pin after pin in GCW). Ali tied up Akeem in the middle of the ring. Ali hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall at 12:30. They traded rollups, and the ref called for the bell! It appears we have a double pin, as all four shoulders were down. Yep, that’s the ruling.
Mustafa Ali vs. Sidney Akeem went to a draw via double-pin at 13:44.
* Ali got on the mic and said this wasn’t how he wanted the match to end. He called Akeem an “arrogant sunova bitch.” He said he watched for years as “they” gave him one bullshit gimmick after another. “Now the world gets to see who the f— you are.” Ali said when he was in WWE, the guys used to watch GCW PPVs because they wanted to see what real wrestling is about. Ali said everyone is talking about Sidney and GCW again. Ali shook his hand. He described himself as “the unofficial mayor of Chicago,” and asked the crowd to rise and give Akeem the respect he deserves. Ali rolled out of the ring and let Akeem soak in the adulation. Good lord, Ali is great at these promos where he puts someone else over.
7. Megan Bayne vs. Miyu Yamashita. This should be great. A feeling-out process to open and Megan hit a shoulder tackle, and she repeatedly rammed her shoulder into Miyu’s waist in the corner. Miyu hit a stiff kick to the spine for a nearfall at 2:00. Bayne hit a Guerrilla Press and a leaping clothesline. She hit another clothesline for a nearfall at 5:00. Miyu got up and hit some quick kicks, but Megan hit a leg-capture suplex. Miyu hit a flying forearm for a nearfall at 7:00. Bayne hit a second-rope back suplex for a nearfall. Miyu went to an anklelock and she stomped on the back of Megan’s thigh.
Megan nailed a sit-out powerbomb. Miyu immediately applied a Triangle Choke. She switched to a crossarm breaker in the ropes at 10:30 and let go of the hold before the five-count. Bayne nailed a second-rope superplex and they were both down. They began trading forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Miyu nailed a German Suplex at 13:00, but Megan popped up, hit her own German Suplex, then another leaping clothesline for a nearfall. Miyu hit a series of kicks, including a springboard spin kick to the head. Miyu hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall.
Miyu hit a buzzsaw kick to the head. Bayne set up for a Tombstone Piledriver, but Miyu blocked it and got a rollup for a nearfall. Bayne hit a chokeslam. Jimmy Lloyd ran into the ring and attacked Bayne with a steel chair, and the ref called for the bell. Miyu nailed a spin kick to Jimmy’s head, and she hit a chair shot to his head. Bayne hit a Tombstone Piledriver on Lloyd. So, once again, in a promotion that doesn’t have disqualification finishes…. we have a disqualification finish. The women shook hands and raised their arms.
Megan Bayne vs. Miyu Yamashita went to a draw at 15:39.
8. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Ciclope. Again, Miedo Extremo just turned on Ciclope last week, and I fully expect to see Miedo before this match is over. Cicople spoke on the mic first; Murdoch came out and pretended to be crying at Ciclope. They began brawling on the floor, and Murdoch hit a backbody drop onto the entrance ramp. In the ring, Murdoch hit a Flatliner and remained in charge. He hit a chairshot across the back. Ciclope fired up and hit some clotheslines at 3:00. A door bridge was set up in the ring. Murdoch hit a second-rope Canadian Destroyer through the door bridge, but Ciclope popped up and no-sold it. Ciclope hit a Spinebuster. Ciclope hit a diving back elbow. He hit a frogsplash onto door debris on Murdoch’s stomach for the pin. Shorter than expected, and solid hardcore action without getting gross. No Miedo after all.
Ciclope defeated John Wayne Murdoch at 7:05.
9. Kylie Rae vs. Brooke Havok. A big pop for hometown hero Kylie Rae and she high-fived all the fans in the front row. They are similar in size; Brooke may be slightly taller. They shook hands at the bell. They traded mat reversals early on and Kylie worked the left arm. Havok hit a basement dropkick to the chin at 4:00. Havok hit a fisherman’s neckbreaker and applied a sleeper-hold. Kylie hit a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall at 6:30. Havok hit a running neckbreaker, then a pumphandle slam for a nearfall. Kylie hit a Canadian Destroyer and a superkick, then a Russian Legsweep and into a crossface at 8:00. Havok escaped and hit a Stomp to the head, but she missed a Swanton Bomb. Kylie immediately went back to the crossface, and Brooke tapped out. That was really good for the time given.
Kylie Rae defeated Brooke Havok at 8:49.
10. Mance Warner vs. Gringo Loco for the GCW Title. Huge pop for Chicago native Loco. Mance got on the mic and shouted, “F— Chicago, the biggest shit hole in the world.” Loco got on the mic and defended “the city I grew up in.” Mance attacked from behind. Loco hit a leaping clothesline that sent Mance to the floor. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, Loco missed a moonsault. Warner chokeslammed him through some open chairs at 6:30, and he was bleeding from his forehead. Mance cracked door debris on Gringo’s back. Gringo hit a running powerbomb, tossing Warner through a door in the corner for a nearfall at 8:00.
Gringo set up for a top-rope Spanish Fly, but Marner hit a uranage through a board bridge on the mat for a nearfall at 11:00. Mance set up another door bridge. They fought on the ropes in the corner, where Gringo nailed a top-rope Falcon Arrow through the door bridge for a nearfall at 14:00. Mance got a screwdriver and he jabbed Loco in the forehead with it. “He’s doing that right in front of his family! Have some decency,” Prazak said. Gringo’s daughter, maybe age 12-14, got in the ring and slapped Mance in the face at 18:00. He grabbed her by the hair and teased using the screwdriver on her! However, Gringo hit a low blow uppercut for the save. Gringo hit a top-rope corkscrew splash onto Mance but the ref is down! The ref made a two-count, but Jimmy Lloyd pulled the ref to the floor.
Lloyd picked up Gringo’s daughter and set her on the top turnbuckle and mockingly patted her head. She hit a leaping head-scissors takedown on Jimmy and that got a MASSIVE pop! She left the ring. Gringo hit a Buzzsaw Kick and he had the screwdriver! He jabbed Mance with it at 21:00. Loco got a crowbar and used it along the forehead. Mance shoved the ref into the ropes, causing Loco to fall from the top rope to the mat. Mance hit Gringo with the crowbar, hit a DDT, and scored the pin. The show went off the air abruptly after the pin.
Mance Warner defeated Gringo Loco to retain the GCW Title at 22:44.
Final Thoughts: Some really great wrestling on this show. Blake-Zilla was a stellar matchup and easily best of the night. Even with the double-pin finish, Ali-Akeem takes second. Ali made his usual great points on the mic — Akeem was given one unlikable gimmick after another in WWE that stunted any chance he had of getting over. I really liked Bayne-Yamashita. While I hated the finish, it doesn’t take away from the great action, and I hope we have that rematch with a clean winner in the near future. While I don’t care for the hardcore action, the main event takes honorable mention; Gringo’s daughter jumping in the ring and helping out really added to the match.
Lots of other stuff to like here, too. A big opportunity for Griffin McCoy and I felt he succeeded. Manders/Sawyer vs. Bang/Matthews had some fun comedy spots and entertaining action. I’m still not buying the short, frail dork Flaco as a wrestler, but he IS over with the crowd, and it gave Price a needed win. This show is a full 3.5 hours long but it felt like it zipped by. I wouldn’t say any match went longer than it should have, other than maybe the main event.
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