GCW “Bad One” results (9/14): Vetter’s review of Mance Warner vs. Danhausen for the GCW Title, Kylie Rae vs. Maki Itoh, Gringo Loco vs. Man Like DeReiss

By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)

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GCW “Bad One”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
September 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan at Harpos Concert Theatre

This venue is actually one of my least favorite places for GCW shows because they usually ramp up the number, and violence, of hardcore matches in this night club. This ring looks like a hefty bag. Lights are low but the ring is well-lit. Dave Prazak and Emil Jay provided commentary. It’s worth pointing out that TNA has a taping tonight, so no Masha Slamovich or Mike Bailey here.

1. Alec Price vs. Arez. Huge fan of both of these guys. They worked over each other’s arms early on. Price hit a shoulder tackle. Arez hit a backbreaker over his knee at 1:30, then a dropkick. Price hit a huracanrana and a second-rope crossbody block. Arez hit a loud chop and some quick kicks in the corner. He ran up Price’s back at 4:00. Price hit a Frankensteiner and a spinning back fist, then a half-nelson suplex for a nearfall. Price hit a springboard spin kick, then a running knee in the corner at 6:30. Arez hit a one-legged Lionsault for a nearfall and we got a “this is wrestling!” chant.

Arez hit a swinging Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 8:00. Price hit a jumping knee to the chin. Arez hit a series of kicks. Price hit a mid-ring huracanrana at 9:30. Price hit his springboard Blockbuster, then a dive to the floor on Arez. Getting back in the ring, Price hit a springboard tornado DDT for the pin. That was a really, really good opener. GCW often gets these shows off to a great start, like this here.

Alec Price defeated Arez at 10:14.

2. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini vs. “The Pillars” Tommy Vendetta and Malcolm Monroe III for the GCW Tag Team Titles. ViF holds the record for the most number of title defenses in GCW history. I’ve seen the Pillars a handful of times before, particularly when GCW comes to Detroit. Vendetta looks like Mark and Jay Briscoe’s cousin; MM3 is a Black man of average height, and they definitely are among the top of the Detroit scene. Ku and Vendetta immediately traded chops. MM3 and Garrini entered at 1:00, and Monroe hit a dropkick, then a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Garrini hit some loud chops, and ViF began working MM3 over in their corner.

Garrini hit a bodyslam and a senton for a nearfall at 4:00. MM3 hit a spin kick and they were both down. Vendetta got the hot tag and hit a flying shoulder tackle on Ku. He hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 6:00, then an enzuigiri. Ku and Malcolm entered and they traded forearm strikes. Ku hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. Dominic tossed MM3 at Ku, who hit a kneestike for a nearfall at 7:30. MM3 hit a pop-up stunner. The Pillars piled their opponents in the corner and hit a team cannonball on them for a nearfall, but Ku had a foot in the ropes! Garrini hit a dive through the ropes. In the ring, he traded blows with MM3. ViF hit the Chasing the Dragon (spin kick-and-brainbuster combo) to pin Monroe. A really good match but the winners were never in doubt.

Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini defeated Tommy Vendetta and Malcolm Monroe III to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 9:44.

3. Kylie Rae vs. Maki Itoh. Itoh carried her Ultraviolent Title belt. Kylie offered a handshake; Itoh gave her the middle finger. Kylie has a two-inch height advantage. They took turns playing to the crowd, then they traded forearm strikes. Rae kicked her in the corner and got booed! She hit a side slam for a nearfall at 3:00. She slammed Itoh’s head onto a top turnbuckle, but of course, Itoh sold it that it doesn’t hurt her at all, and Maki dropped Kylie with a headbutt. Itoh hit a running Facewash Kick for a nearfall at 5:00.

Rae hit a clothesline; more boos! She hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes on the ring apron at 7:00. Itoh slammed her face-first on the apron. In the ring, Kylie hit a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall, and she applied a crossface on the mat. The crowd loudly chanted “Maki!” (How often is Kylie the heel?) Itoh gave her a Stone Cold-style middle finger, kick to the gut, and a stunner for the pin. Fun match. I’ll point out we never had any blood or pizza cutters and it was really good without it. They hugged afterwards.

Maki Itoh defeated Kylie Rae at 9:24. 

4. Gringo Loco vs. Man Like Dereiss. UK star Dereiss wrestled in California 24 hours earlier for West Coast Pro. The crowd was HOT and split before they locked up. Dereiss hit a head-scissors takedown and a dropkick at 2:30. Loco hit a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Loco hit a top-rope guillotine leg drop for a nearfall at 5:30. Dereiss hit a spear. Loco hit a sit-out slam for a nearfall at 7:30. Dereiss hit a superkick. Loco hit one. Dereiss hit a running stunner for a nearfall. Loco went for a second-rope superplex, but he rotated to turn it into a Falcon Arrow and got a nearfall at 10:00. They fought on the ropes, and Loco hit a top-rope Spanish Fly, then a piledriver for the pin. That was really good.

Gringo Loco defeated Man Like Dereiss at 11:14.

5. Megan Bayne vs. Brooke Havok. Megan, as per usual, has a significant height and overall size advantage. They locked up and Bayne hit a shoulder tackle but we lost the signal from the building! I fast-forwarded a minute to find where the signal came back on. Bayne dragged Havok across the ring by her hair. She hit a Stinger Splash and a release suplex for a nearfall at 4:00. Havok hit a running neckbreaker. She hit a top-rope crossbody block onto Bayne on the floor. Back in the ring, Brooke hit a pumphandle powerbomb move for a nearfall! Bayne hit a sliding clothesline. Bayne went for an F5 but Brooke turned it into a faceplant and they were both down.

Havok hit a suplex and they were both down at 7:00. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, and they switched to open-hand slaps to the face as they got to their feet. Bayne hit her leaping clothesline. She hit a standing powerbomb, then another, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 9:00, and the crowd popped for Brooke’s kickout. Brooke hit a running stomp and a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Bayne hit a German Suplex. She cut Brooke in half with a spear, then she hit the F5 for the pin.

Megan Bayne defeated Brooke Havok at about 10:30. 

* A video aired of Miedo Extremo turning on Ciclope. Miedo Extremo then came to the ring in street clothes, and he gave the crowd the middle finger. He told the crowd to shut the f— up. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak before; his accent is really thick. Ciclope got in the ring; he ripped off his jacket and he wants to fight. Miedo said he doesn’t’ want to fight him. Miedo said he quits! He stormed out of the ring. Blake Christian attacked Ciclope! Prazak said he didn’t know Blake was even here! We have an impromptu match!

6. Blake Christian vs. Ciclope. Ciclope went for a dive to the floor, but Blake hit a spin kick to cut him off. Blake dove through the ropes and barreled onto a door in Ciclope’s arms at 2:00. Blake began working Ciclope’s left arm. He snapped Ciclope’s arm across the top rope, and he stepped on the left arm to snap it backward, and was booed. He did it again! Blake hit a series of shoulder tackles and a superkick. Ciclope hit a spinebuster, and they were both down at 6:30. Ciclope hit a crossbody block through the ropes, sending Blake through a board bridge that was set up on the floor! In the ring, Ciclope got a nearfall at 8:00.

Blake hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall, and he switched to a Fujiwara Armbar, but Ciclope reached the ropes. Blake hit a Lethal Injection at 10:30, but he missed a top-rope 450. Ciclope hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Blake hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. Blake went for a stomp but Ciclope grabbed Blake’s leg and hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 12:30. He hit a Hidden Blade forearm strike! Ciclope hit a top-rope frogsplash for the clean pin! That’s a shocker; Blake has taken very few pinfall losses in GCW in the past three years. Blake left the ring in disbelief he lost.

Ciclope defeated Blake Christian at 12:58.

7. 1 Called Manders, Effy, and Dark Sheik vs. Breyer Wellington, 2 Tough Tony, and Mad Man Pondo (w/Violent J). Wellington’s team have all been wrestling for more than 20 years each. Pondo wore a blue jersey, Tony wore white and Breyer wore black. They all brawled at the bell. Sheik dove off the top rope onto the opponents on the floor. Tony hit a twisting dive onto everyone. Pondo ran a garden tool over Effy’s back at 2:30. Manders and Tony began brawling. They got chairs, sat down, and traded punches. Pondo hit a flipping senton move on Manders at 5:30. They began whacking each other with boards. Pondo was bleeding from near his left ear.

The old-timers flipped Manders through a board bridge in the ring. Effy hit a Helluva Kick on Breyer. Sheik hit a flying guillotine legdrop. Pondo hit a stop sign across Manders’ unprotected head. Pondo slammed Manders through a board bridge for a nearfall. Effy hit a Blockbuster on Breyer, then a spear. Tony hit a Lionsault at 9:30. Tony lit his own wrist on fire and hit a punch. That is just stupid. Effy hit a flying leg lariat to pin Breyer. This is the sort of garbage match the live crowd loves that just doesn’t work for me.

1 Called Manders, Effy, and Dark Sheik vs. Breyer Wellington, 2 Tough Tony, and Mad Man Pondo at 10:22.

8. Crazy King vs. Sawyer Wreck in a death match. Light tubes were set up around the ring. Yuck. Sawyer carried a box of light tubes with her to the ring. King used a gusset plate. The ring was soon covered in light tube debris and they were both heavily bleeding. She hit a chokeslam for the pin. Just not for me.

Sawyer Wreck defeated Crazy King at 8:40.

9. Dr. Redacted vs. John Wayne Murdoch in a death match. Dr. Redacted is bald and wore a white doctor’s scrubs. More light tubes, more heavy blood loss from both guys. Murdoch scored the pin.

John Wayne Murdoch defeated Dr. Redacted at 12:21.

10. Mance Warner vs. Danhausen. Long breaks between these matches to clean the ring. The bell rang, but then Mance got on the mic and shouted at the crowd. Danhausen finally attacked from behind and hit some punches and rammed Mance’s head into the ring posts. Manc got weapons from under the ring, as Danhausen was selling a throat injury. Danhausen hit a bulldog at 6:00. He hit a DDT for a nearfall. Jimmy Lloyd got in the ring, allowing Mance to hit a clothesline on Danhausen. Mance hit a running knee to the head at 8:00 and was booed. Joey Janela ran to the ring and got in the match and began punching both guys, so it appears we are turning this into a tag match.

Danhausen vs. Mance Warner ends in a draw at 9:00.

10b. Danhausen and Joey Janela vs. Mance Warner and Jimmy Lloyd. The heels regrouped on the floor; Lloyd got in the ring and the bell rang to start a new match. Joey hit bodyslams on each heel. The heels threw chairs at Joey’s head and I hate that. Lloyd applied a chinlock on the mat to slow down Janela. Mance hit some chops in the corner. Danhausen got a hot tag and he hit a double clothesline at 4:00. He hit a German Suplex on Mance. He grabbed his jar of teeth but Lloyd cut him off. The babyfaces hit punches on the heels in the corner. Danhausen and Janela hit a team delayed vertical suplex, holding Mance upside down for perhaps 30 seconds, before Danhausen got a nearfall.

Lloyd and Mance chokeslammed Danhausen through a board bridge for a nearfall at 8:00. Joey began whacking his opponents over the head with door debris. Joey hit a Death Valley Driver. This match is just a mess. Mance suplexed Joey through a board bridge for a nearfall at 11:30. Danhausen hit a German Suplex on Lloyd. Mance hit a running knee on Danhausen for a believable nearfall. Joey hit a top-rope summersault onto the heels. Danhausen punched Jimmy in the groin and poured his jar of teeth down his throat. Joey hit a superkick on Lloyd to send the teeth flying. Joey hit a Death Valley Driver and pinned Lloyd.

Danhausen and Joey Janela defeated Mance Warner and Jimmy Lloyd at 14:12.

Final Thoughts: Not the first time I’ve written this sentence — GCW started really strong and faded as it went. I would actually say matches 7-10 is my least favorite final four match stretch to end a GCW show I’ve seen this year (and I watch them all except the death match shows.) Loco-Dereiss earned best match, Price-Arez was really good for a close second, and I’ll go with Bayne-Havok for third. Blake-Ciclope was entertaining with a surprise winner and that earns honorable mention. While I never considered ViF would lose, their match against the Detroit vets was really good. So, those matches were all really good, and the first half of the show was fun.

But the last four matches were too violent, with too much blood loss, too many blows to the head, and action that just doesn’t work for me. I will reiterate that the fans there loved this violence.