By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Ransom”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
December 6, 2024 in Tampa, Florida at Egypt Shrine Center
This is a large, plain white room and the crowd is maybe 200-250. Brett Lauderdale and Emil Jay and Dominic Garrini provided commentary.
* The show opened with a video highlight package of the action last week in Chicago.
1. “Gahbage Daddies” Alec Price and Cole Radrick vs. “Culture Inc” Eli Knight and Malik Bosede vs. “The Mane Event” Jay Lyon and Midas Black vs. Bobby Flaco and Terry Yaki. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen of Culture Inc. the past two years; Eli has a pretty Shooting Star Press, one of the best in the business, and they are locals so they got a nice pop. Flaco is the dork who pumps his arms and gets the crowd going; he’s the white version of R-Truth. Yaki has cut his hair really short and I didn’t recognize him at all; it’s a whole new look. Dominic Garrini provided commentary for this match. TME worked over Cole early. Yaki hit a senton on Price at 2:00. Culture Inc. worked over Yaki. TME hit stereo kicks on Flaco.
Bosede hit a springboard double Blockbuster at 4:30. Lyon hit a flip dive onto everyone on the floor. Knight hit a top-rope corkscrew press onto everyone on the floor. Yaki hit an Asai Moonsault onto everyone at 6:30. In the ring, Culture Inc. hit a team stunner move on Yaki for a nearfall; they didn’t land it perfectly but I liked the effort. Midas hit a stunner on Eli. Lyon hit a senton, then a moonsault. Radrick hit a DDT on Lyon. Price hit his springboard Blockbuster, then he hit a springboard dive to the floor. Price then hit an in-ring doublestomp on Midas; both Price and Cole covered Midas for the pin. Good high-energy opener but the winner was never in doubt, based on GCW’s current booking.
Alec Price & Cole Radrick defeated Eli Knight & Malik Bosede and Jay Lyon & Midas Black and Bobby Flaco & Terry Yaki in a four-way at 9:17.
* The prison vignette for the “People vs. GCW” aired. I don’t care if I’m a broken record… these are great.
2. Marcus Mathers vs. Megan Bayne in an intergender match. As is often the case, I believe Bayne is taller. Megan wore her new black-and-gold gear that really works for her overall look (I was a bit surprised she wasn’t on the Uprising show in Illinois.) WWE ID prospect Mathers wore his Phillies-inspired pants. She knocked him down with a shoulder tackle to open, and they immediately traded chops, and she dove through the ropes onto Marcus. She hit some more chops at ringside at 1:30. In the ring, she hit a double-underhook suplex. He hit a neckbreaker in the ropes and took control, keeping her grounded and applying a Dragon Sleeper. He nailed a Mafia Kick at 5:00 and was booed. Megan hit a back suplex and an Exploder Suplex, then a German Suplex for a nearfall.
Marcus hit a second-rope crossbody block, then a fadeaway stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 7:30 and he was back in charge. He jawed at a few fans but he hasn’t been a heel, either. He caught her with an Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the face. He came off the ropes but she cut him in half with a spear and they were both down at 9:30. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. She hit a flying clothesline. He nailed a Tombstone Piledriver for a believable nearfall at 11:30, then another fadeaway springboard stunner for a nearfall. Mathers hit a top-rope superplex, but she hit a sit-out powerbomb, then her own Tombstone Piledriver for the pin. Every bit as good as I expected; I’ve noted before that Bayne looks believable against men.
Megan Bayne defeated Marcus Mathers at 13:39.
* Footage aired of Sidney Akeem (WWE’s Reggie/Scrypts) beating Mike Bailey, then learning he will be facing El Hijo Del Vikingo on Jan. 19 at the Hammerstein Ballroom.
3. Sidney Akeem vs. Man Like DeReiss. I wasn’t aware this match was happening! Brit star DeReiss competed on both GCW shows last weekend as well. Standing switches to open and they twisted each other’s left arm. Sidney went for the Final Act but DeReiss bailed to avoid it! They sped it up and DeReiss hit a deep armdrag at 2:30. Akeem hit a dropkick. DeReiss hit a clothesline and was in charge. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 4:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes and chops, and Sidney hit his twisting crossbody block, then a top-rope moonsault press for a nearfall at 7:30. DeReiss dropped Akeem throat-first across the top rope. Akeem went for the Final Act, but DeReiss caught him and hit a German Suplex! Nice.
Akeem hit a pump-handle sideslam for a nearfall at 9:30 and it impressed Emil. Akeem came off the ropes but DeReiss caught him with a stunner. Both men got up at the nine-count and they traded forearm strikes. Sidney again went for the Final Act but DeReiss blocked it! DeReiss hit a powerbomb for a nearfall at 11:30, then a stunner for a nearfall. Sidney hit a top-rope Spanish Fly, and he immediately hit The Final Act (double backflip-into-a-stunner) and pinned DeReiss. That also was really good; three really good matches to start this show.
Sidney Akeem defeated Man Like DeReiss at 12:44.
4. Rich Swann vs. Jack Cartwheel. This is just the second Swann match I’ve seen since his suspension from TNA; his hair is really short and he seems to have dropped some muscle mass. WWE ID prospect Cartwheel wore a white fur coat. This crowd was HOT and split and they shook hands before locking up. The quick reversals early on you’d expect. They paused the action to do a dance-off. They missed some dropkicks and had a standoff at 3:30. Jack hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Rich hit a stiff kick to the spine. They went to the floor, where Swann ran and hit a kick as Jack was seated in a chair at 7:00. Jack caught him with a superkick. Swann did a flip dive off a three-foot-tall stage onto Jack.
In the ring, Jack hit a running neckbreaker at 9:00, then a dropkick, then his pretty Crucifix Driver. (Does anyone have a better one?) Jack nailed the Sasuke Special to the floor! In the ring, he hit a second-rope twisting moonsault for a nearfall at 11:30. Swann nailed a Lethal Injection for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Rich hit an enzuigiri. Jack did a cartwheel-into-a-kick, then his own enzuigiri. Swann went for a German Suplex but Jack rotated and landed on his feet. They hit stereo spin kicks to the head and were both down at 14:30. Jack hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, then his rolling Death Valley Driver, then his Twisted Bliss top-rope frogsplash to pin Swann. Four great back-to-back matches to open this show!
Jack Cartwheel defeated Rich Swann at 15:14.
* Footage aired of Charles Mason’s return to GCW! He has escaped a mental institute and is wearing an orange jumpsuit. He beat up former faction partner Parrow.
* Another new vignette aired, with Richard Holliday worried about Charles Mason coming after him. GCW is doing some phenomenal work with their recent skits.
* Parrow went to the ring for the next match. He grabbed the local ring announcer, chokeslammed him, and choked him. He stormed to the back, so I guess he’s not having a match!
* Footage aired of Brandon Kirk and Matt Tremont each winning matches in Brooklyn, N.Y., a week ago.
5. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Lindsey Snow (w/Ayla Fox). Snow is tattoo-covered and always reminds me of Luna Vachon. She had an ACL injury a year or two ago and I’ve only seen her a few times since she returned. They immediately traded forearm strikes. He is just so much bigger than she is. She jumped on his back, but he flipped her to the mat. They fought on the floor, and she pushed him head-first into the ring post at 1:30. Fox tried to interfere to help Snow. She hit a huracanrana in the ring, then she speared him through a door in the corner at 3:30. Fox got in the ring and hit Murdoch, too.
Murdoch got a gusset plate and shoved it into her crotch, then he kissed and licked it at 5:30. Gross. Yes, she was bleeding from the forehead, too. He cracked a door shard over her head, too. She hit him with debris too. This match just isn’t for me. Snow got tattoo needles and jabbed them into his forehead. She hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 8:30. Snow accidentally hit Fox with a chair. Murdoch immediately hit a brainbuster onto a folded chair for the pin.
John Wayne Murdoch defeated Lindsay Snow at 9:31.
* Murdoch got on the mic and talked about how he too is going to win the vacant GCW Ultraviolent Title in the ladder match on Jan. 19 in Hammerstein Ballroom.
6. Masha Slamovich vs. Gringo Loco vs. 1 Called Manders vs. Sam Stackhouse in a four-way for the JCW Title. Well, this is a match I wouldn’t have seen coming! The massive Sam hit a Black Hole Slam on Loco early on, then one on Manders. Masha hit a twisting dive through the ropes on Manders at 1:30. Loco hit a flip dive onto Manders and Sam. Loco hit a split-legged moonsault on Masha for a nearfall. Manders and Masha traded chops at 4:00, and she hit a tornado DDT. Loco and Manders had to work together to suplex Sam at 6:00. Loco hit a top-rope Spanish Fly on Manders. Sam powerbombed Masha onto both of them; Sam ripped off his shirt and set up for a moonsault! He did it, but luckily for the others, they all moved at 8:30 and he crashed to the mat, but the move got a “holy shit!” chant.
Manders, Loco and Masha traded forearm strikes. Masha hit her rolling Koppo Kick. Sam hit a twisting dive through the ropes on Manders and Loco! Masha hit a top-rope somersault onto all three of them at 10:30. In the ring, Loco hit a Flatliner on Masha for a nearfall. Loco and Manders fought on the top rope and they both crashed to the mat. Masha immediately hit a piledriver on Manders. Masha traded forearm strikes with Sam, and she hit a bodyslam! She applied a rear-naked choke and Sam immediately tapped out. Fun match with a big contrast in sizes.
Masha Slamovich defeated 1 Called Manders, Gringo Loco and Sam Stackhouse to retain the JCW Title at 12:38.
7. Joey Janela vs. Zachary Wentz. A feeling-out process early on, with Wentz hitting a basement dropkick. Joey hit a diving European Uppercut at 1:30. They got up and traded chops. Janela applied a cravat and kept Wentz grounded. Wentz hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex at 4:30 and a running knee, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Joey hit a huracanrana and a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Wentz hit a doublestomp on the back at 6:30 then a dive through the ropes. Joey hit his own dive to the floor. Wentz hit a twisting plancha to the floor. In the ring, Joey hit a rolling forearm; Wentz hit a handspring-back-spin kick and a Canadian Destroyer; Joey hit a buzzsaw kick and they were both down at 8:00.
Joey hit a German Suplex. Zack nailed a snapmare driver for a nearfall, then a Lungblower to the chest. Joey nailed a clothesline, then a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 11:00. Joey nailed the package piledriver for the pin. A good back-and-forth match between these two.
Joey Janela defeated Zack Wentz at 12:25.
* Joey got on the mic and he challenged Masato Tanaka to a match on Jan. 19. He’s never fought him before. (Also announced in the past 24 hours for that show is Super Crazy and Tajiri and Little Guido vs. Gringo Loco and Arez and Jack Cartwheel.)
8. Griffin McCoy vs. Mr. Danger vs. Rhys Maddox vs. Charlie Tiger vs. Jamie Senegal in a scramble. My first time seeing the slender, white Maddox; he has blond, curly hair past his shoulders. Tiger keeps putting on more unhealthy weight around his middle. Danger hit a huracanrana on McCoy. Trans athlete Senegal traded shoulder tackles with Maddox. Tiger hit a back suplex on Rhys. Griffin hit some kicks on former faction partner Tiger. They did a five-way sleeper spot, and ref Dan Perch got pulled into it, too, but Perch broke it up at 3:00. Danger nailed a top-rope moonsault onto everyone on the floor. In the ring, Tiger hit a Death Valley Driver on Mr. Danger.
Blake Christian hopped in the match at 4:30 and hit a missile dropkick on Tiger. He has writings on his body again, doing his best Hakushi look. Rhys hit a spinebuster and a basement dropkick. Rhys went for a flip dive to the floor but they didn’t catch him well and he made an awful sound upon landing on the floor. Blake hit a standing powerbomb on Rhys in the ring and ripped at his face. Blake hit an Omega-style One-Winged Angel and pinned Rhys!
Blake Christian defeated Griffin McCoy, Mr. Danger, Rhys Maddox, Charlie Tiger, and Jamie Senegal in a scramble at 6:43.
9. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini vs. Matt Cardona and Jimmy Lloyd for the GCW Tag Team Titles. This is a heel-heel matchup so we’ll see how the crowd reacts. Cardona got on the mic and said that Tampa is an ‘F-town,’ and he can’t wait to beat Chris Jericho in New York City. Cardona and Lloyd attacked from behind; ViF hit stereo German Suplexes. Ku hit a flying knee on Jimmy and Dominic got a nearfall on Jimmy. Garrini hit an Exploder Suplex on Cardona at 1:30. Cardona hit Garrini across the back with a chair. Cardona swung a chair but it hit the top rope and ricocheted into his face. Ku got a hot tag and hit running forearms in the corner on each heel, then Ku hit a rolling German Suplex on Lloyd.
Cardona and Lloyd hit stereo running Broski Boots in the corner on ku. Garrini hit a dive through the ropes onto Lloyd. They hit the Chasing the Dragon spin kick-and-brainbuster on Cardona, dropping Matt through a door for a nearfall at 5:00, but Lloyd made the save. Cardona covered Ku; Lloyd put on a ref shirt and made the three-count, but of course it doesn’t count. Jimmy hit a low blow on Ku, and Cardona hit a Radio Silence flying legdrop on Ku for a believable nearfall at 7:30. ViF again hit the Chasing the Dragon combo, this time on Lloyd, and scored the pin. They crammed a lot of offense into a match this short. (As I noted, they are both essentially heel teams, so no need to do a regular tag match that builds around a hot tag, when neither team was going to get any crowd sympathy.
Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini defeated Matt Cardona and Jimmy Lloyd to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 7:51.
* ViF got on the mic, but Alec Price and Cole Radrick attacked them. Cole got on the mic and vowed they would win the tag titles in Hammerstein Ballroom.
* More footage from Brooklyn last week, where Allie Katch called out both Effy and Mance Warner, and she declared herself as “championship material.”
10. Effy vs. Jai Vidal. I’ve barely seen Vidal in action this year as he vanished from TNA; he’s giving up a lot of height and weight. Standing switches and some gay humor. Effy hit a fallaway slam at 3:00, then a backbreaker over his knee. Effy hit a Helluva Kick and his Blockbuster, then a spear for a nearfall at 6:30. They traded forearm strikes. The crowd was quieter than I expected. He hit his flying leg lariat for the pin. This just didn’t quite click.
Effy defeated Jai Vidal at 8:02.
* Effy stayed in the ring and talked on the mic; Mance Warner came out and demanded the refs escort him from the ring. He took his time circling the ring and jawing at the fans.
11. Mance Warner vs. Fuego Del Sol for the GCW World Title. Mance has a big height and overall size advantage. Fuego immediately peppered him with punches. They went to the floor at 1:30 where Mance hit some LOUD chops, then an even LOUDER chairshot across the back. In the ring, Mance remained in charge and he jawed at ref Dan Perch when Dan pushed Mance’s arms off the ropes on a rollup attempt. They went to the floor, where now Fuego hit Mance across the back with a chair at 6:30, and he hit Mance with a cane. Back in the ring, Mance hit more loud chops, and he began untying Fuego’s mask at 9:00, and that earned some boos.
Fuego hit an enzuigiri and a missile dropkick at 11:30. He hit a top-rope corkscrew splash onto Mance, who was lying on a board bridge, for a nearfall at 14:00. Mance threw a chair at Fuego’s head and I really hate that. Fuego hit a Sunset Powerbomb through another board bridge for a nearfall at 16:00. Mance chokeslammed Fuego through a board bridge for a nearfall. This has been unnecessarily long and a bit dull. (Cardona’s match had twice the offense in half the length.) Mance cracked door debris over Fuego’s head. Fuego hit a doublestomp to the back for a nearfall at 20:00, then the top-rope tornado DDT for a nearfall. Mance ripped off Fuego’s mask, hit a low blow punt kick, and scored the pin. Meh.
Mance Warner defeated Fuego Del Sol to retain the GCW World Title at 21:31.
Final Thoughts: One of the better shows GCW has held this year outside their main hubs in NY/NJ and Los Angeles, and certainly much better than the mediocre show in Chicago last Sunday. A particularly strong first half of the show, as I’ll go with Cartwheel-Swann for best match, DeReiss-Akeem for second and Bayne-Mathers for third, with a really good Wentz-Janela match as honorable mention. I am still unclear of what the long-term plans are for Blake Christian, but I am intrigued.
The main event wasn’t bad, per se, it was just unnecessarily long. And with everything building towards the Hammerstein Ballroom in January, there was a zero percent chance that Fuego Del Sol was winning that match. They could have told the same story in a tighter 12-minute match. Again, ViF-Cardona/Lloyd also wasn’t going to have a title change, but they had a nice little barnburner for two heel teams.
I didn’t point it out over the course of the show, but Emil Jay did most of this show solo on commentary. He was adequate, but it really showed how difficult it is for anyone to do solo commentary for hours on end. Brett Lauderdale was only in the booth for a couple of matches and Garrini just the opener. It makes me appreciate even more the commentators who I think do a good job pulling it off. This show does get a thumbs up, despite my indifference to the final two matches, and it was a far better outing than last Sunday’s Chicago show.
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