By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Live In London”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
January 26, 2025 in London, England at Electric Ballroom
This show began at 9 a.m. CST on Sunday. Lighting is good and the crowd was maybe 400. Progress Wrestling uses this venue frequently and it’s a good room for wrestling. Promoter Brett Lauderdale provided commentary.
* The show opened with a video package, highlighting “The People vs. GCW” last Sunday at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.
1. “Gahbage Daddies” Cole Radrick and Alec Price vs. “Lykos Gym” Kid Lykos and Lykos II for the GCW Tag Team Titles. Radrick still has his brass ring around his neck that gives him a future match of his choosing. I’ve noted that Kid Lykos has a similar look to Will Ospreay, while Lykos II still wears a mask. Ref Scarlett Donovan is in the ring; it’s nice that Lauderdale recognizes the value of his referees by bringing her, too. Alec and Lykos II opened and they traded head-scissors takedowns. Brett said it is Alec’s first time in England. The GDs worked over Lykos II’s left arm. Lykos Gym began working over Price, with Kid Lykos hitting a series of punches in the corner at 4:00. Price hit a springboard crossbody block.
Radrick tagged in and fought Kid Lykos, hitting a twisting faceplant at 6:00, then a suplex for a nearfall. Kid Lykos hit a corkscrew senton for a nearfall. Price hit a Rebound Lariat on Lykos II at 7:30. Everyone hit a spin kick. Price hit a DDT. Lykos II hit a flip dive to the floor on both opponents. Lykos II hit a faceplant on Cole for a nearfall in the ring, but Price made the save. Price nailed his pop-up dropkick, then his springboard Blockbuster at 10:30, then a dive to the floor on Kid Lykos. In the ring, he hit the top-rope doublestomp on Lykos II’s shoulders and scored the pin. A really good opener.
Alec Price and Cole Radrick defeated Kid Lykos and Lykos II to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 10:59.
2. Sidney Akeem vs. Aigle Blanc. Blanc is the masked, French high-flyer and I’m a big fan; he’s the guy with long blond hair coming out from under the mask. This might be the best match of the show. Akeem is still undefeated in GCW (he does have a draw with Mustafa Ali.) Quick reversals at the bell, and Blanc applied a leg lock around the neck. They fought to the floor, and the crowd was behind Sidney. He hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 2:30. Akeem hit his twisting crossbody block for a nearfall. Basic reversals and action. Aigle hit a springboard kneestrike for a nearfall, and they were both down at 7:00.
Aigle hit a head-scissors out of the ropes that popped the crowd, then he hit a flip dive to the floor and landed on his feet. He missed a 450 Splash in the ring. Akeem hit a step-up mule kick to the shoulder at 8:30, then a top-rope twisting double knees for a nearfall. Akeem hit a superkick. Blanc hit a German Suplex, but Akeem rotated and landed on his feet. Akeem went for the Final Act, but Blanc caught him and hit a German Suplex! Nice! Blanc nailed the 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. Akeem nailed the Final Act (double backflip into a stunner) for the pin. Funny as Brett couldn’t remember the name of the move. Really good match and they landed that final move perfectly.
Sidney Akeem defeated Aigle Blanc at 11:26.
* Alec Price joined commentary here. Good; Brett needs some help, and I don’t mean that to sound critical.
3. Man Like DeReiss vs. Maki Itoh in an intergender match. DeReiss delivered a memorable storyline and match with Viva Van last year, so let’s see what they have planned here. This crowd is INSANELY loud before the bell; it’s a party atmosphere. They locked up and DeReiss pushed her to the mat. She backed him into a corner and hit some punches at 1:30, then a running Facewash in the corner. He hit a bodyslam and was LOUDLY booed. DeReiss got on the mic and said he’s not always nice. He bodyslammed her at 4:00. More boos. She started crying! However, she hit a bodyslam and got a massive pop! This crowd was just electric and into this. She hit a second one for a nearfall.
They fought onto the entrance stage, where she hit a DDT at 6:30. A song began; Price sang along. They got in the ring, and she fired up and hit some forearms. Price said this is a Pokemon song; I have never heard this. “I grew up on this,” Price said. She got a nearfall at 8:00. She got a Crucifix Driver for a nearfall, then a DDT for another nearfall. He nailed a swinging faceplant for a believable nearfall at 9:30. She flipped him off the top turnbuckle to the mat, and she hit a Kokeshi falling headbutt for a nearfall. DeReiss started crying! She got too close; he reached up, grabbed her and got a rollup. He punched her! That got boos. Price noted it’s the first time he really struck her. She got a forward rollup and the pin! A fun match.
Maki Itoh defeated Man Like DeReiss at 11:57.
* Cole Radrick replaced Price on color, joining Lauderdale in the booth.
4. Luke Jacobs vs. 1 Called Manders. Jacobs wore his Progress Title, but it’s apparently not on the line here. (Good; that gives us more mystery over the outcome.) Brett noted these two recently fought on a GCW show in Brooklyn. The crowd was singing a song; what is this one? They opened by trading shoulder blocks; Luke rolled to the floor to stall. More shoulder tackles back in the ring, with Manders finally dropping Jacobs at 3:00. Luke put on Manders’ cowboy hat and he got chopped for it! Jacobs hit a series of elbow drops on the upper thigh and kept Manders grounded. He hit some loud chops in the corner, then some punches at 8:00 that woke up Manders, and Manders returned some hard forearm strikes.
Manders hit a stiff clothesline and they were both down. Manders hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall, but he sold the pain in his leg. Jacobs hit a German Suplex, then a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:00. Manders nailed a Doctor Bomb (gut-wrench powerbomb) for a believable nearfall. Jacobs hit a spinebuster and he applied a Figure Four, but Manders reversed it, and Jacobs grabbed the ropes at 13:00. They got up and traded LOUD chops and forearm strikes. “You can see the sweat flying with each and every strike,” Radrick said. Jacobs hit a thudding headbutt at 15:30. Manders hit a second-rope Bulldog Powerslam, then a decapitating clothesline for a believable nearfall; I was reaching for my stopwatch!
Jacobs hit a clothesline but Manders popped up at a one count! Manders hit a clothesline but Jacobs popped up at a one count! They got up and traded punches and this crowd was on fire! Jacobs hit a clothesline to the back of the neck and immediately locked in a rear-naked choke. Manders held up a middle finger and tapped out. That was a war! Jacobs left first, allowing the crowd to give Manders a big ovation and a “Please come back!” chant.
Luke Jacobs defeated 1 Called Manders at 17:33.
5. Leon Slater vs. Jimmy Lloyd. They shook hands; the commentators wondered if Lloyd has ‘turned over a new leaf’ and is a true babyface again after turning on Matt Cardona last Sunday. Slater hit a spin kick, then a handspring-back-elbow, then a plancha to the floor. In the ring, Jimmy hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall at 2:30, and he took control. Slater got a jackknife rollup for a nearfall at 5:30 and a running leg lariat, then his impressive Swanton 450 Splash. This was the perfect length for this match.
Leon Slater defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 6:25.
* A video package of Sabu’s top moments aired. Some ECW and WWF footage in there. Sabu will have his retirement match against Joey Janela at Janela’s Spring Break show on April 18 in Las Vegas.
* OKAY for the next match “Joe” ALWAYS means Big F’n Joe.
6. Joey Janela vs. Big F’n Joe. If you haven’t seen Joe, he wrestles in a white button-down shirt and tie… and just his underwear. He’s a hardcore guy so I’m admittedly not a fan. Janela came out to “Come On Eileen” by the Dexys Midnight Runners; the commentators said it is a ‘first-ballot hall of fame song.’ It definitely got the crowd fired up. Basic reversals early on. Janela couldn’t budge Joe with a shoulder tackle. Janela hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 3:00. Joe tripped him on the apron. They went to the floor, where Janela hit some chops as Joe was seated in the front row, then Janela hit a running kick to the chest.
They got into the ring and Joe slid some weapons in. He cracked a thin plastic case onto Janela’s head at 7:00. Janela hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. Janela got some chairs and hit Joe across the back with them. Joe chokeslammed him across two open chairs for a nearfall at 9:30. Joe set up a door in the corner. Janela hit a Death Valley Driver onto an open chair for a nearfall. Joe hit a DVD through the door! Janela kicked out at a one-count, and they got up and traded forearm strikes. Janela repeatedly hit him over the head with door shards. Joe took his shirt off so he’s just in his underwear. He dumped thumbtacks into the center of the ring and hit a twisting uranage onto the tacks for a nearfall at 12:00.
Janela got up and he had more than a dozen in his back. He suplexed Joe onto the thumbtacks for a nearfall! They hit stereo clotheslines and both fell onto the tacks. Janela hit some forearm strikes. He got a table at 14:00 and slid it into the ring. Joe hit an Air Raid Crash. Janela tossed Joe onto the table, then he hit a top-rope doublestomp onto Joe on the table for a believable nearfall. Janela then hit a package piledriver for the pin. That’s my idea of a hardcore match; no one bled, no gusset plate, light tubes, panes of glass, pizza cutters or staple guns. A really good brawl.
Joey Janela defeated Big F’n Joe at 15:37.
7. Masha Slamovich vs. Megan Bayne for the JCW World Title. Bayne is bigger and she shoved Masha to the mat. Masha hit a hard clothesline, then a kick to the spine and one to the chest. Megan hit a fallaway slam at 2:00. She held Masha’s wrist and hit a clothesline. She hit a Stinger Splash and a butterfly suplex for a nearfall, then an overhead release belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. Masha hit a Helluva Kick and her rolling Koppo Kick at 5:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Bayne hit a German Suplex. Masha hit a running Penalty Kick. Bayne nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Bayne set up for her flying clothesline but Masha caught her with a kick.
Masha hit a spinning back fist and a kick to the jaw! Bayne immediately hit a spear and they were both down at 7:30. They got up and traded overhand chops to the chest. Bayne nailed a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Masha hit an Air Raid Crash on the ring apron at 9:30, and Bayne fell to the floor. Masha dove through the ropes onto her! Bayne hit a back suplex into the ring, then a flying clothesline for a nearfall. This has been really good. Masha hit a gut-wrench suplex, then a running knee for a believable nearfall at 11:00. This has been insanely good. Bayne hit an F5 Slam for a nearfall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Masha hit a second-rope superplex, and the ref counted to three! But whose shoulders were down and who was up? Scarlett Donovan said it was a double pin, and thus, a no contest! Great match and I didn’t expect a definitive winner.
Masha Slamovich vs. Megan Bayne ended in a double pin at 12:25: Slamovich retains the JCW World Title.
* Masha got on the mic and said Bayne is among the best in the world, and she wants a rematch. They shook hands. (I thought maybe they would announce a date for one of the Collective shows in Las Vegas, but they did not.)
* A British man (I am pretty sure it is Man Like DeReiss) was now on commentary with Brett Lauderdale.
8. Mance Warner vs. Drew Parker. Drew is a deathmatch guy but he’s decent in non-death stuff, too. Mance immediately hit some chops and celebrated. Drew hit a dropkick that sent Mance to the floor to regroup. Mance got on the mic and shouted at the crowd and told them he hates them, and he hates being in London. He said he’s leaving, so the crowd chanted “Wanker!” at him. Drew dragged him back to the ring. Drew got on the mic and declared this was now a no-DQ match, and he threw a garbage can at Mance at 4:00. He put a garbage can over Mance’s head and hit him repeatedly with a kendo stick. He teased a powerbomb to the floor, but Mance held onto the ropes. Mance cracked a garbage can over the head at 7:00.
In the ring, Mance put a chair over Drew’s head, and he hit that chair with a chair. Mance threw weapons at Drew’s head and I really hate that. Drew hit a stunner and a dropkick into the corner, then a brainbuster for a nearfall at 10:30. Mance powerbombed him through a table for a nearfall at 12:00. Parker hit a Death Valley Driver into a table in the corner, then a sit-out piledriver for a believable nearfall. He hit a running double knees. He went for a Swanton, but Mance got his knees up. Mance hit a low blow punt kick and scored the cheap pin. A really good brawl.
Mance Warner defeated Drew Parker at 14:06.
* Brett Lauderdale got in the ring and announced that he is bringing “Blood Sport” to England! It will be Sept. 28. That got a massive “holy shit!” chant.
9. Effy vs. Cara Noir for the GCW World Title. Noir is active again after two years off due to a serious foot injury; I saw him compete on a wXw show last week in Germany. He’s the ‘black swan’ ballet dancer. (A lot of what he does makes me think of Darby Allin, and it’s not just the facepaint… it’s his willingness to put his body on the line.) We have Scarlett again; I think she reffed the odd-numbered matches all night. This is a first-time-ever match and they shook hands. They did some gay humor stuff early on. Effy choked him in the ropes at 2:30, and he tied Cara in a Tarantula. Effy hit a splash as Cara was still in the ropes. Noir hit a dropkick at 4:00.
Effy grabbed and twisted Cara’s nipples, and he hit a Northern Lights Suplex and a Doink-style Whoopee Cushion buttdrop. Effy nailed a vicious Stomp and got a nearfall at 6:00. Cara tied him up and applied a cravat, and he kept Effy grounded. Effy hit a Helluva Kick at 11:00, and he used his leg to drag Cara to the mat. Cara hit a standing neckbreaker, then a neckbreaker over his knee. Effy hit a Blockbuster, then a spear, sending Cara to the floor at 14:30. Noir spit food in Effy’s mouth, so Effy did it back. This is gross. Effy hit his Fameasser for the pin.
Effy defeated Cara Noir to retain the GCW Title at 15:42.
Final Thoughts: This show was better than the vaunted, well-planned “People vs. GCW” event. Manders-Jacobs blew everyone away. It was hard hitting and intense. Masha-Bayne predictably didn’t have a clean winner, but it was a tremendous bout and earned second place. Sidney-Blanc was really good for third, and the Janela-Big Joe match topped my expectations and earned honorable mention. A lot of people will love that main event, too, but I can’t rank it ahead of the top four… again, this speaks to the quality of this show, top to bottom.
I’ve noted this before, but if you asked me to rank my current top European talents, Slater, DeReiss, Jacobs and Blanc would all be in my top eight, so I’m glad to see them all on this show. Noir would certainly be in my top 15, too. This show is a strong followup to GCW’s biggest show of the year, and as I noted, arguably a better overall event, too.
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