By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “JCW: Jersey J-Cup (Night 1)”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
February 15, 2025 in Jersey City, New Jersey at White Eagle Hall
Jersey City is across the river from Manhattan, New York. This year’s tournament features 21 competitors. We have eight first-round matches here, and a regular final-eight format on Sunday. The JCW in past years has been among my favorite indy events of the entire year (a break-out performance by Jordan Oliver two years ago, for example.)
This is a small venue with a high ceiling, and the crowd is maybe 500. The lighting over the ring was good. Dave Prazak and Veda Scott (the A-team!) provided commentary.
1. Jack Cartwheel vs. Marcus Mathers vs. Jackson Drake in a three-way Jersey J-Cup first-round tournament match. I presume this match will air on the WWE ID Twitter page, as these are the three ID prospects in this year’s field. Quick reversals at the bell. Jack hit a corkscrew standing moonsault on Mathers. Drake hit a German Suplex on Mathers at 2:00. Mathers hit a mule kick on Drake and a suplex. Drake hit a gutbuster over his knees on Jack for a nearfall. Jackson hit a stiff kick to Jack’s spine at 4:30 and he jawed at the fans. Jackson hit a suplex while having the legs of another opponent tied up.
Marcus hit a top-rope crossbody block on Drake and some clotheslines, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 6:30. Jack got back in and did a handspring-into-a-back elbow, then a running neckbreaker. Jack nailed the Sasake Special to the floor on Drake. In the ring, he hit a top-rope corkscrew press on Mathers for a nearfall, but Drake made the save. We got an “all these guys!” chant. Drake nailed a standing powerbomb on Mathers for a nearfall at 8:30. Drake got both guys on his back and hit a double Samoan Drop, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Jackson dove to the floor on Jack. In the ring, Jackson hit a Lethal Injection for a nearfall on Mathers at 10:00.
All three fought on the ropes in a corner, and Mathers hit a second-rope double superplex, with them all crashing to the mat. Nice! They got up and traded chops. Jackson hit roundhouse kicks to the chest of each opponent. Marcus and Jack hit stereo superkicks on Drake. Jack got his Crucifix Driver on Mathers, then an enzuigiri on Drake! Jackson nailed a Rebound Lariat on Jack. Mathers hit a second-rope Canadian Destroyer on Drake at 13:30, but Jackson rolled to the floor. Marcus nailed a flip dive to the floor on both opponents! Marcus nailed a top-rope 450 Splash to pin Drake! WOW WOW WOW, that will be tough to beat.
Marcus Mathers defeated Jackson Drake and Jack Cartwheel in a three-way at 13:56 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
* Nick Knowledge joined Prazak on commentary.
2. Clark Connors vs. Arez in a Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Connors was competing just days ago in Japan. Connors has put on a lot of muscle mass; he is among the bigger juniors in NJPW, and he immediately knocked Arez down with a shoulder tackle. Arez hit some deep armdrags, but he missed a dropkick. Connors hit a Pounce that sent Arez to the floor at 2:00. They fought over to a bar and around the room. They got back in the ring at 5:00 and traded chops. Arez backed him into a corner and hit some kicks. He ran up Clark’s back. Arez nailed his one-footed moonsault for a nearfall at 7:30. Connors nailed his snap powerslam for a nearfall.
Arez hit a sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 9:30. Connors raked the eyes and immediately hit a spear for a believable nearfall. He then nailed the No Chaser (spike DDT) for the tainted pin. That was really good, too… this tournament is off to a great start.
Clark Connors defeated Arez at 10:16 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
* A commercial announces what GCW posted on Twitter a day ago… Zack Sabre Jr. is returning for two shows, March 1 and 2! Who will be his opponents???
3. Leon Slater vs. Kevin Knight in a Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Knight had a very good match last week in MLW. Veda returned to commentary, replacing Nick Knowledge. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. This started friendly but quickly got intense as tempers flared. Kevin knocked him down with a shoulder block at 2:30. Kevin went for a leapfrog but Leon shoved him hard to the mat. Kevin hit a hard kick to the left knee; Leon hit a plancha to the floor but sold that he had tweaked the knee. In the ring, Leon hit a monkeyflip that sent Knight all the way across the ring. Kevin again twisted the leg, and he wrapped it around the ring post at 5:00.
Knight hit a dropkick for a nearfall and he kept Leon grounded. Leon hit a one-legged dropkick for a nearfall at 7:30. Kevin hit a jump-up Frankensteiner and a splash to the mat for a nearfall. They traded rollups for nearfalls. They hit stereo Mafia Kicks and were both down at 10:00. They stood on opposite sides of the ring, both went for springboard clotheslines and met and crashed OVER the center of the ring, and this POPPED the crowd. Kevin hit a Helluva Kick; he went for another Frankensteiner, but Leon escaped. Kevin leapt to the floor onto Leon. In the ring, Leon hit a leg lariat, and he nailed the Swanton 450 Splash for the pin. Wow, another great match.
Leon Slater defeated Kevin Knight at 12:44 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
4. Alec Price vs. Cole Radrick in a Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Yes, the Gahbage Daddies (tag champs!) are facing each other! Both men carried their title belt to the ring and they shook hands during the ring introductions. They jawed at each other at the bell. Standing switches and they worked each other’s left arm. They started trading chops and open-hand slaps at 4:00; Veda expressed concern about how these two will get along after this. Cole tossed Alec to the floor, then dove through the ropes onto him. Cole whipped Price into an empty chair. In the ring, Price hit a huracanrana, then he hit a dive over the top rope at 6:30.
In the ring, Price hit a top-rope Emergency leg drop for a nearfall, then a cannonball into the corner and a running Facewash kick for a nearfall. Cole hit a butterfly suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a clothesline to the back of the head for a nearfall. Price hit a headscissors takedown and a springboard crossbody block, then a springboard tornado DDT. He nailed a top-rope Swanton Bomb for a believable nearfall at 10:30. “What is it going to take for one of these two wrestlers to pull out the win?” Prazak asked. Cole hit a kick in one corner; Price hit a kick in a different corner. Cole hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a believable nearfall at 12:00.
Cole slammed him into a turnbuckle and hit his own Swanton Bomb for a believable nearfall. We got a “Fight forever!” chant. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. They hit stereo clotheslines. Price hit a superkick and they again hit stereo clotheslines; they each got a nearfall upon landing. They got up and traded more forearm strikes. Price shouted his apology as he dropped Radrick with a European Uppercut at 16:30. Cole hit some spin kicks and they traded more rollups, with Alec getting the pin! That was superb!
Alec Price defeated Cole Radrick at 17:11 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
* Cole got on the mic and said he supports Price moving forward in the tournament.
* A video aired of Mance Warner and Gabe Kidd arguing over a video phone call. They will fight on Sunday!
5. Rich Swann vs. Drew Parker in a Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Parker is a European who usually competes in death matches, so I really haven’t seen many matches from him in a normal wrestling match. Swann had shaved all his hair off; it’s now slowly growing back. Standing switches to open. Parker hit some rapid-fire chops in the corner at 3:00. Swann danced, then he knocked Drew down with a shoulder tackle. Drew nailed a flip dive to the floor on Swann at 5:00. He missed a Swanton in the ring, and Swann immediately hit a step-up mule kick. They fought on the floor. Swann ran around the ring, but Parker caught him with a superkick at 9:00.
Back in the ring, Parker hit a Meteora for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes. Swann hit a superkick and a spin kick to the head. Parker hit a stunner out of the ropes at 12:00. Swann nailed a Lethal Injection for a nearfall. Parker hit a Swanton Bomb and an overhead flipping neckbreaker, then a running knee for the pin. Good match, but I’ll add that each of the first four matches were better.
Drew Parker defeated Rich Swann at 13:46 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
6. Joey Janela vs. Atticus Cogar in a Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Janela has a legit torn bicep but is still competing. Cogar is another hardcore guy and I admittedly am not a fan at all. Cogar almost immediately stomped on the injured, wrapped arm. Joey hit some chops. They fought out of the ring and over to a nearby stage, where Atticus slammed the arm on the stage at 3:30. He choked Joey in the ring and kept him grounded. Joey hit a Bulldog Powerslam at 6:30, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Atticus snapped the arm over the top rope and hit a moonsault as Janela was in the ropes at 8:00. Janela nailed a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron but he collapsed to the floor. In the ring, he hit a brainbuster at 10:00 and was fired up.
Janela went for a package piledriver but his arm gave out; Atticus immediately hit an Air Raid Crash for a believable nearfall. Cogar opened a package of cooking skewers but the ref stopped him. Atticus immediately hit a low blow punt kick for a believable nearfall at 12:00. Joey hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a believable nearfall, then a top-rope superplex, and they were both down. Joey nailed the Package Piledriver but only got a nearfall at 14:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Joey hit a Dragon Suplex; Atticus hit a back suplex. Joey hit a clothesline and they were both down at 16:00. Atticus hit a Brain Hemorrhage snapmare driver for a believable nearfall. He applied a cross-armbreaker and Joey tapped out. Okay match; it went a bit too long.
Atticus Cogar defeated Joey Janela at 17:24 to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
7. Fuego Del Sol vs. Mr. Danger vs. Sidney Akeem vs. Charles Mason vs. Terry Yaki in a five-way Jersey J-Cup tournament first-round match. Akeem (f/k/a Reggie/Scrypts) is still undefeated in GCW (he does have one draw with Mustafa Ali.) The thin high-flyer Mr. Danger really had a strong end to 2024. I’ve noted that Yaki is barely recognizable since he cut off all his hair. Fuego hit a superkick on Mason to open the action. Mason wore a blue suit today and wrestled in it. We had some sunset flip spots; this looks a bit too choreographed for my tastes, and we had a standoff at 2:30. Mason and Sidney traded some quick reversals with Akeem hitting a twisting crossbody block. Yaki hit a Falcon Arrow. Danger hit a headscissors takedown and a flipping senton on Yaki.
Mason hit a sliding kick to Yaki’s chest, and he traded forearm strikes with Fuego. Fuego clotheslined Mason to the floor at 5:00. Mason sprayed water into Fuego’s eyes and hit a DDT onto the apron. Mason hit a flip dive to the floor on two guys! Yaki and Danger hit stereo moonsaults to the floor! Fuego hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press onto four guys on the floor at 6:30. In the ring, two guys suplexed Fuego. Sidney hit a top-rope splash. Mason hit a top-rope 450 Splash! I didn’t know that was in his arsenal! Yaki hit a Pele Kick on Fuego and a modified Arabian Press. Danger hit a spin kick coming off the ropes. Mason hit his rolling Death Valley Driver. Mason hit a discus clothesline on Yaki. Akeem went for the Final Act, but Mason caught him in a sleeper!
Danger hit a Canadian Destroyer. Fuego hit a DDT on Danger for a nearfall at 10:00. Yaki hit a Canadian Destroyer on Fuego for a believable nearfall. Sidney nailed the Final Act (double backflips into a stunner) on Yaki, who was on Fuego’s shoulders, and scored the pin. That was a blast; it brought the crowd back up after the slower-paced Janela match.
Sidney Akeem defeated Fuego Del Sol, Mr. Danger, Charles Mason, and Terry Yaki at 11:29 in a five-way to advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament.
8. Masha Slamovich vs. Amazing Red in a first-round Jersey J-Cup tournament match and for the JCW World Title. Yes, Masha is defending the belt throughout the tournament. Nick Knowledge is still on commentary; wait, Veda is in the building and NOT calling a Masha match? Red wore his flaming red-and-back gear. She might actually be taller than him; it’s pretty close. She offered a handshake; he responded with a kick to the chest and was booed! “I think he calls this tough love,” Nick Knowledge said. She hit a clothesline then a twisting dive through the ropes at 1:30. They fought on the floor. Red hit a hard dive onto her and they crashed into the crowd! He hit some chops as they fought on the floor. In the ring, he hit a stiff kick to her spine and a doublestomp to her chest.
Masha hit a doublestomp to his chest for a nearfall at 5:30. He hit a flying forearm. She hit a jumping knee into the corner, then her rolling Koppo Kick for a nearfall at 8:00. She went for a spin kick to the head but he blocked it. She went for the White Knight Driver but he blocked it, and he hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:00. They traded forearm strikes. She hit a German Suplex; Red hit one. She hit a half-nelson suplex then a spin kick to the head. He hit a spin kick at 13:00 and they were both down. Red hit a brainbuster, then a top-rope doublestomp to her stomach. Red hit a top-rope frogsplash but she kicked out at one! She hit a spinning back fist, and another rolling Koppo Kick, then the White Knight Driver/Requiem for the pin. Good match.
Masha Slamovich defeated Amazing Red at 15:25 to retain the JCW Title and advance in the Jersey J-Cup Tournament..
* Masha got on the mic and said she went to her first-ever wrestling show to see Amazing Red wrestle. She dropped to her knees and thanked him. “A beautiful showing of respect by Masha,” Nick Knowledge said. Red got on the mic and said he’s proud of her, and they hugged.
9. Homicide (w/Julius Smokes) vs. Gabe Kidd (w/Clark Connors). This is the only non-tournament match on tonight’s show. Homicide just announced he will be wrapping up his in-ring career this year. Kidd just had another stellar match on Monday in NJPW, this time against Yota Tsuji. They charged at each other at the bell and traded overhand chops. Clark pulled Homicide to the floor and struck him. Kidd and Homicide traded punches as they fought around the building. They got back into the ring, with Kidd biting Homicide’s head at 4:00. Kidd hit a bodyslam. Homicide hit a superplex. They got up and traded forearm strikes and punches, and Kidd hit a piledriver, but Homicide rolled to the floor at 7:00 to avoid a pin.
Julius and Connors got in the ring; Kidd hit Julius and that got some boos. Homicide hit a stunner for a nearfall at 10:30. They traded rollups. Homicide hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 12:30 and he applied an STF, but Kidd reached the ropes. Connors again struck Homicide. Julius punched Connors, knocking him to the floor. Homicide hit two rolling suplexes, but Kidd blocked a third one. Homicide hit a low blow; Connors pulled the ref from the ring at 15:00 before a pin, so Smokes hit a dropkick on Clark. The ref got back in but only made a two-count. Homicide hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Homicide tried to get Kidd up for the Cop Killah but his body gave out. Kidd hit a piledriver for the pin. Good brawl; it never got bloody or too violent.
Gabe Kidd defeated Homicide at 16:33.
* Homicide told Kidd to mess up Mance Warner on Sunday, seemingly giving Kidd an endorsement. Good way to conclude a very good show.
Final Thoughts: A really strong show; this felt like it was booked specifically to my tastes. Cole and Price put together an excellent, heated match between two teammates and that narrowly earns the best match. That opening three-way was really good and takes second. Slater vs. Knight narrowly takes third, but both Masha-Red and Arez-Connors were really noteworthy.
I’m always hit-or-miss on Janela’s matches; this one just wasn’t among my favorites. Not a bad match at all, but not at the level of other matches here. The bar has been set high for the Sunday show with the four quarter-final matches, semis and finals! I truly cannot imagine someone having Triller+ and not watching this show.
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