By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Ashes to Ashes”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
March 15, 2025 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at The Showboat
This lineup admittedly didn’t jump out to me; on paper, it is one of the weaker shows in recent memory. I liked all three shows on their West Coast trip two weeks ago, so let’s see how this goes!
* The show opened with footage from the March 1 show in Los Angeles, where Sabu showed up and attacked Joey Janela.
* To the arena. The crowd is maybe 300-400 and Emil Jay provided commentary.
1. Terry Yaki vs. Bobby Flaco vs. Jack Cartwheel vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Hunter Drake vs. Jay Lucas. Four guys from Georgia in this one; I admire their dedication to making this drive. The big dork Flaco began pumping his arms and was promptly kicked to the floor. Jack hit his slingshot senton. Jay and Terry hit stereo dives to different sides of the floor, then they got back in the ring and battled each other. Flaco hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor at 3:00; he is just so scrawny. In the ring, Hunter hit a running Shooting Star Press on Flaco. Lloyd hit a running neckbreaker on Hunter. Hunter stood on Jimmy’s back and hit a Code Red. Nice move.
Flaco hit a Coast-to-Coast dropkick. The action was really quick. Lloyd hit a faceplant on Hunter. Jack hit a Poison Rana. Lucas hit a twisting Tombstone Piledriver on Flaco. Yaki hit a cool Canadian Destroyer out of the corner on Lucas for a nearfall at 6:00. Drake hit a Spanish Fly on Yaki. Drake hit a moonsault off the apron to the floor on four guys. Yaki dove off the top rope onto four guys on the floor. Jack hit the Sakake Special to the floor on everyone! In the ring, Jack hit a corkscrew Shooting Star Press on Lucas! Lloyd hit a Razor’s Edge on Hunter, tossing him over the top rope onto several guys on the floor! Jimmy then hit a swinging piledriver on Lucas and pinned him. A very good scramble and a hot way to open this show.
Jimmy Lloyd defeated Terry Yaki, Bobby Flaco, Jack Cartwheel, Hunter Drake, and Jay Lucas at 8:12.
* Footage aired of Atticus Cogar’s return to GCW last year.
* Fuego Del Sol joined commentary. Good; Emil does a fine job but it’s nice to have help. Fuego talked about how the Cogar brothers (legit!) injured Sam Stackhouse at the last GCW show.
2. Zayda Steel vs. Tony Deppen in an intergender match. Still waiting for WWE ID prospect Zayda to have her first EVOLVE TV match. Yeah, he’d kill her in a shoot fight; these are two great talents but not how I’d use them. Deppen wore a half-shirt and was being a goofball as he came to the ring. They stalled and didn’t lock up until a minute in. He ‘dipped’ her like in a ballroom dance, and it ticked her off. Zayda dove to the floor on Tony but he caught her and rammed her back into the ring frame at 2:30. He was in charge in the ring. He dropped her face-first on the middle turnbuckle and repeatedly stomped on her and was booed. Who is this match for? I guess there is a market for people who want to see a nearly 40-year-old man beat up a woman who is barely into her 20s.
Zayda hit an enzuigiri and a bulldog. Tony nailed a standing powerbomb for a nearfall at 6:30. He hit a uranage on the ring apron, then he slammed her on the apron at 8:30, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall. He playfully kicked her, then nailed her with a forearm. This is just uncomfortable to watch; there is a reason you’ve never seen a match like this on WWE TV. He clocked her with a jumping knee. She hit a Canadian Destroyer. Zayda dove through the ropes, caught his head, and hit a DDT on the floor at 10:30. In the ring, he blocked an Unprettier attempt. He sneezed on her, rolled her up with a foot on the ropes, and pinned her. Two great talents — I consider Zayda to be the most WWE main roster-ready of any of the 19 WWE ID prospects — but I disliked this a lot.
Tony Deppen defeated Zayda Steel at 11:25.
3. “Gahbage Daddies” Alec Price and Cole Radrick vs. “The Legion of Rot” Hallowicked and Frightmare for the GCW Tag Team Titles. Cole and Frightmare opened. Fuego talked about how he and Stackhouse want tag title shots. Frightmare hit a huracanrana. The GD hit some quick team moves on Hallowicked, who hit a backbreaker over his knee on Price at 4:30. Price hit a huracanrana on Hallowicked. Frightmare ‘scared’ his opponents, and then ‘scared’ ref Dan Perch, for some comedy spots. Radrick hit a dive through the ropes onto the heels; Price dove over the ropes onto them. The LoR hit stereo Go To Sleepyhollow knee strikes on the floor.
In the ring, The LoR worked over Price extensively in their corner. Radrick got a hot tag and hit a tornado DDT at 10:30. Cole hit a double underhook suplex for a nearfall. Frightmare hit a standing moonsault on Price for a nearfall. Price launched off of Cole and hit a tornado DDT on Hallowicked. Price dove to the floor on Hallowicked. In the ring, they hit the Gahbage Disposal (Price doublestomp on Frightmare, who was on Cole’s shoulders) and they both covered Frightmare for the pin.
Alec Price and Cole Radrick defeated Hallowicked and Frightmare to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 13:32.
* Violence is Forever ran to the ring and attacked Price and Cole! They clearly want their tag titles back! This brought out Matt Tremont and Ciclope and our next match was underway! Emil said this match was slated for later on in the show. Fuego left at this point to get ready for his match… a couple minutes later, ref Dan Perch joined Emil in the booth!
4. “Violence is Forever” Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku vs. Matt Tremont and Ciclope. They brawled on the floor. Tremont and Ciclop had spikes and stabbed ViF in the forehead until they bled. Gross. Tremont hit a clothesline. Ciclop hit a spear on Ku at 4:00, then he speared Ku through a door in the corner. Garrini got a chair and hit his opponents with it. They brawled to the floor and Ku set up a board bridge. Tremont superplexed Ku through a board in the ring at 9:00. Ciclope went to the back and got a really tall ladder… then he got a short one. Tremont put the small one over his head, spun it and struck his opponents, Terry Funk-style.
Tremont slammed his partner on Ciclope onto the ladder, which was on top of their opponents. He whipped Ciclope into a cannonball on Garrini in a corner. Garrini and Tremont crashed through the board bridge on the floor at 13:30. In the ring, Ciclope hit a spinebuster on Ku. Ciclope climbed the ladder and hit a splash onto Ku on a board bridge for a nearfall in the ring at 16:30, but Garrini pulled the ref from the ring and clocked him! Price and Radrick ran into the ring and chased away ViF. It appears we have a draw.
Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku vs. Matt Tremont and Ciclope went to a no contest at 17:00.
5. Charles Mason vs. Gringo Loco. Mason wore a black suit with red tie and was loudly booed. Loco hit a handspring-back-elbow and some chops. Mason applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. Mason hit a suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Loco nailed a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall. Mason hit a flip dive to the floor on Loco at 7:30, then a springboard huracanrana to the floor. In the ring, Mason hit a clothesline and was in charge. Loco hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Loco nailed a top-rope Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 10:30. Mason applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. Loco hit his Base Bomb for the pin. Solid match; it was fine but didn’t reach my expectations, and the crowd was a bit quiet.
Gringo Loco defeated Charles Mason at 12:37.
6. Atticus Cogar vs. Fuego Del Sol. Again, the Cogars legit knocked out Sam Stackhouse two weeks ago in a violent assault, so Fuego is here to get revenge for his tag partner that night. Fuego came out first and he dove on Atticus as he walked to the ring, and they brawled into the crowd. Emil said this is Atticus’ first show for GCW at the Showboat in three years. Emil is solo in the booth now and he wasn’t sure if we had a bell to officially begin; I don’t think so. They got in the ring and ref Scarlette Donovan called for the bell at 3:05 to officially begin. Cogar tore at Fuego’s mask. Fuego hit a springboard huracanrana and hit some punches.
Cogar hit an Air Raid Crash to the apron at 7:30 and they fell to the floor. In the ring, Fuego hit a dropkick onto a chair in Cogar’s hands, and Fuego immediately hit Cogar across the back with the chair. Fuego hit a springboard Canadian Destroyer at 9:30, then a doublestomp on the back of the head for a nearfall. Cogar hit a German Suplex, popped to his feet and was fired up. The crowd was getting behind Atticus. Fuego hit a pumphandle powerbomb onto an open chair for a nearfall at 11:30. Cogar began untying Fuego’s mask. Fuego hit a superkick, then another, at 15:00. Fuego hit a DDT through the door bridge in the ring for the pin. “Fuego Del Sol gets his revenge!” Emil shouted. Solid brawl.
Fuego Del Sol defeated Atticus Cogar at 16:10.
* Otis Cogar ran into the ring and attacked Fuego from behind! Otis hit a standing powerbomb. Atticus then peeled off Fuego’s mask and held his new trophy above his head. Scarlette got a towel to cover Fuego’s head. The Cogars threatened Scarlette, who was hovering over and protecting Fuego! Joey Janela ran into the ring, holding a chair, and he chased off the heels. Good post-match segment; it was probably better than the match itself, and certainly more memorable. Janela got on the mic and talked about how Spring Break (Mania weekend!) is now just weeks away. He talked about his upcoming match against Sabu. He said Sabu’s “only option now is death.”
7. Effy vs. Slade for the GCW World Title. I wrote recently that as world champion, Effy really should be in the main event. It devalues the title when it is on the line and not in the main event. Slade is the scary bald guy who looks like every creepy bald white guy you’ve seen in every movie set in a prison. They immediately traded forearm strikes. Matt Tremont joined Emil on commentary. They went to the floor, where Effy tossed a chair at Slade’s head; I hate that. They continued to fight on the floor, and Effy was bleeding from the forehead. Slade grabbed a light tube bundle and cracked it over Effy’s back at 3:00.
Effy hit Slade over the head with door debris. He grabbed jagged light tube debris and jabbed it into Slade’s forehead at 8:00. Effy avoided being hit by a sledgehammer and he hit a Fameasser for a nearfall. Effy hit a spear through a door in the corner for a nearfall at 12:30. A barbed-wire board was brought into the ring, and Effy hit a rolling Death Valley Driver onto the barbed wire board for the pin. Gross and just not for me.
Effy defeated Slade to retain the GCW World Title at 13:21.
8. Dr. Redacted vs. Hoodfoot in a death match. Every time I see Hoodfoot, I think of the hardcore match he was in where the action was stopped three minutes in because he had such a deep cut on his arm it required medical attention. Dr. Redacted wore white scrubs today instead of blue. Hoodfoot got a gusset plate almost immediately and slammed it into Dr. Redacted’s forehead. Redacted put a trash can over his head and dove onto Hoodfoot at 7:30. Both bled; Dr. Redacted’s white scrubs have splotches of red from the blood. Too much glass in this one for me. Redacted hit a frogsplash onto light tubes on Hoodfoot’s chest for a nearfall. He then hit a second frogsplash for the pin. Just not for me.
Dr. Redacted defeated Hoodfoot at 16:33.
9. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Mr. Danger in a death match. Danger is scrawny and a great high-flyer; a year ago he would have been in that opening scramble. A few months ago, he beat Murdoch, so I guess that’s why we’re having a death match here. Danger hit a dropkick at the bell and a senton. He dove through the ropes and hit Murdoch with light tubes. Murdoch hit him with light tubes in the ring. Murdoch pushed a sharp weapon into Danger’s head and made him bleed. Murdoch flipped Danger over the ropes and onto a light tube-covered table on the floor at 6:00. Danger got in a scaffolding and dove onto Murdoch. He then hit a corkscrew 450 Splash onto light tubes on Murdoch’s chest for a believable nearfall. Danger got back in the scaffolding and hit a Coast-to-Coast dropkick through a pane of glass onto Murdoch. Murdoch hit a top-rope Canadian Destroyer to the mat, dropping Mr. Danger onto a pile of light tubes for the pin. Great athleticism by Mr. Danger in this one.
John Wayne Murdoch defeated Mr. Danger at 11:39.
Final Thoughts: I don’t watch a wrestling show just to bash it. I watch because I want to have a good time, because I’m a wrestling fan, first and foremost. I raved about the JCW Cup shows, and the three West Coast shows two weeks ago. But yikes, this was a rough watch. The show ended with three straight bloody matches that don’t appeal to me at all. I understand there are fans of that type of match, but it’s not for me.
It was just a night of oddball, clash-of-styles matches. I really enjoyed that show-opening scramble and it was my favorite match of the night. Gahbage Daddies-LoR was really good and takes second. I guess I’ll take Loco-Mason for third-best, but I really didn’t rave about it, either. While I understand why they are continuing the feud of the Cogars vs. Stackhouse and Fuego… Fuego vs. Loco would have been a much better match with the talent available here.
I have been a reporter for nearly 30 years now. I go to court and see men sentenced to prison for beating up women. I get no pleasure out of seeing a man with the clear size and strength advantage beat up a small, pretty girl. Zayda is such a tremendous talent and was on my short list of wrestlers who should get a WWE ID contract, but she is just not believable in the ring against a bigger, stronger man. And I wonder about people who get a kick out of a match like that. Again, there is a reason WWE doesn’t let Jacob Fatu do that type of match to Liv Morgan… they would lose sponsors in a heartbeat. This show is on Triller+ but it’s a show for those who like the deathmatch style only.
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