By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Run For It”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
May 18, 2025, in Rochester, New York at Water Street Music Hall
GCW was in Baltimore on Saturday; Google Maps shows it is about a 5.5-hour drive to Rochester (much shorter than I would have expected!) This is a nightclub and they’ve been here before. I recall the first show here; the lighting was awful. It looks much better today. The crowd was maybe 400, with fans on the main level and more on a second tier. Rob Sanderson and Emil Jay provided commentary.
* The show opened with a video package for Sabu. They tried to play this Saturday, but it aired without the music track. A nice video to honor him.
1. Jordan Oliver and Alec Price vs. “High Seas” Nick Ando and Cloudy for the GCW Tag Team Titles. Once again, the champs came out first, which is just a bit odd. High Seas are regulars in Rochester; I think they’ve appeared on every GCW show I’ve seen from this city. Ando wears a ship captain’s hat. Oliver and Ando opened. Cloudy got in, but Oliver chopped him and hit a dropkick. The champs hit some team offense on Cloudy. Ando hit a pop-up powerbomb on Alec for a nearfall at 4:00. Cloudy hit a 619 for a nearfall, and High Seas worked Price over.
Jordan got a hot tag at 6:30 and he hit his twisting crossbody block. Ando hit a Frankensteiner, then an assisted Falcon Arrow on Oliver at 8:30, but Price made the save. Oliver hit a pump kick to the sternum. Cloudy and Oliver traded chops. Price got a hot tag and hit a springboard crossbody block on Cloudy, then a pop-up dropkick and his springboard Blockbuster, then a dive to the floor on Ando. Price hit his 720 Springboard DDT for the pin. good action.
Jordan Oliver and Alec Price defeated Nick Ando and Cloudy to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 11:48.
* The video package aired again of Fuego Del Sol turning heel and beating up his longtime teammate, Sam Stackhouse.
2. Megan Bayne vs. Richard Holliday in an intergender match. She came out first. Holliday came out and got on the mic, but the crowd chanted profanities at him. He said he was going to throw Megan around “like a rag doll.” An intense lockup, and he backed her into a corner, but she gave him a two-handed shove to the mat, and she dropped him again with a shoulder tackle. He dropped Megan throat-first over the top rope. She hit a series of shoulder thrusts into his ribs in the corner, and she hit a double-underhook suplex at 2:00. He ducked her leaping clothesline.
Holliday stomped on her in the corner and was loudly booed. They fought to the floor, and he hit a guillotine leg drop on the ring apron at 4:30. In the ring, he hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. He backed her into a corner and repeatedly punched her, but she hit a sit-out powerbomb, and they were both down at 6:00. She hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. This crowd was hot and into this one; Holliday is so easy to boo. She hit a German Suplex; he begged off, but she punched him and hit a fisherman’s suplex at 7:30.
Holliday rolled onto the stage that is adjacent to the ring. However, Parrow came out of the back, and that terrified Holliday. He tried a low blow, but Parrow blocked it. Parrow tossed Holliday into the ring. Megan immediately hit her leaping clothesline, then her F5 Slam for the pin. That was fun; she looks so believable against men, as her height just stands out.
Megan Bayne defeated Richard Holliday at 8:42.
* Parrow got on the mic and badmouthed Holliday. He challenged him to a match on July 5 in Holliday’s hometown of Hartford, Conn. Parrow is even letting him pick the stipulation!
* A very nice video package aired to preview the next match. No one on the indy scene comes even close to what GCW does with these.
3. Miyu Yamashita vs. Billie Starkz. Billie has the height and overall size advantage. The commentators noted these two have actually fought each other on three different continents! (Cagematch.net records show this is the sixth time they’ve locked up.) An intense lockup to open as they pushed each other up against the ropes. Miyu hit a stiff kick to the spine at 1:30. She hit more roundhouse kicks in the corner. Billie fired back with a German Suplex that sent Miyu to the floor. Billie set up for a dive but Miyu cut her off with a forearm strike. They fought on the floor with Miyu in charge. Billie pushed Miyu head-first into a pillar in the building.
They got into the ring at 4:00, and Miyu tied up Billie on the mat. Billie got a half-crab but Miyu immediately reached the ropes. Starkz hit an enzuigiri. Miyu hit a spin kick out of the corner. BIllie hit her own series of kicks. She dove through the ropes onto Miyu at 7:00. In the ring, they traded more blows. Billie hit a neckbreaker over her knee for a nearfall. Miyu hit a second-rope Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 9:30. Miyu hit a stiff kick in the corner. Billie slammed her into a corner. Miyu got a Victory Roll for a nearfall; Billie reversed it, leaned back for added leverage, and got the pin! “One helluva match from these two,” Sanderson said.
Billie Starkz defeated Miyu Yamashita at 10:30.
* Footage aired of the Joey Janela tag match from Saturday, where the ref refused to make a three-count and turned heel, and he helped the Cogar brothers beat up Joey.
4. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Jonathan Gresham. Jimmy has a height advantage. Gresham hit a dropkick that dropped Jimmy. Some awkward exchanges early on. Gresham snapped Lloyd’s knee, and Jimmy collapsed. Gresham tied both arms behind Lloyd’s back. Jimmy hit a drop-toe-hold onto the chair, then a Death Valley Driver into the corner on the chair for a nearfall at 4:30. A door was now set up in a corner. Gresham tied Lloyd in an Octopus Stretch, and they fell to the mat with it locked in. Jimmy hit a DVD through the door in the corner, and they were both down at 7:00.
Jimmy used the ropes to hit a slingshot piledriver for a nearfall. He threw a chair at Gresham’s head; I hate that. A door bridge was set up, and they fought in the corner above it. Jimmy carefully placed himself on the door bridge, and Gresham hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press onto him for the pin. I don’t know if I have seen him do that before, and it looked great. (I hated how Lloyd had to be so careful in lying down; it’s hard to suspend my disbelief in that moment.)
Jonathan Gresham defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 10:24.
* In a video package, Atticus Cogar said he warned Joey Janela. He introduced his cousin, Christian Napier (the corrupt referee). Atticus said this used to be a promotion where tough guys go, but now it’s just a playground for soft guys to look for a TV contract.
5. Masha Slamovich vs. Atticus Cogar (w/Otis Cogar, Christian Napier) for the JCW World Title. The crowd chanted, “F— Ohio!” towards Cogar. She rolled to the floor and shoved Otis. Atticus reached down and grabbed Masha by her hair. She went for a cover, but Napier pulled the ref from the ring, so the ref ejected them at 2:00. Atticus and Masha brawled to the floor, and he whipped her into the guardrails at 4:00. The commentators talked about what happens if Atticus wins this belt, and what he would do to it. In the ring, Masha hit her Helluva Kick and rolling Koppo Kick combo for a nearfall.
Atticus hit an Air Raid Crash for a nearfall at 6:30, then he hit a second-rope Air Raid Crash for a nearfall. He put some cooking skewers in the corner. The ref went to retrieve them; however, Masha suplexed Atticus into the ref! The ref was down, and immediately, Otis and Napier returned. Joey Janela got into the ring to fight Napier, but the heels beat up Joey. Joey hit a German Suplex on Atticus, then a piledriver on Napier. Masha jumped on Atticus’ back and choked him, then she hit the White Knight Driver on him. Joey put the ref’s jersey on and made the three-count. (And apparently this actually counts!)
Masha Slamovich defeated Atticus Cogar to retain the JCW World Title at 11:05.
* Joey got on the mic and noted that a death match tournament is coming up. He challenged Atticus to a dog collar match.
6. “To Infinity & Beyond” Cheech and Colin Delaney vs. Davey Bang and August Matthews. TI&B also are regulars whenever GCW comes to Rochester. Cheech and Matthews opened, and Emil noted that Cheech has about 22 years of in-ring experience. Davey and Colin tied up at 2:00. Matthews hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 4:00. He kept Colin grounded. Cheech got a hot tag and he hit a double clothesline at 6:30. Both B&M applied Octopus Stretches. They hit their team doublestomps on Cheech, then Bang hit his Spears Tower for a nearfall at 9:30.
Cheech and Delaney hit their double Tower of London stunner move, then a twisting faceplant on Bang for a nearfall. Delaney and Matthews traded forearm strikes. Delaney hit a sliding German Suplex. Matthews hit his Cave-in doublestomp. Cheech powerbombed Bang onto Matthews, who was across Delaney’s knees, for the pin. Neat visual on that pinning move. Good indy-style tag match.
Cheech and Colin Delaney vs. Davey Bang and August Matthews at 10:45.
* We then heard from KJ Orso, formerly known as Fuego Del Sol. He wore a button-down shirt and vest, and he seemed to relish in all the boos. Orso said he wore that mask for 11 years and chased the adoration of the crowd. “I came to realize I was a genius surrounded by idiots,” Orso said. The crowd responded by chanting profanities at him. He said for two weeks, all he’s heard is how everyone is disappointed in him. He called his best friend Sam Stackhouse “a giant failure,” as a wrestler, as a person, and as a friend. The crowd chanted “You sold out!” at him. He vowed that Sam would never step foot in a GCW ring again. Good heel promo; he clearly spent a long time planning that. KJ then beat up his “childhood best friend.”
7. Effy vs. 1 Called Manders for the GCW World Title. A lockup to open, and Effy twisted the left arm. Effy dropped to his knees for some gay humor. Manders hit a series of rapid-fire chops in the corner. Effy tied him in the Tarantula in the ropes at 4:30, then he hit a splash to the back for a nearfall. They traded chops, and Effy hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall, then two Whoopee Cushions for a nearfall at 7:00. Effy leapt off the second rope, but Manders got his knees up to block it. Manders hit an elbow drop, then a hard clothesline in the corner.
Effy hit a Helluva Kick; Manders hit a discus lariat for a nearfall at 8:30. Effy hit another Helluva Kick, and he dragged Manders to the mat by his leg. Effy hit a TKO stunner, and he tied up Manders’ head on the mat. Manders hit a leg lariat. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. They sat up and traded hard slaps to the face! They got up and kept trading slaps! This crowd was fired up as this back-and-forth exchange kept going. Manders hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 12:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Effy hit a spear for a nearfall. This is easily Effy’s best match of his title reign. Manders went for a clothesline, but Effy ducked it, rolled him up, and got the flash pin!
Effy defeated 1 Called Manders to retain the GCW World Title at 13:10.
* Effy got on the mic and put over Manders. Manders left. KJ Orso came out and Effy jawed at him. Charles Mason rolled in the ring behind Effy and hit him several times with a chair, then hit him with the title belt! “I can’t think of two more low-life, scummier people,” Emil said.
8. Matt Tremont vs. Mance Warner for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. They immediately traded chops, then thudding headbutts. They fought to the floor, and Tremont was quickly bleeding from his forehead. Several doors were put in the ring. Mance got a fork and he stabbed at Matt’s boot. Tremont whipped Mance through one door; Mance whipped Tremont through another one at 8:00. They hit each other over the head with door shards. Mance jabbed Matt in the forehead with the fork, and Matt was bleeding. Matt leapt off a chair and hit a Stinger Splash, sending Mance crashing through a door in the corner at 11:00.
Mance charged and slammed Matt through a door. Yes, there are that many doors; the ring was just covered in debris. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Mance hit a running knee for a nearfall. Tremont hit a Death Valley Driver onto a door in the corner for a believable nearfall at 14:30. Mance threw a chair at his head and jabbed him more in the forehead. However, Matt slammed him out of the corner and through a door bridge for the pin. That will be deeply satisfying to fans of this style. And while this match isn’t for me, I am happy we had a clean, decisive finish, after a bunch of bizarro non-finishes.
Matt Tremont defeated Mance Warner to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 16:24.
* Tremont got on the mic and put over Mance. He talked about the upcoming Tournament of Survival death match tournament.
Final Thoughts: Starkz-Yamashita is the reason to tune in here. A really good match between them, and I’m sure they’ll do that dance several more times. Effy-Manders was really good for second. I’ll go with the tag title match for third. I really liked Megan-Holliday, and that deserves honorable mention. For fans of the style, that Mance-Tremont match was hard-hitting and will please them.
I just noted online that one of the reasons Effy’s title reign has felt flat to me is that he’s faced a lot of wrestlers who just haven’t been regulars on the roster, and it just never felt like the belt was in danger of changing hands. So, this one really stood out. I could easily see Manders holding the GCW Title.
I want to reiterate how much better this show looked than a prior outing here, where the sun set and it got really dark in there. Just a big step up in production and they deserve to be commended for it.
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