By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “Homecoming Part Two”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
August 24, 2025, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at The Showboat
This is the large bus barn in this building, so it has a high ceiling, and the crowd was maybe 400-500; not as big as Saturday’s show, but still quite good. (I’ve certainly seen past night 2 shows with a much steeper attendance drop.) Lighting is good. Emil Jay and John Mosely provided commentary. (John called Saturday’s show; I missed him introducing himself.)
* The show opened with footage of Shotzi vs. Matt Cardona from Saturday’s event. It included the shocking return of Nick Gage and the debuts of Killer Kross and Scarlett. (Read my review!)
1. Lil Sicko and Mr. Danger vs. Drew Parker and Masashi Takeda in a deathmatch. I fast-forwarded over Takeda’s main event deathmatch from Saturday’s show, but he was CUT UP and covered in blood. Sicko and Danger also competed in a six-man death match scramble on Saturday. I don’t know how these guys are all back in action. Just seconds after the bell, they all started breaking light tubes over each other’s heads. Takeda and Drew each took backbumps onto the glass… just for the heck of it, and Emil noted we aren’t even a minute in! They started carving up each other’s foreheads. This just isn’t for me.
Danger hit a dive through the ropes, then a top-rope crossbody block in the ring at 7:30, then a 450 Splash onto a barbed-wire ladder on top of Takeda. Everyone was covered in blood. Sicko did a moonsault to the floor, but only his feet hit a table, so it didn’t break; he luckily got his hands down to keep himself from breaking his neck. In the ring, Takeda put a bundle of light tubes next to Sicko’s head, kicked the bundle so they exploded, and he covered Sicko for the pin. (I always point out… even though these matches are a big turnoff for me … the live crowd loved it.)
Masashi Takeda and Drew Parker defeated Lil Sicko and Mr. Danger at 10:33.
* Footage aired of Effy vs. KJ Orso from Saturday’s show. Effy retained his GCW Title. Back at the venue, Emil Jay was talking in the ring as the glass debris was being cleaned up KJ Orso stormed into the ring, shoved Emil to the mat, and grabbed the mic. “Last night was supposed to be my night, my coronation. I was supposed to be standing here as GCW World Champion!” he growled. The crowd responded with a “shut the f— up!” chant. He called out Sam Stackhouse again. “You were the last remaining ember of the man I used to be,” he said. KJ would have won Saturday if it weren’t for Sam’s wife interfering in the match, and he used some derogatory slurs to describe her, and that drew boos. He called out Sam for a steel cage match in Los Angeles on Sept. 20.
* Footage aired of a prior Bear Bronson-Slade deathmatch from a few months ago.
2. Marcus Mathers and “YDNP” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver vs. “The Miracle Ones” Ichiban, Dustin Waller, and Kylon King. THIS HERE is why I watch GCW. I think this may technically be the GCW debuts for Kylon and Ichiban; I know Dustin posted on social media that his match on a recent GCW show was his debut with the promotion. YDNP are now holding three different tag title belts. They all brawled at the bell. The Miracle Ones all have nearly identical pink-and-black pants. Mathers’ team hit stereo dives to the floor. Oliver hit a German Suplex in the ring on Waller. Mathers hit a mule kick for a nearfall. Waller hit a brainbuster on Kylon at 2:00.
Ichiban hit a stunner on Price, and he hit his ‘One!’ punches in the corner. Kylon hit a missile dropkick, then an assisted Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. The MO worked over Oliver in their corner. Ichiban hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 4:30. Kylon and Waller hit stereo planchas to the floor. Waller got flipped onto teammate King. Mathers got a hot tag and hit a top-rope crossbody block on Waller and King. Mathers hit a kip-up stunner on Ichiban for a nearfall at 6:00. Ichiban fired back with a tornado DDT on Marcus, and the MOnes worked over Marcus. Kylon hit a top-rope superplex, and Waller hit a Mamba Splash for a nearfall at 7:30, but Jordan made the save.
Price and Ichiban hit stereo flying clotheslines from opposite corners for a FUN mid-air collision. Waller hit a Poison Rana on Mathers. Mathers hit a Canadian Destroyer on Dustin, and everyone was down at 9:30. Kylon and Jordan got up and traded chops, and the crowd was hot now. They traded rollups on the mat. “This pace is exhausting!” Mosely said. Kylon hit an Exploder Suplex. Price hit a pop-up stunner, then his springboard Blockbuster at 11:30. Price hit a dive to the floor on Waller and King. In the ring. Price hit his 720 DDT, Mathers hit a 450 Splash, and Oliver hit his Acid Bomb. They all piled on Kylon for the pin. The winner was never in doubt, but yeah, that was a blast; I liked that more than anything on Saturday’s show.
Jordan Oliver, Alec Price, and Marcus Mathers defeated Kylon King, Dustin Waller, and Ichiban at 12:30.
* Oliver got on the mic and put over their opponents, leading to a “please come back!” chant. All six guys hugged.
* Another highlight package aired from Saturday’s show.
3. Mance Warner vs. Dr. Redacted. Mosely said this match was just added. Mance came out first; he attacked Dr. Redacted on the floor as the doctor was high-fiving fans, and we’re underway! Mance hit him with some chairs. They got in the ring for the first time at 5:00; I don’t recall if we ever actually had a bell. They whacked each other with light tubes, and Mance pushed Redacted through a board bridge on the floor at 8:30. In the ring, Redacted hit a frogsplash, and he threw a wicked chair at the knee. The crowd chanted, “That’s my doctor!” Emil replied, “Now that makes sense why we have a crowd full of sickos.” Warner hit a chokeslam through some light tubes. He hit a DDT for the pin.
Mance Warner defeated Dr. Redacted at 15:28.
4. “VNDL 48” Otis Cogar and Christian Naper vs. Jack Cartwheel and Gringo Loco. The heels attacked from behind, and we’re underway! They immediately worked over Loco. Jack hit a slingshot senton. Otis hit a Black Hole Slam on Loco for a nearfall at 2:00, and the crowd chanted “F— Ohio!” at VNDL 48 as they kept Loco grounded. Cartwheel got a hot tag at 5:00, and he hit a dropkick and a running neckbreaker. He hit the Sasuke Special to the floor on Otis, then a top-rope cartwheel splash to the mat on Napier for a nearfall.
Gringo hit a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall on Napier, but Otis made the save. Otis hit a flying splash into the corner on Jack. Gringo hit a spinebuster on Otis at 7:00. Loco hit an assisted guillotine leg drop on Napier for a nearfall. Otis dropped Jack head-first on an exposed turnbuckle! Otis then hit a uranage. They both piled on Jack for the pin. A mild upset.
Christian Napier and Otis Cogar defeated Jack Cartwheel and Gringo Loco at 8:40.
* Footage aired of John Wayne Murdoch catching on fire in a burning table powerbomb spot at a co-promoted show with Juggalo Championship Wrestling. It is still mind-boggling how incredibly short-sighted it was to not have a fire extinguisher at ringside when they knew they had that spot planned. I truly can’t believe he’s already wrestling again. Rather than being embarrassed by their poor planning of the spot, GCW has instead chosen to highlight it. Wonderful.
5. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Ciclope. Emil immediately talked about how amazing it is that Murdoch was back in action this quickly. They swung plastic bats covered in thumbtacks. Ciclope dove at Murdoch but flew through the ropes and went through a door on the floor at 2:30. Murdoch took control. The light tubes came out, and I’m barely into this one, either. Ciclope missed a moonsault. Murdoch hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:00. Murdoch hit a second-rope Canadian Destroyer, but Ciclope kicked out, and that popped the crowd. Ciclope broke a light tube next to Murdoch’s head and got the pin. Meh.
Ciclope defeated John Wayne Murdoch at 10:23.
* Footage aired of the segment Saturday with Juggalo Championship Wrestling, setting up a War Games match here on Oct. 11.
6. Griffin McCoy vs. Terry Yaki vs. Grayson Pierce vs. Austin Luke vs. Flying Ryan O’Neill vs. Joey Janela in a scramble. I just watched Yaki wrestle at a show in Georgia on Friday, and I presume Pierce drove with him. Mosely said Pierce was trained by AR Fox. Luke and Griffin teamed up on Joey early on. Pierce hit a top-rope double missile dropkick at 2:30. My first time seeing O’Neill, who immediately gets a Jordan Oliver comparison in size and style. Luke hit a dive to the floor on Luke. Pierce hit a dive through the ropes. O’Neill hit a flip dive to the floor on everyone at 4:30. “How is he still standing?” Emil said. Joey hit a springboard flip dive onto everyone. He dove through the ropes onto Yaki.
Joey hit a DVD in the ring, and he was fired up. Everyone got back in the ring, and everyone started hitting superkicks. We had three simultaneous Canadian Destroyers, and suddenly everyone was down at 7:00. Emil and Mosely talked about what a big opportunity this match was, as only Janela is really an established GCW regular. (Griffin is easily a distant second). O’Neill hit a Swanton Bomb. Joey hit a Dragon Suplex on Luke; Luke hit a Rebound Lariat on Joey. Yaki hit a headscissors plant on Luke. McCoy hit a powerbomb move, but Joey hit a top-rope double knees on McCoy’s back. Joey hit a brainbuster and a package piledriver to pin O’Neill. That was quite an athletic showcase.
Joey Janela defeated Griffin McCoy, Terry Yaki, Grayson Pierce, Austin Luke, and Flying Ryan O’Neill in a scramble at 9:12.
* Footage aired of Ultramantis Black and Matt Tremont in a death match from July.
* Effy came to the ring, title belt over his shoulder, and he talked about his string of title defenses this year. He noted he’s a bit beat up right now. He said, “Effy is a Game Changer.” He said if he didn’t exist, GCW would just look different. He said he’s beaten everyone and is looking for new challengers to step up. Immediately, the recognizable entrance music for Charles Mason played. Mason slinked to the ring. Neither man was dressed to wrestle. Mason said he “thinks about that championship every single day of my life.” Mason said Effy didn’t beat him at the Coney Island show, “you survived me.” Mason said Effy “has all of my attention once again.” Mason threatened to hurt Effy’s dog if he doesn’t get a title shot.
Atticus Cogar then came to the ring. “I see clarity now,” Cogar said. Atticus said Charles “fights for revenge.” Effy left! Atticus asked Mason to align, and they shook hands! However, Otis Cogar and Christian Napier jumped Mason from behind and beat him up. (This crowd loves booing Mason so much, it’s hard for me to believe they will suddenly start cheering for him.) VNDL 48 beat up Mason some more. The Bev, who appeared last night, made the save.
7. Matt Tremont vs. Bear Bronson for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. A ridiculous number of light tubes have been tied to the ropes. I’ve had my fill of deathmatches for the day, so I’m fast-forwarding to the finish. They were both covered in blood, and the light tubes had all exploded. This is also an extraordinarily long death match; they usually wrap up after maybe 9-12 minutes. They climbed up onto a scaffolding structure next to the ring at 13:00. Tremont threw him off the scaffolding, through a glass pane bridge. Tremont then hit a massive frogsplash off the scaffolding and onto Bronson for the pin. This crowd clearly loved this.
Matt Tremont defeated Bear Bronson to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 24:53.
Final Thoughts: When I used to go to IWA-Mid South shows on a monthly basis in the 2004-05-06 period, promoter Ian Rotten would have one deathmatch to close out most shows. Having more than one just leaves me bored. I hate the glass and the blood. I tuned in for the wild six-man tag, and it delivered. If I’m making a list of my 20 favorite indy workers in 2025, those six all make the list — that’s my style of action. The Cartwheel/Loco tag worked for me for second, although Napier isn’t quite ‘there’ yet in the ring. The scramble was fun and earned third. I think I’ve seen Pierce once or twice before, while I’m sure I hadn’t seen O’Neill. That was a fun showcase for guys to make a good impression and earn a return ticket.
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