By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Keep in Touch”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
September 19, 2025, in Mesa, Arizona, at The Nile Theater
* The show opened with footage from the shows last weekend in Detroit and Indianapolis. We then went to the venue, which is a large, brick room. It is packed in there with maybe 300 fans, all standing; it looks like quite the party atmosphere. Visually, this is a really engaging room; the lights are on and it’s easy to see. Jordan Castle provided commentary; I love his enthusiasm. Emil Jay joined him and said there would be nine matches tonight. The opener is a bonus, unadvertised match.
1. Gino Rivera vs. Manny Lemon. Gino has appeared on past GCW shows in the Southwest, and I’ve compared him to former Havana Pitbull Ricky Reyes. Lemons is white and a bit older. They brawled to the floor early on. In the ring, Gino took control and was booed. Lemons hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 3:00. Gino hit a rolling cannonball in the corner and a senton for a nearfall. Manny hit a “Lemon Drop” (modified Death Valley Driver move) for the pin. Adequate; it didn’t overstay its welcome.
Manny Lemons defeated Gino Rivera at 4:39.
* A guy named Ethan Lawmaster joined Jordan Castle in the booth here.
2. Oro (Mensah) Annan vs. Marcus Mathers. A nice pop for the former NXT talent; this is only the third match I’ve seen from Oro since his release. This makes the sixth Marcus Mathers match I’ll have seen in eight days, all in non-contiguous states! (And this is at least match No. 102 for him in 2025; just an insane schedule.) A feeling-out process early on as they traded reversals on the mat. Oro hit some armdrags and a powerbomb move for a nearfall at 2:00. Mathers hit a flying forearm in the corner and a mule kick for a nearfall, and Oro rolled to the floor to regroup. They looped ringside, with Mathers hitting some chops.
Oro hit a swinging uranage from the apron onto the first row of chairs at 4:30! Ouch! They got in the ring, where Oro hit a suplex for a nearfall, and he stomped on Mathers. He applied a rear-naked choke on the mat and kept Marcus grounded. Marcus hit a top-rope twisting crossbody block at 8:30, then some clotheslines and an enzuigiri. He clotheslined Oro over the top rope to the floor, then hit a running Penalty Kick on the ring apron. He hit a fadeaway stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Oro hit a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall at 10:30.
They got up and traded forearm strikes, then they traded Mafia Kicks. Oro hit a Pele Kick. Mathers hit his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw. Oro hit a jumping kick in the corner at 12:30. They fell to the floor, and Mathers hit a Tombstone Piledriver on the floor! That earned a “GCW!” chant. They got into the ring, with Oro slamming him and getting a nearfall. Oro hit a running Koppo Kick in the corner. He went for a top-rope frogsplash, but Mathers got his knees up. Mathers hit a fisherman’s buster, then a 450 Splash for the pin. That was a sharp, sharp match; I don’t know if any match will top that tonight.
Marcus Mathers defeated Oro Annan at 15:32.
* Marcus got on the mic and said, “I’m the finest in the world, and for five years, I’ve been working my hardest to be a full-time member of the GCW roster.” He shook Oro’s hand and said, “Welcome to GCW.”
3. Brittnie Brooks vs. Vipress. Again, Vipress looks less goth these days; she still has half her hair black and half brown. She is shorter than Brittnie, so I’ll guess 5’3″. Cagematch.net shows that Brooks is 1-0 against Vipress, having beaten her in a TNA dark match over Mania weekend in Las Vegas. Brittnie hit a suplex in the first minute and an elbow in the corner, so Vipress bailed to the floor. Brooks set up for a dive to the floor, but Vipress clocked her in the head with a chairshot. Vipress hit a chairshot to the back on the floor, and they brawled at ringside. They got back into the ring, and Vipress wedged a chair into the corner, then she slammed Brittnie’s head onto the chair at 3:00.
Brittnie got her own chair and tossed it at Vipress’s head; I really hate that. (You have no control over the chair once it leaves your hand.) They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Brittnie hit a bulldog across an open chair for a nearfall at 4:30, but Brooks was selling pain in her arm. Vipress hit a back suplex. Brittnie hit a DDT on a folded chair for a nearfall. Vipress hit a modified Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 6:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Brooks hit the “It’s Brittnie Bitch” (Eye of the Hurricane), but sold the pain in her arm and didn’t go for a cover. Brooks went under the ring and slid a door into the ring, and she set up a door bridge. They fought in the corner. Vipress eventually hit a frogsplash onto Brittnie on the door bridge for the pin. Good action.
Vipress defeated Brittnie Brooks at 10:48.
* Footage aired of The Brothers of Funstruction winning the GCW and JCW Tag Team Titles from Alec Price and Jordan Oliver, as we’ve entered the darkest timeline.
4. 1 Called Manders vs. Man Like DeReiss. Germany’s wXw had a show earlier in the day (that is where Masha Slamovich and Matthew Justice are), and it’s a bit surprising Manders isn’t there with them. Manders beat DeReiss in July in JCW in their only prior singles match. DeReiss made his ROH TV debut on Thursday. They shook hands at the bell. Manders tried to hit the Oklahoma stampede, but DeReiss escaped; DeReiss went for a stunner, but Manders escaped. DeReiss put on Manders’ cowboy hat (pop!) but then tossed it to the mat (boos!). Manders immediately hit an Oklahoma Stampede (bulldog powerslam) for a nearfall at 3:00.
DeReiss hit a superkick for a nearfall. He hit at tornado DDT for a nearfall, and he twisted Manders’ fingers and kept Manders grounded. He hit some hard chops and his kip-up stunner for a nearfall at 6:. He hit a bodyslam. Manders hit a superplex, and they were both down at 8:30. DeReiss applied a crossface, but Manders reached the ropes at 10:00. DeReiss hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall.
DeReiss snapped Manders’ fingers. Manders went for another Oklahoma Stampede, but MLD escaped. Manders hit a second-rope Oklahoma Stampede for a nearfall at 12:30! He hit a hard clothesline but only got a one-count. DeReiss applied a Triangle Choke. Manders hit another clothesline for a nearfall; DeReiss rolled him over for a nearfall. They got up, and Manders hit one more hard clothesline for the pin. Good action. They hugged afterwards.
1 Called Manders defeated Man Like DeReiss at 13:45.
5. Atticus Cogar vs. Starboy Charlie. Atticus attacked Charlie from behind before the bell, and we’re underway. Charlie hit a spinning heel kick, then a plancha to the floor at 1:00. They got into the ring, but Cogar shoved Charlie off the turnbuckle to the floor. He whipped Charlie into the rows of chairs. In the ring, Atticus hit a running back elbow and got a nearfall at 3:30. They fought to the floor, where Atticus threw a chair at Charlie’s head. (Okay this one is even worse; there are no guardrails, and an errant chair could easily hit a fan.) They got into the ring, where Charlie hit a Pele Kick onto a chair for a nearfall, then the Cosmic Swirl (standing corkscrew moonsault) for a nearfall at 6:30.
Atticus hit a corner Lionsault as Charlie was in the ropes, and he got a nearfall. He opened several chairs. Charlie did an RVD-style leap off a chair and kicked a chair into Atticus’ face. “Bill Alfonso would be so proud,” Castle said. Charlie missed the Shooting Starboy Press. He popped to his feet, and Atticus threw another chair at his head. (Why does Brett Lauderdale allow this????) Charlie set up for a powerbomb, but Atticus jabbed his cooking skewers into Charlie’s forehead! Cogar then hit the Brain Hemorrhage (LA Knight-style snapmare driver) for the pin. Good action, but boy, I hate those thrown chairs to the head.
Atticus Cogar defeated Starboy Charlie at 11:28.
* Cogar continued the post-match assault on Charlie.
6. JKM vs. Brayden Toon. JKM also has wrestled on past GCW shows here; he wears a lucha mask, and he’s thin. I always compare Toon to a young Kevin Steen, as he’s quite athletic and agile for having a bit of a gut; I just saw him compete in the Montreal area a few weeks ago. The bell rang, and the crowd was behind the local favorite JKM. A feeling-out process early on. JKM hit a corkscrew crossbody block off the ropes at 1:30. He set up for a dive to the floor, but Toon hit a spin kick to his head. Toon hit a running knee in the corner and a second-rope moonsault for a nearfall. (He got a nice pop on that moonsault: I presume the locals haven’t seen Toon and didn’t expect that agility that I already mentioned.)
Toon hit a stiff kick to the spine, so JKM hit one. Toon hit a bodyslam for a nearfall, then a spinning backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 3:30. He hit a suplex for a nearfall. JKM hit a leaping Russian Leg Sweep move for a nearfall. GKM hit a Canadian Destroyer, but Toon popped to his feet, hit a running knee, and they were both down at 5:00. Toon trapped JKM’s head in the corner and kicked it. He hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor.
They got back into the ring, where Toon hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. JKM hit a spin kick to the head, then a Trevor Lee-style Cave-In, then a dive through the ropes to the floor at 7:00. They got back into the ring, where GKM hit an OsCutter for a nearfall. Toon nailed a Buckle Bomb, but he couldn’t hit a package piledriver. JKM hit a step-up mule kick to the jaw. JKM hit an impressive flip dive to the floor. JKM hit a springboard 450 Splash for the pin. That was a really strong match, and I felt like either guy could have won that one.
JKM defeated Brayden Toon at 9:26.
7. Mance Warner vs. Rob Shit. Rob is the aging 1980s rocker, and I admittedly am not a fan; he’s a pretty basic brawler. They each had a beer before the bell, but then Mance spewed alcohol in Rob’s eyes and hit him over the head with the open can, and beer flew everywhere. He hit some chops in the corner and was in charge. Rob hit some clotheslines. Rob dove off the apron and barreled onto Mance at 2:30, and they brawled on the floor. They fought around the building and away from ringside. Mance hit a chairshot to the back and some jabs with the chair to the ribs and knee.
Doors and chairs were thrown into the ring. Mance whipped Rob into a door at 7:00. Rob went to the floor to guzzle some beer, which apparently is his Popeye’s spinach, to fire him up. Mance slammed a chair over Rob’s knee. Rob came off the ropes for a frogsplash, but his leg gave out and he came up short. Mance slammed him against a door in the corner, but barely cracked at 10:30. So, Mance chokeslammed him, and this time the door broke in half. Rob hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Mance hit a second-rope superplex through a door bridge at 13:30, and they were both down; Mance eventually got a nearfall.
They began hitting each other over the head with the door shards; Rob made no effort to protect his head. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Rob rubbed his hand inside his trunks, then went for a mandible claw, but Mance escaped and hit a low-blow uppercut. Mance finally hit a running knee for the pin. Well, the live crowd loved it, anyway, and that’s what matters.
Mance Warner defeated Rob Shit at 16:26.
8. Jordan Oliver vs. Jack Cartwheel. Cagematch.net records show these two have now stepped into the ring together 14 times, entering this match, with Oliver 2-0 in singles matches. (All but one of those matches were in GCW). Jordan has a height and weight advantage. A feeling-out process early on as Jordan kept Jack grounded. Oliver hit a second-rope crossbody block at 2:00. Jack hit a bodyslam and a cartwheel kneedrop to the chest. Oliver hit a basement dropkick at 3:30, then a snap suplex for a nearfall. He hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and applied a Texas Cloverleaf. He switched to a Boston Crab, but Jack reached the ropes.
Jack hit a Pele Kick but sold pain in his knee. Jordan hit a discus clothesline into the corner. Jordan went for a German Suplex, but Jack rotated and landed on his feet. Jack hit a slingshot press, and they were both down at 7:30. Jack hit his impressive Crucifix Driver for a nearfall. He hit a double backflip-into-a-back elbow in the corner, but he missed a top-rope moonsault. Ollver hit a dropkick and a German Suplex for nearfall, then a spin kick to the head and a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall, and he was frustrated that he couldn’t put Jack away. Jack nailed a Sunset Bomb, then a top-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall at 10:30.
They fought on the ropes, and Jordan turned it into a top-rope Falcon Arrow for a believable nearfall. Nice! They traded chops while on their knees. Jack hit an enzuigiri. They traded kicks. Jack hit his Cartwheel DVD at 13:30, and he nailed the Sasuke Special dive to the floor. However, as they got back into the ring, Jordan dropped Cartwheel on the ropes, caught Jack as he bounced into the ring, and hit a powerbomb for the pin. (It’s a cool spot and I’ve seen them execute it even better before.) A very good match.
Jordan Oliver defeated Jack Cartwheel at 14:19.
9. Dr. Redacted and Joey Janela vs. Bear Bronson and Matt Tremont. Janela wore a blue scrubs shirt, like Redacted. They all brawled at the bell. The action spilled to the floor, and Bear dove through the ropes onto all three at 1:30. Joey started throwing chairs (there are fans nearby! How is this allowed???). Bear hit a Gorilla Press at 5:30, tossing Redacted into rows of chairs. Redacted grabbed an ironing board (seriously, where did that come from?) and threw it at his opponents.
In the ring, Tremont and Bear hit Redacted with ping-pong paddles. Joey and Redacted flipped Bear onto the open ironing board at 10:30. Bear put both guys on his shoulders and hit a double Samoan Drop through a door bridge for a nearfall at 12:00. Joey hit a superkick. Tremont hit a clothesline on Janela. Joey threw a HARD chair at Tremont’s unprotected head. (Seriously, enough with this already!) Joey and Dr. Redacted emptied a bag of Lebubu dolls on the mat, but apparently, they have weapons on them? Tremont hit a uranage in the corner on Joey at 15:30.
Janela hit a Death Valley Driver on Bronson, but Tremont hit a DVD on Joey on a table in the corner. Redacted put a garbage can over his head, and he dove onto Tremont. They all sat down on chairs across from each other and traded punches at 17:30. More chairs whipped at each other. Sigh. Bronson hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Joey for a nearfall. Joey hit a sunset bomb, slamming Bronson onto several open chairs for a nearfall at 21:00, but Tremont made the save. Bronson hit a Boss Man Slam on Redacted for a nearfall. Tremont headed to the back and returned with a barbed-wire board.
Redacted accidentally struck Janela! Bronson hit a piledriver on Joey, dropping his head on Redacted’s chest. Bronson hit a Gorilla Press, tossing Redacted through the barbed-wire door in the corner. Tremont hit a frogsplash onto the door, which was lying (barbed wire side to Redacted’s chest) for the pin. A decent brawl that I couldn’t get into because of all those violent blows to the head.
Bear Bronson and Matt Tremont defeated Dr. Redacted and Joey Janela at 24:33.
Final Thoughts: A top-notch show. I’ll narrowly go with Oliver-Cartwheel ahead of Oro-Mathers, but those would get an identical ‘star rating.’ Both matches are well worth checking out. Manders-DeResiss was really good for third. The opener didn’t dazzle me, but they kept it short. JKM-Toon was a fun bout.
I can’t state enough how good this show looks from a production standpoint. It’s an attractive room; give me the lights on any day over a dark, poorly-lit ring like last week’s deathmatch-fest in Detroit (which remains my least-favorite venue on the GCW regular schedule.)
GCW sure has some great matches, and I rarely miss a show, but I really do hate those unprotected blows to the head. Maybe they are all just too young to learn from the horrors of Chris Benoit, or all the NFL players who had multiple concussions and kept going. I just don’t know how GCW still allows those when we know so much about concussions and the long-term damage to the brain. It truly is my one and only complaint about a really good show; Brett Lauderdale’s complete disregard for the health and safety of his talent and fans just baffles me. (There wasn’t just one thrown chair at a head tonight — it happened over and over again, including right next to fans.) I’ll reiterate that Mance-Rob Shit wasn’t my thing but the live crowd loved it.
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