By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “So Alive”
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
February 15, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona, at Nile Theater
They’ve run in this large, brick tavern before. It has a high ceiling, and it’s well lit. The crowd was maybe 300. John Mosely, Emil Jay, and Jordan Castle provided commentary. The hard camera was on a stage that is perhaps five feet tall, and that stage would come into play several times.
* The show opened with a video highlight package of Saturday’s show in Los Angeles. NOTE that Matt Tremont suffered an injury right at the start of his match and went to an area hospital; the last word was that he aggravated a back injury.
1. Gino Rivera vs. Thugnificient vs. Dalton King vs. JKM. I’ve compared Gino to former ROH wrestler Ricky Reyes. JKM has been on these West Coast shows; he wears a mask that always reminds me of Spider-Man. He speared Gino. This was Thugnificent’s GCW debut. King hit a half-nelson suplex, then a dive over the top rope onto everyone. Rivera performed a second-rope Trustfall onto everyone at 2:00. In the ring, JKM hit a spin kick to Gino’s head, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall.
On the floor, Thugnificient hit a thudding headbutt on JKM, then he nailed a Fosbury Flop to the floor! Nice! In the ring, King hit a sit-out powerbomb at 4:00. Thugnificient hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press. I’m impressed. JKM hit a Canadian Destroyer out of the corner and a top-rope 450 Splash to pin Thugnificent. That was a blast; that’s exactly what a show-opener should be.
JKM defeated Thugnificient, Gino Rivera, and Dante King at 4:51.
2. Alec Price vs. El Phantasmo. Yeah, this is a reason to tune in. Price carried his tag title belt around his shoulder. They are both babyfaces and shook hands before locking up and twisted each other’s left arm, and we had a standoff at 1:30. Price hit a huracanrana and a springboard twisting crossbody block. ELP hit his own twisting crossbody block, then a Lionsault for a nearfall at 3:30. ELP twisted Price’s nipples and got a “You sick f—!” chant. He snapped Alec’s fingers and worked the hand.
Phantasmo did an Old School tightrope walk. Price hit a dropkick at 6:00, and they were both down. Alec hit a top-rope doublestomp to the collarbone of a standing ELP for a nearfall. Phantasmo dove through the ropes onto Price at 8:00. In the ring, he hit a clothesline for a nearfall. ELP put him in a Torture Rack and spun him to the mat for a nearfall. Price hit a huracanrana, then he nailed his springboard 720 DDT, sending ELP to the floor. Alec dove onto him at 10:00, and we got a “GCW!” chant.
Back in the ring, Price nailed his Rebound Lariat, and he hit a springboard Blockbuster for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. They traded kicks. Price hit a running kick; ELP hit a Canadian Destroyer, and they both collapsed. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, and more while standing. ELP nailed a superkick. He set up for the CR2, but Price escaped. They traded rollups until Phantasmo got the pin. That was a blast; that could have been our main event.
El Phantasmo defeated Alec Price at 13:44.
3. Ciclope and Vipress vs. “Brothers of Funstruction” Yabo the Clown and Ruffo the Clown. Ciclope was in a bloody deathmatch a day ago; how do these guys come back a day later from that? I just don’t enjoy the comedy of BoF. The clowns brought a door into the ring for a game of “knock knock, who’s there?” (Yeah, that’s how this match is gonna go.) Ciclope sold a low-blow move. The clowns gave Vipress a low blow, but of course, because this is pro wrestling, she no-sold it.
Ciclope threw a chair at a clown’s face, and I just hate that. The BoF hit their opponents with chairshots. Ciclope powerbombed Vipress over the top rope onto the clowns at 6:00. Ciclope hit a top-rope dive onto the clowns. A clown dove through the ropes onto Ciclope. Vipress got a clown on her shoulders and hit a DVD through the door in the corner. Ciclope hit a frog splash, then Vipress hit a frog splash for the pin. Okay, at least I didn’t hate it.
Ciclope and Vipress defeated “The Brothers of Funstruction” Yabo the Clown and Ruffo the Clown at 8:27.
4. Vengador vs. Rey Horus. These two were teammates on Saturday. Horus hit a flip dive to the floor just seconds into the match. He hit a huracanrana in the ring. Vengador hit a Lethal Injection and a clothesline at 1:30. Vengador hit an impressive delayed vertical suplex — he took both hands off Horus for a second or two before dropping him! On the floor, Vengador tossed Horus onto a row of empty chairs at 3:00, and they looped the ring. Rey flipped Vengador into a row of chairs. Horus hit a dive off the stage and hit a huracanrana on the floor. Nice!
In the ring, he hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, then a twisting elbow drop for a nearfall at 5:00. This has been a sprint. Vengador hit a Buckle Bomb, then an Acid Bomb-style faceplant for a nearfall. Rey hit a Frankensteiner, then a Twisted Bliss-style frog splash for a nearfall at 7:00. “This has been an incredible pace,” Mosely said. They traded forearm strikes. Vengador hit a cool pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall. These two are really clicking! Rey hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 9:30. Vengador hit a springboard dropkick and a double knees to the chest for a nearfall, then a swinging piledriver for the pin. That was sharp.
Vengador defeated Rey Horus at 10:57.
5. Jordan Oliver vs. Alexander Hammerstone. Jordan has decent size, but nothing compared to Hammerstone. They slowly approached each other; the crowd was hot and split. Oliver got an inside cradle right away for a nearfall. He applied an Octopus Stretch on the mat at 2:30. Hammerstone hit a Bulldog Powerslam and a series of clotheslines in the corner. Oliver hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor, and they fought at ringside at 6:00. Jordan launched off the wall to hit a flying forearm! Nice!
Oliver launched off the stage and hit a crossbody block to the floor. Back in the ring, Hammerston hit a hard back elbow in the corner. Oliver hit a German Suplex out of the corner. Hammerstone hit a chokeslam and a powerbomb, then a running knee for a believable nearfall at 8:00. Jordan hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and immediately applied a Figure Four leg lock. Alexander reversed the pressure, and Jordan grabbed the bottom rope at 10:30 to break the hold. Hammerstone hit a Dragon Suplex. They got up, and Jordan hit some chops, then a baseball slide dropkick to the ankle. He got a Crucifix Driver and the flash pin!
Jordan Oliver defeated Alexander Hammerstone at 11:32.
* Oliver got on the mic and put over Hammerstone’s strength, but he added, “His brain isn’t as big as mine.” Jordan said he’d like another match in the future. (Very heelish). They shook hands, but Hammerstone kicked him in the gut or groin.
6. CPA vs. Juicy Finau. I am still unclear how CPA can take a whole weekend away from the office during tax season! It’s probably been six or so months since I’ve seen Juicy. He has lost a lot of weight. He is still probably 350 pounds, but he might have been 450 at one point. Jordan Castle said he’s done the “Power Slap” show — I admittedly haven’t seen a second of it. CPA tried to lift Juicy for a bodyslam, but that wasn’t happening! He peeled off a shirt to reveal another one underneath! (CPA undercard comedy just works for me. I can’t explain why some comedy lands for me and other stuff doesn’t.)
CPA tried a missile dropkick, but Juicy no-sold it. (I just pulled up Juicy’s cagematch.net bio, which lists him at 449 pounds. No way he weighs that much now.) CPA went for a crossbody block, but Juicy caught him and slammed him at 3:00, then he hit a buttbump in the corner for a nearfall. CPA went for a stunner, but Juicy tossed him aside. CPA finally dropped Juicy with a missile dropkick, and he hit a bodyslam! He ripped off a second shirt (but has a third one on!) He hit the 1099 (comedy 619) for a nearfall at 5:00. This crowd was totally into this. CPA leapt off the ropes, but Juicy caught him with a Power Slap to the cheek! The ref checked CPA, determined he was out, and called for the bell! Highly watchable.
Juicy Finau defeated CPA at 5:50.
7. Otis Cogar vs. Shotzi Blackheart. This is a non-title match. She charged over to him and pushed her forehead into his, but he easily shoved her to the mat. She hit a rolling Koppo Kick in the corner! Shotzi hit a 619 and a top-rope crossbody block at 1:00. He fired back with a running back elbow. Otis got a garbage can lid and slammed it across the top of her head, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. Otis got some weapons and tossed them into the ring. He was bleeding from his forehead.
Cogar repeatedly swung a chair; she hid underneath a door to cushion those blows. Shotzi nailed a dive through the ropes at 6:30, then a second one. In the ring, she hit a rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall. Shotzi got a thumbtack-covered plastic bat and struck him a few times in the head at 8:00. They fought in the corner, and she hit a top-rope Sliced Bread for a nearfall. Shotzi set up a door bridge. He grabbed her and hit a uranage on the mat at 10:00. She hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Otis hit a moonsault onto her as she was lying on the door bridge for the pin. Watchable.
Otis Cogar defeated Shotzi Blackheart at 11:39.
8. 1 Called Manders vs. Effy. I have written before that Effy’s best match of his title run was against Manders. They jawed at each other; Effy gave him a quick peck, and that got a pop. Manders responded by hitting a slap that dropped Effy. Manders hit some chops; Effy hit some. Effy hit a Helluva Kick at 3:30, then another one. Manders has a cut on his head and was bleeding as he hit some more chops.
Effy hit a Blockbuster and a spear for a nearfall at 6:00. Effy tied up Manders’ legs on the mat and hit a Stomp at 7:30. Effy suplexed Manders onto an open chair for a nearfall at 9:30. He hit a Pump Kick for a nearfall. Manders hit a running Buckle Bomb at 11:00, then a vicious clothesline, but Effy kicked out at one! Manders struck him with some door debris. Effy hit a low-blow headbutt! Effy has a cut on the side of his head from that door debris.
Effy got a screwdriver that might be 18 inches! Allie Katch ran to ringside and tried to take it from Effy, but she got knocked off the apron. Allie jumped in the ring and hit a Thesz Press on Effy and repeatedly punched him. Manders pulled Allie off of Effy. She yelled at Manders. She charged at Effy again, but he ducked to the floor, and Manders held her back. Effy ducked to the back, and apparently, we’re done at 14:30. Once again, the promotion that doesn’t have DQs had a match with a non-finish.
Effy vs. 1 Called Manders was declared a no-contest at 14:30.
9. Atticus Cogar vs. Sam Stackhouse in a deathmatch for the GCW World Title. Barbed-wire boards were already set up in the ring. What exactly has the 400+ pounder Stackhouse done to earn a title shot? Sam speared him through a door in the corner, and we’re underway! Cogar began hitting Sam with weapons, and Stackhouse was quickly bleeding all over his white T-shirt. Sam hit his spinning heel kick at 4:30; it’s a signature spot of his, and it looks really good from a guy that big.
Cogar hit a Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) onto a pile of tacks for a nearfall at 6:00. Sam caught him and hit a Rikishi Driver-style piledriver for a nearfall, then a Jay Driller for a nearfall at 8:00. Sam hit a moonsault for a nearfall. He got duct tape and tied Cogar’s hands together in front of his body. He knocked Cogar down with a clothesline at 11:00. Sam clocked him over the head with an unprotected chair shot for a nearfall. Ugh. Cogar shoved cooking skewers into Sam’s head, then hit a Brain Hemorrhage off the second rope for the pin. Just not my style, and there was absolutely zero mystery over who was winning.
Atticus Cogar defeated Sam Stackhouse to retain the GCW World Title at 14:06.
Final Thoughts: Just like Saturday’s show, the undercard was really strong, and the reason to tune in, and the later matches didn’t do much for me. Price vs. El Phtantasmo was predictably sharp and really good, and Vengador-Rey Horus was a really close second place. Those matches carried the show. While I hated the non-finish, I will give Effy-Manders third overall. Manders is hitting on all cylinders right now. Oliver-Hammerstone earned honorable mention. The opener was a hot sprint, and I want to see more of Thugalicious after that dazzling showing. CPA-Juicy was perfect in its mid-card spot.
The bad? Yeah, a few here. The Brothers of Funstruction just don’t work for me. That main event was dull and utterly predictable. No one thought Stackhouse was going to win, and we just don’t need those unprotected blows to the head. The finish of Effy-Manders just soured me on what was a good match (and I’ll reiterate I still ranked it third-best). I just don’t buy Katch as a legit opponent to the bigger, stronger men she faces, and her participation in this feud doesn’t work for me. Likewise, Shotzi is crazy and is clearly having a blast doing these hardcore matches, but she also never had a shot at beating Otis.
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