By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “One Night Only”
May 2, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 2300 Arena
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
The venue was sold out. The crowd looked great and sounded great. The lighting at the former ECW Arena is really good these days. Veda Scott and John Mosely provided commentary. Jordan Castle would join later.
* As the show came on, weapons and a ladder were in the ring, and it appears we are opening with a scramble! However, Matt Tremont got his own entrance to Journey’s “Separate Ways.” This is a ladder match for his title!
1. Matt Tremont vs. Sicko the Clown vs. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Slade vs. Reed Bentley vs. Nino Extremo in a ladder match for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. Veda noted there is no championship advantage. Tremont closed the ladder and set it aside; everyone attacked him, and the crowd booed. Slade shoved a gusset plate into Tremont’s head. People started hitting unprotected chairshots to Tremont’s head. Gross and so unnecessary. “The Rejects” Murdoch and Bentley brawled with Sicko and Nino; those two teams fought a day ago, too. Nino dove to the floor onto several guys at 3:30.
In the ring, Murdoch cracked debris over Slade’s head. Reed hit a piledriver onto a horizontal ladder on Sicko at 7:00. Sicko and Murdoch fought on top of a ladder. Sicko grabbed the title, but the ladder was moved! He swung for a few seconds before he crashed to the mat at 10:00. Slade powerbombed Nino through a board bridge on the floor; that looked a bit dangerous. Tremont and Bentley fought on top of the ladder, and Matt threw him to the mat. Murdoch yanked Tremont off the ladder. Tremont climbed back up and brawled with Murdoch on top of the ladder. Tremont stabbed him repeatedly with a fork until Murdoch fell. Tremont then retrieved his title to win the match. Too gross for my tastes, but this crowd ate that one up.
Matt Tremont defeated Sicko the Clown, John Wayne Murdoch, Slade, Reed Bentley, and Nino Extremo in a ladder match to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 13:27.
2. Gabby Forza vs. Tony Deppen. The crowd POPPED for Starship’s “We Built This City,” because it means the long-awaited return of Tony Deppen!!! (I asked him a day ago if he was wrestling today; he replied maybe by Independence Day). He got on the mic and said he needed time away to realize how much he loves professional wrestling. (I see his last GCW match was back in October, so it’s been six-plus months.) He hit a flying forearm. They hit stereo clotheslines, and he hit a flying headbutt to send her to the floor. He hit a flip dive to the floor on her. Mosely pointed out that Deppen had written on social media that he was going to a concert tonight. Lies! Gabby tossed him head-first into the guardrails.
In the ring, she hit a chop that dropped him at 1:30. He hopped up, and they traded chops. She hit a senton. Deppen hit an enzuigiri in the corner. He bit her head and stomped on her back, then hit a running Meteora in the corner for a nearfall at 3:30. He hit a rolling cannonball to her back as she was in the ropes. He sneezed on her, and the crowd was aghast and chanted, “You sick f—!” Gabby powerbombed him onto the apron and dove through the ropes onto him. In the ring, she put him in a Torture Rack and spun him into a powerbomb.
Gabby hit a powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 5:30. They traded more forearm strikes. Gabby dropped him with a clothesline, then she hit a Jackhammer for a nearfall, but she missed a Gnome Bomb (Vader Bomb). She got a backslide for a nearfall. He caught her with a knee to her jaw and a kick to the back of the head and a running knee to the back of her head, and he was booed. She blocked a running knee, and she hit a spear, then a Bear Bronson-style Fire Thunder Driver for the pin! That was a blast.
Gabby Forza defeated Tony Deppen at 7:56.
* Backstage, Marcus Mathers arrived earlier in the day and spoke to Matt Tremont. Matt fired him up and told him to go win the belt.
3. “Team New School” Terry Yaki, Jimmy Lloyd, “Flyin” Ryan O’Neill, and Juni Underwood vs. “Team Old School” Ruckus, Greg Excellent, B-Boy, and Nate Webb. Juni and O’Neill wore Philadelphia Flyers jerseys for a cheap pop. Webb came out last so the crowd could sing along to Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag.” The youngsters dove to the floor on the older guys during the song, and we’re underway! In the ring, Yaki hit a huracanrana on Ruckus. Ruckus slammed him face-first. B-Boy and Juni locked up at 1:30. Juni tried a forearm strike that B-Boy completely no-sold.
Greg Excellent entered to face O’Neill. The youngsters worked over Webb. Ruckus tagged in at 6:30 and fought Lloyd. He went for the Razzle Dazzle (handspring back elbow), but Jimmy kicked Ruckus in the back. Jimmy hit a piledriver across several open chairs on Webb for a nearfall. O’Neill hit a Swanton Bomb on Excellent. Yaki hit a DDT on Ruckus and an enzuigiri on B-Boy. B-Boy hit a stunner on Yaki, then a brainbuster! Juni hit a rolling DVD on B-Boy.
Webb tied Juni in the Tree of Woe at 9:00 and hit a Coast-to-Coast Moonsault, pushing a chair into Juni’s face, for a nearfall! Webb hit a headscissors takedown on Lloyd! Webb hit a chair-assisted moonsault for a nearfall. However, Kerry Morton and Griffin McCoy ran in and stomped on Webb! They jabbed a chair into Webb’s ribs. It appears we have a draw at 10:30, but we never had a bell. (So much for no DQs in GCW…)
“Team New School” Terry Yaki, Jimmy Lloyd, “Flyin” Ryan O’Neill, and Juni Underwood vs. “Team Old School” Ruckus, Greg Excellent, B-Boy, and Nate Webb went to no finish at 10:30.
* McCoy and Morton spoke on the mic as they stomped on Webb. Eventually, the other guys in the match chased them out. McCoy and Morton spoke on the mic and belittled the old-timers. Morton said no one in this building could kick their ass. Some familiar music played… it’s HOMICIDE! He quietly retired last year! He wore street clothes as he walked down the ramp. Morton pushed McCoy into Homicide! Kerry ran off! Homicide threw McCoy into the ring, where the other EIGHT guys from the match beat him up. Greg Excellent hit a rolling cannonball on McCoy, and B-Boy hit his hesitation dropkick. Morton got in the ring. Out of the back came John Zandig, who brawled with Morton. He’s so old I didn’t recognize him.
* A video package aired of Ruckus highlights throughout his career, as he’s been inducted into a “hardcore hall of fame.” Emil Jay said Ruckus is synonymous with this building and said no one has wrestled more matches in this building than him. A banner was unveiled on the wall, and the crowd chanted, “You deserve it!” Ruckus got on the mic and said, “All I ever wanted to do in this building is entertain.” He hugged Zandig, and he thanked several people, including his wife and everyone in the ring. He thanked GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale.
* A video aired of Manders winning the Brass Ring in Las Vegas, and him challenging Atticus Cogar to a match in Iowa on May 17.
* It appeared we were going to have 1 Called Manders vs. Otis Cogar. Otis was hospitalized after his Las Vegas match against Tremont, so I’m surprised to see him. Jordan Castle joined commentary. Otis got on the mic and said he’s not medically cleared. Christian Napier rolled into the ring and hit Manders on the back with a chair.
4. 1 Called Manders vs. Christian Napier (w/Otis Cogar). Otis and Napier beat up Manders and slammed him onto a door in the corner. Napier hit a flip dive to the floor on Manders. In the ring, they piled debris on Manders. Napier hit a top-rope doublestomp onto the pile of debris but only got a one-count! Manders hit a clothesline for the pin. (And THIS is why I start the stopwatch at first contact, because we never had a bell to officially begin!)
1 Called Manders defeated Christian Napier at 3:00.
5. Vengador vs. Gringo Loco. These two were teammates a day ago. They locked up and traded standing switches. Loco tried a headscissors takedown, but Vengador landed on his feet, and they had a standoff at 1:30. Vengador hit a dropkick that sent Loco to the floor. In one smooth motion, Vengador leapt to the top rope and hit a springboard moonsault to the floor at 3:30! Nice! In the ring, Vengador hit a frog splash for a nearfall. Loco hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
Loco hit a faceplant for a nearfall at 5:30. He caught Vengador while he was doing a handspring-back move and hit another faceplant for a nearfall. He hit his split-legged moonsault for a nearfall at 7:30. Vengador hit a Lethal Injection for a nearfall. He hit some loud chops in the corner, then he caught Loco and hit a faceplant for a nearfall. They fought on the top rope; they basically both did a moonsault as they both crashed stomach-first to the mat at 11:00, and Loco got a nearfall.
Loco hit a piledriver for a one-count. They hit some kicks and suddenly were both down. Loco hit the second-rope Base Bomb for a believable nearfall at 13:00; I thought that was it. Vengador snapped off a perfect top-rope Poison Rana, earning a “holy shit!” chant. They traded rollups, and Loco got the clean pin! Good action.
Gringo Loco defeated Vengador at 14:26.
6. Ricky Morton vs. KJ Orso. I genuinely don’t see any value in using mid-60s Morton. Orso did a Fargo Strut at the bell and drew some boos. Morton slapped him, so KJ rolled to the floor. In the ring, Morton hit some punches. Orso hit an eye poke and put him in an abdominal stretch. If this sounds like it’s exciting, I’m not describing it well. Orso came off the top rope, but Morton punched him in the gut. Orso applied a Figure Four at 3:30. Morton hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall, but Orso got a foot on the ropes. Orso immediately got a rollup with his feet on the ropes for the pin. Blah, I see no value in that.
KJ Orso defeated Ricky Morton at 5:05.
* Vipress came out for the next match, but then we saw a video where it appears Joey Janela is chained up. Sure enough, he was brought to the ring like Hannibal Lecter, tied to a gurney with a mask over his mouth. Veda said it was a tribute to Sabu.
7. Joey Janela vs. Vipress. Standing switches to open, and of course, he’s taller and visibly thicker. He knocked her down with shoulder tackles that earned some boos. He hit some chops; Vipress fired back with her own chops, and she stomped Joey in a corner. She hit a Facewash, then a slingshot senton for a nearfall at 3:00. Joey hit a snap Dragon Suplex on the thin mat at ringside! Vipress hit a DDT onto the apron, then she dropkicked him to the floor at 5:00. She hit a corner moonsault to the floor, then threw him back in.
Vipress hit a fisherman’s powerbomb for a nearfall. Janela hit a neckbreaker over his knee and a brainbuster for a nearfall at 7:00. Janela hit some more snap Dragon Suplexes for a nearfall, and he was perplexed that he didn’t win there. He got several chairs and boards and put them in the ring. She pushed his head through the paper-thin door, so Jordan Castle made a dated “Shining” reference, and an equally dated “Kool-Aid Man” reference. Vipress dove through the ropes and turned it into a tornado DDT onto the bare floor at 10:30.
Back in the ring, Joey threw a chair at her head, and that just angers me. (Absolutely nothing was gained with that reckless move). He hit a DDT across an open chair for a nearfall. Vipress hit an Electric Chair drop, sending Joey through a door in the corner for a nearfall at 12:30. Vipress hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Several chairs were opened and set up. In a dangerous-looking move, Joey hit a top-rope Dragon Suplex, with them crashing onto six open chairs, and Janela got a nearfall at 15:00. He hit a top-rope doublestomp onto debris over her chest for a believable nearfall. Vipress hit a Poison Rana and two piledrivers. She hit a frog splash onto his head for the pin. At a slower pace, but a good brawl.
Vipress defeated Joey Janela at 16:28.
8. Atticus Cogar vs. Marcus Mathers for the GCW World Title. Of course, Cogar is defending this belt against Manders in just two weeks, so he’s not losing it here. I’ll reiterate that Mathers is a Philly native, so he has the crowd behind him. They immediately tied up on the mat with intense, quick reversals. Mathers hit some chops and forearm strikes. Mosely has replaced Castle on commentary again. They brawled to the floor at 2:00 with Marcus hitting some more chops. Cogar whipped Marcus into the guardrails. In the ring, Cogar hit a Sabre-style neck-snap between his ankles, and he stomped on Mathers. He pulled out some cooking skewers and jabbed them in Marcus’ back, then hit an Irish Whip for a nearfall at 4:30.
Atticus choked Mathers with his suspenders! Mathers got up, and they traded chops. Mathers hit a Penalty Kick on the ring apron at 6:30. Atticus hit a slingshot that sent Mathers’ face against the ring steps. Mathers sat up and he was heavily bleeding... he definitely cut himself deeper than he meant to. Gross. Cogar dragged Marcus over his family in the crowd (his youngest brother is maybe 8!), and Atticus ‘flicked’ some of the blood at the Mathers family! Back in the ring, Mathers crashed head-first into a chair in the corner, and Atticus got a nearfall at 10:00.
Mathers hit a corner fadeaway stunner and his Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Mathers kicked a chair into Atticus’ face and hit a suplex onto a folded chair for a nearfall at 12:30. Atticus hit a German Suplex and a swinging slam for a nearfall. Veda noted the canvas was getting covered in blood. Cogar wiped Marcus’ blood all over his face, earning a “You sick f—!” chant. They traded more chops. Mathers hit his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw at 15:30. They went to the floor, where Mathers hit a Tombstone Piledriver onto an open chair, and they were both down.
Mathers set up for a 450 Splash, but Christian Napier ran to ringside and threw a chair at Mathers. Atticus hit a top-rope Air Raid Crash through a door bridge for a believable nearfall at 19:00. Napier and Cogar set up several chairs on the floor while Marcus was still down in the ring. Napier hit Mathers with door debris. Mathers hit a top-rope superplex with them both crashing through the door bridge on the floor at 22:30, and they were both down. In the ring, Mathers hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a visual pin, but Otis Cogar appeared and pulled Ref Scarlett Donovan from the ring. Mathers hit a flip dive to the floor onto the heels, then cracked the door debris on Napier. In the ring, Atticus hit a Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) for a believable nearfall at 25:00. He jabbed cooking skewers into Mathers’ head and hit a second Brain Hemorrhage for the pin.
Atticus Cogar defeated Marcus Mathers to retain the GCW World Title at 25:30.
9. Nick Gage vs. Bear Bronson. Emil Jay gave his full, long intro for Gage, with many in the crowd repeating the lines. We got the bell, and they immediately traded punches. Bronson hit a butt drop to Gage’s sternum and a top-rope elbow drop at 2:00, so Gage rolled to the floor to regroup. Bronson whipped him into the guardrails. Gage whipped Bear into the guardrails. They got back into the ring at 5:00. There were four boards in the ring, and it appears most have barbed wire on them. Nick shoved a gusset plate into Bronson’s forehead, and he was gushing blood immediately. Gross. Gage used his pizza cutter, raking it across the forehead.
Gage hit some unprotected chairshots over Bronson’s head at 9:00, then he shoved Bronson through a board in the corner. Bronson hit a suplex. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. Nick cracked door debris over Bear’s head. Bear hit a Choke Bomb for a nearfall at 11:00. He hit a Fire Thunder Driver (piledriver) for a nearfall. Gage hit a chokeslam over his knee for a nearfall, and they were both down at 13:30. Bear did a Gorilla Press, tossing Gage through a barbed-wire door in the corner at 15:00. Bear hit another piledriver onto an open chair for a nearfall. Gage hit a top-rope piledriver through a barbed-wire board bridge for the pin. Good brawl; this crowd loved that.
Nick Gage defeated Bear Bronson at 19:11.
Final Thoughts: GCW long ago found the niche that separates them from WWE, AEW, and most other indy promotions. You simply won’t see a match like Bear-Gage or Atticus-Mathers on WWE TV. You won’t see the bloody matches or the intergender matches. GCW knows its audience, and they delivered a ‘very GCW show’ in the ECW Arena. I actually disliked more than I liked here, but that’s fine, because the crowd here loved this show.
Atticus and Mathers worked a Cogar-style match, not a Mathers-style match. Blood, cooking skewers, boards… It’s just not my thing. Not since Jack Swagger won the WWE title has a world champion been treated as such an afterthought… as Atticus has been treated in his GCW title run. The Manders title change will be well-received by just about everyone.
I enjoyed the Loco-Vengador match the most. It was great to see Deppen back, and I’ll give his match against Gabby second. While it wasn’t my preferred style, I’ll still go with Mathers-Cogar for third.
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