By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “Ring Of Dreams”
May 17, 2026, in West Des Moines, Iowa, at Val Air Ballroom
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
This is GCW’s Iowa debut. The lighting is decent and the attendance was maybe 250. Once again, John Mosely and Emil Jay provided commentary.
* 1 Called Manders stated Twitter/X that he “went to the emergency room” after the attack on his right arm Saturday by VNDL 48. He’s been advised not to wrestle today, but he’s forging ahead!
1. Dante Leon vs. Clay Cooper, Adam White, Gavin Ash, Juni Underwood, and Victor Analog in a scramble. My first time seeing Clay, who is short, white, bald with a goatee (think Alan Angels). Cagematch.net says he’s been wrestling since 2016. My first time seeing White; he’s tall (6’3″ maybe?) with a full head of brown, curly hair, and he doesn’t have a cagematch.net bio yet. All six fought at the bell. White hit a big back-body drop on Ash. Cooper and Leon traded some kicks, and Leon hit a Swanton Bomb on Cooper. Juni hit a crossbody block to the floor.
Cooper hit a flip dive to the floor at 3:30. Leon hit a dive. The tall, lanky White hit a top-rope moonsault onto the other five! Ash hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press onto everyone on the floor. (On Saturday, he nearly killed himself on that; luckily, others caught him.) In the ring, Juni hit a Doomsday clothesline. Ash hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press onto White at 6:00. Everyone was down, and we got our first “This is awesome!” chant of the night. Juni and Victor traded chops on the ring apron. Juni hit a hard knee strike to the sternum and a DDT. Elsewhere, Dante hit a DVD on the apron on Clay.
In the ring, Ash hit a Canadian Destroyer on White. Clay and Juni hit stereo 450 Splashes for nearfalls at 8:00. Juni hit a half-nelson suplex on Leon. White hit a Claymore Kick. Clay hit a Pele Kick. Juni hit a running dropkick on Ash, then a spinning Angle Slam on Ash. White hit a Falcon Arrow on Clay. Ash hit a tornado DDT on White. Analog hit a running knee on Ash, then a brainbuster! Leon hit a spin kick to Victor’s jaw! Dante hit his spinning slam on Victor for the pin. “That was crazy!” Emil said.
Dante Leon defeated Clay Cooper, Adam White, Gavin Ash, Juni Underwood, and Victor Analog at 10:29.
* Footage aired of the post-match attack that Atticus Cogar and Otis Cogar hit on Manders’ arm. Again, the Cogars “Pillmanized” his right arm. We then saw 1 Called Manders and Thomas Shire arrive at the building. They stopped and spoke to Marek Brave (he started training with Tyler Black/Seth Rollins). Manders had a cast on his wrist.
2. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Leon King. My first time seeing King, who wore a flamboyant yellow robe, and is much shorter and lighter than Jimmy. Emil described this flamboyant kid as “the boy Barbie.” He looks like he’s dressed like a male ice figure skater. Leon doesn’t have a cagematch.net bio yet. Leon hit an armdrag and a running Penalty Kick on the apron. Jimmy hit a senton. During some basic action, Emil and Mosely talked about Manders and if he should compete tonight. Leon fired up and hit some punches and a bulldog for a nearfall at 3:30. Jimmy hit a Dragon Suplex, then his swinging piledriver for a believable nearfall. (That should have been it.) Leon hit an Athena-style second-rope flying stunner for the pin! The crowd popped at the upset over a GCW vet.
Leon King defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 4:34.
3. KJ Orso and Sam Stackhouse vs. “Unsigned And Don’t Care” Anakin Murphy and Gary Jay. Orso competed in Massachusetts Saturday night. KJ got on the mic, but the crowd chanted profanities at him. “I’m sorry, Iowa, I just don’t speak bitch,” he told the crowd. Sam splashed onto the tiny Murphy in the corner at the bell, then they tossed Gary to the floor. Murphy’s back is shredded from a deathmatch Saturday night I skipped. The heels worked over emo kid Anakin. Orso slammed him for a nearfall at 2:30. Gary got a hot tag and he unloaded a series of chops on the 450-pounder Sam, who no-sold them all. Anakin hit a tornado DDT on Sam at 4:30.
Gary dove off the corner onto Murphy and Sam on the floor. In the ring, Gary unloaded some LOUD chops on Orso. UADC began working over Orso and hit some team moves on KJ. Gary hit a DVD for a nearfall at 6:30. Sam entered and hit his rolling kick on Murphy and a cannonball in the corner on Gary. Sam hit a piledriver on Murphy. Meanwhile, KJ hit the Character Assassination (a double stomp to the head) for the pin on Gary. A good brawl that didn’t overstay its welcome.
KJ Orso and Sam Stackhouse defeated “Unsigned And Don’t Care” Anakin Murphy and Gary Jay at 7:14.
4. Terry Yaki vs. Arik Cannon. I first saw Arik wrestle in the Twin Cities in 2002 or 2003, so he’s now more than two decades into his career. His beard is a lot more gray than the last time I saw him. Standing switches to open, and Arik tied up the left arm. He hit a shoulder tackle at 2:00. Yaki hit his slingshot senton for a nearfall. Yaki hit some basement dropkicks. Cannon hit a suplex into the turnbuckles at 4:00. Terry grabbed his neck, and he might have a legit injury. Nope, Arik hit a back suplex (he wouldn’t have done that if Terry were really hurt, right?) Arik tied the arms behind Yaki’s back and applied a Cobra Clutch.
Arik hit a basement dropkick to the base of the neck at 6:00. Yaki applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. It now appears Arik was having a bit of an issue, as he was whispering to referee Scarlett Donovan. However, Arik hit a twisting suplex for a nearfall at 8:30, and they were both down. Yaki hit an enzuigiri in the corner, then his DDT out of the ropes for the pin. Some awkward moments there, and I hope everyone was just selling some injuries, and they are both okay.
Terry Yaki defeated Arik Cannon at 9:29.
5. Vipress vs. Orin Veidt in an intergender match. I think I’ve seen Orin before; he came out to “I Got Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks, which automatically makes him a heel in my book. He wore an Iowa Hawkeyes basketball jersey, and he’s of average size. She’s much smaller, but she threw him to the mat to open. Mosely noted it’s hot today in the Midwest and especially in this venue. She dove through the ropes at 2:00, but he caught her. He pulled out a door — the crowd cheered!! — so he put it back and was booed. He slammed Vipress on the apron. He got the door and slid it into the ring, getting cheers again. He tossed some chairs in the ring, too. On the floor, Vipress hit a back-body drop onto a metal ramp at 5:30, and that earned pops.
Vipress got a staple gun and used it on his chest. He stole the staple gun and used it on her legs and butt at 7:00. In the ring, Orin hit a sideslam for a nearfall. He set up several chairs and some doors in the ring. Vipress hit a Michinoku Driver at 10:30. He hit a Magic Screw twisting neckbreaker off the ropes for a nearfall. Vipress dropped him across the top of all the open chairs, and she got a nearfall. He hit a version of a One-Winged Angel, dropping her onto the open chairs. She no-sold it, got up, and hit a DVD through one door, then a DVD onto the other door. She hit a snap piledriver for the pin. An acquired taste.
Vipress defeated Orin Veidt at 12:43.
6. Bear Bronson and Matt Tremont vs. Davey Bang and August Matthews. Bronson beat the heck out of these guys 24 hours ago; I don’t see how this goes any differently. Bang and Matthews dove through the ropes to open, but Tremont and Bear caught them and slammed their backs together. All four fought on the floor. No bell yet. Bear tossed August into a support beam. Tremont was brawling with Bang; the size difference is vast. Bear was bleeding from his nose. They all got into the ring at 4:00; ref Scarlett Donovan is still not calling for the bell. (AND THIS IS WHY I START THE STOPWATCH AT FIRST CONTACT!)
Matthews hit a flip dive to the floor on Tremont. In the ring, August hit an enzuigiri on Bear. Bang hit his elevated axe kick. Bang went for the Spears Tower, but Tremont caught Davey with a punch. Bear hit a powerbomb on Matthews for a nearfall at 6:00. Bear nailed his butt drop to Bang’s sternum, then a Black Hole Slam for a nearfall, but August made the save. All four traded punches. Bang hit a tornado DDT on Bear. They hit the team double stomp across Bear’s back. Bang hit the Spears Tower on Bear for a nearfall at 9:30, but Tremont made the save, and all four were down.
Tremont threw a door into the ring and put it in a corner. Bang slammed it on Tremont’s unprotected head. Unnecessary. Bang and Matthews put Bear across their shoulders and hit a team DVD through the door. Bear no-sold it, popped to his feet, and the crowd roared. Bang and Matthews hit some more kicks. Bear got both opponents across his shoulders and hit a double Samoan Drop. Tremont hit a frog splash onto the door debris over Bang and Matthews and got the pin. Satisfying brawl that didn’t get too gross or bloody.
Bear Bronson and Matt Tremont defeated Davey Bang and August Matthews at 13:10.
7. Jay Fowler vs. CPA. I’ve seen Fowler compete in the Twin Cities and in Dreamwave from Illinois; he’s cut his dark hair off, so my comparison to Pac doesn’t work now — but he has the same face and body shape. CPA came out to Shania Twain — he must rotate about five songs for his entrances. CPA peeled off a shirt before they locked up, but of course, he had another one on underneath. He hit a pair of dropkicks. Emil noted this is Fowler’s GCW debut. Jay grabbed the tie, but of course, it was a clip-on. CPA hit another dropkick, Fowler avoided the 1099 (comedy 619), and Jay hit a stunner at 2:00. He choked CPA in the ropes.
Fowler got a necklace chain and choked CPA with it. CPA fired up and hit some Polish Hammers. He hit the 1099 at 4:30. “You cannot avoid the 1099 forever; they’ll find a way to get you,” Emil said. CPA hit a missile dropkick, and he peeled off the second shirt, but still had another one on. Fowler hit a powerbomb and a Jackhammer for a nearfall. CPA hit the “Numbers Cruncher” (DVD) for the pin. CPA’s matches all follow the same structure, but he sure is fun and funny, and a crowd who hadn’t seen him live before sure loved it.
CPA defeated Jay Fowler at 6:11.
8. Otis Cogar vs. Thomas Shire. Thomas threw a chair at the bell, and we’re underway! They rolled to the floor and hit stereo shoulder tackles and went down. Shire laid in some loud chops. They got back in the ring at 2:00, and Emil noted that GCW is No. 6 on Twitter conversations right now. Otis choked Shire in the ropes. (Fans here also chanted how much they hate Ohio! Is this an everywhere thing?) Otis hit a suplex for a nearfall at 4:30. Shire did an airplane spin and threw Otis to the mat, and Cogar rolled to the floor. Otis hit a uranage, but he missed a moonsault. However, Shire immediately hit a powerbomb and got the pin! Otis was in disbelief that he didn’t kick out in time.
Thomas Shire defeated Otis Cogar at 7:06.
9. Atticus Cogar vs. 1 Called Manders for the GCW World Title. Just to reiterate — Manders won a multi-man match in Las Vegas over Mania weekend to earn the “Brass Ring,” which gives him any match he wants. He is cashing it in here! (Will GCW do the right thing here, or will they have an LOLTNA moment and have Santana not win the belt in New York?) Manders tackled him at the bell and punched him. Marek Brave joined commentary; he helped train Manders. Manders and Atticus went to the floor, and Manders hit some chops. Again, Manders has a cast on his left wrist and lower arm, and Atticus slammed it against the hardwood floor. Manders threw Cogar into the rows of empty chairs at 1:30.
They got back into the ring, and Atticus had cooking skewers, and he jabbed them in Manders’s damaged arm and got a nearfall at 3:30. Atticus shoved the skewers into Manders’s mouth! Gross! Atticus tied him up on the mat and repeatedly jabbed the skewers into the right arm and the top of his head. Manders hit a sit-out powerbomb at 7:00, and they were both down. Manders pulled the skewers out of his own head and jabbed them into Cogar’s stomach, then planted them in Cogar’s head at 8:30. Atticus struck Manders with a door, and he finally pulled the skewers out of his own head. We had a close-up of Manders’s head, and he was bleeding HEAVILY. Was that from being struck by the door? I think so.
However, Manders scooped him up and hit the Oklahoma Stampede (Bulldog Powerslam) through a door in the corner at 10:30. He hit a bodyslam and a moonsault for a nearfall. (Yes, a Manders moonsault!) We got a “This is awesome!” chant. Manders wrote letters on his own chest with his own blood. Gross. Atticus hit a low-blow punt kick at 13:00! He got a Taser and was booed. Manders blocked being hit by it, and Manders hit a clothesline with the right arm (with the cast!) He got a nearfall, but Otis Cogar appeared and pulled the ref from the ring. Thomas Shire ran down and attacked Otis! He handed Manders a cattle prod! Manders swung and missed. Atticus hit the Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) and got the pin at 14:52, but Manders clearly had a foot on the ropes before the third count!
The crowd booed as Atticus celebrated. However, Marek Brave left commentary and told the ref that Manders had a foot on the ropes! The ref decided to restart the match! I did NOT stop the clock, so it’s now at 17:00 as Emil announced the match will continue!!! Manders ripped off the cast and hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Marek stayed at ringside to cheer on Manders. Atticus hit another low-blow kick. Marek got into the ring and confronted Cogar and superkicked him! Cogar hit the Brain Hemorrhage on Marek! Cogar hit Manders with the cattle prod, hit another Brain Hemorrhage, and scored the pin. Wow. Just wow.
Atticus Cogar defeated 1 Called Manders to retain the GCW World Title at 20:11.
Final Thoughts: I’m absolutely stunned. I have really thought for the past month — since the “Spring Break” show in Vegas — that Manders was dethroning Cogar. Especially with this show in Iowa, in Manders’ backyard. Cogar is a weak champion — he never makes anyone’s “WWE should sign him” list. Manders was the right choice to be the next GCW champion. I don’t get the booking here.
Nonetheless, the main event deserves best match. The crowd was hot and into it. While Bang. Matthews vs. Bear was better on Saturday; it still earns second place here. I’ll narrowly take the opening scramble over the Orso/Stackhouse tag for third place. The rest of the show was fine. The intergender hardcore match did nothing for me. I dislike the man-on-woman violence, and her offense looks rather cartoonish as he’s selling her stuff because she’s so much smaller than him. I expected to really like Yaki-Cannon — I’ve literally seen Arik wrestle for two decades — but that was strangely not what they hoped for.
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