By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “Aura”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
September 20, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Harrah’s
This is a generic convention hall room in the casino, and the crowd is maybe 500. Lighting isn’t bad, but I wouldn’t say it’s “good,” either. At least it’s better than the lighting disaster in Rochester last week. Dave Prazak and Veda Scott provided commentary. Unfortunately, early in the day, GCW announced on Twitter/X that Zilla Fatu is off this show and they have “reached an impasse,” and he will not be used in the foreseeable future.
* The show opened with a video set to a rap song with more swear words than I’ve said in all of 2024. The song was set to footage from the poorly-lit Rochester, N.Y., show from last week.
1. Alec Price vs. Griffin McCoy. Price wore a Philadelphia hockey jersey to stress he’s a babyface tonight. Griffin attacked from behind and was booed. Price hit a second-rope crossbody block. They brawled on the floor. Price launched off a fan’s chest to hit a tornado DDT on the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Griffin put Price in a torture rack and spun him to the mat for a powerbomb for a nearfall. He dropped Alec throat-first on the top rope at 4:30 and got a nearfall. Price hit a pop-up dropkick, then a half-nelson suplex, then a second-rope flying legdrop for a nearfall at 6:30.
Griffin hit his own half-nelson suplex. Price hit a Rebound Lariat. Griffin hit a swinging uranage for a believable nearfall! He hit some kicks and kept Price down. They traded some open-hand slaps. Griffin came off the ropes but Price caught him with a dropkick. Alec hit a springboard Blockbuster at 9:30, then a springboard dive to the floor, then the springboard 720 DDT. Prazak really pushed that finisher early in the match. As is so often the case, GCW got off to a really hot start here.
Alec Price defeated Griffin McCoy at 10:10.
2. Bobby Flaco vs. Jeffrey John. Flaco is the short, scrawny dork who pumps his arms and I really enjoy watching better wrestlers beat the crap out of him. Like Flaco, I’m used to seeing John in multi-man matches. My radar is up that something is happening here and we aren’t having a full singles match. Basic action early on. John hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 2:30. They hit stereo neckbreakers and were both down. Flaco hit a second-rope X-Factor. He hit a Stundog Millionaire, then a top-rope dive to the floor at 6:30. In the ring, John pushed the ref between them to avoid being struck. This is bad. John came off the ropes but Flaco caught him with a dropkick. Flaco hit a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for the pin. Jeez, I was really hoping Shane Mercer or someone like that was coming out to destroy these two as it began. A flat match.
Bobby Flaco defeated Jeffrey John at 7:42.
3. Brooke Havok vs. Tasha Steelz. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of Brooke and she’s been wrestling around the nation of late. These two appear to be roughly the same height and weight. A good tie-up and mat reversals early on and a standoff at 1:00. Steelz hit a hard chop to the chest and Brooke sold the pain. Steelz hit a Mafia Kick and was in charge. She hit some short-arm clotheslines. Tasha jumped on Brooke’s back and applied a sleeper. Havok hit a running neckbreaker at 5:00, then a pumphandle sideslam for a nearfall. Tasha hit a DDT for a nearfall. Havok hit a Cross Rhodes swinging faceplant for a nearfall at 7:00. They traded rollups, when Havok was suddenly able to lean back for added leverage and score the pin. That is definitely an upset!
Brooke Havok defeated Tasha Steelz at 7:34.
4. Sidney Akeem vs. Arez. Yeah, this match is a reason to tune in. Arez immediately tied up Sidney’s left arm and they traded holds on the mat early on. They sped it up with some quick lucha moves and traded armdrags at 2:30 and had a standoff. Arez did a handstand but Sidney dropkicked him and took control. They brawled to the floor. In the ring, Sidney hit his twisting crosssbody block for a nearfall at 4:30. Arez hit a series of chops. Sidney hit a dropkick to the back for a nearfall.
Arez hit his one-legged Lionsault for a nearfall at 6:30, and he ran up Sidney’s back. Sidney hit a mule kick and a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Arez nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a Pele Kick and a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall. Sidney hit a cool springboard Poison Rana, then his double backflip-into-a-stunner for the pin. A very good match, and Sidney continues to excel in his indy run. They shook hands and hugged afterwards.
Sidney Akeem defeated Arez at 10:55.
* A video package aired that highlighted the Mance Warner-Joey Janela feud.
5. Effy vs. Greg Excellent. My first time seeing Greg; he’s heavyset in an ugly green singlet and he must be in his late 30s or early 40s, as he has a lot of gray in his beard. They eventually tied up and danced and did some gay humor. Effy applied a modified Tarantula in the ropes at 5:30. We had more gay humor that just doesn’t work for me. Greg hit a second-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 8:30. He powerbombed Effy into a corner then hit a cannonball. Greg removed his singlet to reveal his underwear, which also has his name on the butt. Effy hit a Blockbuster and a flying leg lariat for the pin. I’m sure some of the fans liked this.
Effy defeated Greg Excellent at 11:21.
6. Mike Bailey vs. Ruckus. I’ve barely seen Ruckus wrestle in recent years; he wore a loose-fitting GCW shirt over his gut. Bailey hit his Speedball kicks to the ribs and thighs. Bailey hit a top-rope missile dropkick, then his Triangle Moonsault to the floor at 1:30. They traded kicks on the floor, and Ruckus nailed a backflip splash. Back in the ring, they traded kicks and were both down at 4:00. Bailey hit his running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. He hit more Speedball kicks, but Ruckus cut off an attempted Tornado Kick, and they were both down again. They got up and traded roundhouse kicks to the chest.
Bailey nailed a top-rope Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 7:00. Ruckus hit a stunner move; the camera was actually too close to see exactly what it was. Ruckus hit his top-rope moonsault doublestomp, and I think he landed on Bailey’s nose; Mike was certainly selling that was the case. Bailey hit a Superkick and the Tornado Kick, and he nailed the Ultima Weapon for the pin. Good match; a bit on the short side but it kept Ruckus from getting blown up, too. They shook hands and hugged.
Mike Bailey defeated Ruckus at 8:58.
7. Homicide vs. Marcus Mathers. This match took place a bit before Mathers taped match aired on AEW Rampage. Mathers wore his Phillies-themed gear. (He was going to be the hometown babyface in this match regardless, but this certainly helps.) Mat reversals to open. Mathes hit a dropkick at 2:30 that sent Homicide to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, Mathers tied up the left arm. Homicide hit a bodyslam onto the floor at 6:00! This room has the cheesy carpet found in every casino, but I’m sure it’s fairly thin, too. Homicide placed Mathers in the skirt around the ring and beat him up.
In the ring, Homicide tied up Mathers on the mat and bit his fingers! He hit a series of suplexes at 8:30. Mathers hit a springboard stunner, then a plancha to the floor. He dove through the ropes onto Homicide. In the ring, Mathers hit a crossbody block and a missile dropkick. He hit a LIonsault for a nearfall at 12:00. Homicide hit an Exploder Suplex and applied a rear-naked choke. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Mathers nailed a stunner for a nearfall at 15:30. Homicide grabbed Marcus’ groin and hit a second-rope stunner for a believable nearfall.
Homicide went for the Cop Killah but Mathers escaped. Marcus hit a standing powerbomb, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall at 17:30, and Marcus was in disbelief he didn’t win there. Marcus missed a top-rope doublestomp. He hit some clotheslines. Homicide nailed the Cop Killah/backslide driver for the pin. That was really good, and about as good as any singles match Homicide is going to have in 2024. A big performance from rising star Mathers, even in a loss.
Homicide defeated Marcus Mathers at 18:59.
* The next match was slated to be Joey Janela and Megan Bayne vs. married couple Brankdon Kirk and Casey Katal. However, Kirk came out solo and said Kasey is at home “taking care of her mental health,” and he’s proud of her for doing so, and that got a pop. He said he needs a partner and offered it to anyone in the back. Out of the back came Jimmy Lloyd, who got booed. Jimmy offered to take the slot, and noted he said “anybody.” Kirk said, “F— it, let’s go,” and the match was on!
8. Joey Janela and Megan Bayne vs. Brandon Kirk and Jimmy Lloyd. Bayne hit an Exploder Suplex on Lloyd, and JImmy scrambled to his corner to tag out. Joey and Kirk traded forearm strikes. Bayne hit a fallaway slam on Kirk at 2:30. Kirk hit a German Suplex on Joey in the ring, while Jimmy and Megan fought on the floor. Kirk dove through the ropes onto all three. In the ring, Megan hit some short-arm clotheslines on Kirk and got a nearfall at 4:30. Bayne and Janela began working over Kirk, with Megan hitting a suplex. Janela hit a Rude Awakening neckbreaker for a nearfall at 6:30, and he applied a rear-naked choke. Joey hit a brainbuster.
Joey missed a top-rope doublestomp; Brandon immediately hit a clothesline and they were both down. Kirk went to his corner, but he gave Lloyd the middle finger and opted not to tag out. Moments later he gave Lloyd a hard chop and flipped him into the ring at 8:30! Kirk and Lloyd shoved each other. Jimmy slid a board into the ring, while Brandon set up several chairs in the ring. Megan hit a chokeslam on Lloyd. Megan accidentally speared Joey through a board in the corner at 11:30! Jimmy hit a Fameasser on Janela for a nearfall. Brandon hit a pump-handle powerbomb on his partner, Jimmy Lloyd, onto several open chairs. Janela immediately hit a top-rope Swanton Bomb onto a board placed over Lloyd, and he pinned Jimmy, with Brandon making no effort to break up the pin.
Joey Janela and Megan Bayne defeated Brandon Kirk and Jimmy Lloyd at 12:58.
9. Tony Deppen vs. Mance Warner for the GCW World Title. Deppen hit him with a chair at the bell, then a flip dive to the floor, and they brawled at ringside. Mance hit a backbody drop, sending Deppen onto some open chairs, and they kept brawling amongst the crowd. In the ring, Deppen repeatedly slammed Mance’s head onto a chair at 2:30, and Tony hit some chops. Mance flipped Tony across an open chair. Mance was bleeding from the forehead, and he hit some hard chairshots to Tony’s back. Tony hit some rapid-fire chops in the corner at 6:00, then a jumping knee to the chin, and a rolling Death Valley Driver through a board in the corner.
They took turns whacking each other over the head with door debris and they were both down at 9:00. They traded slaps to the face. Deppen hit a top-rope doublestomp to the back. Mance chokeslammed Deppen across a board bridge at 12:30 for a nearfall. Mance hit some blows to the head with board debris. Deppen applied a crossace on the mat at 14:30, then a running double knees for a nearfall. Mance pushed the ref into the way to halt Deppen’s attack. Mance nailed a clothesline and an impaler DDT for the pin. Decent brawl; bloodier than it needed to be.
Mance Warner defeated Tony Deppen to retain the GCW World Title at 15:48.
10. Matt Tremont vs. Slade. Again, Slade is replacing Zilla Fatu, and I’ve said Slade looks like every scary bald guy in every prison movie you’ve ever watched (and a bit like former NXT wrestler Oney Lorcan.) Tremont is looking more and more like Big Van Vader. They immediately traded forearm strikes. They brawled to the floor and traded chops. They got back in the ring at 3:00, and Slade hit some chairshots to the back. Tremont was bleeding from the forehead. He pulled out a fork and this doesn’t work for me; he jabbed it into Slade’s forehead.
Tremont suplexed him onto a board in the corner. They traded blows to the head with the board debris; this isn’t healthy. Have they heard of Tua Tagovailoa and concussions? This is even worse than the fork strikes. Slade hit a chokeslam for a nearfall at 7:30. Tremont hit a Death Valley Driver and a sit-out powerbomb for the pin. Well… the crowd liked it.
Matt Tremont defeated Slade at 7:55.
Final Thoughts: A decent show, with Homicide-Mathers being the highlight. Mathers is still just 21 and the future is bright. I’ll go with Akeem-Arez for second and the show-opener Price-McCoy for third. A solid Bailey-Ruckus match earns honorable mention, and the main event was fine. I looked up all the Ruckus matches I’ve seen this year and they were tag matches, either partnering with Grim Reefer or Nick Gage. So, it was nice to see him get a singles match, and for the most part, he kept up with Bailey. Using Jimmy Lloyd as a replacement for Kasey Catal worked for me.
My take on Zilla Fatu… if he signed with WWE, that’s great for him. He’s young, raw, and quite green but incredibly talented. It would make sense that he would have to immediately cancel. Andrade was booked for several GCW shows this spring but canceled after signing with WWE. But if he has NOT signed with WWE… I just don’t know why he would walk away from GCW. He has been beating everyone, getting a great push, in an indy that gets more exposure than anyone else. Obviously, I don’t know the inner workings of what happened here, but the phrase of them “reaching an impasse” isn’t the language of a wrestler who has signed with WWE; it sounds like they couldn’t agree on something, whether that’s pay or how he’s being booked.
Only a couple of low-lights here. The Bobby Flaco-Jeffrey John match just didn’t click for me, or for the live audience. I usually will point out that a match I didn’t care for had good crowd support, but it sure looked like nobody was into this one. While Effy-Excellent didn’t work for me, the live crowd liked it alright. I don’t want to see Greg Excellent ever wrestle again. I won’t bash more and I’ll just leave it at that.
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