By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW and BZW “Enter The Zone”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
January 25, 2025 in Bapaume, France
This show was released Thursday, January 30 on TrillerTV+. There was English commentary, with Brett Lauderdale joining. The venue is maybe the size of a high school gym with a crowd of perhaps 600. The lighting was good and the crowd was hot. Google Maps shows Bapaume is located roughly two-hour drive north of Paris, close to the Belgium border (and a four-hour train ride to London. I’ve made that train ride before!) Needless to say, I’ve only seen a few of these non-GCW wrestlers.
1. Jacob Vadocq vs. Cole Radrick vs. Big F’n Joe for the BZW Hardcore Title. Joe wrestled the next day at the live show in the UK as well; he wears a button-down white shirt and a tie… and his briefs/underwear. My first time seeing the Amish gimmick Vadocq and he’s clearly a massive babyface. All three brawled at the bell. Vadocq hit a monkey flip on Radrick and he danced which clearly is part of his gimmick. They brawled on the floor, where Joe put a clothes hanger in Jacob’s mouth at 2:30. Gross. Lauderdale joked about how great tomorrow’s show in UK “was” because this France event is airing days later. They went to the top of the bleachers, and Joe pushed Cole down them, with Radrick rolling down the steps; that has to hurt!
Joe suplexed Jacob onto a board at ringside at 5:00, and the French fans chanted “Holy sheet!” (Lauderdale asked if they were trying to swear; the other commentator said yes.) Cole hit a running cannonball on Joe, who was seated on a chair at ringside. The commentator said this is a “sellout of 700+” so I was pretty close in my guess! Joe and Jacob got in the ring and took turns hitting each other over the head with chairs; I don’t like that at all. Cole hit a running knee on Jacob. Radrick hit a moonsault for a nearfall at 8:00 while holding onto a chair.
Jacob hit a top-rope elbow drop on Radrick for a nearfall, but Joseph Fenech came to ringside and pulled Jacob off of him, and those two brawled to the floor and to the back! Meanwhile, Joe dumped thumbtacks on the mat, but Radrick speared Joe through a door in the corner at 12:00, then an Air Raid Crash onto the thumbtacks for a believable nearfall. However, Joe hit a Tombstone Piledriver and pinned Radrick! New champion!
Big F’n Joe defeated Jacob Vadocq and Cole Radrick in a three-way to win the BZW Hardcore Title at 13:08.
2. Georges Balzac vs. Joey Janela. Georges (not “George”) has a mullet and is a bit heavyset in a one-strap red singlet; my first time seeing him. (If AEW’s Butcher had a mullet, he would be Balzac) He’s heavier than Joey and knocked him down with a shoulder tackle and he hit a bodyslam at 1:30. They brawled on the floor, where Georges accidentally punched the ring post. Joey hit a running knee as Georges was in the front row. In the ring, Balzac hit some clotheslines and a Sling Blade. Balzac hit a forward Finlay Roll at 5:00. Joey hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
Joey hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall; Balzac hit one of his own, and they were both down at 7:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant, but again, it sounds odd, and Brett asked, “Why do they chant it in English?” They got up and traded chops and forearm strikes. Balzac hit a clothesline. Joey nailed a Brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:30. Georges hit a release suplex and a standing moonsault! That’s a BIG man to do that, and he got a nearfall. Balzac hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall at 12:00. Balzac came off the ropes, but Joey got his knees up, and Joey hit some superkicks. Joey hit a package piledriver, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for the pin. Good action; based on his looks, I didn’t expect that much from Georges, so this topped my expectations.
Joey Janela defeated Georges Balzac at 13:24.
3. Joseph Fenech Jr. vs. Maki Itoh in an intergender match for the BZW Title. Fenech makes me think of Chicago-area indy wrestler Storm Grayson; he’s got a good physique and long black hair (his hair and beard is like Roman Reigns, but not his facial features. Or a bit like Jason Momoa). Obviously, he has a significant height, weight and overall size advantage on the diminutive Itoh. Fenech came out with the title over his shoulder and was loudly booed. He got on the mic and barked at them in French. The ref confiscated some brass knuckles while searching Fenech… and we FINALLY got underway. Nope, he rolled to the floor to stall. In the ring, they did a knuckle-lock which he easily won.
Itoh tripped him at 2:30 which got a massive pop, and she kicked him while he was down. She hit some punches in the corner and a Facewash kick. They went to the floor, where Joseph clocked her with a forearm strike at 5:30. In the ring, she dropped underneath him and hit a powerbomb. She hit a running knee as he was in the ropes, then a DDT to cement floor at 8:00. She hit another DDT, this one on the ring apron. She fake cried and hit a low blow and got a nearfall. Fenech put her on his shoulders and intentionally tossed her onto the ref at 12:00. Fenech grabbed brass knuckles and struck her with them. She rolled him up for a visual pin but we had no ref. She got another rollup for the pin at 13:55! New champion? The crowd went nuts. Nope, the ref searched her and found brass knuckles Fenech had planted on her! The ref disqualified her!
Joseph Fenech Jr. defeated Maki Itoh via DQ at 13:55.
4. Aigle Blanc vs. Alec Price vs. Ricky Sosa vs. Ariel Van Go in a four-way. I’ve seen 20-year-old Sosa just once; he’s similar to Kevin Knight and I came away very impressed. He might be 6’3″ or so, based on standing next to Price. (Oooh I’m close again; cagematch.net says he’s 6’4″.) I’m a bit surprised to see Van Go here, as he didn’t appear on the GCW show the next day. Price came out first and he had his tag title belt with him. Blanc came out last and got a nice pop. Blanc and Sosa hit superkicks on the Americans, sending them to the floor, allowing those two to trade some quick reversals.
They each hit a moonsault to the floor and we got another “holy sheeet!” chant. Van Go hit a slingshot stunner on Blanc, then some huracanranas. Price hit a springboard crossbody block on Blanc at 5:00. Price hit a doublestomp, then his springboard Blockbuster, then a dive over the top rope onto the other two guys! He hit a Rebound Lariat on Blanc in the ring at 6:30, then a half-nelson suplex on Van Go! Sosa hit some powerslams. He hit a twisting suplex on Blanc. Blanc hit an enzuigiri on Price, then a Dragon Suplex.
Van Go hit a springboard somersault double clothesline, then a Jay Driller on Sosa for a nearfall. Price hit a modified Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall and we got a “Fight forever!” chant. Blanc hit a DDT on Price on the apron at 10:30. Blanc hit a coast-to-coast missile dropkick on Van Go, then a Tombstone Piledriver on Price. Van Go hit a 630 Senton on Sosa. Price hit a Frankensteiner. Blanc hit a frogsplash. Price hit a tornado DDT on Blanc at 12:00. Sosa hit a stunner on Price, then one on Van Go for the pin! That was a blast.
Ricky Sosa defeated Aigle Blanc, Alec Price, and Ariel Van Go in a four-way at 12:32.
5. Jimmy Lloyd and Lou Nixon vs. Jack Sans-nom and Paul Robinson. Hardcore specialist Lou Nixon recently competed on some shows in the U.S.; he’s bald with an untamed beard. Lloyd carried a big flat-screen TV to the ring. So, Sans-Nom and Robinson grabbed a trash can full of weapons, from kendo sticks to light tubes to a guitar. They brawled on the floor and hit each other with the weapons, and this just isn’t for me. Sans-nom has long, curly dark hair, while Robinson is bald and slender. They all brawled up a staircase into the risers. Back at ringside, Robinson hit a top-rope moonsault onto everyone at 5:00. They got in the ring, with Jack and Robinson working over Lloyd.
Jimmy hit a superplex on Robinson onto the flat-screen TV. Nixon entered and hit some Yes Kicks on Robinson’s chest. Sans-Nom hit a spinebuster on Lloyd for a nearfall at 9:00, and he got a barbed-wire board and set it in the corner. Ref Scarlette Donovan is wisely wearing her gloves. Sans-nom pulled out a blow torch! He shot a fireball at Lloyd, who used a trash can lid as a shield to block it. Nixon and Robinson traded hitting over the head with light tubes at 12:00. This has crossed over into being gross. Sans-Nom planted cooking skewers into Lloyd’s head, but Jimmy hit a Finlay Roll off the apron and through a table at ringside. Jimmy hit a package piledriver and pinned Robinson. Just not my thing.
Jimmy Lloyd and Lou Nixon defeated Jack Sans-nom and Paul Robinson at 13:28.
6. Effy vs. Connor Mills for the GCW Title. I’ve seen Mills on a few UK shows and he’s solid; he has a blond crew-cut and is slightly smaller than Effy, and I’ll compare him to U.S. indy talent Kevin Blackwood. This is technically Effy’s first title defense after winning the belt from Mance Warner a week earlier. Standing switches to open. They traded shoulder blocks, and Effy did some gay humor, then he hit a side suplex at 3:00. Connor hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and he kept Effy grounded. Effy hit a suplex at 8:30, then a Whoopee Cushion flying butt-drop to the chest. Effy hit a TKO stunner and he tied up Mills on the mat. Effy hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall at 13:00.
Effy hit a Helluva Kick and a second-rope Blockbuster. Mills hit a double-underhook swinging suplex for a nearfall, and they were both down. This French crowd has been singing and chanting throughout. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. (The room was suddenly quiet as they listened to the blows. Cool.) Effy hit some open-hand slaps to the face. Mills hit a Burning Hammer at 17:30, but Effy rolled to the ropes, and we got a “Fight forever!” chant. They traded rollups. Effy hit the Sac Rider (Fameasser) for the pin. Good match.
Effy defeated Connor Mills to retain the GCW Title at 19:20.
* Effy got on the mic, put Mills over, and they hugged.
Final Thoughts: A really entertaining show; not quite as good as the show in London the next day, but still quite good. I really enjoyed that four-way, as Blanc, Sosa and Price are all really good. Van Go is solid and it felt obvious he was in that match to take the pin, but it sure was entertaining. A good main event takes second; this is a good start to the Effy reign. Joey-Balzac topped expectations for third. I can do without the violence of that hardcore match, and I will never like an intergender match where the size difference is so vast, but GCW fans like those types of matches.
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