By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW “The Coldest Winter 3”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
March 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California at Ukrainian Culture Center
This venue is arguably GCW’s second-biggest location behind the New Jersey market, and they always draw 600-800 or so here. Jordan Castle and Emil Jay provided commentary.
* The show opened with a highlight package of Friday’s show in San Diego. We head to the ring and all the competitors are already present!
1. Sandra Moone vs. Megan Bayne vs. Zara Zakher vs. Zayda Steel vs. Vipress vs. Dark Sheik in a scramble. Trans athlete Sheik has a clear size advantage over everyone else, but Bayne is equally tall. Moone hit a dive to the floor on Bayne. Zayda dove through the ropes onto three competitors. WWE ID prospects Zayda and Zara traded blows in the ring. Bayne hit a T-Bone Suplex, then an overhead release suplex at 2:30, then a double back suplex. Sheik leapt at Megan and hit a DDT move. Zayda hit a tornado DDT. Zara hit a German Suplex on Zayda. Vipress hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. We had a Tower Sot at 4:00 and they were all down. Zayda (who was not in the tower!) tried pinfalls on several opponents.
Sheik hit a huracanrana on Bayne. Vipress hit a Canadian Destroyer. Zara hit a jumping knee on Megan. Moone hit a powerbomb move on Zara for a nearfall, but Megan made the save. Megan hit a flying clothesline on Moone, then a tombstone piledriver to pin Sandra. Good, fast-paced action.
Megan Bayne defeated Sandra Moone, Zara Zakher, Zayda Steel, Vipress and Dark Sheik at 7:18.
* A video package of the Jersey J-Cup aired.
2. Sam Stackhouse vs. Starboy Charlie. Castle said Drew Parker’s injuries from last night are bad enough that he’s not medically cleared, so Stackhouse is replacing Fuego Del Sol in this one. Charlie hit some dropkicks at the bell, but the 450+ pound Stackhouse didn’t budge, and Sam tossed Charlie to the floor. Sam charged and ran into the ring post, and Charlie immediately dove onto him at 1:30. Charlie grabbed ref Scarlette Donovan’s arm for balance and he hit a springboard dive to the floor on Sam. In the ring, Sam hit his spin heel kick that always gets a pop, and he walked across Charlie’s back! Ouch! He hit a splash into the corner at 4:00 then a running stunner.
Sam peeled off his shirt and he set up for a dive, but Charlie hit him with a chair to cut it off. In the ring, Charlie swung a chair but Sam blocked it. Charlie hit a Pele Kick but he couldn’t budge Sam on an Irish Whip attempt. Instead, Charlie hit a basement dropkick, and he hit another dropkick where he pushed a chair into Sam’s face for a nearfall at 7:00. Charlie threw some chairs at him; I hate that. Charlie hit some buzzsaw kicks to the head then a top-rope Shooting Star Press for the pin. Good energy here.
Starboy Charlie defeated Sam Stackhouse at 7:57.
* A commercial aired for Minoru Suzuki vs. Matt Tremont on April 18 in Las Vegas!
3. “Bollywood Boys” Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra vs. “Los Desperados” Gringo Loco and Arez. Harv and Arez opened, but they stalled and played to the crowd. Loco entered at 3:00 and tied up with Gurv, but then they did the Bollywood Boys traditional dance; Gurv clotheslined Loco during the dance and was booed. Loco hit a flipping axe kick to the back of Gurv’s head. The BB grabbed folding chairs and hit LD with them as they fought on the floor. They brawled over to the walls at 6:30, where Gurv dove off a landing onto LD. They all returned to the ring.
Loco hit a DDT, and Arez hit a one-footed Lionsault at 9:30. Arez ran up Gurv’s back. Loco missed his top-rope moonsault, and the BB applied stereo Sharpshooters at 11:00, but the LD fought free. Arez hit a delayed vertical suplex, and Loco hit the moonsault on Harv for a nearfall, but Gurv made the save. Arez powerbombed Gurv through a door in the corner, while Loco hit a top-rope powerbomb on Harv. Arez immediately hit a top-rope doublestomp on Harv for the pin. Fun match.
Gringo Loco and Arez defeated Harv Sihra and Gurv Sihra at 13:42.
* Footage aired of the Arez-Drew Parker match from Friday. Again, Parker lost a lot of blood and I’m not surprised he can’t wrestle today.
4. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Fuego Del Sol. Standing switches and they tied up each other’s left arm. This crowd was loud and cheering as Zack tied Fuego in a knot on the mat early on. They got to their feet and Zack unloaded some European Uppercuts at 2:30; Fuego hit a dropkick and a huracanrana and a dive to the floor onto Zack. In the ring, Fuego hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Sabre snapped Fuego’s neck between his ankles at 4:00, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Sabre again tied up Fuego on the mat and twisted the left ankle. He applied a cravat and kept Fuego grounded. Fuego hit a Lionsault Press on a standing Sabre at 6:30.
Fuego hit his own European Uppercut. Sabre stomped on the left elbow and began to target it, twisting the wrist and fingers at 8:30. Fuego hit a DDT and they were both down. Fuego hit a neckbreaker, then a doublestomp to the chest at 11:30 while Sabre was tied in the Tree of Woe. Fuego immediately hit a coast-to-coast missile dropkick as Sabre was still tied in the Tree of Woe! Sabre tied a double-armbar, but Fuego quickly got a foot on the ropes at 13:00. Fuego unloaded some European Uppercuts and eventually dropped Sabre. He got a backslide for a nearfall. Sabre went for a cross-armbreaker, and he turned it into a triangle choke; Fuego turned it into a powerbomb to escape at 15:00.
Fuego nailed a top-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall. Sabre hit a running Penalty Kick for a nearfall. Fuego hit a doublestomp to the back of the head, then his Tornado DDT at 17:30! However, Sabre locked in an armbar, and he switched to a Rings of Saturn, and Fuego verbally submitted. That was really good; you won’t be able to convince me that ZSJr vs. Drew Parker was going to be better. Castle called it “the performance of a lifetime.”
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Fuego Del Sol at 18:14.
5. Effy vs. Sidney Akeem for the GCW World Title. Okay, I HATE that this isn’t the main event. Effy is already struggling to get over as champion, and having the champ in the middle of the show in a singles match should never happen. (In a tag match, it is acceptable.) Sidney is now 21-1-1 in GCW action. Castle talked about how Sidney has found himself as a pro wrestler in GCW. They shook hands at the bell and locked up. Effy knocked him down with a shoulder tackle; Sidny kipped up and hit a buzzsaw kick. Effy hit a backbreaker over his knee at 2:00. Akeem hit a corkscrew plancha to the floor. He set up for a dive through the ropes but Effy blocked it, and Effy applied a modified Tarantula.
Effy hit a brainbuster and a Whoopee Cushion buttdrop to the chest at 4:00, then another one. Akeem hit his twisting crossbody block. Effy hit a TKO stunner and locked in a Dragon Clutch. Akeem hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall, and they were both down at 7:00. They traded forearm strikes as they got back to their feet. Effy hit a Helluva Kick and dragged Akeem to the mat, then he hit his second-rope Blockbuster and a spear for a nearfall. Akeem hit a top-rope crossbody block. Effy hit a Tombstone Pilediver for a nearfall at 10:00. He barely grazed Sidney on a moonsault! Akeem immediately nailed the Final Act (double backflip into a stunner) for a believable nearfall. Effy hit a top-rope flying Fame-asser for the clean pin; it’s the first time Sidney has been pinned in GCW.
Effy defeated Sidney Akeem to retain the GCW World Title at 11:23.
* Joey Janela came to the ring; his right arm is in a sling after surgery on a bicep. He has his Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame plaque to give to Sabu. Castle noted the injury is endangering their match over Mania weekend. Janela got on the mic and discussed the injury, and how Sabu no-showed the ceremony last year and never received the plaque that Joey is holding. He claimed Sabu has left town today and isn’t here to receive it again. Sabu came to the ring, attacked Joey, spiked him in the forehead, and stomped on the surgically-repaired arm! Joey was bleeding from the forehead, and the crowd chanted “You sick f—!” at Sabu. As Sabu was leaving, Joey got on the mic and said, “I’ll see you at spring break!”
6. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Mr. Danger vs. JKM vs. Rey Horus vs. Jai Vidal vs. Jack Cartwheel. This is a bonus match; I wrote their names in order from when they emerged from the back. The masked JKM has appeared on several GCW shows west of the Mississippi River in the past two years. Vidal isn’t a regular here, so I was surprised to see him. Danger and Cartwheel hit planchas to the floor just seconds in. Danger hit a nice dropkick, then a senton, on Vidal. Jack hit an enzuigiri on Jai. He hit a double dropkick, then his slingshot elbow drop. JKM hit a corkscrew crossbody block at 2:30. Lloyd hit a Magic Screw neckbreaker on JKM. Jack leapt off the top rope, but Horus caught him with a dropkick.
Vidal hit some chops on Rey, then an enzuigiri in the corner at 4:00. Vidal stood behind Rey and did some lewd hip swivels. They did a five-way spot where they were all locked up. Jimmy grabbed Jai and powerbombed him onto everyone else. Danger hit a Mafia Kick on Cartwheel at 6:00. Jai hit a half-nelson suplex. Danger hit a Canadian Destroyer on Lloyd. Jack hit his Cartwheel DVD. Horus hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly on Jack. JKM hit a back suplex on Rey. Jai hit a flip dive to the floor on four guys at 7:30. Rey hit a flip dive to the floor on Jack. Danger hit a flip dive on three guys.
A door bridge was set up in the ring. Lloyd hit a piledriver on the apron. Cartwheel hit a Sasake Special onto everyone at 9:30. JKM hit a top-rope moonsault onto everyone. In the ring, Jai put JKM on the door bridge, but Jai was shoved to the floor. Mr. Danger immediately hit a top-rope 450 splash onto JKM, with them both crashing through the door, for the pin. That was a blast; a lot of talent in that scramble.
Mr. Danger defeated Jimmy Lloyd, JKM, Rey Horus, Jai Vidal, and Jack Cartwheel at 10:50.
7. Masha Slamovich vs. Super Crazy for the JCW World Title. They traded some lucha offense at the bell with a standoff at 1:00, earning a “lucha libre!” chant. She went for a twisting dive through the ropes, but he (lightly tapped) her with a chairshot to the back at 2:30. On the floor, she sold pain in her left knee, and they brawled at ringside, with him whipping her into these hard (not-folding!) chairs. In the ring, Crazy hit a dropkick at 5:00. He tied her in a Surfboard and kept her grounded. Masha hit her Helluva Kick in the corner, then a rolling Koppo Kick. He hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 7:30, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
Masha hit a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall, and she locked in a rear-naked choke at 9:30. Crazy hit a hard clothesline. Masha got all of his weight up and hit an Air Raid Crash through a door in the corner! She again locked in a rear-naked choke, and he passed out. Emil pointed out he was close to the ropes but couldn’t get there. Really good match here; Masha continues to impress against bigger, stronger men.
Masha Slamovich defeated Super Crazy to retain the JCW World Title at 11:13.
8. “Gahbage Daddies” Alec Price and Cole Radrick vs. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini for the GCW Tag Team Titles. Again, GD just beat ViF to win the belts at the Hammerstein Ballroom in January, so this is a fairly quick rematch. Price dove onto Ku and Garrini; I started my stopwatch at first contact but I haven’t heard a bell. All four brawled on the floor. In the ring, Price hit a top-rope DDT. Cole flipped Price onto Ku for a nearfall at 2:00. Garrini hit a Tombstone Piledriver on Cole for a nearfall, and ViF began working over Radrick. Cole and Ku traded forearm strikes. Ku hit an Orange Crush flipping powerbomb at 5:00.
Price hit a top-rope Blockbuster. Cole was selling a left ankle injury. Garrini applied a rear-naked choke on Cole, but Price made the save, and they were all down. Price hit a dive to the floor, then the top rope doublestomp on Ku for a visual pin, but Garrini picked up ref Dan Perch and gave him a piledriver at 8:30! Price and Garrini fought to the floor, and they fought to the back! And… it’s over. Call that a draw. A good brawl with a flat non-finish.
“Gahbage Daddies” Alec Price and Cole Radrick vs. “Violence is Forever” Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku ended in a no contest at 9:33; Price and Radrick retain the GCW Tag Team TItles.
* After a commercial, Castle stated that the tag match was indeed declared a no contest.
9. Mance Warner vs. Ciclope in a death match. Ciclope hit some clotheslines at the bell that had no effect; I didn’t realize how much shorter he is than Mance. Warner hit an eyepoke and was in charge. They fought to the floor; Ciclope started bleeding from the forehead, and Mance got a door. Mance whipped a chair at Ciclope’s head at 4:00 and I hate that; it’s not only dangerous to Cicople, they are right next to fans (and of course, GCW doesn’t use guardrails to separate fans from the action.) Mance grabbed a bucket, put it over his head, and hit a headbutt. Ciclope also put a bucket on his head and they hit more headbutts. (This looked more cartoonish than violent; even Emil was laughing.)
Mance got a ring corner hook and he used it to fish-hook Ciclope’s mouth. Ciclope’s face was coated in his blood now, and this was gross. They got back into the ring where Ciclope hit a spear at 9:00, then a spear through a door in the corner for a nearfall. He now threw chairs at Mance’s head. Ciclope pulled out a huge safety pin; it has quite a sharp needle. He jabbed that into Mance’s forehead. Gross. Mance was now bleeding heavily, but he stabbed Ciclope repeatedly with the weapon. Mance chokeslammed him through a door for a nearfall at 14:30.
Mance got a ladder and brought it to ringside. He put the horizontal ladder on Ciclope’s back, and he swung a chair at the ladder several times. They began hitting each other with door shards. Ciclope hit a Shining Wizard. Ciclope leapt off the top rope, but he landed ribs-first on the door on its side! Ouch! Ref Scarlette checked on Ciclope; Mance dove on him for the pin. I don’t think that was the planned finish, but this match was more than long enough.
Mance Warner defeated Ciclope in a death match at 20:28.
Final Thoughts: GCW always brings out the best for these LA shows, and that was definitely the case here. Sabre-Fuego had an eye-popping great match and that takes the best match of the night. I liked Effy-Akeem for second. A whole bunch of really strong matches that could all take third, as Masha-Crazy and both scrambles were really entertaining. The main event didn’t work for me at all, but the crowd liked it. I hate throwing weapons, particularly on the floor when there aren’t any guardrails to separate and protect fans.
I will reiterate that I would want the GCW title bout to be last (or second to last if you have a death match to close.) I always think of how WWE buried Jack Swagger’s title run; he was never in the main event and thus was never treated as the flag bearer of the promotion. If you are going to have Effy as your champion… you got to get behind Effy as your champion. This is one of GCW’s better shows, filled with wrestlers who are over and I’m intrigued to see.
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