GCW “Crazy Scary Spooky Hilarious” results (5/3): Vetter’s review of Effy vs. Alex Hammerstone for the GCW Championship, Matt Tremont vs. Arez for the Ultraviolent Title, Miyu Yamashita vs. Maki Itoh

By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)

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GCW “Crazy Scary Spooky Hilarious”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
May 3, 2025, in Los Angeles, California at the Ukrainian Cultural Center

They always draw a great crowd here, possibly 600-800. The lights were on and it was easy to see the action. Jordan Castle and Emil Jay provided commentary.

* Emil Jay introduced Matt Cardona; I don’t think he’s been in GCW since January. “The death match king has come home,” Cardona said to a chorus of boos. He said he hasn’t been here for the past four months because he was betrayed by his Broski, Jimmy Lloyd, so he’s been seeing a therapist twice weekly. He invited Lloyd to come out, and Jimmy emerged and got in the ring. Matt told Jimmy that he “looks like a piece of shit” and a “backyard wrestler.” Jimmy apologized… that he didn’t leave Cardona sooner! Jimmy superkicked Matt. However, Mance Warner attacked Jimmy from behind, and our opening match was underway.

1. Mance Warner vs. Jimmy Lloyd. We immediately had doors and folding chairs pushed into the ring. They fought on the floor, and Mance chokeslammed him through a door bridge at 3;00. In the ring, Mance got a nearfall. He hit a clothesline and was in charge. Jimmy accidentally splashed the ref. Jimmy hit a Death Valley Driver through a door in the corner at 5:00 but we had no ref! Lloyd got a screwdriver, but Mance begged for mercy. Of course, Mance hit a chop block on the back of the knee and regained control of the match.

Mance jabbed the screwdriver into Jimmy’s forehead, and Jimmy was bleeding quickly, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. Jimmy hit a superkick and his swinging powerbomb for a visual pin, but Cardona pulled the ref from the ring at 7:30. “This is BS, Emil!” Castle shouted. Mance hit a low blow, then a running knee to the head for a believable nearfall. Cardona jumped in the ring and beat up Lloyd! Mance handed Cardona the screwdriver. Jimmy avoided being hit by it, and he struck Mance in the head with a steel chair! However, Cardona hit Radio Silence (flying leg lariat) on Jimmy, and Matt pulled the prone Mance onto Jimmy for the cheap pin. Decent action.

Mance Warner defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 8:39. 

2. Alec Price and Jordan Oliver vs. “Subculture” Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews for the GCW Tag Team Titles. Andrews and Oliver opened; on paper, this could be the best match of the show. Castle said it is the first time Subculture has teamed in the U.S. since 2020, which doesn’t seem possible! Oliver hit a dropkick at 2:00 that popped the crowd. Andrews hit a suplex for a nearfall. Webster got in and targeted Oliver’s knee; Jordan tagged in Alec at 3:30. Price tied up Webster’s left arm. Andrews hit a flipping senton on Price at 6:30, and Subculture began working over Price. Price and Oliver hit some quick team moves on Andrews; Subculture rolled to the floor to regroup at 8:00.

Back in the ring, Andrews got an assisted Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall on Price. Morgan hit a senton for a nearfall at 10:00, and they kept Alec in their corner. Oliver finally got the hot tag at 12:00 and he cleared the ring. He hit his twisting crossbody block, then a superkick. He hit an Acid Bomb faceplant on Andrews for a nearfall. Webster hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 13:30. Andrews hit his Stundog Millionaire. Morgan hit his modified Swanton Bomb for a nearfall, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant.

Andrews hit a kip-up enzuigiri. Price hit a Rebound Lariat, and Oliver made the cover for a nearfall. Oliver and Webster got up and traded chops. Webster hit a jumping knee, and they traded rollups. Price tagged back in and hit a top-rope doublestomp. Alec hit a pop-up dropkick, then his top-rope Blockbuster, and he dove over the top rope onto Andrews. Meanwhile, Oliver hit an Acid Bomb faceplant. Alec hit his 720 DDT, and Oliver made the cover for the pin. Yes, that’s my type of match.

Alec Price and Jordan Oliver defeated “Subculture” Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 18:09.

* Footage aired of Atticus Cogar vs. Fuego Del Sol at Joey Janela’s Spring Break two weeks ago. After removing his mask, Fuego Del Sol shocked everyone by taking off his boots after losing, leaving them in the ring, and retiring.

3. Masha Slamovich vs. Jonathan Gresham for the JCW World Title. Masha had her JCW World Title and her TNA Knockouts Title. They are roughly the same height but he is so much thicker and visibly stronger. Standing switches to open and they worked over each other’s left arm. They traded reversals on the mat. She hit a drop-toe-hold that sent him onto the second rope at 3:30. Gresham hit a Lionsault Press and he switched to an ankle lock. They got up and traded chops. He dragged Masha back to the mat and worked her left wrist and fingers.

Masha hit a headbutt; she was selling the pain in her arm. Gresham hit a dropkick and made a cocky cover at 7:30. He tied Masha’s arms behind her back, then he switched to twisting her foot. Masha hit a running clothesline and they were both down. Masha hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 10:00. They traded rollups. Gresham hit a DDT and a diving forearm for a believable nearfall. Gresham hit a clothesline. They traded forearm strikes while holding each other’s wrist. Masha hit some forearm strikes. Masha hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Gresham hit a back suplex. Masha hit a White Knight Driver (piledriver) for the pin. That was intense.

Masha Slamovich defeated Jonathan Gresham to retain the JCW World Title at 13:42.

4. Sam Stackhouse vs. Atticus Cogar. Cogar wore Fuego’s mask around his neck! Sam hit a running splash and we’re underway! Stackhouse, who is perhaps 450 pounds, stepped on Cogar’s back! He tossed Cogar to the floor at 2:00. Atticus got a chair from under the ring, and they brawled at ringside. Sam cracked him across the back with the chair. Atticus threw the chair at Sam’s head, and I really hate that. In the ring, Atticus shoved Sam through a door in the corner, and he cracked door debris over Cogar’s head at 5:00.

Atticus hit a moonsault press and they were both down. Atticus hit a low blow uppercut. Cogar got a stun gun! However, Fuego Del Sol jumped in the ring and took it from Cogar! BUT, Fuego turned and used the stun gun on his long-time friend Stackhouse! The crowd went NUTS. Cogar seemed shocked by this development, too! Cogar hit the Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) and got the pin as Fuego sat down in a chair in the ring and watched. That was an insane development! “What the hell just happened?” Emil Jay said.

Atticus Cogar defeated Sam Stackhouse at 8:13.  

* Fuego stood up, picked up the chair, and cracked it over Sam’s head and was LOUDLY booed. The crowd was all over Fuego. He repeatedly hit Sam across the back with the chair. “This is his best friend! This is his brother!” Castle shouted. It appeared Fuego was leaving, but he got one of the hard, wood chairs and repeatedly hit Stackhouse with it. “What is Fuego trying to prove with this?” Castle shouted. Fuego put Sam’s head in a chair and did a ‘Pillman Stomp’ on the head!

* Footage aired of Sabu vs. Joey Janela from two weeks ago.

5. Miyu Yamashita vs. Maki Itoh. Miyu is so serious, and Itoh is so fun-loving, so this is an interesting mix of approaches. They locked up, and Miyu has a height advantage. Castle said these two have been tag champs in the past. Miyu hit some spin kicks to the thighs. They went to the floor, and Miyu shoved Itoh shoulder-first into the ring post at 3:00, and Miyu hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron. Miyu ran the floor and hit a running knee on Itoh, who was seated in the front row. In the ring, Miyu shoved Itoh head-first into the turnbuckles, but Itoh of course, no-sold it. Itoh hit a headbutt at 5:30, then a Kokeshi falling headbutt. Itoh hit a running Facewash in the corner. They fought on the ring apron.

Itoh hit a tornado DDT in the ring for a nearfall at 7:30. They traded forearm strikes, and Miyu got the better of the exchange. Miyu nailed some kicks to the head. They traded forearm strikes and both collapsed at 10:00, and we got a loud “GCW!” chant. Miyu hit a series of roundhouse kicks to the chest, then a springboard spin kick. Miyu nailed the Skull Kick but refused to make the cover. The ref checked Itoh’s arm, and Itoh held up a middle finger before her arm fell a third time. Miyu immediately hit a running knee in the corner. Myu nailed a second Skull Kick for the pin. That was fun.

Miyu Yamashita defeated Maki Itoh at 13:23.

6. Ninja Mack vs. Starboy Charlie. This also could wind up being the best match of the show. Charlie is undersized, but he has the height advantage here. They tied up, and Jordan talked about Ninja Mack entering the NJPW BoSJ tournament later this month. Mack knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. They sped it up and had a standoff at 2:00. Charlie went for a Lionsault Press, but Mack caught him with a superkick to the chest. They rolled to the floor and fought at ringside. Mack threw a garbage can at Charlie at 4:00. They fought onto a ledge in the corner of the room, and Charlie hit a huracanrana, sending Mack onto the pile of trash on the floor at 5:30!

They got back into the ring, and Charlie hit some punches to the ribs. They traded multiple rollups. Mack locked in a sleeper on the mat at 8:00 and the crowd taunted Charlie to tap out. Charlie escaped and hit a Pele Kick. He hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor, then an Asai Moonsault. Charlie got doors and chairs from under the ring, and he hit Mack in the head with a chair. They traded chops on the apron, and Mack hit a superkick to knock him to the floor.

In the ring, Charlie hit a Poison Rana and hit Cosmic Swirl (twisting senton splash) for a nearfall at 11:00. Charlie went for the top-rope Shooting Starboy Press, but Mack got his knees up to block it. In an awesome spot, Mack hit a handspring-into-a-sunset bomb through a door bridge on the floor! In the ring, Mack hit a top-rope corkscrew 630 Senton Splash for the pin. That was awesome, and a mild upset.

Ninja Mack defeated Starboy Charlie at 12:29.

7. Brittnie Brooks vs. Zara Zakher vs. Vipress in a three-way. This is 20-year-old Brooks’ debut in this building. Zara hit a jumping knee on Vipress. Brittnie hit some armdrags on Zara and a snap suplex. Vipress hit some running Penalty Kicks on each opponent. She hit a Flatliner on Zara into the corner at 2:30. Zara speared both women and they were all down. Zara hit an enzuigiri on Vipress, then a spinebuster for a nearfall, but Brooks made the save. Brooks hit a double bulldog for a nearfall at 4:30. Brooks hit a DDTD on Zara. Vipress hit a sit-out powerbomb move for a nearfall. Zara hit a backflip-into-a-stunner and pinned Brooks out of nowhere. Fun while it lasted.

Zara Zakher defeated Brittnie Brooks and Vipress in a three-way at 6:09. 

8. Effy vs. Alexander Hammerstone for the GCW World Title. Effy is deceptively big, but he looks tiny compared to the massive, 273-pound Hammerstone. Some shoulder blocks early on, and Hammerstone knocked Effy down at 2:30, and Effy did some of his gay humor. Hammerstone hit a running boot, then a powerslam for a nearfall at 4:00. They traded punches and forearm strikes, and Hammerstone twisted the left arm. Effy hit his Under The Rainbow leg-drag to the mat and a spear for a nearfall at 7:30. Hammerstone powerbombed Effy onto the ring apron.

Hammerstone hit a top-rope missile dropkick, then a devastating Burning Hammer for a nearfall at 9:00. He hit an Exploder Suplex. Effy hit a TKO Stunner for a nearfall. Effy hit the flying Fame-asser for a believable nearfall. Hammerstone hit a running Mafia Kick and a German Suplex, then a standing powerbomb. Effy got an inside cradle out of nowhere for the pin. Hammerstone sat up shocked, wondering what just happened! That topped my expectations.

Effy defeated Alexander Hammerstone to retain the GCW World Title at 11:33. 

9. Matt Tremont vs. Arez for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. A massive size advantage for Tremont. The bell rang but they just absorbed the crowd reaction, and they finally locked up at 1:30. Arez hit a series of kicks, then a dive through the ropes onto Tremont. He hit a moonsault to the floor on Tremont. In the ring, Tremont threw a chair and CLOCKED Arez in the head at 3:30 and I really hated that one. Tremont got a fork and jabbed it into Arez’ forehead. Gross. Arez hit a Pele Kick at 6:30, and he jabbed a gusset plate into Tremont’s forehead. Gross. It was now Arez’ turn to throw a chair at Tremont’s head. I hate that. Tremont was bleeding heavily from that gusset plate.

Tremont was bleeding all over the floor; he was really gushing. Gross. Arez hit Tremont with chairs and door debris. Tremont hit a World’s Strongest Slam through a door in the corner for a nearfall at 10:00. Arez hit Tremont with a chair, and Arez got the big Tremont on his back and hit a Death Valley Drive through a board bridge in the ring for a believable nearfall at 12:30. Arez hit his one-footed Lionsault for a nearfall, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall.

Arez got a massively tall ladder from under the ring and he made a horizontal ladder bridge in the ring at 15:00. They traded punches while standing on the horizontal ladder bridge. Arez hit a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a believable nearfall. Tremont hit a DVD onto the pile of chairs and ladder for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. Tremont then hit a sit-out powerbomb onto the ladder for the pin. Violent match; fans of this style will love it. I object to the chairshots and blows to the head, even more than the excessive blood loss.

Matt Tremont defeated Arez to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 18:09. 

Final Thoughts: Yes, Oliver/Price vs. Subculture earned best match, with a good Mack-Charlie taking second. I really liked that Masha-Gresham match so that takes third. Miyu-Itoh was fun too. While I wasn’t surprised to see Fuego Del Sol return, I was as shocked as everyone else when he turned and attacked Stackhouse. So, it looks like Fuego is embarking on a second act to his wrestling career as an unmasked heel, and I’m all for it.

Fans of death matches will really enjoy that main event. I hope someday we can put an end to those blows to the head… have we learned nothing? This was a really good, top-notch show with GCW at its best.