By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “The Top Play 2026”
July 31, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Admiral Theatre
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
This show marks the 39th state that GCW has visited! (I didn’t mention it in my reviews, but Minnesota was state 40!) The goal is to finish all 50 states by fall 2027, saving Massachusetts for last.
* The show opened with footage of Bustah and The Brain beating Sam Stackhouse and KJ Orso to retain their tag titles, with help from Hook.
* We headed to the venue! This is a two-level ballroom, and lighting is really good. The crowd was perhaps 350. The participants of the first match were already in the ring! Jon Mosely and Emil Jay provided commentary.
1. Logan Cavazos vs. Jay Lucas vs. Victor Analog vs. “The Boy Barbie” Leon King vs. Knox Caulfield vs. Dexter Daniels. I think we saw Leon King on the GCW shows in Iowa or Kansas a few months ago; he’s flamboyant, and the crowd popped for him. It appears that Knox and Dexter are a team. They are really young (likely both teens) and were announced as “being from the kids’ table.) None of those three have cagematch.net bios yet. Those three superkicked the regulars to the floor, and they all danced in the ring! Mosely noted the great reaction for the three locals, who traded some offense.
Analog got in and beat up Dexter (his name was on his belt area on the back of his trunks). The tall, scrawny blond Cavazos hit a running knee on Analog. Jay hit some quick kicks. King dropped Lucas with a headbutt at 3:00. Victor hit a springboard dropkick on King. (Emil just confirmed that King fought on the Iowa show.) One of the kids’ table guys hit a flip dive to the floor. Jay Lucas hit a top-rope Swanton Bomb onto everyone at 4:30. Logan hit a top-rope twisting splash onto everyone. Logan and Jay hit stereo Swanton Bombs in the ring for nearfalls.
The Kids Table guys shoved each other. Jay hit a spin kick on one of them. Leon slammed Victor’s head into the middle turnbuckle, then hit a running knee at 6:30. The Kids Table guys hit a double stomp-and-DDT combo. One of them hit a half-nelson suplex on Logan. Logan hit a package powerbomb! Jay hit a Canadian Destroyer on Logan. One of the Kids Table guys hit a Lungblower to Jay’s chest. Victor hit a brainbuster on Daniels at 8:30. Leon hit a German Suplex. King hit a brainbuster over his knee on Cavazos, then an Athena-style flying stunner on Logan for the pin! Decent action; the crowd was really into it and loved the local trio being out there.
“The Boy Barbie” Leon King defeated Logan Cavazos, Jay Lucas, Victor Analog, Knox Caulfield and Dexter Daniels at 9:44.
* Footage aired of Charles Mason and Slade beating up Bear Bronson. Bear has a sore back and had to cancel his matches on this trip.
2. Leedz Lewis vs. Terry Yaki. Again, the French indy star Lewis told me Saturday he has 20 days left on this U.S. excursion, so hopefully he gets in a few more big matches before he leaves. I’ll reiterate he’s similar in looks and style to Mike Bailey, but shorter. Quick reversals with neither man able to land a blow. Leedz hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 2:30. Terry hit a modified Lungblower to the chest for a nearfall. Jay hit a running Pump Kick at 4:30, and he slammed Leedz for a nearfall.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Leedz hit a flying kick. He hit a bulldog at 6:00, then a corner moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Lewis slammed Yaki and got a nearfall. Leedz hit a second-rope Michinoku Driver. Yaki hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. Leedz hit a running penalty kick to the chest at 9:30. Yaki hit a DDT. Leedz got an inside cradle for a nearfall. Yaki hit a DDT onto the apron, then an Asai Moonsault with them landing deep into the crowd! (Terry went straight back with almost no height on that move!)
In the ring, Leedz hit a Canadian Destroyer and a 450 Splash for a believable nearfall at 11:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. This crowd has been really hot and into this one. Leedz hit his Pele Kick. He hit a superkick and an enzuigiri. Yaki hit a German Suplex, but Leedz hit a Poison Rana. Yaki hit a diving forearm to the back of the head as the crowd chanted “Fight forever!” Yaki hit a Sabin-style Cradle Shock for the pin. That was thoroughly entertaining.
Terry Yaki defeated Leedz Lewis at 13:26.
3. Gary Jay vs. Orin Veidt. Orin came out to Garth Brooks, which automatically makes him a heel in my eyes. He was wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes jersey, so he got loudly booed here. He’s white and of average size; I know I’ve seen him at least once before — but certainly fewer than five times. (I’d remember typing that unusual name!) Orin dove onto Gary as he approached the ring and they immediately brawled. Gary entered the ring and dove onto Orin. They brawled on the wood floor. Gary ripped off Orin’s jersey and stomped on it. (Cheap pop!) Gary accidentally chopped the ring post.
On the apron, Gary hit a back-body drop onto an open chair at 4:00. Gary set up for a dive, but Orin threw a chair at his head. (So completely unnecessary). Orin suplexed Gary onto the wood floor! Ouch! They got back into the ring at 6:00, and I saw Orin had a trickle of blood near his left eye. Orin hit a suplex through a door in the corner. He slammed door debris onto Gary, then a chairshot to the back. Gary slammed him onto the top of several open chairs, then hit a hard clothesline, and they were both down at 9:00.
Gary hit some hard chops. Veidt hit an Assault Driver (similar to a One-Winged Angel) onto some open chairs. Gary hit a DVD onto sideways chairs, then a DVD through a door in the corner! They took turns whacking each other over the head with door debris at 10:30, then they switched to forearm strikes. Gary hit a hard back elbow, dropping Veidt. He collapsed on Orin and scored the pin. That was really hard-hitting, and the crowd loved the liberal use of doors and chairs.
Gary Jay defeated Orin Veidt at 11:17.
* Footage aired of Marcus Mathers issuing a challenge to Avery Styles.
4. Marcus Mathers vs. Shotzi Blackheart. Like on the shows in Minneapolis the next two days, Shotzi came to the ring with a picture of Lio Rush, and she talked to it. Marcus tried to talk to her, but she turned and slapped him! Shotzi hit a huracanrana and set up the picture in the corner so “Lio could watch her.” She hit her 619 in the corner. Shotzi tied up Marcus on the mat and placed her fingers in his mouth and stretched it, while she continued to talk to the Lio picture. Mathers hit a suplex at 3:00 and was booed. He hit his mule kick to her jaw. More boos.
Marcus hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron. He grabbed the framed picture! He mockingly made the same facial expression, then slid the frame under the ring. In the ring, he hit a flying elbow drop at 4:30 and was booed. He hit a suplex and popped to his feet. Shotzi hit a snap suplex at 6:00. Marcus hit his corner fadeaway stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Shotzi hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Shotzi went under the ring and got the picture, and she now had black goo dripping from her mouth!
Shotzi cracked the frame over his head, then hit a somersault off the apron onto him. She hit a dive through the ropes and crashed onto him at 8:30! She hit a cannonball into the corner. However, Marcus scooped her up and hit a DVD across two open chairs for a nearfall at 10:30. Shotzi hit a Frankensteiner, flipping him onto two open chairs! She hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall! Shotzi got underneath him in the corner and hit a powerbomb at 13:00. Marcus hit a series of kicks, but she ducked on and hit a back suplex. He hit a German Suplex.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Mathers hit his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to her jaw. She fired back with her Low Ki-style rolling Koppo Kick. He tied up her legs, and bridged up in a Figure Eight position and got the flash pin! He’s just added that move to his arsenal, and I really like it! Really good action. Shotzi fell to the ground and clutched and hugged her photo of Lio Rush, then they hugged. (SPOILER: my review is up, but Lio Rush showed up on Sunday to help Shotzi in a match against Allie Katch.)
Marcus Mathers defeated Shotzi Blackheart at 14:10.
* Mathers immediately sat down next to Mosely on commentary. He wants to see Avery Styles make his debut!
5. Alexander Lev vs. Avery Styles. Lev is from the Georgia scene. Mathers said he hasn’t seen either guy. Styles grabbed him around the waist and slammed him to the mat. Some basic reversals early on. They went to the floor at 2:00 and looped the ring. Avery tried a running Shooting Star Press off the apron and nearly broke his neck — maybe we don’t try that one again! Lev slammed Styles onto the apron and got a nearfall in the ring. Lev hit some chops and stomps in the corner and took control.
Lev hit a running knee to the ribs and kept Avery grounded. He applied a sleeper at 5:30 and fell to the mat with it locked in. Styles escaped and hit an enzuigiri. He hit a flying Fame-asser, then a diving forearm strike for a nearfall at 7:00. Avery went for a Styles Clash, but Lev fought free! Lev hit a swinging neckbreaker, then a running knee to the forehead for a nearfall. The crowd was HOT and totally into this. Styles hit a Scorpion Death Drop (inverted DDT), then a top-rope Spinal Tap (twisting splash) for the pin. That move looked awesome. Outside of that awkward running Shooting Star Press off the apron, that was a pretty flawless debut.
Avery Styles defeated Alexander Lev at 9:45.
* Mathers left the commentary table and got into the ring to confront Styles!
6. Redwing vs. Jameson McGregor vs. 1 Called Manders. I don’t think I’ve seen Redwing. He’s thick with a bushy, red beard, and he’s probably in his mid- to late-30s. I also don’t think I’ve seen Jameson before; he is also thick with a brown beard, and he is clearly a brawler. Jameson ran up the stairs to the second level to high-five all the fans before heading back downstairs to the ring. Manders wore his newly-won Rev Pro Tag Team Title belt. (I’m pretty sure I didn’t see that Saturday or Sunday.) He got on the mic and said, “Where are my Hawkeye fans at, baby?” Loud boos for Manders! The crowd chanted, “F– the Hawkeyes!”
They opened in a three-way Knuckle Lock. Manders and Jameson traded forearm strikes. Redwing knocked Manders down with a shoulder tackle. Emil said, “Redwing is a brick building.” Jameson hit a senton at 2:30 on Redwing, then the Sheamus-style blows to the chest in the ropes on Manders. Redwing hit a leg lariat on Jameson for a nearfall. The crowd chanted “bald!” at Manders. Redwing and Manders traded loud chops. This has been hard-hitting! On the floor, Redwing hit a Pounce on Manders that sent him flying into the crowd at 6:00!
McGregor flew off the apron onto Redwing, and he got a door and slid it into the ring. Manders got into the ring and sprayed fluid on McGregor. Redwing speared both guys through the door in the corner, earning a “Holy shit!” chant. They all got up and traded chops, then punches. Jameson hit some chops to Redwing’s thighs. Manders hit a clothesline on Jameson. Redwing hit a powerbomb on Manders. Jameson missed a top-rope moonsault at 10:00. Redwing hit a powerslam. However, Manders pushed Redwing to the floor and stole the pin on Jameson! What a heel! Good brawl.
1 Called Manders defeated Redwing and Jameson McGregor at 10:25.
* Manders got on the mic and put over his opponents and noted he had fought one of them a few years ago. He name-checked Jayson Strife, a popular indy wrestler who died suddenly in 2022 at age 37. (Strife wrestled an AEW match against Powerhouse Hobbs at Target Center in Minneapolis on one of the first AEW visits there, and I’d seen him on indy shows years ago.) Anyhow, Manders told the crowd he “knows they did Strife proud tonight,” and that got a pop.
* Emil Jay listed off the next dates for the upcoming local Magnum Pro promotion. (Promotions working together! This really should be as easy as GCW makes it look for everyone to work together!)
7. “Team GCW” CPA and Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill and Jimmy Lloyd vs. “Team Magnum Wrestling” J Fowler and Kit Sackett and Nino Hatchet. I’ve seen J Fowler once at a show I attended in the Twin Cities, but I don’t know his teammates. Fowler is now bald, and he brawled with Jimmy Lloyd early on. CPA entered at 2:00, and he removed one of his shirts and hit a dropkick on Nino, who is really muscular and really tan. Sackett entered and hit a standing neckbreaker on CPA, and Fowler hit a spear on CPA for a nearfall at 4:30, as the locals worked the tax man over.
Ryan O’Neill got the hot tag at 7:00, and he hit a top-rope crossbody block on Kit, then his Cleopatra Stunner on Nino. Fowler grabbed Ryan and hit a German Suplex and a twisting Angle Slam, then a Jackhammer for a nearfall! Nice combo by Fowler. Fowler flipped Lloyd. CPA hit a shotgun dropkick and peeled off a second shirt, then hit the 1099 (comedy 619) on Fowler, who over-sold it humorously. CPA hit the “Numbers Cruncher” DVD on Fowler. Jimmy hit a kip-up stunner.
Sackett hit a twisting neckbreaker at 9:00, then a flip dive to the floor, earning a “Holy shit!” chant. All six locked up, with the GCW trio hitting stereo suplexes at 10:30. O’Neill dove to the floor on the local trio. CPA and Jimmy hit their own dives! They all brawled on the floor. Ryan ran up the stairs to the balcony! He stepped over the guardrail and hit a crossbody block, falling maybe 16-18 feet onto the other five below at 12:30. In the ring, Ryan hit a Swanton Bomb on Nino for the pin. A great finish — that move was risky yet safe.
“Team GCW” CPA and Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill and Jimmy Lloyd defeated “Team Magnum Wrestling” J Fowler and Kit Sackett and Nino Hatchet at 12:50.
8. “Bustah & The Brain” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver vs. “The Young Gunz” Drake Holloway and Rellie Carter for the GCW Tag Team Titles. I don’t know the challengers. Drake is white; Rellie is Black (think NXT’s EK Prosper), and they are both of average size and wore fairly identical gear. Oliver opened again Drake, and Drake hit a dropkick. Price hit a crossbody block at 2:00 on Rellie. Rellie hit a powerslam on Oliver. Drake hit a clothesline in the corner on Jordan, and the challengers hit a team back-body drop on Jordan. The Young Gunz began working over Alec.
Price hit a running Blockbuster. The champs hit a team Spinebuster on Rellie at 5:00. Drake got in, but Jordan tied up Drake’s arms and snapped one backwards. Holloway hit a suplex on Jordan, and they were both down at 6:30. Rellie got the hot tag and hit some clotheslines, then a uranage on Oliver and a back suplex on Price, and he was fired up! Rellie hit a top-rope dropkick. Holloway hit a 450 Splash on Price for a nearfall. He hit a swinging Flatliner on Price, with Rellie getting the nearfall at 8:30.
Price nailed his Rebound Lariat. Jordan got back in and traded chops with Holloway, and Jordan hit a German Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall. Price and Rellie got back in at 10:30, and they got nose-to-nose then traded forearm strikes. Price hit some European Uppercuts. Oliver jumped in and hit an Acid Kick. Holloway dove through the ropes onto one opponent, then another dive on the other! Rellie dove over the ropes onto all three at 12:30!
In the ring, the challengers hit stereo running knees on Alec’s head for a nearfall, but Jordan made the save. All four brawled. The champs hit stereo crossbody blocks for nearfalls. Holloway hit a Lungblower to Jordan’s back. Rellie flew off the top rope and accidentally struck Holloway. Price immediately hit a frog splash and pinned Holloway. The finish came suddenly, but it was a really good match.
“Bustah & The Brain” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver defeated “The Young Gunz” Drake Holloway and Rellie Carter for the GCW Tag Team Titles at 13:58.
* Price got on the mic and noted he had numerous travel issues to get here. He noted that his gear never made it out of Chicago, so he doesn’t even have his title belt. (I hadn’t really even paid attention — he was wearing generic black trunks he could have bought anywhere; they were not his usual pants that match what Oliver wore.) He said it was a challenging day, but he persevered. The champs put over the challengers, and they all show hands.
9. Davey Bang and August Matthews vs. Atticus Cogar and Otis Cogar. The Cogars each had their singles titles, but of course they are not on the line. The Cogars attacked, and we’re underway! Bang and Matthews hit stereo dropkicks. Atticus hit punches on each opponent. Bang hit an axe kick to the back of Atticus’ neck. They dove through the ropes onto the Cogars at 1:30. They brawled on the floor and broke a door. In the ring, Otis speared Bang in the corner at 4:30. Atticus got his cooking skewers, but August kicked them out of his hand.
August hit a leg drop to the back of Atticus’ neck. Bang hit a moonsault to the floor, while Matthews dove through the ropes at 6:30. In the ring, Atticus hit a buzzsaw kick to Matthews’ head. He again tried to plant cooking skewers in August’s head but was again blocked, so Atticus hit a low blow at 9:00. Matthews hit door shards over Otis’ back. Bang and Matthews slammed Otis through a door in the corner. Atticus accidentally hit a double stomp on Otis!
Bang hit a 450 Splash! The Cogars bailed to the floor, but got back in. Bang and Matthews hit them with door debris. Otis caught Bang and hit a Black Hole Slam. August unloaded a series of roundhouse kicks on Otis. August went for a Trevor Lee-style Cave-In, but it was blocked. Atticus finally planted the cooking skewers in the top of Matthews’ head! Otis powerbombed August and got the pin. A crowd-pleasing brawl.
Atticus Cogar and Otis Cogar defeated Davey Bang and August Matthews at 12:17.
Final Thoughts: There were so many really good matches here, but no single standout match. This show had many really good matches, but no single standout match; many fans would have a completely different list of top three matches. I’ll go with the Bustah and The Brain tag match for first, Leedz-Yaki for second, and the Manders three-way brawl for third. Mathers-Shotzi earns honorable mention. A strong debut for Avery Styles too. Again, I know Lev is from the Georgia indy scene, so my guess is those two have trained a lot together and done a run-through of that match.
A lot of new faces for me from the Nebraska scene. Most looked pretty good. The Young Gunz and Redwing all earned future matches here. The crowd loved the young kids in the opener, too. No real complaints about this show at all.
* Again, this was a Friday night show. The wrestlers drove through the night, making the six-hour trek to Minneapolis, as the Saturday show was at 1 p.m. Not sure how much anyone slept!
Be the first to comment