By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “The Crossroads”
November 7, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Fountain Square Theatre
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
This venue has a background like there are buildings against the walls; they’ve been here at least two times before. I believe this is the home of Naptown Wrestling. This space is really well-lit, and the crowd was maybe 350. John Moseley and Emil Jay provided commentary. I’ll point out they used a plain, black canvas today, not the gross, blood-stained white mat from a day ago.
* A video of the Joseph Sawyer-Atticus Cogar feud aired. Arguably the worst-booked angle of the year, as GCW management turned heel on Sawyer, who got injured in a match in their ring and was unable to make a future date. Brett Lauderdale turned heel by complaining about an injured wrestler not showing up; did he want him to perform while injured? Makes no damn sense. The GCW crowd has played along and has turned Sawyer heel. We saw Sawyer arrive at the building, and the fans in line outside chanted profanities at him.
1. Sam Stackhouse and KJ Orso vs. Davey Bang and August Matthews for the GCW Tag Team Titles. A nice pop for Midwest favorites B&M. KJ cut a heel promo, listing off other teams in GCW that can’t beat them. Orso started, but he wound up ducking to the floor. Sam hit a double shoulder tackle at 1:00, then splashes in opposite corners. KJ hit a basement dropkick on August for a nearfall, and the heels worked over Matthews. Bang got a hot tag at 5:00 and hit a hard-back elbow on Orso, then a basement dropkick into the corner for a nearfall.
B&M hit stereo dropkicks into the corner on Sam, then stereo rolling cannonballs at 7:00. Sam hit a spinning leg lariat and got a nearfall. Suddenly, all four were down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Bang hit his moonsault to the floor on Orso, while Matthews dove through the ropes onto Stackhouse. Back in the ring, B&M worked over Sam, but Sam hit a running double stunner for a nearfall, and the 400+ pounder peeled off his shirt. Bang hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly on KJ.
Bang tripped Sam, and they both covered Stackhouse for a nearfall at 9:30. Orso missed the Character Assassination double stomp. B&M hit superkicks on Sam in the corner, and they clotheslined Orso to the floor. They hit stereo double stomps on Sam’s back, and Bang hit the Spears Tower on Sam! They hit stereo 450 Splashes onto Sam, but KJ hit a Spiral Tap onto both of them at 11:30, and everyone was down again. KJ nailed the Character Assassination stomp to the back of August’s head; Sam rolled onto Matthews and pinned him. Really, really good opener.
Sam Stackhouse and KJ Orso defeated Davey Bang and August Matthews to retain the GCW Tag Team Titles at 11:54.
2. Isaiah Broner vs. Tim Bosby. Loud boos for Bosby, who won his GCW debut on Friday. We got the bell, but Bosby rolled to the floor and stalled. They finally locked up. Bosby tried a shoulder tackle, but Broner barely moved. They brawled to the floor. Isaiah sat him in the front row and chopped Tim while fans held Bosby’s arms back. Bosby accidentally chopped the ring post, and they got back into the ring at 3:30. Broner scooped him up and hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall.
Bosby hit a German Suplex for a one-count. He sat on the top turnbuckle while tying Isaiah in a Boston Crab in the ropes, letting go before the ref’s five-count. He did a Fargo Strut and got booed; Broner hit a flying forearm at 6:00, and they were both down. Broner hit a German Suplex. Broner hit a flying Superman Punch. He went for an F5, but Broner landed on his feet.
Broner hit a hard clothesline at 8:00, and Broner hit his own F5 for a nearfall, but Bosby got a hand on the ropes. Bosby got a weapon in his hand; he swung, but Broner blocked it. The ref confiscated it and turned around to set it down. Bosby hit a low blow, and he hit Broner with a second chain! He nailed the F5 for the (very!) tainted pin. Good match. Bosby is going to do very well here.
Tim Bosby defeated Isaiah Broner at 9:13.
* Joey Janela and Ryan O’Neill were hanging out… in a garage? Marko Stunt confronted him. Janela suddenly got angry and noted that all the guys he’s helped out are now under contract, and they’ve forgotten all about him. What good has that done for his bank account? “All I do is give, give, give, and they give me nothing back!” Joey said.
3. Gabby Forza vs. Calvin Tankman. Flight cancellations caused Gabby and Slade to miss the Friday show in suburban St. Louis. Calvin hasn’t taken as many indy dates this year, but I consider him a top-tier indy prospect. It appears he’s slimmed down a bit, but he’s still got a huge size advantage on her. They did some comedy with her gnome hat. She hit some overhand chops; he peeled off his sweatshirt and shoved her. She unloaded some forearm strikes, then some clotheslines in the corner.
Gabby tried some shoulder tackles, but neither went down. She tried to lift him but couldn’t get him up. Calvin bodyslammed her for a nearfall at 2:30, and he hit some chops. She hit some punches to his gut. Calvin hit a shoulder tackle that sent her flying, and he got a nearfall. She backed him into a corner and repeatedly chopped him, but Calvin bodyslammed her and hit a splash to the mat for a nearfall at 5:00. He hit some Irish whips and was in control. Gabby hit the Gnome Bomb (Vader Bomb) for a nearfall.
Forza again tried to lift him but could not. He hit a backbreaker over his knee and a hard clothesline at 7:30. He made a lazy cover and only got a nearfall. Calvin hit a pop-up spinning-back-elbow, then a package powerbomb for a nearfall at 9:00, and he was shocked he didn’t win there. Gabby hit a crucifix driver and a spear! Gabby finally got him across her shoulders, held him there for a couple of seconds, and hit the Death Valley Driver for the pin! Such power! That was entertaining.
Gabby Forza defeated Calvin Tankman at 10:13.
4. “Bustah & The Brain” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver vs. Joey Janela and Ryan O’Neill. Jordan and his trainee, Ryan, went to start, but O’Neill rolled to the floor, so Jordan battled Janela instead. Jordan grabbed Ryan and repeatedly punched him. Moseley and Emil were shocked at how angry Jordan was with O’Neill. B&tB hit some team offense on Ryan. They hit a team flapjack at 2:30, and Jordan got a nearfall. Ryan leapt off the top rope and struck Jordan’s left arm, and the heels worked over Oliver and targeted the damaged limb.
Joey gave us a Rick Rude hip swivel before hitting a Rude Awakening at 5:30. Jordan flipped Joey into Ryan. Jordan unloaded some chops on Ryan, and he hit his twisting crossbody block, and they were both down. Price got the hot tag and hit a top-rope double crossbody block, then some spears. He ran the ropes and hit a crossbody block on Ryan. They hit stereo kicks in the corner on Joey. Price hit a DDT. Price dove through the ropes onto Janela. In the ring, Price hit a springboard frog splash on O’Neill for a nearfall at 7:30.
B&tB set up for a team Styles Clash, but Janela made the save. Oliver and Ryan fought on the floor, where they hit stereo spin kicks to the head, and both collapsed. In the ring, Price and Janela traded forearm strikes. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down at 9:30. This is awesome. Ryan hit a springboard crossbody block on Jordan. Janela and Ryan hit stereo superkicks on Oliver. Joey flipped Ryan onto Jordan.
Oliver hit a second-rope double superplex at 11:30. Ryan hit the Cleopatra Stunner on Price; Alec hit a Rebound Lariat on Ryan, then one on Janela! Joey hit a brainbuster on Alec. O’Neill hit a Doomsday stunner for a nearfall, but Oliver made the save at 13:00. Price hit a pop-up dropkick. Ryan superkicked Alec. Jordan superkicked Ryan. Jordan hit a double German Suplex, and everyone was down again. (This crowd was dead; where are the “This is awesome!” chants?) All four got up and traded punches.
B&tB hit stereo leaping clotheslines. Ryan hit a superkick on Price, then a Canadian Destroyer. Ryan hit a flip dive to the floor. Jordan whipped Ryan into the rows of chairs. B&tB hit a team powerbomb-and-neckbreaker on Joey on the floor. Ryan hit a top-rope flip dive onto B&tB at 16:00. In the ring, Ryan and Price traded rollups. Price got a Crucifix Driver. Ryan was pushed into Joey, who fell to the floor. B&tB nailed the Team Styles Clash on O’Neill, with Price getting the pin. That was awesome.
“Bustah & The Brain” Alec Price and Jordan Oliver defeated Joey Janela and Ryan O’Neill at 17:12.
* Janela got a chair, and he struck Price and Oliver. The heels continued to beat up the former tag champs. Finally, Sal Mistretta and Juni Underwood ran in to make the save. Marko Stunt ran down to help the babyfaces, but then Marko stomped on Oliver as Jordan’s neck was in a folded chair!!!! The crowd was shocked Marko just did that! Marko, Ryan, and Joey hugged! “Are you kidding me???” Emil shouted. “You could have broken the man’s neck!
* “Earlier today,” Amy Rose found Slade pacing by a chain-link fence. She was so happy to see him! She couldn’t find him yesterday. (His flight was canceled.) Slade told her to stay out of his business tonight, and he needed to go do some push-ups.
5. Gary Jay vs. Slade (w/Amy Rose). Gary came out first; Slade stepped through the ropes, and they immediately brawled. They fought to the floor and traded chops in the front row. Slade tossed him onto a door at 3:00. They got back into the ring, and Slade tossed the door debris in. Gary put a chair around Slade’s head and struck it with another chair and got a nearfall.
Gary had a cut by his right eye and was bleeding. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They threw chairs at each other. Gross and so unnecessary. Gary got pushed into Amy Rose. Slade hit Gary with door debris, then hit a chokeslam for the pin. Okay brawl; the pros of throwing chairs do not outweigh the cons.
Slade defeated Gary Jay at 7:42.
6. Jimmy Lloyd, Logan Cavazos, Rachel Armstrong, Sal Mistretta, and Kavron Kanyon vs. Aaron Williams, Katrina Creed, Victor Analog, Leo King, and Zack Thomas in a 10-person tag. Creed is Canadian; Victor and Aaron are regulars in St. Louis Anarchy, so it feels like these teams are really random and thrown together. Zack Thomas is muscular, white, in black trunks, and he hit a spinebuster on Jimmy Lloyd in the opening seconds. Logan and Aaron Williams tied up at 1:00. Logan hit a Helluva Kick. The tiny Rachel entered and repeatedly struck Aaron, with little effect. She hit a standing neckbreaker. Sal entered and splashed onto Aaron.
Victor hit a stiff kick to Sal’s spine at 3:00. Creed entered and slammed Sal head-first into the corner. Zack hit an elbow drop on Sal, as Aaron’s team kept Mistretta in their corner. Logan got a hot tag at 5:00 and traded blows with Victor Analog. Kanyon entered for the first time and hit a clothesline. Creed slapped him a few times, and she dared him to strike her, which, of course, he did. From the apron, Victor kicked Rachel in the back. He wound up throwing her to the floor onto several guys at 7:00. Mistretta dove through the ropes. Victor hit a baseball slide to the floor. Sal caught Katrina and powerbombed her onto the edge of the ring frame! Ouch!
King hit a dive. Kanyon hit a Sabu Dive, launching off a chair, then the top rope, and flipping onto everyone on the floor at 9:00. Several guys were brawling on the floor. Logan leapt off a stage (only 3 or 4 feet tall) and onto everyone on the floor. In the ring, King hit a DVD on Logan. Williams hit an STO uranage on Rachel, then a Lionsault, and he dove to the floor on Logan! Jimmy hit a swinging piledriver. Zack hit a powerbomb on Jimmy! Katrina hit a Canadian Destroyer on Sal! Victor hit a superplex on Sal. Sal powerbombed Victor. Rachel immediately hit a 450 Splash to pin Victor. That was messy fun and non-stop action.
Jimmy Lloyd, Logan Cavazos, Rachel Armstrong, Sal Mistretta, and Kavron Kanyon defeated Aaron Williams, Katrina Creed, Victor Analog, Leo King, and Zack Thomas at 12:21.
7. Anakin Murphy, Vipress, and Scotty Vortekz vs. Sicko the Clown, Nino Extremo, and Mr. Danger in a deathmatch. No interest in this one. I fast-forwarded ten minutes, and the ring was covered in light tube debris. They took turns whacking each other over the head with light tubes. Vipress got a flash rollup on Nino for the pin.
Anakin Murphy, Vipress, and Scotty Vortekz defeated Sicko the Clown, Nino Extremo, and Mr. Danger at 12:18.
8. Nate Webb vs. Haley J. Nate came out first so we could have the full sing-along to “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. Nate stood in place and let her Power Slap him, and he collapsed from the blow. I first saw Nate wrestle live in 2004; he might have been wrestling before she was born. Haley repeatedly stomped on him in the corner, then she rubbed her rear in his face. Haley hit a running somersault from the apron onto him on the floor at 2:30. He grabbed a beer and spilled it on her. They traded blows at ringside, and he shoved her face-first into the ring post.
In the ring, Webb hit a suplex for a nearfall at 4:30. He took control and kept her grounded. She superkicked him in the jaw and hit a Thesz Press, mounted him, repeatedly punched him, and got a nearfall at 6:00. Webb put her on his shoulders and hit an Ospreay-style Stormbreaker, spinning her to the mat for the pin. I didn’t expect that to wrap up so suddenly.
Nate Webb defeated Haley J at 6:41.
* A recap of the Atticus-Sawyer feud aired. To recap … Joseph Sawyer beats heel champion, Atticus Cogar. He gets injured in a GCW match; he tries to finish it but has to stop it, and the match ends in a no contest. GCW management is angry because he won’t fly all the way to Alaska while injured and unable to wrestle. How does that make Sawyer the bad guy in this? In what world is the injured wrestler the bad guy for not wanting to wrestle while hurt? No, GCW is the heel management for demanding he show up while injured. I just can’t wrap my head around this feud. (And of course, I refuse to cheer for Atticus.)
9. Joseph Sawyer vs. Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Title. They charged at each other at the bell and immediately traded punches! No feeling-out process here! Atticus dove through the ropes onto him, and they brawled at ringside. They got boards from under the ring and struck each other with them. In the ring, Sawyer powerbombed Cogar through one door in a corner, then a powerbomb through another door, and he got a nearfall at 6:00. Back on the floor, Cogar tossed Sawyer through a table.
They got a barbed-wire board. Atticus struck Sawyer across the back with a chair at 9:00. They got back into the ring, and Sawyer was in charge. He hip-tossed Sawyer through some boards at 11:00. Sawyer hit a uranage on Atticus, slamming him through the barbed-wire bridge on the floor at 13:00. Sawyer really got into it with a fan in the crowd, who was clearly a plant, because the fan wound up throwing a drink at Sawyer, and he was escorted out by promoter Brett Lauderdale. In the ring, Sawyer hit a Bubba Bomb and applied a tight headlock on the mat.
Atticus hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 15:30. In the ring, Atticus charged, but he accidentally speared ref Scarlett Donovan through a glass pane at 17:30! That popped the crowd! Lauderdale got in the ring to check on her. Sawyer hit a Sister Abigail faceplant, slamming Atticus face-first through a glass pane bridge! Sawyer used a Taser on Brett Lauderdale’s groin! Sawyer got on the mic and wondered, “Is that all you got for me?” He noted that within a minute he took out the crowd’s favorite, a ref, and the promoter! “I’m done. F— this place.” He grabbed his belt and turned to leave!
The cameras followed Sawyer to the back and to the parking lot! However, Jeffrey John attacked him next to his car and dragged Sawyer back into the building! Atticus stabbed cooking skewers into the top of Sawyer’s head. Sawyer hit a handspring-back-clothesline at 21:30. Atticus slammed Sawyer through glass, then hit the Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) for the pin! New champion! The crowd went nuts for the title change. Needless to say, Atticus’ face was covered in blood, and the ring was covered in glass debris.
Atticus Cogar defeated Joseph Sawyer to win the GCW World Title at 21:57.
* Out of nowhere, Effy and Mance Warner jumped in the ring and attacked Atticus! Effy powerbombed him. (Effy wore heel black colors; nothing friendly, colorful, or flamboyant.) Mance picked up the GCW Title and posed with it as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts: Unsurprisingly, Oliver/Price vs. Janela/O’Neill was the reason to tune in. A great match that was met by a surprisingly indifferent crowd. I don’t get that, because there is a decent storyline behind it. The Marko Stunt heel turn was unexpected but a good move; he’s an annoying pest, so he’s better as a heel. Gabby-Tankman takes second; I love the simple story in the match of Gabby trying to lift him up and finally getting him up for the DVD and the pin. I’ll narrowly take Bang/Matthews vs. Stackhouse/Orso for third, just ahead of Broner-Bosby, which gets honorable mention. That’s a really good quartet of matches to carry a show.
I have no interest in bad-mouthing pro wrestling that I don’t care for. The crowd loved the main event and that light tube-filled six-person tag, and that’s all that matters. The post-match attack from Mance and Effy worked. Both guys have barely been used by GCW in the past few months, so this felt like a big return for both of them, and it immediately puts Sawyer in the rearview mirror and sets up the next challengers for Atticus. The crowd now loves Atticus, but I just can’t get into him as a babyface.
A lot to like here. As I noted, four really good top matches, and the crowd loved the bloody matches that don’t interest me. Two big storyline developments, too, between Marko Stunt’s heel turn and the Effy/Mance return. While I never want to see Price and Oliver off a show, I think Jordan Oliver is heading back to Europe, so it makes sense to ‘write him off’ with that attack.
