SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
GCW MOST NOTORIOUS
JANUARY 14, 2022
DETROIT, MI
AIRED ON FITE.TV
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Kevin Gill and Emil Jay
(1) SCRAMBLE MATCH
A classic Scramble match with many high flyers and two legendary bump takers in Nate Webb and Jimmy Lloyd. This was an absolute spot fest highlighting Ninja Mack, Dante Leon, Gringo loco, JJ Garret and most notably Alex Zayne.
WINNER: Gringo Loco in 8:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A must see indie spot fest in a really cool venue with fans bursting at the seams. A great way to open the show and show off all the great workers that make up these GCW shows.)
(2) LEON RUFF VS. JORDAN OLIVER
Both Leon Ruff and Jordan Oliver started by trading holds and mat based moves, with Ruff using his mat skills to get an edge over his larger opponent. Ruff was in control for the first few moments, around the four minute mark Oliver was able to take over and use some mat based moves to counter his opponent. After Oliver was in control for an even amount of time, both men were laying on the mat.
Ruff hit a back breaker then a neck breaker combination to get a near fall. Ruff then hit a big stomp and went to the top rope, Oliver stood up quickly and kicked Ruff off of his feet. Ruff and Oliver battled back and forth until Oliver hit a Power bomb he calls the Orange Crush on Leon Ruff to get the pinfall win.
WINNER: Jordan Oliver in 12:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A really good professional wrestling match. Typically a match with a star (Ruff) and good young worker in GCW would open a card like this. I liked the change of pace, because if you did not like the opener you certainly would have liked this match.)
-Kevin Nash then came out to the ring. Nash did a sell job for his new line of Cannabis product to open, he then praised his home town. Nash then gave a detailed description of his nice hotel room. He then said that the reason he was there tonight was because of his relationship with Alex Shelly and he introduced him to the ring. Shelly and Nash then traded the mic back and forth to praise the city of Detroit. The two men then did an extended two sweet.
(3) JIMMY JACOBS VS. ALEX SHELLY
Alex Shelly and Jimmy Jacobs started the bout by trying to get an advantage by grappling, this lead to the same on the mat as they traded holds back and forth. After a few minutes, Jacobs the big heel with Shelly being the hometown guy, began and then had control of the match working the head and neck of Shelly.
Shelly was able to make a comeback and get in a similar amount of offense. Shelly his a spear to finish his control of the match, that did result in a two count for him. The men then traded stiff shots and counters at this point. Jacobs was able to lock in a guillotine hold for a while, Shelly powered out. Then men then traded kicks, Shelly then hit a Shell Shock and then turned that into a submission that forced Jacobs to tap out.
WINNER: Alex Shelly in 11:00
(Sage’s Analysis: Another really strong and well worked wrestling match with good physiology. GCW gets the wrap of only being a death match company. But matches 2 and 3 tonight have proven differently.)
-Chelsea Green got on the mic and had a promo against Joey Janela, to hype their match at Hammerstein next Sunday the 23rd. She then said that her and Matt were not afraid of Rhino. Cardona got on the mic and called Detroit and F town, he said that he was getting out of Detroit as soon as his match was over. He then said Joey was not there and that he was watching it illegally because he was cheap. He said while Janela has been on Youtube and Dark, he (Cardona) has put GCW on his back. He reminded Janela that he was the death match king and that at Hammerstein he would end him. He then said he and Riho were (WWE) ECW originals. He said that people say that Rhino is the last ECW champion, but he said that was Ezekiel Jackson. He did say that Rhino was the last ECW TV champion but that he would be the new one tonight after he beats him.
(4) MATT CARDONA VS. RHINO
Cardona talked with Green before he tied up with Rhino, Cardona then milked time by begging Rhino to not hit him. Cardona then went for a handshake but tried to kick Rhino, it was caught and then the men went to the floor to battle. When the match got back into the ring, Cardona used a shirt to choke Rhino and then Green pulled his hair when he was on the apron area. Cardona was in control for a series of moves.
Rhino then hit a lariat to send Cardona to the mat. Cardona hit a Sack Ryder (Ruff Ryder), Cardona then pulled out an ECW TV Title out of a bag that Green gave him. Cardona hit the Ref with the belt, Rhino then hit a gore; but there was no ref to make the count. Green then got into the ring to check on Cardona.
Rhino went under the ring and brought out a door. Cardona and Green stood up in front of the door, Cardona dodged as Rhino sent green through the door with a spear. Cardona then hit a low blow to get the pinfall win.
WINNER: Matt Cardona in 11:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A really fun Cardona style match. These matches are all story and they always deliver in a great way. The story between Cardona and Green will certainly extend into the match next week with Janela. I love this old school style or storytelling match to match with content inside the matches themselves.
-A series of videos were shown to hype the upcoming Hammerstein show.
(5) TONY DEPPEN VS. DARK SHEIK
This match was all about mat based wrestling and grappling. Dark Sheik is a grappling specialist, and deepen is a Swiss Army knife. Sheik controlled the first few minutes, it switched quickly and Deppen took control and controlled the match for several minutes. There were not a ton of high spots, just a ton of logical moves and Deepen telling the story of how much of a POS he is. At the end Deppen hit a Chicken Wing to get a submission win.
WINNER: Tony Deppen in 10:00
(Sage’s Analysis: Another really high quality match that could qualify Deppen for a future ROH title shot against Jonathan Gresham.)
-Sabu came out to the ring. Emil Jay thanked Sabu on behalf of everyone in the crowd and in the locker room. Sabu was given the mic, but Atticus Cogar’s music hit and he walked out to the stage area. Cogar said that he used to look up to Sabu, but he met him and he is just a poor old man with a broken back. He said it was a shame that he was gonna have to “f,” up Sabu. Matthew Justice then came out and hit Cogar with a chair and sent him to the ring.
(6) ATTICUS COGAR VS. MATTHEW JUSTICE
Sabu threw a chair at the face of Cogar, the match then started officially. The match quickly went to the outside and the men battled in almost every square inch of the arena. After a long set up, Cogar back body dropped Justice off the second floor down into the first floor stair set up, Cogar then dove down onto Justice.
Cogar then controlled with basic offense, Justin then pushed Cogar off the stage. Here Justice did a front flip dive off the stage not Cogar, landing directly on his tailbone. The two worked their way back into the ring. The two men traded near falls, until Cogar pulled out skewers and put them in the forehead of Justice and then hit him in the head with a chair. Justice kicked out at one and then took another chair. This lead to a near fall for Cogar.
Atticus pulled out a door next and put that in the ring. Aticus hit serval more chair shots and then he had Justice by the head on the top rope. But, Justice pushed Cogar off and into the table and then hit a splash for a near fall. Justice then put the table on top of Cogar in the corner, the 44OH! crew then distracted Justice by holding Sabu hostage. Atticus then got the roll up pin on Justice.
WINNER: Atticus Cogar in 19:00
(Sage’s Analysis: An absolutely fantastic match. A great mix of brawling and insane spots. I am really surprised both men have not been signed to major companies, but GCW is thankful for that fact I’m sure, these two are quickly becoming main stars of the promotion.)
(7) BUSSY VS. 2 COLD SCORPIO & RICKY MORTON
Effy and 2 Cold started the match then traded moves as Ricky Morton entered and had a back and forth with Effy. After a series of moves and combos of opponents 2 Cold and Allie Katch battled and then tagged in Effy. Bussy then hit a double crotch attack, Effy then hit under the rainbow as Morton broke up the pin. Katch then hit Effy with a lariat and Morton hit Effy with a Destroyer. 2 Cold then hit a top rope leg drop, Katch then broke up the pin. Katch then hit a piledriver on Morton to pick up teh pinfall win.
WINNER: Bussy in 10:00
(Sage’s Analysis: Not a well worked match, these two teams did not have good chemistry and it was a slow worked match. The end sequence was really fun, this was more of a cool down match and it served that purpose.)
(8) ALEX COLON VS. HOODFOOT
This was a death match, in a very limited ring with no offense taking place outside the ring. That being said this 18 minute battle was a sight to behold. Both men took an insane number of shots with light tubes and went through panes of glass. Many moves were hit with teh mat being littered in glass. If you have any interest in death matches or are death match curious I would implore you to check this match out.
The end sequence was Alex Colon dousing Hoodfoot in salt, yes you read that right salt. After getting sent through glass and having light tubes creating cuts all over his body. Salt was poured all over Hoodfoot as Colon locked in a hold for the submission win, insane stuff.
Winner: Alex Colon in 18:00
(Sage’s Analysis: See above, a death match classic.)
Final Thoughts: This was a really strong GCW show, on of the best start to finish shows I have ever seen from them. Three really strong mat based matches, two fun sports entertainment style matches, a brutal street fight and an absolutely insane death match to end the show. If you are even thinking about checking out the Hammerstein show on 1/23/22 this show is appointment viewing for you. A big thumbs up from me.
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