GCW: Worst Behavior- July 5, 2024
by Doc Allen
Live from The Opera House in Toronto, Ontario. WWE is also in town for Smackdown, which is drawing about 17,000 fans. GCW has a packed house anyway. Dave Prazak and Veda Scott are on commentary.
Charlie Tiger vs. Harlon Abbott vs. Jack Cartwheel vs. Marcus Mathers
Jack pops the fans with his taunting cartwheels, Abbott earns jeers for flipping everyone off. After a chaotic start to the action, the ring empties. Abbott sweeps Jack out of his one armed handstand, then throws Tiger around with suplexes. Jack returns to annoy Harlon with more cartwheels and a standing moonsault. Mathers wakes up for his turn to run wild. He sets all 3 opponents up for a springboard moonsault. I realize that I've been mixing up Abbott and Tiger, but it's a total spotfest so please forgive me. They're doing the thing where two guys fight at a time while the others nap. Tiger (if that's his real name) hits a string of power moves on Abbott for 2. Jack interrupts with a poison rana, Mathers follows with a rolling cutter. Mathers and Jack are free to duke it out. Mathers absorbs a poison rana and blindsides Jack with a lariat. They transition to everyone gathering around to catch fliers at ringside. Jack misses his corkscrew press, Abbott nearly pants him while hitting a high elevation J-Driller. Mathers breaks the pin with a swanton, then hits a Destroyer. Tiger gives Mathers a DVD into the buckles. Coast to Coast dropkick by Abbott gets a "holy sh!t" chant. Abbott superplexes Mathers, but eats Tiger's headbutt and Jack's corkscrew press. Jack pins both Tiger and Abbott at 11:26 and celebrates with more cartwheels. They didn't stray far from the usual multi-man formula, but the mix of styles provided both novelty and excitement, ***.Winner: Jack Cartwheel
Jody Threat vs. Megan Bayne
They play intimidation games before locking up. Jody slips away from a suplex and delivers a spinning head scissors takedown. Jody bonks Megan into the buckles and hits a high crossbody. Bayne answers with an overhead suplex. Bayne misses a big splash, Jody grabs a crossface. Bayne escapes with a nearfall and nails a headbutt. Jody leaps up for a sleeper, Bayne snapmares her away. Drop toe hold by Jody, but misses running double knees. Megan pulls the hair to serve a delayed suplex. Bayne's clothesline gets a nearfall. The fans are vocally behind Threat and will her into a comeback. Michinoku Driver by Threat gets 2. Bayne reverses a high crossbody into a Tombstone piledriver to win at 8:30. Okay match, Bayne was a bit off her game, nearly slipping up here and there. The fans rallying behind Jody made a nice difference, **¼.Winner: Megan Bayne
Bayne teases a beatdown, but shakes Jody's hand instead. This allows Bayne to maintain her babyface momentum despite getting booed throughout the match.
Harlon Abbott just followed me on Twitter! I hope he never sees this review!
Galeno Del Mal vs. Gringo Loco
Del Mal gets the first clean break and taunts by rolling away. Gringo looks a bit shaken, Del Mal is a much bigger competitor but has the athletic chops to keep up with him. Del Mal hits a nifty rana and jaws at the fans. Gringo catches him off guard with a plancha into the front row. Gringo takes his time but still hits a double springboard moonsault. They pick up the pace and trade leapfrogs until Del Mal connects with a mean shoulder block. This Del Mal guy is really, really good. He slows things down to pick Gringo apart. Gringo answers with a sitout powerbomb. Del Mal answers with a vertical suplex. Their battle heads to the apron, Del Mal nails a running cannonball. I just learned that Del Mal is Dr. Wagner Jr.'s son, makes sense. Frog splash by Del Mal gets a good nearfall. He then misses an overly telegraphed cannonball, but Gringo springboards into a nasty spear! Gringo counters into a top rope Spanish Fly to win at 14:51! Strong exhibition match. Gelano is something of a revelation and Gringo did well playing gatekeeper, ***½.Winner: Gringo Loco
"NWA Wrestler and Mr. GCW" Kerry Morton vs. Mike Bailey
Morton declares himself to be a real wrestler on the mic. They brawl with the mic and trade meta insults. Bailey tries a flying senton, Morton reverses with a powerbomb. Morton slows the pace and picks Bailey apart, like a good NWA heel should. He even finds time to stick his butt into some fans' faces on the stage. Bailey comes back with a missile dropkick and assortment of stiff kicks. Standing SSP by Bailey gets 2. Bailey recovers from a missed SSP, they duke it out until Bailey hits a superkick. Fans chant "GCW!" They both kip up, but it's Bailey who delivers a triangle moonsault to outside. Bailey scores another missile dropkick, and MOrton counters into a double knee backbreaker. Bailey dodges a moonsault and nails a moonsault knee drop for only 2. Falcon Arrow by Bailey, then a SSP, but Morton gets a rope break. Bailey applies a cross armbreaker, Morton escapes but also tumbles into the referee. Morton capitalizes with a low blow and hits a running knee to the head for a good nearfall. Morton grabs the mic and wastes time taunting the fans and Bailey's spouse on commentary. Bailey is allowed to nail the SSP double knees to win at 11:54! Highly entertaining match carried by Morton's personality and Bailey's athleticism. I appreciate Morton making rookie mistakes to cost himself the victory, ***½.Winner: Mike Bailey
Blake Christian talks to the camera. He's still clinging to the GCW World title despite having been stripped of the gold. Blake is salty because he was stripped while winning the Super Junior tournament in Japan. He does an amusing Mance Warner impression, bottom line he wants his title reign restored.
Gahbage Daddies (Alec Price and Cole Radrick) vs. The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv and Harv Sihra)
The Boyz come ready to play some hockey and get a hometown ovation. Price grabs the mic and says the Boyz didn't come to wrestle, but dance instead. The Boyz correct Price, they actually came for HOCKEY. They grab sticks and goalie mitts, the ref drops the puck, Sihra scores a goal past Radrick. The Daddies don't take kindly to this and clear the ring using the hockey sticks. They find time to imitate the Boyz' dancing and settle in to making tags. Sihra nails a DDT on Cole, Price leaps over Cole to stop a tag but fails. The other Sihra gets a hot tag and runs wild. Sihra hits Cole with a flying elbow, Price breaks the cover. The Boyz put the Daddies into sharpshooters! Price escapes with the hockey stick and jumps off Cole's back to hit a crossbody to outside. Stunner and lariat by Price, Cole helps with a Swanton Bomb. Price hits his own Jeff Hardy swanton, the pin is broken. The Boyz regain the hockey sticks and stick them into the Daddies' manhoods. The Boyz nail the Hart Attack to win at 11:04. This was tons of fun. Call me old fashioned, but if wrestling matches don't include hockey, what are we even doing here? ***Winners: The Bollywood Boyz
The Bollywood Boyz' music is simply too catchy and the Gahbage Daddies have no choice but to dance with the victors. I love this nonsense.
NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd vs. Joey Janela
The feeling out process quickly turns into a chopfest. Joey hits a low uppercut and tope suicida into the front row. They trade uppercuts outside, Kidd shoves Joey off the top rope. Kidd gets distracted making lewd gestures at the fans, allowing Joey to come back with chops. Kidd knocks Janela down and continues taunting the fans with pelvic thrusts. Joey is allowed to nail a superplex, but the impact bounces him to ringside. Joey puts together a string of offense, including a DVD for 2. Kidd reverses a brainbuster to buy some time. Kidd builds a door bridge, but Joey drapes him on it for a diving double stomp! Kidd kicks out! Kidd comes back with clubbing offense and nails a backdrop driver! Joey immediately answers with a powerbomb! They exchange words and forearms, and then trade rapid fire German suplexes! Each guy takes about a half dozen suplexes before stumbling up. Kidd's lariat only gets a 1 count, so he hits a piledriver to win at 13:07! These guys just killed each other for 13 straight minutes, bonkers match, ****.Winner: Gabb Kidd
Joey considers retaliating with a chair, but slumps down. Kidd invites Joey to come find him in New Japan so he can kick his a$$ everyday. Joey could probably use the paycheck, booze doesn't pay for itself.
Charles Mason vs. Jordan Oliver
They fire off punches, Mason loses his shirt and kicks at Oliver's injured knee. Jordan goes down like a sack of potatoes, Mason hits a chair shot, the ref calls for the DQ at 2:39. Oliver continues fighting anyway, the ref allows it, and I think a new precedent has been set. Oliver bonks Mason into the post, Shell Shocked is blocked, but Oliver hits a stunner. Oliver continues to run wild on one leg, but is unable to springboard. Mason delivers a vicious dragon screw. He hyperextends the knee and hits a DVD for only 2. Mason's tombstone piledriver also gets 2, so he locks in a kneebar. Oliver is stuck for several seconds but escapes with boots to the face. Cutter by Jordan buys some time. They slug it out until Oliver hits a twisting lariat and suplex. Shell Shocked connects but Mason kicks out. Oliver desperately hits a Tiger Suplex, but Mason pops up for a sleeper. Oliver blocks a piledriver, tries a Cloud Cutter, but Mason counters with another sleeper! Oliver rolls over to steal a pinfall at 13:05! This was super compelling, Jordan excelled as the injured underdog and Mason has really sharpened his psychopathic gimmick, ***½.Winner: Jordan Oliver
Mason hates losing and smashes Oliver's injured knee around the post. Mason reapplies the kneebar, forcing security to rip him away. Oliver's friends arrive too late, the damage has been done, and Mason gloats about hearing the knee pop. Fans chant "Jordan" while he's carried away.
BUSSY (Effy and Allie Katch) and Masha Slamovich vs. Team IWS (Green Phantom, Sexxxy Eddy, and PCP Crazy F'n Manny)
Manny cuts an amusing promo complaining about being stuck in a stinking locker room all evening, having relations with the fans' girlfriends and wives, and having BUSSY outnumbered. Luckily, Masha is a last second entrant. They start with a wild brawl, but BUSSY and Masha quickly catch Manny in the ring with swarming offense. Team IWS blatantly interfere to shift momentum to their favor. Eddy enjoys hitting women and hits Masha and Allie with powerbombs. Manny gives Masha a chokebreaker for 2. Team IWS bring in cheese graters. Allie fights back but gets the grater shoved into her mouth. BUSSY and Masha respond by sticking skewers into their opponents' skulls. Team IWS come right back and slam Allie onto Effy. Eddy hits a split legged moonsault onto BUSSY for only 2. Manny gives Masha a piledriver onto the stage. Manny finds a custom Nick Gage door and spits on it before building a door bridge. BUSSY and Masha give Manny a triple powerbomb through the door to win at 9:05! Just some fun senseless violence. This was a post-intermission match in search of an intermission, **½.Winners: BUSSY and Masha Slamovich
The Bollywood Boyz and Gringo Loco just retweeted me. I'm having a banner night.
GCW Tag Team Championship:
Violence is Forever © (Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini) vs. The Dynasty (Jaxon Roy and Sway Archer)
Canada's own The Dynasty are late subs for Deathmatch Royalty. The fans sure do like them. The Dynasty enjoy a hot start with a neckbreaker/power slam combo. The champs come back with suffocating offense and cut Sway off from tags. Roy gets the hot tag and is allowed to run wild for a polite period of time. The Dynasty nail a tandem DDT, Garrini saves the match and hits a piledriver on the apron.ViF hit a flurry of tandem offense on Archer, finishing him with Chasing the Dragon at 6:49. Glorified squash match for the champs. Just like violence, their reign will last forever, **.Winners and still GCW Tag Team Champions: Violence is Forever
GCW General Manager Matt Cardona (with Steph de Lander and Broski Jimmy) comes to the ring for some words. Jimmy orders the fans to hail them all. Steph was scheduled to wrestle tonight but going forward will only wrestle in the greatest country on earth, The United States! Cardona complains about the venue, it was an hour away from the airport and his limo couldn't find any parking. He's only in Canada to watch Chelsea Green win Money in the Bank. Self-proclaimed GCW World Champion Blake Christian interrupts to confront Cardona about his questionable decisions.
"GCW World Champion" Blake Christian vs. GCW World Champion Mance Warner (with Deathmatch Royalty)
No titles are on the line, but you can imagine the winner will have some serious bragging rights. That is, of course, unless they go with a non-finish, which GCW isn't above doing. Blake calls Warner a fake champion and gets knocked off his feet. Warner dominates with skewers, beer cans, and clubbing offense. Blake responds by smashing Warner's arms and head into the posts. Blake targets the shoulder with a springboard dropkick. Blake picks apart the shoulder until Mance trips him by shoving the ref into the ropes. Mance sells his shoulder injury while picking Blake apart with chairs. Blake desperately reverses a brainbuster onto a chair! DDT by Blake, but he's too hurt to do anything about it. Blake eventually hits a spinebuster through a chair, but Mance kicks out. Blake can't hit a 450, but recovers by attacking the shoulder with a sickening snap! Blake builds a door bridge and heads to the stage for a running start. Mance reverses with a DDT through the door! Blake answers with a ripcord DDT and Fujiwar armbar! Mance escapes and nails a headbutt that leaves them both down for a breather. They brawl on their knees until Blake hits an enziguri to the arm. Mance blasts a lariat with his good arm and gets a slow nearfall. Blake kips up for a superkick but Mance hits a knee strike to the face for another 2. Mance sets a door on the middle rope but Blake reverses a hard Irish whip! They jockey for position until Blake hits a brutal double stomp against the door that DOES NOT BREAK! Blake hits another double stomp on the door, this time targeting the bad arm, and the door STILL doesn't break. Fans chant "F*ck that door." Jimmy interferes but accidentally bashes Mance with a chair. Blake superkicks Jimmy and then hits a 450 on Mance. Joey Janela breaks the cover and attacks Blake. Steph attacks Joey, allowing Jimmy to ambush with a chair. Megan Bayne runs in to spear Jimmy and get into Steph's face. Mance interrupts with a DDT on Megan! Mance takes out a screwdriver, Blake takes it away and double stomps Bayne's spine. Everyone hates everyone, I guess. Blake returns the screwdriver to Mance and slips away. The match is called off at 24:04. Epic main event with a Russo finish you could see coming from a mile away. I'm still oddly satisfied, understanding that this is a middle chapter to set up something even bigger, ****.No Contest
Deathmatch Royalty force Joey to watch Mance stab Megan's eye with the screwdriver.
Final Thoughts: From beginning to end, this was one of the better GCW shows I've ever seen. This struck the right balance of angle advancement, exhibition matches, and soap opera drama. I'm really hyped up after watching this, strong recommendation.
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