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GCW: Keep in Touch - August 2, 2020

by SamoaRowe

From White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our hosts are Dave Prazak and Kevin Gil. There is a good sized crowd of socially distanced fans spread out around the grassy area.

Tony Deppen vs. Benjamin Carter

Deppen dismisses his opponent on the mic, prompting a hot start for Carter, who spins through rapid pin predicaments. Deppen offers a handshake but cheap shots instead and sends Carter to the ground. Carter rushes back to surprise Deppen with a spin heel kick, but Deppen cuts him to work over the knee. Carter no-sells and teases a comeback, but Deppen puts him in a Figure Four. Carter gets a break and snaps Deppen's neck on the ropes. Carter is slow to get up after dropkick but lights Deppen up with open hand slaps. They trade about 5,000 slaps and Carter enziguris Deppen to the ground but misses a moonsault, which allows Deppen to hit a beautiful somersault senton. Carter pops right up and hits a somersault senton dive of his own! Carter's standing SSP gets 2. Deppen rolls through a superplex, hits a brainbuster, and delivers a brutal double stomp to the ribs for a great 2 count. Carter pulls the hair to counter into a top rope Spanish Fly and follows with a frog splash but Deppen kicks out! Carter's Phoenix Splash misses but he pops up to hit a superkick and Shining Wizard. Carter misses another top rope move and Deppen's Shining Wizard ends it at 10:15. Lively opener that gave Carter a chance to show us what he's got, which is a ton of potential and athleticism, but needs some fine tuning when it comes to selling, **¾.
Winner: Tony Deppen

Cole Radrick vs. Kylie Rae

There's a cool moment when Kylie gets a standing ovation for her entrance. She puls a bowtie from her tights and Radrick lets her put it on his head. Jim Cornette would hate this so much and it makes me smile. Kylie attempts a quick roll-up but flees to the ropes to dodge Cole's kick, so he mocks her signature smile. Kylie offers a handshake and ambushes for the upper hand, and hits a head scissors takedown. They roll around for rapid pin attempts and Kylie hits a running cannonball for 2. Radrick escapes a backslide and hangs in the ropes to lure Kylie into a back senton. Second rope moonsault by Radrick gets 2. Cole gets a door but Rae dropkicks it into his face. Cole bridges a door on some chairs and places an upside down open chair on it… for later. Back to the ring, Rae stretches Cole on her back and swings his head into the buckles. Cole escapes with an armdrag and hits a flying knee to the face. Kylie hits a dead lift German Suplex and follows with a crossface! Cole answers with a fireman's carry slam and half crab! Kylie survives and stomps Cole into the corner and hits a running boot. Rae looks like such a bad-ass right now. They fight to the apron and Kylie attempts a German through the table and chair, but settles for a powerbomb instead! Well, Radrick is dead, but still kicks out at 2. Cole makes a miraculous recovery for a backpack stunner for 2, and Kylie puts him back in the crossface. Cole escapes and hits a chokeslam backbreaker and piledriver to win at 13:27! Super fun match and a believable intergender showcase, ***.
Winner: Cole Radrick

Kylie is a nice person and hugs Radrick before a double smile pose on the buckles.

KTB vs. Calvin Tankman

This has the potential to be a kick-ass heavyweight battle. KTB has slimmed down during the pandemic and Tankman… has not. I can relate. They trade headlocks and no sell each other's shoulder blocks. Tempers flare as KTB throws hammers, but Tankman flips over his shoulders and hits an armdrag! KTB walks the ropes to hit an armdrag. Tankman spears KTB off the apron but lands on his own head! Good thing he landed on soft grass that could use a mowing. They brawl back to the ring and KTB dropkicks Tankman to the ground for a running somersault plancha! Tankman comes back with a clothesline for 2. Tankman blocks a sunset flip but misses a standing SSP. KTB misses a springboard and Tankman hits a spinebuster and back hand to the head for 2. After a struggle, KTB hits a top rope fireman carry slam for only 2! Tankman throws more strikes, but KTB puts him in a half crab for the submission at 10:53! this big man battle was lots of fun, due to great pacing and surprising athleticism throughout, ***.
Winner: KTB

KTB is barely audible in a promo that appears to put Tankman over, as they shake hands.

Tre Lamar vs. Blake Christian

They feel each other out while the commentators put them over as future millionaires. Neither man gains an advantage so it restarts with a test of strength. Lamar sends Christian to the grass for a suicide dive! Christian answers with head scissors takedowns and hits a nasty suicide dive into some chairs. Lamar answers with a springboard double stomp to the spine for 2. Lamar blocks a dive with an enziguri and follows with a springboard lariat. They trade counters until Blake hits a standing moonsault to the back for 2. Another exchange leads to Christian hitting a low 619 followed by a springboard 450 attempt, but he settles for a half n' half slam for a late 2 count. Blake's KO kick also gets 2. Christian misses a dive, which allows Lamar to hit a soaring plancha. Lamar pours water on Christian, which prompts him to attempt a dive but settle for an inverted DDT on the grass. Lamar misses a 450 splash, so Christian sprints into a modified elbow drop to win at 13:42! Nice exhibition, even if there was little story beyond "look at all the MOVEZ we know." These guys are future millionaires, indeed, ***.
Winner: Blake Christian

Effy and Allie Kat vs. 44OH! (Rickey Shane Page and Atticus Cogar)

Effy trades holds with Cogar to start. Effy and Kat look like adorable underdogs against the "repugnant pieces of sh!t" 44OH!. Effy headbutts the groin (to a pop!) and drags his eyes against the ropes. Effy and Kat hit double back elbows and suplex poor Cogar. Allie hits a seated senton but Cogar answers with a German suplex, giving 44OH! control. 44OH! look so gross, I hope they have extra sanitizer on hand to clean up before the next bout. Allie breaks Cogar's headlock with a chinbreaker and Effy gets the long awaited hot tag. Effy gets the better of RSP, hitting a running bit boot and leg lariat on Cogar. RSP cuts Effy off with a head kick but his superplex is countered into a blockbuster for 2. Effy hits a back suplex on RPS and slams Cogar onto him. Kat tags for a 2 count. Kat's corner cannonball gets 2. Effy sets a door onto some chairs , but RSP stomps through the door to save his partner. Effy is unable to slam Cogar, and gets planted, but Kat saves the match. The match breaks down into a brawl. Cigar takes Kat out with a dive, leaving Effy to hit a bicycle kick, but RSP bounces back with a spear to win at 14:33! Another absolutely fun match due to pacing and sheer effort, though that finish was somewhat abrupt, ***.
Winners: 44OH!

INTERMISSION!

Nate Webb vs. Mance Warner

You haven't lived until you've heard Prazak and Gil sing along with "Teenage Dirtbag" during Webb's entrance. Slow start with both guys competing for cheers. Webb then rejects a handshake and they brawl to the grass, and Warner is quickly busted open after a chair shot. Warner survives by back dropping Webb through a door and chairs. They set up another door on chairs in the ring, and Webb puts Warner through it with a CHAIRSAULT! Warner kicks out! Webb props a door in the buckles but Warner spears him it. Warner hits a shoulder tackle off a chair to finally break the door, but Webb kicks out. Warner sets Webb under a door and chairs, but Webb pops up with a chair throw . Webb sets another layer of door and chairs (with the ref holding it in place, LOL), but Warner counters with a chokeslam through the furniture, but WEBB KICKS OUT! They seem to have missed their crescendo, as the fans aren't buying the standard wrestling moves that follow. Warner misses with a DDT on the pile of rubble at 12:33. This was fun and got over with the live crowd, but it did overstay it's welcome by a few minutes, **¾.
Winner: Mance Warner

Scramble:
Jordan Oliver vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Shane Mercer vs. Alex Zayne vs. Isaias Velazquez vs. Ace Austin

A 4-way test of strength results in superkicks and powerbombs, and competitors spill all over the ring and grass. Austin looks good as he arm drags Lloyd onto Oliver. Zayne and Austin find each other for a war of purple hair vs. blue hair, and Zayne finds time to dive onto Mercer, who catches him for a slam on the grass. Mercer throws Zayne onto Oliver, and hits Lloyd with an exploder. Mercer hits a one handed press slam on Vasquez and seamlessly transitions into a fallaway slam on Zayne. Oliver plants Mercer, but Lloyd returns with a superkick and sitout piledriver! Zayne ranas Lloyd onto Oliver! Vasquez hits a Northern Lights suplex/Leg Lock on Zayne and Oliver, and follows with a double crucifix bomb! Lloyd blocks a sliced bread to send Vasquez crashing onto the others on the ground. Zayne wipes everyone out with a plancha, followed by Mercer's moonsault. Oliver dives to hit Mercer with a DDT onto the grass. Vasquez breaks Oliver's cover with a flying double stomp. Zayne is interrupted by Oliver's cutter onto the top rope, but he rebounds with double guillotine leg drops! Meanwhile, Mercer slams Austin for 2, but Oliver breaks up a superplex with a sunset bomb! Zayne capitalizes with a running 450 onto Mercer and finishes with the Taco Driver at 10:00. Crisp spotfest that made everyone look good, ***.
Winner: Alex Zayne

AJ Gray vs. Chris Dickinson

Dickinson hits a shotgun dropkick right out of the gate. Shoulder tackle by Dickinson and back suplex. Gray answers with a hard enziguri and suicide dive! Gray sadly hits a glancing second rope senton. Dickinson comes back with a vicious looking dragon screw leg sweep and goes to town on the leg. Gray guts out a superplex to buy some time! They trade forearms and Gray builds some steam with Polish Hammers. Power slam by Gray and a flying guillotine leg drop only gets 2! Tiger Suplex by Gray gets another nearfall. Gray clings to control with a leg lariat but is too worn for a cover. Dickinson comes back with a top rope rana, but Gray answers with a boot, so Dickinson hits a roundhouse kick and targets the weakened leg with a half crab! Gray gets the ropes so Dicksinson hits a back suplex and goes back to the half crab and STF. THey trade stiff shots until Gray hits a suplex and lariat for 2. Another Gray suplex gets 2. Dickinson hits a modified dragon screw out of the ropes and follows with a powerbomb and cloverleaf for the submission at 15:42! Solid match that delivered some intense brawling along with a well told story of Dickinson picking apart the leg, ***.
Winner: Chris Dicksinson

ACH vs. Joey Janela

The fans are pretty jazzed for this. They start with a chain wrestling show. Janela climbs through the ropes to break a wristlock and hits a shoulder block. They trade back and forth pinning predicaments. They reach a stalemate, shake hands, but ACH then hits a dropkick and high flying dive to the grass. Janela cuts ACH off with a trip on the ring frame. Janela hits a running DVD into the crowd. The fans chant for someone to go into the river, haha. They brawl close enough to the river to tease a spot before heading back to the ring. ACH survives a figure four and fires off a suicide dive. Janela answers with a dive of his own. ACH responds with a penalty kick and deadlift German suplex on the ring frame! I glance away for a minute and suddenly Janela is in control again, but ACH counters with a top rope Tiger Driver! Janela kicks out! Janela loses a strikefest but answers with a package piledriver for 2! ACH blocks a flying elbow with his knees. ACH slams Joey onto his freshly injured elbow. ACH leaps off the second rope to Pele kick Janela on the turnbuckles and quickly hits a superplex and brainbuster for a good nearfall. ACH's lariat only gets 2. Janela comes back with a superkick and DVD for 2. Joey is fired up but his arm is too hurt to properly hit a slam. ACH kicks the bard arm but Janela flips him with a lariat. Janela's suplex gets another 2 count. Janela's top rope moonsault to the grass is good! Low blow by ACH and he locks on a crossface for an instant submission at 24:18! Whoa, I'm actually really mad at that finish, but in an old-school "mad at the heel" way and not mad at the promotion itself. The match itself was really sound, with solid, deliberate action, though it never quite left second gear and the crowd was surprisingly muted after being really hot to start, ***¼.
Winner: ACH

ACH rubs his victory in on the mic and tosses Janela a bottle of river water. Janela rejects the offer, so ACH cools himself off.

Final Thoughts: Nothing extraordinary here, but I still love the venue and atmosphere. GCW delivered another feel-good show that is better than the sum of its parts. I think there is a slew of "next big thing" talent all over these shows too, so if you want to be the f'n hipster who brags that you saw these guys before they were famous, now's the time to check them out.

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