GCW: The Wrld on GCW, Part 2 - June 20, 2020
by SamoaRowe
From the Celebration Plaza Amphitheater at White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. There are real live fans in the crowd! Not everyone is practicing social distancing, but they're mostly wearing masks. There are spectators from outside the park watching on from the distance. I can't imagine what they must think of all this nonsense. Our hosts are Kevin Gil and Dave Prazak.
10 Bell Salute for Danny Havoc and Adam Bueller.
Jimmy Lloyd vs. Alex Zayne
Commentary puts this over as a clash of styles as Zayne does "flippy sh!t" and Lloyd is a brawler. They trade holds anyway, with Lloyd hitting a rough springboard armdrag, but Zayne then sends him through the ropes but overshoots an Asai Moonsault. Zayne saves face by sending Lloyd onto a chair with a rana. Zayne goes for a Shooting Star off the apron and Lloyd botches a cutter counter. Zayne escapes a chinlock and hits a flipping leg drop. Standing Shooting Star by Zayne and Poison Rana. Lloyd waits patiently to dodge a Shooting Star and plants Zayne for 2. Lloyd's sitout powerbomb can't get the win. Zayne answers with a leaping rana, followed by the Shooting Star Double Knees. Taco Driver finishes at 6:56. This was a shameless spotfest with numerous timing and chemistry issues, *½.Winner: Alex Zayne
Tony Deppen vs. Shane Mercer
Deppen attempts an ambush to no avail. Mercer blocks a sunset flip and pulls Deppen into a buckle bomb. Mercer misses a head of steam, but reverses a Codebreaker into an overhead belly to belly suplex. Mercer hits consecutive power moves until Deppen counters into a DDT. High crossbody to the grass by Deppen, and he seats Mercer for a somersault tope! They brawl over to a rail by the White River, and they tease a suplex into the river! Fans chant "We want water!" Sadly, they return to the ring instead. Deppen's open hand slaps only enrage Mercer for a wild power slam. Deppen blocks a superplex and military press, and manages to springboard dropkick Mercer off the apron! Deppen dives into a botched powerbomb counter, so Mercer saves face with a normal powerbomb onto the ring frame. Mercer drags Deppen around the concession stands (and "bitchslaps" Logan Stunt) and tosses him into a fountain. Back to the ring, Mercer hits a Royal Butterfly for 2. Desperation KO blows by Deppen aren't enough to finish, and Mercer fires back with a POUNCE and discus lariat for 2. Mercer's Tombstone Piledriver gets 2, and we've entered finisher spamming territory. Deppen barely manages to hit a powerbomb off the buckles and follows with a knee strike. Deppen's Death Blow finishes at 13:11. Overall this was a lot of fun, especially with all the set piece action, but they botched a few key spots and missed the crescendo by a couple spots, **½.Winner: Tony Deppen
KTB vs. AJ Gray
Both guys look like bruisers and aggressively lock up. They quickly exchange closed fists and knife edge chops. KTB build steam with a falling back senton. Gray answers with a leg lariat. Gray misses the moonsault and KTB hits an atomic drop, spinebuster, crossbody sequence. Spinning elbow drop by KTB sets up a crossface. Gray breaks out and hits a lariat and flying guillotine leg drop! Gray sets up a door in the corner and they tease bumps through the prop. KTB hits a lionsault for 2. They jockey for position on the top rope until Gray nails a superplex, then rolling into a power slam through the door! The door doesn't break, but Gray gets the pinfall anyway at 8:26! This was lively and had great pacing. I think the outdoor summer weather is messing with the guys, as everyone is sweating profusely, leading to many botches or near botches, **¾.Winner: AJ Gray
Tre Lamar vs. Lee Moriarty
They start with some good old fashioned grappling. Moriarty bounces on his back to squirm out of a headlock. They run the ropes and Lamar nails a dropkick. They roll into a "Pumpkin Squared Circle" pinning predicament, and the crowd applauds. Moriarty hits a big boot from the apron but then runs into Lamar's double stomp to the chest. A frantic exchange leads to a Lamar high crossbody for 2. Moriarty uses a modified 619 to knock Lamar off the ropes and nails a hammerlock DDT for 2. Lamar answers with a rolling suplex into a Falcon Arrow. Moriarty hits a sequence of potential KO shots for a nearfall. Lamar tackles the leg and hits a tight superkick to the back of the head! Another wild sequence leads to a Moriarty big boot for 2. Moriarty hits a swinging DDT, followed by a spike DDT for the win at 8:00. This was basically two very talented guys creating a business card together, **¾.Winner: Lee Moriarty
Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner and Matthew Justice) vs. 44OH (Rickey Shane Page and Atticus Cogar)
SGC take their time coming to the ring, so we get to hear the entirety of Shinedown's "Simple Man" cover. By contrast, the fans HATE 44OH and chant "F*ck these guys!" SGC try to fill the ring with plunder, but 44OH toss it all out. The match has to start off on a clean note, with Justice getting the better of Cogar. SGC enjoy themselves as they pick apart Cogar. Page interferes, leading to some dives to the grass. FFOH take over and pick apart Warner in their corner. Justice tries to help out and brings in a door, but Page gets rid of it. The really play into the tag team formula as they do the old "ref misses the hot tag" bit and the beatdown on Justice continues. Justice blocks a superplex and nails a desperate frog splash. Warner gets the hot tag and runs wild with punches and elbow shots. He chokeslams the life out of Cogar. SGC hit tande avalanches and clear the ring, allowing Justice to hit the obligatory dive onto the field. Justice perches on the top rope again, but Page throws a chair. Now, 44OH want weapons, as they bring in a door. Justice hits a flying spear onto the door, which again doesn't break. They repeat the exact same spot and the door finally breaks. Cogar hits some chair shots and poses on the weapon, allowing Warner to hit a leaping DDT. SGC bridge a door on some chairs to murder Cogar with a 3D, but Page pulls the ref out. Cogar low blows Justice and DDT's him onto the door for the win at 16:50! I liked this a lot, the personalities carried this as much as the action, and the finish feels like a bummer for the right reasons, ***½.Winners: 44OH
INTERMISSION!
Benjamin Carter vs. Jonathan Wolf vs. JJ Garett vs. Cole Radrick vs. Gringo Loco vs. Zachary Wentz vs. Calvin Tankman
This will probably be a joy to recap, as I don't know who most of these guys are and it's the post-intermission spotfest. Everyone jumps the big man, Tankman, and he tosses them off, so he eats a 5-way superkick! Radrick gets some shine with an enziguri, overhead suplex, and brainbuster. Garett slows him down with a headlock. Garett hits a gnarly double stomp, or curb stomp. Gringo Loco takes advantage with a split legged moonsault. Garett removes Loco and squares off against Wentz, who takes over with rapid fire kicks and standing moonsault. Garett dives onto the field, and Radrick catches Wentz with a boot. Radrick takes a turn hitting a dive, as the others are kind enough to keep gathering together on the grass. Loco hits a dive, but Carter gets his shine with some rapid dives. Wentz squares off against big Tankman and gets tossed over the ropes onto the others. Tankman's dive is blocked. They gather together for a cool Tower of Doom! Carter hits a Shooting Star Senton on Tankman, but Loco ambushes with a Tombstone. Wentz ambushes with a SWEET springboard cutter. Garett then ambushes with a springboard senton. Radrick returns with a springboard cutter, and spots Garett resting on a door and hits a flying elbow! Meanwhile, Tankman swings Carter into Wentz, and then powerbombs him onto his back! Tankman finally connects with his plancha to the field! Tankman sets Carter up for a running Shooting Star for the win at 11:45! I'm absolutely impressed by the athleticism, creativity, and effort by these guys, though there was a bit much of the "everyone takes a nap while 2 guys fight" and "let's stand together for a while to catch fliers" sequences, ***.Winner: Calvin Tankman
Manders vs. Chris Dickinson
They start by exchanging knife edge chops. Dickinson scores a brutal German suplex and goes to work on the legs. Manders comes back with chops and open hand slaps, and hits a power slam for 2. Dickinson shrugs off a lariat and hits a nasty dragon screw legsweep to set up a running knee to the face. Dickinson hits a second dragon screw off the second rope and follows with a DVD for 2. Manders absorbs a missile dropkick and answers with a lariat. Manders hits a bridging German for 2. They trade suplexes and take a breather. They trade forearms until Dickinson locks on a Figure Four to win at 10:35. Not much to this one, crowd seemed taken out of it too, **.Winner: Chris Dickinson
The previously dead crowd chants "both these guys" while Dickinson and Manders show some respect.
Myron Reed vs. Blake Christian
Reed, still sporting a chest protector, engages in "the game of human chess" with Christian. The pace quickens and they flip through a thousand cool spots before reaching a stalemate. Reed drops Christian onto his tailbone and bounces into an enziguri. They seem pretty gassed due to the blistering pace and work in a chinlock spot. Reed builds some momentum with a guillotine leg drop, followed by a crisp suicide dive. Christian crawls back onto the apron, only for Reed to hit a running CUTTER over the ropes onto the grass! That was AWESOME! Reed slowly hits a dropkick to the neck for 2. Christian comes back with rapid quick attacks, including a springboard cutter. Reed responds with a chinbreaker and quick string of high impact moves for a good nearfall. Christian catches Reed with a dropkick through the legs and big time powerbomb for 2. They do a silly mirror sequence until they hit the canvas in stereo for applause. They stumble through a slugfest. Christian misses a wild dive, but lands safely on the grass, then sprints back to try again, landing on Reed for an inverted DDT! Christian drapes Reed for a 450 leg drop for, you guessed it, only 2. Christian can't hit a normal 450, and Reed surprises with a flying uppercut. Reed soars over the ring post to hit Christian with a plancha. Reed hits another fancy splash for a late 2 count. They exchange slaps on their knees, and Christian takes over with kicks. Reed hits a chinbreaker, but Christian catches him with a springboard Spanish Fly and wrenches in a sleeper, and reverses a cover to win at 19:14. These guys are outstanding prospects and will be going places, but despite some awesome high spots, this match tried to be too many things at once to be great as a complete package, ***.Winner: Blake Christian
Effy vs. Allie Kat
It's man vs. cat, and Allie tries to force Effy to pet her. She goes as far as laying down on her back, insisting for a tummy rub. Instead, Effy attacks the head, and sells a back injury after hitting the ropes. Kat hits a shoulder block to send Effy to ringside to complain on the mic. I can't quite hear what Effy says (something about being "old gay"), but the crowd reacts like it's a sick burn. Effy brings in a door, but Allie dropkicks it into his face. Allie hits a seated senton and running hip attack and cannonball. Effy hits a running knee for 2. Allie seems to suffer a wardrobe malfunction, so a nice gentleman passes her a t-shirt, but Effy makes it hard for her to put in with cheap shots. Allie runs into a back fist to the face, so she scratches with her claws. Allie's clothesline gets 2. Effy blocks a whip into a door, but Allie counters into a sitout powerbomb. They exchange slaps to a dueling chant of "old gay" vs "new gay." Allie sets the unbroken door on two chairs and heads to the top rope. Effy pops up and puts Allie through the door via SUPER RANA! That would have been a great finish, but Allie kicks out at 2. TKO by Effy and Dragon Sleeper, but Allie breaks out. Allie tips over while trying to hit a spike DDT, so they tumble around long enough to make it look like the botch was intentional before Allie properly hits the spike DDT to win at 13:10. This was novel and had some cool moments, but it also overstayed it's welcome by a few minutes, **½.Winner: Allie Kat
Fans are provided with gloves so they can mosh with Nick Gage during his entrance. Safest mosh pit ever. Unfortunately, a fan passes out from heat exhaustion off camera, so everyone hits the pause button.
Nick Gage vs. Nate Webb
Webb stops for a beer on his way to the ring and rocks out to "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus. Gage gets fed up and shoves Webb off the ropes before the bell. Gage quickly powerbombs Webb through a door. They take a break for proper ring announcements. Gage stays on offense, leading the brawl over to the rail by the river. Webb nearly slips while hitting a dangerous clothesline off the metal fence! Webb spits beer into Gage's face, which earns him a backbreaker. Gage throws a cooler through Webb's skull and commands a fan to hold a chair up for Webb's forehead. Back to the ring, Gage hits some spinebusters. He rips apart a broken door (inadvertently revealing how gimmicky the flimsy furniture is) and sets it on Webb for a running hip attack. Gage fills the ring with doors and chairs and hits a springboard senton for good measure. Webb counters with a sunset flip powerbomb through a door! Webb hits a coast to coast moonsault on Gage in the tree of woe! Webb looks for a chairsault, but Gage kicks the chair into his skull. Gage hits a second rope piledriver through a standing chair and WINS at 11:20. This was a totally ugly, yet satisfying garbage brawl, **¾.Winner: Nick Gage
Final Thoughts: I loved the venue, atmosphere, and steps taken to have a safe show for live fans. Everyone worked really hard, even if several matches missed the high level marks they were shooting for. This gets a recommendation for being better than the sum of its parts and the joyful, feel-good vibes.
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