GCW: Touch the Sky- February 23, 2024
by Doc Allen
Live from Gilley's in Dallas, Texas. There is a capacity crowd crammed into this night club venue. The Green Power Range is in attendance, so you know this event is a big deal. Dave Prazak and Emil Jay are on commentary.
Jordan Cruz, Max Heights, and Kari Wright vs. SGC*nt (1 Called Manders, Effy, and Sawyer Wreck)
Effy tangles with Heights, doesn't take him seriously, and Wright makes him pay with a kip up enziguri. Manders and Cruz tag in for an indie version of a hoss fight. Wreck tags and cleans house with relative ease. Manders and Wreck take turns chopping Wright, who manages to avoid a tower of doom attack. The jobber trio attempt triple dives, but Cruz gets caught in the ropes and has to try again. They swarm Manders with a rapid sequence of attacks. Hot tag by Effy, it's nice to see a Texan crowd take a shine to him. Wreck tries to finish things, but Cruz counters with a stunner. Wright stuns Wreck for Heights' frog splash, Effy saves the match. Manders helps with a lariat, Wreck delivers double chokeslams. SGC*nt hit the Doomsday Rough Ryder to win at 9:56. This did what most good openers do, **½.Winners: SGC*nt
Los Desperados (Gringo Loco, Latigo, and Toxin) vs. Aramis, Microman, and Oni El Bendito
Latigo and Aramis start the feeling out process and reach a stalemate to a great crowd reaction. Latigo flips the bird, so Aramis hits a springboard rana. Aramis makes fools of Los Desperados by flipping from one guy to the next. Bendito tags in to feel Gringo out. Toxin mocks Microman's height and gets blasted in the face for it. Microman hits a fun rana and stomps Latigo's foot to drop him to punch the face. Los Desperados regroup and stomp Microman to big heat. Microman counters a powerbomb and helps set up a triple diving sequence. Fans chant “GCW!” They follow with triple 450 splashes for triple kick outs at 2. Microman hits a tiny Codebreaker, Bendidto throws him at Toxin, Latigo saves the match. Los Desperados hold Bendito still for a wind up kick to the groin. Microman tries and fails to clean house and eats triple superkicks. Gringo hits a hilariously botched Tombstone Piledriver but the fans still hate him for hurting Microman. Microman dodges a double springboard moonsault and hits a DDT! Aramis helps with a moonsault onto Los Desperados! Bendito follows suit with a springboard corkscrew press! Microman is left to roll up Gringo for 2. Gringo reverses poor Microman's suplex, Aramis saves the match. Aramis leaps on Gringo's shoulders for a sweet rana. The match breaks down, tags become irrelevant. Los Desperados hit Aramis with a tandem moonsault to win at 14:05! Tons of fun, unless you're a wrestling purist who hates fun, ***¼.Winners: Los Desperados
Matt Cardona and Steph De Lander abuse Broski Jimmy in a shadowy vignette. They're setting Jimmy up as the Sami Zayn In Bloodline role. Jimmy isn't Broski-like enough for the group, unless he can get laid. Jimmy calls his mom for help.
Broski Jimmy vs. Billie Starkz
Jimmy pulls a written Matt Cardona out of his tights and reads it as part of his Broski-in-training duties. Billie doesn't like being mocked as a Youtube superstar and kicks Jimmy to the floor. Billie hits a pair of topes to send Jimmy into the front row, he blocks the third tope and bonks her into a steel post. He throws her through the first 3 rows of chairs. Billie takes a short beating before hitting a poison rana for 2. Jimmy regains his composure and whiffs on a Broski Boot. Billie comes back with a slick roundhouse kick and a messy blockbuster for 2. Jimmy blocks a Swanton Bomb and nails a suplex for 2. Billie answers with a German suplex, followed by a brutal Dragon suplex. Jimmy no-sells to hit a Rough Ryder for 2. He grabs the Internet Championship, but Billie spin kicks it into his skull Swanton Bomb by Billie connects for the win at 6:06. Fun little match, these two have some kinks to work out, **¼.Winner: Billie Starkz
Bollywood Boyz (Gurv and Harv Sihra) vs. Gahbage Daddies (Alec Price and Cole Radrick)
Radrick looks outclassed by the Boyz early on but hangs on long enough to make a tag. Cole assists Price's springboard clothesline. The Boyz respond with stereo Sharpshooters. Gahbage Daddies escape, so the Boyz take a timeout for a promo. No one wants to see wrestling, so all four men engage in some Bollywood dancing. The fans love this, but the good times don't last for long, as the Boyz sneak attack and bring chairs into the action. Gahbage Daddies finish their dancing and hit stereo running boots into sitting Boyz. Springboard stunner by Cole, slingshot clothesline by Price. Springboard blockbuster by Price, followed by a tope onto both Boyz. Parrow arrives to distract the Daddies, and the Boyz capitalize with a backbreaker/flying elbow combo on Radrick to win at 10:30. Nothing special, just a bunch of goofiness with a lame distraction finish, **.Winners: Bollywood Boyz
The Boyz dance in celebration while Parrow attacks Gahbage Daddies with a chain.
Jacob and Zilla Fatu vs. Los Macizos (Ciclope and Miedo Extremo)
Zilla starts things hot with a spear through a door! The Fatus take the brawl to ringside. Zilla powerbombs Miedo through a door! Hip attack by Jacob, but Ciclope breaks the pin with a chair. Jacob no-sells a German suplex, but then gets flapjacked through a door. All four guys go down for a "GCW" chant. Miedo bites Zilla's fingers, so Jacob throws a chair at him. Zilla recovers with a pop up Samoan drop on Ciclope. Los Macizos swarm Zilla with lucha offense, but Jacob saves the match. Los Macizos nail a Doomsday Device through a door! Jacob helps with a splash and throws Miedo into Zilla's spear for the win at 8:21! All killer, no filler brawl, this was wild, ***½.Winners: Jacob and Zilla Fatu
Sam Stackhouse vs. Joey Janela
Sam's size doesn't intimidate Joey early on, and he even grabs a bear hug! Stackhouse escapes and tosses Janela across the ring. Sam shoulder blocks Janela to ringside but misses a head of steam into the ring post. Janela hits a high crossbody to the floor! Joey stays on the attack with a DDT. Joey builds a door bridge but Sam blocks his suplex attempt. Sam gets some shots in before Joey locks on a sleeper. Stackhouse hits a series of avalanches. Janela tries a DVD but Stackhouse is simply too large for him to lift. Joey flies into Stackhouse's cutter! Sam spends too much time propping a door and Joey strikes back. Joey uses all his willpower to put Sam through the door with a Samoan drop! Janela gets overconfident and allows Sam to come back with a spin heel kick! Janela answers with a spike rana for only 2! Head butt by Stackhouse, but Janela's low bridge sends him crashing through the door bridge for a hideous bump! Joey is too slow to capitalize and Sam recovers for a big splash! Stackhouse's shirt comes off and he tries a Vader Bomb, but Janela pops up for a powerbomb. Joey hits a chair assisted double stomp to win at 15:20! Considering his size, Stackhouse put in a HELL of a performance here, giving Joey all he could handle and teasing a big upset numerous times. What could have been a routine squash turned into a highly impressive victory for Janela, ***.Winner: Joey Janela
GCW Tag Team Championship:
Violence is Forever © (Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini) vs. Monstersauce (Lance Archer and Alex Zayne)
Garrini is relieved to be locking up with Zayne, rather than Archer. Zayne is no slouch and quickly hits a rana from the corner. Garrini fires off a chop, Zayne returns fire. Ku interrupts a chopfest, but Archer enters the match for some house cleaning. Zayne sends Archer into Garrini with a rana. Ku catches Archer with a dragon screw in the ropes, and ViF takes control of Zayne in their corner. Zayne takes a good beating but spins Ku with an inside out clothesline. Archer gets the inevitable hot tag and unleashes an onslaught on ViF. Archer slams Zayne onto Garrini, who counters with a choke. Ku leaps onto Archer for a sleeper, but Archer snapmares him onto Garrini. ViF give Archer stereo forearm shots and put Zayne through a gutbuster/clothesline sequence. Bu Sai Ku knee by Ku gets 2 on Zayne. Archer hoists Garrini for Zayne's flying neckbreaker. Ku dropkicks Archer away, leaving Zayne alone for Chasing the Dragon to win at 11:32! Decent match that played out exactly how'd you expect, with Zayne doing most of the work and Archer filling in with timely power moves, **¾.Winners and still GCW Tag Team Champions: Violence is Forever
Violence is Forever congratulate themselves on their victory, which lures out the Bollywood Boyz to issue the next challenge. Los Macizos interrupt to throw their names into the hat, despite suffering a big loss earlier. Speaking of which, Jacob and Zilla Fatu read my mind and join the party, setting up a 4-way tag for Spring Break 8... in a PUNJABI PRISON MATCH! I truly and sincerely hope they can provide a structure similar to the wacky WWE gimmick match.
Pagano vs. John Wayne Murdoch
Murdoch starts with an unfriendly slap to the face. Pagano tosses Murdoch to the floor for a wild somersault dive. Pagano misses a diving senton through a wired door! JWM staples some dollar bills around Pagano's body. Pagano answers with a missile dropkick, then a tope into the front row. Pagano sticks some barbed wire into JWM's head and licks the camera. Pagano hits a top rope armdrag onto a wired door for 2. Murdoch recovers with a chinbreaker and running big boot for 2. JWM delivers a testicular claw and licks his hand before getting a 2 count. Pagano answers with a belly to back suplex through a wired door! Pagano hits a wired flying elbow for 2. Pagano misses a chairsault, so JWM staples his tongue and hits a brainbuster through a chair to win at 10:14! That finish caught me off guard since it seemed like they were pacing themselves for a long bout. Vicious and methodical fight for the sheer hell of it, **¾.Winner: John Wayne Murdoch
Passionate video promo by Fuego Del Sol. He's returning to his old stomping grounds in Texas to prove he's better than Blake Christian.
GCW World Championship:
Blake Christian © vs. Fuego Del Sol
Loud dueling chant at the bell. Blake lounges in the ropes while Fuego is eager to start .They lock up, Fuego flips around to control a wristlock. Blake reverses with a cartwheel. Blake licks Fuego's middle finger and goes for the mask. They trade reversals until Fuego is forced into a rope break. Blake works a mean headlock. Fuego escapes, Blake casually walks away from a potential tope. They run the ropes until Fuego hits a head scissors takedown. Fuego maneuvers into a Sharpshooter/Pendulum combo. Blake survives long enough to shove Fuego off the top rope. Blake lands a running plancha and hauls Fuego to the stage for a scoop slam. Blake blindfolds Fuego and pretends to spank him. Blake gets too cocky and misses a slingshot senton, allowing Fuego to make a comeback. Fuego misses a head of steam into the buckles and eats Blake's running knee strike. Blake hits a DDT on the floor, hurting his own back in the process. Draping DDT by Blake gets 2. Fuego makes another comeback and dishes a standing SSP to ringside! Fans chant “GCW!” Double stomp to the head by Fuego gets 2. Blake recovers and hits a kip up enziguri and tope suicida. Flying elbow by Blake, then a shotgun dropkick for 2. Fuego answers with a Tree of Woe double stomp, then a Coast to Coast dropkick! Blake kicks out! They trade KO shots, Fuego blocks a back handspring with a dropkick. Corkscrew plancha by Fuego only gets 2! Blake plays possum and hits a superkick for a good nearfall. Springboard 450 by Blake gets another hot nearfall. Blake hits a spear on the apron and locks on a half crab in the ropes. Ref forces a break, so Blake cuts off some turnbuckle padding. Fuego has time to recover and nails a tornado DDT for only 2! Blake bounces into the exposed turnbuckle and Fuego hits another spinning DDT, but Blake gets a desperation rope break! Feugo looks for a superplex, but Blake hits a low blow and brainbuster onto the exposed steel, but FUEGO KICKS OUT! Blake double stomps the skull and finally wins at 26:49! This was the type of title defense that Blake needed, a knockdown dragout war that simultaneously felt like it could end at any moment or go all the way to a broadway. It helps that the fans treated this like a big deal, so this felt like a big deal watching at home, ****¼.Winner and still GCW World Champion: Blake Christian
Texas Bullrope Match:
Mance Warner vs. Allie Katch
Mance tells Allie that no one cares about her so she should just forfeit and join him so they can take over GCW. Allie tearfully gives Mance a big old hug before kicking him in the manhood. They brawl to the floor, where Allie uses the rope to whip Mance into the front row. Mance uses the bull rope to pull Allie's skull into the ring post. Allie returns the favor. Mance misses a chair shot that ricochets into his own skull. Mance recovers and hangs Allie over the ropes. Allie crotches Mance on a standing chair and nails a clothesline. Mance hits a low shoulder block to send Alllie crashing onto the chair. Mance uses the cowbell to bust Allie open. He grabs a fistful of skewers, but Allie wraps his head in a chair for a brutal chinlock variation. Allie pulls Mance in and drives the skewers into his forehead. Mance looks tortured but hits a desperation clothesline. He pulls a skewer out of his own skull to stab Allie. He tries to poke a hole through her cheek. That trick fails, so he drives the skewer under her fingernail. Allie reverses a smash through a chair and whips Mance through a door! Piledriver by Allie only gets 2! Allie hits a spear through a door but only gets 2 again. Allie sets up some chairs for a suplex, but Mance stabs her in the leg with a leftover skewer. Mance nails a chokeslam through the chairs but ALLIE KICKS OUT! Mance gets the mic and suggests that Allie stay the f*ck down. He hits a well aimed knee strike but only gets 2 again. Allie stumbles up and asks for more, Mance misses a running knee but smashes the cowbell into her head. Mance removes the bull rope and digs through a bin until he finds some scissors. Effy arrives to prevent a tragedy and puts Mance down with a Rough Ryder. He holds Mance in place but Allie accidentally hits him with the scissors! Mance handcuffs Effy to the ropes. Mance drives the scissors into Allie's forehead while Effy helplessly watches on. Allie's mother runs in to shield her daughter, Mance just walks away, seemingly satisfied with his carnage, but then returns to stab Mother Katch with another pair of scissors! The locker room empties to stop Mance and the show ends at 25:40. Great brawl that eventually became more of an angle than a match. This was story-driven and sets Mance up as a final boss to be conquered. Overall, I liked this a lot, ***½.No Contest
Final Thoughts: This was a strong show from a company that seems to be thriving again. They've got some momentum heading into The Collective, which is a setting where they tend to deliver the goods. Thumbs up.
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