GCW: So Alive
Saturday, December 4, 2021, Irving Arena, Dallas, Texas
By: Jon Pine
Coming off of last night’s wild event in Houston, GCW returns to Dallas for So Alive. A card that features a menagerie of styles and wrestlers. GCW provided an update on Effy after he was cut open badly last night in his main event fight with Sadika.
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Tonight we were once again treated to the best tag team in all of wrestling doing what they do best and adapting their styles to match the much smaller and faster opponents.
This show delivered on every single match, there was no lull in the show and we were treated to two different tag team matches, one of the best women’s matches in GCW history and a fantastic deathmatch in the main event.
GCW So High Results:
Dante Leon defeats Jack Cartwheel to retain the Loko Wrestling Title, Allie Katch defeats Gino Medina, Ninja Mack defeats Jimmy Lloyd, The Second Gear Crew defeats Bryan Keith and Mysterious Q, ASF, Chris Carter, Drago Kid defeats Gringo Loco, Low Rider, Demonic Flamita, Atticus Cogar defeats Nick Wayne, Bandido defeats Tony Deppen, Effy defeats Sadika.
Spoiler Free Match Recommendations:
- Atticus Cogar vs. Jordan Oliver
- Alex Colon and Sadika vs. Second Gear Crew
- Allie Katch vs. Thunder Rosa
- John Wayne Murdoch vs. Jimmy Lloyd
Singles Match: Joey Janela vs. ASF
Coming off his highly acclaimed match with Nick Wayne at Defy Wrestling, the Badboy has been placed against another very young up and coming high flier. If Wayne v. Janela is the standard we are in store for an amazing match up between these two. ASF has continually impressed in all of his GCW appearances most notably his series of matches with and against Gringo Loco. At GCW: Evil Deeds, Gringo Loco and ASF put on a masterpiece of a match that included fluid highflying and great technical exchanges. ASF stands out because of his slight figure and his ability to fly in the ring.
Joey Janela comes into the venue to a hero’s welcome, closely followed by ASF’s reaction as we get underway with tonight’s action. The two men brawl on the outside and on the apron with ASF gaining the advantage; he goes for a running hurricanrana off a chair but is caught by Janela and is powerbombed into the second row of seats. The action returns to the ring as Joey is trying to strangle ASF with a deep headlock and they continue to trade holds for a little while. Janela hits a DVD for a two count. Joey briefly takes ASF to suplex city to the crowds delight. Joey hits backwards a one man spanish fly to which ASF no sells and hits a spike poisonrana. They battle back out to the apron where ASF hits a Canadian destroyer and once again spikes Joey on his head. ASF rolls Joey back into the ring and hits a 450 for a two count. Janela bails to the floor, ASF flies to the outside and is caught in a tombstone piledriver.
Janela catches ASF with a superkick, hits a package piledriver followed up by a gotch style powerbomb for the victory.
Joey Janela defeats ASF
Joey once again proved why he is one of the best independent wrestlers,executing a fantastic opening match with some beautiful high flying, amazing selling, and unique power moves on the much smaller opponent.
Singles Match: Tony Deppen vs. Demonic Flamita
Coming off his GCW debut last night the legendary Demonic Flamita returns to action against Tony Deppen. Last night Tony Deppen fell to Ring of Honor and PWG World Champion, Bandido. This is the second time these two have met with the first time being in a multi man match in Ring of Honor, and this is their first ever singles match. Right away both men hit flip dives on each other to the outside. Deppen comes off the top rope and eats a massive dropkick to the face from Flamita. I think Tony Deppen vs. Kyle O’Reilly matchup at Spring Break would be a tremendous display of pure wrestling.
The two start trading near falls culminating with a 450 from Flamita as the crowd goes crazy. After a long lucha spot that ended in a near fall for Deppen, they two start exchanging massive strikes in the center of the ring with Deppen once again gaining the advantage. Deppen comes off the top rope with a massive double stomp for another near fall; finally he hits a running knee which puts Demonic Flamita down.
Tony Deppen defeats Demonic Flamita
This was a very fun match with a lot of great hard hitting and lucha exchanges; I haven’t seen Tony do a lot of Lucha style in the past but I shouldn’t be surprised that it turns out he’s also amazingly fluid and entertaining in that as well.
Singles Match: Atticus Cogar vs. Jordan Oliver
After costing Cogar a spot in the Nick Gage Invitational 6 Finals, these two finally face off once again. Cogar picked up another victory over Nick Wayne last night at GCW So High in Houston, Texas.
Atticus released the following video this week regarding the ongoing feud between himself and Jordan Oliver.
You have no idea what I've done to get here on this stage. I put my mind and body through hell. Something you don't know about. You took away something that meant so much to me. Plan your next move accordingly. I know that I am.#GCWSoHigh pic.twitter.com/wTAPodFFNk
— Atticus Cogar (@Atticus_Cogar) December 1, 2021
“You have no idea what I’ve done to get here on this stage. I put my mind and body through hell. Something you don’t know about. You took away something that meant so much to me. Plan your next move accordingly. I know that I am”- Atticus Cogar
Jordan Oliver comes out to another massive reaction and Atticus Cogar comes out to the exact opposite reaction. Before Emil Jay can even get out of the ring post rind introduction Jordan Oliver rushes Cogar attacking him and throws him into the chairs.
Cogar removes the skewers from his pocket and routinely stabs Oliver in the stomach until he gets superkicked, stopping his momentum. They teased Oliver skewering Cogar last night and the crowd is hungry for the payoff. Cogar removes the bottom turnbuckle pad as he tries to curbstomp Oliver’s teeth into the steel. The ref stopped him from the attack to which Cogar sends him to the outside, retrieves another thing of skewers and goes to plant them in Oliver’s head as another official runs in and feels the wrath of the skewers.
Oliver retrieves the skewers as Cogar hits Oliver with a massive fireball, and the refs run into the ring to help the burned Oliver as Atticus asks for the mic. Atticus cuts a promo on Jordan Oliver and challenges him to a No Rope Barbed Wire match for Blood on the Hills in Los Angeles on the 17th.
No Contest
Post Match: Atticus sets off the pyro in Jordan Oliver’s face as the crowd chants you sick fuck and the locker room runs out to aid the blinded Oliver. This was an awesome spot and a great way to continue this feud.
Singles Match: Blake Christian vs. Jack Cartwheel
Finally, All Heart Blake Christian has returned to independent professional wrestling after a short stint in WWE NXT. Getting released was the best thing for him from a wrestling perspective as he was never going to be used to his fullest potential while working for WWE. If they can mess up Ricochet they can mess up anyone.
Jack Cartwheel returns to GCW after he lost his match last night in Houston against Dante Leon which was for the Loko Wrestling title. Both of these men are capable of pulling off stunning aerial moves which makes this a perfect reintroduction for Blake Christian. It’s so great to see Blake Christian back in a Game Changer ring.
The match starts off with an exchange of holds, both men looking for an advantage as it leads to a standoff. The two trade cartwheels to the crowd’s delight, only to be topped by the ref, who was slightly overweight–he did a cartwheel and the crowd erupted. The fun and games stop as the match takes off in a sprint of strikes and counters. Emil Jay notes that Jack Cartwheel has college finals coming up this week as he hits a beautiful tiltawhirl russian leg sweep followed up by a picture perfect space flying tiger drop.
Both men put their crazy wrestling ability on display in a flurry of high flying counters and near falls. Jack Cartwheel goes for a flying forearm on the outside but only connects with a steel support beam as the match evolves into a more methodical style, only for it to pick back up again as Cartwheel fires back up on Christain hitting a roundoff into a tope. Christian wakes back up hitting a massive springboard 450 and ripcord lariat. We have our second brutal looking poison rana this time as Jack Cartwheel connects with Blake Christian, sending him into the ropes for a near fall. Jack Cartwheel hit a spinning shooting star press for a two count, I have never seen that maneuver before, it’s truly stunning athleticism. Blake Christian hits a 450 double stomp for the victory.
Blake Christian defeats Jack Cartwheel
This was another extremely fun match which featured two men whose potential is unlimited. These men are only in their twenties and they are this good, it’s mind boggling why WWE releases a blue chip talent like Blake Christian. He has evolved into more than just a high flier, he has incorporated more brawling and technical wrestling into his matches. For most of the match the man was wrestling with a smile on his face, you love to see it. Blake Christian announces that he’s back to prove that he’s the best wrestler in the world and that he’s waiting.
Tag Team Match: Alex Colon and Sadika vs. The Second Gear Crew (AJ Gray and Matthew Justice)
This match was supposed to be Charli Evans and Everett Connors vs. SGC but for unforeseen circumstances they are unable to appear tonight and taking their place in the match are Alex Colon and Sadika. Business just picked up as Sadika comes out to an enormous reaction as SGC starts beating the shit out of their opponents. Unbelievable replacement match. The situation continues to break down as they continue to brawl in the crowd, Colon hits a running high cross body off of the stage onto SGC. Colon and Sadika are wearing matching gear, the little things. I want to see Colon and Sadika vs. The Briscoe Brothers. SGC pile some chairs in the ring as Colon and Sadika recover on the outside; SGC hit tandem flip dives off the apron onto seated Colon and Sadika. Sadika gets hit by a vicious chairshot to the back, as Gray goes to powerbomb Sadika through a door on the outside, but is countered and Sadika hits a swinging neckbreaker through the door. Sadika and Justice trade unprotected chair shots to the head until Sadika is planted in with a DDT. Colon retakes control over the match working over Justice until Gray cuts him off and chokeslams Colon on the open legs of a steel chair, one of my least favorite spots. Sadika break up the pin fall and starts running wild onto Gray, hitting him in the mouth with a vicious kick and a twisting senton. She goes wild on SGC with chairshots until they brain her with one, hitting the chair assisted Doomsday device onto Colon and a massive spear on Sadika for the double stacked pin.
Second Gear Crew defeats Sadika and Alex Colon
Fantastic match, all four competitors beat the shit out of each other in a beautiful display of wrestling violence as they send the show into intermission. I hope Colon and Sadika teaming up isn’t just a one off, they could really have a great run as both a regular tag team and a deathmatch tag team. The possibilities are endless.
Scramble Match: Gringo Loco vs. Deranged vs. Drago Kid vs. Nick Wayne vs. Fuego Del Sol vs. Big Sam Stackhouse
Coming off the amazing Team ASF vs. Team Gringo Loco, Gringo Loco returns for another night of action and once again he did not disappoint. He is one of the most reliably consistent workers in Game Changer Wrestling. Drago Kid returns again after his breakout performance in the Team Match up last night. Coming off his loss to Atticus Cogar the night prior, Nick Wayne enters the scramble match to try and avenge his loss. AEW Wrestler Fuego Del Sol enters the scramble match in his GCW debut. Big Sam Stackhouse returns to Game Changer, he is by far the largest participant in the match.
The match starts with Stackhouse squashing Drago Kid into the corner as all the competitors in the match start beating down on Stackhouse sending him to the floor. Nick Wayne and Drago Kid pair off right away and exchange as they engage in some high-flying, Drago sends Wayne to the floor and Gringo Loco enters the match. These two start running some insane high-flying lucha spots, tilt-a-whirl into arm drags, headstands into rana’s. Nick Wayne is a prodigy. Fuego Del Sol did a Moonsault off the support beam onto the competitors and it was followed up by Deranged hitting an avalanche poison rana to the floor. Stackhouse did a tope taking out everyone in the match and to the crowd’s adoration. Stackhouse blew a spot with Nick Wayne, and he takes a break as Nick Wayne, Gringo Loco, and Drago Kid put the match back on track. Drago Kid ran up two people’s backs over the top rope into a rana onto an awaiting Gringo Loco as the crowd went crazy for this young man. Stackhouse misses a moonsault, Stackhouse balancing on the ropes was even more impressive than him executing the maneuver. Gringo Loco hits an avalanche falcon arrow onto Nick Wayne who bailed outside the ring. Fuego Del Sol hits a Canadian Destroyer onto Stackhouse for the victory.
Fuego Del So wins the scramble match.
Nick Wayne, Gringo Loco, Drago Kid were so much fun to watch work spots, I’d love to see 4 way between them plus ASF.
GCW Tag Team Title Match: The Briscoe Brothers vs. Dante Leon and Ninja Mack
This will be the Briscoe Brothers’ second title defense after successfully fending off AJ Gray and Effy (SGC) at Ring of Honor: Honor for all 2021, they are now set to face two of the brightest stars in the Independent Wrestling scene today. In Dante Leon and Ninja Mack, these two have teamed up in the past but there is no bigger challenge than going against one of the best tag teams of the last 20 years. This match featured a contrast in styles as The Briscoe Brothers are usually known for their hard-hitting and brawling style but with two young high fliers, they had to adapt their game plan in order to retain their GCW Tag Team Titles. It’ll be interesting to see who The Brothers are scheduled to face at the Hammerstein, I have a feeling that it’ll be a rematch against Matthew Justice and AJ Gray but who could say; all I know is that the roof is going to blow off the Hammerstein like it’s 2013 when Gimmie Back My Bullets plays and Dem Boys storm the ring.
The crowd gives Leon and Mack a great ovation but it’s quickly dwarfed by a Dem Boys Chant. Crowd is split between both of these teams as the match gets underway. Ninja Mack and Mark Briscoe start off the match, Ninja Mack starts running circles around Ninja Mack until Mark flips out of a maneuver. Jay Briscoe is tagged in as Dante Leon enters the match he has Jeff Hardy vibes about him. This is easily the biggest match of either Dante Leon’s and Ninja Mack’s career. Jay Briscoe taunts Leon with a test of strength and the Briscoes continue to roll over Leon. The crowd is split chanting ‘Let’s go Briscoes’ and ‘Fuck the Briscoes’ as they continue to beat down on Leon and Mack. The Briscoes work at a different level than these two young competitors and as the match starts to enter the later innings. Mark and Jay continue to beat down their competitors. Dante Leon throws Mark Briscoe into the pile of chairs on the outside of the ring, Ninja Mack hits a Phoenix 630 for a two count as Mark Briscoe starts going to town on Mack and Leon with a folding chair. Both men were horse collared with chairs as the Briscoes hit the crucifix bomb neck breaker for a two count. Mark Briscoe does his best missile defense system impression intercepting the incoming Ninja Mack with a chair as he bails to the floor and retrieves a door. Mack and Leon suplex Mark through the door as the crowd breaks into a GCW chant. Ninja Mack and Dante Leon set up a door on the outside of the ring as they set up Jay Briscoe on the door, Mark Briscoe interrupts the spot with a giant dive to the outside through the door, they get hit Ninja Mack so hard his mask almost comes off. They hit an avalanche crucifix bomb neckbreaker to retain the titles.
Briscoe Brothers defeat Ninja Mack and Dante Leon
This was an extremely entertaining match that contained more high flying from the Briscoes than I anticipated but it was no match for what Leon and Mack are able to do in the ring. The younger tag team were able to hold their own throughout the match successfully.
Emil Jay announces that Saturday, February 5th GCW will return to Dallas.
Singles Match: Thunder Rosa vs. Allie Katch
“When I left Texas, my grandparents would call me all the time and they would always tell me, you can come back whenever you want, you can come home it’s okay. And I understand like they were worried about me, I was sleeping on a couch, I was broke, I was really really lonely. You know nothing ever really felt like home, I’ve lived in a few different states, I’ve moved around the country a lot and nothing ever beats that feeling when I get to go back to Texas. So I could see why anybody would want to move there and live there, I can see why Thunder Rosa would want to move to Texas and make that her new home.I get it, I heard she fit in really well. Honestly, I am happy to see what she did for the Texas wrestling scene since I left, I have to give her props for that that’s great. I just don’t, the thing I can’t wrap my head around is why she wants to be in Game Changer all of a sudden. Thunder Rosa LOVES to complain that people want to make a name off of her, that everyone wants to use Thunder Rosa as the stepping stone. That’s pretty easy to say when you go somewhere where there’s no competition. In Game Changer, all we are are ride or dies, we are the outlaws, we are the misfits, we are homesick. If you come to Game Changer you’re dealing with a different breed of wrestler and that includes me. When we go to Texas, Thunder Rosa, not only am I on my own soil, I am Home, not only because it’s where I grew up, I’m home because I’m in Game Changer, I’m home because GCW was there for me when nobody else was. When I didn’t know if I was going to get to wrestle again because Covid took everything away, I got to be in a ring again because of GCW, when I was homeless and all my stuff was in my car, where was it parked? It was outside of the fucking Voltage Lounge. You don’t get it, you can walk out and dance to Selina and you can do vlogs with Sammy and Feugo and you can put the flag on your gear all you want. But on Saturday when we are there together in front of the GCW fans in my home state, I’m going to be just like Texas, the Lone Star.”- Allie Katch
Last night Thunder Rosa released her retort, it wasn’t that great, I understand why she’s never had the opportunity to talk on AEW
Thunder Rosa comes out to a massive reaction, draped in the Texas flag as well as stitched on her gear. The crowd continues their ovation for Allie Katch throughout the introductions. The two start off with some chain wrestling as they fight for control wrestling to the delight of the crowd who chant, ‘Both these wrestlers’. The pace of the match picks up as they cartwheel in and out of holds, engaging in some lucha based holds with Thunder Rosa coming off the top with a massive arm drag. Commentary notes how when Thunder Rosa first showed up in Game Changer Wrestling it was one of the biggest pops they heard, I was there that night and I concur with that statement. Allie Katch hits a vicious knee strike to Rosa’s nose and a head kick for a two count, she continues her work on Rosa until Katch gets caught in a surfboard. Thunder Rosa is an incredibly strong and impressive athlete as she continually locks Katch in a menagerie of submission maneuvers. Rosa’s grappling work is impeccable, as she lands some vicious strikes to a prone Allie Katch as they fire back up and exchange some hard-hitting chops as Rosa is seemingly having fun with the pain that she’s inflicting. The commentary noted before the match started that both wrestlers would adhere to the rope break rules. Thunder Rosa has Katch in a choke as Katch power backs up with Rosa on her, slamming her in the corners but Rosa refuses to release her hold, they tumble to the floor and the result is that Katch eventually runs Rosa’s head into the pole as the hold is released. Katch builds up a head of steam, runs at Rosa, and is hip tossed into the chairs. They return to the ring as they trade near falls with Rosa eventually getting the better of Katch with a powerbomb off the top rope for the closest near fall of the match, as Rosa does the WWE shocked face. The two trade forearms in a Frye-Takayama spot, Katch spikes Rosa on her head with a DVD as she climbs to the top rope and hits senton. Thunder Rosa catches Allie in a choke as Allie passes out.
Thunder Rosa defeats Allie Katch
This was by far the best women’s match I have seen in GCW both women executed a tremendous display of athleticism, grappling, high flying, and mat-based drama. Thunder Rosa backed up her talk by choking out Allie Katch. I hope 2022 brings more women’s matches to GCW along with a championship. Maybe at the Hammerstein?
Deathmatch: John Wayne Murdoch vs. Jimmy Lloyd
After 867 days, ICW No Holds Barred American Deathmatch Champion, John Wayne Murdoch returns to the Game Changer Wrestling ring for a match against another one of the world’s best Deathmatch Wrestlers and foundational member of GCW, Jimmy Lloyd.
In 2017, John Wayne Murdoch and Reed Bentley (The Rejects) were GCW Tag Team Champions for over 197 days putting the titles on the line nine different times against the likes of Private Party, Jimmy Lloyd and Markus Crane, The Headhunters, Ciclope, and Miedo Extremo, Dale Patricks and Josh Crane, Alex Colon and Dustin Rayz, Adam Slade and Kevin Giza, Alexandre Rudolph and Jake Parnell, Cole Radrick and Zachary Wentz. John Wayne Murdoch and Reed Bentley eventually lost the titles to Ciclope and Miedo Extremo which started a reign of over 1,162 days until Jimmy Lloyd and G-Raver won the belts back this past year and brought them back to GCW.
During John Wayne Murdoch’s absence from Game Changer Wrestling he has established himself as one of the world’s best Deathmatch Wrestlers, winning the 2016 King of the Deathmatches, 2021 Southern Sickness Cup, Slave to the Deathmatch 12, King of the Deathmatch vs. Southern Sickness; he has competed in every single King of the Deathmatch since 2016, Tournament of Survival and Tournament of Death Participant, a three-time entrant in the Carnage Cup, Masters of Pain 2021 semi-finalist, IWA Double Death Tag Team Tournament Finalist, Survival of the Sickest 4 finalist, Gypsy Joe Invitational finalists, Southern Sickness finalist, Crimson Cup 2 finalists, Slave to the Deathmatch IX finalist, Survival of the Sickest 3 finalist.
He has competed in and won two separate 60 minute Iron Man Deathmatches. He is the current reigning American Deathmatch Championship for 247 Days, the reigning Horror Slam Deathmatch Championship for 90 Days, he’s a six-time IWA-Mid South World Champion, and Unsanctioned Pro Tag Team Champions for 386 days. He has proven time and time again that he is one of the best wrestlers going today and finally he has come back to GCW to go to war with some of the best and brightest in the business. If the New York State Athletic Commission allowed blood and glass I would love to see Alex Colon vs. John Wayne Murdoch main event the Hammerstein show.
“John Wayne Murdoch, I respect you, I respect everything you’ve done for Deathmatch Wrestling. But the thing I can’t respect is you talking all that shit. You saying you didn’t want to be here. You left, that was YOUR decision, you left. I’ve been killing myself for GCW since day 1. I’m the bastard child of GCW. Me along with the rest of the locker room have been fucking killing ourselves to make a name for GCW and we were unwanted. People said that we wouldn’t even last a year, people said GCW wouldn’t last, but I put all my marbles into GCW because I believed in this company. And now that GCW is one of the hottest promotions in professional wrestling, you decide you want to jump back in, you decide you want to be a part of it. No, No, you’re going to have to earn it. John Wayne Murdoch if you think I’m going to let you come into this company and walk all over me and use me as a stepping stone you’re wrong. If you think you’re going to use GCW for that little bit of clout that in your head you think you’re going to get, you’re wrong. Murdoch, I always feel like I have something to prove and now more than ever I feel like I have something to prove. So tomorrow I’m not going to take this opportunity lightly Murdoch. John Wayne Murdoch, I’ll see you tomorrow, I hope you’re ready because I sure am, I’m ready to put GCW on my back just like I’ve done since day 1.”- Jimmy Lloyd
The ring is adorned with light tubes in every corner and lining the apron of the ring, there are also gusset plates in the ring as well. Emil Jay gets ready to introduce the final match of the evening. Big fight feel for this event as everyone knows that this is about to be a very bloody affair. Murdoch breaks the first light tubes over Lloyd’s head only for him to return the favor. The canvas is quickly covered in broken glass as they trade Irish whips into the tubes in the corner. They break most of the tubes and Jimmy Lloyd retrieves the gusset plates and hammer fists one into Jimmy’s head. Jimmy returns with one to Murdoch’s face immediately busting both men wide open. Murdoch is leaking from his forehead as his face quickly becomes a crimson mask. They brawl on the floor as each man throws each other into the chairs ringside, as they eventually start throwing hands taking each other to the floor in a pile. They are moving at a pretty fast pace as Murdoch retrieves lighter fluid from his vest and applies it to a door before Murdoch can light it. Jimmy gets him on his shoulders and hits an assault driver through the flaming door for a two count. Now, this flaming door spot made sense and actually was built to, unlike the random glory hound spot Cody did on Dynamite. Jimmy Lloyd bails to the floor and retrieves another door, piles light tubes onto the door, and breaks multiple tubes over Murdoch’s head to the point that it’s stuck in his beard. John Wayne Murdoch hits a Deep South Destroyer through the door, the tubes didn’t break and he followed it up with a brainbuster for the victory.
John Wayne Murdoch defeats Jimmy Lloyd
Post Match: John Wayne Murdoch calls Alex Colon a pussy, Sadika comes out to distract Murdoch as Colon jumps Murdoch from behind and blasts him with tubes. Colon has the mic and tells Murdoch that January 1st they settle the score as the show goes off the air.
