GCW Welcome to Heartbreak: X-Pac & Janela vs. Cardona & Myers, AJ Gray issues challenge to Jon Moxley

February 26, 2022 Jon Pine NEWS, Show Reports
Photo Courtesy: Game Changer Wrestling

GCW Welcome to Heartbreak
Friday, February 25, 2022, Ukrainian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA

By Jon Pine

Following two incredible shows in Atlantic City last weekend, GCW returned to their Los Angeles home, the Ukrainian Culture Center. Both Lenny Leonard and Kevin Gill went out of their way to point out the significance of this venue, how Los Angeles has the fourth-largest Ukrainian population in the United States and that they send their prayers to those in harm’s way due to Russia’s invasion.

Welcome To Heartbreak Spoiler Free Recommendations:
The Briscoe Brothers vs Jacob Fatu and Juicy Finau
Blake Christian vs. Nick Wayne
Mike Bailey vs. Ninja Mack

GCW Believe Me, February 19, 2022 Results:

The Briscoe Brothers Defeated The S.A.T, Blake Christain Defeated Jimmy Lloyd, Nick Wayne Defeated Jordan Oliver, The Second Gear Crew Defeated ASF, Gringo Loco, Jack Cartwheel and Ninja Mack, The Rejects (JWM and Reed Bentley) Defeated G-Raver and Orin Veidt in a tag team Deathmatch, Billie Starkz Defeated Cole Radrick, Mascara Dorada Defeated Joey Janela, Hoodfoot Defeated Matt Tremont in a Deathmatch.

Minoru Suzuki, Biff Busick, Shane Strickland Return to GCW:
Biff Busick: Bloodsport, Spring Break Part 2, San Francisco, Atlantic City, Los Angeles
Minoru Suzuki: Bloodsport, Spring Break, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit
Shane Strickland: Los Angeles, San Francisco PUT DATES

Collective 2022 Announcements:
Main Event for Joey Janela’s Spring Break Night 1:
GCW Ultraviolent Championship Match: John Wayne Murdoch vs. Alex Colon (champion)
Matt Cardona vs. Chris Dickinson
Mike Bailey, Biff Busick

Effy’s Big Gay Brunch:
Max the Impaler, Dark Sheik, Amy Rose, Kidd Bandit, Keita Murray, Pollo Del Mar, Brooke Valentine, Jordan Blade

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8:
Chris Dickinson vs. Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki, Biff Busick, Timothy Thatcher, Jon Moxley, Janai Kai, Jonah

Gringo Loco’s The Wrld on Lucha:
Johnny Caballero (FKA John Morrison), Pagano, Laredo Kid, Drago Kid

GCW Planet Death hosted by Nick Gage:
AKIRA, Slade, HoodFoot

GCW Astronaut, March 12, 2022, Atlanta Georgia Update:
Singles Match: Jonathan Gresham vs. Blake Christian
Singles Match: AR Fox vs. Nick Wayne
Talent Announced: GCW Tag Team Champion Nick Gage and Matt Tremont, Joey Janela, Extreme Champion AJ Gray, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Matt Cardona, Allie Katch, Effy, Gringo Loco, AR Fox

Saturday night’s card:
The Coldest Winter, February 26, 2022, Los Angeles, CA
Singles Match: Jordan Oliver vs. Dark Sheik
Singles Match: Tony Deppen vs. Thunder Rosa
Singles Match: Mike Bailey vs. Blake Christian
Dream Match: Mascara Dorada vs. Gringo Loco
Do or Die Deathmatch: Jimmy Lloyd vs. Alex Zayne
Singles Match: Jack Cartwheel vs. Ninja Mack

Welcome To Heartbreak Results:

Commentary: Kevin Gill, Lenny Leonard, Nick Gage, Veda Scott

Tag Team Match: The Briscoe Brothers vs. Jacob Fatu and Juicy Finau

This is a first-time matchup between these two teams and it lived up to the anticipated hype, delivering the hard-hitting action that makes these two teams great. The last time we saw Fatu and Finau was when they attacked the already broken leg of Starboy Charlie, and they also went after Charlie’s mom. Jacob Fatu blindsides Mark Briscoe as we start the action for this evening, they start trading power moves until Fatu is sent to the floor and is taken out by Mark Briscoe. Jay throws a chair into the ring, Mark sets it up but before he was able to use it for an offensive maneuver of his own, Juicy Finau Samoan dropped Mark Briscoe through the open chair. Finau and Jay Briscoe brawled on the floor while Fatu and Mark restarted their battle in the ring, Mark Briscoe hits a picture-perfect dive to the floor taking out Juicy Finau as the crowd breaks into the first ‘GCW’ of the night. The brothers tried to put Fatu through a door that was set up in the corner but they were caught with a pop-up Samoan drop, and Jay was sent through the door. Jacob Fatu is incredibly talented, I’m not sure why he hasn’t been signed:

“It’s night 1 of Shot Caller Weekend and the venue is already in shambles.” – Kevin Gill

They brawl towards the stage where Starboy Charlie is and he starts hitting Fatu and Finau with his crutch and takes them out with a crossbody. The Briscoes thank Charlie and bring the two men back into the ring where they brain Fatu with a chair shot, he no-sells it and goes for another dive to the floor but is once again hit with a chair. Jay Briscoe is throwing a piece of a broken door into Juicy’s head, Mark hits the Froggy bow on Juicy for the victory.

The Briscoe Brothers Defeated Juicy Finau and Jacob Fatu

They are having audio issues again so I wasn’t able to transcribe the post-match promo but the Briscoe Brothers challenged the H8 Club to a rematch for the Tag Team Titles at Spring Break.

Singles Match: Blake Christian vs. Nick Wayne

This match was pure magic, both Christian and Wayne are able to do unbelievable things inside the ropes. This match was incredibly paced, every move and dodge meant something to the overall story they are telling with Nick Wayne. Christian starts toying with the much younger Nick Wayne as they continue to feel each other out, exchanging various holds at the start of the match before we are treated to the incredible athleticism and wrestling. The crowd is split 50/50 with dueling chants for both men as the pace of the match begins to pick up with Christian getting the best of Wayne during the first couple of sequences. The most noticeable change in Blake Christian’s repertoire is that his matches are no longer a straight sprint of incredible news, there is more purpose behind each interaction in the ring as the pace ebbs and flows. Nick Wanye ate a stiff superkick which caused him to have a bloody mouth for the rest of the match, despite that Wayne was able to string together incredibly impressive offensive maneuvers, Wayne scores a near fall but his success doesn’t last long as Christian fires back immediately and gets a near fall of his own after a sit-out powerbomb

At this point of the match, they found themselves exhausted on their knees exchanging hard elbow strikes. They both got up and Wayne hit a series of stiff superkicks as they entered another flurry of offense that culminated with Christian hitting a springboard back suplex. Nick Wayne gets tombstoned on the apron, Christian went under the ring and retrieved a door, grabs two rental chairs from fans, and sets up a door bridge in the corner; he props Wayne up on the top rope corner and Christian gets thrown off the top but is able to backflip over the door, but he was unable to escape Nick Wayne’s Ace Crusher from the top rope through the door for a two count. Wayne searches for what to do next but is caught, suplexed, and pinned.

Blake Christian Defeated Nick Wayne

Singles Match: Tony Deppen vs. Kevin Blackwood

Reading the tea leaves, it looks like a verdict has been reached in regards to Atticus’s future in GCW. This is Kevin Blackwood’s first match in Game Changer Wrestling and there is no better opponent than Tony Deppen. They start right away chain wrestling with each man getting the advantage, they wrestle to a stalemate to the delight of the crowd. Much like the last match, there is a ton of phenomenal defensive wrestling, they are working at a breakneck pace as they once again go into chain wrestling exchanges. At the start of the match, the crowd was tepid about Kevin Blackwood but midway through the match he had them fully won over. They trade a flurry of strikes but Deppen gets caught and hit with seven consecutive German Suplex’s much to the delight of the crowd. Kevin Blackwood has a cool look and his in-ring style meshes perfectly with the rest of the Game Changer Wrestling roster. Deppen blows a snot rocket into Blackwood’s face followed by an enziguri and hits a series of suplexes of his own. They go face to face in the center of the ring as they start swinging for the fences, Deppen hits a knee strike followed by a brainbuster but is unable to make the cover. Deppen trapped Blackwood’s head in the corner and hit a knee strike, he went to the top rope looking to hit a double stomp but it was countered into a Texas Cloverleaf. Deppen locks in the Cattle Mutilation for the victory.

Tony Deppen Defeated Kevin Blackwood

Singles Match: Mike Bailey vs. Ninja Mack

Both of these men are able to do ungodly athletic feats and this match had plenty of those moments. Ninja Mack continues to defy physics and this was another great ‘reintroduction’ match for Mike Bailey. Both of these martial artists bow to each other to open the match as they circle around the ring, Bailey hit the first offensive maneuvers to start the match, the action spills into the crowd with Bailey once again landing offense on NInja Mack. Ninja Mack retrieves a door and sets it up on a pair of chairs in the crowd saving it for later as they go back into the ring exchanging kicks and forearms. They hit a series of topes sending each other flying into the crowd, Bailey hits a moonsault from the inside of the ring taking Mack out on the floor. Mack retaliates by hitting the Ninja Mack special, he goes into the crowd and gets a very big ladder, and climbs onto one of the beams in the venue. Bailey follows him up. Lenny Leonard notes that they are 15 feet above the floor, Mack gets caught with a crane kick and falls off the beam crashing through the door on the floor; a truly frightening but amazing spot, Ninja Mack landed hard, (as if there’s another way to land.) Bailey takes Mack back into the ring, hits a roundhouse kick on the defiant Ninja Mack who kips up hits a kick goes for a cannonball 630 but Bailey got his knees up, Bailey followed that up with a one-winged angel for the victory.

Mike Bailey Defeated Ninja Mack

GCW Extreme Title Match: AJ Gray(champion) vs. ACH

Due to injury Lio Rush was unable to compete tonight, so for the first time since GCW 56 Nights in January 2021, ACH is back in Game Changer Wrestling. This was a fun clash of styles as ACH has more of a high octane offensive style compared to AJ Gray’s hard-hitting, bulldozing type style. The match opens up with both men chain wrestling but neither one of them is able to gain control, this is another split crowd match as they go into a more hard-hitting portion of the match. ACH sends Gray to the floor and tries to hit a penalty kick, Gray catches him and sends him face-first into the ring post. ACH sits on a lady’s lap and gets chopped by AJ Gray. ACH recovers quickly and takes the fight to AJ Gray, beating him up ringside and hitting a painful-looking suplex on the floor. They go back into the ring and Gray is able to hit a rolling head kick as they still try and recover from the suplex on the floor. They each go for a suplex, ACH is able to hit a deadlift suplex on the bigger AJ Gray. ACH goes for a frog splash but misses but the champ is still down. Along with ACH, they get to their feet and continue to trade strikes and chops, ACH dodges a powerbomb, sends AJ to the floor, and sends him flying into the fourth row with a tope suicida. ACH dragged AJ to the center of the ring, goes for a frog splash but misses, AJ hits a pair of brutal lariats followed by a powerslam for the victory.

AJ Gray Retains the GCW Extreme Championship

Post Match: He notes that since he won the Brass ring ladder match he can have any match for any title at Spring Break. He formally challenges Jon Moxley for the GCW Heavyweight Title.

Dream Match: Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Homicide

Gage notes that Dr. Wagner Jr was someone that he loved as a kid and that it was an honor to meet him and call his match. Nick Gage notes that he was a tape trader growing up and that he would always request Dr. Wagner Jr.’s matches. Both men received a massive ovation on their way to the ring, each man gloating in each other’s face before the real meat of the match began. Dr. Wagner Jr. has been wrestling twice as long as Nick Wayne has been alive. The Doctor hits a boot to the side of Homicide’s head and throws him to the floor where they start brawling in the crowd. They take a tour around ringside beating each other up and eventually make it to the stage by commentary, Dr. Wagner hits Homicide over the back with a crutch, Homicide crawls his way back into the ring as they start throwing chairs into the ring. Wagner puts a chair between the open legs of Homicide and hits the chair into Homicide’s nuts. Gage says “Man I know Homicide has some kids but I don’t know if he’s going to have anymore.”
Homicide hits a head and arm suplex followed by a tope con hilo taking Wagner out on the floor. Further on in the match, they start chopping each other but Homicide gets caught and sent headfirst into a chair. Dr. Wagner Jr. hits a powerslam for the victory.

Dr. Wagner Jr. Defeated Homicide

Post Match: Dr. Wagner Jr. cut a promo and eventually the crowd got sick of it and chanted ‘Shut the Fuck up.” Doc didn’t care and continued talking and brought a fan in the ring to translate for him.  Dr. Wagner Jr. tells Brett Lauderdale that he will put his hair on the line vs. if Psycho Clown puts his Mask on the line.

8 Person Tag Match: Team Reefer– Jordan Oliver, Jimmy Lloyd, Jack Cartwheel, and Grim Reefer vs. Second Gear Crew and Friends– Matthew Justice, Dark Sheik, Allie Katch, and Gringo Loco

Sheik and Oliver start the match off for their teams, and they fight for control reaching a stalemate, Jimmy Lloyd and Allie Katch are next in for a quick exchange, the same goes for Reefer and Justice. Gringo Loco and Jack Cartwheel enter the match and engage in various Lucha-based offenses and defenses with Gringo getting sent to the floor, Cartwheel goes for tope but is cut off by Matthew Justice, eventually, Cartwheel hits a Sasuke Special taking out the competitors on the floor. Grim Reefer climbs to the top rope, lights up his joint, and dives onto everyone on the outside. Matthew Justice hip tosses Grim Reefer into the third row, Jordan Oliver and Allie Katch lock in stereo single leg crabs and start punching each other in the face. Justice lays out Jimmy Lloyd and he and Gringo hit the Hardy Boyz leg drop/splash combo. Before they can go for a pin they are attacked by Jordan Oliver. Justice spears Cartwheel through a door, followed by a chairshot to Jimmy Lloyd. Gringo Loco hits a twisting top rope powerbomb for the victory.

Second Gear Crew and Friends Defeated Team Reefer

Chris Dickinson comes to the ring to cut a promo:

“They told me they told man this is the same thing that happened to Bo Jackson you may never wrestle again. They told me 6 months would be great but it may be a year. 5 months to the day I make my return…Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport you know last time I was here with Suzuki…So I’m telling you right now Josh, I see you right there, get on the phone call fucking Suzuki and tell him to meet me at Bloodsport in Texas, I know you’re not going to say no.”

Matt Cardona, Brian Myers, and Chelsea Green make their way to the ring

Meyers: “You know you have legit superstars out in the back wanting to put a main event on all we hear is “uhhh my name is Chris and I hurt my hip” *shut the fuck up chants* Now you unfamous loser, we all know who you’re talking about you sound like a secret admirer

Chelsea Green: “All hail the Deathmatch King”

Matt Cardona: “So I hear you want some competition, I don’t think we’ve ever met so let me introduce myself, I am a 2 time Internet Champion, I am the Impact Wrestling Digital Media, I am the NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, I put GCW on the fucking map, okay bro, I beat Nick Gage, I beat Effy, I beat Joey Janela and I don’t even know who the fuck you are”

Dickinson: “Well I look around the ring and I see three fucking catering losers, the only reason why you are relevant, the only reason why your hoe is relevant, the only reason why your boy is relevant is because of those three letters (GCW) because I put this place on my back for 5 fucking years. SO if you want to prove yourself, If you want to come out of your box, if you want to stop playing with toys, if you want to stop being goofy ass and want to be a professional wrestler…I don’t even care about that stupid belt (NWA) I’ll beat you for it and throw it in the trash, I’ll name the place, Joey Janela’s Spring Break, bring your stupid belt, bring your stupid wife, bring your stupid friend, I’ll wrap you all up in a paper bag and throw you the fuck out.”

Cardona Accepts

Tag Team Match: X-Pac and Joey Janela vs. Brian Myers and NWA World Heavyweight Champion Matt Cardona

This is X-Pac’s first match back since 2019 and first injury-free match in 14 years. Joey Janela and Cardona start the match off, Cardona postures and tags in Myers. Meyers takes the fight to Janela for the opening moments, Cardona runs in but gets caught with a back body drop, Myers tags out and Cardona calls for X-Pac. Pac is still incredibly smooth in the ring, hits a perfect sliding leg drop, goes wild on Cardona, hits a plancha to the floor taking out Myers. The crowd chants ‘You still got it’ as Joey and Pac start working over Matt Cardona. Myers and Cardona work over X-Pac, distracting the ref so Chelsea Green can choke out Pac. Pac is able to make the tag to Janela who runs wild on the Major Players, hitting a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Janela hits a snap German suplex and a lariat, he climbs to the top rope, rolls through the spot, and gets blindsided by Chelsea who hits Janela with a Canadian Destroyer. The Major Players continue to beat down Joey Janela, taking various cheap shots at X-Pac on the apron. Myers goes for a superplex but gets reversed and Janela hits a sunset flip powerbomb, the crowd is willing Joey on as he makes the hot tag to X-Pac. Pac is running wild, hitting all of his signature moves, he hits a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count followed by a Bronco Buster, he goes to hit one on Myers but Myers gets his boot up. Janela successfully fights back the Major Players, saving his partner. Janela hits a Michinoku driver and sets up a door on the floor; the Major Players set up a door of their own in the ring, Cardona was on the turnbuckle and hits the Rough Ryder to Meyers, Cardona goes to the floor and is taken out with a tope from Janela, he is rolled back into the ring hit with the X-Factor, and Janela elbow drop for a two count. X-Pac hits a second rope X-Factor onto Meyers through the door for the victory.

Joey Janela and X-Pac Defeated Brian Myers and Matt Cardona

Post Match: X-Pac is cutting a heartfelt promo about how much this match and moment means to him, how thankful he is for GCW. X-Pac turns his back and eats a superkick from his former JCW Tag Team Partner, Joey Janela. 

About Jon Pine 174 Articles
Living in Providence, Rhode Island; when Jon isn’t watching AEW or GCW with his dogs Dakota and Aurora, he’s probably watching the CSPAN feed of the Senate floor or listening to Bennington on SiriusXM.