GCW Fight Club Night 1
Saturday, October 8, 2022, Garden Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Scramble Match: Blake Christian vs Gringo Loco vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs Shane Mercer vs. B-Boy
Mercer briefly got Christian up in a military press but Christian escaped, it didn’t matter as Mercer sent him to the floor with a Toss. All the competitors went to the floor, leaving Blake Christian alone in the ring as Lio Rush’s music hit. The crowd got very into his return, I didn’t care because there are more reliable people who can do what he does but better. Blake Christian and Lio faced off and ran a couple of spots only to be dragged out of the ring by B-Boy and Jimmy Lloyd. Gringo Loco and Lio rush paired off and ran a couple of very impressive spots before Christian took Gringo out of the match. Christian kicked Lio in the face and landed a moonsault for a close near fall. Christian claimed the ropes but got distracted by the crowd and was hit with a Spanish fly from Gringo Loco. Mercer hit Lloyd with a second rope moonsault and battery which got the crowd back into the match after having to watch Lio. They continued in with your usual scramble-based offense with each man getting to shine. The finish of the match saw Lio Rush hit a springboard stunner onto Jimmy Lloyd followed by a frog splash for the victory.
Lio Rush wins the Scramble match
Singles Match: Shun Skywalker vs. Nick Wayne
They started the match with a series of chain wrestling which saw neither man getting the advantage; they went to lock up again but Shun kicked Wayne low. This didn’t phase Wayne who picked up the pace of the match-up with a flurry of offense; Wayne attempted to hit a moonsault to the floor but he was caught by Shun who sent him into the post. Back in the ring, Shun continued to have the advantage and started to wear Wayne down. Shun backed Wayne into the corner and did some “magic” stuff and eventually hit a Yakuza kick, he tried for it again but Wayne cut him off with a northern lights suplex for a close near fall. Wayne responded with a beautiful code red followed by an attempted clout cutter, Shun got Wayne up in a razor’s edge position but Wayne was able to escape and planted Shun with a powerbomb, this didn’t do much to Shun who hit his finishing move for the victory.
Shun Skywalker Defeated Nick Wayne
Singles Match: Allie Katch vs. Sawyer Wreck
Sawyer took Katch off of her feet with a big shoulder tackle, Katch got back up and feigned kissing Sawyer but Sawyer was able to chokeslam Katch. Given her strength and size advantage, Sawyer was in control for most of the matchup; Katch cut Sawyer off with her running hip attack/cannonball combo for a near fall. Sawyer regained control of the match planting Katch on the mat with a series of slams. Sawyer placed Katch on the top rope, Katch dropped down and powerbombed Sawyer for another near fall. Unhappy with the ref’s counting ability, Katch was sent to the floor and grabbed a couple of chairs and a door. Katch set up a door bridge in the corner and placed Sawyer on the top rope in an attempt to suplex her, Sawyer kissed Katch and choke slamming her through the door for the victory.
Sawyer Wreck Defeated Allie Katch
Singles Match: Tony Deppen vs. YAMATO
They started with a series of chain wrestling and evasive maneuvers that saw Tony getting the advantage on Yamato. Tony got into it with a fan at the ringside which allowed YAMATO to recover enough to take the fight to Tony. The two traded vicious forearm strikes in the center of the ring, YAMATO got some offense in but Deppen kept cutting him off before he could land any serious offense. They went back to trading strikes, Tony got backed up into the corner and was hit with a stiff kick to his face. YAMATO strung together some impressive offense that got the crowd into the match, but overall the crowd was more into the pro and anti-Deppen chants. Deppen spiked YAMATO on his head with a piledriver followed by a knee strike for the victory. Quick match that showcased why both of these men are some of the best in the world.
Tony Deppen Defeated YAMATO
Tag Team Match: Los Macizos vs. Cole Radrick and Joey Janela
All four men traded rusts in the center of the ring, Ciclope and Meido were sent to the floor Joey and Cole followed them and continued to beat them up amongst the crowd. Ciclope brought a couple of doors into the ring and isolated Cole Radrick, Joey made the save taking out both members of the opposition with a moonsault followed by a DVD into the corner. Ciclope responded by spearing Janela through a door for a near fall. Cole recovered enough to come to the aid of his partner and set up a door in the corner. Ciclope hit a massive front splash into Cole but before he could attempt a pin, Joey broke it up with a top rope double stomp. Meido hit a 450 and looked like he dislocated his shoulder which caused him to exit the match and go to the back. Joey and Cole called for the called for a scissor lift, Janela got into the bucket and ascended into the air. He hesitated for a moment then hit a massive elbow drop into Ciclope for a very close near fall. Joey was so high up that it looked like he was floating on his way down. Ciclope popped up and rolled Radrick up for the victory. It felt like due to the injury the match was cut show but the length didn’t matter as all four of these guys knocked it out of the park.
Los Macizos defeated Joey Janela and Cole Radrick
Singles Match: Jordan Oliver vs Jonathan Gresham
The match started with a feeling-out process for both men, Jordan had the definite height advantage but Gresham is much stronger and technically gifted. Oliver exploded with a tremendous sequence of offenses culminating in a close near fall for Oliver. The crowd was split pretty evenly with their support but the Oliver had a slight advantage given the fact that he is a GCW guy. Gresham eventually took control and started to wear Oliver down with his mat-based offense and a delayed suplex. Gresham targeted Oliver’s arm throughout the match. This was a slower match that at this point in the night given how chilly it was getting might’ve been better reserved for an earlier spot. Oliver got a beautiful T-Bone suplex but was unable to capitalize due to his arm injury, this allowed Gresham to get back into it and once again ground Oliver. Gresham but a combination firearm strike followed by a suplex but Oliver fired back up and hit Gresham with a cutter but was unable to get the pin. Gresham responded with a forearm to the back of Oliver’s head for the victory.
Jonathan Gresham Defeated Jordan Oliver
Tag Team Match: Drew Parker and Rina Yamashita vs. Alex Colon and Matt Tremont
This was supposed to be a GCW Tag Team Championship match but due to an injury sustained in Japan John Wayne Murdoch was unable to compete which led to Matt Tremont being the surprise replacement.
Drew Parker and Tremont picked up where they left off from the TOS final and started brawling on the outside; Rina and Alex hit each other with tubes as the crowd started going crazy. Tremont came back into the ring and took out both Rina and Drew with a series of elbows; Tremont and Alex continued to work over Rina, first with strikes and then with the end of a broken light tube. The crowd chanted over here as Colon and Tremont took turns craving away on Rina’s head with the broken tubes. Rina eventually made the tag to Drew who ran wild on Alex Colon. But Parker’s advantage didn’t last long as Tremont splashed Drew in the corner and set him up with a bundle of tubes across his chest. Colon came back into the ring and hit a tube-assisted running double knees. Rina attempted to suplex Tremont but she didn’t get him over and he just pancaked her. This happened close to where I was standing and you could see how smooshed Rina got. With his partner trying to recover from being flatted, Drew Parker decided to hit Rina over the head with a tube in an attempt to try and wake her up. Parker’s trick worked as she sprung to life attacking with tubes Tremont in the process. Colon hooked Rina up in the tree of woe and double-stomped her and then flung himself out of the ring with a light tube. Rina and Parker set up a pane of glass in the ring and attempted to send Tremont through it, he fought them off but Rina suplexed him off the top through the pane of glass for a two count. Rina and Tremont traded forearms in the center of the ring, Rina took Tremont out with a bundle to the head and sealed the deal with a tube-assisted splash for the victory.
Rina Yamashita and Drew Parker Defeated Alex Colon and Matt Tremont
Singles Match: Shota vs EFFY
The match started slowly with both men reading a couple I’d waist licks followed by some other offensive sequences. EFFY dropped to his knees which caused Shota to back up, EFFY attempted to roll him up but Shota kicked out. EFFY teased spanking Shota but hit him with a gut wrench suplex instead. With everyone waiting in anticipation for the main event, The crowd wasn’t really into this match as most didn’t know who Shota was but it didn’t go long which worked out nicely.
EFFY defeated Shota
Title vs. Career: Jon Moxley (Champion) vs. Nick Gage
Gage tried to lock up with Mox but Mox kept evading, eventually, they locked up but Mox begged off. Gage took Mox off of his feet with a shoulder tackle but Mox popped back up and goaded Nick into exchanging strikes. Gage grounded Mox with a lariat and called for his Pizza cutter but Mox took a powder on the floor before Gage could connect. Gage moved to the floor to get a bundle of tubes, but he turned his back after he placed the bundle on the apron. This let Mox hit a baseball slide which broke the tubes over Gage’s back, Mox grabbed two bundles of tubes and broke them over Nick Gage’s head. Mox picked up a piece of broken piece glass and started to carve away at Gage’s head. Moxley controlled the majority of the match with Mox routinely wearing down Gage with submission moves. Gage tried to fight back but he was cut off with more light tube shots. The crowd was firmly behind Nick for the entirety of the match. Gage grounded Mox and but his reverse springboard elbow drop for a close near-fall. Dewey Donovan handed Gage the pizza cutter and started to carve away at Jon Moxley’s forehead. Both men were bleeding heavily from their heads, Mox took Gage out with a cutter and set up a pane of glass in the corner. Gage attempted to spear Mox through the pane but Mox sidestepped and Gage was sent flying into the pane. Gage kicked out of two pinfall attempts that really riled the crowd up. Mox stomped away on Gage’s head which drew the ire of the crowd, Mox set up a pane of glass in the corner, and Stokely and W. Morrissey stormed the ring and but the ring and took Mox out with a kick followed by a choke slam through a barbed wire pane of glass. Gage capitalized hitting a pile driver and a choke breaker for the victory.
Winner: Nick Gage
