GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break 7: Janela vs. Ibushi, Vikingo vs. Speedball

April 1, 2023 Jon Pine NEWS, Show Reports
Photo Courtesy: GCW

GCW: Joey Janela’s Spring Break 7
Friday, March 31, 2023
Ukrainian Cultural Center
Los Angeles, California 

Match Recommendations: 

The entire show but if you don’t have time

Joey Janela vs. Kota Ibushi
Motor City Machine Guns vs. East West Express 
Mike Bailey vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
BUSSY vs. Maki Death Kill 

Show Results: 

Grab the Brass Ring Doors, Ladder, Chairs Match: Komander vs. Cole Radrick vs. Blake Christian vs. Billie Starkz vs. Alec Price vs. Gringo Loco vs, Jack Cartwheel vs. Shane Mercer

Everyone started brawling, but Loco, Deppen, and Christian were left standing tall. Loco took both men off their feet with a springboard arm drag, which sent Deppen and Christian to the floor. Komander jumped into the ring and stood face to face with Loco. They started running a couple of lucha spots, with Komander taking Loco off his feet with a rana. Mercer entered the match-up and ate some fists from Komander, but he quickly popped Komander up and slammed him down on his knee. Cartwheel hit Mercer with a Death Valley Driver and a Sasuke Special to the floor, taking out everyone else. Price took out Deppen, Cartwheel, Starkz, and Komander with a series of big boots, but he turned his back and was military-pressed by Shane Mercer. Mercer launched Price to the floor, but couldn’t capitalize as Loco Sabu’d a chair at the head of Shane Mercer. Deppen tossed a chair into Radrick’s face and was able to get a quick near fall before he and Christian started to fight over a ladder that struck Deppen in the stomach. Christian climbed to the top rope and rode the ladder down onto Deppen’s midsection. Christian tried to take Gringo out, but he was spiked on his head with a piledriver. Gringo followed that up with a beautiful plancha. Billie got a quick roll-up on Loco, but he kicked out and ate a kick to his head. Price set up Starkz in the corner double stomped her through a door, but Billie kicked out and avoided a cutter from Gringo Loco, who ended up hitting Price instead. Radrick 619’d Gringo into a steel chair, but Cartwheel jumped him from behind and sent him to the floor. Starkz and Mercer set up a ladder bridge in the corner while Deppen and Gringo fought on the other side. Cartwheel jumped up onto Loco’s shoulders and took Deppen off the ladder with a suplex. Cartwheel put Radrick through a door that was set up on the floor. Mercer tried to attack Cartwheel, but Cartwheel evaded and jumped off the top rope. Mercer caught him and climbed to the top of the ladder and hit a giant Moonsault and Battery for a very close nearfall. Loco hit Mercer over the head with a steel chair and proceeded to set up a door bridge in the corner. Loco was placed on the door, but the door broke before anything could happen. The crowd chanted “fuck that door” as Gringo retrieved another one, set Mercer back up on the door, and climbed to the top of the ladder. Alec Price climbed up on the other side and jumped off onto Billie Starkz, who was on the floor. Komander rope-walked and took out the other side of competitors, while Gringo hit a Swanton bomb off the ladder, which sent Mercer through the door. Starkz returned to the ring and threw a chair at Radrick, running wild on him with a series of forearms and a neck breaker, but Radrick was still able to kick out at one. Starkz set Radrick up on her shoulders and hit her finishing move, but Blake jumped back into the ring and curb-stomped Billie for the victory.

Blake Christian won the Grab the Brass Ring Ladder Match 

GCW Tag Team Title Match: The Motor City Machine Guns (Champions) vs. East West Express 

Both teams began brawling on the floor, but East West quickly regrouped and executed stereo dives to gain the upper hand on the champions outside the ring. Despite Nick Wayne’s reopened eye injury, he and Jordan Oliver worked together to execute their tandem offense on the Machine Guns. However, Chris Sabin fought back and took Oliver down with a DDT, while Alex Shelley taunted Wayne’s injury and targeted it with kicks to the head. Shelley then placed Wayne on the top rope while Sabin kneed Oliver in the head and sent him face-first into the second turnbuckle. The Machine Guns continued to dominate, with Sabin hitting Wayne with a brutal lariat and then following up with basement dropkicks. They then locked in a double submission hold on both Wayne and Oliver, causing Wayne to retreat to the floor.

The champions then isolated Oliver, who fought back and traded standing switches with Sabin before taking him down with a running clothesline. Oliver then made the hot tag to Nick Wayne, who launched a series of kicks on Sabin and Shelley before executing a standing Spanish fly on Sabin. Wayne attempted to hit Sabin with a snapdragon suplex, but Shelley attacked him from behind, allowing Sabin to land a dropkick off the top rope. Wayne kicked out at two, and Oliver attempted to make the save but ran into the turnbuckle. Sabin then attempted a sunset bomb on Oliver, but Oliver flipped out of it, and they traded shots in the center of the ring. The two then exchanged superkicks, but Sabin turned Oliver inside out with a lariat followed by the cradle shock. Wayne broke up the pin attempt, and Shelley hit him with shellshock, followed by the Border City Stretch, while Oliver was locked in the Texas Cloverleaf.

Wayne leveraged himself into a pinning maneuver, causing Sabin to break the hold on Oliver to break up the pin. The champions reset, and Oliver fired up on both of them with a series of chops, but the Machine Guns cut off his momentum with their vintage tag team maneuvers. Wayne then returned to the ring to make the save for his partner, and Oliver hit Shelley with a Cloutcutter for a very close near fall. Wayne launched himself to the outside while Oliver and Wayne executed their double team Cloutcutter on Sabin, and Jordan Oliver pinned him to win the Tag Team Championships. It was an excellent match that lived up to the hype.

East West Express Won the GCW Tag Team Championships

Interview Segment with Yoshihiko: 

Emil Jay asked how he was feeling about being on his first Spring Break and how it felt to walk out with his championship after his match this past afternoon. Emil then asked if Yoshihiko would be returning to GCW to which Yoshihiko shook his head. Charles Mason and Parrow made their way to the ring. Parrow took the mic from Emil, while Charles booted Yoshihiko in the face and stomped him. Charles cut a promo on the crowd, and Parrow took out Yoshihiko’s handler who turned out to be Jimmy Lloyd. Parrow was going to hit Hiko with a driver but Hiko fired up and German Suplexed the big man out of the ring as they retreated to the locker room. 

Singles Match: Mike Bailey vs. El Hijo del Vikingo

Bailey dodged a lock-up and grabbed Vikingo’s leg, and they both got back up and exchanged dropkicks before striking a pose. Bailey extended his hand to Vikingo, and both men looked sharp in their new gear. Bailey secured a headlock and attempted a shoulder tackle, but Vikingo stood his ground until Bailey landed a kick across his chest, taking him down. Vikingo bounced off the ropes and landed a head kick, then launched himself out of the ring at Bailey, crashing down headfirst. Bailey re-entered the ring first and kicked Vikingo in the face before executing a triangle moonsault. He followed up with kicks to Vikingo’s chest and back, then grounded him with two Dragon Screwleg whips and stomped on his knees, locking him in a trailer hitch. Vikingo made it to the bottom rope, but Bailey held on, and the two men exchanged chops in the center of the ring. Bailey gave up his back, and Vikingo chopped him, but Bailey responded with a kick. He followed up with a series of kicks and a running shooting star press for a close nearfall, with the crowd cheering wildly.

Vikingo caught Bailey when he attempted a springboard off the second rope and delivered a running double knee, sending Bailey to the floor.

He followed up with a shooting star press from the apron to the floor and put Bailey back in the ring, hitting a beautiful second rope phoenix splash for another nearfall. Bailey again bailed to the floor, but he dodged Vikingo’s attack and hit a moonsault that sent both men crashing to the floor. Bailey sent Vikingo back into the ring and hit him with a running knee to his face, followed by a moonsault double knee. He then executed a handspring elbow and a buzzsaw kick to the side of Vikingo’s head, but Vikingo kicked out at the last second. Both men got up, and Vikingo ate a massive superkick from Bailey, followed by a springing speedball kick and the ultimate weapon. Vikingo moved out of the way and attempted the imploding Dragonrana, but he missed his mark. Vikingo responded with a bridging deadlift German Suplex, but Bailey kicked out once again. They battled on the apron with a series of kicks, with Bailey inviting Vikingo to kick him in the chest. They exchanged hard shots to the chest and head, with Bailey picking Vikingo’s leg and attempting a moonsault double knee, but Vikingo moved and balanced himself on the ring post, hitting Bailey with a destroyer on the apron.

Vikingo sent Bailey back into the ring and went for a shooting star press, but Bailey got his knees up and stacked Vikingo up on the top rope. They balanced on the top rope and Bailey hit Vikingo with the Metero Rain but Viking again was able to kick out.

Bailey stacked Vikingo up on the second rope and tried to execute the flamingo driver, but Vikingo fought out, and they battled on the top rope. This time, Vikingo fought out of it and hit Bailey with a top rope spinning side slam, followed by the 630 for the win.

This was an incredible match, and although I cannot recall where I saw it or who said it, I agree that Vikingo is this generation’s Rey Mysterio.

Vikingo Defeated Mike Bailey 

Tag Team Match: BUSSY vs. Maki Death Kill 

Incredible introduction for “Maki Death Kill” by Emil Jay. Allie Katch and Maki started posing for the crowd’s delight, but Katch eventually grew tired of it and booted Maki in the stomach. Maki retaliated with a headbutt to Katch’s chest. They both tagged out for their partners, and Gage took EFFY down with a big shoulder tackle. EFFY dropped to his knees, and Gage followed up with a kick to the face and a series of body slams, ending with a running elbow drop.

EFFY countered with a knee to the face and a running boot in the corner, then pointed at Maki, who was pleading with Gage to make the tag. EFFY brought in his partner, allowing BUSSY to isolate Gage with a series of cross bodies. EFFY hit Gage with a brutal side slam while taunting Maki, but Gage fired up and responded with a swinging neckbreaker, followed by a forearm to Katch for good measure.

Gage caught EFFY in an elevated vertical suplex, slammed him down, and made the tag to Maki, who ran wild on EFFY. Maki hit EFFY with a stiff DDT, but EFFY managed to kick out at two. Gage tried to bring out the pizza cutter, but Allie pulled him off the apron, preventing him from handing it to Maki. Allie then placed a chair around Gage’s head and ran him headfirst into the ring post, while inside the ring, EFFY used the pizza cutter to carve away at Maki’s forehead. Allie did the same, further bloodying Maki.

Gage returned to the ring and took out Allie with a DDT, followed by a spinebuster onto EFFY. Gage hit a boot scrape on EFFY, and Maki hit one on Allie. They then rotated and booted the other in the head. Gage revealed a Maki Itoh-themed pizza cutter, a phenomenal touch, and he and Maki carved away, leaving BUSSY bleeding. EFFY’s face was a crimson mask, and Gage and Maki attempted to hit stereo chokebreakers, but BUSSY fought out of it. Katch hit Maki with a piledriver, and Gage hit EFFY with one. Katch and Gage exchanged fists in the center of the ring, and Gage finished off Katch with a chokebreaker.

EFFY rushed back into the ring to break up the count but did not see that Maki had retrieved a chair. Maki hit him in the back, but it did not do much, and EFFY grabbed the chair away from her, hitting Gage over the head with it. Gage spilled to the floor as EFFY set up open chairs back to back in the center of the ring. Maki fired up and chokeslammed EFFY across the chairs, folding his body across his spine, but Katch made the save for her team.

Maki started crying, and Katch went to kiss her, but Maki flipped her off. EFFY tried to roll up Maki, who was kicked out and was placed on the top rope. Katch climbed up the other side, but Gage put her on his shoulders and hit her with an assault driver, while Maki hit EFFY with a spinning DDT for the victory.

Maki Death Kill Defeated BUSSY

Cardona and Steph jumped Maki and Gage with steel chairs. Cardona said it’s bullshit that they aren’t booked at Spring Break or Wrestlemania. Masha came out and went face to face with Steph, Gage speared Cardona as they brawled to the back. 

GCW World Championship Match: Masha Slamovich vs. Steph De Lander

Masha took the fight to Steph, rag-dolling her around the ring a couple of times, but Steph managed to kick out. Masha then set up a chair in the corner and continued to brawl with Steph, who countered with a series of suplexes to wear out the champion. Suddenly, there was a suggestion to bring back Rickey Shane Page and put the belt on him or someone else. Masha went underneath the ring and retrieved a door, which she set up in the corner. Despite being choke-slammed back first onto a chair, Masha still managed to kick out. She then sent Steph crashing through the door with an air raid crash and attempted to finish her off with the white knight driver. However, Cardona attacked Masha from behind, prompting Gage to return to the ring and run him off. Maki hit Cardona with two running boots before Masha choked out Steph to end the match. Unfortunately, this poorly received match is unlikely to silence Masha’s critics.

Masha Slamovich Defeated Steph De Lander 

Singles Match: Kota Ibushi vs. Joey Janela

The match began with a slow feeling-out process as both competitors were locked in headlocks. Joey pushed Ibushi into the corner, but Kota threw a kick that Joey luckily ducked. Joey then grabbed another headlock, but Kota shot him off the ropes and took him down with a dropkick that sent Joey reeling to the floor. Kota invited Joey back inside the ring, but Joey refused and suckered Kota to the floor, infuriating him. Joey then hit Kota with a rolling elbow followed by a kick to the small of his back, and a series of chops. However, Kota kept inviting more of them until he finally moved out of the way and kicked Joey in the face.

The two went back and forth with forearm shots, and Joey brought Kota to the mat and stomped on his elbow. Kota was shot off the ropes and ate a back elbow from Joey, resulting in the first near fall of the match. Joey then wrapped his legs around Kota’s neck, but Kota was able to make it to the ropes, breaking the hold. Joey continued to keep the pressure on Kota with a series of strikes to his chest and face. Janela fought out of a waist lock, but Kota spiked Joey right on his head with a rana, sending Joey to the floor. Kota then came flying off the top rope with a moonsault, crashing into Joey.

Kota sent Joey back into the ring, and Joey dodged a forearm but Kota caught him with a Regal plex, resulting in a close near fall. Kota climbed to the top rope, but Janela popped back up and hit him with a palm strike followed by an avalanche brainbuster. Unfortunately, Joey was unable to get the pin fall as Kota kicked out at two. They began trading fists on the apron, and Joey rushed in with a lariat but Ibushi moved out of the way, causing Joey’s head to hit the ring post. Joey was busted open, but this only fueled Kota’s determination. Kota then connected with a series of forearm strikes, but these only fired Joey up, and he responded with a series of his own.

They stepped out onto the apron again where Joey hoisted Kota onto his shoulders for a Death Valley Driver. Although Kota struggled, he was unable to escape the attack and was slammed headfirst onto the ring frame with a DDT. Joey set up a door bridge on the floor, and while Kota retaliated with some forearm shots, Joey continued to keep the pressure on the Japanese legend. Joey sent Kota headfirst into the ring post, leaving him glassy-eyed on the doors. However, Kota managed to get back up and climbed to the top rope. He attempted to German Suplex Joey, but lost his footing, causing both men to crash to the floor and hit the back of their heads on the wooden surface. It was a brutal-looking bump. 

Joey was rolled back into the ring, and he caught a V-Trigger before hitting Ibushi with two Death Valley Drivers. However, Kota kicked out at one, leaving Joey stunned. Kota then started throwing punches at him in the center of the ring, with Joey’s hair wet with blood as they hammered each other with vicious shots. Kota’s body was covered in Joey’s blood, which only added to the dramatic scene.

Joey hit Kota with a rolling elbow followed by another brainbuster, holding onto Ibushi, but Kota reversed it and hit a brainbuster of his own. Joey folded Kota in half with a German Suplex, and Kota returned the favor, causing both men to stagger to their feet and throw double clotheslines. Joey’s forehead was leaking as they turned the corner on the back 9, facing off in the center of the ring and exchanging open-hand shots. Joey challenged Kota to bring it on as they unloaded on each other with a flurry of strikes.

Kota leveled Joey with a series of kicks followed by a moonsault, but Joey got his knees up just in time. Joey hit another running lariat, turning Ibushi inside out, and planted Kota with a package piledriver. Kota somehow kicked out at 2. Joey hit Kota with a superkick, but Kota didn’t go down. Joey hit him with a second one, dropping Kota to one knee. A third superkick connected with Kota, knocking him on his back but still unable to keep him down. Joey attempted a running lariat, but Kota leveled him with a V-Trigger, claiming the victory.

Phenomenal match and an excellent story. Both men pushed each other to their limits and Joey once again showed why he is one of the best wrestlers in the world. 

Kota Ibushi Defeated Joey Janela 

Janela Promo: “Four years ago, my life was changed, after 15 years in this business I signed my first wrestling contract. Despite it starting off great and wonderful somewhere under the surface I lost myself. I was depressed, I was jelly, I had to deal with seeing my ex-girlfriend with another guy, and I lost myself in AEW but I want to thank AEW and I want to Thank Tony Khan for everything he did for me. Somewhere, somehow a fucking superstar, one of the best wrestlers in the history of the business he kind of lost himself too, but after two years off. You decided not to go to WWE, you decided, for now, not to go to AEW, you chose the fucking company that I fucking killed myself for and that means the world Brett, the boys, and girls in back, and on my show, in the seventh edition, you don’t realize how much this means to me. You are the embodiment, the physical embodiment of the Japanese spirit and I thank you so much. I just wanted to say one more thing, Welcome back to the business Kota Ibushi” 

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.