Welcome back to GCW. After last weekend’s super event, the company decided to keep the momentum going with a trip to Indiana. Keep in Touch boasts an impressive card as Kylie Rae and Ace Austin make their GCW debuts, 44OH! battle Allie Kat and Effy, Calvin Tankman battles KTB, AJ Gray goes to war with Chris Dickinson and we get the first time ever clash between Joey Janela and ACH. It’s going to be a good one, so let’s get into it.

Tony Deppen defeated Benjamin Carter via KO Knee

First up, it would be Gatekeeper vs Prodigy as Benjamin Carter tried to topple GCW’s best grappler, Tony Deppen. After a scathing promo from Deppen, Carter rushed him and ran him into the turnbuckle. He then took Deppen through a series of quick dodges and technical sections then tried for a pin. Deppen feigned sportsmanship then locked Carter in a headlock. He dodged more of Carter’s offence then threw him to the outside. Carter sprung back in and hit Deppen with a dropkick. He ate a couple more kicks then after more fast dodging, took Carter down, and delivered a splash to his leg. He continued to work the leg and slapped down Carter when he tried to fight back. Carter escaped but Deppen kept up and rolled him through into a Figure Four. Carter escaped again and hit a cutter over the ropes. He took Deppen out with a springboard dropkick and chopped him down but Deppen answered back with a KO chop of his own and downed Carter. They had a second chop off then Carter sent Deppen to the outside with an Enzuigiri. Carter missed a step-up moonsault so Deppen punished him with a suicide cannonball dive. He threw Carter back into the ring and ate a dive as Carter rushed him again. Deppen kneed Carter in the face then missed a double stomp that resulted in Deppen eating a Code Red. That only got two so Carter hit a stiff kick and Standing Shooting Star Press for a second two count. They fought on the top rope where Deppen tried to shove Carter off but he landed on his feet and dropped Deppen with a Superplex. Deppen held on and rolled through into a brainbuster then kicked Carter in the back of the head. He went to the top rope and landed a double stomp but only got two. He dragged Carter to the corner and tried for another stomp but Carter caught him into an overhead Suplex and hit a frog splash. Carter missed a follow-up and crippled his knee. Deppen rushed, ate a forearm, and Shining Wizard, then dodged the second attempt of Carter’s corkscrew splash. He hit the KO knee strike for the win and went home. No respect or anything for Carter despite giving him one hell of a fight. Once again, Deppen killed it in the opening bout. Carter is going to be massive on the indie scene if he keeps this up.

Cole Radrick defeated Kylie Rae via Gage finisher Combo

Next up was the big debut of MDKylie. She was filling in for Nick Gage against the Wild Heart, Cole Radrick. Given both competitor’s striking ability, this one could get vicious. Rae made her debut to the Pokémon theme, with a PG version of Gage’s introduction and gave Radrick a bow, in what might be the most wholesome GCW moment ever. She tried for a roll-up as Radrick posed and narrowly avoided a kick. She shook hands with Radrick then tried to turn it into an armbar. They traded pinfalls then Rae took Radrick over with Hurricanrana. Rae hit an uppercut and the pair went through another series of pinfall attempts that ended with Rae hitting a cannonball. She locked Radrick in the Gory Special but Radrick escaped into a backslide and posed again in the ropes. An angered Rae rushed Radrick but ended up tripped and then hit with a springboard senton. He continued with a corner lariat and tornado moonsault for two. Radrick got a door but Rae was ready and dropkicked it into his face. She started setting up chairs but Radrick stopped her with a forearm. He set the door up and hit Kylie Rae with a chop to the mouth. Rae fired up and pummelled Radrick to the floor, then threw him in the ring and locked in a Cobra Twist (with an added pose.) She then transitioned to another Gory variant and battered Radrick’s head off the turnbuckle. He reversed with an arm drag and KO’ed her with a knee strike. Rae caught Radrick again and hit a bridging German for two into a crossface. Radrick fired back with a kick to the hamstring, a knee-breaker, and a super TKO that he transitioned into a half crab. Rae avoided Radrick in the corner and unleashed another flurry of strikes on him. She then made a Gage homage by hitting a duo of face washes. They fought on the apron, each trying to put the other through the door when Rae dodged a kick and powerbombed Radrick through the plunder. Radrick was dumped in the ring and avoided an armbar to hit a Backpack Stunner. He escaped a second crossface and finished Rae with a Chokebreaker and a Piledriver. He called Gage out and used Rae as the messenger. This was flipping awesome. Rae was more than welcomed at GCW and she put on a riotous match with Radrick. They hugged it out and ended the segment with a double smile pose.

KTB defeated Calvin Tankman via Half Crab

It’s time for a psycho-athletic freakout. KTB and Calvin Tankman, two athletic and hard-hitting beasts that were ready to murder each other. They started with some power games, trading tackles and trying to knock each other down. This switched to KTB chops after neither man could best the other. Tankman dodged the shoulder tackle and hit a step-up arm drag on KTB. They had a standoff then KTB went for the legs, hit Tankman with a right, and launched him with his own Lucha arm drag. A slugfest broke out and the pair traded rope shots. KTB was sent to the apron and Tankman drove him to the floor with a suicide spear. They traded shots on the outside then Tankman dropped KTB with a headbutt. Tankman tortured KTB in the ring corners and the pair went into a second slugfest. The pair hit each other with strikes that would kill a mortal man then KTB sent Tankman to the outside with a dropkick. He dived onto Tankman with a cannonball and hit a second rope Meteora back in-ring. KTB downed Tankman with a punt kick and Tankman caught him out of a Fireman’s Carry into a backbreaker. He followed up with a vicious clothesline for a two count. Both guys went into reversal mode with Tankman reversing a destroyer and KTB avoiding a Standing Shooting Star Press. Tankman recovered, hit a spinebuster, and rolled KTB through into a KO elbow. Tankman went tope rope but KTB caught him. KTB tried for a Pele kick but Tankman dragged him down by the hair. KTB rebounded and hit Tankman with a super DVD off the top. They slugged it out again then KTB caught Tankman with a knee breaker and locked in a Half Crab for the win. This was a vicious match with a lot of violent spots and strikes. KTB put Tankman over at the end and I honestly hope they go to war again.

Blake Christian defeated Tre Lamar via Elia

Oh boy get your gif machines at the ready, this one was going to get flippy and furious. Tre Lamar and Blake Christian have both been impressing everyone around them and now they would go to war. They started with a lock up and quickly broke off as Lamar started hair pulling. They went for a second lock-up where Christian applied a bridging wristlock and forced Lamar to pop-up. They went rope running and Christian barred an arm. Lamar escaped, dodged more offence and seemed to get under the skin of Christian. They went for a knuckle lock and traded kicks then Christian sent Lamar to the outside with a head-scissor. Lamar rushed back in and sent Christian to the outside with a dropkick. Lamar knocked out Christian with a misdirection dive then tried for a springboard in the ring but was sent outside and hit with a dive through some fan chairs. Both men took a breather then made their way back to the ring. Christian hit a rolling dropkick then Lamar answered back with a springboard double stomp. Lamar continued to control Christian with suplexes, chops and stomps until Christian woke up and answered back with a kick to the leg. Lamar kicked Christian out of a dive and launched at him with a springboard lariat. He locked in a chin lock then slugged it out with Christian. He caught Lamar’s kick and hit him with a twisting Enzuigiri. Lamar tried for a rolling Pelé kick but Christian dodged and hit a kneesault to Lamar’s head. Christian weakened Lamar with strikes and tried for a half and half but Lamar launched him into a lariat and a rolling forearm. He tried for another springboard but Christian dodged and KO’ed him with a kick. He then hit a low 619 and finally nailed the half and half. They slugged it out again and Christian nailed a handspring back elbow then a vicious head kick. Lamar woke up, low bridged Christian, and nailed him with a cannonball dive. Christian was thrown back into the ring so of course, he rushed Lamar with a Fosbury Flop into a flatliner. Lamar was the first back to his feet and missed a 450 so Christian leapt to the top and finished Lamar with Elia. This was excellent fun and offered a nice mix of grounded and aerial action. If these guys are the future, then the future is in good hands. Lamar continues to impress and it looks like no one can stop Blake Christian.

44OH! (Atticus Cogar & Rickey Shane Page) defeated Allie Kat & Effy via Chokebreaker

The final match of the first half would see 44OH! potentially suffer some consequences for their actions as Allie Kat and Effy teamed up to smack them around. The Champion Rickey Shane Page and Atticus Cogar were representing the group but all the others (bar Eddy Only) were around the ring. 44OH! interrupted Effy’s entrance, so Effy and RSP started the match. RSP instantly tagged out, so Cogar locked up with Effy. They traded hammerlocks and headlocks, then Effy headbutted Cogar in the dick. He hammered Cogar down in the corner then dragged him face-first across the rope. He tagged in Allie and the pair both launched Cogar. They then hit him with a unique “cat-themed” attack and Allie continued the beating with some rakes. She caught Cogar with some jabs and avoided harm with a Whoopie Cushion. Cogar decked both members of Effycat and dumped Allie with a German. RSP tagged in and we got to see a pussy stomp a pussy. He launched Allie with a Suplex toss and mockingly scraped her with his boot. He brought Cogar back in, who clawed at her face and hung her out on the ropes. He locked her in an abdominal stretch and got some additional leverage from RSP. The ref kicked RSP away and Allie dumped Cogar with a slam. She crawled to Effy but RSP took him out and smashed him against a ring post. Cogar kicked Allie into the turnbuckle then dragged her back to RSP. He launched Allie again then worked some double-team with Cogar. He tagged out and Cogar hit Allie with a beautiful moonsault. She fought out of a headlock and threw a lariat to get the tag. Effy and RSP rushed the ring and Effy rocked RSP with a series of forearms. He avalanched Effy and dropped him with the Leg DDT off the corner. Cogar distracted Effy so RSP hit him with a cyclone boot. He plonked Effy on the top rope and bit him but was then kicked down and ate a blockbuster from Effy. He dumped Cogar on top of RSP and tagged out to Allie who crushed both with a senton. They continued to double-team 44OH! and grabbed a door. That was set up and Cogar was set to go through it but RSP jumped in-ring and stomped the door. Cogar caught Effy with a faceplant and a slugfest broke out. Cogar got rid of Allie with a dive and Effy stopped a rolling elbow with his ass. He ran for a kick but RSP caught him into a choke breaker for the three-count. 44OH! get another win, which really makes you question just who can stop this diabolical group?

Mance Warner defeated Spyder Nate Webb via Plunder Pile DDT

Our first match back post-intermission was the battle between Wheatus’ favourite wrestler Spyder Nate Webb and the SGC light beer brawler, Mance Warner. Mance started with some rounds of cheers then slugged it out with Webb. Webb went to the eyes and threw Mance to the outside. He threw a chair at Mance, then launched him into a ring post. Webb retrieved some more chairs as Mance tried to stem the blood coming down his face. Webb set up a door and quickly got put through it as Mance caught his kick and flipped him over the ropes. Mance set up another set of doors and smashed Webb with a chair. Webb finally recovered and hit Mance with an Arachnid kick then put Mance through a door with the chair-sault. Another door was set up then Mance pelted Webb with another chair and speared him against the door. He then set up a chair and hit a Sabu style dive to put Webb through the door. Yet another door was set-up and Webb threw another chair at Mance. He then placed another door on top of the first and tried to hit Mance with a Rana but Mance caught him and put him through the doors with a chokeslam. They had a seated slugfest then Mance went to the eyes. Webb answered back with a DDT and booted Mance in the side of the head. They punched each other in front of the plunder pile and Mance charged him with a lariat. Webb tried to answer back with some slaps but Mance DDT’ed Webb onto the plunder pile for the win. This was a pretty standard plunder match but it was still fun. No drama or overarching plots, just fun.

Scramblef-ck: Alex Zayne defeated Ace Austin, Isaias Velazquez, Jordan Oliver, Jimmy Lloyd & Shane Mercer via Taco Driver to Mercer

Right highlights time as we go into the scramblef-ck with Ace Austin’s debut, Isaias Velazquez’s return, and a whole host of GCW regulars. It was going to get wild. It started with everyone turning on Mercer, Velazquez diving on him and getting taken out by Ace Austin and Lloyd KO’ing Oliver with a rolling forearm. Austin got a great showcase as he took out Oliver and Lloyd while wearing a mask. Zayne and Austin had an excellent reversal fest, then tried for dives. Zayne succeeded, Austin dived at Mercer and was caught into a Belly to Belly on the floor. Mercer took to the ring and started bullying people, throwing Zayne onto Oliver with an X-Plex at one point. He also threw Velazquez with one hand, wrecked Lloyd with a slam, and threw Austin away like nothing with a Fallaway Slam. Oliver hit him with a low blow and hit him with a slam but couldn’t celebrate as Lloyd kicked him in the head. Lloyd then caught Oliver off the top into a Piledriver. Velazquez caught both Zayne and Oliver with a deathlock/Northern Lights combo and a double crucifix bomb. Velazquez and Austin then took everyone out with dives. Mercer hit an Asai moonsault and Oliver hit a DDT to the outside. Zayne rocked Velazquez with the Baja Blast and Oliver caught him with a cutter across the ropes. Lloyd killed Velazquez hit Oliver and Lloyd with a double leg drop. Oliver caused a tower of doom/Moonsault and Battery combo then Zayne hit him with the Crunch Wrap Supreme. He hit a 450 to the corner and won the match with a Taco Driver to Mercer. This once again was awesome. Everyone got to shine and the most important thing, Ace Austin wrestled in a mask. if he can wrestle in one, you can wear one to the shops… just saying.

Chris Dickinson defeated AJ Gray via Deathlock

This was going to be a rough one. Two very heavy-hitting powerhouses were about to go to war in a match that would leave both with bruises. Dickinson instantly charged Gray with a corner dropkick and took him down with a shoulder tackle. He continued with a Back Suplex and threw some chops. Gray retaliated and tanked a Gameguri. He then backed Dickinson into the corner and dropped Dickinson with a Gamenguri. Dickinson bailed so Gray followed him out with a huge suicide dive. Back in the ring, he dropped on Dickinson with a senton and threw Dickinson into another corner. The pair got into a chop-off then Dickinson hit a Dragon Screw and kicked Gray’s hamstring. Dickinson continued to target the knee in the ropes and attacked low with a rope. He went top rope and aimed a missile dropkick at the knee and wrapped the leg up again. Dickinson went top rope again but was caught by a desperate Gray hitting a Koppu kick. He muscled Dickinson into a superplex and went toe to toe with the dirty daddy in another slugfest. Gray got the upper hand with a Polish hammer and caught Dickinson with a power slam. Gray went top rope and hit a leg drop but couldn’t capitalise because of his knee. He managed a bridging Tiger Suplex and escaped Dickinson’s clutches with an enzuigiri. Gray tried for a roll-up and nailed a leg lariat then tried to go top rope again but was winded with a dropkick and brought to the mat with a top rope Rana. Dickinson then went back to the knee with a half crab and escaped Gray’s retaliation with another Back Suplex. He then locked the half crab in again and moved into an STF. Gray escaped with a bite and we got another chop off. Dickinson switched to forearms but was caught into a Uranage and hit with a lariat. That was followed by a vertical Suplex and another attempted move but Dickinson rolled through and hit another chop. He caught Gray off the ropes with a double leg Dragon Screw and hit a powerbomb. When that got a two, he locked in a deathlock and got Gray to tap. Gray gave it his all and took Dickinson to his limits but Dickinson had a plan and he stuck to it. Once again, I struggle to think who’ll be able to beat Dickinson. Also, give Gray another title shot, he’s due one. This was big boy violence and I adored it.

ACH defeated Joey Janela via Crossface

Last but not least, the first-time meeting between ACH and Joey Janela. ACH is back and meaner than ever so it was up to Joey Janela to try and stop him whilst also upset the win streak ACH was on. They started by locking up with Janela posing and ACH barring his arm. ACH continued to athletically avoid technical holds and the pair traded pin attempts. ACH downed Janela with a dropkick, snapped him over the ropes, and dived on him outside. He drove Janela into the ring apron and continued to work the back with stomps and a backbreaker. Janela initiated a chop off and was sent back to the outside. ACH followed and chopped Janela amongst the fans, hitting him hard enough to topple chairs. Janela reversed a whip and sent ACH flying into the ring post. He pummelled ACH and tried to rope run, but ACH avoided him and kicked him out of the ring again. ACH looked to follow and deliver an apron PK but Janela grabbed his leg and made him faceplant the ring frame. He put ACH in a Fireman’s carry and hit a running DVD to the floor. The fought towards the river with Janela teasing fans with a dunking into the river then dragging ACH back to the ring. Janela locked in a Figure Four but ACH reversed the pressure, forcing Janela to the ropes. Janela threw ACH into the corner but was launched outside and hit with another dive into more fan seats. Janela retorted with a dive to the outside but ACH quickly recovered and drove Janela into the ring post and hit an apron PK. He hit Janela with a German on the ring frame and missed a frog splash. Janela attacked ACH in the corner again but ate a top rope Tiger Driver. They slugged it out until Janela reversed a superkick into a Package Piledriver. Janela went top rope for an elbow drop but only got ACH’s knees. ACH went after the shoulder and tried to superplex Janela but ate a second rope gourdbuster. Janela tried to rope walk but ACH snapped his arm against the ropes. He then stunned Janela on the top with a leaping kick and drilled him with a brainbuster. He continued with slugs and flattened Janela with a clothesline. Janela escaped further abuse with a superkick and hit a rolling senton. Janela tried to pick ACH up but his arm gave out so ACH attacked it again then was hit by a massive lariat. He followed up with a DDT but couldn’t keep ACH down. ACH bailed so Janela took him out with a moonsault but couldn’t follow up as ACH hit a nutcracker and locked in a crossface for the win. It wasn’t the nicest win but it was one hell of a match to watch. ACH continues to be the upsetter as he topples up and comers and GCW favourites alike.

So, there you have it, GCW Keep in Touch reviewed for your reading pleasure. It was another kick-ass show full of excellent matches and excellent action. It was a friendlier show with no deathmatches and a lot of pure fighting. The big debuts, although losing, really made an impact and there was no drag to the card whatsoever. ACH poses a real threat to the GCW roster, Blake Christian and Chris Dickinson seem unstoppable now. I eagerly await Tournament of Survival 5 as GCW will once again go full blood and guts mode.

All images courtesy of GCW Twitter, Wrestling with Unicorns, SirLARIATO, HeyyImRob, KVR216

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