After a great night at Welcome To Heartbreak, GCW returned to bring us another night of great action. Thunder Rosa fought Tony Deppen, Ninja Mack and Jack Cartwheel were ready to showcase their aerial ability, Dark Sheik and Jordan Oliver went at it, and Kevin Blackwood returned after losing his debut to face Grim Reefer. We got a Deathmatch between Jimmy Lloyd and Alex Zayne, an 8-person tag team match with Second Gear Crew and Bussy against Team LA Fights, a Lucha war between Gringo Loco and Mascara Dorada, and a main-event between Blake Christian and “Speedball” Mike Bailey. First off, Joey Janela addressed the crowd following his attack on X-Pac after their match against the Major Players.

The Bad Boy Speaks

Joey Janela sat in the ring with his hair covering his face. The fans chanted “f*** you, Joey” as he lit a cigarette. He finally started to speak, saying he was sorry over and over again. Janela talked about carrying these three letters for the last five years, and how he put every other wrestler in front of him, regardless of who they were. He talked about being selfless, and despite that, he has nothing to show for it, asking where his flowers were. It was time to put himself first. He asked if he’d have to be in a casket, urn, or dead for the fans to appreciate him. Janela apologised to Waltman and talked about Waltman fighting through his depression and other demons, and last night he got his flowers. It was never about Janela, but who he puts over. Waltman walked out and stood on the apron. X-Pac asked if Janela was the new Raven after all the rambling he’d been doing. He said last night meant the world to him and chose GCW and Janela because they have a past. X-Pac then said he wanted Janela at Spring Break where he’d give him his “f***ing flowers” in a singles match. The fans were so loud that you could barely hear Janela. It was a great segment and a match between the two is now set.

Ninja Mack vs Jack Cartwheel

I’m surprised any of these guys are still standing after last night. They had a bit of fun before the match started, with both guys doing cartwheels, followed by an attempt from the referee. There was aerial back and forth in the early stages. Cartwheel dropkicked Mack off the turnbuckle and was able to land a Tope Con Hilo. Mack was able to counter a moonsault by getting his knees up, then landed a boot to the chest and a ninja chop. Cartwheel hit a belly-to-back superplex off the second turnbuckle and followed up with a German suplex. He locked in a sleeper on Mack, but Mack got out and hit a couple of atomic drops and a side kick off the top turnbuckle. Mack hit a spinning kick after a failed short-arm cradle, then Cartwheel landed a Death Valley Driver, and his signature cartwheel spin over the ropes. Mack got the pin after Cartwheel failed to connect with a twisting shooting star press. A fun opener with some good spots throughout. They celebrated together at the end.

Dark Sheik vs Jordan Oliver

Dark Sheik showed plenty of inventiveness by locking in a swinging pendulum submission and landed two big boots in the corner. She dropped a leg on Oliver from the apron to the ring but made a mistake that allowed him to take advantage. He locked in an abdominal stretch and hit a Shining Wizard. He went for a double underhook suplex, to which Sheik countered with a hurricanrana. She hit a spinning heel kick from up high, only getting a two-count as a result. They traded blows until Sheik clocked a huge kick, but Oliver was able to come back and almost grabbed a win after a unique suplex. Oliver went for a cutter as Sheik hit him with a dropkick. She connected with a German suplex and then a bridge half-and-half suplex, however, her left shoulder was down under him and caused Oliver to inadvertently get the victory. It wasn’t anything particularly special, but it was still cool seeing them both go at it.

Thunder Rosa vs Tony Deppen

I love Thunder Rosa, and seeing her in a GCW ring is always a pleasure. She’s one of the best women in the business today, and before she challenges Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s Championship at AEW Revolution, she got to wipe the smile off Tony Deppen’s face. Deppen pushed Rosa, who retaliated with a massive slap across his face. Rosa then jumped on Deppen and pounded his head, followed by an armbar. After Deppen got to the ropes, he left the ring to take a breather. He got back in the ring and the two of them locked horns, reversing various mat submissions until Deppen grabbed the rope again. Rosa managed to lock in the guillotine choke until Deppen threw her off. She called for silence, licked her hand, and slapped him on the chest. Deppen hit a dropkick following a knee strike, then landed a pump kick on the apron. With both still on the apron, Rosa dropped him with a Death Valley Driver. She launched him into the ring post, then locked a submission on the chairs, but Deppen thrust her back into the apron. Back in the ring, Deppen landed a high knee drop. Rosa locked up Deppen’s arms, but he was able to get out and drop some fierce elbows to the back of her head. Rosa hit a stunner and a big clothesline into the corner. She followed up with a double stomp and a bridge Northern Lights suplex. They traded blows in the centre of the ring until Rosa knocked him to his knees and smashed her boot into his head. Deppen landed the Tombstone, but Rosa kicked out of the pin. He then hit a superplex off the top turnbuckle and then a face breaker, followed by a kick to the face. Rosa almost got the win after dropping Deppen to the mat. With Rosa squashed on the top turnbuckle, Deppen drove his knee into her face and smashed his elbow into the back of a limp Rosa’s head, but still couldn’t get a win. Rosa hit a Poisonrana and a crucifix pin, but yet again, it was only a two-count. With both on their knees, they traded blows until they got to their feet. Rosa smashed Deppen with a hammer blow then rolled him up to pick up the win. A phenomenal match from start to finish. Rosa is the best woman in the business, hands down. She put on a masterclass, but props to Deppen here. After a brief show of respect, Deppen left as Rosa celebrated in the ring.

Do or Die Deathmatch: Jimmy Lloyd vs Alex Zayne

Nick Gage hit the ring to announce the participants of the upcoming Deathmatch. I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of how excited Emil Jay gets when he hears Gage’s music hit. It didn’t take long for the violence to begin as Zayne kicked a door covered in the barbed wire into Lloyd’s body. With it lying across Lloyd, Zayne hit a slingshot senton on top of it. Zayne landed some strikes into the open wound on Lloyd’s forehead. He went for a suplex, but Lloyd went for a roll-up to get a two-count. Zayne hit a running knee. He ran at Lloyd but got thrown over the ropes into a table on the floor which looked insane. Lloyd waited for Zayne to get back in the ring and they traded blows. Zayne was able to hit a hurricanrana onto Lloyd who was on the top turnbuckle and send him back onto the door with barbed wire on it. Zayne reached into the Taco Bell box he brought to the ring and pulled out a taco shell with tacks in it. He failed to feed it to Lloyd and ended up getting it shoved down his own throat. Zayne got dropped on the door, but got to his feet and connected with an Enzuigiri. Zayne set up a pane of glass over Lloyd’s body and jumped through it, but caught glass deep in his forearm. He went for the pin, but Lloyd kicked out at one. Lloyd landed an Exploder through another pane that was laid against the corner. Lloyd set up yet another pane of glass on two chairs, but Zayne hit a spinning knee from off the corner to send Lloyd’s head into it face first. Lloyd then hit Iconoclasm through the final pane and picked up the win. Holy f***. That was pretty brutal. Zayne’s arm looked severely injured after getting glass stuck in his arm. Fair play to him for being initiated into the deathmatch.

Team LA Fights (Hunter Freeman, Jordan Cruz, Sandra Moone, and Jai Vidal) vs Second Gear Crew & Bussy (AJ Gray, Matthew Justice, Allie Katch, & Effy)

All eight wrestlers started off brawling in the ring. SGC and Bussy got the advantage and started celebrating until LA Fights pushed them all over the ropes, then flipped on top of them to the outside. Vidal continued to fly by hitting a moonsault on everyone from the top turnbuckle. Effy and Vidal traded slaps. Vidal hit an Enzuigiri as Effy hit a pump kick. Effy picked up Vidal into a powerbomb position, but Vidal doubled stomped to break free. Moon and Gray continued the fight. Gray hit some chops, and Moone landed 10 strikes in the corner. She hit a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Katch dropkicked her from behind. Cruz hit a Northern Lariat on Katch from behind, but Justice hit him with a chair. Freeman threw a door at Justice, but she recovered quickly to smash a chair across his back. He threw Freeman into the chair he’d set up in the corner. Justice set up a door and turned around, only for Freeman to connected with a big boot. He tried to bomb Effy through the door, but Justice made the save and speared Freeman through it instead. Team LA Fights huddled in the ring, but SGC and Bussy attacked them together. Cruz stomped Effy as Moone dropkicked Katch. Justice and Gray ran at Vidal with the door. They tried to do the same to Freeman, but he kicked it out of their hands. Freeman bodyslammed Justice through the door that Gray was sitting under. He went for the pin, but Gray broke it up, using the door to hit him. Effy hit a flapjack on Cruz and Katch went for the pin, only getting a two-count. Bussy double-teamed Vidal, followed by stereo splashes from Justice and Gray to pick up the win. After the match, Justice grabbed the mic and invited Mance Warner out. Warner walked out and celebrated with the fans after kissing Effy on the forehead. He got in the ring and grabbed a mic. The fans chanted “welcome back,” and Warner said he loved them. Warner talked about breaking two bones in his leg and missing the Hammerstein show. He said he wouldn’t miss Spring Break, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to wait until then. In two weeks, GCW would be debuting in Atlanta, Georgia. Warner asked Justice if he was ready, then said he wanted to face Tremont and Gage, and they were coming for the gold. Give me this match now. SGC vs H8 Club is going to be incredible, and we don’t have to wait for Spring Break to see it.

Kevin Blackwood vs Grim Reefer

Reefer dropkicked Blackwood through the ropes to the outside, then hit a frog splash on the hardwood floor. Blackwood recovered and booted Reefer off the apron into the rental chairs. He launched Reefer further into the chairs which ended up knocking two fans off their chairs. Back inside the ring, Blackwood and Reefer exchanged chops. Blackwood got the advantage, stomping Reefer down in the corner. Although Blackwood looked sharp, Reefer managed to use his experience to counter him. He lit up a joint and then connected with a senton and a Russian leg sweep off the second rope. Blackwood hit a trio of German suplexes, followed by a deadlift German off the ropes. He almost got the win after a modified piledriver. Blackwood dropped the joint on Reefer’s chest and stomped it out. Reefer locked in the crossface, but he got out and landed a double stomp. Reefer hit a piledriver out of the corner, then grabbed some chairs and a door from underneath the ring. He drove a chair into Blackwood’s chest, then set up the door on the chairs. Reefer tried to put Blackwood through the door, but Blackwood broke free and double-stomped him through the door and got a three-count. I’m happy Blackwood managed to win. He’s an exciting athlete and although he lost on Friday, this win was deserved.

Gringo Loco vs Mascara Dorada

Along with the Thunder Rosa and Tony Deppen match, this was another one that screamed showstopper. As much as I love Loco, it was exciting to see Dorada take him on. Dorada was on fire, landing a Tope Suicida on Loco, hitting like a bullet. He hit a springboard senton, but The Base God kicked out of the pin. Loco dropkicked Dorada, then landed a Tope Con Hilo. Loco tried to disrespect Dorada by trying to remove his mask but got knocked to the mat where Dorada landed a hurricanrana. He went for another, but Loco caught him and dropped him with a sit-down powerbomb. They headed into the crowd where Loco hit a big chop. Dorada hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker onto the stage, then jumped off it to land a hurricanrana. They fought on the top turnbuckle as Loco hit a Spanish Fly by jumping from the ropes. Dorada walked the ropes and landed another hurricanrana, a DDT off the ropes, and a running shooting star press, but still couldn’t get the three-count. Gringo Loco managed to pick up the win after a spinning sit-down powerbomb off the top turnbuckle. Phenomenal match, and some wonderful wrestling by both guys. Loco never disappoints, and neither does Dorada.

“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs Blake Christian

The intensity was on full display from the moment the bell rang as Bailey landed some fast chops. Bailey drove his knee into Christian’s thigh on the outside, then hit a baseball slide dropkick to send Christian into the chairs. He drove his knees into Christian’s chest, then a dragon screw between the ropes. Speedball worked on Christian’s legs with some submissions and a knee drop. With every smile, there was a savage strike. His chops were savage, making Christian drop to his knees with each one. Bailey booted Christian’s back, but he retaliated with a spinning kick. All Heart fought back with a clothesline, snap powerslam, and springboard moonsault. Bailey landed a flurry of kicks until Christian went for a jackknife pin, only for Bailey to reverse into a leg submission.

Christian was able to land a belly-to-back suplex off the second rope following some back and forth up high. Christian connected with a Tope Suicida, but Bailey got up and hit a moonsault off the apron to the outside. Bailey missed a double knee flip after Christian slid back inside the ring. They traded blows in the centre of the ring while on their knees, then got to their feet and did the same. Christian hit an Enzuigiri and Spanish Fly but was clearly struggling with an injured knee. He was able to climb to the top turnbuckle, however, Bailey rolled to the apron. Christian hit a dragon suplex on the apron, then another on the apron opposite after Bailey evaded another high-risk move. He went for a springboard 450, but Bailey got his knees up. They both struggled to stand up. Bailey landed some kicks to Christian’s hamstring, but he connected with some of his own. Bailey hit a dragon screw and a spinning double knee into Christian’s kidneys. Christian hit a jumping knee strike and a shotgun dropkick. He continued with a Fosbury Flop over the ropes and a Tombstone to the hardwood floor. Bailey hit the double knee from the top turnbuckle, but Christian kicked out. Christian dropped Bailey with a package suplex to pick up the win. It was such a strong finish to a thoroughly enjoyable show. Christian picked up yet another big win in GCW, showing just why he is so highly regarded. Christian grabbed the microphone and talked about wanting to be the best in the world, but Bailey should be in that category as well. He thanked Bailey for testing him the furthest he’s ever been tested and thanked him for sharing the ring with him. Bailey was about to speak, but instead, put the mic down and gave Christian a hug.

All pictures courtesy of GCW