WARNING: STRONG VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE AHEAD

It was a wild night in Atlanta as GCW Astronaut saw ten wild matches take place. With three weeks until Joey Janela’s Spring Break, there was plenty of build-ups. We got to see Allie Katch and Jordynne Grace go at it, as well as Blake Christian and Jonathan Gresham. Best friends Effy and AJ Gray pulled no punches, and the main event was as violent as expected, with the H8 Club defending their titles against Second Gear Crew. Tony Deppen fought ACH, Gringo Loco and Ninja Mack raised the roof, Matt Cardona showed up to battle Mike Jackson, and there was a six-way scramble. First up, AR Fox battled Nick Wayne.

AR Fox vs Nick Wayne

GCW wasn’t messing about with their opening contest. AR Fox and Nick Wayne are two high flyers that can put on a show, and neither disappointed. AR Fox went in for the kill, but Wayne was able to backflip off the apron to avoid contact. Wayne tried to gain an advantage with a cutter, but Fox was able to block. From then, Fox got in some incredible offence. He walked up the ring post to hit a Moonsault on Wayne who was outside the ring, following up with a leg drop off the top turnbuckle as Wayne’s head and shoulders lay on the apron. Back in the ring, Fox connected with a basement dropkick in the corner. Wayne did get in some decent attacks, especially a Canadian Destroyer. However, Fox was just too damn good. He landed a stunner and an RKO, along with an Enzuigiri and Spanish Fly. He ended things with a 450 Splash to win via pinfall.

Gringo Loco vs Ninja Mack

These guys are without a doubt two of the best Luchadores, not only in GCW but in North America. I’m so stoked for Gringo’s WRLD on Lucha at the start of April. It wasn’t the best match either man has put on in recent months, but there were still some great spots, especially the end. They tried to outdo each other in the beginning, with Loco doing some backflips and Mack retaliating with a flurry of one-handed flips. Neither could gain any momentum, though. Mack locked in a choke and body scissors combo, then transitioned into a cross-arm breaker to wear the Base God down. One of the coolest spots came when Mack did two front flips and a handspring Moonsault over the top rope onto Loco. Loco nailed a Tope Suicida and grabbed a door and a couple of chairs from under the ring. He landed a Spanish Fly off the top turnbuckle which looked awesome. Although Mack made a couple of mistakes on the ropes, and all-in-all, the aerial stuff wasn’t as tight as it has been in the past, it was still a fun match. Loco ended it by landing a sit-down powerbomb through the door off the top turnbuckle.

Matt Cardona vs “Action” Mike Jackson

As much as I love Matt Cardona, I wasn’t holding out much hope for this one. Although the match was pretty dull, Cardona’s promo at the beginning was great. He came out and squared up to a fan, then got on the mic and had a pop at Brett Lauderdale for booking him cheap seats on his flight to Atlanta. He said he should be fighting Jon Moxley at Spring Break, but not before claiming it should be called Cardona’s Spring Break since he beat Janela at the Hammerstein. Of course, he poked fun at Chris Dickinson before the match began. Mike Jackson came out and did a surprisingly good job. Look, the guy is 72-years old. I know he can’t wrestle like he used to, but he’s still in great shape. Cardona asked Jackson to lie down so he could pin him. He did, but as Cardona went for the pin, he tried to roll him up. Apart from a Tope Suicida and a spot that saw him walk across all four ropes, Jackson was done for. Cardona beat him down and hit three big running boots to the head before winning. Cardona got back on the mic and said Jackson wasn’t a has-been, he was a never-were. He then called Dickinson a pussy, and at Spring Break he’d make him his bitch. Dickinson ran out as Cardona fled the ring. He tried to go to the back, but Jackson stopped him and threw him in the ring. Dickinson almost powerbombed Cardona, but he escaped. When these two finally meet at Spring Break, it should be a good one.

Tony Deppen vs ACH

I love watching Tony Deppen. The guy’s inventive in the ring, and no two matches are the same. He’s an asshole, but he’s funny with it. ACH is one of the most underrated guys in professional wrestling at the minute. This was always going to be a good match, but it exceeded my expectations, even if ACH didn’t pick up the win. ACH was able to hit a Frankensteiner and some big chops at the start. Deppen fought back with a senton and a big knee to the back of ACH’s head. He told the fans he was going to do a double flip, but instead just fell on top of ACH. The fans chanted “holy shit,” and it made me laugh. ACH landed a bridge suplex, with the two then trading blows. Deppen locked in a guillotine, but ACH returned with an Enzuigiri and a brainbuster for a two-count. After taking a double stomp on the chest from up high, ACH hit a big gutbuster off the top turnbuckle and followed up with a sharpshooter, only for Deppen to grab the ropes. Despite a valiant effort, Deppen used the ropes for leverage to grab the pin.

Six-Way Scramble: Jimmy Lloyd vs Jordan Oliver vs Zenshi vs Cole Radrick vs Manders vs Alex Colon

I love a six-way scramble, and this one featured a range of styles and talent. There were some incredible spots, often involving Zenshi, but everyone was impressive throughout. Radrick dropkicked Manders who had grabbed a door as Oliver tossed Shi over the ropes, only for him to hold on and balance on the apron with one hand. Radrick kicked Manders who had a chair around his neck, but the cowboy Powerslammed Radrick through a table to get some payback. Lloyd sneaked in and smashed part of the door over Mander’s head repeatedly, then hit a spinning DDT through another door set up against the turnbuckle. Colon was able to hit two Death Valley Drivers on the apron, one on Radrick and one on Zenshi. He then smashed Manders with a chair. Outside the ring, Oliver hit a Moonsault off the steel fence barrier on everyone but Lloyd. Back in the ring, Lloyd almost got a pin on Colon, but Manders broke it up. Radrick nearly pinned Manders after a cutter, but Zen Shi stopped him. In perhaps the best moment of the match, Zenshi hit a 720 off-the-top turnbuckle to everyone at ringside. It was all over, however, when Colon took out Zenshi with a Spanish Fly through a door that Manders was already lying on. After the match, Colon grabbed the mic and told John Wayne Murdoch not to question his passion. In three weeks, it’s “me and you,” he said.

WWA4 Showcase Match: Kavron Kanyon & Bobby Flaco vs Ash Bennett & Rico Gonzalez

What should have been a moment for these four men to shine ended with Joey Janela interfering and taking out everyone. After hitting an X-Factor on Bennett, Janela lit a cigarette, chopped his crotch, and connected with a Bronco Buster on Kanyon. He grabbed a chair and a mic, then said none of these four guys would be at Spring Break. He talked about being in the home of Ted Turner and Cody Rhodes. “What’s up, Cody?” Janela brought up these flowers he so desperately wants, but said he’d be getting them in three weeks. Janela said Spring Break wasn’t a show, it was a ceremony, and that he has to kill Sean Waltman. He said he made GCW, and if he didn’t exist they’d be fighting in some storage unit. If he hadn’t been thrown off that roof by Zandig, there wouldn’t be All Elite Wrestling and WWE would never have gotten their Saudi Arabia deal. He ended by saying while he was alive, he wanted to get his flowers at Spring Break. I mean, Janela can cut a promo. This match with X-Pac is going to be emotionally charged and incredibly violent. Not long now.

Jordynne Grace vs Allie Katch

Two amazing women going one-on-one did not disappoint at all. I have a soft spot for Katch, and once again she showed how much heart she has. Grace is incredible, but Katch did more than enough to keep up with her. Grace landed a suplex and drove her shoulder into Katch’s stomach in the corner. He landed a bridge suplex and a big forearm, but Katch booted her and sat on her chest. Although Grace double stomped Katch, Allie gained momentum with a running elbow, hip attacks, and cannonball into the corner. She connected with a modified Death Valley Driver but ended up getting caught with some savage slaps and a back fist. Grace hit a spinning slam, but Katch kicked out of the pin. Katch then broke out of a potential brainbuster by Grace and hit a Superplex off the top turnbuckle. Katch punched Grace who retaliated with a powerslam twice. Grace then dropped her with a sit-down powerbomb. Katch fought with everything she could and picked up the pin after hitting a piledriver through the ropes. It was a great match and a stellar performance by both of them. Happy for Katch who really needed this win.

GCW Extreme Championship Match: Effy vs AJ Gray (C)

These two guys might be friends and members of Second Gear Crew, but it didn’t stop them from beating the hell out of each other. Effy hit two running boots as soon as the bell rang. He locked his leg around Gray on the ropes, then a modified tarantula. He went for a Tope Suicida, but Gray hit him with a door. Gray DDT’d Effy outside the ring, then landed an elbow drop off the top turnbuckle as Effy lay on the outside with a door on top of him. They chopped at each other’s chests and continued into the crowd. Effy threw a chair at Gray, but he responded by suplexing him into a chair that sat on the apron. Back in the ring, Effy connected with a TKO, but AJ smashed him with a spinning heel kick and a top rope leg drop for a two-count. Effy humped AJ in the corner and dropped him on his head. Gray landed a Superplex, then a suplex into the corner. Gray picked up the win with a one-arm powerbomb and a lariat for the win. After the match, Gray kissed Effy then walked off. Happy to see they’re still friends after this one.

Jonathan Gresham vs Blake Christian

Christian’s goal to become the best in the world may have fallen short tonight, but despite the loss, he was incredible. The entire match told the story of the experienced ring technician Gresham begin to realise he may have underestimated Christian. Every time Christian locked in a submission, Gresham was able to reverse it or counter. Gresham worked on Christian’s left arm throughout. He twisted his wrist, bent his fingers, and managed to grab his ankle to make Christian feel incredible pain. Gresham’s mat work was insane, but Christian doesn’t go by the name ‘All Heart’ for no reason. He fought back with a spinning slam and a second rope Hurricanrana, then a Lionsault for a two-count. Gresham went for various pin attempts and a hammerlock that Christian struggled to get out of. Christian hit a half-and-half suplex and kick to the chest. Gresham then locked in a crossface, but Christian got out. The Octopus connected with a snap German and his signature submission, but Christian broke free again. They traded forearms and Gresham missed an Enzuigiri which allowed Christian to hit a suplex. They each landed Tope Suicidas, with Christian following up with a double stomp to the lower back and a Spanish Fly. Gresham got past all his frustration to lock in the Octopus and repeatedly smash his elbow into Christian’s head as the referee called for the bell. Gresham shook Christian’s hand and walked off. After the match, Christian grabbed a mic and told a deeply personal story about the origins of his All Heart moniker. He said before wrestling he tried to kill himself and failed as he heard his heart say, “fuck you,” essentially meaning it wasn’t his time. After becoming a wrestler, his heart said, “I told you, motherfucker.” He has had bad times since, but wrestling saved his life, and so had the fans.

GCW World Tag Team Championship Match: Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner & Matthew Justice) vs H8 Club (Matt Tremont & Nick Gage) (C)

It was MDK all fucking day from the moment the bell went. Gage got a fan to hold a chair as he launched Warner into it. Justice went for a flip but Tremont moved and he went through a table off the apron to the outside. Gage hit Warner with a prosthetic leg from someone in the crowd. After Warner knocked Tremont out, he sat down with Gage and they traded blows. Tremont and Justice battled into the crowds as Gage charged at Warner, knocking him off his chair. Justice hit Tremont with a replica AEW World Championship belt, then a front flip from the rafters onto Tremont. Warner’s head was busted open as Gage brought some light tubes into the ring. They proceeded to bust light tubes over each other’s heads. Gage then used the jagged edge of one to plunge it into Warner’s forehead. Both of them were bleeding out of their head as Gage raked Warner’s head across the chain-linked fence. Justice got in the ring, but Gage landed a DDT on him. SGC teamed up on Gage by smashing him with a chair. Justice threw a couple of doors into the ring as Warner set them up. Tremont got in the ring and attacked SGC, then used a stapler on Warner and Justice as the fans chanted, “you sick fuck.” Justice smashed a chair across Tremont’s back as Warner stuck a fork in his forehead. Warner then hit him with a light tube and a DDT. Gage got back to his feet and smashed a bundle of tubes across Justice’s back, then stomped Warner’s face with another bundle propped up against him. Gage Piledrived Warner off the turnbuckle through a door as Justice splashed Tremont, both men going for pins. The bell went, but it was unclear who won. Emil Jay announced the match was a draw and the H8 Club retained the belts. The fans chanted for the match to be restarted as Tremont said the match needs to be done “the right fucking way.” Tremont said at Spring Break there would be a rematch, and The Briscoes would also be involved. As shit as this ending was, a three-way match with The Briscoes is going to be wild.

All images courtesy of GCW. Thanks to Fite TV for the captures.