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The Deathly Duo – GCW “Dead on Arrival & Gateway to the Death” – Review

ByJohn Dinsdale

Jul 2, 2022 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WARNING: STRONG VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE AHEAD

Welcome back to GCW and to a quadrilogy of chaos as the company goes on another tour of the states to celebrate Independence weekend. Starting in Michigan, we’d get Dead on Arrival, a show filled to the brim with deathmatches and super fights as we saw the best of both worlds colliding with each other and the stars of Horror Slam. There was a lot to enjoy as we got to see AKIRA vs Shane Mercer, Alex Shelley vs Jordan Oliver vs Nick Wayne, Dale Patricks vs Alex Colon and so much more. Step two takes us to Illinois for Gateway to Death where we’d see Allie Katch battle 2 Cold Scorpio, Davey Richards vs Joey Janela, EFFY vs Delirious, SGC vs Los Macizos and Jimmy Lloyd, Jordan Oliver vs Dark Sheik and so much more leading to the main event showdown between Alex Colon and Cole Radrick for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. Let’s get into the carnage.

Dead on Arrival

Scramble: Tony Deppen defeated Dark Sheik, Alec Price, Jimmy Lloyd & Yoya via Crucifix on Sheik

The action tonight kicked off in true GCW fashion, with a scramble match. We had a whole load of GCW favourites and a JCW favourite in Alec Price all colliding in a five-way fight for supremacy. Tony Deppen had found himself in another scramble so it was down to a dice roll if he was going to win it all or sack it off because he wants to be in bigger matches. This time he was fully committed to the fight but sadly for him, so was everyone else. It made for another fun-as-hell scramble as everyone brought their best and gave everyone some big moments to enjoy. It made for perfect opening fodder with everyone showing off and driving gif-makers mad. Deppen racked up another win through wit and by letting Dark Sheik do all the hard work. He just happened to be in the right position as she ended Alec Price with Welcome to Die to sneak in and roll her up with a Crucifix. It was a totally Deppen move and got him another point in the rankings.

Blake Christian defeated Chase Burnett via Head Stomp

Up next was something special as everyone’s favourite uncle, Chase Burnett returned to the ring to take on the new number one contender and top star, Blake Christian. The last time Burnett was in action, he blew some minds and now, he was hoping to repeat history and get one over on one of the top dogs of the company. Y’know what, he didn’t too bad either. I love Chase Burnett and he nailed it here. He started out with the old man act before delving into his super-indie shenanigans to teach the whippersnapper some new tricks. He kept up with Blake and put on a belter of a match as Christian went from not taking him seriously to having to actually think about the match and what he was doing within it. It was a nice, comedy-tinged affair as Burnett tried to bring some levity to Christian’s hyper-focused aggressive persona. Christian obviously got the win and threw in some Moxley moves to get under the champ’s skin before ending things with that hellacious Curb Stomp he does. It was another thrill ride of a match and another win for the challenger on his road to the champion.

Ninja Mack defeated Calvin Tankman via Phoenix 630

Next up was one of those “huh” matches where you never quite realise you want it until you hear it announced. Tankman vs Mack is quite the David vs Goliath fight, except both fighters can fly and dive with ridiculous athleticism. On paper, Tankman should have every advantage and he definitely had his way with everyone’s favourite ninja, despite an early accidental dick kick. Mack couldn’t catch a break as Tankman was just an unflinching brick wall that kept smashing back. When things got going, this match was ridiculous. Just two, hyper-athletic combatants just having a blast against each other. The crowd was into it both spiritually and sometimes physically as the action came their way. Tankman was enjoying the sadism on display and even called out Brett for signing him against little guys. It was very physical and honestly, although I never bet against Mack, I was quite surprised he picked the win up here. He had to be crafty and resourceful before unloading with his full arsenal of flips to get the win. This was the ultimate uphill battle and he’d managed to succeed, despite the number of boulders Tankman hit him with. Another unexpected gem from this show.

Jordan Oliver defeated Alex Shelley & Nick Wayne via Clout Cutter turmoil

The madcap high flying continued with a triple-threat super fight. Alex Shelley was back in GCW and was mixing it up with the Young, Dumb n Broke generation. He wasn’t just fighting one of them though, he was dealing with both Jordan Oliver and Nick Wayne. There was a high likelihood of chaos in the forecast for this one so I was looking forward to seeing all three guys fight it out. Shelley knows how to ground high flyers but could he stop both these fighters at once? Pretty damn well it would seem. Wayne and Oliver did end up teaming up but it didn’t do them too much good as they might have hit some flashy combos on Shelley but seemed to always have an answer to them both. This was veteran savvy gone wild and it was one hell of an intriguing watch. Wayne and Oliver had their work cut out for them if they wanted to stop Shelley from knocking them down and locking them up. The Young Dumb alliance eventually crumbled and we had an even more anarchic match with even more big moments as it became every man for themselves. Oliver got the win eventually, standing tall over one of wrestling’s best and one of wrestling’s future stars after one hell of a match. This had a lot of hype behind it and thankfully, it delivered. It was extra funny seeing Oliver pin Shelley after it was Wayne that had taken him out. Shelley couldn’t be too mad though, he wanted a tag team match since you know, he has some tag team partners he could call on. Next time in Detroit, Wayne, and Oliver vs The Motor City Machine Guns, whenever that may be.

SGC (Mance Warner, Matthew Justice & 1 Called Manders) defeated Team Horror Slam (Breyer Wellington, Malcolm Monroe III & Tommy Vendetta) via SGC Stampede n Splash on Wellington

Kick up the fucking Pantera, it was time to get fucking hectic. It was time for some inter-promotional warfare as SGC of GCW collided with the chosen champions of Horror Slam Wrestling. Breyer Wellington, The Process Malcolm Monroe III, and The Loveable Psychopath were all stepping into the GCW Thunderdome to take the fight to Mance, Justice, and Manders. It was going to be a fucking war. Yep, this was madness personified. The piss jug was used as a weapon this time as SGC took the fight to Horror Slam. It was all very violent, very brawl-heavy, and full of broken plunder. This was an excellent spotlight for Wellington, MMIII, and Vendetta, who gave SGC the fight they crave. This was the start of the violence and felt like the perfect ramping-off point as we watch six men beat the absolute shit out of each other with anything not nailed down around a venue hungry for the carnage. Doesn’t matter the company he’s working in, Tommy Vendetta always steals the show and made sure the crowds remembered him. There’s not much more to say, this was a scrap. It was messy, wild, and fun as fuck, just like an SGC brawl is meant to be. It’s hard not to love that kind of thing. It might have been a victory for GCW but Horror Slam definitely left their mark for sure. What a fucking blast.

SLADE defeated Hoodfoot via referee’s decision

Right, this next match has a very important lesson to it when it comes to deathmatches. SLADE and Hoodfoot are no strangers to each other when it comes to fighting. They’ve danced with deathmatch on more than one occasion and have always had some bloody moments. Tonight’s attempt tried to have a spot that went horribly wrong. Was it anyone’s fault? No, this shit happens in a risky match type like this. Hoodfoot got stabbed and his arm got sliced really badly. The match was stopped and he was sent to the hospital to get stitched up. He’s going to be out of action for a bit because of it which is also a real shame because he is one of the best rising deathmatch stars on the planet. Hopefully, he heals up nicely and gets back to fighting soon because we’re all going to miss him. Though please, no more stabbing with tubes, it has so many ways to go wrong. It’s admirable that Hoodfoot wanted to keep fighting but this was the right call to make, that cut was fucking gnarly in the worst way. Deathmatch always has risks but everyone tries to minimise them. This was just a fucked up accident. If you can and want to support Hoodfoot during his time out, please do.

Shane Mercer defeated AKIRA via Barbed Wire Door Moonsault and Battery

After the unfortunate aftermath of the last match, these two had an extra level of pressure to live up to. It was time to right the ship and get things going again with something insane. AKIRA is the Death Samurai, a man who will take everything you have and keep getting back up until he has nothing left. Tonight, we were going to learn if he could fly. Shane Mercer loves nothing more than throwing bodies around that ring and getting creative with fuckery. This match was going to let him do both. AKIRA was in for one hell of a fight. They managed to do a lot in the time they had given some light comedy and fan interaction to try and bring people back after the previous match. Once again, AKIRA managed to mix technicality and death as he found creative ways to circumvent the raw power on display and get the win. As the results show, it didn’t go his way but he left his mark, made more fans, and got the respect of another GCW stalwart. It’s all building up but damn, it’s getting deflating seeing AKIRA eat the L so often. Result aside, this was fun, still got bloody, and had some more lunacy from Mercer’s freakish strength. It was a wild ride and enjoyable whilst it lasted.

GCW Ultraviolent Title: Alex Colon defeated Dale Patricks via Bundle Breaker Tiger Driver 91

The deathmatch train kept on rolling with an Ultraviolent Title match. Alex Colon was back in possession of the belt and ready to rack up some more successful defences. His first opponent was Deathmatch Gambit Dale Patricks. The former deathmatch jackass had come to fight and was going to do everything possible to win that title. Patricks has fought matches with a broken foot in the past so Alex Colon was in for one hell of a fight in this one. This was another excellent hybrid deathmatch as Patricks combined strongman and traditional wrestling with fuckery and seemed to keep the one up on Colon for a lot of this match. The Bloodfighter never stayed down for long though so we ended up with a hyper-competitive contest that offered something new to the audience as it wasn’t a pairing we were used to. We had nightmarish spots, horrifying landings and a lot of wrestling as the pair tore each other apart over the title. It was an engrossing watch and an excellent showcase for Dale Patricks. He commanded the ring like a pro and made Colon work for his victory. This was excellent and full of intensity as Patricks planned to break the deathmatch champion. It was certainly a rough way for Alex Colon to start this tour.

Ciclope defeated Miedo Extremo & Cole Radrick via Tube Stomp Crossface into Armbar on Radrick

Last but not least, our first main event of the double-bill. Originally this was slated as Los Macizos vs Joey Janela and Cole Radrick but due to flight-based fuckery, Janela couldn’t make the show so the company had made a three-way deathmatch between the three men. Miedo Extremo and Ciclope are blood brothers in the ring but they’re also no strangers to fighting each other. It was going to be interesting to not only see who came out on top but how they’d deal with the wildcard King of Wreck Shit Mountain, Cole Radrick. This was incredible. I already knew it was going to be something special because of the names involved but they went above and beyond in an improvised match full of glass. This had hectic high-flying, power games, and fuckery everywhere as all three just made each other as cut and bloody as possible. It was one hell of a fireworks display to end the show as Radrick showed he could hang with these deathmatch veterans. Like, do I really need to say much? You’ve probably seen the gifs and know how much wild shit there was in this one. It was a main event-worthy blow-out that made the best of a shitty situation to send everyone home satisfied. They had tubes and glass panes smashing as bodies met glass and left their mark. Ciclope got the big win in the end but it had competitive as hell until the very end. This is how you end a show with a bang. Cole Radrick is really en route to being the 2022 deathmatch MVP at this rate with the amount of heart he’s showing and performances he’s putting on.

Gateway to the Death

Blake Christian defeated Gringo Loco via Head Stomp

The show kicked off with Grave Heart, Blake Christian looking to continue his road to glory by going through many foes on his way to the title shot. Nick Gage had kicked off the show with another call to the troops and now we were watching two of the top hybrid high-flyers in the company take to the ring as Christian looked to go through the Base God Gringo Loco. Do I even need to tell you this was good? The names alone sell it and the action in the ring more than backed it up. Loco is one of the most consistently good guys on the indie and Lucha scene and Christian has become one of the most adaptable fighters on the roster. The Mox-isms were back but Loco was having none of it and forced Christian into another gear. We saw the venue come into play with stage dives and opened things with a bang and a lot of spectacles. These guys can do it all and weren’t shy about showing that. I loved this and can’t wait to see what other intense performances we get from Blake Christian as the Yellow Brick Road takes him to Mox. Plus, never let it be forgotten that Gringo Loco remains one of the best wrestlers in any match.

2 Cold Scorpio defeated Allie Katch via Dropping the Bomb

Cue up Jungle Boogie as 2 Cold Scorpio was coming to town. The legendary innovator of the game was back in GCW and ready to fight one-half of the GCW Tag Team Champions, the master of Katch as Katch Can, Allie Katch. We know both love to have fun but it was going to be interesting to see the type of match we got from these two as both will turn up that intensity at a moment’s notice. It was nice to see a mix of grappling, scrapping, and light-hearted banter as the match ratcheted up with the number of shots and kicks thrown. We opened with a nice dose of head games and fun escapes to an all-out slug-out between two very stiff strikers. Scorpio wanted a fight so Katch gave him one, leaving them both hurting by the end. Katch refused to die no matter what Scorpio threw at her and refused to be disrespected by the veteran. She gave him hell until the very end with The Bomb. It was an entertaining watch that showcased the best of both. I do hope Katch was alright at the end though, that finisher caught her in the face and left her bloody. Scorpio showed her the props she was due and we ended the segment on a high after quite the intense fight.

Ninja Mack defeated Axton Ray via Small Package

The high-flying innovation returned as Axton Ray returned to GCW to show another audience just what he was all about. The Wayward Son had turned heads during his last outing with his unbelievable agility and was now going against another innovative high-flying hybrid fighter in Ninja Mack. This could be anything and go anywhere so I did not envy the camera crew in this one. This was another intense one as the one-upmanship began almost instantly. These two kept trading everything be it strikes, kicks, or flying. Ray tried to rely on his power and size but Mack kept finding ways to work around it. The dynamic kept the match interesting and the pair managed to keep the crowd enthralled with a nice mix of personality and athleticism. You never know what you’re going to get from Ninja Mack as every match is different. The same can be said of Axton Ray who keeps showing off more and more with every appearance. Hopefully, GCW keeps bringing him in because I want to see more with every type of opponent and quite possibly a rematch with Mack following the end of this one.

Nick Wayne defeated Tony Deppen via Clout Cutter

Prepare the Starship because here comes the gatekeeper. Tony Deppen was back in singles action as he prepared to put Nick Wayne through his paces. Deppen will never concede ground to anyone so Wayne was going to have to draw on all his experience and heritage to get one over on Deppen. This was going to be good. The match started in true Deppen fashion with a lot of disrespect and the crowd joining in with a “fuck his mom” chant. Wayne retorted by pissing off Deppen with technique and we had ourselves a good old Deppen schooling match. He oppressively bludgeoned and broke Wayne, hitting him with hard knees, Apron Suplexes and horrific locks whilst Wayne had to fight up. Again, the dynamic made the match work brilliantly and both wrestlers put a shift in. Deppen always knows what he needs to do and had everyone hating him by the end. Wayne eventually got his comeback and after a competitive spree of action, took the win. Deppen had put him through an absolute torture session but Wayne had found an answer to it and got another big win. Wayne continues to show why he’s so in demand and Deppen once again forces me to ask the question, what can’t he do?

Davey Richards defeated Joey Janela via Gotch-Style Piledriver

Well shit. The Bad Boy keeps getting some high-profile opponents. He might be an asshole but he’s also a damn good wrestler and this was one of those matches where he could prove it to everyone. He was taking on the Swiss Army Knife of life and wrestling, Davey Richards. Janela loves to hit hard but so does Richards and we know the Wolf has an entire arsenal of submissions in his repertoire. This was going to be an absolute masterclass. I wasn’t wrong. To anyone who says Joey Janela can’t wrestle, watch this one and see if you can still say that. Janela didn’t just hang with Richards, he pushed him. This was a chaotic mix of both men’s styles of matches with equal measures of scientific wrestling, limb-targeting, deadly striking, and nasty submissions. Janela was all heart as Richards tried to pick him apart. Both guys just kept going, no matter the wear and tear. We had the sadistic Davey tonight as he realised he was going to have to break something to keep Janela down. He started with an arm and crippled a leg too. Janela fought on for as long as he could, trying to shake off the damage done but, in the end, no amount of firing up could adrenalise him from the damage Richards had done. This was fucking awesome and both fighters managed to make it something special. Pissed-off Richards is something to fear and given recent events, it was odd but refreshing to see Janela as a sneering underdog. I say again, this match was fucking awesome and an absolute GCW must-watch.

Jordan Oliver defeated Dark Sheik via Ghanarhea

We returned from intermission to another unpredictable contest. Jordan Oliver has been working his way through the who’s who of GCW be it in singles, tags, scrambles, and other matches, and now, he was tangling with one of the most unique performers in wrestling, Dark Sheik. No one will keep you guessing in the ring as much as Sheik and she was sure to have a plan for Oliver. Was the East Coast Ace going to rack up another win or was he about to fall to the Motherbrain? Jordan did manage another win but it hadn’t been easy as Sheik had an answer to almost everything he was throwing at her. It was another impactful match with both wrestlers playing one hell of a chess game. There were a lot of high moments to go with the wrestling work and a lot of fun throughout. Oliver had to bring out the killer from the Jimmy Rave playbook as Ghanarhea got him the win. This was an excellent return from intermission with both just doing what they do best.

EFFY defeated Delirious via Dragon Sleeper

So, this is an unexpected match, right? The BUSSY vs wrestling legends trend continued as EFFY tangled with the independent and ROH veteran Delirious, a man who has wrestled almost anyone and everyone at the top of the list. We’ve seen Delirious cropping up recently on JCW shows so this was only a matter of time. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one. Much like Katch vs Scorpio, this had the potential to go multiple different ways. Especially as EFFY was demanding the best. Well, this was pretty damn enjoyable. Delirious wasn’t falling for EFFY’s tricks and charms as he unleashed his best and deadliest moves on GCW’s daddy. No matter what he hit though, EFFY refused to stay down and kept firing back with harsh shots and his favourite moves. It was rather competitive and a nice debut for the Lizard Man of wrestling. EFFY gave him one hell of a spotlight and the pair made something fun before EFFY took the win with his unique Dragon Sleeper. It’s hard not to sit back and enjoy something like this.

Ah, here we go. More SGC anarchy was on the way as Mance, Manders, and Justice prepared to unleash another hardcore hurricane on another venue. This time it was Los Macizos and Jimmy Lloyd in their crosshairs and a lot of doors, balconies, and other plunder for them to use. Ciclope, Miedo Extremo, and Lloyd are no strangers to wild brawls and plunder or SGC, so they were no doubt going to have a blast in the SGC playground. No athletic commission was going to tame this monster of a match. Need I really say much more here? You all know what to expect here as six sick fucks went to war around a venue ready for carnage. It went everywhere and featured all sorts of hardcore horrors, Lucha madness, and blood. It was wild, unhinged, and pure SGC. This is what we wanted from the first encounter as we had broken bodies, plunder, and wrestlers flying from the balconies. A fucking sick match from some sick people amongst a crowd hungry for the horror. This was also the first we saw tubes on the show as Ciclope brought a bundle in for a splash and Manders threw Miedo through a glass pane with the Iowa Stampede. Needless to say, this was a violent explosion of SGC meets junkyard-style chaos. That leaves this rivalry at 1-1. What the fuck is coming next?

GCW Ultraviolent Title: Alex Colon defeated Cole Radrick via Tube Tiger Driver 91

Last but not least, the second main event. Alex Colon had put on one hell of a deathmatch against Dale Patricks and was about to try and make magic again by taking on the ultimate rising star of deathmatch, Cole Radrick. We’ve seen the King of Wreck Shit Mountain indulging his deathmatch side more and more lately with varying success but here was a true opportunity to shine as he was about to take on the deathmatch gatekeeper for the company’s top bloodletter belt. This rocked. Once again, tubes proved to be the unruliest of weaponry but the pair made do as they put on a high-octane massacre. Radrick and Colon have great chemistry between the ropes and the pair were trapped in this game of one-upmanship as Radrick looked to cement his place in the deathmatch division and Colon looked to keep his spot at the top of the mountain. Cue a lot of creativity, some on the fly improvisation, and a lot of broken glass as the pair took each other to hell and back. It was exactly what you want from a match of this calibre and another impressive outing for Radrick and Colon. Both got their big hits in and Radrick got to be the underdog everyone loves. I just hope he’s alright as he got quite the cut on his shoulder. None of this derailed the match though as the pair kept upping the ante and trying to find ways to end an unkillable foe. Colon has truly become a deathmatch gatekeeper and if you can hang with him, you can make it. Radrick held his own and went out like a champ. Deathmatch ain’t ballet and the risks are real. Both guys gave it their all and the scars of battle will remain. Thus ended another awesome show with the company managing to dish out two hot shows in front of two hot crowds. The action resumes tomorrow with Rock-N-Roll Forever then a trip to the Backyard for GCW’s annual fourth of July celebration. God only knows what they’ve got planned for that…

All images courtesy of GCW, HeyyImRob

By John Dinsdale

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