Welcome back to GCW and to another special one. The outlaws have taken the centre stage of Starrcast to present, The People vs GCW. It was going to be a high-stakes one as almost every title was up for grabs tonight. AJ Gray had returned to action to defend the Extreme Title in another frantic star-studded scramble, Tony Deppen and “Speedball” Mike Bailey collided once again, Joey Janela battled Psycho Clown, Luchadors went to war in six-man tag action, BUSSY had to fend off not one but two challenging teams and so much more leading to the main event super fight as Grave-Heart Blake Christian finally got his GCW Title match against Jon Moxley. Had all his training, victories, and homages prepared him for a one-on-one battle with Moxley, or was he about to be another fallen foe? Let’s get into the action and find out.
GCW Extreme Title Scramble: Cole Radrick defeated AJ Gray, Shane Mercer, Axton Ray, Grim Reefer & Marko Stunt via Garner-Style Pedigree on Stunt
See ya, Marko! @theirondemon #PEOPLEvsGCW @GCWrestling_
▶️https://t.co/ehQ9apKZM0 pic.twitter.com/pGASX5BTXb— Rob (@HeyyImRob) July 30, 2022
Things were kicking off in true GCW fashion with a good old-fashioned scramble match. AJ Gray had returned to the fight and had brought with him the GCW Extreme Title. As had become tradition, he was putting that title on the line against five other competitors. Shane Mercer, Cole Radrick, Axton Ray, Grim Reefer, and “Little Show” Marko Stunt were all eyeing up that title but only one was going to walk away with it on their shoulder. This was both hilarious and hard-hitting as Stunt tried to pull out some giant offence and more often got shut down by everyone else in the match. When it landed it landed but more often than not, he was a ragdoll for Mercer or Gray. Everyone else played their part perfect getting in their signature shots and making sure everyone was continuously entertained. it all flowed well and the show kicked off with a bang. I didn’t expect Radrick to walk away the winner but that belt suits him nicely and given everything he’s done recently, it’s about time the Raddy Daddy got some gold. The show was starting on a high note and one of its most devoted was finally getting a belt to make his own. Plus, the match had been pretty sick too.
Tony Deppen defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey via KO Knee
Fire up Starship, it was time for Tony Deppen to give out another ass kicking. Deppen had been one of Speedball’s first opponents when he came back to America and now, they were about to dance the dance again on an even bigger stage. This was going to be one hell of a manic match as both are some of the most accomplished and capable hybrid fighters on the roster. Plus, with Bailey in the ring, we had Veda Scott joining the booth to commentate the action. They got to lend their voice to the match as Deppen tried to do everything in his power to disgust them throughout the match. Deppen attacked early and relentlessly went after Bailey’s arm, through in jabs, mockery and some very “high-speed” offence as he did so. Bailey wouldn’t let this stand and hit back just as hard, bringing out his unique special moves but never quite getting the better of Deppen. The Gatekeeper always had an answer or seemed to be a step ahead. It all made for one hell of a cat and mouse game that Deppen won. These two can’t have a bad match and seeing Deppen keep his winning ways alive against one of the scene’s top stars is quite something. I will never stop singing Deppen’s praises as he always finds more ways to impress. I know it’s cliché but I would not complain if these two did end up fighting forever.
Nick Wayne defeated Alex Zayne via Small Package
The hybrid fighting continued as The Sauce God Alex Zayne locked horns with the Prodigy, Nick Wayne. These two are some of the most-hyped members of the roster with Wayne proving his worth every time he faces anyone. He was in for a challenge here though as Alex Zayne has taken the world by storm and will beat you down any way he can. Taco Bell only acknowledges the best after all. As anticipated, it was a hotly-contested showcase for both fighters. Wayne started hot but Zayne wasn’t going to go down that easily and started bringing the fight back, move by move. Wayne had to tap into his training and grit to avoid getting pinned and having that flame snuffed out. He’d smartly avoided taking the Sauce lightly but even then, Zayne was outfoxing him at every opportunity. It made for another engrossing slug-out of a match. The underdog spirit prevailed again as Wayne racked up another win, pulling out a surprising win over one of GCW’s most beloved. It had been very fast, furious and high-impact. Exactly what you’d want from the pair. Respect might have been shown but given how pissed Zayne was at the end of this, I doubt this will be their only meeting. It only ever takes three seconds to win a match and that’s just what Wayne aimed for.
Gringo Loco, Black Taurus & Jack Cartwheel defeated ASF, Komander & Laredo Kid via Base Corkscrew Shooting Star Press on Komander
.@GringoLocoOG and @jackcartwheel slingshot ASF into a spear from @Taurusoriginal!#PEOPLEvsGCW @GCWrestling_
▶️https://t.co/ehQ9apKZM0 pic.twitter.com/4bDpNcNKqk— Rob (@HeyyImRob) July 30, 2022
Okay, time to up the insanity quota. It was time for a Lucha-libre six-man tag match featuring some of the top Luchadors on the scene right now. Jack Cartwheel, Gringo Loco and Black Taurus were about to bring their unique styles out to play against the enemy team of ASF, Komander and Laredo Kid. There was going to be so much crammed into this match that commentary, the camera crew and the gifers were all going to have trouble keeping up. You all knew the drill here right? This was fast, furious and full of spectacular moments of ridiculous athleticism and ludicrous creativity. We saw excessive power from Taurus, wild high-flying spectacles from ASF and Komander, more cartwheels than you could count and so much more. This match was insane and I just couldn’t tear my eyes off the screen as these six men went to work beating the absolute hell out of each other. Gringo Loco and GCW have set the American indie Lucha scene on fire by making GCW one of the top spots for ridiculous Lucha Libre outside of Mexico. Once again, everyone in this match knew everyone was watching and went for broke showing what they were all capable of. Team Loco got the win after an absolute battle of attrition with Rudo tactics and everyone got a share of the money tossed their way when things were done. What a rush…
Psycho Clown defeated Joey Janela via Door-Breaking Spanish Fly
Jesus… @Psychooriginal @JANELABABY #PEOPLEvsGCW @GCWrestling_
▶️https://t.co/ehQ9apKZM0 pic.twitter.com/PT19dCFakA— Rob (@HeyyImRob) July 30, 2022
The Lucha antics continued as Psycho Clown returned to GCW to fight Joey Janela. The Bad Boy has been working his way through many a high-class opponent and now, he was tackling AAA’s top Luchador. The circus had come to town and Janela was about to feel the full wrath of the clown. This was going to be a rough one. Janela was already fighting with a bruised-up eye, what else was going to be bruised by the end of this one? This started technical enough but quickly descended into an absolute car crash as the fight broke outside and Janela tore up the mask and face of Clown. Chairs were used with reckless abandon (R.I.P Brett Lauderdale’s deposit) and the excess carnage just fired both men up. It was a hectic, gruelling contest with both men taking each other to hell and back. Blood leaked, fists were thrown and the crowd were on fire for this absolute massacre going on in front of them. We even saw a new type of Nutcracker for the Nygma’s list as Psycho Clown started putting chairs where they shouldn’t go, practically turning Janela into Marv from Home Alone with a double chair shot to the balls. Once again, despite the Twitter verse’s hot-takes Janela was an integral part of another awesome match. This was a riot. It was violent, compelling and completely unhinged at times, making it one of my fav matches so far. Janela might have lost but he’d taken Psycho Clown to the limit.
After the match, Emil Jay paused the action for a moment to give Conrad Thompson a warm GCW welcome for bringing them into the Starrcast fold. It was also time to bring out the King, Nick F’N Gage. It wouldn’t be a special GCW show without an address from the King. He started off firing up the MDK Gang and singing some praises for Ric Flair. However, he had harsh words for Conrad Thompson about the lack of GCW representation on the Sunday show card. Since GCW hadn’t been invited to the Last Match show, they were going to invade and take over. He’d been warned.
Jordan Oliver defeated Bandido via Clout Cutter
The Lucha didn’t stop as Jordan Oliver was about to take on another monster challenge from the wrestling world. Bandido was returning to GCW and he was going to be the chosen opponent for the East Coast Ace. This was going to be one hell of a task for both fighters as we were dealing with two top-tier fighters. It made for another sick contest as the pair just got the assignment they’d been handed. It was a nice mix of physical, technical and power with Bandido reminding people why he’d been a world champion. Oliver held his own nicely and continued to show why he has been trusted to help Gage and continues to raise the GCW ranks. Oliver has gone from punk to full-on competitor and this win here just helped secure his status. These two put on a clinic that doesn’t require much in the way of description. Kevin Gil’s excitement for this match added to the big fight feel and made all the near-falls that little bit more biteable. It was another fun match from a show full of strong matches. Jordan Oliver is a star and has continued the trend of being a Star Killer in that ring.
GCW Tag Team Titles: Los Macizos defeated BUSSY (Allie Katch & EFFY) & SGC (Matthew Justice & Mance Warner) via 450 Splash on EFFY
.@AllieKATCH powerbombs Mancer through a light tube/door/chair structure!#PEOPLEvsGCW @GCWrestling_
▶️https://t.co/ehQ9apKZM0 pic.twitter.com/FUBIjtxqnq— Rob (@HeyyImRob) July 30, 2022
Well shit, this was where things got really nasty. It was time for the ultimate dose of anarchy as BUSSY found themselves in a really difficult position. Allie Katch and EFFY have seen off all-comers for the GCW Tag Team Titles since taking those belts from the Briscoes. Now, they were going to have to see off SGC and Los Macizos at the same time. This was going to be all-out carnage with Justice, Warner, Ciclope and Miedo Extremo going for that GCW gold. Things were going to get hardcore; this was going to get messy and this was going to potentially steal the show. it didn’t take long for the plunder to come out as the wrestling broke down into an SGC-style brawl and descended further into deathmatch territory as the light tubes came out. This was a vicious match and an absolute car wreck to watch. Again, my eyes were glued to the screen as everyone beat the hell out of each other. The SGC Split-screen gave us unimpeded access to the violence as the fight went around the arena and back again. BUSSY held on as best they could but with the odds so far against them, they finally lost their belts. Los Macizos were in their signature style and when things got glassy, they took full advantage and won. It had been a mayhem-filled contest between three of GCW’s top teams with Los Macizos finally getting their belts back. BUSSY carried those belts with pride so let’s not forget their reign.
Masha Slamovich defeated Kevin Blackwood via Deathwish
The penultimate match was about to change the tone once again. Veda Scott was back as Masha Slamovich and Kevin Blackwood took to the ring. It would be Russian Dynamite vs Aesthetic Crippler in another hybrid contest. Both Slamovich and Blackwood have a nasty repertoire of strikes, kicks, submissions and power to display so this could be a sleeper hit. This was a stiff, no holds barred fight as Slamovich’s explosiveness met the calm and collected murderous intent of Blackwood. These two felt like perfect opponents who held nothing back during the time they were given. Blackwood managed to smother a lot of the match but once the fuse was lit, the Dynamite would not stop exploding. It was an intense round of action with both fighters making the most of the screentime. It had some of the nastiest kicks and most wince-inducing moments that included no plunder. Masha might have won but both fighters were feeling it by the end of this one. What a way to get people in the zone for the main event.
GCW World Title: Jon Moxley defeated Blake Christian via Glass Pile Death Rider
Well, it was do-or-die time for Blake Christian. Grave-Heart has been teasing this for months, taking on Moxley’s traits, mimicking the Blackpool Combat Club style and putting away any and all people en route to this title match. Mox has been unkillable during his time with that belt, was Christian going to find the answer to ending this reign? Even Nick Gage had taken to commentary to get a front-row seat for this one. Goddamn, these two had seen what everyone else had done throughout the show and thought, “we can one-up that.” Between the technical, the brawling, the broken glass to faces, the blood and plunder. There was a bit of everything here. Mox and Christian knew just how hyped-up this match had become and made sure to deliver on all fronts. It had the blood pouring from Christian’s face and Mox’s hands, the scrappy, brutalist style of the BCC meeting Blake Christian’s all-or-nothing hybrid style, the broken glass Mox was just crushing into Christian’s already cut-up head and so much more. Mox was merciless and Christian kept rising up to meet him. It was a gruesome fight that reminded everyone that behind the swagger, Christian is still one of the most natural underdogs GCW has. Even then, he couldn’t stop Mox from walking out the champion. A glass pile Curb Stomp and Death Rider later and he had fallen like every other challenger. It was a valiant effort but he just couldn’t find the answer. It made for an excellent main event and one hell of a conclusion to this story. The problem is, just who the hell is going to beat Moxley? The champion is unkillable and so far, every GCW favourite hasn’t been able to stop him. Just who can stop this reign?
Curb stomp from Mox!#PEOPLEvsGCW @GCWrestling_
▶️https://t.co/ehQ9apKZM0 pic.twitter.com/3Aoi220YLm— Rob (@HeyyImRob) July 30, 2022
All images courtesy of GCW, HeyyImRob