Date: February 26, 2022
Time: 10pm Central
Location: Ukranian Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA
Joey Janela opens the show to talk about his actions from GCW: Welcome To Heartbreak
The event starts with Joey Janela sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette. Sea of boos from the crowd, as Joey is now a full blown heel. “Fuck You Joey” chants hit. Janela says he is focusing on himself, as he has no kids or family, and it’s time to put himself first. X-Pac then enters the ring. They have a battle of words, and X-Pac challenges him to a match at Spring Break.
Match 1: Ninja Mack vs Jack Cartwheel (singles match)
Ninja Mack appears in all black. Both wrestlers do a cartwheel, and encourage the referee to do the same. He pulls off one, and the crowd reacts. Athleticism was on full display here. Jack was busted up early, as his lip was bleeding at the 30 second mark. Lots of good back and forth action. After an avoided top rope move,Ninja Mack hits the crucifix. Mack rolls up Cartwheel for the win.
Ninja Mack wins by pinfall
2. Dark Sheik vs Jordan Oliver (singles match)
Entertaining match, Oliver hits a Dropkick to the back and then hits a Suplex, but Dark Sheik kicks out of his cover. Sheik goes for a submission, but Oliver remained on top of Sheik as the referee counts the one, two, three. Controversial ending, but Oliver gets the win.
Jordan Oliver wins via pinfall
3. Thunder Rosa vs Tony Deppen (Intergender match)
My followers would expect me to give an in-depth review of a Thunder Rosa match, and I will.
Rosa comes to the ring, in her “Blood and Gory” theme music. Tony Deppen comes out to “We Built This City” by Starship, which wins me over.
To my surprise, the commentators mention Rosa’s ranking in AEW, and her match against Britt Baker in the coming weeks.
“Fuck you, Tony” chants” are abound.
This match was absolutely electric, and could have easily been the main event. The hostility was felt early, as slaps were handed out, and each looked to outwrestle each other. High octane action throughout, Deppen then hits Rosa with a Tombstone Piledriver, which seemed to be the end. Rosa kicks out, with Deppen obviously frustrated. The crowd roars out with a “You can’t beat her” chant, which had me fist-pumping. After another offensive onslaught from Deppen, including a vicious clothesline, Rosa counters him into a rollup for the victory.
Thunder Rosa wins via pinfall
Nick Gage enters the foray, to announce the next match. One he’s VERY familiar with. A death matc, between Jimmy Lloyd & Alex Zayne
4. Alex Zayne vs Jimmy Lloyd (Death Match)
This was Alex Zayne’s first death match here in GCW. He brings what looks like a Taco Bell $5 box to the ring, which will come into play later in the match. The commentators even called them “Death Match Tacos,” jokingly. Zayne shows off his athleticism out of the gate, and takes advantage early. Jimmy Lloyd sets up a door wrapped in barbed wire, with no success.
After some pummeling, Lloyd then sends Zayne over the top rope and crashing through the barbed wire door, that is now outside the ring, which leaves a welt the size of Georgia on his back.
After some theatrics, Zayne then pulls out the $5 box, which unsurprisingly has no tacos in it, but at “Tacko taco.” Yes, a taco filled with tacks. Jimmy Lloyd manages to return to sender the thumb tacks into Zayne’s mouth, which visibly looked very gruesome. The two trade offensive attempts, then Jimmy Lloyd hits Alex Zayne with the Iconoclasm through a glass shield in the corner, and gets the 3 count. Alex Zayne walks off, with glass shards visibly on and IN his back and body. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m not a death match guy, but this was a HELL of a match.
Jimmy Lloyd wins via pinfall
5. Team La Fights vs Second Gear Crew & Bussy (“Second Gear Bussy”)
This show was announced on Twitter just hours before the match.
I’ve had the luxury of seeing AJ Gray & Allie Katch in person, and they just keep climbing my “ones to watch” list. Lots of offense shown from both sides. Jay Vidal looks to be on the rise, and Sandra Moone showed she can hold her own, and her and Allie had some good back and forth. Matthew Justice looks like Charles Manson if he hit the gym, and his facials make him look just as psychotic, in a good way. After some top rope explosions from Second Gear Bussy, they secure the victory.
Second Gear Crew wins via pinfall
Mance Warner comes to the ring, and expresses how upset he was that due to injury, he had to miss the PPV at the Hammerstein Ballroom event. After getting things off his chest, he calls out The H8 club (Nick Gage & Matt Tremont) for a tag team title match with he and Matt Justice in the coming weeks.
6. Kevin Blackwood vs Grim Reefer
Lots of feeling out to start, but Blackwood hits Reefer with a batch of German Suplexes, which he turns into his Gotch Piledriver. Good action from both for a few minutes. Reefer brings some hardware to the ring, in the form of steel chairs and a wood door. After setting up the door flat between two chairs, Blackwood eventually hits Reefer from the top rope through the door for the win.
Kevin Blackwood wins via pinfall
7. Gringo Loco vs Mascara Dorada
This match was one I was looking forward to, as I’ve loved every Gringo match I’ve seen. The pace was set from the jump, as both men flashed their speed and high flying offense. Gringo attempted to take off Mascara’s mask at one point, which sounds redundant. After being drug around the ring outside by Gringo, Dorada hit an insane Tilt-a-Whirl backbreaker onto the floor. Not to be outdone, Gringo hit a Spanish Fly on Dorada from the top rope, to only end in a 2 count. Dorada rapid fire hits a top rope Hurricanrana, DDT, and a full run into a Shooting Star Press. Dorada takes Gringo to the top rope, only to be countered into an impressive spinning/twisting power bomb by Gringo, which led to a 3 count. Match of the Night contender.
Gringo Loco wins via pinfall
8. (Main Event) Blake Christian vs Speedball Mike Bailey
EMPHASIS ON MAIN EVENT, because this was a match for the ages.
After a shake of hands, these two get it on. A few counters and wristlocks, which lead to a contest of chops in the center of the ring. The action was non-stop in this match, and admittedly I wasn’t able to write much down, because I was glued. Bailey and Christian were just such a perfect match for each other. Bailey hit a cool baseball slide and moonsault, and at the end both men were struggling to stand on their own two feet. Christian hits his DDT at the end to secure the win.
Blake Christian wins via pinfall
I’ll admit, the end got me a little in the feels. Blake grabs the mic, as both men are laying down gassed out. He says Speedball deserves to be in the category of one of the best in the world, says he’s so “effing good,” and thanks him for putting him to the absolute test. Says people will hopefully one day look back at this match, which they will. Bailey grabs the mic, puts it right down, and bear hugs Blake Christian. Yep, goosebumps again.
This closes out GCW: The Coldest Winter
