ETU vs. Dragon Gate: Unlock The Unexpected
Date: April 6, 2024
Location: H20 Wrestling Center, Williamstown, New Jersey
Commentators: Jack Solomon, Jay Church

This is Expect The Unexpected vs. Dragon Gate as we’re rounding the home stretch for Wrestlemania Weekend. I don’t know anything about ETU but I don’t think I’m supposed to as that would make them expected. This show could be just about anything, though Dragon Gate has been all over the place this weekend so they’re almost familiar at this point. Let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow either promotion so I apologize in advance for missing any character or storyline points.

Opening sequence, featuring various stars who would go on to WWE (including Michin and Bronson Reed).

The ring announcer welcomes us to the show and says it is a great day to be alive. Well that’s positive.

Ho Ho Lun (Dragon Gate) vs. Brayden Toon (ETU) vs. La Estrella (Dragon Gate) vs. Yoya (ETU)

One fall to a finish and the fans certainly seem to like Toon. Estrella and Yoya (who looks like someone shrunk Wheeler Yuta) start things off with an exchange of rollups for two each. The fans approve but the other two come in to throw Estrella and Yoya outside instead. Toon (by far the biggest of the four) takes Lun down but misses a moonsault, allowing Lun to dropkick him outside.

Estrella comes back in and walks on his hands before not quite connecting with an anklescissors to Lun. Back up and Lun kicks him in the head as the fans are rather approving. A dropkick to a grounded Estrella gets two but Toon is back in to break up a chinlock. Toon elbows Estrella down for two and grabs his own chinlock with a knee to the back. Yoya makes the save this time but gets sent to the apron for a dropkick from Estrella.

Lun and Toon team up on Estrella, who springboard clotheslines both of them down with ease. Toon isn’t having that and runs Estrella over with a shoulder, setting up a rather hard powerbomb. A running leg lariat to the back of the head gives Toon two, with Lun and Yoya making stereo saves. With Estrella on the apron, Toon hits a running shooting star press for Loon, with Yoya standing guard for the sake of his promotion. Yoya suplexes Estrella but Lun is back in with a middle rope dropkick. Toon brainbusters Yoya but gets taken down by Estrella. Back up and Lun grabs a rollup to pin Estrella at 7:44.

Rating: C+. Nice opener here with all our moving around at a nice pace until Lun stole the pin. That’s rarely the best way to build someone up but in a case like this, it’s about as good of a way to go as you have. They managed to get four people in the ring, though Yoya caring more about the promotion than winning the match is a bit weird. It’s the theme of the show and all, but that’s an odd thing to see.

Dragon Gate – 1
ETU – 0

Kzy (Dragon Gate) vs. Brandon Kirk (ETU)

The winner gets a future shot at the Key To The East Title. Kzy grabs a headlock to start and then cranks on the arm but Kirk is out without much trouble. Back up and they run the ropes until Kzy snaps off a running Blockbuster. Kirk bails to the floor and trips him down, setting up the apron legdrop to the back of the head. They get back in so Kirk can chop away and grab a chinlock. Make that a waistlock, as they’re staying in first gear to start.

Kzy fights up and sends him into the corner for a running shoulder to the ribs, setting up a northern lights suplex for two. Kirk plants him down for a change but a pumphandle is countered into a Downward Spiral for a nice escape. A sitout Widowmaker gives Kzy two so he goes up, only to get crotched on top. Kzy shove shim down and hits a frog splash, but Kirk small packages him for the same. A jumping cutter….just fires Kzy up so Kirk gives him a Death Valley Driver into a Psycho Driver for the pin at 8:55.

Rating: C+. I’ve seen a good bit of Kzy and I’m not sure I get the appeal. He’s perfectly fine but nothing that overly stands out among the other Dragon Gate wrestlers. Kirk isn’t much better, making this a match that was just slightly better than ok, with little that stood out for the most part. The Psycho Driver did look good, as it tends to do.

Dragon Gate – 1
ETU – 1

Shun Skywalker (Dragon Gate) vs. Alec Price (ETU)

The fans are WAY behind Price here and he offers a handshake to start but the rather evil Skywalker grabs a wristlock instead. Price reverses into an armbar, followed by a springboard clothesline to send Skywalker outside. A running boot to the face staggers Price on the floor though as commentary talks about Skywalker going from hero to villain over the years. The reverse chinlock keeps Price in trouble but he fights up and drops Skywalker again.

A middle rope Rough Ryder gives Price two but Skywalker is back up with some shots to the face. Skywalker grabs a Boston crab, with Price making the ropes without much trouble. Back up and Skywalker invites him to hammer away, with Price’s forearms being shrugged off. Price also shrugs off a German suplex and hits a rather hard rebound lariat for a double knockdown.

A nice dropkick sends Skywalker outside and Price takes him down with a big dive. Back in and a twisting Blockbuster (that looked good) gets two on Skywalker, leaving Price stunned. Some running strikes in the corner rock Skywalker again but he dropkicks Price out of the air, setting up a standing moonsault double knees for the pin at 11:05.

Rating: B-. Price is someone who has shown some promise over the weekend and if he can gain some size, he might have a future elsewhere. He’s a high flier but he does it well enough that it gets your attention. Skywalker is someone who got quite a bit of attention and I’m not sure I get it. He’s good enough but the “I’m evil” stuff doesn’t really stand out.

Dragon Gate – 2
ETU – 1

Post match, Skywalker beats him up even more because he’s evil.

The ring announcer shills some merch.

The Miracle Generation is ready to put their Tag Team Titles on the line.

IWTV Tag Team Titles: Miracle Generation (ETU) vs. Gold Class (Dragon Gate)

Miracle Generation (Dustin Walker/Kylon King) is defending against Ben-K/Kota Minoura. This is also under lucha rules with twenty counts on the floor. Ben-K takes King down to start and works on his leg, which is reversed into a headlock as we hit the grappling on the mat. They flip up to a standoff so it’s off to Walker vs. Minoura. Walker knocks him into the ropes and tries what looks to be a 619 but can’t quite get it right, allowing Minoura to kick him down.

Ben-K comes back in for an assist on a running boot to the head. That isn’t going to work for the champs so King comes in and sens Ben-K outside for a dive. Back in and King grabs a chinlock on Minoura, who powers out in something you don’t see very often. King’s DDT gets two and an impressive looking Cannonball connects, only to have a powerbomb blocked. Ben-K get sin a clothesline and hands it back to Minoura to pick up the pace with some suplexes.

A hard suplex gets two on Walker and it’s back to Ben-K for a forearm exchange with King. Ben-K gets dropped with a superkick and a bridging German suplex gets two with Minoura needing to make a save. One heck of a knee drops Minoura and everyone is down. Back up and King pulls Walker out of the way, with Ben-K going hard into the post. That leaves Minoura to get caught in a powerslam/sitout powerbomb combination to retain the titles at 11:15.

Rating: B-. Good enough here, with the champs looking good in their title defense. It felt like Gold Class was a regular team so this wasn’t just a thrown together title match with no reason to believe the titles were changing. It wasn’t a great match, but I got into it well enough for two teams I haven’t seen much from before.

Dragon Gate – 2
ETU – 2

Respect is shown post match.

The ring announcer thanks various sponsors.

ETU Key To The East Title: Marcus Mathers (ETU) vs. Dragon Kid (Dragon Gate)

Mathers is defending. Feeling out process to start with a battle over arm control until Kid armdrags him down. Kid pulls him down into a chinlock as commentary debates sizes of wrestlers. That’s reversed into a headlock takeover but Kid is back up with a headscissors to send Mathers flying.

Some knee drops have Mathers in more trouble and Kid makes it worse with something like Jamie Noble’s old Trailer Hitch (for the three people who remember that). Mathers manages to get the rope so Kid stomps on the leg to keep him down. That’s broken up and Mathers starts cranking on the arms, with a boot in the back to make it worse. Kid fights up and escapes a suplex, setting up a rather smooth looking middle rope hurricanrana.

A spinning DDT gives Kid two but Mathers is back up with a jumping kick to the face. They both go up top, with a super hurricanrana taking Mathers down for two. Back up and they slug it out until Kid grabs an octopus hold. Mathers slips out again but gets caught with a crucifix driver for two. Another hurricanrana gets two on Mathers but he’s right back with a jumping cutter. A hard lariat hits Kid for two and a sitout powerbomb gets the same. With nothing else working, Mathers hits a 450 for the pin to retain at 16:21.

Rating: B. This was a battle of the generations as Mathers is 21 and Kid is 48 but they both looked rather good in there. Mathers is someone who needs some more experience but is doing well for his still very young age. On the other hand you have Kid, who I never would have expected to be that old. Good match here, with Mathers getting what looked like a showcase win.

Dragon Gate – 2
ETU – 3

Respect is shown post match.

The ring announcer brags about a chicken parm he had earlier today.

Danny Demanto (ETU) vs. Ultimo Dragon (Dragon Gate)

Yes that Ultimo Dragon and Demanto is the founder of ETU. Before the match, Demanto promises to hurt Dragon and doesn’t care what the fans think of him. Feeling out process to start with Dragon backing him into the corner and Demanto demanding a clean break. Demanto backs him into the corner as well and then decks Dragon in the face like a good villain should.

We pause for a debate over whether or not Dragon should shake his hand before Dragon kicks him in the ribs instead. Demanto tells him to try a running shoulder and it doesn’t go well for the much smaller Dragon. Another running shoulder manages to send Demanto outside, where he gets in a posting to slow Dragon down.

Back in and Dragon fights out of a not exactly great looking neck crank but gets elbowed in the face for his efforts. Demanto misses a rather wobbly looking moonsault, allowing Dragon to strike him down. They head outside again with Demanto striking away, followed by a sunset flip of all things for two back inside. Dragon drop toeholds him down and, after playing to the crowd for a good bit, puts on la majistral for the pin at 8:02 (with Demanto looking dead during the count).

Rating: C. You could see the smoke and mirrors here with a lot of stalling, even in an eight minute match. Dragon was getting in some of his signature stuff but there is only so much you can expect from someone who is in his mid 50s. Demanto getting to be a villain is a good thing that helped out a bit here, but it wasn’t exactly a thrilling showdown.

Dragon Gate – 3
ETU – 3

Post match Demanto praises Dragon for being in inspiration to him, to the point where Demanto played as him in WCW vs. NWO World Tour. Dragon apologizes for his band English and thanks the fans for coming and talks about how important this was.

Mike Santana (ETU) vs. Yamato (Dragon Gate)

Santana offers a handshake, Yamato offers a left hand, Santana flips him off and they lock up. The grappling goes to Santana, who gets an armbar before taking him down with a headlock takeover. Yamato reverses a headscissors into a headlock and grinds away for a bit. Back up and they trade armdrags until Santana grabs a running hurricanrana to send him outside.

There’s a dropkick through the ropes and the fans rather approve. Some rather hard chops rock Yamato and he has to lean on the merchandise table. Yamato manages to reverse a whip into the post and they go back inside. Santana invites him to fire off some chops and then immediately regrets the offer. A chinlock and pulling at the face keeps Santana in trouble, with the fans trying to get behind him. They chop it out with Yamato getting the better of things and knocking Santana into the corner.

The slow beating continues, including more chops and a hair toss out of the corner for two. Santana manages a quick cutter though and they’re both down for a breather. They trade running shots to the face until Santana pulls him out of the air for a Death Valley Driver. Back up and they chop it out again with Yamato again getting the better of things. Santana blocks a brainbuster but can’t hit one of his own, allowing Yamato to hit the brainbuster for a delayed one.

Santana fires off some blistering chops before winning an exchange of boots to the face. A springboard moonsault puts Yamato down again and they slug it out from their knees. They get up and headbutt it out until Yamato’s running hurricanrana gets two. One heck of a discus lariat gives Santana two and it’s the torture rack spun into a sitout powerbomb to finish Yamato at 18:39.

Rating: B. Get rid of a few of the slower spots and this is an even better match, but I can more than settle for what we got here. Santana has been on a roll in the last few months and you can see the confidence growing in him ever time he’s out there. Yamato was bringing it as well, with those chops sounding great. Heck of a main event here and they were right to make this the main event.

Dragon Gate – 3
ETU – 4

Post match Santana shows respect and thanks the fans before having the locker room come out to the ring. Santana thanks the Dragon Gate wrestlers for coming here and being such an inspiration. He talks about leaving a place (AEW) for the sake of his happiness and he promises that there is nothing like betting on yourself and having it go this well. The Dragon Gate wrestlers being here is a big deal and Yamato is the man. They bow to each other to wrap it up. You might want to praise the ETU locker room a bit more, but it was a nice speech.

Overall Rating: B. This show took some time to get going and thankfully they didn’t try to have Dragon Gate be treated as invaders or the enemy. Instead it was more about having a bunch of competitive matches, which got better as the show went on. The main event and the Mathers vs. Kid matches both worked well and there was nothing close to bad. Good show here, and I could go for a bit more of both of them.

 

 

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Joey Janela’s Spring Break 6 Night Two
Date: April 1, 2022
Location: Fair Park, Dallas, Texas
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Kevin Gill

It’s the second half of the show and in this case, it needs to get a pretty big upgrade over the first half. Night one was a decent enough show, but it wasn’t memorable, which is the point of a show like this. Now that being being said, this show is built around the Clusterf*** Battle Royal, which could be quite the mess. Let’s get to it.

Here is Night One if you need a recap.

We open with Joey Janela talking about beating Sean Waltman last night and wanting his flowers. He wonders why the fans hate him now but Spring Break needs a lethal dose of poison to turn it back into what it is supposed to be. This year, he is entering the Clusterf*** so he can end it once and for all. Maybe just don’t run it then?

Matt Cardona vs. Chris Dickinson

Chelsea Green is here with Cardona, who is currently the king, meaning yes he does have a Macho King crown. Green gets in an ALL HAIL THE DEATHMATCH KING and the fans are all over Cardona again. Cardona insults GCW and says they are the power couple of wrestling. Six years ago, he won the Intercontinental Title at Wrestlemania, but now he’s in this piece of garbage ring. If he was in WWE, like he should be, he would be celebrating his friend Mark Calaway, who he will see in the Hall of Fame one day.

Dickinson comes out with….MISSY HYATT to even things out, which is one of those names that makes this show feel fun. Both pairs share good luck kisses before the match, with Hyatt’s leaving Dickinson woozy. Dickinson wrestles him to the mat to start but Cardona is up to yell at Hyatt. That doesn’t work well for Dickinson, who grabs a cross armbreaker to send Cardona bailing to the floor.

Back in and Green grabs Dickinson’s foot for a distraction so Cardona can stomp away. After throwing his shirt at Hyatt, Cardona chokes with the wrist tape and then his hand for a bonus. The running forearm drops Dickinson again and a neckbreaker gives Cardona two. It’s already door time but Cardona spends too much time mocking the crowd, allowing Dickinson to backdrop him through the door in the corner.

The slugout is on with Cardona going to the eyes, only to get blasted with a running clothesline. The brainbuster gives Dickinson two but Green offers a distraction, allowing Cardona to nail a spear for two. Missy finally grabs Cardona’s boot and slaps Green, allowing Dickinson to hit a Death Valley Driver for two of his own.

Green offers another distraction so Cardona can hit a low blow into the Rough Ryder for two. Now it’s Green coming in and hitting Cardona with Missy’s loaded purse by mistake, allowing Dickinson to clothesline her down. The toss Razor’s Edge is enough for Dickinson to pin both of them at once at 12:43.

Rating: C+. You really can see why the GCW fans can’t stand Cardona in this run as he is one of the most annoying and obnoxious heels you could want to see. He is playing up the idea of being a big shot and that is one of the best ways to get heat from anyone. Dickinson is a decent power guy and looked good here, though Missy kind of disappeared for large chunks of the match.

Biff Busick vs. Tony Deppen

Feeling out process to start with Deppen trying to go to the mat to little success. Back up and Busick goes to the armbar, which has Deppen bailing to the ropes. Busick chops the heck out of Deppen, whose chops back have no effect. They head outside with Busick uppercutting away but a chop only hits the post. With Busick trying to shake it off, Deppen hits a flip dive off the apron and they head back inside.

Busick is fine enough to knee him down and the figure four necklock sends Deppen to the ropes again. Back up and Busick gets a little more violent by holding Deppen in place for some slaps to the face. Deppen is smart enough to go after Busick’s bad hand but Busick hits a running uppercut to take him down again.

Busick misses a charge though and Deppen hits a suicide flip dive for two back inside. Back up and the slugout goes to Busick until Deppen goes for the hand and grabs a Kimura of all things. With that broken up, Busick wins another strike off but Deppen avoids a charge in the corner. A running knee finishes Busick at 11:40.

Rating: B-. Sometimes you need two people to hit each other really hard and you got at least half of that here with Busick’s beating. Busick might not be a star in the making, but he’s an established hard hitter in the middle of the card and that should be enough to get him quite a few jobs. At the same time, you have Deppen as one of the better heels I’ve seen in a bit, as he is just straight up unlikable. Keep going with that and he’ll be fine.

Post match Deppen thanks Busick for the match but tells anyone who doesn’t believe in him what they can kiss.

Mike Bailey vs. Jordan Oliver

Bailey does his bow and they shake hands to start. Oliver does his pose so Bailey kicks him in the face and strikes away but Oliver is back up with chops of his own. Bailey’s leapfrog is countered into a faceplant and Oliver sends him outside for a big dive. Some kicks send Oliver through some chairs though and Bailey knees him in the chest.

Back in and Bailey kicks him in the chest for two, followed by the YES Kicks to make it worse. Bailey hits a running kick to the face in the corner and they strike it out again. Oliver snaps off a release German suplex and a sitout powerbomb for two but Bailey sends him outside. There’s the springboard moonsault to the floor and they strike it out on the apron.

Bailey gets the better of things and hits the moonsault knees, setting up the bouncing kicks back inside. The big kick to the head looks to set up the Ultimate Weapon but Oliver counters it with a cutter. A handspring cutter gets two so Oliver goes up, only to get pulled down with something like a One Winged Angel for the pin at 10:01.

Rating: C+. As is usually the case with Bailey, the action was good but he continues to have such a punchable face that it is hard to get into his matches. The good thing here was he didn’t have the stupid no selling that drags down every good thing he does, making this slightly easier to watch than most of his matches. Oliver has come a long way but still has a good bit to go before he moves up to the next level.

Effy says he shouldn’t be here but tonight he’ll beat Minoru Suzuki, have his own show tomorrow, and then maybe he’ll come for some gold.

Effy vs. Minoru Suzuki

Allie Katch is here with Effy. They both stick their jaws out with offers of a free shot but Effy’s attempt at a kiss gets him slapped. Suzuki slaps him down and then a kick to the face puts Effy on the floor. They head outside with Effy telling him to chop as hard as he can. That’s fine with Suzuki, who mocks Effy’s return chops.

A big boot sends Effy through the chairs and Suzuki cranks on the arm back inside. Effy tries some forearms but gets dropped with a single one from Suzuki. Then Effy bites Suzuki’s nipple and northern lights suplexes him for two. The big kiss staggers Suzuki but it’s a slap to the face and the Gotch style piledriver to give Suzuki the pin at 9:04.

Rating: C. Effy’s stuff may or may not be your cup of tea but Suzuki more or less squashed him here in a match with little to no doubt about the outcome. Effy was doing little more than comedy here so it isn’t like there was much to get annoyed about. They were going for the “wouldn’t it be funny if these two wrestled” idea here and I’ve seen worse versions.

Greatest Clusterf***

So this is basically a Royal Rumble, but only in the very loosest of terms. There are no set time intervals and I don’t believe there is a set number of entrants. I’m not going to be able to keep track of all of the eliminations, as I’ve never seen a version of this where they are all announced. This is going to be about total chaos and some surprise entrants and nothing more. You can be eliminated by pinfall, submission, over the top, leaving the building and…death?

Joey Janela is in at #1 and Buff Bagwell is in at #2 for your first surprise. Granted Buff is on a crutch but he has the American Males theme so this could be a lot worse. Janela wants to strut with him but it’s a superkick to get rid of Buff very quickly. George Gatton, with an unidentified title, is in at #3 and it’s a superkick into a piledriver to get rid of him too. Judas Judd Cassidy (I think?) is in at #4 and gets thrown over the top just as fast.

Yoya is in at #5 and suplexes Janela but gets caught in a heck of a package piledriver for the pin. Billie Starkz is in at #6 and a Gory Bomb takes Janela down but he raises knees to block her Swanton. That’s it for Starkz and it’s Juicy Finau (a big guy) in at #7. Janela can’t suplex him so Finau does it to Janela instead and it’s the even larger Sam Stackhouse, in Bam Bam Bigelow inspired gear, in at #8.

That leaves Janela to get crushed in the corner by back to back splashes but Stackhouse misses an ugly moonsault. Janela tosses both of them and it’s Rhett Titus in at #9 as Janela keeps up his Brock Lesnar-esque run. Titus wrestles him down and hits the running boot in the corner until it’s the Invisible Man in at #10.

So we have the Invisible Man, Janela and Titus with Titus and the Man slugging it out. The Man gets the better of both of them but an elbow to the face lets Janela and Titus beat him down. A double suplex lets the two of them pose but Man is back with a double low blow. The Man throws out Titus but gets stomped down until Dante Leon is in at #11. They waste no time in the next entrant with Ninja Mack in at #12.

Leon and Mack are long time rivals so they pose at each other before superkicking Janela down. A shooting star piledriver drops Mack and it’s a sick looking Jimmy Lloyd in at #13. Janela and Lloyd put on masks and they rehash their Social Distancing match, meaning they punch from a safe distance. Mack isn’t having that and kicks Lloyd down, setting up the running flip dive to drop Janela on the floor. Back in and Lloyd runs Mack over for the pin and Early Morning Guy Steele is in at #14.

Steele doesn’t seem to know what he is doing and falls off the top as Janela and Lloyd watch from the middle of the ring. Then Steele gives them a running double Blockbuster and a Canadian Destroyer each. Then he goes up top for a 450 to Lloyd, only to get rolled up for the pin from Janela. That was a weird one and it’s Blake Christian in at #15. House is cleaned but the Invisible Man hits Christian low. That earns him a dropkick and it’s Kevin Blackwood in at #16.

Blackwood’s suplex gets two on Leon and stomps on Janela in the corner until Hoodfoot is in at #17. Hoodfoot and Blackwood slug it out until Slade is in at #18. Young Dumb And Broke (Charlie Tiger and Ellis Taylor) are in at #19 and #20, giving us Janela, Invisible Man, Leon, Lloyd, Christian, Blackwood, Hoodfoot, Slade, Tiger and Taylor as this is far more organized than I was expecting. Everyone hits everyone until Deranged is in at #21 to clean house. With that going nowhere, Grim Reefer is in at #22 and has a smoke.

We now pause for everyone to partake, including Janela, who says he isn’t with AEW anymore and can do what he wants. Janela runs to the back (I don’t think he’s been eliminated but who can tell around here?) and Sandra Moone is in at #23. Reefer clotheslines her down and it’s Parrow in at #24. House is cleaned with Deranged and Reefer being eliminated almost immediately.

Big F’N Vin is in at #25 as Janela is having some Cheetos. Vin kicks Parrow out without much trouble as Janela wants to know his next spot. Nate Webb is in at #26 and comes through the crowd, who sings his theme music. Lloyd gets dropped by the Invisible Man, who hammers on Webb in the corner. Janela superkicks the Invisible Man though and tosses him out, much to the fans’ annoyance. Webb misses a charge and gets low bridged to the floor and Hoodfoot is tossed as well.

Shazza McKenzie is in at #27 and goes after Janela to start the beating. Janela gets in a shot to the face though and grabs a door, only to have McKenzie spear him through it. Janai Kai is in at #28 and Jazzy Yang (Jimmy Wang’s daughter) follows her at #29. The four women in the match stare each other down and it’s Edith Surreal in at #30. That gives us Janela, Leon, Lloyd, Christian, Blackwood, Tiger, Ellis, Moone, Vin, McKenzie, Kai, Yang and Surreal, assuming I didn’t miss any random eliminations.

Dark Sheik, another woman, is in at #31 and we have a six woman showdown. Uh make that seven as LuFisto is in at #32. Some of the guys come in to go after the women, with Leon and Taylor being tossed out. The women all beat up Tiger and toss him out with Vin joining him. Then the women get into it, with Kai kicking out LuFisto. Moone is out as well and McKenzie hits a Stunner on Kai for the elimination. Janela comes back in to superkick McKenzie for the pin and it’s Maven of all people in at #33.

Everyone stops to look at him so Maven hits a bunch of dropkicks….and then walks out for an elimination. Fans: “THANK YOU MAVEN!” With everyone else pairing off, Sean Ross Sapp, yes the dirt sheet writer, is in at #34, drawing a WE WANT MELTZER chant. Sapp gets a mic and begs people to subscribe to Fightful Select so they can read about GCW wrestlers getting fired by AEW. Josh Barnett, former UFC Heavyweight Champion, is in at #35 but fellow writer Denise Salcedo (not in the match) comes in to low blow Sapp and toss him out.

Nasty Leroy is in at #36 and Barnett blasts him with a clothesline as Jimmy Wang Yang is in at #37. Yang manages to take him down (not the prettiest but it worked) so Jazzy (remember, Yang’s daughter) comes in to grab the leg, which apparently counts as a submission to get rid of Barnett. Jazzy rolls up Lloyd for an elimination and it’s Alec Price in at #38. Price tosses Yang and dances a bit before getting kicked in the face by Jazzy. That’s enough for Price to toss her as well and it’s Cole Radrick in at #39.

Radrick and Price wind up on the apron and it’s a double elimination. Brandon Kirk is in at #40, giving us Janela, Christian, Blackwood, Slade, Surreal, Sheik, Leroy and Kirk (I think at least). Sheik hits Kirk low as we’re told Slade has left the building. Janela runs the ropes a lot until Lord Adrean (a Wal-Mart Guy) is in at #41. Adrean cleans house and Tombstones Kirk for the elimination, only to get Death Valley Drivered by Janela for another elimination. Kevin Matthews (you might remember him as KM in Impact) is in at #42 and stares it down with Leroy.

A not great looking Rock Bottom plants Matthews and a worse Rock Bottom sets up a leglock for the tap as Janela busts a gut laughing. Then Janela hits Leroy low and pins him and it’s Nick Wayne in at #43 for a brawl on the apron with Janela. Wayne superkicks Janela out for one heck of a pop and here is B-Boy to introduce Team LA Fights, which are six unnamed people. The team (Jai Vidal and Jack Cartwheel are two of them) clean house and something like a Styles Clash into a sitout powerbomb gets rid of Blackwood.

With those six in at #44-49, the Second City Crew (AJ Gray/Mance Warner/Matthew Justice/1 Called Manders and Levi Everett) are in #50-#54. The Crew cleans house with Matt Vandagriff (of LA Fights) being tossed. Damian Drake and Ju Dizz (I think) are both out with Hunter Freeman joining them. Cartwheel gets knocked out but walks on his hands until Manders chairs him down for the elimination. Vidal is tossed out and the Crew is left alone until the others still in the match come in.

Christian and Wayne get together to toss Everett and Manders. Somehow Christian and Wayne are the last two with Christian hitting a quick Downward Spiral for the pin…and never mind as yeah there are some people still left. Sheik comes in off the top with a spinwheel kick and the rest of the Crew pile onto her for the pin. Christian goes after the Crew but gets taken down and superplexed into a top rope legdrop for the pin….and that’s it at 1:23:57 (I guess Surreal was tossed somewhere in there).

Rating: C+. To be clear, this match is not about something coherent or anything more than having one name after another. That being said, this was WAY more coherent than the previous edition and that helped a lot. This felt more like a very indy Royal Rumble and, save for Surreal, no one was getting lost in the whole thing. I had a good time with this and it did fly by with some fun moments. It’s the kind of match that I was expecting from a Spring Break and it went well, especially with all of the insanity that came with it.

Overall Rating: B-. This was more like the Spring Breaks of the past and it worked out pretty well all things considered. It was a collection of some fun matches before we got to the big main event and that wound up working well. Good stuff here and it didn’t feel like a regular GCW show. While those can be fun, it’s not what I came into this wanting. The main event is all that mattered here and the other four matches were a nice bonus so we’ll call this a success.

 

 

 

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