Game Changer Wrestling
Middle of the Night
February 18, 2023
Ukrainian Cultural Center
Los Angeles, California

Watch: FITE+

The Results

• Tony Deppen def. Alec Price, Cole Radrick, Eli Everfly, Jimmy Lloyd, and Starboy Charlie (10:43)
• Nick Wayne def. Matt Cardona (12:27)
• Gringo Loco & Los Vipers (Latigo & Toxin) def. Arez, Jack Cartwheel, Mago (17:04)
• JCW Championship: Jordan Oliver © def. Mance Warner (17:21)
• Charles Mason def. Allie Katch (12:56)
• GCW Tag Team Championship: Los Macizos (Ciclope & Miedo Extremo) © def. The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv Sihra & Harv Sihra) (11:18)
• Lio Rush def. Komander (14:34)
• Blake Christian def. Willie Mack (28:31)
• GCW World Championship: Nick Gage © def. Mike Bailey (24:51)

While they are almost never next level in-ring matches, I do enjoy some scramble matches from time to time if they are opening the show and full of mindless spots like this one. This didn’t overstay its welcome and they had some fun sequences like all six guys running a topé train. Alec Price has a lot of potential and I’m excited to see where he goes in the next few years. Starboy’s overalls look is actually good. Deppen winning was the right call out of all guys involved.

Cardona vs. Wayne was a good little match with a good story. Cardona has been great in GCW ever since he showed up and his current run where he’s losing to the young guys on the roster is fun to watch – especially when his cheating backfires and costs him the match.

The lucha trios match was nuts and added a shot in the arm of the show after Cardona’s beatdown of Wayne. Things started a little slow but quickly picked up when everyone got on the same page. Some really creative arm drags and use of the ropes to launch partners and opponents would normally be the thing to turn heads but Los Vipers throwing Mago from a swinging pendulum into a Gringo Loco powerbomb from the middle rope topped it. Spot of the match goes to Jack Cartwheel’s insane Space Flying Tiger Canadian Destroyer from the apron to the floor to take out Latigo. They really pushed the upcoming Gringo Loco’s The Wrld on Lucha show during this one and it served as an excellent preview for that show at The Collective. Give this one a watch.

@jackcartwheel HITS A SASUKE SPECIAL DESTROYER TO THE OUTSIDE #GCWNight pic.twitter.com/yQrU0l0rxl

— I Gif All The Wrestling (@Aregularindyfan) February 19, 2023

Blood in wrestling rules! Mance Warner was leaking blood in the match with Jordan Oliver and it added to the overall feel of the match. The American flag around his neck was stained red as Mancer had to fight from underneath. Oliver was good as the defending champion and had to pull out all the stops to finally put down Warner with the Clout Cutter. Not the greatest match in-ring wise but the blood loss and its effect on the match was a good story.

Thrussy and The Mercenaries were banned from ringside during the Charles Mason/Allie Katch match but they ended up getting involved after a ref bump because this is wrestling. The in-ring was better than I thought it would be but the story just isn’t for me so it’s hard to get invested. There will be a rematch in a Steel Cage at Ransom on March 5th.

Los Macizos continue to be a highlight of these GCW shows. The Bollywood Boyz adapted to the champions’ style and that gave us a very fun brawl. Both Ciclope and Miedo Extremo bled like madmen and it added to the chaotic nature of this defense. I’m shocked that Gurv and Harv aren’t booked in more well known places. They are great hands that are versatile as workers. If I had the pencil, I’d book them against the East West Express. I don’t think this was notebook worthy but still a good match that kept the vibe of the show.

This was my most anticipated match of the night. Lio Rush and Komander are two of the most exciting junior wrestlers in the world. Lio Rush had Jenna Frank, the daughter of the Green Ranger, as his second at ringside. As expected, this was very good when it got going! The start of the match was bogged down a bit by some strange pacing. It picked up when they started to go faster and hit their signature moves. Komander’s rope walk dive to the floor is always impressive but is starting to get a bit stale as it happens in every single one of his matches. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still awesome but it’s losing its oomph. You should watch this but it’s just shy of notebook. I think they have a much better match in them in the future.

AMAZING DESTROYER COUNTER @IamLioRush #GCWNight pic.twitter.com/IqDY51QqSW

— I Gif All The Wrestling (@Aregularindyfan) February 19, 2023

Shave ten to fifteen minutes from Christian/Mack and you probably have a great match. This 28 minute match went way too long and had too many taunting periods. The GCW version of Roman Reigns’ long mid-match monologues. Some like it, some don’t. Blake is very smooth in the ring, got in great shape, and has lots of potential but these matches just leave me feeling meh.

Speedball has been on a tremendous run in GCW and had a great match with Miedo Extremo the night before at GCW & VxS Jimmy Lloyd’s All Grown Up. Recent Nick Gage matches have not been good but he looked better in this title defense. It has been over a month since his last match. The time to rest was a good idea. There was effort in this main event as it went on but the first ten minutes were very slow with Bailey working the arm. Gage hit a sick piledriver on the ring apron and followed it up with an avalanche whatever the fuck through the doors on the floor in the best spot of the match. Two piledrivers and a choke breaker later, Gage pinned Speedball in the middle of the ring. This wasn’t great but it was the best Gage match in a while. What you would expect from a Nick Gage working boots main event.

OH MY FUCKING GODDDDDD #GCWNight pic.twitter.com/Oq9FI6JqHv

— I Gif All The Wrestling (@Aregularindyfan) February 19, 2023

Final Thoughts

This was a solid show. It rocked until the final two matches that both went a bit too long. Not a bad showing in their last show in the Ukrainian Cultural Center before The Collective in six weeks. With the upped production, good commentary and a great group of guys on the undercard, GCW has been on a roll so far this year.

Match Recommendations

• Gringo Loco & Los Vipers (Latigo & Toxin) vs. Arez, Jack Cartwheel, Mago (****)
• JCW Championship: Jordan Oliver © vs. Mance Warner
• GCW Tag Team Championship: Los Macizos (Ciclope & Miedo Extremo) © vs. The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv Sihra & Harv Sihra)
• Lio Rush vs. Komander