GCW is back with its annual set of shows during WrestleMania weekend, The Collective. The group of shows always present some of the best of indie wrestling, at times mixed with stars from IMPACT and AEW (although the latter probably won’t be happening, unless Jon Moxley books directly with Brett Lauderdale).
The Collective will be taking place beginning on Thursday, March 30 and will run through Sunday, April 2.
GCW’s The Collective 2023 Schedule
Some fan favorite shows will be returning along with three new shows. There will also be the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame that weekend.
The Santino Bros. are the premiere wrestling school in Southern California. Some alumni from the school are Kidd Bandit, Brody King, Tito Escondido, Che Cabrera, and Heather Monroe.
DDT Pro will be having two shows. One will be on Thursday at 8 PM. On Friday at 3 PM, DDT vs. GCW will go down.
GCW will be having a show called #EmoNight, but no other details have been provided.
EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch, Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9, Joey Janela’s Spring Break 7, For the Culture, Gringo Loco’s The Wrld on Lucha, and Jimmy Lloyd’s Degeneration-F will all be returning.
More info on ticket packages and streaming will be coming on Tuesday. FITE+ is now GCW’s streaming home and it costs $4.99 per month. Some shows may need to be purchased separately.
Fans of Game Changer Wrestling will now have the chance to watch the promotion’s content exclusively on FITE+, the two parties have confirmed.
GCW, formerly Jersey Championship Wrestling, has operated since 1999, but was relaunched in 2013, and focuses on hardcore matches.
The Announcement
It was reported last weekend that GCW would make an announcement concerning streaming content, and some believed a deal had been struck with WWE.
That isn’t the case, as FITE COO Michael Weber and GCW Founder/CEO Brett Lauderdale made the announcement today of GCW content streaming on FITE+.
GCW and FITE will be offering a limited-time seven-day free trial of FITE+, with the regular price being $4.99 a month.
In the statement, Lauderdale said that the company’s growth helped make the deal possible.
“As our schedule becomes busier and our catalog continues to grow, we want to make it easier for all our fans to follow us on this journey. We are proud to continue our partnership with Fite and bring our entire library, along with all future live events to Fite.”
The first live event under the FITE+ deal will be the Nick Gage Invitational, and fans will have instant access to 240 prior GCW events.
On “The Business of the Business” podcast, GCW’s Brett Lauderdale, talks about a variety of topics from the situation between his promotion and AEW, what happened with Jon Moxley, and if he will return to the company.
GCW Fight Club took place in Atlantic City the weekend of October 8 and 9. Due to a change in some of the management and confusion over the calendar, the venue was double booked for the Saturday show. To make matters worse, Lauderdale wasn’t informed until it was too late to move the event to another date. This forced them to move the show outside on the pier.
399 days after beating Matt Cardona for the GCW World Championship, Jon Moxley dropped the title to Nick Gage in a Title vs. Career match. Mox was ambushed by Morrissey from The Firm and they cost him the title.
“One thing about Mox’s run– you know there’s people that wished he was at every show– but we have to be realistic here, this guy is one of the top stars of a weekly wrestling company and he’s not going to be able to make every show, he has commitments– real life and professional commitments that extend beyond GCW.
As I saw it, I loved having him as champion this entire time because it made it seem extra special every time he would come and every time he would have a match, put the title on the line. For me, it seemed like a bigger deal than had he been there every week or every show or once a month.”
Jon Moxley’s importance
Jon Moxley
“It was significant having him, for obvious reasons. He’s one of the biggest stars in the world. So to see him wearing our title belt, wearing GCW sweatshirts on TV, and doing crazy matches for us when he doesn’t have to do them, that’s obviously a big deal for GCW. It opens eyes, it takes us beyond the indie wrestling bubble and introduces new fans to us that we never would have known what GCW is.
And furthermore, when other AEW wrestlers or just top name, international talent, or even just top indie wrestlers, when they see Moxley willing to come do GCW, knowing that the guy doesn’t need the money — it’s not about a payday –when they see he does it because he wants to be there, obviously, it helps GCW’s credibility and helps our reputation amongst wrestlers and inside the business. Mox again, his contributions to GCW also extended beyond the ring.”
Lauderdale had no idea about Moxley’s new deal with AEW. He’s also had very little interaction with AEW directly over the years. “Booking Moxley, I never spoke to AEW. It was always just Mox and talking to him and him handling whatever needed to with AEW. But, yeah, I’m sure things are going to change now. I don’t think we’ll see him as frequently. But I do think we’ll see him again. I think if there comes a time when there’s somebody he wants to wrestle or show he wants to be a part of, I think he’ll be there. I think he’ll let me know, much the same way he’s let me know over the last 399 days. He’ll shoot me a text and say, ‘whattya coming up in this month or when are you going to be in this place?’ and that’s how it would often come together.
So, I wouldn’t be surprised if I hear from him again in a few months or six months or whatever. Sometime in the next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back again and stops in for another event. Again, he does have priorities and I don’t expect it, rather — I don’t know what the word is — I wouldn’t be surprised and I’ll continue to look at it as a bonus anytime he comes around.”
“He’s not doing it for the money. He does not need the money from indie wrestling companies. And I can’t pay him the amount of money, I can’t pay him close to what he probably gets paid on a weekly basis from AEW; nor would he ever expect that or ask for that. He’s just here because there’s a side of him that still loves indie wrestling. That’s where he came from and its part of his personality.
I think there’s a reason why he’s done so many shows for us and why he was cool with being our champion for over a year. That’s because I think he respects us and what we do and what we stand for. Again, Mox is a guy–even with his new contract — he is still a guy that calls a lot of his own shots and if he were ever to ask for a favor or permission for something, I can’t see Tony Khan saying ‘no’ forever. There’s always a time and a place and a reason that could make sense, so we’ll see.”
GCW’s relationship with AEW
(Photo: Jay Lee Photography)
When asked what his relationship is with AEW, Lauderdale replies, “to be honest, I don’t know what our relationship is with GCW. And I don’t mean that in a bad way or a good way. But again, I have very little interaction with AEW. So, I don’t know. In terms of AEW people being banned or barred from wrestling for GCW, I’m not sure that such an edicts exists and I would think that if that was a rule, I think I would know. But again, they don’t send me a weekly email or an update. So, I’m not sure. Everything is on a case-by-case basis. So, we’ll see. I think that we’re very fortunate and very grateful for all the times they have been gracious to allow their talent to come and work for us. Even if it is the end, even if we aren’t going to be seeing any of their people around anymore, it’s been good while it’s lasted. It’s helped our company a lot and I’m thankful, I’m grateful for that.”
Lauderdale said he’s read some “outrageous” comments about Mox, AEW, and GCW from people that think they know what happened. “The literal beginning of Mox in GCW is just him texting me at two in the morning or whatever, asking if we have show in this place or this date anytime soon and him just saying, ‘okay, cool. I’ll come do this or that. Like that’s literally the end of it. There is no talking to talent relations. There is no talking to Tony Khan. There is no talking to an agent. There is no this or that, its Moxley shows up and he wrestles the match and then goes home. That’s what it comes down to. There is not much more to it. There’s no seeking permission or getting rules or guidelines, it’s just that simple.”
Listen to Brett Lauderdale’s appearance on The Business of the Business, the official business podcast of SEScoops:
Jon Moxley put his GCW World Championship on the line at GCW Fight Club. Nick Gage put his career on the line. He needn’t worry about having to walk away.
The crowd was very anti-Moxley with fans booing him regularly. There was even a few “CM Punk” chants during Mox’s introduction. Moxley dominated the first part of the match. That was before Gage got his hands on his trusty pizza cutter. He sliced up Mox’s forehead much worse than he did to Chris Jericho at Fight for the Fallen.
After elbow dropping through light tubes placed on Mox’s body, Gage seemed on his way to regaining the championship he lost one year ago. Mox hit Gage with a big boot. While Gage was on the outside, Mox set up a glass pane. While he was waiting on Gage to get back in the ring, a tall man in a hoodie appeared. W. Morrissey hit the champion with a big boot of his own and Stokely Hathaway popped up on the apron and directed Morrissey to chokeslam Mox. He obliged and Hathaway directed him to send Mox through the glass pane. Once again, Morrissey obeyed.
The dastardly duo left and it allowed Gage to hit Mox with two piledrivers and a chokebreaker. Gage’s career is saved and he is your new GCW World Champion.
Was The Firm acting on MJF’s orders or was this a rogue act like their involvement on the last episode of Dynamite? Is Mox done with GCW for the next five years?
Current GCW world champion Jon Moxley will be competing in a title vs career match against hardcore veteran Nick Gage.
With the rise of Game Changer Wrestling as the modern era ECW, Gage has emerged as the face of Deathmatch wrestling. In the past year he has wrestled extreme matches against people like Matt Cardona and Chris Jericho.
However, the death match that seemed to have affected him the most was against Jon Moxley. These two competed in October last year where Mox defeated Gage.
The indie star hasn’t been very active in the ring since that match. He has only wrestled a handful of times since his big defeat, leading to speculations about an impending retirement.
Title vs Career
On night 1 of GCW homecoming this Saturday, Moxley successfully defended his title against Effy. Gage made his return after this bout and confronted the GCW champion.
Gage mentioned that his career might be coming to an end, but he has unfinished business with the Interim AEW champion. He then challenged Mox for a match.
Jon Moxley then cut a promo explaining that it might be the time to put the dog down. He said that Gage will have to put his career on the line for a shot at the GCW title, and Nick accepted this challenge:
There is no word yet on when this match will take place. With Nick Gage’s recent comments about his future, there is no surity that we’re going to see him wrestle after this bout.
GCW Homecoming Night 1 Quick Results
The following are quick results from Saturday night’s GCW Homecoming Weekend (Nigh 1) event from the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ:
Nick Wayne def. Starboy Charlie
Jordan Oliver def. Ninja Mack
Gringo Loco def. Grim Reefer, Jimmy Lloyd, Axton Ray, Joe Lando, Marcus Mathers
Blake Christian def. Tony Deppen
The Briscoes def. Los Macizos to retain the GCW tag titles
Cole Radrick def. Charli Evans to retain the GCW Extreme title
John Wayne Murdoch def. Matt Tremont
Rina Yamashita def. Alex Colon to win the GCW Ultraviolent title
Jon Moxley def. EFFY to retain the GCW World title
Nick Wayne and his mother were on a plane ride home when the flight was diverted due to a bomb threat.
They were flying to Seattle from Frankfurt, Germany, on Condor flight DE2032 when a bomb threat was found written on a bathroom mirror. The flight changed course over Greenland and landed in Keflavik, Iceland.
Iceland police conducted a search of all carry-on items and passenger belongings. On today’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez noted that Nick’s mother was interrogated because she had eyeliner, and the threat was scrawled in eyeliner or makeup on the bathroom mirror.
According to a report from Air Live, two hundred sixty-six people aboard the flight have been sent to an area guarded by police. It is not clear if the passengers are still being detained.
Shayna Edwards assured family that they were okay in a Facebook post by writing the following, courtesy of Slam Wrestling:
“Yes, Nick and I were on a flight with a bomb on it. Yes, it was 6 hrs of madness like I’ve never experienced. Yes, we are safe. No, we are not home. And no, I don’t know when we will be.”
Nick is the son of late wrestler Buddy Wayne and the grandson of Ed “Moondog.” He was given an AEW contract in February 2022, contingent on finishing high school.
On Sunday at the PROGRESS Chapter 136: 24/7 event from the Electric Ballroom in London, England, Wayne defeated Robbie X.
PROGRESS has issued the following statement:
PROGRESS Wrestling are delighted and relieved to hear that rising star, and recent UK and European debutant Nick Wayne, and his mother Shayna Edwards are safe and sound, and home in Seattle.
In an extraordinary and quite alarming incident, their return to the USA was interrupted by a bomb scare and an alleged hoaxer putting a note in the airplane bathroom to the effect that there was danger on board.
The Condor pilot quite correctly took immediate action and diverted the Seattle-bound plane to Keflavik in Iceland, with a then very stressful 24 hours for both Nick, Shayna and the other 264 passengers on board.
Lee McAteer, co-owner of PROGRESS said, “We are so pleased to hear that both Nick and his mother are safely home and can start to relax after what had been a triumphant first trip to the UK.”
Nick has been widely tipped for stardom, and after a remarkable start to his career with Defy Wrestling and GCW, had absolutely shone on his debut with PROGRESS at their 24/7 show in an exciting encounter with Robbie X. He and his mother had made many friends, and Nick is due to return in September for a joint show with TNT Extreme and GCW, with his finale at PROGRESS on their Handshakes and Cheeseburgers show on Sunday 18th September.
Shayna, who runs her late husband’s wrestling school, The Buddy Wayne Wrestling Academy had said to the PROGRESS owners Martyn Best and Lee McAteer, “After such a wonderful weekend, and such an exciting one for Nick at being on one of his dream promotions, we were then really shook up with what happened on the plane. It was so unreal, and we are just so grateful that everyone is safe.
“We had a very scary six hours until the authorities were able to find out what was really happening, and then it was a long wait to finally board a plane back home.
“We really want to say such a big thank you to all our friends for your kind thoughts and concerns for us – and PROGRESS guys, don’t worry, we know this won’t happen every time that Nick comes over to be with you.”
Martyn Best added, “We had to change Nick’s original opponent due to a traditional flight issue delay, and the weekend had gone so well with Nick having had a terrific fight on his UK, European and PROGRESS debut. He had generated so much joy with everyone, and we were very proud that he and Shayna had chosen PROGRESS to make such a debut.
“Having bid them a fond adieu, it was really quite astonishing and distressing for us to then hear about the trauma that followed, and we are totally relived and happy that all ended well. We really look forward to Nick and Shayna returning to both Liverpool and London in September.”
Jack Evans had quite the scare during a recent GCW event.
Evans went one-on-one with Ninja Mack during the show. This was for the You Wouldn’t Understand event. The action was held inside the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, NY this past Saturday (June 18).
Jack went up the top turnbuckle and attempted a 630 splash but Ninja Mack got out of the way. Evans landed hard on the mat and something wasn’t quite right as he laid in the middle of the ring.
Thankfully, Jack did make it up to his feet and Ninja Mack raised his arm to an ovation. GCW personnel helped Evans to the back.
Jack Evans had been scheduled for the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary the following night. That didn’t end up happening as he was pulled from the card as a precautionary measure.
BREAKING: Out of an abundance of caution following an injury this weekend, @JackEvans711 has been pulled from today's Ultimate-X match. He will be replaced in the X- Division Title showdown by @_AndrewEverett!#Slammiversary#IMPACTWRESTLING
“BREAKING: Out of an abundance of caution following an injury this weekend, @JackEvans711 has been pulled from today’s Ultimate-X match. He will be replaced in the X- Division Title showdown by @_AndrewEverett!”
Jon Moxley will be sharing the ring with a former WWE superstar for the first time.
Moxley has been on a roll as of late. He’s a currently member of the Blackpool Combat Club and he’ll be vying for the interim AEW World Championship. He’ll take on Japanese wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door on June 26.
Moxley also happens to be the reigning GCW World Champion.
Jon Moxley’s Next GCW Title Challenger
(via AEW)
Jon Moxley had a successful GCW World Title defense over Tony Deppen at the GCW You Wouldn’t Understand event. After the match, Blake Christian made his way to the ring and he had a staredown with Moxley.
It was then shown on the screen that Moxley will defend his GCW gold against Christian at The People vs. GCW in Nashville on July 29.
Christian was known as Trey Baxter on WWE’s NXT brand. He was released from the company back in Nov. 2021.
Brett Lauderdale of Game Changer Wrestling was our guest on the latest episode of Business of the Business podcast, the official business podcast of SEScoops.
During the hour-long conversation with hosts John Poz and Lavie Margolin, Lauderdale spoke about a wide range of topics including last year’s The WRLD on GCW pay-per-view from the the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC, as well as a possible return to thee venue.
Here are some highlights of what Lauderdale said about:
The WRLD on GCW PPV Buys
January’s The WLRD on GCW event from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City was a special milestone for the company. Lauderdale has already said this was the biggest PPV in GCW history, but we now have a better idea of just how big it was.
Lauderdale says The WRLD on GCW crushed the company’s previous records.
“It was about, well, I don’t want to say average, but let me put to you like this.. it was about 5x higher than our previous high, we’ll put it like that.”
– Brett Lauderdale on The WRLD on GCW PPV Buys
Lauderdale says the company’s previous best-selling shows include Cardona-Gage, Moxley-Gage (“both way up there”) and Spring Break 3 (2019).
Return to Hammerstein
As for a return to the Hammerstein Ballroom, Lauderdale says there’s a good chance it happens. When asked when we could see another GCW Hammerstein show, he replied, “January, maybe.”
He says GCW wants it, Hammerstein wants them back and he’d love for it to become an annual special event. He doesn’t want to run the Hammerstein unless they can go ‘all out’ and do it big, but they’re hoping for a return.
Listen to our full interview with Brett Lauderdale of GCW:
Multiple wrestlers from GCW have denied the allegation that the company faked negative COVID-19 tests to allow sick wrestlers to appear.
Earlier this week, independent wrestler “Dirty” Ron McDonald claimed that he faked COVID-19 testing results so GCW could run events from October 2020 to January 2021.
On Twitter, Tony Deppen denied the claim, saying that talent was given specific deadlines for when they had to submit test results.
Deppen adds that he was forced to miss two shows due to not submitting a result in time, which reportedly came at the request of Brett Lauderdale.
Before every show we had a group chat where we’d talk about her recautions and the deadlines for our covid tests. I also had to sit out two shows cause my tests didn’t come back in time – and that was at the request of Brett.
This matches with a tweet from January 2021, where GCW announced that Deppen would miss an event in adherence to COVID-19 protocols and “an abundance of caution.”
Joey Janela responded to McDonald’s claim by sharing screenshots of the group chat Deppen mentioned and said everyone working for GCW is vaccinated.
“We always had groups like this on social media apps, many wrestlers have been told to sit out before… Roster is vaccinated now, see everyone in Vegas. Most will ignore this because they ‘Wanna smoke that GCW PACK’ whatever the f*ck that means.”
Brett Lauderdale has been advised by lawyers not to respond to McDonald’s claims.
GCW will host their Downward Spiral event this Sunday, which will be headlined by NWA World Heavyweight Champion Matt Cardona Vs. Blake Christian.
The GCW Maniac event was held inside the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California on May 21. The main event saw Drew Parker defeat Joey Janela.
Joey Janela had a scary moment during a recent GCW show.
Janela was featured on the GCW Maniac show this past Saturday night (May 21). Janela went one-on-one with Drew Parker and he wanted to do something that would have fans talking.
Mission accomplished but at the expense of things nearly going terribly wrong.
At one point in the match, Janela set his boot on fire and superkicked Parker. The problem was that the fire wouldn’t go out for a while as it got more intense.
Thankfully, the fire was eventually put out before things got extremely dangerous.
Le Flaming Superkick de Joey Janela à #GCWManiac… sans aucun extincteur à proximité. Encore une belle idée
The Briscoes were scheduled for action this weekend but there are more important matters to attend to.
Jay and Mark Briscoe were gearing up for tag team action on the GCW In Too Deep and PWG Delivering The Goods events this weekend. That plan has gone awry due to an emergency.
Jay took to his Twitter account to reveal that Mark Briscoe’s wife was rushed to the hospital due to complications with her pregnancy.
“Mark’s wife was rushed by ambulance to Christiana hospital early this morning with complications associated with her pregnancy. At the moment, mother and baby are stable as doctors are working to avoid a premature birth.
“We apologize to the fans of GCW and PWG as we will not be able to make the shows this weekend.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
GCW sent its good wishes to the family of The Briscoes.
Sending love and positive vibes on behalf of the GCW family to The Briscoes today ? https://t.co/TYrCPEuZsK
Former ROH world champion Bandido has broken his silence on no showing a GCW show and apologized to fans for missing the event.
The masked star was scheduled to face Nick Wayne at Game Changer Wrestling’s ‘Devil In A New Dress’ event in San Francisco, California on Sunday.
However, before the show kicked off, GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale took on his Twitter to reveal that Bandido has missed his flight and he isn’t answering his phone.
He also tweeted that the flight missed by the wrestling star cost him $900. Though Lauderdale later deleted the tweet and admitted that it came off as insensitive.
Bandido himself has now taken on his Twitter to comment on the incident. He mentioned how it was his fault and hoped to make things up as soon as possible:
“Hello to all @GCWrestling_ fans, I just wanna say sorry for not be there tonight in San Francisco! Thank you for all the people to take care about me, Im fine! It was my fault and I hope make up those things as soon as possible see you soon amigos!!”
Hello to all @GCWrestling_ fans, I just wanna say sorry for not be there tonight in San Francisco! Thank you for all the people to take care about me, Im fine! It was my fault and I hope make up those things as soon as possible see you soon amigos!! ??
Rising independent wrestling star Kidd Bandit hopes to impress at Game Changer Wrestling: Effy’s Big Gay Brunch.
After starting their career last year, Bandit has become a fan favorite in the independent wrestling scene. The star has also competed for All Elite Wrestling twice only months into their career. “The Protagonist of Professional Wrestling” is having success in their profession, but it came after years of hardship.
I recently had the chance to speak one on one with Kidd Bandit. Here’s the video of our discussion, followed by written highlights.
Kidd Bandit Early Life in the Philippines
Growing up in the Philippines, Bandit had a challenging upbringing. Their mom struggled financially, and their dad worked overseas. While still a kid and in school, Bandit sold cigarettes to earn money.
“…I wanted to be a wrestler, but when you are a kid living in poverty, you didn’t really have dreams,” said Bandit. They continued, “… I attended a catholic school for a bunch of rich kids because I was smart enough to get into the school, but I didn’t have the funds. My mom scrapped by. She did what she could. My father worked overseas. For me, I had to sell cigarettes as a kid. In the Philippines, you kind of have to make by.”
Bandit explained that some people worked as street vendors or did what they could to make money. The independent wrestling star clarified that they didn’t smoke cigarettes but helped sell them for profit. “The Protagonist of Professional Wrestling” was unsure life would get better. Fortunately, their mom got a better work opportunity, and Bandit moved to the United States with her.
(Via AEW)
Kidd Bandit Getting into Professional Wrestling
While in the Philippines, Bandit didn’t have cable. However, they would play the WWE games on the Playstation 2, which sparked the interest in wrestling.
After coming to the U.S, the Bandit family settled in California, where the star became more interested in wrestling. During this time, The independent wrestling star would often play with Cody Rhodes in Smackdown vs. Raw 09. Bandit credits their 8th-grade teacher for helping motivate them to follow their dreams. Life came full circle last year when Bandit attended the Nightmare Factory to train under Rhodes.
In 8 months, Bandit has quickly achieved success and is beloved by wrestling fans.
Kidd Bandit on Dealing with Success
Bandit is becoming a star on the independent scene, but his stardom comes at a price. They are dedicated to professional wrestling. Although it has resulted in excellent opportunities, Bandit is struggling to balance their personal life.
Bandit admitted that they have sacrificed relationships because they are devoted to their wrestling career.
“…It’s gotten to the point that this is my job. I make enough of an income to support myself just as a wrestler. It’s pretty amazing to be in that position, but it’s also very alarming because this basically happened overnight for me. The people I could ask for advice, and it’s going to sound arrogant, but some of the people who I usually look up to for advice I’ve passed them over. I’m a bigger name than the people I want to ask for help, so now it’s getting to the point where I’m blazing a path on my own,” said Bandit.
Bandit further explained, “My friend Trevor Outlaw kind of told me this is that years from now people will look back at like Kidd Bandit story and say that I set the pace for what it’s like to be an indie wrestler who works hard. Because I don’t think anyone has blown up, at least in the indies, I don’t think anyone has blown up as fast as I have. It always baffles people when I tell them I’m only eight months in, whereas some people would say that they wouldn’t be at the amount of level of travel or exposure that I’m experiencing now until years, decades even into their careers and I’m doing that less than a year. It’s very overwhelming, It’s very scary. It’s very lonely.”
Although the success happened quickly, Bandit won’t let it change who they are.
Kidd Bandit on EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch
GCW: Effy’s Big Gay Brunch takes place on April 2nd at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. The event will feature wrestlers that are from the LGBTQ+ community. Incidentally, Effy’s Big Gay Brunch that will occur in the state is also taking away the rights of transgender children.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents that want their transgender children to receive medical treatment like puberty blockers and other gender-affirming procedures. He believes it is child abuse. The BBC reported on Mar. 11 that “Judge Amy Clark Meachum ruled that the directive from Governor Greg Abbott violated the Texas state constitution.” Judge Meachum’s decision stopped the investigations, as the report states that a “trial challenging the directive is due to take place in July.”
Bandit is aware of Effy’s Big Gay Brunch’s importance and shared they plan to donate their money to The Trevor Project.
“When I found out about the whole thing in Texas, and it’s not just Texas actually, I know there is a Don’t Say Gay Bill in Florida. There’s the Idaho one, which is very similar to Texas. There is a lot of invalidation going around,” said Bandit. They continued, “…I messaged Effy I was like what we are doing in Dallas means a lot more now. I don’t know if I should say this. I don’t even remember if I told him this, I don’t care about the money right now. I was planning on donating it all to The Trevor Project anyway, but it was one of those things I remember being a teen not knowing who I was.
Bandit reflected on growing up and hearing LGBTQ+ slurs often. However, they believe the LGBT+ community is more accepted today, but more needs to be done.
What to Expect From Kidd Bandit at EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch
Bandit isn’t sure who they are facing at EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch. However, they plan to compete at the highest level and showcase their skills.
“…I’m coming into this like Super Saiyan 4, Super Saiyan God. The Kidd Bandit Big Gay Brunch is going to be pushed to the limit times ten because I’m not going to come in there and just say oh, we are just as good as a heterosexual wrestler,” said Bandit. They explained, “…I got to be honest for the longest time if you were LGBT in wrestling you existence was tokenized, you were looked as a sideshow attraction, you were hired as a diversity hire. Nah, this time, we get to show the world, and hell, we might even be better, so there is a lot to prove, especially with it being in Texas.”
EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch will be available on FITE for $13.99 or 139.99 if you buy the GCW: The Collective bundle. For Bandit, They will continue to follow their dream as they aim to have a great match at the event.
It is time for the 2022 edition The Collective, presented by GCW, to take over Dallas, Texas.
On WrestleMania weekend, GCW will hold The Collective at Fair Park, which is the home of Big Tex and The Texas State Fair. From March 31 to April 2, The Collective will take place. It will feature live wrestling events, merchandise, food trucks, vendors, podcasts, games, stage shows, and more.
The Collective will feature 12 live wrestling events this year. Eight of those shows will be presented by GCW and the others are presented by Glory Pro Wrestling, Mission Pro Wrestling Unsanctioned Pro, and Black Label Pro.
This will be the go-to article for an updated list of the shows and matches that have been announced for this year’s edition of The Collective.
Where & How To Watch
Each of the shows are available for purchase individually on the FITE platform. However, there is also a bundle available for purchase that will host all of the events on a continuous stream. By buying GCW: The Collective 2022 bundle, you would save $37. The full bundle is available now for $139.99.
All of The Collective’s live events will take place indoors, inside The Embarcadero building at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas.
All Collective Live Events will take place indoors inside The Embarcadero building.
The GCW Wrld Fair will take place indoors in The Creative Arts Building.
The venues are connected by an interior lobby making for easy access during, before and after all live events! pic.twitter.com/JFMQzMf86g
Deathmatch for the GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Alex Colon (c) vs John Wayne Murdoch
GCW World Tag Team Championship: H8 Club (Nick Gage and Matt Tremont) (c) vs. SGC (Mance Warner and Matthew Justice) vs. The Briscoes (Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe)
Super Series of Survival Match: Team LA Fights (Titus Alexander, Bad Dude Tito, Hunter Freeman, Matt Vandagriff, Damian Drake, Jordan Cruz, Lucas Riley and Ju Dizz) vs Team JCW (Yoya, Janai Kai, Edith Surreal, Jordan Oliver, Charlie Tiger, Ellis Taylor, Bam Sullivan and Slade)
The Greatest Clusterf*ck: Maven, Jimmy Wang Yang, Jazzy Yang, Nasty Leroy, Kevin Matthews, Edith Surreal, Lord Adrean of the Walmart Dudes, Shazza McKenzie Kamikaze, Invisible Man, and Sean Ross Sapp
4-Way Tag Team Match: Pretty In Pink (Dillon McQueen & Kenzie Paige) vs Devon Monroe & Brooke Valentine vs Ashton Starr & AC Mack vs Maine State Poser (Aiden Aggro & DangerKid)
Members of the Hit Row faction will be reuniting during WrestleMania weekend.
Hit Row was a popular group in NXT last year. The group was comprised of Isiah “Swerve” Scott, Top Dolla, Ashante Thee Adonis and B-Fab. Despite their initial popularity, the group was dismantled and ultimately released entirely by WWE.
Shane Strickland (formerly Isiah Scott) is back taking solo independent bookings. The remaining members are headed to WrestleMania weekend to appear together for Game Changer Wrestling.
Now known as HitMakerZ, AJ Francis (Top Dolla), Tehuti Miles (Ashante Thee Adonis) and Briana Brandi (B-Fab) have been announced for GCW’s For The Fulture event on Friday, April 1st from Dallas, TX.
If you’ll be in the Dallas area for WrestleMania weekend, GCW For The Culture tickets are now available at Eventbrite.com.
Shane Strickland Moves On from Hit Row
Shane “Swerve” Strickland is conspicuously absent from this reunion. The Beyonce to Hit Row’s Destiny Child says he’s focused on his solo career right now.
Swerve did a virtual autograph signing for K&S Wrestle Fest earlier this week and commented on Hit Row’s future. He had a fun time with the group, but he’s moving on to greater things.
“The group going to another promotion together is always an option, but right now I’m focused on myself and what I have to do,” he said. “I’m at an older age. My persona with the pro wrestling business and being on screen is always maturing.”
He had fun with Hit Row and enjoyed feels they made history in NXT. However, “I’m maturing and moving on to something greater.”
Posted February 23rd, 2022 in GCW, News. Tagged: Hit Row.
Game Changer Wrestling/GCW returned on Saturday February 19th at the Showboat in Atlantic City, New Jersey for Believe Me.
Believe Me is the first of two PPV offerings this weekend via FITE TV, and is now available to watch back on demand via the service.
One of the featured bouts on the card saw former WWE Superstar Mascara Dorada take on All Elite Wrestling’s Joey Janela.
Here are the full results from GCW Believe Me (02/19):
The Briscoes (Mark & Jay Briscoe) b. SAT (Joel & Jose Maximo) – Jay Briscoe took the win after hitting the Jay Driller
Blake Christian b.Jimmy Lloyd – Christian took the win after hitting a DDT
Nick Wayne b. Jordan Oliver – New AEW signee Wayne took the win after he reversed a Boston Crab into a pinning combination
The Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders, AJ Gray, Effy, & Matthew Justice) b. ASF, Gringo Loco, Jack Cartwheel & Kamikaze – Justice took the win for his team hitting a splash on Cartwheel
Nick Gage appeared for a promo
The Rejects (John Wayne Murdoch & Reed Bentley) b. G-Raver & Orin Veidt – Murdoch took the win for his time by hitting a Canadian Destroyer through glass to Veidt
Billie Starkz b. Cole Radrick – Starkz took the win after hitting a Swanton Bomb
Mascara Dorada b. Joey Janela – The former Gran Metalik took the win after hitting a poisonrana followed by the Dorada Screwdriver
Hoodfoot b. Matt Tremont – Hoodfoot took the win after hitting a Saito
GCW Don’t Tell Me What To Do
GCW will be returning to the Showboat tonight for Don’t Tell Me What To Do and the following matches are currently advertised:
2 Cold Scorpio vs. Gringo Loco
Alex Zayne vs. Atticus Cogar
Drago Kid vs. ASF
Blake Christian vs. Ninja Mack
Jordan Oliver vs. Alec Price
Joey Janela and Marko Stunt vs. Second Gear Crew (AJ Gray and Matthew Justice)
GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Alex Colon (c) vs. Orin Veidt
GCW Tag Team Championship: H8 Club (Nick Gage and Matt Tremont) (c) vs. The Rejects (John Wayne Murdoch and Reed Bentley)
GCW Medical Personnel is currently tending to @OGkevingill backstage. Stay tuned for an update when it is available.
Nick Gage has officially signed with Game Changer Wrestling. The promotion does not normally contract talent but an exception was made for Gage. GCW owner Brett Lauderdale took to social media recently to announce the news.
“This is the first & likely the last contract GCW will ever offer. Nick has earned the right to finish his career on his terms w/ dignity & a focus on the future he deserves. I’m proud GCW can give him that. For the hard work, sacrifice & loyalty over 23+ years, MDK ALL FN DAY!” Lauderdale posted to Twitter.
This is the first & likely the last contract GCW will ever offer.
Nick has earned the right to finish his career on his terms w/ dignity & a focus on the future he deserves. I'm proud GCW can give him that.
For the hard work, sacrifice & loyalty over 23+ years,
Matt Cardona recently commented on the ECW One Night Stand 2006 references in his match against Joey Janela on The WRLD On GCW PPV. Both shows emanated from New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. Cardona was on Busted Open Radio recently and talked about his match with Janela.
“There were times in that match where I just had to turn away from the camera because I felt like I was smiling because I was having so much fun in there. I said it last time, Mikey Whipwreck brought me to ECW One Night Stand 2005, and I’ve always wanted to wrestle in that building. I never thought I would have that opportunity,” Cardona said. “To be there it was everything I hoped it would be and more.”
During the GCW show, Cardona wore a t-shirt that had a “If Cardona Wins We Riot” sign printed on it similar to the “If Cena Wins We Riot” sign from ONS 2006. A fan also had the “If Cardona Wins We Riot” sign in the stands during the GCW PPV.
“I had made a t-shirt, ‘If Cardona wins we riot,’ and then someone had the sign,” Cardona said. “People thought I planted that sign, like no. Fans really brought that.” he continued.
Cardona and Janela re-created several spots from the Rob Van Dam vs. John Cena match at One Night Stand. Cardona tossed his t-shirt into the crowd, much like Cena did in 2006. At the ECW ONS show, the fans tossed Cena’s shirt back at him several times. At The WRLD On GCW, one fan ripped up Cardona’s shirt before tossing it back.
At ECW ONS 2006, Edge speared Cena into a table while wearing a motorcycle helmet leading to the finish. At the WRLD on GCW, Brian Myers speared Janela into a door while wearing a similar looking motorcycle helmet, again leading to the finish of the match.
“Because I am such a diehard ECW fan, so that building meant so much to me. I never got to go there for the real ECW shows, but like I said, I saw One Night Stand. I feel like that was the final ECW show. That night was just incredible, but for me, this show at the Hammerstein was even more incredible. Because I got the little tease in 2005, just being a fan hoping one day I get to wrestle there. And then I finally did it and it was everything I thought it would be.”
Man. I really wish we didn’t get fired. We could have been chasing around that 24/7 title right now. ? https://t.co/2uMHI24XM3
Game Changer Wrestling has made some big announcements for the 2022 edition of The Collective during the WrestleMania 38 week in Dallas, Texas.
The extreme wrestling promotion first announced the return of The Collective in December last year, confirming that it will be taking place from March 31 to April 2.
The return of Joey Janela’s Spring Break was confirmed by the hardcore star himself today. He revealed that this time it will be a two-night event:
“Everything is bigger in Texas, And One night isn’t big enough for Spring Break! Thursday 3/31 8pm And When the clock strikes midnight and Friday turns into Saturday, Join me for “THE GREATEST CLUSTERFUCK” 4/2 12am!!!!!”
The company has previously confirmed the debut of Wrld Fair for the weekend as well. The Wrld Fair will include 17,000 square feet of vendors, exhibits, games, podcasts and stage shows.
No matches have been announced for the shows as of yet but we can expect to see some big names being added to the card for the event as the weekend gets closure.
Mick Foley has responded to Matt Cardona wearing a red flannel with “F*ck Mick Foley” written on the back of it. Cardona wore the flannel to the ring for his match with Joey Janela on The WRLD On GCW PPV last night.
Foley took to his YouTube page to issue a response.
“Hello everyone, it’s The Hardcore Legend Mick Foley addressing the Matt Cardona situation. Matt took a shot at Mrs. Foley’s baby boy last night with his interesting choice of ring attire,” Foley opened his video with.
“The truth is, from a personal standpoint, I was happy for him. Yeah, it made me laugh because I felt like Matt was done wrong in WWE. He reached for that brass ring, grabbed it, and was asked to return it.”
He continued to talk about how Cardona has reinvented himself since leaving WWE.
“Ultimately, everyone who leaves a major company has a choice to make when they hit the independent scene,” Foley continued.
“And that choice is, ‘Do I just do the same things I did, the things that I was known for, or do I reinvent myself?’ I call that the Drew McIntyre route, the road less traveled. That is what Matt Cardona has done. He’s completely reinvented himself and in doing so has become one of the most enjoyable and valuable assets on the wrestling scene. Knowing that I’m playing just a small part in that reinvention, a tiny part, that makes me happy, and in conclusion, f*ck Matt Cardona.”
Foley’s full video is available in the player below:
Cardona defeated Joey Janela last night in a match where he pulled out all the stops. Swoggle came out from under the ring and attacked Janela. Mark Sterling brought out Virgil in a Vince McMahon mask to distract Janela. Chelsea Green faked turning on Cardona only to get a cheap shot in on Janela. Then finally, Brian Myers speared Janela through a door. Shortly after, Cardona gave Janela the Radio Silence through another door and got the pin.
H/T to WrestlingNewsCO for the above transcriptions.
Bully Ray and Renee Paquette have both responded to GCW fans chanting “F*ck Bully Ray” in the Hammerstein Ballroom last night. On Busted Open Radio recently, Bully expressed the idea that Moxley should have apologized to the AEW fans on Dynamite for him being away while he went to rehab.
“I would have liked to have heard just a little bit of accountability from Jon. I understand the whole demons thing and we always use the word demons as a creative word to get around the real issues,” Bully said.
“So, okay we have our ‘demons.’ These demons got the best of Jon for a time period where he had to step away from AEW. I would’ve liked to have heard him say a bit of an apology to the AEW fans.”
This led to Paquette putting out a Tweet that was critical of Bully.
Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green took to social media following the WRLD On GCW PPV last night. Cardona defeated Joey Janela on the show and pulled out some rather epic tactics to do so.
With a “If Cardona Wins We Riot” sign hanging from the rafters (and printed on Cardona’s shirt), he made his entrance to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” through the crowd in a fashion that ECW fans will be familiar with. He also wore a red flannel with the words “F*ck Mick Foley” on the back of it.
During the match, Cardona did all of the following:
Had Mark Sterling bring out Virgil in a Vince McMahon mask to distract Janela.
Him and Chelsea Green faked Green turning on Cardona only for her to then attack Janela.
Re-created the 2006 One Night Stand spot where Cena tossed his shirt to the crowd and the crowd tossed it back.
Swoggle came out from under the ring and attacked Janela. Eventually Sam Stackhouse and Marko Stunt would make the save on Janela’s behalf, however.
Had Brian Myers spear Janela through a door similar to what Edge did to Cena at One Night Stand 2006.
After Cardona won, it did appear as though the crowd was ready to riot. Sean Waltman then came out and made the save and this also seemed to prevent the rioting from happening, however.
Cardona and Chelsea Green took to social media following their victory. A collection of their posts are below:
WWE Hall of Famer Sean X-Pac Waltman made a surprise appearance at The Wrld on GCW event from Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York.
Waltman appeared during the chaotic match between Matt Cardona and Joey Janela, which also saw appearances from Marko Stunt, Hornswoggle, Virgil and Brian Myers.
X-Pac would help Joey Janela after he was defeated by Cardona, who had major help from his tag team partner Brian Myers.
The WWE legend actually came down to the ring with the D-Generation X music blaring for the crowd in attendance, and both Janela and Waltman celebrated to end the segment.
X-Pac Appears in GCW
Here is the full card for The Wrld on GCW PPV event:
GCW World Championship Match – Jon Moxley (c) vs. Homicide
