Six competitors are set to take part in the first-ever “Senior Scramble” match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9.
After first announcing the match earlier this week, Joey Janela has revealed that the Senior Scramble will be a six-way match featuring wrestling legends Ricky Morton, Doug Gilbert, George South, The Warlord, “Action” Mike Jackson, and Tommy Rich. The rules stipulated that all participants must be at least 55 years old.
Jackson is the oldest wrestler in the match at 75 years old, while Gilbert is the youngest at 56.
Janela and Game Changer Wrestling are presenting the Spring Break event on Friday, April 18 during WrestleMania week in Las Vegas. Streaming live on TrillerTV+, the show has a start time of 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific. It’s being held at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort.
Here is the updated card:
Sabu’s final match: Joey Janela vs. Sabu
The Wagner Family (Dr. Wagner Jr., El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno del Mal) vs. Los Desperados (Gringo Loco, Arez & Jack Cartwheel)
Minoru Suzuki vs. Matt Tremont
Megan Bayne vs. Bozilla
Loser Leaves GCW match: Atticus Cogar vs. Fuego Del Sol
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. 1 Called Manders
Gabe Kidd vs. Mance Warner
JCW World Champion Masha Slamovich defends against Suzu Suzuki
Senior Scramble: Ricky Morton vs. Doug Gilbert vs. George South vs. The Warlord vs. Mike Jackson vs. Tommy Rich
A first-of-its-kind match is set to go down at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9.
Only featuring wrestlers who are at least 55 years old, the first-ever “Senior Scramble” has been added to the card for the Friday, April 18 Spring Break event in Las Vegas. No participants have been confirmed yet, but there figures to be plenty of options for surprise entrants with so many legends in town for WrestleMania weekend.
Joey Janela hyped that this will be “the oldest combined age in one match” in pro wrestling history.
Presented by Janela and Game Changer Wrestling as part of The Collective 2025, Spring Break will take place from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Vegas and will stream live on TrillerTV+.
The updated card is listed below:
Sabu’s final match: Joey Janela vs. Sabu
The Wagner Family (Dr. Wagner Jr., El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno del Mal) vs. Los Desperados (Gringo Loco, Arez & Jack Cartwheel)
Minoru Suzuki vs. Matt Tremont
Megan Bayne vs. Bozilla
Loser Leaves GCW match: Atticus Cogar vs. Fuego Del Sol
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. 1 Called Manders
Gabe Kidd vs. Mance Warner
JCW (Jersey Championship Wrestling) World Champion Masha Slamovich defends against Suzu Suzuki
An angle took place at Saturday’s GCW The Coldest Winter 3 in Los Angeles to build to Sabu’s retirement match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break this April.
Janela was set to honor Sabu at yesterday’s show by giving him his Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame plaque. However, Janela cut a promo saying that, similar to how Sabu failed to show up for his induction ceremony last year, he was nowhere to be found again. Janela said that the Sabu who cared about the fans was dead. This led to Sabu, who was at the show, coming out and attacking Janela, using skewers and his own Hall of Fame plaque to bust Janela open.
Following the attack, Janela said he would see Sabu at Spring Break, seemingly confirming a match thought to have been canceled due to Janela’s injury. Janela challenged Sabu for Spring Break at January’s The People vs. GCW show but later suffered a torn biceps at DEFY’s 8th Anniversary. Janela revealed he had surgery for the injury last month.
GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9 takes place Saturday, April 18, at the Palms Theater at Palm’s Casino and Resort.
Also at GCW The Coldest Winter 3, NXT’s Cora Jade was in attendance watching TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich in action. Many fans are giving positive reviews for the match between Zack Sabre Jr. and Fuego Del Sol as well.
Sabu was scheduled to be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 7, 2024, in Philadelphia as part of WrestleMania week. However, when it came time for him to be officially honored, Sabu wasn’t there.
GCW’s Brett Lauderdale explained his absence, writing, “In the true spirit of independent wrestling, sabu has decided to keep his deposit and no show the indie hall of fame ceremony today. He accepted the booking and took the money, but doesnt wanna get in the elevator and come upstairs. What a legend.”
Sabu was at WrestleCon at the time, which was taking place in the same hotel. Lauderdale later noted that Sabu returned the $300 deposit and he donated it to the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia.
Other wrestlers inducted into the 2024 Class of the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame include The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe), Trent Acid, Steve Corino, Mercedes Martinez, Eddie Gilbert, and indie superfan Kevin “Whack Packer” Hogan.
At last month’s People vs. GCW show at Hammerstein Ballroom, it was announced that Sabu will have his retirement match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break this year. Janela had challenged him to the bout but recently suffered a torn biceps and likely will not be cleared in time for the show. Janela was originally scheduled to wrestle Super Crazy on Saturday.
GCW The Coldest Winter 3 Lineup for Saturday, March 1, 2025:
Joey Janela to present Sabu with his Indie Hall of Fame award
GCW World Champion Effy defends against Sidney Akeem
GCW Tag Team Champions The Gahbage Daddies (Alec Price & Cole Radrick) defend against Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku)
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Parker
Rich Swann vs. Mance Warner
Masha Slamovich vs. Super Crazy
The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv Sihra & Harv Sihra) vs. Los Desperados (Arez & Gringo Loco)
Women’s Scramble Match: Zayda Steel, Megan Bayne, Sandra Moone, Dark Sheik, Vipress, Zara Zakher
A full look at AEW Grand Slam in Brisbane, Australia. The mentality behind the show, a look at the card, ratings, booking, business and more
NXT Vengeance Day coverage
The life and times of Gran Hamada, great wrestler, influential in history, including the glory days of LLI at El Toreo and his biggest matches and feuds, booking to make a star, biggest feuds, multiple world titles and far more huge crowds than people would ever realize. Plus the Tiger Mask heyday, matches of the year candidates in his late 40s, and the start of multiple different companies
A look at the next WWE & AEW PPV shows
The most detailed look at TV ratings and streaming for RAW, including how every show has compared with a year ago, the weekly standings, demos, quarters, every wrestling show on Netflix and more.
CMLL announces its second biggest show of the year
Valentine’s Day at Arena Mexico
Big head-to-head battle in Mexico City on Saturday
Fantastica Mania starts’
More on the awards issue including multiple category placers
Lots of AEW business notes
WWE & AEW ticket sales for upcoming show including multiple PPVs
Lots of new UFC main events announced
Topuria vacates featherweight title
Aaron Pico on leaving PFL
Notes on Mania plans
Notes on Dwayne Johnson being back
Michelle McCool Hall of Fame story
Notes on Hall of Fame update
Trauma of leaving WWE
Ricky Starks
Sonya Deville talks being let go
Michael Cole on the Corey Grave story
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
After CM Punk wore a Chicago Teachers Union t-shirt on Raw, the CTU wrote the following on social media: “We’re proud to see the Best in the World showing love for CTU. We don’t tap out. We’re fighting for nothing less than what Chicago students & families deserve.”
Drew McIntyre took aim at John Cena in a social media post ahead of both of them competing inside the Elimination Chamber this coming weekend.
Kelani Jordan and Jaida Parker exchanged words on the bus heading to tonight’s NXT.
A new Hardy Boyz t-shirt has been released ahead of their return to WWE tonight on NXT.
The Rock shared on social media that his dog, Hobbs, has passed away.
KJZZ covered AEW ahead of Double or Nothing taking place in Glendale this May.
Taz on social media: “I know fans like to compare wrestlers in AEW & WWE the past several years. I know as fans that’s fun to do! I get that, but PLEASE realize is it’s an unfair comparison. It’s too completely different organizations, with different goals creatively. With differing visions. Guys, u r comparing DOGS & CATS! And most of you don’t even realize that.”
Joey Janela, who is recovering from biceps surgery, wrote that if he is unable to wrestle Sabu at GCW’s Spring Break event during WrestleMania weekend, Sabu won’t be wrestling: “If I’m not wrestling on the show Sabu won’t be wrestling on the show, as simple as that. Even if I’d have to create a new Joey Janela spectacle show for summer. That match belongs to me and I don’t deserve to have it taken from me..I’ve sacrificed too much not to be selfish this time..”
The Lasseter estate’s civil lawsuit against Tammy Sytch is set to begin on 3/25. The family is suing Sytch in excess of $30,000 in damages after a car accident resulted in the death of Julian Lasseter. Sytch has been jailed since being found guilty of DUI and manslaughter.
Joe Hendry, Masha Slamovich, and KC Navarro will be appearing at tonight’s New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers NHL game to promote July’s Slammiversary event at the UBS Arena.
Joey Janela is out of action after undergoing surgery.
Janela announced the news Monday, saying the surgery was due to “the complete decimation” of his dominant arm. He mentioned three weeks ago that he believed he’d torn his right biceps at GCW Up All Night. However, he has since wrestled Paul Walter Hauser at DEFY’s eight year anniversary, and Atticus Cogar at the JCW Jersey J-Cup this weekend.
Janela thanked former WCW wrestler Crowbar for helping arrange the surgery and assisting with his rehab, calling him “one of the very best dudes in a business full of weirdos.”
Janela wrote:
“I’ve been going hard for the past 6 years nonstop, no major injuries since my knee besides a few hiccups, but that streak has finally come to an unexpected end as I had major surgery today after the complete Decimation of my dominant arm.
Worst part is Coming to grasp some facts that unfortunately some major plans in my life & career will have to come to a halt but no one works harder when these situations happen.
Thanks to @wcwcrowbar again as always, as he not only will rehab me again in no time but also helped me arrange surgery. He’s one of the very best dudes in a business full of weirdos, in the coming months I’ll be putting out lots of merch and different Ways to make income so I can completely 100% dedicate myself to rehab so id appreciate all the support. Thanks everyone I’ll see you soon, especially @Atticus_Cogar #comingsoon”
Janela first mentioned a possible arm injury shortly after he was involved in a physical altercation with independent wrestler Dylan Bostic at a meet and greet event after GCW Up All Night. Following the incident, Janela posted to social media, “Not only did I have to deal with this shit I’m dealing with a torn possible right bicep from my match and I was just trying to go out there and meet some fans and make some money.”
Joey Janela has commented on an incident at a meet and greet following GCW’s show in Indianapolis last night.
In a video circulated online, Janela is seen being confronted by independent wrestler Dylan Bostic at the event. Bostic flips over Janela’s table, and the two grapple briefly before onlookers attempted to break it up. At the end of the video, Janela appears to be holding Bostic down as others are kicking him.
Janela and Bostic were previously involved in a dispute in late 2020 following the death of Brodie Lee. Bostic posted online that he was upset at the compensation he received from AEW for working as an extra and many in AEW felt his comments were insensitive considering they were grieving the loss of their friend and co-worker at the time. Britt Baker posted a statement to X on the matter, referring to Bostic as a “sick human,” and writing, “The wrestling world is mourning the loss of an amazing friend, husband, and father and your bitching about $120?”
Evidently, Janela sent a private message to Bostic over his comments. Bostic posted a screenshot of Janela’s message and challenged him to a fight.
On Saturday morning, Janela responded to the altercation with Bostic, writing:
“Gonna nip this in the butt there’s a Video circulating of me getting ambushed at my table while I was meeting fans after the show tonight, it stems from him airing his grievances about his experience doing AEW extra work the day after brodie lee’s death that a lot of us were very upset about. I took to twitter because I thought it was disgusting and we went back and forth. Tonight 4 years later he flipped me and Megan’s gimmick table over, to confront me and we got into a scuffle, which resulted in the GCW crew thinking I was getting attacked by a deranged fan & Megan thinking it was some weird Joey janela skit. For someone that claims to have boxing training amazingly not one punch landed, and he was eventually carried out like a crying baby by Calvin Tankman. Sorry to all the fans that had to witness that it was an extremely embarrassing situation & sorry to all the Indianapolis crew that wanted to put on a great weekend of independent wrestling for the city. Sorry if I contributed to any of the unneeded drama.”
Gonna nip this in the butt there’s a Video circulating of me getting ambushed at my table while I was meeting fans after the show tonight, it stems from him airing his grievances about his experience doing AEW extra work the day after brodie lee’s death that a lot of us were very…
“The first shot went behind my neck and the second didn’t connect, I wrestled him to the floor and put him in a clench and could’ve choked him 100% out but they were beating him like a sack of potato’s. He kept saying “we’re good, we’re good” then he was carried out like a baby with 4 different footprints on this face. This is the last I speak of this shit because it was fucking embarrassing.”
“Not only did I have to deal with this shit I’m dealing with a torn possible right bicep from my match and I was just trying to go out there and meet some fans and make some money.”
The long career of Sabu will come to an end at Joey Janela’s Spring Break this April.
The news came during Sunday’s The People vs. GCW following Janela’s win over Sabu’s ECW contemporary Masato Tanaka. The lights went out and a career retrospective video aired before Sabu appeared behind Janela.
Janela then offered up a challenge for Sabu to have his retirement match against him at the ninth edition of his annual Spring Break show that takes place during WrestleMania weekend as part of GCW’s Collective events.
The show will take place on Friday, April 18th.
Sabu said in 2024 that GCW wanted to host his final match in January (assumed to be at Sunday’s show) but that he wasn’t going to be ready and wanted it in Las Vegas instead. He was inducted into the Indie Hall of Fame last year, but no showed the ceremony after changing his mind.
The ECW legend, who also wrestled for WWE, WCW and TNA in his 30+ year career, hasn’t wrestled since July 2021.
A new match is official for GCW’s return to The Hammerstein Ballroom next month.
Joey Janela vs. Masato Tanaka is now scheduled for the show.
Janela defeated Zachary Wentz on Friday at GCW Ransom and called out Tanaka in a post-match promo.
Janela said:
“I want to challenge someone for the Hammerstein Ballroom. I’ve wrested The Great Sasuke, I’ve wrestled Jun Akiyama, I stood in the ring in Korakuen Hall with Kenta Kobashi, I wrestled for 30 minutes Kota Ibushi, but there’s one man I have never stepped in a ring with, and on January 19, I got a challenge for you, someone that has a lot of history in that building, Masato Tanaka. This is new age strong style, something you put on the map. At Hammerstein Ballroom, I’m going to give these fans a show they will never forget when I knock your ass out.”
GCW Has since made the match official for the January 19, 2025, show.
Tanaka noted on X that Hammerstein Ballroom is full of memories regarding his rivalry with the late Mike Awesome. The venue hosted their final match against one another at ECW One Night Stand in 2005. Awesome passed away less than two years later.
The People vs. GCW takes place Sunday, January 19, 2025, at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York. It will air live on Triller TV Plus.
The People vs. GCW announced lineup:
GCW World Champion Mance Warner defends against Effy or Allie Katch
Effy vs. Allie Katch (winner challenges Mance Warner later in the night)
GCW Tag Team Champions Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku defend against Cole Radrick & Alec Price
Doors, Ladders & Chairs match for the vacant GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Matt Tremont vs. Brandon Kirk vs. Drew Parker vs. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Matthew Justice vs. TBA
Super Crazy, Tajiri & Little Guido vs. Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Sidney Akeem
Bloodsport match: Josh Barnett vs. TBA
Masato Tanaka vs. Joey Janela
Maki Itoh, Homicide, Amazing Red, Ricky Morton, and more set to compete
Update on SummerSlam and All In, lineups, possible additions, things expected to happen, business notes on both shows, ticket sales and where they will stack up in the all-time historical records. We also look at the stories behind the matches.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan meets with Nick Khan and Paul Levesque regarding bringing WrestleMania to the city.
Notes on the first week of the G1 Climax tournament, stories, standings, business and quality of the matches.
Notes on week two of G1
Part one of our story on the life and career of Canadian star Leo Burke, a Stampede Hall of Famer and how he shaped the career of Bret Hart, and trained some of the biggest names in wrestling
Vince McMahon’s lawyers try and shut down a motion by Janel Grant’s lawyers
TNA Slammiversary, its biggest crowd in years and how it was done, PPV numbers update, and full show coverage
Coverage of Dragon Gate & DDT’s biggest shows of the year
The most detailed look at the ratings of all the major pro wrestling shows, placings, competition and segment-by-segment
What the CMLL current era compares to in Mexican history
A look at the big matches coming over the next month including AEW stars and World Grand Prix participants
Stardom PPV shows this weekend
50th anniversary celebration
One of the top legends of this era pushing his farewell tour
Bloodsport notes
Next few weeks of TNA television
Update on AEW TV negotiations
Lots of AEW injuries
Tony Khan talks about strippaing titles vs. waiting for champions to recover
Darby Allin talks current scene
Ticket sales for upcoming AEW & WWE shows
International TV ratings and streaming numbers
Cung Le lawsuit update
Top ten male and female fighters of the 21st century
Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry and update on celebrity fights and how they are doing
This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Yesterday, Paul “Triple H” Levesque acknowledged the 28th anniversary of Kurt Angle’s Olympic gold medal win: “28 years ago, he proved he was the absolute best on the planet and set the tone for the rest of his career. Not to mention… he did it with a broken freakin’ neck. Proud to call Olympic Gold Medalist @RealKurtAngle my friend.”
Chris Legentil – WWE’s executive vice president of talent relations and head of communications – was interviewed on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch. He responded to a question about how WWE approaches multi-year contracts vs. one-year deals:
I don’t know if we want to go too far into the length of contracts, but what I would say is – if you’re doing short, single-year contracts, you wind up in a position where you are always negotiating because you’re always some number of months away from the deal expiring. So, on balance, a longer deal is helpful for a variety of reasons, not least that you don’t spend all of your time negotiating the next one but rather focusing on the job itself.
WWE Hall of Famer Queen Sharmell appeared on the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet. She discussed having NXT wrestlers compete for Reality of Wrestling:
It’s great for the fans, obviously, because they get to see the superstars that they watch on television. They get to see them up close and personal. And it’s great for our students because they get to work somebody who’s there at the next level. So it’s a good rub for them.
Joey Janela announced last night that, for the time being, his August schedule is uncertain due to gallstone pancreatitis:
Well I’ve been in pain for quite a while, worst the past couple days along with insane vomiting I braved through it to do a something at the limp bizkit concert and today had to check into a hospital.
Turns out I have gallstone pancreatitis, my August schedule is uncertain for the time being, and bills gonna be through the roof. I’ll be trying to get some merch out there, should be in here for a minute.
Joey Janela’s Spring Break 8 will return to WrestleMania weekend once against as part of GCW’s Collective series of shows in Philadelphia.
In the main event of the first night of Janela-infused action, he will get a title shot against current GCW Champion Blake Christian. Janela will be flanked by none other than “The Walking Riot” Missy Hyatt.
Two enemies will complete their recent ring wars as Effy will battle Mance Warner in an I Quit match.
The unusual team of Maki Death Kill (Nick Gage & Maki Itoh) will unite against Danhausen & Ram Kaicho.
Matt Cardona will face Blue Pain while Minoru Suzuki will team with Masato Tanaka against Masha Slamovich & Rina Yamashita.
Other action includes Amazing Red vs. Gringo Loco while The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) will team with Kerry Morton against The East West Express (Jordan Oliver & Nick Wayne) and “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
**********
The show is off to a late start before finally starting at 7:15 PM alongside a tribute photo for Mike “Virgil” Jones. A hard rock-set music video sets the stage for the event with gorgeous slow-motion video of glass shattering and hard shots connecting. Veda Scott and Dave Prazak are on the call.
Veda put over Slamovich’s schedule facing Shayna Baszler yesterday and then Mike Bailey after midnight. Yamashita bullied Tanaka to start with a lockup before tackling him down. They tagged out to make it Suzuki vs. Slamovich in a fun, physical battle with Slamovich’s shots to Suzuki barely registering before he rocked her jaw with forearms.
Tanaka worked her arm over before fighting on the floor and unlike TNA, everything is actually visible on TV. Suzuki tagged in to stomp away on Slamovich in the corner. Tanaka landed some nice chops and wanted some in return before getting them and then knocking her down with a forearm.
Suzuki and Tanaka took turns beating down Slamovich before she suplexed Suzuki. Slamovich got a hot tag and ran wild on Suzuki for a bit before superkicking him to which he responded with a hard forearm. She responded with a middle finger, so he grabbed her finger and tagged Tanaka in to land a superplex before Yamashita got up with a suplex.
Yamashita landed an Omori driver before tagging in Slamovich and allowing her to hit a corner knee and helluva kick in the corner for 2. Yamishita and Slamovich hit a double-team ganso bomb for 2.5 on Tanaka. Slamovich and Yamashita went for a double-team corner to corner splash mountain through a door and had a three-legged race to try and not fall before Suzuki broke it up. Tanaka sent Slamovich through the door for two. Slamovich was such a great babyface in peril throughout this match. Tanaka went for the sliding D, but Slamovich turned it into a crucifix pin to win.
– A music video compilation of Ricky Morton hitting Canadian Destroyers in his 60s aired to hype up the six-man tag with the RNRs and Kerry facing off with the East West Express and Mike Bailey. Kerry Morton is in the Rock ‘n Roll Express tonight and yet has no mullet which is disappointing. Kerry cut a nice heel promo on the fans booing him and telling off his father, Robert Gibson and his opponents before jumping Jordan Oliver.
East West Express (Nick Wayne & Jordan Oliver) andMike Bailey defeated The Rock ‘n Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) andKerry Morton
The East West Express ran wild to start before Bailey got 2 on Kerry with a standing shooting star press. The East West Express worked on the arm before Kerry responded with an eye rake. Ricky ran down Nick Wayne with a shoulder tackle. It’s amazing how quick Ricky still is in short bursts. Kerry landed a cheap shot to Wayne before attacking Bailey and Oliver on the apron. The fans sang a song to Kerry that was a bit less flattering than “Happy Birthday.”
Kerry avoided a corner charge and cradled Wayne for 2. Oliver ran wild on Kerry before taunting him just like Kerry did earlier. Kerry stopped the double-team Oscutter before arguing with the RNRs. Ricky ballshotted Nick Wayne before landing a Canadian Destroyer and hitting a tope on the floor to everyone too. Ricky and Kerry hit a double dropkick for 2 on Oliver. Bailey came in and hit Ultima Weapon to Kerry before the double-team Oscutter on Ricky got the win.
Dragon Gate Classic (Dragon Kid, Kzy & YAMATO) defeated Reiwa New Generation (Ben-K, Kota Minoura & Shun Skywalker)
Minoura and Kzy worked quickly with punches before Dragon Kid came in to work with Skywalker. Skywalker worked as a heel, bullying Kid around. He clubbed away and avoided a hammer throw to land a Steamboat-like double chop. Skywalker working as a giant stood out so much here. Minoura came in to club away with an axhandle before a back and forth gutwrench throw. Skywalker blind tagged himself in and attacked YAMATO on the apron.
Skywalker wanted to eat a few shots from Kid and took one in order to land a suplex off the rope. Yamato came in and landed a corner forearm and exploder on Minoura for 2. Minoura and Yamato slugged it out with forearms. Kzy went up top so Dragon Kid could hit a super rana onto Minoura for 2 when Skywalker attacked. Skywalker monkeyflipped Kzy into his partners. Skywalker slugged it out with Kzy mid-ring before Kzy landed an uppercut and boot.
Ben-K ran in and hit a giant headbutt and spear before a corner spear missed. Minoura ran in and landed a black hole slam and falcon arrow for two when Kzy ran in for a save. Dragon Kid hit a crucifix bomb alongside a Kzy uppercut for the win.
Cole Radrick won the Grab the Brass Ring ladder match to earn a future GCW World title shot
Well, this should be rather insane. The match included Radrick, Myron Reed, Arez, Aigle Blanc, Mr. Danger, Leon Slater, Marcus Mathers, Microman, and Alec Price.
Danger hit a springboard legdrop onto Reed and thankfully did this mid-ring to not demolish his body like Johnny the Bull. Slater dove onto the floor only to come into the ring and eat a flurry of kicks from Arez before hitting a run-up the second rope moonsault onto a ladder. Blanc hopped onto a ladder for a dropkick.
Blanc ate a giant blind dive blockbuster from Price. Mathers ate a ladder shot before the ladder halo allowed Price to get a bit of an edge. He over-twirled the ladder before falling and another competitor entered in the form of Microman and his own stepladder. Microman did the ladder helicopter to the testicular region of everyone. Mathers took out Microman and then landed a blind dive destroyer on Slater.
Slater set up a big dive over the post and delivered a flip dive into the entrance area. Danger set up a ladder near the crowd and hit a moonsault off of it looking like he nearly hit the ceiling. He climbed up to win, but Radrick aimed to stop him before Mathers climbed a second ladder to try for the ring. Radrick won a slugfest with Danger on the ladder to win it.
– Matt Cardona’s out with a sedan that takes up nearly half the actual aisle. “Broski” Jimmy Lloyd wearing the trunks/tights combo that Bryan Alvarez hated is a fantastic touch. Cardona said he was on AEW and TNA TV and now he’s here at Spring Break, but he’s looking forward to his best friend Cody Rhodes finishing his story and he’s going to finish his story against Blue Kane…or Blue Pain as he’s now known after a move to Antarctica and two cease and desist letters.
All this for a match coming about due to WWE having Kane throw Cardona off a ramp in a wheelchair 12 years ago.
Matt Cardona (w/ Stephanie De Lander & Jimmy Lloyd) defeated Blue Pain
Cardona went outside to politely request that the fans remain silent before being choked and hit with a big boot. Blue Pain double noggin knockered SDL and Lloyd before sending Cardona into the crowd and setting up a table. Cardona knocked a fan out of a wheelchair before being thrown into it and Pain sent Lloyd through the table in the wheelchair.
Pain went up top for a diving lariat, but SDL distracted him and allowed a broski boot from Cardona. Deathmatch Royalty hit a stereo broski boot and a double impaler DDT got 2 on Pain. SDL got an urn and took an urn shot when Pain moved and blue smoke left the urn. Pain hit a sideslam and a diving lariat off the top. Pain landed a chokeslam for 2.9 thanks to SDL. She opened the door for Cardona chairshots and Radio Silence before Cardona’s old Zack Ryder’s theme hit leading to a Ryder underling coming out.
The underling counted two and then flipped Cardona off for a low blow that was exposed as a fake when Cardona showed him he was wearing a cup. Pain hit a double chokeslam on Cardona and Ryder. Lloyd unleashed a fireball onto Pain before Radio Silence and Deathmatch Royalty dogpiled Pain for the win. Pain later went for the flaming ringpost spot, but the the commission wouldn’t allow it.
Amazing Red defeated Gringo Loco
Red and Loco start off with wristwork before Loco’s girth prevents a leapfrog. Red landed a run-up springboard armdrag. Red landed a nice slingshot rana to the floor and a tope into the crowd! Loco landed a military press into a standing moonsault for 2. Red landed a corner forearm and satellite DDT for 2. Red went for a rewind rana, but Loco turned it into a powerbomb for 2.
Loco couldn’t fire up a superplex, but Red sent his face down with a diving complete shot for 2. Loco avoided the Code Red before nailing an overhead belly to belly in the corner. Loco went for a powerbomb but ate a rana counter for 2. They go up top and Loco hit a Spanish Fly off the top rope for 2! Loco bragged to the fans, but ate a tornado kick and a poison rana off the top! Red landed a double stomp and a frog splash before a Code Red ended it! Amazing Red still lives up to his name, while Gringo Loco had flashes of greatness throughout it and the post-match hug felt nice. A beautiful music video airs hyping up the battle between EFFY and Mance Warner set to “Ain’t No Grave” by Hidden Citizens.
Mance Warner defeated EFFY in an I Quit Match
Mance started it off with a finger snap, so EFFY responded with a trifecta of helluva kicks! EFFY hit a spear but ate a corner DDT through a door! EFFY landed a blockbuster and an Awesomebomb in the corner through a door! EFFY hit a piledriver onto a chair pile and Warner won’t give up. EFFY wanted Radio Silence, but ate a powerbomb on the chairs instead! Warner grabs the ref’s belt and whipped EFFY, who refused to give up. EFFY got fired up and slugged away before using the belt to punch Warner and whip him in kind!
EFFY blockbustered him on the apron, but Warner landed a chokeslam through a door bridge on the floor! EFFY is such a great babyface in peril and they go back and forth with broken door shots and then a Memphis-style slugfest mid-ring before transitioning into a kneeling headbutt war. Warner clocks him with a screwdriver and EFFY refuses to quit so Warner grabbed zipties that they’ve been using on the chairs and on the turnbuckle corners.
EFFY is tied up on the ropes and he ate a chair toss to the head. Allie Katch runs in and ate a chair to the head and threatens to drill Allie’s head if he doesn’t quit. EFFY quits to save Allie Katch and surprisingly, Warner doesn’t just attack her with the drill anyway. A history video airs showing Nick Gage’s issues with Danhausen.
Maki Death Kill (Maki Itoh & Nick Gage) defeated Danhausen & Ram Kaicho
Danhausen attempts to curse Itoh, but she counters with a double bird from a curse position. Danhausen sent her down off a tackle and landed a kokeshi headbutt! Itoh cries at her spot being stolen, so she steals what he did and tackled him down to hit a kokeshi headbutt of her own.
Kaicho came in and attacked Itoh with a voodoo doll. I’m going to boldly predict that some may not like this match because of its emphasis on comedy, unlike say Jimmy Valiant or Bugsy McGraw. Kinda surprised they haven’t gotten Valiant in for his 54th retirement match. Gage tagged in and bowled over Kaicho! Gage talks smack to a fan who gets a chant against him before Gage landed an elbow and a snap suplex for 2.
Kaicho turned another suplex into a DDT for a tag in to Danhausen. Danhausen inverted atomic drops Itoh, who sold it like she’s on a pogo stick. Gage suplexed him on a chair on the floor before bringing a door in the ring. Kaicho landed a codebreaker to Gage before double-downing off a lariat with Itoh. Kaicho grabbed a handful of dust and tossed it into Gage’s eyes before shotgun dropkicking him through a door.
Danhausen used the pizza cutter on Itoh before Kaicho used it and then Danhausen puts a handful of teeth into Itoh’s mouth and a pump kick got 2. Itoh hit a modified backbreaker on Kaicho before Gage speared Danhausen through a door in the corner. MDK landed stereo DDTs and kokeshi headbutts win it! Missy Hyatt is out with Janela and still has it as a manager – it’s incredible given how long she’s been retired.
GCW Champion Blake Christian (w/ Shane Mercer) defeated Joey Janela (w/ Missy Hyatt) to retain the title
Janela sent him into the corner with a tieup after a dueling ALL HEART/Paul Blart chant breaks out. Christian took him down with a headlock and flex. Janela took him down on the apron, but a kip-up and gamenguri hit Janela. Christian drove a door into Janela’s face with a door tope!
Christian kept the upper body work alive with a chinlock before a brawl on the floor where Christian sent Janela into Mercer to toss him into the post. Janela recovered and landed a corner uppercut and a brainbuster for 2. Christian sent him into the corner with a catapult for 2 before they exchange kneeling punches. Rolling Thunder spear by Christian before a double-down clothesline.
Apron warfare erupted with Janela winning that war with a DDT on the apron. Janela hit a snap DVD for 2.5! Christian hits a C4 and springboard 450 for 2! Janela avoided a punt and frog splash before landing a package piledriver for 2.5. Powerbomb by Janela and a superkick gets 2! Christian landed a spinebuster through a chair and a curb stomp hits!
Mercer went to slam Missy through a door bridge, but Janela saved and fought off Mercer’s Moonsault and Battery sending him through a door bridge on the floor. Janela hit a superplex through the door…with himself going through the door for 2 and then a double stomp on the door remnants for 2. Christian avoided a burning hammer with a DDT – showing that Janela maybe shouldn’t have called his shot there. Janela saves Missy from Christian before she hit Joey in the back of the head with the purse and a curb stomp on the purse ended it.
The annual Wrestlecon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow as part of WrestleMania weekend returns with its usual array of interesting first-time matches.
Two tremendous athletes from two generations will clash for the first time as Rob Van Dam will battle “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
In a Philadelphia street fight against Sami Callihan, award-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser will look to remain undefeated in his third-ever match.
Multi-promotional champion Nic Nemeth will take on Joey Janela while former TNA World Champion Josh Alexander will battle Masato Tanaka.
RevPro undisputed British heavyweight champion Michael Oku will defend against Titan.
In an eight-man tag team match, The FBI (Little Guido, Tommy Rich & Tony Mamaluke) will team with a mystery partner against Los Boricuas (Huracan Castillo Jr., Jose Estrada, Miguel Perez Jr. & Savio Vega).
Averno, Cavernario, Mistico, Star Jr. & Villano III Jr. will take on Ben-K, Dragon Kid, Kota Minoura, Shun Skywalker & YAMATO in a ten-man match.
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Show Report —
The show started with a photo slideshow featuring the show’s namesake, the late Mark Hitchcock.
Kevin Gill & Veda Scott were on the call.
Nic Nemeth defeated Joey Janela
Janela dominated early on. Nemeth started a comeback but was dropped with a dragon suplex. They started trading big moves, including back-and-forth superkicks for the double down. Janela nailed Nemeth with a Death Valley driver on the apron.
Back in the ring, Nemeth avoided a diving stomp and hit a jumping DDT for two. Janela blocked the Famouser and turned it into a powerbomb, following it up with a package piledriver for a near fall. Nemeth came back with the Famouser and the Danger Zone for the win.
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– Former ECW referee Jim Molineaux came out to officiate the following match.
The FBI (Little Guido & Tommy Rich) and Deonna Purrazzo (w/ Tony Mamaluke) defeated Los Boricuas (Miguel Perez Jr., Nathalya Perez, & Savio Vega) (w/ Huracan Castillo Jr. & Jose Estrada)
The Virtuosa joined the Full Blooded Italians for one night.
This was obviously more for novelty and fun than anything else. Los Boricuas were good heel foils for the FBI. Guido can still go! Molineaux sent the rest of the Boricuas to the back midway through.
The best actual wrestling in the match was between Purrazzo and Nathalya. Eventually, it was Purrazzo getting the submission victory with the Fujiwara armbar.
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Rob Van Dam (w/ Bill Alfonso) defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey – with special guest referee Jerry Lynn
RVD was super over, he got by far the biggest reaction of anyone on the show to this point. They started with some back-and-forth chain wrestling, leading to a couple standoffs. RVD got the upper hand on the outside, landing a spinning kick to a prone Speedball. Speedball fired back and landed an Asai moonsault to the floor.
After an extended control segment, RVD put together a comeback. Fonzy entered the ring but was sent packing by Lynn. Speedball landed his rapid-fire kicks and avoided Rolling Thunder, earning enough breathing room to hit a missile dropkick. RVD avoided the Ultimate Weapon.
Fonzy tossed RVD a chair and distracted the official, allowing RVD to kick the chair into Speedball’s face. The Five-Star Frog Splash followed for the win.
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RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: Michael Oku (c) defeated Titán
After the opening exchange, they went right into trading chops. Oku sent Titán to the outside after a headscissor takeover, but Titán countered the follow-up and landed a tope suicida. After that, it was Titán in control for a while.
Oku came back with a Fosbury Flop and a diving crossbody for two. Titán nailed a superkick and a diving double stomp but missed another before getting the knees up on an Oku moonsault. Oku fired back with a running knee and a lionsault before locking on a half Boston crab. Titán fought his way to the ropes.
Titán hit a psycho driver for two. Oku returned fire with a superkick, but Titán fought back with his through-the-ropes clothesline. Titán stuck the diving double stomp but was too slow on the cover. He immediately applied an inverted Figure Four leglock, but Oku escaped and put on the half crab. Titán nearly made it to the ropes, but Oku dragged him back into the center of the ring and bridged back, forcing the tap.
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Mustafa Ali & Matt Riddle defeated The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel)
This match was unadvertised. Riddle and Wentz went back-and-forth at the start, then their partners did the same. Riddle & Ali hit some tandem offense with Riddle holding the ropes open for an Ali suicide dive, but the Rascalz cut them off for a heat segment.
Riddle eventually reached Ali for the hot tag, getting a near fall. The Rascalz returned fire with a strike combination for two. Riddle strung together some offense with a ripcord knee, an exploder suplex, and a Bro-ton to both Rascalz. Riddle hit a double RKO on both Rascalz before nailing Miguel with the Bro Derek for the win.
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Josh Alexander defeated Masato Tanaka
This was a hard-hitting heavyweight battle in the early portions. Alexander held the control sections, continuing to beat Tanaka down until Tanaka fought back with a brainbuster. Alexander hit three consecutive German suplexes, bridging into a kickout at 2.
Tanaka hit a big superplex, but Alexander popped up and slapped on the ankle lock. Tanaka was bleeding from the forehead. Alexander landed a nasty car crash crossbody for a near fall.
They had a really cool back-and-forth fight towards the end that fired up the crowd. We got the cursory forearm exchange before simultaneous clotheslines led to the double down. Tanaka hit Diamond Dust, but Alexander avoided the Sliding D and hit a powerbomb onto a knee before the C4 got him the win.
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Team CMLL (Místico, Cavernario, Averno, Star Jr., & Villano III Jr.) defeated Team Dragongate (Shun Skywalker, YAMATO, Kzy, Kota Minoura, & Dragon Kid)
Cavernario vs. Dragon Kid to start. The participants in the match each paired off early on in this order: YAMATO vs. Averno, Shun vs. Místico, Kzy vs. Star, and Minoura vs. Villano.
It was pretty messy in the early portions. Interestingly enough the Dragongate team leaned into being heels even though Shun is the only true heel on the team. Minoura even went for Místico’s mask at one point.
It was Místico who was the catalyst for Team CMLL’s comeback. Star Jr. landed a running tornillo to the outside, followed by Místico hitting a diving crossbody into the front row. The other CMLL wrestlers took turns hitting big moves on Dragon Kid in the ring. Averno hit a double-tap powerbomb on Shun, but Dragon Kid ran in to break it up.
YAMATO hit Go To Hospital 2 on Averno, allowing Dragon Kid to hit the elevated top-rope Frankensteiner, which Kzy followed up with a frog splash. Cavernario broke up the pin and hit a splash on Dragon Kid for two. Villano landed a corkscrew splash for two of his own.
We got the parade of big moves until a Místico vs. Kzy face-off in the middle of the ring. Shun cut his own partner off, trying to steal all the glory, before just booting Kzy. Místico capitalized on the infighting, allowing Star to lock on a wacky submission. Meanwhile, Místico applied La Mística to Kzy for the win.
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Philadelphia Street Fight: Paul Walter Hauser defeated Sami Callihan
Hauser is an actor known for roles in films like Richard Jewell and I, Tonya. He’s also made a couple of AEW appearances.
The actor teased a dive at the start, but Callihan cut him off with a shot from a trash can lid. Callihan cut between Hauser’s fingers and squeezed lemon juice on the wounds. He then pulled out a pizza cutter and ran it over Hauser’s forehead. Hauser donned the crimson mask.
Hauser tossed powder in Callihan’s face before nailing a big boot on the outside. Callihan didn’t stay down for long, but Hauser moving out of the way led to Callihan chopping the ring post. Back inside, Hauser smacked Callihan with a chair. He propped Callihan up against a door, but Callihan rolled out of the way, sending Hauser crashing through it.
The two men each acquired staplers and took turns stapling each other. A falling headbutt from Hauser got two. Hauser then planted Callihan on some thumbtacks with a Samoan Drop. He tried to follow it up with a diving elbow drop, but Callihan moved out of the way.
Callihan powerbombed Hauser through a table for a near fall. He attacked the official. Bill Alfonso came out, and Callihan took him out too. The lights then went out, Enter Sandman played, and The Sandman appeared.
Sandman attacked Callihan with a kendo stick. He handed the kendo to Hauser, who hit a cane-assisted side Russian leg sweep onto tacks for the win.
On his first WrestleMania weekend since being released by WWE, Nic Nemeth will be in action at WrestleCon’s Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow.
The Supershow is taking place from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 4. It was announced today that Nemeth vs. Joey Janela will be part of the lineup for the event.
This is the third match that’s been announced for the Supershow. Here’s the updated card:
Rob Van Dam vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
Masato Tanaka vs. Josh Alexander
Nic Nemeth vs. Joey Janela
Formerly known as Dolph Ziggler, Nemeth was released by WWE in September 2023. He’s since become a member of both the TNA Wrestling and NJPW rosters. Nemeth won NJPW’s IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship from David Finlay at the New Beginning in Sapporo last month.
Nemeth is also set for a match against Mike Bailey at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X in Philadelphia on April 4. The Bloodsport event begins at 4 p.m. Eastern time. The WrestleCon Supershow has a start time of 7 p.m. Eastern.
Nic Nemeth, Matt Riddle, Shun Skywalker and Titan have been added to the Mark Hitchcock Memoria show on 4/4 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. They had already announced Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Dragon Kid, Hechicero, Little Guido, Tommy Rich, Savio Vega, Jose Estrada Jr., Huracan Castillo Jr. and Miguel Perez Jr. Dorada and Hechicero will not be on the show due to visa issues. They will be adding wrestlers from CMLL to the show to replace them that have visas.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express is set to reunite over WrestleMania weekend.
Joey Janela announced on Monday that Robert Gibson will once again step into the ring to team with Ricky Morton at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 8. The legendary tag team will be joined by Robert’s son Kerry in a trios match against Mike Bailey and The East West Express (Jordan Oliver & Nick Wayne).
Joey Janela’s Spring Break 8 takes place on Friday, April 5, at the Penns Landing Caterers in Philadelphia, PA. The show will air live on Triller TV (previously FITE TV.
Dragon Kid, YAMATO, & Kzy vs. Ben-K, Shun Skywalker & Kota Minoura
Gibson and Morton announced plans to finish up as a team in 2022. Morton said at the time he wanted to focus more on helping with his son Kerry’s career and working backstage.
Rock & Roll Express Farewell tour begins January 22nd, 2022.
I want to focus more with Kerry and behind the scenes in the wrestling business. #onelastride
Kerry Morton frequently competes in GCW and the NWA. He was defeated by Janela in the first round of the Jersey J-Cup this weekend and is part of the Southern Six stable in the NWA.
Their success spawned a number of imitations, although they themselves in a sense were spawned by the success of The Fabulous Ones, Stan Lane & Steve Keirn, in Memphis. After The Fabulous Ones became huge draws in Tennessee and Kentucky through use of music videos in the early 80s, Jerry Lawler put Morton & Gibson together. Both had been members of strong tag teams, Morton with Ken Lucas in Texas and Eddie Gilbert in Oklahoma, and Gibson with his half-brother Ricky for a number of years in different places.
The key to the act was that they could sell and work at a faster clip than most, upping the tempo of matches from their era, but also that women loved them, particularly young women. That was a combination of looks, the way Morton sold, and the way they were marketed with the music videos.
Here are notes from Saturday’s NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed event in Las Vegas.
A video aired during the show of someone in a bar throwing darts, with the target on the dart board being Toru Yano. That person soon revealed himself to be none other than GCW star Joey Janela. He was announced as coming to NJPW”s Lonestar Shootout event in Dallas, Texas on November 10.
Satoshi Kojima won a four-way match at Fighting Spirit Unleashed to become the new number one contender for the Strong Openweight Championship in a match that also involved Fred Rosser, Jeff Cobb, and Alex Coughlin. That sets him up for a match against Eddie Kingston, who retained the title Saturday against Aaron Henare.
In a tag team match, CMLL’s Stephanie Vaquer and Zeuxis defeated Lluvia and Johnnie Robbie. Vaquer then challenged for the IWGP Women’s Championship, which is currently held by Mayu Iwatani, for Lonestar Shootout. Vaquer made an appearance earlier this year in NJPW, losing to Mercedes Mone.
Giulia successfully defended the New Japan Strong Women’s Championship against Hyan. During her backstage interview, Trish Adora confronted Giulia.
Giulia has asked for the strongest competitors, yet, Trish Adora’s phone has yet to ring… so she decided to cut the middle man and introduced herself to the Champ‼️#njFSU#njpwSTRONG#STARDOMpic.twitter.com/T9hRrMNxZY
