Tag: spring break

Preview by Josh Nason

This year’s Spring Break will be a little different, starting with the name as GCW Champion Rickey Shane Page is now on the marquee after he defeated Joey Janela at a previous event for the rights. He also made some changes to the show including canceling the annual Clusterfu*ck Battle Royal and lifting the lifetime ban on Virgil.

Page will defend his belt against the returning Nick Gage in the main event, a rematch from last year’s Run Rickey Run event where Gage attempted to regain the title. The show will also feature Lee Moriarty vs. Impact World Champion Rich Swann in a non-title match; MLW Middleweight Champion Lio Rush vs. Jordan Oliver in a non-title match; Masada vs. Atticus Cogar, EFFY vs. Gregory Iron for the creative rights for EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch the next day; Gringo Loco, Black Taurus and Arez vs. Laredo Kid, Dragon Bane and Aramis, and Starboy Charlie vs. Billie Starkz.

Janela will be on the show as he goes up against Chris Dickinson.

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Kevin Gill and Emil Jay were the primary commentators, with Tony Deppen joining early on.

Former WCW and IMPACT ring announcer David Penzer was performed those duties for the first two matches.

Starboy Charlie defeated Billie Starkz

Starkz is 16 years old and Charlie is 18 –– both are fantastically gifted for their ages. They performed chain wrestling to start, with Starkz outwrestling her opponent. Starkz laid in kicks before a cradle exchange led to Charlie taking control. Charlie downed starks with a dropkick and a running shooting star press for two. Starkz fired back with a series of German suplexes, bridging for a two-count on the third.

After a reset, Starkz countered a corner hurricanrana into an ocean cyclone suplex for two. Charlie came back with a Cancun tornado for two. They exchanged forearms in the center of the ring until Charlie landed an exploder suplex. Starkz popped up with a Death Valley driver before a kick sequence led to the double down. 

Charlie propped Starkz up in the tree of woe before nailing her with a running dropkick. He climed to the top rope, but Starkz got the knees up on the 450 splash attempt. Starkz then missed a senton atomico, allowing Charlie to spike her with a Michinoku driver for the win.

– After the match, members of 44OH (Rickey Shane Page’s stable) came out and beat down both Starkz and Charlie. Ironbeast, the team of KTB and Shane Mercer, ran out and made the save, leading to the next match. 

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Ironbeast (KTB & Shane Mercer) defeated 44OH (Eric Ryan & Bobby Beverly)

Ironbeast killed their opponents right away with a double doomsday blockbuster. They continued to beat them down in and around the ring for minutes on end, bringing wooden doors into the match. 44OH took control after Ryan landed a low suicide dive on KTB, allowing them to isolate Mercer inside the ring. KTB tried to get involved but was met with a tiger driver from Ryan for two.

They tried to put Mercer through a door, but it didn’t break. They then tried to do the same to KTB, who countered and put Ryan through a door with a powerbomb. KTB then took out Beverly on the outside with a suicide dive. In an absolutely insane spot, Mercer pressed Ryan over his head at the top turnbuckle, then turned around for a moonsault powerslam. KTB followed it up with a powerbomb before tossing Ryan to Mercer, who seamlessly turned it into a German suplex bridge for the win.

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Laredo Kid, Dragon Bane and Aramis defeated Gringo Loco, Black Taurus and Arez

This was unbelievable, unquestionably the best match of Wrestlemania weekend so far. 

Gringo and Kid started off with a technical lucha exchange. The former flipped off his opponents, establishing their team as the heels. The six faced off with each other, with the babyface team taking control. Kid followed it up with a crazy dive onto Arez, with Bane and Aramis landing tope con hilos of their own. Kid, Bane, and Aramis each hit 450 splashes upon re-entering the ring.

Arez fought off all three opponents with tilt-a-whirl backbreakers. Gringo then threw Aramis into a powerbomb from Taurus, who tossed Aramis into a powerbomb from Aramis. Kid entered the ring but was sprung eight feet into the air into a spear from Taurus. Gringo followed it up with a moonsault for two.

Bane tried to fight off his opponents but was overwhelmed by the numbers advantage. He used some athleticism to dispatch his opponents, taking Taurus out with a DDT and Arez out with a superkick. Bane set up for a dive but ran into a Taurus headbutt, leading to the big man beating down all three opponents. 

Taurus perched Kid on the top rope, but Kid’s teammates saved him. All three hopped up to the top rope and took out their opponents with moonsaults. Arez and Bane exchanged strikes in the center of the ring, with Bane hitting a ushigoroshi. Taurus cut Bane off with an enziguiri and a huge backbreaker. Aramis took out Taurus with a Spanish Fly before climbing to the top rope, where Gringo took him down with an avalanche Falcon Arrow. Naturally, Kid was next, hitting a series of kicks and dives before being cut off by Arez.

Arez hit a slingshot dropkick and a lumbar check for two. Loco and Aramis joined the fray, with both Kid and Arez climbing the ropes to hit a hurricanrana. Gringo then cut off Kid with a springboard cutter, followed by a parade of big moves, including a picture-perfect reverse hurricanrana on Black Taurus. 

The match reset with Arez and Aramis on the top rope, but Kid tried to back up his partner. Gringo perched Aramis on his shoulders with Kid on Aramis’s shoulders, taking him out with a cutter. The action was too fast to follow at this point, but it was incredible. Aramis took out Taurus with a crucifix bomb before crushing Arez with a spinning heel kick. He then picked Arez up for a long airplane spin as Kid landed a moonsault frog splash to the floor.

Bane took out the other opponents with a tornillo dive as Arez finally hit the airplane spin into a Blue Thunder Bomb for the win.

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Lio Rush defeated Jordan Oliver

Rush performed under his “Blackheart” persona, not dissimilar to Finn Bálor busting out the Demon. Oliver won GCW’s Acid Cup tournament earlier in the day.

Oliver downed Rush with a boot and took him out with a diving Clout Cutter on the outside. They brawled on the outside, but Oliver got cocky setting up a running attack, buying Rush enough time to surprise him with a jumping knee. Rush perched Oliver on a chair and took him out with a running cannonball. 

Rush beat down Oliver in the ring, using his quickness to evade any comeback attempts. He brought out a wooden door and propped it up in the corner, but before he could use it, Oliver caught him with strikes. Oliver tried to powerbomb his opponent into the door, but Rush escaped and chopped him into it. Oliver crushed Rush with a chop but missed on the follow-up, letting Rush land his low spinning heel kick.

Oliver turned the tables once again, putting Rush through the door with a belly to belly suplex. He tried putting Rush through another door, but Rush turned it around with repeated German suplexes. Rush’s last German attempt was countered, but he changed his plans into an exploder through the door for two. 

They traded running offense in the ring until Rush took Oliver down with a Spanish Fly. They fought on the second rope, hitting simultaneous strikes that sent the other crashing to the concrete. Both re-entered the ring and peppered each other with strikes until Oliver hit a stunner and a tiger driver for two. A running knee got another two count for Oliver.

Oliver grabbed more plunder, but he took forever, actually having to tell the referee to stop the countout so he could continue to set it up. Eventually, Rush screamed at Oliver to get back in the ring, leading to a discus forearm for two. Rush surprised Oliver with more German, but Oliver popped up and hit one of his own. 

It looked as if Oliver was about to put Rush through his chairs and doors contraption on the floor, but Rush avoided a boot and suplexed him from the ring to the floor through the doors. Rush eventually brought Oliver back in the ring but took too long on a dive, leading Oliver to counter with a Clout Cutter. A springboard Clout Cutter from Oliver followed for a good near fall.

Oliver hit a third consecutive Clout Cutter on Rush on the apron, which only got two. He went for a top rope Clout Cutter, but Rush pushed him off and hit a frog splash, following it up with an over-the-shoulder crossface for the submission victory.

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There was a nice video package recapping the story behind the following match. This was Masada’s first match in three months.

Atticus Cogar defeated Masada in a deathmatch

These guys absolutely killed each other. It wasn’t the most energetic deathmatch I’ve ever seen, but it was appropriately brutal, and the skewer-focused offense was unique.

There were boards spiked with skewers set up in the corners of the ring. Cogar attacked before the bell but was immediately sent into a skewer board and smacked with a kendo stick. Masada went to the outside for more weapons, but Cogar stopped him with a moonsault. He tried to follow it up with a dive, but Masada caught him and walloped him with door shots to the head. 

Cogar regained control with kendo stick shots. Masada grabbed a board spiked with toothpicks and drove it into Cogar’s back. There were dozens of toothpicks implanted in Cogar’s body, which was a great visual. Cogar was bleeding from the head and back at this point.

Masada then grabbed a bundle of carpet strips, whacking Cogar with them. He took a handful of skewers from the board and drove them into Cogar’s head. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed for two. Cogar bit at Masada’s head and dropkicked him into the skewer board. He picked up a handful of skewers and drove them into Masada’s head, which was another great shot. Cogar then repeatedly stabbed Masada’s head with the skewers, drawing lots of blood.

Cogar returned the favor with the toothpick board, sticking them in Masada’s back and arm. Masada came back by suplexing Cogar into the front row. A door and chairs were introduced to the fray, with Cogar laying in chair shots before propping them up. He then skewered Masada’s shoulder and arm, and they stuck. 

Masada came back with more skewers, gridning them against Cogar’s forehead and driving them in. Blood was pouring down Cogar’s face. Masada followed it up with a powerbomb through a door for two. The attack continued with skewers inside Cogar’s mouth. Masada hit another powerbomb, stacking Cogar up for two, before transitioning into an STF. Cogar fought out by digging a sharp piece of wood into Masada’s hand.

Cogar laid in kicks before climbing to the top rope. He landed a mushroom stomp from the top, but Masada kicked out at one. Cogar perched Masada on a chair and went to the top again, but Masada popped up met him on the ropes. Cogar fought him off with an avalanche headlock driver through the chair for two. 

Masada grabbed a gusset plate from under the ring and whacked Cogar with it before a Death Valley driver got two. He stabbed Cogar’s arm with the sharp part of the gusset board before grabbing more skewers, but Cogar took advantage with a low blow. He skewered Masada’s head yet again, hitting a skewer-assisted headlock driver for a close near fall.

Cogar impaled Masada with even more skewers and landed repeated thrust kicks through the skewers, hitting a third headlock driver for the win. 

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Rich Swann defeated Lee Moriarty

This match was disappointing, as it was less than half as long as Rush vs. Oliver and had a tough time following the deathmatch.

Swann is the current IMPACT world champion, while Moriarty is one of the biggest and busiest names of this year’s Mania weekend.

They showed respect at the bell. Neither man could establish an advantage with chain wrestling until Swann landed a dropkick. Moriarty turned it around with an armbreaker. Swann’s arm was the target of Moriarty’s attack as he drove it into the concrete with arm wringers. The dismantling of Swann’s arm continued in the ring until Swann caught Moriarty with a lariat.

A Rolling Thunder from Swann followed for two. Moriarty came back with a double stomp on Swann’s arm and a hammerlock DDT. Swann hit a handspring cutter, using only one arm on the handspring, before climbing the ropes and landing a frog splash for two. 

They traded strikes in the center of the ring until they hit simultaneous pump kicks for the double down. Once back up, they had a cradle exchange until Moriarty surprised Swann with a Fujiwara armbar. A hammerlock lariat followed for two. 

Moriarty continued the attack on Swann’s arm on the top rope until Swann bit his way out of it and headbutted Moriarty to the map. Swann turned around and landed a phoenix splash to win. 

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A video promo played where Chris Dickinson called out Joey Janela.

Joey Janela defeated Chris Dickinson in a grudge match

This match was something else. Both these men are out of their minds and took some of the most punishment I’ve seen in a match all year. All the crazy spots were excellent, and Dickinson is phenomenal at creating an intense enviroment, although the finish was a bit abrupt.

Dickinson immediately crushed Janela with a powerbomb, following it up with a second. He brought a door into the ring and ripped it apart, using the jagged edge to slice open Janela’s forehead. Dickinson then smacked the door across Janela’s head. He propped it over Janela’s body and dropkicked Janela through the door for two. Janela had a crimson mask.

Dickinson returned to carving up Janela’s forehead before crushing Janela with a half-and-half suplex for two. He brought Janela up to the top rope, but Janela fought Dickinson off and landed a superplex. Janela fired up with strikes, beating Dickinson down in the corner. He landed a German suplex, but Dickinson popped up and landed two Germans of his own. Janela fired up with a discus elbow for two.

Janela grabbed a door and broke it across Dickinson’s head. Dickinson fired back with a cyclone kick and a dragon suplex bridge for two. Dickinson threw a chair in the ring, so the crowd threw about 40 additional chairs in the ring. Dickinson repleatedly attacked Janela with the chairs before going for a Pazuzu Bomb, but Janela fought out and hit a thrust kick. Janela fought out of another suplex and hit a DDT, but Dickinson popped up with a lariat.

Dickinson set up for a superplex, but Janela fought his way out and hit an avalanche tornado DDT on the chairs. Dickinson rolled to the floor to blade, then Janela ran through the ropes with a diving dropkick. Dickinson bled more than anyone else on this show and fell victim to a diving double stomp through a chair for a near fall.

Janela picked up a chair and crushed it over Dickinson’s head with an unprotected chair shot. Dickinson demanded another, but baited Janela in with a low blow and a Death Valley driver, which only got one. They traded strikes in the center of the ring until Janela hit a Death Valley driver for a close near fall. 

Dickinson prevented Janela from landing a top-rope move, transitioning into an avalanche Pazuzu Bomb for two. He pulled a ten-foot ladder out from under the ring and tossed it inside before landing a boot on Janela. Dickinson set up the ladder and a few chairs, but took too long, allowing Janela to hit a low blow. 

Janela perched Dickinson on the door and chair structure and climbed the ladder, but Dickinson met him at the top, following it up with a Death Valley driver off the ladder through the structure for two. Dickinson caught a kick and hit repeated dragon screw leg whips, but Janela surprised Dickinson with a small package for two. Janela then locked on a Figure Four, leading to the submission.

– After the match, Janela wanted a show of respect, but Dickinson spat at him and stormed off. Janela grabbed a microphone and said he’s back in GCW. 

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Before the match, Iron introduced Virgil as the newest member of 44OH.

Effy defeated Gregory Iron (w/ Virgil) to determine the rights to Big Gay Brunch

The winner of this match earns ownership rights to Effy’s Big Gay Brunch show. Virgil and Effy exchanged words before the match, allowing Iron to surprise Effy with a chair shot. They wrestled around with Iron beating down Effy until Effy came back with a boot for two. 

Effy laid in strikes until Iron hit a facebreaker. Effy went for a sunset flip, pulling down Iron’s trunks, before following it up with a powerbomb and a senton for two. Effy spanked Iron but was distracted by Virgil, allowing Irons to hit a low blow. Virgil tried to strike Effy with a barrel of vodka, but Effy moved out of the way and Virgil inadvertantly struck Iron….or so we thought, as Virgil was revealed to be wearing an Effy shirt underneath his 44OH shirt. Effy then hit a powerbomb for the win.

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– A video played where Page spoofed Gage’s arrest for bank robbery.

GCW Championship Deathmatch: Nick Gage defeated Rickey Shane Page (c) to win the title

This was one of the most insane, spectacular, and bloody American deathmatches in years.

There were light tubes attached to the ropes and glass panes in the corners. Gage immediately sent Page into the tubes and broke one over his back. He followed it up by tossing Page through a glass pane and biting Page’s back. Page whipped Gage into the tubes, but Gage popped right back and downed Page with a lariat. Gage then hit a face wash through tubes.

Gage propped his opponent on a barbed wire board at ringside, putting him through it with a senton. Page was busted open badly on his face and back. Gage asked fans to prop up chairs and sent Page through them. Page fought back, repeatedly breaking light tubes across Gage’s back. Gage reversed a whip, sending Page through another glass pane.

Back in the ring, Gage smashed light tubes across Page’s head. Page came back with an enziguiri and light tube shots of his own. He suplexed Gage onto more tubes. After breaking even more tubes across Gage’s back, Gage fired back with chops but was dropped over the top rope through a glass pane to the concrete. That was an insane bump.

Page rolled Gage back into the ring but only got two. Gage was a bloody mess –– you could see literal pools of blood underneath him. Page set up to suplex Gage through a light tube structure at ringside and did so with a release ex-plex through tubes to the concrete. Back in the ring, the count was only two.

Gage fired back with forearms, but Page raked Gage’s eyes and threw glass in his face, Gage inadvertantly took out the referee but was able to take down Page with a spinebuster. Page climbed a scaffolding setup at ringside to escape, and his 44OH associate Gregory Iron tried to interfere, but Gage easily crushed him with a piledriver. 

Effy came out to carry Iron to the back, but other 44OH members beat down Gage. Bobby Beverly and Eric Ryan set up a huge bundle of light tubes on a table, but Joey Janela, Matt Justice, and Mance Warner came out to take 44OH to the back. 

It was just Gage and Page as the former pursued the latter to the top of the scaffolding. Gage tossed Page off the scaffolding; Page missed the table, but went through much of the glass. Gage smashed the bundle of tubes over Page before carving an “M” (as in MDK) into Page’s back using broken glass. Page hit a chokebreaker for a good near fall before doing the same to the official.

Atticus Cogar, another of Page’s associates, came out to assist. They set up more glass panes in the ring as Cogar drove wooden skewers into Gage’s head. Brett Lauderdale came out and smashed a bundle of tubes over Cogar’s head, allowing Gage to piledrive Page through the panes for a close near fall. 

Gage then hit the chokebreaker to win.

– After the match, Gage spray-painted Page’s title with “MDK.”

While he posed with the championship, Jon Moxley came out. Moxley and Gage faced off until Moxley was about to leave the ring. Gage flipped him off, and Moxley snapped, beating Gage down and laying him out with a Paradigm Shift through a bundle of light tubes. Moxley posed in the corner and then slinked off.

Gage grabbed a mic and played to the crowd. He’s an ultra-babyface. He called Moxley a “pussy” and thanked everyone for supporting him throughout his injury. Gage led the crowd in “MDK all f**king day” chants to end the show. Just before the broadcast cut off, the commentator said Gage and Moxley would face off in a deathmatch some time in the future.

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Final Thoughts:

This was the best edition of Spring Break yet. Some may miss the more absurd and wacky aspects of Spring Break (especially the Clusterf**k), but this show featured three great matches and only one that I’d classify as “bad.” Coupled with the culmination of the year-long Nick Gage-44OH storyline and the surprise appearance of Jon Moxley, this easily contends for the best indie show of Mania weekend.