Jul 27, 2021 10:05:46 GMT Big Pete said:

Jul 27, 2021 0:00:49 GMT Blindy said:

Meltzer is completely right IMHO with this, it's not just for wrestler safety but for referee safety or ring announcer safety or commentator safety, and rings are extremely expensive and imagine if you do that before the main event and wrestlers have to work in awful conditioned rings. Droz got paralyzed because the ring for him & DLo was slippery, it's a terrible practice. GCW is fortunate nobody had to work in the ring after that match, would be a tough ask to ask two wrestlers to do high flying or grappling in that type of conditioned ring. 

NBA players got stuff thrown at them early in the playoffs and fans got banished completely which is the correct thing to do. I didn't even see it from Irving's point of view that it makes wrestlers look like circus animals when throwing popcorn or drinks at them but there's that. It's just disrespectful altogether. 

It's a weird line in the sand to draw. On a show that featured all this senseless violence that's the biggest issue he has?

It's weird because Meltzer loves the strong style of NJPW and loves the headbutts and all that jazz but in this isolated hot take, he really isn't wrong. But I see it more as a safety issue. GCW were smart to have that finish the night though given the hype and feud it became. 

Also feel for the people who have to clean all that shit up, poor janitor(s) probably mumbling "Stupid wrestling fuckers making me go overtime again". 

What did people really expect from a gang called ' Murder, Death, Kill ' ?

Jul 26, 2021 22:31:50 GMT @ness said:

Can someone explain the tweet?

Embarrassment to the industry? Doesn't that really put them over because he's letting you know they are relevant enough for something they do can be associated with wrestling as a whole.

Was it just an awful finish?

Because they threw things in the ring (melodramatic FUCKS)?

Dude it's not a real sport.

He was upset they trashed the ring.  Zack likely fucking loved every second of it as that was the best reaction he could have gotten.  In that moment, they fucking hated him.  We was working heel so this looks to me like job well done.  I friend got the fans to trash the ring once and he loved it.  He did exactly what Zack did and soaked in the win while trash rained everywhere.

Funny too this is where people have problems.  Not fans bring the weapons, but throwing water bottles.  People packed together shoving barbwire and tack coated shit at wrestlers totally cool.  Throw a water bottle and OMG SO DANGEROUS.

On a likely subconscious level, GCW & Cardona just threw a walking-talking parody of AEW into a snake-pit and Big Dave doesn't understand why he's offended, he just knows he is.

Jul 27, 2021 12:16:20 GMT Blindy said:

Jul 27, 2021 10:05:46 GMT Big Pete said:

It's a weird line in the sand to draw. On a show that featured all this senseless violence that's the biggest issue he has?

It's weird because Meltzer loves the strong style of NJPW and loves the headbutts and all that jazz but in this isolated hot take, he really isn't wrong. But I see it more as a safety issue. GCW were smart to have that finish the night though given the hype and feud it became. 

Also feel for the people who have to clean all that shit up, poor janitor(s) probably mumbling "Stupid wrestling fuckers making me go overtime again". 

It just reads like Dave was offended on behalf of the performers when if anything they encouraged it. Obviously that isn't smart but I don't think going to Twitter and actively creating an us vs. them response is really going to help matters.

Jul 27, 2021 12:22:16 GMT c said:

Jul 26, 2021 22:31:50 GMT @ness said:

Can someone explain the tweet?

Embarrassment to the industry? Doesn't that really put them over because he's letting you know they are relevant enough for something they do can be associated with wrestling as a whole.

Was it just an awful finish?

Because they threw things in the ring (melodramatic FUCKS)?

Dude it's not a real sport.

He was upset they trashed the ring.  Zack likely fucking loved every second of it as that was the best reaction he could have gotten.  In that moment, they fucking hated him.  We was working heel so this looks to me like job well done.  I friend got the fans to trash the ring once and he loved it.  He did exactly what Zack did and soaked in the win while trash rained everywhere.

Funny too this is where people have problems.  Not fans bring the weapons, but throwing water bottles.  People packed together shoving barbwire and tack coated shit at wrestlers totally cool.  Throw a water bottle and OMG SO DANGEROUS.

What a complete false equivalence, classic c.

When did the people condemning throwing bottles say anything about fans using weapons ‘being cool’.

I don't know much about CZW but, I wonder what kind of stuff has taken place in that promotion that is far better, far worse, or comparable to this situation? I wonder if Dave has the same problems with them. Again not liking it is fine. I haven't watched a ton of deathmatch wrestling. I just find it funny when Meltzer proclaims this to be AN EMBARRASSMENT TO PRO WRESTLING when this guy has made inappropriate comments about certain women wrestlers. That's OK but, if you throw garbage in the ring, that's unacceptable. Whether Dave is being worked or not, the GCW brass shouldn't fuck with him. The dude comes across as such a moron at times, they should just keep doing what they're doing. Given the outrage. you'd think GCW is run by monkeys who parade their wrestlers around like circus clowns on pins & needles. As if they are being held against their will. Fearing for their lives as this bloodthirsty & barbaric sub-culture waits to pounce like lions craving meat. Dave strikes me as being so far up his own as with pretty much everything. He rarely admits when he's misinformed or wrong. So he's easy to make fun of.  I or anyone else that wants clarity on stories like these looks to people like Meltzer to give insight. Not spout his opinions as if they are facts only to backtrack later on as often does. He bounces in between reporter & fan when it's convenient for him. I don't know much about this situation. I choose to be informed. It's Dave's job to be informed.

Jul 27, 2021 12:16:20 GMT Blindy said:

Jul 27, 2021 10:05:46 GMT Big Pete said:

It's a weird line in the sand to draw. On a show that featured all this senseless violence that's the biggest issue he has?

It's weird because Meltzer loves the strong style of NJPW and loves the headbutts and all that jazz but in this isolated hot take, he really isn't wrong. But I see it more as a safety issue. GCW were smart to have that finish the night though given the hype and feud it became. 

Also feel for the people who have to clean all that shit up, poor janitor(s) probably mumbling "Stupid wrestling fuckers making me go overtime again". 

Having worked over 100 indie shows in the last 4 years (probably more, never counted) AND having numerous friends who have worked ring crew for multiple promotions including GCW, I assure you that a janitor from the venue did not have to work overtime to clean the space. I saw a picture that a ref tweeted when they were leaving after the event, the venue was pristine after tear down was complete. I've never done a death match show personally, but I can attest even when we've done street fights or hardcore matches, I've almost always seen fans offering to pitch in to help clean up. I know the GCW faithful are the same. Indie wrestling crews are almost always responsible for leaving the venue the way they found it if they want to use that venue again.

I'm going to preface my comments on Meltzer with the comment that I like pretty much every style of wrestling. Death match is nowhere near my favorite, but I really like every kind. Modern wrestling rarely has real heat. Most times even if there is a heel, at the end, everyone hugs and cries immediately reminding you that they don't really dislike each other. Those are the kinds of matches that get five (or six) stars. Do a bunch of stuff, don't sell anything, hug and cry. I LIKE most of these styles of matches. I'm not saying I don't. But when has a company generated true emotion the way this angle has. Matt Cardona isn't a mustache twirling heel attacking the New Jersey sports teams (Are there any? I don't even know). GCW is built out of rebellion. Hell, it started as a rebellion to CZW. It's a counter culture alternative to mainstream wrestling. It's this generation's ECW. Nick Gage is their Tommy Dreamer. He represents that counter culture. Matt Cardona is the epitome of corporate sports entertainment. He loves that shit. He's all about merch and second only to The Miz and John Cena, he defined that corporate synergy. He's the poster boy for sports entertainment and everything that GCW crowd hates. Cardona isn't playing a heel. He's appealing to what his fan base likes. The toy collectors and 87 New York fans. It's a beautiful dichotomy and great pro wrestling storytelling.

As performers, it's our jobs to make the audience forget it isn't real. I tell ten year olds playing aliens and animals in ten minute plays this. Cardona and Gage made the fans forget this wasn't real. It was a beautiful piece of business.

Jul 27, 2021 18:30:37 GMT Ed said:

I don't know much about CZW but, I wonder what kind of stuff has taken place in that promotion that is far better, far worse, or comparable to this situation? I wonder if Dave has the same problems with them. Again not liking it is fine. I haven't watched a ton of deathmatch wrestling. I just find it funny when Meltzer proclaims this to be AN EMBARRASSMENT TO PRO WRESTLING when this guy has made inappropriate comments about certain women wrestlers. That's OK but, if you throw garbage in the ring, that's unacceptable. Whether Dave is being worked or not, the GCW brass shouldn't fuck with him. The dude comes across as such a moron at times, they should just keep doing what they're doing. Given the outrage. you'd think GCW is run by monkeys who parade their wrestlers around like circus clowns on pins & needles. As if they are being held against their will. Fearing for their lives as this bloodthirsty & barbaric sub-culture waits to pounce like lions craving meat. Dave strikes me as being so far up his own as with pretty much everything. He rarely admits when he's misinformed or wrong. So he's easy to make fun of.  I or anyone else that wants clarity on stories like these looks to people like Meltzer to give insight. Not spout his opinions as if they are facts only to backtrack later on as often does. He bounces in between reporter & fan when it's convenient for him.

The rain of chairs onto Zbarr comes to mind for CZW.

Dave comes across as unintelligent on wrestling matters that aren't based on his narrow-minded vision of work rate. Not being informed is 1 thing. Waving his flag of ignorance so proudly like a badge of honor is another. His line about embarrassment to the industry reeks of sanctimony.

A lot of people come off as if they never seen this fed. The whole take on fans trashing the venue seems silly when they also do stuff like this. Bottles are a lot easier to clean than shards of glass. And lets face it, when you are doing med work backstage on fans with glass injuries, safety for anyone is not really a top priority.

I guess they're really running with this.

Jul 27, 2021 18:48:24 GMT 1RealSmartAlex said:

I'm going to preface my comments on Meltzer with the comment that I like pretty much every style of wrestling. Death match is nowhere near my favorite, but I really like every kind. Modern wrestling rarely has real heat. Most times even if there is a heel, at the end, everyone hugs and cries immediately reminding you that they don't really dislike each other. Those are the kinds of matches that get five (or six) stars. Do a bunch of stuff, don't sell anything, hug and cry. I LIKE most of these styles of matches. I'm not saying I don't. But when has a company generated true emotion the way this angle has. Matt Cardona isn't a mustache twirling heel attacking the New Jersey sports teams (Are there any? I don't even know). GCW is built out of rebellion. Hell, it started as a rebellion to CZW. It's a counter culture alternative to mainstream wrestling. It's this generation's ECW. Nick Gage is their Tommy Dreamer. He represents that counter culture. Matt Cardona is the epitome of corporate sports entertainment. He loves that shit. He's all about merch and second only to The Miz and John Cena, he defined that corporate synergy. He's the poster boy for sports entertainment and everything that GCW crowd hates. Cardona isn't playing a heel. He's appealing to what his fan base likes. The toy collectors and 87 New York fans. It's a beautiful dichotomy and great pro wrestling storytelling.

As performers, it's our jobs to make the audience forget it isn't real. I tell ten year olds playing aliens and animals in ten minute plays this. Cardona and Gage made the fans forget this wasn't real. It was a beautiful piece of business.

Yes, but also remember that the actor who played Joffrey on Game of Thrones got death threats. Sure, 99% of them are shitposting in mailed-letter form but let's say he walked down the street in London and some fan ran over and clocked him in the head.

By wrestling standards that's fantastic! We want more of that, we want someone to sneak on set to try to stab Ramsay Bolton with a screwdriver.

I can't really get behind that myself. Throw empty plastic beer cups, sure, you're just playing along. Throw water bottles, okay, I'm not convinced a water bottle can do a whole lot of damage.

Yeeting a pizza cutter at someone? For a pro wrestling angle? There's something wrong with you.

You can really see smart wrestling fans dividing into two camps on social media ( regardless of WWE ) and I think GCW this week is really trying to tap into that. They know Dave Meltzer has a strong association with AEW, they know Cardona is a prototype-WWE guy, and IMO, his presentation in GCW is a parody of the AEW dweeb culture. They know mocking Uncle Dave is going to get a reaction from the AEW stronghold. And it's working, never has GCW being so popular. 

I've been criticised on here, for wanting to see badasses again, for wanting dangerous "DGAF" type workers back in the limelight. There are people on here who have more or less said, the idea of an alpha male scares them, because it 'offends' them in 2021... because "toxic masculinity" In a kayfabe sense, Nick Gage should be fucking terrifying to the AEW roster. 

We know what WWE is. It's a casual gate-way drug for most. It's safe. We don't need to deep-dive it. AEW is however, a nerd product. It purposely targets a segment of the audience inclined to play video games, and read comic books and enjoy cosplay.. and that's ok. A mature nath45 has grown to accept that... because, "diversity"

But, GCW and deathmatch wrestling is everything AEW is not, and it's great. And I think will only get bigger, due to being the antithesis to AEW.... and WWE, regardless. 

Jul 29, 2021 0:36:35 GMT Michinokudriver said:

Jul 27, 2021 18:48:24 GMT 1RealSmartAlex said:

I'm going to preface my comments on Meltzer with the comment that I like pretty much every style of wrestling. Death match is nowhere near my favorite, but I really like every kind. Modern wrestling rarely has real heat. Most times even if there is a heel, at the end, everyone hugs and cries immediately reminding you that they don't really dislike each other. Those are the kinds of matches that get five (or six) stars. Do a bunch of stuff, don't sell anything, hug and cry. I LIKE most of these styles of matches. I'm not saying I don't. But when has a company generated true emotion the way this angle has. Matt Cardona isn't a mustache twirling heel attacking the New Jersey sports teams (Are there any? I don't even know). GCW is built out of rebellion. Hell, it started as a rebellion to CZW. It's a counter culture alternative to mainstream wrestling. It's this generation's ECW. Nick Gage is their Tommy Dreamer. He represents that counter culture. Matt Cardona is the epitome of corporate sports entertainment. He loves that shit. He's all about merch and second only to The Miz and John Cena, he defined that corporate synergy. He's the poster boy for sports entertainment and everything that GCW crowd hates. Cardona isn't playing a heel. He's appealing to what his fan base likes. The toy collectors and 87 New York fans. It's a beautiful dichotomy and great pro wrestling storytelling.

As performers, it's our jobs to make the audience forget it isn't real. I tell ten year olds playing aliens and animals in ten minute plays this. Cardona and Gage made the fans forget this wasn't real. It was a beautiful piece of business.

Yes, but also remember that the actor who played Joffrey on Game of Thrones got death threats. Sure, 99% of them are shitposting in mailed-letter form but let's say he walked down the street in London and some fan ran over and clocked him in the head.

By wrestling standards that's fantastic! We want more of that, we want someone to sneak on set to try to stab Ramsay Bolton with a screwdriver.

I can't really get behind that myself. Throw empty plastic beer cups, sure, you're just playing along. Throw water bottles, okay, I'm not convinced a water bottle can do a whole lot of damage.

Yeeting a pizza cutter at someone? For a pro wrestling angle? There's something wrong with you.

For the record, I didn't know about the pizza cutter until after I posted this. I agree the pizza cutter was not cool, but the rest doesn't really bother me.

http://instagr.am/p/CR4xc6XrMVq

When your regular dealer is out of town, and you have to meet his cousin.

Matt on the fallout of his match with Gage.

Thunder Rosa vs Britt Baker, and Moxley vs Omega were a fine level of ramped up feud level street fights for what I am interested in. The Jericho vs Gage match was a steaming pile of shit of garbage wrestling.

Just like music, film or any other entertainment medium, every genre in wrestling has something worthwhile it can offer. Deathmatch wrestling is like a symphonic car crash when it's done well. It can either be Burzum meets Mozart or Ghost meets Handel.

Gage, Mox, Sami, Funk, Foley (Sabu too when he wasn't botching) - those are some maestros and they can/could easily work outside of that genre if ever need be.

That son of a bitch. He did it. 

That is hilarious.

This is going to get nuclear levels of heat. Fucking spinner belt...


Gonna be awkward when WWE wants him back and likely can no longer get him...

Aug 31, 2021 1:17:22 GMT c said:

That is hilarious.

This is going to get nuclear levels of heat. Fucking spinner belt...


Gonna be awkward when WWE wants him back and likely can no longer get him...

He'll be all scarred up with the way he's going to be booked by GCW and Impact will probably reap off the hardcore appeal with Cardona, not sure WWE will want that on their TV. 

Finish to last night's war games show was pretty sweet. Clip is below if you don't care to watch the entire show.

WARNING: the commentary is atrocious.

streamable.com/dxyiz7

"Jon Moxley in a fucking Slayer shirt!"

I don't understand the context here. Why is Cardona losing his title in a War Games match? To an apparently unannounced participant? Is it like the 24/7 championship where the champion can be pinned anywhere?

Sept 5, 2021 16:48:25 GMT Emperor said:

"Jon Moxley in a fucking Slayer shirt!"

I don't understand the context here. Why is Cardona losing his title in a War Games match? To an apparently unannounced participant? Is it like the 24/7 championship where the champion can be pinned anywhere?

I don't either. Maybe someone who watches more GCW can explain. Theory going around that Cardona is going to keep calling himself the Universal Champion with the second belt he made.

Cardona announced a mystery opponent after cutting a promo and it was Frank The Clown (yes literally super fan/Noelle Foley/hugged CM Punk on his return Frank the Clown). He defended the GCW title against him then the clip I posted happened.

I guess maybe since his actual defence was a joke they allowed this to happen? Who the fuck knows. Hopefully they get their shit together a little more because they're getting a ton of exposure and won't keep any new fans with this amount of fuckery.

You think Gage can take Suzuki? c

Suzuki gonna beat the shit out of Gage.   

Undefeated deathmatch legend Matt Cardona has officially retired from the deathmatch.

Hilarious.

OMG, the best wrestling couple in the world returned for one night.