#Review: GCW presents Crime Wave

By
Micah Shapiro

Crime Wave got off to a start very quickly, with a minimal introduction by the announcer, and a small, albeit enthusiastic crowd packed the venue.  The Grim Reefer made his way to the ring to start a “f***fest” matchup. Pinkie Sanchez, Facade, Wheeler Yuta, Brandon Kirk, and Kit Osbourne made their way out.

Osbourne took the mic, and the crowd immediately turned on him. He declared that he wanted the crowd to witness him winning this match before they get too drunk and belligerent. As he put the microphone down, he was clobbered simultaneously by three superkicks from various competitors, and the bell rang for the match to get underway.

Out of nowhere, Reefer also got hit with a second set of triple superkicks that pummeled him to the floor, as Yuta went to work on him. The match split up in pairs of two wrestlers working on each other separately, with most of them outside the ring as Yuta and Kirkman engaged in the center of the ring. A dropkick by Yuta sent Kirkman to the outside, as Sanchez got back in the ring to face Yuta, in which lightning speed chain wrestling followed for a few moments.

Reefer returned to the ring, slowing down the high flying and fast paced chain wrestling with some unexpected tricks of his own. As Osbourne entered the ring and attempted to jump on the second rope for a springboard maneuver, Reefer also jumped to the second rope at the same time in order to stop the rope from bouncing. Osbourne lost his balance and pummeled straight back onto the ring mat. It was a simple, yet effectively clever tactic.

As Reefer went to the outside to engage with other competitors, wrestlers began returning to the ring in singles, taking turns unleashing more power and strong style moves, as the rotation of offensives between wrestlers continued to cycle.

Reefer set up a ladder on the side of the ring and jumped off of it onto the middle of the top rope for a Swanton bomb into the ring which connected with nobody. With multiple competitors brawling outside the ring, Facade executed a springboard flip to the outside onto standing competitors, knocking them all down like bowling pins.  He immediately followed with a springboard dropkick off the middle of the ropes in which he sailed all the way across the ring, smashing Osbourne’s face in, as he sat in the corner. Facade scored the pinfall on him for the win.
Winner: Facade

Gringo Loco vs Ophidian

The following match for Crime Wave started with some impressive grappling and backflip reversals by which both competitors remained on their feet avoiding damage. As the match picked up, it was fascinating to see the same set of chain grappling maneuvers transcend into a set of chain wrestling involving powerful offensive moves and as well as high flying maneuvers without any delay or transition segment. It all flowed seamlessly as part of a singular segment, despite the complete style change within the same set of chain wrestling combinations.

The match shifted into trading slaps and kicks, and Loco went to work on Ophidian in the corner, gaining the offensive edge. Ophidian gained back the advantage with a springboard arm drag that sent Loco to the outside, setting up a suicide dive that left Loco dazed.

Moments later, the offensive advantage took a turn when Loco pressed Ophidian into the air and turned it into a devastating sit-down powerbomb. The crowd took turns chanting both wrestlers name, showing a clear division in favoritism. Loco executed an impressive variation of a flat-liner, rotating Ophidian off his shoulder

Out of nowhere, Loco attempted to rip off the mask of Ophidian, showing a more aggressive side of himself than usual. Loco began to look a bit frustrated as he continued his offensive position, which focused on power moves. A dragonrana [springboard flip into a hurricarana] shifted the match back into Ophidian’s favor.

Ophidian nailed Loco with a Swanton bomb to the outside. But his offensive was short lived as they crawled back into the ring and Loco attempted another springboard hurricarana on Loco which was reversed into a powerbomb into the corner turnbuckle. Loco used this moment to set Ophidian up for his signature for Air Gringo [springboard cutter], which was successfully executed. Ophidian barely kicked out.

Following a series of reversal combinations, Ophidian got setup and spiked with a tombstone, and the match slowed down a pace for the time being. As Loco attempted to climb the middle of the ropes for a springboard, he was hit with a high kick. Still stunned with feet on the middle of the ropes, Ophidian quickly tossed him off with a hurricarana.

The match escalated as Ophidian setup a door in the corner of the ring. The two reversed each other’s moves multiple times, vying to utilize the door, but the fight moved to the opposite side of the ring and both competitors wound up on the top turnbuckle. Loco unleashed a jaw-dropping falcon arrow on Ophidian off the very top turnbuckle and landed in the center of the ring.

Loco took too much time to get the cover and failed to make the pinfall. Loco setup a couple of chairs and moved the door to create a makeshift table in front of the turnbuckle. Loco set Ophidian up on the top rope for a suplex through it. But Ophidian reversed it and jumped up, using his knees to push Loco’s shoulders downward.  As Loco fell backward, Ophidian sailed downward with him, resulting in a devastating knee stomp onto the door, crushing his upper torso and shoulders.   The door did not break and looked incredibly stiff, which tipped Loco backward onto the back of his head. This gave Ophidian the win by pinfall, with a very climatic and brutal finish.
Winner: Ophidian

Marko Stunt vs Jimmy Lloyd

CRIMEWAVE STUNTLLOYD
Photo / GCW

The next match for Crime Wave started with Lloyd demonstrating his superior strength in gaining the arm lock, but Marko quickly transitioned matters into a style he was more comfortable with, utilizing arm drags and other cruiserweight maneuvers. Lloyd stopped Marko’s string of cruiserweight style offensives with a stiff boot to his face.

The match quickly turned into a punching brawl, but a high kick sent Lloyd to the outside, allowing Marko to execute a suicide dive. Everyone expected this match to turn hardcore, but it was not expected that Marko would be the one to initiate it. Marko grabbed a chair and smashed it into Lloyd’s skull, then threw the chair in the ring.

Marko may have made a grave mistake, as Lloyd responded by reaching under the ring and pulling out a wooden board with four scissors attached to them, opened fully with the blades facing outward for maximum potential to slice flesh. Lloyd set the scissor-board up in the corner and both competitors engaged in a series of reversals that allowed Stunt to score an unimaginable a Saito suplex on Lloyd, given his small size.

Marko looked at the scissors with a look of distress or nervousness. Then, running at Lloyd, he got swept up for fireman’s carry attempt into the scissors.  Marko barely saved himself when he proceeded with an impressive rotation onto Lloyd’s shoulders, spiking him on his head with a poison-rana.

Lloyd recovered quickly and nearly scored a powerbomb into the scissors, but Marko again used his small size and weight momentum flip over Lloyd’s head and shoulders, scoring a code-red.

Lloyd rolled into the corner to catch his breath and Marko propped the scissor-board against his chest. Marko went running at Lloyd, who quickly spun the scissors around. Marko, as if slamming on his own bodily breaks, stopped inches from the blades with a look of terror infused on his face.

Marko nailed a mid-section kick, so Lloyd dropped the scissor-board into the middle of the ring, with the blades face-up. Marko attempted a clothesline, but Lloyd ducked and flipped him up for a backdrop onto the scissors which would have impaled him. But Marko flipped backward onto his feet avoiding a near bloody catastrophe as the crowd moaned in anxiety-induced suspense.

Marko kicked Lloyd in the groin, which put him on all four knees and arms, with his torso hovering right above the scissor blades. Marko grabbed a chair and attempted to smash it downward, sandwiching Lloyd between the chair and scissors. But Lloyd moved and the chair smashed the scissors, breaking them loose and detaching from the board.

Lloyd grabbed one of the scissors in his hand and attempted to stab Marko with it twice, but he ducked both times. Marko came back at Lloyd, attempting to execute a standing monkey flip, but Lloyd pushed him down straight onto his back. Lloyd grabbed his hair and attempted to cut it, but Marko kicked him in the face, flinging him backward.

The match returned to traditional wrestling, with both competitors bouncing off the ropes with a series of ducks and Irish whip reversals. Marko, coming off the ropes, ran straight into a superkick, but, running on fumes, immediately shot back to his feet and hit Lloyd with a lariat that caught the audience by surprise.

This time it was Marko who grabbed a pair of scissors and attempted to stab Lloyd.  But Lloyd caught his hand, and used his strength advantage to drive the scissors backwards into Marko’s forehead. He then proceeded to use his other arm to hammer the scissors multiple times, deeper into his flesh.

Lloyd, a natural deathmatch wrestler, had a look of satisfaction on his face now that the match had gravitated into his court. He picked up the scissors and licked the blades, as if the taste of Marko’s salty blood would trigger his adrenaline frenzy further.

Marko, now bleeding, slowly crawled to his feet, unaware that Lloyd was waiting for him to get in position for a strike. On his feet, Lloyd nailed Marko with a spinning kick then, in quick succession, spiked him on his head with a tiger driver.

Lloyd probably could have gained the pinfall right then and there, but he was not done with Marko. He picked him up on his shoulders and slammed him downward into another  piledriver.
Winner: Jimmy Lloyd

Mance Warner vs Shlak

This next matchup for Crime Wave got underway, and both competitors completely skipped the usual lockups, going straight to clobbering each other and brawling. It was clear and predicted from the beginning this would be a violently aggressive matchup.  Shlak, perhaps the strongest wrestler in the deathmatch scene today, used his strength advantage to slam Mance repeatedly into the corner with hands grappled around his neck.

Shlak grabbed a stapler from under the ring and wasted no time to inject a staple straight into the flesh of Mance’s tongue, followed by a second staple. He then shoved Mance’s face into the turnbuckle and went even further, stapling his tongue to the turnbuckle pad itself. As if that was not already sadistic enough, Shlak pulled Mance backwards into a german suplex, ripping his tongue out in the process. Shlak followed with an immediate northern lights suplex that dropped Mance onto the back of his head.

Mance, resilient as can be, kicked out at a mere one count, which was either a demonstration of how tough he was or a psychological tactic to forego a moment’s rest to intimidate Shlak, by sending the signal that it would be a much longer battle to put him out for a three count.

Shlak, unexpectedly dominating the entire match thus far, proceeded with head butts and then dug his fingers into Mance’s wounded tongue. Mance fought back, resulting in a chest slapping contest between the two.

With two chairs propped up in the middle of the ring at this point, Mance wore Shlak down with more slaps, then unleashed a spinebuster on Shlak out of nowhere. The weight of Shlak’s body completely bent the steel of the chairs, and a part of the chair punctured the flesh near the back of his neck.  Blood could be seen flowing down his back moments later.

Shlak, also showing just how tough he was, kicked out at a one-count as well. Mance proceeded with multiple eye-gouges to Shlak, but it surprisingly did not phase him at all and he just stared Mance down. He was clearly frustrated from the puncture wound caused by the chairs.  He immediately lifted Mance up for a choke slam and flattened him to the mat, obtaining a two-count.

Shlak setup a makeshift table on the side of the ring using a door that was propped up on the ring apron and a chair on the other side. Mance consolidated a superior position and nailed Shlak with a tornado DDT onto the door, but it did not break.

Mance, determined to break the door, went for a second DDT attempt off the ring apron all the way down, and it broke in half as the crowd moaned.  Despite such devastation, Shlak still kicked out at a one count. The match was clearly transcending into more grotesque territory, as Mance grabbed a bag of sharp gusset plates (often called nail teethtruss plates or mending plates as well) from under the ring.

He sunk the sharp plate into Shlak’s arm and began hammering it deeper. He pulled the plate out then speared it into Shlak’s chest. He hammered a second plate into the front of Shlak’s right shoulder as well, and blood immediately began to pour down his torso as the plates both remained embedded in his flesh.

Mance setup another door in the corner of the ring, but Mance’s attention was turned as Shlak started roaring in a fit of both and ripped both the plates out of his own flesh.  Free from the plates, he immediately ran full speed at Mance as if he had cold blooded murder on his mind. The door echoed throughout the venue with a sound that resembled both a pop and a loud crack as Shlak speared Mance straight through it. Mance kicked out at a near-three count, and was clearly suffering in agony.

Shlak took a new gusset plate from the bag and hammered it multiple times into Mance’s forehead using his fists. Next, Shlak tried to suffocate him by pulling a plastic bag over his head, followed by a sidewalk slam onto the back of his head.

Mance, half conscious, began to head-butt Shlak with the plate still in his forehead which knocked Shlak down completely. Both men could barely stand at this point, the plate still sturdily embedded in Mance’s forehead.

Another makeshift table using a door was setup in front of the turnbuckle, and the two fought for the dominant position on the second rope. Mance was able to grab Shlak by the neck and pummeled him backwards, sailing with him utilizing his own bodyweight, driving Shlak’s shoulders and the back of his head through the door at full force.

The crowd gasped as Shlak immediately got up unfazed, wid-eyed and angered, as the slam through the door seemingly did nothing except unleash a high-dose of adrenaline into his bloodstream. Mance, looking frustrated and desperate, resorted to instinct, knowing what it would take to finish the enraged beast off at this point: he grabbed a metal chair and went to war, clobbering Shlak straight in his head multiple times. The giant fell back into the ropes.

Mance, wasting no time to capitalize upon this golden moment, sprinted full speed at Shlak and drove his knee home, straight into Shlak’s face. Shlak was out cold and Mance finally scored the three count, gaining a hard fought victory. Even at the end of the match, the plate was still embedded in his forehead.

Shlak climbed up after regaining consciousness, and his brain was seemingly so rattled that he possibly did not realize he had already lost the match. He walked up to Mance, ripped the plate out of his forehead and blood immediately flowed down his face.

Shlak proceeded to head-butt Mance, which dazed himself just as much as it did his opponent.  Finally, he left to go backstage, while Mance stuck around and shared a beer with the fans, still trying to catch his breath.
Winner: Mance Warner

Homicide vs Colby Corino

CRIMEWAVE HOMICIDECORINO
Photo / GCW

Given the years of bloody feuding between Homicide and Steve Corino, the father of Colby Corino, this was expected to be a highly emotional matchup. Homicide and Colby’s father engaged in years of bloody warfare which represented some of Ring of Honor’s most bloody, violent and turbulent years. Things have come circular here at Crime Wave.

Homicide took the microphone, looked at the cameras which were filming this event live, and, in a threatening tone, shouted, “I’m talking to you Steve Corino.” Colby cut him off and started shouting curse words in a clear fit of rage. Homicide merely laughed, while simultaneously looking into the camera with his hand pointed at Colby.

“I’m going to f*** the shit out of your boy”, he threatened. If the crowd was initially behind Homicide, he seemed to lose them when he boasted his hometown, Brooklyn, as superior to theirs. A “Fuck New York” chant broke out from the Philadelphia crowd. Homicide seemed to take the chant personally, unleashing verbal insults regarding famous figures native to Philadelphia. A “F*** him up Colby, f*** him up”, chant followed from the venue’s fans.

Colby tried to get an early advantage and went ballistic on Homicide, unleashing countless punches to the face that pitted Homicide into the corner. Homicide pushed back, frustrated at his early advantage, taken by surprise at the furiosity and speed of Colby. But Colby did not hesitate to continue his frenzy, and immediately sprung off the ropes to deliver a blazing boot to the side of Homicide’s head. Homicide could be seen painfully tending to the side of his head. Homicide struggled to to his feet, but as Colby attempted to irish whip him into the ropes, the momentum was reversed. Colby came off the ropes and walked straight into a forearm by Homicide which sent him straight off his feet.

Homicide stood over Colby in an ominous manner, signalling the expected beat-down that was to come, and making clear that this was the end of Colby’s short-lived offense at the beginning of the match. But Colby surprised fans once again, regaining his thought-process and aggressively shoved Homicide back into the corner hard with both hands.

Clearly he was giving it all his heart, but was perhaps short sighted and vulnerable, given the amount of emotion and anger driving him in this match. He unleashed lightning speed chops across Homicide’s chest, then sprinted at him, only to be backdropped over the top rope by Homicide, followed that sent him to the outside of the ring.

Homicide attempted a suicide dive, but was met by Colby’s shin, pinballing him backwards into the center of the ring. Colby climbed to the top rope and stomped Homicide’s arm with both feet and began to go to work on his arm, wrenching it. If Colby had a clear strategy at this point in the match, it was going after Homicide’s arm.

But Homicide caught Colby in blood curdling exploder suplex into the corner turnbuckles which also dropped him on the back of his neck. His body folded like an an accordion. Homicide began chopping him, but Colby became riled up and in mistakenly trying to boast his toughness, invited Homicide to unleash another chop at his chest. Colby either overestimated himself or underestimated Homicide’s chop, as he stumbled forwarded ringing in agony. His heart and willpower was strong, but not strong enough for the stinging pain that was clearly pulsating across his chest.

Colby tried to fight back, unleashing three punches to Homicide which were inferior in sum to the single punch Homicide responded back with. Homicide propped Colby up on the top turnbuckle and flung him off with a suplex, completely manhandling him. But Colby made sure to kick out at a 1-count, if anything for the sake of trying to send the message that he had much more left in him.

Homicide dished out more suplexes, but Colby instinctively caught Homicide in an arm breaker and drove him chest first into the mat. He tried to score a piledriver on Homicide that would hopefully compensate for his disadvantaged position in the match thus far.  But clearly this is a powerful move that is not an easy move to pull off early in matches, especially when your opponent has only suffered minimally overall. The piledriver attempt obviously came too early on, as Homicide resisted, and turned it into a wind-breaking Alabama slam on Colby.

Homicide picked Colby up, lifted his hair and began making pointing gestures at his ear while talking into the live video camera feed. Clearly, this was a reference to the infamous incident in which Steve Corino was permanently made deaf in one ear when Homicide slapped him across his outer ear, rupturing his ear drum over a decade ago.

Homicide went for a slap, attempting to rupture Colby’s ear drum and repeat history once again, but Colby fought back and unleashed a frenzy of punches on Homicide. In running towards Homicide, again he was backdropped over the top rope, landing feet first on the ring apron where he stood. But this time Colby was one step ahead, anticipating the forearm, and knocked Homicide in the noggin with a high kick. This allowed Colby to proceed with a double knee stomp off the top rope which smashed Homicide’s shoulders into the mat. Though he only got a 2-count, this powerful move was exactly what Colby needed to compensate and potentially work the match closer towards his advantage, as well as turn off Homicide’s steam.

Colby again pressed his luck too much, however, and attempted another variation of a piledriver, which Homicide escaped from with relative ease. Colby sprinted at Homicide with a running boot to the face, but Homicide angrily responded with a lariat that completely flipped Colby backwards onto his chest.

Homicide once again went for a slap to Colby’s ear, but he blocked it, instead slapping Homicide’s ear himself. Homicide fell to the mat in pain, holding his ear. The referee did a check-up on Homicide, who was shaking his legs in sheer agony on the ground. The crowd was chanting Colby’s name and he again went after Homicide’s ear. The referee pushed him away to deescalate the situation and stop a potential injury, but Colby shot back at Homicide blasting him in the face with a running boot that nearly took his head off.

As Homicide stumbled forward, Colby got him on his shoulders and delivered a death valley driver into the turnbuckle. Colby almost scored a victory, then wasted no time to work Homicide’s arm again by locking him into a fujiwara arm bar. Homicide’s hand was shaking as the crowd was chanting “Tap!”

Homicide was able to reach the ropes and break the hold. But Colby spared no time to let Homicide recuperate and sprinted back at Homicide.  But Homicide caught him by surprise and nailed him with his bone shattering finisher, Da Gringo Killa.

It does not matter how much willpower or pride Colby may have had. A man of Colby’s size and experience, having already been in an overall disadvantage throughout most of this match, would have almost no chance of kicking out at this point.

Expectantly, Homicide went for the pinfall for a guaranteed 3-count, but at the last moment he decided to lift Colby’s shoulders up himself, smiling sadistically. Homicide had not had enough. He made it clear at this point that a mere win would not be satisfying enough. Afterall, his name is “the notorious” Homicide, and if he wanted to send anyone to the hospital, few individuals would be more desirable in fitting that agenda than the very son of Steve Corino.

Homicide proceeded to lock Corino into a muscle wrenching stepover toehold facelock (STF). Colby refused to tap, but it’s unclear if that was out of spite of the fact that he was half-conscious at this point, or his pride would not allow it.

But at this point in time, an unfamiliar woman stepped up on the ring apron and threw a white towel into the ring which landed on Colby’s head. The referee called for the bell and ended the match. Homicide broke the hold and got on the microphone.  He revealed that the woman was Steve Corino’s granddaughter.

Homicide called both her and Colby a whore. Homicide threw the referee out of the ring and continued to wrench Colby’s head and legs in the STF, unwilling to let him go or give any mercy. Homicide finally let go and continued to shout out verbal insults about the Corino family, then locked Colby up a third time in the STF, tearing up his muscles. Homicide finally let go and left the ring, leaving an unconscious Colby laying in the middle of the ring. When Colby finally woke up, two referees and the woman helped him up and he crawled to the backstage, likely in humiliation.
Winner: Homicide

Duston Thomas vs Mystery Opponent

Dustin Thomas, the man with no legs, who nearly stole the show at Spring Break 3 in his debut, made his way to the ring using his hands to walk. The large brute and intimidating KTB revealed himself as Thomas’ opponent. KTB was originally scheduled to face Jonathan Gresham, but for reasons unexplained, this appeared to be a last minute change in booking. Gresham was not at Crime Wave.

The match started with Thomas extending a handshake. KTB appeared to accept it, but used it as an opportunity to surprise him with a boot to Thomas’ face.  But Thomas was too quick, and miraculously caught his foot with both hands. He twisted and wrenched KTB’s ankle, dropping him and he crawled away in retreat, dragging Thomas with him.

KTB, feeling humiliated, pulled himself up using the turnbuckles and shoved Thomas back hard. He threw Thomas into the bottom turnbuckle as if he were a bowling ball. Then KTB charged at him, but Thomas was able to react quickly, and tripped him face first into the turnbuckle.  KTB rolled out of the ring.

Thomas managed to hit a cannonball onto KTB on the outside of the ring from the top turnbuckle. Thomas then pulled himself up to the top rope attempting a springboard maneuver, but KTB got up and grabbed him, tossing him all the way across the ring onto his back.

KTB then went to work clobbering down Thomas with hard fists, followed by a gut buster. The fans and announcers felt uncomfortable and disgusted at the way KTB manhandled him.

KTB picked Thomas up.  But Thomas locked his arm around KTB’s head and sent the giant’s head downward into the mat with a DDT. Thomas attempted a 619 as KTB was catching his breath by the ropes, but KTB caught him and body slammed him hard.

The giant hit a springboard moonsault on Thomas, crushing him.  KTB was mentally blown away when he still kicked out. KTB decided he would take matters to the top rope to get the job done, and crush him again with his body weight. But Thomas climbed the top rope and stopped him. KTB clobbered Thomas with his fists. He then lifted Thomas up with ease. But Thomas shifted the momentum of his torso and KTB lost his balance.

The giant brute sailed off the top rope, as Thomas rotated with him, plopping the giant on his head for what amounted to be an earth shattering Canadian destroyer executed to near perfection by the man without any legs.  Thunder echoed across the venue as KTB smashed rolled over to the ropes to catch a break, which Thomas capitalized upon, blasting him in the face with a 619 using his hard stubs.

Knocked down in the middle of the ring and in perfect position, Thomas nailed a springboard 450 splash capitolting himself off the ropes with his arms, and bolted on top of KTB’s ribcage as if he were an iron cannonball.  Shock, awe and excitement erupted from the audience as the referee made the three-count and declared Thomas as the winner.  It also came as a surprise that KTB shook hands with his victor afterwords.
Winner: Dustin Thomas

Conor Claxton vs Nick Gage – GCW Championship

Nick Gage got on the microphone for a brief moment to declare that this was GCW’s house and exclaimed, “F**k Conor Claxton and F**k CZW” during Crime Wave.

The match quickly turned into a brawl with Nick Gage scoring a catastrophic piledriver on Claxton at the very beginning of the match, which would surely consolidate a major offensive advantage early on.

Nick Gage wasted no time to setup a door in the corner and, requiring nothing fancy to get the fans in a state of furious enthusiasm, proceeded to shove Claxton face first through it. This was clearly a subliminal message to CZW, as Nick Gage was manhandling Claxton, a graduate of the organization’s dojo training center and icon of its later years.

Gage went to work on Claxton’s forehead with a pizza cutter, his face quickly resembling a bloody red mask. Gage setup two chairs in the middle of the ring so that the back-supports were touching in the middle rather than the flat seats.

The two reversed each others moves, with Gage ultimately finding himself atop Claxton’s shoulders as he finally got the advantage. But Gage was at least able to reach down and push away the chairs, but still went downward enduring a death valley driver onto the mat. He saved himself partially.

Claxton launched a suicide dive to the outside smashing into Gage. But back in the ring, Gage got back in control with a spinebuster out of nowhere. With another door setup in the corner, Gage hit Claxton with a brain rattling saito suplex which saw him bounce off the wood like a broken rag-doll, the door undamaged.

Claxton, holding his head, brain clearly ringing from that lump, suffered damage to the head again as Gage leaned the door on him and cannonballed full speed into it, sandwiching him between the door and turnbuckle.

Gage leaned the seemingly invincible door against the second turnbuckle, and tossed Claxton onto the door again. Gage then smashed the door in half with a hard stomp, took one of the halves and bashed Claxton across the head with it. Gage then gave Claxton the opportunity for an open challenge, handing him the other half of the door.

Gage allowed Claxton to give him a free shot to the head, which he took maximum advantage of. The thud of wood connecting with Gage’s skull echoed across the venue as the fans reacted in sheer horror at this savageness. Gage took his turn, unleashing the same treatment to Claxton’s skull, which was already rattled early on in the matchup. Both competitors gave one more round of head shots, before deciding it was enough and began resorting to blows and forearms upon each other.

Claxton finally surprised Gage, reversing a forearm into a backslide for a near pinfall. What came next was completely unexpected: As Gage was catching his breath by the ring ropes, Claxton shot towards Gage, but got caught in a backdrop all the way to the outside of the ring. Bones could have shattered as Claxton’s hips appeared to shatter upon the concrete stairwell, which happened to be right outside the ring where he landed.

Gage threw Claxton back into the ring and proceeded with hard hitting boots to the face. Claxton, a complete mess, probably did not think things through very clearly when he decided to give Gage the middle-finger, only to be smacked once again with one of the halves of the door. Gage then choke slammed Claxton in the middle of the ring and took the win by pinfall.

Nick Gage will now secure over 500 days as GCW champion in a few days, since there are no more GCW Championship matches until early May.

Nick Gage got on the microphone and once again reminded the fans that he will take on any opponent, anywhere, and that he is up for any challenge. He then shot out at Joey Janela, declaring that he is ready for him at GCW “The Block is Hot” in Asbury Park on May 3, just one week away.
Winner: Nick Gage

Joey Janela vs Tony Deppen – Main Event

Before the main event match for Crime Wave got under way, Deppen mocked Janela’s in-ring introduction gestures. The bell then rang, and a conventional lock-up started the match off. Deppen locked Janela in a headlock takedown, then quickly things picked up as both men bounced off the ropes multiple times, ducking each others maneuvers, and Deppen scored the dropkick.

Both men got into a shoving contest, but Deppen decided it was a good idea to spit in Janela’s face, which enraged him.  Janela angrily responded with some stiff forearms and chops.

CRIMEWAVE JANEKADEPPEN
Photo / GCW

Janela humiliated Deppen by locking him upside down in the corner turnbuckle by his feet, then in initially appearing to launch himself into Deppen’s face or torso, he made an abrupt and complete stop, and blew snot, out of his nose, all over Deppen.

Deppen lost his temper, went outside the ring and started knocking over chairs. Upon returning to the ring, both men got in some stiff chopping and forearm dueling.  Janala picked him up for a surprise gut-wrench, flipping him onto his chest and stomach.

On the outside of the ring, the two took turns throwing chairs at each other, and the fight moved on top of the stage. Janela attempted to throw Deppen off the stage, but he just jumped all the way across the chairs and back onto the ring apron, where the match continued in the center of the ring.

Deppen began to work on both of Janela’s legs, stomping his ankles and unleashing clobbering blows to Janela on the ground. Deppen was clearly fueled by an ongoing temper tantrum at this point in the match, which is fairly typical of his usual personality.

Deppen attempted a running forearm off the ring apron to the outside, but Janela moved, resulting in collision into one of the venue’s support beams. Janela continued to shove Deppen multiple times into the pole, followed by a stiff chair shot to his back.

Back in the ring, Deppen scored a boot to the face on Janela.  But after missing a dive from the top turnbuckle,  Janela locked him into a Boston crab. “F*** him up Joey, f*** him up”, chants boomed across the venue.  Janela was clearly a fan favorite.

After a series of successful offensives by both competitors, the match eventually shifted back into some light grappling, then a duel of chest slaps, as well as slaps to their faces, occurred.  Both competitors went into a complete frenzy. Deppen got the upper hand with a palm strike that layed Janela out, and the match moved outside the ring and onto the venue’s bar counter, which was situated right beside the ring, but perhaps two to three feet in height above the ring apron.

Both men traded fist strikes on top of the counter and a series move reversals occurred. Janela finally locked a death defying baggage piledriver on Deppen off the counter and free falling all the way down onto the hard ring apron with a loud thudding sound.

It looked nothing short of devastating, and made maximum impact.  One could visualize the discs in Deppen’s neck compressing in on themselves, as if slamming a jack hammer down onto a Big Mac, with all soft matter forced out of the sides.  It was a moment that left everyone in silence and awe.

Deppen lay motionless on the mat, breathing heavy. A quiet aura glossed over the venue’s setting, as the crowd held their breaths as they waited to see if Deppen would move or show any sign of consciousness. To much relief, Deppen kicked out of a pin attempt, and was not paralyzed nor knocked out completely.

Janela then launched himself off the top rope with a moonsault, but nobody was home as Deppen rolled away. Deppen revitalized himself using the few moments he had just bought himself, and he went to the top rope himself.  He scored a double foot stomp crushing Janela’s rib cage as he lay on the mat. Janela barely kicked out.

Deppen went to the top rope again, but struggled to catch his breath, wasting precious time. Janela rushed to Deppen and scored a brain throttling DDT off the top rope, followed by an immediate kick to the face and went for the pinfall.

As if kicking out at this point in the match was not surprising enough, Deppen kicked out at a 1 count and went into a blistering rage, as his face turned red and his fighting impulses were switched fully. He was clearly in an instinctive ‘fight or flight’ mode. Little else was probably operating within his brain functions at this moment.

Janela, able to think matters through more clearly, was able to counter Deppen’s offensive charge, and immediately spun him around into a quick tombstone in one successive motion. Once again Deppen’s head caved into the mat as brain cells popped and dissolved. This time Deppen kicked out at a two-count.

Janela propped Deppen up on the ropes and attempted a superplex, but Deppen escaped between Janela’s legs and powerbombed him. Deppen charged Janela, presumably for a shining wizard, but instead ran right into Janela’s super kick, followed by a lariet.

Giving himself a few moments to catch his breath from the powerbomb a few moments ago, he proceeded to pick Deppen up on his shoulders.  But Deppen was able to slip off, and in the process he grabbed Janela’s head which knocked him down into a sitting position. Deppen quickly capitalized with a kick to his face and nailed a standing senton onto his rib cage.

But Janela was able to endure the brunt of the senton and immediately used Deppen’s positioning as an opportunity to lock him into a dragon sleeper. Deppen was able to roll Janela off him, and caught him with a jumping knee that jack jawed him.  Deppen then picked Janela up for a brain buster executing it effortlessly.

As Janela wobbled to his knees in the middle of the ring, still seeing stars, Deppen smashed his skull in with a running high knee again, almost scoring a pinfall. As both men slowly stood to their feet, Deppen set Janela up for a baggage piledriver of his own. But Janela was able to spin out of it and catch Deppen in another dragon sleeper.

Deppen desperately rolled onto his stomach and got his foot on the ropes, breaking the hold. Janela stubbornly dragged him back to the middle of the ring, attempted to lock him in the dragon hold again.  Deppen rolled out of it and jumped into the air, crashing down onto Janela’s rib cage with a double stomp.

Deppen, again in a fit of rage, roaring at the top of his lungs, prepared to conclude the match, waiting for Janela to climb slowly to his feet. Deppen shoved Janela aggressively into the corner and proceeded to wear down at the last of his stamina with multiple running forearms, then lifted Janela to the top rope to finish him off.  It was now or never.

It looked as if Deppen was attempting a bulldog off the second rope, but Janela managed to get Deppen on his shoulders in a sideways position. As Janela plunged off the ropes, he simultaneously rotated Deppen’s body into a piledriver. It looked surreal, as well as capable of snapping his neck in half.

Janela scored a hard fought pinfall. As both men caught their breath, the crowd chanted, “Both these guys.” Deppen, normally hated vehemently by the audience, may have just won their respect at this moment. Janela spoke on the microphone, and stated that this was one of the most physically brutal matches he had ever endured in his entire career. “What a f****** dickhead you are. But god damn it, you are one of the best professional wrestlers I have ever f****** seen”, he exclaimed.

In giving Deppen much credit, Janela told Deppen to stop being a disrespectful character, because in case Nick Gage or other wrestlers become injured, the company would need a man such as Deppen to carry the torch.

Janela made an offer that seemed too good for Deppen to refuse, stating that if he agreed to shake his hand, he would make a few phone calls and get him a few high profile matchups. This would obviously skyrocket Deppen’s wrestling career to the next level, or beyond.

“Shake my f****** hand right now”, Janela repeated, with a slightly irritated look on his face that resonated what he really thought: Deppen might just be irrational and stupid enough to refuse. Deppen, typical of his character, showed no greater maturity following one of the most spectacular and hard fought matches of his career, and blew water straight into Janela’s face, trotting angrily away to the backstage.

Janela had nothing more to say regarding Deppen, and wasted no more time with him, changing the subject to the next matter on hand: Nick Gage. He concluded Crime Wave by stating that he would be ready to take on Nick Gage in seven days.
Winner: Joey Janela

To read our preview for Game Changer Wrestling’s Crime Wave click here. To watch the replay of Crime Wave visit FITE TV.

Micah Shapiro
Micah Shapiro, a native of Seattle, a father, and a husband, holds a Master of Science degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, and is a war and history junkie with a fascination for the dramatization and narration of human conflicts (obviously, pro wrestling fits that spectrum very well). He avidly watches independent pro wrestling as an escape from the daily anxieties of life in general, and his logistics day job. Though a typical hermit, sometimes he'll actually leave his house to go to DEFY's shows. Besides pro wrestling and global conflicts, he enjoys BBQ'ing (his specialty is Turkish Aleppo-pepper chicken kabobs), playing adventure and RPG video games, board games, painting war game miniatures, and reading science fiction, horror and fantasy novels.

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