Game Changer Wrestling & Violence x Suffering
Jimmy Lloyd’s All Grown Up
February 17, 2023
FSW Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada

Watch: FITE+

The Results

  • East West Express (Jordan Oliver & Nick Wayne) def. Strange by Komand (Arez & Komander) (13:33)
  • Cole Radrick def. Dante Leon (12:14)
  • Intoxication Match: Rob Shit def. Kit Osbourne (10:23)
  • Coffin Match: Ciclope def. Matthew Justice (18:15)
  • Jai Vidal def. Darin Corbin (2:22)
  • Mike Bailey def. Miedo Extremo (17:42)
  • Dark Sheik def. Santana Jackson (10:57)
  • No Ropes Barbed Wire Death Match: Jimmy Lloyd def. Effy (10:25)

I really like the East West Express pairing of Jordan Oliver and Nick Wayne. They have shown a lot of improvement since their first time teaming together. The matching gear, the mannerisms, and the constantly growing collection of double team moves is a good sign that they could become one of the top teams on the indie wrestling circuit if they keep getting reps against good established tag teams. Everybody says they both have lots of potential as singles wrestlers – which they do – but I think there’s something here as a tag team. Komander and Arez were a good choice as opponents and I wouldn’t mind seeing them tag more often.

Dante Leon has improved significantly since joining the Pro Wrestling NOAH roster and having a run as the GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion. He has a very impressive GIF-worthy set of spots in his moveset and is getting better at doing the little things between them. Cole Radrick could benefit from a Japan tour much like Dante has. Radrick’s fundamentals are solid and his selling/counters are impressive. I would like to see what he could do in a place like GLEAT.

Jai Vidal vs. Darin Corbin was a squash. Didn’t overstay its welcome. Corbin is good at being the shitbag heel.

The Intoxication match and Dark Sheik/Santana Jackson matches were over with the crowd. Kit Osbourne did a side russian leg sweep while shotgunning a beer. Found my new party trick.

The commentary on the show was mostly fine. Game Changer shows have become much easier to watch since they changed up the booth. Joe Lanza described the previous issues perfectly in the 2022 Flagship Awards.

It was a tale of two completely different match types for Los Macizos in Las Vegas. Ciclope vs. Justice was your standard plunder match that I feel was hurt a bit by the pacing of a coffin match. Not much to say about it otherwise. Miedo Extremo vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, on the other hand, ROCKED. A true clash of styles that accentuated the strengths of each wrestler. The strike exchange at the start of the match set the tone for the rest of the match. Miedo’s constant targeting of Speedball’s knee was a fun dynamic, especially when he’d reverse Bailey’s signature moves to go back to torturing the knee – including the knee to knee reversal of the standing kneesault. Extremo’s suplex and drivers looked gnarly and led to some good near falls. Bailey overcame the power disadvantage and hit the Flamingo Driver to get the win. Definitely the match of the night and something you should go out of your way to see. I hope we get a rematch down the line, especially if Bailey beats Nick Gage for the GCW World title at Middle of the Night.

I am going to invite Sabu to my 25th birthday. Thanks for the idea, Jimmy!

During the super long 30+ minute intermission, they aired a pretty cool video package about Jimmy Lloyd’s birthday shenanigans in Vegas. These are always well done and fit the vibes of the promotions.

The main event was bookended by the two best spots of the match. At the start, Effy went back first into the barbed wire, slid down, and ended up taking a back bump outside of the ring. It looked cool. The match continued slowly until Jimmy Lloyd hit a Death Valley Driver from the ring onto a row of chairs up the entrance ramp. He threw Effy back in the ring, hit a jumping tombstone on a chair, and then locked in a crossface with barbed wire stuck in Effy’s mouth. It looked cool. Not much of a match but I don’t think that was the point of the match.

Final Thoughts

This was a fine show with one really good standout match. Very much a vibes show rather than one trying to put out Match of the Year Contender after Match of the Year Contender.

Match Recommendations

  • Mike Bailey vs. Miedo Extremo (****)
  • East West Express vs. Strange by Komand