By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
GCW “Race Against Time”
June 19, 2026, in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the 20th Century Theater
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
I haven’t seen this room before; it’s an attractive auditorium. The ring is pushed up against the auditorium stage, and we have two rows of fans seated on the stage. The lights were on, and this looks really good. The crowd was perhaps 600; the upper deck of this auditorium looks absolutely packed, so I could be underestimating the size. John Mosely and Nick Maniwa provided commentary.
* The show opened with footage from the deathmatch shows in New Jersey that I skipped. (I plan to skip the deathmatches tonight, too. I’m worn out on those.)
1. Jeffrey John vs. Adam White vs. Bradley Prescott IV vs. Logan Cavazos vs. Jay Lucas vs. Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill. I wrote their names in order of entrance. We’ve seen White at least once; he’s young, maybe 6’3″ with short, black hair. The commentators joked that they thought Bradley had retired and wasn’t taking bookings anymore. Logan is the scrawny blond kid who has wrestled here a lot in 2026. O’Neill was sadly missing on the JCW show last Saturday. O’Neill hit a superkick. Prescott took a swig of beer before he hit a move. He finally set it down. Prescott put John in a Torture Rack and spun him into a powerbomb.
O’Neill hit a crossbody block. He put Prescott along his back and into a Gory Bomb at 1:30. Logan hit a double stomp on Ryan’s chest, then a Saito Suplex. White hit a back-body drop. Maniwa noted it’s his first time seeing Adam White, but he’s impressed. Adam peeled off John’s babooshka, but John had another one on underneath. Jeffrey hit a series of punches on White. This crowd loves Jeffrey! He hit a plancha to the floor at 3:30. O’Neill hit a springboard dive to the floor. Jay Lucas hit a flip dive to the floor. Jay flipped Prescott onto everyone on the floor. Logan hit a springboard moonsault onto everyone on the floor!
Adam White ran the length of the ring and dove over the ring post onto everyone on the floor at 5:00! That earned a nice “GCW!” chant. Back in the ring, White hit a clothesline in the corner on Cavazos. They did a Tower of Doom spot and everyone was down. Bradley jumped into the ring and tried a pin attempt on each guy in that Tower of Doom. He was winded from that and called for a time-out and grabbed his beer.
John hit a rolling Koppo Kick on Prescott. White hit a kick on John. Jay hit a Tombstone Piledriver. Ryan hit a Canadian Destroyer. Logan hit a Crucifix Driver on Ryan. John hit an Athena-style flying stunner to pin Logan! The crowd was behind John tonight and loved seeing him win. That’s exactly what an opener should be; nobody does scrambles like GCW!
Jeffrey John defeated Adam White, Bradley Prescott IV, Logan Cavazos, Jay Lucas, and Flyin’ Ryan O’Neill at 7:57.
2. Juni Underwood vs. Gary Jay. I’ve noted that Gary is the red-headed version of Brodie Lee. “As tough as they come,” Mosely said. They tied up, and Juni hit a LOUD overhand chop. Gary got up, and the crowd chanted, “You f—ed up!” at Juni. Gary hit his own loud chop. Jay hit four consecutive dives through the ropes onto Juni! Juni hit a plancha at 3:00. They got back into the ring, and Juni hit a Mafia Kick for a one-count. He hit a basement dropkick into the corner for a nearfall. They traded more chops.
Gary clocked him with a forearm that dropped Juni. He got back up, and they traded more blows and chops. They fought to the floor and traded more blows. Gary dove through the ropes onto him at 7:00. Juni powerbombed him against the ring post, rolled Gary into the ring, and got a nearfall. Gary hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Juni hit a double-underhook swinging slam for a nearfall at 9:00 and an enzuigiri. Gary hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner, then a discus forearm strike for the pin. Good action. This show is off to a hot start.
Gary Jay defeated Juni Underwood at 9:49.
3. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Priscilla Kelly. Kelly replaced Vipress, who couldn’t make it. Jimmy has a big weight advantage here. He immediately hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall just 20 seconds in! He stomped on her, gave the crowd the middle finger, and was booed. He hit a massive senton for a nearfall at 1:00. She hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. She hit some forearm strikes, but Jimmy hit a superkick! More boos. Priscilla hit an STO uranage and a basement dropkick.
Priscilla hit a top-rope twisting Blockbuster move for a nearfall; I don’t think I’ve seen her do that before! She nailed a half-nelson suplex, dumping Lloyd on his head, for a nearfall at 3:30. The crowd chanted, “F– him up!” Priscilla went to the floor, and she pushed a dozen chairs into the ring. She clocked him over the top of his head, and I just hate that; he made no effort to partially block it. She jabbed him with the chair and hit another unprotected blow to the skull.
Jimmy hit a package piledriver onto four open chairs for a believable nearfall at 5:30. (The spot looks great, but Jimmy does such a great job of protecting her.) She hit a chokeslam across an open chair for a nearfall. She hit a Canadian Destroyer. She threw a chair at him — he caught it — and she hit a diving forearm onto the chair and pinned him. Take away the blows to the head, and that’s a pretty perfect little intergender match.
Priscilla Kelly defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 6:46.
* In a video package, Aaron Williams spoke about his title shot tonight against Atticus Cogar. Aaron is a regular in St. Louis Anarchy, and that’s about the only place I’ve seen him. He noted this show is in his hometown, and he’s running out of time for opportunities like this. A really well-done promo, and the overall segment is a big thumbs up.
4. Billie Starkz and “Bustah & The Brain” Jordan Oliver and Alec Price vs. Terry Yaki, Davey Bang, and August Matthews. This will steal the show. Ref Scarlett Donovan will handle this chaos. Billie and Yaki opened. She ran Terry’s head into the boots of her teammates. The tag champs hit stereo leg drops on Yaki. Terry hit a dropkick on Jordan at 1:30. Bang hit his axe kick to the back of Oliver’s head. All six got in the ring. Yaki’s team hit triple clotheslines and were booed.
Billie tagged back in and battled Yaki again. She hit a knee lift to his chin and a DDT out of the corner at 4:00. The tag champs jumped in and cleared the ring. They tried to hit their team Styles Clash on Yaki, but he fought it off until Bang and Matthews made the save. Bang hit a moonsault to the floor, and Matthews dove to the floor. In the ring, Yaki hit a Falcon Arrow on Jordan for a nearfall at 6:00. Terry kept Oliver grounded. Oliver hit a dropkick. He unloaded some chops on Yaki and hit his twisting sideslam.
Alec got the hot tag at 8:30, and he brawled with Yaki. He hit a TKO stunner for a nearfall. Billie missed a Swanton. Yaki hit his Canadian Piledriver out of the corner. Bang and Matthews hit their team double stomps to the back, with Davey getting a nearfall. Davey hit a Spears Tower on Price for a nearfall at 11:00, but Jordan made the save. Oliver tagged back in and hit some back elbows and a faceplant on Davey. Davey hit a jumping knee to Oliver’s jaw. Matthews hit a Pump Kick on Billie. Yaki hit a Pele Kick on Price.
We had a lot of quick pin attempts. Yaki hit an enzuigiri on Billie. She hit a face-breaker over her knee and a clothesline on Yaki at 13:30. She went to the ropes, but Davey cut her off. Billie hit double low-blows on Bang and Yaki! She flipped all three opponents from the corner! She hit a neckbreaker over her knee for a nearfall. Bang hit a dropkick on Price in the corner at 15:00. Oliver hit a second-rope faceplant. Price hit a frog splash! Billie hit a Swanton Bomb. Price hit a dive to the floor. Billie hit a Tombstone Piledriver on Yaki. The champs hit the Team Styles Clash on Terry, and Billie covered Yaki for the pin. A really fun match.
Billie Starkz and “Bustah & The Brain” Jordan Oliver and Alec Price defeated Terry Yaki, Davey Bang, and August Matthews at 16:14.
* Price got on the mic and said that “the first half of this show is proof that GCW is the best pro wrestling company in the world.”
5. Dr. Redacted vs. Mad Dog Connelly. Connelly had his dog collar with him, as always. Dr. Redacted brought a garbage can to the ring. (I guess we’ll find out now what this venue allows in terms of violence and blood loss!) He hit Connelly with the trash can lid, then he slammed Connelly’s head onto it on the floor at 1:30. They brawled at ringside, and went away from the ring, with the fans scampering to get out of their path.
Dr. Redacted hit a back-body drop that sent Connelly flying over a guardrail and back to ringside at 4:00. Dr. Redacted got a walking staff from a fan, and he choked Connelly with it. (We got some really good views of the crowd and the second deck here; I just adjusted my crowd estimate size upwards at the top of the review!) In the ring, Connelly hit a gutwrench suplex onto a door in the corner for a nearfall at 7:00.
Connelly powerbombed Redacted across two open chairs for a nearfall. Redacted sprayed mist in Connelly’s eyes, yanked him off the second turnbuckle to the mat, and hit a clothesline to the back of the head for the pin. I nearly skipped this one, and I’m glad I didn’t because that was a good brawl without any disgusting weapons or blood loss.
Dr. Redacted defeated Mad Dog Connelly at 9:06.
6. Joey Janela vs. Hook. I’m watching this on Saturday morning, and I have avoided spoilers, but I have already read some positive comments about this match. Hook came out with a stone-cold look on his face, not trying to be a babyface or a heel. They traded twisting each other’s left arm while the commentators discussed Janela’s upcoming 20-year anniversary as a pro wrestler. Joey mounted Hook and landed some punches. Hook hit a double-underhook suplex at 1:30. He hit some punches to the ribs. Joey rolled to the floor to stall and regroup.
Joey shoved Hook into the ring post. They got back into the ring, where Joey rammed Hook’s head into the turnbuckles and hit some chops. Hook got livid and fired up, and he hit some chops as well. Janela hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 5:00. Joey dove through the ropes onto Hook, but Hook suplexed Joey into some hard chairs! (These aren’t metal folding chairs!) In the ring, Hook hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 7:00. Janela hit a Frankensteiner and got booed some more.
Joey hit a Death Valley Driver, dropping Hook on his head! He hit a brainbuster at 9:00, but Hook kicked out at one! The crowd loudly chanted for Hook! Joey hit a top-rope superplex, but Hook held on and hit a suplex, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They traded suplexes. Janela made a “Taz pose.” They traded more suplexes. Joey hit a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron, and they both collapsed to the floor at 13:00. In the ring, Janela tried to put Hook through a door in the corner, but Hook hit a head-capture suplex through the door! We got a well-deserved “This is awesome!” chant. Hook applied the Redrum sleeper on the mat, and Joey tapped out! Bravo.
Hook defeated Joey Janela at 14:50.
* Hook took the mic and said it felt good to be in Cincinnati, “And it feels even better to be in GCW.” He said, “We all know Joey Janela is an asshole, but he’s a workhorse, and I respect the hell out of him.” He vowed he would beat Atticus Cogar next week to become champion. Cogar came out and called Hook a “TV wrestler,” and he said that in Los Angeles next week, “Your billion-dollar boss can’t save your ass.” They shoved each other, and Hook left. Aaron Williams came out for the next match!
7. Atticus Cogar vs. Aaron Williams for the GCW World Title. Well, it’s really hard to buy that Aaron is winning here after that hot promo between Cogar and Hook! They immediately brawled at the bell. Williams hit a dropkick that sent Cogar to the floor. Cogar dove through the ropes at 2:00. On the floor, Williams crotched Cogar on a railing, then hit a leaping kick to the side of the head. The commentators wondered if Williams lost a tooth upon landing. They got into the ring, and Cogar did a Sabre-style necksnap at 5:00.
Cogar jabbed Williams with a chair. Aaron was bleeding from his mouth, and Atticus wiped it on his own shirt. (They showed the replay here of Aaron’s face striking a chair as he landed on the floor, and that caused the injury to his mouth.) Atticus pulled out cooking skewers. Aaron hit a huracanrana; he still had blood dripping from his lips. Aaron set up for an Electric Chair, but Atticus planted the cooking skewers into the top of Aaron’s head at 8:30! However, Aaron hit a Burning Hammer, and they were both down. The commentators pointed out that Aaron still had skewers in his head.
Aaron hit a stunner and a rolling Finlay Roll, then a moonsault for a nearfall. Atticus hit the Brain Hemorrhage (snapmare driver) for a believable nearfall at 11:30, and he was perplexed that he didn’t win there. He shoved a door into the ring. However, Aaron hit a superkick, and they were both down. Aaron hit a second-rope bodyslam onto a door, then a frog splash for a nearfall. Aaron hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 14:30, earning a “Holy Shit!” chant, then “This is awesome!” Aaron planted more skewers in the head, hit a running kick onto a chair, then a second Brain Hemorrhage for the pin. Good action. Hopefully, Aaron didn’t lose a tooth.
Atticus Cogar defeated Aaron Williams to retain the GCW World Title at 16:05.
* Anakin Murphy spoke about his title match. He’s the skinny emo kid with no muscle mass whatsoever on his spaghetti-limp arms.
8. Otis Cogar vs. Anakin Murphy for the GCW Ultraviolent Title. I’m just not a fan of this type of match, so I’m going to zip through this one. The crowd chanted “Cleveland sucks!” before the bell. I fast-forwarded and saw Christian Napier jump in the ring at 12:00 and slam Murphy through a board in the corner, as the commentators noted they didn’t expect Napier back this quickly from an injury. He put a plastic bag over Murphy’s head and choked him out. Cogar’s head was pretty bloody. He hit a big powerbomb on Murphy for the pin. I saw just enough of that. Gary Jay ran in to make the save.
Otis Cogar defeated Anakin Murphy to retain the GCW Ultraviolent Title at 13:23.
Final Thoughts: The six-person tag should have been the match of the night, and it was pretty good. But Hook-Janela wound up stealing the show. I have criticized Hook (and usually in the same breath, Brock Anderson) for years, saying those two guys needed to be on indy shows every weekend to improve their skills. Undoubtedly, Hook has stalled on the AEW roster. He needs to be doing shows like this and having matches like this. Much credit to Janela here — the timing of their moves was spot-on, and they didn’t overstay their welcome (Janela sometimes goes 25 minutes when it isn’t warranted). This was the right length.
The six-person tag was fun. It didn’t reach the level of the wild six-person tag from a year ago that earned GCW’s “Match of the year,” but it was really good and earns second place. While I still can do without all the cooking skewers, that Atticus-Williams match was really good and earned third. That was far better than Atticus Cogar’s underwhelming, forgettable match in Las Vegas against Hayabusa. Williams brought the fight. He clearly got a bit injured when his face hit that hard chair early in the match, but he persevered and kept going. Bravo to both men, and that’s not even a style I like. Juni-Gary Jay earned an honorable mention.
I love this venue. It seems like an ideal place for an indy show. The lighting was good. This crowd was hot and showed they deserve a return visit soon. I have very few complaints about this one.