Great Canadian Wrestling

Great Canadian Wrestling (GCW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion company based in Oshawa, Ontario.[1] GCW was founded in 2005 and promotes shows throughout Southern Ontario.[1][2] The company also hosts since 2005 an annual Great Canadian Wrestling Expo that takes place over several days and brings together a large group of wrestlers. Currently, four championships are defended at GCW events.

GCW events feature a roster of wrestlers who compete regularly for the promotion as well as occasional appearances by wrestlers currently signed with major promotions. In addition, a group of "legends", or veteran wrestlers from other promotions, also competes on occasion for GCW.

On February 18, 2009, GCW began an online broadcast titled GCWtv.[3]

Contents

Wrestling Expo

Beginning in 2005, the promotion's first year, GCW has assembled a group of wrestlers from various promotions to compete in a multi-day event known as the Great Canadian Wrestling Expo.[4] The first Expo attracted 600 visitors and included merchandise sales from a wide variety of vendors, an auction, and opportunities to meet with the wrestlers for autographs and photographs. Ed the Sock was named commissioner for the event and proceeds from the weekend were donated to the Sick Kids Foundation.[5] In 2006, the event was combined with the 10th Annual Anime North Convention.[6] The event featured primarily traditional wrestling matches but also included gimmick matches such as one between wrestlers competing as the Green Power Ranger and the Red Power Ranger for leadership of the Power Rangers, as well as an encounter between Team Sailor Moon and Team Rocket.[6] This cross-promotional event attracted 11,286 paid attendees.[7] Since 2006, GCW has continued to promote a series of shows along with Anime North.[8][9]

Wrestlers

Although GCW promotes matches with many wrestlers who have not appeared in major promotions, the organization also has an agreement with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) that facilitates events titled TNmAyhem, in which wrestlers from TNA compete. The first of these cards took place on May 24, 2007 and features appearances by such wrestlers as Raven, Christopher Daniels, and A.J. Styles.[10] GCW events also feature wrestlers who have gained fame in major American promotions, such as Billy Gunn,[11] The Honky Tonk Man,[12] and Koko B. Ware.[13]

Roster

GCW has a regular group of wrestlers that competes for the promotion; this includes both male and female wrestlers. In addition, many wrestlers make sporadic appearances for the company. On the company roster, GCW divides these occasional performers into two groups: legends (longtime wrestlers, many of whom are semi-retired) and superstars (wrestlers who currently compete, or have recently competed, for major promotions).

Regular roster

GCW's regular roster consists of wrestlers who compete for the promotion on a regular basis:[14]

  • Akira Raijin
  • Andrew Davis
  • Asylum
  • Black Serpent
  • Brad Freakin Martin
  • Bruno Davis
  • Bryan Youngblood
  • Cody 45
  • Cody Deaner
  • Crazzy Steve
  • Darryl Extreme
  • Hayden Avery
  • Hornet
  • Jake O'Reilly
  • James Champagne
  • Jeremy Prophet
  • Josh Alexander
  • King Sphinx
  • Matt Burns
  • Michael Elgin
  • Oroku Ghemma
  • Otis Idol
  • Phil Atlas
  • Razz Monsour
  • Rico Montana
  • Sebastian Suave
  • Sombra
  • Steve Brown
  • Tiger Star
  • Tyler Tirva
  • Xtremo

Tag teams

Several of GCW's wrestlers regularly competed together as tag teams:[15]

W.I.L.D. Division

The W.I.L.D. Division consists of GCW's female wrestlers:[16]

Superstars

Many wrestlers from other promotions compete for GCW on an ongoing basis:[17]

Legends

Several wrestlers and managers who have gained fame comepeting for major promotions in the 1980s and 1990s remain active and appear at occasional GCW shows:[18]

Championships

GCW National Championship

The GCW National Championship is a professional wrestling championship that serves as the major championship for Great Canadian Wrestling.

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Michael Elgin 1 02006-04-13 April 13, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Won a Ladder Match at Reach for the Gold[19]
TJ Wilson 1 02006-05-25 May 25, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Michael Elgin and Shark Boy in a Triple Threat at Battleground Zero[19]
Michael Elgin 2 02006-05-27 May 27, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated TJ Wilson in a Tag Match at Anime North

Johnny Devine defeated Jake O'Reilly in a Lumberjack match at Breaking Point but it was ruled a DQ by CEO Jamie Virtue.[19]

Johnny Devine 1 02006-09-15 September 15, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Michael Elgin in a Cage Match at Last Chance[19]
Jake O'Reilly 1 02007-07-13 July 13, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Havok in a Dog Collar Match at Beyond the Limit

Jake O'Reilly is seriously injured in September 2007 but refuses to vacate. In February 2008 Jake O'Reilly returned to competition, still holding the title.[19]

Otis Idol 1 02008-10-09 October 9, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Jake O'Reilly in a No-Holds-Barred Bunkhouse Brawl at Hair vs. Hair![19]
Jake O'Reilly 2 02009-04-19 April 19, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario As the masked Sterling Silver, defeated Otis Idol at Veni! Vidi! Vici![19]

GCW Interim Heavyweight Championship

In 2007, GCW National Champion Jake O'Reilly was injured but unwilling to vacate his title. As a result, an eight-man tournament was held to determine the first holder of the newly-created GCW Interim Heavyweight Championship. O'Reilly, still holding his National Championship, returned in February 2008, and the two titles were unified when Otis Idol defeated O'Reilly in October 2008.[20]

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Phil Atlas 1 02007-12-28 December 28, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Cody Deaner in the finals of an 8-Man Tournament at Season's Beatings[20]
Otis Idol 1 02008-02-21 February 21, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Phil Atlas in a Last Man Standing match at Cabin Fever; title unified with the National Championship in October 2008[20]

GCW Ontario Independent Championship

The GCW Ontario Independent Championship is a secondary title in the Great Canadian Wrestling promotion. It was created in May 2006, and a four-man tournament was held to determine the initial champion.[21]

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Jimmy Jacobs 1 02006-05-25 May 25, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Ash in the finals of a 4-man Tournament at Battleground Zero[21]
Kris Chambers 1 02006-06-08 June 8, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Jimmy Jacobs at Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal[21]
Jake O'Reilly 1 02006-08-30 August 30, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Kris Chambers at Final War'[21]
Hayden Avery 1 02006-11-18 November 18, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Michael Elgin (substitute for Jake O'Reilly) at Stampede Showdown[21]
Cody Deaner 1 02006-11-18 November 18, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Hayden Avery at Stampede Showdown[21]
Hayden the Destroyer
(Hayden Avery)
2 02007-03-23 March 23, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Cody Deaner at Ugandan Invasion[21]
Cody 45 1 02007-06-22 June 22, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Hayden the Destroyer at Random Acts of Violence[21]
Xtremo 1 02007-10-19 October 19, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Cody 45 in a 'Loser Leaves GCW' match at Fright Nite[21]
Phil Atlas 1 02008-03-20 March 20, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Won a 5-way match at TNmAyhem[21]
Brad 'Freakin' Martin 1 02008-04-10 April 10, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Phil Atlas and Xtremo in a 3-Way match at Game Over[21]
Tiger Star 1 02009-01-07 January 7, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Brad 'Freakin' Martin and Hayden Avery in a 3-Way match at New Year's Evil[21]
RJ City 1 02009-04-19 April 19, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Tiger Star at Veni! Vidi! Vici![21]
Rico Montana 1 02009-05-17 May 17, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario cashed in his title shot he earned in 2008's GCW Holiday Rumble and defeated RJ City[21]

GCW Tag Team Championship

The GCW Tag Team Championship is a championship that serves as the major tag team championship in the Great Canadian Wrestling promotion.

Wrestlers: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
The Beverly Hills Gangstas
(Cody 45 & Tarantula Gomez)
1 02006-08-30 August 30, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated The Lunatics (Crazzy Steve & Gutter) in the finals of an eight-team tournament at Final War.[22]
The Lunatics
(Crazzy Steve & Gutter)
1 02006-09-15 September 15, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Crazzy Steve defeated Cody 45 in a one-on-one title match at Last Chance[22]
Jake O'Reilly & Michael Elgin 1 02006-12-28 December 28, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Lunatics (Crazzy Steve and Gutter) at Season's Beatings; on January 12, 2007 Jake O'Reilly attacked Michael Eligin, thus vacating the title.[22]
Michael Elgin (2) & Havok 1 02007-03-23 March 23, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Jake O'Reilly & Joe Doering, but Havok dropped the title at Ugandan Invasion[22]
Michael Elgin (3) & Derek Wylde 1 02007-04-13 April 13, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Derek Wylde accepted Michael Elgin's invitation to become co-holder of the Tag Team Championships at Veni! Vidi! Vici! Jake O'Reilly & Crazzy Steve defeated Michael Elgin & Derek Wylde at Anarchy in Angus but the decision was reversed[22]
Hayden Avery & Cody Deaner 1 02007-07-13 July 13, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Derek Wylde & Andrew Davis (substituting in for the injured Michael Elgin) at Beyond the Limit[22]
The Flatliners
(Asylum & Matt Burns)
1 02007-11-25 November 25, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Hayden Avery & Cody Deaner at Genesis 11:25:07[22]
Hayden Avery (2) & Cody Deaner (2) 2 02008-04-10 April 10, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated The Flatliners in a Tag Team Cage Match at Game Over[22]
The House of Virtue
(Andrew Davis & Sebastian Suave)
1 02008-06-13 June 13, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Hayden Avery & Cody Deaner at Random Acts of Violence[22]
The ProStars
(Josh Alexander & Tyler Tirva)
1 02009-04-19 April 19, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated The House of Virtue at Veni! Vidi! Vici![22]
Cody 45 (2) & Ashley Six 1 02009-09-18 September 18, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario defeated The ProStars, Josh Alexander and Tyler Tirva at Final War 09[22]

GCW W.I.L.D. Championship

The GCW W.I.L.D. Championship is a professional wrestling championship that serves as the major women's championship in the Great Canadian Wrestling promotion.

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Sirelda 1 02006-11-18 November 18, 2006 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Nattie Neidhart in the finals of an 8-woman tournament at W.I.L.D. Tournament 2006[23]
Miss Danyah 1 02007-03-23 March 23, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Sirelda at Ugandan Invasion[23]
April Hunter 1 02007-04-13 April 13, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Miss Danyah at Veni! Vidi! Vici![23]
Cherry Bomb 1 02007-04-14 April 14, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated April Hunter, Hailey Rogers and Miss Danyah at Anarchy in Angus[23]
Miss Danyah 2 02007-06-22 June 22, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Cherry Bomb at Random Acts of Violence[23]
Portia Perez 1 02007-10-20 October 20, 2007 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated LuFisto in the finals of an 8-Woman tournamen at W.I.L.D. Tournament 2007[23]
Miss Danyah 3 02008-01-31 January 31, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Portia Perez at Final Night; on November 25, 2008 Miss Danyah forfeited the title to challenge 'Sunny' Tammy Sytch[23]
Deanna Conda 1 02008-11-30 November 30, 2008 Oshawa, Ontario Defeated Jamie D in the finals of an 8-Woman tournament at W.I.L.D. '08 - Supershow[23]
PJ Tyler 1 02009-11-28 November 28, 2009 Oshawa, Ontario defeated Deanna Conda in the finals of an 8-Woman tournament at W.I.L.D. '09 - SHOWDOWN[23]

References

  1. ^ a b "Company Overview". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/about.php. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  2. ^ "Press Room". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/about.php?id=press. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  3. ^ Martin, Adam (2009-02-10). "Indy News #1: February 10". WrestleView. http://www.wrestleview.com/news2009/1234251022.php. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  4. ^ Devine, Johnny (2005-11-11). "A great Canadian wrestling weekend!". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/11/11/1314428.html. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  5. ^ McNamara, Andy (2005-11-05). "Oshawa Expo off and running". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/11/05/1293936.html. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  6. ^ a b McNamara, Andy (2006-05-29). "Elmo, Power Rangers, Sailor Moon: An animated show". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/05/29/1603597.html. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  7. ^ "Anime North 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. http://www.animecons.com/events/info.shtml/889. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  8. ^ "Extreme Anime 2007: May 25, 2007". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/events.php?eventno=070525. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  9. ^ "Anime North: Day 1". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/events.php?eventno=080523. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  10. ^ "TNmAyhem: May 24, 2007". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/events.php?eventno=archive&page=2. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  11. ^ Martin, Adam (2008-03-17). "Pure Wrestling Association/All Canadian Wrestling reports + 3/20 GCW". WrestleView. http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1205734099.shtml. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
  12. ^ "Honky Tonk Man to shake, rattle and roll into Lindsay". The Lindsay Post. http://www.thepost.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1431849&auth=. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  13. ^ Donaldson, Wally. "Koko B Ware puts on a show". The Oshawa Express. http://www.oshawaexpress.ca/story1245.html. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  14. ^ "Singles Division". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?divisionno=sing. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  15. ^ "Tag Team Division". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?divisionno=tagt. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  16. ^ "W.I.L.D. Division". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?divisionno=wild. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  17. ^ "Superstars". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?divisionno=supr. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  18. ^ "Legends". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?divisionno=legd. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  19. ^ a b c d e f g "GCW National Championship". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?titleno=ntnl. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  20. ^ a b c "GCW Interim Heavyweight Championship". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?titleno=intr. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "GCW Ontario Independent Championship". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?titleno=indy. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "GCW Tag Team Championship". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?titleno=tagt. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i "GCW W.I.L.D. Championship". Great Canadian Wrestling. http://www.canadianwrestlingexpo.com/roster.php?titleno=wild. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 

External links