Game Changer Wrestling
Template:Infobox professional wrestling promotion
Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), formerly known as Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW), is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Jersey. The promotion was originally founded by Ricky Otazu in 1999, it was rebranded under its current name in 2015, after a sale to Danny Demanto and current owner Brett Lauderdale. The promotion specializes in hardcore and "death matches", as well as mixed martial arts-inspired shoot style matches.
GCW has since grown from running shows based in New Jersey, to holding events across the United States, as well as internationally in Japan and Mexico. Annual events include "Backyard Wrestling", Bloodsport, Joey Janela's Spring Break, the Nick Gage Invitational, and the Tournament of Survival.
Contents
History
As Jersey Championship Wrestling
Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW) was founded by independent wrestler Ricky Otazu, also known by his ring name of Ricky O,[1] in January 1999 in New Jersey.[2][3] JCW ran their first show on January 29, 2000, in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.[4] Later that year, JCW hosted the inaugural Jersey J-Cup, which featured many of the top independent wrestlers of that period.[5] They would continue to host the tournament until 2004, when JCW was sold to rival company National Wrestling Superstars (NWS).[6]
The promotion would remain dormant for nearly a decade until September 2013 when, after the closure of National Wrestling Superstars,[7] Otazu reclaimed the rights to JCW and reopened the promotion.[6] In April 2014, JCW opened its own training school in North Bergen.[8] Later that year, JCW would return to hosting the Jersey J-Cup.[9]
2015–present: Rebranding as Game Changer Wrestling
In June 2015, Jersey Championship Wrestling rebranded itself to Game Changer Wrestling (GCW)[3] after being purchased by Brett Lauderdale and Danny Demanto.[10] Since the buyout, GCW began to predominantly feature hardcore wrestling and continued to enjoy success in the New Jersey Wrestling scene. GCW became known for producing several tournaments featuring independent wrestlers; including the Nick Gage Invitational Ultraviolent Tournament,[11] the Tournament of Survival[12] and the Acid Cup.[13]
In March 2017, GCW produced Joey Janela's Spring Break show in Fern Park, Florida.[14] This would become an annual tradition for the company.[15] GCW would begin to expand throughout the United States and hosted its first show in Los Angeles in November 2018, titled To Live and Die in LA.[16] In April 2018, GCW partnered with Matt Riddle to produce Matt Riddle's Bloodsport, a show that fused professional wrestling and mixed-martial arts rules.[17] Bloodsport would take place twice more in 2019, this time with the partnership of Josh Barnett.[18][19][20][21] In August 2019, GCW embarked on a two-day tour of Japan.[22]
In December 2020, GCW attempted to end their partnership with streaming platform Independent Wrestling TV (IWTV), later moving their content to FITE TV. In 2021, IWTV sued GCW for breach of contract.[23][24]
On January 23, 2022, GCW held the sold out The Wrld on GCW event, their debut at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The event marked the first GCW event to air on traditional pay-per-view outlets.[25][26]
On February 7, 2022, GCW had signed Nick Gage to a contract which is the first & only contract that GCW will offer. The contract was only offered to Gage because he has been a huge part for the rise of GCW. "This is a major milestone moment for both Nick and GCW. I have always been against the idea of contracts in GCW but there are exceptions to every rule. From day 1, Nick has put his body, and literally his life on the line for the fans inside the squared circle. He deserves, and has earned the right to be rewarded for 20+ years of hard work and sacrifice. This historic contract will do just that, allowing him to continue his in-ring career at a pace that is beneficial to his health, while beginning to focus on opportunities that take him towards the next phase of his career. GCW would not have achieved the level of success it has without Nick F'N Gage, and we are proud to be able to say that GCW will remain Nick's home for the rest of his career," Lauderdale said.[27]
Roster
Game Changer Wrestling's roster consists mainly of independent freelancers.
Wrestlers
| Ring name | Real name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Called Manders | Steve Manders | |
| 2 Cold Scorpio | Charles Bernard Scaggs | |
| AJ Gray | Addison James Gray | |
| Alex Colon | Alexander Colon | |
| Alex Zayne | Alex Brandenburg | |
| Allie Katch | Allison Woodard | |
| Arez | Jonathan Gonzalez | |
| ASF | Antonio Garcia | |
| Axton Ray | Unknown | |
| Bandido | Unknown | |
| Blake Christian | Christian Hubble | |
| Bobby Beverly | Unknown | |
| Calvin Tankman | Christopher Heyward III | |
| Ciclope | Unknown | Tag Team Champion |
| Charlie Tiger | Unknown | |
| Chris Dickinson | Christopher Torre | |
| Cole Radrick | Joey Hodge | |
| Dante Leon | Unknown | |
| Demonic Flamita | Unknown | |
| Eddy Only | Unknown | |
| Effy | Taylor Gibson | |
| Ellis Taylor | Unknown | |
| Eric Ryan | Unknown | |
| G-Raver | Brandon Graver | |
| Gregory Iron | Gregory Allen Smith | |
| Grim Reefer | Michael Corcoran | |
| Gringo Loco | Charles Santos | |
| Homicide | Nelson Erazo | |
| Jack Cartwheel | Jack Cartwright | |
| Jimmy Lloyd | James Lloyd | |
| Joey Janela | Joseph Janela | Extreme Champion |
| John Wayne Murdoch | Unknown | |
| Jordan Oliver | Jordan Oliver, Jr. | |
| Josh Barnett | Joshua Lawrence Barnett | |
| Miedo Extremo | Unknown | Tag Team Champion |
| Mance Warner | Unknown | |
| Mark Briscoe | Mark Pugh | |
| Matt Tremont | Matthew Tremont | |
| Marko Stunt | Noah Nelms | |
| Matthew Justice | Matthew Hannan | |
| Nate Webb | Unknown | |
| Nick Gage[28] | Nicholas W. Wilson | World Champion |
| Nick Wayne | Unknown | |
| Ninja Mack | Brenden McAleavey | |
| PCO | Carl Ouellet | |
| Rickey Shane Page | Unknown | |
| Rina Yamashita | Unknown | UltraViolent Champion |
| Shane Mercer | Shane Goode | |
| Starboy Charlie | Charlie Hilder | |
| Tony Deppen | Anthony Deppen | |
| Yoya | Unknown |
Championships and accomplishments
Current championship
As of July 12, 2024
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Days held |
Location | Notes | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCW World Championship | 100px | Nick Gage | 3 | October 8, 2022 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Defeated Jon Moxley in a title vs. career match at GCW Fight Club: Night 1. | [29] |
| GCW Tag Team Championship |  |
Los Mazisos (Ciclope and Miedo Extremo) |
3 (3, 3) |
October 22, 2022 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Detroit, Michigan | Defeated Mega Bastards (Alex Colon and John Wayne Murdoch) at GCW Drop Dead. | [30] |
| GCW Ultraviolent Championship | 100px | Rina Yamashita | 1 | August 13, 2022 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Defeated Alex Colon at GCW Homecoming: Part 1. | [31] |
| GCW Extreme Championship | 100px | Joey Janela | 1 | October 9, 2022 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Defeated Cole Radrick in a winner takes all match, where Jenela defends his DDT Extreme Championship at GCW Fight Club: Night 2. | [32] |
Former championships
| Championship | Date of entry | First champion(s) | Date retired | Final champion(s) | Years active | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCW Women's Championship | November 23, 2003 | April Hunter | June 3, 2016 | Deonna Purrazzo | 13 | GCW |
| JCW Light Heavyweight Championship | April 14, 2000 | Judas Young | April 10, 2004 | Kahagas | 4 | JCW |
| JCW Six Man Tag Team Championship | November 4, 2000 | CJ Brock, Crazy Ivan and Dave Greco | November 4, 2001 | CJ Brock, Crazy Ivan and Dave Greco | 1 | Payback Time |
| JCW Television Championship | April 14, 2000 | Kevin Knight | February 22, 2004 | Moondog Wenzel | 4 | JCW |
Championship history
GCW Extreme Championship
| GCW Extreme Championship[33] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | |||||||||||
| Current champion(s) | Joey Janela | ||||||||||
| Date won | October 9, 2022 | ||||||||||
| Date established | September 13, 2013 | ||||||||||
| Promotion | Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) | ||||||||||
| Other name(s) | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| <1 | Reign lasted less than a day |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
<templatestyles src="template:row hover highlight/styles.css"/>
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||||
| Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW) | ||||||||||
| 1 | Bandido Jr. | September 13, 2013 | Extreme Title Tournament | Hasbrouck Heights, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [34] | |||
| 2 | Steve Scott | January 31, 2015 | JCW | Manville, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was a four-way match which also involving Frightmare and Lucky tHURTeen. | [35] | ||
| 3 | Pinkie Sanchez | March 14, 2015 | JCW | Howell, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [36] | |||
| Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Smiley | April 8, 2016 | GCW | Hasbrouck Heights, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [37] | |||
| 5 | Tony Deppen | October 28, 2017 | Worst Behavior | Howell, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was a four-way match which also involving Eli Everfly and Zenshi. | [38] | ||
| 6 | PCO | September 8, 2018 | Nick Gage Invitational 3: Thy Kingdom Come | Villa Park, Illinois | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was a four-way match which also involving Gringo Loco and Nate Webb. | [39] | ||
| 7 | AJ Gray | January 15, 2022 | Say You Will | Hoffman Estates, Illinois | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [40] | |||
| 8 | Cole Radrick | July 29, 2022 | The People Vs. GCW | Nashville, Tennessee | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [41] | |||
| 9 | Joey Janela | October 9, 2022 | Fight Club Night 2 |
Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ | [32] | |||
GCW Ultraviolent Championship
| GCW Ultraviolent Championship[42] | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | |||||||||||||||||||
| Current champion(s) | Rina Yamashita | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date won | August 13, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date established | April 10, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Promotion | Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) | ||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Reigns
| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
<templatestyles src="template:row hover highlight/styles.css"/>
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||
| 1 | Alex Colon | April 10, 2021 | Planet Death | Ybor City, FL | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Defeated Lucky 13 to become the inaugural champion. | [43] |
| 2 | Drew Parker | July 24, 2021 | Homecoming Weekend - Night 1 | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was a Winner-takes-all match where Parker's BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship was also on the line. | [44] |
| 3 | Masashi Takeda | October 25, 2021 | BJW | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was a Halloween From Hell Death Match | [45] |
| 4 | Alex Colon | November 13, 2021 | Nick Gage Invitational 6 | Summit, IL | 2 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | This was the Nick Gage Invitational 6 finals | [46] |
| 5 | John Wayne Murdoch | March 31, 2022 | Joey Janela's Spring Break 6 Part 1. | Dallas, TX | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [47] | |
| 6 | Alex Colon | June 5, 2022 | Cage of Survival | Atlantic City, NJ | 3 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | [48] | |
| 7 | Rina Yamashita | August 13, 2022 | Homecoming: Part 1 | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ | [31] | |
Combined reigns
As of July 12, 2024.
| † | Indicates the current champion |
|---|
| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns |
Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Colon | 3 | 312 |
| 2 | Rina Yamashita † | 1 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
| 3 | Drew Parker | 1 | 93 |
| 4 | John Wayne Murdoch | 1 | 66 |
| 5 | Masashi Takeda | 1 | 19 |
References
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External links
- Fite TV page
- Game Changer Wrestling on TwitterLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- YouTube channel
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