Grimm SoCal Wrestling: Keep their heads ringnin'

DarK_RaideR · April 24, 2021

Went through the diary in one sitting - top job!

Really invested in the storylines, and already have my favorites. Keep up the good work

Because of this diary, I decided to try booking GSW myself.

Thanks and welcome! Hope you enjoy, got some big stuff coming up in a few (in-game) months, so stay tuned.

Also, a big thank you goes out to Historian for nominating this in the DOTM thread, apparently doing so raised awareness and brought some new readers here (or at least made some silent followers decide to make their appearance known).

DarK_RaideR · April 28, 2021

Motor City Made kicked off this go-home episode before Degeneration with a promo. Foxxy LaRue announced that Deaf Touch would be facing the previous West Coast champion, Tavon Blake Jr, in tonight's main event, a warm up for the main event of Degeneration, where he would be involved in a three way match with Cali Slick an Fro Sure for the American title. Meanwhile, she would be defending her newly won title against Mexico's Finest, correcting Los Guerilleros for calling her a bitch: she's not a bitch, she's the baddest bitch in this business and she will prove it when she makes the ex-con her bitch, fittingly in a Dog Collar match! (Rating: 54)

Speak of the devil, Mexico's Finest was in the opening contest against a woman many see as a younger version of Foxxy LaRue, a preview perhaps of what fans can expect at Degeneration. Black Diamond held her ground admirably against the hard hitting Mexican, but with LatiNoFear and MexiCain at ringside, it felt like she was outnumbered from the start. Once the brawling spilled outside the ring, Los Guerilleros zoned in for a 3 on 1 attack, a move that quickly wrapped up the match to allow their leader to chokeslam Diamond with his Hard Times finisher and get the pin as he's headed for his big title match. (Rating: 32)

Who'd have thought there would come a day in GSW when an all-white tag team would get cheered over the likes of Devyn Retribution and Omar, but such was the case as the vocal audience deemed that neither man really fit, given their lack of apparent charisma or any overly violent redeeming quality. This was one of the two surprises of the match, the other being Top Dolla actually carrying this hardcore bout, despite being in the ring with veterans. Max Mayhem is beginning to show signs of declining physical ability, something that cripples his high flying style hard, and it was down to Dolla to hold things together, which he did thanks to his signature balcony dive and a huge Dinero Driver that earned him the pin over Devyn Retribution. (Rating: 33)

Having someone with the technical prowess of TBJ was a blessing for Deaf Touch, as it allowed him to showcase his own straight wrestling acumen, something that often gets lost in the chaos and graphic violence that is GSW's hardcore matches. Though short, this 7+ minute match was a glimpse of the legitimate skill the two competitors possess and Foxxy LaRue's presence at ringside only served to add excitement to the match as she played it straight and only encouraged Deaf Touch without interfering in the match. The big finish saw TBJ go for a release version of his Black Plex finisher, only for Deaf Touch to flip around and land on his feet, responding with a superkick that set Blake up for the Crooked Moonsault and pin. (Rating: 45)

To wrap up the final episode before Degeneration, a video was shown from inside Big Magic's office, which the Long Beach Crew were visiting. Slick was busy finalizing his upcoming title match details with the Commissioner of Violence, but Aces High jumped in to make a request, since he did not have a match scheduled. What he asked was a one on one against Busta Capp, a chance to redeem himself for taking the pin the week prior. After a quick check of his notes, Magic concluded that he did have room in the card for such a money and given the setup, there was money to be made if he made it the semi main event, so Aces better do well or his failure might affect Slick who'd be wrestling next... (Rating: 43)

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A first-ever in this diary, announcing the card of a major event in advance! This is not a prediction contest, but feel free to post your picks if you want to. I figured I wanted to keep these things vague at first while the roster is still shifting (and to represent the "card subject to change" feel and unpredictability of GSW) but as I'm near hitting the next size level, I'm thinking of a few new things to introduce in order to celebrate and showcase that bump, prior commitment to show cards among them. It's still at an experimental level until I hit that level though.

Main Event
GSW American title three way match
Cali Slick © vs Deaf Touch vs Fro Sure

Grudge match
Aces High vs Busta Capp

GSW Tag Team titles match
State of Destruction © vs Brown Pride

E-Soteric & Tavon Blake Jr vs Wild Things

GSW West Coast title Dog Collar match
Foxxy LaRue © vs Mexico's Finest

Opening contest
The Answer vs Miss Jones & Public Enemy #1

Blodyxe · April 28, 2021

I know you don't hold a prediction contest, but still feeling like taking some guesses

Main Event

GSW American title three-way match

Cali Slick © vs Deaf Touch vs Fro Sure

Slick will be a great champ. Love DT, and Fro Sure is fun too, perhaps it could be the highest rated match in save's history?

Grudge match

Aces High vs Busta Capp

GSW Tag Team titles match

State of Destruction © vs Brown Pride

E-Soteric & Tavon Black Jr vs Wild Things

GSW West Coast title Dog Collar match

Foxxy LaRue © vs Mexico's Finest

That's a spicy match. I think MF is the way to go, as he will get so much heat from his win here, and also put Foxxy and DT on the same page, title-less. But I'll pull for LaRue

Opening contest

The Answer vs Miss Jones & Public Enemy #1

willr0ck · April 28, 2021

I haven't done one of these in awhile so let's have at it.

Main Event

GSW American title three way match

Cali Slick © vs Deaf Touch vs Fro Sure

Slick needs to retain here. Deaf Touch is still the man but he's had plenty of shine in this diary so far.

Grudge match

Aces High vs Busta Capp

I'm going with the old wrestling caveat that whenever you call someone out you lose 90% of the time.

GSW Tag Team titles match

State of Destruction © vs Brown Pride

E-Soteric & Tavon Blake Jr vs Wild Things

GSW West Coast title Dog Collar match

Foxxy LaRue © vs Mexico's Finest

I think Foxxy goes over MF here. He can always get his heat back with a beatdown or backstage attack or something like that

Opening contest

The Answer vs Miss Jones & Public Enemy #1

DarK_RaideR · May 5, 2021

Pre-show: G Force defeated Devyn Retribution, Jo Baker, Sheila Maivia and Shooting Star Perez. (Rating: 24)

Magwitch defeated Sayeed Ali. (Rating: 38)

Fans who showed up early for the pre-show were treated to two dark matches. The first one involved G Force triumphs over three rookie opponents, while in the second Magwitch was able to pull off an unexpected victory over Sayeed Ali in a hardcore fight that had the audience primed for the main portion of the night.

Viewers of the show on WrestleWorld were treated to a short vignette before the opening match, with Brother Grimm in Big Magic’s office. Grimm provided a brief summary of recent events (with scenes from each edited in one there was a mention) such as the rise of HWA under CJ Weston, the presence of Travis Century at the Warehouse, the revival of State of Destruction and the attack on himself that sidelined him for a while. Big Magic pointed out it’s been a rough patch, but he’s been putting in the work to make things better. Grimm reminded the Commissioner that last month at Gatecrasher, he’d heard the same reassurance. “Clearly, John” he said, shockingly referring to Big Magic by his actual name “it seems I need to take a more… hands on approach”.

The camera backed away slowly, just as Brother Grimm placed his hands around Big Magic’s throat, letting viewers fill in the rest in their heads. (Rating: 54)

Both teams involved in the opening match have been wrestling together for a very brief time period, but they’ve both shown that magic link between them that translates into effortless, instinctive teamwork. Stash and Swoll especially make for a visually impressive and physically imposing duo, elements they played up as they isolated Miss Jones in their corner for a beating, cutting off her access to a tag. In a moment of desperation, Jones was able to turn a Running Powerslam from Stash into a Tornado DDT and tag Public Enemy #1 in, who did his best to fight back. They almost managed to pull it off too, but right as they had Stash in place for some kind of tag move, Swoll blind-tagged himself in, hit a decapitating lariat from the outside on Enemy and caught Miss Jones with the Pounce to score the pin. (Rating: 35)

Foxxy LaRue and Mexico’s Finest were already staring daggers at each other as the collars were being applied so the match could begin. Despite minimal buildup, the stipulation alone was enough to get the rabid GSW faithful hyped and howling for extreme violence. LaRue came hot out the gates going immediately for the Flash Head Kick, but Finest was able to deflect her leg and take her to the mat for a prison style beatdown. The opening minutes in the match were all MF and any attempts the champion made for a comeback would get shut down when the big bad Mexican would yank the chain, utilizing his power advantage to bully LaRue around. Things took a turn when LaRue responded in kind, using her weight and momentum to perform an armdrag-like movement with the chain that sent Finest over the top rope and to the outside. This still resulted in Foxxy’s throat taking all the pressure as if she was hanging from a noose, so she quickly hopped over the ropes as well to grab a breather. The brawl continued at ringside and LaRue pressed her advantage trying to make up for lost ground. Mexico’s Finest may have been out there without the rest of Los Guerilleros but he is no slouch and he held his own, especially when he noticed the bruises around his opponent’s throat and focused his offense there with chops and a vicious Hard Times chokeslam onto the ring steps. Finest took things back inside the ropes looking to wrap it up and claim the title, but LaRue hit the Flash Head Kick out of nowhere, this time connecting to drop the big man, herself collapsing on top for the cover and a dramatic pin for her first successful defense of the West Coast title. (Rating: 40)

The champion got little reprieve despite her win, because Magwitch decided to get to the ring after the match. Referee Vinnie Moore barely had a chance to remove the collar before the psycho clown shoved him away and hit LaRue with a Stump Piledriver. Magwitch then grabbed the title belt and laid it over her fallen body, placing a foot over it all and striking a pose while taking in all the boos. (Rating: 39)

Fan support was split for this one, though Top Dolla and Tavon Blake Jr were arguably the half of their respective teams that got the most cheers. Dolla also did most of the high flying for his team, with Mayhem utilizing his experience and keeping things more grounded as the ring general. Things weren’t as fluid on the opposite side, with TBJ putting on some decent wrestling but E-Soteric’s ego getting the best of him several times and preventing him from being the most cooperative of teammates. Through blind tags to force himself in or trying to steal the spotlight by being the one to score the pin, E-Soteric was being reckless and irrational, a fact that slowly turned fans against him and almost got him into an argument with his partner. Wild Things tried to use any dissent to get in control of the match, but E-Soteric had that scouted and was able to keep Max Mayhem down for the three count, albeit using the ropes outside the ref’s field of vision. A bittersweet victory for Blake who didn’t seem to approve of his teammate’s methods, whereas E-Soteric celebrated the win as if he’d just reclaimed the West Coast title. (Rating: 43)

Brown Pride entered this match with a solid gameplan, using hit and run tactics to deliver their attacks and get away before the champions could retaliate. Their speed and athleticism advantage actually made this a surprisingly competitive match, though there was always the feeling that either Boneyard or BB Colossus could end the fight at any given moment as long as they had a single opening to hit a big move. Brown Pride also introduced several weapons into the match, which State of Destruction were all too happy to use whenever they could, something Travis Century ensured through various sneaky assists, whether that meant sweeping an opponent’s leg or shaking the rope, distracting the ref or passing a weapon to his team.

It was Sayeed Ali, of all people, who showed up to remove Century from the equation when he hit him with a G.B.H. Driver and while this was enough to distract Boneyard and allow Brown Pride to get back into the fight, an ill-timed springboard crossbody from MexiCain saw him getting caught by BB Colossus and then driven into the mat for a pinfall. (Rating: 40)

In the semi main event, Aces High went up against Busta Capp and neither man held back, delivering a match that turned out better than it sounded on paper. Aces seemed really motivated in this match, up against a veteran and former American champion. This was his chance to break through into the upper midcard or even main event scene, as he’s held the West Coast and Tag Team titles but never the top prize in GSW, so he hit some unusually reckless high flying moves here and there. On the opposite side of that, Busta Capp had to once again fight for every inch of ground he’s earned all these years, a string of big losses lately seeing him slide down the food chain somewhat. Although in strictly wrestling terms the in-ring action didn’t involve anything too flashy, there was a lot of fire, passion and fighting spirit on display as the two men clashed for nearly ten minutes until Aces High hit the Dead Man’s Hand for a shocking victory over Capp. (Rating: 41)

The American title was raised above the ring for the main event and the participants made their entrances, each getting a loud reaction in what seemed would be an evenly split match in terms of fan support as well as in-ring skill. The interesting part was how, even though the match was a straight out brawl, each man brought a different flavor to the bout: Slick was the big heavy hitter, DT threw in some stiff strong style blows and Fro Sure was his usual scrappy self fans love to see in somewhat of an underdog role. As for the ladder, Fro swung it around as a weapon, Slick drove his opponents onto it and Deaf Touch launched himself into an impressive Crooked Moonsault onto both his opponents, a move that popped the fans but did little towards winning the match itself as it couldn’t end via pinfall and the move took a lot out of DT too. It all came down to resilience and toughness, something Deaf Touch excels at. As the match went past the ten minute mark, it seemed like he was close to reclaiming the title, but Fro was able to grab him from beneath, pull him over and execute a scary Sure Thing piledrive off the ladder. Fro was slow to start climbing though and he ended up with Slick on the opposite side, only for the defending champion to put an arm around his throat and chokeslam him off. With both his challengers reeling, Slick went up and retrieved the belt, silencing critics and keeping the gold around his waist for the foreseeable future. (Rating: 60)

As the show draws to a close, lights go out, the big screen and the speakers come alive.

Hustle Muvva! The three time IPW Californian champion is at the Warehouse! Still on top of the ladder, Slick raises the GSW American title in a challenge and the show goes off the air (Rating: 49)

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Blodyxe · May 5, 2021

After trying GSW on my own, I am a fan of The Answer. They need a finisher called Swoll Stash, fo sho

DarK_RaideR · May 8, 2021

The show opened with a three way women's match, Foxxy LaRue keeping everything together in the ring with her two rookie opponents. Given LaRue's credentials, it was hard not to make this match one-sided, even with Diamond and Punnen working together against the veteran at first, so the way out proved to be weapons, crazy stunts and all around chaos, both helping the rookies catch an offensive break and hiding their shortcomings. LaRue still got the win with a pinfall on Punnen, but at least the opener went of for a good ten minutes without overstaying its welcome and primed the audience for the rest of the show.

CJ Weston came out next with a mic in hand, looking like he was going to address the audience.

Weston: "I think by now there's a pretty clear image of who the top competitors in HWA are. But we've only seen them go at it one against the other. I'd like to see how they handle themselves in a somewhat more... compromising situation, so next month our main event is going to be Antix... against Xavier Reckless... against Xavi Ferrera... against Sayeed Ali!"

Only a month after they tried to destroy each other as opponents, misfits Magwitch and Mutant were teamed up against Dead Men Walking, who showed up this time with Travis Century at their corner. The odd pairing were no strangers to extremely bloody hardcore violence, which is what Dead Men Walking brought in spades, but what they lacked was the honed teamwork of their opponents. Gravedigga and Mobstar were mostly the aggressors in this bout, though the sheer size and power advantage of their opponents made it hard to bully them around. This became evident when they tried to hit their tag finisher on Mutant, who was able to power out and hit both his opponents with a MuTNT, the hot new move he debuted just days earlier in Puerto Rico wrestling for FCW. Using that proved to be the turning point of the match and one TMNTurner later, Magwitch and Mutant were declared the winners.

Jock Shock hit the ring together, but instead of opponents, out came GSW's veteran brawler, Hard-1! His arm still heavily taped and in a sling, the Texan grabbed a mic and addressed DeMarcus and Gray.

Hard-1: "Listen up, kids. I've been following both your progress since before you came to HWA. You're great wrestlers. But, no offense, I'm not sure if you can keep it together when the going gets tough and sweat turns to blood, if y'all know what I mean. So I came out here to make you an offer. Let me do you some coaching. Let me teach you what I know about hardcore wars in and out of that ring. First session's free too. See, tonight, you both got singles matches. Let me be on your corner, help you out, see how this works out. Then we can talk business, alright?"

Having Hard-1 seconding him was weird for Tyrone Grey and it threw him off a couple of times, mistakes the veteran Antix exploited to seize control of the match and beat down the youngster. This beating though gained him tons of sympathy heat from the crowd, even though the flow of the match felt somewhat choppy and did no favors to either man's style. When he finally made his comeback, Grey was able to chain together a flashy sequence of moves that built up to his finisher, but Antix cut him off once more. It was when Grey finally listened to Hard-1's play calls from the sidelines that he turned things around, in quite literal fashion too since he rolled through a pinning predicament and managed to get the three count over his opponent instead.

Nate DeMarcus had a tough task ahead facing Xavi Ferrera, but going against such an athletic opponent allowed him to showcase his own athleticism as well, with leaps and flips on top of his usual power game. Hard-1 was at ringside once again and caught a Ferrerrarana off the apron for his troubles, but it was DeMarcus who got the last laugh when he hit a returning Ferrera with a Snap Tackle and held him down for the three count.

Ali and Xavier threw everything they had at each other, including tables, chairs, kendo sticks and their own bodies used as weapons. This was a wild fight that just could not be contained inside the ring, the two men brawling among fans and frequently grabbing items from them to smack each other with. Reckless was true to his last name and hit some crazy dives off seats and stairs, but the rugged Ali had enough resilience under a thick skin to survive and eventually come out on top after nailing his opponent onto a chair with a G.B.H. Driver.

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DarK_RaideR · May 11, 2021

A similar story like the one in June, GSW once again found themselves a single point behind IPW in terms of show ratings, with both companies somehow managing to get the exact same scores. The twenty-something increase in attendance for GSW who caught up and now overtook IPW is not quite major news, although it should translate into an uptick in revenue given the company's premium-priced tickets, the real story however lies in WrestleWorld viewership. GSW have the lead yet again in absolute numbers with nearly 10.000 more viewers than IPW, it's the increase since last month though that really tells the story: From 24.434 to 26.806, some twenty two hundred more for GSW month-to-month, compared to IPW's 17.041 to 17.474, a mere four hundred new fans. Brother Grimm's media savvy seems to be paying off as far as exploiting this new means of reaching fans in all of North America and if the trend continues, he could be breaking past the strictly local and into the regional territory by the end of next month and his company's grand King of California show, which includes the annual tournament for which the company just released this year's brackets.

Disclaimer: For those eager to predict, there is still one month leading up to the tournament month, so 4 weeks of television, one monthly show and 4 more weeks of TV. I'm just putting out the brackets super early as part of the buildup and storytelling leading to it all.

Blodyxe · May 11, 2021

Nice line up. Interesting to see if you will use the tournament to make a new main event guy.

Historian · May 11, 2021

I’m picking Tavon Blake Jr to win the whole thing.

DarK_RaideR · May 12, 2021

The episode begins with Hustle Muvva meeting with Brother Grimm, the scene clearly re-decorated from what it was when Big Magic was in charge of proceedings in GSW. Muvva's sweet talking Grimm and thanking him for being included in the King of California brackets, but Grimm responds that he's not paying Muvva to sit idly until then. Tonight he'll be making his debut in the main event to face Long Beach Crew. Muvva asks who his teammate will be and Grimm reveals it's going to be Fro Sure, wishing him luck. (Rating: 51)

The opening match saw Wild Things go up against the high flying rookies G Force and Shooting Star Perez. As was to be expected, both teams went into this full force, flying and flipping around in a crazy bout that allowed them to showcase their high flying offense and devil may care attitude, but it was the teamwork of Wild Things that tipped the scale in their favor against the rookies and Top Dolla's Dinero Driver was enough to put Perez down for the count. (Rating: 37)

BB Colossus and Boneyard are standing in a dark corridor of the Warehouse, the tight space amplifying their massive frames that block any ambient light. The Tag Team champions are watching a replay of their match at Degeneration on a smartphone, specifically the moment Sayeed Ali showed up to hit a G.B.H. Driver on Travis Century, who is suspiciously absent. The short vignette ends with Boneyard crushing the phone in the palm of his hand, grunting in anger. (Rating: 54)

Capp took out his frustration for his loss to Aces High at Degeneration in this bout, turning it into a proper streetfight. PE#1 was all too happy to oblige and walk down his "Path of Rage" against the veteran, using his fair share of weapons during the match. Both men were wearing the crimson mask by the third minute and kept slugging it out till the fifth, until Capp nailed the Mafia Kick to get the pin. (Rating: 34)

With Deaf Touch by her side and the West Coast title around her waist, Foxxy LaRue has something to say. The baddest bitch in this business is not happy with Brother Grimm's machinations, as she's just learned that Motor City Made will be teaming up with Magwitch next week. LaRue warns the clown who attacked her at Degeneration that she and Touch won't be having any of his tricks and sooner rather than later, she'll make sure he pays for laying his hands on her. (Rating: 57)

The main event was nothing short of spectacular, easily the best televised GSW match to date and one of the best ever behind the Ladder match at Degeneration and the Cage match where Slick won the title from Deaf Touch. Much of it had to do with the excitement and mystery of Muvva's debut, although the former IPW star and Georgia native got his fair share of heat from the fans, which was worked into his struggle to work together with Fro Sure. This in turn was a stark contrast to the experience of LBC as a team, but Muvva proved he's willing to do what it takes and held onto Aces' trunks to secure the pin, wrapping up the episode in striking fashion. (Rating: 58)

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DarK_RaideR · May 18, 2021

The Long Beach Crew are convening with Brother Grimm in his office as this episode begins. Cali Slick argues that Hustle Muvva seems to be gunning for his title, but he's done nothing to earn it, while Aces High is upset for the way the ex-IPW star pinned him last week and wants a one on one match with him. Grimm cryptically says he's got his plans for everything, as doing either of these matches now or at Uprising would mean he'd be leaving money on the table; that's just not his style and he'll make sure to keep everyone happy while making the most out of the situation. (Rating: 51)

As announced last week, Magwitch joined forces with Motor City Made against Los Guerilleros and it was every bit the hardcore bloody mess it sounded on paper. The story here was MCM's mistrust towards the psycho clown, due to his unstable character as well as his attack on Foxxy LaRue at Degeneration and according to the announcers, maybe this was the exact reason why Brother Grimm put this match together, to poke fun at this misfit trio. Their survival instincts pushed them to fight against the opposition, but this rift caused their downfall against the well-oiled machine that is Los Guerilleros as a trio, with Magwitch eventually left alone after what seemed like miscommunication but might have also been intentional stalling. This left him high and dry, with Mexico's Finest chokeslamming him with a Hard Time for the win just five minutes after the start of the match. (Rating: 33)

Backstage, the Answer run into Wild Things and there's a bit of a stand-off, even if Swoll and Stash tower above Mayhem and Dolla. Swoll breaks the tense atmosphere with his chill attitude, congratulating Wild Things for their recent success. He tells them that he and Stash have been on a similar path and admits that sooner or later, the two teams are bound to clash again inside the ring as the Answer want to avenge their loss at Gatecrasher, so he wishes Dolla and Mayhem good luck when that happens, as Stash menacingly cracks his knuckles in the background. (Rating: 35)

WrestleWorld subscribers may be unfamiliar with the stunning latina that is Sheila Maivia, but GSW regulars have seen her wrestle various dark matches and so at least there wasn't complete silence throughout this match. A shout-out to the kind of matches GSW used to put on years ago, this relied on showing flesh as much as it showcased Maivia's skills, but in the end it was the veteran Miss Jones who managed to exploit her rookie opponent's enthusiasm and hit her Candy Cane finisher to get the pin over her. (Rating: 19)

Backstage, Hustle Muvva is trying to swindle some poor fellow out their cash by selling him overpriced tickets for the upcoming King of California show. Fro Sure walks into the scene and shakes his head in disapproval, but upon noticing his presence, Muvva drops his act and thanks Fro for teaming with him last week in the main event. In response, Fro nails Muvva with a superkick, then leans over the fallen Muvva to tell him that he'd do well to watch his back; he's got no friends around here. (Rating: 48)

The Tag Team titles were not on the line for the main event and Travis Century was nowhere to be found, but that didn't stop State of Destruction from bulldozing through the opposition. Their opponents, especially E-Soteric, were all too happy to have a wild fistfight and their strategy seemed to be to take the match to the outside, where they could not only use weapons but also their speed without being confined by the ring ropes. This allowed them to move around and use hit-and-run tactics against their larger and more plodding opponents (particularly BB Colossus) while fighting in the audience, something that's always guaranteed to excite GSW fans. Still, the Tag Team champions are big and tough so it takes a lot of work to chop them down. Unfortunately, E-Soteric and TBJ once again seemed to argue over whether to use underhanded tactics or not in order to win, which in turn provided BB with just the opening to take them both down with a double lariat. Boneyard wrapped it up next by rolling E-Soteric inside the ring and nailing him with a chokeslam for good measure, winning the bout. (Rating: 38)

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DarK_RaideR · May 19, 2021

The episode begins once more in Brother Grimm's office, where he's sitting down with The Answer. Papa Swoll is telling Grimm what he told Wild Things a week ago, the two teams are bound to clash again sooner or later and his team wants redemption for their loss at Gatecrasher. Grimm responds that he understands, so he's arranged a little test for the two men tonight, a match against Knuckles and Shady K. (Rating: 43)

The opening 3 on 3 contest put a trio of GSW hard hitters against an all-female team led by Foxxy LaRue and featuring Jo Baker in her debut televised match. Much like Sheila Maivia last week, Baker has been wrestling dark matches for a while but instead of Maivia's high flying style, Baker is a scrappy, down and dirty brawler. The fight was pretty brief for so many moving pieces, lasting about five minutes and not quite showcasing Baker's talents in the chaos, though that might have been for the better given her inexperience. The big shock however was that the rookie was not the one to take the fall, but rather Devyn Retribution, who fell to Black Diamond's slick looking Belly to Belly Suplex. (Rating: 20)

Long Beach Crew have a pre-taped message next, addressing Hustle Muvva. Slick says he ain't afraid of Muvva showing up after his big title match and Aces goes ballistic on the mic about Muvva taking a shortcut to win his debut match against the LBC two weeks ago but tonight, he'll be on his own and Aces will make him pay. (Rating: 45)

Known the world over from their time in SWF, California's very own Death Row made an appearance

Dr. Dre and Ice Cube's "Natural Born Killaz" and the Warehouse went crazy! Stash and Swoll came out with a swagger that carried on to their wrestling, confidently standing their ground against the established veterans in a hardcore brawl that got the audience roaring from bell to bell.

It didn't take long for State of Destruction to show up, but their presence was a mere distraction to the two teams. Maybe it was Boneyard trying to look menacing as he walked instead of running to the ring, maybe it was the plodding BB Colossus, but the Tag Team champions never had the chance to physically interfere in the match as Stash hit the Running Powerslam on Knuckles and pinned him, ending the match to stop State of Destruction on their tracks. (Rating: 28)

E-Soteric and Tavon Blake Jr are shown arguing backstage in regards to their recent matches, with TBJ fed up of E-Soteric's cheating and E-Soteric claiming Blake isn't willing to do what it takes to win, no matter the cost. In his excitement, E-Soteric drops the bomb that the two men will be teaming for a match at Uprising so TBJ better get it together. Blake doesn't seem happy with the news, but he says that if he has to do this, he will because he's a professional; until then though, he wants nothing to do with E-Soteric and he certainly won't be doing any "warm up" matches on his side next week. (Rating: 45)

As mentioned earlier, Aces High met Hustle Muvva in the main event, but it was not a one on one match as Deaf Touch was also in it. Aces' rage and explosive style was more than enough to take him and Muvva out of the ring early in the match and DT followed them with a Crooked Moonsault from the ringpost to the outside. From there, the match played out like a streetfight but Muvva managed to once again steal the win, when he caught Aces on the mat and put his legs on the ropes to hold him down for the three count. (Rating: 48)

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DarK_RaideR · May 20, 2021

Cali Slick is in Grimm's office, alone, listening to the man praise him as his champion. Slick is his usual cool, stoic-faced self, so without any reaction, Grimm moves to his main point, telling Slick that Aces High is only holding him down with his Hustle Muvva obsession and their tag team is not his future, he should instead focus on his solo career as the top guy in GSW. The video ends with a shot of Slick's face, as expressionless as ever behind his shades, leaving viewers wondering what he thinks of Grimm's words. (Rating: 58)

Next up is a pre-taped video that sheds some light on Black Diamond, with footage from her track and field days at the University of Tennessee, her wrestling matches and parts of an interview with her all spliced together. Diamond plays up her superior athletic background, pointing out she holds several all-time women's track and field records, then talks about her transition into wrestling and her desire to be the best she can be. (Rating: 35)

The clash of styles was evident in the opener as the psychotic hardcore clown that is Magwitch went toe to toe with the slick technician, Tavon Blake Jr. This was largely about who would be able to impose their approach and force the opponent to wrestle the kind of match that suited themselves best, with Magwitch eventually surprising his opponent when he held onto his tights to end the match out of nowhere. (Rating: 29)

Backstage, Hustle Muvva is trying to communicate with Deaf Touch by writing out what he means to say onto big chunks of cardboard, a somewhat comical (or disrespectful, depending on one's point of view) scene but Muvva's initial compliments for DT's wrestling acumen, as evidenced in their match last week, quickly turn into subtle suggestions that he's trying to swindle him out of the race for the American title. Foxxy LaRue walks into the scene and slaps the cardboards out of Muvva's hands, telling DT something in sign language. When the shocked Muvva asks what the hell is going on, the only sign "the baddest bitch in the business" has for him is the middle finger, before Motor City Made walk away. (Rating: 52)

Pretty much a standard six man street fight, one straight out of the GSW of old not only in how it played out but also in terms of those involved. There was no technical wrestling on display here and other than LatiNoFear hitting a few high flying dives, the match was an all out brawl, in and out of the ring. It wasn't hard to see that both Mexico's Finest and Busta Capp are not the warriors they used to be, age and physical damage now seriously slowing them down, but they were regardless involved in the finish, with Capp flooring MF after a Mafia Kick and scoring the pin for his team. (Rating: 48)

The main event for the final episode before Uprising featured three tag teams and although State of Destruction was one of them, their Tag Team titles were not on the line. The ring shook with every move under the weight of all six big men, who displayed a mix of brawling, power moves and lots of weapons shots. Swoll took a trash can to the head, Death Row hit Boneyard with stereo chair shots and Stash even found a chain to wrap around his fist for a few blows that bloodied the opposition. State of Destruction were able to come out on top though when Knuckles got chokeslammed and pinned by the former American champion and the duo looked dominant once more, despite lacking Travis Century in their corner. (Rating: 42)

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DarK_RaideR · May 20, 2021

For anyone in a predicting mood...

GSW Uprising card
Main Event
Last Man Standing match
Fro Sure vs Deaf Touch
Fro is looking to make a statement on his way to claim the American title, so he challenged the former American champion in a Last Man Standing match. Deaf Touch is known as "The Unbreakable" due to his toughness, stamina and resilience. Has the bro with the fro bitten off more than he can chew?

Tag Team match
Long Beach Crew vs E-Soteric & Tavon Blake Jr
E-Soteric and TBJ have been having issues, but ever since Hustle Muvva joined GSW, it seems the LBC have a similar story to tell. Were Brother Grimm's words enough to tip the scales and make Cali Slick snap, or will E-Soteric and Blake implode before we can find out?

West Coast title match
Foxxy LaRue © vs Magwitch
Magwitch attacked LaRue after her match last month and with nothing resolved between them yet, LaRue agreed to put her title on the line if it meant a chance to get her hands on the demented clown one on one. Things are never certain when Magwitch is involved, but can the Baddest Bitch in the Business one-up the unpredictable challenger and hold on to the gold?

Special Singles match
Busta Capp vs Hustle Muvva
This is as GSW vs IPW as it gets. Capp seems to be sliding down the ranks and a win here will secure his spot, on top of defending the company that's been his heart and soul. Muvva would much rather wrestle for gold, but certainly a win over the GSW original here would help his case for a title shot very soon.

Three Way Tag Team titles match
State of Destruction © vs The Answer vs Wild Things
The Answer rightfully called themselves and Wild Things two of GSW's breakout tag teams for 2020, but instead of having them wrestle each other in a rematch, Brother Grimm put them in a title match with State of Destruction. The odds are stacked against the dominant champions, as they could lose the titles without being pinned. Will we be seeing new champions in the tag team division?

Opening match
Los Guerilleros vs Miss Jones, Black Diamond & Jo Baker
Los Guerilleros are GSW's biggest three man unit, but the veteran Miss Jones and her two blue chipper teammates could score the upset here. If so, it could well send ripples within Los Guerilleros, given their recent performances and lack of any gold. With LatiNoFear and MexiCain set to clash in the first round of the upcoming King of California tournament, this bout could be extremely important for their future.

Plus a big announcement regarding the future of GSW from Brother Grimm!

Blodyxe · May 20, 2021

Nice tribute to New Jack, read the last few posts to "Natural Born Killaz"

Last Man Standing match

Fro Sure vs Deaf Touch

Tag Team match

Long Beach Crew vs E-Soteric & Tavon Blake Jr

West Coast title match

Foxxy LaRue © vs Magwitch

Special Singles match

Busta Capp vs Hustle Muvva

Three Way Tag Team titles match

State of Destruction © vs The Answer vs Wild Things

Opening match

Los Guerilleros vs Miss Jones, Black Diamond & Jo Baker

Keep it up man!

DarK_RaideR · May 30, 2021

Pre-show: Public Enemy #1 defeated G Force, Devyn Retribution, Sheila Maivia and Shooting Star Perez (Rating: 21)

Just two weeks after her televised debut, Jo Baker wrestled in one of the big monthly GSW shows, once more in a trios match with Black Diamond but this time under the leadership of Miss Jones instead of Foxxy LaRue. The three women had a hard task fighting against Los Guerilleros, but the setup turned out to be ideal in terms of firing up the audience. Whether it was the Hispanic group bringing the violence and machismo to generate sympathy for the ladies or some hope spot where the female team was all fire and brimstone, the audience reacted to it all and immediately created that unique Warehouse atmosphere. In a surprising twist, Miss Jones, the veteran with a recent track record of losses, managed to roll up the leader of the opposition, big bad ex-convict Mexico’s Finest, for the finish with an inside cradle, to score the pin and start the show with a bang. No one expected to see the big man take the pin or Jones to get it, yet here it was and the night was off with an air of unpredictability. This was the first major show in this new era of Brother Grimm’s solo leadership and change was in the air, or at least a feeling that anything could happen. (Rating: 30)

Brother Grimm took center stage next for a promo. This being the first major show in a long while without the involvement of CJ Weston or Big Magic, it was bound to have his signature all over as well as being an indication of where things are headed. Grimm hinted at all that and pointed out that this was the last show before the start of the race to crown this year’s King of California. Things, he said, would be changing after that and what he’d see tonight would factor into his plans for the future. (Rating: 56)

In the first of two title matches for the night, State of Destruction were set to defend the gold against two challengers, GSW’s breakout tag teams for 2020. On top of that, The Answer’s Raheem Stash had his own history with both BB Colossus and Boneyard while Wild Things were the small, agile duo caught between four powerhouses. As expected, the match was a crazy hardcore brawl with several moving parts, so much so that it was probably hard for viewers to keep up with everything that was going on. Wild Things held their own thanks to a mix of weapons and reckless disregard of their own well being in their offence, with Top Dolla once again hitting his signature dive from the balcony of the Warehouse to a huge pop, but it was The Answer that shone through and really held this bout together, as Stash went toe to toe with the powerhouse champions while Papa Swoll used his agility to keep up with Mayhem and Dolla. The former West Coast champion’s big balcony dive though was also the turning point of the match, as it wiped him out and essentially left Max Mayhem all along for way too long, resulting in a chokeslam pin from Boneyard that ensured he and BB Colossus retained. (Rating: 36)

Busta Capp and Hustle Muvva did not hold anything back in this one. The man described as the heart and soul of GSW was out for blood, both to defend his company against the newcomer from IPW as well as to re-establish himself as a major player after a series of big losses recently. And blood he drew indeed, thanks to some vicious unprotected chair shots to Hustle Muvva’s head early on in the match. The fast-talking brawler from Atlanta played his part to perfection, talking big when he was on top but running away and sneaking in shots to annoy both his opponent and the audience, who popped when they saw red on his blonde-dyed facial hair. Desperate and backed into a corner, Muvva resorted to some extra leverage from the ropes in order to score the pin and steal a victory, something that infuriated Capp and the audience to no avail as he left the ring in a hurry, another successful hustle adding more notches on his win record. (Rating: 44)

Just before he made his way back to the locker room and a safe distance away from the ring, Muvva grabbed a microphone to cut a quick promo on the Long Beach Crew, promising to once again defeat Aces High when they meet at the King of California tournament and proceed to use that as his launch pad to face Cali Slick for the American title. (Rating: 49)

Foxxy LaRue made her way to the ring next and took the time to cut a promo before her title match against Magwitch. The West Coast champion proclaimed this to be the night she’d wrap this whole thing up and pay the psycho clown back for attacking her a month ago. The self-proclaimed “baddest bitch in the business” didn’t forget to wish her Motor City Made teammate good luck in the main event against Fro Sure, then demanded her opponent came out, promising he wouldn’t be laughing by the time she’d be over. (Rating: 52)

Magwitch came out riding an ice cream bike, only he’d stuffed all sorts of items in the ice cream containers to be used as weapons, a clear hint as to the kind of match he had in mind. LaRue was wise to intercept him early with a top rope plancha, a nod to her time around QAW’s luchadoras, but the match didn’t play out as the wild crazy brawl or bloody hardcore mayhem one might have expected from these two. On top of it all, both LaRue and Magwitch seemed to be somewhat sloppier than usual, which certainly took away from the oomph of their bout. The funny thing is that LaRue, who ended up retaining, did so thanks to forcing Magwitch to work the kind of straight wrestling match that suits her better and despite the loss, the hardcore clown still got to end the night with a decent performance in a title match and some spots that allowed him to showcase his pure wrestling ability. (Rating: 43)

Both teams here had some internal struggle issues and a large part of the match’s story came down to teamwork. E-Soteric and TBJ’s issues have been well documented for several episodes now, while the Long Beach Crew have been having a more subtle kind of tension, with Cali Slick breaking ahead as a singles star with the American title while Aces High has fallen behind and seems to be struggling repeatedly against Hustle Muvva. Fortunately for the fans, all four men got to vent their penned-up frustration in this match, even if all the hardcore spots made Blake look somewhat out of his league compared to everyone else and in the end, LBC’s experience together proved to be the difference maker, allowing them to hit TBJ with the High and Low as Aces made the cover. (Rating: 49)

Fro Sure came dancing and jiving to the ring next, taking the time to cut a promo in response to LaRue’s earlier words regarding his match. Fro dropped a few freestyle rhymes to praise LaRue for her victory and give respect to the former American champion Deaf Touch -emphasis on former- before declaring that he would be the one left standing by the end of the night. Nothing spectacular in terms of storytelling, but Fro was on point and fans loved every word he said. (Rating: 65)

For all of Fro Sure’s bravado, DT’s track record meant that the deck was stacked against the bro with the fro; On top of being a talented wrestler, Deaf Touch has made a name for himself thanks to his resilience and fighting spirit, not just defeating Boneyard to become the American champion but also defending the title against Brother Grimm’s real life bodyguard in a Last Man Standing match. Fro Sure set fire to the brakes and went all out as soon as the match was underway, leading to the fight spilling outside the ring and the two men brawling in the audience. DT held his ground and it soon seemed to dawn upon Fro that his tactic would work if he were chasing a quick pin, but not in this kind of match; there was no way he’d tire out his opponent, given DT’s gas tank. Not that he slowed down at all, by that point he couldn’t even if he wanted to, but careful observation would reveal the slight change in his approach, as he started trying to hit his finisher on any given opportunity. Time was running out and Deaf Touch even hit a Crooked Moonsault inside the ring, but Fro was up by the count of eight and minutes later returned the favor with a Sure Thing, Deaf Touch also back on his feet by eight. The fight continued and it ended in spectacular fashion when Deaf Touch went once again for the Crooked Moonsault, this time off the apron to the outside. In a spot that required perfect execution but popped the audience once the two men pulled it off, Fro caught DT before the full rotation and in position for another Sure Thing, which ended with Deaf Touch getting piledrived head first to the concrete floor. This was enough to keep him down for the full ten count and the show ended with Fro Sure standing tall but still being a class act as he helped Deaf Touch back to his feet and raised his arm in a show of respect, fans cheering on both men for their effort. (Rating: 59)

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DarK_RaideR · May 31, 2021

Xavi Ferrera opened the show, coming to the ring in his suit and sunglasses. Fans gave the Puerto Rican star a mixed reaction; he's popular thanks to his charisma and raw talent, but his cocky attitude rubs many the wrong way.

Ferrera: "It's been a few months since HWA put up its first show and all this time, I've been busting my ass in this ring, providing top-tier matches you nobodies in some warehouse in Harlem don't deserve to be getting. Not at these ticket prices, at least. But I digress, because such is the curse of greatness. Now that the sparks and fireworks are gone, now that the initial excitement has died down, we're down to the final four. HWA's top dogs, in a free for all tonight. So let's take a closer look... First, you got Antix, big name in Canada, but I got news for you boy, this ain't Canada! Xavier Reckless? Don't make me laugh with what passes as wrestling in Pittsburgh. Then there's Sayeed Ali..."

Just as his name gets mentioned, "Shook Ones Pt.II" hits the speakers and the Hardcore Assassin comes out to interrupt Fererra.

Ali: "I wanted to come out here, save myself and these people from having to hear you any longer, but I figured, let him have his moment first. Let him speak his mind. But you know what, I'm not gonna let you talk any crap about me, because you gotta earn that right with me, son. Last I remember, I beat your ass one on one and I plan to do the exact same tonight!"

The opening match was quite the clash, visually and in terms of characters more than in wrestling styles. On one hand, the happy-go-lucky Too Hot, all dancing and playing to the crowd. On the other, a twisted, demented version of what should be bringing laughter, the psychotic clown, Magwitch. Oddly enough, the audience seemed to pop more when Magwitch swung a weapon at his opponent and was mostly indifferent to Too Hot's antics. Upon noticing that, the veteran Too Hot, who was also calling the match, took things to a more all-out violent hardcore direction, providing fans with what they wanted to see and bumping hard to make his opponent look good, a true rarity in this clown's matches. On top of that, Magwitch even got the win with the Stump Piledriver, although he had to show persistence as the crafty veteran pushed him near the ten minute mark before laying down to take the pin.

Both Dead Men Walking and Jock Shock have had a rocky start in their HWA careers, while Black Diamond and Marie Punnen were the rookie underdogs in this match, meant to sell for the opposition, learn from more experienced wrestlers and maybe even hit a big move or two to show their skill. Other than that, it was the two male teams that got most of the offence. DeMarcus and Gray tried to keep this a straight wrestling match, but with the rookies going for weapons to even the playing field, the scale was tipped towards the kind of chaotic hardcore match that Dead Men Walking excel in, leading to their unsurprising victory, much to the dismay of Hard-1 at ringside.

Foxxy LaRue and Mutant made their entrances next, the latter seemingly having added a bunch of fox pelts to his ring outfit. LaRue couldn't help but notice and the two had a short discussion that quickly warranted the use of microphones before their match could begin.

LaRue: "This some sort of mind game, fool? Tryin' to get under my skin or something? Cuz not only it ain't working, those poor animals didn't have to suffer for you to make a point."

Mutant: "Far from it. This fur... it's fake. Just like you."

Fans popped at the one-liner, but LaRue did not seem entertained.

LaRue: "Motherf**ker, I'm the baddest bitch in this business! I'm the GSW West Coast champion. You think you're crazy? I'll show you crazy!"

With that, LaRue hit Mutant in the head with her microphone and the match got underway!

LaRue's sneak attack and blitzkrieg tactics saw her seize the initiative, but for all her wild brawling, she wasn't able to do any significant damage to the behemoth she was up against. Mutant was able to shake the cobwebs after the first couple of minutes and fight back using his monstrous power to bully LaRue around, even hitting the MuTNT, his hot new signature move, for a two count but the Baddest Bitch in the Business wasn't just going to tough it out. Used by now to facing bigger and stronger opponents thanks to her GSW tenure, LaRue tapped into her QAW lucha experience to hit Mutant with all sorts of slick ranas or a nasty tornado DDT that got her a two count. Her follow-up attempt for a Frankensteiner off the corner backfired though and Mutant powerbombed her to the mat with authority, strong enough to knock the wind out of her lungs and set her up for the TMNTurner that ended the bout in his favor.

CJ Weston hit the ring before the main event, mic in hand.

Weston: "Last month, I promised you a four way match and HWA is about to deliver. I wanted to take a moment before that happens though, to make an even bigger announcement for next month's show, No Escape From New York. On that night, we will be crowning the first ever HWA East Coast champion and to do that, we shall hold a 10 man Battle Royal! None of that timed entrances crap, we're going old school for this one, with everyone starting inside the ring. Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time, because this will feature some huge new names, surprises and it's bound to tear the house down!"

As expected, this match turned out to be hot, both in terms of fan reaction and in-ring spectacle. A potent mix of hard hitting blows, high flying moves and hardcore action, the bout captivated fans with its flow and constant variety as it seemed like it could end at any given moment, in any man's favor, which in turn gave it a sense of urgency and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it pace. Careful fans would however notice that Antix is starting to slow down, something the 4 man action was enough to mostly draw attention away from, but it did not escape Fererra's attention and the young Puerto Rican used it to his favor in order to score an opportunistic victory over him after a high flying High Impact Frog Splash.

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Blodyxe · May 31, 2021

Nice finish to DT/Fro, deserving of the main event spot! I am familiar with GSW guys and gals by now, but need to read more about their East Coast colleagues when I get a chance

DarK_RaideR · May 31, 2021

Nice finish to DT/Fro, deserving of the main event spot! I am familiar with GSW guys and gals by now, but need to read more about their East Coast colleagues when I get a chance

Thanks for the support. Most of the HWA roster are either GSW imports or PSW/FCW people, I didn't want to outright copy either's roster and feel like a knock off, but Black and Hispanic hardcore workers in the area are hard to come by.

These shows wrap up the month so I can start the King of California tournament leading up to the big show, plus HWA's rumble to crown the first champion. As expected, GSW grew in size after that show and it's fitting, given that I made it a season finale. That said, I have plans and announcements for the coming season, so stay tuned for big things ahead.

In-game success seems to coincide with out of game success, as I checked the votes and apparently this diary won DOTM?! It's even more mind blowing given that it was up against legit behemoths like Lloyd and Historian. I should also take the hint, since two or three more DOTM successes have come thanks to GSW diaries I did in the 2016 game; GSW is my favourite company and apparently it comes across.

Thank you to everyone who has read, enjoyed, predicted, commented, nominated and voted for this diary.

DarK_RaideR · June 2, 2021

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DarK_RaideR · June 2, 2021

Cali Slick is chilling in the VIP lounge of The Warehouse with some fine ladies, when Brother Grimm walks by. The owner of GSW greets the American champion and tells him that the King of California tournament begins tonight. Slick says he's eager to find out who his next challenger will be and Grimm makes sure to remind him that Aces High is in it... would be a shame if he ended up winning the tournament... (Rating: 51)

Capp and PE#1 had faced off exactly one month ago, after Degeneration, so this was the rematch. Since Capp won that one, PE#1 was looking for the equalizer and that added a sense of urgency to his wrestling. A loose interpretation of the world "wrestling" of course, as the bout itself was an oldschool hardcore streetfight with big spots, brawling, blood and weapons. Despite signs of age catching up with him, Capp still was able to get the victory once more by driving a chair into his opponent's face with a Mafia Kick for the pin. (Rating: 42)

Hustle Muvva is shown in the parking lot of The Warehouse, selling King of California tickets to three fans. Noticing the camera, he quickly (and somewhat suspiciously) ends the transaction and addresses the audience. Muvva proclaims that his match against Aces High next week will mark the start of his ascent to the top, promising to win the King of California tournament and then defeat Cali Slick for the American title. (Rating: 49)

After several tag team matches, now lacking Top Dolla by his side completely threw Max Mayhem off his game. E-Soteric dominated the bout and managed to win it in under five minutes with a Double Arm DDT, an easy first round victory for the former West Coast champion. (Rating: 24)

Fro Sure cuts a promo next, hyping up his next week match against Papa Swoll. Fro praises Swoll as a hot up-and-comer, saying he's excited to face him. He continues by saying given Swoll's rise, this matchup will be a marquee match in the near future and puts the King of California tournament over for giving fans the chance to see matchups like these. (Rating: 67)

Deaf Touch came to the ring with Foxxy LaRue, who stuck around at ringside for the match. LatiNoFear and MexiCain did not show up however, leaving fans wondering whether they were laying in ambush or if they took the night off to prepare for the upcoming match between them. Finest had to take care of business on his own and although he had no issues turning the match into a streetfight, the fast pace of such a wild bout all over the venue did him no favors when it came to his athleticism and agility, as he seemed somewhat stiffer and heavier than usual. Likewise, Deaf Touch had clearly not fully recovered from his hellacious bout against Fro Sure at Uprising and it took his toll performance-wise. Not that the main event completely tanked, but it certainly did not live up to how good it sounded like it would have been. For all the damage piling onto his body, Deaf Touch still survived and hit a slick Crooked Moonsault to get the win, advancing to the next round where he will face either Magwitch or Raheem Stash. (Rating: 47)

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DarK_RaideR · June 10, 2021

The episode begins with a pre-taped message from Aces High and Cali Slick, shot in the streets of Long Beach, CA. Aces promises to end Hustle Muvva's tournament dreams by defeating him and says if he ends up being this year's King of California, that still won't be 'nuff to break his bond with Slick. The American champion picks it up from there, reminding the audience of the turbulence the Crew have been through this year alone, with CJ Weston and Mobstar; Slick says if Grimm thinks he can sweet talk him into turning against Aces, he's playing himself. (Rating: 43)

Top Dolla came into the match all fire and brimstone, trying to impose a breakneck pace and score a quick win. To his credit, TBJ retained his composure and slapped on the brakes with his signature slick right hook. This allowed him to use some technical wrestling in order to soften up his opponent and just as Dolla began climbing towards the balcony to hit his dive, Blake caught him from behind and hit an awkardly sloppy Black Plex from that spot into the ring for the pin. (Rating: 19)

Another pre-recorder promo aired next, this time from Motor City Made. Pretty standard stuff with LaRue flexing her West Coast title and hyping up Deaf Touch as the one who'll pull off back to back King of California wins, but given her skill on the mic and both their connection with the fans, she could have been reading the weather forecast and it would still pop the audience. (Rating: 51)

Teammates as Brown Pride and two thirds of Los Guerilleros, LatiNoFear and MexiCain clashed as part of the tournament, with no hard feelings between them but also without holding back on the violence. What became apparent in this match was that they make way better teammates than opponents, something GSW fans commented might be proof that we'll never going to see their team implode and a feud between them. LNF ended up winning after a Ghetto Kick and as the best in-ring worker of Los Guerilleros, the outcome just felt right. He and MexiCain bro-hugged it out after the match and left the ring together, futher proof that this match was not enough to threaten the bond between them. (Rating: 36)

Fro Sure came out to cut a live promo after the match and congratulate LatiNoFear for his victory, saying he'd see him in the next round. Apparently, Papa Swoll took exception to the statement and walked out to tell Fro that he'd have to get past him first. Fro praised Swoll's talent, power, agility, even his charisma, saying he's bound to do great things, but that wasn't going to happen just yet; not this year and not in this tournament. Fans were clearly in support of Fro and Swoll just couldn't get one back on the mic, so he settled for a staredown that ended the segment before they cleared the ring for the main event. (Rating: 56)

No strangers to each other by this point, the two men locked up in a fast paced bout that lived up to the tension and excitement that's been building up all this time. Aces was chasing a redemptive victory while Muvva sought to surprise him once again, the difference this time being that the former was on high alert. This led to the match essentially telling the story of a cat and mouse game, the next logical step in these two being so familiar with each other's methods and trying to outsmart the opposition. For all his efforts though, Aces once again fell to Hustle Muvva's trickery in the end and the former IPW star ended up winning the match pulling his opponent's trunks, an outcome that infuriated the audience as much as it did Aces to end the episode on a hot cliffhanger. (Rating: 42)

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DarK_RaideR · June 16, 2021

The Long Beach Crew are shown in the parking area of the Warehouse. Aces High is pacing back and forth all high strung while the ever cool Cali Slick tries to calm him down regarding yet another loss to Hustle Muvva. Aces lashes out, saying it’s not just a loss, it’s an elimination from the tournament and asks where Slick was to watch his back. The accusation takes Slick by surprise, but his facial expression does not show it. Instead, he just says he’ll give Aces some space, some time to calm down and think things through, then leaves. In the distance, Aces shouts something about Slick walking away yet again and leaving him alone once more. Could this be the beginning of the end for the Long Beach Crew after all? (Rating: 41)

With the tournament having moved on to the next stage, Busta Capp met TBJ in the first round of the semi finals. Neither man was able to force the opponent to wrestle the kind of match that suited themselves best, so this was neither a hardcore fight nor a slick technical contest. Instead, the two men met in the middle, providing a scrappy fight for the fans, although Blake’s sudden change of pace was not enough to surprise Capp in the finish. One Black Plex attempt reversed, Blake hit with a Mafia Kick and Capp got the ticket to the next round. (Rating: 45)

Hustle Muvva comes out next to cut a promo on his next round opponent, E-Soteric. Muvva says E had it easy in the first match, but he won’t go down as easy as Max Mayhem did and warns everyone that next week won’t be any different, Muvva’s gonna pull off the W to move on to the finals. (Rating: 46)

Despite starting with a semi final match for the night, there still were two more left from the opening round to resolve and surprisingly, left for the final parts of the show. First up was Magwitch against Stash, a rare occasion where the psycho clown was in the ring with a much larger and more powerful opponent. This, of course, only prompted him to introduce weapons to the match as early as possible, ensuring the bloodthirsty audience of GSW would be treated to the usual bloodbath that Magwitch’s matches tend to be. Stash held his ground in the mix and did not shy away from slamming his opponent onto various foreign objects, although the real star in this was Kandii, who often tends to be overlooked these days as Stash’s manager. The real-life hostess of the Warehouse played up her reactions to the clown’s weird and unpredictable antics to really help get his character over and provide entertaining breaks amidst all the violence, while Foxxy LaRue also showed up to smash the West Coast title belt against his face. Stash simply caught his opponent and hit him with the Standing Powerslam for the pin after that, advancing to the next round, where he will be facing Deaf Touch. (Rating: 38)

LaRue was joined by Deaf Touch after the match and they got in the ring, fans cheering on as they were hot to see them double team Stash and soften him up for the next round match. After a few moments of intense uncertainty though, Motor City Made turned their attention towards Magwitch, who they stomped and beat with chairs, much to the fans’ delight. The clown all bloodied and barely conscious, LaRue grabbed a mic and declared that merely defeating Magwitch in a title match at Uprising wasn’t enough; only now were MCM even with him and as for Stash, he’d better get ready to face “The Unbreakable” Deaf Touch next, with “The Baddest Bitch in this Business” by his side. (Rating: 45)

If the previous match was all about two big nasty competitors mixing it up, the main event was essentially the battle of the cool dudes, both in terms of character as well as fan reaction thanks to their oozing charisma. Fro and Swoll shook hands at the start of the match and proceeded to deliver a high octane contest that spilled out of the ring when Swoll hit the Pounce with such force that it drove himself and Fro through the ropes and out to ringside. Sadly, Swoll obviously landed the wrong way on the ground and hurt his foot, which in turn took away from the action as Fro mostly carried him around and beat him up to cover for the injury, before rolling him back in the ring for a quick Sure Thing piledriver, so much so that Fro never got to play up the whole part about the effort of getting the much heavier Swoll in position. (Rating: 40)

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DarK_RaideR · June 16, 2021

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Grimm SoCal Wrestling: Keep their heads ringnin'

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