A TRULY SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS

Nitro 12 is just around the corner and dominant Women’s World Champion Kacy Catanzaro is ready. Fresh off her record-setting performance against Charlotte Flair last episode, Catanzaro triumphantly declared she can finally view herself as a deserving champion. She challenged anyone who disagreed to meet her in the ring. Boy did she get her wish. Mercedes Mone, a legend of the business, strode down the ramp to a raucous ovation. Three was no physicality here. Just two of the biggest draws in wrestling standing face to face.

Our first match sees the US Title Barnstorm continue. Lacey Evans, looking for her second title defense, takes on St Louis native Jazz, a 25 year veteran of the sport. Evans struggled last week against Kylie Rae, narrowly escaping Chicago with her title. She got out much easier on this occasion, blasting Jazz with an M9 to grab the victory.

It’s time for another Wrestling World Cup team reveal! Team Canada will be captained by GAW legend Kenny Omega as we expected. He’ll be joined by Underground legend Braddock, indie legend Kevin Steen and the reunion of one of the most legendary tag teams in history- Edge and Christian.

Aleister Black offered Chris Sabin a chance to win the Intercontinental Title from Matt Riddle. Sabin declined; as we learned later, the Motor City Machine Guns prefer to turn their attention toward the House of Black’s other prize: the Tag Team Championships. So it was another tag team specialist, Penta, who stepped up to challenge Riddle. Penta showed out in this match as well. At one point, Riddle hit his trademark running knee but Penta reached out and grabbed the rope at the last second. After surviving that, the former tag champ was able to hit two Fear Factors and it seemed we had a title change on our hands. But Riddle had one final trick up his sleeve. The champ rolled up the challenger out of nowhere, escaping St Louis with his title by the skin of his teeth. But after the match, Riddle was confronted by probably his most dangerous challenger. Samoa Joe returned and locked Riddle in the Coquina Clutch. This is officially the House’s toughest time. 

The final two matches crown the two GAW Classic finalists and we begin with Anthony Ogogo and Drew McIntyre in Group 1. Ogogo is the most polished striker in pro wrestling but there is probably no one hotter than Drew McIntyre. In this match, momentum won out- though it should not have. Ogogo had knocked McIntyre out with his stiff right punch but Drew McIntyre had distracted the ref, stopping stripes from making a count. McIntyre avoided a second punch and blasted Ogogo with a Claymore to win the match and take Group 1 with a 3-0 record.

In the main event, Will Ospreay battles Bandido with the winner advancing to face Drew McIntyre. This bout was as fast and athletic as we could have hoped for between two men who have helped define GAW in the last three years. But it was Will Ospreay who was just able to come out on top, kicking out of an avalanche moonsault slam and locking Bandido in the Chaos Project to win. It was a tremendous display and Drew McIntyre was out quickly to try to intimidate his finals opponent.

But what happened next changed everything. Ricochet came sprinting out to the ring calling for some help backstage. He said Johnny Gargano was attacked. He was right. Gargano lay helpless, beaten by an unknown assailant, as the entire Storm locker room erupted in chaos. An ambulance made its way to the arena as GAW wrestlers turned for some kind of stability. Things have never been this chaotic at any time in GAW history.