Another dip into GCW as we continue to spotlight some of the “next” generation of indie talent…
This one comes from the Celebration Plaza Amphitheater in Indianapolis, Indiana, with commentary courtesy of Kevin Gill and Dave Prazak.
Quick Result
Tony Deppen pinned Benjamin Carter in 10:20 (***½)
Tony Deppen vs. Benjamin Carter
This opener was the match that convinced me to throw my Paypal details in the general direction of Fite TV… GCW gets some stick for not having storylines in the undercard much, seemingly choosing to go for matches that “get the GIFs.” I’m not complaining.
There’s a long-ass entry way as Tony Deppen came down the stairs… fully believing in wearing a mask too. He’s a good lad. Commentary painted this as a proving ground match, with Carter on the come-up. Apparently he worked for an indie a few miles away from me a few years back. Yes, I’m kicking myself for not going to New Force to really get in on the ground floor…
Deppen gets the mic before the bell and addresses the promo that Carter released during the week. He vowed to make this a short one, but Carter charges in at the bell, and has the pace high as some World of Sport-ish sequences led to an early two-count before Carter tripped Deppen and jack-knifed into a cover for a near-fall ahead of a stand-off. Deppen asks for a handshake, but it opens up for a cheapshot as Deppen’s bid to “squeeze (Carter’s) head off” ends up with the obligatory shoot off into the ropes… but Carter’s thrown outside… and he returns in athletically, rolling between the ropes on the way to a dropkick. The pace stays high with an uppercut and an enziguiri in the corner ahead of a missed dropkick that Deppen instantly focuses on as he drops a knee onto the leg… and began to work over it.
Rolling Carter into a STF-like hold, Deppen stomps the knees into the mat before we took the long way around to a Figure Four as a wheelbarrow roll through trapped Carter in the middle of the ring. Carter gets to the ropes, then caught Deppen with an elbow, then a hot shot in the ropes ahead of a springboard missile dropkick.
Carter struck first with a chop as he began to unload on Deppen… who hit a palm strike in response as things degenerated into some back-and-forth, before Deppen got lifted to the outside ahead of a Golden Triangle moonsault from Carter that missed… and a wild tope from Deppen that didn’t! A quick turnaround has Carter back inside for a tope con giro… but he’s caught with a knee back inside as Deppen went for a stomp… and misses.
A second stomp is caught and rolled through as Carter hits a Code Red, a superkick and a standing shooting star press for a near-fall as Carter almost snached the upset. Carter keeps going with chop, before catching Deppem on the top rope with a superplex… but Tony rolls through and hits a brainbuster after the landing, following that up with a chest-busting double stomp for a near-fall. Going back to the Figure Four almost backfires as Deppen’s rolled up for a near-fall, and after Deppen got a little too cocksure of himself, he ends up caught on the top rope again, this time with a belly-to-belly Spanish Fly!
Carter follows that up with a frog splash for a near-fall, before he went up again for a Phoenix splash… landing awkwardly. He’s fine though, as he blocks Deppen with a forearm, before a superkick and a Shining Wizard set up for a Phoenix splash that also missed. One running knee later, and Tony Deppen escapes with the win – an enjoyable opener, with Carter showing why he’s getting those PAC comparisons. Another one to keep an eye on – regardless of whether that career keeps him in the US, or whether he ever makes it back to the UK at some point. ***½
It’s safe to say that football (the proper, round ball variety) scholarship opened more doors than thought!