Photography by Tony Knox © 2008
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Breaking News During the GPW Crazy Cruiser 08 Chris Echo Suffered a Fractured scafoid ( broken wrist )

Juice began his triumph with a battle against Bailey in the quarter finals. The volatile former S.I.N member came fast out of the blocks with several shots to Bailey, a knockdown and a suplex. A scoop slam got Juice the contest’s first two count. Juice then strangled Bailey on the ropes and hit another suplex for a second near fall. But the resilient Bailey soon fought back with several shots and a dive to earn himself a two count before taking Juice down with a bulldog variation.

A neck breaker variation saw Bailey collect his second two count. But Juice, determined to fight back, quickly nailed Bailey with three speedy suplexes before leaping to the top rope to hit his trademark frog splash for the match concluding three count.
The former S.I.N member found himself against one of GPW’s most prominent fan favourites, El Ligero, in the semi finals.

Ligero had earlier disposed of Jack Toxic, who was accompanied to the ring by fellow Lethal Dose member Cyanide, in his quarter final. This was a fast paced, octane match up which Ligero eventually prevailed through with the C4L.
Ligero had the initial advantage in the battle with a couple of knock downs but Toxic soon took Ligero down himself with some chops to the chest and an Irish Whip to the corner. Ligero clothes lined Toxic out of the ring but both Toxic and Cyanide anticipated his dive to the outside and dodged the bullet. Back inside, Toxic kneed Ligero in the back and flipped on him to get a two. Ligero tried catching his opponent with several elbow shots but Cyanide strangled Ligero from the outside while Toxic distracted the official. Ligero was soon thumped and clothes lined in the ring before getting trapped in a head lock. Ligero eventually fought back to dive on top of Toxic but Toxic stayed tall to once again knock Ligero down for a near fall. The Mexican Sensation clearly wasn’t going to stay down. He nailed Toxic with a suplex and spine buster to get an extremely close two count. He quickly headed up top but Cyanide grabbed hold of him from the outside so Toxic could hit a head butt for a close two. Ligero, however, recovered and hit a DDT from seemingly nowhere before catching Toxic in his patented C4L for the three count.

The haunted wood’s own Voodoo squared off against Mil Anfield Connection member Jiggy Walker in another quarter final. The despised Walker booked himself a place in the semi finals after his Snining Wizard kept the fan favourite Voodoo down for three.

Upon his entrance Walker threatened that if anybody mentioned Chelsea, who put Liverpool out of the Champions League, he would walk out. Walker fell to Chris Echo in the semis, which is coincidentally as far as Liverpool got in the Champions League tournament. Voodoo insisted Walker was scared of him as he flashed his trade mark skull in his face but Walker told him that wasn’t the case.

But Voodoo caught Walker off guard as the match began by knocking him down and hitting several head butts. He then raced to the top rope and dived on Walker for the match’s first two count. He pressured Walker by covering him again for another near fall but Walker took him down for his own two count. A shot to Voodoo’s head put Walker level in terms of near falls before he kicked and knocked Voodoo down. But Voodoo soon countered Walker with his own kicks to the head but Walker hit a hellacious suplex off the ropes.

He then held aloft Voodoo’s skull but the move must have had the opposite effect Walker intended it to have. Voodoo suddenly found some energy and slammed Walker’s arm to the canvas before striking him with a clothes line and hitting a choke slam. Walker was mesmirised, as if he’d been taken over by outside forces.

Voodoo then pushed Walker and shouted “Jiggy – get the poo!” Walker pulled a bucket from outside the ring and gave it to the official who looked equally bemused. Despite his state, Jiggy recovered to hit a suplex and finish Voodoo off with the Shining Wizard.

Walker’s tag team partner, Danny Hope, also had an opportunity to shine in singles action thanks to the Crazy Cruiser. But Hope was one of two casualties on finalist Chris Echo’s list as he saw off the model from Milan with a spear. Hope immediately charged at Echo and knocked him outside the ring just after the opening bell. He bull dozed Echo against the ring apron three times to keep Echo outside for a seven count. Back inside, Hope hit a giant side slam and stood on Echo before knocking him to the ground. The obnoxious grappler then cat walked in the ring, bellowing “Wink, Wink, Wink” much to displeasure of the Monaco Ballroom faithful. He then hit a huge vertical suplex and soon straddled Echo on the ropes.

A nonchalant cover got Hope just a one count, before he took Echo down for a two. He scoop slammed Echo and headed to the top but the always aware Echo clothes lined him twice much to the delight of the fans. He then flew from the middle rope to kick and slam him for two. Echo missed a dive through the ropes and Hope quickly locked in his Boston Crab in the centre of the ring. Echo worked hard to grab the ropes and make Hope break the hold at the referee’s four count and seemingly from nowhere, speared Hope while he argued with the referee, for the match winning three count and a match against Jiggy Walker in the semi finals.

Much like Ligero’s earlier match, his semi final clash with Juice was impactful and went at a marvellous pace. It was easily a contender for match of the year. Juice won this awesome encounter with his patented Frog Splash at around the 10 and a half minute mark. Juice head butted and delivered several shots to Ligero in the early going. But Ligero fought back by charging at Juice and punching him.

Ligero threw Juice in to two corners and the pair soon fought to the outside. Ligero tried for a base ball slide but Juice caught him and rattled his back against the ring apron. Back inside, Juice stretched Ligero’s arm in a submission move and followed it up with a Camel Clutch variation. Juice picked up Ligero and side slammed him to the mat before ramming him in to a ring post after they again battled on the outside. Ligero kicked Juice back in the ring but Juice hit a suplex variation for two. The relentless competitor then lifted Ligero high and whacked his already weakened back against his knees for another two.

Ligero again tried to fight back and countered Juice’s top rope manoeuvre to leave both men laying for a seven count. Ligero, sporting at least some momentum, dove on Juice and hit a clothesline, elbow drop, back drop and bull dog variation for a very close near fall. Ligero won a punching exchange to get another two before a back drop and a dive from the top got him another near fall.

Ligero must have been looking to end the match but Juice responded to his offence by nailing three suplexes and the frog splash to go through to the final.

The Walker v Echo semi, which Echo won via pin fall with a spring board off the ropes after a GPW official informed the in ring referee about the tainted legality of Walker’s apparent victory via leverage from the top rope, was another quality match. Walker tried to attack Echo from behind but the wily Echo dove on him from the top for a two count. But Walker levelled the near fall count with an unseen low shot and elbowed Echo. His nonchalant cover got a two before he followed it up with a scoop slam. But Echo rolled up Walker twice in a bid to catch him off guard and got two near falls. Walker quickly reacted to plant Echo to the canvas for two and scoop slam him. Another nonchalant pin fall attempt got Walker a two.

Echo, seemingly looking to end the match quickly, spine bustered Juice for two and bounced his head off the turnbuckle nine times. The move received plenty of cheers, but Echo missed a hurricarana and Walker stood on him from the top rope for two. Echo responded by taking Walker out of the ring but Walker kicked Echo on to the barrier. Both men just beat the referee’s ten count to return to the ring. Cameraman Rob Small was knocked down as the pair ventured to the outside again. Back in the ring, Echo’s spring board got two.

Walker tried to counter but he was caught in another roll up for a two. He hit a vicious kick on Echo to land another close pin fall before a pile driver nearly had Echo beat. Walker then accidently clothes lined the official and Echo took Walker down in the melee but there was nobody to count the fall. Echo tried to revive the official but Walker cradled his opponent and unseen by the referee, gained leverage on the ropes.

Walker got the three but another referee dashed to the ring and told the official what had happened. Soon after, Echo pinned his opponent following a springboard to get the three and progress to the final.

In between this unbelievable tourney, announcer Luke Marsden interviewed the apparent new GPW Heavyweight Champion Dirk Feelgood. At the start of the discussion, Feelgood was informed he was not GPW Champion. Bubblegum arrived during the interview to ask just what the heck was going on after Feelgood seemingly cost Bubblegum the Heavyweight title when, as special referee in his match with Johnny Phere at Ballroom Blitz, he super kicked Bubblegum, pinned him and left with the title. Feelgood and Bubblegum later learned they would compete in a 6 man tag team match. Feelgood’s entrance provoked a mixed reception and the now former fan favourite was immediately confronted by announcer Marsden. Marsden said.`

“You’d better shut your mouth, little boy. What I did last month is ridiculous? Is it ridiculous for me to be champion for eleven months and lose the title without getting pinned? It is ridiculous that Phere only got a match with me because he was in that match. It’s ridiculous being told I was going to have to watch Johnny Phere versus Bubblegum for what is rightfully mine!” Feelgood retorted.

“Dirk, the GPW Committee have spoken. You are not the GPW Champion. Just think about what you did. These fans used to idolise you Dirk. You need to explain yourself,” Marsden told him.

“I don’t need any support from retards who aren’t old enough to buy a drink behind the bar! Bubblegum should be explaining himself! This championship belt is a lovely lady. Would your best friend go out with the lady you loved? If he’s my best friend, where was he when the impersonator Dirks One and Two attacked me? He was with his new best mate, the Mexican midget, El Ligero. He’s too busy playing Mexican hopscotch with the masked fool! Bubblegum, come out here and explain it to me!” Feelgood challenged.
The fact Bubblegum entered the ring to no music or fanfare told how much this disagreement meant to him.
“Dirk, I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. The reason why I’m teaming with El Ligero is because you told me that good guys are supposed to stick together and defeat the evil people,” Bubblegum said.

“You want to look around at these people right now...just look,” Feelgood began, before viciously kicking Bubblegum to the floor and low blowing him.
Johnny Phere then stormed to the ring, screaming “I want my title!”
Phere starred down Bubblegum, who lay prone in a ring corner, while Feelgood ran for his life.Marsden may have summed up the interview perfectly.

“I think there’s something clearly wrong with Dirk Feelgood. It’s a belt, not a woman. Put your hands together for Bubblegum!”

Later in the evening, Si Valour, who lost his locks last month courtesy of Heresy, hit the ring to confront his nemesis.  “Heresy thinks he’s broken me but I’ve got some news for Heresy: I am not broken! Right now I am enraged! You see Heresy, my hair didn’t grow back. Entertainment is for one night but Valour is permanent! You have two choices. We can either settle this in the ring or I beat you like the dog you are back stage!” Valour stormed.  An irate Heresy soon arrived on the scene.

“Get out of my face! Give me some room! Si Valour, did you just call me out for the second month in a row? The last time you called someone out you got a haircut! You want a piece of me, do you? Well, not tonight. No, this isn’t a joke, Heresy isn’t wrestling tonight. You stay here with your friends, I’m going home,” Heresy screamed. “The last time we did battle it was when you lost the title belt. You lost your back up, you lost your belt and you lost your ball!” Valour told his adversary.
Heresy raced back to the ring. “I might have lost my title but I have not lost my bottle! Do you want a piece of me? I want a piece of you too! It just so happens that I hate your guts. If the people think they are going to see Heresy v Si Valour one on one tonight it’s not happening! In two months from now, July 4, GPW is five years old. We’re guaranteed to have a better audience than we’ve had tonight,” Heresy hit back.

“July 4th is fine, August 4th is fine, September 4th is fine, I will not stop! But Heresy, at this moment, do you want to throw down in the ring with a referee or do you want to do it outside?” Valour offered.
“No, I’m going home!” Heresy first said. “Hang on a minute; I’ve just had a thought. I’m not the only one who hates your guts. If you want to throw down, I know two people who hate your guts: Juggernaught and the real GPW Heavvyweight Champion, Dirk Feelgood!” Heresy stated.

“Well you know what, if this is how it’s going down there’s a couple of likely candidates back stage who have my back!” Valour countered.
Dylan Roberts and Bubblegum stormed to the ring, prompting announcer Luke Marsden to kick start the Six Man Tag Team battle.
Six Man Tag Team Match: Bubblegum, Dylan Roberts and Si Valour v Dirk Feelgood, Heresy and The Juggernaught (w/Alan Alan Alan Tasker)

The determined Valour started the match off with several head butts and punches to Juggernaught along with an elbow. He soon tagged in Roberts who got several more shots in before Juggernaught tagged in Feelgood. Feelgood initially got the better of the pair’s lock up in the centre of the ring as he caught Roberts in a wristlock but Roberts countered with his own wristlock. Feelgood, however, fought back to hurl Roberts to the canvas and hit a drop kick. But Roberts left Feelgood stunned when he tagged in Bubblegum. Unfortunately, Heresy managed to crack Bubblegum’s back with a shot so Feelgood could kick away at his former friend.

Heresy and Juggernaught then beat away at Bubblegum while Feelgood distracted the referee. Feelgood then tagged in Heresy who got in several gut shots on his adversary before slamming Bubblegum to the canvas.

Juggernaught’s tag enabled a huge scoop slam before Feelgood got in several shots from the outside. Juggernaught then chopped Bubblegum several times and hurled him to the floor. His tag to Heresy saw Bubblegum clocked with a clothes line before he hit a suplex. But much to the delight of the fans, Bubblegum soon ended his period of isolation with a tag to Valour.

The opposition tagged in Feelgood but the fresher Valour nailed Feelgood with a Rock Bottom variation before throwing out Juggernaught as the match began to resemble a melee. Feelgood kicked Valour while Juggernaught’s manager Alan Alan Alan Tasker tried to grab Bubblegum but Bubblegum drop kicked Feelgood. The untrustworthy Feelgood wanted to shake hands but Valour knocked him down. Feelgood recovered to throw Valour to the floor while Bubblegum punched Juggernaught several times. Juggernaught tried to take Roberts down from the top rope but after Bubblegum’s kick Roberts was able to hit his top rope elbow. Feelgood, perhaps sensing the worst, struck Roberts with the GPW Heavyweight title belt to give Roberts’ team the win via disqualification.

But the vicious threesome didn’t stop there. Heresy, Juggernaught and Feelgood knocked Roberts and Valour out of the ring. Valour was sent flying with a Bible shot from Heresy. Juggernaught slammed Bubblegum to the canvas and Heresy grabbed Bubblegum so Feelgood could knock him down.

Heresy and Juggernaught then hit a double suplex on the Hubba Bubba Ville native before Feelgood completed the assault with several kicks. But Johnny Phere stormed to the ring and took out Tasker in a bid to reach Feelgood.

“That’s my title, mine!” Phere screamed, as Feelgood ran from the ring. Juggernaught carried Tasker from the ring while Si Valour’s music played.
Bubblegum still has hopes for his former best friend.
“There’s something inside me that still thinks there’s good inside Dirk so I’m not going to say that he’s all evil because I saw a bit of him tonight that thought he was still my friend. I just think he’s confused. Dirk’s in the wrong crowd at the minute, I just think it’s their influence, it’s not all Dirk. Six years ago, when I started training to be a wrestler, it was always Dirk who took me under his wing and I’ve never seen Dirk unhappy. He was always cheerful with me.”
But Bubblegum didn’t like how his team won.
“It’s never good to win on a dis-qualification, it means that the bad guy’s always done something evil.”
Dylan Roberts also had no clue what on earth has got in to Dirk’s head.
“I don’t know what’s going on with Dirk. All I know is in the match he tried to take advantage, he let his guard down and I capitalised at the end of the day. He’s not the same person he was and I don’t know what’s going on in his head, he’s all messed up. I’ve never seen him like that before, he’s the feel good guy and all of a sudden he’s the feel bad guy.”
Like Bubblegum, Roberts wasn’t happy to win the way his team did.
“Obviously I would like a clean win, no one wants to go out on a cheat but underhanded tactics got the better of us.”

The main event saw the match all of us had been waiting for, the Crazy Cruiser 8 final. Juice clashed with Chris Echo in yet another match of the year contender. The hated former WKD member stood tall with the tournament shield at the night’s conclusion after hitting the fan favourite with his 450 Splash.
Earlier entrants accompanied each athlete to the ring: Jiggy Walker and Jack Toxic accompanied Juice, while ‘Super’ Sam Bailey and Voodoo came to support Echo. Echo started well by knocking Juice down with several punches. Juice tried to go for an early pin and caught the battle’s first near fall after taking Echo down. He then trapped Echo in a headlock but Echo arm dragged Juice and caught him in an arm lock. Juice, resilient as ever, kneed Echo and clothes lined him before drop kicking him from the ring apron. Echo flew on top of Toxic but he recovered to get back in the ring at the referee’s four count. Back inside, a suplex by Juice got him a very close two as did a scoop slam which followed it up. Juice hurled Echo to the corner but Echo retorted with his own corner throw and a huge dropkick to leave both men down. Echo was the first to rise at nine to dropkick Juice and hit a spine buster for his first near fall. A scoop slam and top rope elbow got him two further near falls. Juice, however, was still strong enough to take Echo down from the top rope for a two. A scoop slam and three further suplexes contributed to Juice’s next near fall. Echo quickly rolled Juice up in a bid to surprise him for a close two before hurling him in to the corner but Juice drilled Echo to the canvas for a two. Sensing the end, the despised star climbed up top to hit the 450 Splash and collect the win and shield.

“Why are you cheering for a loser? I’ve just proven to every one of you that I’m the best pound for pound wrestler in the world!” Juice shouted down the house mike at the end of the match. The cocky winner lost none of his ego when I approached him afterwards. “I kind of expected to win if I’m being honest. I’ve proclaimed on many occasions that I am the best pound for pound wrestler in the world and I think tonight I’ve just made one more step to make everyone realise that that is in fact the case. It’s a way to stick it to the fans. Does a muppet go through three men in one night and steal the show? I don’t think so, I think it’s the sign of a world class athlete. “I’m not going to lie, I expected to go all the way but it was much tougher than I expected. But hey, I was confident. I knew that I wasn’t the real muppet and like I say, tonight, I proved it. The sky’s the limit for The Juice and it’s about time I got some recognition.”

Other entrant ‘Super’ Sam Bailey was disappointed with his performance.
“Tonight wasn’t the best night for me personally. Obviously I did lose to the eventual winner so there’s some consolation in that but I feel like I didn’t bring my hundred per cent tonight. It’s something I can look back on, see where I went wrong and hopefully improve on it. I’ve shown I can get to the tournament, it’s just if I can get to the last dance. You’ve not heard the last of Sam Bailey, he’ll be back. But all praise to Juice, he did it three times, it shows he is probably one of the best wrestlers here today. “I really felt for Echo more than anyone, he should have won but Juice was better on the day. Echo got to the final and that’s still a massive achievement even if you don’t win it. Granted, no one remembers third place but people sometimes remember second place and Echo’s some one that will bounce back straight off this.”

Elsewhere, Matty ‘D’Lyrium’ Taylor drew GPW’s famous raffle to send three fans home happy with chocolates, two free tickets to the next show on July 4 and a collectable ten DVD set of GPW’s best shows.
If this show is anything to go by, there’ll be plenty in store for fans when GPW returns to the Monaco Ballroom on July 4. Be there!