Gabriel Gambino (c) vs. Jay Pride – GFC World Heavyweight Championship
We’re awaiting the main event, and some music cues up… but it’s neither “Papercut” nor “The Game,” the two songs we’re expecting. Instead it’s The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again!”
There’s a huge pop, just for the song itself. The cheering continues as Jay Pride appears! Well, he has a history of using his entrance themes to make a statement. Guess this one is making it clear how he perceives the Godfathers’ “revolution.”
He’s taking his time getting to the ring, making sure to interact with the fans. He finally hops into the ring, just as the lines play: “the world looks just the same / and history ain’t changed / cause the banners, they all flown in the last war.” I suspect Gambino and Lasiewicz won’t care that much about this insult, but I don’t think Pride is doing it for their benefit. The fans certainly seem to be into it, at least the ones who are familiar with what the song is about. There’s a fair few around who just seem to be doing David Caruso to their buddies.
Gambino is in next, to a chorus of boos from the near five thousand fans here in London. He has the GFC Championship draped over his shoulder as he calmly makes his way to the ring.
The two men actually shake hands, although that was more of a saving face move from Gambino seeing as Pride offered, and we’re off. Gambino works leg kicks to begin. Knuckle lock, arm bar by Pride and Gambino escapes for a moment, but Pride gets the hold back. Hair pull by Jay Pride, Gabe now escapes and takes Pride down and works the arm. Gambino stomps on the elbow, and gets a cover for 2. Early attempt from the champ, he’ll be lucky to end things so soon.
Pride rolls to the floor, regroups and comes back in. Lock up, to the ropes and a kick to the leg by Pride, working the right knee. Hammerlock by Gambino, takes Pride to the mat and then works the other arm. Gambino pulls at the arm, works the count, wanting to make the most of his five seconds given to him by referee Andrew Woodford. Lock up, off the ropes and a tackle by Jay Pride. Headlock takedown on Gambino, they work to the feet, off the ropes, another tackle by Pride but now Gambino works for a surfboard. Double stomp on the knees, and now uppercuts by Gambino. Back to the arm goes Gambino, hammerlock takedown and then drops back with the legs locked on the arm. Gambino now pulls at the other arm at a bad angle, and then gets a cover for 2. Off the ropes and a big clothesline by Gambino, and Pride rolls to the floor. Pride recoups on the outside, Gambino to the apron and gets a big dropkick off of the apron.
Back into the ring they go, and Gambino stomps the heck out of Pride. To the corner, Gambino misses a charge, kicks by Pride and traps the knee in the ropes and clotheslines Gambino down, trapping the knee in the tree of woe. Pride grinds the boot into the face. Snap mare into the ropes by Pride, and then works for the surfboard. He then opts for the double stomp on the knees, and then kicks away at the knee of Gambino. Single leg crab by Pride as he has focused in on the leg. He breaks and then applies a standing figure four. Drops down and really cranks on the leg, and gets a cover for 2. Spinning toehold by Pride, and then into the figure four-leg lock! Gambino fights and tries to turn the hold but can’t. Gambino tries to keep his shoulder off of the mat, works to turn the hold once again and does. Pride rolls it back, but Gambino gets the ropes for the break. Great focus from Jay Pride here, he’s really going for this.
Gambino fights back with uppercuts, and then some by Pride. They trade uppercuts now, boot by Pride, off the ropes and a charging knee by Gambino. Kicks to the back, and then a charging kick to the face by Gambino. Rights to Pride in the corner, knee by Pride. A whip to the corner, reversal and Gambino somehow ends up with the ankle lock locked in! (granted I may have been distracted by the lovely lady in row 2)
Pride holds onto the ropes and gets up to his foot, but Gambino pulls him into a German suplex and gets 2! CROSS FACE CHICKEN WING by Gambino! Pride escapes, but Gambino gets it once again! Pride escapes, pinning counters for near falls now and Gambino finishes with a close 2. Pride back to the leg, and gets a single leg DDT. Uppercuts by Pride, and then a charging one. Gambino counters a lariat, chicken wing again! Pride to a knee, and he makes the ropes. Kicks to the back by Gambino, repeated kicks now and he unloads until Andrew Woodford pulls him off. Gambino feeling the pressure here. That allows Pride to clip the knee, and both men are down. Pride sets Gambino on the top rope, chops and then traps the leg and hangs Gambino up. Forearms to the knee by Pride, and as the official frees Gambino, Pride NAILS him with a lariat! 1…2…NO!
Gambino escapes a figure four try and Pride goes to the floor. Gambino rolls out after him. They brawl on the floor; Gabe gets a chair but Woodford takes it away. Both men get back into the ring and as Gabe’s getting to his feet Pride goes for a superkick, but Gambino pulls Woodford in front of him! The ref is out! Andreas Lasiewicz sprints to the ring and grabs the chair, attempting to smash it into the head of Jay Pride; but Pride ducks, grabs the chair from the GDW Champion and nails him with it!
The crowd cheer, but not for long as Gabriel Gambino has picked up the GFC World Heavyweight Championship and flattens Jay Pride with it! Boos ring out from the Royal Albert Hall as Gambino stands tall in the ring, holding the GFC Championship high in the air.
Just then another man comes running to ringside, in a hoodie and with a bandana covering his face. He catches Gambino unawares as he picks up the chair and lays the Champion out with it! He tosses the chair out of the ring and pushes Lasiewicz out too. Then he picks up the GFC Championship and looks at It long and hard. He holds it up in one hand as he pulls down his hood and mask…. revealing KEVIN HARDAWAY!!
Within seconds Matt Montell, FRONTIER security and two Metropolitan Police Officers are sprinting to the ring. Hardaway drops the belt, drops to his knees and puts his hands on his head.
“HARD-A-WAY, HARD-A-WAY!” chants from the crowd as he’s handcuffed and escorted from the premises. Montell watches on as the former GFC Champion is lead away, before checking on Pride, Gambino and Andrew Woodford. Montell tells security to get Lasiewicz away from ringside too and they lead him away as another referee, Ed Watling, comes running to ringside.
Pride is back to a knee by now and isn’t really sure what just happened. Neither is anyone else at the Royal Albert Hall! But I think Kevin Hardaway just evened the odds for Jay Pride!
Gambino is busted open from that chair shot and Pride is PISSED! Gambino staggers back to his feet. LARIAT by Pride! Cover… 1…2…NO!
Gambino fires up, counters the World of Sport Special (Rebound/pendulum lariat) into a cross arm breaker! TRIANGLE CHOKE by Gambino! Pride is fading…but fights out and escapes the hold into the half crab, no, small package by Gambino for 2! Pride with a head butt to the gut, and Gambino gets the crucifix for 2! Up to their feet, TIGER SUPLEX by Gambino! Eye of Medusa (Koji clutch)!! Escape by Pride and he gets BEFORE A FALL (Canadian rack into single knee backbreaker)! Pride gets to his feet, Gambino tries to get to his feet and Pride KILLS Gambino with the World of Sport lariat! 1…2…NO!!!!!
Gambino is back up, groggy, and Pride charges him. Gambino tries to counter with a discuss lariat, but Pride grabs the arm and drags him down. BICEP SLICER! Pride has Gabe right in the middle of the ring! He has the champ’s arm tight and Gambino has nowhere to go. He fights, he struggles… but eventually he taps out!
Your winner, and NEW GFC World Heavyweight Champion, Jay Pride!!!
Pride celebrates wildly in the ring, and is soon joined by the UK Dragons, Laurel Anne Hardy and Evangelista who have been patched up after their match earlier this evening. Also others from the FRONTIER locker room come to the ring to celebrate with the new champion. Dave Spikey, Kenta Yamashita, Matt Kail amongst them. Gambino is arguing with replacement referee Ed Watling, but his complaints are in vain.