5 reasons why GCW is the hottest independent promotion today

Game Changer Wrestling, also known as GCW, has become the hottest independent promotion today thanks to a run of highly successful shows, captivating storylines, and exhilarating matches. Their recognizable talent has been featured in the mainstream and has seen crossovers with the biggest promotions in the business.

GCW started in 1999 as Jersey Championship Wrestling. It was founded by Ricky Otazu and was renamed Game Changer Wrestling in 2015. The company has transformed from a small regional promotion to being popular worldwide under the ownership of Brett Lauderdale. Their hardcore and death-match wrestling style have made them different from other promotions.

With another line of major events for the company kicking off this Friday, it seems like an ideal time to look at what makes GCW so popular right now.

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5) GCW has become a place for character reinvention

The spiritual predecessor of GCW was Extreme Championship Wrestling. Known for its hardcore style, ECW pushed the envelope of what competitors did in the ring. The risks the athletes took inspired a generation of wrestlers; many of whom are seen in Game Changer Wrestling today.

However, the most underrated component of ECW was how characters reinvented themselves. Steve Austin left WCW after he was unable to break through into the main event. The creative freedom that ECW provided him opened the door for Stone Cold to find his edge. Cactus Jack also found new elements of storytelling and became a compelling heel there.

This year, GCW opened the door for Matt Cardona to become one of the hottest characters in wrestling. The former Zack Ryder used his WWE credentials to become a wildly hated heel in the GCW Universe because he feuded with the most popular star in the company, Nick Gage. Cardona's GCW World Championship win over Gage brought newfound interest to the company.

Gregory Iron is one of the most inspirational professional wrestlers that many fans might not know of. He suffered from cerebral palsy, which left his right arm withered. He overcame bullying as a child to become a professional wrestler.

Despite his encouraging life journey, Gregory Iron has become one of the most hated heels in all of GCW. Between Iron and Cardona, GCW shows the fans reinvention in very unique ways.

4) GCW has a collection of future stars and legends

GCW provides different shows all the time as they have a core collection of talent while also bringing in young wrestlers and legends to add variety. Independent wrestling is the place to see where the stars of tomorrow are honing their craft.

GCW has featured top independent competitors who have earned contracts with major promotions, like Lee Moriarty and Jonathan Gresham. They have also brought in brand new stars like Starboy Charlie, Tony Deppen, and Nick Wayne. These stars have evolved before the fans' eyes and crafted a connection with the GCW Universe that makes them rally behind these athletes.

While allowing these competitors to grow and find their place, GCW has also brought in legends and utilized them in unique ways. Juventud Guerrera recently returned to GCW and showcased the high flying arsenal that made him a cruiserweight mainstay in the 90s.

2 Cold Scorpio has been a regular for GCW, making several appearances over the past year. He was in the main event of their For The Culture event against AR Fox. He has also mixed it up with the likes of Chris Bey and Stallion Rogers. The way the company has blended the past and future makes it important for the present landscape of independent wrestling.

3) GCW features dream matches with AEW, NJPW, and independent stars

GCW has put together dream matches during WrestleMania weekend over the past few years. The Bloodsport events started a trend of major dream matches with Matt Riddle vs. Minoru Suzuki headlining the first event. This series of shows has seen Josh Barnett vs. Minoru Suzuki, and Jon Moxley vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

The last few major shows for GCW have seen competitors from all promotions. AEW has seen a lot of crossovers in Game Changer Wrestling events. Joey Janela has continued to be a mainstay despite being full-time for All Elite Wrestling. Penelope Ford and Jon Moxley have made appearances for the promotion as well.

NJPW's Suzuki will be on a tour of the US, and one major place fans can see him in is GCW. He'll face top performers from GCW, AEW, and across the wrestling world. Suzuki will mix it up with Joey Janela, Jonathan Gresham, and Homicide. He will bring his brand of violence to Game Changer Wrestling and look to showcase his star power in the fall.

GCW has some of the best independent wrestlers in the world at their disposal. AJ Gray, Matthew Justice, Drew Parker, and Ninja Mack are showcased to make their mark on the promotion. This assortment of competitors mixed with legends and outside talent makes Game Changer Wrestling a place to be.

2) GCW top babyface, Nick Gage

Nick Gage is the top star of GCW and a star in the wrestling industry. Some former wrestlers and pundits will deny his appeal due to his past and his death-match persona. However, Gage is undeniable in his popularity with the GCW fanbase.

Gage has only grown in popularity this year with the Dark Side of the Ring episode that chronicled his career and real-life journey. From bank robbery to the loss of his brother, this allowed fans to connect with the man even more. His connection as a folk hero to the death-match community is unreal in many ways.

The Dark Side of the Ring episode allowed Gage his biggest opportunity yet. Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho worked as the narrator for Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 and wanted to face the former GCW World Champion after learning his story. The two men clashed in a No Rules Match on the July 28th episode of AEW Dynamite.

Days before that showdown, Gage defended the GCW World Championship against Matt Cardona at their Homecoming event. This was the culmination of months of conflict between Gage and Cardona. The former Zack Ryder battled the King and survived.

Gage has feuded with both Cardona and Moxley over the course of the past year. Between his huge encounters in AEW and his headline matches in GCW, Gage has firmly established himself as the biggest draw in the promotion.

1) GCW has the "anything can happen" element

GCW has become a must-watch for many wrestling fans. The promotion has frequently been shown around pay-per-views like SummerSlam in Las Vegas and AEW All Out in Chicago.

Nick Gage started a Twitter feud with Matt Cardona, talking trash to the former WWE superstar and challenging him to a death match. To many fans, this was just regular social media chatter. However, it became obvious that this was a prelude to what was to come in GCW.

Cardona debuted in GCW at their Zombie event in June. The former Zack Ryder showed that he wasn't scared of the atmosphere, fans, or death matches. This set up a showdown between Cardona and Gage at GCW Homecoming that led to one of their most successful events of the year.

Before Cardona's arrival, AEW's Moxley returned to GCW during WrestleMania weekend at the Spring Break event. The reaction to Moxley's appearance brought a lot of buzz and showed that top stars wanted to be in Game Changer Wrestling.

Moxley made more surprise appearances which helped Cardona make his arrival a shock due to him posing as Moxley. That's what made the Purveyor of Violence's latest return to the company a bigger moment.

The same droid outfit and mask that Cardona debuted in was the attire for Moxley. After Cardona defended the GCW World Championship against Frank The Clown at their Art of War Games event, Moxley surprised the crowd by unmasking and dropping Cardona with a Paradigm Shift to win the GCW World Championship.

GCW Fight Club: Mox vs. Gage is their next big event in Atlantic City that will be headlined by Moxley defending the GCW World Championship against Nick Gage. This, along with the shows coming up this month, has a level of unpredictability. That's why GCW's "anything can happen" element is the biggest reason why they are the hottest indie promotion today.