Ricky Otazu (1999–2004, 2013–2015) Danny Demanto (2015–2019) Brett Lauderdale (2015–present)
Formerly
Jersey Championship Wrestling (1999–2015)
Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), formerly known as Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW), is an American independentprofessional wrestlingpromotion based in New Jersey. The promotion was originally founded by Ricky Otazu in 1999, it was rebranded under its current name in 2015, after a sale to Danny Demanto and current owner Brett Lauderdale. The promotion specializes in hardcore and "death matches", as well as mixed martial arts-inspired shoot style matches.
GCW has since grown from running shows based in New Jersey, to holding events across the United States, as well as internationally in Japan and Mexico. Annual events include "Backyard Wrestling", Bloodsport, Joey Janela's Spring Break, the Nick Gage Invitational, and the "Tournament of Survival". GCW has a unique ruleset to particular events, with the rules being you get submitted or knocked out as the only ways of loss.
History
As Jersey Championship Wrestling
Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW) was founded by independent wrestler Ricky Otazu, also known by his ring name of Ricky O,[1] in January 1999 in New Jersey.[2][3] JCW ran their first show on January 29, 2000 in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.[4] Later that year, JCW hosted the inaugural Jersey J-Cup, which featured many of the top independent wrestlers of that period.[5] They would continue to host the tournament until 2004, when JCW was sold to rival company National Wrestling Superstars (NWS).[6]
The promotion would remain dormant for nearly a decade until September 2013 when, after the closure of National Wrestling Superstars,[7] Otazu reclaimed the rights to JCW and reopened the promotion.[6] In April 2014, JCW opened its own training school in North Bergen.[8] Later that year, JCW would return to hosting the Jersey J-Cup.[9]
2015–present: Rebranding as Game Changer Wrestling
In June 2015, Jersey Championship Wrestling rebranded itself to Game Changer Wrestling (GCW)[3] after being purchased by Brett Lauderdale and Danny Demanto.[10] Since the buyout, GCW began to predominantly feature hardcore wrestling and continued to enjoy success in the New Jersey Wrestling scene. GCW became known for producing several tournaments featuring independent wrestlers; including the Nick Gage Invitational Ultraviolent Tournament,[11] the Tournament of Survival[12] and the Acid Cup.[13]
In March 2017, GCW produced Joey Janela's Spring Break show in Fern Park, Florida.[14] This would become an annual tradition for the company.[15] GCW would begin to expand throughout the United States and hosted its first show in Los Angeles in November 2018, titled To Live and Die in LA.[16] In April 2018, GCW partnered with Matt Riddle to produce Matt Riddle's Bloodsport, a show that fused professional wrestling and mixed-martial arts rules.[17] Bloodsport would take place twice more in 2019, this time with the partnership of Josh Barnett.[18][19][20][21] In August 2019, GCW embarked on a two-day tour of Japan.[22]
In December 2020, GCW attempted to end their partnership with streaming platform Independent Wrestling TV (IWTV), later moving their content to FITE TV. In 2021, IWTV sued GCW for breach of contract.[23][24]
On January 23, 2022 GCW held the sold out The Wrld on GCW event, their debut at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The event marked the first GCW event to air on traditional pay-per-view outlets.[25][26]
During Tama Tonga's reign, Jersey Championship Wrestling was renamed Game Changer Wrestling in July 2015, so their respective championships were also renamed.
Record-setting two-time champion Nick Gage; he has the longest singular reign for the title at 722 days, and he also has the longest combined reign at 828 days
The GCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestlingworld tag team championship created and promoted by the Americanpromotion Game Changer Wrestling. The titles were created on April 1, 1999 acting by the name of JCW Tag Team Championship by the time in which the promotion was known as Jersey Championship Wrestling. After the promotion changed its name to Game Changer Wrestling in June 2015, the titles began being known as the GCW Tag Team Championship.There have been a total of 26 reigns and 5 vacancies shared between 23 different teams consisting of 42 distinctive champions. The current champions are The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe) who are in their second reign as a team as well as individual.
Titles were vacated under unknown circumstances somewhere between April 4, 2001 and 2002. The vacancy period is too long for an estimative duration of Low Ki and Mafia's reign to be determined.
The exact length of this reign is uncertain. Neither the exact date when Havok and Papadon won the titles is known. The first documentation of them holding the titles was a defence against Andrew Anderson and Wenzel from March 3, 2002.
The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz (EC Negro and KC Blade)
January–March 2003
N/A
N/A
1
N/A
Cagematch.de states that EC Negro and KC Blade held the titles beginning from somwhere between January and March 2003. However their title win does not appear in the title history list, but it does in a title defence against Tony Blaze and Warpath from March 9, 2003 at the JCW Skin To Win event.
Cagematch.de does not show any title change in the title history list in which Janela actually wins the titles but a documentation states that he defended the titles alone against Jarrett Foster and Aaron Stride on June 13, 2014 at a JCW event. It is unknown if he ever had a tag team partner.
13
Glitz And Glamour (Jarrett Foster, Steven Sterling and Aaron Stride)
This was a 2-on-1 handicap match in which Janela defended the titles alone. Cagematch.de shows that Stride and Foster won the titles but Steven Sterling is also shown to have taken place in a further title defence, the most plausible explanation being that all three members were recognized as champions under the freebird rule. However, Sterling's reign length remains uncertain.
