Show date: April 1, 2022
For the third year, Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) presented the For The Culture 2022. For The Culture live from the Fair Park, a showcase for many of the best–and often underappreciated– Black talent in the industry, as part of their Collective series of shows in Dallas, Texas. The commentary was done by Suge D and IWTV World champion AC Mack. The commentary team received some help from Faye Jackson and Mike Outlaw at different times.
Tasha Steelz (c) defeated Big Swole
For the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship
Shattering stereotypes right and left, they started on time, opening with Impact Wrestling’s Knockout World champion Tasha Steelz successfully defending her title against former AEW star, Big Swole. A good match with commentary giving background on the rivalry between the two. This included Steelz having lost each of their previous bouts.
Swole is such a great pure babyface. I’m glad to see her back in the ring. Had a couple of awkward moments. But they got through them with the champ catching Swole with a cutter as Swole was climbing back in the ring. Nice finish.
Michael Oku defeated PB Smooth, Carlie Bravo, Keita Murray, Ju Dizz, and Trey Shaw
Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight champion Michael Oku made his FTC debut, winning a Scramble match over PB Smooth (with Faye Jackson), Carlie Bravo, Keita Murray, Ju Dizz, Trey Shaw, submitting Shaw with a Single Leg Boston Crab with a bridge (insanely impressive). Like most Scramble matches, there was a lot going on so it was a good exhibition for all of them. I was taken by Smooth, who I’ve seen before and this was his best showing to date. He’s 6’9 and starting to look comfortable working as a big match.
Shane Taylor Promotions defeated The Hitmakerz
One of the most anticipated matches of the show saw Shane Taylor Promotions–Shane Taylor and O’Shay Edwards with the Rev. Ron Hunt–defeating the Hitmakerz (Franc and Tehuti Miles with Briana Brandy, formerly Hit Row in WWE) in a very good tag team match. I was surprised at how big Franc is. He’s noticeably bigger than Taylor and Edwards and those guys are monsters.
The Hitmakerz looked very good in what is one of their first matches outside WWE auspices but fell to the more experienced team when they got caught up in the ringside antics of Hunt, allowing Taylor to be isolated with Miles, dropping him with a driver. Big pose at the end with both teams after tempers cooled, which I hope continues as a tradition.
Trish Adora (c) defeated MJ Jenkins
For the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Championship
MJ Jenkins made her big-time return, challenging Trish Adora for the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Championship. Another good match with Adora picking up the win over a valiant effort from Jenkins with a unique roll-up using her legs to pin Jenkins’ shoulders to the mat. Jenkins was working heel and she was great. She should stay like that. She showed great fire and intensity.
AJ Gray defeated Darius Lockhart
Darius Lockhart, very recently a finalist for the newly reinstated NWA Junior Heavyweight title, came up short-facing GCW Extreme champion, AJ Gray, still having visible scars on his back from his match the previous night with Jon Moxley. A match-up of the technician vs the power-based brawler that ends with the brawler winning with a clever wrestling hold. I enjoyed this a lot and it gave Gray a different look with the finish.
Mysterious Q defeated Zenshi, Bryan Keith, and JTG
One of my favorite independent stars at the moment, Mysterious Q, was victorious in a four-way match over the acrobatic Zenshi, Q’s frequent foe, Texas rival “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith, and NWA star, JTG. Good work from JTG as the “big star” who couldn’t be bothered with these young guys, sitting out the beginning of the match, eventually leading to the other three focusing on him. Beautiful finish as Keith had Zenshi on his shoulders, possibly to deliver an Electric Chair slam, and Q running to the top rope and hitting Zenshi with a cutter off Keith’s shoulder. Impressive in its own right, even more so considering Q’s size.
Main Event: Hoodfoot defeated Billy Dixon
In the main event, Hoodfoot outlasted Billy Dixon, giving me Bad Leroy Brown vibes in his coveralls–in the first all-Black deathmatch (according to commentary, I don’t know). Deathmatches aren’t my thing, but I respect the effort to put them on. Both guys were bleeding badly with Hoodfoot tapping Dixon out with a motor city stretch.
The show was just over two hours and moved at a good pace, offering something for everyone, highlighting the quality and diversity of the Black talent out there.
Commentary was entertaining. Commentary had a conversational tone without doing as some other teams do and just ramble on and on about nothing. When they would get off-topic (the match in the ring), they always quickly got back to it.
J-Rose might be the most entertaining ring announcer in the history of the business. If you have a nickname, he will call it out, no matter how many you have and no one dances to every song like him. Love this guy.
Really enjoyed this show.
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Reviews by Dave is the best wrestling review on the internet! This review was written by David Houston II, who writes about wrestling shows and pay-per-views.
