Gregory Iron had a front row seat for Matt Cardona's GCW World Title victory over Nick Gage at GCW Homecoming.
Iron was part of the 44OH run in, which ended up being a swerve at Rickey Shane Page double crossed Gage, leading to Cardona's victory and post-match "celebration."
Appearing on Sean Waltman's Pro Wrestling 4 Life, Iron recalled the aftermath of the moment.
"In that particular building, anyone who opposes Nick Gage is despised. People love him. A year ago in New Jersey, when 44OH took the title from Nick Gage, it was the first time we experienced having beer bottles and garbage being thrown at us. It was a sketchy situation because there is no barricade, so we had to fight our way out of the building. Going into this weekend, we knew helping Cardona win the belt was not going to go well. We had to push our way through just to get to the run in. We were getting shit thrown at us as we were going out for the run in. As we're on the outside of the ring, as the pinfall begins, we're getting out there because we know what's happened in that building before, so we wanted to get a head start. We said, 'Cardona can take the heat on this.' We had to push our way out. I felt bad for Cardona, but he got out safe and sound. The genuine heat generated in that building is on another level. In 2021, I feel like you shouldn't be able to do that, but it's being done," said Iron.
While Cardona being pelted with trash is headline news now, it wasn't the first time fans had throw trash at wrestlers in GCW.
Iron recalled a scary moment at a GCW event in Philadelphia that involved fans throwing chairs into the ring.
"It's an incredible visual, but for the performers it's terrifying," Iron said of fans throwing things into the rings. "Everyone talks about this weekend and Run Rickey Run when we took the belt from Gage, but a moment they don't talk about, which is the most terrifying was me, Atticus Coger, and Eddy Only and we were fucking with Gage and we're in this little bar in Philly. There are two levels and a fan threw a chair in the ring. So other fans started throwing chairs. That was terrifying and then people from the balcony started throwing chairs down on us. I get beamed in the side of the head with a chair and I tell people, 'cover up' and we have to lay in the ring as people are throwing chairs up, in, and down on us. The fact that we got out of the ring uninjured was a miracle. As a performer, I don't want to be involved in that situation. I'm glad we survived and we have that visual, but it's not fun."
GCW has commented on the incident, but only to say that there were no planted fans who started the incident.
When asked if he feels GCW should issue further comment and warn fans to not react that way, Iron said, "I feel like part of the people behind GCW enjoy that visual. I don't want to say they don't have the performer's interest in mind, but no one has come out and said 'don't throw shit in the ring.' In the past there's been slurs that they said, 'Everyone is welcome at GCW, saying the F word will get you ejected immediately.' As far as throwing stuff in the ring, nothing has been said and I don't know if anything will be said. I don't know how to feel about that."
It is unknown if GCW will try to calm fan reaction moving forward.
Iron is set to compete in GCW War Games in September as Team 44OH battles Team MDK.
You can read Cardona's comments on fans throwing trash at him by clicking here.
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