Gregory Iron on the Fan Reaction to Matt Cardona Beating Nick Gage, GCW’s Response

– Speaking to Sean Waltman for the Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast, Gregory Iron commented on the reaction to Matt Cardona beating Nick Gage for the GCW World title and fans throwing trash at Matt Cardona while he was still in the ring after the match. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Iron on the genuine heat in that venue to anyone against Nick Gage: “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.”

Iron on fans throwing chairs into the ring after Nick Cage lost the belt at an event in Philadelphia: “It’s an incredible visual, but for the performers it’s terrifying. 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.”

Iron on GCW’s perception of the Matt Cardona incident: “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 **** 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.”