Matt Cardona has been playing a likable babyface in almost every promotion he’s been in since his WWE release. But there’s one massive exception — his run in Game Changer Wrestling and his rivalry with Nick Gage. The two had their long-awaited deathmatch for the GCW World Championship at the GCW Homecoming event on Saturday night. Cardona won the blood-soaked brawl, prompting fans at Showboat Hotel Atlantic City to belt him with beer bottles, soda cans, water bottles and anything they could get their hands on. The chaotic scene instantly drew comparisons to Hulk Hogan‘s heel turn at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, where he aligned with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash as the New World Order and drove fans to throw garbage into the ring.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Check out the videos from the show and let us know what you think of the comparisons down in the list below. The GCW Homecoming event will continue on Sunday night and will have an update from Cardona’s manager Mark Sterling.
*BREAKING*
GCW Champion Matt Cardona’s representative SMARK MARK STERLING will address the GCW fans on behalf of his client today at Day 2 of #GCWHomecoming.
Watch LIVE Today at 5PM on @FiteTV:https://t.co/TZDVjwG3lK pic.twitter.com/2gXXuXK5NJ
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) July 25, 2021
Looks Like Cardona Wins
Who got more trash? Cardona tonight or Hogan in ’96? https://t.co/FNVIALOlg7
— Mr. Warren Hayes (@MrWarrenHayes) July 25, 2021
Immediate Reaction
CARDONA IS BEING PELTED WITH BOTTLES AND CANS LIKE HOGAN WAS WHEN HE JOINED THE NWO #GCWHomecoming
— BODYSLAM.NET (@BodyslamNet) July 25, 2021
Immortalized
Matt Cardona just created the same kind of moment Hogan did at Bash at the Beach ’96. What a talent. https://t.co/QQsRbQrsVP
— Truck_Rockpec (@Truck_Rockpec) July 25, 2021
Joins the Hall of Infamy
Hogan joining the NWO
— Sam (@theslammerlives) July 25, 2021
Cena at One Night Stand
Cena at MITB ’13
and now Cardona at #GCWHomecoming https://t.co/S0QKDB6Yoo
The Commentary Team Didn’t Care for It
Matt Cardona beats Nick Gage, becomes GCW World Champion, gets absolutely peppered with beer, soda and water bottles then exits the arena with the belt.
— Colby F. of Fightful & WrestleZone (@ColbsMMA) July 25, 2021
Absolute scenes.#GCWHomecoming pic.twitter.com/0JQTazpL5b
Thing of Beauty
That ending of #GCWHomecoming was just a thing of beauty! Cardona is the biggest heel in any promotion since Hogan in WCW 😂 pic.twitter.com/FjBJK4p7Rl
— John D (@HorhayBlanco) July 25, 2021
Numbers Don’t Lie
Hogan won the title in his first match in WCW. Cardona did it in GCW tonight in a death match. Cardona > Hogan
— TheJerkster (@TheJerkster_) July 25, 2021
