Dave Meltzer Faces Backlash Over Criticism For His Take On Fans Reaction To GCW Homecoming Main Event

By Trent Osborne Last updated Jul 25, 2021

The finish of last night’s GCW Homecoming Part 1 show was one of the biggest stories of 2021 so far.

In what can only be described as one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, Matt Cardona defeated GCW World Champion Nick Gage to become the deathmatch promotion’s new flag bearer. The crowd, which had been roaring in support of Gage and in hatred of Cardona all match long, pelted the ring with trash during the new champion’s celebration.

The match and the ensuing aftermath were a smashing success for GCW. The post-match trash pelting gained so much traction that Matt Cardona was trending #1 on Twitter after the event. There is currently no word on the buy-rate, but it would not come as a surprise if the Gage/Cardona deathmatch makes last night’s Homecoming event the most bought pay-per-view in GCW history. Not everyone shared the same enthusiasm for the popularity of the main event’s aftermath. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter took to Twitter to criticize the Homecoming crowd, calling the post-match scene “Bulls***” and “Embarrassing”.

I'm sure people will make their lame excuses for it, or say how great the heat was, but this crowd reaction was such bullshit and such an embarrassment to the industry. https://t.co/o5YPBB2G7f
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) July 25, 2021

Meltzer’s tweet has been met with backlash online, with some even accusing his opinion on the trash-throwing of being hypocritical.

https://twitter.com/BFBJSC/status/1419375279152193536?s=20

Go clean your room instead of doing shitty takes. https://t.co/zonqgzAolE
— Cervas (@cervas_ftrr) July 25, 2021

Oh fuck off. People genuinely giving a shit about wrestling and having an emotional response to it, which is the desired result, and you shit on it.

Congratulations @TheMattCardona @thekingnickgage and @GCWrestling_ on a great piece of business!! https://t.co/XDnRfBwmuE
— GoodBad Jon (@GoodBadNHB) July 25, 2021

LET THE WRESTLERS GET HEAT

LET THE FANS REACT TO THAT

IF THE FANS HAVE NOTHING TO HATE , THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOVE . PERIOD https://t.co/SMdgN68r7I
— Big Mouth Lydol (@TylerLydol) July 25, 2021

This you?

“Hulk Hogan turned heel amidst incredible heat in an angle that will be remembered for years” – Dave Meltzer

So the reaction and trash thrown at Hogan is incredible heat… but the reaction @TheMattCardona got is an embarrassment? Right…. https://t.co/Bu0mP8fBXp
— Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net aka Buck Dancer (@Casshooole) July 25, 2021

The claims of Meltzer being hypocritical originate from an article in the July 15th, 1996 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter covering the fallout from the infamous WCW Bash at the Beach event from that year. The show is remembered for the now-iconic heel turn of Hulk Hogan. The former WWE (then WWF) Champion turned his back on the fans and aligned himself as the “third man” of The Outsiders, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. The three would eventually be known as the founding members of the New World Order. The fans were so enraged at the betrayal that they, much like the crowd at last night’s GCW show, showered the ring with trash as Hogan cut a scathing promo on the audience.

Despite the similarities between the two events, Meltzer praised the reaction to the Hogan turn as a huge success.

“After a 15-year babyface run, Hulk Hogan turned heel amidst incredible heat in an angle that will be remembered for years as the climax of WCW’s Bash at the Beach PPV show on 7/7 in Daytona Beach.” Meltzer wrote.

“The heat, with a literal flood of debris being thrown at the ring, was as intense as anything seen in U.S rings at a major arena since Jake Roberts and Love Machine were headlining Los Angeles for AAA.”

You can see the fallout from last night’s shocking finale tonight, when GCW hosts part two of their Homecoming event at 5 Eastern on Fite.TV.