Matt Cardona has a new opponent for GCW’s “Highest In The Room 3” event.
Ricky Starks made an appearance at GCW Dream On last weekend, and a match against Matt Cardona was announced a short time later. However, Starks was pulled from that match and two other unannounced GCW matches this week.
Starks was pulled by AEW after EFFY made some unflattering remarks about AEW, Tony Khan, and Tony’s father, Shad, on his podcast. In particular, AEW was upset that EFFY called out AEW for conveniently running at Hammerstein Ballroom so close to GCW’s next show there, and his implication that Shad effectively paid Tony Khan to stay away.
Cardona was left without an opponent for the match, but GCW has finally announced a replacement for the match. Somewhat fittingly enough, Cardona will face EFFY.
EFFY commented on the match, alluding to the report about why Starks was pulled, saying he’s going to get Cardona removed too.
Brett Lauderdale comments on the Ricky Starks situation
GCW’s Brett Lauderdale was on the Game Changer Weekly podcast after Starks was pulled from his GCW bookings. Lauderdale said talent is normally clear to work their shows and called out the hypocrisy of being an “independent contractor” in pro wrestling.
“It’s a weird situation. Ricky Starks is an independent contractor. But this is a whole wrestling conversation that, one of these days, is going to be tested and something’s going to happen. Because theoretically, an independent contractor is independent and they can go work wherever they want. But in wrestling, these ‘independent contractors’ don’t seem to be very independent, they’re at the whim of an employer. [That] sure makes it sound like they’re an employee.
“So, it’s above our pay grade, I’m just an indie wrestling company and I don’t have people under contract. These guys reach out to me and I like working with talented people. I don’t really get into their contract situation. If they make it to the point where they can appear on my show, then I’m to assume that everything is cleared. People don’t traditionally breach contracts on this level of wrestling. I don’t know what else to say about that.”
Lauderdale doesn’t have contact with Tony Khan or AEW
Lauderdale was also asked if there’s any indication that other AEW talent could be pulled from GCW events.
“Just to be clear, I found out about this the same time everybody else did, for the most part. Again — I think I’ve stated this many times and it’s no secret, I don’t really have a line of communication with AEW. I don’t. I’ve never talked to Tony Khan on the phone or via text in my entire life. They don’t talk to me, and I’m not saying that in a negative context. But I guess we’ve never really had to talk. Anybody that’s from AEW that has worked with us, that’s just been between me and the talent to arrange it. If they need to get permission, they handle that on their own.
“So, in terms of this with Ricky Starks or with anybody else from AEW, I don’t really know a lot. I haven’t heard about anybody else and I don’t — again, I’m just hearing that Ricky has been pulled, end period. I haven’t been on the phone with AEW where they’ve given me an explanation or [they haven’t] asked me any questions or anything. There’s been — I have no communication with AEW over this. So yeah, I don’t know what applies to Ricky Starks, I don’t know if it goes beyond Ricky Starks.”
