GCW returned to action over the weekend with The Wrld on GCW, Pt. 2, live from Indianapolis. The show was loaded with talent, and featured all-out bangers such as AJ Gray vs. KTB and Tre Lamar vs. Lee Moriarty. But, one of the most fun stories going into this show was the GCW debut of Calvin Tankman.
Tankman has long been a standout on the wrestling scene in Indiana and beyond – we’ve seen him several times at Paradigm Pro, SUP, and the dude’s had a hell of a run at Bizarro. What makes him so special is the rare combination of athleticism and size that you don’t see too often in wrestlers. But, once the bell rings, the man can do it all. He’s one to watch on the scene right now, and after he won a scramble match that also featured Zachary Wentz, Benjamin Carter, JJ Garrett, Gringo Loco, and Cole Radrick, it’s fair to say his GCW debut couldn’t have gone much better.
AIR TANKMAN!!!!!! @CalvinTankman #WRLDonGCW @GCWrestling_
— Kayden (@KVR216) June 20, 2020
▶️https://t.co/MxUUImfhLs pic.twitter.com/hAU3fPfuDU
In addition to this dive, Tankman also hit a disgusting Last Ride-esque powerbomb on Carter that looked like it would have put him a foot in the dirt if he had executed it on the ground. Seriously, my back is hurting just thinking about it. I thought, “well, you had a nice run, Benjamin Carter…”
But, he also threw Wentz out of the ring like he was nothing. He could’ve used Wentz as a javelin, spiking him into the rest of the field standing outside of the ring. It was that signature ‘athletic destruction’ that has become Tankman’s trademark, executed to perfection, and the crowd, in addition to those watching along on Fite, ate it up completely.
However, when Tankman hit a running shooting star press that likely collapsed a lung in Carter, the whole damn scene ‘sploded.
Running shooting star press from @CalvinTankman! #GCW #WRLDonGCW @GCWrestling_
— Rob (@HeyyImRob) June 20, 2020
▶️https://t.co/ZFfwa3jlHs pic.twitter.com/BC7rCfYsMX
It couldn’t have gone much better – to get that win and to look that good in the process, that’s a huge victory for Tankman, one that will hopefully propel him to the next level of indie wrestling. I’d love to see the dude become a GCW regular. The reviews on Twitter were excellent, and backed up that assertion that the dude was over big time – “aptly named,” “he’s a star,” “fucking killed it,” “my new favorite wrestler,” “good LORD this man,” – those are just a few things that I saw pop up when I searched his name on Twitter. I even noticed someone tweeting a Samoa Joe comparison. Just all around good shit.
The ebb and flow comes and goes in independent wrestling, and it takes talent in waves along with it. We’ve seen it time and time again as all of our indie darlings are scooped up by the big leagues. But, it always leaves holes to fill – opportunities for that next wave of talent to step up.
Whether or not Calvin Tankman is ready to be apart of that next wave remains to be seen, but he could very well be positioning his self into being apart of that second wave – the next next wave, if you will. Eventually, the right eyes are going to see what a freakish athlete he is, what kind of potential he has in front of a television audience, and they’re going to jump at the chance to add him to their roster.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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