In a locker room with the likes of Tommy Dreamer, Taz, and Raven, Sandman found a way to stand out by smoking a cigarette, drinking beer, and holding his signature Singapore cane that he would use on some unfortunate person. As he steps into the ring for his final match at GCW’s Joey Janela’s Spring Break X, the opponent should help reflect his legacy. Here are five wrestlers who would be incredibly fitting choices.

5. Tommy Dreamer

Longtime rival who put on one of the best rivalries with The Sandman in the early days of ECW. The two would continue to feud and have several memorable moments, including the Ten Lashes, which helped a struggling Tommy Dreamer gain sympathy from the raucous ECW crowd. Throughout their time together, they defined the early days of Extreme Wrestling, becoming two of the more well-known names of the style. One man who could be in the same ring as the Sandman for his retirement match is the man he helped make early on.

4. Akira 

Akira is someone who has been doing incredibly well for the last few years becoming one of the biggest names in Deathmatch wrestling. He is someone who’d be a fantastic opponent for the Sandman with a clash of styles. Both men would tear the house down going blow for blow. A battle of eras with two violent men honoring the spirit of hardcore wrestling.

3. Atticus Cogar

Atticus Cogar has had an amazing 2025, taking away Fuego De Sol’s mask and beating Effy for the GCW World Heavyweight Championship while also being in several high-stakes matches, and has the opportunity to start 2026 off with a bang. Cogar is a top-tier heel, with an aggressive style and the ability to do promos on par with some of the great hardcore wrestlers. I see Cogar vs Sandman as a battle for the ages that would be reminiscent of his time facing off against his most well-known foe, Raven.

2. Charles Mason

The current House of Glory Champion, Charles Mason, is a no-brainer to be the man to retire the Sandman. Mason has been building his reputation as one of the most dangerous competitors, having a psychological edge. Mason is as hard-hitting as they come and is no stranger to extreme matches. A man who can take hits and dish them out, and is hotter than ever, and if he is the Sandman’s final opponent, it’d be a match that everyone would remember. The Root of All Evil vs The Hardcore Icon.

1. Mance Warner

Mance Warner captures the ECW style, having a brawling style and being able to survive and even thrive in the most extreme environments. He embodies the chaos that Sandman helped popularize, and a match between the two would be the passing of the torch between an extreme icon and a modern era heir.