We’re off to Berlin for a look at the first Light Heavyweight World Cup in two years, as GWF returned to the Festsaal Kreuzberg.
Quick Results
Toni Harting pinned Ronaldo Shaqiri in 4:43 (**½)
Ahura & Xara Grace pinned Lina & Tom Stübing in 6:13 (**¼)
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Crowchester pinned Anarko Montana in 10:03 (***)
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Aytac Bahar pinned Corey McRae in 12:02 (**¾)
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Michael Oku submitted Fast Time Moodo in 13:40 (***¼)
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Maverick defeated Senza Volto via technical knockout in 7:12 (**¼)
Erkan Sulcani wins a Mystery Mayhem Envelope Battle Royal in 10:23 (**¾)
Iva Kolasky pinned Nicky Foxley in 8:54 (**¼)
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 Final: Crowchester defeated Michael Oku, Aytac Bahar & Maverick in 28:33 (***¼)
Berlin’s GWF is a promotion that I tend to catch every now and then when they stream on YouTube, but don’t really follow-up outside of those shows. Like everyone else in the pandemic, GWF were affected by a shutdown, but other than four shows in the fall/autumn of 2020, GWF weren’t able to return to any kind of regular schedule until last summer. This is the first time that GWF’s been able to hold a Light Heavyweight World Cup since 2020, which was won by Tarkan Aslan in a final that also included 2019’s winner, El Phantasmo. This year’s line-up has someone familiar with ELP, in the form of Michael Oku, who’s making his debut in Germany.
This live stream we saw on from YouTube has no English commentary (Dave Bradshaw usually provides that on wearegwf.com)… German commentary from the Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin on the live feed comes from Walandi Tsanti.
We open up with the Chaer brothers – Ahmed and (Crazy Sexy) Mike – for the kick-off show, and it’s right into the matches!
Toni Harting vs. Ronaldo Shaqiri
Harting was upset at being on the pre-show… and ended up having his open challenge answered by one half of GWF’s tag team champions, Ronaldo Shaqiri.
A spear from Shaqiri took Harting outside at the bell, before he threw the former Berlin champion back inside. Harting rolls across the ring and used his new sidekick, Big Nik, as a human shield, before he returned with a back suplex that dumped Shaqiri onto the apron. Chops follow to Shaqiri in the corner, then a leaping forearm, before a Fisherman suplex gets a near-fall. A nerve hold’s next from Harting, then some elbows to the neck from the former Muskel-Kater as Shaqiri finally threw himself free. Clotheslines and a back body drop has Harting in the ropes ahead of a rebound German suplex.
Harting wriggles out of a Razor’s Edge, but couldn’t avoid a fallaway slam, before Shaqiri hit the Razor’s Edge at the second try for a near-fall. A DDT gets Harting back in it, as a TKO gets the win – and I’d suspect this might lead to Harting & Nik going for the tag titles? **½
Post-match, Big Nik – a former basketball player – drops Shaqiri with a chokeslam.
Ahura & Xara Grace vs. Tom Stübing & Lina
Ahura was stripping off on his way to the ring, taking his socks off as he went and putting on tape. I’m guessing he’s (at least) playing a late fill-in?
Grace attacked Lina from behind with a clothesline to start, getting the early upper hand before Lina countered a back body drop into a sunset flip by the ropes. A running neckbreaker followed for a one-count, before Tom Stübing tagged in… as did Ahura, because this was mixed-tag rules. Ahura takes off his t-shirt and pulls up his jeans before Stübing hit a suplex, a snapmare and a kick to the back. A dropkick takes Ahura to the corner, but Xara Grace distracts from an eye rake as Ahura’s springboard missile dropkick saw him return to the ring. A low dropkick from Ahura gets a one-count, before Stübing’s Codebreaker led to tags again.
Lina’s clothesline don’t faze Grace, who’s eventually taken down with one off the ropes… my feed craps out, returning as Lina hits a satellite DDT to Ahura, before she held Xrace down for a senton bomb from Stübing that nearly won it. Ahura clotheslines Stübing to the outside, then went after Lina with a nasty piledriver, and I guess this wasn’t mixed tag but intergender, as that’s enough for Ahura to get the win. **¼
The main show starts with the parade of entrants for the World Cup, and then it’s off to the qualifiers!
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Crowchester vs. Anarko Montana
Montana’s from Chile, and has done a few matches for GWF in the recent past… while Crowchester’s in this after having lost a Berlin title match to Mike D Vecchio last time out.
This one started with some standing switches before a side headlock from Montana led to a pinning attempt. Headscissors from Crowchester are escaped, as Montana dove back in with a side headlock, but a springboard something or other from Montana misses. As did a Quebrada from Crowchester before the pair reached a stand-off. Crowchester pushes on with a gamengiri on the apron, but Montana avoids a leap back in, before he repeated the same series. Even seeing his springboard dropkick avoided as the pair remained evenly-poised. Montana escapes a Fireman’s carry, but threw away a Destroyer attempt before a springboard headbutt and a PK drew a near-fall.
More kicks to the back only get Montana a one-count, before Crowchester returned with an enziguiri, then a Finlay roll, before a split-legged moonsault nearly won it. Montana heads outside, and swats away Crowchester’s dive, following in with a moonsault off the top rope to the floor. That’s good for a long two-count back inside as Crowchester begins to fight back, hanging up Montana’s foot in the ropes ahead of a springboard moonsault. Montana heads outside, but got dived on as Crowchester returned it to the ring for a double-jump moonsault for a near-fall. A back body drop and a deadlift German suplex gets Montana a near-fall, before he floated over into a Tiger Bomb for a near-fall of his own. Things head up top, but Crowchester fights away and countered a one-man Spanish Fly with an avalanche Destroyer for the win. ***
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Corey McRae vs. Aytac Bahar
Those who’ve followed my wXw reports will likely remember Aytac as one half of EZEL, back in the empty set era… last month, Aytac had a new nickname, the Adana Bulldozer, and this time he gets to wrestle with it. And some wacky 70s game show music too…
McRae takes Aytac into the corner to start, eventually throwing a chop, before he floated over Aytac… and took a series of right hands. Aytac is thrown outside, but McRae fakes out a dive, then superkicked away Aytac back inside. A clothesline takes Aytac back outside for a plancha, as a series of kicks almost led to a count-out… but McRae breaks the count. Aytac gets boxed around ringside, then got pulled into the ring post as McRae was dominating. He bites on Aytac’s boots, which is a dangerous idea to give when you’re working barefoot, but Aytac eventually fought back with a Saito suplex, then an elbow before McRae kicked away a possible Killswitch attempt. More kicks down Aytac, with a Question Mark kick nearly winning it.
McRae toys with Aytac a little too long, but swatted away a comeback or two, before Aytac fought back, landing a German suplex before McRae returned with a chop block to the knee. From there, McRae ties up Aytac in a wacky modified Deathlock, which ended via the ropes, before Aytac continued to land some right hands and clotheslines. Elbows from Aytac follow as he ducked a leg lariat, returning with a half-and-half suplex, before a uranage dropped McRae for a near-fall. Bahar heads up top after that, but McRae cuts him off, only to get headbutted down. McRae’s back with a gamengiri and a superplex, before a Twister drew a near-fall.
Aytac escapes a Jay Driller, then hit a package over-the-knee brainbuster… and that’s enough to get his spot in the final four! This felt a little long, but it got there in the end as Aytac took a beating. **¾
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Michael Oku vs. Fast Time Moodo
This was the first round pairing that caught my attention… here we go lads!
Moodo was the heavy favourite going in here, and swung at Oku early on with a head kick that sent him scurrying outside. Returning, Oku works the twist, but Moodo switches free and kicked him in the thigh, before a knuckle lock forced Oku to bridge. Moodo breaks the bridge and gets a couple of two-counts, then went for the bridge again as Oku pulled himself up. A side headlock from Oku’s pushed off as Moodo returned with a hiptoss, then a back elbow before he kicked away and swept Oku’s legs for a two-count. Oku avoids a front kick in the corner as he returned with a Dragon screw, before he began to torque away at Moodo’s foot.
Some pinning attempts follow as Oku threatened to kick Moodo in the balls, before opting to land a leg drop for a two-count. Moodo blasts back with some mid kicks, then a spinning heel kick and a sliding punch into the corner, before a stomp to Oku’s back led to a wrist-clutch Made in Japan for a near-fall. Oku avoids a Black Belt Kick and returned fire with a pair of leaping knees for a near-fall… before a half crab was rolled up for a near-fall. More kicks from Moodo leave Oku down, but Oku’s able to return with a low dropkick and a springboard moonsault… only to land into a triangle armbar. Elbows from Moodo looked to get him close to the win, but Oku slips out into the half crab again, but Moodo gets to the ropes to force the break.
On the outside, Moodo leaps onto Oku as they fight around some booths, but Oku manages to fight back, avoiding a kick as Moodo hit the ring post, before a springboard moonsault back inside nearly won it. Oku’s back up top for a frog splash, but he aborts it… only to eat a Black Belt Kick seconds later, with Oku needing the rope to save the match. Moodo argued the near-fall with the ref, only to get caught with a low blow as he moved the ref away… Oku capitalises with a low blow, then snatched the win with the half crab. Oku as a baddie is one I’m not used to, but he leaned into it real well here as the outsider – upsetting the crowd favourite with some chicanery. ***¼
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 First Round: Maverick vs. Senza Volto
Maverick’s no stranger to the GWF, but this was his first action in Berlin in three and a half years, having appeared here as part of the Who’s Next show back in 2018.
Maverick brushes off a handshake, so Senza hits a springboard armdrag instead, taking the Hungarian outside. Springboard headscissors took Maverick back outside, with Senza Volto hitting a misdirection tope to take Maverick into the aisle. A springboard flip senton’s good for just a one-count back inside, before Maverick got chopped around the ropes. A stun gun from Maverick, then a low dropkick gets him back in it, as did a springboard splash… but Senza’s up at one as the crowd began to roar and scream behind him. Shoulder charges from Maverick keep him ahead, as did a tornado DDT out of the corner… but Senza rolls outside so he couldn’t get pinned.
Senza’s eventually rolled back inside for a two-count… but Senza didn’t kick out and ended as time stood still. The referee starts a standing ten count, which Senza doesn’t answer, and this one gets waved off as Maverick makes the finals after what looked like an injury to Senza. **¼
We get footage of Aytac Bahar and Crowchester backstage… and my German escapes me. Orlando Silver, John Klinger and Erkan Sulcani grab Crowchester as the Blutsbrüder frogmarch him away.
After interval, we catch up with the Blutsbrüder, who are interrupted by Ahmed Chaer outside… we then go back to the Chaers in the ring to kick off the second half.
Mystery Mayhem Envelope Battle Royal: Doug Williams vs. Bennet Brown vs. Tim Stübing vs. Kevin Lazar vs. Joshua Amaru vs. Pahlevan Nima vs. Arash vs. Erkan Sulcani
GWF’s got a big show on May 22, called Mystery Mayhem, and has the gimmick where wrestlers fight for an envelope, with the contents (and what title match they get) are revealed on the night. Kind of like the old TNA Feast or Fired match… and from the field of eight, Sulcani’s probably considered the favourite, alongside Doug Williams.
It’s an over-the-top rope battle royal, so expect chaos, much like Doug Williams’ sparkly trunks. Very overstated compared to his usual get-up. Lazar drops Nima with a Falcon arrow among the chaos, before Arash caught Lazar with a scoop slam off the ropes. Sulcani keeps the Parade of Moves going, but Nima stops him as he and Arash hit Sulcani with a flapjack. A Hart Attack ot of the corner sees Brown and Amaru combine on Arash, who’s then tossed with a pumphandle slam by Sulcani to the outside. Brown runs wild afterwards, before Nima hit a Zig Zag on Stübing. Nima’s springboard into the ring is pushed away as he effectively eliminated himself, while Lazar hopped on Doug Williams’ back, only to get thrown out.
Stübing’s ushigoroshi dropped Brown, but Sulcani took care of Tim with a pumphandle slam… only for Amaru to dropkick the former Cash Money Erkan. Bennet Brown runs at Williams in the corner, but gets back body dropped to the outside for the next elimination. Amaru’s tossed by Stübing, Sulcani and Williams… but Sulcani celebrated too soon as all three landed on the apron. Amaru’s kicked to the floor, while Williams and Stübing – rather than head back inside – go for a suplex on the apron. A superkick from Sulcani knocks Stübing to the floor, leaving us with Doug and Erkan as the last two, trading uppercuts. Williams’ uppercut out of the corner has the big man down, before he threw Sulcani through the ropes… a suplex brings Erkan back into the ring.
A low bridge hangs up Erkan in the ropes, but he’s back with another pumphandle slam, only for Doug’s uppercuts to regain the lead. An Exploder throws Sulcani out of the corner, as did a German suplex, before the pair scrapped by the ropes, with Doug getting slung out of the ring violently as Sulcani won himself an envelope – and we’ll have to see in May what title shot he’s picked himself. **¾
Nicky Foxley vs. Iva Kolasky
Originally this was advertised as Kolasky vs. GWF Women’s champion Jessy Jay, but… plans change, I guess!
Foxley ties up with Kolasky into the ropes to start, before Kolasky subdued her with a side headlock on the mat. An axe kick gets Iva a two-count, before a slap and a suplex took her into the buckles. Foxley stays on Kolasky with a knee drop to the arm, before a sunset flip out of the corner looked to give Iva some hope. She’s quickly hiptossed down as Foxley grabbed an armbar, but it ends in the ropes… with Foxley holding onto the arm for as long as she could before breaking. Kolasky’s caught up top and powerbombed out of the corner for a near-fall, before Iva went for a handspring… but she landed awkwardly in the ropes with her arm giving way.
Recovering from that handspring, Kolasky hit a crossbody for a near-fall, before Foxley booted Kolasky out of the corner. A slam leaves Iva down for a two-count, before a roll-up from Kolasky nearly won it. Foxley’s Slingblade keeps the back-and-forth going, as did another Kolasky roll-up, before Kolasky snatched the win with a moonsault off the top. That handspring scared the hell out of me, but Iva pushed through and took the win – in spite of the Berlin crowd’s backing for Foxley. **¼
Next up is a promo segment with Pascal Spalter, who’s got a darker/meaner theme after he recently turned on his short-lived tag partner Joshua Amaru… aaand this is where my German also escapes me. Spalter’s gunning for a match with GWF champion Axel Tischer, who’s here wearing his outdoor coat. Slowly taking off his coat, Tischer unbuttons his shirt and hits the ring, but here’s the GWF orderlies in their hi-vis to separate it all. Ahmed Chaer’s out to set things straight, telling Spalter that he’d have to face Chris Colen at Blockbuster 2 next month in order to get his title match.
Light Heavyweight World Cup 22 Final: Crowchester vs. Aytac Bahar vs. Michael Oku vs. Maverick
We’re working under elimination rules here, with the winner getting the Light Heavyweight World Cup trophy. Everyone but the first man eliminated will be on the podium, which has been in the entry-way all night…
All four play to the crowd to get us going, which wound up Oku and Maverick as outsiders. Things spill outside early, where Crowchester charged Oku into the side of the ring as we play the revolving door game as we do in multi-man matches. Maverick charges down Oku, but ends up eating some headscissors and a dropkick as Aytac returned. Aytac wipes out Oku, then swept the leg for a PK… before a spinebuster led to an early near-fall. A second PK gets a similar result, but Oku manages to turn things around against Crowchester, following in with a back rake on the mat. Ode to ELP. An elbow drop gets a near-fall, before Maverick came in and stopped the cocky Oku in his tracks.
Oku tried to form an alliance with the Hungarian, but Maverick seemed to have issues with that idea, and the two end up eating a flying missile dropkick from Crowchester that cut off those negotiations. Crowchester runs wild with hesitation dropkicks in the corners, before Aytac came in and set up Maverick and Oku for a double Quebrada that nearly caused a double elimination for Crowchester. My feed drops for a while, returning with Oku and Crowchester trading right hands, before Crowchester ducked an Oku clothesline to hit a tope into Aytac and Maverick. Oku followed up with a baseball slide dropkick, then a Fosbury flop into the pile. Maverick adds to it with a springboard body press, before Aytac hit a knee back in the ring, setting up Maverick for a powerbomb for a near-fall. From the kick out, a STF traps Maverick, who tapped at 11:46 – so he’ll not be on the podium…
Crowchester nearly pins Aytac with a cheeky roll-up straight away, but Aytac kicks out at two before Oku tried a roll-up with the tights. A kick-out allowed Crowchester to clothesline himself and Oku over the top to the outside. Oku’s forced to beg off towards the podium, where he grabs the trophy… and pushed aside the podium. Oku back body drops a powerbomb away from Aytac, then fought Crowchester back towards the ring, but Aytac cannonballed off the stage into them, then charged Oku into the ring to hit a death valley driver for a near-fall. Another powerbomb’s blocked, before Oku grabbed the ref so he could mule kick Aytac.
One leaping knee later, Aytac is down as a frog splash ended up putting the Adana Bulldozer away at 17:30. It’s down to Crowchester and Oku now, and we’ve got a clear crowd favourite. Oku rolled Crowchester down for a kick to the back, but Crowchester’s back with a baseball slide and a dropkick, which set up for an enziguiri to boot. Crowchester added a running sit-down splash for a near-fall, before a flying Destroyer was caught as Oku hits an Alabama Slam into the corner. A running dropkick stings Crowchester next, as the leaping knee nearly puts him away, before a half crab from Oku saw him get showered in boos. The noise, not the drink. Crowchester pushes away, but gets rolled up for a near-fall… before they traded pins on a see-saw sunset flip. Eventually a superkick from Crowchester earned the nearest of near-falls.
Oku tried again for the mule kick, but third time wasn’t the charm as Crowchester avoided it… only to get rolled into the half crab anyway. Crowchester tries to get to the ropes, but Oku pulls him away, only for Crowchester to make it to the ropes anyway. Oku tries to put more pressure on, throwing Crowchester outside, but an apron PK misses, unlike a follow-up series of kicks. Oku sets up for a big dive, but Crowchester avoids a Fosbury flop, then caught Oku on the apron with a DDT. Back inside, a springboard Destroyer spikes Oku, but it’s not enough… so Crowchester heads up top for a 450 splash, which he aborts, before Oku pulled the ref in front of him as a human shield.
Shoving the ref into Crowchester creates an opening for a kick to the knee, before a DDT and a frog splash drew yet another near-fall. Another crack at the half crab’s pushed away, before springboard reverse ‘rana from Crowchester set him up for the 630 for the World Cup win. Pushing nearly half an hour, this was by far and away the longest match on the show, with Oku looking real good in an unfamiliar place in a (relatively) unfamiliar role, but it’s Crowchester who leaves with the big win. ***¼
After the match, everyone heads up to the stage for the medal presentation. Maverick got a bunch of flowers for coming fourth… Aytac got bronze, Oku had to be dragged back to the podium to get his silver medal, while Crowchester’s win saw the night end with the Kazakhstan national anthem getting played, before he challenged Mike D to an I Quit match for the GWF Berlin title.
In a vacuum, this was a pretty decent show – even if I question why GWF does a tournament like this when they don’t have a sectioned-off light heavyweight division (by any name). That being said, buoyed by an enjoyable atmosphere from the crowd, free wrestling on YouTube on a Sunday tea-time isn’t something you should ever sniff at – and it’s worth bookmarking the GWF YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/WeAreGWF for more of the same!