With PCO returning to wXw this weekend, we’re going back to his last singles match – and as it happens, the first meeting between WALTER and PCO – going all the way back to 2008!
It’s from wXw’s Full Force VII, held at the Musikpalette in Essen in May 2008. Yep, we’re going back to the (plastic) mat, when the mere concept of wXw NOW was years away. Thommy Giesen is still your (much younger) ring announcer… and we’re in the ultra old-school 4:3 aspect ratio!
Big Van Walter vs. PCO
PCO is in trunks and he has a manager here… Don Jakobi. Yes, its who you think it is…
We’ve got a Fire Pro isometric view of the ring here as Jakobi seemed to be providing commentary, or at least, was right next to the mobile cameraman as he bellowed for his man. Walter, who was pretty young into his career here, starts off with shoulder charges on PCO, with neither man budging.
So Walter throws some forearms before he runs into a slam, then gets tossed outside as PCO looked to charge off the apron, only to get his legs swept out from underneath. Back inside, Walter hits a slam and a big splash for a two-count, before splashing PCO in the corner as the downside of the venue lighting became apparent.
PCO tries to issue a receipt, but instead lays into Walter in the corner with chops. The crowd murmurs after another Irish whip takes Walter into the corner, ahead of a belly-to-belly suplex as PCO claims a near-fall, before he slows down the pace with a chinlock. A barrage of strikes keeps Walter down, as a neck crank sees the Canadian try to force out a submission.
Walter fights free and kicks away a back body drop, only to get thrown outside again as PCO this time follows up with a tope into the darkness. They quickly return to the ring, where Walter looked for a slam, but PCO escapes and comes back with a discus forearm, eventually making the cover from that for a near-fall. Another discus forearm into the corner misses as PCO instead goes back to chops, with Walter replying in kind as we get boo/yay chops before Walter boots away lariat attempts.
A running dropkick out of the corner follows as Walter gets a two-count, before a kick to the gut led PCO to try a package piledriver. Walter back body drops free then sits down on PCO for another near-fall, before a scoop slam and a big splash off the top rope got Walter even closer! The crowd call for a lariat, and sure enough they get that, as Walter follows up with a powerbomb and takes home the win. This wasn’t too bad, considering how fresh Walter was (about two years into his career at this point)… PCO at this point in time was on the tail end of his career, firmly ensconced in Europe, where he’d stay until the end of the year. Apart from a handful of bookings in 2009 and 2010, PCO would go into semi-retirement, before returning about a year ago, then flamed back into prominence as part of the Joey Janela Spring Break 2 show. ***
Needless to say, the PCO of today is a much different proposition to 2008 PCO – and his match with Ilja Dragunov this weekend ought to be suitably wacky.