Project Nova returned to Berlin with some new hardware – as they crowned their inaugural champion.
Quick Results
Maggot pinned Sorani in 9:01 (**¾)
Alex Duke, Eddie Shah & Jacob Crane pinned Maokai, Mylan & Villanyi in 17:03 (***½)
Laurance Roman pinned Zoltan in 8:55 (***¼)
No Disqualification Match: Heisenberg pinned Ronaldo Shaqiri in 13:16 (**¾)
Maverick pinned Yokai in 11:16 (**½)
Lina pinned Amy Heartbeat in 8:33 (*½)
Big Nik pinned Bennet Brown and Pahlevan Nima in 16:33 to win the Project Nova Championship (**¾)
We’re back at die Weiße Rose in Berlin for the latest from Project Nova… German commentary comes from Sepp Hammer and Abdul Kenan.
Sorani vs. Maggot
It’s a Project Nova debut for Maggot, and as you’d guess, he got a heck of a reaction…
There’s a size difference on hand here, with Sorani shoving Maggot away into the corner to start, before Maggot rolled past and caught Sorani with a right hand. A shoulder tackle easily knocks Maggot down, but he’s back to trip up Sorani and walk all over him instead.
Maggot adds a Thesz press and a kick to the side of the head as Sorani didn’t seem to be expecting any of it, nor the biting that came after some mounted punches in the corner. Eventually Sorani hit back with a suplex, getting himself a two-count, before he charged Maggot across the ring and into the turnbuckles.
A running front kick catches Maggot in the face, knocking him out of the corner on the way to a two-count. Maggot’s brief comeback ends with him taking a clothesline for a near-fall, before Maggot tried to go for Sorani’s nose. That’s shrugged off, but Maggot is able to catch Sorani with a suplex of his own, before he began to beat Sorani to the punch, knocking him into the corner.
Sorani’s knocked down with an enziguiri, before a spear almost put him away… Sorani shoves away a cutter, then caught Maggot’s crossbody and easily turned it into a Samoan drop for a near-fall… before a cutter out of nowhere got the win for Maggot. **¾
Maokai, Mylan & Villanyi vs. Alex Duke, Eddie Shah & Jacob Crane
We’ve got some representation from Hungary here, with Maokai, Mylan and Villanyi on one team against some more familiar faces…
Shah and Maokai start us off, with Shah calming down the crowd with the offer of a handshake. It leads to some shoving, before Shah cowered on a punch and found himself caught with a side headlock. He’s able to shove his way free though, pulling down Maokai before some armdrags and headscissors had Shah bailing.
Maokai heads up for a ropewalk springboard armdrag takedown, which finds its mark ahead of a tag that brought in Mylan. A stomp to the foot from Shah allowed Jacob Crane to tag in. Those two eventually lock up with a knuckle lock, but Mylan just kicks it away and grabs a wristlock instead, which Crane strikes away before he was caught with a hiptoss/armbar combo that forced him into the ropes.
More armdrags from Mylan have Crane in trouble, before Villanyi tagged in and found a way in with some headscissors and an armdrag of his own. Crane tries to fight out of an armbar, but Maokai’s back in to help with double back elbows, before Eddie Shah tripped up Maokai in the ropes as we had a swift turnaround.
Alex Duke tags in as Villanyi’d been taken into the corner, easily lifting up the newcomer for a bodyslam which drew a two-count. Shah grinds his forearm into Villanyi’s arm as he tried to take the crowd’s “the arm must go” chant a little too literally. Crane’s back in as Villanyi’s kept isolated, but he’s able to evade Crane and bring in Mylan for the comeback, tossing Crane with an Exploder for the hell of it.
Shah distracts the referee as Alex Duke helped Crane out, before Duke distracted the referee to hide some double-teaming in the corner on Mylan. There’s a neat pop-up elbow drop onto Mylan from Shah (with the help of Duke), before Mylan found himself trapped in the corner. Crane charges the opposite apron to boot Villanyi to the floor, but an enziguiri from Mylan bought him enough time to make the tag out to Maokai.
Shah’s back in too, but Maokai runs wild with clotheslines and back elbows, following up with a crossbody off the top to Crane and Shah. Duke tries to sneak in, but he’s dropkicked away to start a Parade of Stuff on the Posterboy, who then got clotheslined to the outside ahead of a flip senton from Maokai. Back inside, a double stomp from Maokai forces Duke and Crane to dive in to break up the pin, then drag Shah over to their corner to tag him out.
Duke eventually becomes the legal man as Shah was suffering from that stomp… meaning he couldn’t help out as the Hungarians landed a triple-team suplex. Maokai seems to thing Shah’s legal, and ends up taking an Asai DDT for his mistake, starting another Parade of Stuff that saw Crane piledrive Mylan, before an elevated DDT from Villanyi took care of him… a missile dropkick from Maokai wipes out Duke, who fought back with the Duke’s Decree – a Regalplex into a side slam – and that’s enough for the Posterboy to take the win in a fun trios match. ***½
Zoltan vs. Laurance Roman
Zoltan’s another prospect coming out of Hungary – and he’s got a big task against Laurance Roman, who’s not about rebuilding here…
Starting with a lock-up, Roman’s wristlock’s countered in kind by Zoltan, only to respond with an armdrag as the newcomer was taken into the corner. Zoltan returns the favour, with an armdrag and an armbar… an escape led to Zoltan floating over Roman’s charge and went back to the armdrag and armbar. Fighting free, Roman grabs a side headlock, then charged down Zoltan, only to get caught with an eventual hiptoss as the Hungarian was having the better of the early going.
Roman’s caught with a dropkick, and bails to the outside… where he’s caught with a plancha as Zoltan gave chase. Back inside, Roman turns it around with a front kick and an Exploder for a two-count, before taking Zoltan hard into the corner from an Irish whip. Staying on Zoltan, Roman scores a punt to the back for a two-count, before Zoltan countered a suplex into a stunner.
Continuing the comeback, Zoltan scores with clotheslines, including a springboard one to take Roman back outside… where he knocked Roman into the crowd with a tope. Back inside, Roman’s caught with a gamengiri on the apron, before a crossbody off the top squashed him for another near-fall. Roman goes for swinging DDT, eventually landing it at the second attempt, but it’s not enough to put Zoltan down!
Roman tries to escalate things with a facebuster, but Zoltan fought free… countering it into a headlock takedown before a release back suplex bounced Roman. From there, a trip up top leads to a frog splash… but Roman avoids it and charged back in with an enziguiri, rushing back with the facebuster for the win. For the time they had, Zoltan looked real good here – almost getting a massive upset on his debut, but in the end Roman avoided the scare and was able to get the decisive W. Keep Zoltan’s name in your mind, because if he’s this good at 16, I have a feeling he’s going to be one for the future… ***¼
We’re backstage as Lina’s on the phone, pushing away the interviewer Melanie Sommer… I mean, it is rude to interview someone in the middle of a call!
No Disqualification: Ronaldo Shaqiri vs. Heisenberg
There’s a name I’ve not heard of in a while! Heisenberg doesn’t come out when they play the big monster music, opting instead to attack Ronaldo from behind on the stage.
Heisenberg knocks Ronaldo off the ramp, only to throw him into the ring… Shaqiri gets his boot up, then had to block an O’Connor roll before he found a way in with a single-leg dropkick. Heisenberg bails, but Ronaldo gives chase and ends up getting thrown into the ring post, then the side of the ring as the pair brawled.
Plunder comes into play next as Heisenberg pulls some chairs out from under the ring, but a chair-assisted legdrop misses, giving him a sore arse ahead of a back body drop from Shaqiri. Retaliating, a fallaway slam from Heisenberg chucks Shaqiri into the corner, before a splash into the buckles and a clothesline wiped out the man named after two footballers for a two-count.
On the outside, Shaqiri manages to post Heisenberg, before the pair found themselves back on the stage. Shaqiri escapes a powerslam and charges back in with a spear, but Heisenberg’s able to retake the advantage back inside, knocking Ronaldo into the corner ahead of a cannonball. It’s time for another chair, which Heisenberg sets up as he teased a superplex through it, only for Ronaldo to counter back with a sunset bomb as Heisenberg’s head took a nasty bounce off that chair.
Rather than go for a cover, Ronaldo heads back outside and finds a board… it’s propped up in the corner, but it’s not long before Heisenberg punts Ronaldo low and proceeds to powerslam him through the board. Ronaldo’s able to kick out after a delayed cover, as the pair proceeded to trade strikes, leading to a Samoan drop from Ronaldo after he’d escaped another slam.
From there, Ronaldo charges back in with a spear, but it’s not enough for the win… so he heads outside for some plunder. Ronaldo explodes a chair across the back of Heisenberg, but another low blow stops him briefly, before another spear drew the nearest of near falls by the ropes. In the end, Heisenberg’s big boot sets up for a Fire Thunder driver onto some stacked-up chairs, and that’s enough for the win. **¾
Post-match, the crowd applauded Ronaldo, as it was announced that this was his final match for Project Nova…
Maverick vs. Yokai
Yokai’s unbeaten in Nova since he changed things up…
Maverick grounds Yokai early on with an armbar, but the focus on the arm ends up backfiring as Yokai manages to grab a side headlock and take Maverick down to the mat. Resetting, Maverick grabs a waistlock, then tripped up Yokai for an ankle and toe hold… before the pair tried to get in each other’s heads.
Baiting Yokai, Maverick continues to pull ahead with a neckbreaker, while a springboard splash drew a two-count. Shoulder charges trap Yokai in the corner, while a suplex brings him out of it. A right hand knocks Yokai back into the corner, before he put his hand over Maverick’s mouth to block a mist spraying… following up with a mask shot as Yokai almost took the pin.
Maverick heads outside, but Yokai doesn’t want to play to the crowd… so he takes things back inside to wash Maverick’s face with his knee instead. A running knee on the apron keeps Maverick at bay, but Maverick’s able to sunset flip his way back into contention for a two-count… only for Yokai to quickly strike back.
Yokai adds a cobra clutch legsweep that rolled into a submission, which Maverick escaped from. A dropkick takes Yokai back into the ropes, as Maverick piled on the pressure with a back cracker out of the corner, then a flying X-Factor for a near-fall, before a springboard was caught and turned into a STO for a near-fall for Yokai.
Maverick tries to stop Yokai on the top rope, charging in with a gamengiri only to get headbutted off the top… before Maverick got his knees up to stop Yokai’s splash. Both men roll outside, looking to spray their mist… Yokai misses, Maverick doesn’t, and ends up winning with a Samoan driver. **½
Post-match, Yokai drilled Maverick with a staff… and I guess this is a feud that’ll continue?
Backstage, Amy Heartbeat’s walking the halls – she’s been here since day one, but hasn’t been around for the last few shows. She’s since won gold elsewhere, but she’s back in Nova…
Amy Heartbeat vs. Lina
Last time these two were on the main show, they were partners… albeit on the losing side!
Heartbeat looks for a hug to start, but Lina ducks and hits her instead, before the pair traded roll-ups ahead of a stand-off. The pair head into the corners from a lock-up, but it’s Amy who manages to get the upper hand with a side headlock, only for Lina to take things into the ropes… and pull Amy’s hair behind the ref’s back.
Shaking it off, Amy takes things into the corner for an uppercut, before the pair met each other in the ropes with forearms and elbows. Duelling rolling elbows don’t come off well for either woman, with Lina feigning injury, fooling Heartbeat in the process as she baited her opponent in for more elbows.
Lina’s neckbreaker leaves Amy laying, while elbows to the neck led to a near-fall… Amy’s rolled to the mat as Lina took her back. After a separation, things head into the ropes as Amy’s spikes her head taking a powerslam for a two-count. Shaking it off, Amy begins to fight back, landing a series of running forearms to knock Lina down, leading to a scissors kick for a near-fall.
Lina catches Amy in the corner, stopping her from going up top before more elbows weakened Amy for an Octopus stretch, Amy looks to escape by falling to the ropes, before a stunner looked to have her on course for the win. A facebuster’s next, before Amy went up top… Lina tries to stop her, throwing some elbows to the head, then pulled Amy into a draping DDT off the middle rope for the win. *½
Project Nova Championship: Bennet Brown vs. Big Nik vs. Pahlevan Nima
Brown came into this as the Marty Shaw Cup holder, while Nik had won the Collision tournament last year. This was originally a defence, but Virgile Defour appeared before the bell to announce two surprises: first, Pahlevan Nima was being added to the match by virtue of his wins on the last two shows… and that while Brown would be the last Marty Shaw Cup holder, because this match was now to crown the first ever Nova champion.
Nik and Brown were shoving Nima away early on, so of course Nima attacks the pair of them, having nothing to lose. This was a “little guy against two big guys” series to start, ending with Nima getting chokeslammed by Nik into an Electric Chair by Brown. Thanks for coming!
A big boot and a clothesline from Nik dumped Brown, before he stopped to knock Nima off the apron… a sidewalk slam gets Nik a two-count, before Brown tried to slam Big Nik. He’s stopped as Nima came in to dropkick Nik, adding a scissors kick for a two-count as Brown tried to regain his bearings.
Nima’s brief offence stops with a mighty chop, as Nik then looked to keep the ring clear and wear down Nima. A charge into the corner’s stopped as Nima’s low dropkick saw Nik eat the turnbuckles, while mounted punches ended up being eaten by Nik and Brown in the corner. Some headscissors from Nima took Nik into the ropes, but Nima’s tripped as he went to follow-up… allowing Nik time to get up and dump him with a big boot.
Brown’s distraction allowed Nima to sneak in a kick, before a crossbody off the top got Brown a near-fall. Nima’s back as he tried to pick off the two big men, but he’s forced to break a goozle from Nik before he pushed off of him for an Asai DDT on Brown. Nima keeps going, scoring a tope to Nik as Brown stayed down.
Nima goes back after Nik with a Whisper in the Wind to the floor before a frog splash to Brown back inside drew a two-count. A clothesline from Brown looked to shut down Nima, ahead of a folding powerbomb, but it’s not enough as Nima kicked out… only to get pulled into a Gory special. Brown swings him out of the stretch into a backbreaker for another near-fall, before the search for a Rings of Saturn ended with Nik splashing the pile.
Nima’s chucked outside as Nik took things ringside again, where a chokeslam ragdolled Nima onto the stage… back in the ring, we’re left with our original match, with Nik and Brown trading blows before Nik’s big boot took down Brown. A kick to the hamstring allowed Brown to land a German suplex, before a powerslam looked to get the win… but Nik kicks out at two.
Brown heads up top, only to leap into a chokeslam… but Nima’s back to hit a double stomp to break up the pin. Nima goes after Brown, taking him into the ropes. Nik joins him there after Nima hit some headscissors, leading to a double Tiger feint kick. Another trip up top for Nima ends with him scoring an elbow drop, but Nik kicks out at two.
Brown’s gone outside and returns with a spanner… Nima blocks a shot with it, before Nik grabbed the tool. His shot misses, allowing Nima to take the big man down with a neckbreaker. Except Brown’s got a second spanner, which connected on Nima for a near-fall, before Nik got up to boot away Nima and dump Brown with a chokeslam for the win. **¾
Another solid show for Project Nova, with some in-ring highlights coming from the Hungarians – while the crowning of an inaugural Nova champion left Big Nik alone at the top of the company.