After going 0-4 in singles matches in Germany, perhaps a change of scenery would lead to a change in fortunes as David Starr met WALTER in London.
Going into this show, David Starr was meant to be teaming with Jurn Simmons as a rematch from World Tag Team League was on the cards. Problem was, illness to Jurn meant that the “Massive Product” would have to wait… but Starr was quick to talk himself into a new match, against a familiar foe. This was another outing we were there for live, and perhaps their best singles outing to date…
October 28, 2017 – wXw Fight Forever: London – David Starr vs. WALTER
Well, this was special. In front of one of the hottest crowds that I can remember… this was glorious stuff. The continued story going in was that David Starr was getting more and more anxious over being unable to beat WALTER, and right from the off he was trying to shoot for the Austrian’s legs… which didn’t really work, as WALTER was able to stuff those attempts and just maneuver Starr around the ring with ease.
Starr thought he’d try and chop WALTER down to size. Yeah, that wasn’t working either, as WALTER’s chops were a lot harder… and louder. Basically, anything Starr tried in the opening stages was having limited success at best, before WALTER decided that it was more fun trying to cave in the Product’s chest. It certainly kept the man of a billion nicknames at bay, but even when he went to the outside for cover, the giant that is WALTER just followed him to keep up the slaughter.
Starr was able to turn the tide a little, wrenching over WALTER’s arm in the ropes, but the chops just didn’t stop… even if it meant the Austrian making contact with the ringpost instead. That gave the Product an opening, which WALTER tried to snuff out with a big German suplex, only to get caught with a Cherry Mint DDT from Starr. The comeback brutally ended when Starr slipped off the middle turnbuckles with a clothesline and found himself instantly powerbombed as he was back in familiar territory in terms of taking a beating. A missed dropkick from WALTER gave Starr another window of opportunity, but after coming close with a Shining Wizard, WALTER murders him with a second dropkick… and it’s back to square one for David!
We’re back to the chops, which was never going to be a good idea for Starr, but he was able to fire up with some blows before… yup. Another chop. A Violence Party takes WALTER into the corner as the sweat flew off of the Austrian’s back, only for Starr to surprise us with a JML Driver after taking a vicious shotgun dropkick into the corner.
After trying to beat WALTER with one of his own moves – the RINGKAMPF German suplex off the ropes – Starr tried his luck with an O’Connor roll, before WALTER pulled him into a rear naked choke from the kick-out… but still, Starr fought on! At least until he ate another lariat, and that was enough as WALTER won out in a thrilling contest. This was excellent, excellent wrestling – and a match that in any other year would be really high up on those subjective match of the year ballots! ****¾
These two would have one more match against each other in 2017… and there was some more travelling involved as they’d cross the pond to take this feud BEYOND…