We’ve another new promotion for this feud, as WALTER and David Starr went up North to Defiant…
At this point, Defiant were fairly early in their life after rebranding in December 2017 – and they were going all out when it came to “internet-friendly” matches… such as this one, which was meant to have been a three-way with Travis Banks, but instead became a singles match for a shot at Banks’ Internet title.
March 19, 2018 – Defiant – Lights Out – David Starr vs. WALTER
David Starr’s got that focused look on his face as he looked to end the streak of losses he’d built up against WALTER. Germany. America. London. Wolverhampton. Would Leeds be next? WALTER got a rock version of the RINGKAMPF theme, which was a wrinkle I wasn’t sure was needed, but hey ho!
Commentary tries to acknowledge their history, and we start with WALTER taking Starr to the corner as he swings and misses with a chop attempt. A standing headlock takedown sent Starr into the corner though as one guy chanted for Starr, who was trying to outpace WALTER… with little success as a Jim Breaks-like arm lift took him right back into the corner. A headlock from Starr actually gets him some success, as he dragged the Austrian down to the mat, and held firm despite WALTER’s attempt to break free. Eventually though, WALTER got back to his feet, only for Starr to take him down again via the ropes, but sooner or later Starr’d have to switch away from a headlock… and when he did, he was charged down by the shoulder of der Ringgeneral. Sorry Maffew.
Starr tries to scurry away from WALTER and ends up in the headlock again… but WALTER’s able to power free and dump Starr with a release back suplex, before he went to work, slamming Starr and drilling elbows into him, as the match looked to take a rather more familiar path, at least in Starr’s view. We’re right in with the chops, as a single one decked Starr… before a gutwrench suplex firmly left WALTER in control.
Starr tries to slam WALTER, but the Austrian Andre ain’t budging as he easily counters… just as you can hear Joe Atherton’s voice trying to offer support to the Product. WALTER grounds Starr with a wristlock, but instead he runs into a boot as Starr tries to fight back with forearms, only to get wiped out with a shotgun dropkick that dropped Starr like a stone! After spending some time regrouping himself on the outside, Starr rolled himself back into the path of the bullying WALTER, before some clubbing lariats tried to soften the big guy ahead of another attempted slam.
More lariats eventually led to a back elbow before Starr gets caught with a butterfly suplex out of nothing for a near-fall. We’re back to the chops as Starr crumbled in the corner, then got lifted up top for an avalanche butterfly suplex… but Starr pushes away and leaps into the Austrian’s grasp, only to unbalance and send him outside for a tope! Yep, more chops back inside as Starr finally nails the Andre slam, then the Han Stansen lariat as he came close to the upset! WALTER tried a sleeperhold, but instead just kicks off Starr’s head for a near-fall, before a powerbomb’s countered with a DDT. Somehow, Starr nails a Blackheart Buster for a near-fall, getting another two-count out of the Austrian, and my God, the Defiant crowd are actually making noise!
We’re back to the back-and-forth chops as WALTER antagonised Starr some more, prompting Starr to spit at him amid another fightback, which featured a Violence Party in the corner to a cowering WALTER… who responds with an almighty slap to the face. Starr’s attempt at a German suplex doesn’t work as he’s met with a huge lariat in response, before a rear naked choke would have led to a RINGKAMPF German… Starr avoids the suplex but gets caught in a Gojira clutch, before being dragged down to the mat as the referee stopped the match. Yep, this was just as good as the rest of their feud, and David Starr’s still left looking for his first fall over WALTER as we’re now into double-figures! ****¼
The ref stoppage gave Starr an out – and an opening to challenge WALTER to a rematch with no rope breaks that’d be taped a week later. But first, it’d be back to somewhat familiar territory as Starr and WALTER would have another skirmish in London, as part of a four-way for the wXw Unified World Wrestling championship…