Big Daddy Walter gets his rematch for the Unified World Wrestling Championship as he took on Karsten Beck in the main event of night two of 2015’s 16 Carat Gold tournament.
Quick Results
Candice LeRae & Joey Ryan pinned Kay Lee Rae & Da Mack in 10:13 (**¾)
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Tommy End pinned Andrew Everett in 6:59 (***¾)
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Axel Dieter Jr. submitted Marty Scurll in 10:25 (***¼)
Michael Dante pinned The Rotation, Timothy Thatcher, Sha Samuels, Robert Dreissker & Aaron Insane in 4:37 (**¼)
Wladiwostok Rules: Ilja Dragunov pinned John Klinger to win the wXw Shotgun Championship in 12:00 (****¼)
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Absolute Andy pinned Sasa Keel in 13:03 (***¼)
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Zack Sabre Jr. X Daisuke Harada in 13:54 (****)
Axel Tischer pinned Cedric Alexander, Chris Sabin & Uhaa Nation in 10:48 (***½)
Karsten Beck pinned Big Daddy Walter to retain the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship in 18:14 (***½)
We’re back inside the Turbinenhalle for night two of 2015’s 16 Carat Gold – with Alan Counihan and Jeremy Graves on hand for English commentary. They’ve had to change the ring since AMBITION earlier in the day, so there’s a smaller ring in use…
We’ve also got some names that you may want to skip through, but I’ll be mentioning those as little as I can here…
The World’s Cutest Tag Team (Candice LeRae & Joey Ryan) vs. Da Mack & Kay Lee Ray
This was Kay Lee Ray’s debut for wXw – she’d not have that many appearances, given the promotion’s lack of a defined women’s division prior to 2017.
We start with the guys as Da Mack trades hammerlocks and wristlocks, leading to a shoulder tackle. Leapfrogs from Da Mack led to headscissors as commentary finally joins us, just in time to see Da Mack take a dropkick. Tags bring in LeRae and KLR as commentary realised how similar the names were.
KLR takes LeRae down for a wristlock, but Candice returns the favour as the back-and-forth led to see-saw small packages that served to dizzy both women. Tags bring the guys back in, with Da Mack’s misdirection leading to a Slingblade before Mack took a suplex for a one-count.
An enziguiri from Da Mack finds its way through, as tags bring in KLR and Candice… near-misses led to a rolling kick from Le Rae, before KLR took Candice into the corner. Candice’s DDT gets her a two-count, while a missile dropkick earns KLR a two-count in return with the pin being broken up.
Da Mack’s in… but eats an accidental enziguiri from KLR, before double topes wiped out the guys on the floor. Back inside, Candice hits a flying DDT to spike KLR… but it’s not enough to get the win. Kay Lee tags out as Da Mack ended up having to punch away a double-team… before an Ace Crusher got him a two-count.
Tags follow as Le Rae’s Violence Party wore down KLR in the corner, before KLR’s Gory Bomb turned it back around. A senton bomb looked to follow, but Candice cuts her off and hits the Mustache Ride – top rope neckbreaker – for the win. **¾
Post-match, Candice took the mic and issued a plea to wXw management to drop the no-intergender rule so they could challenge for the wXw tag titles – and then drop the rule for good if they won the belts.
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Tommy End vs. Andrew Everett
Our first quarter-final is perhaps a bit more of an even fight for Everett than the one he won yesterday…
A knee from Tommy sent Everett flying at the bell, but Everett’s able to respond with a dropkick to take End outside… with a springboard corkscrew moonsault following into the crowd. Nothing like starting slow, eh?
Back inside, a missile dropkick gets Everett a two-count, before End kicked away another springboard from Everett. We head into the crowd again, but only so End could roll Everett back inside to pick up a two-count. Everett’s lifeless after a whip into the corner, but End just picks him up and kicked him back into the buckles, before Everett found a way back in with a low dropkick.
Everett tries for a Dragon screw, but he’s pushed off and met with a double stomp for a near-fall… before End went up top and tried another stomp. It’s avoided as Everett came back with a Pele kick, then a German suplex for a near-fall, before a shooting star press off the top landed in Tommy’s knees.
End runs into a small package as he tried to capitalise, but he manages to blast Everett with a bicycle knee for a near-fall, before a reverse ‘rana took down Tommy. Everett goes back up for the shooting star press, this time landing it, but End kicks out… so Everett heads up for a corkscrew moonsault. It misses as End came back with a roundhouse kick as part of a barrage for a near-fall, before a double stomp crushed Everett off the top for the win. A fantastic sprint to get day two’s tournament matches off to a flyer. ***¾
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Marty Scurll vs. Axel Dieter Jr.
Junior was looking to bounce back after a controversial first round exit at AMBITION earlier in the day… but he’s caught with a hot start as a diving kick and uppercut caught Junior in the corner.
A forearm cuts off Junior’s comeback, before he got hung up in the ropes, then uppercutted to the floor. Back inside, Junior manages to make a comeback with a back body drop for a two-count, before a backslide, an enziguiri and a low dropkick kept Junior ahead… at least until an arm whip targeted Junior’s bad arm.
Junior’s fingers get tweaked as he’s taken into the ropes, with that left arm also getting focused on as Junior ended up firing back with uppercuts. An armbar downs Junior, but the ref ordered a break following some biting as Junior manages to make a comeback, scoring a Blockbuster off the top for a two-count.
Uppercuts from Junior keep him ahead as a Landungsbrücke attempt’s fought off… leading to some World of Sport exchanges into a chicken wing. A faked out superkick drops Junior from there, as did an X-Plex… sending Junior rolling outside for cover. Unfortunately, that put him in place for an apron superkick, while a package over-the-knee brainbuster almost got the win.
Another crack at the Landungsbrücke is elbowed away as Junior remained on the defensive… at least until he came back with an overhead belly-to-belly into the corner. That’s good for a two-count for Junior, before the Landungsbrücke was again fought out of… as a punch to the shoulder softened up Junior.
Axel’s taken into the ring post from there, as a gamengiri and a tornado DDT led to a chicken ing… Junior fought free, then pushed out into the corner as we had the Bret Hart/Steve Austin counter with Junior snatching the win out of nowhere. ***¼
Aaron Insane vs. Michael Dante vs. Timothy Thatcher vs. Sha Samuels vs. The Rotation vs. Robert Dreissker
Random scramble ahoy!
Everyone pairs off to start as Rotation and Sha headed outside… Dreissker and Insane stay in the ring, where Insane escaped a slam, then a Samoan drop before he took down Dreissker with a leaping clothesline.
Dreissker catches Insane’s charge, turning it into an overhead throw for good measure, before Sha snuck in with a spinebuster for Dreissker. In comes Thatcher with a Dragon screw and half crab for Sha… while Michael Dante’s over-the-knee brainbuster took care of Thatcher amid a big ol’ Parade of Moves.
A step-up ‘rana from Rotation took down Insane, who returned for a powerslam for a two-count… Thatcher and Sha combine to work over Dreissker for a spell, but a double clothesline takes care of them as a Samoan drop then wiped out Insane. Thatcher’s back to get a two-count on Sha from a butterfly suplex… seguing into an armbar that Dante quickly stomped apart.
Dante’s met with European uppercuts before a half nelson suplex dumped Thatcher… Rotation tries to capitalise with a moonsault to Dante, then a 450 splash to the pile on the floor… only for Dante to snatch the comprehensive win with a spear back inside. A breathless outing, but not one that you’d remember for too long. **¼
Wladiwostok Rules Match for wXw Shotgun Championship: Ilja Dragunov vs. John Klinger (c)
There’s a noticeable part of the crowd chanting for Ilja before the introductions. Dragunov’s yet to lose a singles match in wXw – and is back for the Shotgun title that he was stripped of due to injury back in 2014. Apparently the Wladiwostok rules aren’t too far away from the old school Monster’s Ball rules…
Dragunov charged into Klinger at the bell – but ends up taking the corner pad instead, before a short-range Torpedo Moscau took Klinger to the outside… only for Klinger to kick away Dragunov’s attempt to hit a springboard onto the apron.
Klinger pulls Dragunov onto the apron for a back suplex, which dumped Ilja on his arse, before Ilja grabbed a chair and swatted away Klinger’s tope. Back inside, Dragunov gets a two-count before he rolled Klinger down for a kick to the back. Some choking followed in the ropes, before some loud chops from Klinger looked to offer a response.
Dragunov’s whip gets reversed into the corner, but he’s back in with chops of his own that tested the Turbinenhalle’s acoustics ahead of a diving headbutt into the cornered Klinger. Another follows on the way to a two-count, before palm strikes from Dragunov earned him a punch from Klinger in return.
Klinger’s able to get a two-count from that, before we go back to the slaps… Ilja’s sent into the corner as Klinger looked to edge ahead, only to run into a springboard Torpedo Moscau out of the corner! It’s almost enough to lead to a title change, as Klinger then dropkicked Ilja as he was leaping up to the ropes… which almost sent Dragunov crashing and burning to the floor. JEEZ.
Ilja’s clinging onto the turnbuckles as Bones followed around outside to hit a Drive By dropkick to take him down to the floor. Klinger followed with a tope to knock Ilja deep into the crowd, which led to a two-count back inside. Klinger teases a Shadow Driver, but Dragunov escapes to land superkicks for a near-fall.
Klinger nails a uranage on Ilja for a two-count, before he caught a Torpedo Moscau… and turned it into almost an over-the-knee F5. Another superkick to the head nearly decapitates Dragunov, before Klinger went for a Shadow Driver… which Ilja spun out of, before he ate a Kitchen Sink knee. A buckle bomb’s next, then the Wrecking Ball knees, but it’s still not enough to get the win, so Klinger headed outside for plunder.
Out comes a chair, which Dragunov punched away so hard the seat got smashed into pieces… before a pair of lariats ended up getting the win. My GOD, this was fantastic – Dragunov, even at this early stage of his career, had something special about him, which this Oberhausen crowd recognised. Lovely stuff and in just twelve minutes! ****¼
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Sasa Keel vs. Absolute Andy
Keel had Aaron Insane out with him for this… We start with yay/boo stuff as Andy worked the crowd (and the ref), before an opening handshake led to Andy superkicking Keel from a slap. Keel rolls outside to avoid anything else, but a plancha follows from Andy as things then headed back inside for chops.
Mounted punches in the corner wore down Keel for just a one-count as Andy hoisted up the Croat for a stalling suplex. Another superkick looks to follow, but Aaron Insane grabs the ankle to stop it, before Keel accidentally charged Insane off the apron. Andy capitalises with a roll-up for a near-fall, before an attempt at the A-Klasse was countered into a slingshot attempt.
Andy puts on the brakes as Keel eventually found a way through with a back suplex for a two-count, before Keel began to target Andy’s lower back with strikes. Irish whip bounce Andy into the corners, but Keel took his time following up as Andy tries to make a comeback… eventually pulling through with a Manhattan drop, and an atomic drop before Keel tried to cut him off with an Olympic slam… only to eat a spinebuster instead.
The Absolute knee follows, before Keel escaped a F5… then booted Andy down off the ropes. A German suplex pulls Andy into the corner, which nearly ended things, before Andy cut off Keel on the top rope. A top rope ‘rana’s blocked as Andy instead took a flying uppercut, then an Olympic slam for a near-fall, which angered Keel to the point where he began slapping away at Andy on the mat.
Keel clubs away again, slapping Andy by the ear… Andy ducks a Vijak as Keel again dawdled… and hits a superkick instead to snatch the win. This match felt like it was only close because of Keel perhaps taking Andy lightly – but it wasn’t an undeserved win either. ***¼
16 Carat Gold 2015 Quarter-Final: Daisuke Harada vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Sabre and Harada were 2-2 in their four prior singles matches, all for NOAH…
These two went right at it, going to the mat as some early grappling didn’t yield anything… Sabre grabs the arms as he looked to stretch out Harada, but it’s reversed back-and-forth until Harada went into the ropes. Back-and-forth hammerlock switches go nowhere, before Sabre grounded Harada in a toe hold, which Harada countered out of, grabbing some short arm scissors as Sabre needed the ropes to force a break.
The tentative opening continued as Sabre grabs a cravat, switching it up into a crucifix for a two-count as the pair again reset. A strait-jacket choke’s switched back-and-forth from there, before Harada cartwheeled away from a reversal attempt. Heading back to the mat, Harada seemed to go for Cattle Mutilation, but it turns into a pin before Sabre turned in for a cross armbar.
A snap suplex gets Sabre a two-count, while a toe and ankle hold wore down Harada, forcing him into the ropes for a break. Sabre begins to kick away on Harada, who returns with an overhead belly-to-belly out of nowhere, while a backslide put Sabre back in control… only for a Dragon screw to turn it back around again.
Harada pushes on with a forearm to Sabre in the corner, before he rolled through a suplex and followed up with a superplex. A bodyslam drops Sabre next, but the follow-up elbow drop’s countered into a cross armbar… with Harada fortunate to be right by the ropes as he forced a break. Sabre stays on Harada with a German suplex, but the favour’s returned as they exchanged one-counts, along with uppercuts and elbows in the ropes, as Harada finally pulled ahead with strikes.
A rolling elbow dumped Sabre for a near-fall, before Sabre’s rolling Northern Lights into a cross armbar was countered with a roll-up. Kicking out, Sabre grabs both of Harada’s arms for a Breaks special, but that too’s countered, before Harada wrecked Sabre with a pop-up knee. An elbow to the heart sunk Zack from there, before a Canadian backbreaker into a knee almost forced the win.
In the end, Harada tries for a German suplex… Sabre rolls through… then again on a second try and snatched the win with a Euro clutch out of nothing. This was some lovely stuff, with the two keenly-matched producing a fantastic outing to wrap up the day’s quarter-finals. ****
Chris Sabin vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Axel Tischer vs. Uhaa Nation
This was for a crack at Ilja Dragunov’s Shotgun title… and we start with the crowd begging for a dance-off. They didn’t get it…
Uhaa and Cedric start us off, but they’re both blind-tagged out as we’re operating under tag rules here. Sabin works the arm of Tischer, but the wristlock’s reversed back-and-forth before a Sabin crossbody was easily caught. Tischer ducks an enziguiri, but Sabin’s smart to the pump kick before tags reset the match.
Alexander counters a hiptoss and went for a handspring… it’s escaped as everyone’s flippy ahead of a leapfrog/dropkick from Uhaa. Alexander tags in Sabin, who tries to come off the top rope, only to find more luck with a roll-up for a two-count. A tornado into a small package gets Sabin another two-count ahead of some headscissors as Uhaa tagged in Tischer, who finds an overhead belly-to-belly for Sabin.
Tischer adds a neckbreaker to the mix for a two-count, with Alexander then being tagged back in by Sabin… Cedric’s elbows set the tone as he followed up with an enziguiri to Tischer, before things headed outside as Sabin scored a PK to Tischer… before Uhaa clotheslined him down ahead of a moonsault off the apron. Cedric adds a tope con giro into the pile – almost landing on the raised standing area – before re returned to the ring with Tischer trying for an O’Connor roll on Alexander.
Cedric countered that into a Michinoku driver for a near-fall, before Sabin blind-tagged in on Tischer. A sunset flip/German suplex combo has Sabin ahead, as did a tornado DDT/enziguiri to Alexander. We’ve got a blind tag in for Uhaa, who boots Sabin ahead of a pop-up death valley driver for a near-fall.
Sabin’s sent flying with a German suplex as Uhaa cleared house.. Alexander tries a German suplex too, but Uhaa lands on his feet before he ate a trio of superkicks. We resume with Alexander and Tischer trading shots, leading to a deadlift German from Tischer for a near-fall. Uhaa and Sabin dive in to break up a pin after a Lumbar Check to Tischer, before a Parade of Moves led to Tischer flipping Alexander with a boot, before a Ligerbomb got the Axeman the win. ***½
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Big Daddy Walter vs. Karsten Beck (c) vs. Big Daddy Walter
This was the rematch from Back to the Roots – with Beck having considerably more time to prepare than Walter did on that night.
Walter’s got a steam cannon for his entrance, while Beck had (overdubbed) Ode to Joy as veritable united nations of flag wavers gave him a guard of honour. Sha Samuels is at ringside, giving it some to a fan who’d decided to have a pop at Beck from ringside.
Beck headed into the ropes early on as he looked to stall it out, before he tried to beat Walter down into the corner. Karsten gets cocky way too early as Walter rose up and took him in with a chop, while a bodyslam and a back body drop had the champion thoroughly on the defensive.
An eye rake from Beck took Walter to the ropes, before Beck low bridged Walter onto the ramp… the pair brawl up the walkway, where another back body drop tests out the ramp’s structural integrity. Brawling through the crowd, Beck gets posted, then chopped out of a chair as Walter proceeded to choke Beck on the floor.
Sha Samuels backs off as Walter went for him… then turned his sights back on Beck as they headed back into the ring and suplexed Karsten back in from the apron. Beck cuts off Walter with a press slam after Walter had made a rare trip up top, before an attempt to chop Walter looked to anger the challenger.
Knee lifts stop Walter from doing anything in follow-up, with a knee drop getting a two-count moments later. Walter retaliated with a Biel throw, chucking Beck across the ring, only for the champion to return fire with a neckbreaker. Kicks on the mat keep Walter down, as did another neckbreaker as Beck had Walter all shook up.
Beck tries to avoid a nosebleed as he went up top, but Walter cuts him off and brought him down with a superplex. After the pair got back to their feet, the pair again traded shots, but it’s Walter who pulls ahead, battering Beck into the corner with chops, forearms and kicks, before a double underhook suplex dropped Beck for a near-fall. Chops keep Beck in the corners, before the champion hit back with a clothesline… Beck then grabbed hold of the referee to check on an injury as commentary spotted a wild Avalanche…
Robert Dreissker comes through the crowd as Sha Samuels looked to attack Walter behind the ref’s back… Dreissker came to the aid of his AUTsiders tag partner, sending Sha packing as Walter proceeded to pick up a near-fall with a lariat to Beck. Walter misses a shotgun dropkick as Beck hit back with a Flatliner… but it’s not enough as we looked to be heading towards the finish.
A piledriver from Beck’s back body dropped away… he tries again, but Walter countered out, only for Beck to go to the eyes. Walter recovers to waylay Beck with a German suplex, before Beck tries a mule kick after unsighting the referee. It’s avoided, but Beck snuck one in anyway and almost took the win with a cradle. Another piledriver attempt’s blocked as Beck’s pulled up into a death valley driver instead.
Walter follows with his shotgun dropkick, then pulled up Beck for a powerbomb, but it’s still not enough. Still, the challenger keeps going, flipping Beck inside out with a German suplex before a cackle over the house mic confused everyone. The cackle’s revealed to be Adam Polak – who’d not wrestled for wXw for over a year at this point… Tassilo Jung heads up the aisle to send Polak to the back, but that’s the cue for Robert Dreissker to come in and lay out Walter with the cowbell… and that’s enough for Beck to get the three-count. This was a pretty decent main event, but the last few moments seemed to drag a little as we waited for the eventual turn. And now I know why the AUTsiders’ last match was in Weyhe a week earlier! ***½
Night two of 16 Carat Gold was definitely the show of the weekend thus far, with the Wladiwostok Rules match being the one thing you need to go out of your way to see if you’re just reading along… while the end of the main event sewed the seeds for one of wXw’s most notorious groups.