We’re back for the second match from the Catch Grand Prix, as newcomer Anil Marik looked to upset Hektor Invictus in their first match of the tournament.
Nico Schmidt and Dään Jokisch are still joined by Bobby Gunns today, as they run through the match we had yesterday and how that affected block A. Dään asks Bobby about Metehan’s loss yesterday, but Gunns is already frustrated at that line of questioning… and stonewalls again. They try to preview today’s match, with Bobby putting over Hektor as “a beefcake” who’ll use his experience to win. He preferred that sort of question.
Backstage, Andy Jackson’s with Anil Marik, who says it’s been an amazing year for him so far, and that he wants to make the wXw Wrestling Academy proud. Meanwhile, Dään is with Hektor, and asks how he’ll turn around recent losses to Marius al-Ani and Jurn Simmons. Hektor says he’ll not let the chance slip through his fingers. Sebastian Hollmichel is on commentary for this one from the Steffy in Oberhausen…
Catch Grand Prix 2020 – Block A: Anil Marik vs. Hektor Invictus
The lad from Osnabrück has a big ask on his hands here…
Round 1: Things get going with Hektor taking Marik down with a waistlock takedown, before an attempt to roll him into a pin ended in the ropes. Marik tries for a roll-up, but Hektor’s right back up at one before Hektor returned the favour. Hitting the ropes, Hektor charges down Marik, who came back with a leapfrog and a dropkick, before an elbow into the corner and a bulldog out of it left Hektor dazed. Anil goes for a Codebreaker and just gets stun gunned, sailing to the floor after getting flipped in the ropes. Hektor throws him back inside to get a two-count, before a chop and a boot left Marik down for another two-count. Hektor keeps pushing for a pin, then took Anil into the corner for more chops as time ran out.
Round 2: Marik goes for a head kick at the bell, but Hektor ducks and knocks him down with some double axehandles for a two-count. A chinlock keeps Marik down, but he elbows free and catches Hektor in the corner with a boot… before a crossbody off the top landed for a two-count. Hektor’s back with a whip into the ropes and a big boot for a near-fall, but Marik’s forearms and a sunset flip looked to have him back on top, but Hektor rolled through and hit a PK for a near-fall. More kicks from Hektor and chops heave Anil down, before a rake to the eyes earned Hektor a yellow card… and a €100 fine. He shrugs that off and charges at Marik, following in with a roll through and a kick to the back for a two-count, before a knee to the gut and a suplex left Marik down for a near-fall as time ran out.
Round 3: Hektor charges at Marik with a running boot into the corner for another two-count as the crowd got behind the rookie. Anil lands an enziguiri and a clothesline into the corner, then floated over Hektor as he continued the comeback with leaping forearms and a Slingblade. Hektor kicks out at two from that, so Anil heads up top for a crossbody, but has to leap down as a kick helped Hektor roll Marik into a powerbomb for the win. A solid match, with Marik looking decent in defeat, but the story of this was a no-nonsense performance to get Hektor back in the winning column.
Result: Hektor Invictus pinned Anil Marik at 1:24 of Round 3 (**¾)
The standings after two matches:
Block A
Hektor Invictus, Cara Noir (1-0; 2pts)
Avalanche, Fast Time Moodo, Bobby Gunns (0-0; 0pts)
Anil Marik, Metehan (0-1; 0pts)
Block B
Senza Volto, Emil Sitoci, Prince Ahura, Vincent Heisenberg, Norman Harras, Marius al-Ani, Tristan Archer (0-0; 0pts)
After the match, Andy Jackson interviews Hektor at ringside, with Hektor calling it an “easy battle” before addressing his next opponent, Avalanche. Backstage, Anil Marik draws the positives, saying he’s got five more chances… and he’ll look for advice from his coach Avalanche. That might not be a good plan for their match-up in the final week…
Tomorrow it’s Avalanche vs. Fast Time Moodo in the last block A match of the week… and that’s all folks. A shorter outing, because the match was done in three and a bit rounds, but exactly what you expected given the experience levels.