Block B of the Catch Grand Prix finally gets underway, with a French vs. German match-up between Tristan Archer and Vincent Heisenberg!
We’re back inside the Steffy in Oberhausen, with Nico Schmidt and Dään Jokisch being joined by Prince Ahura – it looks like the guys who are on an “off week” drew the short straw for punditry. Nico runs down the participants in block M, while Dään finally gets to ask a question without being talked down!
Ahura picks Tristan Archer to win this one, as we then go to Tristan backstage, who notes that Heisenberg is a rookie but he won’t underestimate his opponent today. Heisenberg, meanwhile, has prior tournament experience courtesy of Ambition from earlier this year, and says that he’ll give his best today.
As always, Sebastian Hollmichel is on commentary…
Catch Grand Prix 2020 – Block B: Vincent Heisenberg vs. Tristan Archer
They’re not giving these newcomers easy starts in the tournament, eh?
Round 1: Heisenberg goes for a lock-up early, and manages to get in a wristlock, then an armbar before Archer rolled Heisenberg to the mat. He grapevines the legs, but both men get back to their feet before another lock-up ended with the bigger Heisenberg forcing Archer to bridge back. Heisenberg breaks the neck bridge to force a pinning attempt, but Archer’s back up and goes after the arm, taking the big man down in an armbar. A headlock takedown from Heisenberg turns the tables briefly, but Archer stands up and looked for an Octopus hold, only for the pair to fall into the ropes. A trip from Heisenberg led to a toe-hold as we entered the final 30 seconds, as Archer escaped in for a side headlock, before he was pushed off… and bounced off of Heisenberg as time ran out in the first round.
Round 2: The round starts with a handshake, but Archer suckered him in for a side headlock… Heisenberg pushes him away as a slip on a leapfrog looked to frustrate Archer, who just stomps on Heisenberg’s foot. Another side headlock is pushed off, but this time Heisenberg runs into a boot before he clotheslined the Frenchman down. Archer returns with a Flatliner into the buckles, before some boxing trapped him in the corner. A punch knocks Heisenberg down, drawing a €50 fine rather than a yellow card, as the referee then refused to count the pin as a result of that. Archer hits a forearm that’s enough to get a two-count, before he locked in a sleeperhold that Heisenberg elbowed out of. A big boot is countered with a knee and a Northern Lights suplex from Archer, but it only gets a two-count, before a trapped-arm chinlock turned into a modified Lasso from El Passo as Heisenberg clung on to last out the round.
Round 3: Archer runs in with a low dropkick at the bell, following up with a DDT and a Falcon arrow, doing the deal for another near-fall. That move is cursed! Archer’s getting frustrated, as he clobbers Heisenberg with clotheslines… then an enziguiri before he hauled him up for a Decapitation kick. It doesn’t knock Heisenberg down though, and a follow-up clothesline was countered into a powerslam as Heisenberg eked out the upset! Perhaps an example of Archer getting over-confident at the experience edge he had, as Heisenberg toughed it out and picked up his first televised win!
Result: Vincent Heisenberg pinned Tristan Archer at 1:09 of Round 3 (***)
Post-match, Archer raises Heisenberg’s hand and storms off, while Vincent’s ringside interview came with a shocked Andy Jackson. Vinny’s exhausted and surprised, as you’d expect, while Archer told Dään backstage that he was surprised by Heisenberg’s size. Archer thought he’d kicked out, but it was too late – a mistake he’ll not be making again.
Block A
Avalanche, Hektor Invictus, Cara Noir (1-0; 2pts)
Bobby Gunns (0-0; 0pts)
Anil Marik, Metehan, Fast Time Moodo (0-1; 0pts)
Block B
Vincent Heisenberg (1-0; 2pts)
Senza Volto, Emil Sitoci, Prince Ahura, Norman Harras, Marius al-Ani (0-0; 0pts)
Tristan Archer (0-1; 0pts)
By the way, if you’re wondering, we’re at €400 of fines and three yellow cards thus far in the tournament… and one upset as well!
Tomorrow we’ve got Norman Harras against Senza Volto, while Saturday gives us Emil Sitoci vs. Marius al-Ani as a battle of former Shotgun champions closes out the week.