It’s the last stop before 16 Carat Gold – and Young Blood have to deal with the Big Bucks’ challenge in order to take their titles into Carat weekend.
Quick Results
Marc Empire & Robert Dreissker defeated Joseph Fenech Jr. & Anil Marik via disqualification in 6:20 (**½)
Michael Oku pinned Hektor in 13:39 (***½)
Cara Noir pinned Fast Time Moodo in 10:53 (**½)
Elijah Blum pinned 1 Called Manders in 9:10 (***¼)
Hair vs. Hair: Stephanie Maze pinned Bobby Gunns in 13:33 (***¼)
Laurance Roman pinned Yuya Aoki in 7:57 (***)
Mike D Vecchio pinned Ahura to retain the wXw European Championship in 13:29 (***)
Yuto Nakashima & OSKAR pinned Alex Duke & Norman Harras to retain the wXw World Tag Team Championships in 16:29 (***¼)
— Check out the Auf Die Fresse podcast for further wXw coverage… Links to stream are available at AufDieFresse.co.uk
We’re at the Markthalle in Hamburg for the first time this year – English commentary comes from the voice of Mett Dimassi.
High Performer Ltd. (Anil Marik & Joseph Fenech Jr.) vs. Planet Gojirah (Robert Dreissker & Marc Empire)
This one’s on the pre-show with what looked like a bunch of bananas trying to fight through the entrance video. Of course, Joseph Fenech Jr. and Icarus have a tag title shot booked in for 16 Carat Gold, so this is a warm-up of sorts…
We started off with Robert Dreissker squashing his former tag partner Anil Marik in the corner, before a back body drop sent Marik skyward… but Marc Empire initially didn’t have the same luck. Empire tried to get to grips with Marik, but his deadlift powerbomb was escaped before Fenech tagged in… and ate a back senton for an early two-count.
Dreissker’s back, but misses a charge into the corner as Fenech tried to capitalise… only to get squashed with a crossbody out of the corner. Marik just about broke up the cover, but gets decked for his woes. Fenech’s able to force his way back in as the High Performer Ltd. pair took control, helped by an assisted cannonball from Fenech for another two-count.
Marik’s Slingblade takes down Dreissker, but his attempt to deal with Empire on the apron earned Marik a spinebuster before tags brought us back to Empire and Fenech. Empire’s turn sees him launch Marik across the ring, while Fenech ate a trio of corner splashes before a chairshot from Anil Marik caused the obvious DQ to end a match that was just getting going… Dreissker makes the save, and I have a sneaky feeling this is going to end up seeing the Gojirah lads added to the title match at Carat. **½
Hektor vs. Michael Oku
Hektor’s theme hits pretty different when it’s not part of a mash-up…
Hektor easily tosses Oku aside to start, which looked to force Oku switch things up as he took Hektor to the mat for his opening gambit. A tijeras from Oku just earns him a hiptoss and a springboard crossbody from Hektor, before Oku headed outside and hung up Hektor in the ropes.
A missile dropkick followed as Oku tried to make some more inroads, but a chop battle with Hektor ended with Oku hitting a back elbow instead as he kept changing things up. Uppercuts from Oku earn him a like minded response, before a Kitchen sink shut down Hektor in one fell swoop.
Oku heads up top again, but Hektor cuts him off with a superplex instead, before the pair reset with back-and-forth strikes. Hektor pulled ahead with clotheslines in the corner, then with a spinebuster, before a Hektor-Knie was stopped as Oku’s own misdirection knee sent Hektor outside. Clear the decks lads, it’s time for a Fosbury flop to wipe out Hektor on the floor… but Oku again can’t maintain control as Hektor threatened to cut him off with another superplex.
This time Oku fights free, only to get launched into a flapjack before he snuck back in with a PK and a springboard moonsault. It’s not enough though, and as Hektor threatened with a powerbomb, Oku again slipped out for a half crab… this time with Hektor making the ropes to force a break. Hektor crumbles to the mat as he was sent into the ropes, but he’s got enough left in him to try and carve Oku open with some chops.
Hektor’s Dominator into a knee-to-the-face keeps the pace going, as a powerbomb and a Hektor-Knie looked to be on the cards… but Oku counters with a roll through into a half crab, only for Hektor to cradle his way out. Oku tries to go to the skies with a crossbody out of the corner, but he eats nothing but knee… before a dropkick and a frog splash from Oku secured the win. This was a lovely sprint of an opener, with Oku looking in peril at points – but in the end it was the two-time Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight champion that eked out the win. More like this next month, please! ***½
Quiet promo time now as Norman Harras and Alex Duke interview themselves while somehow both blending into the background and making me feel like they’re about to unveil some new Apple product from 15 years ago…
Fast Time Moodo vs. Cara Noir
Moodo was subbing for the injured Peter Tihanyi here – and with Moodo having eyes on the Shotgun title in two weeks’ time, this is a big test for him. Also, excuse me while I recover from “the uncrowned king of the indies.” That’s an argument for another time, but it’s not like the birdman is all over the scene, is it?
Hamburg was split 50-50 with chants between the two, as we opened with the pair trying to give each other a dead leg. We eventually hit a dead end (ba dum, and indeed, tish), before Moodo stomped on Cara’s bare foot to knock him down a peg. Moving away from the feet, Moodo kicks Cara in the back to spark a “snapmare and kick me in the back” exchange, ending with Moodo going for the ribs before Cara Noir went all Minoru Suzuki, absorbing a bunch of strikes before firing back with a flurry of his own.
A low dropkick to the side of the head rocks Moodo, as did a rebound German suplex and the Rude Awakening neckbreaker. Moodo’s able to retaliate with a scissors kick, before a double underhook facebuster was escaped as Cara hit back with a shotgun dropkick. Moodo’s leg sweep proved to be for nought as Cara snapped in with the over-the-knee facebuster.
Moodo tries for a Made in Japan, but instead got caught with a rear naked choke… he falls back to squash Cara to break the hold, as kicks and a double underhook facebuster looked to prove Moodo’s pedigree… but Cara kicks out at two as he was able to return with a package piledriver for the win. Technically sound, but Cara Noir will never be “my kind of wrestler” – and that the bad guy Moodo was getting cheers throughout kinda speaks volumes here. **½
Backstage, we’re with Dan Mallmann who’s with a returning Mike D Vecchio… Mike D’s still without his European title, which Levaniel was ordered to hand back to him… and he’s given a note telling him that he’s going to get a delivery of something tonight. Mike accused Dan of being in on it, then walks off in disgust.
Elijah Blum vs. 1 Called Manders
Blum’s now looking for something to do over Carat weekend after injury robbed him of his latest crack at Peter Tihanyi…
Lock-ups into the corner see both men force a break in the opening minute or so, before Elijah’s crack at a crossbody ended with him getting caught. He escapes and lands it at the second attempt, taking down Manders, who replied by viciously dumping Blum into the ropes.
A second trip to the ropes saw Blum get clotheslined for a two-count, while a chop and a Stampede looked to follow… but Blum slips out and countered with a side Russian leg sweep. Blum goes for the neck with a dropkick after taking Manders to the corner, as the crowd began to boo Blum for pouncing on Manders’ neck.
A more traditional neckbreaker puts Manders down, as did some clotheslines into the corner, before Blum looked to go for a Parting Gift. Manders throws Blum aside easily as he looked to return with a lariat… but Blum floats over into a small package for a near-fall, before Manders flashed back in with the Stampede for a near-fall.
Manders calls for a lariat, but the tee-up looked to tweak his neck… short-range chops didn’t cause him as many problems, but it did have Blum snap back with a chop of his own, before a wild lariat off the ropes sent Blum into the ropes… only to return with the Masato Tanaka Sliding D out of nowhere for the win, despite Manders kicking out at 3.01. This was a good looking sprint, and one that killed my idea of “Manders wins here, wins Carat and loses to Blum in the rematch” dead… or least the first part for sure! ***¼
Hair vs. Hair Match: Bobby Gunns vs. Stephanie Maze
This match came out of left-field on the last Shotgun Vlog, and someone’s going to be leaving Hamburg with eine Glatze…and Maze is obviously hoping that her move to Hamburg isn’t coming with a new cut.
Gunns took control from the off, charging at Maze with a front kick as the pair looked to make short work of things. Maze’s kicks just get shoved away by Gunns, but she’s got more luck with a suplex to take Gunns out of the corner ahead of the hammerlock’d clothesline for just a one-count.
A Boston crab from Gunns turned it around as Maze was starting to almost become a tackling dummy for Gunns, who nearly won it with a snapmare and a kick to the back. Effortless slams keep Maze down, as a front kick out of the corner again nearly put an end to things.
Maze tries to fight back with forearms, but an uppercut from Gunns looked to cut her off before Maze countered a PK with some Kawada-ish kicks. A Fujiwara armbar from Maze quickly ends in the ropes, before she continued with more kicks to the chest, then a dropkick off the top for a solid two-count.
Out of nowhere, Gunns kicks out Maze’s knee before an Ehrenmann Driver almost snatched the win… but Maze kicks out just in the nick of time. More uppercuts from Gunns continue to leave Maze dazed, but she’s able to boot him as he kept charging into the corner, as we then return to the back-and-forth elbows that Hamburg was eating up.
Another low dropkick from Maze stuns Gunns ahead of a Saito suplex, before Gunns bailed to the outside. Maze gives chase, but it’s a ruse as Gunns met her back inside with a shotgun dropkick and a death valley driver for a near-fall. Yeah, Bobby’s losing it. Even more so after Maze kicked out from being ragdolled in a German suplex, before a rear naked choke looked to put Maze out…
Maze stays awake though, and throws Gunns out before a second Saito suplex planted the former champion. A third follows, before the Skyfall kick got the win in a match that saw Maze take a beating, but hold through for long enough to get the win. ***¼
Post-match, Hamburg booed as Gunns tried to escape – remember, the Markthalle was a place that Bobby Gunns ruled with an iron fist – after going unbeaten from February 2017 through til January 2023. Gunns was told if he didn’t get his head shaved, he’d forfeit his spot in Carat… and taking his medicine, Gunns let Stephanie Maze give him the ol’ Jurn Simmons. At least Maze didn’t go all Raven with the clippers!
During intermission, Masato Tanaka was announced for wXw FAN in Hamburg on May 23rd… maybe they’ll run back him and Elijah Blum?
Crashing back from intermission, Dan Mallmann’s with Laurance Roman – last time in Hamburg, Roman won a number one contender’s street fight against Robert Dreissker… but today he’s got a different challenge on his hands as he looks to use Yuya Aoki as a warm-up as he looks to be the first man to pick up back-to-back Carat wins.
Yuya Aoki vs. Laurance Roman
Aoki didn’t look fazed against the former Unified World Wrestling Champion, taking the fight to Roman… at least until he got caught out with a hiptoss.
Mounted punches from Roman in the corner lead to a snap suplex for a two-count. Aoki’s back body drop looks to give him time, as did a tiltawhirl backbreaker, before chops and a springboard missile dropkick took out Roman for a near-fall. A stalling suplex gets a similar result, and looked to have rocked Roman a little as the crowd tried to get behind the former AMBOSS man.
Clotheslines from Aoki in the corner earn a response from Roman, who charges back with some of his own, ahead of a handspring back elbow that Roman was caught off guard for. Back-and-forth shots give way to a swinging DDT from Roman for a near-fall… but Aoki clings on in the corner as Roman looked to head up top.
A gamengiri cuts off Roman as Aoki’s top rope ‘rana sends Roman across the ring… before a big ol’ piledriver just spiked Aoki for the win. They kept this short, and while everything landed, I felt like Hamburg not knowing Aoki hurt the early parts. Well worth a watch though. ***
wXw European Championship: Ahura vs. Mike D Vecchio (c)
Complete with new music and entrance, this was Mike D’s first outing for wXw since last October in Bad Säckingen… and while this was for the European title, the belt still isn’t here. DPD being late again, I see…
Before the bell, a DPD delivery guy has a box for referee Alex Schneider, who hands it to Mike D… but the contents weren’t as expected, as instead Mike D pulled out a bottle of protein powder and plastic toy belt. Mike D spikes the protein powder into the mat, which explodes in the direction of photographer Sophia and the rest of the front row at ringside.
Anyway, they sweep away the powder and the plastic belt as the match got going with Mike D just booting down a defiant Ahura. Mike D hits the ropes and eventually eats a clothesline… before he just tossed Ahura like a bag of spuds in return. Mike D continues to control things, repeatedly slamming Ahura into the mat ahead of a Biel from corner-to-corner.
Ahura finally manages to get something going with a springboard dropkick, taking Mike D outside ahead of a plancha into the protein powder. The pair continue to scrap into the crowd and onto the stage… but Mike D just backs out as beheaded back towards the ring, with Ahura stopping to chuck a fan’s drink away.
Back inside, Ahura’s tiltawhirl ends with him grabbing a rear naked choke on Mike D, letting go only to charge from the ropes with a front kick for just a one-count. Chops from Ahura kept Mike D on the defensive, but he’s able to catch Ahura’s springboard back into the ring before he countered with a gorilla press slam and a standing moonsault.
Picking his shots, Mike D had Ahura run ragged, but somehow Ahura’s able to hit back with a bridging German suplex that almost snatched the win. Mike D returns the favour with an inverted superplex after catching Ahura up top, before he springboarded into a wacky backcracker. Ahura adds an ugly piledriver from there, which nearly got the win… a scrap in the corner sent Ahura onto the apron, but he shakes it off and meets Mike up top for a top rope ‘rana.
Of course it’s caught as Mike D threw him down, before powerbombing him into the corner. Ahura powders out into the, err, powder, before rolling back in at the count of 9… and into the path of a 450 splash as the Belgian retained. This match was weird from the off – things really didn’t click at times, but Mike D was able to power through and salvage something. ***
Post-match, Levaniel attacked Mike D from behind with the European title belt… before a Galactic Facecrusher left the rightful champion laying… only for Levaniel to scarper away as Mike D got back to his feet.
wXw World Tag Team Championship: Big Bucks (Norman Harras & Alex Duke) vs. Young Blood (OSKAR & Yuto Nakashima) (c)
The Big Bucks earned this shot with a victory over the champions in Mendig last month… and it’s another Hamburg main event for OSKAR. Meanwhile, Yuto Nakashima’s paid a trip to the Volksparkstadion, as he was sporting a HSV shirt here… a cheap pop, except for those who support St. Pauli!
We start with OSKAR and Duke getting a little aggravated towards each other, but it’s a shoulder tackle from OSKAR that has Duke on the deck early on. Yuto Nakashima’s in next to help with a kick-assisted slam before Norman Harras tagged in to trade forearms with Yuto. Nakashima’s kicks take down Harras as OSKAR came back in to light up Harras with a chop in the corner.
Nakashima heads up top looking for his half of the Blood Rush, but Duke shoves him down, then hung up OSKAR in the ropes as a flapjack from Harras almost caused the upset in short order. The Markthalle mostly rose to their feet to support OSKAR, but to little avail as Duke and Harras maintained their offensive, leading to a short-range spear from Harras for a near-fall.
OSKAR tries to fight back as the Bucks kept things two-on-one, before Duke whiffed as he used Yuto’s chain to accidentally punch out Harras. That allowed OSKAR to make the tag out as Yuto cleared house on Duke, tripping him in the corner for a running Meteora for a two-count of his own. A brief resurgence from Duke ended with a brainbuster out of Yuto, who eventually makes the tag out to a recovered OSKAR, who took aim at Harras… only for Duke to get involved once more.
A double clothesline clears away the challengers, only for a ripcord knee from Duke and a flying uppercut from Harras to force Yuto to break up the cover as the match seemed to be heading into its finishing stretch, with a double-team powerbomb again pushing the challengers to the brink of victory.
Duke spits in OSKAR’s face as the challengers threatened to lose their head… it only served to fire up OSKAR, who took a rake to the eyes before a Michinoku Driver led to Harras breaking up the pin. Yuto quickly follows, but this time Harras cuts off the Blood Rush as he choked out Yuto… the referee goes to stop it and misses Duke’s low blow on OSKAR, then a shot with Yuto’s chain… and holy hell, the Big Bucks have done it, baby? The boos in Hamburg were LOUD for the official decision, and that now means we’re getting the Big Bucks against High Performer Ltd. at Carat, right?
Except during the celebration, Alex Duke dropped the chain and referee Tassilo Jung put two and two together. They restart the match, but with OSKAR still down and out it’s down to Yuto Nakashima to do the honours, hauling up Duke for a stalling brainbuster for the win, less than thirty seconds after the restart. Justice, served! ***¼
As the final table-setter for 16 Carat Gold, Dead End was a solid show that did what it needed to do – the near-miss in the main event almost threatened a riot in Hamburg, but Young Blood’s title retaining win means that they’ll head into Carat as champions – while tonight’s performances among some blew the field wide open for the tournament itself.