The storied history between WALTER and the departing Axel Dieter Jr took centre stage on this week’s edition of Shotgun!
Indeed, that’s what we started with, recapping the nine years since Axel Dieter Jr had a wacky photo taken with WALTER… including his debut as part of Hot and Spicy in 2012, all the way up to being a 16 Carat Gold finalist, and of course, the current struggles with RINGKAMPF. They call back to Dieter pinning Walter to win the wXw tag titles, and the post-match where Axel’s father told him “you’ve got everything it takes to become a star”, and then wrap things up at True Colors where WALTER’s attempt to help Axel regain the title ended up backfiring.
This was a tremendous video package, which wXw have put on YouTube… and yes, it’s one you should go out of your way to see. If only to see WALTER back when he wasn’t quite so serious!
Michael Dante vs. “Bad Bones” John Klinger
We’re going back to the end of March in Ludwigshafen for this match, as this week’s Shotgun is giving us bouts from three different venues. This should be a good slice of Big Lads Wrestling, and yes, we start with a big shoulder tackle and slam from Dante, but Bones hits back with a low-pe after taking Dante to the outside.
Back inside a missile dropkick keeps Dante on the back foot, but the Dutchman comes back by popping Bones up. Dante’s offence is slightly lower-key, as he just throws Bones to the outside… but there’s no tope, as he just takes a breather before stomping on Bones as the German returned to the ring. Dante’s deliberate pace almost cost him as an inside cradle from Klinger gets him a near-fall, but the Dutchman kicks and stomps some more after the kick-out, before hitting a Saito suplex to get him a near-fall. Just like that though, Bones lands a Codebreaker to try and turn the match back in his favour, only for the Wrecking Ball Knees to miss and earn him a German suplex.
Dante almost takes the win with an over-the-knee brainbuster, then takes up Bones for a superplex. Bones headbutts him to the mat, and then finishes the job with a flying Codebreaker for the pin. A really good big lads’ match, and a breeze to watch at just ten minutes. ***¼
From there, we’ve got another Smoking Break with Bobby Gunns. He’s annoyed that men can’t be men anymore because they’re coddled from a young age. I think something got lost in translation because this came across like a poorly thought-out Tweet where there’s a point somewhere in there…
Scotty Saxon vs. Absolute Andy
We’re going back to April 7 in Chemnitz for this one, and the first thing we see is Andy no-selling a shoulder tackle from Saxon. The veteran quickly gets the upper hand, peppering Saxon with shoulder blocks before clotheslining Saxon to the outside.
They brawl around ringside, with Andy chopping Saxon on the ring apron before a running boot knocked him to the floor. Back inside, Saxon capitalises on Andy’s return with an elbow drop and suplex, before whipping the tag champion hard into the corner. That Andy comeback starts with a shoulder tackle before a series of forearms and chops take Saxon into the corner for an eventual spinebuster as they teased a suplex reversal.
Saxon staggers to his feet from that and blocks a superkick, only for Andy to counter the counter with a backcracker. At the second time, Saxon counters a superkick into a slam for a near-fall, only for an F5 to get Andy back into it as he finished off Saxon with a superkick for the win. A rather abrupt finish, but this was fine for a house show match. **¾
We get another promo from the Young Lions ahead of their title match against A4 at May’s Superstars of Wrestling event. They then run down the card for that show, featuring a ludicrous match between Jaxon Stone and Buff Bagwell which… that’s going to have a perverse factor to it, and that’s all on Buff Daddy.
From there, there’s footage supposedly from TMZ.de of Jaxon Stone. Of course, TMZ.de isn’t real, but this is papparazi footage of Stone complaining about not getting world class treatment… he then spots the cameraman and shoves him down.
Next are some highlights of the True Colors event from earlier this month, then a video package detailing the rise of Cerberus, their drug-addled fall from grace, and the post-split happenings where Julian Nero seems to be positioning himself with both Avalanche and Ilja Dragunov. Which makes this weekend’s match between the pair with Nero as the guest referee rather interesting…
They run down the card for this weekend’s card in Frankfurt, featuring that match, along with WALTER vs. Axel Dieter Jr, Alexander James vs. Angelico, A4 defending the wXw tag titles against Bobby Gunns and Jaxon Stone, plus the champion’s challenge between Emil Sitoci and Jurn Simmons.
London Riots (Rob Lynch & James Davis) vs. Jurn Simmons & Francis Kaspin
We’re back to Leipzig for this one, with the Riots back in town as they take on the rather odd pairing of Francis Kaspin and wXw Unified World champion of Jurn Simmons.
Kaspin started well against Davis, walking over him en route to a basement dropkick, before we got the weird pairing of Rob Lynch against Jurn Simmons. They trade off shoulder blocks, before Jurn’s leaping shoulder tackle finally takes down Lynch, before James Davis has his turn… with similar results.
When Francis Kaspin returns to the ring, he’s quickly isolated as the Riots trap him in their corner, and that’s the cue for the weekly run-down of wXw’s upcoming dates (including a heck of a date at Erfurt’s “Club From Hell”!) whilst Kaspin fights out of a rear chinlock. Unfortunately for young Francis, he’s quickly squashed with a back senton from Davis, then by another back senton as Rob Lynch suspended him from the middle rope. Eventually, Kaspin fights back on Lynch, kicking him away from the corner before landing a crossbody off the top rope, before finally making the hot tag to Massive Jurn.
Simmons clears the ring with clotheslines, before an Oklahoma Stampede gets a near-fall on Davis. The Riots take a double suplex from Simmons and Kaspin, before they rebound to drop Simmons with a spinebuster, then a District Line powerbomb for a near-fall. An Air Raid Crash follows from Davis for a near-fall, prompting him to tag in Kaspin who hit back with a springboard bulldog before throwing Davis into a Simmons piledriver for the win. I really enjoyed this tag match, especially the pairing of the champion and an up-and-comer. ***½
Jurn and Francis are backstage now as Kaspin thanks him for the opportunity we just saw. Kaspin brings up how Emil Sitoci’s calling himself the best in the Netherlands, which leads to Jurn saying he’s just happy to kick his face in then beat the Shotgun champion.
Finally, we end with another road trip discussion with WALTER and Christian Michael Jakobi. They’re talking about Axel Dieter Jr’s final matches, with Jakobi stressing the importance of a clean break between Axel and RINGKAMPF. WALTER changes the subject to Karsten Beck’s possible return, and that seems to worry Jakobi… who insists he’s not going to worry until the issue presents itself. WALTER’s seeing through that though… and that’s the end of the show!
As the go-home show for this weekend’s emotional send-off of Axel Dieter Jr, there was precious little mention of that, with the bulk of the focus being placed on the final blow-off rather than Sunday’s tribute show. As for the rest of the Frankfurt show… it’s a decent card, but perhaps one that’ll end up being overshadowed when it’s all said and done.