This week on Shotgun, we’ve recaps from Drive of Champions… and Zoltan defending the European title against Kuro.
Quick Results
Zoltan pinned Kuro to retain the wXw European Championship in 6:19 (***)
— In the next week or so, I’ll be chatting about this show with Mike Kilby on the Auf Die Fresse podcast. Links to stream that episode when it drops, as well as back episodes are available at AufDieFresse.co.uk
Mett Dimassi leads the way on Shotgun once again, this time from the steps outside the Turbinenhalle.
You know the score with the format – we open with highlights from Drive of Champions, including the Cowboy Way vs. Ahura & Jun Akiyama tag… then Elijah Blum’s title defence over Laurance Roman (and Ahura’s challenge for a title shot afterwards)…
From there, it’s clips of the impromptu Dog Collar Match with Dani Luna and Jane Nero, CSI’s near-miss for the tag titles, and Peter Tihanyi’s unsuccessful tilt against Eddie Kingston.
Back with Mett, who throws to the backstage comments. First, a yawning Elijah Blum’s told by Ahura that he didn’t really want to go for his title, because Blum represents wXw well, but Ahura wants to underline that he’s the number 1. We don’t speak of the last person who talked himself up as the “nummer eins.”
Ahura and Blum argued over which meant the most – Blum claimed the Carat and König der Catcher trophies meant you were the best of a weekend, but the title meant you were the best… full stop.
Dennis Dullnig’s holding Axel Tischer’s Shotgun title hostage because he wants yet another rematch. Except not in Dresden. Not as a handicap match. Or in Hamburg. Tischer agrees to the match, with two referees, no count-outs, no time limits, and with no ropes… with Dullnig wanting it in Frankfurt. We’re at the point of ridiculousness with these stacked stipulations now!
The Greedy Souls didn’t like the cameras picking up Quick & Dirty and Roadkill laughing at their defaced 8x10s. They announce themselves for the World Tag Team Tournament…
Dieter Schwartz approached Laurance Roman for falling short, despite breaking the rules. Roman cuts him off and challenged Schwartz to a match in Frankfurt…
We’re back with the Greedy Souls as they threaten to wipe out CSI…
Speaking of CSI, Luca de Leone’s got taped ribs and is sounding like he’s on the brink of death.
Cowboy Way’s in the old media centre hall when they bump into the makeshift Swole Patrol gym – with M4 and a returning Tim Koslowski curling random equipment. Thomas Shire throws what looked like a tube of Pringles at them before telling Manders he had an idea…
Robin Christopher Fohrwerk time next. He announced a four-way weapons match with Quick & Dirty, Roadkill, Swole Patrol and 10/10 Next Level… with the winner getting a tag title shot later that night. Sounds very, erm, one-sided?
Back with Cowboy Way… Shire gatecrashes Blum and Ahura’s trophy room to stir up some trouble, which ended with a challenge for Cowboy Way vs. Blum and Ahura in Frankfurt.
Mett’s joined by Ben Thamer next to run down the card for Broken Rules in Frankfurt on July 11:
Elijah Blum & Ahura vs. Cowboy Way
Peter Tihanyi vs. Ricky Sosa
Dieter Schwartz vs. Laurance Roman
Katsuya Murashima vs. Zoltan (non-title, because Murashima’s not European!)
Weapons Tornado Match: 10/10 Next Level vs. Roadkill vs. Quick & Dirty vs. Swole Patrol
wXw World Tag Team Championship: Weapons Tornado Match Winner vs. Planet Gojirah (c)
wXw Shotgun Championship – No Ropes, No Time Limit, Two Refs Match: Dennis Dullnig vs. Axel Tischer (c)
wXw European Championship: Kuro vs. Zoltan (c)
We’re working with a ten minute time limit here, since this is a Shotgun match…
Kuro jumped Zoltan before the bell as he looked to end this with a Falcon Arrow inside ten seconds… but the champion kicked out before Kuro decided to take off his jacket. Shots from Kuro lead to a tombstone attempt, but Zoltan rolls out for a two-count, before a dropkick took Kuro into the corner.
Zoltan’s unable to follow-up though as he’s suplexed into the buckles… but Kuro stops to pose before he chopped away on Zoltan some more. Kuro’s lackadaisical nature allowed Zoltan back in briefly, as a Doomsday Accordion ripcord lariat was countered into a DDT with ease.
From there, Zoltan built up a head of steam, leading to the Rolling Z for a two-count. Kuro’s able to shove away Zoltan to prevent a springboard cutter, before he used the ref as a shield. Zoltan superkicks away a Doomsday Accordion, only to see his cutter countered into a German suplex ahead of a package tombstone that almost won Kuro the title.
Kuro resumes with a Yakuza kick and a dropkick into the corner, only to get turned inside out with a diving knee before Zoltan’s springboard cutter drew a near-fall. A running dropkick from Zoltan leads to the finish seconds later though, with a Mamba Splash getting the win. This was fine for the time it had, but I wish Kuro had shown more urgency given a) the Shotgun time limit and b) it was for a title. It is what it is, I guess. ***
…and that’s our lot, as there’s no “after the match” promo to take us out of Shotgun this time!