wXw returned to Dresden as the Frenchadors looked to win back their tag team titles, taking on the Arrows of Hungary in the main event.
Quick Results
Jacob Crane submitted Anil Marik in 5:51 (**¾)
Mike D Vecchio pinned Tristan Archer in 9:28 (***¼)
Norman Harras pinned Fast Time Moodo in 9:44 (***¼)
Michael Knight & Bobby Gunns pinned Nick Schreier & Elijah Blum in 9:29 (***)
Axel Tischer pinned Peter Tihanyi in 15:36 (***½)
Laurance Roman and Maggot went to a time limit draw in 15:00 – Roman retains the wXw Shotgun Championship (***¼)
Ava Everett pinned Baby Allison in 11:10 to win the wXw Women’s Championship (***)
Icarus & Dover pinned Senza Volto & Aigle Blanc in 16:13 to retain the wXw World Tag Team Championship (***½)
— If you want to catch this before it’s uploaded to Peacock/WWE Network, head over to wXwNOW.de – it’s now been moved over to YouTube after wXw left Vimeo’s platform, so you’ll need to sign-up…
We’re coming from the Stromwerk in Dresden for wXw’s first big show after Carat… and yes, it’s the venue with the massive fan.
Jacob Crane vs. Anil Marik
Jacob Crane, presented to you in the style of the Colony in CHIKARA. All we needed was Larry Sweeney cackling like a madman…
We get going with Crane backing Marik into the corner with a lock-up, but a switcheroo has Crane cowering between the ropes. Jacob’s not a big fan of the phrase “auf die Fresse” it seems, even more so when Marik laid into him with elbows, before Crane shoved away a bulldog attempt. Heading outside, Marik chases after Crane back into the ring, then added a bodyslam for a two-count. A cross-chop to the throat tries to stop more of those, but Marik adds a second slam for a two-count, before a back suplex finally cut off Marik. Crane blocks a Codebreaker as he proceeded to pull up Marik into a backbreaker for a near-fall.
Marik hits back with a back suplex of his own, then added that bulldog out of the corner… but he stayed down afterwards, seemingly having tweaked his previously-injured shoulder. Crane pounces right on that with a Fujiwara armbar for the instant tap, and that’s Marik still looking for his first win back. **¾
Commentary for the main show, as always, comes from Dave Bradshaw…
Tristan Archer vs. Mike D Vecchio
We’ve a rematch from the first round of this year’s 16 Carat Gold, as Mike D readied himself for his shot at Shigehiro Irie next month.
From the opening lock-up, Mike D backed Archer into the corner, before he slid under the ropes when Archer took him down in a front facelock. Archer finds a way through with a shoulder tackle, before he took Mike D outside for a tope… but then made the mistake of throwing him back in and not watching as Mike dove on the Frenchman. Back inside, Archer manages to score a headlock takedown, but gets sent outside instantly with a leaping knee. Referee Tassilo Jung tries to separate the pair between the ropes, but Archer scores with a poke to the eye before he hung up Mike D in the ropes, as Archer proceeded to control things. A dropkick from Mike D looked to stop Archer, but an Exploder put the former champion back in the driver’s seat, picking up a two-count as he went.
Archer sits on Mike D in the ropes, as he began to target the Belgian’s lower back. A back senton’s blocked as Mike D got the knees up, then almost speared Archer between the buckles as a running back suplex dropped the Frenchman in the middle of the ring for a two-count. Mike D goes for a springboard, but Archer tries to counter into La Terreur… only for Mike to counter that into a powerslam for a near-fall. Archer finds a way back in with a forearm shot for a two-count, while La Terreur and a lariat landed for another near-fall. A Decapite lariat’s kicked away as Mike D’s backbreaker and over-the-knee brainbuster sets up for a a gutwrench… but Archer countered out.
Mike D’s quickly back with a lariat though, as a pop-up sit-out powerbomb followed to put Archer away – it wasn’t one-way traffic by any means, but an impressive scalp for the Belgian as he warmed up for his title shot. ***¼
Backstage, Mett Dimassi’s with Norman Harras… and he’s very much stressing the “ex” in Harras’ job role. Mett wants to know about the contract Metehan signed that gave him a title shot, but Norman hides behind a non-disclosure agreement. So Mett asks about Levaniel’s injury, with Levaniel apparently claiming that Norman was involved in it… but Norman points out that because there’s no footage, it’s Levaniel’s word against his, so it’ll not go anywhere. More question dodging from Norman sees him dismiss his match with Jurn Simmons as a problem for future Norbert, as he instead talked up his match with Fast Time Moodo, which is next…
Norman Harras vs. Fast Time Moodo
Norman’s settling into his new gear that I can only describe as “corporate Bikertaker” with the two vests and the raised fist…
Moodo takes time to soak in a crowd that’s largely on his side (for once!), before he backed Harras into the corner with some feinted kicks. A side headlock from Harras is fought out of, but a shoulder tackle takes Moodo into the corner, before he began to kick Norman in the arse. Okay, the left thigh, if you’re being technical. Moodo kicks Norman’s leg out of his leg with those, before a hiptoss off the ropes led to Harras taking some back fists and kicks for a near-fall. Harras sidesteps a spinning wheel kick as Moodo crashes into the buckles, allowing the former Shotgun champion Harras to take over with a legdrop on the apron. Those bloody Undertaker comparisons, eh?
Mudhole stomping from Harras back inside keeps Moodo down, as did a bodyslam and a leaping elbow drop. A running elbow follows Moodo into the corner, before he booted Harras away… then scored a springboard spinning wheel kick off the middle rope. More kicks follow to keep Harras backpedalling, ahead of a sliding punch in the corner. One for those of you who watched Shotgun 2020! Harras eats a double stomp to the back as Moodo almost took home the win. A Black Belt Kick’s avoided by Norman, who rolls outside… but Moodo stays on him with an apron PK, before an uppercut off the middle rope almost gave Harras the win back inside. More kicks from Moodo take Harras back to the corner, in prime position for a Coast to Coast, but Harras rolls outside to safety.
Moodo gives chase again, as he posts Harras, then added some more kicks at ringside… but back inside, Norman kicks the ropes into Moodo’s throat as he was getting back in. From there, the Hostile Takeover gutwrench slam follows, and that’s enough to get Harras the win. ***¼
Elijah Blum & Nick Schreier vs. Only Friends (Bobby Gunns & Michael Knight)
Only Friends have gotten some wacky new music, and it’s showing me the way.
Blum and Knight start us off, with Blum taking Knight into the corner, before a floatover got Knight free. Blocked hiptosses led to Blum getting caught in the midsection, but he floats out of a snapmare as we ended even. Bobby Gunns tags in, but Blum’s able to outsmart the pair as local lad Nick Schreier came in, with he and Blum dropkicking the Only Friends into the ropes. Gunns and Knight return the favour, knocking them outside as a tope from Knight got him a two-for-one deal. Back inside, an enziguiri from Schreier buys time as Blum tried his luck, taking down Gunns with a crossbody… a blind tag brings in Knight as the Only Friends double-team Blum, ending with a gourdbuster onto the knees for a two-count.
More double-teaming sees Gunns lock in a camel clutch while Knight had Blum in a Trailer Hitch… Blum gets free as the pair trade uppercuts, then shotgun dropkicks as the pair were left laying. Knight’s back in, but the double-teaming goes awry as Knight leaps into a neckbreaker, as Schreier tagged in and hit the Only Friends with the accidental DDT between partners. Schreier heads up top for a crossbody into Gunns and Knight, which gets him a two-count, before a double-team neckbreaker/slam combo this time led to a two-count for Blum. Knight’s caught on Blum’s shoulders, but another double team’s stopped as sandwich lariats from the Only Friends turned things around, as did a Shiranui from Knight to Blum.
Schreier’s left alone, but he tries to fight off Gunns and Knight on his own… and gets popped up into a kick before a Gunns PK ended up getting Knight the win. A real good showing from Blum and Schreier, who gelled well as a team, but they were blown away at the end. ***
Best Of Five Series: Peter Tihanyi vs. Axel Tischer
Tischer’s 1-0 up having beaten Tihanyi in Frankfurt last month… and in Tischer’s home town, you’d have to think he’s a favourite to take a 2-0 advantage.
Tischer backs Tihanyi into the corner… then pulled a glove out of his trunks to slap the Hungarian with. That got some aggression out of Tihanyi, who muscled Tischer down with a knuckle lock for a couple of two-counts, before a neck bridge frustrated Tihanyi… with Tischer coming back up to roll Tihanyi down. A side headlock from Tihanyi looked to neutralise Tischer, but a shove off and a shoulder tackle led to Tischer inviting more of those, which led to a leapfrog and a dropkick from Tihanyi, which took Tischer outside… as he just wandered away from a telegraphed dive attempt. Tihanyi tries to follow him out, but gets charged into the apron as Tischer was having fun here, throwing the Hungarian into the side of the ring before he just walked over him back into the ring.
Tihanyi’s tripped with a drop toe hold as Tischer hooked away on him for a quick one-count, before a kick out of the corner looked to put Tischer further ahead… but Tihanyi pulls him out of the corner to create an opening. A chinlock keeps Tischer grounded, but he threw his way free before falling to a suplex that picked up a two-count for Tihanyi. Chops knock Tischer around the corners, including one that timed real well with someone breaking a glass, only for Tischer to snap back with an uppercut. An exchange ends with forearms from Tischer, then a butterfly suplex out of the corner for a near-fall, as the pair resumed back-and-forth strikes, leading to an enziguiri from Tihanyi, then an Asai DDT for a near-fall.
A 450 splash from Tihanyi’s aborted as Tischer returned with a German suplex for a near-fall… a death valley driver gets Tischer a little closer to the win, before Tihanyi rolled his way out of a Ligerbomb. That’s followed up with a tornado DDT for a near-fall for Tihanyi, then a superkick as the Hungarian looked to level up the series. Another superkick drops Tischer, but it’s still not enough… and when Tihanyi went for a third one, he’s forced to escape a German suplex before he manages to get it. In the end though, the barrage of superkicks doesn’t stop him from taking a Horrible Slam… but Tischer pulls up the pin at two as he called for – then landed – a Ligerbomb to get the win. Peter Tihanyi’s staring at a whitewash going into Hamburg – and that could be the worst position to be in, given Tischer’s experience. ***½
wXw Shotgun Championship: Maggot vs. Laurance Roman (c)
I know there’s reasons why, but I miss the honour rolls they used to do for title matches. This is a rematch from Back to the Roots, and I swear they didn’t emphasise the time limits as much. 15 minutes…
Roman backed Maggot into the corner early on, but Maggot lands a palm strike, then a waistlock takedown as Roman was on the deck. A wristlock keeps Roman on his knees, but it’s escaped as a side headlock from the champion kept the two at close quarters briefly… until he’s shoved off and came back with a shoulder tackle. Maggot returns with a Thesz press and a spear for a two-count, following up with mounted punches and some biting in the corner, much to the ire of Robert Dreissker at ringside. A suplex gets Maggot a two-count, before Roman pulled the hair of Maggot en route to a chop block to the back of the knee.
A slam from Roman dumped Maggot’s legs into the ropes as I hear whispers of Rick Martel having done that years ago. Roman stays on the legs with a DDT for a two-count, while a back elbow took down Maggot as he threatened a comeback. Dresden begins to taunt Roman for his past as a waschbär, but he doesn’t break his focus as a frog splash to that targeted left-leg drew a two-count. Robert Dreissker sneaks in a cheapshot after Maggot had been taken into the corner – and also rips off a bottom turnbuckle pad, but it backfires quickly as Roman ends up sending his knee into the exposed buckle. A Cactus clothesline from Maggot takes him and Roman outside, before heading back in for a superplex… but Roman manages to avoid it, shoving Maggot down, only to leap into a cutter.
Dreissker pulls Roman to the outside to help him avoid a pinning attempt… Roman opts to return to the ring, and quickly ran into the path of a back body drop as a resurgent Maggot followed up with an enziguiri and a crucifix bomb. It’s good for a two-count as the pair resumed by trading strikes, ending with a clothesline and a swinging DDT from Roman for another near-fall. Roman looks for a Fisherman suplex, but Maggot cradles his way out for a two-count, then added a diving kick for another near-fall as we entered the final few minutes. Elbows to the side of the neck stunned Maggot, who eventually returned with a pop-up spinebuster as Dreissker again tries to pull Roman to the outside. Maggot kicks him away as a Figure Four looked to force a stoppage, but Roman held firm as time ran out. Roman didn’t tap, so he retains the title with the draw. This was pretty good, with Roman escaping by the skin of his teeth – and a sure rematch beckons, right? ***¼
Post-match, Maggot grabbed the mic and mocked Roman for being a “dirty, smelly” waschbär, before challenging Roman to a rematch in Hamburg.
Mett’s backstage with Baby Allison ahead of her impending title defence against Ava Everett… he notes the problematic past few months, but Allison mentions that things are looking up, with Maggot having closed the Ahura chapter (without naming him).
wXw Women’s Championship: Ava Everett vs. Baby Allison (c)
This was Ava’s last weekend in Germany – and was threatening to head back home with the title. Hey, there’s middle finger guy, he gets absolutely everywhere, much to Ava’s disdain!
Things go to ground early on as Baby Allison tripped Everett for some ground and pound, following up with a Thesz press and a suplex as the challenger found herself on the ropes. Everett slapped the champion, then bailed outside… where Allison gave chase, eventually taking Ava into the front row for some chops. Allison’s sent into the front row as she went to charge at Everett… with Ava following up by posting Allison before she reset the count-out. Back inside, Allison’s thrown into the corner ahead of a running face-washing kick that garnered Everett a two-count. Allison returns with a jawbreaker and a roll-up, but couldn’t escape a boot from Ava as the challenger resumed control.
Everett follows up with a DDT out of the corner for a two-count, before a charge into the corner led to a sunset flip from Allison for a near-fall. A spear follows, but Allison can’t make the cover, as we resume with the pair trading blows, leading to Allison charging ahead with clotheslines and a back suplex. A running shoulder charge pins Everett into the corner ahead of a Scorpion kick and a Northern Lights suplex for a near-fall, before a cutter from Everett planted Allison in the middle of the ring. Everett got a little cocksure, as Allison cut her off with a trip to the top rope for a superplex… which eventually lands for a near-fall.
After the kick-out, Everett snatched a near-fall from a roll-up, but couldn’t avoid an Exploder… before Allison almost charged into the referee. A superkick followed from Everett, and holy heck, that’s enough to get the win! Everett’s heading back to the States with the title, and I think that sets the scene for a spring and summer of title defences on the other side of the pond – which worked wonders for spreading wXw’s name back when it was the Shotgun title getting that treatment. ***
They recap the Arrows of Hungary’s tag title win at 16 Carat Gold weekend…
wXw World Tag Team Championship: Frenchadors (Aigle Blanc & Senza Volto) vs. Arrows Of Hungary (Dover & Icarus) (c)
These teams are tied at two wins apiece in wXw, and the Dresden crowd seemed to be anticipating a title change before the bell.
Dover sought to distract Senza Volto early on – and it worked, as Icarus was able to land a chop before grounding Senza… but Senza’s able to break through with a springboard headlock takedown before he tagged out to Aigle Blanc. Aigle flies off the top with a stomp to Icarus’ arm, only for Dover to tag in and immediately put the boots to Aigle. A blind tag allows Senza back in, as the Frenchadors double-teamed Dover with kicks to the back. That led to a snap suplex and a senton from Aigle and Senza respectively, before Dover’s held over the ropes as Aigle flew in with a back senton off the top rope. Dover finds a way to throw Aigle outside, where Icarus snuck in a cheapshot as the Arrows turned it around, leading to Icarus tagging in as he’s launched into Aigle in the corner for a two-count.
Icarus stings Aigle with a chop to the chest, before he tagged out… and used the tag rope to choke Aigle behind the ref’s back. Dover had knocked Senza Volto off the apron, as the Arrows exchanged quick tags… but Aigle’s able to stay a step ahead, throwing Icarus into Dover with an Exploder into the corner. A Coast to Coast follows from Aigle, but the Arrows strike back quickly as a lariat from Icarus spun Aigle down. Dover’s back to land a uranage onto Icarus’ knees for a two-count, before a chinlock saw Dover slow things down a little. Some choking in the ropes follows from Dover, as Icarus again made some timely interventions for cheapshots, before Aigle Blanc came inches away from a tag… only to get charged into a gamengiri from Icarus.
Aigle finally gets free of the champions, landing a springboard crossbody to Dover before making the tag out. Robert Dreissker heads to ringside as Senza Volto cleaned house, leading to a Code Red on Icarus for a near-fall. A cross chop from Icarus leads to him going all Kid Lykos on us, telegraphing a brainbuster as Senza counters with an Eiffel Tower… Dover blind tags in and wallops Senza in the back with a clothesline, before a kick-assisted Fire Thunder Driver almost got the win. Senza’s saved by Aigle Blanc breaking up the cover, before a Hungarian Wanderer and Meltdown combo from the Arrows pushed them closer to the win. Aigle makes another save as an Alabama Slam/kick combo’s stopped, prompting some back-and-forth between all four men, culminating in Aigle taking a chokeslam… and Senza Volto being left prone for a Crossfire. Instead, the Arrows go after Aigle, who evades them with a missile dropkick, ahead of a handspring double cutter from Senza.
Aigle’s back for a 450 splash to Icarus, then a tombstone piledriver, as Senza added a springboard moonsault for a near-fall, with Dover breaking up the cover. Dover’s tossed outside as the challengers tried to isolate Icarus, throwing a Crossfire of their own, only for Robert Dreissker to grab referee Felix Schulz’s arm to prevent the three count from being registered. That’s not a DQ, so Aigle clocks Dreissker, before Icarus almost snatched a win with a roll-up. The Frenchadors push on, with Senza’s handspring kick taking Dover down ahead of a flip senton to the Arrows on the floor. Aigle tried to add an Orihara moonsault, but took out his own man by mistake, as a Crossfire left him laying on the floor. Dover manhandles Senza back into the ring as the Arrows looked to be heading for the finish line, even more so when Senza’s handspring was kicked away by Dover. From there, Icarus tags in as the Alabama Slam into an Icarus kick followed… and that’s enough for the Arrows to get the definitive win. The AMBOSS chicanery was restricted mostly to Dreissker holding up the count – but the finish largely came by way of a messed-up dive from the challengers, falling into the general AMBOSS credence… ***½
Post-match, Robert Dreissker removes Senza Volto’s mask – and that’s not just because Robert wants to be the only guy with a mask in wXw. It’s not the first time Senza’s been unmasked against AMBOSS, but whereas the last time saw him fire up en route to winning the tag titles, this time seemed to be a little deeper, as Senza rolled outside as Aigle went to hand him the mask back. Aigle followed Senza to the back… and I suspect that may be the beginning of the end for the persona of Senza Volto?
True Colors was a pretty good show from wXw – if not hampered by a crowd that struggled to get invested outside of their local guys. After a relatively quiet spell in April, wXw’s got three big shows in May – taking in Hamburg, Oberhausen and London – and to borrow a saying from the podcast, there’s a lot of wrestling to happen before we head to the next showpiece event, the World Tag Team Festival in just a few months time…