We’ve a go-home show for the release of the 20th Anniversary event, featuring Rott und Flott facing Levaniel and Jurn Simmons.
Quick Results
Robert Dreissker pinned Dennis Dullnig in 7:18 (***¼)
Icarus & Dover pinned Paris & The Rotation in 4:30 (**½)
Vincent Heisenberg pinned Feyyaz Aguila in 0:23 (NR)
Prince Ahura pinned Maggot in 7:01 to retain the wXw Shotgun Championship (***)
Aigle Blanc submitted Ender Kara in 9:42 (***½)
Michael Knight submitted Tristan Archer in 11:14 (***¾)
Jurn Simmons & Levaniel pinned Michael Schenkenberg & Nikita Charisma in 8:24 (***¼)
We’re in a weird spot – with the 20th Anniversary event having happened last week but not being released until next Friday, so we’ve gotten ourselves a belated go-home show.
We open backstage with Dan Mallmann and Prince Ahura in a shisha lounge… Ahura’s got to draw his opponent for today. Dan reaches into the bucket and picks out the ball… except Norman Harras wanders in because he wanted to be present for the drawing.
It all descends into farce as Bobby Gunns complains about Ahura using his lounge again, and wants Norman and Ahura to settle their issues away from the cameras. In the end, Norman draws another ball, which Dan reveals to be… Maggot. Norman smells a rat, and draws another ball, but they stop him from opening it as Ahura leaves with the lottery set.
Dave Bradshaw’s back for English commentary as we’re at the Steffy for what is hopefully the final time without fans present. After running down the card, we go backstage to Robert Dreissker, who tells us he got some “wishy washy” answers from management about the Feyyaz Aguila situation.
Dreissker’s got Dennis Dullnig today, as the former tag champion’s going back into the singles ranks for the time being.
Robert Dreissker vs. Dennis Dullnig
In the pre-match interview, Dreissker mentioned he’d known Dullnig since he was a teenager… I wonder if Dullnig cosplayed a lot then?
Dreissker chases Dullnig away before the bell, and we eventually get going with Dullnig… diving to the outside. Referee Tassilo Jung’s not putting up with this and rapidly counts Dullnig, forcing him back in, where Dreissker charged Dullnig into the corner. A side headlock from Dreissker grounds Dullnig, then threw him aside as Biel throws arrived in Dullnig’s immediate present. Dullnig tries to clothesline Dreissker, but to no avail as Dreissker hit back for a two-count, following with a neckbreaker. On the apron, Dullnig low bridges Dreissker to the outside, then followed with a dive, but back inside Dullnig couldn’t avoid a splash as Dreissker took control.
A big back body drop propels Dullnig skyward, but he sidesteps a charge in the corner, then hit a gamengiri before a trip up top led to a splash to the back. Dullnig keeps going with a crosschop, then a rebound German suplex, before a knee strike knocked Dreissker down for a delayed cover, which allowed Dreissker to power Dullnig out of the ring. Think Yokozuna/Macho Man in terms of kick-outs. Dreissker followed Dullnig to the floor as the pair scrapped in the entrance way. Dullnig’s thrown back into the ring as crossface punches wear him down… the ref separates them, but doesn’t stop the match. Dullnig shoves Tass away and clocks Dreissker with what looked like a bracelet… Dreissker falls into the ropes, but then flopped on top of Dullnig, and knocked-out, Dreissker manages to fall on top of Dullnig for the win. I howled at that finish, subversion for the win here as Dreissker, without knowing, ruined Dullnig’s game plan. ***¼
They recap the Arrows of Hungary winning the tag titles at Shortcut to the Top – they’re up next in non-title action… but first, Andy Jackson is with the Arrows, as Dover says the hard work starts now…
Paris & The Rotation vs. Arrows of Hungary (Icarus & Dover)
We’ve another coach/student pairing here in Rotation and Paris…
Icarus blocks some shots from Rotation early before flinging him with a suplex. Headscissors looked to give Rotation some headway, but a back body drop takes him down for a two-count as I’m wondering if I should be playing some drinking game with this show. A grounded abdominal stretch has Rotation in trouble, but he fought free only to get decked with a chop. Tags bring in Paris and Dover – after Icarus had decked the Grecian – and it gets from bad to worse for him as a uranage onto Icarus’ knees led to a quick two-count. A standing fallaway slam from Dover has Paris down, as does another, before Paris tried to fight out of the corner.
A back suplex drops Paris for a two-count, but Paris’ uppercuts finally bought him some space, taking Dover into the ropes, before Paris got charged into the corner and a waiting kick from Icarus. Dover tags out, then launches Icarus into a cannonball in the corner, while Rotation’s kicked outside. One Crossfire later, and Paris is down for the count. Pretty squashy, but exactly the result you’d expect. **½
They recap the trials and tribulations between Vincent Heisenberg and Feyyaz Aguila… Aguila’s turned up today, and he’s going to meet his maker, it seems. He’s interviewed by Dan beforehand, and Feyyaz seems to be accepting of his doom.
Feyyaz Aguila vs. Vincent Heisenberg
Feyyaz’s music is so jolly for someone who’s about to get massacred. You assume.
Feyyaz ducks clotheslines to start, but eventually met one at the hands of Heisenberg… who then slammed him for the quick win. Well, that wasn’t so bad…
Post-match, Dan interviews Heisenberg who took pleasure in taking out Feyyaz as some of the babyface locker room came out with referees to tend to him. Heisenberg’s pissed that he wasn’t getting the attention, so he clears the ring then dumped Feyyaz on his head with a sitout tombstone.
After some replays, Maggot is backstage ahead of his latest crack at the Shotgun title. He doesn’t want to talk about what Heisenberg just did… Dan asks about Baby Allison, who’s apparently not around because of a disagreement over his strategy in their last match.
wXw Shotgun Championship: Maggot vs. Prince Ahura (c)
Apparently the Shotgun lottery got destroyed during Heisenberg’s rampage, so they won’t be drawing any more opponents today… a nice wrinkle. Ahura looked sad that the lottery stuff had been broken.
The pair argue before the bell, and Ahura nearly wins it in six seconds with a rear spin kick. Maggot’s enziguiri just earns him another kick, before a slam and a big splash drew another two-count for Ahura. A camel clutch traps Maggot in the middle of the ring, but Maggot gets free… only to leap into a backbreaker and a DDT as Ahura kept control. Maggot finds a way back in with an elbow and a Tiger Driver, but Ahura’s up at two, and eats an enziguiri before Maggot’s spear lands for a near-fall. A rare trip up top sees Maggot’s crossbody get kicked away, before Ahura chucked his former tag partner into the ring post.
An Alley Oop from Maggot takes Ahura into the buckles though, while a crucifix bomb nearly gets the win, before the pair spat at and licked each other. That drew out Norman Harras, who was virtually in tears. He snatches the Shotgun title belt, then tried to run away with it, but ends up getting kicked by the formerly Pretty Bastards, with Maggot hitting a spear to take him down. Technically Harras hasn’t attacked anyone yet, so the match keeps going, as Norman takes a nasty Red Light Driver, before the Bastards turned their guns on each other again. A head kick from Ahura decks Maggot as they were shaking hands, and that’s all folks. Run-in aside, this felt more like a competitive match than their first go around, with both men looking to get the win… while Ahura showed he can’t be trusted with that finish. ***
Post-match, Ahura sits over Norman Harras who’s still laid out at ringside as Dan tries to interview Ahura… who was just proud of Norman for remembering to put his trousers on. Ahura tries to blame wXw for allowing the end of the lottery, then just left Harras laying by the ring.
Ender Kara vs. Aigle Blanc
Can Kara grab his second win here?
Kara works the arm to start with, but Aigle counters back before leapfrogs, drop down and escapes led to a stand-off. The pair trade right hands, then boots, before Aigle pulled Kara outside and into the ring apron.
Back inside, Aigle goes for a springboard crossbody, but Kara ducks and came back with a pop-up guillotine that Aigle tries to suplex free of. Ender keeps changing the holds, tying him up in an Octopus hold instead, before another guillotine attempt ended with a twisting suplex for a two-count. Aigle throws a kick but only gets a one-count as Ender threw kicks back in return… looking to bloody up Aigle, who returned with a ripcord enziguiri. A roundhouse enziguiri from Kara takes Aigle outside for a tope con giro, before kicks battered Aigle. Another ripcord enziguiri from Aigle has him back in it, ahead of a flying Meteora to the back of Kara for a near-fall.
More back-and-forth strikes lead to a Dragon suplex from Aigle… but Kara’s right back up, and gets WRECKED with a lariat that almost wins it. A reverse ‘rana from Kara drops Aigle, as did a running Destino, but Aigle still kicks out, then came in with a leaping knee strike before a tombstone and a hanging cross-legged cravat finally made it the Ender Kara. Apologies for the pun. Given both men’s relative statuses as singles, this was a heck of a scrap, with Ender having seemed to have gained confidence after that win a few weeks back. ***½
They play a promo for the Catch Grand Prix that includes the announcements of Axel Tischer and Stephanie Maze that was made at the 20th Anniversary show last week…
Backstage, Tristan Archer’s with Andy Jackson. Tristan brings up their last match, but Andy mentions Archer’s injury coming out of Shortcut to the Top… but Archer says he’s been cleared so as far as he’s concerned, he’s not injured. Sound logic.
They play the trailer for Axel Tischer vs. Fast Time Moodo at the Anniversary show, with Moodo promising he’s not worked in empty arena shows for nothing – while Tischer tagged Moodo as the future of German wrestling. It’s a good promo, subtitled (of course).
Backstage, Dan’s with Michael Knight, who says he hopes to use his recent momentum to get another win. Dan brings up how Bobby Gunns eliminated Knight in Shortcut to the Top, and it’s something Michael’s still sore about, as they look to build to a rubber match between the two.
Michael Knight vs. Tristan Archer
Commentary brought up the rather tetchy interviews we just saw…
Archer’s got some bracing on his left knee, and we get going with a tentative lock-up as Knight had to defend a waistlock early on. A roll-up by Knight gets a one-count, before a side headlock from the Frenchman left to Knight breaking out for a wristlock. Archer’s being more than cautious with that leg, and dives for the ropes the second Knight so much as went for the leg. Archer tries to explain his way out of things, then came back with an elbow, before he clotheslined Knight to the outside. A plancha looked to follow, but Archer jarred his leg on the apron before he got kicked to the floor, complete with a rotten landing. Knight stays on that with a shinbreaker onto the edge of the ring, then a regular one back in the ring ahead of a standing Figure Four-type hold.
In the corner, Knight drapes Archer’s leg over the ropes for a dropkick, but Archer’s able to get some offence back in, boxing Knight into the corner before a right hand knocked Knight down for a near-fall. Knight goes back to the left leg though, then hit a back breaker, followed by a DDT to the knee for a two-count. Archer tries for inside cradles to end things, before he broke a sunset flip and dropped an elbow instead. A clothesline in the corner and a Falcon arrow looked to put Archer ahead, but a delayed cover is only good for a two-count before Knight again kicked the leg out as he set up for a Figure Four. Knight wrenches on the hold, but Archer rolls the hold over, only for Knight to get to the ropes as the hold’s eventually broken.
Knight catches Archer in the ropes with a sorta-Tarantula, but he has to let go to avoid a DQ as the pair land up outside. A rolling elbow rocks Archer against the side of the ring, before Archer caught Knight’s springboard… only to drop this knees as he tried for La Terreur. He tries again, but Knight countered with a Dragon screw, before rolling Archer into a Trailer Hitch for the eventual submission. Working the whole match around the knee meant that Archer was fighting a losing battle, but this made for an absolute cracker of a match as Knight picked up a somewhat rare win in wXw. ***¾
Post-match, Dan’s interview had Michael Knight call out Bobby Gunns for a rematch – under whatever stipulation he wanted… while asking Tristan Archer for another go around. We won’t have to wait too long…
Commentary tells us that Feyyaz Aguila got concussed and picked up some broken ribs at the hands of Vincent Heisenberg earlier.
Dan’s backstage with Rott und Flott… they’re still upset because Jurn Simmons got involved last week, choosing to align with Levaniel. There’s some delightfully delusional stuff here, before Nikita suggested that Jurn focus on his title shot. Schenkenberg reckons Jurn and Levaniel won’t have a chance against a proper team…
Rott und Flott (Nikita Charisma & Michael Schenkenberg) vs. Jurn Simmons & Levaniel
Understandably, Levaniel was a little nervous about teaming with someone after what happened with Marius al-Ani. Jurn’s a good guy, see!
Jurn and Charisma start us off – two words that do usually go together, in fairness. Charisma mocks Jurn as he ducked a lock-up, then mocked Levaniel’s mannerisms before going for Jurn’s too. Another ducked lock-up takes Charisma into the ropes, where he snuck in a cheapshot… only to get tossed aside by Jurn. A shoulder charge traps Charisma in the corner ahead of another suplex throw, before Schenkenberg tagged in and clipped out Jurn’s leg. Stomps have the number one contender down, as Rott und Flott end up taking a double clothesline, while Levaniel tagged in to club away on them for good measure.
A backbreaker drops Schenkenberg, and a clothesline to Charisma, before elbows from Levaniel led to him clotheslining Charisma out of the ring. Levaniel dropkicks away Charisma’s low bridge, but ends up taking a Schenkenberg gutbuster for a near-fall, then some overhead punches for a one-count. Put in a Tree of Woe, Levaniel’s met with a dropkick, then a double legdrop to the groin as Charisma picked up a two-count. We keep going, as a sunset flip from Charisma drew in Schenkenberg to mask a tag… allowing Rott und Flott to drag Levaniel into the ring post behind the ref’s back.
Charisma’s snapmare and kick gets a two-count, but a missed splash from Charisma sees him land on Schenkenberg as Levaniel managed to get out of harm’s way. Finally, a tag brings in Jurn, who ran wild with clotheslines and Gorilla press slams, leading a standing moonsault on Charisma. Schenkenberg’s dumped to the mat with a reverse slam, as a spear followed… then one for Charisma… who then went for a clothesline. He runs into a Galactic Facecrusher from Levaniel, while Jurn put Schenkenberg away with a piledriver for the emphatic win in an entertaining main event that kept simmering Simmons for next week’s big match. ***¼
Post-match, Jurn got the mic and complained that al-Ani was ghosting him… and of course, that promise to win the title brought out Marius. Jurn promises to dethrone al-Ani, then offered to have the match right now. Marius rejects the offer, and says that the match will happen when he says so as the show ended with a run-down of the 20th Anniversary show card.
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Jurn Simmons vs. Marius al-Ani (c)
Tristan Archer vs. Michael Knight
Rott und Flott (Nikita Charisma & Michael Schenkenberg) vs. Senza Volto & Aigle Blanc
Levaniel & Delia vs. Maggot & Baby Allison
Prince Ahura defends the Shotgun title vs. TBA
2-out-of-3 Falls for wXw World Tag Team Championship: Robert Dreissker & Anil Marik vs. Arrows of Hungary (Icarus & Dover) (c)
Fast Time Moodo vs. Axel Tischer
That’s at the delayed wXw 20th Anniversary show, airing next week on wXw NOW… and judging by the logo, and it being the first show back… is this for wXw, where it all begins again?
wXw absolutely went out of the empty arena era with a bang here – with several great matches up and down the card, along with some build for the premier of the 20th anniversary show next week. This particular run of We Love Wrestling tapings has perhaps been the best yet from the company – and if you’ve been away from wXw in the empty arena era, this show makes it a great time to get back on board!