We take a trip to Bielefeld as wXw hits the road for some post-Anniversary action.
Quick Results
Michael Knight pinned Michael Schenkenberg in 14:27 (***)
Baby Allison submitted Delia in 6:16 (**¼)
Levaniel pinned Norman Harras in 10:35 (**¾)
Senza Volto & Aigle Blanc pinned Anil Marik & Robert Dreissker in 12:12 (***¼)
Vincent Heisenberg defeated The Rotation via referee stoppage in 7:02 (**¼)
Catch Grand Prix Rules: Leon van Gasteren pinned Tim Stübing at 1:27 of Round 4 (***¼)
Bobby Gunns pinned Tristan Archer in 20:57 (***¾)
Time for a quick sit-rep! This show was taped the week after the wXw 20th Anniversary show as the promotion headed to Bielefeld for the first time since February 2020. You know why. In the time between this being taped and released, “plans changed” – the entire Catch Grand Prix festival weekender was cancelled owing to renovations at the Turbinenhalle not being complete… in its place are two events on the same weekend: an Inner Circle at the wXw Academy in Essen, and a “Blitztournier” one-night tournament, featuring the 12 wrestlers who were slated for the Catch Grand Prix.
We open with Michael Knight cutting a promo, feeling nostalgic over the (now-cancelled) tournament. He wanted to win it so he could get a “meaningful victory” in wXw, after 16 years…
Dave Bradshaw’s on the call as we come live-on-tape from the Forum in Bielefeld.
Michael Schenkenberg vs. Michael Knight
Schenkenberg’s still claiming conspiracy theories here…
We open with Schenkenberg getting taken into the corner by Knight, before he returned the favour. Schenkenberg elbows out of a side headlock, then avoided an O’Connor roll before Knight took the long way around for a roll-up. A wheelbarrow bulldog from Knight lands, but Schenkenberg shoves the ref into the ropes as Knight was poised to follow up off the top. Schenkenberg’s superplex brings Knight down for a two-count, as he then followed up with a knee in the ropes, then a chinlock which ends in the ropes. A knee to the ribs followed, as Schenkenberg then tied up Knight for an abdominal stretch – grabbing the rope for extra leverage – which led to my favourite kind of spot: the one where the referee catches the bad guy in the act.
Tassilo Jung kicks away Schenkenberg’s hand on the rope, but a hiptoss from Knight doesn’t offer much hope of a comeback. A Tree of Woe leads to Knight getting booted, before he fought back with a sunset flip out of the corner… only to get bicycle kick’d by Schenkenberg for a two-count. A waistlock from Schenkenberg’s elbowed away, but Knight’s quickly caught in a bear hug. Holding on through the ref’s checks, Knight frees himself, but again is taken into the corner, before Schenkenberg’s attempt at a belly-to-belly superplex was fought off… Schenkenberg tries to knock the ref into the ropes again, but ends up bellyflopping as Knight flies in with a crossbody off the top.
Knight builds up steam, kicking Schenkenberg in the corner as I wish Dave Bradshaw would quit saying what I’m typing! A springboard clothesline lands for a near-fall for Knight, before a Fireman’s carry from knight was forced out of, as Schenkenberg went for a gutbuster which nearly ended the match. Disputing the count, Schenkenberg argues with the crowd and the ref, before lifting Knight into a torture rack. Knight elbows free, then pulled Schenkenberg into the corner ahead of a TKO that nearly ended things. Schenkenberg grabs the ropes to prevent a suplex as he dumps Knight in the ropes… then speared him to the floor.
WIth the ref counting Knight out, Schenkenberg rips off a turnbuckle pad. The pair trade uppercuts ahead of a spinebuster from Schenkenberg, who then looked to slingshot Knight into the exposed corner… but Knight lands in the buckles and proceeded to dropkick Schenkenberg into the steel, before a wacky side Russian legsweep morphed into a roll-up for the out-of-nowhere win. A perfectly fine opener, if not a little slow paced, to get the Bielefeld crowd back into live wrestling. ***
Post-match, Dann Mallman hits the ring to interview Knight, who thanked the crowd before wishing Nikita Charisma a “get well soon.” Knight noted that Schenkenberg almost beat himself with his tactics, before talk turned to the Catch Grand Prix…
“Earlier today,” Tim Stübing was backstage feeling glum because he’s not in the Catch Grand Prix, while Leon van Gasteren is. Leon walks in and is told the same, as the newly-formed Hannover Hurricanes almost had a name change. Leon had an idea – he’d put his spot up in the tournament against Tim, under Catch Grand Prix rules.
Baby Allison vs. Delia
Pre-match, Maggot took the mic and claimed that he’d hurt his back so he’s not wrestling. Allison took umbrage of the timing of that announcement…
Allison clubs down Delia to start, taking her into the corner for some mudhole stomping too before Delia’s clothesline took her down. Maggot tries to get involved, but gets slapped by Delia, then got ejected. Delia picks up with a small package for a two-count, then a kick, before a side Russian legsweep took Allison into the corner. Delia followed up with a springboard kneedrop in the corner for a delayed two-count, before Allison returned with a chinlock – grabbing a handful of hair as she went. Delia gets free and tried her luck with roll-ups, before Allison kicked back, only to get caught with a Northern Lights suplex for a near-fall.
A kick to the arm puts Delia back in it, as does a clothesline, before she busted out Levaniel’s Galactic Facebuster for a two-count. Allison tries to return fire, slapping Delia ahead of a Fireman’s carry into a slam, before a headscissors/armbar combination forces the submission. **¼
Backstage, Dann’s with Tristan Archer. Archer tells us he blew off the interview at the 20th Anniversary show because he wasn’t expecting it, and needed to get back home after the loss. Sure. He gets frustrated when Dann asks about his knee, and notes that he’s been able to drive here… so he’s fine.
Levaniel’s got a promo – celebrating his entry in the Catch Grand Prix…
We’re then ringside, as we’re told that the Shotgun title was vacated. The crowd’s sad that referee Markus Weiss isn’t the champ, while Thommy Giesen tells us that the new champion will be crowned at the Catch Grand Prix in Oberhausen between two wrestlers drawn-at-random. He’s interrupted by Norman Harras, who didn’t appreciate being called Norbert, nor the fact that he wasn’t just handed “his” Shotgun title. This bleeds into his scheduled match…
…once Levaniel had told Norman that his relationship with the Shotgun title was “toxic.”
Norman Harras vs. Levaniel
We’ve chants of “Liebefeld” – thanks to Levaniel’s portmanteau before the match – as we start with Harras looking to work the arm.
A headlock takedown has Harras ahead, as did a shoulder block, before Harras went into the ropes as Levaniel threatened to retaliate. A drop down, then a leap frog leads to armdrags from Levaniel, then before a butterfly suplex drew a two-count. Levaniel’s lifted onto the apron, then posted by Harras, but back inside Levaniel finds a second wind, only to get lifted back onto the apron again. Levaniel blocks a second throw into the post, as he proceeded to take Harras into the buckles repeatedly. Back inside though, Levaniel’s taken across the top rope for a running knee that the ref refuses to count the pin on. A big boot manages to get Norman a two-count though, before he kept Levaniel down with an elbow drop for another two-count. Harras can’t get a cover from a knee drop as his offence wasn’t quite turning into legal pins, as a chinlock then looked to eke out a stoppage.
Harras loses Levaniel though, then fell to a suplex, before Levaniel returned with a spinning heel kick for a two-count. A Finlay roll from Harras and another diving knee to the ribs nearly closes it out, but Harras stays on Levaniel with a dropkick, only to get caught with a discus lariat. Another struggle over a suplex leads to Harras pulling Levaniel down by the hair, as a diving uppercut off the middle rope nearly gets the win… but again, Levaniel kicks out. Harras grabs the Shotgun title belt and tries to nail Levaniel with it… he misses, and after losing the belt to the ref, gets caught with the Galactic Facebuster as Levaniel left with the win. **¾
Fast Time Moodo gets a Catch Grand Prix promo… he was looking forward to competing in this year’s tournament in front of fans, as this bled into a promo for wXw’s tour dates in October.
They replay the finishing moments of the Arrows of Hungary’s title defence at the 20th Anniversary show, complete with the Maggot/Heisenberg interference…
wXw Wrestling Academy (Anil Marik & Robert Dreissker) vs. Aigle Blanc & Senza Volto
Marik and Dreissker go again then, as we wait to see who’s next for the Arrows…
Marik and Senza start us off, trading side headlocks and escapes before Marik’s dropkick led to Senza tagging out. Aigle Blanc comes in to take an armdrag, then a Slingblade from Marik for a two-count, before Dreissker came in and clubbed away on Aigle. There’s Biel throws out of Dreissker as Aigle flew against his wishes, before a clothesline made him extra grounded ahead of an elbow drop. Dreissker misses a splash as Aigle looked to roll Dreissker over with a crucifix, but they’re right in the ropes… so a dropkick took the big man down to a knee. A springboard armdrag’s blocked, so Senza Volto comes in to help out as some double-teaming led to a propelled sunset flip for a two-count.
Dreissker tags out, but hits a double clothesline as Marik waited on the apron… a dropkick from Marik’s good for a two-count, as Dreissker came back in with uppercuts as Aigle Blanc was isolated in the wrong corner. Marik loses a bulldog, but manages to come back with an armdrag before he’s popped up into the corner as Senza Volto tagged in to try his luck with a sunset flip… that Dreissker kicked away. More double-teaming on Marik led to a suplex/flip senton combo, before a kick to the back from Aigle drew a two-count. A double armbar on Marik led to him getting stomped on by Senza for a two-count, before another kick to the back added the pressure. Yet more double-teaming leads to a springboard knee drop from Aigle for a two-count, as you could just sense the angry Austrian on the apron…
Eventually Marik floated over the French lads and dove out to make the tag, with Dreissker running wild. A chokeslam and a back senton dumps Blanc as Senza then touched the sky with a back body drop. Dreissker nearly wins it with a death valley driver on Aigle, before a Dreissker Bomb was stopped by Senza in the corner. A see-saw Code Red into a Meteora nearly puts Dreissker away after another flurry of double-teaming, but he ends up chucking Aigle into Senza on the apron as another back body drop lands. Marik’s back, ducking an enziguiri then hitting one of his own, before a Codebreaker drew in Senza to break up the cover.
Marik accidentally charges into Dreissker in the corner, but Dreissker recovers to hit a ripcord clothesline on Blanc… Senza ducks one and returns with a handspring back elbow, before Marik ate a tombstone and a moonsault as the French lads leave Bielefeld with the win – and push the Academy team further away from title contention. ***¼
Backstage, Marik and Dreissker are stopped by Andy Jackson – who asks about their recent slump in form. Dreissker bemoaned the “twisted road” Vincent Heisenberg’s gone down, but didn’t want to make excuses for their recent losses.
The Rotation vs. Vincent Heisenberg
A first-time meeting… and perhaps a short one depending on Heisenberg’s mood?
Heisenberg charges at Rotation to start, but the Rotation’s stick-and-move tactics looked to work early on. Until he’s spun down with a clothesline, that is, as Heisenberg picked up an easy two-count…
Rotation tries to throw some more kicks, but Heisenberg dominates, raking Rotation’s eyes before a back suplex landed for a two-count. A fallaway slam’s escaped by Rotation, who tries a crossbody off the top, only to end up taking that fallaway slam anyway as Heisenberg resumed the offence. A clothesline keeps Rotation down, as did chops, before Rotation threw one of his own back. It just angered Heisenberg though, as Rotation hit and run again, baiting in Heisenberg before he leapt into a bear hug that was turned into a powerslam for a two-count… because Heisenberg pulled up Rotation. A gorilla press slam followed, but Rotation raked the eyes and got a near-fall from it.
On the outside, Rotation’s plancha is caught as Heisenberg posts him… and rather than do the count-out, the referee waves off the match as Heisenberg leaves with the win in an extended squash. **¼
Post-match, Heisenberg rolls Rotation back into the ring before Anil Marik, Robert Dreissker and Michael Knight made the save. Marik took the mic and challenged Heisenberg to a match in Oberhausen – presumably at the Catch Grand Prix shows.
Axel Tischer’s got a promo for his entry into the Catch Grand Prix…
Then they replayed Marius al-Ani’s win over Jurn Simmons at the 20th Anniversary show, along with Marius’ challenge to Cara Noir as part of what was the Catch Grand Prix weekend.
Stephanie Maze has a Catch Grand Prix promo, looking to be the first female to take part in the tournament.
Catch Grand Prix Rules: Leon van Gasteren vs. Tim Stübing
Leon had put his spot in the Catch Grand Prix on the line here… we’re working with five, three-minute rounds, and the permanent-timer has gone!
Round 1: Van Gasteren works a toe hold on Stübing early on, but Tim rolls free. A side headlock from van Gasteren is countered with a roll-up as Stübing gets a one-count, before he caught his trainer with a wristlock. A Northern Lights suplex from van Gasteren has Stübing down, before a pinning attempt ended with a near-fall at the bell.
Round 2: Stübing leaps over van Gasteren to start as an attempted roll-up drew a two-count. Leon gets a wristlock, but Stübing cartwheels free and lands a hiptoss to boot. Some headscissors take van Gasteren down, but he’s right back with a death valley driver to plant Stübing in the middle of the ring for a two-count. A whip takes Stübing to the corner for uppercuts and forearms, with Leon following with a dropkick that gets a near-fall. More kicks and uppercuts keep Stübing in the corner, before a Northern Lights led to yet another two-count as van Gasteren went for a crossface that Stübing rolled his way out of for a two-count. The crossface is reapplied though, as Stübing held on before a grounded Octopus was sorta applied at the bell.
Round 3: The ref’s doing his laces at the start of the round as van Gasteren stayed on top of Stübing with chops. A back elbow lands for a two-count, before Stübing avoided a floatover and came back in with a dropkick. Stübing’s front chancery’s escaped as he instead lands clotheslines, then a dropkick into the corner as Stübing looked to be going for the standing ten-count KO. Van Gasteren gets back up and takes a Miz-like clothesline in the corner, then a springboard off the top for a near-fall, before van Gasteren’s cross-chop took Stübing down. A back senton misses though, as Stübing replies with an elbow drop for a two-count, before a grounded abdominal stretch from Stübing wound down the round. Stübing held onto the hold for too long after the bell and earns himself a yellow card – and a €100 fine along with it…
Round 4: Stübing dropkicks van Gasteren in the back to start the round, but can only get a two-count as Leon rolled onto the apron for respite. A springboard forearm back into the ring gives van Gasteren some space, while a ripcord clothesline took down Stübing ahead of a German suplex… a Fisherman buster follows, with van Gasteren getting the three-count there to end a well-worked rounds match that gave Stübing some hope, only to get shut-out in the end. ***¼
Bobby Gunns is interviewed by Andy Jackson backstage… Bobby’s unimpressed with the question about the infighting with “his boys”, before talk turned to Tristan Archer. Gunns notes their past encounters, and Archer’s injury, as he’s treating this as a Catch Grand Prix tune-up…
Tristan Archer vs. Bobby Gunns
Gunns beat Archer at last year’s Shortcut to the Top – back when Bobby held the belt…
Archer looks to go for Gunns’ legs early, but they end up in the corner before Archer hit an inside cradle for a two-count. Gunns escapes an arm wringer, before a knuckle lock took Gunns down to the mat, only for the former champion to grab a wristlock instead as he proceeded to stomp on Archer’s elbow. A PK from Gunns is avoided, before Archer swung for a clothesline… but Gunns ducks it as he took the sting out of the Frenchman’s teased offence. Gunns leaps in with a guillotine on Archer, but it’s countered into a Northern Lights suplex for a one-count before Archer took his time following up… and got pulled into the set-up for a STF, which ended in the ropes.
Gunns works over the arm from there, using an arm whip to drop Archer to the mat, as a wristlock and another stomp kept the former champion on top. Archer tries to fight back, but got kicked to the corner ahead of a drop toe hold and another stomp. A slap from Archer looked to offer something in terms of a response, as he demanded more from Gunns, and got it before he boxed Gunns into the corner. La Guillotine from Archer nearly gets the flash win, before a cobra clutch on the mat had Gunns in some trouble… but he pushes out of the corner a la Bret Hart and rolled up Archer for a two-count. Gunns instantly looks to retaliate with an armbar, but it’s rolled out of before Bobby went back to the kicks, with a forearm to the side of the head landing for a near-fall.
Archer goes back to the cobra clutch, this time turning it into a slam, but Gunns instantly grapevines the Frenchman’s bad leg as he looked to go for the Achilles heel. Not quite literally. Instead, the pair trade elbows, absorbing strikes rather than looking for defence as Archer seemed to pull ahead, only for Gunns to duck under and apply a sleeperhold. A backpack stunner breaks up the hold, but Gunns reapplies it seconds later, before a Saito suplex again breaks it up. Gunns popped up and replied with a German suplex though, before the pair traded clotheslines. They get back up, but it’s Archer who’s ahead again, this time heading up top… only to get caught with a superplex attempt. Archer headbutts it away, but couldn’t defend a Dragon screw off the top rope as Gunns went for the bad leg in a big way.
Gunns tries to follow up, but Archer defends, only to get knocked into the ropes with a headbutt before a clothesline drew just a one-count. Archer’s quickly met with a PK for a near-fall, before he leaned back on a half crab… but Archer manages to get to the ropes. Determined, Gunns stays on the bad leg, but gets caught with an implant DDT and a Coup d’Etat from Archer… who tweaked his knee on the landing. Capitalising, Gunns runs in with a PK, then the Ehrenmann Driver… and that’s your lot as Gunns snuck out the win in a cracker of a main event – with Archer’s injury denials proving his downfall. ***¾
Throughout the show, they’d been teasing a major update about the Catch Grand Prix – and this is where they announce the cancellation of the Catch Grand Prix, with the replacement shows in its place. At time of writing the Inner Circle in Essen on September 24 is down to single-figure tickets, while there’s more availability for the Blitzturnier at the Congress Centrum in Oberhausen on September 25.
They run down the card for the Blitzturnier:
First Round: Axel Tischer vs. Dennis Dullnig vs. Tristan Archer vs. Francesco Akira
First Round: First Blood: Maggot vs. Robert Dreissker
First Round: Bobby Gunns & Levaniel vs. Michael Knight & Leon van Gasteren – only the person who wins the fall will go through
First Round: Best 2 out of 3 Falls: Fast Time Moodo vs. Stephanie Maze
Semi-Finals: One will be under Ambition rules, the other under Relaxed Rules (no-DQs)
Finals: Will be under Catch Grand Prix rules
Plus the vacant Shotgun title will be decided between two lottery winners… and Cara Noir challenges Marius al-Ani for the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship. Sadly, this week’s announcement about the cancellation of the Catch Grand Prix made this show age poorly – with lots of references to the tournament now being out of place. That aside, the Bielefeld show was a solid one that did a good a job as you could building up the Catch Grand Prix on one show – with some good matches to boot.