It’s the night before the 21st Anniversary show as wXw headed to Borken – featuring a surprise in the Shotgun title match…
Quick Results
Robert Dreissker pinned Maggot in 9:27 (***)
Tristan Archer submitted Tibo Hendrick in 2:10 (*½)
Dennis Dullnig pinned Goldenboy Santos in 8:25 (***)
Oskar pinned Danny Fray in 5:01 (***)
Norman Harras pinned Michael Knight in 11:07 to win the wXw Shotgun Championship (***¼)
Anil Marik defeats Vincent Heisenberg by DQ in 8:24 (**½)
Jurn Simmons & Levaniel pinned Bobby Gunns & Tristan Archer in 19:01 (***½)
We’re at the Stadthalle Vennehof in Borken – a town that’s north of Essen, right on the German border with Holland… Thommy Giesen is your ring announcer, Dään Jokisch and Christian Bischof are on German commentary, while Dave Bradshaw as always is on hand for the English feed.
Robert Dreissker vs. Maggot
The feud between the Academy and the Family continues, and I spy a Christmas tree on the stage. I wonder if it’ll get used as a weapon at some point…
Dreissker shoves Maggot away at the bell, which led to Maggot calling this boring (I remembered what langweilig means!), before he cheapshot the big man. A side headlock’s easily pushed away for a shoulder tackle and a clothesline from Dreissker, before Baby Allison tried to distract. A side headlock takedown has things on the mat, which Maggot can’t quite push away from as Dreissker’s vice-like grip was maintained. Eventually Dreissker breaks, but misses a charge in the corner before… Maggot bounced off him with a crossbody. Ah well.
A deadlift pulls Maggot up into a slam, with a big splash next for a near-fall as Vincent Heisenberg pulled Dreissker out of the ring. The pair stared each other down as Maggot recovered, but the distraction eventually pays off as a Maggot spear took out Dreissker’s knee. There’s a boot and some kicks too from Maggot, who followed up with a front facelock – albeit with his feet in the ropes. Anil Marik swipes the feet away, which annoys Baby Allison and Vincent Heisenberg, so all three of them are ejected from ringside for it.
Maggot sidesteps another Dreissker charge into the corner and nearly wins from that, before an attempted cutter was pushed off, with Dreissker recovering… only to get caught in a guillotine. He suplexes it away, then followed up with a fallaway slam and a back senton, before a death valley driver planted Maggot for a near-fall. Dreissker followed with a splash in the corner, then Irish whips, before he stopped himself from missing another charge… only to turn around into a Maggot spear. That’s good for a two-count, before Maggot ran into a knee from Dreissker, knocking him down for a Dreissker bomb as the Academy coach got the win. A decent opener to keep the story going with the two sides, and as clean a win as you can get here. ***
Tristan Archer vs. Tibo Hendrik
Tibo’s making his main show debut here, against a more focused Tristan Archer, who looks to have finally shaken off his bad knee.
Archer hiptosses Hendrik to start, then hits a bodyslam as he looked to be taking the Belgian too lightly. An enziguiri and a dropkick sent a warning signal to Archer, who hits back with a discus elbow, a German suplex and a Coup d’Etat… only to pull up Tibo at two. From there, Archer pulls Hendrik into a grounded Octopus, and there’s the quick tap to end the squashiest of squashes. Archer’s still got the chip on his shoulder after coming up short for the wXw title earlier in the year, then… *½
Backstage, Dan Mallmann’s with Jurn Simmons and Levaniel ahead of their tag main event… and spoils an upcoming match. Whoops! Jurn says that he’ll be a step ahead of Bobby Gunns after the weekend as he’ll win the wXw Unified World Wrestling title for a third time, while Levaniel puts over the “fridge of a man” that is his partner tonight.
Dennis Dullnig vs. Goldenboy Santos
Dullnig’s got a new entrance video, and is still rocking that Brian Urlacher jersey… while Goldenboy Santos made a welcome return with his Academy cup.
Dullnig teases a sneak attack before the bell, but gets stopped as we had a civilised start, with Santos taking Dullnig into the ropes. A shoulder tackle takes Dullnig outside, before he bailed as he tried to hit one of his own. Back inside, Dullnig cheapshots Santos in the corner, then stomped him from above as knee drops earned a two-count. The pair trade blows as Santos is left on his knees, then punted in the ribs, but Santos fought back as he pulled Dullnig into a fireman’s carry, only for Dullnig to get free and hit back with a discus forearm to the back of the neck for a near-fall. A uranage followed for another two-count, before a back body drop from Santos flung Dullnig away.
Santos kicks away a staggering Dullnig, then hit an uppercut and some shoulder blocks, before a diving uppercut left both men down. Picking up Dullnig, Santos goes for a death valley driver and lands it for a near-fall, before Santos got caught with a crucifix for a near-fall. Dullnig’s right back with a bicycle kick, sending Santos into the ropes for a small package, before a gutbuster and a knee strike gets the win. This was a good showing in defeat for Santos, but Dullnig’s bare-knee strike proved to be the big difference maker here. ***
Post-match, Andy Jackson’s waiting for Dennis… who wants to win the ladder match tomorrow so he and Hektor Invictus can be co-contenders for the wXw Unified World Wrestling title. He also plugs SL-Wrestling.de, so if you want a Cash Dullnig tee, there you go!
Danny Fray vs. Oskar
It’s a rematch from the wXw Academy Live show a month earlier, as Oskar continues to make his mark on the roster. Apropos of nothing, but he was trained at the Fale Dojo alongside one of New Japan’s current crop of Young Lions in Yuto Nakashima, and there’s a match that I’d be quite interested in…
Fray’s taken into the corner to start with, before another go around led us to shoulder tackles, which Oskar eventually won out on. A misdirection crossbody from Fray lands for a two-count, but Oskar’s right back in with stomps, only to get caught with a roll-up for a two-count as Fray was limited to hopeful moments. Oskar gets caught with forearms out of the corner, but slams down Fray for a two-count, as Fray once again threw back with forearms, then a spinning sidewalk slam for a near-fall… but a big boot and a Michinoku Driver ends up getting Oskar the win. The star is bright, and it’ll be very interesting to see what 2022 and beyond holds for the Hamburg native. ***
wXw Shotgun Championship: Michael Knight (c) vs. Norman Harras
Harras’ number came up once again as his never ending quest to regain “his baby” rolled on… despite having run up a six-man losing run in wXw.
There’s some chants for Norman to start, as he worked a wristlock on Knight, who came back with one of his own as he controlled the challenger. Headscissors on the mat are escaped, but Norman misses an elbow drop and gets caught in a modified cloverleaf that ended in the ropes. Norman tries to outwit Knight with some World of Sport-style stuff, but gets tripped into a Trailer Hitch that ended in the ropes, with Knight showing off a variety of submission moves. Harras came back with a splash in the corner, before charging down Knight… who came back with a wheelbarrow bulldog to take Harras outside, with a plancha following for good measure.
Harras dives into the ropes to crotch Knight’s attempted return, as the match spilled back outside so Harras could hit a side suplex on the apron. A flying kneedrop gets King Kong Harras a two-count, before Harras caught a leapfrog and dumped Knight into the ropes. Knight’s dumped to the floor from the recoil, but recovers… and nearly loses as his crossbody was rolled through for a near-fall. A ‘rana from Knight puts him back on course as a springboard clothesline nearly put Harras away, but Harras also returned with an uppercut off the middle rope for a two-count of his own. A running knee to the downed Knight keeps Harras on top, before a moonsault just about caught Knight.
Knight shrugs it off to hit a superkick, before his springboard crossbody was blocked as Norman scooted into the corner… and grabbed the ropes as the unsighted referee counted the pin… and NEW Shotgun champion! Harras squeaks out the win over the upset Knight, but there’s no VAR here so Harras’ tactics win out for him. ***¼
Post-match, Andy’s back to interview Norman. Norman called himself the “highlight of the promotion,” as the crowd in Borken booed, while Harras said he’d lifted European wrestling out of obscurity… then exited stage left, as he walked out of his advertised main event booking.
Backstage, Dan’s with Bobby Gunns, who’s unhappy that he’s now without a tag partner. He’s also unhappy when Dan suggests that Norman’s a step ahead. In comes a surly Tristan Archer to mock Dan, and it looks like we have a new alliance for the main event.
Vincent Heisenberg vs. Anil Marik
All outside forces were banned for this one, so we have a fair fight between the former tag partners…
Marik started off hot, but quickly had to fight off Heisenberg as the former tag champion leapt on the big man’s back… and got run into the corner. Another sleeperhold attempt had Heisenberg down to a knee, but Marik’s thrown off before we got a missed elbow drop. Dropkicks from Marik have Heisenberg outside, but we get a missed PK from Anil and a missed swat from Heisenberg, who hits the apron. Back inside, Heisenberg’s met with more dropkicks before he blocked a bulldog and turned it into a side suplex. A neck crank from Heisenberg keeps things going, as did a suplex, before Marik… ran into a clothesline.
Heisenberg doesn’t go for a cover though, and instead stayed on Marik, only to miss a legdrop as Marik began to fight back with forearms. Marik rolls away from a charge, then leapt over Heisenberg’s spear, before a crossbody was caught and almost turned into a slam. Instead, a pair of Codebreakers stagger Heisenberg, with a crossbody then landing for a near-fall as Marik almost won it. A suplex from Marik’s countered into some Snake Eyes, before Heisenberg punched and chokes Marik in the corner. Heisenberg shoves down the ref, and there’s your DQ. Not very lenient, but the feud between these two teams already had generated warnings tonight so I kinda get the strictness… **½
Post-match, Heisenberg’s low bridged to the floor, but a plancha from Marik ends up with him getting posted. Robert Dreissker runs out to get some revenge ahead of their match at the Anniversary show, but a slam from Heisenberg knocked Dreissker into the corner… only for the former Avalanche to hit a clothesline off the middle rope as Maggot’s attempt to interfere failed. Baby Allison makes the save, slapping Dreissker… who just threw Maggot into her.
Dreissker grabs the mic and told Heisenberg he’d beat him into a pulp tomorrow…
They run down the card for the 21st Anniversary show:
– Cara Noir vs. WALTER
– Ladder match for a shot at the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Levaniel vs. Tristan Archer vs. Aigle Blanc vs. Hektor Invictus vs. Dennis Dullnig (The Rotation was on the graphic, but picked up an injury on a match that was edited out of the Borken show…)
– wXw Women’s Championship: Skye Smitson vs. Iva Kolasky (c)
– Robert Dreissker vs. Vincent Heisenberg
– wXw World Tag Team Championship: Fast Time Moodo & Stephanie Maze vs. Arrows of Hungary (Icarus & Dover) (c)
– Norman Harras defends the wXw Shotgun Championship in another lottery match
– Bobby Gunns vs. Michael Knight
– wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Jurn Simmons vs. Axel Tischer (c)
Jurn Simmons & Levaniel vs. Bobby Gunns & Tristan Archer
Archer wanted to start this one off, as did Levaniel, as we opened with a rematch from Hamburg…
A side headlock opens things, but it’s Archer’s which stalls things as Levaniel’s push-off just earned him a shoulder tackle. Levaniel tries his luck with an inside cradle, then hits a butterfly suplex before Levaniel blocked a kick… and had Archer staggering into the corner. Gunns tags in and demanded to face Jurn, but Jurn charges through him in their early exchanges. Archer runs in to save Gunns from a suplex as all four men ended up in the ring, but it’s Jurn and Levaniel who hit their suplexes instead. When things settle down, Gunns is back on Simmons with a toe hold and a half crab that ended in the ropes, before Gunns’ focus on Jurn’s arm ended with the number one contender escaping and making the tag out.
Levaniel’s a house of fire, but misses a spinning heel kick as Gunns rolled him down to the mat with some headscissor submission, while Archer charged the ring to antagonise Jurn. Stomps from Gunns keep Levaniel down, as a snap suplex from Archer handed Gunns an easy two-count on the back of it. Archer returns to knee Levaniel in the ribs, then choke him on the mat, before some double-teaming ended with Levaniel catching Archer with a backbreaker and a spinning heel kick as Simmons and Gunns got the tags in. Jurn’s boots and clotheslines put him ahead, as did an inverted slam, before a spear caught Gunns out.
Simmons’ press slam drops Gunns in the middle of the ring ahead of a standing moonsault, while Archer’s break of the pin drew in Levaniel to restrain him with a sleeperhold. Archer manages to break it up with a backpack stunner as all four men were laying. Gunns and Simmons trade right hands and clotheslines, but it’s Jurn who pulls ahead, only to get caught with Gunns’ German suplex. A PK rattles Jurn for a one-count as Levaniel breaks things up, only to miss a charge into the corner and get waylaid with a clothesline. Levaniel hits an Exploder in return as I think we’ve all forgotten who’s legal… except for Archer, who chucked Levaniel outside, before Jurn tried to catch out the Frenchman.
Archer’s German suplex has Jurn on the mat, but he’s quickly thrown down with a suplex… but it’s Gunns who’s legal, as he tries to sneak in with a guillotine, while Archer’s Dragon suplex on Levaniel ended with Simmons throwing Gunns onto the pile. I think we’ve long since abandoned the concept of enforcing counts here, as Levaniel hits an Intergalactic Facecrusher on Gunns… Archer hits an Olympic slam on Levaniel, while Simmons’ spinebuster got rid of Archer. All that’s left there is for Gunns to run into a Massive Boot… before a piledriver put away the former two-time champion. A good tag team main event, with Jurn looking mighty strong going into his title match – which was needed given how he’s not been on all these shows as of late. ***½
As the first half of the weekender, this Borken show was expected to keep things steady going into the Anniversary show – and while the Norman Harras title win caught a lot of folks by surprise, it by far wasn’t the only highlight from the show. Just under two hours of wrestling that flew by – that’s the way we like it!