wXw returned to Hamburg for their 30th show at the Markthalle – with Shigehiro Irie making his first defence of the wXw title in Germany.
Quick Results
Jacob Crane pinned Nick Schreier in 6:04 (***)
LSG pinned Aigle Blanc in 11:27 (***¼)
Norman Harras pinned Anil Marik & Elijah Blum in 11:29 (***)
Calypso pinned Baby Allison in 7:32 (**¾)
Laurance Roman pinned Maggot in 10:53 to retain the wXw Shotgun Championship (***¼)
Tristan Archer pinned Kohei Kinoshita in 10:05 (***¼)
Bobby Gunns & Michael Knight pinned Icarus & Laurance Roman in 11:12 (***½)
Shigehiro Irie defeated Peter Tihanyi via referee’s decision in 15:33 to retain the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship (***¾)
— If you want to catch this before it’s uploaded to Peacock/WWE Network, head over to wXwNOW.de
We’ve a sold-out crowd on hand as wXw hit the Markthalle in Hamburg for the 30th time… but first, a pre-show!
Jacob Crane vs. Nick Schreier
Avert your eyes, everyone…
Everyone but Jacob got chants to start, as Crane sought to restrict the very notion of a bodyslam entering this match. Dropkicks from Schreier have Crane on the back foot, while a sunset flip drew a near-fall for Nick. Crane escapes a bodyslam and hangs up Nick in the ropes, before a backbreaker had Nick in the corner. Crane’s running dropkick finds its mark, as does a lariat, but Schreier finds a way in with an enziguiri… while forearms in the corner looked to have him back in the driver’s seat.
Schreier lands a gamengiri on the apron, then finally bodyslams Crane, as a crossbody off the top flattened Crane for a near-fall. From there, Crane ducks an enziguiri, then threw Schreier into the corner… Nick rolls onto the apron and tries to come in with a sunset flip, but Crane just sits down on him and takes advantage of the ref’s tunnel vision to score the pin – despite holding the ropes. A fun opener, with das Powercrowd encouragingly loud in the pre-show! ***
The main show opens with Dan Mallmann interviewing Shigehiro Irie – Shiggy’s back from his tour of the US, where he defended the wXw title a few times… Irie’s reply is in Japanese, but Dan asks for a translation, which boils down to him wanting to defend the title tonight. So his non-title match against Peter Tihanyi is now going to be for the belt!
Das Powercrowd is LOUD… and we’ve got Dave Bradshaw on English commentary here.
Aigle Blanc vs. LSG
Aigle’s running solo here after he and Senza Volto failed to regain the tag titles… while this was LSG’s return to wXw, and not exactly his first time here.
LSG works Aigle’s wrist early on, as commentary tells us that Dover’s had an emergency which means he’s off tonight’s card. A lock-up from LSG moves Aigle’s mask, which totally insights him. Maybe he should follow his tag partner’s lead? Anyway, LSG picks up with a leaping shoulder block, then an atomic drop as an enziguiri lands for a near-fall. Aigle’s dropkick to the arse cuts off a springboard as LSG’s sent to the outside, where an Orihara moonsault kept LSG on the deck. Things remain in Aigle’s favour back inside, as a back senton helps him collect a two-count, as did a twisting neckbreaker…
Aigle adds an abdominal stretch from there, but LSG gets back in it with a clothesline out of the corner. The pair trade blows on the apron, with LSG clotheslining Blanc back inside, but Aigle’s ‘rana driver and a Meteora almost won it for him moments later. Headbutts from Aigle cut off a superplex, but his follow-up 450 splash lands in the knees as LSG then proceeded to eat a Dragon suplex… before he nailed a springboard elbow strike off the ropes to get the win. A lovely back-and-forth match with LSG picking up the W in his German return. ***¼
Aigle storms off afterwards, turning down a handshake from LSG…
“Earlier today,” Dan Mallmann interrupts LSG as he was chatting to Anil Marik and Elijah Blum. He’s coaching them ahead of their tag match later, and vowed that Elijah’s losing streak is about to change.
Norman Harras & Zafar Ameen vs. Anil Marik & Elijah Blum
There’s something to be said for the reaction Hamburg made upon hearing Norman’s music…
Ameen and Blum start us off, trading wristlocks, before Ameen caught a Blum crossbody… only to get caught with a neckbreaker seconds later. Marik’s in as he grounded Ameen with an armbar, before Norman Harras tagged himself in… and walked into another armbar. Marik stayed a step ahead of Harras and Ameen for a while with armdrags and armbars on Harras, who eventually fought free. A monkey flip has Harras down as Marik looked comfortable – even if he’s sticking with armdrags! Ameen’s back as he and Harras clotheslines down Marik for a two-count, with the double-teaming prompting the Hamburg crowd to chant for the “Schnurrbartmann”. After an enziguiri from Marik, they get him too, with Blum tagging in… only to have to fight off Harras in the corner as Ameen ended up taking him down out of the buckles.
Harras is back with a knee to the ribs of Blum for a two-count, with Ameen adding some more knees to the midsection as Blum was rocked. Ameen misses a Mirage kick, but shoves Blum into a cheapshot from Harras… Norman tagged back in for a Mirage kick-aided sidewalk slam for a near-fall. Blum fights back with a missile dropkick, then made the tag to Marik, who ran wild on Ameen ahead of a back suplex… there’s a Slingblade to Ameen as well, but Norman Harras charges in with a running uppercut, before a sit-out powerbomb got the win as everyone’d missed that Norman was legal. Bad luck Marik, as that run stretches on and on… ***
Baby Allison vs. Calypso
Having lost the women’s title to Ava Everett, Allison’s got a long road back to the title. Literally, because Ava’s back in the US.
Allison’s the favourite in Hamburg, but it’s Calypso who drew first blood with a clothesline, then with headscissors. A Thesz press helps Allison get in it as she proceeded to kick down Calypso for a two-count… Calypso fought back with the Three Amigos, finishing with a Fisherman suplex for a near-fall. Calypso’s caught with a high kick as Allison almost won it, while a submission attempt ended in the ropes. Back-and-forth strikes ended with Allison running into a knee strike, before a Slingblade looked to be enough… but Allison’s able to return with a Scorpion kick and a Northern Lights suplex for another near-fall. In the end though, Calypso has one more push, sidestepping a charge from Allison in the corner before taking home the win with a superkick. Calypso’s sure got Allison’s number in wXw – and that’s another win for her here. **¾
Up next, we’ve got das Himmelsschloß with Levaniel, who’s on on his way back from injury… he’s invited everyone here because his heavenly castle isn’t too far away from Hamburg. Ahem. Last time Levaniel was here, he was defending the unified world wrestling title, before blaming Norman Harras for being the reason why he’s no longer champion. Apparently Levaniel’s coming back from a torn meniscus, blaming Norman for that, and that leads to an interruption from Norman.
Harras does away with the niceties here, as did the crowd… Norman mocks Levaniel’s injuries, then squared up to the former champion. Except Levaniel’s been cleared for a week, which has Norman backing off… as he suddenly remembered that he’s just wrestled tonight. Zafar Ameen’s out to attack from behind, before Harras took his belt off… Jurn Simmons makes the save, and Ameen’s left to fend for himself as Jurn gives Norman’s mate a preview of next week’s lumberjack strapping match.
They replay the end of the time-limit draw between Roman and Maggot in Dresden last month… and the ensuing challenge for a rematch, which leads to…
wXw Shotgun Championship: Maggot vs. Laurance Roman (c)
We’re still running with the 15-minute time limit, so a pair of draws isn’t entirely unlikely…
Maggot jumped Roman at the bell, scoring with a spear in the first 15 seconds as Roman rolled to the outside to compose himself. There’s no breather though as Maggot jumped out and brawled onto the stage, where a bodyslam lands. Roman took over back inside, only to run into a Thesz press as Maggot proceeded to batter Roman with mounted punches in the corner. Oh, and some biting too. Robert Dreissker tries to interject, but he’s bitten as well… as Maggot then faked being punched. The referee turns around to see Dreissker holding his fist, and ends up ejecting Dreissker under the Eddie Guerrero rule. With Dreissker causing a distraction, Maggot dives in with a boot to score a two-count on Roman, before Laurance began to force a way back in, levelling the challenger with a clothesline.
Roman chokes on Maggot in the ropes… but Maggot goes for the nipples as he tried to slow things down. A back elbow decks Maggot as he came off the ropes, before a cravat grounded things some more. A spit at Maggot just angers him, as the challenger returns with elbows to Roman, before the pair traded blows for a spell. Maggot continues to bounce Roman around the ring, leading to a big back body drop out of the corner, then a crucifix for a near-fall. There’s a nice uranage backbreaker as Roman counters a cutter attempt, before another Maggot comeback led to a crossbody and a second spear for a near-fall.
Roman flashes back with a facebuster at the ten-minute mark, before he pulled up Maggot and looked for a Burning Nail package piledriver. It’s cradled out of for a near-fall, only for Roman to hit it anyway for the win. Finally, a clean win for Roman, as new challenges surely await him as Shotgun champion… ***¼
Tristan Archer vs. Kohei Kinoshita
It’s a wXw debut for Kinoshita, who’s on tour in Europe having worked in Japan the likes of Big Japan and the gloriously-named Fighting Ultimate Crazy Kings!
Archer blows off a handshake to start, but it’s Kinoshita who’s got the early advantage, taking Archer into the ropes with a side headlock. Kinoshita bridges out of a headlock takedown, much to Archer’s disbelief, before Kinoshita’s hiptoss was countered with one of Archer’s own. A dropkick from Kinoshita has Archer down, before a bodyslam was literally telegraphed, allowing Archer to hit one instead. Archer’s follow-up back senton gets a two-count, as did a Beell throw out of the corner. It’s one-way traffic for a while with Archer’s cobra clutch wearing down Kinoshita, who keeps trying to go for a slam… but ends up having more luck with an enziguiri instead.
A reverse STO takes Kinoshita into the corner for a face-washing boot, before he blocked a La Terreur and cradled Archer for a near-fall. Kinoshita keeps it going with a roll-up, but can’t follow up with a slam as Archer elbowed free. Kinoshita uncorks a flurry of strikes on Archer, before he got the knees up to block Archer’s second back senton… then land a rolling elbow. A dropkick has Archer down as that bridging fallaway slam finally came off (hey, it wasn’t a bodyslam afterall!)… but Archer kicks out at two! From there, Archer manages to run back with a Decapite lariat, then a Coup d’Etat… and that’s enough to get the win. Slightly against the run of play at the end, but Archer had bossed large spell of that match. ***¼
AMBOSS were called to the ring next – in the form of Laurance Roman, Icarus and Robert Dreissker. A family emergency meant that Dover wasn’t present, so their non-title match against the Only Friends needed a tweak… Dreissker has to fight the crowd’s boos for a LOT of time as AMBOSS threatened to hold up the entire show until they got to say their piece. In the end, Thommy Giesen gives the news that “shithole Hamburg” didn’t deserve an Arrows of Hungary match, and because AMBOSS had fulfilled their contractual duties… they were leaving.
Except Thommy got another message relayed, that AMBOSS would have to fight anyway – with Laurance Roman replacing Dover. Process of elimination, and all that. Oh, and Dreissker’s still banned from ringside.
AMBOSS (Icarus & Laurance Roman) vs. Only Friends (Bobby Gunns & Michael Knight)
They’ve cut down the Only Friends music, taking out the intro, which is a big positive…
Icarus and Gunns start us off, trading shots as Gunns landed a snap suplex in the early going. Knight tags in as Icarus gets double-teamed, before Roman came in to help… and became half of a crash pad for Michael Knight’s tope con giro! Back inside, Knight works an armbar in Icarus as the Hamburg crowd came to their feet. Knight’s thrown outside for Roman to take a shot at, as AMBOSS looked to take control, wearing down Knight as a floatover suplex from Roman drew a two-count. Icarus is back to chop down Knight, as Roman was sent to dispatch Gunns on the apron, sending him into the ring post for good measure.
A sunset flip from Knight looked to give him an opening, but Icarus is right back with a slam and a clothesline before Knight fought off AMBOSS… only for Roman to intercept a tag to Gunns. Knight adds a leaping forearm to Roman, and finally makes the hot tag out to Gunns, who clears house on Icarus, landing a dropkick before he went corner-to-corner with uppercuts.
There’s a lariat for Roman too, then a Saito suplex for a near-fall, but a shot from behind allows the AMBOSS lads in as a suplex/powerbomb planted Gunns for a near-fall. Gunns fight back on his own, kicking away Icarus before Roman landed an elbow… more of those follow as Gunns was left in a heap. Tags bring us to Knight and Icarus, with the Only Friends able to get in some double-teams of their own, leading to a springboard clothesline-aided German suplex on Roman… Icarus is legal though, and doesn’t have long left as he’s superkicked by Gunns and rolled up by Knight for the flash pin. ***½
Robert Dreissker is immediately out to attack Gunns and Knight afterwards, before LSG, Anil Marik and Elijah Blum ran out to chase away AMBOSS.
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Peter Tihanyi vs. Shigehiro Irie (c)
Considering this could have been the deciding match in Tihanyi’s series with Axel Tischer… this is quite the upswing for the Hungarian.
Tihanyi’s the early aggressor, taking Irie into the corner before Irie charged him with a shoulder tackle. Taking things into the corner, Irie’s chopped, then rolled down into a chinlock as Tihanyi’s early offence ended up getting stopped by a thunderous crossbody from Irie. A slam leaves Tihanyi by the ropes for a slingshot splash, as Irie began picking his shot with forearms to the challenger. Irie restrains Tihanyi with a cravat and some headbutts, before a slam and a Kokeshi of all things drew a two-count. Tihanyi ducks some shots and came in with some Dusty Rhodes-like jabs, before a bid to slam Irie was elbowed away as Irie ended up landing a sit-out splash for a two-count.
Hamburg rises to their feet once more as the pair trade blows… only for Irie to get knocked down with a leaping forearm. A swinging DDT’s good for a near-fall for Tihanyi, who’s then knocked onto the apron and sent flying as Irie crossbodied him to the back through the ropes. Back inside, Irie calls for a Saito suplex, but it’s elbowed away as Tihanyi chops him back into the corner ahead of a sit-down splash in return from Irie. Irie charges back in with a cannonball from there for a near-fall, but Tihanyi kicks away a Beast Bomber attempt as he looked to score the upset… but Tihanyi takes too long to go up top as Irie recovered, knocking Tihanyi into the ropes, and I’m getting flashbacks to nearly being wiped out at the wXw academy! The cannonball to the back follows, before Tihanyi knocked Irie outside with a superkick… following through quickly with a tope con giro.
Rushing back inside, Tihanyi plants Irie with a slingshot cutter for a near-fall as the crowd again rose up… before a knee strike from Tihanyi left Irie down. Again, Irie cuts off Tihanyi on top rope, meeting him for an avalanche Samoan drop, which absolutely looked like it sucked, before the Beast Bomber blasted through Tihanyi for a near-fall. From there, Irie picks up Tihanyi… scoring with another clothesline before Tihanyi slipped onto the apron. Another slingshot cutter’s caught as Irie countered into a grounded cobra clutch… then switched it up into the Danielson elbows – which Irie’s dubbed the 16 Carat elbows – to force the stoppage and pick up his first successful defence in Germany. While this may not have been Axel Tischer, this was certainly the turnaround performance than Tihanyi would have needed in Hamburg… and despite coming up short once more, this was proof that Tihanyi is not a million miles away from where he needs to be. ***¾
The show closes out with Dave Bradshaw revealing that Shigehiro Irie’s title defence at FAN next weekend against Michael Oku will now be a three-way including Metehan… and that might not be all…
While the 30th Markthalle card was dealt some blows – with the vaunted Mike D title shot having been scratched due to injury – das Powercrowd made a welcome return for what felt like the first time since the pandemic… and that lifted up a pretty decent show.