Elijah Blum’s first main event sees him going after Laurance Roman and the Shotgun title in front of a sold-out Bielefeld crowd.
Quick Results
Axel Tischer pinned Bobby Gunns in 9:36 (***¾)
Baby Allison submitted Zeritus in 6:57 (**)
Maggot pinned Heisenberg in 4:17 (**)
Robert Dreissker pinned Patrick Bork in 8:12 (**¾)
Mike D Vecchio pinned Myles Hawkins, Jacob Crane & Dennis Dullnig in 10:04 (**¾)
Tristan Archer & Anil Marik pinned Kris Bishop & Nick Schreier in 8:58 (***)
Aigle Blanc vs. Shigehiro Irie ended as a no contest in 12:32 (***)
Ava Everett pinned Hyan to retain the wXw Women’s World Championship in 13:34 (***)
Elijah Blum pinned Laurance Roman to win the wXw Shotgun Championship in 14:23 (***½)
— If you want to catch this before it’s uploaded to Peacock/WWE Network, head over to wXwNOW.de
It’s the best part of a month on from the World Tag Team Festival, and wXw’s back in front of the cameras as they headed to a sold-out Forum in Bielefeld. I miss the days when the Forum had the Blockbusters-esque hexagons all over it.
We open with Dan Mallmann outside the Forum “earlier today” – he’s interrupted by Bobby Gunns, who wasn’t booked for this show. Dan mentions they’ve not heard from Michael Knight since World Tag Team Festival – Bobby hasn’t either, but he reckons Knight’s just chilling for a while. In the meantime, Bobby’s got nobody to tag with, so he’s back to being a singles wrestler…
English commentary comes from Dave Bradshaw…
Axel Tischer vs. Bobby Gunns
We open with a surprise addition to the card… and Bobby Gunns seems to have a slower version of this theme? Either that, or the Bremen sound system is still haunting wXw.
So, Bielefeld were thrilled to get this – a rematch from last year’s Shortcut to the Top. Tischer refused a handshake as we had a cautious opening, leading to a wristlock that started the crowd off in their “the (body part) must go!” chants. The hold’s reversed back-and-forth before Gunns unleashed with a series of uppercuts and a big boot to take the Axeman outside. Gunns follows outside for some apron PKs, before a Kitchen Sink knee spun Tischer down back inside. Another kick followed from Gunns, but going to the well too often led to Gunns getting hung up in the ropes, allowing Tischer to hit a chop block and Dragon screw to turn the match on its head.
Tischer grabs an ankle lock as he sought to restrain Gunns, following with an atomic drop as the Axeman looked to maintain control. Gunns fought back with uppercuts going back-and-forth, before Tischer got taken into the buckles… More uppercuts from Gunns keep Tischer on the back foot, as did a Saito suplex, which nearly ended things. Tischer catches a kick, but gets rolled through into a cross armbar as Gunns tried to snatch a win… an Octopus hold is next from Gunns, but Tischer gets free and made a comeback with a leg lariat and a suplex. Gunns cuts him off with a lariat of his own for a near-fall, before Tischer avoided a PK… hitting back with a low dropkick before a Horrible Slam dropped Gunns for the win. A hell of a sprint to open the show, as the Axeman got back in the winning column. ***¾
Baby Allison vs. Zeritus
Zeritus was a late change to the card, replacing the injured Akane Fujita… he’s rocking some very Terry Funk-esque tights as well…
Allison tries to play stick-and-run early on, trying to trip Zeritus with a splits… but Zeritus just goozles her instead. It’s slapped away before Zeritus… ran into the corner as Allison crab walked away from a charge. It led to a kick from Allison out of the crab walk, before Zeritus threw Allison into the corner. A missile dropkick stops Zeritus from adding to the mix, while a seated dropkick picked up a two-count. Zeritus’ shoulder tackle knocks Allison down, leaving her on the defensive for a spell… leading to a bear hug. Allison chokes her way free, but is quickly caught in a fallaway slam as Zeritus looked for a tree slam.
Allison rakes the eyes to get free, but got thrown onto the apron… only to return with a Scorpion kick and some tiltawhirl headscissors. A head kick’s next as Zeritus got taken into the corner… but he just rams his own head into the buckles. Allison laughs it off to hit a Saito suplex, a spear, and then the Baby Exorcism to get the submission. This just didn’t land at all with me – Bielefeld not knowing Zeritus didn’t help, and it was a struggle from there. **
Post-match, Heisenberg runs out and boots Allison during her celebrations… the attack ends with Maggot making the save, as we bleed into the next match, but not before Maggot posted the big man.
Heisenberg vs. Maggot
We get going after Heisenberg dumped Maggot on the apron with a back suplex as Dave Bradshaw seemed to think this was impromptu. The timing was, at least…
Maggot boots Heisenberg out of the corner, then followed out with a Thesz press off the middle rope, only for Heisenberg to strike back with a tiltawhirl backbreaker for a two-count. Bodyslams follow from Heisenberg, before Maggot’s body blows earned him a lariat from Heisenberg for a two-count. Heisenberg’s leg drop adds another two-count, before he caught a Maggot crossbody and turned it into a release suplex. Maggot bites away from a powerslam, then came back with a spear… adding a cutter for good measure and that’s the win. **
Post-match, Heisenberg pulls up Maggot and goes to hit a chokeslam… Baby Allison makes the save, hitting a low blow before Maggot swarmed Heisenberg, leading to an assisted Baby Exorcism as we closed things out with the pair standing over the fallen giant.
Backstage, Dan Mallmann’s with Dennis Dullnig – but not Hektor. Cash is munching on some biscuits, and has to explain why there’s no Hektor for the scheduled interview with the tag champions. Dullnig accidentally ripped up Hektor’s train ticket after the tag festival final, and it seems Hektor got a fine for travelling without a ticket… then got dinged at the border for trying to visit Cash in Switzerland with some chicken. Long story short, Hektor’s still in hot water, and Cash will be wrestling by himself tonight, but not before Cash went and apologised.
Patrick Bork vs. Robert Dreissker
Bork challenged Dreissker on the post-tag festival vlog, but of course this is a non-title outing…
Dreissker shoved Bork down from a collar-and-elbow tie-up to start, before he stomped on Bork’s bare foot to break up a waistlock. Fair’s fair. A side headlock’s pushed off, but Dreissker just charges and slams down Bork for a two-count, before Bork kicked his way into things for a two-count. Body blows trap Dreissker in the corner, but he’s able to push Bork away… only for Bork to try and invite the champion into his guard. Dreissker falls for it and gets kicked away, before a second attempt ended with Bork grabbing a leg lock, forcing Dreissker instantly into the ropes.
Bork tries a cross armbreaker, but Dreissker rolls it up for a two-count, before Bork again invited him into his guard. Dreissker counters it with a splash and some stomps, before he threw Bork into the corner. There’s a message for the crowd who want a bodyslam as Dreissker instead opted to stomp on Bork’s bare feet again. It led to Bork crumpling as the crowd began chants of “auf die Füße.” That’s absolutely NOT a podcast…
A back suplex drops Bork for a two-count, before Bork ducked down to avoid a crossbody out of the corner. Lefts and rights from Bork looked to lead to an Exploder, but he has more luck with a German suplex instead, before an ankle lock tried to force a submission… but Dreissker pushes free. A spear from Bork almost nicks it, before Dreissker ducked a head kick and countered back with a ripcord lariat. Dreissker squashes Bork in the corner, then pulled him out for a Dreissker bomb… and that was that. **¾
Jacob Crane vs. Myles Hawkins vs. Mike D Vecchio vs. Dennis Dullnig
The Y2Kuties’ theme from Tag Festival lives on, even if it’s a little slowed down. Hawkins was making his “main show” debut, as he’s over on a brief excursion from CZW…
A tentative start eventually gave way to everyone catching Crane’s kick, with things breaking down as Mike D charged his way through the field. Crane’s chops had no effect on Mike D, who hit back with a tijeras and a double-springboard dropkick, before a low bridge from Hawkins took the Belgian outside. Hawkins’ springboard knee dropped Crane as Dullnig returned to hit a dropkick… Crane’s back to stop Cash going for a suplex, as he hit a few of his own for a two-count. A chinlock keeps Cash down, but it’s fought out of, only for Crane to hit a back suplex and an elbow drop for a one-count.
Mike D and Myles Hawkins trade chops on the outside as Crane’s camel clutch was almost broken free… but Crane just throws Cash back down. The pair trade blows for a while, but another suplex from Crane stops that before Mike D opted to turn up the pace as he hit the ring to clothesline the heck out of Crane. Hawkins is back with a kick, but he’s stopped by Dullnig as Crane and Hawkins end up on the top rope, leading to a pair of superplexes. A four-way ten-count’s stopped as we’re back with them all trading blows… Hawkins and Crane look to wear down Mike D, but to no avail as he just suplexed them both.
Dullnig tris to deal with Mike D, bouncing him off the mat with a uranage to spark a Parade of Moves, ending with a springboard Hawkins DDT. Hawkins adds a top rope elbow drop, but Mike D breaks up the pin with a gutwrench powerbomb on Hawkins, and that’s enough to get the win. **¾
High Performer Ltd (Anil Marik & Tristan Archer) vs. Nick Schreier & Kris Bishop
Archer signed with Robin Christopher Fohrwerk’s High Performer Ltd. on the post-Tag Festival vlog… and this was their first outing as a unit. Bishop’s also in Germany on an excursion from CZW…
Things get going with Schreier and Archer, as Archer hits a bodyslam early in a bid to avoid back-to-back losses against the Academy champion. A leapfrog’s caught, but Schreier turns it into a sunset flip for a two-count, before a drop toe hold kept the Frenchman down. Bishop tags in, as did Anil Marik, as all four men somehow ended up in the ring in a brief staredown. Marik works over Bishop’s arm, but the wristlock’s reversed back-and-forth before Marik punched his way free. Bishop strikes back with some left hands and a ‘rana, before some headscissors and a dropkick kept Marik in trouble. A springboard armdrag takes Marik outside, where a dropkick through the ropes wiped out Marik and Archer ahead of duelling planchas.
Back inside, Bishop lands a neat springboard Quebrada from the outside in – dubbed the Penn’s Landing – for a near-fall, before Archer interjected himself to help Marik get back in. A Codebreaker through the ropes gets Marik back in it, while a stomp from Archer drew a two-count on Bishop. Marik’s back as Bishop got bulldogged out of the corner for a near-fall, before Archer took Bishop into the ropes for a charging knee. Archer’s bodyslam keeps things ticking away, while a suplex from Marik picked up another two-count. Bishop’s neat escape led to him breaking free to tag in Schreier, who cleared house ahead of a springboard crossbody to Marik for a two-count. A roll-up from Marik nearly nicks a win as Bishop ‘rana’s Archer off the apron… Bishop tags back in as Schreier’s Spirit Shock almost got the win… but Archer broke up the pin from that Destino.
Archer pops up and powerbombs Schreier into Bishop after that, before a Decapite lariat and a Coup d’Etat put the REP member away. ***
Aigle Blanc vs. Shigehiro Irie
A rematch of sorts from the first round of World Tag Team Festival…
Aigle’s early offence sees him take down Irie with headscissors, before he tripped Irie into the ropes for a back senton off the top. Heading outside, we’ve a plancha from Aigle before Irie snapped Aigle with a Samoan drop out of a springboard back inside. Irie adds to this with a slam and the slingshot splash, crushing Aigle for a two-count ahead of some elbows to take the Frenchman into the ropes. Another slam led to the Teddy Bear splash for a two-count as Aigle remained on the defensive, absorbing elbows as Irie took him into the corner. Fighting back, Aigle hits a twisting brainbuster for a two-count, before a trip up top led to an aborted 450 splash.
Irie’s caught between the ropes with kicks, but he’s able to slam Aigle through the ropes before a Beast Bomber attempt was kicked away. Knees from Aigle wipe out Irie for some two-counts, as Irie then got lifted up top for an avalanche Dragon suplex. It’s blocked, but Aigle hits a spider German suplex… only for Irie to charge back with a cannonball as Aigle was still upside down. The pair trade blows from there, before Aigle snuck in a couple of snap Dragon suplexes… then a diving knee as Irie kept going for a Beast Bomber. Aigle follows up with a seatbelt pin for a near-fall, while a backslide gets countered into a short piledriver from Irie. A Beast Bomber follows for a near-fall, as Aigle hit back with a knee strike and a 450 splash… but it’s still not enough.
Aigle heads up for another 450 splash, but Irie sits up to interrupt… joining Aigle up top for a superplex, only for Aigle to escape and pull Irie into a Tree of Woe. Irie grabs hold of the leg to stop things, but Aigle just sits down and slaps Irie as he was upside down. Irie slaps back, prompting Aigle to head up for a Coast to Coast… but out runs Tristan Archer and Anil Marik to attack Aigle. That somehow led to a no-contest, rather than a DQ win for Aigle as Irie chased them away. It’s a moot decision, but Fohrwerk’s men attacking Aigle looks like it’s an attempt to woo Joseph Fenech Jr., while this also seems to set up a tag match later on in the month… ***
We get a pre-taped promo from World Tag Team Festival weekend as Hyan challenged Ava Everett for the title… and that’s next.
wXw Women’s World Championship: Hyan vs. Ava Everett (c)
Hyan lost to Nicole Matthews in the Femmes Fatales final last month – but was looking to end her German tour with a big win here.
Hyan threw Everett aside to start, before a caught kick was slapped away by the champion… the pair trade pinning attempts, but it’s Hyan who’s able to get back in with a shoulder tackle as Everett had trouble getting going. Chops from the champion finally get her into it, but Hyan responds in kind ahead of a big boot off the ropes. Everett’s looking for respite in the corner, and manages to avoid a CT-Knee as Crane interjected himself… a Codebreaker gets Ava a two-count as she looked to capitalise on all that. Some choking from Everett follows, who then began to have words with the crowd… before she tripped on her way back in.
Chops from Everett see her regain some control, before Hyan threw Everett into the corner, following with a Stinger splash and a delayed suplex to boot. Ava snuck in a cradle for a quick two-count as she shut down Hyan’s comeback with some choking through the ropes. Hyan blocks some right hands and throws her own, following with chops and a running knee to take down the champion. A back suplex folds Everett up, taking her outside for a low-pe that was easily swatted away. Second time’s the charm as Ava again got distracted by the crowd, leading to a two-count back inside before the CT-Knee in the corner looked to keep Hyan ahead. Ava’s able to get back in with an elbow as the pair trade strikes again, but it’s Everett who got the best of it, building up to a Flatliner for a near-fall.
Hyan tries to hit the Beauty Sleep, but Everett rolls out for a two-count before a folding powerbomb almost got the win as Jacob Crane was on his knees praying for a kick-out. Everett escapes a double underhook something or other… but seemed to hurt her knee on the landing. Referee Markus Weiss checks on her, and misses Jacob Crane running in… but Hyan spears him away… Weiss gets tied up with Crane and misses Ava’s belt shot, before a superkick to the head ended up being enough for Ava to sneak out with the win. ***
“Earlier today” Dan Mallmann’s with Elijah Blum, who acknowledges the pressure on him tonight as he’s preparing to take on Laurance Roman for the Shotgun title. Blum noted he’s always been engaged with AMBOSS in some form during his career, and seemed to hint that if he won the title, then maybe Anil Marik would start returning his calls?
wXw Shotgun Championship: Elijah Blum vs. Laurance Roman (c)
This was Blum’s first ever title shot – and he has a big ask on his hands, given Roman’s held the Shotgun belt for nine months. That being said, AMBOSS are still smarting from losing the tag titles in the World Tag Team Festival final…
We got going with Roman looking to work over Blum’s wrist, but Blum returns the favour as he wrings the arm, yanking Roman down before the champion broke free and came back with a cravat. A side headlock restrains Blum, whose bid to push free just earned him a shoulder tackle before he came back with a crossbody off the ropes. Blum’s dropkick sends Roman powdering to the outside, but Roman rolls back inside to avoid a plancha attempt… then proceeded to charge Blum into the ropes ahead of a shot to the back. Roman’s back suplex drops Blum for a two-count, as he then went back to the cravat to wear down the challenger some.
Roman’s hold is broken, but he just stomps Blum as he tried to bridge free, following up with a charging knee to Blum in the ropes. Another Kitchen Sink knee drops Blum for a two-count, before Blum tried to fight back with a neckbreaker… Roman escapes and hits a suplex instead, picking up a two-count. Blum snaps back with a roll-up, but another knee to the midsection drops him after Roman kicked out. Roman’s back suplex is floated out of as Blum was finally able to hit back with a dropkick, following up with kicks, clotheslines and elbows before a neckbreaker took Roman outside. Elijah lands that plancha he was going for earlier, then hit a crossbody off the top as Roman was taken back inside for a near-fall.
We pass the ten-minute mark with Roman hitting a ripcord elbow, only for Blum to hit back with that 2K Driver for a near-fall. The Parting Gift looks to follow, but Roman blocks it and hits a discus lariat instead, before the swinging DDT almost put Blum away. Roman stays on Blum, but the Burning Nail’s countered out of with an armdrag as Blum almost took the win with the Parting Gift…
Blum keeps up on Roman as they trade elbows heading into the final two minutes… a knee strike from Roman earns him a shotgun dropkick, before he floated out of a second Parting Gift. It’s turned into a crossface as Blum tried to claw his way towards the ropes… Roman lets go and tries to reposition the hold, only for Blum to stun him with a crucifix roll-up for a near-fall. More roll-ups follow back-and-forth, increasing in pace as time runs out, before Blum snatched the win with a reversed sunset flip! Elijah Blum finally gets one over AMBOSS as he dethroned Laurance Roman – and that bad run of results in title matches continues for AMBOSS. It’s Blum’s first ever title in wXw, marked with the crowd celebrating with him to close out the show. ***½
A LOT of this show just didn’t click for me as this threatened to be wXw’s first misfire in quite a while… with a strong opener and closing stretch having to save a really soft middle of the show.