It’s the first stop after Carat as Peter Tihanyi and Laurance Roman do battle again, while Ahura and Aaron Insane take on High Performer Ltd. in Frankfurt.
Quick Results
Alex Duke & Norman Harras pinned Mike D Vecchio & Aigle Blanc in 8:41 (**½)
OSKAR pinned Shigehiro Irie in 11:02 (***)
Levaniel pinned The Rotation to retain the wXw Shotgun Championship in 8:40 (***)
Elijah Blum pinned YOICHI in 13:03 (***½)
Icarus & Robert Dreissker pinned Hektor Invictus & Dennis Dullnig in 16:52 (***¼)
Fast Time Moodo & Axel Tischer defeated Stephanie Maze & Bobby Gunns via referee stoppage in 13:40 (***¼)
Laurance Roman pinned Peter Tihanyi in 12:59 (***½)
Ahura & Aaron Insane pinned Tristan Archer & Joseph Fenech Jr. in 21:46 (***¼)
— In the next week or so, I’ll be chatting about this show with Mike Kilby on the Auf Die Fresse podcast. Links to stream that episode when it drops, as well as back episodes are available at AufDieFresse.co.uk
We’re at a sold-out Batschkapp in Frankfurt as the dust continued to settle on this month’s 16 Carat Gold. But first, the Fight Forever pre-show… and it’s a welcome return to the headset for Dave Bradshaw on the English commentary track.
Big Bucks (Alex Duke & Norman Harras) vs. Aigle Blanc & Mike D Vecchio
It’s a heck of a challenge for the Big Bucks… but is there going to be some tension between Mike D and Aigle Blanc after their Carat quarter-final?
Harras and Mike D get us going, with Norman pointing out he’s got the height on Mike D… but that counted for little when he was dumped to the mat with a shoulder tackle. Then again from an armdrag and a dropkick as Mike D was feeling it…
Aigle Blanc’s in to corner Harras as some double-teaming wore down the former Shotgun champion ahead of a snap suplex from Aigle, before senton atomicos from Mike and Aigle found their mark. Responding, Harras catches Aigle in the gut before he tagged in Alex Duke, only for Aigle to float out of a double hiptoss before he stepped off of Duke into a flying ‘rana on Harras.
The headscissors/neckbreaker takedown catches Duke out before Harras’ kick in the ropes earned him a stern reply from the Frenchman. Duke antagonises Mike D, leading to some double-teaming as the ref tried to contain the Belgian, before a sit-out front suplex picked up a two-count for Duke.
Harras is back in as Aigle’s double-teamed en route to a flapjack for a two-count, before a Finlay roll from Harras and a kick from Duke kept the Big Bucks ahead. Aigle fought out of a chinlock, but he’s smothered again as Harras returned and came close from a knee drop. Eventually things backfire as Aigle evades the Big Bucks’ back suplex attempts, before a springboard crossbody bought him enough time to tag in Mike D.
Mike runs wild with clotheslines and strikes, leading to a spinning back suplex on Duke… who saves Harras from a powerbomb before Mike D just slapped the Bucks in the back. Aigle’s back as Mike D just hurled him into their opponents, before duelling twisting suplexes had the Bucks in trouble.
Duke’s sandwiched with forearms before Norman Harras got one for his troubles… Aigle Blanc’s met with some friendly fire as Mike D thought it was Alex Duke getting hold of him. That’s happening a lot, eh? With the referee checking on Aigle, Norman Harras catches Mike D in the midsection as he was powerbombing Duke… and there’s the roll-up win. **½
Post-match, Mike D lays out the Bucks, powerbombing Duke before he stormed off..
Onto the main show now, starting with Thommy Giesen welcoming the Frankfurt crowd… and it’s straight into the opener.
OSKAR vs. Shigehiro Irie
Carat was relatively fruitless for both these guys, but will it be a win to get back on track for Irie, or will OSKAR claim a big scalp?
Starting with a lock-up, OSKAR and Irie couldn’t break through at first, before things headed into the corner with Irie sneaking in a shot on the break. OSKAR fires back in kind, landing an overhand chop before he got caught with a bulldog and a slingshot splash. Auf Die Fresse, indeed!
That’s good for a two-count as Irie then threw in some cravat headbutts to OSKAR, before a chinlock was fought out of. The pair trade shoulder tackles, with OSKAR pulling ahead, taking Irie into the corner for some forearms as the former champion demanded more from the on-excursion Young Lion. OSKAR tees up for a powerbomb, but Irie blocks it… eventually throwing OSKAR aside with a back body drop.
Irie baits OSKAR onto the apron for some crossface punches and a through-the-ropes crossbody. Luckily, the crowd know the deal and scattered before OSKAR was sent flying their way. Back inside, Irie slingshots in for a Teddy Bear splash for a two-count, with OSKAR sending the former champion flying on the kick-out.
OSKAR eventually finds a way back in with a dropkick, before a charging elbow to Irie into the corner and a back suplex out of it picked up a two-count. A Boston crab looks to follow, but Irie slaps OSKAR away… leading to a scuffle that ended with a headbutt from Irie. It almost got him pinned too, but Irie kicked out… and ended up in the Boston crab seconds later as he ended up needing to crawl to the ropes to force the save.
Irie blocks a bodyslam attempt as he ended up catching OSKAR in the corner with… what the hell? A flipping neckbreaker off the middle rope! That left OSKAR prone in the corner for a cannonball, which led to a near-fall for Irie, before duelling clotheslines sparked another exchange of strikes.
OSKAR pulled ahead again, but Irie blocks another slam and unleashed a flurry of strikes before an elbow to the face picked up… just a one count?! Irie tees up for a Beast Bomber from there, which doesn’t quite put OSKAR away, before a second one was kicked away as OSKAR finally hit the Michinoku Driver for the surprise win. It’s a big win for OSKAR, beating the former champion on what turned out to be Irie’s last night in… ***
Post-match, Irie’s slapped as he offered a handshake… he returned the favour before OSKAR bowed to him.
“Earlier today”, AMBOSS were caught backstage as Laurance Roman was promised that he’d get his title match at True Colors in Dresden. He then noted that Robert Dreissker’d been acting weird to him since Carat, but Dreissker took umbrage at Laurance shaking hands with everyone, even AMBOSS’ “enemies”, culminating in Dreissker questioning whether Lauri was really one of “his guys.”
wXw Shotgun Championship: The Rotation vs. Levaniel (c)
It’s a near-instant rematch for the former champion…
Levaniel shoves Rotation away from the opening lock-up, but Rotation struck back before he was charged down with a shoulder tackle. Evading Levaniel, Rotation came back with a hiptoss ahead of an armbar on the mat, before Rotation headed up top… and scored a moonsault press into the champion for a two-count.
Rotation stays on Levaniel’s arm for a rope-walk… but he’s knocked into the ropes and crashes to the floor as Levaniel looked to end this one with a stoppage. Beating the count-out, Rotation’s instantly kicked at by Levaniel, who added a backbreaker for a two-count, before Rotation was sent into the corner.
A snap suplex keeps Levaniel ahead, before Rotation’s brief comeback ended with a Kitchen sink knee. Second time’s the charm as Rotation chopped his way back into the match, following in with a dropkick into the corner before a tiltawhirl DDT almost led to the title change.
Snapping back with a DDT nearly wins it for Levaniel, before Rotation came back with a twisting suplex… that left Levaniel prone for the Victory Over Gravity. Except Levaniel rolls away from it… he’s forced to kick-out from a roll-up out of a Galactic Face Crusher, before a lariat and the Galactic Face Crusher finally got the win. I know Levaniel’s keeping the outer space motif to his entrance, but I’d like to see that move get a new name… ***
We’ve a video package showing YOICHI beating Elijah Blum at Back to the Roots in January… then Blum getting his win back to qualify for 16 Carat Gold. So you know what that means…
Elijah Blum vs. YOICHI
The proverbial rubber match!
Blum charges with a shotgun dropkick at the bell for an early two-count, before he went up top… but YOICHI moves aside as Blum looked to end this one in a hurry. A wheelbarrow armdrag and a dropkick has YOICHI… annoyed? A neckbreaker has YOICHI headed outside, where Blum followed up with a plancha as YOICHI looked to compose himself.
Back inside, Blum went for a crossbody, but YOICHI catches it and countered into a spinning bodyslam as he looked to take control. A sunset flip from Blum’s stopped as his arm’s stomped into the mat, then splashed on, before Blum got caught in an armbar as he was throwing some right hands.
YOICHI stretches out the arm, forcing Blum into the ropes for a break, before Blum fought out of a front facelock… only to get dumped onto his arm. Staying on the arm, YOICHI’s able to pick up a two-count, before Blum sidestepped a charge in the corner. Recovering, a back suplex kept YOICHI in it for a near-fall, as he went back to Blum’s arm.
Returning with a crossbody, Blum’s able to stem the tide, before he leapt in with a Flatliner to take YOICHI down. Kipping up, Blum’s able to charge into YOICHI with a clothesline, then a step-up knee into the corner, before a froggy crossbody almost got the win. From there, Blum sets up for a Parting Gift, but he can’t get the grip on as YOICHI broke free and went back to the strikes.
The pair exchange elbow strikes, with Blum pulling ahead until he was waylaid with an elbow and a standing frog splash. From the kick-out, YOICHI goes for a double wristlock on Blum, who’s able to withstand and drag his way to the ropes to force the break. YOICHI looks to go for a Muso, but Blum escapes before countering a back body drop into a sunset flip for a near-fall… following up with an inside cradle, before he’s obliterated with a sliding elbow to the face.
YOICHI looks to follow up, POUNCING Blum into the corner, while a spinebuster almost put Elijah away… a trip up top sees YOICHI land in Blum’s knees from a big splash, before a roll-up from that got Blum the win. That was a good culmination to the unofficial series – with Blum hopefully now able to build on that after his unfortunate Carat run. ***½
Post-match, Blum and YOICHI bowed to each other…
AMBOSS (Icarus & Robert Dreissker) vs. Dennis Dullnig & Hektor Invictus
Cash and Hektor’s tag titles weren’t on the line here…
Dullnig and Icarus start us off, locking up until Dullnig was pulled to the mat – and given a pat on the head. Back to his feet, Dullnig snapmares Icarus and returned that patronising head pat, following up with a dropkick… and another one through the ropes as Dreissker tagged in and was met with a similar fate.
Dreissker punches away a sunset flip attempt, but misses a back senton before Dullnig patted him on the head, then aped the AMBOSS taunt. My dog always used to go for me when I tried that…
Having hurt his hand, Dullnig tagged in Hektor, who got charged down with a shoulder tackle before he tried to hiptoss Dreissker. That didn’t work, but a springboard crossbody certainly did, only for Dreissker to counter a suplex with one of his own. Icarus is back in for a back suplex/neckbreaker combo for a two-count, ahead of an armbar that Hektor fought out of.
An elbow and a slam from Hektor has Dullnig wanting back in, but a double hiptoss and a slam gets a two-count as Dullnig tried to keep Icarus away from a tag. Hektor tags back in and hits a slingshot spear through the ropes to Icarus, prompting Dullnig to ask for another tag as he wanted to break out his WWF moves.
He gets the tag and went full Bushwhacker with battering rams to Icarus… an argument baited in Dreissker, who runs into a 3D, before Dullnig offered to hold the ropes open to let AMBOSS back in. Instead, Dreissker and Icarus argue, leading to Icarus threatening to walk out on the match… Dreissker frogmarches him back towards the ring, before he rolled him in and out of the ring to break the count, and bait Dullnig into a mugging.
So, after the feigned argument, AMBOSS took over… Dullnig tries to fight back with a backslide, which gets him a near-fall before Icarus targeted the throat with a cross-chop. A back suplex followed for a two-count, before Dreissker came in and took over with some clotheslines.
Icarus returns to hit a DDT for a near-fall, following up with a cross armbar that ended in the ropes as Dullnig remained on the back foot. Dreissker’s back to hit a slam and a splash on Cash for another near-fall, before Dreissker knocked Hektor off the apron. That bought Cash time to try and make a comeback, but he’s unable to avoid a springboard crossbody out of the corner that drew Hektor in to break up the pin.
Dreissker’s Death Valley Driver nearly gets the win, before an attempted backslide from Dullnig ended with Icarus tagging in. Dullnig’s able to clothesline Icarus, then take down Dreissker with a spinebuster before he made the tag out to Hektor, who ran wild with right hands and clotheslines. A snap powerslam to Icarus followed, then a back body drop to Dreissker, before Dullnig came back in to go all WWF.
A Twist of Fate and a senton bomb almost put Icarus away, before Dullnig muscled up Dreissker for a suplex. Hektor’s back in next as AMBOSS got knocked to the outside… but Dreissker pulls Dullnig out with him and pounced him into the ring post… before we had one more page out of the WWF of old as Dreissker played Bobby Heenan to Hektor’s Ultimate Warrior, grabbing the leg on a suplex to trip him up as Icarus got the win. ***¼
Announcement time as we get a swish video package of Frankfurt… announcing wXw’s return there on July 20 for… the crowning of a European champion. Tickets for the Wrestling EM – the European championships – are available now…
Bobby Gunns & Stephanie Maze vs. KxS (Axel Tischer & Fast Time Moodo)
KxS have picked up a couple of wins since they formed over Carat weekend – but we start with a renewal of the rivalry between Gunns and Moodo, who didn’t hold back in the early going.
A spinning heel kick knocks Gunns down, but he’s quickly back with a suplex before Stephanie Maze came in to square up to her former tag partner. Moodo backs off and tags in Tischer instead, with the pair’s eventual lock-up turning into a side headlock from Maze, only for Tischer to pull his way free.
Tischer feigns anxiousness on a waistlock, which he broke… but Maze kicks him in the leg on the break, then added some more until Tischer caught the kick, only to get caught with an enziguiri in return. Body blows from Maze took Tischer into the corner, only for a follow-up Saito suplex to be stopped and countered with a bodyslam.
A knee drop from Tischer gets a two-count, while a bodyslam drew a similar result. Maze tries to get free out of the corner, eventually scoring a missile dropkick before tagging in Gunns, who traded shots with Tischer, taking him into the corner for some running uppercuts. Moodo comes in to try and stop it, but he’s just fodder for a kick as Gunns surged ahead regardless.
Moodo’s next distraction works as Gunns gets hung up in the ropes for an eye rake and a gamengiri from KxS. A pop-up kick gets Moodo in for a two-count, while more kicks led to a leg drop for another two-count. Tischer’s back in to sandwich Gunns with PKs, but the referee refuses to acknowledge the tag because Tischer’d tagged in on Moodo’s foot. Moodo carries on anyway, taking Gunns into the corner for some choking from Tischer as Stephanie Maze inadvertently tied up the ref… but Gunns’ stunner breaks the choke before he nailed a clothesline on Moodo.
Gunns can’t quite make the tag out, as Moodo stopped him in search of a Pedigree… but an enziguiri breaks it up as Maze was tagged back in. She finally squares up to Moodo, but Tischer rolls in and gets between them… only to get met with a head kick. Fair enough! A double leg takedown has Maze ahead, as did a Saito suplex on Moodo, along with a Busaiku knee.
Moodo heads up top, but he’s caught and brought down with a superplex, forcing Tischer in to break up the pin. Gunns tries to dispatch of Tischer, but the Axeman took him outside before tagging in as Maze ended up being double-teamed with strikes in the corner. The barrage ends with a stomp-assisted death valley driver from Tischer for a near-fall.
Tischer’s Horrible Slam’s countered out of by Maze, who manages to tag in Gunns… who caught Tischer as Maze’s head kick set up for an Ehrenmann Driver for a near-fall. Maze is brought back in as they looked to isolate Tischer with kicks and suplexes (aha!), leading to a bridging German suplex from Maze that almost won it.
Moodo tags back in and surprises Maze with a kick to the back of the head, before a kick-assisted Pedigree almost got the win as Frankfurt showed him with boos… before a rear naked choke on Maze forced the stoppage. Moodo showed some aggression at the end here, but I have a feeling it’s going to take a little more than that for him to rediscover gold here. ***¼
Backstage, Robin Christopher Fohrwerk berates his High Performer Ltd. troops for not saving him when Ahura beat him up at Carat… and with his post-Carat comments showing anger at his group’s performances, things aren’t well here.
They replay the finish of the 16 Carat Gold final, and Peter Tihanyi snubbing a handshake… along with the post-Carat stuff that led to this rematch.
Peter Tihanyi vs. Laurance Roman
Frankfurt’s not entirely behind Laurance Roman, but there were a few cheering him here…
A measured start sees Tihanyi take Roman down with a headlock, before a roll-up from Roman was kicked out of… leading to a lofty hiptoss that took Tihanyi into the corner. Roman clings onto a wristlock as Tihanyi tries to roll free… eventually he does so, using the ropes to flip free, as Roman was forced to bail.
Back inside, Roman and Tihanyi get into a shoving match, before an enziguiri from Roman caught the Hungarian unawares for just a one-count. A chinlock from Roman is escaped, but Tihanyi’s thrown into the corner as his back again looked to be problematic.
Adding a clothesline, Roman gets himself a two-count, before Tihanyi found a way in with a tornado DDT out of the corner. A back body drop follows, but Tihanyi’s back delays him from going for the pin as those looks of frustration began to emerge again. Roman’s kept on the back foot with chops in the corner, before a clothesline took the AMBOSS man down for another two-count.
Another chinlock’s fought out of, but again Tihanyi dumps Roman back down to the mat, where a double armbar stretch was eventually fought out of. This time, Roman tries to beat Tihanyi to the punch, but they exchange clotheslines as the pair were left laying. Back to his feet, it’s Roman who looks stronger, kicking Tihanyi in the face before a swinging DDT was countered with a roll-up.
From the kick-out, a knee strike and a short DDT almost put Tihanyi away. Clotheslines follow in the corner from Roman after a defiant Tihanyi wound him up, before a front slam was countered into a cutter. Unfortunately for Tihanyi, Roman headed outside as Tihanyi was left to try and stretch his back out…
Roman tries to hang up Tihanyi in the ropes, but got knocked back down and met with a tope… before a slingshot cutter back in earned Tihanyi a kick to the back. That’s enough to give Roman an opening as they see-saw on an inside cradle for a bunch of two-counts, ending when Roman was able to get enough leverage to push down on Tihanyi for the match-winning three-count. Not quite the same crowd investment as Oberhausen, but this was a solid match as Roman underscored that his final win wasn’t a fluke… and put more doubt in Peter Tihanyi. ***½
Post-match, Roman offered another handshake… Tihanyi ummed and ahhed over it, so Roman exited stage left. There’s anger brewing there, and it’s coming to the surface.
We’ve a trailer for our main event, based on the advances of Robin Christopher Fohrwerk towards Maggot… which led to the return of Ahura at Carat. Unfortunately, an injury to Maggot means that what I guess was meant to have been a trios match is now a tag, with a returning Aaron Insane alongside Ahura.
High Performer Ltd. (Joseph Fenech Jr. & Tristan Archer) vs. Ahura & Aaron Insane
After a rotten Carat, High Performer Ltd. are looking to get some wins under their belt…
Of course, Ahura and Insane were massively popular in Frankfurt, as we started with Ahura taking Archer into the ropes. The favour’s returned as Ahura then went to antagonise Joseph Fenech Jr., before Ahura ducked a chop from Archer in the corner. A snapmare and a chop to the back from Archer just wound up Ahura, who sorta returned the favour, before he scored with a dropkick.
Archer takes over in the corner with some mounted punches, before a turnaround saw Ahura get some of his own in. Insane tags in to help with a double back elbow for a one-count, but Archer’s able to break free and tag in Fenech, who took a breather and manages to catch Insane unawares… only for Insane to catch him with an atomic drop and a Manhattan drop before Fenech bailed again.
Back inside, Fenech takes Insane to the corner as he began to target Insane’s back. An abdominal stretch’s hiptossed free as Insane mounted a comeback, only for Fenech to again head outside. Insane tries to intervene, but he’s kicked between the ropes by Archer, before Fenech pounced with some mounted punches.
Archer’s back as the High Performer Ltd. duo worked over Insane, including Fenech trapping Insane with a cheating abdominal stretch by the ropes. The referee’s too busy reprimanding Ahura to break it up, as I notice Fohrwerk’s managed to get his cane repaired or replaced since Carat.
Insane blocks a side suplex attempt, then caught Archer with an elbow before Anil Marik at ringside tripped up Insane by the ropes. Baby Allison’s there too, unhappy at what’s going on as Fenech and Archer maintained control. Eventually, Insane suplexes his way free, but Anil Marik’s dispatched to pull Ahura off the apron as Fenech had the referee tied up… so the tag wouldn’t have counted anyways.
Double-teaming on Insane keeps High Performer Ltd. in the driver’s seat, but he’s eventually able to kick Fenech away, before ducking an Archer clothesline as Ahura finally got the tag in. Running wild, Ahura clears house, launching Archer with a back body drop, before a powerbomb left Fenech laying for a near-fall.
Ahura and Archer trade blows from there, before things spilled outside as Archer and Fenech were beaten around the front row. Back inside, Insane takes Archer up top, but the search for a superplex backfires as we end up in a wacky superplex/elevated German suplex Tower of Doom. Hey, that woke up Frankfurt!
Resuming, Insane’s able to slam Fenech… but that sparks off a Parade of Moves that led to Ahura hitting Archer with a cutter… Fenech hits a handspring cutter of his own, only for Ahura to lay him out with a lariat in return. Heading outside, a tornillo from Ahura wiped out Archer and Fenech on the floor, before the Paradise Waterfall back inside would have gotten the win… but Fohrwerk puts Fenech’s leg on the rope to stop the pin.
Fohrwerk protests his innocence, but it’s a smoke screen as Marik’s in the ring with Fohrwerk’s cane. Baby Allison stops Marik from hitting Ahura, then slapped him as Ahura booted Anil to the outside. Baby Allison exits stage left, and something tells me she’s not long for Fohrwerk’s group.
We continue with Archer catching Ahura with La Terreur though, before launching Fenech into him in the corner… a tope from Archer took care of Insane on the outside while a moonsault from Fenech almost led to the win. Pushing on, a DDT from Fenech gets another near-fall, before Ahura was taken up top for a double superplex.
Ahura holds on as Insane snuck back into the ring to get involved with his second Tower of Doom of the night, powerbombing Archer and Fenech out of the corner, before a spike tombstone piledriver took care of Fenech. That left Archer on his own, but Archer’s able to shove Insane into Ahura in the corner, before Marik got caught sliding Fohrwerk’s cane into the ring. Problem was, the ref was too busy admonishing Marik to remove the cane, which Archer had finessed out of sight…
Nevermind, Maggot’s here to throw Marik into the ring post, before Archer missed a cane shot as Ahura ended up using said cane for a Paradise Waterfall for the win. A crowd-pleasing main event, as Ahura and Insane left with the win – and there’s way more questions than answers around High Performer Ltd’s long-term prospects after this. ***¼
This was a bit “after the Lord Mayor’s show” – while the in ring was perfectly fine, a lot of the Carat atmosphere didn’t quite make the trip across to Frankfurt. Laurance Roman seemingly getting his title shot from Carat so quickly is setting some alarm bells off – and not the kind that’s making me think the former Waschbär is leaving with some new hardware…