Elijah Blum and 1 Called Manders finally faced off for the vacant unified world wrestling title in Frankfurt.
Quick Results
Fast Time Moodo pinned Kuro in 6:30 (**½)
Hektor Invictus pinned Joseph Fenech Jr. to win the wXw Shotgun Championship in 10:45 (***½)
Laurance Roman pinned Ocean Avery in 7:04 (***)
Bobby Gunns submitted Nick Schreier in 13:07 (***½)
Metehan pinned Axel Tischer in 18:04 (**¾)
Relaxed Rules: Marc Empire & Robert Dreissker pinned OSKAR & Yuto Nakashima in 14:57 (***)
Alex Duke & Norman Harras pinned Robert Dreissker & Marc Empire to retain the wXw World Tag Team Championship in 5:37 (**¼)
1 Called Manders defeated Elijah Blum to win the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship via referee’s decision in 19:38 (***¾)
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We’re back at the Batschkapp in Frankfurt for what’s become the traditional fall-out from 16 Carat Gold. English commentary comes from Mett Dimassi, and we’re straight into the pre-show…
Kuro vs. Fast Time Moodo
It’s a rematch from last month in Bad Säckingen – which saw Moodo pick up the win…
Moodo tries to end things with a crucifix pin in the opening minute, but to no avail as Kuro ended up taking Moodo outside with a dropkick. The follow-up dive’s kicked away as Moodo looked to use those kicks to his advantage, only for a Black Belt Kick to be ducked as Kuro’s front kick turned things around.
Kuro’s cannonball senton in the corner, then a Falcon arrow almost gets the win, only for Moodo to escape a Kiss of Hype as he fought back with a Made in Japan for a near-fall. After sending Moodo onto the apron, Kuro’s able to add a double stomp with Moodo hanging in the ropes, before the Kiss of Hype spin-out Dominator led to a near-fall.
Kuro took too long to follow up as he leapt into a kick as he came off the top rope… and a Black Belt Kick seconds later led to a rather surgical win for Moodo. **½
Onto the main show…
wXw Shotgun Championship: Hektor Invictus vs. Joseph Fenech Jr. (c)
This was the match we were meant to have gotten in Leipzig before Robin Christopher Fohrwerk turned it into a three-way. It’s a first-time meeting in wXw, with Hektor ahead in singles matches for cOw and IWI in Germany.
Anil Marik made sure Fenech’s High Performer Ltd. glove was fastened before the match, which is your daily dose of storytelling here. Hektor looked to control the pace, but a quick shoulder charge made sure that the challenger wasn’t going to have it all his own way.
A derogatory knee to the face from Fenech just enraged Hektor, whose springboard crossbody sent Fenech bailing for cover ahead of a plancha on the floor. A distraction from Marik gave Fenech cover to force his way back into it, looking to grind out a result… but Hektor’s able to return with a flying European uppercut off the middle rope and a spinebuster as Fenech was losing his grip on the match.
Fenech slips outside to escape a push-up powerbomb, but Marik again gets involved, rolling Fenech back inside before distracting Hektor for long enough for the champion to take him down for a tope. Back inside, the handspring cutter and an ushigoroshi almost got the win… prompting Fenech to head back up top for an elbow drop… which still isn’t enough!
The crowd roars behind Hektor as they sensed one more comeback… which came with a roll-up before Hektor dropkicked away a handspring cutter. From there, the powerbomb finds its mark, before Robin Christopher Fohrwerk slid in Hektor’s Invictus flag to create a distraction. Anil Marik’s in, but Hektor thwarts the distraction before a diving Hektor-Knie got the win! It’s Hektor’s first singles’ title in wXw, and perhaps the beginning of the end for High Performer Ltd… ***½
Post-match, Fohrwerk berated Fenech at ringside following the loss… he gave a hand sign that prompted Marik to attack Fenech, but this too failed as Fenech tossed Marik outside before he quit in no uncertain terms, dropping F-bombs as he threw the golf glove in Fohrwerk’s direction. High Performer Ltd. very much on the downswing now, eh?
Ocean Avery vs. Laurance Roman
A late change to the card saw Ocean Avery step in for the unwell Ahura. Avery’s got about two years’ experience under his belt, per Cagematch, with a match in GCW against Effy last August perhaps being his most notable outing to date. Avery’s dubbed “the South-West Strangler” and may well find himself underwater here.
Avery looked to use his size difference to control things early on, but he’s chopped into the corner by Roman, whose follow-up clothesline and low bridge sent the American to the outside. Roman’s low-pe takes Avery into the front row, before returning to the ring in search of a Burning Nail… but a delayed back body drop from Avery just stopped Roman in his tracks.
Roman runs into a hefty slam from Avery as the debutant looked to wear down Roman with a chokehold… a double underhook suplex kept Avery ahead, until Roman hit back with a clothesline off the ropes. On top, Roman adds a back elbow before clotheslines in the corner led to the swinging hooking DDT. It’s not enough though, as Ocean kept his head above water…
Avery manages to sneak in a deadlift brainbuster to turn the match on its head, but an enziguiri and a Burning Nail manages to get the win as Avery proved to be a much sterner test than expected. One to keep an eye on in the litany of “random imports” in wXw through the years. ***
Backstage, almost-birthday boy Dan Mallmann’s backstage with Planet Gojirah – and that’s a concerning knee brace on Robert Dreissker’s right leg. Marc Empire noted that they had no issue with Young Blood, but it’s Young Blood who had an issue with them… Dreissker’s apparently wearing the knee brace as a result of Young Blood’s attack on him in Leipzig, but there’s no question of him missing out on the match tonight.
Bobby Gunns vs. Nick Schreier
These two last met one-on-one in Bielefeld back in October 2022 – with Gunns picking up the win there…
Gunns looked to out-fox Schreier early on, switching waistlocks before chucking him outside. A hammerlock from Gunns ends with Schreier running Gunns to the outside as he forced the break, before a clothesline back inside put Nick in front. Schreier adds a springboard crossbody to keep himself ahead, but Gunns bails to the outside as he looked to slow the pace down.
The crowd scattering perhaps gives away what’s next… Gunns’ uppercutting Nick through the ropes as he cut off a dive, before a back suplex bounced Schreier onto the edge of the ring. Schreier just about beats the count-out, but Gunns remained on top, taking some derisory shots at Nick’s back before rolling him down for a kick to the spine for a quick two-count.
Gunns grounded Cobra Twist is fought out of, so he applies a more orthodox version, this time broken up with a hiptoss. A quick turnaround sees Schreier take things outside for a tope on Gunns. Back inside, a satellite DDT kept Schreier ahead after a strike exchange, before a Shining Wizard almost led to Nick’s biggest win to date.
Schreier has to abort a crossbody off the top as Gunns found his way back in, charging with uppercuts in the corner to soften up Nick for another kick to the back. That prompted another exchange of forearms, but a Slingblade from Schreier cuts it all off. He looks to go back up top, this time landing the crossbody for a near-fall, before Gunns again hit back, clobbering Nick with a clothesline and an enziguiri.
A Saito suplex followed, but it’s not enough for Gunns, whose attempt to follow up with a half crab almost backfired. Schreier fought free, but another trip up top is stopped with a finger snap and a superplex from Gunns, before Nick tried to fire up… only to eat a shotgun dropkick and a PK. Another defiant kick-out forced Gunns to change tactics, tying up Nick with a manjigatame, and that’s enough to finally force the submission. This was a brave showing from Schreier, who pushed Gunns further than he did last time, but I feel we’re approaching the time where results need to change for Nick. ***½
Elijah Blum… and 1 Called Manders… are walking…
Axel Tischer vs. Metehan
Remember when this was a feature match over festival weekend? These two are 1-1 in singles matches in wXw – if you factor in other matches, they’re 2-2 with a double DQ as well.
A tentative start sees Tischer and Metehan look for pinning attempts from a Test of Strength, before Tischer took things to the mat with a headlock takedown. Tischer cinches the hold in, only for Metehan to break free of the hold… and get dragged outside as he had to beat Tischer to the punch.
Metehan’s Tiger feint kick on the mat had Tischer on his knees, before a return to the ring ended with Tischer just yanking Metehan off the middle rope. Things descended into back-and-forth strikes, until Metehan ran into a pendulum backbreaker. A chinlock from Tischer slowed the pace some more, forcing Metehan to break free as the former Lucky Kid retaliated with a satellite into an Eye of the Hurricane.
A handspring back elbow and a uranage from Metehan keeps him ahead, before Tischer countered another handspring… this time into a bridging German suplex. It’s enough for a two-count, as Tischer then headed up top… only to leap into a forearm, as one more sliding forearm and a spin-out facebuster almost got the win with what looked like a very delayed near-fall there.
We’re back to the exchanges of forearms before things burst into life with Tischer’s death valley driver… Metehan kicks out and countered a Ligerbomb, returning with a swivelling lariat, only for Tischer to hit that Ligerbomb seconds later for a near-fall. Another trip up top for Metehan’s cut-off as Tischer tried to counter with a superplex… but it’s fought out of, only for Tischer to counter with an avalanche death valley driver, before a folding powerbomb forced a late kick-out.
Metehan nearly nicks it with a cradle out of a Horrible Slam, before Tischer called his bluff as Metehan went back up top. The ensuing missile dropkick finds its mark, before a Tiger Driver proved to be enough to get the win for Metehan – who was getting more than a smattering of boos in Frankfurt. This was… not my cup of tea. A match of two halves, this was methodical for the first half, and while it did kick into gear towards the end, I’m getting the feeling this Metehan comeback might come unstuck as it heads towards its assumed final destination. **¾
Relaxed Rules: Young Blood (OSKAR & Yuto Nakashima) vs. Planet Gojirah (Robert Dreissker & Marc Empire)
This is for a shot at Big Bucks’ tag titles, and the relaxed rules stipulation pretty much guarantee us something of a tour of the Batschkapp.
Dreissker and Nakashima start us off, throwing forearms and shoulder tackles before a back suplex from Dreissker drew in OSKAR to break up the count. Empire dispatches OSKAR to the outside as Yuto found himself isolated for a spell en route to a double-team Biel out of the corner.
OSKAR sneaks back in to charge down Dreissker and Empire as all four men end up brawling. Empire and Nakashima land duelling clotheslines to leave other other laying, as OSKAR and Dreissker went on a brawl around the Batschkapp, heading towards the merch table as OSKAR ended up slamming Dreissker through one of the tables. Oh well!
That left Marc Empire on his own as Yuto Nakashima went to work with kicks in the corner, only for Empire to respond with Snake Eyes and a clothesline, forcing OSKAR to grab the referee to break up the count. Empire goes again, but Yuto rakes the eyes as Young Blood combined with a kick-assisted slam for a near-fall in the other direction.
A deadlift brainbuster from Yuto keeps things going for the former champions, while an effortless powerslam from OSKAR led to him getting frustrated at the near-fall being called. Empire’s able to fight back on his own though, but runs into a pair of big boots ahead of a powerbomb/neckbreaker combo that looked rough as hell.
Blood Rush looks to follow, but Dreissker’s back from the depth of the merch stand… only to get his knee kicked out from under him as Young Blood tried to keep going. Instead, Dreissker’s able to find a baking tray under the ring, and everyone gets a taste before Dreissker straight up launched a chair at Yuto’s head.
Out comes some more plunder as Dreissker grabbed chairs and a table from under the ring… one of the chairs gets worn out on OSKAR’s back, but he’s able to recover with an eye rake before he straight up Pillmanized Dreissker. That left Empire on his own again as Young Blood seemingly had a straight run to victory, only for Dreissker to get back up to his feet for long enough to drag Nakashima into the ring post.
OSKAR got distracted by that for long enough for Empire to catch him out of the corner with a powerbomb through the table for the win. ***
The bell had barely sounded on Planet Gojirah’s win that sealed their spot as number one contenders… and here’s the Big Bucks to run their mouths. Robert Dreissker had enough and demanded to face them now, and we’ve got the title shot now?
wXw World Tag Team Championship: Planet Gojirah (Marc Empire & Robert Dreissker) vs. Big Bucks (Norman Harras & Alex Duke) (c)
Empire’s tope wiped out Alex Duke before the bell as the challengers raced in with a double Biel at the bell as Empire ran wild.
Harras pulls Duke out of the corner as Empire crashed and burned, before a quick tag in allowed Norman to grab a near-fall after the charging knee to the ribs. From there, the Big Bucks had it all their own way, with Harras adding a spear for another two-count on Empire, but Empire’s able to make the tag out to Dreissker, who fired up against the man who he once fed dog food to.
There’s a back body drop to Duke as well, before Duke chop blocked Dreissker’s knee. That bought him enough time to remove Dreissker’s knee brace, as a follow-up knee bar had Dreissker in big trouble. The ropes save Dreissker, but that just drew in Harras and Empire… Marc took a double powerbomb before Dreissker was forced to fight back once more.
Harras distracts the referee as Duke grabbed Dreissker’s knee brace. One shot with it to the head, and that’s enough for the Big Bucks to escape with their gold, having almost threatened to take as big a tumble as the US bucks have this week. It’s a statement-ish win for the Bucks, but that’s the tag division pretty much cleaned out in just a month since Carat. **¼
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: 1 Called Manders vs. Elijah Blum
The 16 Carat Gold winner and the defacto number one contender to the title clash in a rematch from Dead End earlier this year – a match that Blum won, but only just.
Neither man rushes in to start, with the opening lock-up ended in the corner as Manders cheapshotted Blum on the break… prompting a retaliatory slap as things quickly broke down into a fight.
Blum ducks a clothesline but had his countering crossbody caught before he found a way through with a dropkick. A second dropkick, this time off the middle rope, took Manders outside as a plancha ensured the cowboy went down, before a froggy crossbody back inside drew a two-count for Blum.
We’re not even four minutes in and Blum’s looking for the Parting Gift… it’s blocked, but Manders can’t avoid a back body drop as he instead chopped away another crack at the Parting Gift before Blum got caught in the ropes on the recoil as Manders dumped him into the strands. Frankfurt began to get behind Blum as Manders was picking his shots… and it’s not long before the pair were trying to beat the snot out of each other.
Blum evades a standing elbow drop from Manders, but he’s quickly on the defensive again until he caught Manders with a swinging neckbreaker. A springboard moonsault out of the corner keeps Blum ahead and almost put things away, before Blum ate a pair of lariats from Manders, who refused to go down without a fight.
Headbutts from Blum up the ante as Manders continued to swing, only to get bounced into the ropes with a suplex. Blum’s able to get up first, but he’s crotched in the ropes by Manders, who looked to join him up top for an avalanche slam. It comes off, but things spill out onto the apron as Manders continued to blister Blum with chops.
Another avalanche slam’s teased, with Manders teasing it onto the apron, only for Blum to slip out and hit a Sliding D to take Manders to the floor. Blum stops the referee’s count as Manders still hadn’t gotten back to his feet, opting instead to roll Manders back into the ring in search of a pin.
Another springboard moonsault back in gets caught though, with Manders countering it into a Stampede for a near-fall, before a Boss Lariat almost got the win as the crowd drew a sharp intake of breath. One more Boss Lariat followed… but Blum leaps over it as he countered into a Parting Gift, but we’re not done yet, as Blum’s Sliding D missed, before a final scramble ended with Manders met with a Sliding D in the ropes.
Quickly responding with a lariat, Manders ensured Blum couldn’t go for the cover… but unlike at Carat, with Elijah Blum convulsing and simply not getting to his feet, Manders doesn’t ask the referee to stop the count, and instead referee Tassilo Jung completed the standing ten-count and waved it off. 1 Called Manders is your new Unified World Wrestling champion, with Elijah Blum falling just short as he continues to learn that “being the better man” around these parts maybe isn’t going to be the way. ***¾
All in all, 16 Carat Gold Revenge delivered what was promised – and crowned a new unified world wrestling champion in the form of Manders, complete with the change in character to get the job done. I wasn’t too keen on some aspects of the undercard – for instance, the stickler in me didn’t like how ineffective the Pillmanizing was – while the decay of High Performer Ltd. continues to play out at pace.