The final spot in 16 Carat Gold was decided in a mini-tournament in Leipzig, who also got to see new champion Elijah Blum for the first time since his win.
Quick Results
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Semi-Final: Fast Time Moodo pinned Alex Duke in 8:19 (***)
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Semi-Final: Dieter Schwartz submitted Johnny Rancid in 9:19 (***)
Nordino submitted Conn Kelly in 5:54 (**½)
Jane Nero pinned Stephanie Maze in 11:51 (**¾)
Zoltan, Laurance Roman & Nick Schreier defeated Robert Dreissker, Marc Empire & M4 via disqualification in 13:57 (***¼)
Elijah Blum pinned Luca de Leone to retain the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship in 2:25
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Final: Dieter Schwartz submitted Fast Time Moodo in 11:26 (***)
Ricky Sosa & Ahura pinned Peter Tihanyi & Dennis Dullnig in 18:29 (***½)
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We’re a month away from 16 Carat Gold weekend – and we’ve got one spot up for grabs in the traditional Road to 16 Carat Gold tournament. We’re live, auf Deutsch, from the Hellraiser in Leipzig, home of everyone’s least favourite truss since Liz…
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Semi-Final: Fast Time Moodo vs. Alex Duke
Moodo got the hometown pop, and he’s nicked Pascal Spalter’s clap.
Duke did his best to stifle the Leipzig crowd, giving them something to boo before he cowered away from a kick. When Moodo got his hands on Duke, we were firmly in “easy babyface territory”, as he ran Duke into the corners with ease… before he missed a springboard spinning heel kick out of the corner, that is.
That gave Duke an opening to put the boots to the former tag champ, before a leaping clothesline and a cross armbreaker had Duke on track for the win. Trading kicks with Moodo perhaps wasn’t the best idea from Duke, as he ended up turning attack into defence, leading to Moodo scoring with a double stomp off the top.
A Made in Japan almost got Moodo the win, before things headed outside after Duke bailed to avoid a Coast to Coast. Duke’s work over Moodo’s arm looked to pay dividends when Moodo hit the ropes weird, allowing Duke back in it… building to almost a F5 neckbreaker for a near-fall. In the end, Moodo’s able to fire back with a Black Belt Kick for the win. This was a solid opener, with Moodo coming from behind to win – and go into the tournament final with a proverbial millstone around his neck. ***
Earlier today, Nordino’s nicked Elijah Blum’s belt, but only so he could show Luca de Leone the Italian flag on it. Except it’s the flag of Mexico. Luckily, Elijah’s around to claim his property back, and I think we’ve got a title match for later tonight as I suspect Luca may not be long for this world…
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Semi-Final: Dieter Schwartz vs. Johnny Rancid
From Leipzig, for Leipzig – Johnny Rancid has a bit of an uphill struggle on his hands here to make it to Carat, I feel…
The crowd got to Schwartz before the bell, but tried to shake it off as he grappled with Rancid… only problem was, Rancid was more than even to it all. A grounded side headlock forced Rancid to go for the eyes and nose in a bid to escape, but Schwartz hung on, only fro Rancid to break free and charge Schwartz into the corner.
A springboard missile dropkick from the apron keeps Rancid ahead, before a trip sent Rancid into the ropes ahead of a Schwartz comeback. Schwartz complained about a non-existing slow count from a European uppercut, and it wasn’t long before Rancid managed to make a new opening, scoring with a headscissors takedown.
Schwartz hit right back with a Regalplex for a near-fall, before a missed charge into the corner almost Rancid back in for a crossbody out of the same corner. Pushing on, Rancid looks for a Fisherman suplex, but Schwartz jack-knives his way free before a RINGKAMPF-esque German suplex looked to have him on his way… but Rancid catches him with a Code Red out of nowhere to come within a hair’s breadth of the win.
In the end though, Schwartz snapped right back with a modified Rings of Saturn… and that’s the submission. Hey, a guy going for the arm against a guy with a bad wing in the final. Who’d have thunk it?! ***
Backstage, Jane Nero’s in a mood as she bumped into Stephanie Maze… who’s had enough of her shit and shushes her. We almost had to send for the man with that patronising head pat!
Nordino vs. Conn Kelly
There’s no Aeron here, so Conn’s flying solo…
Nordino tried to make a fool out of Kelly, but the Irishman manages to beat him to the punch, scoring with a running waistlock takedown. Almost seeking coaching from Luca de Leone at ringside, Nordino’s unable to get much going as Conn bounced him around the ring with back elbows… but Luca provided a distraction, opening the door for Nordino to come back with a boot in the corner.
Going after Kelly’s arm, Nordino looked to have made a dent in things, but Kelly’s able to clothesline Nordino with that arm, before he took Nordino into the ropes for some crossface punches. Looks familiar, eh?
In the end though, Nordino got his reward for going to the arm, taking down Kelly with a cross armbreaker for the submission. Not sure I’d have done a match targeting the arm after clearly signalling that’s probably going to be the story in Moodo’s main event, but this was a solid outing. **½
Jane Nero vs. Stephanie Maze
Nero found out again that just being from Saxony doesn’t get you cheered here…
Maze sent Nero into the ropes early on, going for the arm, before catching Nero with some kicks to take her into the corner. A suplex rolled into a Fisherman’s suplex gets Maze a two-count as Nero rolled outside for respite. The ensuing chase backfired as Maze just dragged Jane back outside for chops, before Maze cleared the front row for a spot of chair bowling… only to get sent into a chair instead.
Nero tried to take a count-out win, but to no avail as Maze made it back in… but Nero’s able to retain the upper hand with a full nelson slam for a near-fall. When that didn’t work, Nero went to a more basic “just ram my opponent’s head into the mat” tactic. Maze was able to shake it off, catching Nero out with right hands and kicks, before a side suplex almost got the win.
Just like that though, Nero’s able to catch out Maze with a Twist of Fate for the win – a match that was solid enough, but a lot of the Leipzig crowd just didn’t seem to connect with. **¾ `
Planet Gojirah (Robert Dreissker & Marc Empire) & M4 vs. The Grind (Laurance Roman & Nick Schreier) & Zoltan
M4’s got his own entrance video now, which is all the Red Lights, so I suspect the Swole Patrol’s off beat for a little while longer.
Laurance Roman didn’t want to start the match against M4… who chopped him into the corner rather than acquiesce to the demands of tagging in Robert Dreissker. Roman fired back with chops, before he wriggled out of a slam as Nick Schreier came in with an axehandle off the top rope.
Marc Empire’s in, but he’s quickly cornered as Schreier’s mounted punches and missile dropkick kept him ahead. Roman’s back as a neckbreaker/splash combo from the tag champions almost put Empire away, before Zoltan tagged in and instantly found himself on the back foot as Empire pancaked the Hungarian.
Dreissker tagged in to keep the pressure on Zoltan, leading to a double-team Biel, before some misdirection from Zoltan allowed him to score a dropkick. Schreier’s back in to go after Dreissker, taking him to the corner for some mounted punches before a springboard crossbody just saw him bounce off Dreissker like he were hitting a wall.
M4’s back on Schreier with a sidewalk slam as Nick found himself struggling to get any offence in. Dreissker keeps it grounded with a side chinlock… then with a side suplex after Schreier had fought his way free, but Schreier’s finally able to force an opening, landing an Acid Drop against the run of play.
Problem was, he couldn’t make it to his empty corner to tag out, and had to again fend off Marc Empire, whose pull-up powerbomb out of the corner almost ended things. That powerbomb looked to have rocked Schreier, who needed to be helped to the back as the match continued as a handicap m acth with a fired-up Roman trying to clear house, only to have to fight off Dreissker before bringing in Zoltan to help continue the charge. Dreissker’s crossbody gets nothing but air as Zoltan ducked, before a rolling thunder frog splash almost caused the upset…
Dreissker’s roll-up-with-the-tights gets a near-fall, but he then causes a blatant DQ when he punted Zoltan in the balls. There’s a more obvious kick to the groin afterwards after the bell, before Laurance Roman ate a powerbomb and a Beast Buster, with Planet Gojirah leaving everyone in their wake. ***¼
We’re not done yet – out comes the plywood! M4’s coerced into taking part, as Dreissker demanded he powerbomb Zoltan through the board as Laurance Roman was forced to watch… except Nick Schreier’s back and explodes a Kendo stick across M4’s back, ahead of a White Russian legsweep. Roman disarms Schreier, who promptly got booted again as Roman instead wore out that Kendo stick himself, before punting Dreissker low ahead of a springboard cutter from Zoltan.
Don’t worry, the plywood went to good use – Empire got thrown through it by Zoltan and Roman to close this whole thing out.
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Luca de Leone vs. Elijah Blum (c)
I bet you didn’t have this down on your bingo cards…
De Leone charged at Blum to start, but quickly ate an enziguiri. Nordino’s interference is stomped away, but Luca’s able to capitalise with a neckbreaker as he proceeded to put the boots to the new champion, before overcelebrating… and turning around into a shotgun dropkick.
From there, a step-up knee in the corner led to Total Depravity… but Nordino pulled de Leone to the outside for safety. A safety that was quickly shattered with a plancha from Blum, who then took things back inside… but Nordino again intervenes, only to get dumped with the Parting Gift, before Luca ate the Total Depravity for the squashiest of squashes.
Earlier today, Peter Tihanyi and Dennis Dullnig are cutting a promo in the snow. Tihanyi took a little offence at Dullnig bringing up that he was a former champion…
Road to 16 Carat Gold 2026 Tournament Final: Dieter Schwartz vs. Fast Time Moodo
Moodo came into this with an injured arm – so look for that to be targetted…
Moodo had his bad arm behind his back at the bell, trying to hide it from plain sight… but Schwartz found a way to it after he caught a kick and spun Moodo around. Kicks from Moodo looked to be his only way forward, before a back body drop flung Schwartz across the ring.
Schwartz rolled away from a spinning heel kick as Moodo crashed into the corner instead, with a front facelock suplex into the same corner following, forcing Moodo to land on that bad arm in the process. Of course, Schwartz put all his focus on that left arm from there, before Moodo low-bridged him to the outside as an apron PK found its mark.
A missed stomp off the apron allowed Schwartz back in, as an arm whip and a shove into the ring post compromised things even more… but after making it back into the ring, Moodo was able to find a way through with spinning heel kicks, then a sliding D, before Schwartz elbowed his way out of a Made in Japan.
Moodo lands a Coast to Coast for a near-fall – despite landing on his arm in the process – before Schwartz’s European uppercut turned things around for a near-fall. A running side suplex keeps Schwartz on top, before the modified Rings of Saturn forced Moodo to counter out…
Kicks and knees set up Moodo for a Pedigree, but Schwartz was able to kick out, before Moodo caught him in a triangle choke. The ropes saved Dieter here, but Schwartz raked the eyes during the break before pulling Moodo back into the Rings of Saturn for the submission. That’s Dieter Schwartz taking the last spot in Carat – and that’s something that’ll be a fresh point of contention between Moodo and Axel Tischer when the time comes. ***
Peter Tihanyi & Dennis Dullnig vs. Ahura & Ricky Sosa
We’re down to the last four weeks of Ahura, since he’ll be retiring at Carat… and Leipzig’s seen the “Bang Bang Sosa Sosa” videos, clearly!
Sosa and Tihanyi started us off, with the European champion scoring an armdrag before whiffing on a dropkick. Second time’s the charm though as the armdrags and dropkick found their mark for Sosa as the Ahura/Sosa team looked to make light work of things.
A double-team powerslam on Tihanyi got Sosa a two-count, before Ahura came in and seemed to instantly have issues with his taped-up arm. Referee Tassilo Jung helped Ahura loosen the tape, but of course it’s instantly turned into a target as Tihanyi hung the arm up in the ropes – leading to he and Dullnig taking control of things.
Ricky Sosa’s inexperience becomes a factor as he’s baited into arguing with the referee – and creating cover for attacks from behind on Ahura. It virtually became a handicap match with Ahura having to fight both Dullnig and Tihanyi… and the one time Ahura was able to make it to the corner, Sosa had wandered off to get into it with Dullnig.
A simple front facelock from Tihanyi had Ahura in trouble… until Dullnig came in to distract the referee to mask a Sosa tag. You know the drill here. Eventually Sosa wisened smartened up, sidestepping a cheapshot from Tihanyi before making the hot tag, leading to a lovely single-leap into a springboard moonsault off the top into the pair of them.
Another trip up top sees Sosa leap into a Dullnig headbutt, turning the match back around as Tihanyi tagged in to hit a swinging DDT out of the corner for a near-fall. A high/low from Dullnig and Tihanyi keeps it going, but another comeback from Sosa cleared the decks for an eventual tag to Ahura.
With Ahura legal, Sosa’s cutter took out Tihanyi, before Ahura found a way in with Salamandra to Dullnig… that arm injury stopped him from going for a quick cover. Dullnig bailed, but couldn’t avoid a Divine Sandstorm dive to the outside before Ahura rolled Tihanyi back inside for a Boss lariat attempt. The rebound off the ropes stopped Ahura in his tracks though, forcing Ahura back into the corner as Sosa tagged himself into try and finish things by himself.
The medics came out for the second time tonight as they tended to Ahura… they didn’t take him to the back, so Tihanyi threw in a cheapshot on the apron before Sosa blocked the Hungarian’s slingshot cutter. A quick dive from Tihanyi looked to put him back on track, before Sosa blocked a Meteora, countering it into the Blue Thunder Bang for the win. ***½
Post-match, Ahura brushed off the medic to celebrate with Sosa and close out what wasn’t a good night for arm injuries, especially if you were Ahura, Moodo or Conn Kelly!