New wXw tag team champions were crowned in Oberhausen, as the World Tag Team Festival came to a head!
We’ve three teams in today’s main event, with the NXT pairing of Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch squaring off against the Pretty Bastards and the Arrows of Hungary to decide who’d succeed Aussie Open in that new roll of honour video.
But first, a pre-show!
Anti-Fun Police (Chief Deputy Dunne & Los Federales Santos Jr.) vs. Alexander Dean & Santos
We start with Santos vs. Santos, with comedy over “who is the real Santos?”.
It breaks down into chops as the “Goldenboy” Santos fell for the No Fun Gun, before Alexander Dean tagged in. The crowd chant for him to “shoot”, but Dean slaps the gun away as Goldenboy Santos came back in as the two Santoses went at it. All while Dunne had to clarify which Santos he was backing.
A forearm from the Portuguese Santos led to a backslide for a near-fall, as the “Mexican” Santos found himself in the wrong corner. He gets free, and brings in Dunne to dive onto Dean on the outside, before a 999 on Santos led to the Anti-Fun version of the Midnight Hour for a near-fall.
The double-team lungblower goes awry as Santos shoves away, and it’s Dunne on the defensive as Santos and Dean looked for a double-team. A forearm goes awry, with Goldenboy getting laid out, ahead of the springboard lungblower for the win. The Anti-Fun Police’s Santos, clearly the better then… **¾
We open the main show with a video showing the finalists histories in wXw, before they pitched to commentary for their opening pieces.
Scotty Davis vs. Oliver Carter vs. Rust Taylor vs. Jay Skillet
It’s superkicks for Skillet from the off, as things settled down to Davis and Carter, before Taylor swapped in for Carter… and had better results, rolling Davis down for some pinning attempts.
Carter’s back to catch Scotty in the corner, but an electric chair drop is countered out of as Scotty goes Gator Roll’ing, ahead of a big clothesline to Carter. A standing moonsault misses, but a tope con giro from Scotty certainly didn’t, before Carter went up to join them on the floor with a 450 splash off the top!
Skillet comes in and tries an A5, “for Andy”, but Carter slips free and lands an up kick instead. Scotty throws some neat kicks instead before a Dragon suplex almost put Rust away. Davis keeps up with an Angle slam, pulling Taylor away from the ropes as the Irish prodigy kept up the pressure, but Taylor hit back with an ankle lock, before pulling Carter into a rear naked choke… which Skillet broke up with a stomp off the top.
The A5 follows as an ode to Andy, but we’re back to Taylor and Davis, and not for long either as Scotty wins with a cross-legged suplex. Not too nuts, but a fun four-way opener for the finals! ***¼
VT from the Arrows of Hungary tell us they’re fighting for their careers tonight, and will leave Oberhausen as the tag team champions.
Leyla Hirsch vs. Killer Kelly
Hirsch got a good reaction here, based on her Femmes Fatales performances yesterday… and isn’t this the tale of two people made over this weekend this year and the past??
Kelly got a good reaction on her return here, but that gave way to duelling chants as Hirsch took down Kelly, who came back up with a rather quizzical look on her face. A takedown led to Kelly and Hirsch rolling into the ropes, before Hirsch looked to take down Kelly for a submission – prompting the Portuguese native to head to the ropes.
A cravat from Kelly restrains Hirsch, before Kelly went for a pumphandled fallaway slam. There’s swinging and missing as the pair reached a stalemate, which was broken when Hirsch began to throw forearms… and got some back in return. Kelly looked for some capture headbutts, but Hirsch hit first ahead of a German suplex.
Kelly retaliated with a high German suplex, but Hirsch is back with a running knee strike before she missed some running double knees into the corner. A shotgun dropkick keeps her there, as does a Shibata-ish dropkick… but Hirsch is straight in with running knees, and a Saito suplex that put her right back in control, dropping Kelly ahead of a moonsault that misses.
In response, Kelly booted Hirsch to the mat and hit a death valley driver… and that’s all folks! A good fight from Hirsch, but in the end Kelly’s experience edge got her the win. **¾
The Pretty Bastards got VT, with Prince Ahura reckoning that they’ll become poster boys, while Maggot promised a killer finale. Ahura’s getting a little ahead of himself, as the Bastards threatened to go back to their old ways…
Work Horsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) vs. ¿Schadenfreude? (Kyle Fletcher & Lucky Kid)
The crowd remind us that Anthony Paul Henry has three first names, after finding out last night. Go, Go, APH!
Henry takes Fletcher into the corner for a clean break, before see-saw shoulder tackles saw Kyle edge out. Drake teased interfering, but instead it’s Lucky Kid who comes into help dropkick Henry, but JD Drake is also in… and tries to chop the crap out of Lucky… who avoids it deftly, before he went for a crossface on Henry. Drake just squashed the pair of them with a back senton.
A single chop in the corner drops Lucky, before Henry took over, stomping Lucky to the outside. Drake’s back to chop Lucky again, before a mid kick from Henry dumped him for a near-fall. Same again from a PK, before Drake simple drops Lucky with a back suplex for yet another two-count.
More chops come for Lucky, as the Work Horsemen double-team, before Lucky fought back with a pop-up knee and a handspring back elbow to take down the American pair. That’s the cue for Fletcher to tag in and clear house, hurling Henry into the corner with a Hiromu-ish overhead belly-to-belly.
Kyle struggles but eventually gets off a suplex on Henry, before Drake chopped out of a brainbuster. Superkicks stop the big man, as Lucky and Kyle go CCK on is with some sick effing tag moves for a near-fall, which eventually went awry as the Work Horsemen turned it about around with double-teams of their own.
A Drake cannonball flattens Kyle in the corner, before Fletcher crotched Drake on the top rope. Lucky’s back in as Drake’s still on the top rope… but has to deal with Henry’s ankle lock, then a German suplex before a La Mistica took down Henry for a crossface… Except Drake’s back up… and misses a moonsault as Lucky had rolled them away. Kyle dives onto Drake on the outside, giving Henry no hope as the Work Horsemen had to submit. Some good stuff here, as Schadenfreude made up for their opening round defeat at least. ***¼
Afterwards, the Work Horsemen got “please come back” chants, before they made their exit… allowing Lucky Kid to go for his big hug… which Kyle sidesteps. They’re all meanies. Much like the Purge Club, who hit the ring afterwards, laying out Kyle on the stage before they tried to take out Lucky… and initially failed, until Pete Bouncer used the night stick. I never knew he was such a big fan of the Big Boss Man! A superkick and the Self Justice DDT lays out Lucky, as the Purge Club stood tall.
wXw Shotgun Championship: Flamita vs. Avalanche (c)
Flamita won his shot yesterday in that four-way, and this could be a bit of a clash of styles – unless Avalanche gets Flamita on lock-down!
Flamita just bounces off Avalanche at the bell, before he stopped to recognise the crowd chants… which seemed to buoy him a little as he floated over Avalanche in the corner… but Avalanche was able to do lucha stuff too! Flamita heads outside, then goes for a run-up for a armdrag that took Avalanche outside for a big tope.
Somehow, Flamita’s on the defensive back inside, taking a splash for a near-fall, before he began to hurl Flamita around for fun, following up with a back senton as this was looking too easy for the Shotgun champ. You know what that’s usually the cue for… Yup, Flamita trips Avalanche into the corner ahead of a huge missile dropkick, before meeting Avalanche outside with an Orihara moonsault! Back inside, Avalanche responds with a Samoan drop for a two-count, before he almost fell to a roll-up… Superkicks from Flamita just earned him a big clothesline, but he’s able to haul up Avalanche for a death valley driver that almost won him the match!
Capture lariats from Avalanche had Flamita down again, but the luchador fakes out punches ahead of a superkick, which he followed up with with a 450 splash for a near-fall! The Phoenix splash looked to be next, but Avalanche rolled away before he caught a crossbody and turned it into a fallaway slam… leaving Flamita prone for a Dreissker Bomb for the win. These two meshed surprisingly well together, with Flamita bouncing around Avalanche… but ultimately couldn’t stop the monster. ***½
Flamita hung around afterwards for long enough for the crowd to chant for him to be in 16 Carat… but that was not announced here.
wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship: Jonathan Gresham vs. Timothy Thatcher (c)
Oh my God…
Timothy Thatcher’s first defence was something of a dream match to some, and it started with him sending Gresham scuttling for cover to the outside from a takedown attempt. Gresham made a point of sticking close to the ropes before he tried to take down Thatcher, only to head outside again, as the crowd began to boo Gresham’s tactics.
Thatcher pulls Gresham away from the ropes, but you know the score here – Gresham frustrates, grabbing the ropes the second Thatcher looked to grab a hold. Next time around, the ropes weren’t so easy to get to, as Gresham got pulled into a bow and arrow hold, before he got free and into the ropes.
A cheapshot from Thatcher angered the challenger, who came back with an arm snapper before Thatcher took him to the mat and wrenched in a side headlock. Gresham tries to kick his way free, but a single leg crab awaited him… and yes, they ended in the ropes. Next up, Gresham jacks Thatcher’s knees out as he looked to take control, but Thatcher was quickly back in, despite Gresham’s attempt to exacerbate his hobble.
A side Salto led to a gutwrench suplex on Gresham for a two-count, before Thatcher went in for a toe hold. Gresham countered with an ankle lock, but Thatcher just goes in for one of his own before he again looked for a cheapshot on the way out. A chop from Gresham just annoys, as Thatcher came back with a forearm, then an uppercut, before Gresham tried and failed on a German suplex.
Thatcher backs him into the corner but gets caught with a missile dropkick as Gresham built up momentum. A hanging dropkick into the corner keeps Thatcher on the defensive, sending him outside for a tope to the back of Thatcher that turned into a rear naked choke. The count-out continues as Thatcher climbed into the ring with a Gresham on his back. That’s impressive on so many levels.
Still, Gresham holds on, until Thatcher twists the ankle and frees himself. Another kick to the shin from Gresham took him back in with an ankle lock, following up with a deadlift German suplex, only for Thatcher to snatch the win with a roll-up. This was a real good, mat-based scrap, even if it were left feeling a little dry. Much like Thatcher, who needed a big bottle of water straight after the match… ***¾
Gresham exits stage left, as Ilja Dragunov hit the ring. Thatcher just walked right past him, as parts of the crowd chanted an NXT UK-spoilerific “Scotland” at him. My German fails me here, but I picked up how Ilja was mad at Gresham getting a title shot for… reasons. He calls for Karsten Beck, who was still at ringside from the last match, and ends up punching him in the gut.
David Starr runs out to make the save, as referees and ring crew hit the ring to break them up. Poor Karsten had nobody to check on him, but he’s okay, and makes Starr vs. Dragunov for after intermission.
David Starr vs. Ilja Dragunov
This one started on the stage as Ilja tried to jump Starr during his entrance, before the fight came slightly closer to the ring with a suplex on the walkway.
Eventually they hit the ring, where the bell rang as Ilja hit a running kick to Starr, before a Torpedo Moscau was countered with a superkick, taking Ilja outside for a quick tope! Starr’s back in, but he’s kicked back outside as Dragunov hits a double sledge off the top… then tried to follow up with a back senton into Starr in the front row, but gets nothing but chairs.
Another Starr tope follows, but he gets pulled into the chairs as Ilja tried to snatch a win via count-out. It doesn’t happen, as Starr’s right back in, trading German suplexes and larats which of course led to duelling lariats. Dragunov came off a little better, finding time to throw Starr into the ring post before heading up for some Coast to Coast… which Starr swats away with a Han Stansen.
A second Han Stansen follows, nearly getting the win for Starr, before Ilja got trapped in the corner with chops and forearms. Dragunov avoids a Kaepernick, but hits a wacky Gotch-style powerbomb instead, before a deadlift Teardrop suplex X German suplex led to another near-fall.
Dragunov followed that up with a back senton before calling for another Torpedo Moscau… but it’s stopped with a Destroyer as a Kaepernick led to another tantalising two-count! From there, a crossface traps Ilja in the middle of the ring, but Dragunov powers up and dumps Starr into the corner with a death valley driver. There’s another attempt at Coast to Coast, but again Starr stops him, this time with a dropkick to trap Ilja up top, bringing him down with a belly-to-belly superplex.
A lariat from Ilja rudely stops Starr, who returns with a Blackheart Buster only to get swatted down with a Konstantin Spezial. Starr tries to fight back with headbutts from the bottom, then with chops, forcing Ilja to beg off… It’s a con though, as Starr got slapped down, then was peppered with a barrage of shots. Starr’s spittle stops that, as he dumps Ilja with a Han Stansen… before Ilja ducked down to avoid a second one, with Starr nastily ricocheting his head off the middle rope and the mat. Dragunov capitalises on that with a Torpedo Moscau… and there’s the win. One mistake costs Starr, as another Very Bad Weekend in Germany wrapped up for Starr. ****
wXw Women’s Championship: LuFisto vs. Amale (c)
LuFisto cashed in her Femmes Fatales win yesterday to get this shot, and had a loud crowd backing for this.
Amale whiffs on a charge into the corner and quickly got crushed with a cannonball for a near-fall, as Amale was on the rocks early. Chops from the Canadian didn’t help, nor did headbutts, but Amale pulled her foe into the corner for a shotgun dropkick, then a running big boot to turn the tables.
Amale took LuFisto into the ropes for some choking, before she grounded her challenger with a chinlock in the middle of the ring. Back-and-forth forearms follow, with a discus punch knocking down Amale as LuFisto built up a head of steam, headbutting Amale before a suplex led to a near-fall.
A hip attack traps Amale in the corner for a two-count, before Amale took a chance with an X-Factor that almost led to victory. She’s starting to show frustration from there, coming in with a stunner as she still couldn’t put LuFisto away, before LuFisto fought out of a Champion’s Maker and responded with a sidewalk slam.
Amale wriggles out of a Burning Hammer, then found her way in with a rebound German suplex before the Champion’s Maker dropped LuFisto for the win. The French section were very happy with that one, as Amale actually retained with a clean win. Enjoyable fare as the weekend began to wind down… ***
They repeat the announcement that Meiko Satomura’s coming to the 19th Anniversary show on December 14, to cash in her Femmes Fatales win from last year. She’ll be joined by Kassius Ohno, who’s certainly doing the rounds on the WWE-friendly European scene…
World Tag Team Festival – Final – for wXw World Tag Team Championship: Arrows of Hungary (Icarus & Dover) vs. Pretty Bastards (Maggot & Prince Ahura) vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
We’ve got tornado and elimination rules for this final, and a cracking rendition of Que Sera Sera for the Arrows of Hungary…
It starts off with everyone pairing up, but it’s the Arrows who surge ahead, dumping Danny Burch and Maggot separately as they dominated the early goings. Prince Ahura tries to sneak up on them but takes a kick-assisted Fire Thunder Driver for a near-fall. Oney Lorcan tries to pick up on that, taking Maggot up top, only for Dover to grab the pair of them and slam them off the top rope instead.
Lorcan charges into Dover with a running uppercut, as all six men ended up outside for some dives. Maggot off the top looked to overshoot the pile as the brawl headed right up to the balcony. Yup. Prince Ahura pulled down Icarus, because he wanted to do a dive, but instead Icarus pulled him back, but in the end Ahura just hiptosses him off the stairwell into the pile underneath!
The Bastards rush Icarus into the ring and quickly put him away with a Red Light Driver… and that means the Arrows are out. It’s either the Pretty Bastards or the NXT team… and Maggot’s already busted up from that earlier dive. A spear from him only gets a one-count on Oney, before he’s rolled into a knee strike from Ahura for a two-count.
Danny Burch rolls in and gets beaten down two-on-one, but Burch comes back with a thunderous clothesline and a pop-up powerbomb on Maggot for a near-fall. Burch gets frustrated with a kip-up, so settles for a Liger pose instead before Lorcan came in for the One, Two… but Bobby Gunns pulls out the ref to stop a sure-fire win!
With the referee distracted by Gunns, the Bastards hit a pair of low blows, and they end up hugging out? Bobby’s a Pretty Bastard? He pulls up Lorcan and throws him in for a Red Light Driver… only for Norman Harras to come out to make a save? Nope, he lays out Burch and Lorcan as the wXw Academy band together!
Gunns traps Lorcan in a Swish armbar, but of course the submission doesn’t count, as a Red Light Driver crowned some new tag team champions! There’s a new force in wXw it seems, and the bigger Pretty Bastards seem set to dictate the pace for a while now. ***½
With all of the talk of how “cursed” this weekend was, wXw sure did pull out all the stops and delivered a memorable set of shows. We had Timothy Thatcher finally breaking that glass ceiling and winning some gold… the creation of new stars to wXw in Leyla Hirsch and Daniel Makabe, the new and expanded Pretty Bastards, and of course, THAT comedy gold on night two.
Hat’s off to wXw for making a positive out of a negative, bringing up some new blood under the care of Bobby Gunns. This is how you bring up names from the Academy and pull the trigger on them!