This year’s World Tag Team Festival got underway with a major surprise… and the wXw debut of Matt Cardona in the main event.
Quick Results
Anil Marik pinned Vaughn Vertigo in 7:35 (***)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: Axel Tischer & Fast Time Moodo pinned Dennis Dullnig & Hektor Invictus to win the wXw World Tag Team Championships in 10:20 (***)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: Yuto Nakashima & OSKAR pinned LSG & Elijah Blum in 9:41 (**¾)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: Fuminori Abe & Shigehiro Irie submitted Bobby Gunns & Stephanie Maze in 12:12 (***¼)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: 1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire pinned Timothy Thatcher & Hideki Suzuki in 22:57 (***¾)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: Icarus & Joseph Fenech Jr. pinned Jacob Crane & Ava Everett in 7:18 (**½)
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round: Arez & Gringo Loco pinned Kid Lykos II & Kid Lykos in 17:24 (***½)
Levaniel pinned Matt Cardona & Ahura to retain the wXw Shotgun Championship in 12:54 (**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 live from the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen for a packed opening night to the 2024 World Tag Team Festival. Dave Bradshaw’s on English commentary for the pre-show…
Anil Marik vs. Vaughn Vertigo
That High Performer Ltd. music is a hell of a downer to start a weekend, eh? There’s some mocking chants for “Anil Pre-Show” that Robin Christopher Fohrwerk shuts down ahead of Vertigo’s arrival.
After the early exchanges, Marik’s able to take Vertigo into the corners as he tried to choke him against the ropes… but the Canadian escaped to hit a kick and a standing moonsault as he picked up some early two-counts. An Arabian press keeps Vertigo ahead, before Marik elbowed his way free… then dropkicked Vertigo through the ropes to the outside as the Canadian’d taken a little time to take the proverbial P…
Dumping Vertigo onto the side of the ring kept Marik ahead, as did a Slingblade, but Vertigo’s able to fight back with a series of forearms and a quick leg lariat as well. The Bonus Eruptus over-the-knee brainbuster’s next for a near-fall, before Marik hit back with a Codebreaker for a near-fall.
A trip up top for Marik ended with him being headbutted away ahead of a Vaughn-Ton Bomb to the back… but a follow-up Shining Wizard’s countered with a roll-up before Marik snatched the win with a double-arm DDT. A decent opener, with both guys looking good for the time they had. ***
Mett Dimassi joins Dave Bradshaw on the English feed – as we get a split-screen showing the duo alongside Emil Völler and Robin Christopher Fohrwerk on the German stream. Fohrwerk’ll be swapping in and out throughout the weekend…
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match for wXw World Tag Team Championship: Dennis Dullnig & Hektor Invictus (c) vs. KXS (Axel Tischer & Fast Time Moodo)
We open with the champions – and as is the way in the World Tag Team Festival, it’s a title match…
An even start in this one slowly broke away as the champions pulled ahead, thanks to Hektor slamming Dullnig onto both of their challengers. A spinning heel kick from Moodo stopped all that though, with Tischer coming in to brutalise Dullnig with an elbow to the bridge of the nose.
Moodo’s back to land a legdrop for a two-count as the champions’ night almost came to an early end. Sandwich kicks to Dullnig keep him in trouble as well, but he was able to break away from Moodo as tags brought in Hektor and Tischer… allowing Hektor to run wild on KXS for a spell, ending with a snap rebound powerslam to the Axeman.
Dullnig’s chucked outside by Moodo as KXS began a series of double-teams, leading to Hektor landing a superplex… but Tischer just rolled through and hit right back with an X-Plex. The Parade of Moves continues, leading to the two teams trading barbs as KXS again pulled ahead with a barrage of offence on Hektor ahead of a stomp-assisted gutbuster and a Made in Japan for a near-fall.
Hektor’s able to dive to tag in Dullnig after escaping the Dragon Murder kick-suplex, and a quick 3D to Moodo almost got the win… but in the end an attempt at the double Hektor-Knie sees Dullnig get a little carried away as he wanted to do his Flippy Knee. It’s stopped, and with Hektor taken outside KXS were left with a clear run as the Dragon Murder led to the crowning of new champions. Efficient work from the new champions, as the Festival started with a title change – with KXS going one better than the last time they’d challenged for these belts. ***
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match: Young Blood (Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima) vs. Elijah Blum & LSG
Blum’s been a little wary as of late, and had a lot on his mind going in here…
Blum and OSKAR squared off at the bell, leading to some overhand chops from OSKAR that took the former Shotgun champ to his knees. A crossbody’s countered into a slam as OSKAR had Blum on the defensive, before Yuto Nakashima came in to keep up the momentum.
Fighting back, Blum elbowed out of a chinlock as he finally made the tag in to LSG who cleared house on both OSKAR and Yuto, leading to a clothesline off the middle rope and a spin-out double-underhook slam for a near-fall.
Nakashima slapped away a Launch Code attempt as Young Blood took back control for a spell… but OSKAR couldn’t stay on LSG as Blum returned to pick his spots. A brainbuster from Blum eventually lands, as did a Sliding D, but Nakashima breaks up the pin in the nick of time. LSG comes in to take care of Yuto before a Launch Code-assisted side-Russian legsweep almost got the win…
Firing back, OSKAR’s big boot wipes out Blum, before LSG got caught in a sleeper… Nakashima’s in to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb, before the Blood Rush – the F5 with a flying knee – put away LSG. **¾
We get comments from 1 Called Manders from after Inner Circle, where he agreed to put his ACTION title on the line against Mad Dog Connelly at the Extreme Wrestling Party show later on…
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match: Fighting Spirit (Bobby Gunns & Stephanie Maze) vs. Fuminori Abe & Shigehiro Irie
Someone’s favourites are going out here…
The usual even start from Abe and Maze led to tags as Gunns and Irie traded shots of their own. Gunns landed the first big shot, taking down Irie for some kicks as Maze came in to assist… by getting powerbombed onto Irie for a two-count. Quickly recovering, Irie’s able to piledrive Maze onto Gunns as Fighting Spirit found themselves in trouble.
Abe keeps Maze grounded – and found time to antagonise Gunns… as did Irie when he got the tag in. The Auf Die Fresse splash from Irie’s next for a two-count on Maze, as was a Black Hole Slam as Abe spammed pinfall attempts ahead of a cross armbar to a worn-down Maze.
Maze tries to connect with strikes, but Abe’s retaliation has her on jelly legs… before a Saito suplex finally forced an opening. Gunns gets the tag in as he manages to pull ahead, scoring a PK to Abe for a near-fall, only for another Abe turnaround to see him clatter into Gunns with a cyclone kick in the corner.
Gunns offers up his back for more kicks, before back-and-forth elbows ended with Abe countering a PK into a Dragon screw. Maze runs in to stop Irie from launching off the top rope, but a punch to the backside from Abe stopped all that as Irie hit his splash anyway in a hectic exchange. Maze’s evening gets worse as she’s met with a cannonball seconds later, before an Irabu punch from Abe and a snapping Regalplex almost got the win. Gunns kicks out, but was instantly pulled into a manjigatame… and with Irie restraining Maze in the corner, Gunns had no choice but to tap as Fighting Spirit fell at the first hurdle in a combative outing. ***¼
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match: 1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire vs. Timothy Thatcher & Hideki Suzuki
The return that the Turbinenhalle had been waiting for for over four years… and a wXw debut for Hideki Suzuki, who didn’t exactly seem as thrilled as Timothy Thatcher was here.
Thatcher was much more exuberant than he was last time in Germany, and we’ve a tentative start as he tried to figure out the size difference with Thomas Shire. Hideki Suzuki’s in next to grapple with Shire, but that ended with Manders getting the tag in as we had an entirely different match on our hands.
Manders quickly eschews grappling in favour of strikes as he traded chops with Suzuki… Thatcher’s brought back in, going back to the mat before an elbow from Manders sent Thatcher flying to the outside. Recovering, Thatcher keeps it simple as he took Manders to the corner so Suzuki could have a go, but still there’s no clear advantage to either team.
Shire’s back in to grapple with Suzuki, but it’s the strikes that make a difference as Shire rocked Suzuki into the corner, only for Hideki to blast Shire with forearms of his own. Tags from both side have us with Thatcher and Manders, but this time it’s Thatcher who was firmly on the defensive as some questionable methods had the cowboys on top.
Suzuki’s able to close the gap as he kept Shire on the mat, but a manjigatame from Suzuki doesn’t last as Thatcher was too close to him in a bid to keep Manders away. That was pretty much the die for this match – when it was grappling, it was Suzuki and Thatcher on top, but when the strikes landed, it was usually Manders and Shire in the driving seat. Heck, there was even a bloody Garvin Stomp out of Suzuki, shortly before Manders lit him up with some Machine Gun chops in the corner.
Thatcher and Suzuki tried to lay out Manders with uppercuts, but to no avail as things spilled outside the ring for a scrap, with Thatcher somehow grabbing the hammer from the ring bell. It’s not called as a DQ though, as we continued back to the ring as Suzuki and Manders threw forearms at each other. A chop from Manders nearly puts Suzuki away as Thatcher and Shire were still going at it, before a scoop tombstone piledriver almost put Manders down for the count.
A butterfly superplex from Suzuki forced Shire in to break up the pin as things were getting a little scrappy, building up to Shire dropping Thatcher with a UFO before Thatcher headbutted away a lariat from Manders. Second time’s the charm though, before Manders had to gut out a Fujiwara armbar… Shire breaks it up before Manders countered a double underhook suplex, then waffled Thatcher with a lariat to get the win. Your mileage will vary on this one – for me it was starting to feel a little on the long side, but I loved the constant ebbing and flowing here, a real war of attrition. Unfortunately not a winning return to the Turbinenhalle for Timo. ***¾
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match: High Performer Ltd. (Icarus & Joseph Fenech Jr.) vs. Y2Kuties (Ava Everett & Jacob Crane)
They’ve made up after last autumn’s falling out, and the cult favourites of the Y2Kuties are back… complete with M4 Security (“Most Muscular Marc Mentzer”). He looks familiar…
An early back body drop from Jacob Crane pops me as the Y2Kuties took control in the opening seconds, leading to Ava getting a two-count from a wheelbarrow splash. A shove-assisted stalling suplex kept Crane ahead, before Icarus distracted the referee to mask Joseph Fenech Jr. attacking Ava from behind.
Fenech’s in to choke Everett in the ropes – using the hair for some extra leverage – but a missile dropkick off the middle buckle bought Ava some time to make the tag to Crane. Icarus got the tag too, but Crane’s running wild with bodyslams. Almost an Emerald Flowsion gets a two-count on Icarus, before Robin Christopher Fohrwerk attacted the attention of M4… and the referee, masking Fenech pulling Ava off the apron again, before a death valley driver put Crane down for the count. The end of this felt a little rushed, but this win threatened to be an ominous sign for those who weren’t fans of High Performer Ltd. on this weekend… **½
World Tag Team Festival 2024 First Round Match: Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II) vs. Los Desperados (Arez & Gringo Loco)
Gringo Loco’s attained a god-like status among the wXw faithful in Oberhausen… which could have been intimidating for the Lykii on their wXw debut.
Arez and Kid Lykos start us off, with Arez sitting down on a Magistral cradle for an early two-count. Recovering, a wheelbarrow roll from Lykos sparked a series of armdrags before a stand-off led to tags to bring in Gringo Loco and Lykos II. Yeah, there’s a bit of a size difference there…
Lykos II tries to lift up Gringo, but to no avail… before Gringo cartwheeled out of some headscissors as we met a similar stalemate. A gamengiri from Lykos in the corner led to a brief advantage for the Lykii, before a rolling elbow from Arez knocked down the elder of the Lykii.
Gringo’s back in to hold up Lykos for a guillotine legdrop in the ropes from Arez, before a press slam and a standing moonsault from Gringo drew in Lykos II to make a save. A Magic Killer leaves Lykos II down as Arez tied him up for a flipping legdrop from Gringo as the Desperados were having their way with the wolves.
Finally the Lykii force a way back in as a sunset flip from Lykos set up Gringo for flying headscissors from Lykos II, before a flip dive from Lykos II took Gringo into the front row. Arez joins in with a step-up flip dive of his own, before the elder Lykos found himself isolated back inside, leading to a switching moonsault from Gringo for a near-fall.
A second wind sees Lykos knock the Desperados into place for an avalanche monkey flip to Arez, who then found himself taken up top for a Lo Mein Pain from Lykos II for a near-fall. The Lykii came closer to the relative upset, but got met with a double reverse ‘rana by Arez as they went for a brainbuster. A tag brings in Gringo Loco, who got bitten on the top rope by Lykos II… only for Arez to return with a top rope ‘rana instead.
More double-teaming sees Arez launched into a DDT on Lykos II, before he traded barbs with the elder Lykos. Dualling Octopi stretches restrained the Desperados, but the ropes save the day before a senton bomb almost put Gringo away… and then things fell apart badly for the wolves as Lykos II was caught on the top rope with a Base Bomb, followed up by a double stomp off the top from Arez for the win. This was an enjoyable match – and while many would have pegged the Lykii for a first round exit, they got much more closer to the upset win as Euros ended up being chucked into the ring in appreciation. The currency, that is. ***½
wXw Shotgun Championship: Matt Cardona vs. Ahura vs. Levaniel (c)
The pre-match promo video was all about Levaniel wanting to cement his legacy having held the Shotgun title for over 200 days… whereas Matt Cardona got some mic time that stopped just short of “your local sports team sucks” as far as material. I guess nobody told him about Schalke…
Levaniel’s got a wacky mask now, somewhat similar to Kyle Fletcher’s, and after he “introduced” himself to Cardona, Ahura blindsided the Shotgun champion as we had a scrap before the bell. A back body drop from Ahura takes Cardona outside, then followed up with the Divine Sandstorm – a springboard corkscrew plancha – that exploded at least one chair in the front row into smithereens.
The match eventually got going with Ahura being targeted… which led to the expected fighting between Levaniel and Cardona as they tried to steal the pin. I mean, Levaniel had said in the pre-tapes that he was going to make himself a star off of Cardona, so why would he have expected any kind of favour?!
They do put the boots to Ahura as a teased alliance quickly fell apart as Levaniel focused on Ahura by himself. Aping Cardona’s Broski Boot just earned Levaniel a clothesline as Cardona came in to hit a neckbreaker on Ahura to start a period on offence. A springboard dropkick took Cardona down though, before a PK on the apron took care of Levaniel on the floor as Ahura added a springboard dropkick into the mix.
Some Broski-like boots from Ahura help him clear out Cardona and Levaniel, but we’re dealing with pins getting broken up by the third man for a spell ahead of Cardona sparking off a Tower of Doom in the corner. The Radio Silence leg lariat from Cardona nearly puts Ahura away, before Levaniel came in to take out Cardona with a backbreaker to bring the match back to one-on-one.
Levaniel took too long with a Galactic Facecrusher and instead got caught with a Paradise Waterfall… before the Salamandra ended with Cardona pulling out the referee in the nick of time. Yup. After diving on Cardona, Ahura headed back up top for a moonsault… but Levaniel moved away and returned with a second Galactic Facecrusher that nearly sealed the win.
Heading outside, Levaniel grabbed the Shotgun title belt… but Ahura ducks the belt shot and hits a superkick instead. Referee Rainer Ringer removes the belt, but misses a belt shot with Cardona’s Internet title that nearly put away Ahura, before we took the long way around to a ref bump as Ringer got squashed in the corner. Of course, that meant that Ahura’s second Salamandra, this time to Cardona, was for nought…
After a long visual pinfall, Cardona recovered to punt Ahura low, then hit Radio Silence… before Levaniel stole the win with a Galactic Facecrusher as Ringer came to his senses. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting Cardona to get pinned here, but as a main event this match absolutely didn’t do it for me. **¼
Main event aside, night one of the World Tag Team Festival was a really strong show on tape – and there’s undoubtedly an audience for that main event, I’m just not a part of it! So yeah, Timothy Thatcher’s Turbinenhalle return and the Lykos/Desperados tags were the standouts of night one as there was much more wrestling to happen over the weekend.