By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
wXw “16 Carat Gold Night 1”
Released August 26, 2024 on TrillerTV+
March 8, 2024 in Oberhausen, Germany at Turbinenhalle 1
The shows from this three night tournament were just posted on Triller+, and I know a fair number of the wrestlers, so I thought I’d check it out. Here is a review of Night 1; depending on my interest level (and time!), I’ll check out the following nights soon.
* A ring announcer spoke to the crowd in German, but we do have English closed caption subtitles on the screen. There is English commentary. Lighting over the ring is exceptionally good. I would say this is topnotch overall production values. This appears to be a small arena with a packed crowd; wide shots during the event showed the crowd was much bigger than I initially thought.
1. 1 Called Manders vs. Luke Jacobs in a first-round tournament match. Manders’ phrase “the boss of the plains” was said in English. Jacobs just beat Michael Oku last week to become RevPro champion. An intense lockup to open and Manders is bigger, and they almost immediately traded forearm strikes, then chops. They then traded shoulder tackles. They brawled to the floor at 3:00, where Manders bit his forehead. In the ring, Jacobs hit a doublestomp on the back as Manders was draped over the top rope.
Manders hit a Doctor Bomb for a nearfall at 5:30. Jacobs hit a back suplex, then a pop-up powerbomb, and he switched to a Boston Crab, but Manders reached the ropes. Jacobs hit a diving European Uppercut and they were both down. We have a clock in the lower left corner of the ring and it’s on with my stopwatch. They traded chops while on their knees, and Jacobs hit some headbutts. Jacobs hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 8:30. Jacobs hit an Angel’s Wings double-arm faceplant for a believable nearfall. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Manders hit a second-rope Bulldog Powerslam for a believable nearfall. Jacobs hit a clothesline; Manders hit two more clotheslines and scored the pin. That was hard-hitting!
1 Called Manders defeated Luke Jacobs to advance at 10:12.
* Backstage, two guys argued in German.
2. Aigle Blanc vs. Lio Rush in a first-round tournament match. I’ve written this before, but with his long blond curly hair coming out from under the mask, it’s easy to imagine that France native Aigle is Matt Riddle; same really good physique. Lio wore his long black coat; no hint of his Black Heart character tonight. Aigle is taller and thicker, but it’s not as big of a difference as I would have expected. They shook hands, then traded quick moves with Lio doing his misdirection offense. Aigle hit a leaping knee that sent Lio to the floor, but he missed a moonsault to the floor. Lio dove through the ropes onto Aigle. Aigle then hit his own dive, and they were both down on the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Blanc hit a top-rope flying double kneestrike to the back of Lio’s head.
Blanc tied him in an abdominal stretch in the middle of the ring to slow Lio down. He hit a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall, but he missed a top-rope 450. Lio immediately hit a spin kick, but the Rush Hour was blocked. Lio hit a DDT. Blanc hit a Dragon Suplex and they were both down at 6:30. They traded forearm strikes. Aigle hit an enzuigiri. Lio hit a Poison Rana and the Rush Hour stunner out of the ropes. Lio hit another stunner. Blanc dropped him snake-eyes on the top turnbuckle at 9:30. Lio set up for a dive but Blanc hit a spin kick to cut him off. Blanc nailed a Tombstone Piledriver on the ring apron, then he hit the top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. Blanc immediately hit a pump0handle powerbomb move for the pin. Really good action.
Aigle Blanc defeated Lio Rush to advance at 10:30.
3. Stephanie Maze vs. Icarus in a first-round tournament match. I don’t know these two. Icaus came out first with a Hannibal Lecter-style mask over his mouth and he’s completely bald and heavily tattooed; he took the mask off before the bell. Maze has a shootfighter/boxer look to her, and her hair is in several long braids. She immediately hit a spin kick to the thigh and some roundhouse kicks to the chest. I’m buying that she could beat up men. Icarus tied her up on the mat and twisted her wrist. She hit a running knee, so he bailed to the floor at 1:30, and the crowd taunted him. They fought at ringside. Icarus set her on the apron and kicked her in the face. A heel character is enjoying cheering for Icarus to “put her in her place.”
In the ring, Icarus choked her in the ropes and kept her grounded. He snapped her neck across the bottom rope at 3:30. Maze hit some punches to the gut. Icarus hit a suplex for a nearfall and he playfully kicked at her. Maze hit some punches, then a German Suplex at 6:00. She began hitting a series of spin kicks, then a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. He hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 7:30. Icarus tied her up on the mat, but Stephanie reached the ropes; she was really selling a neck injury. They traded forearm strikes and the crowd was fully behind Maze. Icarus hit a short-arm clothesline and a back suplex. He went for a Swanton Bomb but she got her knees up. Maze hit a roundhouse kick to his head out of nowhere for the pin!
Stephanie Maze defeated Icarus to advance at 9:28.
* Backstage, Peter Tihanyi was interviewed, mostly in English. He’s got dark, short hair and the sides of his head are shaved. He said he’s ready for the fight late tonight.
4. Laurance Roman vs. Oskar Leube in a first-round tournament match. Oskar is a recent NJPW Young Lion graduate and he’s been doing an excursion in Europe, and he got a massive hometown hero pop; I have compared him to a young Gunther with his size, pale tone, etc. I don’t think I’ve seen Roman before’ he is much shorter, thick and bald; think Mike Bennett or Eric Young. Leube pushed his chest into Roman at the bell and he is at least a full head taller! Roman hit an enzuigiri. Leube hit a shoulder tackle. He hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 2:30. Roman hit a chop block to the back of the left knee and he began targeting the leg, twisting the left ankle and he kept Oskar grounded.
Roman hit a dropkick on the knee and tied him in an STF at 5:30. Oskar hit a back suplex and they were both down. He hit a clothesline in the corner and a suplex for a nearfall, but he sold the pain in his knee. Roman stomped on it more. Leube hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall at 8:00. Roman hit a discus clothesline, then a Shellshock swinging faceplant for a believable nearfall, then a frogsplash for the pin! I’m surprised; I thought Leube was winning here.
Laurance Roman defeated Oskar Leube to advance at 8:38.
5. Mike D Vecchio vs. Gringo Loco in a first-round tournament match. I seem to recall D Vecchio was on TNA’s radar at the end of last year,, before Scott D’Amore was dismissed. Mike has a great physique and wing tattoos on his collarbone. They shook hands before locking up and they tied up each other’s left arm, and they had a standoff at 3:00. Mike hit a springboard huracanrana and that popped the crowd. He dove through the ropes on Loco, then a big dive over the top rope. Vecchio dove, but Loco moved, and Mike crashed into the empty front row seats at 6:00. Gringo hit a powerbomb onto the ring apron, and they both collapsed to the floor.
In the ring, Loco remained in charge. Mike hit a running kick in the corner at 10:00, then a Frankensteiner, then a frogsplash with great height for a nearfall. He missed a 450 Splash but landed on his feet. They fought on the top rope, and Loco hit the reverse Spanish Fly, where they both landed stomach-first, for a nearfall at 13:00. Loco caught him on a flip and nailed a faceplant for a nearfall. Loco hit a sunset flip bomb for a nearfall and they were both down. In a scary spot, Mike went for another Frankensteiner, but Loco turned it into a powerbomb, with Vechio landing high on his shoulders. They fought in the corner, and D Vecchio hit a second-rope Poison Rana at 16:30. D Vecchio then hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press for the pin. That was incredibly good.
Mike D Vecchio defeated Gringo Loco to advance at 17:03.
* A video package aired to introduce the three men in the title match. Levaniel looks like every European villain in movies; his long hair is slicked back in a bun;. Maggot looks like a homeless marijuana deadhead with a nose ring, two horns on his forehead, and he has dark Ozzy-style makeup under his eyes. The Rotation has long straight hair; I’ve seen him before.
6. Levaniel vs. The Rotation vs. Maggot in a three-way for the wXw Shotgun Title. The Rotation is the champ entering the match. Levaniel came out and the long hair from the promo is gone, so he now has short, trimmed blond hair (once it dawned on me it looks like Stunning Steve Austin at the end of his WCW run, I can’t unsee it.) Maggot slapped Rotation early on. Rotation hit a huracanrana on Maggot. Levaniel hit an Orton-style neckbreaker across the back on Maggot at 4:00. Levaniel hit a bodyslam on Maggot for a nearfall. Maggot hit a spear on Levaniel for a nearfall at 6:30. Rotation hit a dive to the floor on Levaniel.
Maggot hit a top-rope dive onto both opponents. In the ring, he hit a stunner. Levaniel hit a swinging faceplant. Rotation hit a top-rope 450 Splash on Maggot for a nearfall, but Levaniel pulled the ref to the floor. Rotation hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor on Maggot at 10:30, but he missed a 450 Splash in the ring. Levaniel immediately hit a Jay White-style Blade Runner swinging faceplant for the pin! New champion! I hadn’t seen Levaniel before but he seems like a great choice for a heel to lead a promotion.
Levaniel defeated The Rotation and Maggot to win the wXw Shotgun Title at 10:55.
7. Masato Tanaka vs. Elijah Blum. Tanaka has made a handful of appearances in the U.S. in recent years, but when I think of him, my mind goes to his late 1990s ECW run. I haven’t seen Blum before; he has short, dark hair and he’s heavily tattooed on his chest and legs. Standing switches to open, and Tanaka worked over the left leg. He hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 3:00 and he kept Blum grounded. Blum hit a swinging neckbreaker. He hit a Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall at 6:00. Blum hit a flying crossbody block for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes.
Tanaka hit a top-rope Superplex at 8:00, then a frogsplash for a nearfall. He hit a spinning back fist, then a brainbuster for a nearfall. Blum hit a slam and they went back to trading forearm strikes. Tanaka dropped him with a stiff forearm strike and scored the pin! I didn’t expect that was the finish. Okay match; a bit on the methodical side but it was fine. They shook hands in the ring afterwards.
Masato Tanaka defeated Elijah Blum to advance at 11:03.
8. Peter Tihanyi vs. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. in a first-round tournament match. Tihanyi is young and he wore a backwards baseball cap as he came to the ring. Wagner wore his NOAH GHC title belt from Japan; he wore a red-and-blue singlet. A lockup to open and Wagner is thicker and clearly stronger. They had an extended feeling-out process. Peter accidentally took off Wagner’s mask during an exchange; Wagner got it back on and zipped it tight; that seemed like an accident. Wagner tied him up on the mat in a surfboard at 4:30. Peter clotheslined him to the floor, then hit a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Tihanyi hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Wagner hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 9:00, then a powerbomb for a nearfall.
Peter hit an enzuigiri and a suplex, and they were both down at 11:00. Wagner hit a step-up kneestrike in the corner, and they fought on the ropes. Wagner hit a top-rope superplex and a Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall at 13:00. Wagner dove through the ropes, and they landed deep into the crowd. They got back into the ring, but Wagner was selling a shoulder injury from that dive. Tihanyi hit a stunner on the ring apron at 16:00 and they both crashed to the floor. The babyface commentator wondered how these guys can expect to win a tournament if they win this. Tihanyi got back into the ring, but Wagner was counted out!
Peter Tihanyi defeated El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. via count-out to advance at 16:35.
* Robin Christopher came out, dressed in a sharp suit with a walking stick, and he cut a heel promo in German. He’s the smarmy evil European in every action movie, too! The words appeared on the screen which was a nice touch. He introduced the massive, muscular Joseph Fenech Jr., who wore dark jeans. He looks like Aquaman actor Jason Momoa with his darker complexion and dark, long braided hair.
9. Michael Oku vs. Joseph Fenech Jr. (w/Robin Christopher) in a first-round tournament match. Oku is taller but I think Fenech outweighs him; he is BIG. Oku got in some quick moves, so Fenech stalled on the floor. They worked each other’s arm in the ring, and Fenech went to the floor again. Oku finally hit a plancha at 5:30. Fenech hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee on the floor, then a running summersault, barreling into Oku who was seated on a chair! In the ring, he grounded Oku with a rear-naked choke, then an abdominal stretch.
Oku hit a missile dropkick at 10:30. He hit some running Penalty Kicks to the chest. Fenech hit a Mafia Kick, then a German Suplex; Oku popped up and hit a Poison Rana; Fenech popped up and hit a northern clothesline to the back of the head and they were both down at 15:00. Fenech hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly. He went for a moonsault but Oku got his feet up to block it. Oku hit a dropkick in the corner. Fenech hit another dive through the ropes at 17:30. In the ring, he hit a Lethal Injection for a nearfall. Oku hit a sunset flip powerbomb, then a top-rope frogsplash, going nearly all the way across the ring, for a nearfall at 20:00, but Christopher put a foot on the ropes.
Fenech hit a low blow uppercut and got a rollup for a believable nearfall. Fenech hit a DDT out of the ropes for a nearfall. Oku got the half-crab (his finisher!) in the middle of the ring at 22:00, but Fenech nearly escaped. Oku again locked it in. Robin offered his cane to Fenech to help pull him to the ropes, but the ref kicked it away! Oku dragged Fenech to the center of the ring, leaned all the way back on the half-crab, and Fenech tapped out! Good match; it could have been a bit shorter but it was good. Oku was an obvious winner, but I was wrong a lot in my guesses, too.
Michael Oku defeated Joseph Fenech Jr. to advance at 22:31.
Final Thoughts: I really liked this show. Great production, between lighting and sound and on-screen graphics, really help a lot. I liked the clock in the corner, too. D Vecchio-Gringo Loco was easily best of the show. I can see why TNA has shown interest in D Vecchio, as everything he did here looked great. I really enjoyed that Manders-Jacobs opener for second place, with Aigle Blanc-Lio Rush for third. The main event was good for honorable mention. I liked most of the action. The Tanaka match was a bit on the slower side, but it was still fine. We have a nice mix of talent moving forward, and they protected stars like El Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr. too.
Be the first to comment