By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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WXW “Road to 16 Carat Gold”
February 8, 2025 in Bielefeld, Germany at the Forum
Replay available via TrillerTV+
Bielefeld is located in northwest Germany, not too far from the Netherlands border. The venue is a dark room in a small venue, but the ring was well-lit. The crowd was maybe 250-300 but it is packed in here. There was English commentary for this show.
* There is ONE spot left in the 16-person Carat Gold tournament that runs March 7-8-9. Six wrestlers are competing for that final spot. So, there are three first-round matches with a three-way finale later.
1. Nick Schreier vs. Fast Time Moodo in a first-round match. The last time I saw Schreier, he was doing a full Sandman gimmick, but he’s in regular blue trunks today. Schreier hit a dropkick and got a pop. Moodo hit a spinning heel kick at 2:00. I finally found a good comparison for Moodo — the smug, arrogant Michael Shane from early ROH and TNA. He hit a double underhook suplex and was in charge. Schreier fired up and hit a Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 6:00. Moodo hit some Yes Kicks and a Pedigree for a believable nearfall.
They traded rollups, and Moodo nailed a stiff kick to the head. Schreier hit a stunner for a nearfall, and the crowd booed the ref’s count. Moodo hit a release German Suplex. Schreier leapt off the ropes, but Moodo caught him with a superkick for the pin. Good action. (And sometimes the heel needs to win clean just because they are better.)
Fast Time Moodo defeated Nick Schreier at 9:13 to advance.
2. Stephanie Maze vs. Baby Allison in a first-round match. Maze is like Ronda Rousey or Shayna Baszler — dressed like a legit MMA fighter. The tattoo-covered Allison wears dark makeup and was booed. Robin Christopher Fohrwerk, Allison’s male manager, cut a promo in German and was booed. Maze hit a running knee to the side of the head and a snap suplex at 1:00. Allison mounted Maze, hit some punches, and shoved Maze’s head into the mat. (I love the lively German crowds with chants I don’t understand!) Allison hit a dropkick into the corner at 3:30. She applied a mid-ring Octopus and remained in charge.
Maze nailed a spin kick to the head and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Maze hit some kicks and a running knee, then a second-rope flying knee for a nearfall at 6:30. Maze hit a back suplex and a spin kick to the head for the pin. Solid match.
Stephanie Maze defeated Baby Allison at 6:57 to advance.
3. Yuya Aoki vs. Bobby Gunns in a first-round match. Both wore basic red trunks and they traded holds on the mat to open. They got up and traded Mafia Kicks at 2:00. Gunns locked in a cross-armbreaker, and he worked over the left arm. He hit a stiff kick to the spine at 5:00 and got a nearfall. Aoki hit a sideslam. He hit some rapid-fire chops in the corner and a flipping senton for a nearfall, and he applied an abdominal stretch. Aoki hit an enzuigiri at 9:00. Gunns hit a Saito Suplex; Aoki hit a suplex; Gunns hit a running penalty kick, and they were both down.
They traded slaps to the face while on their knees, then they got up and traded forearm strikes. Aoki hit a handspring-back-elbow and a springboard dropkick for a nearfall at 10:30. This has been really good. Gunns hit a shotgun dropkick; Aoki hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Gunns applied an abdominal stretch, cranked back hard, and Aoki submitted! I don’t know if I’ve ever really seen that work as a finisher, but Gunns sure made it look painful here! That was really good.
Bobby Gunns defeated Yuya Aoki at 11:43 to advance.
4. Yokai vs. Zoltan. I noted last month that Yokai’s demonic gear makes me think of WWE’s The Ascension, and has red face paint that is a bit like Great Muta. He got a massive pop. I don’t think I’ve seen Zoltan (think Nick Wayne!), who is clearly under the age of 25 and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a teenager; he’s a bit slender but has a decent physique. Standing switches to open. Zoltan hit an enzuigiri at 1:30. Yokai grounded him with a headlock. Zoltan hit a suplex at 4:30 and another enzuigiri and a mid-ring stunner for a nearfall. Yokai caught him and hit an inverted DDT out of nowhere for the pin.
Yokai defeated Zoltan at 6:02.
5. Aigle Blanc vs. Ahura. This is a rematch from last month, when Ahura pulled out the win after twisting Blanc’s mask. I’ve noted that Ahura’s face is like a young Damian Sandow (but he has a much better physique.) He is wearing a clear nose protector mask but removed it before the bell. Blanc is a French wrestler with blond hair sticking out from under his mask. The commentator noted that both men are in the 16 Carat Gold tournament. They immediately traded slaps to the face, then forearm strikes. They went to the floor in the first minute and traded blows in front of the fans. In the ring, Blanc tackled him at 2:00 and hit some punches to the face, then a headscissors takedown. Ahura hit a standing powerbomb and took control.
Ahura hit a springboard dropkick for a nearfall at 4:30; he started untying Blanc’s mask and was LOUDLY booed. They traded rollups, and Blanc hit a springboard crossbody block and they were both down. This crowd was hot! Blanc missed a 450 Splash. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Blanc hit a Dragon Suplex; Ahura hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Blanc hit a huracanrana that spiked Ahura’s head into the mat. Blanc twisted Ahura’s broken nose! The commentator said there is no way the nose is fully healed.
Blanc hit a faceplant onto the ring apron and got a nearfall in the ring. Ahura again twisted the mask and got a backslide for a nearfall. Blanc recovered and hit a clothesline at 11:30. Ahura hit his own stiff clothesline, then a leaping piledriver for a believable nearfall. We got a “Fight forever!” chant in English. Ahura picked up the nose-guard mask and put it on Blanc; he shoved the ref away. (Why did he put the mask on Blanc?) Blanc hit a headbutt, slamming that mask into Ahura, and got the pin. The commentator said that Ahura’s hubris cost him the match! A really good match. Will these two meet again in the tournament next month?
Aigle Blanc defeated Ahura at 13:13.
* Intermission. They showed an old match but I zipped over it.
6. Dennis Dulnig vs. 1 Called Manders. Iowa’s Manders is on a German tour for a couple months. Manders came out to some generic rock music instead of Bon Jovi. The commentator noted that Manders reached the semifinals of the 16 Carat Gold tournament last year; he has the size advantage over Dulnig (think Stu Grayson.) They traded standing switches, and Dulnig hit a hard swat to the butt that annoyed Manders. Manders hit a LOUD chop at 2:30 and they traded chops and forearm strikes. Dulnig hit a dropkick that sent Manders to the floor, and they fought at ringside. No guardrails here Manders sat on someone’s lap. Back in the ring, Manders was in charge, and he hit a swat on the butt and planted his foot in Dulnig’s throat.
They got up and traded more forearm strikes and chops. Dulnig dropped Manders gut-first on the top rope at 8:30. He hit a swinging neckbreaker. Manders hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 11:00. Dulnig hit a gut-wrench powerbomb for a nearfall. He put on Manders’ cowboy hat and celebrated; he turned around and was met by a decapitating clothesline from Manders and a pin! Good, hard-hitting brawl.
1 Called Manders defeated Dennis Dulnig at 12:22.
7. Levaniel vs. Tim Koslowski. I’ve noted that Levaniel, with his short, blond hair, makes me think of 1993 “Stunning” Steve Austin. I don’t think I’ve seen Koslowski; he’s bald with a goatee, tall, with a great physique! Not quite as big as Lars Sullivan but he’s on par with him in size and overall look. He immediately hit some shoulder blocks and a suplex for a nearfall in the first minute. He hit some clotheslines in the corner. Levaniel hit a Shellshock swinging faceplant out of nowhere for the pin!
Levaniel defeated Tim Koslowski at 2:59.
8. Elijah Blum, Laurance Roman, Marc Empire, and Robert Dreissker vs. Alex Duke, Norman Harras, Anil Marik, and Joseph Fenech Jr. (w/Robin Christopher Fohrwerk.) Duke and Harras had a separate entrance from Marik and Fenech. The commentator said the five heels combined have the most punchable faces. Dreissker is a rotund Scott Norton-style brawler. Blum is heavily tattooed and quite popular here. Blum opened against Fenech, who has long dark hair and makes me think of Roman Reigns, and Blum hit a dropkick. Marik, in white pants, entered for the heels, but the babyfaces beat him up. This crowd was hot! Empire got in and hit a shoulder tackle on Duke and some Stinger Splashes at 5:30.
Harras began hitting body blows to Dreissker’s gut. Roman entered at 8:00; he’s bald and seems undersized compared to everyone else in this match, but he’s got a good physique. Harras hit a chokeslam on Roman for a nearfall, and the heels took turns working over Roman. Dreissker got a hot tag at 12:00, and he hit a fallaway slam on Marik, then a running splash in the corner. The heels worked over Dreissker for several minutes until Blum got a hot tag at 17:00 to a massive pop!
Dreissker hit some neckbreakers and a double Flatliner move. Blum hit a moonsault press onto two heels, then a swinging suplex on Marik for a nearfall. Marik accidentally hit Harras! Those two argued, and Harras hit him! Dreissker and Roman hit a team neckbreaker move on Marik. Dreissker and Empire then hit a team brainbuster on Marik for the pin. Good action with a great crowd response.
Elijah Blum, Laurance Roman, Marc Empire, and Robert Dreissker defeated Alex Duke, Norman Harras, Anil Marik, and Joseph Fenech Jr. at 20:25.
9. Fast Time Moodo vs. Stephanie Maze vs. Bobby Gunns to earn a spot in the 16 Carat Gold tournament. The commentator noted that all three have history with each other. The crowd was behind Maze, who is giving up a lot of height and overall size to the men. They all brawled at the bell, and she hit a snap suplex on Moodo at 1:30. Gunns put her in a Boston Crab at 3:30. Moodo hit some chops. She tried some forearm strikes that Moodo shrugged off. Moodo hit a butterfly suplex on her for a nearfall at 6:30. The commentator noted that the men had been taking turns in the ring, while Maze was in it the whole time. Maze got underneath the men as they fought in the corner and powerbombed them both to the mat.
Maze hit a series of Yes Kicks on both men, and WOW this crowd wants her to win. Maze hit a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 9:00. Gunns chopped her, but it only fired her up and she hit some punches. Gunns hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall, but Moodo made the save. Moodo it a spin kick and a pumphandle powerbomb on Gunns for a nearfall at 11:00. Maze tackled Moodo and hit some punches, then a back suplex and a buzzsaw kick. However, Gunns immediately grabbed her hair and slammed her to the mat and got the pin. The crowd hated this outcome. The show went off the air almost immediately.
Bobby Gunns defeated Fast Time Moodo and Stephanie Maze in a three-ay to qualify for the 16 Carat Gold tournament at 11:53.
Final Thoughts: A really enjoyable show. I love how the European crowds are into these shows. The mini-tournament was hard-fought and showed how important it is to make the prestigious 16 Carat Gold tournament. I really enjoyed the Blanc-Ahura rematch and that takes best match of the night, building nicely on what took place a month ago. I didn’t expect Gunns-Aoki to be so good and that takes second. Another hard-hitting Manders match takes third. The eight-man tag was fairly formula in layout, but the action was good and the crowd was hot. I’ve never liked intergender matches, and in the wake of the Bear Boulder news, it’s really hard to watch and enjoy two bigger men taking turns kicking the crap out of the smaller Stephanie Maze. A really good show, top to bottom.
Watching a wXw show is like watching a New Japan show; it is straight-forward, one match after another, with some really high-quality action. I’ve seen other wXw shows where they’ve mixed in some vignettes and backstage interviews, but it appears they don’t attempt that on live shows.
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