By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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WXW “We Love Wrestling 68: 16 Carat Revenge”
April 5, 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany at Batschkapp
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
This show aired live mid-morning here in the United States. The lighting is really good and I always note how much I love that they have a match clock in the lower left corner of the screen. The crowd is maybe 400 but they are always hot and into the action. Mett Dimassi provided English commentary.
* The main event features the 16 Carat Gold tournament winner 1 Called Manders taking on No. 1 contender Elijah Blum for the vacant wXw Title, as the injured Peter Tihanyi has vacated the belt.
1. Fast Time Moodo vs. Kuro. I don’t think I’ve seen Kuro before; he’s a tall, thin Black man, similar to Kevin Knight. I’ve compared Moodo to early 2000s Michael Shane. Kuro hit a kick to the side of the head and a dropkick. Yeah, that Kevin Knight comparison is spot-on. Moodo hit a doublestomp to the back for a nearfall at 1:30. Kuro hit a rolling cannonball in the corner. Moodo nailed a pumphandle sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 4:30. Kuro hit a doublestomp to the back, then an Ospreay-style Stormbreaker for a believable nearfall. Moodo nailed a roundhouse Skull Kick for the pin. Good action.
Fast Time Moodo defeated Kuro at 6:30.
2. Joseph Fenech Jr. (w/Robin Christopher Fohrwerk, Anil Marik) vs. Hektor Invictus for the wXw Shotgun Title. Again, Fenech Jr. reminds me of Aquaman actor Jason Momoa. On the last event, Marik tried pinning Fenech Jr. in a three-way (that also involved Hektor), which has caused strife within this heel faction. Standing switches and a feeling-out process early on. Invictus hit some armdrags. Invictus hit a plancha to the floor at 3:00. In the ring, Fenech hit some chops and took control. He hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall at 5:30.
Hektor hit a flying back elbow and they were both down. He fired up and hit some clotheslines and a powerslam, then a Spinebuster for a nearfall. Fenech Jr. hit a rolling Koppo Kick, a dive to the floor, a Lethal Injection, and a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a top-rope elbow drop for a believable nearfall, and the crowd rallied for Invictus. Fenech went for another Lethal Injection, but Hektor caught him with a kick to the back. The heels tried to interfere, but Invictus kicked Anil, who crashed into Fenech! Invictus then hit a shotgun dropkick to pin Fenech! New champion!
Hektor Invictus defeated Joseph Fenech Jr. to win the wXw Shotgun Title at 10:45.
* Joseph Fenech Jr. and Anil Mark brawled after the match. Fenech Jr. glared at Fohrwerk and said “nobody f— me up. You want to fire me? Well, you can’t, because I f—ing quit!”
3. Laurance Roman vs. Ocean Avery. Avery is from New Mexico; he has short, trimmed hair, a mustache, and several tattoos (think short-haired Dexter Lumis) — he competed against Effy in a GCW show last August in Utah. Roman is the short, bald guy I’ve compared to Karl Anderson and he usually wins here. Basic offense early on, and they traded punches at 2:00. They switched to forearm strikes. Roman nailed a Jay White-style Blade Runner swinging faceplant for a believable nearfall at 5:30. Avery missed a splash and Roman hit an enzuigiri, then a jumping piledriver for the pin. Solid action; the winner was never in doubt.
Laurance Roman defeated Ocean Avery at 7:04.
* Backstage, Robert Dreissker and Marc Empire were interviewed in German. Because this aired live, we don’t have English subtitles. (If it was taped and aired at a later date, those would have been added.)
4. Bobby Gunns vs. Nick Schreier. Gunns is bald and he smoked on his way to the ring; he was injured and missed the last couple of shows I’ve watched. Schreier is a plucky young kid and with his haircut today, he’s giving me young Alex Wright vibes. Basic reversals early on. Schreier went for a dive to the floor at 2:30, but Gunns cut him off with a forearm strike. In the ring, Gunns hit a stiff kick to the back for a nearfall, and he kept Nick grounded.
Schreier hit a dive to the floor, and they were both down at ringside at 6:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes at ringside. In the ring, Nick hit a tornado DDT and was fired up. He nailed a running knee for a believable nearfall. Gunns hit some running European Uppercuts. Schreier hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall, and they were both down at 10:30. Gunns hit a Saito Suplex for a nearfall and he was in disbelief he didn’t win there.
Gunns switched to a Boston Crab. Gunns snapped Nick’s fingers and hit a second-rope superplex, then a running penalty kick for a nearfall. He applied an Octopus Stretch, rolled to the mat with the submission hold still locked on, and Schreier tapped out. This one felt like a time for Schreier to get the big upset win he needs. Good match.
Bobby Gunns defeated Nick Schreier at 13:07.
* We saw video of 1 Called Manders and Elijah Blum each arriving at the building earlier in the day.
5. Axel Tischer vs. Metehan. Former NXT talents collide! Again, Metehan has short dark hair and a mustache and he previously wrestled as Teoman in NXT-UK. Axel is a bit taller and clearly thicker. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open; Mett said they know each other well. They traded offense in a knuckle lock. Axel hit a backbreaker over his knee at 6:30 and took control. Metehan hit some flying forearms and was fired up. Tischer hit a butterfly suplex at 11:00; he came off the top rope but Tischer caught him with a flying forearm for a nearfall.
Tischer hit a spinning slam for a believable nearfall. Mett was going nuts as the action had ramped up in intensity. Tischer hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 13:30. Metehan hit a short-arm clothesline that sent Tischer to the floor, so Metehan hit a plancha to the floor. In the ring, Axel hit a standing powerbomb with a jackknife cover for a believable nearfall.
Tischer hit a second-rope DVD and a standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 15:30 and Mett went NUTS for the kickout. Tischer hit an enzuigiri and a Rebound Lariat and he was fired up. “This is what two gladiators look like!” Mett shouted. Metehan hit a second-rope missile dropkick and a Tiger Driver (butterfly powerbomb) for the pin. That was really good and light years better than everything else on this show thus far. “This is a fight that I knew would deliver, but my goodness,” Mett said.
Metehan defeated Axel Tischer at 18:03.
* The intermission match was Walter vs. Bobby Gunns (Gunns wasn’t bald here; at first glance I thought it was fellow Imperium member Ludvig Kaiser!) Walter won.
6. “Young Bloods” Yuto Nakashima and Oskar Leube vs. “Planet Gojirah” Robert Dreissker and Mark Empire in a No. 1 contenders match with “relaxed rules.” I’ve compared Empire to Mike Elgin, and Dreissker has the build/body type of Scott Norton. Leube is really tall; perhaps 6’7″. Yuto and Dreissker opened and immediately traded forearm strikes, and Dreissker hit a back suplex. On the floor, Oskar slammed Dreissker through a merchandise table at 4:00! Empire dropped Yuto snake-eyes on the top turnbuckle and got a nearfall at 6:00.
Leube hit a running powerslam on Empire for a nearfall at 8:00 and he jawed at the ref. Young Blood worked over Empire for several minutes. Dreissker hit Yuto with a chair on the floor at 11:00. He got in the ring and jabbed the chair into Oskar’s stomach and struck him across the back. Oskar put Dreissker’s foot in a folded chair and ‘Pillmanized’ it at 13:30. “This is a side of Oskar that is absolutely sickening!” Mett said. Dreissker crotched Yuto around the ring post! Meanwhile, Empire Oskar powerbombed him through a table in the ring for the pin! Good brawl with chairs and tables but no disgusting weapons or blood.
Robert Dreissker and Marc Empire defeated Yuto Nakashima and Oskar Leube to become No. 1 contenders at 14:57.
* Tag champs Norman Harras and Alex Duke stood on the stage and spoke German to their new challengers. We’re having the match right now!!!
7. Norman Harras and Alex Duke vs. Robert Dreissker and Marc Empire for the wXw Tag team Titles. Empire and Duke battled at the bell, and the champs worked Marc over and kept him in their corner. Dreissker got in at 3:00 and hit a running splash and a snap suplex. Duke hit a chop block and grounded Robert. He grapevined the leg, but Dreissker reached the ropes at 5:00. While the ref was distracted, Duke grabbed a leg brace, struck Dreissker in the face with it, and scored the tainted pin.
Norman Harras and Alex Duke defeated Robert Dreissker and Marc Empire to retain the wXw Tag team Titles at 5:38.
* We had a video package setting up the main event!
8. 1 Called Manders vs. Elijah Blum for the vacant wXw Heavyweight Title. Blum has short, black hair and reminds me of APA-era JBL but he’s thinner with tattoos all over his body. They traded chops and forearm strikes almost immediately. Blum hit a dropkick at 2:00. He hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. They traded chops while on their knees at 6:00. Blum hit a running crossbody block and they were both down. He hit a swinging neckbreaker, then an enzuigiri at 8:30, then a clothesline in the corner.
Blum hit a top-rope moonsault press on a standing Manders for a nearfall. He hit a shotgun dropkick, but Manders immediately hit a clothesline, and they were both down at 10:30! “Holy goodness!” Mett shouted after that clothesline. They got on their knees and traded thudding headbutts, then slaps to the face and forearm strikes. They got to their feet and Blum hit a Mafia Kick. Blum hit a suplex that dropped Manders onto the ropes and they were both down again. Manders hit a second-rope Oklahoma Stampede (bulldog powerslam) for a believable nearfall at 13:30.
They went onto the ring apron and traded chops. Manders got knocked to the floor, and they were both down. Mett wondered if Blum was going to win the title via countout, but Blum stopped the ref from counting at 8! He went to the floor and kept hitting Manders, but then threw him into the ring. Mett said Blum wants to “prove he’s the better man, no asterisks.” Blum went for another moonsault press, but this time Manders caught him and Manders hit a second Oklahoma Stampede for a nearfall, then a hard clothesline for a believable nearfall at 17:00!
Manders went for another clothesline, but Blum ducked it and hit a swinging double-underhook suplex for a believable nearfall. Manders hit another clothesline. Manders hit a diving forearm to the back but Manders popped up and hit another clothesline and they were both down again, and we got a “holy shit!” chant. Manders got to his feet but Blum did not, before the 10-count, and the ref awarded the win to Manders! I didn’t expect that, as Manders is set to return to the U.S. A very good hard-hitting match that is well worth checking out.
1 Called Manders defeated Elijah Blum to win the wXw Heavyweight Title at 19:38.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoy these wXw shows. The action is pretty good, the lighting is great, the crowd is hot, and the English commentary is very good. This show was missing some of my favorites (Mike D Vecchio, who was apparently competing in Japan, and Aigle Blanc for example.) A very good main event easily takes best match, with a strong Metehan-Tischer match earning second. The Young Blood tag match takes third.
I’ve said for MONTHS that it was just a matter of time before NJPW Young Lions Yuto Nakashima and Oskar Leube return home and join the main roster. Well, since this show took place on Saturday, wXw announced that those two have finished all their dates here and are indeed headed back to NJPW. Good news, as NJPW really needs some fresh wrestlers and New Blood (fully intended!) in the division. This show is available at Triller+ and gets my recommendation.
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