By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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WXW “Fan Appreciation Night”
May 23, 2025, in Hamburg, Germany at Markthalle
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
This show aired live, so it began at noon CST in the United States. The lighting was good, and the crowds here are always hot. Attendance was maybe 500-600. Mett Dimassi and heel manager Robin Christopher Fohrwerk provided English commentary.
* wXw announced earlier this week that Mike D Vecchio got injured in Japan and is off this show. So, who will be Vecchio’s replacement?
1. Bobby Gunns vs. Kid Lykos. Mett was thrilled with Lykos, the UK star I routinely see in Progress Wrestling. Gunns wore plain red trunks, and today he’s looking like a less muscular, 5’10” version of Lars Sullivan. I’ve often noted that Kid Lykos looks a lot like Will Ospreay; he certainly has his haircut. Gunns tied him up in the ropes at 2:30 and targeted the left arm, and the crowd rallied for KL. Lykos hit a second-rope crossbody block at 5:30 and some clotheslines, and he was fired up.
Lykos hit a neckbreaker out of the ropes for a nearfall, and they were both down. Gunns hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 7:30.Lykos hit a superkick. Gunns hit a Death Valley Driver for a believable nearfall, and he locked in a sleeper. Kid Lykos applied a standing Figure Four and snapped Gunns’ leg. They traded rollups, and Gunns hit a shotgun dropkick and a penalty kick for a nearfall at 12:00. Gunns tied him in an Octopus Stretch on the mat, and Lykos tapped out! That was a really strong opener. (I’m telling you, once you see him as mini-me Lars Sullivan, you can’t unsee it!)
Bobby Gunns defeated Kid Lykos at 12:17.
* Aigle Blanc and Michael Oku were interviewed backstage. The interviewer spoke in German but he did ask Blanc a question in English. Blanc said he’s excited to be back in Germany, as he’s been in Japan. Oku said he and Blanc have great respect for each other. They are teaming up tonight; I’d rather watch them in a singles match against each other!
2. Jane Nero vs. Stephanie Maze. Nero reminds me a lot of Shayna Baszler, but she smiles a lot more! Maze also dresses like a legit fighter — plain black sports top and boxer trunks, and she makes me think of Marina Shafir. They shook hands at the bell; both of these women just have a vibe that they could legit beat up many men. They traded punches early on. Nero hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 3:00. Maze hit a running Claymore Kick for a nearfall, then a series of Yes Kicks at 6:30. Maze hit a second-rope flying kick for a nearfall. Maze hit a spin kick to the head for the clean pin. That was a good battle.
Stephanie Maze defeated Jane Nero at 7:44.
3. Nick Schreier and Laurance Roman vs. Axel Tischer and Fast Time Moodo. Schreier is a plucky kid; he’s a regular here but rarely wins. I’ve compared the short, bald Roman to Karl Anderson. Tischer (NXT’s Alexander Wolfe) and Moodo are a regular tag team here, so kayfabe, that should give them a big advantage over the two singles guys who aren’t usually partners. I’ve compared Moodo to 2005-era Michael Shane. Roman and Moodo opened, and they immediately traded open-hand slaps. Tischer entered and kicked Roman in the chest, then bodyslammed him at 2:00.
Schreier hit a second-rope crossbody block on Tischer. Tischer tied Roman in a headlock on the mat and kept him grounded. Moodo got back in and hit a guillotine leg drop on Roman for a nearfall at 5:30, and they kept Laurance in their corner. Schreier got a hot tag and hit multiple dropkicks, then a tornado DDT on Tischer for a nearfall. Tischer and Moodo beat up Schreier, with Moodo hitting a pumphandle powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:00, but Roman made the save. Schreier hit an enzuigiri on Moodo, and Roman hit a tornado DDT on Moodo.
Tischer powerbombed Roman onto Schreier, and they were all down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Roman and Tischer got up and traded forearm strikes. Everyone began hitting kicks. Moodo and Tischer hit a Chasing the Dragon (spin kick and brainbuster combo) and pinned Schreier. Highly entertaining. Mett said the final few minutes were “purely magical.”
Axel Tischer and Fast Time Moodo defeated Nick Schreier and Laurance Roman at 11:04.
* Backstage, the German announcer interviewed Metehan (formerly Teoman in NXT-Uk.) Because this show is live, we do not have any subtitles. The only word I recognized was “wrestling.”
4. Ahura vs. Elijah Blum. Ahura’s blond hair is turning dark at the roots, so I can renew my comparison to a younger, thinner Damian Sandow. Blum has short dark hair and he’s covered in tattoos. Ahura hit a running kick to the face at the bell and we’re underway. He slammed Blum for a nearfall just seconds in. Blum applied an Anaconda Vice on the mat, and Ahura scrambled to the ropes at 1:30. They fought on the floor and there was almost NO space at ringside… they were brushing past fans’ knees as they looped ringside.
Ahura hit a springboard dropkick back in the ring at 3:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Blum hit a swinging neckbreaker at 6:00. Blum hit a shotgun dropkick. He hit a twisting fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. They traded punches while fighting on the ropes in the corner. This crowd was hot. They kept fighting as it moved onto the ring apron. Ahura pushed Blum into the rows of chairs, then he hit a springboard twisting press onto Blum in the crowd at 11:00! In the ring, Ahura hit a piledriver and they were both down.
Blum got to his feet at the nine-count, and Mett was losing his mind and his voice. Blum got an inside cradle for a nearfall. Ahura hit a powerbomb against the ropes, then hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 13:30. Blum hit an enzuigiri, then a hard uranage for a nearfall. He tied Ahura in an Anaconda Vice on the mat. Blum made a lazy cover; Ahura hooked both arms, rolled him over, and got the flash pin. “He just beat the No. 1 contender!” Mett shouted. That was really, really good.
Ahura defeated Elijah Blum at 15:39.
* Intermission was a legit full 30 minutes, which is just way too long. (I know you got merchandise to sell, but it needs to be kept to 12 to 18 minutes). Luckily, I was watching on delay so I was able to zip over it
5. “The Big Bucks” Norman Harras and Anil Marik (w/Robin Christopher Fohrwerk) vs. Aigle Blanc and Michael Oku. The champs came out first, which I always find unusual. Harras usually teams with Alex Duke, so Marik is apparently a fill-in. Robin took the mic and I think he’s explaining why Anil is in this match. The masked Blanc opened against Marik, and they traded quick reversals. Blanc and Oku hit stereo slingshot sentons. Mett (now solo in the booth because Robin is at ringside) explained that Alex Duke is out with an injury, leading to this new heel team being formed.
Blanc tied up Harras’ left arm. Harras hit a knee drop on Blanc’s chin for a nearfall at 4:30, and the heels kept Aigle in their corner. Oku finally got a hot tag at 7:00 and hit a top-rope crossbody block onto both men, then some dropkicks. He hit a top-rope Lionsault for a nearfall on Marik. Aigle hit a springboard flying knee on Marik for a nearfall at 9:00. Blanc went to the top rope, but Harras pushed him off to the floor. Marik hit a Lungblower to Oku’s chest for a nearfall. Harras hit a spear on Oku for a nearfall. Oku put Marik in a half-crab! Aigle put Harras in a half-crab at 11:00! “Hamburg has come alive!” Mett shouted. The heels broke free.
Oku clotheslined Harras to the floor, then Blanc and Oku hit a double Dragon Suplex on Marik. Blanc hit a flip dive to the floor on Harras! Blanc hit a coast-to-coast dropkick! Oku hit a Six Star Frogsplash on Marik! Blanc set up for a top-rope move, but Harras pulled Anil from the ring, so Oku hit a Fosbury Flop onto them! Aigle hit a 450 Splash on Anil for a visual pin, but Fohrwerk pulled the ref from the ring at 14:00. The ref ejected Robin, but in the process, Anil hit a low blow uppercut on Aigle, then a DDT, for the cheap pin. That was fun.
Anil Marik and Norman Harras defeated Aigle Blanc and Michael Oku to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles at 14:29.
6. Metehan vs. Marius Al-Ani for the vacant wXw European Title. Mett was beyond excited to see Marius as the surprise replacement for Mike D Vecchio, but I’ve never heard of him. He’s a thick bull with a short mohawk and reminds me of former wrestler Horshu/Luther Reigns. (I can’t hide my disappointment here.) Marius has a wide frame, and he tackled Metehan at the bell. Metehan applied a crossface, but Marius quickly got to the ropes at 1:30. They went to the floor, and Metehan slammed Marius onto the ring apron at 3:00. In the ring, Marius took control and kept Metehan tied in a headlock.
They got up and traded forearm strikes and chops. Metehan got a backslide for a nearfall at 9:00, then a second-rope missile dropkick. He hit a uranage for a nearfall. Marius hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 11:30, then a German Suplex, then another one. Metehan placed him on the top rope and hit a clothesline, then a diving forearm, but Marius rolled to the floor at 15:00 to avoid being pinned. Metehan hit a plancha onto him, and they fought at ringside. Back in the ring, Metehan hit a missile dropkick. Marius applied a rear-naked choke at 16:30. Marius hit a top-rope superplex for a nearfall. He hit more German Suplexes, and he switched to an ankle lock. He then hit a powerslam for the pin.
Marius Al-Ani defeated Metehan to win the vacant wXw European Title at 19:53.
7. Robert Dreissker vs. Masato Tanaka in an ECW Rules match. A huge pop for the veteran Tanaka, and he was bathed in streamers. They traded forearm strikes to open. Tanaka got several chairs from under the ring at 1:00 and slid them into the ring. They brawled on the floor, and Tanaka hit a cookie sheet over Tanaka’s head at 3:30. They continued to fight around the room. Tanaka hit a frogsplash off the top rope onto Dreissker, who was lying on a table on the floor at 6:30. They got back into the ring, and Tanaka hit a chairshot onto Dreissker’s knee. Robert got up in the ring and hit Tanaka with a cookie sheet, and they brawled in the ring.
Dreisker hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 8:30. Tanaka hit a clothesline and a Diamond Dust (flipping stunner move out of the corner) for a nearfall. Tanaka put Dreissker on a table in the ring and went to the top rope, but Robert hopped up and fought him in the corner. Dreissker then hit a second-rope superplex, with them both crashing through the table at 11:30, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Robert hit a clothesline for a nearfall.
Dreissker got another table and set it up in the corner of the ring, and he speared Tanaka through it at 14:30, earning another “holy shit!” chant, but Tanaka kicked out at one! Mett was losing his mind!!! Tanaka hit a sliding forearm, but Dreissker kicked out at one. Tanaka clocked him over the head with an unprotected chairshot. He hit a second one, then another sliding forearm for the pin. Man, I hate those unprotected blows to the head, but that was a fantastic match.
Masato Tanaka defeated Robert Dreissker at 15:48.
Final Thoughts: A hot crowd, with Mett going nuts, made a very good brawl in the main event earn the top slot. The tag title match, even with the cop-out finish, takes second place. With the tag champs being a makeshift team, I really thought there was a chance Oku and Blanc were winning the belts here. I really liked Ahura-Blum, and that earns third best.
Mett stressed Al-Ani’s past credentials as a prior wXw champion. I’ve been watching the promotion for about a year (since they started airing on Triller+), and I’d never heard of him. I just never warmed up to that match because I didn’t know this guy who was suddenly getting a title shot in the main event when I’d never seen him before. This show was very entertaining.
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