By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WXW “16 Carat Gold Night 1”
Released March 6, 2026, on TrillerTV+ and IndependentWrestling.TV
March 6, 2026, in Oberhausen, Germany, at Turbinenhalle 1
The attendance was perhaps 500. The lighting and overall production were good. Mett Dimassi and Dave Bradshaw provided English commentary. Notably absent today is a match clock in the lower corner of the screen.
* This is a 16-competitor, single-elimination tournament played over three consecutive days, along with non-tournament action. I’m a sucker for tournaments, so let’s see how this goes! Again, top European star Ricky Sosa was a late scratch because he flew to the United States to compete in TNA instead. So, we have eight first-round matches today.
1. Arez vs. Peter Tihanyi in a first-round tournament match. Arez is also known as Clon in AEW; he wore his face paint, not the mask. Tihanyi is a top heel here, and it’s hard for me to imagine he loses in the first round. Standing switches to open, and they traded rollups early on. They traded armdrags and had a standoff at 1:30. Peter hit a series of stomps and was loudly booed. Arez hit a pop-up kick, but he missed his one-footed Lionsault. Tihanyi hit a running knee for a nearfall at 5:00. Arez ran up Tihanyi’s back and hit some clotheslines in the corner.
Arez hit the one-footed Lionsault for a nearfall at 6:30, then a dive onto Peter on the floor. Arez hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor! That got a nice pop. In the ring, Arez hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Tihanyi hit a tornado DDT at 8:30. Arez nailed his Pele Kick and a Roderick-style double knees to the back for a nearfall. He hit a Helluva Kick. They fought on the ropes in the corner. Tihanyi shoved him to the mat and hit a 450 Splash for the pin! Good action. Nice to see Tihanyi won without cheating.
Peter Tihanyi defeated Arez at 10:34 to advance to the quarterfinals.
2. Zoltan vs. Bushi in a first-round tournament match. Zoltan is 18, and he reminds me a bit of Nick Wayne, but he has a bit more size. A nice pop for Bushi, who competed here last weekend, too. An intense lockup to open. Zoltan hit a dropkick, and he kicked Bushi to the floor, then hit a plancha at 1:00. They fought at ringside; no guardrails here, and fans are pretty close to the ring.
Back in the ring, Bushi hit a stiff kick to the spine at 2:30, then he tied him in a Trailer Hitch leg lock, but Zoltan reached the ropes. Zoltan hit some running back elbows, but Bushi went back to the Trailer Hitch. Zoltan reached the ropes at 6:00. They traded some moves, and Zoltan got a backslide out of nowhere for the flash pin! The commentators shouted that Zoltan “defied the odds!” Bushi was shocked.
Zoltan defeated Bushi at 7:29 to advance to the quarterfinals.
3. Thomas Shire vs. Chihiro Hashimoto in a first-round tournament match. Funny — they put Shire’s name on the screen on Chihiro as she walked to the ring. He is MUCH taller. They had an intense lockup and traded quick reversals on the mat. They traded shoulder blocks at 2:00 with neither going down. She finally dropped him, and that earned a pop. Shire stomped on her in the corner and got booed. Chihiro hit a flipping senton for a nearfall at 5:00. He applied a sleeper and went to an abdominal stretch, into a pin attempt.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Chihiro hit a spear for a nearfall at 6:30. Shire put her on his shoulders, spun her several times, then slammed her to the mat for a nearfall. She hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. He countered with a jumping knee to her jaw and a German Suplex, then a clothesline to the back of the head for the pin. She looked good here against a guy much, much bigger than her. They bowed to each other and got a nice applause.
Thomas Shire defeated Chihiro Hashimoto at 8:23 to advance to the quarterfinals.
4. Bobby Gunns vs. Erick Stevens in a first-round tournament match. I’ve noted before that with his bald head and short beard, and plain, red trunks, he always reminds me of a shorter Lars Sullivan. (You can’t unsee it now that I’ve said it!) Like Tihanyi in the first match, it would be a big surprise if Gunns lost in the first round. The commentators noted it has been 16 years since Stevens (who recently returned from retirement!) has been in this tournament. They immediately traded chops and forearm strikes; no feeling-out process here!
Erick clotheslined him to the floor and dove through the ropes. He slammed Gunns on the apron and was fired up! In the ring, Gunns hit a stiff kick to the spine at 1:30, but Stevens got up and shook it off. Gunns stomped on the right elbow. Stevens hit some chops with that arm but also sold the pain. Gunns hit an Exploder Suplex at 3:00 and a basement dropkick in the corner. Gunns hit a headbutt, and he playfully kicked Stevens in the corner. Erick fired up and hit some Polish Hammers, then a hard clothesline at 6:00.
Stevens hit an Air Raid Crash for a nearfall. Gunns nailed a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall, then a running Penalty Kick for a nearfall at 8:00. Gunns hit a clothesline for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Gunns hit a shotgun dropkick into the corner. Stevens hit a discus elbow and a Tiger Driver for a believable nearfall at 11:00. He hit a hard forearm strike to the back of the head for a nearfall. Stevens nailed the Northern Lights Bomb (a Snow Plow-style driver) for the pin! That was a really good, hard-hitting match.
Erick Stevens defeated Bobby Gunns at 12:02 to advance to the quarterfinals.
* Jane Nero spoke on the entrance stage. There’s no quick English translation, so I have zero idea what she’s saying. Two men in tight black shirts and tan pants came out; are they her security? (They aren’t dressed to wrestle.)
5. Alan Angels vs. Titus Alexander in a first-round tournament match. Again, Angels was a late replacement for Ricky Sosa. I am a huge fan of West Coast-based Titus, who is still in his early 20s. He could pass for Ethan Page’s younger brother. He hit a dropkick early on. Angels dove through the ropes onto Titus. (Cagematch.net shows they’ve shared a ring 11 times, and Angels has a 2-1 advantage in singles matches.) In the ring, Angels hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. The commentators noted how Titus has been busy in Japan’s NOAH the past two years.
Titus hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. He hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 5:30. He went for a German Suplex, but Angels rotated and landed on his feet. Angels hit a top-rope superplex, but Titus hit a brainbuster, and they were both down at 7:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Angels spun him to the mat and applied the Halo Stretch (Rings of Saturn). Angels hit several German Suplexes. They traded rollups. Titus hit a Lethal Injection at 9:30, then a running knee to the chest for a nearfall.
We got a “Fight forever!” chant in English. (I love European crowds!) Titus hit a heel hook kick to the jaw, and that sent Angels to the floor. Titus nailed a flip dive to the floor, landing on his feet on the chairs! As they got in the ring, Angels hit the Halo Strike kick to the head, a Canadian Destroyer, and a Jay Driller-style Angels Wings for the pin! That ended suddenly! A really good match.
Alan Angels defeated Titus Alexander at 11:15 to advance to the quarterfinals.
* The annual all-women’s tournament will take place in September, and they announced that Mercedes Martinez will compete, and the crowd popped for that. Again, she’s on a retirement tour; I’m not sure if she has announced a final match date. INTERMISSION.
* The clock in the lower corner is on for the post-intermission action!
6. Tetsuya Naito vs. Dieter Schwartz in a first-round tournament match. As is often the case, Naito took a long time to disrobe. I don’t think I’ve seen Dieter before; the commentators said he was trained by Axel Tischer, and he certainly looks like him. (Or, think a thinner Adam Pearce). Standing switches to open. Dieter loosened a turnbuckle pad, and he slammed Naito’s shoulder into it at 2:30, and he began targeting the damaged limb. Naito hit a tornado DDT. Naito hit a huracanrana at 6:00. Dieter hit a leaping European Uppercut for a nearfall.
Dieter hit a German Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall. They held onto each other’s left wrist and traded forearm strikes. Naito hit a Destino out of nowhere for a believable nearfall at 9:00. He hit a second one and scored the pin! Decent — you really don’t want to ask Naito to have a longer match than this these days.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Dieter Schwartz at 9:17 to advance to the quarterfinals.
* Some wrestlers spoke backstage in German.
7. Yamato vs. Axel Tischer in a first-round tournament match. Yamato is a Dragon Gate legend; I saw him in Chicago for ROH back in 2008! An intense lockup to open; Tischer (NXT’s Alexander Wolfe) is taller, and this is his fifth time in this tournament. They took turns twisting each other’s left arm, and the commentators called it “a chess match.” They traded shoulder blocks at 4:00. Tischer hit a bodyslam for a nearfall and he kept Yamato in a headlock on the mat. Yamato hit a dropkick into the corner at 8:00, then a release suplex for a nearfall.
Yamato hit a suplex for a nearfall at 9:30. He hit an enzuigiri. Axel hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Tischer hit a snap suplex and a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall at 11:30. Yamato applied a sleeper, then hit a powerbomb move for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes at 14:00. Yamato hit a headbutt; Axel hit an enzuigiri and a clothesline, and they were both down. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees. Tischer hit a suplex at 16:00. Yamato snapped off a huracanrana for the pin out of nowhere!
Yamato defeated Axel Tischer at 16:18 to advance to the quarterfinals.
8. Ahura vs. Dennis “Cash” Dullnig in a first-round tournament match. Apparently, Ahura has vowed to retire if he doesn’t win the title. He seems extra thin and sculpted today; he looks like he’s ready for a bodybuilding competition. He’s dyed his hair blond again. A feeling-out process early on as they cautiously traded standing reversals. They went to the floor at 4:30, and Ahura hit some chops that pushed Dullnig into the crowd. They got back into the ring, but Dullnig kicked him to the floor at 6:30, and they fought into the crowd on the other side of the ring.
Back in the ring, Dullnig hit a forearm strike to the kidneys, and he was in charge. He hit a backbreaker over his knee at 9:00. Dennis hit a Divorce Court armbreaker on the apron at 11:00, and he targeted the damaged left arm. He hit a slingshot suplex and a powerslam move for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Dennis snapped Ahura’s fingers at 14:30. Ahura hit a powerbomb. Dullnig hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. He raked Ahura’s eyes, and Ahura picked up the ref but realized it and set him down. Ahura hit a dropkick that sent Dullnig flying into the ref at 20:00!
Ahura immediately hit a piledriver for a visual pin, but we had no ref! Dullnig hit a low-blow uppercut at 22:00. Dullnig got a title belt, but the ref woke up and confiscated it. Dullnig pulled a weapon out of his trunks and hit Ahura in the head with it! Dullnig hit a Doctor Bomb (gutwrench powerbomb) for a nearfall at 24:00, and the crowd went nuts for the kickout. The ref found the weapon, but Dullnig pleaded his innocence. While Dullnig was arguing with the ref, Ahura got up and kicked Dennis, then hit a springboard twisting dive to the floor. They got into the ring, and Ahura hit his twisting suplex for the pin! Good match, but the stipulation convinced me that Dullnig had no chance of winning.
Ahura defeated Dennis Dullnig at 26:14 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Final Thoughts: A good show that has me looking forward to the quarterfinals on Saturday. Yamato brought his A game tonight, and I’ll narrowly go with his match against Tischer for best of the night. Angels-Titus earns second. Stevens vs. Gunns was hard-hitting and earned third. As I noted at the start of the match, I expected Gunns to win, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Stevens advance. The main event was good, but it did take a while to really get going.
I’ll reiterate how much fun these German crowds are — they were hot and into the action all night. I didn’t see any brackets, so I’m not sure what is coming in the quarterfinals. I do think Ricky Sosa had a strong chance of winning this tournament, and his absence was felt.
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