By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WXW “16 Carat Gold Night 2”
March 7, 2026, in Oberhausen, Germany, at Turbinenhalle 1
Streamed live on TrillerTV+ and IndependentWrestling.TV
The lighting and overall production were good. Norman Harras and Dave Bradshaw provided English commentary. Bradshaw said there are “1,000-plus” fans there… bigger than I estimated Friday.
* This is a 16-competitor, single-elimination tournament played over three consecutive days. Friday’s event featured the first-round matches, so this show will feature the four quarterfinal matches, along with non-tournament action. The commentators noted during the first match that they do not know the brackets; I thought maybe I missed them.
* There is a LOT of talent from West Coast Pro Wrestling here. Many of them are appearing on other shows going on this weekend that I’ll check out later.
1. Erick Stevens vs. Yamato in a quarterfinal tournament match. They shook hands before locking up, and this has a realistic intensity as they fought to the mat. The commentators noted Yamato was last in wXw in 2010! Stevens hit some chops in the corner at 3:30. He went for a dive to the floor, but Yamato cut him off with a kick. Yamato hit a top-rope missile dropkick. Yamato hit a suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. Stevens nailed a dive through the ropes.
In the ring, Erick hit some running back elbows in the corner and a clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. Stevens hit an Air Raid Crash for a nearfall, then a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. This has been sharp. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Yamato hit an enzuigiri. He snapped off a huracanrana out of nowhere for the pin. A really good match.
Yamato defeated Erick Stevens at 11:21 to advance to the semifinals.
2. “Crush Boys” Titus Alexander and Starboy Charlie vs. Metehan and Rambo. These are the WCPW Tag Team champs. (I noted there is a lot of West Coast Pro talent here!) Again, Metehan was in NXT-UK as “Teoman.” In the past, I’ve compared Rambo’s build, his thick size, to Rusev. Titus and Metehan opened, with Alexander hitting a dropkick. This crowd was insanely hot and singing for Rambo. Rambo got the hot tag at 2:30 to face Charlie.
Charlie hit a huracanrana. Rambo caught him and slammed him to the mat. Metehan tagged himself in, and that got some boos. He hit a bodyslam on Charlie at 4:30, then a handspring-back-elbow for a nearfall. Titus entered and rolled up Rambo for a nearfall. He hit a Lethal Injection for a nearfall. Rambo hip-tossed him across the ring. He set up for a package piledriver, but Titus escaped. Charlie hit a Pele Kick, then a Sasuke Special to the floor on Rambo.
In the ring, he missed a Shooting Starboy Press. Titus got in and hit a German Suplex on Metehan at 7:30. He flipped Charlie onto Rambo, then Charlie hit a Cosmic Swirl (standing corkscrew press) for a nearfall. Rambo hit a powerbomb on Titus. Metehan hit a running knee, and Rambo made the cover for a nearfall. Rambo then hit a frog splash to pin Titus. Really good action.
Rambo and Metehan defeated Starboy Charlie and Titus Alexander at 8:51.
3. Zoltan vs. Thomas Shire in a quarterfinal tournament match. Shire is a bit taller and much thicker. Again, Zoltan is 18 and a lot of good comparisons to Nick Wayne. They shook hands before locking up. Standing switches early; the size gap is just stark. Shire knocked him down with a shoulder tackle at 2:30. Zoltan hit a dropkick. He dove to the floor on Shire and celebrated in the crowd. Heel commentator Harras made fun of Zoltan. In the ring, Zoltan hit a splash for a nearfall. Shire took control and stomped on the kid until he fell to the floor.
Shire followed him to the floor at 5:00 and hit a chop, then threw Zoltan back in. Shire hit a backbreaker across his shoulder and got a nearfall. Shire put him on his shoulders, but Zoltan escaped and hit a superkick. Zoltan hit a huracanrana, then a corner fadeaway stunner for a nearfall at 8:00, but he missed a frog splash. Zoltan got a backslide for a nearfall. Shire put him on his shoulders, spun him to the mat, and hit a powerbomb with a jackknife cover for the pin. Good action.
Thomas Shire defeated Zoltan at 8:43 to advance to the semifinals.
* In a video package, 1 Called Manders talked about being called out by Elijah Blum. “You are going to be in a dogfight.” You are the hunted one now.” He warned Blum that “I’m a lot meaner now.” (The video was in English, with German subtitles.)
4. Alex Duke and Jane Nero vs. Katsuya Murashima and Chihiro Hashimoto in a mixed tag. Murashima just ‘graduated’ from NJPW’s Young Lion program. He wore an ugly red singlet with one strap; jeez, just go back to the black trunks rather than that. (I have consistently praised his work in NJPW; he’s talented!) Hashimoto, the only woman in the tournament, was eliminated on Friday. The women opened; they appear to be the same height, but Hashimoto is visibly thicker and stronger. Nero slapped her in the face! Chihiro hit a shoulder tackle and got a nearfall. The men locked up at 1:30. Duke is 6’2″, but he appears much taller than Murashima.
Murashima knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Duke hit a flying clothesline for a nearfall, then some chops. The women got back in, and Hashimoto dropped Nero with a clothesline at 4:30. Duke tagged back in, and he picked up Nero and pushed her feet into Hashimoto’s face. Hashimoto hit a German Suplex. Murashima hit a clothesline, and Hashimoto made a cover for a nearfall. Murashima hit a running Bulldog Powerslam on Duke for a believable nearfall, then a German Suplex with a high bridge for the pin!
Katsuya Murashima and Chihiro Hashimoto defeated Alex Duke and Jane Nero at 6:40.
5. Peter Tihanyi vs. Alan Angels in a quarterfinal tournament match. Angels hit a shotgun dropkick and some stomps at the bell. Angels has been a heel in the U.S. in recent memory, but he’s going to be a babyface here against the hated Tihanyi. Peter hit some European Uppercuts in the corner, then a Pump Kick to the chest. He clotheslined Alan to the floor and hit a flip dive onto him at 2:30. They looped the ring and brawled at ringside.
They got into the ring, and Angels was in charge. This crowd was pretty split, more than I expected. Angels hit a half nelson suplex, but Tihanyi immediately hit a jumping knee to the back of the head, and they were both down at 6:00. Angels trapped Tihanyi’s head in the corner and hit a dropkick to the face. He slammed Peter and got a nearfall at 8:00. Tihanyi hit a Mafia Kick and stomped on Angels in the corner.
Alan hit a spin kick to the ribs. Tihanyi nailed a superkick and a slingshot stunner for a nearfall at 10:30. Peter stomped on him and kept him grounded. Alan hit a corner moonsault to the floor and threw Peter back in, and hit a frog splash for a nearfall. He hit the Angel’s Wings for a believable nearfall at 12:30. Angels leapt off the ropes, but Tihanyi caught him with a stunner for the pin!
Peter Tihanyi defeated Alan Angels at 13:36 to advance to the semifinals.
* Intermission
6. Ahura vs. Tetsuya Naito in a quarterfinal tournament match. Again, Ahura has vowed to retire if he can’t win this tournament — it really paints wXw into a corner. I’ll reiterate that Ahura is really thin and muscular right now — he looks like he’s ready for a bodybuilding competition. Naito took forever to disrobe, and he stalled at the bell. He dropkicked Ahura to the floor, teased a dive, but did his signature pose on the mat at 2:00. He really has become the master of doing absolutely nothing in the ring.
Ahura hit a springboard dropkick and did a Spinaroonie to his feet, as Naito stalled on the floor. They brawled at ringside. Naito whipped him into rows of chairs at 4:30. In the ring, Naito hit a DDT for a nearfall. Ahura hit a sideslam, and they were both down at 8:00. Naito hit a second-rope flipping DDT. He went for Destino at 10:30, but Ahura blocked it and hit a low-blow mule kick! The crowd loudly booed that! Ahura hit a piledriver for a believable nearfall.
Naito hit a tornado DDT at 12:00. Ahura fired back with a clothesline, and they were both down. Ahura went for a springboard spinning splash to the floor, but Naito moved, and Ahura crashed onto chairs, and he was down at 14:00. “Have we just witnessed the final moments of Ahura’s career?” a commentator wondered. He dove back in before being counted out. Naito immediately hit a Destino for a believable nearfall! Ahura hit his spinning suplex move and scored the pin! Good action.
Ahura defeated Tetsuya Naito at 16:02 to advance to the semifinals.
* The commentators stressed that this was Naito’s first pinfall loss in a year. The crowd chanted “Thank you, Naito!” in English. Ahura bowed at Naito’s feet. Naito kind of kicked at him, encouraging him to get up.
7. “The Grind” Nick Schreier and Laurance Roman vs. “Planet Gojirah” Marc Empire and Robert Dreissker in a street fight for the wXw Tag Team Titles. I’ve seen this before — Schreier came out to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman, with a beer in one hand and a kendo stick in the other. Why hasn’t anyone ever thought to do that before? The crowd sang along. (How much did those music rights cost wXw?) Empire and Dreissker dove onto them, and we’re underway! Harras said it’s what The Grind gets for screwing around for several minutes. Again, Roman is similar to Karl Anderson, and Empire looks a lot like a bald Michael Elgin.
All four brawled on the floor. Schreier climbed the wall and dove onto PG at 3:00. They continued to fight on the floor and loop the ring. Dreissker and Nick got in the ring, and Robert hit him over the head with a garbage can at 5:00. He hit him a few more times with the garbage can. Schreier hit a bulldog on Robert, and he dropkicked Dreissker in the corner. Schreier hit a frog splash. We got a “We want tables!” chant in English. They continued to brawl in the ring. Roman shoved the top of a ladder into Empire’s groin as Marc sat in the corner at 10:30.
The Grind did the Dudleys ‘Get the Tables’ routine and found one under the ring. Schreier leapt off the very top of the ladder and hit a frog splash on Dreissker, who was lying on a table, for a nearfall at 13:00, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. The Grind hit a team swinging neckbreaker on Empire, and they both jumped on him for a pin attempt at 15:00, but Marc kicked out. Roman hit a dive to the floor on Dreissker. In the ring, Dreissker hit a spinebuster on Roman for a nearfall at 17:00.
Dreissker put Nick on his shoulder and hit a Bulldog Powerslam through a table for a believable nearfall, but Schreier kicked out. Roman hit a running low-blow kick on Dreissker, then threw a chair at him at 20:00. Empire hit an STO uranage on Roman. Empire powerbombed Roman onto several open chairs for a believable nearfall. Empire got a bag and dumped thumbtacks in the center of the ring. Roman nailed an Electric Chair Drop on Empire, with them both landing on the tacks at 24:00. (Empire has a shirt on; Roman does not!)
Roman stomped Dreissker’s head onto a table lying on the mat. Roman slapped Dreissker. A masked man got in the ring and removed the hood. It’s Robin Christopher Fohrwerk, a heel manager! He began working with Planet Gojirah! They used tape to tie Roman around the ring post! Nick slowly walked towards Robin, but he got in the ring and repeatedly hit Dreissker with the kendo stick. However, Dreissker speared Schreier through a table in the corner at 28:00! Roman was still trying to free himself from the tape. Planet Gojirah hit their team Musclebuster on Schreier, sending him onto the pile of tacks, and they piled on Nick, and both pinned him. Good brawl.
Robert Dreissker and Marc Empire defeated Laurance Roman and Nick Schreier to win the wXw Tag Team Titles at 28:24.
* In a video, Elijah Blum talked about his feud with 1 Called Manders. He mixed English and German. English subtitles were available.
8. Elijah Blum vs. 1 Called Manders for the wXw World Title. They glared at each other and locked up at 1:00. Blum hit a dropkick at 3:00, spat on his own hand, and slapped Manders on the face. Blum hit a plancha to the floor, and they traded forearm strikes on the floor. In the ring, Blum hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 5:30, and he snapped Manders’ arm across the ropes. Manders immediately sold the pain, and Blum began targeting the right arm. Manders hit a chop, but it hurt him more. Blum hit some shoulder thrusts to the ribs and a snap suplex for a nearfall at 7:30.
Manders dropped Blum stomach-first on the top rope, but he immediately clutched at his sore arm. Manders hit a bodyslam, but he missed an elbow drop at 10:00. They got up, jawed at each other, then traded forearm strikes. Blum hit a Moonsault Press on a standing Manders for a nearfall at 12:30. They traded more chops and again went to the floor. Blum slammed Manders’ arm against the ring post. However, Manders hit an Oklahoma Stampede (Bulldog Powerslam) onto several open chairs in the front row at 16:00, and they were both down.
Manders sat up, and he had a cut on his right arm, as he had a lot of blood. The commentators were as confused as I am about how that happened, but it does make for quite a visual. They got in the ring, and Blum hit a shotgun dropkick, then his version of a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 18:30. They traded chops. Blum hit a tornado DDT and a double-arm DDT for a believable nearfall at 20:30. Manders hit a clothesline with the right arm, then one with the left for a believable nearfall! Manders hit another clothesline for a nearfall. Blum kipped up at 22:30, and that shocked Manders.
They pushed their foreheads together, then traded more chops. They took turns beating on each other in the corner. Blum hit a German Suplex at 25:00, but Manders hit another clothesline for a nearfall. Manders put his arms behind his back and ‘invited’ a clothesline, but he absorbed it rather than going down! Manders then hit a sliding clothesline for the pin. That was epic and had some really nice callbacks to their prior matches.
Elijah Blum vs. 1 Called Manders to retain the wXw World Title at 27:34.
* Blum cut a promo in German. Because it’s live, no on-screen translation. I thought the show was over, but Bobby Gunns got in the ring. (He lost in the first round on Friday.) Gunns hit a German Suplex and a running penalty kick and was loudly booed. He posed with the belt over his shoulder, lit a cigarette, and smoked it, as we faded to black.
Final Thoughts: Yeah, that was a pretty awesome main event. I knew it was going long, but it didn’t drag either. I love that it was hard-hitting without a reliance on weapons or blood — I am pretty sure the cut on Manders’ arm was unintentional. I’ll go with Angels-Tihanyi for second-best and Yamato-Stevens for third.
I wouldn’t generally recommend having two matches back-to-back that long, but I guess it worked here. The crowd enjoyed The Grind-Planet Gojiriah tag match more than I did. It really didn’t need to be that long, either. Also, why does Fohrwork join Planet Gojirah at the end of the match? Why isn’t he out there from the start? I’m happy that Murashima is here and getting some matches on excursion, but that one was a bit clunky. And I hate that gear with the single strap.
The finals are on Sunday afternoon here in the United States! No surprise that the final four includes Peter Tihanyi and Ahura — two of the top three European guys on this roster (along with Blum, of course).
Be the first to comment