Your commentary team of the night, once again is Alan Counihan and Jeremy Graves. Over 1,000 pack the SOLD OUT Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Germany. If you missed my review of Night 1 you can read it HERE.
First match of the evening is a fatal four way tag team match to determine a number one contender for the wXw World Tag Team Championships. The match is between Monster Consulting (Avalanche & Julian Nero), RISE (Da Mack & Ivan Kiev), Jay FK (Francis Kaspin & Jay Skillet) and Mark Haskins & Matt Sydal. Avalanche and Jay Skillet start off the match. Monster Consulting get the early advantage using their size and power. Haskins later comes in and does some cool double submissions such as a Boston Crab and Camel Clutch combo on both members of Jay FK. Then he gets both members of Rise simultaneously hooked in for the Star armbar. The match ends when Sydal attempts a Shooting Star Press on Da Mack but he avoids it and hits an unprettier for the win. This was a quick and fun match to open the show.
Next up is the first match of the Quarter Finals in the tournament. Keith Lee takes on Chris Brookes. Brookes tries to get an early advantage with a sleeper on Keith Lee but Lee is too powerful and easily gets to the ropes. Brookes later goes for a tope suicida but Keith Lee catches him in mid-air and gives him a powerbomb on the ring apron. Lee sets up Brookes in the corner and gives him a series of chops. Brookes tries to comeback with a series of chops of his own but he eats a double overhand chop for his trouble. Lee goes for a slingshot crossbody into the ring but Brookes nails him with a kick to the face. He then follows up with a slingshot ace crusher but can’t keep the big man down for a 3 count. Brookes tries to lock in the octopus stretch but can’t bend Lee’s arms back. Lee eventually hits the Spirit Bomb which sends Brookes bouncing off the mat. This puts away Brookes for a 3 count. Good match with Keith Lee continuing to show his power in the tournament.
The next match is Lucky Kid taking on Timothy Thatcher. The match starts with dueling Thatcher and Lucky chants. The crowd is 50/50 on this one. At one point Lucky fakes a dive to the outside but is still dragged to the outside by Thatcher. Thatcher then receives a flatliner to the ringpost followed by an Arabian press moonsault. There’s almost a repeat of the previous night with Lucky’s win over Sydal, when he rolls up Thatcher, but only gets a near fall. Thatcher attempts a butterfly suplex from the top rope but Lucky counters into a Liger Bomb. Lucky hits a handspring elbow and sliced bread for only a 2 count. Thatcher ends the match by hitting a saito suplex, enziguri, and butterfly suplex for a 3 count on Lucky. This was a great back and forth match that the crowd was split on.
The third Quarter Final match of the match starts off fast, as David Starr takes on Travis Banks. Banks gets hit with the Cherry Mint DDT and as Starr goes for the Han Stanson lariat, Banks hit the Slice of Heaven, He immediately follows up with the Kiwi Crusher but only keeps Starr down for a 2 count. Banks attempts another Slice of Heaven but Starr counters into a powerbomb onto the knees (aka Project Ciampa). Starr is unable to follow up with a pin as he hurts himself in the process. Banks hits a Slice of Heaven to the back of Starr’s head. Banks goes for another Slice of Heaven but eats a lariat. Starr follows up with the Han Stanson for the win. This match was very similar to the Travis Banks vs. Mark Haskins match from the previous night. Both men get their moves in with no one gaining the upper hand. This short 6 minute fury was done a little better than the match the night before.
The final Quarter Final match is underway as Matt Riddle hits Absolute Andy with a flying knee and gets the pin for the 3 count. Riddle celebrates but the referee realizes Andy’s foot is under the bottom rope and the match continues. Andy drops Riddle back first onto the ring apron and tries to get the count out victory but Riddle makes his way back into the ring before the count of ten. Andy catches Riddle off a springboard and turns it into a spinebuster. He immediately locks in a sharpshooter but Riddle makes it to the ropes. Riddle comes back with a ripcord knee, powerbomb and knee to the face but only gets a two count. Riddle goes for the Bro 2 Sleep, Andy blocks it and hits a superkick. He follows up with a F5 and another superkick. Andy hooks the leg and Riddle bridges up, barely bare;y getting his shoulder off the mat. Andy sets up Riddle on the top rope and hits a Frankensteiner, but Riddle immediately makes it to his feet. Riddle is fired up as he hits a Tombstone. Riddle connects with elbows to the side of the head but can’t put away Andy. Riddle grows frustrated as he makes his way to the top rope. Andy pushes the referee into the ropes causing Riddle to lose his balance and fall victim to an avalanche F5. Andy becomes the final competitor to make it to the Semi Finals. Really good match between Riddle and Andy to end the tournament matches of the night.
“The Prince of Pro” Alexander James makes his entrance as he takes on Jonah Rock. Jonah Rock is clearly the crowd favorite in this match. This is a match between two men that were eliminated in the tournament. Alexander James works Rock’s left arm and Rock using his power to overcome various submissions. Rock his a lariat and goes to the top rope for a moonsault, but James moves out of the way. James takes advantage and gets the cradle pin for the win. Very quick and simple 8 minute match.
The next match is the first of three title matches of the night, as “Speedball” Mike Bailey challenges wXw Shotgun Champion Bobby Gunns. Just a warning…this match is not for the faint of heart. The match starts off quick as Bailey attempts the shooting star knees but Bobby Gunns rolls to the outside. Bailey hits a triangle moonsault to the outside after a second attempt. Gunns starts to work Bailey’s left arm right away. At one point Gunns pulls back on Bailey’s pinky. He then takes off his wrist tape and wraps it around Bailey’s bent back finger. Gunns stomps on Bailey’s hand causing further damage to Bailey’s pinky. Bailey comes back and heads to the top rope but is stopped by Gunns. Gunns is then caught between the middle ropes where Bailey hits the shooting star knees off the top rope. Bailey then finally takes off the tape and snaps his finger back into place. Bailey later hits a moonsault fallaway slam, the same move he put Gunns away with the previous night, but can’t get a 3 count. As Gunns kicks out he locks Bailey’s arm in an armbar and Bailey is forced to tap. Great effort from Bailey. Some parts of the match was hard to watch as it really looked brutal but it was a really good match.
A video package is shown before the wXw Women’s Championship match against Melanie Gray and champion Toni Storm. Storm tries to put Gray away quick by going for the Strong Zero piledriver but is stopped. Gray rolls to the outside where she gets hit with a dive. Storm attempts a Strong Zero on the apron but is back body dropped. The match makes it’s way back to the ring where the two women battle back and forth. Storm hits a Strong Zero but Gray kicks out. Melanie Gray hits a spear through the ropes sending both competitors to the outside. Gray hits a Strong Zero of her own but only gets a near fall. Storm later hits a huge release overhead suplex off the top rope and a second Strong Zero for the win.
It’s main event time as a video package for WALTER is played where he talks about his accomplishments and how much of an embarrassment John Klinger is as wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion. WALTER makes his entrance to a big reaction. A video is then played with Klinger. He makes his entrance to the sound of boos. WALTER immediately the microphone and announces the match is now a 3 way dance. Ilja Dragunov’s music hits and the crowd goes wild.
Rise gets involved in the match early but Ilja and WALTER clean house. Timothy Thatcher and Monster Consulting brawls with Rise and removes them from the equation. Klinger tries to leave with the belt but he’s stopped by both his opponents. Ilja and WALTER trade chops and Ilja’s chest almost immediately turns red. Klinger throws Ilja into the chairs in the crowd. We then get the original main event as WALTER and Klinger face-off inside the ring. At one point WALTER locks in the Gojira Clutch on Klinger but Ilja breaks it up with a senton off the top. Ilja then gives chops to both men. It takes out Klinger but not WALTER. Ilja and WALTER then trade chops. Ilja’s chest is now bloody but he keeps fighting back. Crowd begin to chant “This is Awesome” and “Fight Forever.” Ilja hits WALTER with a his signature flying headbutt, Torpedo Moskau, taking him out of the match. Klinger tries to hit Ilja hit the belt but misses and eats a Torpedo Moskau of his own. He can only keep the champion down for a 2 count. Ilja immediately hits a Burning Hammer follwed by another Torpedo Moskau and gets Klinger down for the 3 count. The crowd pops big for the title change. Great moment to end the night.
Overall: From top to bottom this was a really good event. Every tournament match was either good or really good, with Timothy Thatcher and Lucky Kid having one of the best tournament matches of the night. All three title matches delivered, with the main event being really good. Great match and a great moment to end the show. An early match of the year candidate.
All three nights of the 2018 wXw 16 Carat Tournament is on The Highspots Wrestling Network. Subscribe for only $9.99 a month.
Quick Results/Star Ratings:
- wXw World Tag Team Championship #1 Contendership Four Way Match: RISE (Da Mack & Ivan Kiev) def. Jay FK (Francis Kaspin & Jay Skillet), Mark Haskins & Matt Sydal and Monster Consulting (Avalanche & Julian Nero) **½
- 16 Carat Gold Tournament 2018 Quarter Final Match: Keith Lee def. Chris Brookes ***½
- 16 Carat Gold Tournament 2018 Quarter Final Match: Timothy Thatcher def. Lucky Kid ***¾
- 16 Carat Gold Tournament 2018 Quarter Final Match: David Starr def. Travis Banks ***¼
- 16 Carat Gold Tournament 2018 Quarter Final Match: Absolute Andy def. Matt Riddle ***¾
- Alexander James def. Jonah Rock **
- wXw Shotgun Championship Match: Bobby Gunns (c) def. Mike Bailey ***¾
- wXw Women’s Championship Match: Toni Storm (c) def. Melanie Gray ***
- wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship Three Way Dance: Ilja Dragunov def. John Klinger (c) and WALTER to become the new wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion ****½