Hamilton’s wXw We Love Wrestling #25 – Live In Frankfurt 11.13.2021 Review

Quick Results
Axel Tischer pinned Jurn Simmons in 11:58 (***¼)
Oskar pinned Norman Harras in 5:50 (***)
Icarus submitted Hektor Invictus & Dennis Dullnig in 7:59 (***)
Stephanie Maze pinned Tayra Gates in 5:51 (**)
Michael Knight vs. Bobby Gunns went to a draw in 15:00 – Knight retains the wXw Shotgun Championship (***½)
Tristan Archer submitted Levaniel in 8:59 (***¼)
Iva Kolasky pinned Nicky Foxley in 9:28 to retain the wXw Women’s Championship (***)
No Disqualification – Anil Marik & Robert Dreissker defeat Maggot & Vincent Heisenberg by referee stoppage in 18:32 (***½)

— If you’re on Twitter, give me a follow over on @IanWrestling – and check out the GoFundMe that’s still open for Larry’s family.

We’re coming from the Batschkapp in Frankfurt – English commentary will come from Andy Jackson, except I’m watching the German track, which dropped first on-demand. Thommi Giesen’s back as ring announcer, while Andy Jackson and Christian Bischof are doing their to-camera pieces for the live crowd as well.

Axel Tischer vs. Jurn Simmons
This was non-title, and a surprise return for Jurn Simmons after he last appeared at the rescheduled Anniversary show in August.

Tischer looked to be the favourite in Frankfurt, and started by working over Jurn’s arm and wrist, before a shoulder block barely budged Jurn. A side headlock’s pushed off as Simmons starts to get a little annoyed at things. He grabs the side headlock next, then hit the shoulder tackles as the champion was getting bounced around.

Tischer tries a leaping crossbody, but Jurn just dumped him with a swinging sidewalk slam for a near-fall. Simmons blocks a drop toe hold into the ropes, but ended up falling to a running neckbreaker as the champion turned up the pace for a two-count. Uppercuts have Simmons rocked, while an elbow drop nearly puts Jurn away as Tischer went back to the arm, before Jurn fought back.

A suplex throw tosses Tischer across the ring, while a clothesline put the champion down en route to a reverse slam. For a second I thought Jurn was going for a Shadow Driver, just to keep up with the early Bad Bones look. I’ll get yelled at for that by someone… a spear brings it back to modern-day Jurn for a near-fall, but Tischer’s quickly back on top, throwing elbows and uppercuts.

Simmons takes an Exploder out of the corner, then a flying clothesline, before a bridging German suplex nearly ended it. Jurn looked for a piledriver, but Tischer stood up out of it, then got met with a back body drop for good measure. They’re back with the strikes, but a Massive Boot from Jurn just earns him a knee strike, before a buzzsaw kick connected, with Tischer literally falling on top of Jurn for the win. A solid opener, but you get the feeling there’s plenty left in the tank for bigger, hyped matches between the two. ***¼

Francis Kaspin heads to the ring next, talking about how it was wXw’s first time in Frankfurt in over two years, before he was interrupted by Norman Harras. Norman was upset that Kaspin hadn’t replied to his complaints from the Saxony tour. It turned out that Kaspin had been busy, and found an opponent for Norman tonight… “Oskar”

Norman Harras vs. Oskar
Cagematch listed him as Oskar Münchow, a trainee of the Fale Dojo in New Zealand who at one point was meant to have been training with the main New Japan Dojo. I’ve no idea if that actually happened, what with the pandemic…

The 23-year old Oskar, who was donning the Young Lion-ish black trunks, chased Harras to the outside early on, before a lock-up had Norman backing away into the corner. A side headlock has Norman down to a knee, before the push-off just led to Oskar charging down Norman, who really couldn’t get anything going.

Eventually Norman manages to hit something, as he hung up Oskar in the ropes… but a boot and a shoulder tackle puts Oskar right back in it, before Norman switched around a side headlock. A low bridge sends Oskar to the apron, which he’s quickly booted off of, but Oskar again returns to the ring and gets booted as Norman proceeded to land a leaping uppercut off the middle rope.

Oskar kicks out at one from that, so Harras slams him. A trip up top just seemed to draw Oskar into the corner as Norman dropped him across the ropes, but still couldn’t get past that one-count. Harras gets caught with another big boot, then a Michinoku driver… and that’s it! A cracking debut for Oskar, who managed to blend together the “Young Lion” basics with a standout showing on day one… can’t wait to see more from this lad. ***

Backstage, Francis Kaspin congratulates Oskar… who then shook Norman Harras’ hand. Norman’s still a little peeved off as he’s upset back-to-back sporting directors.

Earlier today, Dan Mallmann’s with Dennis Dullnig, who’s thrilled to be back with Hektor Invictus. Dullnig’s acting all hyper, like my dog after I’ve been out to the shops for a bit, while Hektor’s still annoyed that Dullnig cost him at the Anniversary show… and his mood changed when he realised that he wasn’t going to be teaming with Hektor tonight.

Dennis Dullnig vs. Hektor Invictus vs. Icarus
This was meant to have been Dullnig and Hektor against the Arrows of Hungary – Dover had travel issues, so we’re getting a three-way dance instead. Dullnig’s got his Hektor flag and Brian Urlacher jersey. You can guess which of those two things Hektor wanted back…

Dullnig stations himself in the corner, grabbing onto the tag rope in the feint hope this becomes a two-on-one handicap match. It didn’t. A disgusted shake of the head from Icarus shamed Dullnig into the ring, as Dullnig’s dreams of working with Hektor saw him pushed into an Icarus armdrag as the tag team champion ran wild early on.

An early attempt at the Heart of Europe submission drew Dullnig in to break it up before Hektor decked Icarus… then had to resist the urge to kill as Dullnig waved the flag. Dullnig’s being goofy as hell here, and at least once the referee was corpsing at his antics. Send for the man. Dullnig stood on Hektor’s foot as he took over a half crab, but was quickly hiding as Hektor threatened again.

Icarus chops free, then got pulled off of Hektor’s shoulders so Dullnig could hit a fireman’s carry facebuster for a two-count, all while Hektor was trying not to hit Dullnig, as the locals say, auf die Fresse. Eventually the pair work together, stomping away on Icarus before Hektor asked for a high five… and got a hard one. Dullnig’s like a puppy with big paws, huh?

They find themselves in position to give Icarus the Crossfire, but it’s avoided as Dullnig then cracked Hektor with Icarus’ legs amid a slam… and finally Hektor cracks Dullnig auf die Fresse. The crowd liked that one! Hektor throws Dullnig into the ropes before he flipped Icarus with the Hektor-knee for a near-fall as Dullnig was now in the mood to fight, landing a uranage on Hektor for a near-fall.

Dullnig heads to the corner and undoes a tag rope… the ref’s distracted by that, as Dullnig then went to use the flag on Icarus. Hektor stops him, then hit Dullnig with it, before Icarus pulled Hektor into the Heart of Europe, forcing Hektor to tap out on Dullnig’s chest for the submission. Enjoyable as hell, as Dullnig might just be getting the idea that his dream team is hitting the rocks. ***

Tayra Gates vs. Stephanie Maze
This was Gates’ first appearance for wXw since they returned to crowds… while Stephanie Maze was on her own as Fast Time Moodo was booked elsewhere.

Maze stings Gates with kicks early on, then took her down with an armdrag before a spinning heel kick had Tayra down again. A diving knee’s good for a two-count, before Gates blocked a Skyfall kick, then took Maze down with a clothesline. Maze returns with some body blows, then with a hammerlock’d clothesline for a near-fall, only to get pulled into the corner afterwards.

Running double knees follow from Gates for a two-count, before a side headlock’s countered into a Saito suplex for a near-fall. Yay/boo punches follow, before Gates slapped back in… and got another flurry of punches in return. Maze pushes away a DDT out of the corner, then hits Skyfall, and that’s your lot. Pretty even, as both women got another match under their belts – it’s something you’re going to see a fair amount of a wXw rebuilds their women’s division. **

Backstage, Dan’s with Anil Marik and Robert Dreissker ahead of the no-DQ main event… they’re very shouty as they want to take their anger out on Maggot, Heisenberg and perhaps Baby Allison too if she gets involved.

wXw Shotgun Championship: Bobby Gunns vs. Michael Knight (c)
The lottery concept was scrapped for this match as Michael Knight had unfinished business against Bobby Gunns from the “empty arena” days…

We’re still dealing with the 15-minute time limit though, as we start with Knight working a toe hold, then a side headlock before Gunns literally hit back with an elbow smash. Knight baits him into the ropes as a slingshot sunset flip nearly get the win for the champion, before he Gator rolled Gunns up ahead of a bulldog.

The pair reset as Knight rolled Gunns down for a kick to the back, before he sat down and asked for a kick in response. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Gunns cuts off Knight with a stomp to the elbow, which opened up a new avenue of offence as he began to target the champions’ arm.

Gunns wrestles Knight back down for another side headlock, but that ends in the ropes, before Knight’s armdrag took Gunns there ahead of a side Russian legsweep. An ushigoroshi from Knight bought him more time, leading to a corner clothesline and a springboard clothesline back into the ring for a near-fall.

Knight and Gunns trade elbows from that kick-out as we hit the final five minutes, where Gunns took Knight back to the corner ahead of a German suplex. Knight returned the favour, then hit an overhead kick to buy time, as Gunns then went back to the left arm and wrist, snapping Knight’s fingers as he went.

Knight returned with a springboard corkscrew senton for a near-fall as the tempo began to raise… then with some Sliced Bread for another near-fall. Gunns hit back with a superplex before swivelling into a cross armbar that ended in the ropes. We’re into the final sixty seconds, with the crowd staunchly behind Gunns here as he and Knight trade German suplexes, then clotheslines, before time ran out as Gunns went for an O’Connor roll. A pretty good outing this, with the time limit introducing a new degree of peril – but with Gunns unable to get it done in under 15 minutes, you have to think a rematch is on the cards. ***½

Backstage, Dan catches Knight after the match… Gunns is there too, and the pair argue over who would have won that match, as we’re pretty damn sure that rematch is coming.

Levaniel vs. Tristan Archer
This was Levaniel’s first match since the Blitzturnier, and he started off on the defensive, as Archer took him down to the mat in a side headlock. A bow-and-arrow hold leads to a pinning attempt on Levaniel, who manages to get free as the pair reset.

A whip took Levaniel across the ring, but he responded with armdrags before Archer avoided a spinning heel kick. Archer’s back with a bodyslam, only to get flung across the ring with a double underhook suplex for a two-count. Levaniel’s clothesline took the Frenchman outside, and Levaniel stays on top of him… only to get charged into the side of the ring.

Archer’s 619 on the apron keeps Levaniel down – and had the added benefit of resetting the count-out – before Archer threw Levaniel back into the corner for a face-washing boot. It’s good for a two-count, before a clothesline and a neckbreaker keeps Levaniel down ahead of a back senton for a two-count.

Levaniel rebounds out of the corner to try and pin Archer while he was in a hold… but Archer kicked out, then got pulled into a knee as Levaniel mounted a comeback. A backbreaker has Archer in trouble, while a low dropkick drew a two-count, before Archer struck back. Levaniel throws a retaliatory slap too, then a clothesline, before Archer countered an Intergalactic Facebuster into a Dream of the Revolution (a sorta cobra clutch)… but that submission hold ends in the ropes.

Archer kicks the ropes into Levaniel, then hit a discus elbow to the back of the head before the Dream of the Revolution as Levaniel was bent back forced the stoppage. A good win for Archer, who’s adding a much-needed mean streak to him after his recent heartbreak in the title picture. ***¼

wXw Women’s Championship: Nicky Foxley vs. Iva Kolasky (c)
It’s a wXw return for Foxley, who was last seen on the empty arena tapings…

We open with a lock-up as both Foxley and Kolasky head to the ropes, before Kolasky climbed onto the apron… only to get swept down as she came back inside. A headlock takedown gave Foxley something to mull over… the push free leads to a shoulder tackle, before Foxley took Kolasky back to the ropes.

Iva cartwheels over Foxley’s drop down, then backflipped away ahead of a crossbody out of the corner for a near-fall. A handspring from Kolasky’s met with a clothesline from Foxley, who then took Kolasky back into the ropes ahead of an uppercut to the back as the challenger looked to slow things down with an armbar.

Kolasky fought free, returning fire with chops before she was met with a Codebreaker to the arm for a near-fall. A chinlock keeps Foxley ahead, but Kolasky splits her way out of it, then hit the ropes for a handspring stunner, building up for a Fisherman suplex for a near-fall before a Foxley bulldog nearly won it.

Foxley tries her luck with a slingshot sunset flip, but that just sparks some see-saw pins for a load of near-falls, before an axe kick dropped Foxley again. A buzzsaw kick keeps her down in the corner, right in place for a moonsault from Kolasky for the win – racking up another successful title defence as wXw continues to develop the division. Foxley looked good in her longest singles match to date, but she still remains looking for that second win. ***

They recap the story between Vincent Heisenberg, Anil Marik and Robert Dreissker – and the role that Maggot and Baby Allison had played in bringing Heisenberg to the dark side as all roads lead to the no-DQ tornado main event.

No Disqualification: Maggot & Vincent Heisenberg vs. wXw Wrestling Academy (Anil Marik & Robert Dreissker)
Everyone’s got some toys, as the “Family” had chairs, while the Academy brought a table with them… and yeah, don’t expect much in the way of chain wrestling in this one!

Marik’s knocked into the front row by Maggot, while Heisenberg and Dreissker paired off, brawling around ringside. Maggot tries to choke Marik with some rope, but Marik returned the favour, throttling him as Dreissker and Heisenberg continued to trade blows. Baby Allison’s there with a baseball bat, but Dreissker disarms her… and gets decked by Heisenberg in the process.

Dreissker posts Heisenberg as Maggot hit the ring with a chair… but Marik kicks him away before it could be used, as a flapjack dumped Maggot for an early two-count. Frankfurt understandably are behind Maggot, as they didn’t quite like Dreissker breaking a chair over the hometown lad’s back, as Dreissker then charged Maggot into the corner… and Biel’d him out of it.

More Biels chuck Maggot across the ring, before Baby Allison got her hand stood on… only for Heisenberg to again make the save. Heisenberg and Dreissker trade clotheslines on the apron, but it’s Heisenberg who thought he’d pulled ahead… only to get bulled down by Dreissker. A bodyslam has the Academy coach down seconds later, as he then took a hiptoss out of the corner, with Heisenberg then using those chairs.

Marik tries his luck with a Codebreaker, but Heisenberg pushed him away, before Dreissker managed to hoist him up for a fallaway slam. Everyone’s on the outside again, as Heisenberg hit Dreissker with the seat of a chair, while Frankfurt grew restless over the table that hadn’t been used yet.

They brawl towards the merch tables, with Dreissker charging Heisenberg through one of them for good measure. I sense a sudden sale! Meanwhile, Maggot’s posted by Marik, before the table came into the ring… but Maggot stops him with an Impaler DDT so he could set up the table. Maggot tries it again, but Marik blocks it and hits a Codebreaker, before a trip up top was stopped by Allison, who pushed him off into a Maggot cutter through the table.

A delayed cover gives Marik time to kick out as Dreissker and Heisenberg continued to brawl around the Batschkapp, returning to the ring as Baby Allison took some handcuffs off of her gear and eventually cuffed Dreissker around the turnbuckles. That’s pretty much left Marik on his own, but he manages to dropkick the back off a chair into Hsiesnberg, before wrecking the rest of it off of his head.

Marik tries to free Dreissker, but stopped to deal with Maggot, landing a Slingblade before he hurriedly tried to undo the bottom turnbuckle. Baby Allison interferes, but eats an enziguiri (which drew LOUD boos), as Marik eventually loosened the bottom rope and got Dreissker free – albeit still cuffed. He went straight after Maggot, throwing him inside as a Marik bulldog and some Dreissker back sentons left Maggot down for a frog splash… but Heisenberg breaks up the pin.

Dreissker keeps going, lifting Heisenberg with a back body drop before Marik found some gaffer tape under the ring. The Academy guys taped Maggot and Allison’s wrists to each other around the ring post, before putting some tape over her mouth… then went to work on Heisenberg, who took a low blow from Marik before a handcuff’d camel clutch from Dreissker brought back memories of the Käfigschlacht as he tried to force a submission.

Heisenberg refuses, so Marik gets some more toys from under the ring, and literally threw a toolbox against Heisenberg’s head, knocking him out as the referee eventually stopped the match. The Academy team are the unpopular winners here as we had a wacky atmosphere in the hometown of Maggot and Baby Allison… one that I hope wXw can capitalise on with future returns to Frankfurt. ***½

After the end credits, we’re watching the guys tear down the ring… and the brawl continues as Heisenberg, Maggot, Anil Marik and Dreissker brawl around the partly-constructed ring. So you know what this means? This feud must continue!

7.3

The final score: review Good

The 411

wXw’s first time back in Frankfurt was certainly a memorable one - be it for the Oskar debut or the wild main event, it’s good to see that wXw’s starting to find their familiar groove as they begin to gear up for (a hopefully more stable) 2022!