By Liam Byrne @tvtimelimit
Whilst wXw has had a banner 2018 so far, it is hard not to approach this review with a hint of regret. Though we are only mere days away from World Tag League, news that Christian Michael Jakobi has had to stand down due to a stress related health issue has been a significant blow, as has news that Shotgun will cease to exist. wXw have indicated that more Marquee Events will be forthcoming, but it is difficult not to feel sad about a show that has become the first weekly wrestling television I’ve watched in many a year. It was often must see television, so it is sad to see it go, even if the promotion uses it as a platform to build upon as they look to go from strength to strength.
Having been accosted by both Ilja Dragunov and Bobby Gunns in the opening segment – Dragunov stating that Andy’s words no longer impact him as he has grown above them, whilst Gunns delighted in his two competitors arguing – Absolute Andy was teaming in the main event against Dragunov and RINGKAMPF, a main event that sought to help promote the action at World Tag League. With a team of cowards on one side of the ring, it was unsurprising when all three took a couple of time outs early on in order to stop the onslaught from their opponents. Andy in particular would try and avoid getting in the ring with Dragunov, though a chase around the ring allowed the champion to greet his challenger with a punch, break a Thatcher chokehold and spur on his team to control Thatcher for a short while.
The first big tag, after a Thatcher belly to belly suplex on Kaspin, saw Andy tagged in without his knowledge, facing off against Dragunov. Andy’s luck wasn’t in as he would be dropped with a DDT, a kick to the face and a multiple lariats, before a back cracker on Dragunov would just send him into a tag to WALTER, allowing the RINGKAMPF member to hit a big vertical splash. It would take a miscalculation by Thatcher and WALTER, in which WALTER nailed him with a clothesline, alongside a nasty DDT on the ramp by Andy on Dragunov, for the heels to take control. Dragunov would get bent around the ringpost, and even as he tried to fire back, would collapse due to the damage caused by the DDT. Quick tags and judicious attacks of the members of RINGKAMPF kept the official out of position, but a decision by Andy to go for an Avalanche F5 cost him. Dragunov would turn it into a Liger bomb and make a hot tag, this time to WALTER.
A powerbomb and Euro uppercut combination had Kaspin eventually locked in a Boston crab, whilst Andy was in a Dragunov crossface and Thatcher had the Gojira clutch on Skillet. An escape by Andy lead to a sequence that had Dragunov nail WALTER with the Torpedo Moscow, only for Thatcher to then kick out of Andy’s F5. The uranage backbreaker combination by JayFK also wasn’t enough, though this time it was due to Dragunov coming off of the top rope to break the pin. After Andy and Dragunov traded lariats before Dragunov ducked a JayFK double clothesline and launched into a suicide dive to ringside, WALTER would manage to re-apply the Boston crab on Skillet and get the tapout victory, as well as a measure of revenge after JayFK had arrogantly interrupted their interview earlier in the show. If this is the last Shotgun match of all time, it was an amazing way to go out and a great amuse-bouche for World Tag League’s guaranteed action.
Stemming from Jurn Simmons’ decision to try and scalp a man backstage who suggested he might look bald, a rematch with Emil Sitoci was another fun addition to the show as it would be Sitoci who interrupted the impromptu haircut. Sitoci would start much the strongest, utilising a wheelbarrow armdrag, a second rope armdrag and a tiltawhirl headscissors to good use, before low bridging Simmons and hitting a plancha as well. Sitoci targeted the arm with his offense, utilising his knees in particular, though this didn’t stop Simmons nailing a huge shortarm clothesline and a standard one to halt an attempted Sitoci comeback. When Sitoci did fight back, it was with a clothesline of his own, leading to a Russian legsweep and splitlegged moonsault for two. The arm was continuing to both Simmons as a crossbody for a pin was turned immediately into a kimura by Sitoci, yet Simmons just powered out with a modified spinebuster. The arm was injured enough to stop Simmons using the piledriver initially, yet after a superkick and gutbuster earned Sitoci a two count, a missed crossbody led to a Massive kick and a piledriver for three.
With World Tag League just around the corner, a reasonable amount of time was given over to montage videos reminding everyone of the feuds coming in. What they served to highlight was twofold: wXw tells excellent and engaging stories, and that many of the storylines for this show have been built over a significant period of time.
Melanie Gray attacked Session Moth Martina at 17th Anniversary in order to eliminate her via injury from the wXw Women’s Championship Tournament, before they clashed at Back to the Roots in a no-disqualification match that Martina won. The title shot is a logical first opponent for Gray, and a chance for her to get her title reign started with a victory.
Jurn Simmons and David Starr’s issues go all the way back to World Tag League from the previous year, with Simmons eventually turning on Starr after he cost them the tournament. With injury getting in the way of this being fully resolved by now, it is almost better for being on such a loaded weekend of action. The Last Man Standing match was excellent, and this Hair versus Hair contest should also deliver, though I do see Starr taking the loss on this one.
Even the Lucky Kid and Tarkan Aslan is almost a year in the making, stemming from Kid’s misplace chairshot at Back to the Roots that ‘injured’ Aslan enough to force him into retirement. Though most of this year has seen them together, this recent heel turn has reinvigorated both Aslan and Marius Al-Ani, with the video highlighting Kid’s words with Al-Ani in which the soon to be heel told him that things aren’t always what they seem. I see Aslan taking this match in order to prolong a feud that has only just begun and still has legs.
A backstage segment with Killer Kelly and Kris Wolf, with Wolf not content with Haribo in her quest for human meat, also gave a window to promote Femme Fatales’ tournament, with Toni Storm versus LuFisto, Audrey Bride versus Millie McKenzie, Wesna versus Meiko Satomura, and Killer Kelly versus Kris Wolf. A card that easily sits amongst any of the action at World Tag League this weekend.
It was fitting to finish with the main event the show did, but the last words were for the Absolute Andy versus Ilja Dragunov versus Bobby Gunns match. Though it doesn’t have the longevity of the others, it is perhaps the most intriguing. Andy has done wonders as a heel champion, whilst Dragunov has sat well as his obvious opponent, considering their moral compasses. Throw in the hottest act in the promotion in Gunns, and it promises fireworks. It is too close to call, but I’d love to see Gunns walk out the new champion.
So that is Shotgun. A programme that always delivered, by a promotion that has completely blown me away across the course of this year. To the future, and all that it brings, starting this weekend with World Tag League and Femme Fatales.
