By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WXW “16 Carat Gold Night 3”
March 8, 2026, in Oberhausen, Germany, at Turbinenhalle 1
Streamed live on TrillerTV+ and IndependentWrestling.TV
The lighting and overall production were good. Mett Dimassi and Dave Bradshaw provided English commentary. The crowd was more than 1,000 on each of the three nights.
* This is a 16-competitor, single-elimination tournament played over three consecutive days. We are down to the final four! So, this show features both the semifinals and finals. The final four are wXw regulars Peter Tihanyi, Ahura, Dragon Gate star Yamato, and U.S.-based Thomas Shire. Again, Ahura has vowed to retire if he doesn’t win this tournament!
1. Ahura vs. Thomas Shire in a semifinal tournament match. Shire charged and knocked him down at the bell, and Ahura immediately clutched his right shoulder. Shire saw it and stomped on it. They brawled to the floor and looped the ring. Shire is much taller and has a big weight advantage; I’ve noted that Ahura has dropped weight and is really chiseled right now. Shire hit some European Uppercuts as they fought at ringside. They got back into the ring at 4:30, and Shire twisted the fingers on the right hand. He hit a backbreaker over his knee.
Ahura hit a springboard dropkick at 7:30, and that fired up the crowd. They again fought to the floor, and Ahura hit a spear, sending them both flying onto several empty chairs at 9:30. They got back into the ring and traded overhand chops. Shire hit an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 12:00. Ahura nailed a piledriver for a believable nearfall! He hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall, and they were both down at 14:00.
Shire put him on his shoulders, spun him, and dropped him, then hit a standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall. This crowd was insanely HOT! Shire hit a clothesline but it fired up Ahura. He hit a clothesline to the back of the neck and was booed. Shire ran the ropes for a big clothesline, but Ahura caught him with a mid-ring Spanish Fly for the pin! I love that finish! I can’t say I’ve seen that before. The commentators talked about how Shire fell into Ahura’s trap.
Ahura defeated Thomas Shire at 16:25 to advance to the finals.
* Shire jumped back into the ring and hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee and was LOUDLY booed. He grabbed a chair and struck Ahura’s damaged arm a few times. The commentators questioned how Ahura could possibly be ready for the finals…
* Bobby Gunns was interviewed backstage, but there was no on-screen translation. Erick Stevens walked up. Stevens challenged him to a match. NOPE, they are going to team up!
2. Peter Tihanyi vs. Yamato in a semifinal tournament match. They locked up at the bell, and Tihanyi has a significant height advantage. The commentators discussed whether Ahura can continue, and even noted that Jay Joshua is on standby as a replacement in the finals. Yamato dropped him with a shoulder tackle at 2:00. Yamato tied a leg lock around the waist and kept Tihanyi grounded.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Tihanyi hit a mid-ring Meteora, and they were both down at 7:00. Yamato hit a suplex for a nearfall. Tihanyi hit a brainbuster at 10:00, then a slingshot stunner, but he missed a 450 Splash. Yamato snapped off a huracanrana — the same move he won with on Saturday! — but only got a nearfall. Tihanyi hit a top-rope 450 Splash to get the pin! A bit surprising he won cleanly.
Peter Tihanyi defeated Yamato at 11:49 to advance to the finals.
* A note that the commentators genuinely seemed not to know any of the matches the rest of the show, other than the finale. So, they expressed surprise and enjoyment as wrestlers came to the ring.
3. Alan Angels and “Planet Gojirah” Marc Empire and Robert Dreissker (w/Robin Christopher Fohrwerk) vs. 1 Called Manders and “Los Tranquilos de Japon” Tetsuya Naito and Bushi. The commentators said Manders and Elijah Blum had an “all-time great” match on Saturday. This is a good use for Naito. Bushi and Dreissker opened, but Robert immediately pushed Bushi into their corner, and the heels worked over Bushi. Manders dropped Angels with a shoulder block at 1:00. Rather than dive to the floor, Manders pulled up and hit some eye pokes, drawing a mocking “holy shit!” chant. Funny.
Naito ran the ropes but posed on the mat; he hasn’t even removed his shirt yet. Manders hit a headbutt that dropped Dreissker. He hit some chops in the corner. The heels worked over Manders in their corner for several minutes. Angels pulled him to the floor and shoved him into the ring post at 8:30. In the ring, Manders hit a double suplex on PG! Naito got a hot tag and hit some back elbows. He hit a standing neckbreaker on Dreissker and a basement dropkick on Angels for a nearfall at 10:00.
Fohrwerk got in the ring, but Naito hit an Atomic Drop on him and spat in his face. The heels hit stereo low blows. Angels hit a frog splash on Manders for a nearfall at 11:30, and he went to the Halo Stretch, but Manders escaped. Naito sprayed black mist in Dreissker’s face! Naito nailed a Destino on Empire, who rolled to the floor. Angels was suddenly alone in the ring with the babyfaces! Manders nailed a decapitating clothesline on Alan for the pin. That was a fun final few minutes.
1 Called Manders and “Los Tranquilos de Japon” Tetsuya Naito and Bushi defeated Alan Angels and “Planet Gojirah” Marc Empire and Robert Dreissker at 12:51.
4. Chihiro Hashimoto vs. Dani Luna. The crowd popped for Luna, who was not on the first two shows (she was presumably at the TNA tapings). A rare case where Dani has a big size advantage. An intense lockup to open, and the crowd was split in their support. Chihiro knocked her down with a shoulder tackle at 3:00. Luna hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall. She kept Hashimoto grounded while applying a top hammerlock. They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Hashimoto applied an abdominal stretch at 6:30. She hit a suplex, and they were both down.
Hashimoto missed a flipping senton. Luna immediately hit a running kick. Hashimoto applied a cross-armbreaker on the mat, but Luna escaped at 8:30. They got up and traded more forearm strikes. They traded clotheslines and were both down at 10:30. “This is a barn-burner,” a commentator said as the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” Luna hit a suplex and a sliding elbow strike for a nearfall at 12:00. Luna hit a slingshot powerbomb for a nearfall. She tied up Hashimoto on the mat in a sleeper, but Hashimoto reached the ropes at 14:00.
Luna hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall, then a piledriver for a nearfall, and she was frustrated, pounding the mat. Hashimoto fired back with a German Suplex, then a running clothesline for a nearfall at 16:00. She hit a second-rope somersault senton for a believable nearfall. Hashimoto finally hit one more powerbomb for the pin. That earned a standing ovation. They shook hands and hugged.
Chihiro Hashimoto defeated Dani Luna at 16:38.
* Chihiro got on the mic and shouted, “I like Germany!” and that got a massive pop. “I will be back!” The on-screen graphic announced she will be at the Femmes Fatales tournament in September! Earlier this weekend, they announced Mercedes Martinez will also be in the field.
* Intermission lasted 27 minutes. Glad I had other things to do while I waited… that’s just too long.
5. Erick Stevens and Bobby Gunns vs. Elijah Blum and Minoru Suzuki. I’ll reiterate that Gunns, in those red trunks, looks like a shorter Lars Sullivan, and once you see it you can’t unsee it. Blum had his title belt over his shoulder. He shocked the crowd by announcing Suzuki as his partner! Blum and Stevens shook hands before locking up; they match each other in number of tattoos! Blum knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Stevens hit some chops and tied him up on the mat.
Suzuki and Gunns entered at 3:30. Bobby offered him a cigarette. Minoru took it and lit it and took a puff. Gunns took a puff, and Suzuki slapped him in the face, and that got cheers! Minoru hit some chops. Gunns hit one that drew a “You f—ed up!” chant. Suzuki hit his forearm strikes in the corner. Blum entered and traded European Uppercuts with Gunns at 6:00, and Blum hit an enzuigiri. Gunns hit a shotgun dropkick for a nearfall. He hit some running kicks, and the heels kept Blum down. Gunns and Suzuki got back in, with Minoru hitting a running Penalty Kick for a nearfall at 10:00.
Minoru went for a Fujiwara Armbar, but Gunns got to the ropes. Gunns hit an enzuigiri. Stevens re-entered and hit some chops on Minoru, but also to no effect. Minoru fired back with his own chops, and he went for the standing sleeper. He set up for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Gunns made the save. Minoru again applied the sleeper on Erick and hit the piledriver for the pin. That was fun.
Elijah Blum and Minoru Suzuki defeated Erick Stevens and Bobby Gunns at 12:33.
6. Spider Fly, Zoltan, and Titus Alexander vs. Toxin, Arez, and Ricky Sosa. I wrote their names in order of introduction. I haven’t seen the masked Spider Fly before; he wore a white mask over his face (not covering his whole head), and he has short, dark hair. Sosa was at the TNA tapings Friday and Saturday, so I’m not sure how much sleep he’s had! Sosa showed off his title belt. It is worth reiterating that he’s 6’4″ and is so much taller than everyone else in this one. Sosa and Zoltan opened — they have a combined age of 40. Quick reversals with neither landing a big move.
Zoltan hit a huracanrana, but Sosa immediately kipped up. Titus entered and hit a dropkick on Toxin at 1:30, then he traded quick reversals with Arez. Spider Fly entered and traded reversals with Arez, and he hit a huracanrana at 3:00. We got a “Lucha!” chant. They all started fighting on the floor. In the ring, Arez and Toxin worked over Zoltan. Arez hit an Angels Wings at 5:00. Spider Fly hit a superkick on Sosa at 6:30. Titus and Zoltan hit stereo Lethal Injections. Titus and Sosa hit corner moonsaults to the floor while Zoltan also hit a dive to the floor at 8:00.
Titus hit a brainbuster on Sosa for a nearfall. Arez hit his Pele Kick on Zoltan, then his one-footed Lionsault for a nearfall. Spider Fly leapt off the top rope and hit a Crucifix Driver. He hit a Code Red on Sosa for a nearfall at 9:30. Sosa hit a Styles Clash on Spider Fly! Titus hit a German Suplex on Sosa, then a Claymore Kick! Zoltan hit a frog splash, going most of the way across the ring, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant as the fans got to their feet. They all got up and traded forearm strikes. Zoltan’s team hit stereo superkicks. Everyone threw a dropkick until everyone was down.
Toxin tried to kip up but couldn’t for some good humor. Titus helped, and that got some cheers. Toxin dove through the ropes onto Titus at 13:30. Spider Fly hit a springboard twisting dive to the floor. Sosa dove over the ropes onto everyone. Arez hit his corner moonsault to the floor. Zoltan hit a springboard flip dive onto everyone at 15:00. In the ring, Sosa hit a springboard stunner on Zoltan. Spider Fly hit a 450 Splash. Toxin hit a Poison Rana on Titus. Sosa hit a top-rope Blue Thunder Bomb on Spider Fly for the pin. I loved that.
Toxin, Arez, and Ricky Sosa defeated Spider Fly, Zoltan, and Titus Alexander at 16:18.
* Fans pelted them with money as Sosa’s music played. (I’ll point out that everyone who saw Sosa live for the first time this weekend at the TNA taping has been gushing about him — fans and wrestlers alike.)
* The ornate trophy, about two feet tall, was brought out and placed in the center of the ring before ring introductions for the main event! If you had told me Friday morning that this would be the finals, I would not have been surprised at all…
7. Ahura vs. Peter Tihanyi in the 16 Carat Gold finals. They locked up at the bell, and Tihanyi has the height advantage. The commentators noted that for both men, winning this tournament is the one main goal they’ve yet to accomplish. (I love the sports vibe of the commentary team.) A feeling-out process with little action early on. Ahura hit a dropkick at 2:30 that sent Peter to the floor. Peter dove through the ropes onto Ahura and threw him back in. Ahura pushed the ref! It appeared Tihanyi was going for a low blow, but Ahura turned around in time.
Ahura hit a bodyslam at 5:00. He dropped Peter with some forearm strikes, and he kept Tihanyi grounded. Ahura hit a springboard dropkick at 7:30. Peter hit an enzuigiri and a tornado DDT for a nearfall. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Ahura hit a top-rope superplex at 10:30, then a leaping piledriver for a nearfall. Peter hit a flip dive to the floor at 12:00. Ahura dove through the ropes onto Tihanyi, and they were both down on the floor. In the ring, Ahura hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 14:00. Tihany hit a dive to the floor on him. In the ring, he hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall at 17:00.
They got up and traded forearm strikes, and the speed and violence picked up. This crowd was hot! Tihanyi got a hammerlock behind the back at 20:30. Ahura teased he was tapping but waved it off, and he powered to his feet. Ahura hit his spinning suplex for the pin! “He’s done it! He’s done it!” a commentator said. Mett said he “is leaving on his own terms,” so apparently, he was retiring regardless of winning the tournament. A really good match.
Ahura defeated Peter Tihanyi at 21:07 to win the 16 Carat Gold Tournament.
* Ahura offered a handshake. Tihanyi teased leaving, but he returned and shook hands, and the crowd cheered. Tihanyi got on the mic and spoke in English and said, “If you want to be the face of the company, you have to stay.” The crowd chanted (in English) “Please don’t go!” Ahura said a few words in German, then he showed off his trophies. Mett said that Ahura told the crowd, “How can I leave after a weekend like this?”
Final Thoughts: What a fun show, and the entire three-night tournament was a blast to watch play out. I loved the Sosa six-man tag — if I were to rewatch any match here, it’s definitely that one. Six top stars and everything was flawless action. Again, Sosa appears to be a can’t-miss star. That was a really good main event and earns second. Luna’s match takes third.