NXT’s Marcel Barthel set for wXw 18th Anniversary

An NXT wrestler is set for wXw’s 18th Anniversary show.

wXw announced today that Marcel Barthel (announced as Axel Dieter Jr., which was his in-ring name before signing with WWE) will be returning for their anniversary event in Oberhausen, Germany on December 22.

Tassilo Jung, wXw’s head of communications and talent relations, tweeted: “Last year at 17th Anni @TheWWEWolfe & @Marcel_B_WWE made a surprise appearance. At #wXw18thAnni Axel Dieter Jr returns home to wrestle. We appreciate our friends at @WWE allowing a current @WWENXT contracted talent to wrestle on a @wXwGermany event for the first time ever.”

Barthel was a star for wXw prior to signing with WWE in 2017. He’s wrestled at NXT house shows since joining WWE and made his NXT television debut on an episode that aired this August, losing to Keith Lee in Lee’s debut.

Earlier this month, Dave Meltzer reported on an idea WWE has for Germany and their relationship with wXw: “Everything reported on in recent weeks regarding the German tryout and such is related to the idea of a launch of an NXT Germany brand that would be related in some form with wXw, similar to the Progress relationship with WWE U.K.”