MLW makes its pay-per-view debut tonight as Saturday Night SuperFight takes place at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois.
In the main event, Contra Unit’s Jacob Fatu will defend his MLW World Heavyweight Championship against Promociones Dorado’s LA Park in a no DQ match. Park was the winner of this year’s Battle Riot match and is cashing in his golden ticket for a title shot.
The MLW Middleweight, Tag Team, and National Openweight titles will also be on the line. Middleweight Champion Teddy Hart will defend his title against Austin Aries, Ross & Marshall Von Erich will challenge for MJF & Richard Holliday’s Tag Team titles in a Texas tornado match, and Alexander Hammerstone puts his National title on the line against Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Plus, Tom Lawlor takes on Timothy Thatcher, there will be a three-way Stairway to Hell match with Jimmy Havoc, Mance Warner, and Bestia 666, Low Ki faces off with Brian Pillman Jr., and Gringo Loco, Puma King & Septimo Dragon team against Injustice (Myron Reed, Kotto Brazil & Jordan Oliver).
The show will be available via traditional PPV and Fite TV. The main card starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time, and there will be a one-hour pre-show airing for free on beIN Sports, MLW’s YouTube channel, Fite TV, inDemand, DirectTV, and Dish.
Contra Unit (Simon Gotch & Ikuro Kwon) vs. Dominic Garrini & Douglas James vs. The Spirit Squad (Kenn Doane & Mike Mondo), Zenshi vs. El Hijo de LA Park, Savio Vega vs. Leo Brien, and Gino “El Intocable” Medina vs. Air Wolf are set for the pre-show.
**********
The preshow opened with Leo Brien making his way out to the ring wit ha rope and cowbell, soon followed by Savio Vega with two kendo sticks.
Leo Brien defeted Savio Vega
Vega and Brien opened the match with some go behinds and hammer locks. Brien hit Savio with an elbow and started trash talking before slapping Savio. Savio responded with punches and a dropkick that sent Brien to the floor. Vega went for a dive, but Brien moved out of the way, and Vega stopped short. He started chopping Brien at ringside, but ate a knee to the stomach back in the ring. Brien got the heat on Vega here, hitting a vertical suplex.
Savio hit a cross body, but his advantage didn’t last long as Brien followed that up with a few elbows. Vega got nailed with a spear, and he was down in the middle of the ring. Brien slammed Vega and went for an elbow off the middle rope, but Vega moved. Vega hit two clotheslines and started attacking Brien in the corner. The refree tried to break it up, but Vega shoved him away. This happened a second time, and as the ref was recovering, Brien hit Vega with a cowbell and an elbow for the pinfall.
Vega hit a kick after the bell and attacked with some weak looking cane shots to chase Brien to the back.
This wasn’t very good. Nothing stood out as particularily bad, but it was not a very good match. Brien was too over with the crowd, and having the heel go over in an opening match is a bit odd. This match would not have been out of place on Raw in 1993, but seemed a bit out of place here.
**********
A hype video aired for the Stairway to Hell match between Mance Warner, Jimmy Havoc, & Bestia 666. This was fantastic. This match will be insane.
**********
Gino Medina defeated Air Wolf
After a quick exchange, Air Wolf was sent to the apron. He hit a chop on Gino and then a dropkick. Gino responded with an enziguri for a 2 count, and a chop of his own. Air Wolf hit a back elbow, then drove Gino into the bottom turnbuckle. Air Wolf hit a 619 around the bottom rope and then a German Suplex. Air Wolf went for an elevated DDT, but Gino fought out with a kick. Air Wolf hit a pele. As both men got up, Gino hit a fireman’s carry into a snake eyes and followed up with an Eat The Feet for the pinfall.
This was a fine match for what it was. A little bit sloppy in parts, but both guys moved fast. Gino has a really good look, so I think there’s potential to run with him as a heel. Fun match!
**********
MJF and Richard Holiday were outside, and MJF had a gift for him. MJF took his sunglasses, which Holiday protested by saying “It’s bright out!” but MJF took of his own sunglasses and gave them to Holiday. This was very simple, but great. MJF makes such a wonderful cocky heel and Holiday is great at being his lacky.
**********
Injustice was in the crowd walking around with signs, protesting. The signs said “Injustice on PPV” as the announcers ran down the rest of the matches on the card.
**********
El Hijo de LA Park defeated Zenshi
Zenshi started this match quick, flipping over the top rope and rolling into a hurricanrana on Park. He dropkicked Park on the floor and then hit a tope con giro on him. Salina distracted Zenshi and Park hit a suicide dive. Park took Zenshi around ringside, beating on him with chops and sending him headfirst into a chair at ringside before taking said chair and smashing him with it. The crowd started to go nuts, cheering for Park. Park crotched Zenshi on the guardrail and then smashed the chair into his back again before standing on the chair and posing.
Park caught a kick attempt and kicked Zenshi right in the inner thigh. Park hit a chop and swiveled his hips, but Zenshi rolled him up for a 2 count. Park didn’t take kindly to that and stomped the crap out of Zenshi. Park hit a superkick for a 2 count. The Contra Unit flag just randomly played on the screen and the announcers said that it was never a good sign. Zenshi hit adropkick to the back of Park and a top rope 619 before flying over the top rope with a spectacular neckbreaker.
Zenshi balanced on his hands on the apron when Salina tried to pull him off, and then he twisted himself into a sweep on Park before hitting a twisting senton. That was very cool. Park hit a dropkick in the corner and then a powerslam once both men were back up. Park hit a Code Red, but Zenshi kicked out. Park and Zenshi fought on the top rope, but Park hit a Spanish Fly. Both men exchanged strikes and Zenshi hit a handspring pele kick. Zenshi climbed the top rope and tried to hit a flipping dropkick from one corner of the ring to the opposite corner. That didn’t work.
Zenshi went for a 450 splash off the middle rope, but Park dodged and Zenshi landed on his feet. Park hit an inverted piledriver for a the pinfall.
That was a lot of fun. Very fast paced match and while Zenshi is green, he has a lot of potential. Park is absolutely fantastic.
Salina de la Renta cut a promo about how LA Park was going to win the title tonight and Contra Unit didn’t stand a chance. Contra Unit came out and surrounded the ring, and security came out, but Salina and Park escaped.
*********
Contra Unit (Simon Gotch & Ikuro Kwon) defeated Dominic Garrini & Douglas James and The Spirit Squad (Mike Mondo & Ken Doane)
James started the match with Doane taking James down with a shoulder tackle before posing. James responded by taking him down, hitting the ropes, and hitting a head scissors takeover. Kwon blind tagged in, but James naied him with a dropkick. Mondo grabbed Kwon’s hair, so Simon Gotch ran across the ring and started beating on Mondo. Garrini and Doane started fighting while Kwon and James exchanged strikes before Kwon hit a suicide dive to the outside.
James came tagged out to Garrini, and he used his jiu jitsu experience to lock on an armbar on Mondo. It was broken up and Garrini ran very slowly towards the corner and Doane clotheslined him and tagged in. Mondo and Doane started working over Garrini before Mondo hit a cutter that spiked Garrini to the mat. That was quite the bump. Gotch tagged in and locked on a sharpshooter on Garrini, but Garrini countered with a leg lock. Garrini hit a capture suplex on Gotch.
Kwon and Doane tagged in and but Kwon didn’t stay in there long as James tagged in, superkicked Gotch, threw Kwon into Doane, superkicked Doane, who then hit a DDT on Qwon. Great spot. Garrini tried to armbar Doane, but while the ref was focused on that, Kwon spit red mist into the face of Mondo and Gotch hit the Gotch Style Piledriver for the pinfall victory.
This match was a ton of fun. I really enjoyed Douglas James and Garrini, and I think both of them will be having great matches before long. This was definitely a nice highlight for them.
*********
Main Card
The Dynasty came out and cut a proo to open the show about how the Von Erichs aren’t going to win the tag team titles.
The Von Erichs defeated The Dynasty for the MLW World Tag Team Championships
The Von Erichs immediately attacked, sending the Dynasty to the floor. MJF poked the eyes, and the Dynasty started beating n Marshall Von Erich. MJF nailed Marshall with the ring bell and then Holliday powerbombed him on the apron, leaving him in a heap on the floor. Holiday and MJF beat on Ross, with Holiday hitting the 2008 for a 2 count. The Dynasty hit a stereo suplex on Ross for another 2 count. The Dynasty hit a diving fist drop on Ross for a 2 count, and as they tried for a double clothesline, Masrhall came back in and took both men down with a clothesline of his own.
The Von Erichs hit stereo canonball attacks. Marshall went to the top rope to hit a moonsault on Holliday, but MJF cut him off and crotches him. Ross locked the claw on MJF, but MJF used the middle rope to low blow ross, and Holiday put Ross on the top rope before hitting a superplex. MJF hit a splash on Ross, and as he was pinning him, Masrhall flew off and hit a moonsault on both Holiday and MJF. The Von Erichs low bridged Holiday and hit a combo claw/back suplex for the pinfall victory! The Von Erichs are the new tag team champions!
This was a very good match. I’m not sure how I’ve never seen these young Von Erichs before they made their way to MLW, but they are very good. This was an excellent way to open the PPV.
*********
Injustice (Jordan Oliver, Koto Brazil, & Myron Reed) defeated Septimo Dragon, Puma King, & Gringo Loco
This was a wild match that saw both teams dive all over the ring. I had a technical issue that prevented me from getting the recap up for this match, but the rest of the show will be up with no problems. This match was wild, and absolutely worth watching. The babyfaces took most of the match, but it ended when Injustic hit a series of big moves on Dragon and then Reed hit a springboard 450 all the way across the ring for the pinfall victory. This was very, very good.
*********
Teddy Hart defeated Austin Aries to retain the MLW Middleweight Championship
Aries started the match by hitting a dive on Teddy Hart right away. Both men started to brawl at ringside, and Teddy favoured his head, selling like he was woozy. Once he was back in the ring, he wasn’t woozy anymore and started throwing punches at Aries. Aries ate an uppercut and then Hart sent him flying into the opposite corner and Aries crashed to the mat.
Hart called for a Canadian Destroyer on the apron, but Aries countered it into a Death Valley Driver on the apron, and Hart crashed to the floor. Aries dived off the top rope with a sledgehammer to the back of Teddy’s neck, continuing to work over the head. Aires hit a DDT on Teddy’s leg on the apron.
Aries worked over the ankle now, not content to just work over the neck. Aries hit a running elbow and a snapmare before hitting a diving European uppercut off the middle rope. Aries went for a brainbuster, but Hart fought out and hit a cutter that left Aries on the mat. Both men exchanged blows, ending with Teddy hitting an uppercut.
Aries went for the rolling elbow, but Teddy hit a backstabber and a back suplex for a near fall on Aries. Aries managed to hit the rolling elbow and it dropped Teddy. Aries put Hart in the corner and slapped him, but Teddy Hart hit a powerbomb into a backbreaker on Aries before locking on a capture DDT for a 2 count.
Hart put Aeries on the top rope and went for a piledriver off the top rope. Aries fought out and hit a sunset flip powerbomb for a 2 count, but Aries countered immediately into the Last Chancery. Hart made it to the ropes, and the crowd popped huge for it. Hart hit an Arabian Press to the floor on Aries.
Hart took Aries to the top rope, but Aries shook the ropes, crotching Hart, who went right to his ankle. Aries hit a running forearm and dropkick before lifting Hart up and nailing him with the brainbuster. Teddy Hart kicked out! Hart rolled out of the ring and Aries went for a suicide dive. Hart moved and Aries crashed into the guardrail.
Aries had a huge welt on his chest after this. That had to suck to take. Hart brought Aries onto the apron and went for a Death Valley Driver on the apron, but Austin dead weighted him and fell into the ring. Aries was faking it though and rolled up Hart for a 2 count! Hart immediately countered into a Canadian Destroyer for the pinfall!
This match was very good. Aries and Hart worked very hard and took some hard bumps throughout. Aries nailed that guardrail on his dive, but thankfully he was okay. That was a lot of fun. Hart didn’t sell very much, but it was still great.
Contra Unit’s flag came on the screen, and Samael cut a promo about how Teddy Hart and the Von Erichs now have targets on their back.
*********
Low Ki defeated Brian Pillman Jr.
In a surprise to start the match, Pillman started chopping and hitting Low Ki hard. Pillman hit a corner clothesline and then went for a dropkick, but Low Ki got his hands up, so Pillman stopped and slapped his head. Pillman might have regretted that as Low Ki ripped Pillman’s shirt off and started destroying him with chops.
Pillman cut him off and hit some hard ones of his own. Low Ki ate a chop and then chopped Pillman himself before slamming him on the floor. Pillman and Ki continued to exchange strikes before Pillman locked on a seated abdominal stretch on Ki. Pillman killed Ki with a chop and hit a back suplex.
Ki responded with a kick to Pillman’s face, but Pillman was able to hit a powerslam for a 2 count. Ki kept taking all of Pillman’s offence but hitting him harder in return. Both men ended on the top rope and Ki hit an elbow that put Pillman on the apron. Pillman hit a springboard elbow on Ki.
Pillman crossed Ki’s arms for something, but Ki kicked hi right in the face to drop him. Ki hit a cartwheel kick on Pillman, that dropped him into the corner. The referee wanted to give a 10 count to give Pillman a chance to recover. Ki protested but ultimately let the ref count. Pillman shoved the referee away and then threw his mouthpiece at Low Ki. Ki hit a koppo kick and knocked Pillman out for the win!
After the match, Low Ki woke Pillman up and said “This is a hard lesson!” then shook Pillman’s hand to a great reaction from the crowd. This was fantastic. Pillman took a huge beating and dished one out to Ki too. This could be a major star making match for Pillman, as it’s clear MLW has big plans for him. I loved this match.
*********
A video aired about MLW establishing a working agreement with AAA. This is very interesting.
*********
Filthy Tom Lawlor defeated Timothy Thatcher
Thatcher locked on a choke right away, but Tom well back into the corner to break it up. Tom hit some hard forearms that sent Thatcher to the floor. Thatcher hit a European uppercut, but Tom responded with a guillotine choke on Lawlor. Thatcher drove Tom into the guardrail and then rolled him into he ring.
Lawlor tried to lock on a Figure Four, but Thatcher countered into a submission, but Tom was able to fight out of it. Thatcher hit a series of hard knees to Lawlor before locking on a bow and arrow lock. Lawlor transitioned out and went for an armbar but Thatcher rolled out and grabbed a leg before going for a half crab.
Lawlor rolled through into a knee bar, but Thatcher and Tom started to exchange open handed strikes to each other. Thatcher kicked Lawlor in the face and locked a knee bar of his own. Tom fought out and went for it again and caught Thatcher’s foot. Tom soon went for the figure four and finally locked it in after a battle.
Thatcher rolled to the ropes and to the outside. Thatcher hit some hard uppercuts and a clubbing blow to Tom’s chest. Both men finally stood up, but Tom airplane spinned Thatcher before dropping him. Tom called for the end and tried to lock on the rear naked choke, but Thatcher made the ropes.
Thatcher picked an ankle and then went for an armbar, but Lawlor made it to the ropes. Lawlor and Thatcher exchanged blows in the middle of the ring and as soon as Lawlor was getting the better of it, Thatcher hit a belly to belly. Thatcher went for a second one, but Lawlor countered into one of his own.
Lawlor went for another guillotine on the floor, and Thatcher went to drive him into the guardrail again, but Lawlor countered and sent Thatcher flying into it this time. Lawlor killed Thatcher with some hard chops. Lawlor kicked Thatcher, but Thatcher asked for more, so Lawlor kicked him a few more times right in the chest.
Lawlor hit a running dropkick in the corner and went for a second one. Thatcher stood up and hit a forearm that stunned Lawlor. Thatcher hit a tiger suplex and then transitioned into an armbar when Lawlor kicked out. Lawlor fought out and hit a German suplex. Lawlor went for the rear naked choke, but Thatcher countered with a huge back suplex.
Thatcher went for another palm strike, but Lawlor responded with a spinning clothesline. Lawlor picked up Thatcher but Thatcher countered into an armbar attempt. Tom fought it off and hit a tombstone for a near fall. Lawlor hit a pumphandle suplex on Thatcher for a 2 count.
Lawlor then started to just punch Thatcher like crazy. His cheek was bleeding from this, and Lawlor grabbed him and finally locked on the rear naked choke. Thatcher finally tapped out.
Holy crap, that was an awesome match. Thatcher and Lawlor beat the crap out of each other and exchanged some great technical wrestling. This was so awesome. This was a great match that mixed shoot style moves with pro wrestling.
Lawlor was interviewed after the match and he said that Thatcher was one of the toughest wrestlers in the world, and that MLW is going to stay Filthy. He was going to do what ever he wanted, but he’s here to stay.
*********
Mance Warner defeated Bestia 666 and Jimmy Havoc
Warner and Havoc stared brawling at the start of the match, and Warner grabbed a garbage can lid and smashed Havoc with it before he started brawling with Bestia. Mance ran at the ropes like he was going to dive on Havoc, but he stopped, got out of the ring and then poked Havoc in the eyes. Bestia went for a suicide dive but Mance nailed him with a trash can.
Mance grabbed a ladder, grabbed a beer from the crowd, and then tried to setup the ladder. Havoc cut him off with a staple gun and they fought over it and Mance stapled Havoc’s crotch. He went to the outside and stapled dollar bills to Havoc. Havoc fought off one being stapled to his head.
Havoc took the dollar bills and put them in his pocket, which was a nice touch. Havoc bridged a ladder between the ring and guardrail, but Mance grabbed him and chokeslammed Havoc on the ladder. Mance came into the ring when Bestia and Havoc were on the ladder and pushed them off.
Mance was bleeding everywhere for some reason, and then he slipped two doors into the ring and rubbed his own blood on them. Mance chopped Bestia and went to spear him through a door, but Havoc cut him off and went after Bestia himself. Bestia slammed Havoc on a ladder and set it up in the middle of the ring before going for the barbwire again.
Havoc went for the barbwire as Mance was beating on Bestia, but Mance turned around and shoved him off the ladder which saw Havoc fly through the door in the corner. Mance climbed the ladder and grabbed the barbwire. Mance and Bestia fought over the barbwire, and Havoc kicked Mance before Betia put the barbed wire on Mance’s face.
Bestia and Havoc suplexed Mance onto a garbage can with the barbwire on it. Both Havoc and Bestia fought over the pinfall attempt on Mance. Havoc got fed up and threw Bestia into the announce table, and the monitors crashed to the floor. Havoc threw some chairs into the ring and setup two on their side. Bestia hit a sidewalk slam onto the chairs.
Bestia climbed a ladder, but Havoc grabbed him low and threw him onto the chairs. That was nuts. Havoc setup a door between two chairs. Mance cut him off, but Havoc used the barbwire on Mance’s face. Mance hit a lariat on Havoc, but Bestia hit Mance with a trash can. Bestia superkicked Mance.
Bestia kneed Mance in the face and laid him facedown on the door. Bestia went to the top rope, but Mance cut him off and superplexed him through the door for a 3 count.
Well, this match was insane. Mance was completely covered in blood by the end of the match, and all 3 took some crazy bumps, the worst being on the chairs, I think. That was absolutely crazy. If you’re into hardcore wrestling, you’ll enjoy this.
Havoc attacked Mance after the match and setup a guardrail on the floor before hitting a piledriver on it. Havoc picked him up and hit the Acid Rainmaker before wiping Mance’s blood on his own face.
*********
Alex Hammerstone defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. to retain the MLW National Openweight Championship
Smith locked on headlock and did a headlock takeover, looking even more like his dad than normal. Smith kicked up from a head scissors, and then they locked up again. Smith out wrestled Hammerstone early on, locking on a stretch as the announcers told us that Smith has been undefeated in singles competition in MLW.
Hammerstone hit a knee to the jaw of Smith and then started choking hi in the corner, but Davey Boy grabbed his boot and stood right up before hitting a forearm. Hammerstone hit a vertical suplex on Smith, but Smith popped right back up and hit one of his own, stalling for a good amount of time.
Hammerstone ripped off a turnbuckle pad and started hitting forearms to the back of Smith. Smith no sold some punches and he Hulked up, including wagging his finger, hitting a big boot, and a legdrop. Hammerstone kicked out. Smith it 10 punches in the corner but ate an enziguri from Hammerstone, who then hit a missile dropkick on Smith.
Hammerstone went to the top rope again, but Davey cut hi off and went to the top rope and hit a huge superplex off the top rope. Smith went to the top rope and hit a diving headbutt on Hammerstone for a 2 count. Hammerstone got up and hit a T-bone suplex but Smith got up and hit a German suplex. Hammerstone stood up and hit one of his own.
Smith stood up and then hit a few rolling Germans for a 2 count. Smith locked on the crossface but Hammerstone pushed up and almost made the ropes. Smith pushed off the ropes and rolled back, leaving Hammerstone in the middle of the ring. Just as he was about to tap out, the Dynasty ran out and distracted Smith by jumping on the apron. Smith took them both out.
Hammerstone drove Smith into the corner and then hit a flying kick for a 2 count. Sith got an inside cradle, but Hammerstone kicked out. Both men started to exchange counters with Hammerstone getting a school boy and grabbing the ropes for the win.
This was a pretty good match that was hurt by having to follow the Stairway to Hell match between Havoc, Mance, and Bestia. This was still quite good, but it would have been better placed before the ladder match, in my opinion. However, with only the main event next, it does make it difficult to figure out where to put it. Still, this sets up Smith getting a match in return down the road, and I expect it will be quite good.
*********
Jacob Fatu defeated LA Park to retain the MLW World Heavyweight Championship in a No DQ match
Park and Fatu exchanged strikes to open the match, and it soon switched to both men hitting a series of German suplexes on each other. Park blocked one and hit two clotheslines and a knee to Fatu. Fatu rolled to the floor and Park hit a suicide dive on Fatu. Samael punched Park and Fatu rolled him back into the ring and hit some headbutts on Park.
Fatu dropped Park with a right hand and taunted the crowd. Fatu hit a series of headbutts on Park that drove him into the corner. Fatu hit a clothesline that dropped Park. Fatu ripped at Park’s mask and Samael hit him with a spike several times to bust him open. Park is bleeding everywhere.
Fatu sent Park into the guardrail and did it a second time that made the front row slide backwards. Park felt for blood on his forehead and then wiped it on his gear, making it look like he was bleeding even more. Old school. Fatu and Park started to brawl into the crowd. Some person’s chair was completely covered in blood as Park’s head was driven into it.
The crowd was getting more and more behind Park here, including using horns like traditional lucha to cheer him on. Both men ended up back in the ring and Fatu continued the beating with strikes. Fatu ran at Park, but Park managed to hit a powerslam for a 2 count. Fatu recovered and hit a superkick and then a handspring moonsault for a 2 count on Park.
Park managed to run up the ropes and hit a twisting senton for a 2 count. Fatu got laid out at ringside and Park finally got some offence, smashing Fatu with a chair. Park grabbed the timekeepers bell and broke it over the head of Fatu. Fatu started bleeding everywhere. This match is a bloodbath.
Park took off his belt and started to beat on Fatu with it. Park sent Fatu to the corner, but Fatu ran up the ropes and hit a twisting senton of his own. Fatu then hit the ropes and hit a Fosbury Flop on Park. Holy cow! Fatu grabbed a table and brought it into the ring. Fatu hit a uranage on Park and went for a moonsault, but Park moved.
Samael came into the ring and threw a fireball that hit the referee! Salina came into the ring and slapped Samael, but he moved out of the way as Park tried to spear him, and he accidentally put Salina through the table! Fatu superkicked Park and then hit an elevated Samoan Drop on Park. Fatu climbed the top rope and hit a moonsault for the pinfall.
This match was a crazy, wild brawl. It had to be different from the other matches, and it absolutely was. The crowd was very hot throughout, and I bought several of the near finishes.
Every match on this show felt different and brought something else to the table. My personal favourite was Tom Lawlor vs. Timothy Thatcher. Overall, this was an excellent PPV from MLW. Outside of a few minor production issues with the sound early on, it all came across very well. The smaller arena reminded me a lot of the old ECW PPVs, though the crowd wasn’t as hot. This show is worth a shot.
