Tag: mlw fusion results

MLW Fusion results: Aerostar vs. Rey Horus, Mance Warner debuts

Posted on by Iain Oliver

Quick recap —

  • Rich Swann defeated Lance Anoa’i
  • Mance Warner defeated Jimmy Yuta
  • Rey Horus defeated Aerostar

Full rundown —

We opened with a video recapping Teddy Hart being attacked backstage by Richard Holliday and MJF last week, apparently breaking a rib in the process. We were told that we will be hearing from MJF and Holliday later on in the broadcast.

Rich Swann defeated Lance Anoa’i (7:07)

Swann had to use the ropes to leverage a win this week, making up for his disappointing loss the week prior. Anoa’i showed great potential and could be a really strong player for MLW.

Before Swann came out, we saw a recap from last week where Swann attacked Rich Bocchini and a referee. We heard that he has been fined for his actions but was allowed to compete by MLW management.

In an in-set promo, Swann told us he would like to thank the MLW faithful for standing by his side — because everybody knows, when the electricity flows, Rich Swann can keep the party going all night long.

Swann wanted to open with a test of strength and challenged Anoa’i with his arm in the air. Anoa’i displayed the size advantage he has over Swann by towering over him with his arm extended way over Swann’s. Swann began changing arms until sliding into his dance routine, complete with a twirl and the splits.

Anoa’i charged, but Swann leapfrogged, dropped down, and did another leapfrog. Swann then evaded with a running flip. He went for a crossbody, but Anoa’i caught him. Swann slipped out the back and hit a high kick to the head, but Anoa’i recovered and launched Swann across the ring with a back body drop, with Swann going the extra mile and landing on his face. A Samoan drop sent Swann to the outside. Anoa’i followed up with a big tope con hilo to the floor.

Back in the ring, Anoa’i took the advantage as another “Contra” image flashed across the screen. In the process, Swann got the advantage back and was able to hit a big kick to the head while on the apron.

Swann went after Anoa’i’s face by fishhooking his mouth and raking the eyes. He shouted at the referee that if he wanted illegal, he would show him illegal and pulled Anoa’i’s long hair.

Swann locked in an abdominal stretch, but Anoa’i was able to power out and hit a pair of clotheslines to bring back some momentum. A stinger splash and running hurricanrana followed as Swann tried to get a breather in the corner.

We were told that Anoa’i is the grandson of Afa the Wild Samoan, and we saw a bit of his family heritage as he ran across the ring and hip attacked Swann right in the face. A standing moonsault got a close near fall.

Anoa’i went for a uranage, but Swann fought out. They exchanged forearms and Anoa’i went for it again, but Swann flipped out this time. A combination of strikes and spinning back fists stunned Anoa’i enough and gave Swann the opportunity to perform a big handspring cutter, but it was only for a one count as Anoa’i powered out.

A strong kick to the face floored Anoa’i again, with Swann then missing a standing corkscrew. Swann rolled through a schoolboy attempt and connected with a spinning hook kick to the back of the head.

Anoa’i stumbled and Swann looked like he was going for another, but he hesitated and instead let Anoa’i stumble to the corner. Swann charged at him and missed but was able to stop himself with a headstand in the corner. This left his head and face exposed, so Anoa’i connected with a hard kick that floored Swann.

Anoa’i saw a great opportunity and went to the top rope. He leapt off but missed a somersault splash. Swann grabbed the advantage, literally, by rolling him up and using the ropes to get the three count.

– We cut to a pre-taped promo from MLW World Heavyweight Champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. Lawlor said there has been a lot of rumors circulating about Low Ki: Where has he been training? Who has he been training with? Why the media blackout?

Lawlor says it doesn’t matter, because when they step into the cage, if Low Ki thinks he can go away and train for one month and come out on top in something Lawlor has been training his whole life for, Low Ki is more delusional than everyone told him he was.

Lawlor said that this isn’t a seminar, or a weekend retreat, a choreographed fight scene, or a fantasy camp at a monastery — this is his world. And he is going to perform his own blackout in Chicago when it comes to Low Ki.

– We then cut to MJF backstage in the arena. He called Teddy Hart a phony, a farce, and a paper champion. MJF called himself the real Middleweight Champion. He said Hart has a lot to worry about and that is why he beat him down last week.

MJF introduced Richard Holliday and called him the most marketable man in professional wrestling and said that neither he or Holliday come from a drug infested crazy family. He wants Hart to be fully aware that Stu Hart is spinning in his grave knowing that MJF is better than him, and Teddy knows it.

– Kaci Lennox was backstage with Mance Warner, who appeared with a light beer and a white board. He gave us a rundown of his booking ideas.

Number one: Light beers. Warner said he has had about 15 of them and he is going to rip someone up tonight. Number two: Eye pokes. Warner is the God of the Eye Poke. Number three: Knee pad up…dramatic pause…knee pad down. Someone’s head is going out into the crowd. Number four: Lariats. One lariat is all he needs for the win.

Warner then called out anyone in the back, but Low Ki and Jimmy Havoc in particular.

Mance Warner defeated Jimmy Yuta (5:32)

Old Mancer didn’t wait around. He backed Yuta to the corner and began following him around the ring with chops and right hands. Yuta got a big boot and a few right hands in, but that only seemed to fire Warner up. Yuta went for a tarantula submission hold and even got a pair of two counts from a sunset flip and a schoolboy.

Another hard open hand slap to the chest floored Yuta, but Warner was quickly knocked to the apron. Yuta went for a springboard but landed on his feet on the apron. Warner stopped him in his tracks and baited him to duck as he faked a right hand. Yuta obliged — and Warner planted him with a DDT.

Warner then got back into the ring went for a running dive — but wisely stopped himself as Yuta moved out of the way. Warner smartly, and safely, got to the apron. And when Yuta turned, he was met with a two-fingered eye poke from the Eye Poke God. Warner’s momentum was short lived as he soon ate a drop toe hold into the guardrail and a suicide dive from Yuta.

Back in the ring, Yuta came close with another roll-up and a modified Death Valley Driver, but both only gained two counts.

Warner got back into it with a headbutt as Yuta was coming off the top. He lined Yuta up as he brought his knee pad up…dramatic pause…and took his knee pad back down before connecting with a knee trembler and a big lariat to pick up the win in his debut match.

– We had another H2tv with Davey Boy Smith Jr. talking about the history of the Hart Foundation and their animals. Teddy Hart talked about being shooters and called Davey the best shooter in the world. He said Davey could choke out Brock Lesnar and he hopes to see that one day, mentioning Dana White in the process. Hart said he was grateful CM Punk stepped outside and did something different and it didn’t matter if he lost — he said Punk had balls for doing what he did.

Hart said the Hart Foundation are in MLW for the gold and they were not interested in running off to All Elite Wrestling.

Rey Horus defeated Aerostar (7:36)

They exchanged arm drags, headscissors, takedowns, roll throughs, and kip ups to start us off. Horus kicked Aerostar in the knee but quickly ate a head-first suicide dive for his troubles when he tried to escape to the outside.

Back in the ring, Aerostar sprung to the top rope and hit a corkscrew crossbody. Matt Striker told us that Aerostar’s spirit travels through time. Aerostar walked the ropes and hit a backstabber onto Horus, who was hung up sitting in the corner after missing a mid-air bronco buster.

It was soon Horus’ turn to go to the top as he hit a springboard arm drag, taking Aerostar to the outside. Horus then went corner-to-corner and launched himself onto Aerostar with a big tope con hilo. Back in the ring, Horus continued with a clothesline in the corner and a seated dropkick for a two count.

Aerostar evaded Horus by hanging in the ropes. He then leapfrogged Horus to the apron, hit a step-up kick, and then hit a middle rope springboard codebreaker for a two count of his own.

Aerostar tried to get the crowd going but soon didn’t need to as they rose to their feet in appreciation when he stepped up to the top rope and dove off with a trust-fall dive for another close two count. Horus then stopped himself on a whip to the corner, kicked Aerostar in the head, and followed up with a big overhead belly-to-belly into the corner when Aerostar rushed him.

Horus slammed Aerostar near the corner and went up top, but he took too much time as Aerostar knocked him to the outside. Aerostar followed up with another beautiful middle rope assisted step-up flip dive to the floor.

Back in the ring, Aerostar hit a springboard crossbody block. He continued on and hit a middle rope springboard cutter and went to continue his momentum, but Horus caught him in his tracks and planted him with a standing C4!

Horus ate a pair of boots as Aerostar was in the corner. Aerostar then leapt to the top rope, but Horus joined him. In an incredible finish, Horus sprung on the top rope, twisted in mid air, hooked Aerostar’s arms with his legs, rolled through, and planted Aerostar with a victory roll from the top rope! He amazingly held on for the pin in a really good showing for both competitors.

– We heard from Salina de la Renta as we were going off the air. She was in Puerto Rico and said that no one could interview Low Ki. She said Low Ki was training the hardest he has ever trained in his life. She warned Tom Lawlor that he has messed with the “wrong bitch” and that Low Ki is training with some cage fighters Lawlor has fought in the UFC, so be ready.

The interviewer asked if there was anyway they could talk to LA Park and she brushed them off by saying she couldn’t speak English — or Spanish — and walked away.

Next week, MLW Intimidation Games in Chicago —

  • MLW World Championship steel cage match: Filthy Tom Lawlor defends against Low Ki
  • The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix) vs. Taurus & Laredo Kid

MLW Fusion results: Middleweight title match, Hammerstone debuts

Posted on by Iain Oliver

Quick recap —

  • Ace Austin defeated Rich Swann
  • Alexander Hammerstone defeated Ariel Dominguez
  • Teddy Hart defeated MJF to retain the MLW Middleweight title

Full rundown —

– This week’s episode opened with H2tv with Davey Boy Smith Jr. talking about the culture and his time in Japan. He talked up the culture, technology, and the people, and he met a native and spoke a little Japanese with her.

– Matt Striker and Rich Bocchini welcomed us to South Philadelphia as they hyped up the main event between Teddy Hart and MJF, and also the debut of Alexander Hammerstone.

– We cut to a pre-taped promo from Salina de la Renta where she sarcastically congratulated new MLW World Heavyweight Champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor for being equally as dumb as the fans. She said that Low Ki is entitled to a contractually obligated rematch and she wants it at Intimidation Games in Chicago.

Ace Austin defeated Rich Swann (5:10)

Swann continued his recent cocky attitude change throughout this match. He swaggered down to the ring as his in-set promo told us that there is nothing but electricity when he enters an arena, and he told us to get ready to party all night long. However, he was not ready for a party at the end — with Austin winning in surprising fashion.

Swann went for a handshake to start things off — but he pulled back and danced a little in Austin’s face to annoy him. They exchanged arm ringers and standing headlocks, but we were quickly interrupted by a graphic quickly flashing on the screen for “Contra” which also included the words “Operaciones,” “Nihilistica,” and “Armada.” The announcers made no reference to this as we sharply went back to the action.

Austin escaped from a headlock with a headscissors, but Swann cartwheeled out of it with no harm done. Austin responded with a cartwheel reversal of his own as they both started mirroring each other with leg sweeps, quick pin attempts, dropkicks, and finally a nip up.

Swann eventually got the advantage with a big knee to the gut, but Austin fought back with a takedown, kick to the back of the head, basement dropkick, and a clothesline splash in the corner (a la The Miz). He went for a springboard to the top rope, but Swann shoved him off the top to the outside to take back the advantage.

On the outside, Swann hit a stiff chop before rolling Austin back in. Austin tried to fight back with forearms and chops of his own, but Swann retaliated with more chops and a big high kick for good measure. The plucky Austin didn’t back down, spinning around and hitting a high kick of his own.

Both wrestlers then exchanged spinning back fists, kicks, and chops before hitting a pair of big boots that knocked each of them to opposite corners. Swann charged — but Austin hit him with a springboard knee to the face.

Austin took the opportunity of Swann’s positioning, climbed the corner to the top rope, and hit a big reverse splash and went for the cover. The referee seemed hesitant to count the three and stalled after the two count, but he eventually counted to three as Swann did not kick out.

Rich Bocchini entered the ring for a word with Swann, but before he could say anything, Swann smacked the referee and knocked him to the outside. He snapped and was screaming at the ref that it was a two count. Bocchini asked him why he has been a different person in the last few months, and Swann responded by punching him in the face too!

Swann went and grabbed the ring announcer and tossed him to the ground before making his way out of the arena.

Alexander Hammerstone defeated Ariel Dominguez (3:36)

Hammerstone made his MLW debut here in a very impressive outing. He was billed as 251 lbs and looked every bit of it against the smaller, quicker Dominguez. In an in-set promo, Hammerstone said that the future has arrived in MLW.

Hammerstone immediately grabbed Dominguez by the throat and backed him up to the corner. He got him up in a Gorilla press slam, but Dominguez slipped out. No worries for Hammerstone, though, as he just booted Dominguez right in the face and knocked him across the ring.

Hammerstone then deadlifted Dominguez around the waist and held him for a few seconds before tossing him with a German suplex, with Dominguez flipping in mid-air and landing on his face.

A hard right hand hit for Hammerstone. He began toying with Dominguez before raining down right hands and forearms on the ground. He hit a huge pumphandle delayed fallaway slam that the crowd wanted one more of — but Hammerstone picked him up, looking to comply with the baying crowd, and just dropped him to the mat. He told the crowd that they did not control his matches.

Dominguez didn’t give up. He crawled to his feet, but Hammerstone got him and went for a suplex. Dominguez managed to slip out. Hammerstone then ran to Dominguez in the corner, with Dominguez getting the boots up and going for a springboard. Hammerstone clobbered him with a big forearm in mid-air to halt any progress the Team Filthy member was making.

Hammerstone picked Dominguez up and hit a tall stalling suplex, catching him on the way down into a Side Effect slam for the win.

– Mance Warner was outside the building in a pre-taped promo for his first appearance on MLW Fusion. He was straight on point and wasn’t being paid by the hour as he pointed out his truck he has rented for the weekend and the car he has bought outright.

Warner called himself the Southern Psycho, the Eye Poke God, and the Master of the Pop-Up Headbutt. He told us we will see him soon as he will be in action next week.

MLW Middleweight Champion Teddy Hart defeated MJF to retain his title (11:14)

MJF took the mic before the match. Before he could say anything, the Philly crowd were telling him to shut the duck up — or something very similar. MJF said he is the fastest growing superstar in wrestling and if anyone still likes the old ECW, they are white trash.

MJF started trash talking Teddy Hart and calling himself the real Middleweight Champion, saying he never lost his belt. MJF told Hart, for the first time in his life, jailbird, to grab his nuts, come out without the Hart Foundation, and face him and show everyone why MJF is better than him and everyone knows it.

Hart came out alone, and it was revealed that the rest of the Hart Foundation were back in Calgary celebrating their 90 years of wrestling in the territory. Hart wanted a handshake as the match started, but MJF pie-faced him instead. He then invited MJF to get the crowd to chant for him but instead pulled his trunks down when he turned his back on him.

Hart then went for more crowd adulation — but MJF jumped him for the early advantage.

MJF threw him to the outside and Hart seemed to collide head-first with the corner of the guardrail. He slowly made his way back into the ring — but as he was stepping through the ropes, MJF distracted the referee and kicked the rope right between Hart’s legs. He continued his assault by ramming Hart into the corner and hitting an overhead exploder suplex.

MJF got a two count with a side headlock on the mat and kept it locked in while he jaw-jacked with the crowd.

Hart fought back to his feet and arm dragged MJF off of him. Hart then had his eyes raked but was able to jump through a whip to the corner, stand on MJF’s back, and land a seamless Code Red for a two count of his own. He then hit a big powerbomb lungblower and followed up with a huge moonsault for another close two count.

In the corner, Hart lined MJF up and connected with a big uppercut. MJF fought back and launched himself off the middle rope with a double foot stomp to Hart’s arm. Hart found himself on the apron, where MJF hit him with a delayed piledriver for a very close near fall. As Hart kicked out, MJF moved straight into an armbar — adding insult to injury by biting the fingers when the referee wasn’t looking. Hart got his foot to the ropes to break the submission.

They made their way to the top rope in the corner — and Hart was able to get the advantage via a good old-fashioned wedgie. MJF dropped to the mat and Hart hit a perfect Canadian Destroyer from the top rope, but the momentum from the move popped MJF back to his feet and right into the referee, knocking him down.

Hart picked MJF up and hit a hammerlock DDT and got a visual three count — but the referee wasn’t around to make the count.

MJF fell to the outside and came back in with a chair as Hart was trying to revive the ref. Hart turned just in time and kicked MJF below the belt. Hart used the chair under MJF’s chin and hit an electric chair lungblower followed by a middle rope corkscrew moonsault for the win.

– Backstage, Hart was making his way through the Gorilla position to be interviewed by Kaci Lennox — but out of nowhere he was attacked by Richard Holliday. MJF quickly joined him for the two-on-one beatdown.

MJF used a chair to the gut of Hart and they both took turns pummeling Hart with shots to the back and head. Holliday held Hart as MJF launched a bin at him before they both whipped him into a garage door.

MJF told Hart he hoped he learned a lesson. We ended the show with Hart writhing in pain on the ground saying that MJF and Holliday had broken his rib.

Next week —

  • Mance Warner makes his MLW debut against Jimmy Yuta
  • Aerostar vs. Rey Horus

MLW Fusion results: Rush vs. Shane Strickland

Posted on by Iain Oliver

Quick recap —

  • Rush defeated Shane Strickland
  • Ace Romero defeated Ariel Dominguez
  • Ricky Martinez defeated Gringo Loco
  • The Hart Foundation (Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Brian Pillman Jr.) defeated The Dirty Blondes (w/ Colonel Robert Parker)

Full rundown —

Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini welcomed us to this week’s MLW Fusion. We opened with Shane “Swerve” Strickland in the ring telling us how he hates Miami, but MLW paid him a lot of money to come down there. He said that there wasn’t anyone in the back that could beat him.

Strickland was quickly interrupted by Rush, and we were ready for our opening match of the night.

Rush defeated Shane Strickland (14:03)

Strickland jumped Rush as he was replying on the house mic, tossing him to the outside and using the ring post and guardrail to get the early advantage. They went back in the ring, and after a quick two count, Strickland stayed on top with a running back elbow to a seated Rush.

Rush fought back briefly, but Strickland quickly cut him off and hit a dropkick while Rush was tied up in the corner. Strickland was in control of the opening exchanges, but after a kneebar, Rush fought back to his feet and caught Strickland off guard with a running Superman punch.

Rush exploded to the outside and upped the tempo by whipping Strickland into the guardrail before going through the crowd, throwing Strickland into an exit door and tossing a solid steel trash can at his face. Back in the ring, Rush put the boots to Strickland in the corner before hitting a delayed kick to the face and taunting the cocky Strickland to the delight of the Miami crowd.

Rush lit up the arena with two hard chops before going for the Rush Driver, but Strickland rolled out and hit a hard right hand. Rush replied and they traded hard rights and chops before Rush hit a belly-to-belly suplex and a  dropkick for a close two count. Rush took his eye off the ball and confronted the referee, which gave Strickland the chance for a quick roll-up — but it was to no avail.

A quick and fluid exchange then followed as Strickland hit a quick snap German. Rush popped up and went for one of his own — only for Strickland to roll through and connect with a jumping cutter. Strickland then went up to the top rope, but Rush stopped him, joined him up top, and hit a huge superplex for another two count.

A fisherman suplex received another two count for Rush, but instead of continuing his attack, he began jaw-jacking with the crowd. Rush eventually made his way to the top rope, but he took far too much time and missed a massive senton bomb. Strickland retaliated with a double foot stomp from the top, only getting another close two count.

A brainbuster by Strickland was followed by another kick to the head that received another two count. Both made their way to the corner for an exchange of right hands and chops, with Rush taking the advantage. Rush knocked Strickland to the ground and followed up with a running dropkick to the face and the Rush Driver to pick up the win.

– We had another promo video for the debuting Mance Warner before we cut to a recap of last week’s chase and confrontation between Sami Callihan and “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. The off-camera fight resulted in Lawlor taking out Callihan, using Callihan’s own hammer to add insult to injury.

– We cut over to Kaci Lennox. She was with Salina de la Renta, who told us she had just signed a match between Sami Callihan and LA Park because Callihan couldn’t take out Lawlor last week. She said she won’t stop until he is fired, or dead.

Ace Romero defeated Ariel Dominguez (1:51)

Barrington Hughes joined Schiavone and Bocchini on commentary for this match. We saw a much less jovial and much more serious Ace Romero than we have seen recently.

Dominguez got the early advantage with a big step-up kick from the apron after Romero missed a splash in the corner. He looked pretty pleased with himself, but Romero just shook off the cobwebs, grabbed him through the ropes, and rag-dolled him back into the ring.

Hughes had called Romero a bully earlier in the match, and he continued to say that Romero had always had the advantage in his matches because of his weight, but he wouldn’t have that against Hughes: hinting at a future matchup between the two super heavyweights.

Dominguez kept up a strong fight by slipping out of a powerbomb and going for an adventurous — but ultimately unsuccessful — sunset flip. Romero powered out of it before trying to squash him with a huge leg drop, but Dominguez wisely moved out of the way.

Three big jumping clotheslines later and Dominguez couldn’t floor the big man, and with the fourth attempt, Romero caught Team Filthy’s Dominguez and planted him with a big body slam. Romero hit the ropes and squashed his smaller foe with a big elbow drop for the win.

After the match, the victorious Romero pointed over at Hughes, who stood from the commentary table and removed his headset and glasses in what could be an acceptance to a future match.

– Brian Pillman Jr. was then cutting a promo on Tommy Dreamer from a play park. He said he was so excited from beating Dreamer in their Singapore cane match and he wonders where they will meet again. Pillman begged him to take him to New York City and hinted at a street fight between the two.

– Lennox was backstage with Low Ki. She asked him about his undefeated streak, and Ki explained that he has solidified himself as the greatest MLW World Heavyweight Champion of all time. He told Lawlor that at MLW Superfight — Lawlor gets to join the long list of fighters who have lost to him. Ki said the honor will be Lawlor’s — but the pleasure will be his.

Ricky Martinez (w/ Salina de la Renta) defeated Gringo Loco (5:02)

Martinez came out with an eye patch as a taunt to Kotto Brazil after recently injuring him.

A quick opening to this match saw both wrestlers reversing and evading each other’s offense. Martinez went for a handshake but took a cheap shot to gain the advantage. Loco quickly fought back and hit a big sit-out powerbomb for a two count.

Martinez floored Loco soon after with a big shoulder block and tried to follow up from the top rope but took too much time. Loco cut him off, joined him up top, and he hit an amazing falcon arrow from the top rope for a close two count.

Loco went up top again and hit a huge springboard cutter for another two count. The crowd was into this match as Loco set up Martinez and went up top for the third time in quick succession. De la Renta pulled Martinez out of the way before Loco could hit a corkscrew splash, and he connected with the mat instead.

Martinez quickly raked the eyes and hit Loco with a gutbuster to pick up the win after Loco was looking so impressive early on.

Martinez then put the eye patch on before we cut backstage to Colonel Robert Parker hyping up the Dirty Blondes for their match with the Hart Foundation later tonight.

– We then switched to Tom Lawlor. He said we are a few short weeks away from MLW Superfight. He has been thinking about the past seven months where he has become the number one ranked fighter in MLW, having to go through 39 others to win the Battle Riot to get what he deserves.

Lawlor told Low Ki he sees him paying off other people to do his dirty work: Simon Gotch, Sami Callihan, Ricky Martinez, the fat skeleton, the skinny skeleton, and Salina the Teenage Witch. He said Low Ki will be out of a job after 15 years and their fight will all be over in six seconds when he puts Low Ki to sleep.

The Hart Foundation (Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Brian Pillman Jr.) defeated The Dirty Blondes (Leo Brien & Michael Patrick) w/ Colonel Robert Parker (4:49)

Smith gave Leo Brien a clean break at the start. Brien took a cheap shot, which only angered Smith, who followed up with a dropkick and a snap suplex before tagging in Pillman.

One dropkick in the corner by Pillman was followed up with a missed attempt, and the Blondes took control and cut Pillman off from his partner. Brien hit a hard back elbow and the Blondes distracted the referee for some double teaming behind his back. Pillman soon fired back with a crossbody block before a double down and double tag brought Patrick and Smith back into the action.

Smith hit a big backdrop before hitting the 10 punches in the corner on Brien. A clothesline in the corner and a running powerslam followed, but Patrick broke up Smith’s pinning attempt.

Pillman sprung into the ring and took Patrick out with a springboard clothesline, leaving Smith and Brien alone in the ring. Smith put Brien on the top rope, got up himself, and hit a big superplex for the win.

Next week —

  • Kotto Brazil returns to action
  • Sami Callihan vs. LA Park

MLW Fusion results: Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Posted on by Iain Oliver

Quick recap:

  • Dragon Lee defeated Rich Swann
  • Brian Pillman Jr. defeated Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore cane match
  • Low Ki defeated Fred Yehi to retain the MLW world title

This week’s episode opened backstage where we saw ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor outside of Promociones Dorado’s dressing room listening in to an ongoing argument. Inside, we heard Sami Callihan shouting that he wants his money owed to him. Salina de la Renta responded by screaming that he gets what he has earned, and that he has not done anything around here to deserve it.

Her words were much more non-PG and were bleeped out, but let’s just say Callihan, in Salina’s eyes, has not had a smash hit in MLW yet. Tony Schiavone tells us it sounds like Salina is demanding that Callihan take out Lawlor tonight.

Schiavone and Rich Bochinni welcomed us to the show from Miami and hyped up tonight’s Singapore cane match between Tommy Dreamer and Brian Pillman Jr. tonight, along with Dragon Lee vs Rich Swann.

We cut backstage to Low Ki who said has gone through all the word class athletes MLW has thrown at him. He said he is going to ride off into the sunset and retire as the best MLW world heavyweight champion ever.

Dragon Lee defeated Rich Swann (10:43)

Schiavone told us that Lee is considered by some as one of the best high flying luchadores in the sport, but he was unable to show off a lot of his talents as Swann dominated most of this match from the start. He passed by the fans as they tried to high-five him and was extra cocky making his way into the ring. He blew kisses to the fans before telling them all to kiss his ass.

Lee went for a handshake but Swann refused and ran his hand through his hair. We were told this was Lee’s first match in four months as he has been filming a reality TV show in the Dominican. They exchanged arm ringers and arm drags before Swann attempted a headscissor takeover but Lee evaded it with a cartwheel. Lee hit his own headscissors as both then hit double dropkicks, double kip ups and a stand-off much to the delight of the Miami crowd.

Swann’s apparent heel turn was really showing through as he took the advantage again after a cheap shot and landed a barrel load of right hands to the head while Lee was grounded. Lee got a bit of revenge when, on the outside, Swann went for a chop but Lee moved and Swann smacked his hand off the lighting grid.

Both fighters fought up to their knees where they exchanged right hands, they gradually made their way to their feet to exchange some knees to the head. They stumbled to the corner to exchange some step-up kicks to the head. Lee was then on the top rope but Swann kept up his control of the match by bringing Lee to the mat with a jumping hurricanrana. Swann missed his Phoenix splash and was caught with Lee’s sit out powerbomb, the Dragon Driver, out of nowhere for the win.

Swann acknowledged and raised Lee’s hand after the match in what could keep his face character alive for future matchups.

— Backstage, we see Callihan brandishing a hammer and running into Ace Romero. He asked if he has seen Lawlor and if he does, let him know that he is looking for him. He pushed past an old man, who thought he was looking for Tom and Jerry, and stole his sunglasses. Classic bad guy routine.

— We cut to a social media video from Pillman Jr. who told Dreamer that he is tired of him and he said MLW is his field and his playground. He said he was tired of Dreamer politicking him and his father’s legacy, and he is not afraid of him and not afraid of using his own cane in their match later on. He calls Dreamer a phony and said he is bringing his own cane to the fight.

 – Backstage, Lawlor tells a guy to tell Callihan that he is warming up in a side room by the kitchen.

Brian Pillman Jr. defeated Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore cane match (9:29)

Pillman came out by himself without the rest of the Hart Foundation and was brandishing a Singapore cane. Dreamer also had his own cane and received a good reaction.

Dreamer hit a few hip tosses and removed Pillman’s jacket and hoodie, only to reveal a nice, smart, patterned dress shirt that Pillman also chose as part of his ring attire tonight to help pad himself from the cane shots. He spat a beer in Pillman’s face as they brawled around the ring. They made their way into the crowd and Dreamer ripped open the dress shirt to reveal another t-shirt.

Pillman fought back and dropped Dreamer, of course, groin first on the guard rail. Back in the ring, Pillman hit Dreamer in the hand with the cane and continued his attack on the hand and fingers. Pillman hit a nice standing dropkick and took control of the cane again. He came off the middle rope with a big cane shot to the head for a two count before going back to Dreamer’s hand and fingers. Dreamer got in a cane shot of his own when Pillman came off the middle rope again but with no luck this time.

Dreamer fought back and got in his flip, flop and fly Dusty Rhodes elbow to the head before getting a two count after a powerslam. He took a chair from underneath the ring and pulled Pillman’s clothes up, revealing his back. He drilled Pillman with a cane shot while he was draped over the back of the chair.

Later, he set up the chair, two Singapore canes and Pillman’s own cane in a pile in the middle of the ring but while constructing this death mount, Dreamer gave Pillman enough time to recover. Dreamer picked him up and was looking for a Dreamer Driver onto the weapons but Pillman slipped out and used a cane for a low blow. He then drilled Dreamer with a DDT style swinging neckbreaker to pick up the three count and the win.

— We cut backstage to Callihan, still looking for Lawlor. He met the guy Lawlor spoke to earlier and he told Callihan he was in the room by the kitchen warming up.

— A promo video then aired for the debuting Mance Warner.

MLW World Heavyweight Champion Low Ki (w/ Salina de la Renta) defeated Fred Yehi (4:30)

It was a slow start as both fighters exchanged holds before Low Ki made his way to the corner where he wrapped up Yehi in an armbar over the top rope. Some good chain wrestling followed before Yehi hit a big slam, and Ki hit a shoulder block. Yehi then locked in a kneebar but Ki ended up reversing but Yehi managed to escape with little damage being done.

The tune of the match changed when Ki cheapshotted Yehi with five big shots to the gut and a stiff looking kick to the ribs. Yehi fought back with a nice looking combination of strikes, stomps, a trip and a dropkick to a seated champion. Yehi got a close two count but Ki escaped and ended up on the top rope. He cracked Yehi over the head with club to the side of the face that temporarily floored the challenger. This is all that the champion needed as he dove off and landed on Yehi’s back with a double foot stomp to pick up the three count and the win in a short but well executed match.

 — Backstage, we caught up with Callihan, his hammer, and the poor old man’s glasses, still on his quest to find Lawlor. This building must be huge. He kicked open the kitchen door and slowly made his way to the other side where the door would lead him to Lawlor. He entered the side room and closed the door behind him. We heard a fight ensuing inside and after the grunts, smacks, and clattering died down, the door opened and out walked Lawlor, victorious and brandishing Callihan’s hammer. After a menacing look to the camera he walked off with Callihan seemingly being taken care of by his own weapon.

MLW Fusion results: Rush makes his debut

Posted on by Iain Oliver

We opened with a camera catching up with Simon Gotch walking outside Cicero Stadium in Chicago. The cameraman asked why he turned his back on Tom Lawlor a few weeks ago.

Gotch started mouthing off, but we quickly saw Lawlor appearing in the background. He chased Gotch towards the building. Gotch jumped behind a door just as Lawlor was blindsided by Ricky Martinez, however Lawlor dove at him and they both tumbled into the building. Gotch closed the door behind them both as Tony Schiavone wondered what is going to happen this week on MLW Fusion.

After the opening video, Schiavone let us know that Lawlor isn’t going to wait until Miami, where he faces Gotch in a no ropes, no holds barred match, and that the cameras are looking for he and Gotch in the arena tonight. Schiavone also hyped up the debut of the leader of Los Ingobernables Rush as he takes on AAA Cruiserweight Champion Sammy Guevara tonight. Rich Bocchini hyped up the debut of Ace Romero as he will be taking on Marko Stunt.

Teddy Hart (w/ Brian Pillman Jr.) defeated Jason Cade (8:41)

The announcers hyped up Pentagon Jr. and Teddy Hart’s match for next week’s tapings before we caught up with Hart and Pillman Jr.’s visit to the Pro Wrestling Tees store in Chicago. They picked out some of the Hart Foundation T-shirts and also found some Tommy Dreamer shirts that Pillman shoved down his pants. Pillman will face Dreamer in Miami in a Singapore cane match.

A very good, highly athletic contest to open up the show this week with Hart picking up the win after an avalanche Canadian Destroyer from the top rope. Cade took the early advantage after a hard whip to the corner — Hart took the corner front first just like his uncle Bret — and a big jumping neckbreaker.

Hart quickly retaliated with a sunset flip, a lung blower powerbomb, a hammerlock DDT, and a huge moonsault into an elbow drop. Cade got his knees up after an attempted split-legged moonsault and hit Hart with a tiger driver and a handspring codebreaker for a near fall.

They went to the outside, where Cade slapped Pillman for trying to get involved. That distracted Cade just long enough for Hart to hit him with a draping leg drop off the guardrails. Back in the ring, Cade missed a frog splash when Hart got his knees up and took back the advantage. An electric chair Lumbar Check, a Stu Hart special (Gory special flipped out into a sit-out powerbomb), and a piledriver couldn’t keep Cade down as he got a foot on the ropes to break up a pinfall attempt.

Cade fought back with a superkick, a roll-through suplex, and a Death Valley Driver twisting into a Michinoku driver for a near fall. The action then migrated to the corner where the finish came when, after a cane shot from the outside from Pillman, Hart picked up the win after an avalanche Canadian Destroyer from the top rope, called the Hart Rate.

Salina de la Renta was backstage when Konnan showed up and started questioning her, saying that he is going to take Low Ki’s MLW World Championship and then he is coming for her.

The camera then again caught up with Konnan — this time he had stumbled upon a fallen Ricky Martinez. Konnan nonchalantly dropped a padlock emptied out from a sock beside Martinez and swaggered away.

Ace Romero defeated Marko Stunt (8:40)

A really fun and entertaining David vs.Goliath style match which Romero won with a Boss Man slam. Stunt more than held his own against a massively bigger opponent, but the size and strength of Romero shone through in the end. While making his entrance, an in-set promo from Romero aired. He said Stunt is going to be victim number one in MLW in the Pounce World Tour.

Stunt tried to run around Romero in the early going, but Romero took him out with a 400 pound dropkick that sent Stunt flying across the ring. Romero looked to have the match well in control before missing a huge second rope leg drop to the apron, which gave Stunt the opportunity for a comeback.

Stunt got a few shots in on the outside before hitting a suicide dive onto the huge Romero. However, he needed more to faze the big man as Romero just ran through and bulldozed him into the guardrail.

Back in the ring, there was a big elbow drop from Romero — but somehow Stunt barely lifted a shoulder off the mat to avoid the three count. A hard chop echoed around the arena, but that only seemed to wake Stunt up as he began to Hulk up. He hit a dropkick and a running knee before feeling the apparent power of Hulkamania. He tried to lift Romero off his feet. That didn’t happen. But he was able to hit a springboard senton to a standing Romero, knocking the big man off his feet and even managing a quick two count.

Romero quickly got back up, but Stunt reversed a tilt-a-whirl attempt into a facebuster of his own. Stunt went back to the top turnbuckle and had the crowd on their feet when he connected with a top turnbuckle sunset flip powerbomb.

Stunt tried to continue his high-flying offense with a high crossbody off the top — but he was caught and reversed into a huge Boss Man slam for the three count and the win for Ace Romero.

Kaci Lenox was outside Court Bauer’s office. Shane Strickland was inside and we could hear an argument ensuing.

We went backstage with Salina de la Renta and Low Ki. De la Renta told us how she is sick of Konnan trying to step all over her business, calling her names, and how when she said to come fight Low Ki, he refused. Low Ki cut in, but before he could start Ricky Martinez stumbled in with blood pouring from his mouth. He warned Low Ki that Konnan did this to him and that he and de la Renta should leave the building immediately.

Rush defeated Sammy Guevara (9:25)

An excellent match to finish off the week’s action. Rush picked up the win with the Rush driver. Guevara came out with the AAA Cruiserweight Championship belt while the announcers hyped up his talent but also talked about his attitude and arrogance.

This had a competitive opening with both showing off their athleticism with evasions, kip ups, and backflip counters. The action quickly went to the outside. Guevara missed a plancha, so Rush powerbombed him onto one of those extra solid, reinforced Chicago tables that didn’t budge or break. Rush whipped him across the back with camera cables and hit him with a chair.

Back in the ring, Rush threatened the referee which gave Guevara the chance for a roll-up and a near fall. Guevara kept on top of Rush and quickened the pace with a huge crossbody from the top rope followed by a spinning corkscrew suicide dive through the ropes.

Back into the ring again and a springboard dropkick got another near fall. A very loose Spanish fly got Guevara another near fall, but Rush soon made a comeback and hit a huge superplex from the top rope for a near fall of his own.

Both competitors traded superkicks and high knees until Rush knocked down Guevara with a headbutt to the chin. He couldn’t follow up as he missed a senton from the top, giving Guevara a chance to hit a Shooting Star Press of his own. Guevara took too much time though — and Rush got his knees up and quickly followed up with double knees to the face in the corner and finished him off with his Rush driver (a double under hook piledriver) for the win.

Rush took the mic after the match. In Spanish, he called out LA Park. The announcer’s hyped up their previous legendary rivalries from Mexico.

Before we went off the air, Low Ki and de la Renta were seen leaving the arena. But just as their car was speeding away, Tom Lawlor was right behind them and was inches away from catching the MLW World Champion. We went off the air with Lawlor chasing the car as it sped away from Cicero Stadium and out of sight.

Next week: MLW Fusion is live for the first time ever on beIN Sports from Miami, Florida:

  • Dragon Lee vs. DJZ
  • Rush vs. Rich Swann
  • Kotto Brazil vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Andrew Everett vs. Jason Cade in a four-way ladder match for the vacant MLW Middleweight Championship