New champions were crowned at Thursday’s MLW Intimidation Games event.
“Filthy” Tom Lawlor & Davey Boy Smith Jr. are the new MLW World Tag Team Champions after defeating the Second Gear Crew on Thursday at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York.
A new MLW World Middleweight Champion was also crowned on the show as CMLL’s Mistico defeated Rocky Romero to win the title in the opener.
Two titles were also successfully retained on the show, with Matt Riddle defeating Bad Dude Tito to remain the NJPW World TV Champion, plus Satoshi Kojima remains MLW World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Minoru Suzuki in the main event.
Full results from MLW Intimidation Games:
MLW World Middleweight Championship: Mistico defeated Rocky Romero to win the title
Street fight: The Calling (Sami Callahan & Rickey Shane Page) defeated Jake Crist & Akira
Alex Kane defeated Bobby Fish
MLW World Tag Team Championship: World Titan Federation (Tom Lawlor & Davey Boy Smith Jr.) defeated Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders & Matthew Justice) to win the titles
NJPW World TV Championship: Matt Riddle defeated Bad Dude Tito to retain the title
Janai Kai defeated Zoey Cannon in a five-minute, $5,000 challenge
MLW World Heavyweight Championship: Satoshi Kojima defeated Minoru Suzuki to retain the title
Former AEW and WWE NXT wrestler Bobby Fish is joining the MLW roster.
MLW announced today that Fish will return to the promotion at Intimidation Games 2024 in New York City on Thursday, February 29. Fish’s opponent for the show has not been announced.
This will be Fish’s first time competing for MLW since 2021. Following his release from WWE, Fish debuted for MLW as an entrant in the 2021 Opera Cup tournament. He defeated Lee Moriarty in the first round but lost to Davey Richards in the semifinals.
Fish was with AEW from 2021 until his contract expired in 2022 and was not renewed. He made appearances for Impact Wrestling and NJPW Strong after that. In 2022, Fish won his pro boxing debut.
Intimidation Games is taking place from the Melrose Ballroom in Queens and will air live on TrillerTV+. In the main event of the show, new MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima defends his title against Minoru Suzuki. Kojima won the championship from Alex Kane at MLW SuperFight last weekend.
Minoru Suzuki is returning to Major League Wrestling.
MLW announced on Monday that Suzuki will wrestle at Intimidation Games on Thursday, February 29. The event will take place at the Melrose Ballroom in New York.
Regarding who Suzuki might be wrestling on the show, MLW stated that “League officials expect to announce his opponent shortly.”
Suzuki made his MLW debut at Slaughterhouse on October 14, 2023, in Philadelphia. He defeated Jacob Fatu on the show.
“With over 30 years of career experience, Suzuki shows no signs of slowing down, and seems to only get more terrifying with every year that goes by,” an MLW press release reads. “Now Suzuki looks to up the ante in his second fight in MLW.”
No matches are official for the card as of yet. Before MLW gets to Intimidation Games, however, the promotion will present Superfight at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
MLW Superfight 2024 lineup:
MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane defends against Satoshi Kojima
Mistico vs. Averno w/Salina de la Renta
Yuji Nagata vs. Jacob Fatu
Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. 1 Called Manders
World Middleweight Champion Rocky Romero w/Salina de la Renta defends against Ichiban
Joe Dombrowski and Rich Bocchini welcomed us to Dallas, Texas, for a special episode of Intimidation Games episode of MLW Fusion. This was the second episode of Fusion filmed during WrestleMania weekend.
National Openweight champion Alex Kane had a big statement to make as he interrupted Dombrowski and Bocchini’s open to announce that he and his bodyguard Mr. Thomas are coming for Calvin Tankman, EJ Nduka and their tag team titles. Later in the night, the two teams came face-to-face backstage but didn’t come to blows.
Arez, Mini Abismo Negro and Gino Medina (w/ Gangrel) defeated Micro Man, Aramis and KC Navarro
Strange Sangre’s Arez and Mini Abismo Negro were accompanied by Gangrel, but the Attitude Era star did not get involved.
After being pinned by Micro Man in a recent six-man tag, Medina had taken out his frustrations by attacking Aramis and busting him open. But when it came to wrestling Aramis tonight, Medina wanted nothing to do with him in the early going. Later on, they both had a heated exchange when Aramis saved Micro Man from Medina and hit him with a suicide dive to the floor.
Arez and Aramis really gell well together and rekindled their feud with a series of great fluid exchanges here.
Mister Saint Laurent had his grand hype entrance for Micro Man, but that gave him a huge bullseye as he was again beaten down, often 3-on-1 throughout the match.
Navarro is currently feuding with nZo but had to switch his attention for this match. He and Arez worked well together when in the ring and after helping Micro Man hit a crossbody from the top rope to the floor, he and Aramis hit stereo tope con hiro dives on opposite sides of the ring.
Most of Micro Man’s spots were with Abismo Negro including a rolling senton off the top, but he was also involved in a tower of doom by pulling Medina, Arez and Aramis off the top rope.
Aramis looked to be in control while in the ring with Medina, but “El Intocable” pulled Aramis’ mask to the side and dropped him with a TKO into a sit-out facebuster for the win.
– Alex Marvez interrupted Alex Hammerstone getting pumped and “enhancing” before the main event. The MLW Champion said he is firing on a whole other level right now.
– This June marks MLW’s 20th anniversary and some stars from the original roster will be returning to celebrate. The first announced were Joel and Jose of Los Maximos.
– Mads Krugger said he will finish his mission tonight after beating Hammerstone in the Bakalai Brawl and beating Fatu in their recent weapons-filled Stairway to Hell match. Krugger had a new graphic called “The Black Hand” so we may be seeing an offshoot of CONTRA Unit being formed soon.
– Who attacked Myron Reed two weeks ago on Fusion? The Young GOAT wanted answers as he demanded the masked man show his face next week as he puts the Middleweight title on the line.
– 5150 said they were taking a road trip with their IWA Puerto Rico Tag Team titles.
– Taya Valkyrie is returning to MLW to compete in the Featherweight division.
MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone defeated Mads Krugger and Jacob Fatu in a triple threat match to retain
Richard Holliday joined Bocchini and Dombrowski on commentary, but ended up only being there mere minutes as Hammerstone jumped him before the bell and sent him to the back. Krugger then jumped Hammerstone but both were quickly squashed by a Fosbury flop flying Fatu as the title match started chaotically.
Hammerstone and Fatu reversed finishers before they started throwing each other around, Hammerstone hit an overhead throw and Fatu landed a spinning uranage. Krugger then took both out with a double chokeslam and a massive dive over the top rope to the floor.
Krugger was in control, but Hammerstone used his power to fight back and run Krugger into the corner, later hitting pair of powerslams on his opponents.
Krugger hit Hammerstone with a fallaway slam off the top rope, but was immediately squashed again with a Fatu senton bomb.
Fatu floored Hammerstone with a pop-up Samoan drop and rocked a chair off Krugger’s skull. He then used chairs to hit a coast to coast on Hammerstone. Krugger then brought in his Bakalai club and floored both his opponents, but Hammerstone went low to get a little payback.
Hammerstone set a wooden board in the corner of the ring and had a visual pinfall on Krugger, but the referee was down. Holliday returned and dropped Hammerstone with his 2008 twisting suplex finisher. Fatu then came off the top with a moonsault on the champion, but the referee was still down and couldn’t count the three.
Fatu speared Krugger through the board and fell to the floor. Hammerstone then hit Krugger with the Nightmare Pendulum to win the match and retain his title.
As Hammerstone was celebrating, we learned Fatu’s next feud as the cameras showed him lying knocked out on the ground. Bestia 666 emerged behind him yielding a chair, flanked by Cesar Duran and a masked henchman.
MLW kicked off the first of two nights of shows in Dallas, Texas, as part of WrestleMania weekend with Intimidation Games Thursday night.
The event was a TV taping for future episodes of MLW Fusion. The company returns Friday afternoon for an Azteca Underground TV taping that will see many of the same wrestlers return.
Matt Cross defeated TJP
5150’s Rivera (Danny Limelight) and Julius Smokes came out to call out The Von Erichs. When the former champions came out to respond, former Impact roster member Hernandez attacked them to make his MLW debut.
Richard Holliday (w/Alicia Atout) defeated Davey Richards
MLW Tag Team Champions Calvin Tankman and EJ Nduka defeated Mr. Thomas and Alex Kane to retain
nZo defeated ACH. nZo came out and challenged anyone to a match. Budd Heavy came out first and nZo made short work of him, leading to ACH coming out instead. After the match, KC Navarro went after nZo but was held back.
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone defeated Jacob Fatu and Mads Krugger in a three-way title match. Holliday came out for commentary, but got in a brawl with Hammerstone and was ejected. After the match, Los Parks attacked Fatu before Hammerstone helped him out.
Los Parks defeated Pagano and Gangrel in a Mexican deathmatch
Octagon Jr. defeated King Muertes (c), El Hijo de La Park and El Dragon in a four corners match to win the MLW Caribbean title
MLW Middleweight Champion Myron Reed defeated Swerve Strickland to retain the title. Cesar Duran introduced Strickland as a surprise.
Gino Medina, Arez and Mini Abismo Negro defeated KC Navarro, Aramis and Microman
Holidead (w/ Gangrel & Dr. Dax) defeated Shazza McKenzie
The Von Erichs defeated 5150 (Rivera and Hernandez) in a bunkhouse brawl. After the match, Holliday came out and cut a promo on the Von Erichs. They challenged him and out came Krugger and Muertes. They went after the Von Erichs until Hammerstone came out for the save, leading into today’s Azteca Underground show.
MLW has again pushed back its next scheduled trip to the Chicago area.
It was announced today that MLW’s Intimidation Games set of television tapings have been rescheduled to Saturday, June 5, 2021. After already having been pushed back once due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show had been set for June 12 of this year before being rescheduled again today.
The tapings are being held at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois. Tickets that have already been purchased will be honored on the new date.
“League officials continue to monitor the on-going coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and under the advisement of medical experts and public health officials elected to reschedule MLW’s Chicago event for 2021,” MLW wrote in a press release. “The status to delay additional events will be decided in the weeks ahead.”
MLW added: “The league remains focused on a return after suspending promoting live events, however is proceeding with an abundance of caution. At the appropriate time, the league will communicate plans for promoting live events outside of the temporary hiatus and update the status of league events. The MLW family would like to extend our appreciation and well wishes to all doctors, nurses, emergency services staff, first responders, medical professionals, essential services staff and all others on the front line working to address the public health crisis in our nation and around the world.”
Last week, it was announced that MLW Anthology will premiere on beIN Sports in conjunction with MLW Fusion on Saturday, May 16. It will “spotlight the biggest rivalries, iconic athletes and championship classics spanning the history of MLW dating back to 2002.”
The episodes of MLW Fusion that are currently airing are from the promotion’s Super Series with Lucha Libre AAA that was filmed in March. That was MLW’s last event before the promotion temporarily suspended promoting live events due to the pandemic.
Following their Saturday Night SuperFight pay-per-view, MLW has announced a return date for the Chicago area.
MLW will return to Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois for Intimidation Games 2020 on Saturday, February 29. The show is a set of MLW Fusion television tapings.
Tickets for the show will go on sale next Thursday (November 14) at 10 a.m. Central time.
Saturday Night SuperFight took place at Cicero Stadium this past weekend and was headlined by MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu retaining his title against LA Park in a no disqualification match.
Cicero Stadium also hosted this year’s MLW Intimidation Games event in March.
MLW will follow up on Saturday Night SuperFight at their Blood & Thunder tapings in Orlando, Florida this Saturday. Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Tom Lawlor, Mance Warner vs. Jimmy Havoc in a falls count anywhere match, Low Ki vs. Timothy Thatcher, Zeda Zhang vs. The Spider Lady, and a Mystery Box Battle Royal are set for that show.
In addition to last night’s Intimidation Games live special, MLW held a set of television tapings at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois.
– Jim Cornette was introduced as the newest member of the MLW broadcast team. He called the show with Rich Bocchini.
– Alexander Hammerstone defeated Isaias Velazquez
– MLW Middleweight Champion Teddy Hart defeated Myron Reed to retain his title
Hart was selling his ribs throughout the match as part of an angle where he was attacked by MJF and Richard Holliday on a previous MLW Fusion episode.
– The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix) defeated Taurus & Laredo Kid for last night’s special. MLW then set up the steel cage for Tom Lawlor vs. Low Ki, where Lawlor defeated Low Ki on the special to retain the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
– Ace Romero defeated Simon Gotch by DQ
Jacob Fatu and Josef Samael attacked Romero for the disqualification. Samael bloodied Romero’s head with a spike.
Gotch, Fatu, and Samael’s group is called Contra, and they also attacked Lawlor on the special.
– Ricky Martinez defeated Air Wolf
– Ace Austin defeated DJZ in a Battle Riot qualifying match
– An enhancement team defeated Jacob Fatu & Josef Samael by DQ
Samael again used his spike, and their attack on the enhancement team included fire being thrown. The fans threw trash at Fatu and Samael.
– Daga defeated Ariel Dominguez
Low Ki came out after the match, with referees having to separate him and Daga.
– Puma King defeated El Hijo de LA Park
Mance Warner distracted Hijo de LA Park and hit him with a chair before the finish.
– MLW Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation (Teddy Hart & Davey Boy Smith Jr.) defeated The Dynasty (MJF & Richard Holliday) by DQ
Alexander Hammerstone came out with a chair and attacked Smith for the DQ. MJF, Holliday, and Hammerstone then beat down The Hart Foundation.
– El Gringo Loco defeated Myron Reed
– Alexander Hammerstone defeated Brian Pillman Jr.
After the match, MJF, Holliday, and Hammerstone ripped Pillman’s necklaces.
Jim Cornette made his Major League Wrestling debut tonight, joining the broadcast team as a color commentator.
Cornette made his appearance at the start of the show, joining announcer Rich Bocchini prior to the start of the first match. PWInsider reported that this is not a one time appearance and he will be joining the promotion going forward as both a commentator and agent. He will also be working the New York City tapings that will take place next month.
Cornette has worked for a number of promotions in the past in a backstage role including WWE, Impact and Ring of Honor. He also booked Ohio Valley Wrestling and was at one time an owner of the promotion while it was a developmental territory for the WWE.
He most recently served as the announcer for the NWA 75th Anniversary show last year and will also be a part of the upcoming NWA Crockett Cup.
MLW’s third live special on beIN Sports takes place in the Chicago area tonight as Cicero Stadium hosts Intimidation Games.
After losing the MLW World Heavyweight Championship to Tom Lawlor at last month’s live special, Low Ki will get his rematch for the title tonight. This time, it will be Lawlor vs. Low Ki in a steel cage match.
Low Ki defeated Shane Strickland for the MLW World title in July 2018 before dropping it to Lawlor last month.
Prior to tonight’s event, MLW announced that Jim Cornette is the newest member of their broadcast team and will be doing color commentary. Cornette is calling tonight’s show with Rich Bocchini, and MLW also has television tapings taking place at Cicero Stadium both before and after the live special.
The Intimidation Games live special will be an hour long and will begin on beIN Sports at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
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The Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr/Rey Fenix) beat Team AAA (Laredo Kid/Taurus)
Free for all to start with all four guys getting moves in. Laredo Kid took out Pentagon with an Asai moounsault to the outside. Then Taurus took both of them out with a flying corkscrew moonsault. And then Fenix hit a springboard top-rope moonsault onto Team AAA.
Pentagon hit a flying spin kick on Laredo Kid, followed by a superman punch from Fenix and then a double superkick. Then they did a whacky double Lucha submission spot but couldn’t get the tap. Action just kind of stopped after that, which was weird.
Crowd solidly behind the Lucha Brothers as Pentagon and Laredo Kid do the yay/boo spot as we go to commercial. Back from commercial and Taurus is working over Pentagon. Fenix comes in and eats some punches and kicks before taking over on Taurus. Fenix does the running rope walk and a double foot stomp to the back of Taurus. Laredo Kid and Fenix then trade vicious chops in the corner. Lared Kid with a springboard cutter for 2.
Taurus powerbombs Pentagon onto Fenix, who then hits a 450 splash but the Lucha Brothers kick out of a double pinfall attempt. Lucha Brothers hit superkicks on Taurus. Lucha Brothers hit a springboard stuffed package piledriver and Pentagon pins Laredo Kid for the win. A bit dijointed at times but a lot of fun.
Fans threw money into the ring when it was over. Fenix cut a promo in English putting over the crowd in Chicago and said they’ll be here for life.
Good video package for Jimmy Havoc aired next. “England’s most dangerous man”. And then a taped Hart Foundation promo from a poolside. They promised to add the MLW six man belts to their tag team titles and Teddy Hart’s middleweight belt they already hold. They also promised to defend the tag belts using Freebird rules.
Matt Stryker hosted the Battle Riot Control centre, which will take place over Mania weekend in NYC. Minoru Tanaka from NOAH was announced as competing in it, in addition to Pentagon Jr and Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Backstage interview with MJF, alongside Richard Holiday. They are known as the Dynasty and MJF asked for a tag team title shot. MJF and Teddy are also feuding over the middleweight belt. MJF is really playing up the Hart family disfunction over the years and claiming that he comes from a family that is respected in society.
Yet another backstage interview with Salina De La Renta. This is all to give them time to set up the cage for the main event. She promised that Low Ki would get vengance tonight.
MLW heavyweight title match:
Steel cage match – Tom Lawlor (c) beats Low Ki w/Salina De La Renta to retain the title
Cornette did his homework on Lawlor, pointing out all knds of stuff from his UFC career, including the many bonuses he won, in addition to winning a fight with a twisted knee. Lawlor the clear crowd favorite during the intros with a loud FILTHY TOM chant.
Low Ki attacks Lawlor before the bell to get the early advantage. Low Ki gets a takedown adn working for a D’Arce choke but Lawlor picks him up and slams him against the cage to break it. Lawlor setting up a Kimura and armbar attempt simultaneously before just gaining mount and pounding out Ki with punches in the corner. Lawlor attempts a standing rear naked choke but Ki slams him into the cage to break it. Salina hands Low Ki a high heeled shoe, which Ki james into the gut and then the head of Lawlor.
Low Ki with a series of kicks to the chest of a kneeling Lawlor but Lawlor asks him for more, before standing up. Lawlor catches a kick and hits strikes to the midsection before Ki slams him into the cage to get the momentum back. Announcers put over the fact that Low Ki watched Lawlor’s UFC matches to see how he lost and then using the same tactics his opponents did. Low Ki with an abdominal stretch, which highlights a cut on the midsection of Lawlor as a result of the high heeled show from earlier.
Lawlor briefly turns things around with punches before getting whipped into the cage by Ki again. Lawlor catches Ki and hits a nice suplex and both guys are down. Lawlor goes for a powerbomb but Ki hits elbows to the head to knock him down and then hits a double foot stomp to take control. Ki misses a springboard cross body and then Lawlor hits a spinning facebuster for two. The announcers point out that there will be no commercial breaks during this match, unlike what other companies do.
Lawlor with an ankle lock attempt but Ki makes it to the ropes and kicks Lawlor in the head to break it. Ki brings a roll of pennies into the ring but Lawlor gets it and nails Ki with a punch before breaking the roll of coins. Lawlor with the first attempt to escape the cage by climbining but Ki follows him up and then attempts a rear naked choke as Lawlor is standing on the top turnbuckle. Ki with elbows to the head knocks Lawlor into the tree of woe. Ki about to attempt the double foot stomp but Lawlor shakes the cage to knock Ki off the top.
Both guys trading punches while sitting on the top of the cage, doing the Yay/Boo spot. Lawlor attempts to climb down the cage and Ki follows him. Ki with elbows to the head and a head butt. Lawlor with his foot caught in the cage. Ki with more elbows to teh head. Lawlor recovers and landing kicks to the legs of Ki as he hangs off the cage. Lawlor with kicks to the back of Ki and then slams his head into the cage. Both are hanging on the outside of the cage and it’s very weird because either guy could fall off at any time.
As I typed that, both guys fell off the cage but Lawlor landed first and retains the title.
Lawlor is attached after the match by former partner Simon Gotch and two other dudes. They aren’t identified. One of them was Jacob Fatu. They throw Lawlor back in the cage beat him down. Fatu goes to the top of the cage and lands a splash onto Lawlor. Crowd chants HOLY SH*T after that. It was impressive. They then cover Lawlor in a flag labelled CONTRA, the name of their group.
After dropping the MLW World Heavyweight Championship to Tom Lawlor, Low Ki will be getting his rematch next month.
MLW has announced that Lawlor will defend his title against Low Ki in a steel cage match at Intimidation Games in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, March 2. This will be the first time that Lawlor has defended the title.
Lawlor vs. Low Ki headlined MLW’s SuperFight live special on beIN Sports earlier this month. The finish of the match was Low Ki passing out in a rear-naked choke. Low Ki had been MLW World Heavyweight Champion since July 2018 before losing the title to Lawlor.
This is the second match to be announced for Intimidation Games. Pentagon Jr. & Fenix, who lost the MLW Tag Team titles to Teddy Hart & Davey Boy Smith Jr. at SuperFight, will face AAA’s Taurus & Laredo Kid in Illinois.
Intimidation Games will include a live special and television tapings.
Starting this week, MLW Fusion is moving to airing at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday nights on beIN Sports.
