Tag: mlw restart

Middleweight title match added to return of MLW Fusion

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Joseph Currier

A second title match is set for the return of MLW Fusion.

MLW has announced that Middleweight Champion Myron Reed will defend his title against Brian Pillman Jr. on the Wednesday, November 18 episode of MLW Fusion. An MLW World Heavyweight Championship match with Jacob Fatu defending against Davey Boy Smith Jr. is also airing on the episode.

Fusion will premiere on the fubo Sports Network and YouTube at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesdays. The show will also air on beIN Sports at 10 p.m. Eastern on Saturdays and will be available on demand via DAZN.

For the first time since going on hiatus from holding events in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MLW held a set of closed set television tapings in Florida last month.

Prior to the announcement of Reed vs. Pillman Jr., MLW’s Court Bauer had said in an interview with DAZN that MLW would be adding another title match or two to the card for the November 18 Fusion episode: “I’m going to stack that fight card. We’re going to add another title bout, maybe two. We’ve upgraded our production and one of the things I really like about The Restart is we’re bringing wrestling back to that smoke-filled arena vibe. There’s a raw, primal feeling when you have that hazy look and two guys are going to war in the ring. It’s cinematic. It draws you into the action more. Visually it adds a layer of authenticity that a sterile, over-produced, over-lit arena that looks like a Times Square can’t touch.”

Reed has been MLW Middleweight Champion since winning the title from Teddy Hart in November 2019.

World title match to headline return of MLW Fusion

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Joseph Currier

A World title match will headline MLW’s return to new in-ring action.

MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu will defend his title against Davey Boy Smith Jr. on the Wednesday, November 18 episode of MLW Fusion. The episode is the first show of MLW’s “The Restart.”

Fusion is airing on the fubo Sports Network and YouTube on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The show will also be available on demand via DAZN and will air on beIN Sports at 10 p.m. Eastern on Saturdays.

Prior to last month’s closed set tapings for The Restart, MLW had been on hiatus since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with DAZN, MLW’s Court Bauer hyped the Fatu vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. match: “This title fight was set to headline our July PPV this past summer, which would’ve been in Philly. When the pandemic hit, all of our matchmaking went out the window, but what stayed was the appetite for this big fight. The fans wanted it. Fatu and DBS wanted it. I wanted to go big and conceptually deliver a premium level event for free for The Restart. This isn’t a match that’s ever been done before, so what bigger main event can you kick things off with than this?”

Bauer also spoke about what else fans can expect from the November 18 episode of Fusion: “I’m going to stack that fight card. We’re going to add another title bout, maybe two. We’ve upgraded our production and one of the things I really like about The Restart is we’re bringing wrestling back to that smoke-filled arena vibe. There’s a raw, primal feeling when you have that hazy look and two guys are going to war in the ring. It’s cinematic. It draws you into the action more. Visually it adds a layer of authenticity that a sterile, over-produced, over-lit arena that looks like a Times Square can’t touch. As for the remainder of 2020: it’s all about the Opera Cup. This will be a big tentpole annual event for us. It’s a privilege to be entrusted with hosting and promoting the grand tournament, which dates back over 100 years. There’s a lot of history in that cup. Literally. It was made in 1915. We had it restored last year by the same folks that handle the Stanley Cup. It’s a true piece of history in the making every year when we roll it out for the tournament.”

MLW Fusion returning with new episodes starting November 18

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Joseph Currier

MLW’s restart is less than three weeks away from debuting.

MLW announced on Thursday that it will return with new episodes of MLW Fusion airing starting on Wednesday, November 18. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first new in-ring action for MLW since March.

“A new era begins November 18,” MLW wrote. “Wednesdays @ 7pm on @fuboSports & YouTube • Saturdays @ 10pm on @beINSportsUSA nationwide on cable/dish”

Dave Meltzer reported earlier this month that MLW was doing a secret empty arena taping in Central Florida from October 18-20. Spectrum Sports 360’s Jon Alba tweeted about the COVID-19 testing for the tapings: “A source tells me the recent #MLW TV tapings went very well, with the last COVID-19 testings coming back clean. Nearly 80 tests, all negative. I know some were worried with so many traveling to different promotions the past few weeks, but was told MLW had strong safety measures.”

In the video where the restart date was announced, the storyline was that the MLW roster struck back against Contra Unit and regained control of MLW headquarters.