The following are MLW Battle Riot IV TV taping spoilers from the sold-out New York City’s Melrose Ballroom, courtesy of PWInsider.
Tonight’s action will appear on future episodes of MLW Fusion.
Cesar Duran opened the show which brought out MLW Champion Alexander Hammerstone. A brawl with Duran’s security broke out before Richard Holliday laid him out with a chair. Duran then made a rematch between the two for later tonight, but under falls count anywhere rules.
KC Navarro defeated Mini Abismo Negro
Jacob Fatu defeated nZo by DQ
Davey Richards defeated Alex Kane to win the National Openweight title
Scarlett Bordeaux defeated Clara Carreras
MLW Champion Alexander Hammerstone defeated Richard Holliday in a falls count anywhere match to retain. After the match, EJ Nduka turned heel and attacked Hammerstone, setting up a future match.
MLW Middleweight Champion Myron Reed defeated La Estrella, Lince Dorado and Arez in a four-way to retain
Samoan Swat Team defeated Los Maximos
Killer Kross defeated Matt Cross
MLW Women’s Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie defeated Brittany Blake to retain. Sexy Star II appeared on the screen and appears to be next for Valkyrie.
Jacob Fatu won the 40-person Battle Riot IV match to earn a future MLW World title match.
Entrants were EJ Nduka, Calvin Tankman, Mr. Thomas, Lince Dorado, Arez, Microman, Mini Abismo Negro, La Estrella, KC Navarro, Kim Chee, Joel Maximo, Killer Kross, Sami Callihan, nZo, Gangrel, Kwang, Budd Heavy, Little Guido, Jose Maximo, Davey Richards, Lance Anoa’i, Ken Broadway, Homicide, RSP, Juicy Finau, three Cesar Duran flunkies, Dr. Dax, Jacob Fatu, Mads Krugger, Will Maximo, Warhorse, Myron Reed, Matt Cross, Mance Warner, Alex Kane, Savio Vega, Taya Valkyrie and the debuting Parker Boudreaux (Harland in WWE NXT) as the final entrant.
Notes:
Both Bandido and The Von Erichs did not appear due to injury. Bandido was set to face Hammerstone for the title, but was hurt at TripleMania. He was also removed from a June 30th indie show.
An action figure deal with Boss Fight Studio was announced.
Superfan Vladimir was presented with a Superfan of the Year award.
A four-way match for the MLW Middleweight title has been added to next Thursday’s Battle Riot IV event in New York City.
Three-time champion Myron Reed will defend the gold against Arez, Lince Dorado and La Estrella in what the promotion is calling an interpromotional match.
Dragon Gate’s Estrella will be making his MLW debut while AAA’s Arez has worked in MLW before. Dorado debuted at the company’s May TV tapings.
After regaining the title in January, Dorado will be gunning for his fourth defense after wins over TJP, Swerve Strickland, and Arez & KC Navarro in a three-way.
Here’s the current card set for June 23rd at the Melrose Ballroom that will be taped for future episodes of Fusion:
MLW World Champion Alex Hammerstone will defend against Bandido
MLW Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie will defend against Brittany Blake
MLW Middleweight Champion Myron Reed defends against Arez, Lince Dorado and La Estrella
MLW continues to add more talent to their Battle Riot IV match on June 23rd in New York City — their version of a battle royal where the winner earns a future anytime, anywhere World title shot.
The 40 wrestlers in the match can be eliminated by pin, submission or being thrown over the top rope.
Seven names were announced Thursday during this week’s Fusion:
Little Guido
Los Maximos (Joel & Jose)
nZo
Davey Richards
Ace Romero
Savio Vega
They join the previously announced list:
MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane
MLW Tag Team Champions EJ Nduka & Calvin Tankman
Samoan SWAT Team (Lance Anoa’i & Juicy Finau)
The Von Erichs (Marshall & Ross)
Bandido
Matt Cross
Lince Dorado
Jacob Fatu
Budd Heavy
Richard Holliday
Killer Kross
KC Navarro
Mini Abismo Negro
17 wrestlers have yet to be announced as of now.
Here’s the rest of the card that will be taped for future episodes of Fusion:
MLW World Champion Alex Hammerstone will defend against Bandido
MLW Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie will defend against Brittany Blake
AAA is celebrating thirty years of Triplemanía this year by hosting three separate branded events. The first was held in April in Monterrey with the second coming up in Tijuana on June 18th which will include the promotional debuts of The Hardys
Ahead of Triplemanía XXX: Tijuana, I spoke with Konnan, the head of creative for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, who main evented the first ever Triplemanía back in May 1993 in a 2/3 falls retirement match against Cien Caras.
That show became historic as it was the first major event ran by the promotion after Antonio Peña founded it along with Konnan after they left Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). They sold out the Plaza de Toros with 50,000 fans, turning away thousands who had to watch the show from the parking lot through screens. The event ended up setting the all-time attendance record for a Mexican wrestling live event.
“I was in the very first Triplemania, so I’ve seen this company grow up. I really believe that after the Monterrey show (this year), we really showed people that we could be on the same level as what they are doing in the United States. The production was outstanding, the screens were bigger than usual, the pyrotechnics were incredible, we had the jets flying up above and we had some great matches. Everything is coming together and we really have a special show lined up for Tijuana which is the place I started wrestling, so it’s a special place.”
Ruleta de la Muerte Tournament
The Triplemania XXX series features the Ruleta de la Muerte which translates to Death Roulette in English. It’s a tournament with eight men which saw Ultimo Dragon, Pentagón Jr., LA Park, Villano IV, Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Blue Demon Jr., Canek and Psycho Clown compete in the first round in Monterrey.
The finals are set for the October 15th show in Mexico City in which the final two men will face off in a Lucha de Apuestas mask vs. mask match.
Given that a couple of the names involved are legends and haven’t wrestled in AAA since the early 90s, I asked Konnan about their reactions to being brought back for this tournament.
“I think all of them were happy to be back and have their fans see them one last time. Canek hadn’t been on TV for many years, neither had Villano IV, neither had Ultimo Dragon, none of the legends had. They were kinda in the indie circuit doing there thing. Some of them were kinda afraid of how they would look, because they weren’t that active. I tried to keep as many of the matches short.”
Konnan then talked about how nostalgia and nostalgic acts have done well.
“The good thing is they have all changed their way of thinking, being outside of AAA, and not being kinda relevant. It kinda made them see what they lost. They all came back and they came back to do business.”
The Hardys to make their AAA debuts
One of the most anticipated matches features the debuts of one of the most iconic tag teams ever, Matt and Jeff Hardy, against Los Hermanos Lee: Dragon Lee and Dralistico.
‘I love Matt and Jeff on a personal level; two of the coolest guys I’ve ever met in this business. I have nothing but respect and love for them and they’ve changed the business with what they have done,” he said. “The fact that we got one of the greatest tag teams in history to come to Mexico on such a big stage, that’s big. Part of the strategy is for American fans to see them but while they are seeing them, they are seeing our product and they can fall in love with what we’re doing.”
Konnan also discussed the differences in the way American wrestling is presented on television and how they do it in AAA, so that the casuals who tune into the show can understand.
“This is not American wrestling; it’s called lucha libre. There’s a lot of stuff we do that you don’t. So when you see that we don’t tag, that we have a heel ref, when you see all those things you’re not used to, it’s because it’s lucha libre.”
AAA expansion
Many fans have been wondering when AAA will be running shows in the United States, especially those cities with a larger Hispanic audience.
“I can guarantee you 100 percent, we have a couple of venues in the United States. It’s not for me to say it at this time. We’re working at major Hispanic hubs where AAA will be making an appearance. The other thing that I can say and I can’t say too much about this but we are in negotiations to come to the United States in a very, very big way on TV.”
“My whole thing is I just want to go out there and show the fans and everybody what lucha libre is all about, what they have been missing, what hasn’t been adequately used. I wanna make Latinos proud. I amped because maybe twenty years ago if I would have done this, I wasn’t ready. I am ready now. I know what Latinos want, I know what the American fans want, and now I’ll have the resources.”
“One of the things that hurts us a lot is we don’t have the resources to do a lot of the stuff, I’d like to do. We’re starting to get them which is why shows are tighter, but we got some cool sh*t coming and there’s a reason why we’re on FITE.tv. There’s a reason why we’re back on YouTube. Those are baby steps into coming into the United States.:
Triplemanía XXX: Tijuana will be available on FITE and PWTV on Saturday, June 18th.
For the first time ever, Alex Hammerstone will face Bandido with the MLW World title on the line at this month’s Battle Riot IV.
MLW’s next event/TV taping is set for the Melrose Ballroom in New York City on June 23rd.
The former Ring of Honor World Champion made his promotional debut earlier this year in a four-way for the Middleweight title. He then returned during the WrestleMania weekend TV tapings, picking up a win over Flamita in a match that aired last week.
MLW storyline matchmaker Cesar Duran will be in Bandido’s corner as his issues with Hammerstone will continue.
Hammerstone will be looking to continue his successful run as champion that began last October when he defeated Jacob Fatu at Fightland.
The show is named after the company’s signature 40-man battle royal where the winner earns an any time, any place World title shot. Hammerstone was last year’s winner.
The event will also feature Killer Kross and his wife, Scarlett Bordeaux, the latter of which will make her MLW in-ring debut.
MLW announced Sunday that their return to Chicago next month has been canceled.
The reason their July 16th card from Cicero Stadium will not happen is because of “taping schedule changes” due to some possible developments in their TV deal.
From their announcement:
“The arena and live event division is revamping the 2022 schedule. Expect some change-ups in the calendar… and surprises on the horizon as business is about to pick up on the television end of the league’s operations.”
No makeup date was announced and tickets have been refunded.
After running Philadelphia last month, MLW’s next show — and their only upcoming show on the calendar — is June 23rd’s Battle Riot III from New York City’s Melrose Ballroom. That show will feature a 40-man battle royal with unique rules for a future anytime, anywhere shot at the MLW World title.
Jon Moxley is set to return to GCW for the first time since WrestleMania weekend.
The promotion announced Moxley for their Saturday, June 18 You Wouldn’t Understand event at the Mellrose Ballroom in New York City. The show will air as a pay-per-view on FITE TV.
No opponent has been announced for Moxley to this point.
*NEW YORK CITY UPDATE*
Just Signed:
GCW World Champion JON MOXLEY returns on 6/18 in NYC!
Plus: Jack Evans vs Ninja Mack SAT vs Gringo/ASF/Drago Kid Janela vs Mike Jackson Mason vs Webb Blake Marko SGC +more
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) May 19, 2022
Moxley last appeared for GCW on March 31, wrestling both at the Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8 event that day, as well as at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 6 Part 1, defending the GCW World Championship against AJ Gray at that show.
Moxley has held the GCW World Championship since defeating Matt Cardona for the title last September.
Here is the lineup for You Wouldn’t Understand on Saturday, June 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern time:
Multiple talents did not appear at Sunday’s GCW Devil In A New Dress show in San Francisco.
In addition to Bandido, Gringo Loco did not wrestle as advertised. No explanation was given. GCW has not responded to a request for comment on Loco not wrestling.
Additionally, Jacob Fatu did not appear at the show, although the promotion did announce that he had travel problems in getting to the event, and he was replaced by D-Rogue in his scheduled six-man tag team bout.
Biff Busick’s travel problems and inability to make Sunday’s show were announced in a tweet thread Sunday afternoon, and he will return to the promotion on April 30.
Due to travel issue, Biff will be unable to appear on today's event. He will return to GCW on 4/30 in AC.
Bandido did not appear as scheduled at tonight’s GCW Devil In A New Dress event in San Francisco, one of several no-shows.
GCW tweeted about an hour before the show was set to begin that the 26 year-old star had apparently not gotten on his scheduled flight for the show, that they had not heard from him, and that he was not returning calls or messages. Bandido had been scheduled to face Nick Wayne on the show. Instead, Wayne wrestled Effy in the opener. Effy had issued an open challenge to Jeff Jarrett for the show.
It appears as though @bandidowrestler did not get on his flight to San Francisco today for tonight's GCW event. We haven't heard from him and he hasn't replied to any of our messages.
We apologize and will do our best to come up with a suitable replacement.
Bandido tweeted during the show that the no-show was his mistake.
Hello to all @GCWrestling_ fans, I just wanna say sorry for not be there tonight in San Francisco! Thank you for all the people to take care about me, Im fine! It was my fault and I hope make up those things as soon as possible see you soon amigos!! 🔫🌵
Bandido wrestled five times over WrestleMania weekend in the Dallas area, including a AAA show, MLW show, two WrestleCon shows, and in the main event of ROH’s Supercard of Honor, where he lost to Jonathan Gresham in the main event.
Devil In A New Dress was headlined by Minoru Suzuki taking on “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
It was announced during the show that Jacob Fatu had experienced travel problems in getting to the show, and was replaced in his scheduled six-man tag by D-Rogue.
Biff Busick and Gringo Loco also did not appear as advertised. No explanation was given. Busick had been set to face Masha Slamovich, while Loco was set to take on Jimmy Lloyd. Instead, Lloyd and Slamovich wrestled each other.
Our report and full results from the show can be found here.
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.
Davey Richards will take on 5150’s Danny “Rivera” Limelight in singles action on Friday’s MLW Azteca Underground show in Dallas, Texas.
Limelight is one half of the current MLW Tag Team Champions (in storyline) while Richards is the 2021 Opera Cup tournament winner. This will be the first time they have ever competed against each other.
Here’s the updated lineup for Friday’s matinee show at Gilley’s:
LA Park vs. Jacob Fatu in an Azteca Apocalypto match
Bandido vs. Flamita
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone & The Von Erichs vs. Richard Holliday, King Muertes & Mads Krugger
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone vs. Cesar Duran in a no holds barred non-title match
MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane defends against Puma King, ACH, and Myron Reed in a four-way
Aramis vs. Gino Medina in a Mexican lumberjack match where lumberjacks will have straps
Aerostar, Microman & El Dragon vs. Arez, Mini Abismo Negro, and a mystery partner
MLW World Champion Alex Hammerstone will take on storyline matchmaker Cesar Duran in a no holds barred non-title match at this Friday’s Azteca Underground taping in Dallas, Texas.
This will be the in-ring debut for Duran and Hammerstone’s second match of the day as he teams with former MLW Tag Team Champions The Von Erichs against top contender Richard Holliday, King Muertes and Mads Krugger in trios action.
Hammerstone and Duran have been feuding for weeks as the champion has resisted Duran’s advances to join his darker side of the company.
Here’s the updated lineup for the Azteca Underground event:
LA Park vs. Jacob Fatu in an Azteca Apocalypto match
Bandido vs. Flamita
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone & The Von Erichs vs. Richard Holliday, King Muertes & Mads Krugger
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone vs. Cesar Duran in a no holds barred non-title match
MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane defends against Puma King, ACH, and Myron Reed in a four-way
Aramis vs. Gino Medina in a Mexican lumberjack match where lumberjacks will have straps
Aerostar, Microman & El Dragon vs. Arez, Mini Abismo Negro, and a mystery partner
Via a Google Translate of her interview: “Now my eardrum is torn and I can’t hear…Each technique has its own weight and the match ignited. It was a different person from the previous kid. The eardrum was torn. But I’m happy. I’m happy with the pain.”
It’s unknown how long she will be out of action.
This was her first singles match since defeating Bayley on the July 20, 2020, episode of WWE Raw. She wrestled in a tag team match at Stardom World Climax: The Best on Saturday as well, teaming with Mayu Iwatani in a win over The Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano & Unagi Sayaka).
It was her first match back in Stardom since 2017 and first match of any kind since July 2020.
For the first time since last December, the Ring of Honor Pure Championship will be defended in an ROH ring as Josh Woods will defend the gold against Wheeler Yuta at next Friday’s Supercard of Honor pay-per-view.
This will be the first time ever they have wrestled against each other.
Woods won the title from Jonathan Gresham at last September’s Death Before Dishonor and has seven defenses of the gold with the last three coming on indie shows.
Before Tony Khan purchased ROH, the old leadership’s plan was to focus on the World, Women’s World and Tag Team titles after returning from their three-month shutdown, forgoing the Pure and Six-Man titles. At least with the Pure title, that appears to not be the case anymore.
Yuta is under an AEW deal but frequently works high-level indies as well as New Japan Strong. Woods has worked some AEW Dark tapings in Orlando, Florida, since the initial ROH shutdown.
Here’s the current lineup for next Friday from Garland, Texas:
Jonathan Gresham vs. Bandido in a winner takes all match to determine the ROH World Heavyweight Champion
The Briscoe Brothers vs. FTR for the ROH Tag Team titles
Josh Woods vs. Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure title
Former WWE and Impact champion Mickie James will make her GCW debut as part of Joey Janela’s Spring Break 6 during WrestleMania 38 weekend.
James will take on Allie Katch as part of the first of two nights of Spring Break action, set to begin next Thursday in Dallas, Texas, and wrapping up on Saturday.
Spring Break 6 is part of GCW’s The Collective series of events that also includes Bloodsport, For The Culture, Wrld on Lucha, and more.
This will be the first time the two have ever faced off and is James’ first indie appearance since 2016.
Here’s the current lineup for next Thursday and next Saturday’s pay-per-views:
Thursday —
GCW World Champion Jon Moxley vs. AJ Gray in a title match
Joey Janela vs. X-Pac
GCW Ultraviolent Champion Alex Colon vs. John Wayne Murdoch in a title match
GCW Tag Team Champions The H8 Club vs. The Briscoes vs. The Second Gear Crew in a title match
Blake Christian vs. AR Fox
Mickie James vs. Allie Katch
Saturday —
Minoru Suzuki vs. Effy
Biff Busick vs. Tony Deppen
“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. PCO
Matt Cardona vs. Chris Dickinson
The Greatest Clusterf*ck battle royal: Maven, Jimmy Wang Yang, Jazzy Yang, more entrants TBA
