MLW Fusion Recap Episode 32: World Championship Title Rematch: Low Ki vs. Shane Strickland

Last week on MLW Fusion: Ricky Martinez won a showcase match. Joey Ryan and Swoggle won a tag team match even though Joey tore his pec and only wrestled with one arm against the Dirty Blonds. Sami Callihan and Tom Lawlor grossed me the eff out in a Street Fight. I mean gagged me grossed me out…

Cold Open

A recap of Callihan and Lawlor’s gross ass street fight. Gladly the highlight packaged didn’t show the spit spot. Tom Lawlor won the match but then was betrayed by Simon Gotch.

Salina wanted to be recorded and kicked a briefcase over to Simon Gotch. Just a shitload of $100’s. Doesn’t even count them, just says “everything is order”. Salina will double Gotch’s pay if Tom is taken out. Simon says he will do it for free as long as he earns De La Renta’s trust.

Trey Miguel vs. Kotto Brazil

• MJF is on commentary!!! He sees Trey Miguel and says “it’s so nice to have Ricochet back on MLW” I now I can’t unsee it.
• Kotto feels like he is being groomed as the next Middleweight champion. He has been featured in some big spots in the company, has a catch phrase, is exciting and seems like a good one to take the belt.
• Now that MJF is out for 4 to 8 weeks, he won’t be able to defend the championship so I don’t know what will happen at their next taping.
• Tony is looking for Aria Blake. She is probably on Twitter lighting the indie world on fire.
• MJF has a very Bobby Heenan vibe and it’s amazing. He can tear the wrestlers and commentary team down and still bring the attention back to the match. He even puts over the wrestlers when he needs to.
• Kotto Brazil has a weird fashion choice. You know how Ahmed Johnson had those thigh pads? Well Kotto has three rows of tape on his thighs. It’s just as distracting!
• Trey Miguel and Kotto are doing a great job in this match.
• “They play soccer in Haiti right? Because that’s the only sport they can afford to play”- MJF. Heat seeker!
• A crazy spot where Kotto went for a springboard poisoned rana but the move ended up being a reverse headscissor takeover and it looked really dangerous. That is what gave Kotto the momentum to take control of the match though.
• Trey Miguel hit a huge Meteora that MJF said was Trey’s finisher. Kotto kicked out, then a bottom rope springboard stunner. Kick out.
• MJF is clearly rooting against Kotto which I believe is adding credibility to Brazil.
• Kotto picks up the win to the dismay of MJF.

And I’m Like… That was a tremendous match that was really enhanced by MJF’s commentary. I really enjoyed the wrestling and the future storytelling. MJF is a natural at everything he does plus he works hard. This man is talented no so many levels and the sky is really the limit for him. Not even 25 years old yet. Excited to see where Kotto and MJF go in the future.

Shane Strickland is questioned by people with iPhones and Strickland doesn’t respond. After this event is when Head of Talent Relations MSL and MLW Owner Court Bauer tweeted at Shane to text them back and they got in a Twitter war over Shane not being respected and Court feeling disrespected.

MLW hypes Never Say Never with Lucha Bros. vs. Hart Foundation except Fenix got injured last week so I don’t know if that match will happen. Tom Lawlor vs. Simon Gotch in a No Holds Barred No Ropes match, or a Bloodsport match. PCO vs. L.A. Park in a Falls Count Anywhere match. MJF vs. Rush but MJF is now injured so who knows about that match. Andrew Everett will also debut.

Then Zero Hour is hyped Tom Lawlor vs. L.A. Park, Low Ki vs. Konnan for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. MJF is defending his Championship in a four way ladder match that featured Marko Stunt. Both MJF and Marko are injured so who knows what will happen there.

Kotto is interviewed about his Middleweight championship match. MJF jumped him in the back. Kicking off this rivalry.

Teddy Hart and Brian Pillman Jr. cut a promo in the back. Brian is cleanly shaven. Teddy and Brian talk about how Tommy isn’t a legend and isn’t a role model. Pillman looks like a got damn star. Whoever told him to shave or if he decided it himself is a genius. “We are gonna treat you like a whore and use you like a door”- Teddy Hart. Pillman calls himself the “Dream Eater”.

Gringo Loco vs. Marko Stunt

• Marko coming out makes me sad that we won’t see more of him in the coming weeks. He really knows how to capture the crowd. It’s so much fun.
• This match is pretty fast paced and fun except for the dude with the air horn in the crowd. It’s the vuvuzelas at World Cup 2010.
• Marko does a dive out onto Gringo Loco the “Base God” and does the floss dance. Stunt already looks so nerdy that the floss dance really enhances his character.
• Something must have happened in the ring or an edit or something. The camera cuts away from the action into a random crowd shot. Then when the camera comes back Gringo is attempting a second moonsault. It was weird.
• Stunt reversed a Tiger Driver into a hurricanrana and then hit The Markout for the win!

And I’m Like… “A middle school miracle in Chicago!” from Rich Boccini is a great call. This match had great action but lots of levity. Something only a Marko Stunt can bring. Really enjoy his work.

Stokley Hathaway is backstage with Low Ki

World Heavyweight Championship

Shane Strickland vs. Low Ki (c) w/ Salina De La Renta and Ricky Martinez

• Shane Strickland has a new entrance song, it’s okay. It should be “Ain’t Nobody” there is no other song that Swerve should come out to. I don’t care how good this new song is, or how different it is being hip-hop with a dope singer. It ain’t “Ain’t Nobody”.
• I wonder why Stoke isn’t out there too. Black Friday Management and all.
• For some reason that World Title looks smaller than usual. Either that or Low Ki is wider. I remember when Ki first won the championship from Swerve and the belt was as wide as Low Ki. Like dude could legit hide behind the championship and we wouldn’t see him.
• Some back and forth chain wrestling to start off this serious ass match.
• Both men are trying to gain the upperhand by outwrestling the other one. We are getting a slow build with some submissions thrown in.
• It’s nice to see one half of the women’s divison represented at ringside with Salina De La Renta.
• Low Ki seems to be having a lot of trouble with Swerve right now. Shane is only getting one counts, but he is well in control of the match.
• Low Ki counters a suplex to gain the advantage and also has the weirdest caveman facial expressions ever. He is like a weird pre histoic alien that can also kick really hard and is a very stiff wrestler. Also talks like he is in an anime.
• The match went from a feeling out process, to chain wrestling and submissions, to brawling and now we are getting back and forth high spots and high spot counters. This match continues to build but the crowd does not seem into it.
• Shane has a visual 10 count on Low Ki while the referee is knocked out. Then Ricky Martinez decides to get involved which distracts Swerve long enough to have Low Ki tear Strickland’s hair out of his own head.
• Low Ki then gets the roll up for the win.

And I’m Like… Low Ki wins by nefarious means once again. Instead of ripping off an ear he ripped out some hair. MLW does a great job at getting me to really really want someone to beat Low Ki. It’s hard for me to enjoy matches of wrestlers I don’t particularly care for. This was one of those matches.

Strickland grabs the mic and says “This is the kind of crap I am talking about. I am sick of the hypocrisy in MLW. Night in night out for this fucking company. I put my body on the fucking line. I sacrifice everything. I sacrifice my family to be the ace of MLW and they treat me like this.” Then Shane rips on MLW and the fans and the people who write about MLW on Twitter. I write about MLW on the internet but I agree with Shane. Stokely shows up while Shane is going off! Shane’s mic gets cut off and Shane leaves through the crowd.

And I’m Like… That was fun. It’s too bad MLW tries for these worked shoot stories because you can tell the effort is there but like.. come on..

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