MLW Fusion Recap Episode 38: Pentagon Jr. vs. Teddy Hart, LA Park vs Gringo Loco

Last week on MLW Fusion: Simon Gotch lost his prize fight challenge to Ace Romero in an almost perfect match under five minutes. Ariel Dominguez got an upset win over Andrew Everett. Ricky Martinez was suspended from MLW for attacking Kotto Brazil in a club. Then Ricky slapped some women’s asses on a limo ride. Then Ricky was interviewed as he left the arena saying he doesn’t need MLW’s money. Then Tom Lawlor and Low Ki’s upcoming championship match was hyped as the biggest match in MLW history. Then in the main event of Low Ki vs. Konnan for the MLW World Championship happened. Ricky Martinez was there and what would have been a great match was hampered by the clusterfuck that was the editing of this show. All the main factors in the match had been negated throughout the show and it was probably the worst main event in MLW I’ve ever seen. Not because of the talent but because of the creative and production. Oh yeah, then Low Ki stabbed Konnan in the kidney with a shank.

Cold Open

Every time the opening graphic for MLW plays it makes me want to watch their back catalog of shows. I wonder why it’s so difficult for me to do so.

A recap of the title match last week. No mention of Ricky Martinez being suspended and leaving before hand. Then we see Konnan being stabbed. Gotta give credit to MLW for their creativeness. Salina called ICE on the Lucha Bros, Kotto Brazil was assaulted in a club, Low Ki ripped a guys ear off and stabbed another guy and Konnan beat a dude with a padlock in a sock. With many companies in wrestling now offering contracts to wrestlers, you got to wonder the kayfabe reasons for wrestlers wanting to sign with a company where people get accosted on the daily.

Gringo Loco vs. L.A. Park

• Gringo Loco sure has gained a lot of steam in the past year.
• L.A. Park has an ominous entrance with Day of the Dead style clips playing before his entrance. It adds a lot to the character for the uninitiated.
• Gringo gets the support from the crowd as L.A. Park is fishing for chants for himself while simultaneously telling the crowd to suck it. Kinda dampers the match because L.A. Park is supposed to be the heel and the wrestlers participate in a cheer off.
• Gringo Loco looks like if Action Bronson and Bam Bam Bigelow had a baby with The Patriot but also does lucha stuff.
• This match legit starts with a handshake, both men raising their hands and then directly into the crowd. Legit fighting in the stands. This isn’t a NoDQ but it’s a “referee’s discretion” thing. Which really confuses me as to what sets apart this from a NoDQ match.
• L.A. Park takes his weightbelt off to whip Gringo as the official warns Park… Not sure of what because this happens every match.
• The fans are legit giving L.A. Park chairs to powerbomb Gringo on. Legit, MLW can’t have matches end in DQ now. Like all that would do is open a can of worms of the bias of referees.
• L.A. Park is drinking beer and using the cans as weapons in front of the ref and then telling everyone to suck it while he dances. L.A. Park is a fucking experience man.
• Gringo Loco pulls of a springboard triangle cutter for two. It was truly a beautiful move.
• Gringo is taking his lumps and fighting back with big moves. Tony and Rich talk about how Loco is having a breakout match with Park.
• You know how I mentioned that Loco looks like an orgy of different people. Add Curt Hawkins to that sex pile.
• Loco climbs on top of the entrance ramp and the lighting truss, then jumps off. It’s the biggest thing to jump off of. It was about 15ft high but it wasn’t well lit so it made Loco look like he jumped from higher up.
• The crowd is loving this match. It’s kind of a car crash that is built on memorable spots but it’s a good car crash.
• Gringo made one mistake during his comeback and was distracted by Salina before going for a top rope tornillo. Park moved and took control of the match.
• L.A. Park fell on top of the ref and then laid on him while Loco went for a frog splash. The ref was hit instead. L.A. Park did one move and then the ref did a fast count but then rolled out of the ring in pain. HORRIBLE!!!!

And I’m Like… This match was great, it had a star making performance mixed with a legend playing the hits. That ending though. WHAT THE HELL?? I don’t know what the ref was thinking. So Park uses a slew of weapons, they fight outside of the ring and Park gets in the refs face. There are a few times the ref admonishes Park but nothing more. Then while Park is throwing a little bit of offense towards Loco, ref comes up and just holds Park’s arms back. Then is hit with a huge splash and can still make a fast count in between selling the frog splash. Ref got knocked out but woke up to count the three and then knocked out again. That was trash.

Kotto Brazil is interviewed with an eye patch on. Kotto said he was in the club. Ricky is mad that Brazil took all Ricky’s girls in the club. Kotto is a good wrestler, but his promo’s like emotion. It’s like a high schooler in drama class. I know he will grow and needs promo time to practice but these early promos are rough. During the territory days guys had to cut hundreds of promo’s that were location specific. So they would legit spend hours and hours doing promos. I don’t think that happens anymore. 10,000 hours is what it takes to become a master and some guys just aren’t getting the reps in.

Low Ki and Salina are fined $15k each for stabbing Konnan. Ricky who already is suspended without pay is fined $7k and so is El Hijo L.A. Park. Salina might get her promoter license suspended. Low Ki was gonna be stripped of the belt but he won’t because of the upcoming fight with Tom Lawlor.

Konnan calls into the show saying that he is really beat up, he had a concussion and a puncture in his liver and kidney…. Low Ki stabbed Konnan so hard it punctured the liver and kidney, in one stab. Konnan also is pee’ing blood but doesn’t want pity.

Low Ki who was fined and threatened suspension is also given promo time to hype his match. He is acting mad but dude can’t act lol. He is the most anime guy ever. It’s absurd.

Fred Yehi has a promo that looks like it was played back on a VHS. Same thing I said about Kotto goes for Fred. Yehi does a better job though. It’s crazy that we have social media and camera phones yet dudes aren’t cutting promos on their phones and posting it. All you’d need to do is send it to the owner of the company and see if it lines up with their idea of what to do with you. Then you get your promo reps in and advance your storylines in a number of promotions. Hell just promote the live events like it was the territory days.

Ace Romero gets a promo. He says he is going for the MLW World Championship and also is gonna spend Simon Gotch’s prize money on food. Because he is obese.

Tommy Dreamer cuts a promo on Brian Pillman Jr. on their upcoming Singapore Cane Match. Tommy shows us what a real promo is because dude has done over 10,000 hours on promo I’m sure. He explains how Singapore Canes work, how they feel like a bat but the wood opens to slice your back. Tommy talks about how the Singapore cane came to wrestling because of him. How America was in an uproar when an American citizen was caned in Singapore three times. Tommy took 13. Tommy has PTSD from canes but he loves to inflict pain as well. Real good shit.

Teddy Hart w/ The Hart Foundation and some Canadian, Radio Personality, ex-Miami Hurricane flag waver vs. Pentagon Jr.

• Some BeIN Sports anchor is in the crowd and The Hart Foundation adorns him in jewelry while he screams “Let’s Go! Canada! Let’s Go!” so he obviously is supportive but doesn’t really know the product.
• Pentagon doesn’t have Fenix due to injury and Konnan due to stabbing. We are also told last week Pentagon was attacked backstage and might not be fully ready for Teddy.
• MLW once again starts the match with both men having the fans duel their cheers and chants. People are presented as heels and faces but then in the ring they are presented as sports teams. People have their allegiances but don’t boo and cheer. Just cheer. It’s kinda weird.
• This is a Teddy Hart match right off the bat. A teeter totter piledriver then a top rope moonsault to the outside. All the moves are done so well with great precision, they are just not organic.
• Pentagon is fighting with the whole ass Hart Foundation but don’t worry about DQ because it’s the same ref as the L.A. Park match. Dude doesn’t even count while they are out of the ring even though a 20 count has been established.
• Canadian Destroyer on the apron. Tony can’t believe it and gets so hyped.
• Pentagon almost wins with the Pentagon Driver. Teddy really selling the neck. Another Canadian Destroyer. This is the most Teddy Hart match lol.
• I’ve never witnessed Teddy selling this much. He does a tremendous job at looking out of it. He even screws up a move which is rare. It doesn’t come off as a botch but more as he is too beat up to do his normal shit. I like it.
• Like the selling in between the moves makes it really seem like something is wrong with Teddy. He also shows A facial expression, which is one more than usual.
• Pentagon dropkicks Pillman and Pillman Jr. CRACKS the back of his head on a table Brutal.
• Another destroyer but this time from Teddy. All the near falls are kind of believable because there are so many big moves and both dudes are hurting bad.
• Teddy hits a hammerlock DDT into a powerbomb lungblower for the win.

And I’m Like… Wow. Teddy sold more than ever before making Pentagon look like a threat. Not much cheating by The Hart Foundation so it’s a clean win. This really didn’t tell any shred of a story but it was entertaining. Doesn’t bring any emotion out of me but it was a good way to pass the time.

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