Last week on MLW: Austin Aries debuted against Adam Brookes. In what I thought would be a squash match, turned into a good back and forth encounter, really impressed by that match. Jacob Fatu destroyed Sam Black and Ariel Dominguez in a fast match. Tom Lawlor got the rare DQ in an MLW match against Josef Samael.
Cold Open
Rich runs through the card for tonight. Lawlor vs. Fatu for the strap, Myron Reed vs. Rey Horus and Hammerstone has an open championship challenge.
National Openweight Championship
Hammerstone w/ The Dynasty vs. Kotto Brazil
- So an Openweight championship is where there is no weight limit. Except that’s the heavyweight championship. Having Low Ki as champion proved that.
- Hammerstone cut a promo about how he represents America and will be a fighting champion.
- Kotto Brazil does not have an eye patch this time. His eye is finally healed.
- MJF sat down for commentary but his mic wasn’t working, but then it ended up working so MJF went off on Court Bauer for screwing with him.
- Instantly the attention is on MJF and not the match. MJF told Ariya to sit on his lap and they can “talk about whatever pops up”.
- Kotto gets a few moments where he gets some offense in, but he gets cut off a bunch. That is until Kotto hits a top rope dropkick and it finally knocks Hammerstone off of his feet. MJF sold that he was nervous Hammerstone would lose, but once Hammerstone got back in control, everything was cool.
- Hammerstone went for the Nightmare Pendulum and almost didn’t hit it but the finish of the finish looked clean. I got nervous for a second.
And I’m Like… Hammerstone won the match, Dynasty brought a giant American flag into the ring and as they were celebrating, MJF grabbed the mic. Hammerstone is draped in the American flag and MJF verbally blows him. MJF says some racist stuff to get at the Latino crowd. Then challenges The Hart Foundation for the MLW Tag Team Championship.
Shout out to the fan behind Jim Cornette wearing the Joey Ryan shirt.
Simon Gotch gets a backstage promo where he reminds us that the last time we were in Chicago he turned his back on Team Filthy, Gotch points to the door that he lead Lawlor through to get Tom jumped. As Gotch is talking, the door slowly opens and Lawlor is behind Simon. Lawlor takes Gotch out and cuts a promo on Contra Unit. That segment was one of the best segments I’ve witnessed in MLW. Good shit.
Cornette tells us about Gotch and Hackenschmidt and how they had the first World Championship match. That bleeds into an announcement about MLW’s first Pay Per View, Super Fight.
Rich and Jim talk a bunch in between matches, but I get upset and don’t enjoy MLW as much when Cornette talks, so outside of promo’s or guest commentary, I have it muted.
Myron Reed w/Jordan Oliver vs. Rey Horus
- Rich Swann was a part of this “JUSTICE” campaign wit the tape over his mouth during the entrance. Now it’s Jordan Oliver and Myron Reed. Not sure what happened to Swann, because there was no explanation given.
- I like the idea of Oliver and Reed over Swann and Reed. It feels less racist and more like two punk kids. Oliver is wearing a prison jumpsuit in blaze orange and Reed has his fireman pants but blaze orange as well. They immediately give off a better vibe.
- Myron ducks the clothesline by doing a back bump into a kip up and turns the tide of the match with a kick to the head. Jordan Oliver causes some distractions and beats on Horus.
- Soon Reed and Oliver are jawing with the referee so Horus just flips over the top rope and takes both men down.
- Myron and Rey go back and forth in the second act of the match. Myron hits a springboard 450 for a two count and that bleeds into a strike battle.
- This might be the most storytelling I’ve seen in a “lucha” match on MLW. Horus is fighting off two men but ends up getting caught by Reed after Rey was distracted one too many times by Oliver.
- What’s funny is the ref doesn’t get in the way of the interference or disqualify Reed and Oliver. Which was the storyline of the team this whole time.
And I’m Like… That was a fun match that was fast paced. The story was simple but effective until the finish. Two young dudes showing their mettle.
Hart Foundation cuts a promo with Georgia Smith about how they are going to have a ladder match for the tag belts against The Dynasty. Brian Pillman Jr. is on a losing streak, but he will wrestle in the match for Davey. I guess it’s to give Brian an opportunity? I don’t know, The Hart Foundation promo’s always seem awkward to me.
Jim Cornette gets a segment with Salina De La Renta, that I will be skipping.
Dr. Wagner Jr. hype package.
The Dynasty cut a backstage promo about how they know for sure that they will win the tag titles cause Brian Pillman was gonna be in the match. MJF is upset that it’s a ladder match and when Holliday accepts it.
We see a video package of the history between Lawlor and Contra Unit. Then they show the hall of MLW champions. Leading to this fight.
MLW World Heavyweight Championship
Jacob Fatu w/ Josef Samael vs. Tom Lawlor
- Salina De La Renta is sitting at ringside to watch this match.
- The match starts in the ring for a bit but goes right to the outside. Fatu is choking Lawlor with a cable, hitting apron spots. Lawlor is in a lot of trouble to start the match.
- It’s funny that a big moment in this feud is when Contra Unit cut Tom Lawlor’s hair. Now Lawlor has a much better haircut in this match, so Contra Unit kind of helped Lawlor in that regard.
- Jacob Fatu is undefeated and seems to lose his advantage in the match when Lawlo jumps on Fatu’s back and tries to choke him out.
- Lawlor kicked Fatu in the groin and the ref didn’t call for the bell. Fatu then got kicked four times in the chest and no sold it. No matter what Lawlor does, it has no effect on Fatu.
- Fatu fights back quickly, hits the pop up Samoan Drop and follows that up with a moonsault. Fatu pins Lawlor like he was nothing. Fatu is undefeated and the MLW World champion now.
And I’m Like… Tom Lawlor was a good champion, but all of his matches seem off. Like there is no “epicness” to his matches. They all kind of stay in the same gear. This might have been the least exciting Fatu match I’ve ever sen, but he is champion now. He was never in trouble. No one on the roster seems ready to beat Fatu and I feel like Fatu is going to be champion for a long time. Many in the crowd cheered as well. Which is shocking cause last time Contra was here there was a “riot”.
The show was pretty good, built up future shows and crowned a new champion. I’m interested to see where the characters go from here.
You can follow me on Twitter here.
Check out our brand new store at PRO WRESTLING TEES, show us your support and buy a shirt. You can visit our store by clicking here.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @BodySlamNet and on Instagram @BodySlamDotNet
Also check us out on Facebook and give us a like and share by clicking HERE.
