Last week on MLW Fusion: It was rough y’all. MLW still is showing footage from some taping they did in front of a very bad crowd. Everything the past month or so has felt off. Kotto Brazil beat Vandal Ortagun in a fantastic match. Barrington Hughes and Ace Romero were wrestling each other and then they both got attacked by the Dirty Blondes, who weren’t even feuding with anyone. Then the match was Teddy Long’d into a tag match that just spontaneously happened without anyone knowing what was going on. Sami Callihan and L.A. Park had an insanely intense street fight that was everything you’d want it to be. If only the crowd matched the action.
I don’t think we will have a problem with crowds now that we are getting the new taping from Philly. Very excited for the next month of matches.
Cold Open
A video package about Low Ki’s championship reign and his undefeated streak since 2004 and Tom Lawlor’s journey to the championship. I’m so happy Ki isn’t narrating this. The video package is really well done.
Instead of the MLW Fusion opening it’s an MLW Superfight. So I don’t know if this doesn’t count as Fusion, or if Superfight is their special event. Bad news though folks, no Tony Schiavone. We get Rich Bocchini and Matt Striker. I am so disappointed. I can not stand Matt Striker, just grates my gears so much. Hurts my enjoyment of the product. Tony signed a multi-year deal with MLW, so I bet he has Baseball or something.
MLW World Tag Team Championship
The Hart Dynasty vs. The Lucha Bros (c)
- Davey Boy Smith Jr. brings out a bulldog and Teddy is carrying his cat. I don’t know how the cat feels about this. Matt makes some shit pun and Rich laughs and laughs at it.
- The ring looks smaller than usual. That, or since it’s in the ECW Arena, maybe the ECW ring was bigger.
- Lucha Bros come out, they just made news by “signing” with AEW. Court Bauer, CEO of MLW, sent out a tweet thanking them and wishing them luck on the future. Rumor is AEW and MLW will have a friendly relationship so I don’t know if AEW talent won’t be on MLW shows or not. AEW did kind of raid MLW’s talent, but MLW didn’t have anyone signed. The biggest casualty in this new wrestling war is MLW’s roster. Just got gutted so fast.
- DBS and Fenix start off the match against each other. The ring can’t be any more than 20×20 but looks to be a lot smaller.
- Davey and Fenix are going blow for blow but Davey is so strong he no sells all of Fenix’s offense until a kick lands in Smith’s mid section.
- The Lucha Bros are really bringing it t The Hart Foundation. Teddy and Davey are both on the receiving end of a lot of offense.
- I am not gonna say much about commentary or crowd participation. I’ve discovered if I mute Matt Striker, I like the show way more.
- Fenix and Pentagon go for a double suplex on DBS but Smith is too strong and hits a northern lights suplex on both men at the same time.
- Teddy’s gear is full of glitter and it’s getting on all the wrestlers, really making them sparkle in the bright lights. Teddy seems to be on his expressionless tip right now.
- After Hart hits a gorgeous moonsault to the outside. DBS starts to kick Pentagon. Penta points to his head and then Smith tries to take the mask off of Penta.
- Now Hart Foundation are hitting many moves in a row, non stop offense. This match is leaving little room to breath. Not much of a story but all the men are doing there spots very well.
- Both Penta and Teddy are known for Canadian destroyers. Teddy hit his version first after jumping off the top rope. Hart appears to have tweaked his knee a bit after delivering the move.
- Teddy is hit by a cutter from Fenix and then Pentagon performs his destroyer. I am amazed at the ability these men have for remembering where the spots in the match go and how they are all in the right place at the right time.
- Pentagon hits another destroyer on the apron. Which is the *hardest part of the ring. (*The ring post is the hardest part)
- Pentagon had the match won but Pillman pulled the referee out. This is the same referee that has never disqualified anyone, so Hart Foundation are in no trouble.
- DBS pulls off Pentagon’s mask and so Pentagon is covering his face, because hiding your identity is more important than winning matches in lucha culture.
- Teddy and DBS are able to hit a Doomsday Destroyer. DBS has Fenix on his shoulders and Teddy hits a Canadian Destroyer.
And I’m Like… Wow. That match really kicked off the damn show. Hart Foundation is still undefeated and now are the champions. Davey celebrates with his sister Georgia. Looks like Lucha Bros might not be featured as much anymore. That match was a lot of fun and the best Teddy Hart style match I’ve seen on MLW. Great way to kick off the show!
Low Ki cuts a backstage promo…. and he legit looks like a 14 year old boy who just grew facial hair. It’s hilarious. Whatever the weird beard/mustache combo that Ki decided on makes him look foolish. Dude has a partially grown in mustache and I honestly am laughing so hard at him acting serious. This is the best, I’m almost in tears because the camera keeps zooming in on his face!! My goodness, oh dear.
Kotto Brazil vs. Ricky Martinez w/ Salina De La Renta
- This is a grudge match because Matinez smashed a champagne glass into Kotto’s face at a club in Miami. Brazil was nearly blinded and is wrestling with an eye patch now.
- Salina De La Renta is wearing an outfit that reminds me of Sherri Martel. Salina also has a purse with her.
- Salina is yelling at the referee on the apron and Kotto jumps over the ref and Salina to land on Martinez. The match hasn’t started yet and Kotto is kicking the ever loving hell out of Ricky.
- The match finally starts when Brazil throws Ricky into the ring.
- Teddy Hart’s glitter is still EVERYWHERE so everyone wrestling tonight will glisten. I think it works really well and would love for every MLW wrestler to be glittered from here on out. Have some guts MLW and stand out!
- Kotto tries to fly and Ricky’s thicc ass catches him. Martinez slams Kotto on the apron’s edge and takes control of the match.
- Martinez then goes for his signature move. The one where he leg scissors his opponents head and humps it into the mat repeatedly. Ricky Martinez is a low key horny wrestler.
- Kotto hits a desperation belly to belly suplex and both men are laid out. It’s both men’s match to win.
- These dudes are rolling all around the ring and are COVERED in glitter. It’s so hard not to notice. Kotto is hitting crazy huge splashes from the top rope and pin attempts. Salina looks very nervous. Which yeah, her dude is losing, but she is also the ONLY female that performs for MLW. Aria Blake seems to have disappeared after that tweet about, $40 isn’t enough for her to drive to an independent show.
- Kotto and Salina trade some harsh words on the outside, which gives Ricky a chance to pull Kotto’s eye patch off. Kotto covers his eye with his hand quickly, probably because he doesn’t want any glitter on his injury.
- Kotto hits a code red and only gets two, goes for a submission and Salina De La Renta gets on the apron. Kotto goes to stop Salina, Martinez is bleeding from the mouth. Kotto gets maced by Salina in his good eye!! Ricky hits his finish and pins Kotto!
And I’m Like… WHAT A FINISH! Makes me think of Something To Wrestle’s episode on Vader. Kotto was being attended to by staff as Ricky celebrated. That was great. This episode has been fantastic!
JIMMY F’N HAVOC is coming back!! It was a vignette too. Man this is getting better and better.
Hart Foundation are celebrating in the shower with their titles and two clothed people. One male one female. MJF shows up in his gear as Teddy Hart pours champagne on the Middleweight championship. Teddy Hart puts MJF in his place and legit makes him look like a punk. Even says “you left his place, so go be Elite” and MJF ran away. I don’t know why Brian Pillman Jr. was in a towel with the rest of The Hart Foundation. Dude barely got physical and was in a suit. That is fantastically weird. Hart Foundation is so fucking weird!
MLW World Heavyweight Championship
Tom Lawlor vs. Low Ki (c)
- Lawlor doesn’t come out with any of Team Filthy. Low Ki is with Salina. The ring is glistening in glitter and this match is ready to rock.
- A total of ONE streamer was thrown in the ring during entrances. Guess some fans didn’t get the memo.
- Lawlor and Ki start throwing punches and Lawlor hits a huge punch. The referee does a standing eight count?
- WHAT THE HELL?!?! This is a boxing match? What the hell!!! Why is there a standing eight count in this?? Did I miss something? Did commentary say that there can be a knockout? Wow that is really dumb y’all. This is wrestling lol.
- Tom is hitting suplexes and punches. Much of the glitter seems to have been cleaned up but Low and Tom are still absorbing some.
- I can’t get over that standing eight count. I have no idea what the rules are in this match. Low Ki goes and grabs a door from under the ring.
- So you can get punched once and get a standing eight count, but then you can also bring a door in the ring. MLW WTF?
- Never mind on the glitter thing. They are covered!
- Low Ki misses a punch and puts his arm through the door. Low Ki ends up getting choked out.
And I’m Like… Wow. In a different way though. This was so ridiculous. It was treated as a “fight”. This was really bad. Like, really really bad. Good thing the first 2/3rd of the show happened. The MLW Championship is now off of Low Ki. Thank the heavens. I really can’t get over that whole match. The championship does look a lot smaller than when Ki originally won it. I don’t know what else to say. I’m excited for Lawlor’s reign.
