wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW Battle Riot 3 Review (7.28.21)
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Hey there everyone, I know this is later than we’d like but such is life. Battle Riot 3 originally took place on July 10th, but didn’t air until the 24th. It’s not been reviewed yet because I’ve been busy, but seeing as it’s Wednesday that feels like a good time to get this done. Battle Riot 3 will be serving as kind of a soft reboot for MLW, starting a new big company arc involving Azteca Underground and it’s owner the former Dario Cueto now going by Cesar Duran. So something involving that lot will get set up on this show. The big match is of course the Battle Riot, basically a 40 man Royal Rumble but you can eliminate someone by pinfall or submission as well as tossing them over the top rope and the winner gets a shot at the MLW Heavyweight title. Alexander Hammerstone has finally been getting his push towards that title, and is the heavy favorite here. But a lot of debuting talent is in the Riot as well, Davey Richards by way of example, and a former Riot winner like Tom Lawlor could be a relevant force. Alright, with that out of the way let’s get to the action.
We’re coming from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and has fans back in attendance. We open with Cesar Duran, he’s got a mic and moves to the ring to some pretty serious “Lucha” chants. He’s been told that this place is historic, that the people understand Lucha Libre, and that this city could be a good place to build a Lucha Temple. But, he thinks that’s a load of crap, the fans are a bunch of imposters because he can’t hear them, and he welcomes back the Believers. That gets another loud round of “Lucha” chants. His reputation for wrestling and violence is second to none, and he knows the people are familiar with his work. He’s promoted the best wrestlers of the century and the best wrestlers in the world, to say nothing of all of his innovative matches. He and MLW have reached an agreement, Azteca Underground will promote bouts for MLW and he’s the new matchmaker in MLW. So, what match do the people want? Before he can continue the music of Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver hits. They head to the ring and swipe the mic from Duran. Oliver plays with the crowd and tries to clown Duran, who takes the mic back and says you don’t interrupt him without consequences before asking who Myron Reed is. Reed says Duran seems not to know who they are, and introduces himself and Oliver. They’re out here for one reason, they want the tag team titles, they want Los Parks. Before Duran can respond here’s new music, then that transitions to the music of LAX. Konnan is here with Danny Rivera (Danny Limelight if you saw his AEW work), Slice Boogie, and Julius Smokes. LAX squares off with Injustice then Konnan gets the mic. He plays with the crowd a bit, then speaks some Spanish to Duran, before putting over his new crew. Each member gets a brief moment on the mic to introduce themselves, then Konnan wants his crew to get a tag team title shot. Duran considers, and says he’s always open to business but he’s busy tonight so he doesn’t have time to negotiate. Oliver takes the mic back and objects to all of this, and says Konnan is a corny, clout chasing, clown and then tells Rivera to back off. That leads to a brawl with LAX easily winning, Boogie drilling Oliver with an inverted brainbuster then tossing Rivera up for a large double stomp. Reed winds up diving onto everyone on the outside, and here come the refs to try and restore order. Decent opening segment, if nothing else it’s really nice to see Duran back.
In the back Alica Atout is hosting the number selection segment, first up is EJ Nduka. He pulls a decent number if his reaction is any indicator, but he’s cut off by a Contra promo. Josef Samael asks if the fans are ready to see their heroes enter a new age of terror. The black flag will fly over Philly as Contra conquers the Battle Riot.
We get an update, next month a new miniseries will start airing called Fusion Alpha while MLW Fusion will have a new broadcast home. That might be a problem for my covering it, depending on where it airs, but we’ll have to wait and see. In the back Team Filthy are here to get their entrance numbers. Kevin Ku is spinning the tumbler while Tom Lawlor waits for the perfect time to reach in. Ku pulls first and got a decent number based on reaction. Lawlor now spins, eventually is happy and pulls a number that he’s not happy with. Based on the very dark ink on light paper he pulled 25 or so, I’m guessing his scripted number is much lower. Lawlor wants a redo, but here’s Nduka to introduce himself. Lawler asks what Nduka is the judge of, Nduka says they can find out now or later in the Riot and Lawler demurs.
To the ring for the Battle Riot.
Match #1 – Battle Riot
Davey Richards is out first, followed by “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. Lawlor is trying to become the first ever two time Battle Riot winner. They start trading strikes immediately, Richards fights out of a rear naked choke and tries an ankle lock but Lawlor kicks him off and they reset. Single leg from Lawlor into a back heel trip, Richards counters into an STF but Lawlor bites his hand to break it. Richards moves to an ankle lock as TJP comes in at 3. TJP grabs an Octopus Stretch on Richards, Richards fights out into an ankle lock. Lawlor from behind with a rear naked choke onto Richards. TJP and Lawlor wind up double teaming Richards for a bit until Lee Moriarty comes in at 4. Moriarty with a diving cross body to Lawlor, then hits an X-Factor onto Lawlor and back suplex for TJP. Richards gets an ankle lock on TJP as Moriarty has a Fujiwara armbar on Lawlor. That falls apart then Richards and Moriarty square up. Some shoving then the faces beat up the heels as Kit Osbourne comes in at 5 using the Von Erich theme song for some cheap heat. Richards lays into Kit then goes after the leg of Lawlor. Moriarty and Richards with a Wishbone Splitter to Lawlor. They catch TJP as well and give him one to boot. Out at 6 is King Mo. Mo tosses Moriarty around then unites the heels to beat up Richards. Richards takes a Wishbone Splitter then Lawlor locks of half Boston Crab. Here comes Calvin Tankman at 7. The ring is getting a little crowded so someone is about to go on a spree. Tankman runs wild, then kills Moriarty with a pop up spinning back elbow. Richards and Tankman square off and trade strikes, Tankman easily wins that one. Arez is here at number 8 and runs wild with super kicks for everyone. Moriarty takes a Michinoku Driver then TJP cuts off Arez. Number 9 is Gringo Loco and he does some typical lucha spots with Arez. TJP and Gringo square up, Gringo hits a Military Press drop then a moonsault for a near fall. Number 10 is Zenshi and he does some gymnastic spots before getting caught by Tankman. Zenshi counters and hits a top rope 619, lands on the apron and Tankman knocks him off but he lands on the time keepers table and isn’t eliminated.
At number 11 we’ve got Aramis. Aramis with a top rope hurricanrana to Gringo, then he and Arez team up for a few spots before squaring off. Zenshi, not eliminated, is back on the apron. A bunch of aerial moves follow to set up number 12, Alex Kane. Kane with a bunch of suplex variations onto everyone. Tankman and Kane square up, Kane is able to German suplex Tankman as Myron Reed shows up at 13. Reed nearly eliminates Moriarty, but Moriarty is able to hang on. Zenshi nearly eliminated again, this time by Mo, but he hangs on as well. Eventually Mo knocks him off, but again Zenshi’s feet don’t touch the floor. Savio Vega is here at number 14 and runs wild with a kendo stick. Zenshi hangs out on the guardrail, then walks on his hands back to the ring. Vega with more kendo stick shots and here comes Jordan Oliver at 15. Oliver and Reed try to team up but can’t eliminate anyone. Oliver is able to save a diving Reed from eliminating himself as Beastman comes in at 16. Beastman and Tankman square up to trade elbows with Beastman getting the better of things. Apparently we’re getting both 17 and 18 at the same time, because Slice Boogie and Danny Rivera are here and they’ve got a shopping cart full of weapons. Boogie drives Oliver and Reed through a plank of wood in the corner to stand tall for a moment. Still no eliminations as Matt Cross shows up at 19, Cross’s first time in MLW since 2004. As he’s walking to the ring LAX pins and eliminates Savio Vega. Zenshi with a second rope 630 splash to Beastman, but no elimination. Bu Ku Dao shows up at 20 and goes right after TJP on the outside.
Lawlor is eliminated by Richards with a kick as he was on the apron. Things are still pretty crowded as number 21 Marshall Von Erich hits the ring with his cowboy hat on. Marshall with a Claw assisted Black Hole slam to eliminate Osbourne. Beastman gets a Claw but is able to fight out of it. Mo has Gringo in an arm triangle choke. Smokes has a shovel on the outside and thinks about using it as EJ Nduka shows up at 22, and immediately clotheslines Beastman over the top rope and eliminates him. EJ spears Gringo and sends him out as well. EJ double suplexes Richards and Zenshi and towers over the crowd as Kimchee comes out at 23. EJ eliminates Kane, then tosses Mo as well. Kimchee uses his club on Rivera but gets tossed by EJ with ease. Arez is tossed by EJ as well. Dao squares up with EJ and eats a spinebuster as Zicky Dice comes out at 24. TJP eliminates Dao, then EJ tosses TJP for good measure. Marshall Clawslams Dice but no pin. Kevin Ku shows up at 25 and takes down Dice with a Brainbuster. EJ fights off Cross and Dice, then eliminates Cross just before KC Navarro shows up at 26. Tankman eliminates Moriarty with a back elbow then squares off with EJ again. They trade haymakers for a bit until Lance Anoa’i comes in at 27. EJ and Tankman eliminate each other. Boogie and Rivera are both low bridged by Reed and Oliver, then they return the favor from the floor and eliminate Injustice. Things have cleared a bit as LA PARK is here at 28 with a chair. Wait, this can’t be the real PARK, he’s way too skinny. “Park” gets hit with a Claw from Marshal then loses the mask and it’s Tom Lawlor but Marshall eliminates him right away. Lance with a Samoan Drop to Dice. Here comes Simon Gotch at 29 as Contra’s first representative in the match. Gotch lays into Lance and Navarro. Number 30 is Daivari as Contra’s numbers grow.
Daivari strangles Navarro with the Contra flag, but Navarro is able to fight back and stay safe. 31 is Blue Meanie, he dances in the ring but gets dropped by Daivari. Gotch gets a kneebar on Navarro but wont get a tap before Number 32 Ikuro Kwon shows up. Kwon’s been absent from MLW for a bit. Ross Von Erich shows up at 33 as Kwon pins and eliminates Dice. Ross goes after Daivari while Gotch tries to eliminate the Meanie. No one will be eliminated before Josef Samael is here at 34. Samael has the spike and spikes Marshall right away. Hangman’s neckbreaker from Samel to Ross but Marshall breaks up the pin. Samael with a Camel Clutch to Ross as Alex Hammerstone comes in at 35. Hammerstone runs wild targeting the Contra guys. No eliminations before Sentai Death Squad shows up at 36. Apparently these two only count as 1 entry, which tracks given how ineffective they are in matches. Both Squad members use their helmets as weapons. Contra is looking pretty strong as Kwang the Ninja shows up at 37. Kwang uses his nunchaku to lay out a bunch of Contra guys. Contra is dominating things still, and here’s number 38 King Muertes. Muertes hits a Straight To Hell on Meanie and pins him to eliminate him. Contra tires to eliminate Hammerstone, but Marshall saves him. 39 is Gino Medina. Medina tries to pin both Von Erich’s but can’t get either of them out of here. Our last entrant at 40 is Mads Krugger to really tilt the odds in favor Contra.
Hammerstone and Krugger square off immediately, Lance gets in the way and Krugger tosses him then Navarro to get to Hammerstone. Hammerstone and Krugger start trading blows with Krugger getting the better of it. Medina with a tornado kick to Muertes but Muertes is able to back body drop him out of the ring. Muertes hits Kwang with a Straight to Hell and eliminates him as well. Contra is taking over via the numbers game right now. Muertes gets tossed out by the Von Erich’s. Contra surround Hammerstone, Ross, and Marshall, then we get a wild brawl for a bit. Hammerstone takes out a Sentai goon, then he takes out Samael and the other Sentai goon with an assist from Marshall. Marshall claw slams Kwon on the apron and Kwon is out of this. The Von Erich’s take on Krugger, but he eliminates the both of them right around the same time Hammerstone is able to take out Gotch and Daivari. Krugger and Hammerstone stare off again. Hammerstone with shoulder blocks in the corner, but he runs into a spinebuster from Krugger. Krugger lays in strikes in the corner. Hammerstone fights back with strikes but is dropped by an overhand chop from Krugger. Hammerstone blocks a chokeslam by stripping the grip and hits a pump kick, but runs into a full nelson slam and Krugger gets a 2 count on the pin attempt. Krugger hits the chokeslam but again only gets 2 on the pin. Hammerstone, rocking red and yellow pants, starts hulking up. Punches from Hammerstone, then an enziguri but he runs into a big boot from Krugger. Samael’s spike is stuck in the top turnbuckle, and Krugger retrieves it. Hammerstone avoids a spike shot, hits Krugger in the groin but Krugger then lays him out with a clothesline but dropped the spike in the process. Hammerstone grabs the spike from the mat, and spikes Krugger in the foot, then the guts, then one to the head and hits a back body drop then clotheslines Krugger over the top rope and wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexander Hammerstone won the Battle Riot
Rating: 3 stars
Not a bad match, it was a bit slow to start and the pacing of eliminations left a bit to be desired. Fortunately the closing bit with Contra looking strong but ultimately falling was good, and more importantly the right guy won as this should allow Hammerstone to take the MLW Heavyweight title from Jacob Fatu in the near future.
Post match Hammerstone tears the Contra flag in half and poses. Samel comes back out, trying to restrain Fatu who’s here and looking to fight. Hammerstone and Fatu don’t quite come to blows before Samael is able to persuade Fatu to wait for a better time to pick this fight. To close Hammerstone does a lap of the ringside area and celebrates with the fans, some fan gave him some baby oil and he obliges by lubing up to pose more.
