Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 151) Review 6.30.22

Welcome back to the land of MLW and the latest episode of Fusion. Tonight we’ve got the Samoan Swat Team taking on Los Aztecas, plus trios action when Strange Sangre takes on Microman, Taya Valkyrie, and Lince Dorado. The build towards Alexander Hammerstone taking on Richard Holliday should continue as well as both Battle Riot and Kings of Colosseum are starting to loom larger on the horizon.

Jacob Fatu is outside the venue, he’s hocking the stuff that was stolen from Cesar Duran a few weeks ago. Juicy Finau shows up as well as does Lance Anao’i and we get a rather amusing bit about the Polynesian Chop Shop as a knockoff of the Home Shopping Network. This is eventually broken up by Cesar Duran showing up and both men threaten each other. Duran says Father’s Day must be confusing for them and insults their financial literacy. Fatu says Lance and Juicy are here to wrestle and Duran says they’ll wrestle his masked goons. Duran’s goon is not pleased with this. To close Duran takes back his red bull and Fatu goes back to selling stuff. Relatively amusing overall, and Fatu showing off this other side of his personality is refreshing.

We’re still on the Philly taping set.

First we get a brief video of Mads Krugger staggering around last week after his Weapons of Mass Destruction match.

Fatu, Lance, and Juicy arrive at the venue.

To the ring and here comes Cesar Duran with three masked goons. Duran has a mic, he says tonight he’ll debut the most dangerous and violent lucha team, his masked goons known as Los Aztecas, men who scare everyone back there including Jacob Fatu. That brings out Fatu with a mic of his own. Fatu plays with the crowd then insults Duran and his goons. He says they might be after him, but they don’t know who’s coming with him, and he then brings out the Samoan Swat Team. Everyone gets into the ring now and we get a brief staredown before things settle down. Duran tells Fatu he made a mistake, then rings the bell for the match.

Match #1 – Tag Team Match: The Samoa Swat Team (Juicy Finau and Lance Anao’i) vs. Los Aztecas

Lance and the Small goon start. Lance with a Samoan drop and a drop kick, Juicy tags in and hits a corner avalanche that pretty much moves the ring, then hits a senton. Juicy tags Lance back in and he takes out the Average sized goon with a cannonball senton. We get a minor cut then come back to Juicy hitting a hip attack. Duran gets on the mic and says this is now a no disqualification match, and the biggest goon comes in with a chair but it’s punched into his face by Juicy. Super kick from Lance then he hits a Coast to Coast. Average and Small get squashed in the corner by Juicy, then he hoists both of them up onto his shoulders for a double Samoan drop. Lance then hits a Splash onto Average and pins him.

OFFICIAL RESULT: The Samoan Swat Team won in 2:24

Rating: Maliformis. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash to introduce the Swat Team to us.

Fatu celebrates by the crowd, but nZo is in the crowd and breaks a bottle over his head then runs off. Fatu and nZo doesn’t do much for me but it’s something to keep him occupied.

A video from Los Maximos, they want a tag team title shot. They’ve been doing this for 20 years and don’t get disrespected, and they close with “expect the unexpected”. 20 years and they couldn’t find a better tag line?

Killer Kross video follows.

Richard Holliday has a video, he says on rare occasion the man can make the clothes, be it style, cut, or color. Lately he’s been into the color red, he’s wearing the white jacket stained with Hammerstone’s blood. He’s addicted to the taste of Hammerstone’s blood, the draining of Hammerstone’s blood has given him new life. After so much time in the darkness it’s amazing to finally step into the light, he deserves the light and he’s never going to give it up. He needs Hammerstone to know it was always him. Well, I guess doing a bad Patrick Bateman impression was always next up for this iteration of Holliday. I still don’t quite buy Holliday as this character, but they’re trying and a little experimentation isn’t a bad thing.

Myron Reed is in the back and finds Davey Richards, he puts over the training he got from Richards and Richards puts his work ethic over. Richards says maybe they’ll square up in the name of friendly competition.

Allegedly we’ll have the Thrilla in Philla next week when Alex Kane will be in action.

To the ring for our next match.

Match #2 – Trios Match: Strange Sangre (Mini Abismo Negro, Arez, and Holidead) w/ Gangrel and Dr. Dax vs. Taya Valkyrie, Lince Dorado, and Microman

We get a brawl to start, with the heels getting to upper hand. Microman takes some abuse from Arez as Holidead and Taya square off. We’re using lucha tag rules I think. Taya hits a kick then a Spear to drop Holidead. We get a minor cut, and come back to Arez and Dorado squaring off. Dorado lands some strikes, but Arez counters into an arm drag then lands a drop kick. Abismo tags in and Dorado takes some tandem offense from Abismo and Arez. Dorado heads out of the ring and Microman is brought in by Arez. Abismo super kicks Microman. Dorado back in and hits a double handspring Stunner. Microman tags back in and hits a double arm drag to Arez and Abismo. Abismo misses a senton then Microman hits a head scissors takedown. Holidead comes in and boots Microman down, and here comes Taya to unload on Holidead and drop her with an STO. On the outside Microman runs away from all of the heels, he scoots under the ring and the heels lose track of him for a moment. Arez and Abismo drag someone from under the ring, it’s not Microman but Blue Meanie. Meanie unloads on Abismo and Arez then Microman hits an assisted dive onto Abismo.

Another minor cut, we come back to Dorado hitting some moonsaults onto Arez. Dorado with the third moonsault but Abismo breaks up the pin. Holidead boots Dorado then starts brawling with Taya on the outside. Arez hits a moonsault onto the outside then Abismo and Microman fight in the ring. Microman with his head scissors into a Victory Roll and he pins Abismo.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Lince Dorado, Taya Valkyrie, and Microman won in 6:33

Rating: 2.5 stars

The edits and camera work were a little rough, but the action was mostly clean and this didn’t run too long.

Post match Arez attacks Dorado and sends him out of the ring, then all of Strange Sangre surround Microman. Gangrel has the sickle, Microman tries to fight back but Gangrel boots him down and everyone stomps on Microman. But, here to save Microman is The Sandman with his kendo stick and case of beer. Sandman is not looking great physically, but he shares beer with the fans as he walks to the ring, and per usual takes his sweet time with the whole thing. Eventually Sandman gets into the ring and lays into Dax and Arez with his kendo stick. A couple of shots to Abismo and Microman with a satellite headsicssors to Abismo. Microman gets his own kendo stick and whacks everyone who isn’t Gangrel. Sandman and Microman celebrate with beer to close the episode.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

Not only a shorter episode this week, but a really light one as well. The stuff with Microman either works for you or it doesn't, and this wasn't the best outing that particular act has had. But getting the Samoan Swat Team into MLW is a nice thing, and setting up nZo (I think he's going by Real 1 now) to occupy Jacob Fatu is a decent move. Overall, not much here this week.