Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 1.18.20

Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 1.18.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Middleweight Title Match: Champion Myron Reed defeated El Lindaman @ 7:10 via pin [***]
– NYC Street Fight: Gino Medina defeated Savio Vega @ 8:35 via pin [**]
– Opera Cup Finals: Davey Boy Smith Jr defeated Brian Pillman Jr. @ 17:25 via submission [***¾]

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– We open with highlights from the Opera Cup.

– Next is a pre-taped promo from Myron Reed. He’s the greatest like Mohamed Ali, he won’t be controlled by the rich white man, he wants war, he wants belts and he will continue to prove his greatness.

Middleweight Champion Myron Reed vs. El Lindaman: Injustice are at ringside, Strong Hearts are not, which seems like a poor game time decision by CIMA. Red attacks with strikes, Lindaman immediately overpowers him and he follows with strikes and a flatliner. He grounds the action, lays the boots to Reed and follows with a slam for 2. Oliver and Kotto distract him as Reed gets the cradle for 2. He follows with a slingshot leg drop for 2. He follows with kicks, strikes and Lindaman is down. Reed looks for a suplex, Lindaman counters and follows wit a tope onto Injustice. Reed then accidentally takes out Injustice as Lindaman hits another tope onto all three. Back in and Lindaman delivers strikes, a basement dropkick and covers for 2. Reed fights off the German once but Lindaman gets it the second time for 2. Red counters into a stunner, springboard cutter and suplex for 2. Reed springboards in and eats a dropkick. Lindaman follows with a Kumagoroshi for 2. Reed runs down the ramp into a cutter and the 450 finishes it. Champion Myron Reed defeated El Lindaman @ 7:10 via pin [***] Good opener, no Injustice bullshit and just both guys working hard.

– Alicia interviews Pillman, who is dealing with a separated shoulder and will still compete tonight. Injustice tried to take him out, but they failed. He’s going into these finals against his friend and has nothing to lose. Pillman says Smith is a friend and mentor, puts him over big but knows he won’t be safe tonight facing a beast of a man. He’ll leave it all on the line and prove himself to Smith in the ring tonight.

– We get a Mance Warner vs. Jimmy Havoc video history, hyping the upcoming barbed wire match. It takes place next week.

– King Mo doesn’t care about the Opera Cup finals, because he wants gold and calls out Fatu.

– We see highlights of Medina turning on Konnan and joining the Dynasty last week.

– Dynasty video time as they all drink Champagne and celebrate. They question where the giant Hammerstone gave them is and then Holiday gifts Medina a Dynasty card as they rundown Konnan. They pinky swear to the Dynasty way of life.

– Time to hype the Fightland event in Philly. where LA Park returns.

NYC Street Fight: Gino Medina vs. Savio Vega: Vega attacks right away with kendo shots as they spill to the floor. Medina cuts him off and delivers chops, but Vega posts him. He follows with trashcan shots and chair shots. Back in and Medina cuts him off with kicks and chair shots, covering for 2. He kicks a trashcan into his face and covers for 2. Vega fires back, hits Medina with a stop sign and pizza pan. Medina takes it, fires back and then delivers strikes. Trashcan lid shots follow, he stuns him off the ropes, hits running knee strike and that gets 2. Medina slaps him, Vega fires back and the back elbow gets 2. Medina cuts him off with stop sign shots and then chokes him out. Vega fires back, hits kicks and chokes him out. To the floor and Vega follows with kendo shots until Medina runs him to the barricade. Medina hits hockey stick shots and wraps a chair around his head, posts him and back in covers for 2. Vega fires up and delivers strikes, a backdrop and back elbow for 2. He misses a spin kick, and Medina covers for 2. Vega hits a spin kick and the Dynasty arrives. They distract Vega as Medina low blows him and hits a spin kick for the win. Gino Medina defeated Savio Vega @ 8:35 via pin [**] This was an ok, slowly paced plunder match that really failed to showcase Medina and had no intensity or sense of urgency. At one time Vega was a tremendous worker, but I am just not seeing what he brings to the table to MLW in 2020. I know he’s also working as an agent, which is great, but he really needs to stay backstage.

– We get footage from last week’s Von Erichs vs. Tom Lawlor angle.

– Smith talks about the history of the Opera Cup, and being in the finals means everything to him. He respects Pillman, his family taught his father everything, he’s taught him as well, but tonight they aren’t family, this is business.

– Injustice have been kicked out of the building to protect the Opera Cup finals.

– The Opera Cup will be an annual event moving forward.

Davey Boy Smith Jr vs. Brian Pillman Jr.: They lockup and work to the ropes for a clean break. Lockup again, to the ropes and Pillman breaks clean. They work into counters and Pillman looks to take control, working a side headlock. He grounds Smith, Smith fights to his feet, delivers body shots and hits a shoulder tackle. He delivers more strikes, dropping Pillman and follows with a slam as he grounds things, attacking the arms. Pillman fights but can’t escape. Pillman finally counters out until Smith counters back, Pillman escapes, hits a dropkick and dumps Smith. He follows with kicks from the apron and high cross to the floor. He delivers chops. and back in, lands more chops. Smith cuts him off with the big boot, dumps him and follows. He whips him to the barricade, delivers strikes and hits a suplex on the floor. Back in and Smith works him over with uppercuts, and Pillman is down as Smith covers for 2. He grounds the action. Pillman tires to fire up, head butt by Smith and Pillman is down again. Smith starts attacking the back, follows with chops and then kicks. He follows with grounded elbow strikes, and grounds the action again. He hits a big boot and leg drop and lays the boots to him. Smith up top and the leg drop misses. Pillman fires back with strikes and kicks and the suplex gets 2. The cradle follow for 2. Smith fires back with uppercuts, but Pillman gets the backslide for 2. The small package gets 2. Snit h counters the sunset flip and they trade pin attempts for near falls. Superkick and kamigoye by Pillman, and the spring board clothesline connects for 2. Pillman hits the dire promise for 2. Smith fires back, boot by Pillman and he misses the high cross. Smith hits the running powerslam for 2! Pillman tries to fire back, slaps Smith so Smith tombstones him and heads up top. The head butt connects and that gets 2. The powerbomb also gets 2. The crossface follows and Pillman counters but Smith locks it back, in and Pillman has to tap. Davey Boy Smith Jr defeated Brian Pillman Jr. @ 17:25 via submission [***¾] They went with the expected gameplan of the injured babyface Pillman fighting from the bottom against the bigger, stronger, and more experienced Smith. It was a good story, it worked very well and Smith won as most expected. MLW is obviously playing the long game with Pillman, He gets small successes, made it to the finals of the openweight title tournament and lost, faced Low Ki, lost but earned his respect and made it to these finals and again came up short. It’s good to slow burn him as Pillman is constantly getting better and when he finally succeeds it should be a huge moment in MLW.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 83. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook hit a quick news breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, NWA), review the latest between AEW & NXT, and then Larry reflects on his difficult 2019. The show is approximately 89–minutes long.

* Intro
* Quick News Breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, ROH/NJPW/NWA): 4:00
* AEW Dynamite (1.15.20) Review: 21:02
* NXT TV (1.15.20) Review: 47;45
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1:10:00
* Larry Reflects on His Difficult 2019 & Shares Some Thank Yous: 1:18:25

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7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This week’s episode of MLW Fusion was another good show, with a well done Opera Cup final, some good interviews and good hype for next week’s Havoc vs. Warner barbed wire match.