Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 12.21.19

Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 12.21.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Prince of Darkness Match: Jimmy Havoc defeated Mance Warner @ 3:40 via pin [DUD]
– Opera Cup Match: Alex Hammerstone defeated MJF @ 8:15 via pin [**½]
– Opera Cup Match: Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Low Ki @ 12:12 via pin [***¼]

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– The Dynasty are asked about tonight’s Hammerstone vs. MJF match. Holliday says that his father/lawyer is working to get the match cancelled, but if it happens, the Dynasty has a plan.

Jimmy Havoc vs. Mance Warner: Both men are blindfolded/wearing hoods for this match. They argue over putting the hoods on, and finally do. The match starts, they look around for each other and the crowd helps Mance. Hw swings wildly and misses. He grabs the ref, Havoc misses a charge and Havoc pulls him hood off and attacks. He gets it back on and continues attacking. Havoc heads up top and misses an elbow drop. Mance finds him and attacks with strikes. Havoc removes the hood, attacks using the ref and they argue. Priscilla Kelly arrives, low blows Mance and Havoc hits the acid rainmaker to win. Jimmy Havoc defeated Mance Warner @ 3:40 via pin [DUD] Prince of Darkness/Blindfold matches tend to suck, and this was no different as this feud will never end. The only interesting thing was the Havoc & Kelly pairing. Move on please.

– We go to Tom Lawlor outside the building. He says the Team Filthy Dojo is open again, and that they are coming for all the belts. As he enters the building, Ross Von Erich is there to greet him, and by that I mean punch him in the fucking face. They brawl and Tom runs away.

– Alexander Hammerstone is with Alicia Atout. She says that she saw MJF and Holliday talking about the match and she asks if there is problem with the Dynasty. Hammerstone says they are a family.

– Mance Warner says he gave “Jimbo” what he wanted, but he had Priscilla Kelly come out and kick him in the ball. Kelly and Havoc attack Warner. Havoc chokes Warner with a chain while Kelly kicks Warner and Havoc carves Warner up with scissors.

– Gino Medina refuses to comment to the interviewer, but we do see Salina de la Rents luring him in a room.

– The Dynasty are in the hallway. Maxwell says he loves Hammerstone and Maxwell says that Alexander has the most important title in MLW. Why do you need to win the Opera Cup? Maxwell says it would be dope if Alexander laid down for him. Hammerstone asks if Maxwell is trying to ask him to throw the match while Holliday is screaming at his father/lawyer about his efforts to get the match thrown out, threatening to fire him.

– We go to the StrongHearts for interview time. CIMA says they are happy to join MLW with Lindaman and Irie. Contra then attacks them. We go to the Zero Hour Control Center for January 11th. Mance Warner will face Jimmy Havoc in a Barbed Wire match.

Alexander Hammerstone vs. MJF: Holiday is at ringside. MJF tells Hammerstone to lay down, but he refuses. They argue and Hammerstone hits a dropkick. He follows with something resembling a really bad Fosbury flop, heads up top and hits a missile dropkick. MJF begs off and then slams him to the buckles. He works him over in the corner, lays the boots to him and grounds things. MJF follows with a knee strike for 2. The abdominal stretch follows, MJF uses the ropes to help and the ref breaks it. Hammerstone fires up, hits an overhead belly to belly and then a butterfly suplex for 2. Hammerstone calls for the end, MJF begs off and spits at Hammerstone. Eye poke by MJF, Hammerstone cuts him off with bicycle kicks and a big lariat for the double down. Holiday takes the ref, low blow by MJF and the small package gets 2.Hammerstone fires back and the sitout powerbomb follows for the win. Alex Hammerstone defeated MJF @ 8:15 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid inter-unit match, with MJF willing to cheat and fuck over Hammerstone but Hammerstone overcoming as they continue to tease problems within the Dynasty.

– The Dynasty make nice post match, shaking hands as MJF collapses.

– Injustice promo time as Reed says months of winning and hard work and they are left out of the Opera Cup, left only as alternates. Jordan says they don’t give a fuck about the Opera Cup, and he wouldn’t shake Stu Hart’s hand if he was in the locker room. Someone is not making the Opera Cup and Kotto Claus is bringing presents… and that present is justice.

– Ross Von Erich and Tom Lawlor continue to fight on the street as they go to a gas station.

– Davey Boy Smith Jr is asked about his match with Low Ki, and says it might be cold in New York, but it is freezing in Calgary. He says Low Ki is the most dangerous person in the Opera Cup, but that the pride in his veins is what will make him victorious. Stu Hart was the last Opera Cup winner, so this is about Smith’s time to shine. He won the tag titles, the next step is the Opera Cup, and then the final step is the MLW World Championship.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Low Ki: Smith is using the PRIDE FC THEME MUSIC NOW AN IT FUCKING RULES! They shake hands and here we go. They circle, flashing kicks and working to the ropes. They break clean and lockup as Smith starts working the arm. Ki counters out, follows with kicks and they separate. He shoots for a takedown. Smith works butterfly guard and back to the feet they go. Smith grounds him, and covers for 2. He keeps Ki grounded, gong for pins as he transitions to a neck crank. Ki fights to his feet and follows with the hanging arm bar in the ropes. He then stomps away at Smith, focusing on the arm and Smith takes him to the apron. He punches him to the floor, and follows him out and lays the boots to him. Smith slams him to the apron, rolls him back in and keeps him grounded until Ki makes the ropes. Smith follows with a slam, and then works a bear hug. Ki lays in strikes, escapes and follow with grounded kicks. Smith cuts him off, attacks the knee and delivers uppercuts. Ki cuts him off with a knee strike, and follows with the double stomp. Smith counters back, delivers strikes and Ki catches him with a face kick. He dropkicks him to the barricade, slams him to the apron and delivers chops. Smith slams him to the barricade, and back in, Ki hits a rolling kick. Ki heads up top, misses the double stomp and runs into a snap slam for 2. The powerbomb follows for 2. Ki counters back, Smith follows with knee strikes and Ki follows with the backdrop. He heads up top and Smith cuts him off, looks for the powerslam until Ki locks in a choke on his shoulders. Smith manages to cradle him out of that and pick up the win. Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Low Ki @ 12:12 via pin [***¼] This was a good match that gave us a nice change of pace stylistically, but felt a bit disappointing as both guys are capable of so much more.

– The Opera Cup brackets are now Pillman vs. Thatcher & Hammerstone vs. Smith.

– We go to the streets of NYC and enter a subway station as we lose the signal. We get it back and Lawlor is able to get on a train as he continues his trip back to Coney Island, shooting Ross the middle finger from inside the train.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 77. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Jeremy Lambert break down their 2019 Wrestling Awards, the Cubsfan returns to talk the world of Lucha, & Steve Cook joins the show to discuss Vince McMahon’s loyalty to Jerry Lawler before the annual airing of the grievances. The show is approximately 210-minutes long.

* Intro
* The 2019 Wrestling Awards: 4:35
* Talking Lucha With The Cubsfan (Sin Cara, The Ingobernable Stables, Rey Horus, Rush Losing The ROH Title, More): 1:32:45
* Discussing Vince McMahon’s Loyalty to Jerry Lawler & The Airing of The 2019 Wrestling Grievances With Steve Cook: 2:10:20

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

While last week’s show was a good effort. this week’s episode of MLW Fusion was a step back in the opposite direction. The opener was trash as the never-ending story continues, the Dynasty clash was fine, there was sole solid backstage stuff happening and the main event was good, but underwhelming.