Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 5.11.18

Csonka’s MLW: Fusion Review 5.11.18 (Episode Four)

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Tom Lawlor defeated ACH @ 10:40 via submission [***]
– MJF defeated Fred Yehi @ 8:25 via pin [**½]
– Bogus Adventure Match: Jimmy Havoc defeated Joey Janela @ 9:05 via pin [***]

---

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– Rich Bocchini and Tony Schiavone are on commentary. They welcome us to the show.

ACH vs. Tom Lawlor: these two were to face last week, but Lawlor claimed he was still too injured, and ACH then faced and beat Simon Grimm. Lawlor then beat him down post match. Lawlor looks to work strikes and then grounds ACH. Lawlor gives ACH a free shot, ACH kicks him and Lawlor attacks and locks on a choke, but ACH makes the ropes. ACH picks up the pace, but Lawlor grounds him again and goes for the choke. ACH escapes and goes for a series of cradles and then hits a dropkick. Lawlor powders. Post break, and Lawlor is back in control. He starts looking for an arm bar, but ACH makes the ropes. ACH fights back, hits a hip toss but Lawlor cuts him off with kicks. The guillotine follows by Lawlor, and the suplex follows as Lawlor again looks for an arm bar. Lawlor grounds things again, working a full nelson and then hits a suplex for 2. Lawlor starts working the arm, ACH escapes picks up the pace and hits a dropkick. ACH to the apron and hits an enziguri. The flatliner follows for 2. ACH lays in chops, hits a running forearm and then a German for 2. ACH looks for an electric chair, but Lawlor counters out and hits a German, and rolls for another, ACH counters, but Lawlor snatches him in the rear naked choke. ACH fades and the ref checks the arm, and ACH is still alive. ACH pulls the Bret Hart walkup the ropes and gets a cradle for 2. Grimm distracts ACH, Lawlor hits ACH with the loaded forearm and applies the choke and ACH is done. Tom Lawlor defeated ACH @ 10:40 via submission [***] This was a good opener, and a fun clash of styles. I dig the loaded forearm gimmick, but I hope that the team Filthy interference won’t be a regular thing, as it will get tired real quick.

– Salina de la Renta and Shane Strickland have a confrontation in the back, leading to Pentagon MISTING the champion. Strickland needs medical attention.

Fred Yehi vs. MJF (Maxwell J. Friedman: I am a big fan of Yehi, and hated that he finished up with EVOLVE. He’s a good pick up for MLW. Yehi looks to ground things right away, and MJF powders. Back in and MJF attacks, and hits a shoulder tackle. Yehi cuts him off and stomps away at his hands. Yehi picks up the pace, hits a shoulder tackle and lays in a back elbow. The German follows for 2. MJF tries to bail, but attacks the arm of Yehi and rakes the eyes. MJF chokes him out in the ropes, and continues to attack the arm of Yehi. Yehi fires back with chops, but MJF cuts him off, attacking the arm. Yehi fights back with a head butt, and lays in rights. Chops follow and then a back fist follows. The sliding D connects and he follows with knee strikes. Yehi follows with up kicks and MJF is rocked. The snapdragon follows for 2. MJF uses the ref as a shield, uses an eye rake, and hits a double stomp and gets a roll up with the tights for the win. MJF defeated Fred Yehi @ 8:25 via pin [**½] This was a solid match, and while MJF is a heel, and the win makes sense, the booking felt off as Yehi took most of the match an came off as the star here as he looked way better than MJF.

– Post match, MJF cuts a generic heel promo post match.

– We get highlights from last week’s Sami Callihan vs. MVP match.

– Next week, as punishment for his earlier actions, pentagon will have to put his #1 contender’s spot on the line against his brother Fenix, who he beat in week one to earn the shot.

Bogus Adventure Match: Joey Janela w/Aria Blake vs. Jimmy Havoc: This is anything goes, and there must be a winner. They brawl at the bell, trading kicks and Janela hits a suicide dive. Havoc fires back as they brawl on the floor. Janela fires back with a chair shot and suplex on the floor. Back in and Janela covers for 2. He then lays in elbow strikes and chops. Havoc fires back as they trade strikes and Havoc is down. Janela misses a moonsault and Havoc hits a German and Michinoku diver for 2. Havoc now pulls out a door from under the ring. He tosses it and chairs into the ring. He sets up the door in the corner and Janela attacks, cutting him off. Janela wraps a chair around his neck and hits a cutter. Janela sets up a chair, but Havoc cuts him off and slams him onto the chair, covering for 2. Havoc lays in chair shots and then whiffs on a monkey flip spot. Janela now hits a senton onto a chair on Havoc’s chest for 2. Janela brings in more chairs, and brings in a table. He sets it up and but Havoc kills him with a chair shot to the head. Janela fights back and hits a package piledriver onto the chairs for a near fall. Janela sets up for a senton through the table, but Havoc moves and Janela crashes through the table. Havoc goes John Woooooooo and sends Janela through the door, and hits a DVD onto the chairs. Havoc finishes things with the acid rainmaker. Jimmy Havoc defeated Joey Janela @ 9:05 via pin [***] This was a good plunder brawl, with a really well-done closing stretch. It feels like a match people either really like or really hate.

– As Havoc exits post-match, he runs into Team Filthy, who kick his ass in the parking lot for touching them.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.9

The final score: review Average

The 411

Tonight’s episode of MLW: Fusion was an improvement over the last two weeks, with better wrestling and some solid angle advancement, but still couldn’t hit the high standards of the debut episode.