Jeremy’s MLW Underground Review 2.28.23

Hello, MLW fans! We’re back for another week of MLW Underground on Reelz. I’m Jeremy Thomas, and presents a National Openweight Championship match as Davet Richards battles John Hennigan. Plus Microman is in trios action, Alex Kane makes a challenge to the British Bulldogs and more. Underground has been building a bit of momentum and this is a promising card, so let’s see how it goes.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

* We start off with a recap of Davey Richards being attacked by Azteca Underground and John Hennigan coming out and turning on him, joining forces with the group.

* We’re starting up with the Bomaye Fight Club coming out and Alex Kane saying he’s going to take the Bulldog’s legacy and burn it, then put it in the Opera Cup. And here comes Davey Boy and the Billington Bulldogs for a brawl! The fight is on, as Davey Boy knocks Alex Kane out.

This Is Our Violent Solution! (AKA Title Sequence!)

* We get a rundown of tonight’s card, including an update on Mance Warner.

* Fatu vs. Hammerstone airs on March 21st on MLW Underground

* We get a vignette with Microman & MSL highlights.

Delirious & Mini Abismo Negro vs. Microman & Lince Dorado

Delirious dives at Dorado to start and Lince dodges him a few times, then locks in a headlock and comes off the ropes to collide with him. Lince with a headlock but gets sent into the corner, he goes up and dover and hits a crossbody and dropkick. Lince goes to tag in Microman, who takes off his robe finally and hands it over to Lince before facing off with Delirious. Delirious backs off and Negro tags in, kicking Microman down.

Stomps by Negro to Microman, and he sends Microman into the ropes but Microman with a takes over and hits an armdrag. He charges Negro in the corner but gets put on the second rope and chopped. Negro charges in but Microman hits a headlock and rolls over Negro, then goes to go into the ropes but Delirious kicks him in the head. Hard whip by Negro into the corner and Delirious tags in, dropping down to talk shit to Microman before pulling him to the center of the ring. He plants his foot on Microman’s chest and presses down, then goes to sit on the little guy to a round of audience boos.

Delirious stands and gets in Lince’s face, but Microman is up and he bites on Delirious’ foot. Off the ropes for a headbutt down low and Lince with the hot tag. He lays into a charging Negro and powerslams him, then hits a standing moonsault. Lince goes into the ropes but Delirious pulls them down and he spills to the outside. Negro leaps over the top onto Dorado as we go to break.

Back from break and Negro and Delirious send Lince into the ropes, but he flips into them and hits a rough double cutter. Lince tags Microman in and he nails Negro, nails Delirious, and hits double 6.19s. But Negro is able to nail Microman and then hits a slam. Delirious goes up top but Lince shoves Microman out of the way and takes the Shadows Over Hell. Microman spins around Negro and ducks a dropkick; Delirious is sent to the outside and Lince dives onto him. Negro turns around and Microman goes up and over him. Negro catches him and tries to toss him off but Microman rolls him up for three!

Winner: Microman & Lince Dorado (8:30)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Really nice little match here to start off the show. It got the time it needed and this will drive those people who don’t buy into Microman insane, but if you can accept that it was pretty fun.

The lights turn off after the match and AO are here! They attack Lince, MSL, and Microman and lay them out. The AO card is laid on Microman and some more boots are laid down.

* We’re back with a quick recap of the many AO attacks, and the group giving Hammerstone an octopus.

* Earlier this week, Hammerstone is asks about the octopus. He says he thinks its Fatu and says after he got the box, Fatu was coming down the aisle. He says it’ll take more than an octopus to get him off his game and that Fatu and the Samoan SWAT Team should do better next time.

* Real1’s situation is tenuous after Mance attacked him last week. We go to Mance being set free. He gets a beer from the SGC guys and says he knows he owes them some money but he’ll pay them back, and that he hit a man with a car but he had it coming. He suggests they go to MLW and fight.

Kayla Kassidy vs. Billie Starkz

Kassidy with a superkick immediately after the bell to surprise Starkz! She lays in a forarm against the ropes and whips Starkz across the ring, Starkz catches herself and sends Kassidy to the apron, then elbows her to the floor and dives through onto her. Starkz rolls Kassidy in and goes up top, but Kassidy grabs her and pulls her off.

Kassidy charges in, Billie gets her feet up but gets slammed to the mat. Kassidy mounts her and manhandles her a bit. Kassidy chokes Starks against the ropes for a three-count, then grabs her and talks shit. Kneelift to the head and then she grinds Starkz’ head into the mat. Cover for two.

Kassidy with a loose camel clutch for a few and then stands up to showboat. Starkz with a shot to the gut but Kassidy knocks her down. Casual kicks to the head and then a suplex attempt — reversed by Starkz. Starkz catches a kick and lays in a knee, then kicks Kassidy in the chest repeatedly. She comes off the ropes but gets grabbed by Starks into a Michinoku driver for two.

Kassidy with kicks in the corner and comes off the ropes, but Starkz dodges and hits a couple of German suplexes — and a third with a bridge for two. Starkz to the second rope but Kassidy with a palm strike. She goes up top but Starkz slides out under and grabs Kassidy on her shoulders — Super Boat Driver and that finishes it!

Winner: Billie Starkz (4:43)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: A solid if not great match. You can see why promotions are crazy about Starkz, she has a ton of talent and potential and just needs a bit of polish.

* Taya Valkyrie is interviewed about Hennigan’s debut tonight and she’s so excited, calling him the hottest free agent in pro wrestling. She says they’re going to be husband and wife champions and tells the crowd not to be jealous because they don’t wake up next to him. Starkz walks up and says she’s seen Taya’s journey from Mexico and MLW and respects her for that. Taya says that Starkz needs to keep studying those tapes and shoos Billie away.

* We get a vignette where Davey talks about how it was never about fame or money or recognition; it was about purpose. We see his Openweight Championship win. That match is next.

* We get a recap of the BFC and Bulldogs brawl ands Alex Kane is backstage. He says the Bomaye Fight Club don’t fight for free and it’s all about money. He says they’re gonna do a community service tag team match. If the Billingtons can beat Myron Reed and Mr. Thomas, then Davey Boy gets his prize fight.

Set For Next Week
– Billington Bulldogs vs. Bomaye Fight Club
– World Heavyweight Championship: Alex Hammerstone vs. Lance Anaoa’i
– Lio Rush vs. Jacob Fatu

* EJ Nduka is backstage looking for Fatu with a chair. Juicy Finau attacks him and they start brawling backstage.

MLW National Openweight Championship Match
Davey Richards vs. John Hennigan

Hennigan charges to start but Davey dodges and lays into him with kicks. He kicks Hennigan across the ring, then whips him into the ropes for a hard kneelift. Back suplex by Davey and a cover for two. Hennigan escapes to the apron and kicks Davey through the ropes, but Davey grabs a second kick attempt and locks in an anklelock through the ropes. He lets go before five and Hennigan drops to the floor, Davey follows.

Richards whips Hennigan toward the guardrail, Johnny reverses but Davey comes off it and runs Hennigan over. He breaks the count and then comes back out, kicking Hennigan against the guardrail and hyping up the crowd before kicking Hennigan down the aisle. Hennigan steals a guy’s pizza box as a weapon and nails Davey, both men make their way back to the ring.

Back in the ring, Davey is laying in the strikes and goes for a Gotch piledriver but Hennigan escapes and hides behind Taya to avoid a kick by Davey on the apron, then kicks Davey’s leg out from under him. Superkick to Davey sends him to the floor as we go to break.

We’re back and during the break they battled back and forth and are now back in the ring. Davey goes into the corner but escapes a splash, he catches Johnny’s knee through the ropes and dragon whips it into the second rope. Davey up top, and he howls before diving off for a double stomp. Hennigan moves but Davey takes him down and locks in a Trailer Hitch in the center of the ring. Davey manages to reach the ropes with help from Cesar Duran and the break is forced.

Davey back up now and he grabs Hennigan for a suplex, but Hennigan blocks it so he takes a kick to the thigh. Davey goes for it again but Hennigan with a knee to the top of the head. Superkick by Hennigan, kick to the gut by Davey, Hennigan with a springboard enzuigiri for a nearfall!

Both men slow to get up here and the ref starts the count. Hennigan is up and kicks at Davey’s head and back. They’re out on the apron, Hennigan mocks Davey and kicks him in the chest and then the head. He sets Davey up for a piledriver on the apron but Davey escapes into the ropes.

Headbutt to Johnny and another, he lays in the shots to the back and then comes down and pulls back the mats at ringside. Davey is going for a suplex off the apron! But Hennigan gets Davey back in the ring, only to get kicked repeatedly in the head through the ropes. Davey comes off the ropes with a charging boot. He does it again and Johnny is barely hanging on — a third time! Davey goes to suplex Hennigan into the ring but Taya trips him and Hennigan falls on Davey for a nearfall.

Hennigan with an immediate charging knee, and he goes for Starship Pain but Davey moves! Davey is up to his feet, he charges in and kicks Hennigan! Richards off the ropes and nails the double stomp for a two and a half count! Brainbuster, cover for almost three — and Davey right into the anklelock! Hennigan is able to roll through but Davey turns it into a Texas Cloverleaf. Duran on the ropes to distract the ref as Taya hits Davey with the Featherweight Title. Hennigan covers — new champion!

Winner: John Hennigan (9:51)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: To no surprise, this was a strong match. These guys worked off each other pretty well and there were a couple of pretty great sequences in there. The title win isn’t surprising, and it gives them a nice image to end the show of Taya and Johnny posing together with their titles.

We end with a vignette hyping Lio Rush vs. Fatu for next week. And with that, we’re done for the night!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

MLW has been improving week by week with MLW Underground, and this was definitely their strongest yet. They're getting better about things like giving matches time to breath and explaining the storylines to the newer audience, and it makes for an overall better product. We had a couple matches that were quite good and one that was perfectly solid, as well as a bit of angle advancement; that's all I ask for in a wrestling show.