wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s MLW Underground Review 4.11.23
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Hello, MLW fans! It’s Tuesday night, and you know what that means — time for another episode MLW Underground on Reelz. I’m Jeremy Thomas, and tonight we will see a four-way dumpster match between Mance Warner, Microman, Matthew Justice, and Real1, while AKIRA battles Calvin Tankman. In addition, Alex Kane will face Davey Both Smith in a No Ropes Catch Wrestling Match. All that with War Chamber looming on the horizon; let’s jump right in.
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 Alex Kane vs. Davey Boy Smith from last week, which saw Kane win with the help from some Bomaye juice, as well as the attack on Tommy Billington.
This Is Our Violent Solution! (AKA Title Sequence!)
* We’re kicking off with the Dumpster Match. MSL cuts a promo during the entrances saying that at some point in your life, someone treated you like trash because they wanted you to know they had to respect for you. Microman was the same when he was a micro boy. And MSL was called Mr. Stay Puff and made him feel like garbage. And no one has less respect for Microman that Real1.
Real1 comes out and does a brief version of his shtick and then comes to the ring.
Dumpster Match
Mance Warner vs. Microman vs. Matthew Justice vs. Real1
Real1 is focused on Microman as the bell rings and hits a dropkick on him before Mance and Justice attack Real1. Real1 goes to the outside and Mance and Justice head out to beat on him. Chops by both to Real1 against the guardrail, Justice stalks Real1 around the ring and the heel crawls in but gets pulled out. Mance and Justice beat on Real1, but he manages to grab Justice and put him into the guardrail.
Real1 in the ring now and looms over a downed Microman, but Justice comes in and whacks him with the crutch. The Dumpster is open and Mance opens it the one on the other side. They grab Real1 and try to dump him into the dumpster over the top, but he grabs a trash can lid and beans Justice with it before laying into Mance. He waffles both of them with it and then faces off with Microman! He charges but Micro with a drop-toe hold and Real1 goes headfirst into the lid. Microman fistbumps with Mance and Justice as we go to break.
We’re back and Mance sets Real1 up, Justice picks Micro up for a headbutt to the nethers of Real1. They put Micro on the top rope, go to pick him up but Real rolls to the outside. Justice outside and gets a low blow, Real pulls Mance into the guardrail. Real1 now grabs Justice and crotches him on the guardrail, Mance follows and Real with a Razor’s Edge into the ringpost. One to Justice as well.
Real1 sees Microman on the top rope and grabs Justice, setting him against the Dumpster before knocking him down. He grabs a garbage can and walks around the ring before tossing it in the ring. Real in the ring now, he grabs the trash can and sets it in the corner before grabbing a chain and dropping it. He laughs at Micro and picks him up — MSL leaves the announcer’s table as Real1 teases throwing Micro in the dumpster. Mance in with the save to knock Real1 down. Mance sets up a ringboard in the corner and jabs away at Real, he charges but Real moves and sends Mance into the ringboard.
Justice comes from behind with a chair shot to Real! Micro starts pushing Real1 toward the dumpster and Justice closes the dumpster. Micro puts Real on top of it and Justice — slides a ladder in? He sets it up in the ring and signals to Microman. Justice climbs the ladder and sits on top. He stands — elbow drop on Real1 THROUGH the lid and that finishes it.
Winner: Matthew Justice (8:23)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This was essentially an extended beating on Real1, which…sure, that’s fine. Real fought back enough to avoid this being a complete squash, but the story of the match was pretty basic and got played out pretty quickly. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t particularly bad either.
Afterward we get a video takeover from The Calling as Rickey Shane Page comes out and brawls with Mance. It’s very hard to see exactly what’s happening because of the effects work at first, but the Calling is out here and RSP is beating on Mance as officials come out to set it up. Don’t love that visual effects stuff.
* Back from break as Hammerstone has joined the Calling vs. Second Gear Crew brawl backstage.
* Breaking News: MLW Fusion returns in a few weeks and will include the MLW Super Series. Also, the Opera Cup is kicking off soon and Alex Kane is banned from participation.
* We get a hype video for Battle RIOT V, airing in two weeks on MLW Underground.
Sam Laterna interviews Alex Kane in a video from earlier and asks about the Bomaye Fight Club being fined for their attack on Thomas Billington. Kane says Tommy is now a toothless puppy, and that Davey Boy’s cousins ran their mouths so much their teeth came out, and now he has to start a GoFundMe for them.
No Ropes Catch Wrestling Match
Davey Boy Smith vs. Alex Kane
Kane and Smith circle and jockey for position, Kane goes for a single leg takedown and SMith counters, wrapping Kane in a bodyscissors. Kane into a waistlock, he pulls Smith into a mouse trap pin for two but Smith bridges out. Smith with a mouse trap and Kane escapes.
Back up and they face off, test of strength. Smith wraps Kane into a straightjacket sleeper, but Kane escapes and goes for the leg. Smith rolls through and ends up on top, Kane counters and rolls Smith over, he ends up on the outside as we go to break.
Back from break as Smith climbs back into the ring. Lockup, Smith with a head and arm trap and a takedown. Kane goes for a headscissors and eventually gets it but Smith escapes. Back up and a lockup, Smith with a bodyscissors into an armbar but Kane gets Smith’s shoulders on the mat for two and then rakes the eye. German suplex and another from Kane, SMith right back up and hits his own pair of Germans. Kane hits one, Smith counters with one of his own and both are down as the ref begins the count.
Both men up at seven, and they start slugging away at each other. Traded shots, and backstage SGC and Hammerstone are still fighting The Calling. Smith with a takedown into a crossface, Kane rolls into a pin for two and then hits a big forearm. Exploder suplex follows up, the straps are down, back suplex and cover for two.
Kane goes for the ankle lock, he has it locked in. Smith rolls through and locks in his own ankle lock! Kane rolls through for an ankle lock and scissors the leg, Smith is about to tap but gets himself standing and turns it into a sharpshooter! Mr. Thomas is there to pull him free and the ref can only watches it.
Smith kicks Thomas in the mouth! Kane goes for a spray of the Bomaye juice but Smith ducks it — sleeper! Kane down and Smith with a bodyscissors to drive it home. Kane is fighting it, but he passes out.
Winner: Davey Boy Smith (8:26)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Respect for the technical merits on display here. This may be a bit too slow for some and I did feel like some of the transitions were too plotted out, but the two men work well together and some of the reversals were quite good. I dug it all in all.
Smith has to be pried off Kane post-match and gets booed after the match by this crowd, who love Bomaye Fight Club.
* Sam is backstage with Lio Rush, who still has Lince’s Middleweight Title. She asks why and Rush says he didn’t hijack it. He asks Lince if he’s feeding Sam words and says this is about respect. Lince chose to disrespect him and if it’s chaos he wants, chaos is what he will get. He says his people have been calling Lince’s nonstop and Lince is ducking and dodging almost as good as him. But not quite, because Rush has the title where it should be. And if Lince wants it back, “catch me if you can.”
Calvin Tankman vs. AKIRA
AKIRA charges off the bat with a crowbar but Tankman ducks it and lays into AKIRA in the corner with chops and punches. Whip across the ring, splash by Tankman followed by a bodyslam, but AKIRA slides out and slaps the shit out of Tankman. Back kick, he comes off the ropes but Tankman pounces him out of the ring!
Raven pulls AKIRA up as Tankman comes out of the ring. Chop to AKIRA, followed by jabs against he guardrail. Tankman backs up and charges in, but AKIRA dodges and Tankman gets his leg stuck on the guardrial. AKIRA kicks Tankman and showboats for the crowd as we go break.
Back from break as AKIRA kicks Tankman in the leg a couple of times. Tankman with a forearm to stagger AKIRA and rolls him into the ring. Tankman goes to climb in but AKIRA grabs the leg for a dragon screw and another. AKIRA with a leglock in the ropes. He breaks it and pulls Tankman to the center of the ring, snapping the leg down and then driving a knee into it.
Tankman shoves AKIRA back but takes a couple kicks. Tankman up, he catches a kick and lays in with palm strikes. AKRIA off the ropes and a big boot, he comes off the ropes for a crucifix into a submission. Tankman manages to power out and takes an enzuigiri. AKIRA off the ropes for a back kick, and then he leaps up for a sleeperhold.
Tankman throws AKIRA off, he runs in but Tankman pushes him up for a spinning back elbow. Tankman goes after him and pulls him up on the apron, headsmash into the corner. Tankman to the second rope, he pulls AKIRA up — Raven with a shot to the back with a weapon and AKIRA with a sleeperhold off the top. Tankman drops, AKIRA locks it in and it’s over.
Winner: AKIRA (5:59)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Two talented guys here, but the match felt like it was at about 85% speed. I didn’t dislike it necessarily but much like the dumpster match it wasn’t too memorable and was just kind of there.
The Calling enter the ring after the match and AKIRA goes to put the calling card on Tankman. Raven adds a second one and they pose together.
And here comes Matthew Justice! 1 Called Manders! The SGC is here as Hammerstone and Mance battle goons in the parking lot! AKIRA goes up top with a chair and dives onto Manders and Justice.
We get a hype video for War Chamber next week, and we’re done for the night!
