Jeremy’s MLW Underground Review 4.25.23

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 MLW presents Battle RIOT V! The big 40-man match will see the winner earn an MLW World Heavyweight Championship match. For those unfamiliar, it’s a Royal Rumble-style match with new competitors every minute and weapons legal, with eliminations by going over the top, pinfalls, or submissions. It should be a wild bout, so let’s just jump right in, shall we?

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’re leaping right into the match as the first participant is Alex Kane! Kane makes is way to the ring and strikes a pose, then lies in wait as the next competitor is announced: Willie Mack!

Battle RIOT Match

Mack and Kane circle and lock up, headlock by Kane. Mack sends him into the ropes and nails a dropkick. Kane up and a kick to the gut, Mack into the ropes but he comes off with a leaping kick to Kane followed by an armdrag. And here comes the next competitor: Jesus Rodriguez! The former Ricardo Rodriguez talks his way down to the ring as Kane batters Mack in the corner, then backs out to charge in for a splash.

Jesus enters the ring and joins in on kicking at Mack. Kane charges in for a corner splash as Jesus holds Mack, Mack whipped across the ring and Jesus whipped in for a splash, Kane with another splash. Mack at his knees and slaps Jesus but gets double teamed as the next competitors enters: Lince Dorado! Dorado with a kick to Jesus on the apron and he goes up top for a crossbody. Springboard armdrag and a rana, dropkick to Jesus and he goes to throw Jesus but he reverses. Lince skins the cat but gets decked by Jesus.

The next competitor is coming in and it is Calvin Tankman! Tankman comes in and takes it to Jesus, then decks Kane. Tankman peppers Kane with strikes and hits a back suplex on him. Jesus put in the corner for strikes by Tankman while everyone else is down. Suplex by Tankman and the next competitor is Lance Anoa’i! Lance pops up Dorado for a Samoan drop and throws a superkick party for everyone!

Jesus lays into Lance and chokes him against the middle rope, Kane and Tankman are battling in the corner. Lance turns the tables on Jesus and batters him in the corner, with Lince joining in. Competitor #7 is MICROMAN! The fan favorite has arrived and runs down to the ring. Mack and Lince splash Jesus in the corner, and Microman goes under Lince and Mack’s legs for a nethers headbutt to Jesus. Lince and Mack pose with Microman to share in his crowd pop.

Competitor #8 is Los Azteca 33. He comes down into the ring and stomps at Microman as Tankman works in Lince in the corner. 33 stomps at Jesus in the corner and boot chokes him as Tankman and Lince fight in the corner. #9 is Juicy Finau as Microman pins 33 (with Lince help) to eliminate him. Juicy comes down with a cart of weapons and tosses some into the ring. Lance swings with a kendo stick but Kane ducks and hits a suplex, then sends Lance over the top to eliminate him.

Juicy throws the rest of the weapons in, plus some chairs before stepping in and facing off with Tankman. Both men have cookie sheets and they waffle each other with them; a whiteboard shot dazes Tankman, who swings with a Singapore cane to no effect. Juicy headbutt as competitor #10 is The Beastman. He splashes Jesus in the corner and goes up top for a modified Vader bomb, then attacks Tankman who had Microman on the top rope.

Batsman sends Tankmanm into the ropes and runs him over. Beastman kicks at Jesus as #11 is Little Guido. He attacks Kane and sees Microman stuck on the top turnbuckle. He climbs up but Tankman puts him on his shoulders, and Lince helps Microman up for a chicken fight until Beastman breaks it up and runs over Lince. He stares at Microman as #12 is Sam Adonis. Adnos nails Rodriguez and walks the ropes — double neckbreaker to Jesus and Kane! He knocks down Tankman and covers, but Beastman breaks it up.

Adonis chops at Beastman to no effect and comes off the ropes, but gets clotheslined down. Getting crowded in here as Juicy and Beastman stare off with Tankman, and Microman wanting in the mix. He bites Beastman in the leg and low blows him with the kendo stick! Juicy and Tankmanm grab Beastman and get him over the top onto the apron — Microman with a dropkick to eliminate him!

#12 is coming in now, and it’s Mance Warner. Mance comes in with a 2×4 and nails Tankman, Kane, Jesus and everyone else! Mance covers Jesus for the three-count as we go to break.

Back from break and Mance and Adonis eliminated each other, then brawled to the back. Alex Kane also choked out Microman for the submission elimination while Jimmy Lloyd, Mr. Thomas, TJ Crawford, and Ken Broadway entered. Superkicks from Mr. Broadway but he gets superkicked by Lloyd. He goes for the elimnation but it’s blocked as #18 is The Calling’s entire team have apparently entered. What are rules? Broadway gets eliminated, and The Calling dominates as RSP eliminates Tankman.

AKIRA gets his shit slapped off by TJ Crawford, but AKIRA takes over and gets help from his goons to force a submission elimination. RSP grabs Lloyd and Even Flow DDTs him; Raven pins Lloyd and then sits in the ring. AKIRA eliminates Lince and Juicy is being beat on by the goons. Dr. Cornwallis whips a goon into a clothesline to eliminate Mr. Thomas as we go to break again.

We’re back and during the break, Los Azteca 9 was eliminated in record time and Juicy has been busted open and tied up in the ropes. The Calling grab gasoline — but here comes Jacob Fatu! He charges in and superkicks RSP, then lays into Conrwallis and eliminates him. SHort to Delirious and he’s gone! The goons go after Fatru but he tosses one, then the other. Fatu lays into RSP and then AKIRA before freeing Juicy, who is groggy. RSP with a low blow to Fatu, RSP tries to eliminate Juicy and AKIRA dives over the top to clothesline Juicy! Juicy and AKIRA are both gone and it’s just RSP and Fatu now, with Kane having gone under the ropes!

RSP goozles Fatu but he breaks free and hits a savate kick. Suplex set up but RSP blocks it, RSP reverses and sends Fatu over the top! But RSP went with, both are out! Page and Fatu keep fighting to the back, Kim Chee is the next entrant and he runs in to get nailed by Kane and thrown before Kane locks in a choke for the quick tap. The next competitor is Midas Black, who immediately goes up top but is caught by Kane and suplexed. Cover for three.

Kane plays to the crowd as we wait for the next entrant: it’s Taya Valkyrie! Taya runs to the ring and enters, facing off with Kane. Taya with shots to the chest and a kick and knee. She goes for a kick but Kane catches her, fisherman’s suplex for three. Up next is Jay Lyon, who races into the ring and chops at Kane. Into the ropes, Kane catches him for a belly to back suplex and choke out for the submission.

In the parking, Matthew Justice is battling with The Calling’s goons. Up next is Ray Jaz, who comes in and hits a spinning heel kick off the ropes and a dropkick. He grabs Kane for a back suplex and goes up to the second rope, leaping off — but Kane with a belly to belly. Kane locks him into a dragon sleeper and Jaz taps.

The next competitor is Lio Rush! Rush races into the ring through Kane’s legs and kicks him, Rush sent into the ropes and springboard off into a cutter. Rush covers for two. Rush tries to get Kane over the top but Kane fights back and then runs over Rush with a lariat. Kane grabs Rush for a toss suplex, and the next competitor is Tracy Williams! Williams enters the ring and stomps at Kane, picks Rush up but eats an elbow. Williams up top and Rush with a leaping enzuigiri and he goes up for a superplex, but Williams catches him for a DDT into the top turnbuckle.

Rush sent over the top but holds on as Kane nails Williams. Hot Sauce staggers Kane and Rush into the ring for a spear on Williams. Up next is O’Shay Edwards for some backup to Kane! They lay into Williams in the corner with stomps, and O’Shay goes over to batter Rush. Edwards with a spinebuster to Williams before he joins Kane in trying to eliminate Rush, but RUsh fights them off.

Rush with chops to Kane as Duke “The Dumpster” Droese is next! The Dumpster comes down with a trash can and brings it into the ring. Duke batters O’Shay and drops him, low blow kick and a garbage can shot to the head. Duke says it’s time to take out the trash, but Kane locks in an ankle lock! And here comes — uh, Ricky Shane Page? I guess he didn’t “officially” enter before. Again, what are rules? Duke has a prosthetic leg and Kane is trying to rip it off as Jacob Fatu comes from the back and beats on RSP as we go to break.

Back from break and 1 Called Manders entered during the break, while Matthew Justice missed his entrance and has been eliminated. The next entrant is John Hennigan! Hennigan in and a springboard heel kick to Manders, then kicks to Edwards’ knee and a spinebuster to Manders. Hennigan delivering kicks and stomps all around, he gets Manders on his shoulders but Manders elbows out and tries to eliminate Hennigan. Edwards and Kane are over there to help, and the next competitor is Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Davey Boy in the ring and starts kicking at Kane, then O’Shay. Uppercut to Lio Rush, he goes after Edwards but Kane with a shot to the back. Hennigan almost eliminated by Manders but Johnny slides under the ropes and gets Manders on the apron. he tropes Manders and comes off the ropes for a knee, Manders is almost out but his feet are caught on the ropes and Hennigan through the ropes to deliver a double stomp and the elimination.

Up next is Shigehiro Irie as Williams is out. He comes in and goes after Davey Boy, who nails him and sets him in the corner. Rush and Edwards are battling, Smith and Irie are trying to get Kane up and over. Edwards throws Rush into the ropes and charges but gets kicked.

The final competitor is… SNITSKY! Snitsky is in and runs over Kane. He catches Rush off the ropes for a choke slam! Hennigan nails him but gets thrown in the corner, big avalanche by Snitsky as we go to break.

Back from break and during the break, everyone teamed up to eliminate Snitsky and then Davey Boy threw out Edwards and Rush. The final four are Hennigan, Kane, Smith, and Irie. Smith pairs up with Irie, Kane goes after Hennigan. Irish with forearms to Smith as Hennigan batters Kane in the corner and gets up up on his shoulders, but Kane elbows out. Kane gets Hennigan in the corner and sends him across, Hennigan tries to go up and over but gets caught. Hennigan out on the apron, Kane nails him in the head and lunges but Johnny slips through and goes to eliminate Kane! Kane is out but hangs on, and he backs Hennigan off to get into the ring.

Hennigan with a shot to the head of Kane as Smith and Irie battle in the corner. enzuigiri by Johnny and he dives at Kane, but Kane pulls the ropes down! Johnny hangs on, Kane lunges at him but is ducked. Kick to the head by Hennigan, but Kane locks in a choke over the apron! Johnny is out!

Smith sends Irie over the top but he hangs on, Smith charges but Irie pulls the ropes down. Smith on the apron, Irie off the ropes, cannonball! Irie charges again but Smith with a clothesline and he chucks Irie. The final two are Smith and Kane!

Smith and Kane go face to face and talk shit, forehead to forehard and the punches come! They’re trading strikes in the center of the ring. Smith with a knee to the gut and a German suplex to Kane. Kane gets up and is able to his his own German. He’s up and hits a second one, then goes for another suplex but Smith escapes and rolls Kane up — Kane kicks out and locks in the choke hold with the bodyscissors! Smith taps!

Winner: Alex Kane (41:58 shown)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: The first to finish journey always works well in these types of matches. MLW makes the WWE look like rules sticklers in comparison when it comes to these types of matches, but it was always entertaining and didn’t have much downtime. Very entertaining and catapults Kane into the World Title picture to boot.

The Bomaye Fight Club comes out to celebrate and praise Kane, putting him on their shoulders. And with that, we’re done for the night!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

For the second week in a row MLW Underground was literally a one-match show, but it was a very entertaining match. Battle RIOT was the right mix of comedy spots, action and Royal Rumble-style tropes, capped off with an Alex Kane win. The only real flaw was the amount of action that had to be recapped during ad breaks but if you're airing on a basic cable network that's unavoidable. Very good show tonight and one of MLW Undergrounds's better efforts to date.