Winfree’s MLW Fusion Alpha (Ep. 6) Review 10.27.21

Welcome back to another episode of MLW’s weekly Fusion Alpha series. Tonight the 2021 Opera Cup continues opening round action when Bobby Fish takes on Lee Moriarty, plus another opening round match between Alex Shelley and TJP. Elsewhere on the card we’ll have Calvin Tankman in action, plus Mads Krugger will have a match. We’re still counting down to War Chamber and MLW World champion Alexander Hammerstone is still one man short for his team. We might get an update on the fate of the currently vacant MLW Openweight title, Hammerstone abdicated it last week but it still serves as the secondary title for MLW so we’ll see what they decide to do with it. Well that’s enough preamble, let’s get to the action.

We open with Cesar Duran pondering what to do with the Openweight title, and waxes poetic about the relationship between humanity and gold wondering what men will do for this bit of gold. At Fusion on Thanksgiving there will be a new holder of this belt, through the miracle of violence. King Muertes shows up, with his newly won Caribbean title. Duran asks if that triumph is enough for him, Muertes says he did what was asked and now Duran has to fulfill his end of the deal. That leads to Duran making sure Muertes understands what he’s asking for, Muertes is aware there must be a sacrifice. Duran hands over a box, Muertes opens it and we get a piece of Marcellus Wallace’s soul I imagine given the golden gleam.

Alright, to the ring for our first match. We get a little video from Moriarty, he talks about now representing AEW here in MLW and how he always deals with pressure. He’s here to rep AEW, but more importantly himself and his opponents can watch their step, and their neck.

Match #1 – 2021 Opera Cup Opening Round: Lee Moriarty vs. Bobby Fish

A non-trivial “Undisputed” chant for Fish. Fish lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a high kick from Lee, they’re both trying to one up each other. Lee avoids a head kick. They decide to move to more grappling, Fish starts going for an arm and they trade arm wringer escapes then wind up on the mat with Fish grabbing a side headlock. Lee slips free, but Fish gets him with a snapmare, and Lee moves into a hammerlock. Commentary tells us that the Openweight title will be contested in a ladder match. Fish gets to the ropes to break the hammerlock and they reset. Fish starts laying in strikes, mostly kicks and knees as Lee is in the corner. Lee hits a few arm drags and toes for an armlock. Fish moves up and arm drags Lee, but Lee comes off the top rope with another arm drag to send Fish to the apron. They trade elbows through the ropes, Fish is getting the better of things and pulls Lee to the apron. Lee fights off a back suplex and knocks Fish off the apron. The ref gets after Lee for something, that was very odd, but Fish takes advantage to sweep the legs and Lee goes face first into apron. Fish stalks Lee and lands a leg kick then tosses Lee into the barricade and lays in more strikes. Back into the ring now, Fish is targeting the leg of Lee. Lee tries to fight back with strikes, but he’s out gunned in the striking by Fish. Fish with knees then a tope con hilo that sort of lands. Lee gets backed into a corner and takes more strikes, but he hits an enziguri, then another one. Lee hits a shotgun drop kick and gets a 2 count. Fish drives Lee into the corner and attacks the leg again with strikes before hitting a Dragon Screw leg whip and a sliding clothesline for a 2 count. Lee avoids a head kick, the slips around a charging Fish and drops him with a clothesline for a 2 count. Fish avoids a suplex, grabs a sleeper but Lee quickly breaks that in the corner. Fish tries it again but again Lee is able to escape. Lee up top and double stomps the left arm of Fish. Fish hits an exploder suplex into the ropes and both men are down. They fight up and trade strikes again, this still doesn’t go well for Lee. Both men strike the injured limbs, but Fish hits a flurry of strikes then hits a Saito suplex for a near fall. Fish is shocked that Lee survived that, he lays in a few strikes but Lee catches him with a Mousetrap for a 2 count. More pinning situations from Lee but Fish survives and hits a leg scissors trip into the Fish Hook and Lee taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Bobby Fish won in 12:20

Rating: 3 stars

Good little match between these two, I rather enjoyed the slower style they used. Lee has a ton of upside, but the story here was Fish out gunning him between his firepower and experience edges. Fish and Richards should be a heck of a match when they get around to airing it.

We get a recap of King Muertes besting Richard Holliday last week. A video from EJ Nduka, he’s joined up for the War Chamber because he dislikes Contra and thinks maybe Hammerstone could pay him back for his help here with a title shot down the line.

Calvin Tankman is in the back, he says all he’s done since coming here is dominate and he doesn’t need the help of Alex Kane and King Mo. Mo and Kane are here, they jump Tankman and attack his eye before heading out. Tankman looks to be bleeding, or at least using a bloody rag, to clutch his eye as a trainer calls for help.

Here’s a little video on Halloween from Los Parks, they tell us to be sure and give out king sized candy bars to the kids. Los Parks is for the children. Some poor sap in a luchador mask walks through the shot, so Los Parks jump him. Oh, he was wearing a Konnan mask and they did not care for that. They reiterate this is for the children, and be sure to give out big candy you cheap idiots.

Cesar Duran is in the back talking on a phone, here comes Mads Krugger. Krugger doesn’t answer to anyone, and Duran respects that. Duran says that Krugger has failed his mission of keeping Hammerstone from Fatu, and wants to know what he’ll do next. Krugger still believes in Contra’s mission. Duran tells him to seek the World title, that a personal goal doesn’t necessarily betray is allegiance to Contra then references Krugger’s mercenary past and tells him a return to his roots might be in order. Smart, Krugger is the one who’s going to be hurt most by Contra’s fall after War Chamber (assuming the booking does the logical thing and starts moving on from Contra) and having him align a bit with Duran will keep him relevant. Krugger heads to the ring for his match.

A recap of Holidead’s rampage last week, then we get a quick promo from Willow Nightingale. She’s wearing sunglasses and Holidead apparently scratched her cornea with that DDT. Nightingale calls Cesar Duran and gets a match with Holidead.

Just before our next match starts we get word that Calvin Tankman is head to a local hospital.

Match #2: Mads Krugger vs. Dr. Dax w/ Holidead

Krugger kicks the arm of Dax then clotheslines him down. Avalanche from Krugger then a Full Nelson face buster and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Mads Krugger won in :38

Rating: Fig-leaf. . . SQUASH

Krugger has a presence about him, but he needs seasoning badly. That said, delicious squash is delicious. Post match Krugger gets a mic and says he hopes Hammerstone enjoyed this display of violence. There is no challenger for the Black Hand of Contra. He does some Hail Contra stuff, and that prompts Budd Heavy to show up. Heavy gets a chair and heads to the ring, he hits Krugger in the gut with it but then runs into a big boot. Krugger hoists Heavy up and kills him with the same Full Nelson facebuster. He pins, did that count as a match? I’m not including it as one.

A recap of 5150 beating down Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver a couple of weeks ago. A video from 5150, they want a title shot at Los Parks. Konnan says they want the best. Slice Boogie holds a chair and promises to show Los Parks how to swing a chair. Rivera calls out Cesar Duran for wanting to make the big matches, well 5150 vs. Los Parks is that. They’re here to run the house, or they’ll sacrifice Duran. The style of promo these guys do isn’t quite to my personal taste but they execute it very well.

Here’s our War Chamber update, Contra is adding one of the Sentai Death Squad goons to the match to make it 5 on 5, so Hammerstone now has two slots to fill. Alicia Atout has Hammerstone in the back, Hammerstone is hyped to be introduced as MLW World Heavyweight champion. Hammerstone wants to end Contra once and for all, to help with that he and Richard Holliday want a tag team match with Contra. Holliday shows up wrapped in bandages to sell the Straight to Hell he took on the floor last week. Holliday grunts a lot, apparently he offends Alicia who slaps him and storms off. Hammerstone then tells him they’re on TV, and Holliday tries to explain but Hammerstone tells him he went too far.

Apparently nZo is coming to MLW.

Main event time, and this could be a really good match.

Alex Shelley is in the back to interview before his match, he lectures us on the difference between distress and eustress, how to make the best of positive stress. He and TJP can wrestle on autopilot, and when you can do that then you know you’re doing it right.

Match #3 – 2021 Opera Cup Opening Round: TJP vs. Alex Shelley

Dueling “Motor City” and “TJP” chants as we get going. They get close and TJP goes for the arm of Shelley then they trade counter holds before Shelley uses a series of arm throws into a roll up for a 2 count. Collar and elbow tie up, again Shelly is able to switch to an arm wringer then moves into a wrist clutch abdominal stretch. Hammerlock abdominal stretch from Shelley, then he hits a drop toe hold and grabs the arm wringer again. Shelley out wrestling TJP early, TJP finally escapes and hits a side headlock throw and moves to his own hammerlock. TJP avoids a few escape attempts from Shelley before Shelley fights up and then drops TJP with a back elbow. TJP avoids a corner rush but Shelley is able to attack the left arm with strikes. Shelley back to arm attacks including an arm breaker but TJP catches himself in the ropes then avoids a Shelley charge and hits a pescado onto him on the outside.

They head back into the ring where TJP lands a knee lift. TJP works the back a bit then Shelley fights out of a chinlock. Head scissors takeover from TJP and holds the head scissors. Shelley fights free and lands a chop. A flurry of strikes from Shelley, TJP with a sunset flip into a Muta Lock and Shelley is in trouble. Shelley breaks the grip but TJP moves into a leg wrench and starts targeting the knee of Shelley. TJP to the apron but misses a tope con hilo. Shelley avoids a tornado DDT and hits a Flatliner to drive TJP into the middle turnbuckle. Running knee strike from Shelley, then a tornado DDT of his own. Shelley up top, hits the Frog Splash but that only gets a near fall. TJP fights back with a kick, they trade counters then Shelley lands a discus elbow but TJP drop kicks his knee and both men are down. They start trading blows as they fight to their feet, TJP lands some kicks to the leg of Shelley but Shelley keeps fighting back with elbows then a super kick. Shelley wants the Shiranui but TJP shoves him off and kicks him in the head. Some face washes from TJP then a running boot. TJP’s turn to climb the ropes, he misses the Mamba Splash though and Shelley with a big tilt a whirl around into the Border City Stretch but has to settle for an armbar that TJP fights out of. TJP locks up the Figure Four Deathlock, then switches to an STF but Shelley counters with a roll up for 2. Shelley trips up TP and grabs the Border City Stretch, TJP crawls to the ropes then rolls up Shelley with a grab of the ropes to pin and win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: TJP won in 14:45

Rating: 3 stars

A slower paced affair, but these two trading holds was an enjoyable watch. I think the slower pace hurt this just a bit as the build to the finishing stretch didn’t quite deliver but overall this was good stuff from two veterans.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Two quality matches here, of the two I think Lee Moriarty and Bobby Fish was the better but if you like mat wrestling (and I do) then Shelley and TJP had some very enjoyable stuff. A Good episode overall, MLW seems to have a solid show week to week with Fusion Alpha.