wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW Fusion (Ep. 123) Review 3.03.21
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Hey everyone, MLW Fusion is back and so am I. Last week the show took a brief detour back to 2003 or so for a re-airing of MLW Underground, and what resulted was a truly dismal show. Now they’re back to contemporary programming and have lined up two title bouts for this evening. First a tag team title affair between champions Los Parks (LA Park and Hijo de LA Park) and Contra Unit’s Simon Gotch and Daivari. Contra Unit isn’t done yet though as MLW World champion Jacob Fatu will defend the title against Jordan Oliver. Also Calvin Tankman will be making an appearance. That’s enough adieu from me about stuff, let’s get into the episode.
We get a recap of the issue between Contra Unit and Injustice to set up our main event.
Commentary then runs down the card, Los Parks are now fully affiliated with Azteca Underground based on their graphic. Then it’s right to the ring for our first match.
Match #1 – MLW Tag Team Title Match: (c) Los Parks (LA Park and Hijo de LA Park) w/ Salina de la Renta vs. Contra Unit (Simon Gotch and Daivari)
I’m curious how the heel vs. heel dynamic will play out for this match. There’s a lot of shouting and pointing before the match starts, until the ref asserts himself and we get going. Daivari and Hijo get us going. They tie up, Daivari quickly to work on the arm. Hijo counters a hold on the mat and counters into a trailer hitch but Gotch is in to break that up, Park dives in to break things up and in all the confusion Daivari gets to work on the knee of Hijo. Daivari slaps on the figure four leg lock, but Hijo slips free after a bit and works to shake out the leg. Punches from Hijo then an arm drag, and he ties up the arms of Daivari but again Gotch breaks it up and earns the ire of Park. Daivari with a scoop slam, then back to the leg work. Reverse figure four from Daivari, Hijo headbutts free and starts stomping on Daivari. Chest compressor from Hijo, Gotch and Park repeat the only spot they’ve done and start brawling on the outside. Gotch gets the better of that and Daivari and Hijo join the brawl. Park thrown into the ring and they double team him for a bit. Hijo back into the equation and all four men start fighting in the ring. Park winds up alone and taking chops, but he comes off the ropes and takes down both Gotch and Daivari then Hijo flies in with a double drop kick. Gotch and Daivari on the outside, and a double suicide dive from Los Parks and everyone is down.
Some more brawling in the ringside area, Gotch and Hijo wind up in the ring. They trade strikes, apparently we’re doing some variation of lucha tag rules. Hijo counters an arm drag with a hip toss, then lands a kick and hits a flying cross body then a step up hurricanrana. Gotch out of the ring, Park tags in and Daivari comes in as well. They trade strikes, that ends with a headbutt from Park. There’s kind of an abdominal stretch from Daivari, Gotch breaks that up and things break down yet again. Los Parks get sent into each other, then Hijo misses a drop kick and Park gets beaten down in the corner. LA Park Jr. tries to interfere but he’s caught by the ref. Injustice show up to interfere on a Contra double team, Hijo tags Park and Park spears Daivari for the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Los Parks retained the titles at 8:21
Rating: 1.5 stars
I’m really not feeling the flow of these Los Parks matches, it’s all over the place. But everything was mostly competent, and the dirty finish was predictable since they don’t want to have Los Parks drop the belts but you also don’t want to have your big heel group lose clean.
All three members of the Park family pose with the belts.
Now to Hawaii for your Von Erich update. Ross reminds us that Tom Lawlor is a dirt bag, Marshall agrees and they decide they still want to put on a Wrestle Island event. They want their hypothetical main event to be Tom Lawlor taking on a hammerhead shark. OK, that was certainly a way to kill time.
Apparently Parrow will return to MLW up next.
In the back Alicia Atout is with Salina, Salina bad mouths her before starting her promo. She’s addicted to gold, she’s not satisfied with the tag team belts she’s coming for the Openweight title. Salina accuses Alicia of having some kind of relationship with Richard Holliday, Alicia protests too much, and they head apart.
Match #2: Parrow vs. Jason Dugan
Dugan tries to jump Parrow, Parrow no sells him then floors him with a clothesline. Parrow runs into a kick, but catches a flying Dugan and carries him around then hits a fall away slam into the corner. Dugan hauls himself up, but turns into a chokeslam. A sit out powerbomb that Parrow calls the murderbomb follows and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Parrow won
Rating: Butternut. . . SQUASH
Not a whole lot else to say there.
Parrow is sickened by Salina de la Renta and Mil Muertes and what they did to Savio Vega. He wants to fight Mil Muertes.
Tom Lawlor in the back, he says Low Ki and the Von Erich’s ruined the whole event. He says his lower back is messed up after being tossed into the Jeep. He’s sick of the match makers protecting people, and dares anyone to step up and fight Kevin Ku.
Bu Ku Dao has a video, he says he’s idolized TJP since he was a kid and wanted to be like him. But TJP is just a bully, and he wants to fight him like a man.
Jordan Oliver promo, he says tonight is his first world title match and he’s been working for years for this moment. He wants to prove he’s a heavyweight, he’s been beat up since he was a little kid and while he knows Fatu is going to beat him up he will outlast Fatu and claim the belt. Not the worst Oliver promo but he’s still something of a milquetoast blank slate.
Match #3: Calvin Tankman vs. Laredo Kid
They tie up, Tankman easily over powers Laredo early. Laredo starts attacking the leg of Tankman with kicks and chops. They hit the ropes, and Laredo with a head scissors then more strikes. Tankman with a rebound pounce to send Laredo flying, he gets a cover but Laredo is in the ropes so he can’t get it. Tankman tosses Laredo around a bit more. Laredo eventually rolls out of the ring to try and recover while Tankman just waits for him to get back into the ring. Back in the ring Laredo lands a right, but Tankman isn’t selling and clobbers him with a right and gets a near fall. Suplex from Tankman gets another near fall. Tankman lands a chop to drive Laredo into the corner. Laredo lands a kick to a charging Tankman, then avoids him and heads up top to hit a drop kick and now Tankman out of the ring. Laredo up top and dives onto Tankman, both men are down. Back into the ring Laredo gets a near fall. Laredo to the top rope, hits a diving elbow drop and gets another near fall. Tankman with strikes, a spinning back fist then a prawn hold powerbomb for 2. Laredo avoids a blow and lands more rights to stagger Tankman, then he heads up top and hits a flying forearm for a close near fall. Tankman with a spinebuster then a slap to the back of the head. Tankman driver follows and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Calvin Tankman won at 6:44
Rating: 2 stars
It’s nice to see Tankman outside of squash matches, but I’m curious how he’ll do against someone closer to his size that he isn’t going to overpower.
Tankman says everyone saw what just happened, he was the better man and dedicates the win to his daughter and fans. Now everyone is finding out who he is, he’s got a daughter to care for and he knows what comes with the belt and he’s going to force Jacob Fatu to fight him.
Richard Holliday and Alexander Hammerstone are in the back debating which shoulder one should carry a title over. Alicia Atout shows up and wants to know why Salina de la Renta is telling people that Holliday is her boy toy. They both call the accusation laughable. Hammerstone gets them to stop bickering, but they aren’t afraid of Azteca Underground and their oversized old luchardors, and volunteers to handle things for her if Salina keeps running her mouth. Holliday dismisses Alicia, Alicia expresses disgust with him, and Hammerstone accuses Holliday of having a crush on Alicia after she leaves. Now it’s Holliday’s turn to protest too much.
Josef Samael promo time as Contra hacks the MLW feed, he says tonight there will be another death in the Injustice family. But that’s the consequence of children playing in a man’s world, he warned Oliver about the deep water. Fatu talks about all the ways he can legally kill someone in the ring, and how much he loves being able to do so.
Our top ranking this week isn’t singles contenders, it’s the Top 5 tag teams in MLW.
5. Dirty Blondes
4. Injustice
3. Violence is Forever
2. Contra Unit (Gotch and Daivari)
1. The Von Erichs
MLW Tag Team Champions – Los Parks (LA Park and Hijo de LA Park)
Not to be too much of a downer, but that’s not a strong division.
We get a quick recap of Gringo Loco and Gino Medina from a couple of weeks ago and their brawl. That leads to Gino having a promo, he thinks Gringo Loco should change his name to Gringo Rip-off because that’s all he’s doing. He says Gringo isn’t even a real luchador. But soon he’s going to expose Gringo for what he is.
Apparently after that little encounter earlier Alexander Hammerstone will be defending his Openweight title against LA Park next week, while Parrow is getting his wish to fight Mil Muertes.
Alright, enough of future matches, it’s time for the main event.
Match #4 – MLW World Heavyweight Title Match: (c) Jacob Fatu w/ Daivari vs. Jordan Oliver w/ Myron Reed
Oliver dives onto Fatu during his entrance and starts brawling on the floor. Fatu runs into the ring post, they wind up in the ring and Oliver avoids Fatu. Fatu gut wrenches Oliver, Oliver slips off and knees Fatu out of the ring. Oliver wants a dive, but he’s caught in mid air and hit with a Samoan drop onto the mats. Fatu stomps Oliver then sends him back into the ring. Rights from Fatu. Oliver tries to fire up, but he runs into a back elbow and gets floored again. A few elbow drops from Fatu, then a headbutt. Oliver clips the knee while Fatu is doing one of his many contractually obligated “Hail Contra” poses. Fatu is just annoyed by that, he lays into Oliver more then tosses him over the top ropes to the apron. Fatu bites the fingers, just because he can. Oliver tries leg kicks from his back, Fatu smacks him around for that. Oliver fights to his feet, Fatu beats him down in the corner. Back on their feet Oliver avoids a punch and lays in some strikes, tries to leap frog out of the corner but runs into a super kick for a near fall.
Oliver tries to hold onto Fatu, Fatu with strikes and headbutts. Oliver implores the ref not to stop the match, Fatu hits a running stomp. Fatu with more strikes, then charges at Oliver, Oliver with some kicks out of the corner then tries a sunset flip but can’t get it and has to roll away from a butt drop. Oliver to the apron, Daivari distracts the ref and Myron grabs Fatu to hold him for Oliver to hit a super kick. Myron super kicks Daivari, and Oliver sends Fatu out of the ring. Oliver tries to fly onto him, but Fatu just catches him and slams him onto the ring apron. There’s an audio glitch, and a video glitch as well as we lose a bit of time. When things get back to “live” Fatu is dragging Oliver into position for the double jump moonsault. Fatu goes for it but his leg gives out the first time. Fatu up but Oliver is up and hits a German suplex off the top rope. Elevated stunner from Oliver, then a springobard cutter but Fatu is back up. Kicks from Oliver but Fatu catches a second springboard cutter attempt with a powerbomb then a pop up Samoan drop. A moonsault from Fatu ends this.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jacob Fatu retained the MLW World Title at 9:08
Rating: 2.5 stars
Easily the best match I’ve seen from Oliver, how much of that was him and how much was Fatu remains to be seen but that was a solid match.
Daivari ambushes Myron Reed and the death squad shows up with body bags. Contra Unit lays into both members of Injustice and sets them both in body bags. The music of Calvin Tankman cuts off the proceedings, he’s out here and starts laying into the goons. Tankman runs wild on everyone, then he and Fatu start trading blows. Tankman winds up hitting a pounce on Fatu and stands tall while Contra Unit regroups on the outside and the episode ends.
