wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW Fusion (Ep. 124) Review 3.10.21
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Hey there people, Winfree tackling another episode of MLW Fusion. This week Alexander Hammerstone will defend his Openweight title against LA Park as Azteca Underground continues trying to collect enough gold to sacrifice atop the hidden monument in the Underground Temple so they can fully restore Dario Cueto to corporeal form. OK, I might have just completely made up their motivation but they’re definitely belt hunting. Gino Medina will rematch Gringo Loco as well, and ACH takes on Kevin Ku.
We open with a recap of Jacob Fatu defending his MLW World Title last week, and Calvin Tankman showing up to save Injustice while trying to line up a future match with Fatu. Commentary runs down the card, and tease some announcements about future cards as well.
In the back Alicia Atout has Calvin Tankman. Tankman says he did what no one thought he could last week, and says it’s on now that he knows what Fatu has to offer. His family, daughter, and everyone cheering him on motivates him. Injustice shows up and offer him a more official spot, he’s down.
To the ring next for our first match.
Match #1: Gino Medina vs. Gringo Loco
These two wrestled a few weeks ago with Gino getting the win. They circle and posture, then tie up. Gringo with a front face lock, then a snap mare, STO as well but Gino with an arm drag. They trade some arm drags and gymnastic sequences before posturing again. Super kick from Gringo sends Gino out of the ring. Gringo runs, and hits a step up tope off the second rope and onto Gino. Back into the ring for a 2 count. Gringo springobards off the ropes but eats a codebreaker for a near fall. Gino in control now, working methodical stomps and some mat wrestling. Gino starts working a body scissor sequence. Stomps from Gino then a tope con hilo for a near fall. Gino with a few rights and chops. Knee strike to the body from Gino gets another near fall. Gino firmly in control, sets Gringo on the top rope but Gringo knocks him off and hits a triangle jump moonsault for a near fall. Gringo with chops, then hits a handspring back elbow then a fireman’s carry into an inverted DDT for 2. Up to the top for Gringo, but the slips and runs into a 540 tornado kick from Gino for a near fall. Gringo slips out of a fireman’s carry, but Gino winds up on the top rope again and eats a right from Gringo. Both men fighting on the top rope, Gringo with a super Spanish Fly for a near fall. Felt like an unnecessary spot for a near fall. Gino into a pinning sequence, they trad roll ups then Gino launches Gringo into the corner with a snake eyes and hits a running knee strike. Gino his a question mark kick to the back of the head, reminiscent of Low Ki’s switchblade kick, and wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Gino Medina won at 9:16
Rating: 1.5 stars
This match felt like it had 0 urgency, heat, and intensity. Most of it was properly executed but they’ve given us no reason at all to invest in any of this.
In the back Gino says he got rid of Gringo easily, and that this is what happens when you put that quality of opponent before him. He says Holliday wants to be a keyboard warrior, and promises to beat his ass.
We get a little recap of Filthy Island, and then Tom Lawlor. He says the Von Erich boys will not get away with destroying his entire network special, he’s going to sue them for the damage they did to his sparkling reputation. He then commends ACH for stepping up to the plate and accepting his challenge last week, and he’ll be watching Ku kick his head off of his shoulders later tonight.
Apparently there’s a large masked man lurking around the building, one wonders if this will play into Hammerstone vs. LA Park later tonight.
Our Top 5 Middleweight Contenders list is next.
5. Brian Pillman Jr.
4. Bu Ku Dao
3. Myron Reed
2. Daivari
1. Laredo Kid
MLW Middleweight Champion – Lio Rush
Alicia Atout is in the back, and says there’s an open contract set for the Middleweight title so next week Rush will be in action against someone.
To the ring for our next match.
Match #2: ACH vs. Kevin Ku w/ Dominik Garrini
They feint at each other early, ACH gets an arm wringer and they trade escape sequences. ACH grabs a side head lock, Ku backs them into the ropes and forces a break. Ku without a clean break, he drives his shoulder into the injured ribs of ACH. Ku takes over with stomps to the ribs then grabs a gut wrench into a suplex for a 1 count. A few strikes from Ku, then they trade chops and Ku goes back to the ribs with a knee. Backbreaker from Ku gets 2 then he transitions into a seated abdominal stretch with blows to the ribs peppered in. ACH fights back to his feet with strikes, Ku with a hard leg kick then tries an abdominal stretch but ACH counters with a roll up for 2 then resumes laying in chops. Another leg kick from Ku, he uses a full striking combination culminating with a head kick for a near fall. ACH fights out a bearhug with elbows, he wants a front suplex but Ku counters with one of his own. Some chops from Ku in the corner, then a headbutt and more chops. Methodical attack from Ku, still targeting the ribs of ACH. ACH with a back elbow to counter a charging Ku then kicks the legs and hits a double stomp to the back of a kneeling Ku. ACH again with a front headlock sequence, Ku fights back and they trade near success before ACH hits a gordbuster then a super kick for a 2 count. Rear waistlock from ACH, but Ku fights out and they trade go behinds and elbows then Ku gets an Alpamare waterslide for a 2 count. They start trading forearm strikes, ACH gets the better of that but eats a back body drop then a half nelson back breaker from Ku gets a near fall. ACH heads to the apron, he lands an elbow to Ku, then Garrini trips him up and starts mugging him but the Von Erichs show up and attack Garrini. ACH back into the ring, Ku charges him but gets tossed out. We get a bit of a brawl, then ACH up top and dives onto the pile of humanity. Ku and ACH back into the ring, Ku lands a knee strike but runs into a super kick, then ACH with the brainbuster to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: ACH won at 10:39
Rating: 2 stars
Some smart work from both men, and while I’m not a fan of the no selling the finish required from ACH given all the rib work he’s far from alone in that bad habit. Maybe the best compliment I can pay the match is that it didn’t really feel like 10 minutes.
Team Filthy trash talk with the Texas boys who remain in the ring.
A little recap of the TJP vs. Bu Ku Dao history, then we send to a video from Azteca Underground that is just highlights of Mil Muertes.
In the back Hmmerstone and Holliday are interviewed about Mil Muertes, Hammerstone says Muertes is a beast and destroyer of men but those are the same words used to describe everyone who comes in before they wrestle him. After that, they’re just mortal men. Atout asks him about LA Park, he says Park might have been racking up wins since Hammerstone was in diapers but he might be aging like stinky cheese rather than a fine wine. Salina de la Renta is here to interrupt that, and says that Hammerstone hasn’t been the same since his stuff with Contra Unit. Hammerstone says not to worry about that, because him at even 50% can beat everyone in the locker room at 100%.
Next week Mil Muertes will take on Parrow and Los Parks will defend the tag team belts against Injustice. That sends to Injustice, who say they respect Los Parks and the legends they are. Odd little promo.
Update on the open contract, someone has taken it.
We get a little video highlight for Tankman, and Contra Unit interrupts it. Daivari speaks some Arabic aimed at Reed and Oliver, Fatu says Tankman should have joined Contra and apparently Tankman forgot this is Contra’s territory.
There’s confirmation that we’ll have a middleweight title match next week. Then we throw to Alicia again so she can give us updates for the upcoming Never Say Never event. The main event will be Jacob Fatu defending the world title against Calvin Tankman. We’ll be getting more updates in the coming weeks.
Main event time.
Match #3- MLW National Openweight Title Match: (c) Alexander Hammerstone vs. LA Park w/ Salina de la Renta
Park feels the muscles of Hammerstone and they mock each other before trading shoves. Next chops are exchanged, then running attacks but no one goes down. Headbutt from Park, then Hammerstone counters with a drop kick. Ah, here come Hijo de LA Park and LA Park Jr. to support their father. Hammerstone with some running shoulder blocks. Apparently the masked man has entered the building. Behind the refs back the Parks start attacking Hammerstone on the outside. Hammerstone sent back into the ring and takes some kicks. Park with stomps in the corner then a hard leg kick. More kicks to the legs from Park, trying to keep Hammerstone down. Park takes off his belt and whips Hammerstone with it. Park tries to head up top, Hammerstone wit blows then joins him on the ropes. Hammerstone with a superplex and both men are down. Hammerstone rolls into a cover for a 2 count. Park fights back with headbutts and punches. Hammerstone gets tossed to the outside, but he follows him out and beats him around the ringside area. Park back into the ring, Hammerstone fights off the little Parks then climbs the ropes and hits a flying drop kick to Park. Hammerstone with strikes then they hit the ropes and Hammerstone lays out Park with a clothesline. Avalanche in the corner, then a pump handle suplex from Hammerstone but that only gets three. Park with some strikes, then a northern clothesline and a running knee strike to drop Hammerstone but the follow up cover only gets 2. Hammerstone avoids a corner charge and Park posts himself, then Hammerstone wants the Nightmare Pendulum but the kids are up to distract things. Park catches Hammerstone with a DDT then a running knee to the chest, but that flurry only gets a 2 count. Park sets for the spear, but Hammerstone counters with a knee strike then hits a German suplex. Hard elbow to the back of the head from Hammerstone with a gift wrap gets the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexander Hammerstone retained the title at 9:57
Rating: 2 stars
My big criticism here is the pace, these two mostly plodded their way through this thing and Park in particular seems to struggle without a crowd to play off of. In contrast to the previous match which didn’t feel its 10 minute run time, this one definitely felt long.
Hammerstone celebrates with the belt but here comes Mil Muertes and he ambushes Hammerstone. Muertes was the large masked man we’d been hearing about. A lot of offense from Muertes, then he brains Hammerstone with the belt. Muertes shoves off a bunch of refs and scares them off before posing with the belt. He hands the belt to Salina then resumes stomping the downed Hammerstone. Salina leaves with the belt and that ends the episode.
