Winfree’s MLW Fusion (Ep. 155) Report 11.17.22

Hey there people, time to head back to the land of MLW. Tonight we get a battle of men with similar names when Killer Kross takes on Matt Cross, the Samoan Swat Team of Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau will be in action, and our main event sees Alex Kane put his MLW National Openweight title on the line against Dave Richards. We’ve got probably one more week of Battle Riot tapings to get through as we’ve still got the rematch between Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday but other than that we’re just about through with that set of matches.

We open with some video hype for Davey Richards vs. Alex Kane, highlighting their time limit draw and Myron Reed turning heel to align with the Bomaye fight club.

To the ring right away.

Match #1 – Tag Team Match: Los Maximos (Jose and Joel) vs. Samoan Swat Team (Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau)

We get Jose diving onto Juicy but Juicy catches him, then catches Joel and Lance hits a dive onto the pile of bodies. Some brawling on the floor before Lance starts beating on Jose in the ring and the bell rings. Double kicks from Jose and Joel then Joel tags in. Scoop slam from Joel then an alleged senton. Jose tags in but Juicy makes a blind tag as Lance hits a head scissors. Juicy with a missed splash in the corner and then he hits Jose with a spinebuster onto Joel. Lance hits a bucklebomb onto Jose then Juicy squishes him in the corner but can only get a 2 count. Super kick from Lance to Joel, he goes for the Splash but Jose cuts him off on the top rope. Jose and Joel go for the Spanish Fly but here comes Juicy to help him and stacks them both up for a double Samoan Drop leading to the Splash from Lance onto Jose and that gets the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Samoan Swat Team won in 2:45 bell to bell

Rating: 2 stars

Los Maximos are pretty clearly past it, Lance looks like a pretty decent prospect the more of him I see.

We get a video from Mance Warner, he’s a little worked up and angry and wants Mads Krugger. He wonders what kind of match they’ll have, tables, light tubes, flaming tables, it’s all possible. Microman shows up to contest for the last beer, but Mance distracts him with another beer. Mance appreciates the balls on Microman to try and steal his beer.

We get a video from the Battle Riot where EJ Nduka and Calvin Tankman bury the hatchet after EJ eliminated Tankman in the Riot.

Myron Reed gets an interview, he says to keep sending the best to him then tries to chant Bomaye but he’s interrupted by Calvin Tankman. Reed wants to know why Tankman is fighting the movement. Tankman reminds him of all the bad things Kane did to him. Reed brings up that EJ is likely aligning with Cesar Duran going forward to sow some discontent.

Next week we’ll get Taya Valkyrie against Brittany Blake and a Falls Count Anywhere match between Alex Hammerstone and Richard Holliday.

A replay of Brittany Blake attacking Taya Valkyrie last week. Taya says if Blake wanted a title shot all she had to do was ask, then speaks some Spanish.

Video from Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout. Alicia puts over Holliday, Holliday then says he makes it no matter where he is but since they’re in New York City he might beat Hammerstone around various landmarks since it’ll be Falls Count Anywhere. Because in the city that never sleeps the sole proprietor will have the gold in his hand. Holliday still hasn’t quite found his voice as a violent American Psycho style character but he’s getting there a little more each time.

Match #2: Killer Kross w/ Scarlett Bordeaux vs. Matt Cross

Kross enjoys the cants of the crowd to start, then Cross avoids him. Kross backs Cross into a corner and kicks him in the face. Punches from Kross then he tosses Cross into another corner and clocks him with another right hand. Cross tries to lift Kross but can’t do it, then he runs into a clothesline. We get a cut in the action and come back to Kross working a facelock. Cross fights to his feet and lands elbows to escape then flips out of a back suplex. Kross runs into a boot then hits a satellite lateral drop, I’m not sure if that wasn’t slightly botched. Cross hits a Cross Cutter then goes up top but Kross avoids the Shooting Star Press then kills Cross with a Doomsday Saito for the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Killer Kross won in 3:22

Rating: 2 stars

The random editing hurt this a bit, but they’re clearly building Kross up and Cross makes for a decent enhancement talent in that respect.

A video for Shun Skywalker, he’s coming to MLW with his eyes set on Myron Reed’s middleweight title.

In the back Davey Richards gets an interview ahead of his match, he hopes Kane is being well paid because he’s made some choices that put him in the crosshairs of Richards and this hunt never dies. Richards isn’t a great promo and this meandered a bit.

A video reminding us that the Opera Cup has been stolen and league officials are looking for the cup.

Hammerstone walks in the back and EJ Nduka comes up wanting a title shot. Hammerstone says EJ is preaching to the choir as Cesar Duran is making the matches. Something catches Hammerstone’s attention, they find Tankman unconscious with the same card on his body that was on Budd Heavy last week. Cesar Duran is here and claims to have nothing to do with this, he seems a little unsettled by the card.

Match #3 – MLW National Openweight Title Match: (c) Alex Kane w/ Mr. Thomas vs. Davey Richards

Some circling to start, Kane tries to start a ‘bomaye” chant with middling results. Kane grabs a double wrist lock into a hammerlock, Richards counters with a fireman’s carry into a scarf hold, Kane then rolls him shoulders down for a 2 count and they separate. Richards tries a front headlock, he and Kane wrestle on the mat for position before Richards grabs an arm wringer. Kane grabs a side headlock to counter then they hit the ropes with Richards grabbing an Ankle Lock but Kane rolls free right away. Richards then runs into a boot before getting caught with an exploder suplex into the corner and we get a cut in the action.

We come back to Kane landing a kick on the floor then hitting a splash on the apron. Back in the ring Kane with some blows to the upper back then a chop. Some cross face blows from Kane, then stomps. Richards tries to fight back with a kick but Kane squashes him in the corner. Kane lands an elbow then launches Richards into a corner. Some trash talk from Kane then he climbs to the second rope and tries for a suplex of some sort with Richards still on the mat, Richards fights free with body shots then a couple of headbutts. More headbutts from Richards has Kane staggered, then he climbs up there with Kane and goes for a superplex, he has to to with more headbutts first then climbs to the very top rope and connects with the superplex. Richards and Kane start trading strikes, then Richards lays in kicks to take over before he hits the Dragon Screw leg whip through the ropes. Richards up top but Kane avoids the double stomp. Trailer Hitch from Richards, Kane has to crawl to the ropes but he does get there to break the hold. Richards wants a Brainbuster, but Kane fights him off then lays in elbows before running into a roundhouse kick. Back Drop Driver from Richards then a clothesline but Kane fights him off with a release suplex that gets a 2 count. Richards counters a Mark of Kane with an Ankle Lock, Kane kicks him off but Richards floors him with a punt kick. The Double Stomp connects but Kane kicks at 1. Brainbuster from Richards gets a 2 count, then a Gotch style piledriver and that finally puts Kane down for the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Davey Richards won the title in 12:22 shown

Rating: 2.5 stars

A solid closing stretch but Kane’s early control segments were slow and not terribly interesting.

Richards celebrates with the belt while Myron Reed stares at him from the entrance stage to end the show.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Pretty average episode this week, we had some struggles early with borderline squash matches and a main event with a still developing talent in control for a lot of it. We got some decent setup for next week and a good closing stretch to the main event but this one struggled a bit.