Winfree’s MLW Fusion (Ep. 166) Review 5.25.23

Hey everyone, Winfree back again in the land of MLW. Our content tonight comes from the Super Series taping that took place February 10th of this year, this was always set to be Fusion content with Underground now kind of turning into its own thing.

Up first is a recap of Alex Kane winning the Battle Riot.

Crazy Frank is in the ring with a cheese grater. Juicy Finau comes through the crowd with a door. As Damian 666 comes to the ring we get a brief video of Johnny MLW, Taya Valkyrie, and Sam Adonis being happy to be back in Mexico. Adonis asks a random waiter to help them find Cesar Duran, who’s been MIA for a bit.

Match #1 – Triple Threat Match: Juicy Finau vs. Crazy Frank vs. Damian 666

We’ve got a brawl right away, no rules for this one I guess. Juicy squashes Frank in the corner then one of those for Damian as well. Another corner avalanche for Damian from Juicy. Damian whacks Juicy with a kendo stick, but Juicy then headbutts him down. Frank just hanging out in the corner. Juicy punches Damian out of the ring, then Frank kind of wakes up and goes after Juicy. They trade elbows, Juicy gets the better of things then Frank tries to run over Juicy, that doesn’t work. Juicy hits the ropes now but he can’t knock Frank over either. Both men hit the ropes, Juicy knocks Frank over but the collision sends both of them out of the ring, where Damian throws a chair at Juicy to send us to a cut.

Juicy is fighting off Damian, then uses a staple gun on Damian once. Frank comes over with a cookie sheet, Damian staples Juicy’s arm then Frank whacks him in the head with a cookie sheet. Everyone trades some head shots with chairs and cookie sheets, then Frank sends Damian into the ring post. More weapon shots go around for a bit. Frank with kicks to Juicy, then he uses the cheese grater on his head. Damian with shots to Frank then he puts a handful of wooden skewers into the head of Frank. Only a couple of them actually stuck in. Juicy sets Frank in a chair against the barricade, then sets a flat screen TV against him before crushing him with a splash against the barricade. Damian re-enters the frame to whack Juicy with a cookie sheet then send him into the ring. There’s a car hood set up across a couple of chairs in there. Juicy slams Damian into the car hood but here come some people to interfere on behalf of Frank, Ciclope and Miedo Extremo. Some slow motion brawling, then Damian gets tossed onto the car hood again. Juicy takes a chair shot to a chair that’s wrapped around his head. Damian avoids some corner offense to set up all three men for a corner splash from Juicy. Damian with kendo stick shots to everyone, before Juicy runs him over with an avalanche. Juicy and Damian head out of the ring, they fight up onto the entrance stage and Juicy tosses Damian off of the stage and through a conveniently placed table. Frank whacks Juicy with a cookie sheet a few times. Frank drags Juicy back to the ring, someone off camera gets tossed through a board. Ciclope and Extremo set up a couple of panes of glass as Frank sends Juicy through the TV against the barricade. The two sheets of glass are set up across chairs in the ring. Juicy fights off a double suplex and chokeslams Extremo and Ciclope through the glass. Samoan Drop to Frank, then Juicy climbs the ropes for an awkward second rope moonsault onto Frank which gets the 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Juicy Finau won in 15:15

Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: Slow, plodding, when people talk about hardcore matches being mostly garbage wrestling this is the kind of stuff they’re referencing. The crowd was into Damian though, which helped, and Juicy looked appropriately imposing when it was all said and done.

Next we get a recap of The Calling showing up, the build to their arrival, and them beating down Jacob Fatu. Fatu will be out for a couple of weeks, but still has an upcoming shot at the National Openweight title.

A camera talks with Alexander Hammerstone about his upcoming match with Alex Kane. Hammerstone is pretty confident, doesn’t matter where he is he puts you up in the Nightmare Pendulum and you’re looking up at the lights. Kane has been climbing the mountain, but the air’s getting thin, Hammerstone is ready for this while Kane isn’t. Asked about The Calling he wishes Fatu the best, Fatu doesn’t deserve what he’s going through and promises The Calling will get theirs.

Delmi Exo promo, she says Taya Valkyrie talks a lot and disrespects the titles she holds. Taya might be the queen of queens, but she’s never messed with the god queen.

1 Called Manders video package, he talks about grit and the free spirit necessary to be a cowboy. He loves to fight, drink beer, chew tobacco, and doesn’t care who you are or how many there are, he’ll fight anyone.

Sam Laterna talks with Willie Mack, Mack wants the gold that John Hennigan holds, then tries to hock some idols he’s stolen from Cesar Duran.

Saint Laurent walks in the back and runs into the Second Gear Crew, they want to know where Microman is. He doesn’t answer, but we see Microman walk out of the restroom. Mance Warner has a beer for Microman and they all drink.

Alex Kane press conference, he says the people can decide when he’ll cash in his title shot. We know it’s happening at Never Say Never but fair play. Kane says Court Bauer will have to pay out more to make the fight with Hammerstone happen, but the man behind the Bomaye Fight Club is keeping things good for him. We’ll find out who’s behind the Bomaye at some point in the future on PPV.

Match #2 – MLW Women’s Featherweight title and AAA Reina de Reinas title Fatal 4-Way: (c) Taya Valkyrie vs. Dalys vs. Sexy Star 2 vs. La Hiedra

One fall for both belts in this one. Everyone jumps Hiedra at first, she escapes the ring though. Taya with strikes to Dalys and Star then a double shoulder block for them. Hiedra trips up Taya and shoves her into the ring post on the floor as we get a cut. I don’t think we lost anything as we come back. Star and Dalys square up in the ring, a bit of mat wrestling with Star doing the better work before Dalys takes her down and grabs at the arm. Star counters into a leg attack, then they trade covers before Dalys lands a kick to the back. Star isn’t happy and lands a kick of her own. Dalys grabs at an arm wringer, but Star counters and they trade another series of covers before Dalys lands a chop. Star fights off a Gory Bomb then tries a Sunset Flip for 2. Dalys back to the Gory Special, and Hiedra has to break up the hold. Hiedra gets spanked by Dalys then they hit the ropes and Dalys lands a dropkick. Dalys sets Hiedra on the top rope but Hiedra fights back with a dropkick, and Taya spanks Hiedra to break up the pin. Taya with some chops to Hiedra then some rope running and Taya lands an arm drag and a Spear to Hiedra leading to Star breaking up the pin. That gives us another cut.

Again I don’t think we missed anything with the cut. Taya and Star square up, Star avoiding some strikes then lands a kick and hits a Codebreaker for a 2 count. Taya floors Star with a Saito suplex but Dalys is here to break up the pin. Dalys hits Taya with a gordbuster and Hiedra breaks up the pin. Dalys suplexes Hiedra, then Star drops Dalys with a superkick only for Taya to take her down with a clothesline and everyone’s down. Hiedra and Dalys trade strikes, then we get a double cover from Star and Taya to Dalys and Hiedra. Star and Taya with some cooperative offense to take down Dalys and Hiedra then they square up. They start trading elbows and chops, then Star hits a bridging German suplex for 2. Taya with a kick and knee to Star then a less than stellar looking lariat for a 2 count. Star fights off a Road to Valhalla and hits a ripcord elbow then picks up Taya for a Landslide (Samoan Driver, not sure if she has a specific name for it) but that’s just a near fall. They start trading chops again, then elbows, then Taya lands a knee and hits the Road to Valhalla for the win while we can clearly see Dalys just watching in the background. Poor blocking there.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Taya Valkyrie retained both titles in 10:56

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Solid enough match, but the structure felt a little off as Hiedra didn’t do much and Dalys was visible just chilling when she could clearly have made a play in the finish. Taya and Star showed good chemistry though, and a lot of this was built around their budding rivalry, at least in MLW.

Commentary talk about next week, then we get a Calling video interrupting things. RSP says Fatu has been on top in this Kingdom for too long, now he’s going to be their first sacrifice. Akira calls Fatu a fake, and those in Carcosa have no time for fakes, they trust in Raven. OK then.

That’ll end the episode.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

They had a tough job here, catching up people who might not have seen Underground on the goings on in MLW, but Fusion did a decent job of that. Unfortunately the actual wrestling fell down for them here, but I continue to give MLW credit for doing the most they can with the tools at their disposal.