wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 169) Review 6.15.23
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Welcome back to MLW land people. Tonight we’ve got Delmi Exo taking on Taya Valkyrie for the MLW Women’s Featherweight title, Lio Rush, Akira, and Lince Dorado in Middleweight title action, and more. Because we’re drawing from a few different tapings I’ll try and keep track of which matches come from which events for you. We’ve also got Willie Mack vs. Sam Adonis later tonight.
I believe we’re primarily drawing from War Chamber, though obviously the War Chamber match already aired.
First is a hype package for Taya Valkyrie vs. Delmi Exo, includes sit down stuff with both women. Delmi’s promo ability isn’t quite on par with Taya.
Akira attacks Lince Dorado during Dorado’s entrance before the rest of The Calling show up behind him. Raven and Ricky Shane Page stand around as Akira chokes Dorado with something before suplexing him on the floor. Lio rush then shows, Dorado is the champion but Rush is holding the physical belt.
Match #1 – MLW Middleweight Title Triple Threat Match: (c) Lince Dorado vs. Lio Rush vs. Akira
The actual start time is a little unclear, the bell rang for help while Akira attacked Dorado and then Rush came down and we’ve just got the match going. Akira unloads with strikes on Rush, then some rope running and Rush hits a hurricanrana. Some kicks from Rush and Dorado slowly pulls himself up onto the apron. Dorado kicks Akira then a head scissors to Rush. Akira hangs out on the floor now as Dorado and Rush square up for some fast paced action, Dorado eventually dropkicks Rush out of the ring and we get a cut.
Doesn’t look like we missed much, we come back to Dorado on the top rope and diving onto Akira and Rush. Back in the ring Dorado with a crossbody to Akira for 2. Akira grabs a kimura on Dorado, Rush has to come in and break things up. Elbows from Akira to Rush, then a Helluva Kick for each man. Dorado fights back and he and Rush with some tandem offense, and there’s a visible screw up on Rush’s GTFOH but Akira sells anyway and flops out of the ring. Rush and Dorado square up and trade strikes for a bit, Rush then avoids a Black Tornado Slam and hits a kneeling tornado kick. Rush up top, Akira clocks him and climbs up there with him. Some strikes from Rush drop Akira but he lands a kick then Dorado attacks Akira with an armbar but Rush flies in with a Frog Splash to Dorado and Akira has to break up the pin. Rush sends Akira out of the ring, hits a low suicide dive then back in the ring he climbs up top but there’s another screw up as he goes for a Frog Splash on Akira. I don’t know if Akira was supposed to move and didn’t, or Rush was supposed to hit it but forgot and pretty much landed on his feet, but either way it was awkward. Dorado clocks Rush but Akira takes out Dorado with the Death Penalty (lifting reverse DDT) and that’s the 3 count.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Akira won the title in 6:30
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Relatively high paced, but Akira stuck out like a sore thumb relative to the athleticism and seasoning on both Rush and Dorado. He was pretty clearly the least talented guy in this match, and also pretty clearly had the least heat as most of his offense was met with quiet.
In the back Taya Valkyrie talks, but there are audio issues. A tech comes in to talk with her about that and she has a mild flip out.
Jacob Fatu has a video next, he says he’s coming for John Hennigan and Hennigan’s openweight title next week.
Brief Microman video.
Next a Calling video, Raven talks about bringing power to the unpowered, darkness to the light, and revives Mandy. In this case that’s Mandy Leon, who will be joining The Calling I guess.
As Sam Adonis heads to the ring we get a clip of Willie Mack being interviewed, he talks about getting ready for a match and how it’s pretty much just like any other day.
Adonis talks in the ring, he warns that he’s the best looking man in the room right now. Here or there, Mexico or Delaware, Adonis is a marquee superstar in wrestling. He hasn’t been in New York since the pandemic, and thinks it should never be opened up again. New York has the ugliest children, fattest women, and men who can’t pay bills. Some more crowd insults from Adonis to the fans before Mack heads to the ring. Mack talks next, he objects to the ring announcer getting his place of origin wrong. Next he plans on sticking his boot up the ass of Adonis. And if Hennigan has a problem with that, well Mack has another boot ready for him.
Match #2: Willie Mack vs. Sam Adonis w/ John Hennigan
Mack avoids a cheap shot and unloads on Adonis with strikes and a running kick before clotheslining Adonis out of the ring. Mack misses a dive then gets caught between Adonis and Hennigan but Mack still gets the better of things and chops away at Adonis. Back in the ring Adonis with a knee and some strikes to take over. Adonis grabs a side headlock, then shoulder blocks Mack down before some rope running, Mack and Adonis mess up a leap frog spot and Mack starts selling the leg. Mack with a slap and a kick, not the worst cover for the sequence going sideways. STO from Adonis gets 2 as we head to a cut.
Back and I don’t think we’ve missed much. Mack arm drags Adonis off the ropes as Adonis was doing some rope walking. Corner chops from Mack then a slap as Adonis tries to talk some trash to him. Adonis heads up top but jumps into a body blow. Samoan drop from Mack then a kip up into a standing moonsault but he sells the right leg throughout. Adonis and Mack trade strikes now, Mack gets the better of things but Adonis blocks a Stunner and then Hennigan trips him up. Mack just clobbers Hennigan but Adonis then hits Mack with an Air Raid Crash, then climbs the ropes for a 450 splash and that’ll do it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sam Adonis won in 5:40
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Adonis messes with a crowd pretty well, but there’s some execution and fluidity lacking in his work that’s becoming more apparent. Both men covered well enough from the blown rope running though.
On the entrance stage Mance Warner gets an interview, Sam Adonis and John Hennigan walk by him and they trade some verbal barbs then Mance spits beer into his face. This leads to a fight, Adonis and Hennigan have the numbers advantage and drag him back to the ring. Adonis gets a strap and they choke Mance with it for a while.
Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas talk in the back. Kane doesn’t fight for free and says Court Bauer is cheap, but the financier of the Bomaye Fight Club has deep pockets. A few repeated catchphrases follow. Kane is still not a great promo.
Commentary runs down the Never Say Never card.
Again Taya tries to talk in the back, more technical issues mess with her. She says this is part of the reason she’s leaving.
A recap of what’s happened tonight thus far.
Match #3 – MLW Women’s Featherweight Title Match: (c) Taya Valkyrie w/ John Hennigan vs. Delmi Exo
Some trash talk from Taya early, then they tie up and Taya pie faces Exo. Exo shoves Taya in response, and Taya mocks her name before shoving her into the corner and chopping her. Another chop from Taya then they hit the ropes and Exo hits a dropkick. Some corner offense from Exo then Taya rolls to the floor and takes a powder as we get a cut.
We come back to Taya dropping Exo on the apron. We definitely missed something during that cut. Kicks from Taya, the crowd is more behind Taya than Exo. Taya distracts the ref as Hennigan then gets some cheap shots on Exo. Another drop onto the apron from Taya and they head into the ring. Exo tries some body shots but Taya cuts her off. The old Jeff Hardy double leg drop from Taya then she grabs a neck crank. Kick from Taya then a double stomp for a 2 count. Exo avoids a corner charge and Taya posts herself. Some elbows from Exo then a back kick and modified Fisherman’s suplex for a 2 count. Taya with some kicks, but she runs into a Pedigree from Exo but only a 2 count. Corner offense from Exo until Taya lands a boot then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a 2 count. Taya wants the Road to Valhalla but Exo avoids it then Hennigan trips her up. Hennigan distracts the ref as Exo grabs a roll up for a visual pin. Taya accidentally cracks Hennigan with an elbow, then turns into a Delmi Driver and Exo gets the 3.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Delmi Exo won the title in 8:43
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Taya is an expressive worker and she was the more over party here, Exo showed a bit of moxy but she’s kind of an odd choice here given that much of what she does still feels a little raw and unrefined. A decent match but nothing too memorable.
Exo celebrates with the title to close the show.
