wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 172) Review 7.06.23
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Well everyone, we’re back in MLW land tonight. On the agenda will be some tag team title action as the Samoan Swat Team defends their belts against the Second Gear Crew, more build to Never Say Never so I expect we’ll get stuff with Alex Hammerstone and Alex Kane, and Akira will be in action with his middleweight title up for grabs. We’re still splitting matches from both Battle Riot and War Chamber taping events, I’ll try and keep you updated on which one we’re using but I believe we’re mostly pulling from Battle Riot at this point.
First up, here comes Microman with Mr. Saint Laurent. Laurent thanks the crowd for helping put Microman on the map, and says tonight is officially Microman Day. Next he tries to lead the crowd in song but here’s Davey Boy Smith Jr. to interrupt the proceedings. Smith kicks Microman down then picks him up for a running powerslam. Smith menaces Laurent, then they hug. Some wrestlers have come out and they catch Microman as Smith tosses him out of the ring. Well that’s one way to turn Smith heel. Willie Mack and the Mane Event carry the fallen Microman out to the back.
To the ring for our middleweight title match.
Match #1 – Middleweight Title Match: (c) Akira w/ Raven vs. Lince Dorado
They fight right at the bell with Akira taking over with strikes. Lince fights back with a boot and fires up with a jumping arm drag then a backbreaker and an enziguri. Akira heads to the apron, where Lince hits him then follows with a basement dropkick to send him to the floor. Dive from Lince then they head back into the ring. Lince up top, twisting crossbody for a 2 count and we get a cut. I don’t think we miss much from the edit, Lince climbs the ropes again but Akira crotches him up there. Akira climbs up with Lince and puts him in a tree of woe and lands kicks then a floating dropkick. Some elbows on the mat from Akira then Lince fights back with strikes but eats a Kitchen Sink knee lift. Some finger work from Akira then he and Lince trade chops until Akira lands one that drops Lince. Uppercut from Akira, Lince blocks a backbreaker, or just didn’t get up for it as Akira repeats the spot and hits it. Lince flips away from a German suplex and hits a running blockbuster. Moonsault series from Lince, he hits from the first and second ropes but takes too long on the third and Akira gets a boot up into the face. Kicks from Akira, then a bridging German suplex for 2. Sort of a Helluva Kick from Akira, then he does it again and it’s a little better, but Lince blocks a third one and starts laying in strikes. Stunner from Lince, then a superkick and a brainbuster. Lince tries a handspring off the ropes, but when he goes for I think a Stunner Akira strips his mask off as he’s descending. Well timed there. Lince covers his face and rolls on the mat, Akira hits a running knee for 2. They do an ugly looking spot, I think Akira was trying a powerbomb to set up Lince’s counter Frankensteiner but he never got much beyond the piledriver position and Akira just kind of spiked himself. I don’t think that went according to plan. Lince reaches for his mask on the mat, but Akira catches him with the Death Penalty and that’ll do it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Akira retained the title in 9:01
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: I like some of the ideas here, and that de-masking of Lince was incredibly smooth, but a lot of this match felt a little off. A few too many awkward looking or flat out botched sequences for my taste.
A very poorly rendered podium is set up in the back, I mean just poorly done Photoshop looking stuff there.
Another bit on the Bomaye Fight Club and who might be bankrolling them. This week we learn it’s not Conrad Thompson, Jim Cornette, Queen Latifah(?! really?), or Dixie Carter. Another reminder that we’ll find out who’s actually behind this at Never Say Never.
We see the Second Gear Crew warming up for their title shot. Manders is warming up his fingers while Matthew Justice does Hindu squats. Mance Warner has a white board and illustrates the game plan. Mance wants them to put the Samoan Swat Team through tables to win the gold. They plan on hitting the pay window with the gold.
We’re updated that Taya Valkyrie has been fined and suspended for attacking Delmi Exo last week.
Back to the press room, still just bad photoshop.
To the ring for our next match. Billie Starkz heads to the ring and we get a video from The Calling. They’re coming to collect, and the toll is gold. Akira is the middleweight champion, and Ricky Shane Page warns Jacob Fatu that he’s next. Raven doesn’t want a war with Samoa, just come to The Calling. Carcosa will be built on MLW gold. Trust in Raven, nevermore. Mandy Leon and The Calling head to the ring.
Match #2: Mandy Leon w/ Raven vs. Billie Starkz
Quick clothesline from Mandy, then a German suplex to Billie. Meteora in the corner from Mandy then they head to the apron. Billie and Mandy trade strikes on the apron for a bit, then Mandy with an Unprettier on the apron. They head to the floor but Billie lands a suplex to stifle the offense. Both women head into the ring, Billie lands an elbow then a kick to the head then a suplex into a neckbreaker over the knee for 2. Billie gets grabbed by one of the gas mask goons, then another shoves her down so Mandy can hit the Raven Effect to get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Mandy Leon won in 2:35
Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: This felt a little off to me but I’m not sure why, maybe just my personal tastes about what kinds of big spots should be sold because Billie fighting back right away after that apron spot just doesn’t sit right. I’ve had that complaint other times with other promotions too. This was mostly about continuing to establish Mandy and her new gimmick with The Calling, and I think in general that’s working.
In the back Hammerstone wants to talk. He reminds us about Never Say Never on Saturday, and then reminds us he’s been a continual champion in MLW for over four years, which is true if you count his National openweight title run before he won the Heavyweight title and vacated the National one. He objects to being called a placeholder by Kane then mentions he and Kane have a lot in common both winning the National title, though Hammerstone held it for longer than 6 months, then winning the Battle Riot, which Hammerstone did without an army of goons to help him, and then they both challenged for the world title, which Hammerstone won where Kane wont. So Kane is about to learn he’s not holding this spot, it is his spot. Decent promo from Hammerstone.
Never Say Never card update follows.
Our tag team title match is up next, and it’ll be a hardcore match so plenty of plunder. Frankly both teams could use the smoke and mirrors this style of match provides.
Match #3 – Hardcore Tag Team Title Match: (c) Samoan Swat Team (Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau) vs. The Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner and 1 Called Manders)
Everyone starts with chairs, they throw them at each other and everyone then brawls after taking those shots to the head. Things head out of the ring right away for brawling around the ringside area. Warner with a headbutt to Juicy, but that hurts Warner. Manders and Lance fight and eventually Manders gets a chair and lays into Lance with it. Warner pokes the eye of Juicy then lays into him with a chair and then tosses it at Lance’s head to send us to a cut.
Warner gets a table as we come back, I don’t think we missed a lot. Lance superkicks Manders, then Juicy tosses a chair at him. Warner tosses a chair at Juicy then here comes Lance with a few chair shots to Warner. In the ring Lance sets up the ladder in a corner, as Manders tosses a chair at Juicy and it bounces off of his head and whacks some official at ringside. In the ring Manders eats a superkick and falls onto the table. Lance gets another ladder, a bigger one, and repositions things in the ring. Lance sets up the ladder in the middle of the ring and wants Juicy to hold Manders on the table for him. Warner is here with a chair and just wears out Juicy with it then throws it into Lance. Warner climbs the ladder and shoves Lance off, he lands on the ladder that was set up against the corner and that looked gnarly. Manders sets Juicy up and Warner jumps at him, but Juicy catches him with a World’s Strongest Slam. Manders with more chair shots to Juicy, that poor man is going to have so much brain damage. Juicy catches a chair and tosses it back at Manders. Juicy puts Manders on the table and looks to climb the ropes, but here’s Warner with another chair shot. More shots from Warner then he climbs up with Juicy, he gets on his back but Juicy just powers up and jumps, splashing Manders through the table and sending Warner bouncing into the ladder. Juicy then pins Manders to retain the titles.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Samoan Swat Team retained the titles in 7:33
Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: For a hardcore brawl this was decently entertaining, much as I’m not a fan of this many chair shots to the head.
Post match here comes The Calling. The gas mask goons charge the ring, also Delirious, Akira, and Ricky Shane Page. The Calling beat down all four men in the ring. Warner and Juicy start fighting back, Juicy chases people away with a chair, then tosses a ladder and hits RSP with it. The Calling slowly retreat as there’s still something of a brawl going on.
To close we get one more sale job for Never Say Never.
