Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 176) Review 8.02.23

MLW time once again people. This episode of Fusion will be airing the last matches from the Super Series which was taped way back in February. As usual I’ll try to keep you updated on where a match was taped. We’ll have some Willie Mack stuff as he’s involved in a trios match, The Calling will do stuff probably, and MLW is still trying to build some steam for Alex Kane vs. Willie Mack so that’ll happen.

Up first Willie Mack is getting an interview in the back, he’s going for the title and will get the job done. He dismisses the talk of Alex Kane, but here’s Kane pointlessly yelling Bomaye to run Mack down some more. Kane calls Mack a “bitch ass hoe” and Mack bitch slaps him down into unconsciousness and hits him a few more times before security pulls Mack away from Kane.

Alex Kane and some goon head to the ring. This particular match actually comes to us from way back in February at the Super Series event. Delirious is representing The Calling.

Match #1: Alex Kane w/ unknown Goon vs. Delirious

Kane avoids Delirious for a bit then shoves him. Delirious tries a shoulder block, nothing doing then Kane shoulder blocks him down. Kane lands a kick then stalls trying to get the Tijuana crowd to care about him. Delirious lands kicks to a decent reaction, then he goes for a 10 punch and gets 9 before Kane shoves him away. Jumping kick from Delirious, but Kane hits a cross chop to take over. Back suplex from Kane. Boot from Delirious then a dropkick to the back of the head. Brief run from Delirious but Kane stomps on his foot then hits a wrist clutch back suplex to send us to a cut.

I don’t think we missed a lot there. Kane rips at the mask of Delirious but Delirious bites him until he lets go. Kane grabs a chin lock then lets go to disagree with the ref about something. Delirious blocks a suplex and hits a snap suplex of his own. Kane just kind of bounces up and tries a German suplex but Delirious hits the ropes while avoiding Kane until he hits a jumping clothesline to drop Kane. Uranage from Delirious, then a few running leg drops but eventually Kane rolls to the apron. The crowd is very pro Delirious. Kane lands a shoulder to the gut of Delirious, Delirious then headbutts the body of Kane. Back elbow from Kane to avoid a Panic Attack, but Kane tries a flying nothing into a headbutt from Delirious. Delirious with with a Panic Attack, then he heads up top for the Shadows Over Hell for a 2 count. Kane fights off a Cobra Clutch as his goon heads to the apron, Delirious avoids a Kane charge and Kane takes out his goon. Discus elbow from Kane, then the Kanemaker for 2. Kane wants to end things, but Delirious avoids a move and unloads with strikes but he runs into a boot. A rolling release suplex from Kane gets a 3 count.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alex Kane won in 9:35

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Man Kane is boring, Delirious did what he could but Kane is not at all at a spot in his career where he can carry a match. A lot of stalling, repetitive offensive moves, and the only heat Kane got was more because the crowd were into Delirious and his antics. This is also the first match aired after Kane won the belt, obviously taped long before that, and going near 50/50 with Delirious isn’t the best look for your world champion.

We’re reminded that Matt Cardona is coming to MLW. We also recap the Mister Saint Laurent, Microman, and Second Gear Crew issue and how we’re supposed to get Cardona vs. Mance Warner at Fury Road, apparently this will be a Kiss My Foot match. OK then. Cardona video from his action figure room. He’s always ready, the indy God, the major player. This wont be a regular match, and there’s no way he’s kissing Mance’s foot, and calls Mance a shower dodger. He feels bad for Mance, because Mance needs a break but wont get it at Cardona’s expense. Cardona isn’t here to pass the torch, he’s here with MSL to get all the gold and all the money.

Hype package for Willie Mack. He talks about his tough upbringing and brings up that he passed a WWE tryout but just before he was to report down there he got a call canceling that. That hurt because he felt like he let down everyone who’s ever supported him. But MLW gave him a shot to get back on his feet and he’s looking for the next chapter in this company. He feels Kane had everything handed to him, while Make is here alone but still doing it.

Hype package for Delmi Exo now. She talks about professional wrestling always being on TV and she bonded with her older sister over it. She loved Eddie Guerrero, didn’t we all, and she started wrestling by going to wrestling school with her sister and getting sucked into it. She had the chance to go to Japan in 2019 but her father got terminal cancer and it was his pushing her to go to Japan and train helped her with that. Post pandemic she’s glad about being in a place like MLW to continue building her skills. She hopes to elevate the MLW women’s title. Decent package but nothing that really stood out.

In the back B3cca whines about expecting a title match tonight, while Delmi is actually in Germany not here in Tijuana. More whining from B3cca to close that segment.

Some updates on the upcoming Fury Road PPV. Our addition is that B3cca will take on Maki Itoh, that might go poorly but Maki is usually at least entertaining.

Next we get another Draft pick, Ichiban.

Back to the ring for trios action. By the by, there’s an air horn or something similar going off almost constantly in the crowd at this point and it is incredibly annoying.

Match #2 – Trios Match: Willie Mack, Jack Cartwheel, and Myzteziz Jr. vs. Dinamico, Genio del Aire, and Skalibur

We get a big brawl to start, Mack lands a double clothesline then he and Dinamico square off. Some rope running and Mack stops that with a palm then he dances with Dinamico. The people enjoy Mack’s dancing as we get a cut. Mack is still dancing as we come back, and he does the worm, then the reverse worm and the heels jump him. Myzteziz tries to get involved but misses a dropkick and gets picked up then some contrived spots. Jack shows up to land some strikes and miss a Shooting Star Press then eat strikes from the heels. Genio with a leg drop to Jack. Myzteziz shows up to attack Genio but Saklibur shows up and all three men attack Myzteziz. In the back John Hennigan is assaulted by some masked goons, well that will write him off TV I guess as Johnny TV is on AEW now. Myzteziz with some offense now as he tries a comback but he eats a Cutter from Dinamico. Jack with kicks to Skalibur then a high angle slingshot elbow. Arm drag from Jack to Dinamico sends him out of the ring, but as Jack tries to dive he’s tripped by Genio. Suplex from Genio to take out Jack and the heels stand tall in the ring. Mack shows up but he’s stomped down in the corner. Some corner offense to Mack but Jack and Myzteziz trip up a couple of them and Skalibur winds up isolated. Jack with a multiple handspring back elbow then a dive onto Genio. Myzteziz with a moonsault to Dinamico as Mack tries to pin Skalibur but only 2 and we get another cut.

We come back to Dinamico isolated by the three faces, I don’t think we missed much there. Chops to Dinamico from all three men, then some tandem offense but Skalibur breaks up the pin. Skalibur gets attacked by Mack and Jack, some corner splashes to Skalibur from Mack and Jack before Mack sets him on the ropes so Myzteziz can hit a springboard hurricanrana. Mack with a standing moonsault but Genio breaks up the pin. Genio runs wild for a bit then Dinamico catches Myzteziz on the top rope for a top rope Victory Roll and a near fall. Dinamico and Genio complain about the count but Myzteziz and Jack take them down then hit some running attacks in the corner. Jack and Myzteziz head up top, Mack catches Skalibur with a powerbomb as Jack and Myzteziz hit stereo Shooting Star Presses but the triple pin only gets a 2 count on all three men. Myzteziz dives onto Skalibur and Genio, then Mack dives onto the pile of bodies. Jack and Dinamico are in the ring, Dinamico lands a wheel kick then gets distracted by some other wrestlers coming down ringside. Jack is able to hit the Jack Attack, then a Jack Arrow (Pac’s corkscrew Shooting Star Press) and get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Willie Mack, Jack Cartwheel, and Myzteziz Jr. won in 13:33

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: This was a touch too chaotic for my tastes, and the crowd hurt a lot. I don’t mind a hot crowd, but there’s a difference between a hot crowd and a distracting/disruptive one and this was more the latter than the former. Jack remains a ludicrous athlete and Mack is plenty of fun, but this felt a little bloated in terms of run time and was one of those matches that work for the live crowd but not so much for the TV audience.

In the back Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau are jumped by The Calling with weapons. That assault ends the episode.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

I wasn't feeling this one, the Tijuana crowd was more of a distraction in terms of just obnoxious noise that made it hard to focus on the action. Speaking of the action, the editing and general taping for this Tijuana card was not great, stuff constantly getting lost and with lighting that left a lot to be desired at times. The only notable thing all episode was Willie Mack slapping Alex Kane, the rest of this felt like filler more than anything else.