Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 181) Review 9.07.23

Well everyone, time to head back to the land of MLW. We’re post Fury Road where Alex Kane retained the MLW World title, Rickey Shane Page scored a minor upset when he bested Jacob Fatu for the Openweight title, and Salina De La Renta returned to MLW land. Can’t say I’m terribly excited about any of that, RSP getting the title off of Fatu gives The Calling the tag team titles, the middleweight title, and the National Openweight title. We’re getting a wXw title match when Shigehiro Irie defends against Calvin Tankman, a match from Battle Riot as our featured match.

Mister Saint Laurent complains that Mance Warner bit his foot at Fury Road. Matt Cardona will be going after the Second Gear Crew.

To the ring, here’s MSL to run down the crowd and MLW but the World Titan Federation has a promoters license and MSL brings out his first signing, Snitsky. There’s a name I hadn’t really thought about in a while.

Match #1: Gene Snitsky vs. Yoscifer El

This match is from Never Say Never. Snitsky attacks at the bell and hits a scoop slam. Boot from Snitsky, then a chokeslam for the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Snitsky won in :40

Rating: Gem. . . SQUASH
Thoughts: Fine enough squash, Snitsky is a fairly interesting choice to add to the roster but I’m willing to see how he does.

They try for a stretcher job after the match, but Snitsky attacks Yoscifer again just because it amuses MSL.

We get a video package for Salina De La Renta.

Calvin Tankman talks in the back, he’s one of the biggest and baddest hitters MLW offers. He wants his first singles title in MLW by winning the wXw title.

MLW’s next PPV will be in October for Slaughterhouse, and Minoru Suzuki will be there so that’ll be fun.

The FBI and Jesus Rodriguez interrupt Matt Striker in the ring, Guido gets the mic from Striker and tells him to shup his face and they eject him. Rodriguez is happy to be a part of the FBI, they’ve got latin roots and the same colors. He wants to help them deal with Microman. They’re going to put Microman in cement shoes and have him sleep with the fishes. Midas Black interrupts this with his introduction of the Mane Event and Microman.

Match #2 – Trios Match: The Mane Event (Midas Black and Jay Lyon) and Microman vs. The FBI (Little Guido and Ray Jaz) and Jesus Rodriguez

Rodriguez is the former Ricardo Rodriguez, and we’ve got another Never Say Never match here. Guido and Microman start us off, Microman with a bite to the posterior then Rodriguez tags in and “kicks” Microman. It didn’t land but Microman sells it anyway. Rodriguez with a gut buster then a kick to the back. Guido tags back in and drops an elbow on Microman. Jaz with a few cheap shots to Microman then he tags in officially. Microman avoids a double clothesline then pokes both Guido and Jaz in the eye but Rodriguez cheap shots Lyons and Midas to prevent a tag out. Guido holds up Microman then Jaz holds him up as well but Microman fights back and makes Rodriguez spear Jaz then tags in Midas. Midas gets to run wild for a bit then tags in Lyon and they hit a 619 into a Lyonsault and Midas with a follow up splash but Guido breaks up the pin and we get a cut.

I don’t think we missed much here as Guido low bridges Midas. Rodriguez with a cheap shot to Lyon but Lyon with his own comeback before eating a kick from Rodriguez. Midas superkicks Rodriguez then Lyon and Midas hit Jaz with a flapjack into an X-factor, decent enough finish but they want Microman to get the pin. Microman bounces off of Jaz and hits a mini Vader Bomb to get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Microman and Mane Event won in 5:40

Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: Fun enough little comedy match.

Post match here’s Sam Adonis with a chair. Adonis isn’t fooled by Microman, and talks about Microman being run out of a Mexican promotion because everyone hated him. Microman has a wife and child, but ran away from his family after his infant son got more attention. Snitsky comes out now, and Snitsky with a double chokeslam to Midas and Lyon. MSL is here as well and has a bag, he laments that he and Microman could have made tons of money but now he’s got his new promotion. In the bag MSL has a bunch of dolls for Snitsky to punt, man this is a deep cut segment. A few punts from Snitsky to the dolls, then goes to field goal kick Microman as Adonis holds him, but here comes the whole Second Gear Crew to break this up and save Microman. Adonis, Snitsky, and MSL run from the Crew.

Sam Adonis talks in the back, he’s going to prove that Microman is a fraud and send him out of MLW next week.

Hype video for Alex Kane.

Match #3 wXw Unified World Wrestling Title Match: (c) Shigehiro Irie vs. Calvin Tankman

circling from both men, then Tankman with some jaw jacking and shoves Irie. They tie up, Irie grabs a side headlock but can’t knock Tankman over with a shoulder block. Another shoulder block from Irie but he can’t get Tankman down and Tankman hits the ropes to drop Irie. Tankman wants a fight and Irie will give it to him and they trade elbows. Tankman with chops and elbows then he tosses Irie out of the ring. Some ringside brawling now as Tankman tosses Irie around and chops him against the barricade. Some more barricade shots from Tankman but he misses a charge and eats the barricade. Irie trips up Tankman with a chair and the chops him and hits a jumping attack. Back in the ring now, Iri catches Tankman through the ropes with strikes but he charges and Tankman catches him with a snap powerslam on the apron through the ropes. Nice spot. Kicks and chops from Tankman, but Irie is firing up now. Irie and Tankman trade elbows now before Irie tries a scoop slam but he can’t lift Tankman and Tankman hits the scoop slam then a running splash for a 2 count and we get a cut.

We do miss a little bit here but come back to Tankman landing strikes to Irie in the ropes. Irie lands a boot, then sort of another one. It seems like they miscommunicate a bit then Irie fights back with a flurry, hits an ankle pick and a falling hammer fist to the downed Tankman and both men are down. Irie sends Tankman to the apron then slams him into the ring post. Low angle crossbody to the back of Tankman and both men spill to the floor. Back into the ring Irie wants a back drop driver but Tankman fights free and hits a flurry of strikes then Made in Japan for a 2 count. Irie avoids an elbow to the back of the head and grabs a Sleeper, but Tankman stands with Irie on his back then slings Irie down to the mat. Pop up back elbow from Tankman then a folding powerbomb for 2. World Star, the elbow to the back of the head, from Tankman. Tankman wants the Tankman driver but Irie blocks it then slips off of his shoulder. Running strikes from Irie in the ropes then a running clothesline but Tankman stays upright. Irie fires up and hits a Beast Bomber lariat to finally drop Tankman and get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Shigehiro Irie retained the title in 9:50

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Decent hoss match, marred just a bit by that awkward spot in the middle. I’m not sure what Tankman’s trajectory is at the moment in MLW but he could use some legitimate direction.

Irie and Tankman share respect after the match.

Next week we’ll get something from Alex Kane.

In the back Fatu claps and says we’ve seen him upset and yelling, but he’s got to give it to Court McGee. Minoru Suzuki is coming here and Fatu wants that smoke. I’m down for Suzuki and Fatu.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

I'll be a touch generous and call this Average. Coming off of a PPV event things tend to be a little down as we get ready for the reset coming up, but we had a decent hoss match in the main event, the introduction of Snitsky, and fine enough comedy match. I'll give them something of a pass here as MLW looks to start cycling up in the near future.