Winfree’s MLW: Fusion (Ep. 192) Review 11.23.23

Well everyone, it’s time for the yearly tradition of Fusion on Thanksgiving. This is the first TV event after the most recent Fightland which saw new tag team champions crowned plus the implosion of The Calling, and Alex Kane retain the MLW world title against Jacob Fatu. Of course there were some Fusion matches taped there as well, meaning tonight we’ll be wrapping up the last three taped matches from Slaughterhouse. I’ll keep you all updated whenever possible about which set of tapings we’re drawing from.

First a brief recap of Fightland including how Alexander Hammerstone returned and aligned himself with the World Titan Federation.

Hammerstone has a promo, he mentions spending two years as the gold standard in MLW but things change on a dime. He might have aired his dirty laundry about his contract status in MLW but we can blame Court Bauer for avoiding him and never returning his calls, but Mr. Saint Laurent was a voice of reason for Hammerstone and now everyone gets to wait and see what he’s doing with the WTF.

First here’s TJ Crawford carrying a “Free Deppen” sign.

Match #1: TJ Crawford vs. Nolo Kitano

This match is from the Slaughterhouse tapings, one of the few remaining at this point. TJ attacks before the bell and stomps on Kitano for a bit. Kitano is sent to the apron and lands a strike then a kick and they slightly botch a springboard move and have to settle for a hurricanrana. TJ distracts the ref and a masked man runs down only to get attacked by Kitano but the distraction allows TJ to hit a running kick. Some stomps from TJ now then Kitano fights back with strikes but he’s hit between the ropes and TJ hits a sort of one legged Codebreaker. TJ messes with the crowd then stomps on Kitano some more. Kitano and TJ mistime some strikes, they’ve been a little off all match. Shotgun dropkick from Kitano then a double knee strike in the corner then a modified backbreaker then a kick to stun TJ. Again the ref is distracted by TJ, and this time Griffin McCoy runs in to drop Kitano with a half nelson suplex. That allows TJ to hit the Silver Bullet(it’s a wheel kick) and get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: TJ Crawford won in 4:38

Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: This never clicked, these two seemed out of sync pretty much from the get go and frankly the decision to create another group out of these sort of scumbag characters while the corpse of The Calling is still warm is some questionable overall booking.

The masked man, who’s pretty clearly Tony Deppen, all celebrate.

A quick recap of Ichiban and Mascara Dorada defeating Rocky Romero and Barbaro Cavernario at Fightland. Dorada has a brief backstage promo, he’s beaten Rocky Romero a few times now and he’s coming for a shot at both of the titles Rocky holds at One Shot.

MSL promo from the WTF set up. He’s happy to welcome all the MLW fans into the WTF universe because in two weeks Matt Cardona takes the MLW title and pushes sports entertainment into the future. OK then.

In the back Rokcy Romero, Jesus Rodriguez, and Janai Kai attack Ichiban and stomp him down. Salina de la Renta shows up to slap Ichiban for good measure.

The Calling video, Rickey Shane Page says everyone makes mistakes when they’re young then pay for them when they’re old. The hammer is about to drop. Sure buddy.

Back to the ring for our next match.

Match #2: Tiara James vs. Notorious Mimi

Tie up then Mimi with a knee and a side headlock then a shoulder block. Some rope running and James hits a hip toss. Boot out of the corner then a second rope dropkick from James. Mimi snaps the arm of James over the top ropes and starts working the limb. Some more arm work from Mimi then some chops in the corner before “hitting” a helluva kick in the corner. That was both an unflattering camera angle for that and a poor sell from James, not a good overall visual. Mimi up top but misses a crossbody and just eats the mat. James fires up with clotheslines then an over the shoulder gutbuster. Mimi fights back with a jawbreaker then James hits a swinging neckbreaker that transitions into an X Factor and that gets the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Tiara James won in 3:38

Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: Decent match, James and Mimi both looked OK apart from that one corner kick. The women’s side of things for MLW is pretty barren right now but this was alright.

Post match James gets interviewed on the stage and she thinks this has been a breakout year for her and would like a title shot soon.

A brief video recapping the one sided romance that Love Doug has for B3cca, I’d just as soon forget that was still going on but here we are.

Video from earlier in the week, MSL is asked by someone about Hammerstone’s contract and he claims Hammerstone became a free agent and he simply signed him. Nothing nefarious there.

In the back MSL finds 1 Called Manders and offers him a hotdog and a handshake, Manders isn’t interested in plain hotdogs. MSL tries to sell him on joining WTF, maybe going to Japan on tour and Manders winds up declining for the moment.

We get an update on the One Shot card, they’re adding Tom Lawlor vs. Satoshi Kojima which could be fun. Janai Kai will defend the women’s title against Maki Itoh, and Miyu Yamashita battles Delmi Exo.

Salina de la Renta and Rocky Romero talk in the back, Rocky is willing to put both of his titles against Dorada and promises he’ll get the same thing that Ichiban got.

Alex Kane is interviewed by Sam Laterna, he stars yelling because this is the only way he can present himself on camera. He refers to his opponents as hoes of the melanin deficient kind and says they’re about to feel bomaye revenge during suplex season. Man this is just painful, you’d think he’d get better at this at some point but Kane’s promos are unbearably canned.

Love Doug is excited about his date with B3cca, but he finds B3cca’s boyfriend Brett Goselin with a crowbar. This predictably goes poorly for Doug.

We get a recap of the MLW debut of Steph de Lander, the former Persia Pirotta, and her costing Mance Warner his Loser Leaves Town match with Matt Cardona at Fightland. In the parking lot Manders wanders by a U-Haul and here’s Mance Warner as well. They both lament Mance having to leave MLW. Mance says he’s got to go and that Manders and Justice don’t need him anymore, he’d been looking forward to Free Bird Rules but he’s out. He might be gone but he knows a guy, Masked Good Brother #3, someone they can get along with once Mance leaves.

To the ring for MSL to introduce his charges. MSL introduces himself and promises that the WTF will take over MLW, then he insults Philadelphia which just seems like the lowest of low hanging fruit. He brings out Tom Lawlor and Matt Cardona.

Match #3 – Tag Team Match: Bomaye Fight Club (Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas) vs. World Titan Federation (Matt Cardona and Tom Lawlor) w/ MSL

Cardona and Kane start, Cardona immediately tags out. Lawlor and Kane tie up, Kane shoves Lawlor off. Lawlor goes to leg kicks then grabs a side headlock. Strikes from Lawlor now but Kane tries to return them only to get cut off with uppercuts. Lawlor with a cravat and some knees to the head, but Kane decides he’s done there and lands a discus elbow then a suplex but he just stands around for a bit as Lawlor gets back in the ring. Cardona is able to hit a cheap shot and that allows Lawlor to take over with stomps. Cardona tags in and stomps away on Kane, then Kane hits a double leg and some of the weakest punches of all time. Kane with some German suplexes for Lawlor and Cardona, then a rolling release suplex to Cardona. For some reason Kane starts selling the lower back and collapses to the mat. The ref calls for medical as Kane rolls out of the ring leaving Thomas to fly solo. Cardona attacks Thomas, who no sells him and goes after Cardona with strikes. Big clothesline from Thomas as Kane is helped to the back. Lawlor distracts Thomas and Cardona hits a chop block as we get a cut.

Thomas is isolated as we come back, I don’t think we missed a whole lot. Lawlor with leg kicks then a corner gamen giri. Thomas and Lawlor trade strikes for a bit then Lawlor goes back to the leg of Thomas with a dropkick in the corner. Cardona tags back in and resumes abusing Thomas in the corner. Lawlor back in and lands more strikes before tagging Cardona back in. Thomas tries to fire up with strikes but Cardona cuts him off with a DDT. Thomas avoids a double suplex and hits one of his own. Kane waddles back to the ring making his angry face and he attacks Lawlor and Cardona with corner avalanches. Suplexes to Cardona and Lawlor then Kane collapses again and rolls out of the ring. Lawlor with a chair to the back of Kane behind the refs back as Cardona takes out Thomas with Radio Silence to get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: WTF won in 9:41

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Kane’s presentation is at odds with booking him in an underdog capacity, but an injury angle is a good enough way to generate sympathy I guess. The WTF getting a win here over the Bomaye guys makes sense, my hunch is they’ll win a lot of these unimportant matches before One Shot as that’s kind of just booking 101. Not a lot of chemistry between Kane and Cardona though, which can still be remedied but isn’t terribly encouraging.

Cardona and Lawlor celebrate in the ring with MSL as MLW personnel come down to check on Kane. That ends the episode.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I'm going to say this one sneaks into Good, the wrestling wasn't anything to write home about but they've established the weakness in Kane that the WTF will be exploiting and just generally did a fair amount of set up which is very necessary given how close One Shot is. For a Fusion episode, I'm OK calling this one Good even if only just.