wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW: Fusion Review 2.11.22
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...Hey there people, time for more MLW action. This week MLW is back under the Fusion brand and have a pretty solid card on paper to support the new season. Cesar Duran’s war against The Dynasty continues as Richard Holliday takes on King Muertes, and MLW world champion Alexander Hammerstone puts his title up against Pagano. We’ll also have EJ Nduka in action, another look at Jacob “Makin’ a difference” Fatu, and 5150 will address their situation as they don’t have a title challenger lined up after the Von Erichs tested positive for Covid. We’re in Dallas, Texas for this set of tapings so let’s get to the action.
Cesar Duran speaks to the camera to get us going, he drops some typical Texas style slogans and disses Dallas relative to Tijuana. He then compares Texas to Hammerstone, all talk and no spirit. Tonight Pagano will destroy Hammerstone and bring the title back to Mexico. A few more cheap shots at Dallas and Texas end that segment. Duran’s commitment to his delivery remains strong, but that felt like a very weak promo.
Match #1 – Caribbean Title Match: (c) King Muertes vs. Richard Holliday
They stare down then tie up. They break, then trade shoves and chops but Muertes is better built for a brawl. A double shoulder tackle spot then Muertes lands more chops. Holliday fights out of the corner with strikes but he can’t get Muertes off of his feet. They run the ropes and Holliday finally drops Muertes then hits a scoop slam for a 2 count. Holliday heads up top, misses the flying clothesline and turns into a Spear from Muertes. Muertes lays in strikes on the mat then catapults Holliday into the bottom rope. A DDT from Muertes connects, then Muertes goes after the back of Holliday. Muertes posts himself as Holliday avoids a corner shoulder tackle, then Holliday tries the same move but likewise ends up posted, then a double clothesline spot and both men are down. Holliday eggs Muertes on and starts laying in strikes, then a clothesline off of the ropes. Muertes slips off of the shoulders of Holliday, then winds up eating a hanging DDT for a 1 count. Holliday tries for the 2008 but Muertes shoves him off then catches him with a snap powerslam. Muertes fires up and hits a backstabber for a 2 count. Muertes tries for a suplex, but Holliday counters into the 2008 but the masked goons show up to distract the ref. We get a brief cut to the back where Hammerstone is fighting a few goons. One goon runs into the ring with a chair but Holliday drop kicks it into his face, the goon performed that rather badly. Muertes catches Holliday with the Straight to Hell onto that same chair though, and the masked goons distracting the ref leave so Muertes can get the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: King Muertes retained the Caribbean Title in about 7:33 (there was a commercial break that didn’t seem to cut any action out)
Rating: 3 stars
Good overall match, Holliday as the babyface works rather well as the man can show some fire. Letting him get the visual win over Muertes is a nice touch, but it’s also clearly not quite time for him to slay this particular dragon.
Back to the video series on Jacob Fatu. Fatu shops at a convenience store then we get a repeat of him saying he shouldn’t be here. He talks about being in proximity to a drive by shooting ahead of a Fightland event, and he saw someone die that night and it changed him. Professional wrestling saved him. This isn’t a gimmick, this is the real him and the loss of Contra and his brothers still hurts but sometimes things don’t work out. At the end of the day he’s coming back for that MLW World title, maybe not today or tomorrow, but real soon.
Another grainy video package with the hourglass and this time we get some quick visuals of the wrestler and I’m fairly certain it’s Killer Kross.
We get a little video from Saint Laurent, he’s finally found the best pound for pound fighter in the world and he’s bringing him to MLW. Next week he’ll meet with Cesar Duran to talk about debuting his new fighter.
In the back Hammerstone checks on Holliday, who’s with Alicia Atout. Holliday claims he’s good, Alicia agrees and Holliday promises to have Hammerstone’s back tonight. Well that’s not ominously framed or anything.
Match #2: EJ Nduka vs. Ikuro Kwon
Kwon jumps EJ at the bell with a drop kick, then calls on EJ. EJ walks into a couple of kicks then Kwon unloads kicks in the corner before EJ launches him across the ring with a right hand. EJ catches a kick and turns that into a spinning back elbow to floor Kwon. Kwon gets hauled up and face planted with ease. Oklahoma Stampede from EJ connects and he could probably get the pin but decides against that. Kwon tries to fight back with a kick but EJ floors him with a clubbing blow to the back. EJ hoists Kwon onto his shoulders, switches that into The Verdict then gets the pin with one foot on Kwon’s chest.
OFFICIAL RESULT: EJ Nduka won in 2:25
Rating: Kiszombori. . . SQUASH
EJ leaning just a touch heelish recently, not necessarily a bad thing as a man with his size on the indies is going to get a bit more mileage out of being a bully. I’m still a little flummoxed that WWE let him go from developmental when they did, he’s physically right up their alley.
Post match Kwon complains on the mic that he kicked out and isn’t leaving because he didn’t lose. He wants another fight right now, he’s not a stepping stone. That leads to him calling out the back stabber Jacob Fatu. Fatu answers the call and he starts brawling with Kwon. Kwon hits a super kick but Fatu drills him with a Catatonic. Fatu heads out and gets a table, then hits a hip attack back in the ring. The table is now set up, Fatu puts Kwon on the table and puts him through it with a top rope splash. Nice in action reintroduction for Fatu.
We get confirmation that Killer Kross will be returning to MLW for the SuperFight card.
5150 video, they talk about defending the MLW tag team titles next week against Los Parks despite Konnan being in the hospital. They dedicate the upcoming fight to Konnan. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Match #3 – Falls Count Anywhere MLW World Heavyweight Title Match: (c) Alexander Hammerstone vs. Pagano
No rules for this match, so we’ll get chaos at some point. Both men avoid kicks before Pagano hits a clothesline. Pagano lays in more strikes but runs into a pump kick. They run the ropes before Pagano hits a hip toss. More strikes from Pagano then a scoop slam. Pagano heads out of the ring and climbs into the crowd so he can get a plastic trash can. Back in the ring Pagano keeps laying in strikes then climbs the ropes with the trash can and tries a can assisted moonsault but Hammerstone moves. Hammerstone then powerbombs Pagano onto the trash can. They head out of the ring and Hammerstone starts laying in weapon shots. Pagano fights back with strikes then sets up a car hood but Hammerstone tosses him into it as it’s set up on the barricade. Hammerstone goes for a pin on the floor that gets a 2 count. Pagano lays in shots with pizza tins. Hammerstone gets a plunger and whacks Pagano with it then back suplexes him onto the ring apron. Pagano decides to no sell it and lays in more strikes. Pagano gets a bunch of skewers but instead uses a few other weapons. Hammerstone fights back with punches but Pagano drives him into a metal post. They head back towards the ring, then fight on the entrance ramp. Pagano lands a clothesline and they fight to the back and we get a minor cut.
In the back Hammerstone and Pagano brawl, they find themselves fighting through the crowd and Hammerstone hits a scoop slam. Pagano fights back and hits a modified Pedigree on the floor. Now the skewers come into play as Pagano hits Hammerstone with them then they head to the entrance ramp again. Pagano kicks the second rope into Hammerstone’s crotch as he’s getting back in the ring, then tries to stick the skewers into Hammerstone but Hammerstone blocks him and hits a low blow. Hammerstone gets the skewers the drives them into the head of Pagano then drills him with a clothesline for a 2 count. Pagano gets the skewers out of his head and hits an offensive flurry for a near fall. Hammerstone fights back and hits a Burning Hammer but Pagano kicks out, earning my ire. Maybe my appreciation for Kenta Kobashi is too strong, but that’s not a move you should kick out of. Hammerstone gets a board and sets it up in the corner then starts brawling with Pagano back on the floor. Hammerstone gets a chair and hits Pagano with it but Pagano climbs onto the ropes and leg drops Hammerstone ad he was getting back in the ring. Pagano hits a rope assisted piledriver onto a chair for a 2 count. Pagano gets the chair, they trade avoiding each other then Pagano kicks the chair into Hammerstone’s head a few times before hitting a chair assisted Codebreaker for a near fall. On the floor again now Pagano lays in strikes as Hammerstone is seated in the chair, then Pagano sets for a dive but Hammerstone avoids him and Pagano flattens the chair on the dive. Cover from Hammerstone only gets 2. Back into the ring Hammerstone heads up top and hits a drop kick that drives Pagano through the board that had been set up. Masked goons show up, Hammerstone blasts them but Pagano is able to take the board and whack Hammerstone with it. Richard Holliday shows up and uses a baseball bat to attack the masked goons while Hammerstone drills Pagano with the Nightmare Pendulum and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexander Hammerstone retained the MLW World title in 17:15
Rating: 2 stars
That did not need to be that long, and Pagano hasn’t impressed me during his MLW stint, he’s been a bit boring, a touch sloppy, and his timing has been off constantly. Some of that could be a language barrier, but still it’s been a rough few weeks with him as a focal point.
Post match Holliday and Alicia Atout head to the ring, Alicia allegedly to interview and Holliday because of reasons. Alicia can’t get the mic to work, then she low blows Hammerstone from behind and Holliday jumps him from behind. Holliday screams that it should have been him while Alicia trash talks the crowd. Holliday gets his bat and hits Hammerstone with it then chokes him with the bat. Alicia lays in a slap then Holliday poses with the title over the fallen champion, and makes out with Alicia. They’d been teasing the Holliday heel turn for a while, Alicia turning with him is a touch surprising though.
