wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW Holiday Rush Review 12.24.23
Image Credit: MLW
Loading...So, it seems that in MLW’s infinite wisdom they’ve decided that Christmas Eve is a great time to air an event. I’m not sure I can express with words how poor that decision making is. But, because I am a good and loyal employee independent blogger here I am. Tonight we’ve got the Bomaye Fight Club trying for tag team gold against the Second Gear Crew, Ichiban taking on Salina de la Renta in an intergender match with a possible shot at Rocky Romero on the line for Ichiban, and the last match in MLW for former champion Alex Hammerstone when he takes on Jacob Fatu. Apologies if that knowledge gives away the outcome of the match. I’m sure there’s more given the runtime of this event, but that’s the preamble. Everything we’re getting tonight is from the One Shot tapings.
We get a brief recap of the formation of the World Titan Federation including Richard Holliday returning. Apparently Holliday is on a per appearance deal instead of a full contract, and apologies if that spoils his match with Alex Kane for the world title at Kings of Colosseum.
To the ring for our first match.
Match #1 – 6-Way Scramble Match: Akira vs. Love Doug vs. Nolo Kitano vs. Alec Price vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin vs. J Bouji
Doug and Gosselin attack each other on the ramp while in the ring everyone trades kicks. Price and Akira wind up in the ring together and Price hits a springboard crossbody. Kitano with strikes to Price then an arm drag and a tornado kick. Bouji dropkicks Kitano and then eventually follows up with a German suplex. Akira comes in and chops away at Kitano and Bouji then slams them into each other. Gosselin attacks Akira but Doug shows up then gets slammed down by the hair. Gosselin with a Sleeper to Doug, Bouji joins and we get a bit chain of Sleeper holds, which turns into a weird almost conga line before Kitano dropkicks the line down. Doug gets to shine for a bit before Bouji takes him out with a Pele kick. Price with a flurry to Bouji, then Kitano takes him out with a springboard Meteora. Akira with a bridging German to Kitano but only 2. Akira then hits Bouji on the top rope and climbs up there with him, Kitano shows up and tries to superplex Bouji, Price joins in then Akira comes back into frame to complete the Tower of Doom spot. Gosselin superkicks Akira, then Doug with a crossbody to Gosselin. Eye poke from Gosselin to Doug and he mocks the blinded Doug. Akira gets the red bag that Doug brought down and hits everyone with it. Doug then Spears Gosselin and lays in punches, reclaims his red bag and they mess up a spot with candy flying out of the bag after kicking it on the head of Gosselin. I get the idea but that didn’t work, and now you’ve got Hershey Kisses all over the ring. Akira kisses Doug, OK then, and helps him hit a Shiranui on Gosselin then Doug hits a clothesline on Akira. Bouji and Doug now, Bouji with a Cody Cutter to dispose of Doug. Everyone’s getting their stuff in because here’s Kitano with a knee then Trigams Rotation (very silly double underhook over rotated Overdrive) but here’s Price to kick Kitano in the head then hit a spinning DDT. Price sets to dive and launches himself onto the pile of bodies on the floor. Back in the ring Akira kicks Price several times then hits the Death Penalty to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Akira won in 7:45
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Scramble matches like this are more or less always spot fests, this was no exception. Everyone got a chance to get some stuff in, but Akira is the guy trying to build momentum while a lot of time was devoted to setting up the future match between Doug and Gosselin.
Post match Akira gets a chair and a mic, then sits to talk. He wants to tell us a story, he was part of a storm that came to MLW at the start of this year alongside Raven. It owned this company, and the company feared them. He believed Raven, but Raven vanished and Rickey Shane Page took over. He saps the energy out of everything he’s ever touched, RSP is a leech trying to suck the life and energy from everyone. Well storms don’t last forever, it can’t rain all the time, and he’s going to end the Calling. RSP will catch death through Akira. The Calling interrupts this, RSP is flanked by the masked goons. Cannonball heads to the ring but Akira crushes him with a chair. The other goons show up and Akira fights them off but RSP shows up at the end to punch him down. Another slap from RSP and he calls on Akira, they start trading slaps before RSP hits the Raven Effect DDT. RSP tries to pose over Akira but Akira takes him to dick kick city and finally officials show up to separate Akira from RSP. Commentary announce that RSP will defend his openweight title against Akira in a Taipei Death Match at Kings of Colosseum. OK then.
Salina de la Renta’s goons are in the back helping her warm up for her match tonight. Salina sees a bag and freaks out, she heads out saying she needs to find something out. That’s another hint that Cesar Duran is returning, the actor in question had been filming for the Mayans TV show and is probably due back in the near future.
We get a reminder that Sami Callihan is coming back to MLW at Kings of Colosseum.
Match #2 – Triple Threat Match: Zayda w/ Mr. Saint Laurent vs. Tiara James vs. Notorious Mimi
James attacks both women and shoves Mimi into Zayda. Mimi with a Helluva kick to James then she and Zayda fight and Mimi with a Samoan Drop to drop Zayda onto James. Mimi chops away at James then hits a scoop slam. Zayda tries a head scissors, Mimi sort of counters with a side slam and I can’t help but feel that whole thing was botched. James takes some kicks from Zayda but Mimi breaks up the pin. Mimi and Zayda trade chops then James comes off the second rope and hits a dropkick to both women. James picks up Mimi and hits an over the shoulder gut buster then a spinebuster to Zayda but Mimi kicks out at 2 when covered. James clotheslines Mimi out of the ring then hits a running neckbreaker to Zayda but MSL helps break up the pin. Zayda with the I’m Prettier, which might be the best way to rename Christian’s old Unprettier now the Killswitch, and pins James to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Zayda won in 3:50
Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: Short, but a few flubs hurt this. Everyone involved has good character work and connected with the crowd, which is a major plus, but this felt abrupt in the layout.
Hyper Misao will be in MLW for a bit, she’ll get a title shot at Kings of Colosseum.
Match #3: Matthew Justice vs. Josh Bishop w/ MSL
We get some strikes from Justice early as he’s trying to stick and move but eventually he runs into a Black Hole Slam for a 2 count. Justice snaps Bishop over the top rope then hits a top rope shoulder block, that sends Bishop to the apron then Justice hits a Spear through the ropes to send things to the floor. Some ringside brawling but Bishop avoids a chop and then hits a release back suplex that drops Justice on the apron. Justice cares not for selling and heads into the ring to hit a dive then jumps from the apron at Bishop but Bishop catches him and rams him into the ring post. Again Justice cares not for selling and gets a chair that he whacks Bishop with, in full view of the ref mind you but the poor ref just looks on. Another chair for Justice, but Bishop clotheslines it into Justice’s face. Bishop grabs some chairs and sends them into the ring before headbutting Justice. Justice rolls into the ring while Bishop grabs a table to a big pop, and Bishop takes the table into the ring. Bishop hits Justice with another chair then sets up the table in the ring. Justice with some chair shots to Bishop to set him on the table, Justice then climbs the ropes but MSL distracts him long enough for Bishop to recover and land a headbutt. Bishop then picks up the table and hits Justice with it, good grief. Bishop sets the table up in a corner but Justice then hits him with a Spear for a 2 count. Justice picks up Bishop and tries to put Bishop through the table but MSL grabs his foot, which allows Bishop to slip free then pick Justice up and hit a Border Toss or whatever he calls his tossing release Razor’s Edge through the table and then get the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh Bishop won in 6:03
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: A bit too plunder heavy for my taste, this wasn’t a hardcore match and yet the ref had to just let them do whatever they wanted. The lack of story or selling hurt as well, but these two do have decent physical chemistry and Bishop is getting time to develop as a monster character which will help him.
Post match Justice and Bishop keep fighting to the back.
In the back Salina finishes getting ready then attacks the cameraman to send a message to Ichiban. That was not a good use of anyone’s time.
Next a recap of how Tony Deppen, TJ Crawford, and Griffin McCoy teamed up. Apparently this group goes by the “Dirty Ass Bastards” which is just, I mean I know it’s supposed to be low brow but it’s about the laziest low brow you can get.
Match #4: Tony Deppen w/ TJ Crawford and Griffin McCoy vs. Kevin Blackwood
Blackwood attacks at the bell and unloads on Deppen with chops. Deppen undoes a turnbuckle cover but Blackwood keeps kicking him. Uppercut from Deppen but he runs into a kick then Blackwood with a bridging German suplex for a 2 count. Ankle Lock from Blackwood, Griffin and Crawford distract him and he knocks them off the apron then gets rolled up for 2. Yakuza kick from Blackwood then he goes up top but Deppen avoids a double stomp only for Blackwood to grab another Ankle Lock. Deppen is able to forward roll free of the lock and send Blackwood into the exposed buckle, then School Boy him for the 3 count.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Tony Deppen won in 1:53
Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: Way too short to be anything more, I get making Blackwood chase a little more and Deppen is a very effective heel so this worked on that level but in terms of the action I can’t go any higher.
In the back Zayda interviews Richard Holliday, Holliday puts her over first then says he’s been away for a while taking offers from the top companies in the world. But only the WTF really understood this is all about making money. He says neither this crowd nor Alex Kane is the rarified air he’s used to taking in, then mocks Alex Kane’s social media as cringe, in fact it’s cringe enough to drive Holliday to swearing on live television but Zayda calms him down before that. He plays coy when asked if he’ll be around for the tag team title match later tonight. I’m a little surprised no one else has approached Holliday now that he’s not contracted to MLW, he might not be the biggest star but he’s got a nice smarmy presence and can clearly talk and would be a good addition to most rosters out there.
Matt Riddle is coming back to MLW, he’ll take on Jacob Fatu at Kings of Colosseum. OK then.
Match #5 – Triple Threat Tag Team Match: The Mane Event (Jay Lyon and Midas Black) vs. Dirty Ass Bastards (Griffin McCoy and TJ Crawford) vs. Wasted Youth (Marcus Mathers and Dyln McKay)
Winner here gets a tag team title shot. Crawford and Griffin attack everyone right away and try to isolate McKay. Not sure about the rules here, might be a free for all. Griffin and Crawford take out Black with kicks. They set Black on the top rope and attack him for a bit. Crawford and Griffin try for a double superplex but Black fights them off and hits a double dropkick. Black runs wild on both of them then Lyon slings Black into Crawford with a Spear. Griffin then eats a jumping DDT from Black and Mathers breaks up the resulting pin. Mathers with some elbows to Lyon then a crossbody to take out both of the Mane Event. Griffin takes some double team moves from Mathers and McKay, but Crawford breaks up their finisher and now it’s Mathers who takes their assisted powerbomb finisher only for Lyon to dive from the ramp into the ring and breaks up the pin. McKay takes kicks from Black and Lyon but McKay with a Canadian Destroyer to Lyon. Black takes a kick from Mathers, then the Finlay Roll into the Shooting Star Press, McKay then with a Fosbury Flop to cut off the potential save as Mathers hits a 450 Splash onto Black and gets the pin.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Wasted Youth won in 4:12
Rating: 1.5 stars
Thoughts: Again too spot filled to really settle into anything that matters in terms of narrative or physical story. Just spots, some of them feeling like they exist just for the sake of doing them. Didn’t love this one.
In the back somewhere we see Josh Bishop and Matthew Justice fighting, they head to the roof and keep brawling. Justice puts Bishop on a conveniently placed table, climbs a ladder to the top of an adjacent building and then dives onto Bishop through the table. That seems excessive, I don’t know that either man was served by that spot.
Match #6: Salina de la Renta w/ Janai Kai, Rocky Romero, and Jesus Rodriguez vs. Ichiban
Some slow circling, Salina jaws at the crowd then calls in her goons. Ichiban disposes of the goons, Salina then sprays him with something to draw the DQ.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ichiban won via disqualification in 1:02
Rating: DUD
Thoughts: Angle, not a match. Even as an angle though this felt weak.
Predictably there’s a post match beatdown on Ichiban, some officials show up but they’re held off as Rocky unmasks Ichiban. Mascara Dorada shows up and is pissed and chases Rocky and crew to the back.
Match #7 – Tag Team Title Match: (c) Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders and Masked Good Brother #3) vs. Bomaye Fight Club (Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas)
Kane and Brother start us off, they wait around as both men try to get some crowd involvement. It’s amazing how much more silent those “bomaye” chants are once the paid entourage isn’t there to artificially inflate them. Kane gets shoved by Brother, but Kane out wrestles him early. Brother wants to fight and Kane obliges him, so they trade strikes for a bit then Brother with a boot. A few headbutts from Brother, he’s out brawling Kane to this point and they trade punches before both men stagger to their corners and tag out. Now Thomas and Manders up the tempo and really lay into each other, I’d really love to know why they went with Kane as champ over Thomas. Manders and Thomas unload with chops, then we get all four men brawling. Brother and Kane brawl on the floor while Thomas slams Manders down. Thomas goes up top but Manders and Brother find him up there and climb up top, then hit the double superplex. Kane gets tagged in now and attacks both Manders and Brother, looks like they have a timing issue briefly but ultimately Kane and Brother are alone. German suplex from Kane then Big E’s apron splash to Manders. Next, because his stuff isn’t derivative enough, Kane grabs an Ankle Lock on Manders. Kane winds up distracted by MSL and Zayda who are ringside and Brother boots Kane. That doesn’t matter as Kane fights off both Manders and Brother then Thomas is in as well. MSL grabs the leg of Kane, so Kane goes out to menace MSL but here’s Richard Holliday to try and calm things. Kane, being a jerk, shoves Holliday for no good reason. Holliday tosses his drink into Kane’s face and the two men start brawling which prompts the DQ.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Bomaye Fight Club won via disqualification in 7:30
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: The crowd never got into this one, but Manders and Thomas showed some serious fire between them and I appreciate that. Brother and Kane felt like they were just walking through stuff, which isn’t too uncommon given the general pace that Mance Warner operates at and Kane not wanting to do anything stupid between bouts that actually matter. Ultimately a bit disappointing, lacking structure or crowd investment.
Tom Lawlor and Josh Bishop show up with chairs to attack Thomas and Kane. Justice shows up and gets attacked as well. Manders and Brother show up but they get cut off, Justice who still doesn’t care for selling anything short of a shotgun blast, keeps attacking Bishop as officials show up to try and restore order.
In the back Janai Kai and Delmi Exo trade barbs then get physical and officials separate them. Delmi’s acting is quite poor. Eventually a couple of masked Azteca goons show up with a letter for Delmi.
Main event time.
Tom Lawlor and Josh Bishop will get a tag team title shot at Kings of Colosseum.
Main event time.
Match #8: Jacob Fatu vs. Alex Hammerstone w/ MSL
Intense stare down to start, then they tie up and Hammerstone grabs a side headlock then Hammerstone with a shoulder block but Fatu doesn’t go down. Kick from Hammerstone then another headlock then stomps in the corner. Back elbow from Hammerstone, he’s got the timing on that move down nicely. Fatu fights back with rights then a corner avalanche. Whisper in the Wind from Fatu, Hammerstone heads outside and Fatu then dives onto him. Some ringside brawling now as Fatu bounces Hammerstone off the ring post then pie faces MSL briefly. Back in the ring Fatu hits a Swanton Bomb for a 2 count. Hammerstone hides behind the ref to avoid a superkick then hits a Sick Kick to floor Fatu. Mounted punches from Hammerstone then he poses for the crowd. Some more strikes from Hammerstone then a pump kick as Fatu is draped across the apron. In the ring Hammerstone does some pushups while the ref starts counting out Fatu. Fatu easily beats the count but Hammerstone is all over him with a hard whip into the corner. Hammerstone starts working the lower back of Fatu then hits a back suplex for a 2 count.
Superkick from Fatu to drop Hammerstone and both men are down. Hammerstone starts trying to Hammer up and then he and Fatu start trading punches then Hammerstone avoids a pop up Samoan Drop but Fatu hits a corner avalanche then a hip attack followed by a running Vader Bomb but that all only gets a 2 count. Another superkick from Fatu then a handspring moonsault but Hammerstone blocks that with his knees and follows up with a powerslam then a butterfly suplex and a near fall. The crowd with a “steroids” chant at Hammerstone, so to mock them back he mimes injecting himself to get fired up, which was actually pretty cool. Hammerstone wants the Nightmare Pendulum but Fatu blocks and lands corner punches. Fatu runs into a boot, Hammerstone up top but Fatu cuts him off with a punch. Hammerstone and Fatu trade some headbutts then Fatu bites Hammerstone before climbing up there with him for a super hurricanrana from the big man, impressive stuff, and both men are down. Fatu heads up top but Hammerstone shoves the ref into the ropes which drops Fatu across the top rope. Hammerstone and Fatu now fight on the top rope, and Hammerstone with a super over head belly to belly suplex but it takes him a bit too long to make the cover so he only gets a near fall.
They start trading punches from their knees, slowly move up and keep trading strikes. More strikes are traded, Fatu with a discus punch but Hammerstone comes back with a flurry but he headbutts Fatu and you can’t headbutt a Samoan. Fatu with a flurry of headbutts but then runs into a back elbow. Superkick from Fatu but Hammerstone with a pump kick then a release German suplex and a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. Hammerstone with the Nightmare Pendulum but Fatu kicks out at 2. Hammerstone charges into a pop up Samoan Drop, then Fatu with the double jump moonsault, but a lazy pin and Hammerstone counters into a crucifix for 2. Another superkick from Fatu, then another one and a Samoan Spike then another double jump moonsault and that finally ends things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jacob Fatu won in 15:48
Rating: 3.5 stars
Thoughts: These two have always had good chemistry and this was no exception. Fatu finally climbing the personal mountain that is Hammerstone makes sense, especially since Fatu has been doing a lot of jobs lately and Hammerstone is leaving. But this was a nice closing chapter for their rivalry, Hammerstone overpowered Fatu both previous times while here Fatu was able to finally find the combination of higher flying stuff and bring out the Samoan Spike to finally get the win. Fatu’s constant allusions to his more successful and well known family members can get a little tiring, but it made sense here to reach into the family playbook and find something, anything, that could get him an edge over Hammerstone.
MSL heads out after the pin, they might be setting up Hammerstone for a slightly more positive farewell moment. Fatu and Hammerstone share a hug on the floor before Fatu heads to the back. Hammerstone gets a mic and returns to the ring, he says he’s not supposed to talk right now and he might get in hot water over this but he’s got good intentions here. Anyone who’s been online thinks they might know about what’s going on, but he’s here to talk about MLW. For the last couple of months he’s been frustrated and angry, but tonight he’s only grateful. This company took a kid that no one else wanted, he tried out for Impact, WWE, Lucha Underground, and everyone passed on him. But Court Bauer saw him and just signed him to a three year contract. Before that contract was up, he paid Hammerstone a whole lot more. There’s a lot to be said about Bauer and MLW, and this hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows but MLW took a kid and made him into a man, took a boy and helped him turn into a wrestling superstar. Tonight might be his last time in an MLW ring for a while, and while his ego wants to take credit for MLW the reality is MLW helped build Hammerstone. Whatever he does next he’s the guy that MLW built. This does get a “thank you Alex” chant, he quiets that and says this isn’t about him anymore it’s about the rising talent. The wheel keeps turning, this is about RSP, Manders, Bishop, everyone in the back who will continue make MLW successful. Heck, it’s even about that kid he hates Alex Kane. He apologizes for getting a little long winded and emotional, but thank you all. Hammerstone and Bauer hug on the entrance ramp. Pretty good farewell promo from Hammerstone, and for whatever this is worth I wish him well wherever he lands.
We get a little video from Matt Riddle, he’s in Las Vegas right now but he’s excited to be back in MLW and go after that MLW world title. The only person who stands out to him right now is Fatu and he’ll see him at Kings of Colosseum.
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