wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s MLW: Rise of the Renegades (Fusion Ep. 148) Review 6.09.22
Image Credit; MLW
Loading...Hey there people, tonight MLW is bringing their Rise of the Renegades special to us. The main event is a trios match when MLW World Champion Alexander Hammerstone teams with the Von Erich boys to take on Richard Holliday, King Muertes, and Mads Krugger. We’ll also see the first title defense of Caribbean champion Octagon Jr., and a grudge match between Gino Medina and Aramis.
Gino Medina heads to the ring for our first match. This is a Lumberjack Match but all the lumberjacks have leather straps to beat the wrestlers with.
Match #1 – Lumberjack Strap Match: Gino Medina vs. Aramis
Aramis attacks right away with an arm drag then a head scissors sends Gino to the apron, then he drop kicks him to the floor and the faces around the ring beat on Gino for a bit. Suicide dive from Aramis and the heels come over now leading to a ton of strap shots to both wrestlers. Back in the ring Aramis heads up top but Gino pushes him into a moonsault to the floor, then Aramis rushes back to the apron to avoid being whipped. Gino hits a suplex from the apron into the ring then tosses Aramis back out of the ring. The heels pull Aramis back out of the ring a couple of times behind the refs back for more abuse. Back in the ring Gino starts ripping at the mask of Aramis then moves into a rest hold. Aramis fights to his feet, they trade awkward strikes as it looks like they got lost for a minute there, then Aramis hits a kick and then they hit the ropes before Gino hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a 2 count. Another rest hold from Gino, then he lands a chop. Aramis avoids a Snake Eyes and hits a flying arm drag then looks to quicken the pace including a very awkward running Spanish Fly for a 2 count. Now Aramis heads up top, but Arez gets involved behind the refs back again and shoves him down, then Gino hits a strap assisted Edge O’Matic for a near fall. A lot of yelling at the ref, Aramis gets a strap and whips Gino for a bit but the ref catches him with the weapon, that distraction allows Gino to go for his finish, Aramis tries to counter into a Victory Roll but Gino just sits on him, grabs the tights directly in the refs field of view, and gets the 3 count despite Aramis clearly having a shoulder up.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Gino Medina won 5:40
Rating: 1.5 stars
This was a mess. Way too much interference, way too much making the ref look like an idiot, sloppy finish, just very little positive I can say here. Gino Medina has not improved in the ways you’d hope he would since splitting from Richard Holliday almost two years ago now. This also feels like Medina only won because he’s the MLW guy while Aramis is more just on tour, despite the skill gap favoring Aramis.
Post match Gino gets an interview, he’s immediately jumped by Aramis to save us from a Gino promo. They fight into the ring where Gino hits a low blow then removes the mask of Aramis before tossing it back at him and heading out.
We finally get a bit of an announcement about the women’s featherweight title, later tonight Cesar Duran will announce the two women who will vie for the inaugural title.
We get a video of Hammerstone and the Von Erichs talking in front of an American flag. They all run down Duran for having it out for all of them and promise to prove that Texas if Von Hammer country.
Richard Holliday is in the back and insults Hammerstone’s intelligence before putting over his own team as guys who have great track records against Hammerstone. Holliday diminishes the legacy of the Dynasty by claiming it was always about him (MJF would disagree).
We get our announcement about the women’s Featherweight championship, next week Holidead will take on Taya Valkyrie. Well if Taya has signed she’s a shoe in, if she hasn’t I expect shenanigans.
Match #2 – Caribbean Title Match: (c) Octagon Jr. vs. Matt Cross
They tie up, then Octagon hits an arm breaker then grabs an arm wringer. Cross counters the arm wringer then grabs a chin lock but Octagon slips free and grabs a crucifix for a 2 count. They trade sweeps and lateral presses into a stand off. We get a hand shake after that, then another tie up. Octagon grabs a side headlock then hits a shoulder block, they start running the ropes then Octagon hits a chop and a top rope arm drag that sends Cross out of the ring. That allows Octagon to hit an Asai moonsault to the floor and take out Cross. We get a minor cut and come back to Octagon sending Cross back into the ring for a 2 count. Octagon lays in kicks in the corner then hits a knee to the back and he grabs a surfboard arm stretch. Cross fights free and hits a wheelbarrow facebuster. Jumping elbow from Cross, he’s taking his time with his offense at the moment. Cross bounces Octagon into each corner, all that gets a 2 count. Octagon avoids a corner splash then hits a gamengiri and a slingshot corkscrew plancha gets a 2 count. They head up to the top rope where they trade blows until Cross knocks Octagon down then hits a double stomp and follows up with a seated pump kick for a near fall. Cross heads up top for the Shooting Star Press but Octagon hits him with a kick then climbs up with him and connects with a top rope hurricanrana. Now Cross fires up out of nowhere and hits a Cross Cutter for a near fall. Cross heads up top again, but again takes too long to play with the crowd and that delay allows Octagon to avoids the press then hits a spinning Package Piledriver that gets the 3 count.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Octagon Jr. retained the title in 9:00
Rating: 3 stars
Slightly generous three but it was enough above average that I’m OK going that high. This wasn’t quite the high flying or athletic affair I anticipated, but that’s a personal expectation issue. Everything was clean here, Cross was competitive against the champ, Octagon got to show off his skills again as he continues to build his presence in MLW, and while the pace was a bit slow at times it was slowed down more to interact with the audience than just to bore everyone.
In the back Duran and a goon walk around, he finds Microman and say he’d ben taking out Microman personally if he wasn’t in a hurry to get to the airport. Holidead, Mini Abismo Negro, and Dr. Dax find Microman as well and threaten to sacrifice him but Taya Valkyrie is here to talk her down, and Lince Dorado shows up as well and Holidead’s crew decides this isn’t worth it and walk off.
KC Navarro walks up on Myron Reed, Navarro shows off his new nZo inspired attitude, Reed tells him all he has to do is ask if he wants a title shot. Navarro continues to be annoying, thanks him for the shot and then walks off. Well, this is certainly a direction you could take a character I guess.
Mads Krugger video, he’s been a mercenary and now his current bargain has been made. He’ll do the bidding of Duran and decimate Hammerstone and the Von Erichs, in exchange he’ll get a Weapons of Mass Destruction match against Jacob Fatu to once and for all settle their issue.
Killer Kross video, this time with Scarlett Bordeaux footage added in. If Kross is making something of a more serious commitment to MLW he might be a serious contender to win the Battle Riot, though Holliday is still the odds on favorite.
Another update on the participants in the Battle Riot, nZo, Davey Richards, Little Guido, Ace Romero, Savio Vega, and the very aged Los Maximos are the ones announced this week.
Video from earlier today when Jacob Fatu and Juicy Finau walk through the parking lot. Fatu reminds us the Polynesians go deep, not just the Usos, his big Tongan brother is here now. Juicy says they’re rooted in the streets, and they’re here. Fatu doesn’t care who’s in their way, anyone in their path has messed up.
Outside we see Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas arrive. Kane wants there to be more cameras present, then plays coy about who’s bankrolling the Bomaye Fight Club. We should be more concerned with who’s joining them than who’s bankrolling them. They’re letting Thomas talk more and it’s to his benefit, Kane still struggles mightily because he sounds incredibly scripted.
To the ring for our main event.
Match #3 – Trios Match: Alexander Hammerstone and the Von Erichs (Ross and Marshall) vs. Mads Krugger, King Muertes, and Richard Holliday w/ Alicia Atout
Things start off with a wild brawl between all six men, eventually things settle down with the faces standing tall so the match can begin properly. Marshall and Holliday square up, Holliday grabs a side headlock and channels his inner Jericho by yelling “Ask him” repeatedly. Holliday hits a shoulder block and poses, then he runs into a drop kick and tags out. Ross and Krugger are legal now, Krugger tosses Ross into a corner but Ross avoids a splash and then he and Marshall yank Krugger off of the ropes and he takes some tandem offense for a 1 count. Krugger fights back and hits a double clothesline to send both Ross and Marshall down. Some corner work from Krugger now, and Ross will be playing face in peril per usual I guess. Krugger chops Ross down then tags in Muertes who starts laying in stomps. Corner clotheslines from Muertes, then he runs into a boot but catches Ross with a uranage. Ross reaches for a tag but Muertes hip tosses him away from his team mates. Holliday tags back in, he stomps on Ross then distracts the ref so Muertes and Krugger can drag Ross out of the ring and abuse him for a bit. Back in the ring Holliday hits a neckbreaker then tries the Garvin stomp. Sick Kick from Ross drops Holliday and they’re both down. Muertes and Hammerstone tag in, Hammerstone gets to run wild with suplexes of all kinds to Muertes and Krugger. Krugger gets taken out on the floor by both Von Erich boys as Hammerstone goes after Holliday, but Muertes breaks up a Nightmare Pendulum attempt. Hammerstone runs into a snap powerslam from Muertes that gets a near fall. Pump kick from Hammerstone, he tries another Nightmare Pendulum and hits it but Alicia distracts the ref so there’s no pin. Alicia hands her shoe to Holliday, Muertes tags out and Holliday cracks Hammerstone with the shoe, hits the 2008 and pins Hammerstone.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Richard Holliday, Mads Krugger, and King Muertes won in 9:32
Rating: 2.5 stars
Decent trios match, some poor camera work near the end though as there was clearly brawling between Krugger and the Von Erichs that was totally unaddressed. Holliday getting a dirty pinfall over Hammerstone to further their rivalry makes sense, it’ll let him gloat and continue to build to their inevitable clash.
The heels head out to end the episode.
