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Winfree’s MLW Underground (Ep. 27) Review 6.16.21

June 16, 2021 | Posted by Robert Winfree
MLW Underground 6-16-21 Image Credit: MLW/YouTUbe
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Winfree’s MLW Underground (Ep. 27) Review 6.16.21  

Hello everyone, and welcome to another re-airing of MLW Underground. Tonight the MLW debut of Low Ki as he battles Homicide, a match that was part of the Low Ki Anthology released last year, plus Sonjay Dutt defending the Jr. Heavyweight title against Jack Evans. Dutt and Evans circa 2004 should be athletic as can be. Also a tag team match when The Stampede Bulldogs take on Puma and Bobby Quance. For a 2004 era indy show that’s not the worst lineup. Let’s get into the action.

For starters we’ve got new intro music, pay respects to When Worlds Collide by Powerman 5000 as it’s tenure is over. There’s also a new commentary team, Eric Gargiulo who’s voice was lent to a ton of independent wrestling federations around this time and Julius Smokes.

Match #1 – Tag Team Match: The Stampede Bulldogs (Harry Smith and TJ Wilson) vs. Puma and Bobby Quance

TJ Wilson is much better known by the ring name Tyson Kidd. Both Wilson and Smith look very young here, or maybe I’m just very old. Smith and Quance start us off. They tie up and the buzzcut Smith complains of a hair pull. Another tie up, they move to the mat this time then trade arm wringers and escapes, Quance gets a back heel trip and grabs a side headlock as we get a cut. We come back to Kidd and Puma trading wrist locks and escapes with Wilson getting a leg lock and Puma heads into the ropes to break the hold. Puma lands a leg kick. They tie up and Puma lands a shoulder block then a tilt a whirl head scissor and jumping back kick. Wilson avoids a corner rush, but gets caught with a kick then counters a tornado DDT by setting Puma on the apron and Smith with a super kick. Smith lays into Puma on the outside for a bit while Wilson distracts the ref. Snap suplex from Wilson then Smith tags in. Smith runs over Puma for a bit, tags Wilson back in and they hit a double team move, Wilson gets an ankle lock while Smith keeps Quance out of the equation but Puma does get to the ropes to save himself. More strikes from Wilson, then he’s caught in a hurricanrana but Smith tags back in and lands a leg drop to the back of the head of Puma. Smith with chops then a back suplex for a 2 count. Puma avoids the running powerslam and tags Quance. Quance comes in and is a house on fire with kicks to both men concluding with a tornado kick to Smith. A bridging Lightning Spiral from Quance is broken up by Smith, who I think is actually the legal man but we’re running with Wilson as the legal guy on their side. Puma hits a tombstone then Quance with a shooting star press but Smith breaks up the pin. Things break down, Puma gets a bit of a triangle choke but Wilson blind sides him. Smith hoists Puma up on his shoulders, Wilson springboards off the top rope and hits a blockbuster to assist Smith’s sit out powerbomb (History in the Making) to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: The Stampede Bulldogs won

Rating: 2.5 stars

Not to use the term in an overly pejorative sense, but that was very indy-riffic. Some impressive spots but no connective tissue. That said, everyone here was still fairly young in the business and everyone would get better in that respect later in their careers.

In the back a man with a hood covering his face complains that despite years of breaking his ass in professional wrestling he has no respect. He’s pushed aside his family, has been in the hospital with a myriad of injuries and nothing to show for it. But he’s going to make a statement at the expense of Vampiro. Vampiro has no respect for anything, he only shows up when he feels like it and the fans love him for it. He’s putting Vampiro on notice and he’s making his name at the expense of Vampiro. He removes the hood, and it’s PJ Friedman.

Match #2 – MLW Jr. Heavyweight Title Match: (c) Sonjay Dutt vs. Jack Evans w/ Teddy Hart

Hart joins commentary for the match. Hart and Eric can’t stop bickering long enough to actually call the match. Evans grabs a side headlock, hits a shoulder tackle then they run the ropes with Dutt getting an arm drag. Back into the ropes, Evans lands a drop kick then misses a kick as Dutt shoves him over. Dutt lays in chops and starts working a chin lock. Evans fights up and tosses Dutt out of the ring. Evans to the apron ring, Dutt catches his legs and yanks them out so Evans face plants onto the apron. Back into the ring and hurricanrana from Dutt for a near fall. They run the ropes again, and Dutt lands a big calf kick. That sends us to a cut, we come back to Dutt landing a back elbow. Clothesline from Dutt then he heads up top and hits a double jump elbow for a near fall. Scoop slam from Dutt, he wants the Hindu Press but Evans avoids him then hits a super kick but Dutt catches him in a roll up for a near fall. That felt a little botched by the ref, yeah it was because Dutt hits a standing shooting star press to pin and win. That roll up should have been the finish.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Sonjay Dutt retained the MLW Jr. Heavyweight Title

Rating: 2 stars

The editing probably hurt this, but then again Evans was still very spotty at this point so it might have been kind of a wash in the end. Between the editing and the botched ending I have to knock off half a star.

Post match Teddy Hart comes in with a springboard clothesline to floor Dutt. Some stomps from Hart and Evans, then they take out Dutt with a series of double team moves.

In the back Dutt is pissed about being laid out, he should be partying and happy but the Hart Foundation ruined his first title defense with what just happened. Dutt says the hunt has begun, and mocks Los Maximos a bit along the way. Here’s Los Maximos to say they’re not the worlds greatest scrubs, they want a trios match with Dutt at the Dragon Gate show. Dutt accepts, now he’s got to find two partners before the event.

Match #3: Homicide vs. Low Ki

They stare off and circle, then tie up into the ropes where we get a clean break from Ki. Homicide with an arm throw, Ki fights back up, gets tripped down but kips up as we get a video cut. We come back to a tie up, neither man can get free of the collar and elbow tie up and they hit the ropes with Ki going for an armbar over the ropes but loses it and Homicide gives a clean break. Homicide gets a side headlock, then a shoulder block. They rune the ropes and trade arm drags, then miss kicks and we get a stand off. Ki lands a leg kick, then another one. Homicide with a couple of body kicks then starts laying in strikes. They run the ropes and Ki lands a cross body then a drop kick. Homicide back drops Ki out of the ring, then tries for a dive but runs into a kick from Ki. Running elbow drop from Ki then a drop kick to the back of the head. Ki laying in strikes now, and bridging butterfly suplex for a near fall. They start trading strikes now, then a handspring kick in the corner from Ki lands. Homicide gets chopped to the apron and eats some kicks from Ki, but he starts firing up and hangs up the leg of Ki over the top rope. Homicide drop kicks Ki out of the ring and hits the poetic tope.

Back into the ring and Homicide gets a 2 count when he covers Ki. Homicide with a delayed vertical suplex, nice delay on that one. Snapmare from Homicide and he starts working a seated surfboard stretch. Ki fights out with a kick and we get another cut. We come back to Homicide hitting a belly to belly suplex. More strikes from Homicide, he puts Ki up on the top rope and hits an ugly top rope hurricanrana for a 2 count. That was a really scary looking spot. Homicide misses a diving headbutt, and Ki starts laying in chops. Running elbow from Ki then a drop kick to the knee. Ki starts working kicks to the chest, then Kawada kicks to the head but Homicide fights back up, but Ki rolls out of a Cop Killah and hits a rolling thunder kick then a deadlift German suplex. Ki into a cover but Homicide gets to the ropes to break it. Homicide blocks a springboard kick and hits a dragon screw leg whip to take over. Homicide hits a second one off the second rope then ties up Ki with an STF. Ki thinks about tapping, but he doesn’t and Homicide lets it go thinking he did. That spot was kind of ahead of its time, those kind of phantom taps or just errors by the attacker aren’t uncommon in MMA and grappling competitions. Ki slips off the shoulders of Homicide and locks up a Dragon Sleeper, but Homicide gets to the ropes and forces a break. Ki wants the Ki Crusher but his leg gives out, he tries a Shining Wizard but Homicide ducks, and then Ki hits the Black Magic off of it. Seth Rollins has been using that spot recently, missing the wizard, hooking the other leg around the hip and then hitting a back kick to the head. Ki into a cover but only gets 2. Another Dragon Sleeper from Ki, but Homicide fights up and drives Ki into the turnbuckle then hits a running lariat for a near fall. Homicide wants the Cop Killa, Ki slips free and gets another Dragon Sleeper, but Homicide catches him in a roll up for 3.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Homicide won

Rating: 3 stars

The cuts hurt this a bit, as did a few dangerous spots. If you want the match uncut check the Low Ki Anthology, unedited it gets another half star or so. You could clearly see how talented these two are, and how well they work together.

Post match here’s Jerry Lynn to attack Homicide. Low Ki objects and chops the crap out of Lynn. Here comes Gary Hart to encourage violence from Homicide and Ki. There’s a “fan” who gets a little uppity and Ki and Homicide attack him out in the crowd. Chaos ensues, Hart says the fans might want flips and flops but he brings violence. MLW owner Court Bauer is here to try and cool things off, Homicide blind sides him down while Hart continues talking trash. Gary Hart promises that next week Terry Funk’s career will end, I’ve got some bad news for you Mr. Hart. Bauer gets a mic, and Homicide whacks him with a broom to the head after being threatened with a fine. To close Homicide sweeps garbage onto Bauer before he and Ki head out with Gary Hart.

6.0
The final score: review Average
The 411
A few technical issues, some editing choices, and a show closing angle that just kind of went on a bit too long and was a bit directionless drop this down a bit. But Homicide and Low Ki could have a good match together in their sleep and this is no exception. Dutt and Evans was alright but never quite hit third gear and had a botched finish, then our tag team opener was hurt by a lack of story. A solid Average overall.
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article topics :

MLW Underground, Robert Winfree