Winfree’s MLW Underground (Episode 11) Review

Hey there everyone and welcome to another re-airing of MLW Underground. I’m Robert Winfree, still trapped in this time vortex and desperately reporting back in some vain hopes of escape. Tonight promises a match between Christopher Daniels and Homicide, that could be interesting especially given how often their paths would cross over the years.

We get a recap of the Kojima vs. Johnny Smith match from last week, I really wish we could just get that match in its entirety. This is mostly the last 8 or so minutes of the match, so a fairly straight rehash. After that we head into the show proper. Joey Styles hosts us again. He brings up some debuting talent tonight, as well as giving us the rundown for what’s on deck tonight.

Oh hey, we get a wrestling match. That’s neat.

Match #1 – Tag Team Match: Hot Commodity (EZ Money & Julio Dinero) vs. Masada and Nosawa

Pearl Harbor job from Commodity but Masada and Nosawa send them outside. Nosawa takes everyone out with a baseball slide and Nosawa squares off with Dinero in the ring. Nosawa gets the better of this with kicks and Dinero tags out. Money in but is cut off by Masada and he gets double teamed for a bit. Chops from Masada to Money then a hurricanrana. Money hits a jaw breaker and tags in Dinero. Dinero put the boots to Masada for a bit. Masada avoids an elbow drop and looks to take over but a blind tag from Money lets him get a surprise clothesline for a near fall. Inverted Boston Crab from Money, then he locks a full pendulum and Dinero lands a knee to the head. Dinero tagged in, they isolate Masada for a bit. Dinero hits a corkscrew suplex then the jalapeno popper spinning kick for another near fall. Masada survives for a bit more, takes some double team offense but he wont go away. Scoop slam from Money then a standing moonsault for a near fall. That leads us to a break.

Back from that commercial break and Masada is still taking a beating. Quick tags from Hot Commodity but they can’t put Masada away. Money Roll from Money and he climbs to the top rope. Masada catches him with a kick to the groin then a German suplex and both men are down. Both men tag out and Nosawa comes in as the proverbial dwelling dealing with arson, shining wizard to Dinero then a kick for Money. Nosawa clotheslines Money down, then climbs to the top rope and frog splashes Money. Things break down and Dinero gets double teamed, then double power bombed for a near fall. Money gets tossed to the outside, Masada tries to head scissors him but gets powerbombed onto the concrete. In the ring Nosawa hits a Michinoku driver for a near fall. Dinero hits an STO, Money is in now and they hit their double team finisher to end the match.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Hot Commodity defeated Masada and Nosawa at around 9 minutes shown

Rating: 2.5 stars

One of the better matches Underground has shown thus far. It was fairly standard but well executed. It suffered from not actually having much of a face/heel dynamic, but nothing was dangerously botched and the editing didn’t ruin the match.

Styles tries to put over the possibility of Hot Commodity vs. EXTREME Horsemen for the tag titles. He transitions to putting over Paul London and his upcoming series of matches with Jerry Lynn. Next he recaps the growing issue between Raven and CM Punk and their contrasting lifestyles. He also hypes up the upcoming world title match between Kojima and Mike Awesome.

Promo from Masato Tanaka, it’s all in Japanese that goes untranslated. Back to Styles, still hyping Kojima vs. Awesome. He moves on to recapping the issue between Los Maximos and Samoan Island Tribe.

Los Maximos promo now, they’re standing where the Samoan’s laid them out before. They promise that all they got was a taste of the Maximos, and encourage us to expect the unexpected. That isn’t a good catchphrase but darn if they aren’t trying really hard to get it over.

Styles now talking about Simon Diamond and CW Anderson as well as some of the mission statement of the EXTREME Horsemen. Now a bit of hype for an upcoming Jr. Heavyweight title tournament, Styles mentions Fuego Guerrero specifically. I almost feel bad for Styles, he’s having to carry so much of these broadcasts. A little video package for what Kojima has done to further hype his clash with Awesome.

Back to Styles, talking about the pairing of Francine and Michael Shane. That leads to Simply Luscious and a promo. She tells someone that she used to look up to them but now they’re different but it’s not too late and they should reach out to her. Back to Styles who introduces the main event.

Match #2: Christopher Daniels w/ Jerry Lynn vs. Homicide

They tie up and trade arm wringer sequences. Fairly typical indy sequences follow until Homicide takes Daniels down to the outside. The famous Drive By dive from Homicide, Styles jokes that if he missed that they’d change his name to Suicide, and somewhere a future creative contributor to TNA thinks that’s a great idea. Back in the ring with Homicide in control laying in kicks but Jerry Lynn gets involved buying Daniels enough time to hit an STO. That gets us to a cut.

Back with Daniels in control. Homicide hits a cross body but runs into another STO to cut off his momentum. Overhead suplex from Homicide then a lariat. Homicide sets Daniels on the top rope, and hits a top rope hurricanrana. Homicide up top now but Daniels avoids a diving headbutt. Uranage from Daniels then the BME for a near fall. Daniels sets for the Angel’s Wings, Homicide fights out, tries the Cop Killa but Daniels avoids that and Homicide lands a clothesline. Lynn up on the apron again, Daniels gets sent into him Homicide rolls Daniels up but only gets two. Homicide hits a mafia kick for the finish.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Homicide pinned Christopher Daniels at around 5 minutes shown

Rating: 2 stars

The editing killed this I think. Both men could go back when this match happened, they told a decent enough story of Homicide being able to wrestling with Daniels rather than just being a brawler. Somewhat surprising outcome, the story their trying to tell with Lynn and Daniels isn’t getting off the ground if those two keep losing all their matches though.

Post match Lynn and Daniels beat down Homicide to stand tall as the episode ends.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Two solid matches, but the down time between them was kind of a momentum killer. The editing for the main event hurt as well, those two probably needed the extra 3-6 minutes that got cut to really flesh out their match. But we're talking early 2000's Daniels and Homicide, the in ring quality was always going to be there. On the whole, better than last week.