Winfree’s MLW Underground (Episode 16) Review 10.24.20

Hello everyone, welcome to another re-airing of MLW Underground. We’re up to episode 16, and I have to wonder just how many more of these there are. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your recapper for the event.

We get a recap of Los Maximos and Samoan Island Tribe from last week, it’s not any better a second time though it is edited down to be shorter. Oh, it’s a quick recap of both matches from last week. Not the best call, both of those matches kind of sucked. That leads to our usual intro. I wish I could say this has been the most I’ve heard When World’s Collide by Powerman5000 but I was in junior high and high school during the early 2000’s so I’d be lying.

Joey Styles welcomes us to the broadcast. He talks about the collision coming between Corino, Funk, and Awesome then sends us to the ring for a match.

Match #1 – Triple Threat Match: Fast Eddie vs. Don Juan vs. Masada

Apparently all three of these men are from the Texas Wrestling Academy trying to earn a spot on the roster. Masada is the only one of these gentlemen who’s name rings a bell for me though. Masada and Don Juan double team Eddie for a bit. Don Juan and Masada square off and we get the typical 2000’s indy wrestling sequence. Masada hits a full nelson face buster (skull crushing finale) then they trade arm wringer sequences before Masada hits a northern lights suplex. Eddie with kicks to both Masada and Don Juan. Chops traded by Eddie and Masada as we head to break.

Back as Don Juan and Eddie work around the ring apron. Eddie hits a head scissors take over. Next Eddie hits an asai moonsault onto Don Juan. Masada decides he’s done chilling in the corner and flies onto both men. Masada lays into Don Juan and tosses him back into the ring. Don Juan hits a swinging neckbreaker to take over for a bit. Masada with a cutthroat backbreaker. He signals for the end, Eddie flies in and drop kicks him but botched that pretty badly. The cut oddly, the replay something that just happened for what I assume are reasons. Don Juan downs both Masada and Eddie then climbs the ropes, he’s cut off by Eddie and they set on the top rope. Eddie with a modified swinging slam to the mat. Masada tries to cover but Eddie breaks that up. Up on the top rope again, Eddie tries the same move but Masada is bigger and crotches him on the top rope. Masada with a top rope death valley driver to end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Masada pinned Fast Eddie at around 7:30 shown

Rating: 1 star

I’m not surprised Masada was the only one of these guys to get any kind of name recognition, and I’m equally not surprised he achieved that mostly through death matches. Having 3 green-ish guys do a triple threat seems like a mistake, whenever one of them wasn’t supposed to be doing something they just kind of sat in the corner and waited for their turn.

In the back Simon Diamond and CW Anderson get a promo. Diamond reminds everyone that they’re revived tag team wrestling and feel they should be thanked by everyone for that. He reminds everyone they’re the tag team champions. Anderson now, he says the world of the EXTREME Horsemen is a world like no other.

Styles brings up that count outs and disqualifications have been suspended, so anything goes basically. In the back Kenzo Suzuki gets a promo, he mocks Norman Smiley. Back to styles who talks about the growing issue between Sabu and Mikey Whipwreck and the Army of Darkness. Apparently off air Sabu laid out Christopher Daniels. That sends us to Sabu and Fonzie. They’re both banged up but Fonzie promises that Whipwreck will get kicked in the dick. That’s, certainly a threat I guess.

Back to Styles and he talks about the CM Punk vs. Raven feud that’s going on. He sends us to Los Maximos for promo time. They tell anyone to come get some of the SAT in MLW. Again we’re warned to expect the unexpected. Not a good catchphrase but darn if they’re not trying to keep using it. Styles puts over Homicide and what he’s done in MLW, Homicide then gets a quick video. He says the cop killah is the most devastating finisher in this business and he’ll drop anyone who gets in his way on their head.

Styles tosses us to a Josh Daniels promo. He says he brings substance, not hype and he’s here to destroy the opposition with Canadian technical excellence. Now a Kojima video? This episode has no direction. I don’t mean to complain about Kojima, because he’s awesome, but what is going on here?

Back to Styles, he sends us to the ring where Anderson and Diamond will finally get their title belts. Diamond and Anderson make their way to the ring. Diamond gets a mic, God help us all. He talks a bit but doesn’t really say anything. He’s glad the crowd is here to see the rise of the EXTREME Horsemen then gives the mic to Anderson. OK, haven’t we suffered enough? He dismisses their valets and then demands the belts. This whole things is cut off by Dr. Death Steve Williams. Williams into the ring with a mic, he mocks them for being a pale imitation of the real Horsemen. He calls himself a legend of pro wrestling, the introduces his new partner but he’s jumped. They hit Williams with a double super kick but D’Lo Brown shows up to even the odds. Brown runs wild for a bit to set up a match right now.

Match #2 – Tag Team Match: EXTREME Horsemen (Simon Diamond and CW Anderson) vs. Dr. Death Steve Williams and D’Lo Brown

I think this is non-title. Williams and Brown run wild early. Williams runs into a Diamond super kick. Diamond with a monkey flip but he turns around into a tackle. Brown tags in, as Styles confirms this is non-title. Diamond tags out but Anderson walks into a hip toss then Brown shoulder blocks him down. Brown lands a clothesline then a scoop slam and a leg drop for a near fall. That sends us to break.

Back as Williams comes in to resume beating down Anderson. Williams with chops and clotheslines but Anderson avoids one and gets a Fujiwara armbar. Stomps from Anderson and he tags in Diamond. They resume working the arm of Williams. Frequent tags from Diamond and Anderson as they work over the arm. Williams finally fights back and tags in Brown. Brown is the proverbial domicile dealing with arson for a bit. Brown plants Anderson with a Sky High but Anderson kicks out of the pin at 2. Another one and Diamond breaks this one up to save the match. Williams in now to take on Diamond then a tackle to both men as Williams run wild. Diamond rolls out of the ring, Williams follows as Anderson clocks Brown. Brown with a spinning sidewalk slam, then up top for the Low Down but Diamond pulls Anderson out of the way. Spinebuster from Anderson to Brown and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: EXTREME Horsemen defeated Williams and Brown at about 7 minutes shown

Rating: 1.5 stars

Not a whole lot there, for a group trying to brand themselves renegades the EXTREME Horsemen sure are big on wrestling a WWE style. I wonder if they should sue the Young Bucks for stealing their super kick gimmick though.

Diamond and Anderson celebrate on the outside. That ends the episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xGkp_YrR1w&ab_channel=MLW

1.0

The final score: review Extremely Horrendous

The 411

What a listless, directionless, lifeless episode. Things certainly happened, I know because time passed, but what a giant nothing. The triple threat was kind of a bad idea given how new the participants were, lots of pointless filler, and a typical WWE-lite style match from the EXTREME Horsemen. I suffered, you don't have to, save yourself and skip this one.