Major League Wrestling Fusion – July 20, 2018: The Most Brilliant Kind Of Cut

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #14
Date: July 20, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s the go home show for Battle Riot and if you listen to most of the wrestlers, you might not know that. I could go for a much harder sell this week and maybe that’s the case, but the vignettes and promos that they’ve had already have me interested in the card. That’s harder to do than it sounds so well done there. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Shane Strickland’s rise to the top of the promotion. However, this last also caused him to be the target Salina de la Renta and her $60,000 bounty. Tonight Low Ki is trying to claim the money and the title. If nothing else, at least get get some more of Low Ki’s incredibly awesome voice.

Opening sequence.

Kiki Roberts vs. Kahuna Khan

This is a prospects match, meaning they’re trying to prove themselves. Kiki is rather flamboyant and Kahuna’s shirt says “I’m fat. Let’s party.” The bell rings and here are Su Yung and Zeda Zhang to lay them both out for the no contest at we’ll say 1:05.

The beatdown continues post match with Tony naming the team the Kodokushi (Lonely Death) Death Squad.

The Stud Stable comes up to Fred Yehi but Team Filthy comes in for the save. Lawlor hands him a shirt and Yehi accepts.

We recap Tom Lawlor vs. Jimmy Havoc, which started a few weeks ago (more than a few now actually) when Lawlor and company attacked Havoc. You don’t do that to a crazy man like Havoc, who has sworn revenge on Lawlor. That’s cool with Lawlor, who says bring it on.

Jimmy Havoc vs. Tom Lawlor

This is a grudge match, meaning No DQ. Havoc sends him straight to the floor for a suicide dive and grabs an early chair. Instead of taking it back inside though, Havoc sits him in the chair for a running eye poke in a funny spot. Havoc throws what looks like a piece of plywood at him and Lawlor is bleeding from the back. That sounds like a call for a cheese grater but Lawlor takes it away and carves up Havoc’s head instead.

Havoc throws him into the chairs to cut Lawlor off again as Lawlor is having trouble hanging in Havoc’s world. He can however find a staple gun to stab Havoc in the head, drawing even more blood. Lawlor even staples an envelope to Havoc’s head with Tony saying he’s digging this. Back in and Havoc grates Lawlor’s crotch so Tony starts giving recipes. I really shouldn’t be laughing at that but it got a nice chuckle. To be fair though, what other response are you supposed to have when someone runs a cheese grater over his opponent’s crotch?

Lawlor tosses him onto the chair with a release German suplex and Havoc has a good crimson mask going. A Death Valley Driver through a piece of plywood in the corner is broken up and Havoc pulls out a piece of paper to give Lawlor a paper cut. That’s….I think brilliant? Havoc does it again and then pulls out a lemon to make the cut burn.

Lawlor takes the pizza cutter away and carves up Havoc’s arm. Bocchini: “MAMA MIA!” Ok I chuckled. A backbreaker onto the side of a chair is a lot more serious and Havoc is down again. Havoc pops back up and hits the Rainmaker for the pin (with Lawlor looking up at the referee at two and putting his head back down) at 9:39.

Rating: B-. This is a hard one to grade as I’m not wild on the crazy violent matches but it suits Havoc quite well and they had more than enough unique spots to make it work. I can go for this a lot more when they surprised me with the ending. Lawlor was in over his head with someone this violent and while he’s been hot as of late, it didn’t make a lot of sense to have him beat someone ticked off and in their element. The blood was actually a bit refreshing too. If you’re going this violent, there are a few things you need and that’s at the top of the list.

Sami Callihan says he attacked Strickland last week. He’s not happy with what Shane has become because Shane has let the fans get in his head. Sami is coming for him.

Kotto Brazil and Barrington Hughes aren’t happy with Shane being attacked so often but Shane comes in to say he’s got this.

Quick Battle Riot preview.

Salina de la Renta has the money waiting for Low Ki. Low Ki is ready because he’s a professional.

MLW World Title: Low Ki vs. Shane Strickland

Shane is defending and coming in banged up. The champ’s entrance feels big and he’s coming off like a total star, which is exactly what they were going for with him. They have a lot of time here too, even after the Big Match Intros. A long staredown leads to Shane hammering away and taking Low Ki down with a judo throw. Low Ki goes with the kicks in the corner to take over and a headbutt has Shane in more trouble.

The pace slows a lot until Shane gets in a hard slap to the face to stagger Low Ki back a few steps. With the commentators comparing Strickland to John McClane (banged up but keeps fighting for more), Low Ki comes back with a vengeance by choking over the ropes. Shane chops away but a double stomp cuts him off again. Low Ki is doing more than the standard strikes here and that makes it so much easier than usual. The precision of the offense fits the Professional deal too.

Shane kicks him to the floor and hits a hurricanrana as he keeps fighting to hang in there, even while Low Ki is staying steady. The gear isn’t staying as steady though as Shane rips open Low Ki’s shirt and chops at the bare chest. A half and half suplex gets two on Low Ki but he counters a catapult into a middle rope double stomp. That was a sick landing. Shane kicks away and the rolling cutter gets two. The top rope stomp misses though and Shane’s bad knee is banged up even worse. A hard kick to the back of the head gives Low Ki the pin and the title at 13:17.

Rating: B. There was a great story here with Shane not being able to hang in there forever because Low Ki was too good and knew how to take Shane out when he was too banged up to properly defend the title. Low Ki picked him apart like a professional would and that made for a very good match with an even better story. I liked this a lot and Shane continues to look great.

Low Ki and Salina celebrate with Salina handing him the money to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. That’s pretty easily the best show they’ve had yet with two very good matches and a big moment to end the show. I still want to see where they go with Battle Riot, which really does seem to be getting a ton of focus. It was mentioned more here, but I don’t remember more than one or two wrestlers talking about the show. They had a very good TV show to build some momentum though and that’s a great sign. Solid show tonight and things are looking up.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/


And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

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