Major League Wrestling Fusion – July 13, 2019: Let The Gimmick Loose
IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling
Fusion #66
Date: July 13, 2019
Location: Cicero Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Jim Cornette
It’s the fallout show from Kings of Colosseum and the big story if Jacob Fatu of Contra winning the World Title in pretty decisive fashion. That means one of those “new era” shows, but that’s not all for tonight. We also have the Dynasty challenging the Hart Foundation for the Tag Team Titles in a ladder match which has a lot of potential. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a preview of the ladder match, with Cornette calling it the most dangerous match in MLW. Moreso than WarGames/War Chamber?
Opening sequence.
Ace Austin vs. Air Wolf
Rematch from a few weeks ago when Wolf won. They fight over a lockup to start and Austin goes straight for the mask like any heel against a luchador. A headlock takeover takes Austin over with a headlock and a crucifix gets two. The pinfall reversal sequence is on with neither being able to get very far and Wolf can’t hit a springboard Downward Spiral.
Austin misses a kick to the face as well so it’s a spinning headscissors instead. Wolf’s running kick to the chest gets two but Austin kicks him in the chest to send Wolf outside. A belly to back onto the barricade makes it even worse for Wolf and it’s time to grab the cane. That goes nowhere so Austin hits a sliding kick to the face and tugs at the mask again. Again you don’t do that so Wolf gets in a shot but seems to slip off the top when trying something.
Thankfully Austin’s hand was on his chest so they can call it a shove, which is better than nothing (good save by commentary too as they say Wolf’s ankle might have been hurt). Back in and Wolf runs the corner for a Pele before going up top. Austin throws a playing card at the referee though and pulls out the cane to knock Wolf out of the air. The Fold finishes Wolf at 7:18.
Rating: C+. This had some moments but I’m surprised they had Wolf get pinned so soon after giving him a big push. Austin winning is fine though as I’ve been a fan of his since he debuted. Setting up a rubber match is a cool idea and this is the kind of a company that could give them a chance to do it right.
We look back at Fatu winning the World Title last week.
Ricky Martinez is begging Salina de la Renta for one more shot at Low Ki when Jimmy Havoc calls. It’s Mance Warner though, who seems to have taken LA Park’s golden ticket. Martinez is sent to get it back.
We get a longer look at the World Title match.
Ariel Dominguez vs. Low Ki
This one could hurt. Low Ki knees him in the chest for the knockout at 17 seconds. Dominguez did better than I thought.
The Dynasty was at their holiday compound and Hammerstone was training in the sun while the other two decided they just needed to climb. MJF snaps that he is NOT afraid of heights but he needs to talk to them. See, Holliday deserves more so MJF is giving him the spot in the ladder match. MJF and Aria Blake go off to ahem, get some lunch.
Martinez calls Salina and is spying on Warner. Actually it’s a big box, which Martinez beats on but finds that it’s empty. Martinez goes away and Warner comes in to say one more down.
Post break Salina is freaking out about Warner when Konnan comes in to gloat. There are some more people coming to MLW to deal with her.
Post entrances for the main event, LA Park is locked behind a gate, leaving Warner to punch Hijo de LA Park with a chain. That leaves Salina to run away from a stalking Warner.
Tag Team Titles: Hart Foundation vs. Dynasty
The Foundation is defending in a ladder match and it’s Teddy Hart/Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman/Richard Holliday. Cornette is right there to explain the Freebird Rule, which is usually explained but not with the exact history behind the idea. The Harts hammer away to start and it’s already time for the chair shots to the ribs. A suplex onto the chair has Holliday in more trouble but he’s fine enough to post Hart right back.
Air Pillman drops MJF but Holliday is back in to jump Pillman from behind. Hart comes back in with Project Ciampa to Holliday, sending the Dynasty outside to grab a ladder. Said ladder is dropkicked into their faces, leaving Pillman to corkscrew dive onto both of them. Hart’s Asai moonsault hits all three of them and can someone take away the air horn from the squeeze happy fan? MJF shoves Hart off the ladder and into the ropes but can’t bring himself to climb very fast.
Aria Blake tries to go up instead but opts for a crossbody, which hits MJF by mistake. MJF gets sent into the ladder in the corner and then gets catapulted face first into the ladder for a bonus. Holliday is back in with a lifting swinging suplex to Pillman, followed by dropping Hart onto the ladder in the corner. A double suplex sends Hart into the ladder again but stop for some posing. The ladder is set up but the Dynasty stops to argue over who is going up.
Holliday shoves him away and goes up but MJF stops to smirk, allowing Hart to pull Holliday down for a big crash. Pillman hits a superkick and Death Valley Driver on MJF before pulling the ladder down for some reason. The Dynasty gets low bridged and Stunned on the top rope, leaving Hart to hit a hanging DDT/piledriver. A Canadian Destroyer hits MJF and it’s time to bridge a board between some chairs. That means a corkscrew moonsault through MJF through the wood, though Hart comes up injured as well.
Cue Hammerstone to pull Pillman off the ladder for a buckle bomb and everyone is down. Holliday suplexes Hart onto the steps and here’s Davey Boy Smith Jr. to powerslam Hammerstone onto (not through) the table. Holliday and Pillman climb at the same time but Blake climbs onto Pillman’s back. He elbows her down (without seeing who it was), allowing Holliday to chair Pillman down. That’s enough for the win and the titles at 17:26.
Rating: B. There were some spots where they went on a little long but what we had here was quite entertaining with everyone looking good and showcasing themselves well. The Hart Foundation had to lose some of their gold at some point so having the Dynasty win the titles made a lot of sense. It was an awesome match too and that’s what you go for with a spotfest like this.
Overall Rating: B+. Rather strong show here with all of the matches working well and a big title change at the end. What matters most here is keeping the momentum rolling after last week’s special, which tends to be one of the hardest things to pull off. Now keep doing it with some different talent and everything should be fine.
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