Major League Wrestling Fusion – January 13, 2021: Aboveground?
Fusion #117
Date: January 13, 2021
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jared St. Laurent, Rich Bocchini
We’re done with Kings of Colosseum and while the Middleweight Title did change hands, the show did not exactly feel like a big deal. This week’s show could be though as Salina de la Renta is in charge and the Tag Team Titles are on the line. You can’t really tell in recent months though as the relaunch hasn’t gone so well. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence, featuring a lot of de la Renta.
Salina is at the commentary booth and orders Bocchini to put on a mask because he is too early for television. She runs down the card and we’re ready to go.
Low Ki vs. Budd Heavy
A running forearm knocks Heavy cold in 7 seconds. Well that worked.
Post match Low Ki says Tom Lawlor got away with one and he isn’t done.
We look at Lio Rush winning the Middleweight Title.
Rush says his catchphrases to celebrate.
Konnan isn’t here to do commentary but Salina knows what happened.
We go to a clip from San Diego, with Salina in a dark room and holding a candle. Apparently Mil Muertes may have killed Konnan, whose name Salina won’t use.
Filthy Island is coming on February 17.
We look at Mads Krugger vs. Alex Hammerstone going to a double countout last week.
Krugger says he saw fear in Hammerstone’s eyes last week. If Hammerstone is man enough, bring the Openweight Title to Contra’s lair.
Mil Muertes vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
Salina is here with Muertes and Pillman bails straight to the floor. Back in and Pillman rolls around to grab a headlock, only to be scared out to the floor again. A clothesline lets Muertes hammer away and a belly to back suplex drops Pillman again. The chinlock goes on before Muertes hits some clotheslines in the corner. A Downward Spiral finishes Pillman at 3:28.
Rating: C-. This was the kind of squash that Muertes needed to have for his debut and he looked like a monster. I’m curious to see where things go with the mini Lucha Underground crossover, but it isn’t likely to be anything more than one or two people. What we got here worked, though it would seem that Pillman won’t be around long as he was treated like a complete jobber here.
Richard Holliday doesn’t like the lack of respect he is receiving as Caribbean Champion. Anytime Savio Vega wants one more shot, come and get it so we can settle this.
Tom Lawlor insists that he will call the Tag Team Title match down the line. He doesn’t know why ACH is getting a World Title shot before him after he beat ACH in the Opera Cup tournament. Fair point.
Injustice isn’t happy with what Contra did to them last week.
We get some news that Promociones Dorado has been sold but Salina storms off.
Alex Hammerstone is playing the long game to become the new World Champion so he’s ready for another match with Mads Krugger. Sure he’ll come to the Contra lair.
Here’s the Top 10.
10. Laredo Kid
9. ACH
8. Myron Reed
7. Mads Krugger
6. Richard Holliday
5. Lio Rush
4. LA Park
3. Low Ki
2. Tom Lawlor
1. Alex Hammerstone
Tag Team Titles: Von Erichs vs. LA Park/Hijo de LA Park
The Von Erichs are defending and Tom Lawlor is guest referee. Salina is here with the Parks and has a new bodyguard with her. The Parks jump them to start and we’re off in a hurry with the champs in trouble. The stomping ensues in the corner, including Park hitting a belt shot to Ross’ back. Now a medal stool is brought in for some more shots to put the champs down. The Von Erichs manage a double dropkick to the floor to set up a double dive for their first burst of offense.
Back in and Marshall chops away at Park in the corner, setting up an exchange of running clotheslines in the corner. Ross comes back in and superkicks Hijo into a Falcon Arrow for a very slow two. Some superkicks drop Ross and a Code Red gets two as we are suddenly having tags after seven minutes of anarchy. A clothesline gives Park two and Marshall is knocked to the floor for the huge suicide dive.
Everything breaks down again and Lawlor goes down, clutching his knee. As a result, the champs get a rather delayed two, and then Lawlor’s arm seizes up as well. The Parks’ stereo rollups get very fast two counts but Lawlor is low bridged to the floor. Back in and the Claw Slam hits Hijo for no count. Instead Salina comes in to mace Marshall and it’s a pair spear to drop him again. Cue LA Park Jr. to deck Ross and Park adds another spear for the pin and titles at 10:36.
Rating: C. This was much more of an angle instead of a match but it was also a good way to get the titles off of the Von Erichs. They had held the titles for over a year (with an asterisk) and managing to get the belts on the Parks while keeping the Von Erichs strong was a heck of a trick. It was nice to see them paying attention here and you can set up the Von Erichs vs. Team Filthy from here.
Of note: the Promociones Dorado logo appears at the end, with a statement saying “a subsidiary of Azteca Underground Inc.”. Oh my indeed.
Overall Rating: C. I think I liked this one more than Kings of Colosseum and it almost felt even bigger. The title change feels more important and the Lucha Underground tease is certainly intriguing. MLW has been hit or miss at best since the return and while this wasn’t a great show, it made me a little more curious about what is coming and that hasn’t been the case very often lately.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
AND
Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs