IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #39
Date: January 18, 2019
Location: Scottish Rite Temple, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

We’re two weeks away from Super Fight and you can see the big main event coming from here. That’s not a bad thing in this case as there’s a heck of a title match on the horizon. Other than that there are some other matches to look forward to, though the build hasn’t gotten as far with them. Let’s get to it.

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

Here’s Shane Strickland, who still won’t leave this place, to open things up. He hates Miami, but MLW paid him a fortune to be here because they need Swerve. Shane is tired of being treated so badly, but here’s Rush to interrupt. The microphone is hard to understand but Strickland jumps him and we’re off to a match.

Shane Strickland vs. Rush

Shane knocks him to the floor and the cockiness is strong to start. Rush goes back first into the post and they head back inside for some stomping in the corner. As Shane chokes, the announcers do a rather nice job of explaining his story of being the fallen star of MLW. That’s the right story and it’s an interesting one. Rush fights up but a running dropkick to the knee cuts him right back down.

The fans think Swerve sucks as he puts on a leg lock to keep Rush in trouble. Something like an STF doesn’t last long for Shane so he goes with kicks to the chest instead. Rush gets up again and takes it to the floor, this time with a whip to send Shane into the barricade. They fight into the crowd with a trashcan being pelted off of Shane’s head. Back in and another shot to the chest lets Rush pose tranquilo style.

Another chop makes Shane cringe but the fans want UNO MAS. The Rush Driver is countered and it’s off to the slugout. Shane gets in a head fake for a shot to the face in a clever move, which makes you realize what MLW saw in him as he really is that good. They trade no sold German suplexes with Shane grabbing a rolling DDT for two. Rush gets in his own big shot with a superplex for two more, followed by a bridging fisherman’s suplex for the same.

Rating: B-. This was more of a story based match than anything else, though the wrestling was certainly good enough to make the match watch. The idea here was more about Shane losing to the new star and establishing that he was completely done and there is no coming back. Of course I’ve said that before and he keeps coming back, so maybe there’s one more match for him.

Opening sequence, seventeen minutes into the show.

Mance Warner is still coming.

We look back at Tom Lawlor destroying Sami Callihan last week, possibly murdering him with a hammer.

Salina de la Renta promises to send LA Park after Sami Callihan for being such a screwup.

Ariel Dominguez vs. Ace Romero

Barrington Hughes is on commentary, which thankfully isn’t an overly common act around here. Huge vs. tiny here with Dominguez getting thrown down like he’s not even there. Aries gets tossed a few more times but manages to avoid a sitdown splash. Some running clotheslines have little effect so Romero slams him down and drops an elbow/splash (it was hard to tell) for the pin at 1:50.

Hughes and Romero stare each other down.

Brian Pillman Jr. is at a playground and talks about wanting to destroy Tommy Dreamer because now he knows how to use his environment.

Low Ki is the greatest World Champion of all time and Tom Lawlor gets to join the list of people who have lost to him.

Ricky Martinez vs. El Gringo Loco

Feeling out process to start with Martinez grabbing an early rollup for two and Loco cartwheeling into a standoff. Things get a little more intense with Martinez hitting a jumping neckbreaker to really take over. The figure four neck lock faceplants into the mat keep Loco in trouble, followed by something like a Pounce to take him down again. Loco is right back up and catches Martinez on top with a super Falcon Arrow. A middle rope cutter gets two as the fans are WAY into this one. Salina pulls Martinez out of the way of Spiral Tap though and Martinez rakes the eyes. A fireman’s carry gutbuster finishes Loco at 5:01.

Rating: C. This was entertaining while it lasted as Loco is the kind of guy who can connect with the crowd. MLW has a good audience where if they get behind a wrestler, that wrestler is over for good. Loco has done that and it should keep him around for a long time to come. Martinez is good as the enforcer and a win like this should help him.

Colonel Parker gives the Dirty Blonds (They’re still around?) a pep talk and threatens problems if they don’t win.

Tom Lawlor is at his training camp and talks about everything he’s done to get here. With everything he’s done, nothing is stopping him from becoming champion, including an undefeated Low Ki. The champ has paid people off to keep the title but there’s no way around him in Philadelphia. Lawlor still sounds like a high school student acting, but he has the intensity and good fire in his eyes.

Super Fight Control Center, which will include the second live special on February 2. That makes a lot of sense. Signed for the show (not clear if this will be on the live portion) is Puma King vs. Gringo Loco, Pillman and Dreamer in a mystery partner tag match (get Sandman ready), Ace Romero vs. Barrington Hughes, the debut of Mance Warner, Aerostar vs. Rey Horus, the World Title match and the Hart Foundation challenging the Lucha Bros for the Tag Team Titles. Good card actually.

Dirty Blonds vs. Hart Foundation

Pillman and Smith for the Harts here. It’s Smith and Leo Brien starting things off as the fans want Pillman. That’s exactly what they get too and a running dropkick in the corner has Leo in trouble. A missed dropkick allows the tag to Michael Patrick to hammer away in the corner and spit a little. The chinlock goes on for a few seconds before Patrick elbows Pillman in the face. Pillman gets up and hits a crossbody for two of his own, allowing the double tag. Smith cleans house on both Blonds and Pillman adds a springboard clothesline. A top rope superplex finishes Brien at 4:50.

Rating: D+. What the heck happened to the Blonds? I liked them as an old school team back in the day and now I’m surprised to see them show up and lose a five minute match. It wouldn’t shock me to see them leave the promotion as there’s no point to keeping them around at this point. The match was fine as a glorified squash, but that’s all it was.

Parker yells at the Blonds for the loss to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This wasn’t much as a stand alone show but it did well as a way to advance the stories going into Super Fight. That’s the kind of show you need heading into the biggest shows of the year and these shows are necessary to bridge the gaps. I like how the Super Fight card is setting up and that’s a good sign with about two weeks to go before the show.

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #31
Date: November 16, 2018
Location: Cicero Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for a fresh taping cycle as the company makes its Chicago debut. The main event tonight is Sami Callihan vs. Tom Lawlor in a Chicago street fight as Lawlor continues his march towards the World Title shot in February. Other than that it could be almost anything, which is one of the areas where MLW shines. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Low Ki ripping Daga’s ear apart (egads) to retain the World Title last week.

Konnan arrives and is greeted by Low Ki, Salina de la Renta and Ricky Martinez. Low Ki talks about adding Daga’s ear to his trophy case. Now he wants something from Konnan though, because Konnan hasn’t gotten the idea just yet. Real men settle their differences differently around here and Low Ki challenges him to a fight. Konnan says Low Ki knows better because he’s retired. Salina taunts him a bit and Konnan seems a little more intrigued. He leaves and Low Ki smiles, saying they’ll get Konnan to do it soon. This could go somewhere, if nothing else just to see who Konnan pulls out to fight for him.

Opening sequence.

Lawlor isn’t worried about Low Ki and Callihan. Tonight, he’s taking care of Callihan before moving on to the title.

Ricky Martinez vs. Dr. Rex Bacchus

Martinez has to wrestle in a face shield due to a broken nose. As the referee is taking care of Ricky’s jacket, a headbutt with the mask drops Rex and it’s off to the Madison Rayne hip thrust faceplants on the mat. Bacchus gets in a few kicks but Ricky slaps him in the back and hits an electric chair faceplant. A wheelbarrow suplex sets up a Dominator piledriver (kind of cool) to finish Bacchus at 1:59.

Lawlor is warming up with Simon Gotch, who Lawlor wants out there with him tonight. They’ll have a press conference after the win.

Dirty Blonds vs. Size Matters

That would be Joey Ryan/Swoggle, but Joey has a torn pec and won’t be able to do much. The fans chant HAPPY BIRTHDAY at Joey (a day late but close enough), who delivers his blow pop to a fan. Swoggle pulls out a huge lollipop for a fan as well and it’s time to discuss the injury. Joey has heard that torn pecs are going around at the moment and while he hasn’t seen a doctor yet, he wasn’t going to miss a show in Chicago.

The Blonds jump them to start and Joey gets knocked to the floor, as you had to expect early on. Swoggle gets choked in the corner and Brien punches Joey off the apron. With Brien holding him by the chin, Swoggle pops him with a right hand and manages a German suplex. Ryan comes in for some one armed offense as everything breaks down. Swoggle knocks Patrick down in the corner for a running hip attack but gets run over in the corner. Everything breaks down and Joey pulls out the blowpop for Sweet Tooth Music, setting up a tadpole splash to give Swoggle the pin at 3:27.

Rating: D. I get that Joey is injured and can’t do anything. That’s understandable and there’s nothing else he can do about that. That being said, what in the world is the point in having the Blonds lose here? They haven’t won anything in forever and I liked them from the start. Now they’re losing a comedy match clean in just a few minutes? I really don’t get this and don’t care for it either.

Post match Ryan takes off the sling to show off a horrible looking bruise. Joey: “At least I still have my d***.” He’s probably going to need surgery but he’s so glad he got to wrestle in Chicago one more time. The more I see of this, the more I think it should have just been for the live audience only. They couldn’t fill in this five to six minute block with something else?

Sami Callihan is willing to do Promociones Dorado’s bidding if they keep paying him. MVP is still wasting away in a boiler room in Florida. Shane Strickland was injured before his title match. Jimmy Havoc was sent back to England. It’s going to be the same with Tom Lawlor because Sami isn’t scared of a UFC fighter. He’s scared of himself and what he’s going to do in a street fight. This is Sami’s world because he is MLW.

Battle Riot II is coming on Wrestlemania weekend. The first one wasn’t bad so I can go for this.

Konnan held a press conference and says he’s coming out of retirement because he’s tired of Salina and Low Ki. He knows he’ll be the underdog and shouldn’t win. But what happens when he beats Low Ki?

Rundown for the two Miami shows.

Rush is coming in three weeks.

Next week is the Thanksgiving special with Low Ki defending against Shane Strickland.

Strickland won’t answer any questions.

Tom Lawlor vs. Sami Callihan

Street fight so Sami throws the weapons inside during his entrance. Lawlor is in street clothes and they start fighting in the aisle. A running kendo stick shot misses and Lawlor slaps on the rear naked choke on the floor. That’s broken up and the first trashcan shot puts Lawlor down. Callihan throws a piece of the barricade at him and someone keeps honking a horn.

They take turns hitting each other with a trashcan with Lawlor getting the better of it and kicking away at the chest. Some chair shots keep Callihan in trouble and he wraps one around the arm for a Kimura. They fight on the apron with Callihan hitting a piledriver, followed by some chair shots to the back. It’s table time but Lawlor escapes a powerbomb and grabs an ankle lock.

Callihan grabs the barricade but gets put underneath the barricade, which Lawlor shakes to really hurt him. A fan has a USE MY SIGN sign and Lawlor does just that onto Callihan’s head. Callihan is fine enough to send him into the barricade but Lawlor is right back with a Superman punch. Since they’re trading moves, Callihan hits a Death Valley Driver through the table to take over again. With Lawlor down, Sami grabs a railroad spike….and a VHS tape? He drops the tape (most of us did years ago) and puts the spike in Lawlor’s mouth to draw some blood.

To get extra violent, Sami uses the sign to cut Lawlor’s mouth even worse. It’s back to the VHS, which Callihan breaks, and uses the tape to choke away. Lawlor fights out and gets another table, but a powerbomb is countered with a low blow. Callihan hits a piledriver for two and finds the baseball bat. That takes too long as well so Lawlor hits a low blow of his own. Callihan fires off some headbutts but charges into a powerbomb. Lawlor breaks the baseball bat over his knee and the choke goes on. Being driven through the table doesn’t break it up and Lawlor adds a stab with the broken bat to make Callihan tap at 18:19.

Rating: B. They beat each other up well and it felt like they wanted to hurt each other, which is exactly the point of something like this. Lawlor winning is the right call of course as he keeps rolling over everyone on his way to the title shot. It’s still a long way off but he’s beaten almost every big name. I’m not sure who that leaves him to defend against once he wins the title, but at least he’s becoming a major star in the process.

Post match Gotch takes him to the back for the press conference….and it’s Low Ki, Martinez and LA Park, with Gotch closing the door as the beating ensues. You could see this one coming a mile away and it still worked well.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a one match show and that carried most of the show. Lawlor is practically a full on face and that’s going to help him more than anything else. You couldn’t hang on to him as a heel that much longer so it’s the right move to switch him over like this. The ending angle gives him a mini feud with Gotch as we move on towards the showdown with Low Ki. The rest of the show ranged from just there to bad, but at least the big story worked well.

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #19
Date: August 24, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schaivone

We should be running out of matches from the New York tapings but tonight we’ve got something big. This week it’s Fenix and Pentagon Jr. defending the Tag Team Titles against ACH and Rich Swann. That should be a heck of a match, even though Swann and ACH lost to the Hart Foundation last week. Let’s get to it.

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

We recap last week’s Dojo Fight with Tom Lawlor defeating Parrow but having to save his trainer Seth Petruzelli.

Lawlor swears vengeance. Tonight the Dirty Blonds face Team Filthy and next week, Lawlor will send Colonel Parker’s stud Jake Hager to the glue factory.

Opening sequence.

The Stud Stable is really not happy with Parrow. Colonel Parker is proud of the rest of his team though. Hager is ready for Lawlor next week.

Dirty Blonds vs. Team Filthy

That would be Fred Yehi/Simon Gotch for the ones in need of bathing. Yehi starts with Patrick and knocks him around with little to no effort. It’s off to Brien, who gets kicked into a good looking belly to back suplex as the early control continues. A neck snap across the top rope puts Gotch down though and it’s Scott coming in to hammer him upside the head. Yehi gets suckered in so a double suplex can drop Gotch. The referee is yelling at Brien so Lawlor hits Patrick in the back with a chair, which he throws to Parrow. Gotch grabs a small package for the pin at 3:07.

Rating: D. Nothing to the match due to the time, but it does keep the feud going. That being said, I’m not sure why the feud is continuing. I don’t remember the Stable winning a single match in the story yet, which makes me wonder why it’s still going. At least the better team is winning, though it’s not like the Stable is horrible or getting squashed.

ACH and Rich Swann complain about the heat but they’re ready to be Tag Team Champions.

Tommy Dreamer is ready for WarGames and goes over the history of some of his career in Florida. WarGames has been around before the Elimination Chamber or Hell in a Cell and you lay it all on the line out there. He’s ready for Sami Callihan, who has done everything imaginable to him before. Dreamer’s idol Dusty Rhodes (who invented WarGames) is going to have the best seat in the house when Dreamer becomes the Innovator of Violence in his first WarGames. Good stuff.

Matt Striker goes over the rules of WarGames and plugs the rest of the card. I’m looking forward to that show.

Ricky Martinez vs. ???

Martinez is Salina de la Renta’s (sweet goodness this week) newest client. The unnamed jobber bows to Martinez to start but has his kick to the head shrugged off. A backbreaker sets up a belly to back faceplant to give Martinez the pin at 1:01. It was a little sloppy, but that’s how you make someone look like a star.

Video on Low Ki vs. John Hennigan from last week.

Low Ki says he told us so and he’s accepting challengers from anywhere, including a Club or from the Underground.

Clip of Team Strickland getting jumped last week.

Sami Callihan doesn’t care about Dreamer being on the team because he’s ready to do whatever it takes.

Abyss promises to bring the violence to WarGames. That’s why you bring him in.

We look back at the opening match.

Lawlor wants his World Title match but can only see the Stud Stable. He wants Hager next week and the match has been set.

Salina, now in a different outfit, has no comment on the lawsuit from Fenix and Pentagon Jr. Low Ki is going to make short work of Fenix because no one is going to cut his plans short. The interviewer being intimidated by Salina continues to be a good little story.

Tag Team Titles: ACH/Rich Swann vs. Lucha Bros

Fenix and Pentagon are defending. Pentagon and Fenix handle their own introductions because luchadors introduce luchadors. The champs get knocked to the floor to the start and Swann declares himself the best in the world. He and ACH take their time getting ready to dive though and Fenix rolls back in for a double cutter. A powerbomb/top rope double stomp DESTROYS Swann for two as a suicide dive sends ACH into a bunch of chairs in the crowd.

Back in and Swann’s chest is ripped apart by some chops, followed by a running kick to the leg. Fenix puts on the chinlock to keep Swann in trouble as the announcers debate whether Konnan made up all the issues with Salina to steal her talent. ACH comes in and gets kicked in the leg again, followed by the big chop against the ropes. A springboard headbutt (looked like it was going to be a springboard hurricanrana but Fenix pulled up) rocks ACH instead but he’s right back with a sliding kick to Fenix’s head.

ACH slingshots down onto Pentagon and a Rock Bottom backbreaker into a snap German suplex gets two on Fenix. The champs are right back up though as Swann gets on the apron to see ACH send them into each other. Swann comes in with a hurricanrana to Fenix and a superkick to Pentagon. Fenix gets caught on top and Swann hurricanranas him onto Pentagon for two as it’s time to get fired up.

Stereo tiger bombs get two on the Bros but Pentagon is back up with a Sling Blade. The Codebreaker into the top rope double stomp has Swann down and ACH gets superkicked out of the air. ACH is fine enough to send the champs together and fireman’s carry them both at a time. Fenix slips off so ACH throws Pentagon onto him before collapsing. Swann and Pentagon set up the big showdown and slug it out but the Pentagon Driver (good one) is only good for two.

Somehow Fenix is back up and rolls into a cutter for two on ACH, only to have Swann hit a quick middle rope 450 for the same. Everyone is spent so they shout a lot and chop around in a circle until everyone is down again. Fenix and ACH forearm it out and Swann knocks Pentagon down with one shot. Stereo handspring cutters from ACH and Fenix both miss and it’s another group knockdown. ACH gets caught on top but he catches Fenix on top just as quickly. Swann goes after him and gets sunset bombed back down. ACH is knocked outside and it’s the spike Fear Factor to retain the titles at 16:18.

Rating: B+. This was all about four guys beating each other up and doing a bunch of flips and kicks in the process. That’s all it needed to be too and I had a blast watching them do these painful looking things to each other. There was no logical way to put the titles on Swann and ACH after last week’s loss but egads they made it a fun match on the way. Really good stuff here and a ton of fun.

Quick video on LA Park, who will face Pentagon at WarGames.

Overall Rating: C+. The rest of the show wasn’t great but the main event eats up about a third of the time and that’s all awesome stuff. Other than that though, things are looking up towards WarGames and I’m actually looking forward to the show. Just keep things going strong as we get closer to the big show and build it up well, which is all you can hope for with a wrestling show.

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:

http://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

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #9
Date: June 15, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s time to change things up a bit this week with the first ever Tag Team Champions being crowned. This has been teased for a little while and it’s something that could add in a new dynamic to the show. There are several ways to go with the titles, but there’s a good chance that a surprise team walks out with the belts. Let’s get to it.

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

Colonel Robert Parker is giving the Dirty Blonds some strategy for the Tag Team Title tournament. They’re not overly worried.

Opening sequence.

We hear about Battle Riot coming to New York City, which seems to be a 40 man Royal Rumble.

Earlier this week, Brody King tried to collect Salina de la Renta’s bounty on Shane Strickland in a parking lot. This meant shoving Strickland over and that’s about it.

MVP isn’t worried about Maxwell J. Friedman, whose mouth has written a check that his mouth can’t cash. Friedman is going to be taken to school and MVP is going to be his teacher. When Friedman is done, it’s time to go after Sami Callihan and his get along gang.

MVP vs. Maxwell J. Friedman

Before the match, Friedman calls MVP the Jabronin Ronin. Friedman hides in the ropes to start so MVP forearms him in the back and hits a belly to back. A running boot in the corner is blocked though and it’s a poke to the eye like you should be seeing from a villain. Friedman cranks on an armbar and we take a break.

Back with MVP throwing some right hands and the Ballin Elbow connecting for no cover. There’s a fisherman’s suplex for two and the Playmaker connects, drawing out Callihan and company. MVP dives onto the trip, allowing Friedman to get in a low blow, followed by a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin 7:34.

Rating: D+. Friedman is a pretty simple, basic character and that’s all he needs to be. He doesn’t have the best in ring skills but he’s not the worst either, putting him right in the middle on a show full of others who happen to be right in the middle. MVP is the same guy he’s been for years, meaning I’m still not much of a fan.

Ad for Battle Riot, explaining that it’s a Royal Rumble with pins and submissions with the winner getting a World Title shot anyplace anytime. Confirmed for the match: Jake Hager, Barrington Hughes, Jimmy Yuta and Pentagon Jr.

Barrington Hughes doesn’t like the idea of a bounty on someone who is just doing his job.

Jimmy Yuta and Jason Cade are ready to win the Tag Team Titles, with Cade saying he’s the captain. This goes as well as you would expect.

Simon Gotch vs. Parrow

This is Gotch’s $250 challenge, with Parrow only having to last five minutes to win. Parrow is a good sized guy who we’ve seen before and part of the Stud Stable. Gotch kicks him in the face and the 6’4 300lb Parrow bounces back with a shoulder to send Gotch outside. Back in and a chokeslam is countered into a kneebar but it’s too close to the rope. Tom Lawlor gets in a cheap shot with what looked like a shoe, setting up the rear naked choke to put Parrow away at 1:55.

Post match the Dirty Blonds come out for the save.

Brody King, a bounty hunter with a big beard, challenges Strickland for next week.

MLW CEO Court Bauer calls in and says the match is on for next week.

Elimination rules and anything goes with the titles vacant coming in. TBD is Cade/Yuta of course. It’s WCW rules with one person from every team in at once but everything breaks down in short order. The brothers are sent to the floor and TBD get backdropped at the same time. TBD dive into stereo superkicks but the Blonds pull Pentagon and Fenix outside. That just means stereo flip dives from TBD, followed by Brien’s own flip dive from the apron.

We settle down (kind of) with Cade getting caught in a double whip spinebuster for two as Yuta makes the save. Brien starts in with some suplexes and a backsplash to Fenix for two but Cade is back in for a tornado DDT. A top rope elbow from Yuta and a frog splash from Cade are enough to put Brien away and get rid of the Blonds at 4:28.

Back from a break with all four down in the ring until Cade pops up for some chops to the Bros. A double superkick rocks Yuta and he’s tied up in the Tree of Woe. With Cade seated beneath him, Pentagon gets launched into the two of them, only to have Yuta pop up with a kick to Pentagon’s leg for two. TBD go up top for a double missile dropkick on Fenix and Yuta’s German suplex gets two more. Pentagon comes back in and tells Cade CERO MIEDO. Cade: “I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!”” Eh good for a laugh.

The Sling Blade gets two on Cade and a Codebreaker is good for the same. Something resembling an Angle Slam gives Yuta two but Fenix dives in with a dropkick for a great looking save. An over the shoulder sitout Tombstone plants Yuta for another near fall but Cade is right back in with a handspring Codebreaker.

We haven’t had a dive in awhile so Cade nails a suicide version, leaving Yuta to eat a rolling dropkick to the face. Cade is back in with a hurricanrana to set up the elbow/frog splash combination for two more. As you might have expected though, Cade hits Yuta and calls him stupid as a result, setting up a superkick into the Pentagon Driver for another near fall. A spike Fear Factor on Yuta is enough for the pin and the titles at 16:07.

Rating: C+. It was a fun and wild match but if it’s the first time the titles are going to be decided, I could have gone for some more actual tag team wrestling instead of just a bunch of spots. Now that being said, what we got was an entertaining match in the lucha style and it’s the right call to give Pentagon and Fenix, who have been two of the stars of the show, the titles in the first place.

Salina busts out the Patron (thankfully sans Alberto) as the celebration is on to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was a show that they needed to get done with the Tag Team Titles being something that can help them later on. They got the first champions right and that’s what matters most here, plus the match itself was entertaining. I’m actually looking forward to seeing Strickland again next week and that’s why you have someone like him in the top spot: he’s an attraction and feels like a big deal, which is what you want in a champion.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

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

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

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #5
Date: May 18, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for our first rematch but the good thing is that it’s a rematch of one of the best matches the promotion has put on so far. In this case we have Pentagon Jr. defending his #1 contendership against his old rival (and brother) Rey Fenix as a result of Pentagon spraying mist in World Champion Shane Strickland’s face last week. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look at Strickland vs. Pentagon, which has been built up to the point where it almost has to take place at this point.

Opening sequence.

Kotto Brazil vs. Trey Miguel

Miguel is from the WWN and is a pretty standard high flier. They hit the mat to start with Brazil grabbing a headlock to keep things slow. Back up and they flip a lot with neither making much contact until Brazil smacks him in the face. One heck of a running European uppercut rocks Miguel again but he headscissors Brazil down without much effort. A springboard flip dive has Brazil in even more trouble and I’m rather surprised by how well Schiavone is calling a faster paced match like this. If nothing else the voice is still the same and that’s a good thing.

Back in and Brazil gets one off a snapmare from the middle rope (that’s uh, certainly new) of all things. A slingshot dropkick from the apron keeps Miguel in trouble as the smaller Brazil is continuing to show off here. Miguel gets rocked by a German suplex and a running Sliced Bread makes things even worse. Back up and Brazil misses a charge to get caught in the corner, setting up a 619. Miguel heads up top for a Meteora and the pin at 7:10.

Rating: C. This was a fast paced match with some good spots but it felt like so many indy matches: a bunch of moves and stuff but nothing that suggested a story or storytelling or any of that outdated stuff. Both guys need some more time to get the finer points of wrestling, but they have the athletics part around.

Video on the first Pentagon vs. Fenix match.

We go to Salina de la Renta’s estate in Puerto Rico and Rich is in way over his head with someone as sharp as she is. She has the best collection of Hispanic talent and suggests that he’s intimidated by her. Rich winds up in the pool.

Backstage, Salina says she’s signed Pentagon and Fenix to Promociones Dorado.

We recap Jimmy Havoc’s issues last week, including defeating Joey Janela and getting beaten down by Tom Lawlor.

Team Filthy is in a hot tub and says bring Havoc on because they love easy paydays.

Dirty Blonds vs. Jimmy Yuta/Jason Cade

Elimination rules and the Blonds have Colonel Parker in their corner. Brien and Yuta trade slaps to the face to start and it’s Cade coming in with an ax handle to Brien’s arm. Patrick comes in and gets beaten up as well, setting up back to back dives to the floor to drop the Blonds again. Back in and Patrick rolls through a high crossbody and grabs the tights (good villain) for the elimination at 3:08.

Cade is left alone and punches away as much as he can but the numbers get the better of him in short order. The slow pace begins with Cade getting whipped into the opposite corner, though Patrick does throw in a strut for some real villany. A rollup (odd move for when you’re in control) gives Brien two but Cade does manage to use Patrick as a launch pad for a tornado DDT. Unfortunately a single foot to the chest doesn’t do much damage on Patrick, who puts Cade on top. A superplex is broken up though and Black Magic (a backslide driver) gets rid of Patrick at 7:06.

So we’re down to Cade vs. Brien and Cade is already spent after the long beating. Cade fights out of a chinlock without much trouble but Brien is way too big for Black Magic. Colonel Parker trips Cade though, drawing Yuta over to yell. That’s more than enough for Patrick to come back in for a double whip spinebuster and the pin at 9:03.

Rating: C. This was a little fast and while I can appreciate the different stipulation for the sake of some change, it’s not really working as Cade and Yuta aren’t the most thrilling team in the world. The Blonds are a good, old fashioned heel team (I love that they’re both big and overweight as it’s much easier to boo bigger guys) and that’s something that isn’t around often enough anymore.

Cade isn’t happy with Yuta.

Post break, Cade and Yuta say they’ll be on the same page for the upcoming Tag Team Title tournament.

Shane Strickland’s eyes aren’t back to normal yet but he’s ready for Pentagon. The attack only shows him that Pentagon is scared of Swerve. Pentagon can’t take his heart or the title and Pentagon should be afraid of that. Good, emotional promo from the champ.

Pentagon Jr. vs. Rey Fenix

The winner gets the title shot next week. Pentagon has Salina de la Renta with him, even though she said she has signed them both. They go straight to hitting each other in the face before a chop exchange goes nowhere. A pop up hurricanrana sends Pentagon to the floor and of course that means a big dive to take him out again. The fans are into this (as they should be) but Pentagon cuts them off by dropkicking Fenix out of the air on a springboard attempt.

Fenix’s leg gets wrapped around the post and it’s time for Pentagon to steal someone’s hat. I know he’s a rudo but come on now. A VERY loud chop wakes people up a bit more and a Sling Blade is good for two on Fenix. As has been a problem for him over and over again, Pentagon takes way too long setting something up and Fenix is right back with a rolling cutter. He’s fine enough to catch a powerbomb backbreaker for two more on Fenix and we take a break.

Back with Fenix getting two of his own off a nifty rollup and a spinwheel kick to Pentagon’s head puts them both down. The fans are nice enough to count to ten in Spanish so the guys won’t be confused. How polite of them. They fight to the apron and this is going to be painful. Fenix gets the best of it with a kick to the face and a double springboard stomp to the back.

Pentagon avoids getting German suplexed off the apron so he hits the Fear Factor on the apron instead. Geez and that’s his brother. What would he do to his Aunt Mabel? Naturally that’s only good for two back inside so Pentagon breaks his arm and hits the Pentagon Driver for two more. Of note: Tony has the names for the finishers backwards but that’s pretty normal in his case. Another Fear Factor gives Pentagon the pin at 12:40.

Rating: B. These two are incapable of having a bad match against each other so there was even more fun to be had here. Pentagon was pretty obviously the winner here as there was no way they couldn’t go through with the match after setting things up for Pentagon vs. Strickland for so many weeks. At least Fenix got to do his flippy stuff and that’s what he does best. Good match.

Overall Rating: B-. Another good episode this week and I’m looking forward to seeing Strickland again. They’ve built him up as a top guy who can take on almost anyone, including Pentagon who is one of the top villains around. They’re doing a lot of things right but they still haven’t had that blow away match or story that gets your attention so well. Then again with five hours of programming to their name on this show so far, there’s not much else you can do.

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