Fusion #123
Date: March 3, 2021
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jared St. Laurent, Rich Bocchini

This company is on the clock as I’m giving them two more shows to do something interesting to keep me around. I haven’t been impressed by the shows since their return and there comes a point where it’s too much. Hopefully they can shake it up a bit, but otherwise I’m out. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Contra vs. Injustice to set up Jacob Fatu’s World Title defense against Jordan Oliver.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Los Parks vs. Contra

Simon Gotch and Daivari are challenging for Contra and Salina de la Renta is here with the champs. Daivari takes Hijo down into an armbar but everything breaks down in a hurry. With Park and Gotch cleared out, Daivari starts working on Hijo’s knee to take over. Back up and Hijo takes Daivari down by the arm, earning another kick from Gotch. Daivari is back on the leg but Hijo kicks him back.

With Daivari sitting down on the mat, Hijo wraps his legs around his arms (picture the start of a Code Red if Daivari was standing) and then bends back to put Daivari’s head near the mat between his own legs (it’s hard to describe but it looks great), which again draws Gotch in for the save. Park comes in for the brawl but this time Daivari beats on Hijo as everything breaks down, much to Salina’s annoyance.

Back in and Hijo hits a double missile dropkick to put Contra on the floor. That sets up the stereo dives to the floor, followed by a top rope hurricanrana to send Gotch outside. Everything breaks down again with Hijo missing another missile dropkick. Park gets stomped in the corner so here’s LA Park Jr….who is cut off by the referee. That lets Injustice come in to cut off Daivari, meaning Park can hit the spear to retain at 8:21.

Rating: C. The Parks are a weird team as they aren’t much to see in the ring but they are hilarious on the mic and Park has great charisma so it is easy to like them. This part of Contra isn’t exactly interesting, though Daivari has been pretty good since he arrived. Not a good match, but any champion is going to have to deal with Contra at some point.

The Von Erichs talk about how much they want to get their hands on Tom Lawlor. Or maybe a hammerhead shark can do it.

Video on Jordan Oliver.

Salina de la Renta, who has changed outfits in the last five minutes, says she is addicted to gold and suggests that Alicia Atout is rather friendly with Richard Holliday. Anyway, Salina wants the Openweight Title.

Parrow vs. Dugan

Parrow is a monster who was here in the early days. Dugan gets thrown around to start, including a fall away slam into the corner. Parrow hits a chokeslam into a sitout powerbomb (the Murder Bomb) for the pin at 1:37. Total squash and I’ve always liked Parrow so this was a nice surprise.

Post match Parrow says he wants Mil Muertes.

Tom Lawlor is furious at the Von Erichs, who threw him through the window of a truck and cut his back open. He wants either of them or ACH….to face Kevin Ku!

We look back at TJP turning on Bu Ku Dao and not caring much about it.

Dao wants TJP.

Azteca Underground ad.

Jordan Oliver is ready to show that he is a heavyweight, even though Jacob Fatu is going to f*** (uncensored here) him up.

Calvin Tankman vs. Laredo Kid

The much bigger Tankman shoves him down to start but Kid snaps off a headscissors. You don’t do that to Tankman though and he hits a heck of a running shoulder. A toss lets Tankman get two so Kid bails out to the floor. Back in and a suplex gives Tankman two as this is one sided so far. Kid gets his feet up in the corner to block some charges and Tankman is knocked to the floor. That means a big dive to take him down in a heap and Kid gets two back inside. A top rope elbow gets the same on Tankman, who is right back with a heck of a powerbomb. Kid pops back up with a top rope elbow to the jaw but Tankman blasts him in the back of the head. The Tankman Driver finishes Kid at 6:44.

Rating: C+. Tankman is a guy who has some potential but there is something missing from him so far. It might be experience, but at the moment he feels like a few people in the moving big men category. At the same time you have Kid, who went from being in the main event of a major show a few weeks ago to barely surviving against Tankman for a few minutes. That’s doing a good job of making Tankman look good, but do you want to burn what you have in a name like Kid?

Tankman likes the world finding out who he is and wants the World Title.

We look at some of the international attention Lio Rush is receiving for becoming AAA Cruiserweight Champion.

Alicia Atout comes into the men’s locker room to find out why she is being accused of sleeping with Holliday. The Dynasty doesn’t care so she leaves, with Hammerstone accusing Holliday of having a thing for her. He denies it rather quickly, with Bocchini being suspicious.

We look at Injustice taking Jacob Fatu down a few weeks ago.

Contra promises to destroy Injustice for playing in deep water where they don’t belong.

Here are the Top 5 Tag Teams:

5. Dirty Blonds

4. Injustice

3. Violence Is Forever

2. Contra

1. Von Erichs

We look at Gino Medina beating Gringo Loco a few weeks ago and getting in another brawl after the match.

Medina says Loco isn’t a real luchador and he will expose Loco soon.

We look at the Alicia Atout/Richard Holliday stuff again.

Next week: Alex Hammerstone vs. LA Park for the Openweight Title and in two weeks, Parrow vs. Mil Muertes.

MLW World Title: Jacob Fatu vs. Jordan Oliver

Oliver is challenging and commentary isn’t exactly high on his chances. Myron Reed is here with Oliver and Daivari is here with Fatu. Oliver isn’t waiting and dives over the top onto Fatu, followed by a quick posting as we get the bell. Another suicide dive is countered into a Samoan drop to plant Oliver hard and they head inside. Fatu runs him over with an elbow and drops some elbows to crush Oliver’s chest again. Oliver gets in a chop block to the posing Fatu but gets sent hard into the corner for his efforts.

A few shots to Fatu’s head just earn Oliver a superkick so he grabs Fatu’s leg and hopes for the best. Fatu misses a sitdown splash and Reed grabs Fatu’s leg so Oliver can hit a superkick. Another dive is countered into a drop onto the apron and the video starts glitching a bit. Fatu loads up the moonsault but his knee gives out, allowing Oliver to German suplex him off the top. The top rope cutter and a superkick rock Fatu but he’s right back with a pop up Samoan drop. The moonsault finishes Oliver at 9:08.

Rating: C. Oliver was trying here but there is a limit on how far you can go in this situation. They did about as well as they could have and I’ll take what I can get in this kind of a match. Reed would have been a more believable challenger, but I’m not sure that was the point of this one. This wasn’t awful, but Fatu needs a serious challenger soon.

Post match the Sentai Death Squad runs in to beat down Reed and put Injustice in the body bags. Calvin Tankman comes out for the save and Pounces Fatu to the floor to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Well, it was more interesting, and that ending has me a little curious. I’m not sure if this is going to be enough to keep me around, but this was a nice step up over some previous shows. Above all else, focusing on the World Title and making Fatu seem like he might be in a little danger for once was a welcome change. Now have a good follow up to this and they might be on their way out of their funk.

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Fusion #120
Date: February 3, 2021
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jared St. Laurent, Rich Bocchini

Things have been up and down around here and that isn’t the best news. MLW has the potential to be one of the most entertaining promotions around but that has not exactly been the case as of late. Hopefully things can pick up a bit, because this show has lost a good bit of the charm that it has had. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Alex Hammerstone’s issues with Contra, setting up tonight’s Baklei Brawl with Mads Krugger.

Opening sequence.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Sentai Death Squad vs. Jordan Oliver

That would be one member of the Squad, with Daivari and Myron Reed at ringside as well. Oliver runs the ropes to start and kicks the Squad in the head for two. Some forearms in the corner set up a running dropkick, though Oliver seems to have banged up his knee. A middle rope cutter gives Oliver the pin at 2:15. I’m wondering if they cut that due to the knee.

Post match, Oliver says he’s a heavyweight and is coming for the World Title. I don’t see that ending well. Like, at all.

Salina de la Renta doesn’t think much of Savio Vega losing last week and the new owner of Promociones Dorado has offered Vega a rather lucrative deal. Salina is great at this smarmy condescending heel stuff.

We look back at the end of last week’s main event, featuring a seemingly crooked referee costing Savio Vega the Caribbean Title against Richard Holliday.

It turns out that the referee is Tim Donaghy, a former NBA referee who fixed games.

The Von Erichs want Team Filthy on Filthy Island. They’re showing up no matter what.

Tag Team Titles: Bu Ku Dao/TJP vs. Los Parks

Los Parks are defending and Salina de la Renta is in their corner. Park jumps TJP to start and it’s Dao vs. Hijo to start. A headlock takeover doesn’t get Hijo anywhere and TJP chases after Park. We settle down to Park getting in a cheap shot from the apron to put Dao down but Dao is back up with a clothesline. Some shots from the illegal TJP let Dao get two but Hijo sends him to the floor so Park can hammer away.

Back in and TJP gets knocked down again, leaving Dao to be sent into a boot in the corner. Everything breaks down and TJP snaps off a middle rope hurricanrana to Park, setting up the suicide dive to the floor. Everyone comes back in and the champs are caught in stereo submissions, both of which are broken up in a hurry.

With TJP and Park on the floor, Dao hits a swinging Downward Spiral to Hijo (it looked like a Boss Man Slam to Dao so nice job on the counter….I think) for two. Stereo clotheslines put Dao and Hijo down but here’s LA Park Jr. (in red, as opposed to Park’s white and Hijo’s orange) to hit a shoulder breaker on Dao to retain the titles at 8:20.

Rating: C. The match was rather energetic for the most part but dang that ending was dumb. Either they’re continuing the crooked referee deal here or this one is supposed to be especially stupid. It didn’t help that there was almost no drama about who was leaving with the titles here, but at least TJP didn’t take the fall. He comes off as a bigger star than most people in the promotion so it’s smart to keep him strong.

Post match TJP shoves Dao down, signaling the end of a partnership that lasted….three matches?

Contra hacks the feed so Mads Krugger says he’ll beat Alex Hammerstone on his own turf.

We look at Laredo Kid calling out Lio Rush for a champion vs. champion match.

Lio Rush doesn’t know who Laredo Kid is but he’s up for the match next week, title for title.

Filthy Island is in two weeks.

Calvin Tankman is back next week.

Never Say Never is on March 24.

We get the Filthy Island Control Center, which has no sponsors. As for who will be there, Tom Lawlor promises that Team Filthy will be there. We’ll also see King Mo vs. Low Ki….and that’s it so far! We do get a disclaimer that says MLW has nothing to do with this and makes no guarantees. This is going to be another Fyre Fest deal isn’t it?

Alex Hammerstone is ready to fight Mads Krugger because he’s just a road block in front of Jacob Fatu and the World Title.

We look at Gino Medina and Richard Holliday yelling at each other after Medina quit/was fired from The Dynasty.

Gino Medina vs. Gringo Loco

They trade some rapid paced armdrags to start until it’s a standoff, with Medina kicking the offered handshake away. A rather casual snapmare puts Loco down but he’s up with a springboard spinning armdrag to send Medina outside. What looked like an Asai moonsault is broken up and Medina chops away on the floor.

Back in and we hit the chinlock as we hear about the Azteca Underground executives in the private boxes. Loco fights back up and trips Medina to set up a low superkick. An enziguri puts Medina down again but he gets his feet up to block a moonsault. Loco gets launched into the corner but grabs a rollup, only to have Medina reverse into one of his own for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: C. I still don’t get it with Medina, who kind of comes and goes without doing much most weeks. Most of the time I forget that he’s even around here, which isn’t a good sign for his future. He does well enough in the ring, but there are only so many things that you can do when you’re barely around and don’t exactly stand out very often.

Gino Medina talks about being untouchable and doesn’t speak very highly of Loco. Cue Loco to jump him and start a brawl.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Alex Hammerstone shows up at some place with some mechanical equipment (and very little light as you can barely see anything) for the Baklei Brawl with Mads Krugger. Hammerstone and the referee can’t find anyone until a guy who does not exactly look like Krugger (either that or Krugger has shrunk) shows up. The brawl is on with Krugger slamming a gate on Hammerstone’s hand but a tossed pallet misses Hammerstone. Krugger gets sent into the side of a dumpster and a ram into it again is good for the pin. There was no bell and this was a brawl instead of a match.

Post match Hammerstone realizes that’s not the real Krugger and someone (presumably the cameraman) says they need to get the f*** out of there. The real Krugger shows up and hits Hammerstone to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This show is getting weaker and weaker as time goes by and the main event, assuming you can call it one, was a good example. The brawl lasted about three minutes max and ended with a bait and switch. I know they need to keep stringing things along, but why bother having the thing if this is what you’re going to deliver? There is no spark to this show anymore and it’s not the easiest show to watch these days, even with it barely being an hour most weeks. Pick things up already, because it really needs the boost.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Fusion #118
Date: January 20, 2021
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Jared St. Laurent

We’re back to normal this week after Salina de la Renta was in charge last week, but the interesting note came at the end of last week’s show. De la Renta’s Promociones Dorado seems to have been bought out by some group called Azteca Underground, which seems to be some continuation of Lucha Underground. That certainly gets my interest so let’s get to it.

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

ACH is challenging for the World Title tonight but has been attacked outside of the gym. The match is still on.

Opening sequence.

Zenshi vs. Daivari

Daivari is the newest Contra soldier and is in outstanding shape. Feeling out process to start until Daivari nails a running clothesline for an early two. There’s a backdrop out of the corner for the same and the armbar has Zenshi in more trouble. A hammerlock slam gets two more and the armbar goes on. Zenshi is sent outside but comes back in with some rams into the buckles. A slingshot neckbreaker gets two (with one arm) but a bottom rope 450 hits knees. Daivari grabs a hammerlock lariat for the pin at 6:11.

Rating: C-. This was designed to make Daivari look good and it did that well enough. Taking apart the arm was a bit of a twist on the normal setup but it went as well as could have been expected. I haven’t been much of a Daivari fan over the years but he looked crisp here and the physique is a marked changed from his WWE days, so well done on putting in a lot of work.

Myron Reed isn’t scared of Contra and wants some of Daivari.

Savio Vega looks at a picture of himself and promises to get the Caribbean belt back from Richard Holliday in a strap match. Vega will even provide the strap, which is the same one he used on Steve Austin. The contract is in the mail.

Jordan Oliver vs. Simon Gotch

Gotch wins an early slugout without too much trouble but Oliver is right back with more forearms of his own. That earns him a Saito suplex so Oliver grabs a waistlock into a snap suplex. They head outside with Contra hitting a kick to the back and adds an elbow drop from the apron.

Back in and some chops in the corner put Oliver on the floor, followed by an enziguri for two back inside. An armbar sends Oliver straight to the rope as Gotch seems to be toying with him. Oliver finally gets in a running knee to the chest for two and a big boot gets the same. That’s about it for Oliver though as his springboard is pulled into a sleeper to give Gotch the win at 7:28.

Rating: C. This wasn’t much of a competitive match but it told a story. The big appeal here was that Oliver was angry at Gotch for what he did to his friend and Gotch, being the more trained and experienced fighter, knew how to keep his cool and reel the overzealous Oliver in. That’s a simple story but it was all you needed here and Gotch played it as well as could be asked.

Post match Gotch lays him out with a piledriver for a bonus. Myron Reed runs in for the save.

We look back at Los Parks winning the Tag Team Titles last week.

Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy denies all allegations against them from last week’s title change. They don’t have any idea who attacked ACH this morning either, though pronouncing his name like a sound instead of the letters is funny.

Video on ACH.

Salina de la Renta isn’t having any of these questions about Promociones Dorado so Alicia Atout goes on a mini rant about how ridiculous Salina is for never answering anything. Alicia is going to find out what’s going on.

Mads Krugger knows that he will end Alex Hammerstone when they meet again in two week.

ACH has said that Team Filthy’s Dominic Garrini attacked him this morning.

Richard Holliday joins us from Martha’s Vineyard and says he has signed the contract to face Savio Vega against his lawyer/father’s advice because he is 12 steps ahead of Vega.

MLW World Title: ACH vs. Jacob Fatu

ACH is challenging and is rather banged up coming in. Daivari is here with Fatu to keep things unfair. ACH charges at him to start and gets knocked into the corner with ease. Some backflips allow ACH to dropkick the champ outside but the dive is knocked out of the air. There’s a ribs first drop onto the apron and Fatu sits down on the ribs back inside. Another drop misses though and ACH strikes away, only to get pulled into a Samoan drop.

Fatu drops down onto the ribs again as the game plan isn’t exactly complicated here (as it shouldn’t be). The running hip attack misses but ACH’s rather dumb slam attempt comes crashing down. Fatu grabs a neck crank and there’s a headbutt to put ACH back down. A missed charge into the corner puts Fatu down for a bit though and ACH gets to strike away.

ACH dropkicks the knee out and hits a basement dropkick to the side of the head (which shouldn’t work on a Samoan). There’s a slingshot cutter (which Fatu sells like a DDT) for two and a hurricanrana sets up an enziguri. For some reason ACH tries the slam again, this time earning himself a pop up Samoan drop. The moonsault finishes ACH at 9:52.

Rating: C+. They didn’t bother making Fatu sweat here and they shouldn’t have. ACH is a bigger star outside of MLW but it isn’t like he has done much of anything around here in the first place. Fatu is an absolute monster and doesn’t need to be in anything resembling danger outside of a major challenger. ACH is good, but he isn’t that good, at least around here.

Post match Fatu and Daivari proclaim Contra’s dominance but the flag bearers jump them, revealing themselves to be Injustice to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The main event was the best part of the show but the main thing about this week continues to be how much they can do with so little. There were very few people on this show who feel like stars but they managed to make a decent show out of an episode featuring Simon Gotch, Daivari and ACH. As usual, it’s all about the presentation and now they are making it work.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #76
Date: September 21, 2019
Location: Nytex Sports Center, North Richland Hills, Texas
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for the fallout from last week’s War Chamber, meaning it’s time we get ready for the next World Title challenger. Since the champ’s team lost last week though, odds are we get to wait on that for a little bit. Instead tonight is about the Tag Team Titles, with the Dynasty defending against the Hart Foundation in 2/3 falls match. Let’s get to it.

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

After War Chamber, a bloody Josef Samael says this isn’t over with the Von Erichs. He’s coming for both the kids and David Von Erich himself. Hail Contra.

Opening sequence.

Jordan Oliver vs. Zenshi

The rest of Injustice is at ringside. Oliver flips out of a wristlock to start so Zenshi walks on his hands and armdrags him down instead. Back up and a springboard headscissors doesn’t work on Zenshi, who avoids a dropkick and hits a standing shooting star for two. An Injustice distraction lets Oliver grab a super anklescissors but Zenshi flips out of that too.

Kotto Brazil finally helps Oliver out with a trip so Oliver can chop away in the corner. That’s not slowing him down either as Zenshi comes right back with his own shots, including some to break out of a waistlock. Oliver finally gets in a belly to back for two and a dropkick to the back of the head makes it even worse. Zenshi gets sent to the apron but he’s fine enough to hit a shooting star off the apron to take Reed down.

A kick to the head into a corkscrew splash gives Zenshi two so it’s time for Brazil to yell at the referee. That means there’s no count off of Oliver’s backslide so Zenshi gets up and hits his running spinning cutter. That’s good for two as Reed pulls the referee out, allowing Oliver to hit a Stunner onto the apron. A springboard 450 from Reed, with his chest protector, finishes Zenshi at 7:10.

Rating: C-. Zenshi wasn’t interested in selling much here but it was a smart way to go with Injustice cheating all over the place for the win. It’s not like Oliver is all that interesting on his own so the trio is a better way to go. Not a very good match, but Zenshi can do some cool spots with that running cutter being a highlight.

Post match the beatdown is on until Gringo Loco makes the save with a chair.

Dominic Garrini is still coming.

Savio Vega has been cleared to return after being injured by Alexander Hammerstone. I’m sure four people are thrilled.

Mance Warner is out of jail thanks to his uncle and he’s looking for Jimmy Havoc. They’ll be having a Bunkhouse Brawl where anything goes in the building goes.

Video on the Hart Foundation vs. the Dynasty, which has been going on for a long time, meaning I’ve been tempted to write Hart Dynasty several times now.

Richard Holliday joins us from the gym at 6am….for a tan.

MLW is returning to Orlando.

We look back at War Chamber with the Von Erichs and Tom Lawlor defeating Contra.

The Von Erichs want the Tag Team Titles. Makes sense.

We look back at LA Parka and Salina de la Renta announcing their plans to challenge for the World Title at SuperFight.

Salina and Jimmy Havoc are ready to destroy Jacob Fatu and Mance Warner. By the end of tonight, Jimmy will be drinking Warner’s blood. Salina: “He’s my favorite.”

Tag Team Titles: Dynasty vs. Hart Foundation

Dynasty (Holliday/MJF with Aria Blake) is defending and this is 2/3 falls with Teddy Hart/Davey Boy Smith Jr. for the Harts. Thankfully we get some Big Match Intros, partially because the match deserves it and partially because they had half an hour and eating up some time is a good idea. Tony on seeing MJF on Rosie O’Donnell as a kid: “I never have advocated hitting children. You shouldn’t do it. But I wanted to smack that little son of a b**** in the mouth.”

The Dynasty does Rock Paper Scissors to determine who starts, ala the New Age Outlaws and the Outsiders. Teddy breaks it up and the bell rings so we hit the stall button as the champs walk around on the floor. Hart’s Arabian moonsault takes everyone down and it’s all Harts early. They keep fighting on the floor with Teddy sending MJF face first into the bell, with Tony saying the match just started and making fun of the referee. Pay attention chum. We settle down to Teddy kicking MJF out to the floor as Tony and Rich keep going about the bell not ringing before the fight.

Back in and Hart works on MJF’s arm, including the Rings of Saturn. Somehow MJF manages to shout at a fan while still screaming in pain because he’s that kind of a talent. With Hart in awe of MJF’s abilities, it’s Smith coming in to shove Holliday around. Smith wins a wrestle off and gets two off a headlock takeover. A keylock works a bit better, followed by a release German suplex to send Holliday flying.

That’s enough for the Dynasty to head to the back but they’re dragged back in rather quickly. Everyone gets back inside and an atomic drop has Holliday’s eyes bugging out. Hart gets two off a neckbreaker and a snap powerslam is good for the same. Holliday is back up with a spinning spinebuster for his own two and the champs start taking over. The Paisan elbow gets two and Blake goes to rake the eyes, only to have Teddy bite her fingers in a smart bit.

A reverse tornado DDT gets Hart out of trouble and it’s Smith coming back in to take over. We get what looked to be some miscommunication between Smith and Holliday but Davey hits a powerslam anyway. A top rope headbutt gets two on Holliday and a delayed piledriver is good for the same. Holliday jawbreaks his way to freedom from a sleeper and they collide for a knockdown. MJF shoves him onto Smith….for the first fall at 17:24. Tony: “I never would have believed that.”

We get a thirty second rest period and are told that Warner vs. Havoc is confirmed for next week. MJF hits Smith in the head and gets a rather scary glare, plus some hard rams into the buckle. Hart comes back in for the Canadian Destroyer, followed by Project Ciampa to Holliday. The super Canadian Destroyer sets up the moonsault elbow to tie it up at 20:11.

That lets us hear about Douglas James vs. Timothy Thatcher next week before we come back to Holliday breaking up Hart’s hammerlock DDT. Everything breaks down and Austin Aries comes out to hit Hart with a title belt, followed by a brainbuster onto the apron. Aries asks if he has Hart’s attention and drops the belt in the aisle as Hart is done on the floor. Hart can’t beat the count and the Dynasty retains at 23:46.

Rating: B. This got a ton of time, which is exactly what should be happening in a big match like this with a wrestling based gimmick. I like the ending as well as they set up a big showdown at SuperFight and the feud should be over, allowing the Dynasty to move on to the Von Erichs. It’s a good match and the time flew by, which is always a worry in a match this big and long.

Hart is out cold and has to be carried out to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was all about the big main event and I liked what we got overall. The show was build around one match and that match more than delivered so it’s hart to argue against the whole thing. SuperFight is shaping up and that’s a good sign given how close that show actually is. I liked what we got here and with all of the big shows going on elsewhere, it’s nice to have a good, solid, hour long show for a change.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #74
Date: September 7, 2019
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Rich Bocchini

We’re coming up on War Chamber and that could mean one of two things. We could be seeing a big preview of the upcoming special or we could be seeing a nothing, filler show that just kills off a week before we get to what matters. Or it could be a combination of both, which is likely going to be the case. Let’s get to it.

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

Konnan arrives and gets jumped by Promociones Dorado, with Salina de la Renta taking her phone back.

Apparently each match is going to be from a different location this week.

Jordan Oliver vs. Gringo Loco

From Chicago. Oliver says Loco acts like he can do whatever he wants, just like all the cops out here. While sounding like he’s about 10 years old, Oliver describes himself as young and dumb. Oliver jumps him before the bell and knocks Loco outside for a beating from Myron Reed. Back in and the stomping continues as we hear about Reed’s issues growing up. Loco dropkicks the leg out and hits a standing moonsault to the back. The handspring back elbow sends Oliver outside but he’s right back in for a big boot to the floor.

That means a suicide dive from Oliver and the chinlock goes on. Back up and Loco reverses a springboard hurricanrana into a sitout powerbomb and the fans wake up in a hurry. A split legged moonsault gives Loco two but it’s a thumb to the eye to slow Loco down. Oliver hits a pop up Stunner into a small package for two, only to have Loco enziguri him outside. The big flip dive drops Oliver and he claims a shoulder injury. The goldbricking is clear here but the distraction lets Reed hit Loco with a chair to give Oliver the pin at 7:43.

Rating: C. The flips were nice but this felt like it had two ending sequences and they should have wrapped it up after the Stunner. That’s part of the problem with matches like this: they just keep going for the sake of continuing, even when there isn’t a need to. It was a fine cruiserweight style match and Loco still gets a reaction so it’s hard to ask for much more.

War Chamber preview.

Low Ki says the question is whether his partners can trust him. The bigger question is if they can’t at this time. Their history is behind them and now he will go to war with them.

Richard Holliday vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

From New York. Before the match, Holliday calls it a conspiracy that the Hart Foundation really runs MLW. It’s no coincidence that Dynasty sounds so much like destiny, because they are the only true thing around here. Pillman chops away to start so Holliday does the same to keep us even early on. A dropkick (without full extension) and a dropkick put Holliday on the floor but he sweeps the leg to drop Pillman on the apron.

Back in and the heelish offense begins with a knee to the head getting two. Pillman misses an armdrag and gets kicked in the head as the announcers put over the idea that Pillman is making rookie mistakes. Holliday gets two off a swinging neckbreaker but misses a lariat, meaning the comeback is on. A victory roll and powerslam give Pillman two each but Holliday is right back with a Death Valley Driver for his own near fall.

With that not working, Holliday brings in a chair, which the referee grabs. The referee takes forever to get rid of the chair, allowing Pillman to throw his Rookie of the Year award to Holliday and drop to the mat (including holding his head for a bonus). That’s not enough for a DQ so Pillman kicks him low and grabs the straitjacket neckbreaker for the pin at 7:10.

Rating: D+. Not a great match but this feud has carried the promotion for a long time now. You can throw any combination of these two teams together and have a solid match so it’s not like this was a stretch. Pillman needs a lot more experience but he’s clearly very athletic and can do the basics more than well enough, meaning the match wasn’t terrible by any means. Not terrible, but there was a bit too much crammed in near the end.

Dominic Garrini is coming.

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We recap last week’s World Title match with Contra costing Tom Lawlor his chance to get the title back. The big brawl was on after the match with Low Ki making the save to become the fourth member of Team Lawlor.

The Von Erichs don’t trust Low Ki but they’re willing to go to war with him. Contra’s reign of terror ends in Texas.

Mance Warner will deal with Salina de la Renta later because it’s all about Jimmy Havoc right now. He couldn’t drink while he was in the cell so he thought of ways to hurt Havoc. Warner has a blueprint of pain and he’s coming to f*** Jimmy up.

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Lawlor is ready for War Chamber no matter how banged up he is. It is his destiny to make sure Contra doesn’t walk out on his own. He doesn’t know if Low Ki is trustworthy but he knows Low Ki is coming to cut off the snake’s head. After that, Lawlor is ready to take care of business.

N-1 Victory Tournament: Alexander Hammerstone vs. Go Shiozaki

From Nagoya, Japan in Pro Wrestling Noah and Hammerstone’s National Openweight Title isn’t on the line. They lock up to start as the arena is eerily silent (I get the culture aspect of it but it’s always jarring by comparison). Hammerstone takes him down by the leg but gets reversed into a headlock, which goes to a standoff. Shiozaki’s shoulder has no effect so Hammerstone tells him to do it again. A chop nearly has Hammerstone keeling over so he shoulders Go to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Shiozaki hitting a delayed suplex for two so Hammerstone kicks him in the face. A pair of German suplexes give Hammerstone two, only to have Shiozaki come back with a heck of a lariat. They forearm it out and then chop it out for a change of pace until Hammerstone hits the swinging sitout Rock Bottom (inaccurately called the Nightmare Pendulum) for two. Hammerstone can’t hit a Burning Hammer but can get a boot up in the corner. A powerbomb, with a VERY delayed count, gives Hammerstone two, followed by the Nightmare Pendulum (the real one) to finish Shiozaki at 12:44.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of match that Hammerstone needed. You can only get so much out of having him beat up smaller guys and Savio Vega so switching in someone as good as Shiozaki makes a lot of sense. I know Hammerstone isn’t going to win the tournament or anything like that but he got to showcase himself here, which makes both he and MLW look good.

Contra promises to win the War Chamber to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I liked this show well enough as they had a nice mix of stuff. That being said, it wasn’t a show that you need to watch and you’re better off just taking the week off and getting ready for next week’s big showdown. They hyped up War Chamber rather well and the original stuff here was good enough. Nice show, but pretty skippable.

Results

Jordan Oliver b. Gringo Loco – Chair shot from Myron Reed

Brian Pillman Jr. b. Richard Holliday – Straitjacket neckbreaker

Alexander Hammerstone b. Go Shiozaki – Nightmare Pendulum

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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