Fusion #34
Date: December 7, 2018
Location: Cicero Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Rich Bocchini

Last week was a big show and now we have the final event before it’s off to Miami. In this case that means we have the debut of Rush, a big star from Mexico. It’s hard to say what else we might be getting around here, but the good part around here is how you’re almost guaranteed to get at least something worth seeing. Let’s get to it.

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

Earlier today Simon Gotch arrived and was chased by Tom Lawlor. Ricky Martinez shows up to jump Lawlor but didn’t get anywhere.

Opening sequence.

The Hart Foundation went to the Pro Wrestling Tees store and rather like the Hart Foundation shirt. As they should, though it’s not the flashiest thing in the world.

Jason Cade vs. Teddy Hart

Hart has Brian Pillman Jr. with him. Cade isn’t interested in a handshake and strikes away to start instead. A running neckbreaker puts Teddy down and the fans aren’t happy. Teddy gets out of trouble with a Code Red and a Project Ciampa, followed by a bearhug, which actually works despite the sizes. Cade gets planted with a hammerlock DDT, followed by a top rope moonsault elbow (cool) for two.

Since you don’t sell in a match like this, Cade is back up with a tiger driver and a handspring Codebreaker. Cade even goes outside and smacks Pillman around before sending Hart into the barricade. There’s a legdrop off the barricade to Hart’s back but a frog splash hits knees back inside. The electric chair Backstabber keeps Cade in trouble to the point where we even get some old school begging off.

The Stu Hart Special (looked like a suplex flipped forward into a spinebuster) gives Teddy two and Pillman (DANG he looks like his dad here) is shouting at the crowd. Hart hits a piledriver for two more but Cade is right back with some rolling vertical suplexes. A Samoan driver gets another two so Hart pops back up with a super Canadian Destroyer. Another one puts Cade away at 8:41.

Rating: C+. This is all about entertaining spots and no kind of story or flow, which is perfectly fine. Sometimes you need something fun and that’s what you got here. Hart can do the big spots as well as anyone else and Cade is a very talented guy in his own right. I had a good time with this and that’s all that matters in a popcorn match.

An upset Salina de la Renta rants on the phone when Konnan comes up to brag about the Lucha Bros retaining last week. Next up is the World Title, which Konnan will take himself in Miami. After that, he’s coming for Salina. Singing ensues.

We look back at Lawlor and Martinez from earlier.

Konnan finds Martinez down and dripping blood from the head before dropping a padlock next to him.

Marko Stunt vs. Ace Romero

Stunt is about 5’2 and Romero weighs about 400lbs. Tony: “Who in the world booked this?” Stunt dances to Romero’s music before the (literal) squashing can begin. He only comes up to Ace’s chest so they’re definitely going for the freak show style here. Stunt can’t even get his arms halfway around on a waistlock attempt and a chop to the chest just annoys Romero. A running dropkick sends Stunt flying into the corner and Romero goes up (oh dear), only to miss a legdrop onto the apron. I never would have bet on seeing him try a spot like that and the landing looked dangerous.

Stunt hits a suicide dive but Romero CRUSHES HIM against the barricade in a good visual. Back in and the big elbow gets two but Stunt gets fired up. Some running dropkicks stagger Romero and an enziguri makes it even worse. A springboards backsplash to a leaning over Romero gets two and he tosses Stunt into the air, only to get pulled down into a Codebreaker.

Rich brings up a good point: Marko has to make sure that Romero doesn’t fall on him. That’s not usually something that applies but it’s accurate here. Romero takes him up top but Stunt manages a VERY impressive sunset bomb (Rich: “HE BROKE GRAVITY!”) to pop the heck out of the crowd. Marko heads up but his high crossbody is countered into a Black Hole Slam for the pin at 8:41.

Rating: C+. This was fun. That’s the first thing that came to my mind and I’m rather surprised by how much I liked this. Normally this is the kind of match that would make me roll my eyes but I had a good time with it and they didn’t make it seem stupid (for the most part). That’s very hard to do but they managed to pull it off. Well done, and Stunt is slowly starting to change my mind.

We run down next week’s card. Maxwell Jacob Friedman is officially out of the ladder match due to his elbow injury so it’s now a four way match for the vacant Middleweight Title.

We look back at Shane Strickland losing his World Title match two weeks ago and snapping as a result.

Strickland is yelling at CEO Court Bauer (the fact that I have to point out his job title because he’s not around that often is a good thing) behind closed doors and Bauer doesn’t sound happy.

Miami Control Center with both card rundowns.

Salina has had it with Konnan. Low Ki says they came to him with respect and this is what they got. Ricky Martinez comes up, spitting blood into a trashcan. Ki and Salina leave him there after being told it was Konnan.

Rush vs. Sammy Guevara

This is Rush’s (pronounced Roosh) MLW debut and Sammy’s AAA Cruiserweight Title isn’t on the line. Rush’s theme music sounds like it’s being hummed to start but he definitely has some star power. Rush shoves him away to start and dives over a monkey flip attempt. They both try dropkicks and flip up to a standoff, which is enough for Rush to take the shirt off. He throws it all the way onto the lighting grid, which is quite the arm. Rush takes him into the corner and stomps away, followed by a single kick to the face.

That’s enough for a pose ala Andrade Cien Almas (both from the same stable so it makes sense). Guevara knocks him down but stops to pose a little too much, with Tony calling out him for not being serious enough. They fight outside with Rush dropping him onto a table, which doesn’t break. Rush whips him with an electrical cord and gets in a chair shot to keep Sammy in trouble.

Back in and Rush nearly decks the referee and Guevara hits a running shoulder in the corner. Sammy sends him outside for a running flip suicide dive, followed by a springboards missile dropkick for two back inside. They botch what looked to be a standing Spanish Fly so Rush catches him on the top with a release superplex for two of his own. An exchange of superkicks goes to Rush and he headbutts the heck out of Sammy for another near fall. Guevara’s shooting star hits knees so Rush hits a double underhook piledriver (Jay Driller) for the pin at 9:24.

Rating: B-. Oh yeah they have something with Rush. He comes off as a star and has a presence that almost no one around here has, which isn’t something you can teach. Rush is the kind of guy you want on your show because he makes it feel bigger, which is hard to do on a smaller show like this. He’s a good talent to have and someone that hopefully gets a lot of attention going forward.

Post match Rush grabs a mic and says (with subtitles) that he’s here for the rivalry with LA Park, which is quite a big deal in Mexico. Works for me, though I hope Park can carry his side.

After a quick preview for next week’s show, we see Ki and Salina leaving (How are they not gone yet?) and Lawlor chases after them to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Good show here as they seem to actually have found a way to bridge out Lawlor vs. Low Ki all the way to February. This company has managed to surprise me more than once and that’s not something I can say very often. That makes for a fun show week to week and that’s what we got here. Nice work again here, which is becoming the norm.

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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Lucha Underground
Date: October 31, 2018
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

We’ve finally reached Ultima Lucha Cuatro and there’s a pretty strong lineup for the final two shows of the year. Tonight we have the Trios Titles on the line and a mask vs. mask match, but the important thing around here is going to be the backstage stuff, which is where Ultima Lucha really wraps up a bunch of the big stories. That’s what really matters, though the wrestling should be fun too. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video previews tonight’s three matches, as it should.

Aerostar goes to see Captain Vazquez (Catrina’s mother, a Los Angeles cop) and gives her the other half of the medallion, which is from the ancient Aztec times. Vazquez puts it together with her half and disappears, with Aerostar suggesting that she is now reunited with her family beyond the cosmos.

The announcers do their usual welcome.

Trios Titles: Rabbit Tribe vs. Reptile Tribe vs. XO Lishus/Sammy Guevara/Ivelisse

Elimination rules and the Reptile Tribe (Daga/Jeremiah Snake/Kobra Moon) are defending. The White Rabbit destroys everyone to start and loads up the white glove but a quintuple superkick takes him down. El Bunny, the small guy, starts speeding things up with a very spinny headscissors to send Daga outside, setting up dives from Sammy and Ivelisse.

Sammy takes Kobra up above the entrance and hits a crazy Spanish Fly onto everyone else. That ticks the White Rabbit off so he starts wrecking everyone in sight, leaving Sammy to rollup Bunny for the elimination. The White Rabbit isn’t about to leave peacefully so he Mandible Claws Sammy, drawing blood from the mouth. We need a medic as we take a break.

Back with Ivelisse and XO slugging away at all three champs with Ivelisse getting two off the crucifix driver. XO hits a wheelbarrow Stunner for two on Sami with Moon and Daga making a save. Sami is back up and pulls XO shoulder first into the rope, damaging XO’s neck/shoulder/collar bone in the process.

Ivelisse hits a high crossbody onto Daga and Moon with Sami making a save this time. Code Red gets two more on Sami but Daga kicks Ivelisse away, leaving the injured XO all alone. XO goes after them all and gets triple superkicked. The double underhook shoulder breaker into a hurricanrana driver sets up a cross armbreaker for the tap at 12:04.

Rating: C. The action was good though I’m a little surprised by the result as you would have assumed the Rabbits hopped away with the titles here. The Trios Titles haven’t exactly been much in a long time but at least they’re getting some actual teams together at the moment. Now just keep that going, assuming the show is around next season.

Taya Mundo vs. Ricky Mundo

Ricky broke up Taya’s wedding and it’s time for pain. Taya throws him down to start and hits an early release German suplex as the beating is on in a hurry. The running knees in the corner give Taya two but Ricky is right back with a superkick. It’s table time but Taya jumps onto the announcers’ table for a crossbody. Back in and a Saito suplex gives Taya two, followed by a curb stomp. Ricky is almost done anyway so Taya puts on a modified STF to make him tap at 4:11.

Rating: D+. Almost a squash here but the angle and story wrapping up was much more important than the wrestling. Ricky is just a goof so having Taya beat him up is hardly a stretch. Taya is a skilled wrestler, meaning this is hardly a fluke win. Not a bad match or anything, but the wrestling wasn’t the point.

Post match Taya tells him that he ruined her f****** (not censored) wedding and chokeslams him off the apron through the table.

Son of Havoc vs. Killshot

Mask vs. mask. They slug it out to start as Vampiro explains lucha de apuestas (it means a bet match, so his long explanation isn’t quite needed. Killshot takes him to the floor for some chops against the wall and a spinning double underhook slam drops Havoc back inside. Havoc cartwheels away but gets caught with a knee to the face, followed by the Killstomp for two.

Hang on though as Killshot needs a stretcher and unhooks the bottom turnbuckle to get it inside. That’s enough in the ring so let’s head outside again with another table being set up. Havoc fights off of it without much effort and dives off the balcony with a splash to put Killshot through it instead. That only gives Havoc two back inside but Killshot crotches him to break up the shooting star.

Killshot heads up as well but gets taken down with a super Death Valley Driver, setting up the shooting star for two in a great near fall. Havoc goes up again and a superplex brings him down onto the stretcher, setting up the Killstomp for a close two. They slug it out on the stretcher until Havoc gives him a piledriver. That’s not enough for the cover though as Havoc straps him to the stretcher and hits another shooting star for the pin at 14:10.

Rating: B. Killshot is one of the most underrated and consistent people around here and that makes him a very valuable member of the roster. I can’t say I’m surprised as some of his stuff outside of Lucha Underground has been excellent as well. This was another hard hitting match and while it wasn’t quite last year’s match with Dante Fox, it was a heck of a brawl with the right ending.

Post break, Killshot says his name is Jermaine Strickland and he left his brothers to die in war. The mask comes off and it’s someone you probably know better as Shane Strickland. Havoc holds up the mask as Killshot leaves to a lot of cheering.

After the credits, Strickland comes up to Dante Fox (in military uniform), who says he was on a mission. Strickland requests to be relieved of duty and walks away.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t a blow away great show, but to be fair this is just the warm up for next week’s big stuff anyway. It’s nice to have closure to a few stories and that’s what we got here in a well wrapped up way. The main event is pretty good and while it seems that Killshot is gone, almost any Strickland match is worth seeing. Hopefully he gets to make it big soon, because he certainly has the talent. Hopefully next week is the huge show it should be.

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:

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Fusion #11
Date: June 29, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

Things are starting to take shape around here but at the same time, there is still new stuff being addle every week which makes the show that much more fun to watch. We’re also getting closer to Battle Riot later this month, which should be a lot of fun if they do it right. I’m not sure what to expect tonight so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s show with Barrington Hughes fighting Sami Callihan’s goons.

Hughes, with a bandage around his head, says he was jumped from behind by something made of metal. They’re not done quarreling or rumbling.

Opening sequence.

We look back at Kotto Brazil beating Vandal Ortagun last week.

Kotto is proud of his win but here are Callihan’s goons and Callihan himself to jump Brazil from behind. Callihan says that’s a message for MVP, as that feud is still going. They take Kotto away.

Ariel Dominguez vs. Jaye Skye

This is a Prospect match and Dominguez weighs 140lbs. They lock up in the corner but here are Su Yung and Zeda Zhang (from the Mae Young Classic) to beat them both down for a no contest after about a minute.

Video on Low Ki wanting to claim the bounty on Shane Strickland. He wants to burn the house of Swerve to the ground. The bounty is now up to $60,000. I don’t like Low Ki but the low voiceover is a very nice touch and rather creepy.

Newly announced for Battle Riot: Tom Lawlor, Brody King, Low Ki, Jimmy Havoc, Samu, Leon Scott. Yes that’s Headshrinker Samu. I’m not sure I get it either.

Also announced for the show: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Joey Ryan for the inaugural Middleweight Championship. That’s rather abrupt.

MVP finds Kotto (no idea how) along with a phone featuring a message from Callihan, who wants to meet him in the boiler room.

Fred Yehi vs. Sammy Guevara

Sammy has Salina de la Renta with him along with a big bodyguard. In the back, Team Filthy offers Fred what sounds to be a rather insincere good luck. A trip to the mat goes nowhere and Yehi runs him over with a shoulder. Back up and Guevara does a standing backflip instead of a leapfrog, which is rather impressive looking. Unfortunately it doesn’t do much good as Yehi grabs the arm to take over. A release German suplex drops Guevara for two but he belly to belly suplexes Yehi into the corner to cut him off.

Guevara puts him in a fireman’s carry to do some squats but Yehi slips out and forearms him in the face. There’s a powerbomb for two on Guevara and it’s time for a sloppy looking sequence where they seem to mistime multiple spots, including Guevara slipping out of a full nelson and getting covered for two. Yehi is tired of the missed spots and grabs a Koji Clutch for the tap at 6:31.

Rating: C. Yehi is getting more and more fun to watch every time he’s out there and Guevara is fine for a cocky heel who can get what’s coming to him. This worked fine and gave Yehi a win that he needed. You can go a few places with someone like him but it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t win at least a few times.

Post match de la Renta ignores Guevara’s excuses.

We look back at Yung and Zhang’s attack earlier.

Team Filthy runs into Low Ki and thank him for building up the bounty money. Low Ki brings up Lawlor being #1 contender and points out all the #1 contenders who have lost their shot. Oh and Low Ki is getting the next title shot anyway. Ki’s voice really is great for things like this.

We look back at Callihan attacking MVP until Brazil made the save, only to have Callihan and company beat them both down with the baseball bat.

Callihan says what happened to Brazil was just a warning to MVP. The boiler room challenge is thrown out again.

We look back at Team Filthy beating Jimmy Havoc down about a month ago.

Havoc is sitting by Team Filthy’s hot tub and says he’s watching them.

Clip of Fenix and Pentagon becoming Tag Team Champions.

Team TBD is arguing and can’t be interviewed right now.

Rich Swann vs. ACH

Tom Lawlor is on commentary and isn’t pleased with both guys dancing before the bell. Lawlor: “I want to beat somebody up.” Swann rolls away from an early chop in the corner as Bocchini asks why the prize in Team Filthy Open Challenges is so low. ACH gets in a roll of his own and backflips into a standoff. There’s a dropkick to put ACH down but Swann doesn’t seem interested in being very aggressive.

An attempt at a handspring bulldog is pretty easily countered as ACH pulls him out of the air and it’s off to a chinlock. A backbreaker into a snap German suplex gives ACH two and we’re right back to the chinlock. Rich: “How do you counter that suplex?” Lawler: “Don’t get caught in it in the first place.” ACH hits him in the back and we hit the third chinlock in about six minutes. I mean….do an armbar or something. Swann fights up and grabs a headscissors for two and a jumping hurricanrana brings ACH off the ropes.

ACH gets in a double stomp to the back and kicks him in the head but comes up holding his shoulder. It’s fine enough for a middle rope frog splash and a one armed deadlift German suplex gets two. Lawlor: “But what if he had two???” Swann is right back up with a Lethal Injection and they’re both banged up. A slow slugout goes to Swann off a kick to the face for two but the standing 450 hits boots. Swann tries la majistral but ACH lays down on it for the surprise pin at 12:37.

Rating: B-. This was a different kind of match as neither was wanting to go that high as neither was willing to find out if the other was that much better. ACH needed the win a lot more than Swann, but it’s kind of surprising to see someone with Swann’s WWE status and being so new take a loss. Still though, not too bad.

Overall Rating: C+. This show isn’t great but I’ve yet to see a bad episode from these guys. They put on good shows with stories that have been put together logically and you can start to see where things are supposed to go. I like what I’ve been seeing and that’s not something I can say happens with a lot of promotions with more time than this one.

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:

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