Fusion #104
Date: April 4, 2020
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: AJ Kirsch, Rich Bocchini

This is the last show on American soil for the time being and I’m not sure what that is going to mean going forward. They have a few shows taped from Mexico but you never know how much they can draw from that one event. Hopefully this one works but this company can be all over the place. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Douglas James vs. Septimo Dragon

Feeling out process to start with Dragon flipping out of a toss attempt. That’s fine with James, who knees him in the face to send things outside. The suicide dive drops Dragon again but he’s back up with a kick to the face. A moonsault sets up a suicide dive to drop James this time around and they head back inside. Dragon hits some LOUD shots to the face and a springboard hurricanrana keeps James in trouble. James catches him in the corner though and a Codebreaker gets two. A suplex gets the same and James faceplants him into the Crossface.

Dragon slips out so it’s a hard clothesline to drop him again. Back up and they slug it out, with Dragon shouting “COME ON F*****!”. A superkick battle goes to Dragon but they kick each other in the head at the same time for a double knockdown. The fans are rather appreciative, even as the double count begins. Back up and Dragon kicks him in the face for two, followed by the Septimo Driver (almost a Dominator into a piledriver) for two. James pops back up with a Death Valley Driver into the corner and the guillotine choke finishes Dragon at 7:29.

Rating: C+. There was no reason for them to work this hard in a match and yet they pulled it off pretty well here. I wouldn’t have bet on something like this but it was nice to see two people putting in the effort and having a good match as a result. James is kind of plain but Dragon could be fine for the local luchador, which will always have a place in wrestling.

Richard Holliday is going to interfere in the empty arena match between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Mance Warner but gets a phone call from Gino Medina. Logan Creed has done something and attention is needed.

Pagano is still coming.

In case he has to leave, here’s Mance Warner’s debut. I still like him a lot.

Warner is ready to fight and might have some friends of his own. It might be better that some people might not be there because he doesn’t want them seeing that violence. When asked his plans for dealing with the Dynasty: “F*** em.”

We look at Injustice beating down Brian Pillman Jr. last week, including the Stomp onto a cinder block.

Injustice have been fined and suspended.

The AAA/MLW Super Series is coming next week.

LA Park and his sons want Psycho Clown to find two partners for a six man tag.

The Dynasty doesn’t like an interview taking place outside of their dressing room. They get rid of the interviewer before they lose the rarefied air.

Here’s MJF’s MLW debut.

Here’s MJF winning the Middleweight Title.

Savio Vega thinks the empty arena match is dangerous but he’s picking Mance.

Here’s the Top 10:

10. Low Ki

9. King Mo

8. Mance Warner

7. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

6. Richard Holliday

5. Brian Pillman Jr.

4. Tom Lawlor

3. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

2. Myron Reed

1. Alexander Hammerstone

Switch these things to once a month as they barely ever change and a lot of these people aren’t even featured every week.

We look at Team Filthy and American Top Team cheating to beat Low Ki last week.

The Dynasty goes after Mance Warner but Savio Vega comes in to even the numbers and the fight is on.

Here’s Mance beating Jimmy Havoc in the barbed wire match.

Post break, Mance and Savio stand tall.

The Von Erichs talk about turning adversity into positives. Like with the Coronavirus, or Team Filthy cheating last week. That’s quite the jump in levels of severity no?

MJF talks about Warner not knowing much about him. When MJF was a kid, a bunch of people threw quarters at him. That was in third grade, so he went to the gym every day and on the last day of high school, he knocked the main guy out. MJF starts shouting about how he can f*** someone up so he can get nuts too. This went from zero to sixty in no time.

Killer Kross is hurt and out of action for six months. He wanted to fight in MLW again but his “Stamford employer” will not allow it.

Brian Pillman Jr. has a broken jaw and might sue Injustice.

Mance Warner vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

In an empty arena and loser leaves town. MJF spits gum in Warner’s face so they’re on the floor in a hurry. It’s actually MJF getting the better of it and choking with a rope. Warner has to knock the bolt cutters out of his hands and a headbutt sends MJF staggering away. MJF sends him flying through some chairs for one and they fight up the empty bleachers. Some right hands have MJF in trouble and he can’t throw Warner over the balcony. Instead, Warner throws him down the bleachers (Referee: “Max are you ok?”) for two.

MJF finds a broom to choke him up against the wall but stops to punch out a cameraman. A stolen cigarette is burned on Warner’s head but hold on as MJF steals a phone to….call a taxi? Warner is back up with a chair shot for two before bending the wrist around part of the metal structure. They get back in the ring with MJF slugging away, capped off by the Bionic Elbow. A headbutt sets up the lariat to get rid of MJF at 7:47.

Rating: B. I liked this more than I expected to even though I like both guys quite a bit. Warner beat the heck out of him but MJF was showing a lot of fire. It says a lot that he was willing to put in this kind of effort in a match that was really for his secondary job rather than something in AEW. He really is that good and I’m glad to see him move up that far so fast. Warner is going to get there someday too but for now he can be a star in MLW.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling was quite good but there were a few too many recaps and filler segments. At the same time, the show was even shorter than usual so maybe they edited it differently or something here. We got a good show though and a big time main event. I have no idea how the Mexico shows will go, but at least they had a solid effort this time around.

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Fusion #97
Date: February 15, 2020
Location: NYTEX Sports Center, Dallas, Texas
Commentators: AJ Kirsch, Rich Bocchini

I could go for the theme being forever. This is a special edition of the show as the Dynasty is running things, meaning we can get that sweet theme song over and over. All of the team is in action tonight, including Richard Holiday/Maxwell Jacob Friedman challenging the Von Erichs for the Tag Team Titles. Let’s get to it.

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

We get a Dynasty opening sequence. Like it would be anything else.

Rich has to read an intro prepared by the Dynasty, including referring to the viewers as “consumers”.

We look at Mance Warner not being too high on the Dynasty. As a result, Warner has been banned from the “permises”, as it says on the flier.

We look at Gino Medina joining the Dynasty.

Septimo Dragon vs. Gino Medina

Richard Holliday is on commentary and Septimo (not an actual dragon according to the graphic) has Konnan in his corner. Gino gets sent to the floor in a hurry and it’s a moonsault from the apron, followed by a suicide dive for a bonus. Back in and they flip over each other before missing kicks to the head. That means an early stand off and the fans are rather pleased. Dragon hurricanranas him to the floor before walking on his hands to avoid another kick.

Another headscissors gets pushed off with Dragon crashing into the ropes for two. The chinlock goes on to keep Dragon down but he fights up and hits a big top rope armdrag. Medina rolls outside to get in Konnan’s face but Dragon breaks it up with a top rope Asai moonsault. Back in and a kick to the face sets up a standing Spanish Fly for two on Medina. A springboard tornado DDT gets the same but Medina is right back with a small package with a foot on the ropes for the pin at 6:48.

Rating: C. Pretty entertaining lucha match with the usual collection of flips and dives, though I’m not sure how interesting Medina really is. He looks good in the suit and sounds like a good idea but I’ve yet to see the big match/moment from him. Granted he doesn’t exactly have a long resume and it’s not like he’s been awful by any stretch.

Post match Holliday comes in for the beatdown with Medina stealing the mask. Konnan makes the save with a slapjack.

Here’s what’s coming in the Tag Team Title match, as written by the Dynasty.

Mance Warner is locked out because he didn’t meet the dress code.

Warner says that’s not going to work.

Erick Stevens is still coming and actually gets here next week.

National Openweight Title: Alexander Hammerstone vs. Aerostar

Hammerstone is defending and Konnan is on commentary to talk about everyone coming up from Mexico. Aerostar starts fast by running the ropes for a middle rope dropkick. Hammerstone gets low bridged to the floor and we take a break. Back with Aerostar having shrugged off a bunch of power moves during the break and hitting a corkscrew crossbody for two.

The Nightmare Pendulum is countered into a small package for two (with Konnan complaining about the speed of the count, as he should). Hammerstone crotches him on top and that means a delayed superplex for two, with Hammerstone’s face perfectly switching from smug to angry. A German suplex drops Aerostar on his head but a powerbomb is reversed into the Canadian Destroyer for two. With nothing else working, Hammerstone pulls the mask off for the pin at 8:10.

Rating: B-. The action was better here with Hammerstone showing off the power rather well. Aerostar got to fight back with the flying and lucha stuff, though I’m not wild on both masks being ripped off in a row. At least it was two different forms of cheating for the actual falls, but this one felt repetitive after what we saw fifteen minutes ago.

We get another Filthy Does Dallas video with Tom Lawlor and Dominic Garrini standing on the grounds where the Sportatorium formerly stood. As expected, they relieve themselves on the ground.

Warner promise to wreck things.

Killer Kross is coming.

We recap the Death Squad jumping the Hart Dynasty with the Von Erichs making the save.

Jacob Fatu tells Cima to bring it.

Cima will bring it in three weeks on episode #100.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. and the Von Erichs share a family history because Stu Hart trained Fritz Von Erich. They have each others backs and Davey is watching Tom Lawlor.

Warner isn’t allowed in but buys off the security guard with beer because MJF is an a******.

LA Park is coming back.

Video on the Dynasty’s dominance.

Tag Team Titles: Dynasty vs. Von Erichs

The Dynasty is challenging but after their entrance, they step off to the side without coming down the aisle. We get some old school flower gifts for the Von Erichs but the Dynasty run in from behind for the opening bell. The champs get sent into the barricade and they head inside for the first time with Ross being chopped in the corner. Boot choking abounds and Holliday gets two off a neckbreaker.

Ross’s legs are wishboned and MJF shouts about how Marshall is RIGHT THERE if Ross can get over to him. Ross manages to escape but Holliday pulls Marshall off the apron. The Paisan elbow gets two and MJF’s suplex is good for the same. Holliday’s gets the third near fall in a row with MJF demanding a faster count. The chinlock goes on for a bit before MJF wants a double suplex. Ross counters into a double neckbreaker though and the hot tag brings in Marshall to clean house (albeit at a bit of a slow pace).

A Cannonball in the corner sets up a standing moonsault for two as everything breaks down. Ross hits a big dive onto MJF, leaving Marshall to take Holliday up top. That just means a Market Crash to set up MJF’s top rope splash. Ross dives over the referee (cool visual) for the save as Hammerstone comes to the ring. Cue Warner to chair him down though, drawing out Medina for the brawl to the back. A double dropkick puts Holliday on the floor and the Claw/belly to back suplex combination finishes MJF to retain the titles at 12:38.

Rating: C+. They went with the formula stuff here as the fans wanted to cheer the Von Erichs. It’s true that they’re very green but there is something about them that makes fans get behind them. This is the kind of place where they can gain experience and working against a good (albeit also young) team like the Dynasty is going to help that out a lot.

Overall Rating: B. I had a good time with this one as they had a nice theme going throughout the night. The Dynasty is still one of the best things going in MLW and it’s a shame that MJF is going away soon (if not after this). Warner vs. the Dynasty is a good idea, if nothing else for the culture clash, and maybe we can get some fresh blood near the top of the card. Good show here, with the presentation making it work.

Results

Gino Medina b. Septimo Dragon – Small package with a foot on the ropes

Alexander Hammerstone b. Aerostar – Rollup

Von Erichs b. Dynasty – Claw/belly to back suplex combination to Friedman

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Fusion #78
Date: October 5, 2019
Location: Nytex Sports Center, North Richland Hills, Texas
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

It’s time to go back to the middleweight division as Brian Pillman Jr. is out for revenge after Austin Aries took out Teddy Hart last month. We seem to be gearing up for Aries vs. Hart at SuperFight in just under a month, which should be a heck of a match. Other than that, we could be in for a variety of things on this one. Let’s get to it.

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

Magnus/Septimo Dragon vs. LA Park/El Hijo de LA Park

Even Rich seems impressed with Salina and….well yeah. We get some respect shown before the match but the Parks turn on them in a hurry to start the beatdown. Septimo gets chaired in the back and Magnus is crotched on the barricade. Back in and Septimo gets whipped with the weightlifting belt, followed by some running splashes in the corner.

Magnus gets in a headscissors to put the Parks on the floor for the slingshot corkscrew dive. Septimo’s corkscrew springboard moonsault drops them again as Rich is trying to figure out who is who. Back in and a Swanton gives Septimo two and Salina is nervous. The Parks are whipped into each other but LA knocks both of them down with shots to the face. Hijo hits a super Spanish Fly for two on Septimo as everything breaks down again.

Park hits a heck of a dive off the top to crush Magnus, who somehow isn’t dead. A cutter gives Magnus two as we settle down into a regular tag match for a change. Hijo and Septimo come back in to strike it out and the latter hitting a GTS. A kick to the head drops Hijo but he’s right back up with a very fast Canadian Destroyer for his own two.

Park comes back in and goes shoulder first into the post, with Salina having to pull the referee out to break up a count. That leaves Hijo to hit a Backstabber on Septimo, who is right back up with a suicide dive onto Hijo. Back in and Magnus hammers on Park, who splashes the referee by mistake. Salina gets in a heck of a low blow on Magnus and the referee pops up to count the pin at 13:56.

Rating: C. There were some good looking dives and spots but it is almost impossible to take Park seriously with that huge gut. It also doesn’t help when Park is never going to lose and it gets a little hard to get into his matches. I know he’s a legend and all that but he wouldn’t be the one I would expect to be the star of the promotion.

Contra takes over the feed and airs a video on how Jacob Fatu is going to crush Salina and Park because Contra is a cause.

We look back at Austin Aries taking out Teddy Hart two weeks ago. Teddy has gotten his own doctor to clear him and he’s here tonight.

The Von Erichs are coming for the Tag Team Titles next week.

The Dynasty isn’t happy with the contract they have been offered.

It’s time for the SuperFight Control Center with Tom Lawlor vs. Timothy Thatcher and Alexander Hammerstone vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. for the Openweight Title added.

Dominic Garrini vs. Ariel Dominguez

This is Garrini’s debut and he is in a fighting gi. Garrini drives him into the corner so Dominguez goes to the let, meaning he has to fight out of a quick armbar attempt. A gutwrench suplex sends Dominguez down again and this is looking one sided. Something like a Bubba Bomb sets up a cross armbreaker to make Dominguez tap at 1:49. Exactly what it should have been.

Post match Garrini says that was a start so send him all of the grapplers, including Tom Lawlor and Timothy Thatcher.

Lawlor has blown off a media event this week but has no problem with Thatcher calling him out. He’ll knock Thatcher out.

Jimmy Havoc will be producing the Halloween special. Makes sense. It’s going to be called Slaughterhouse and we get a trailer.

MLW is raising money for Samu, who underwent a liver transplant.

Gino Medina is coming.

We look back at Injustice being cheated out of a win last week and attacking everyone as a result.

Injustice complains about everything that happened and promises to continue the fight. Jordan Oliver should never, ever be allowed to speak.

Austin Aries vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

The fans are behind Pillman here. Pillman tells Aries to slap him in the face so Aries spits in his hand but gets kicked in the ribs, allowing Pillman to put Aries’ spit in his own face. A clothesline puts Aries on the floor and Pillman hits an ax handle from the apron for a bonus. Aries sends him into the barricade though and the missile dropkick (good looking one too) gets one back inside.

Things slow down a bit with Aries picking his spots and striking away, including the hard shots in the corner. The brainbuster is broken up but Aries manages a neckbreaker across the middle rope for two. The chinlock goes on until Pillman fights up and snaps off a powerslam to get a breather. Aries is right back up with a suplex into the Last Chancery, sending Pillman into the ropes in a hurry. A superkick puts Aries on the floor but the suicide dive is broken up with an uppercut. The running corner dropkick sets up the brainbuster to finish Pillman at 8:10.

Rating: C+. The ending wasn’t shocking at all as Aries is just flat out better than Pillman at this point. Aries has been a very good in-ring performer for a long time now and Pillman is just a few steps removed from being a rookie. The good sign though is he hung with Aries here and put in a solid showing, even if he had no chance of winning.

Post match Aries says he’s been calling out Teddy Hart because he wants the Middleweight Title. Unless Teddy is planning on sending out his army of cats, get out here and answer the challenge. Cue a ticked off Teddy for the brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Just a show here, but what matters is the set up for SuperFight. They’re making that seem like their biggest show ever and that’s exactly what it should be. The show is going to be on pay per view and they would be crazy to not put their biggest effort ever into it. The card is looking good too and that’s a good sign for the show, which needs to be a big hit.

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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