By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling TV (Episode 37)
Taped December 14 in Miami, Florida at Scottish Rite Temple
Aired December 28, 2018 on beIN Sports
The show opened with a video package on the Low Ki and Konnan feud… The Fusion opening video aired… The broadcast team of Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini checked in and hyped the show while also wishing viewers happy holidays…
Simon Gotch made his entrance and delivered an in-ring promo about a growing disease in MLW. He said he would need to act as the hand of justice. He called for anyone to come out for a prize fight challenge, which was answered by Ace Romero, who was called one of the most popular newcomers by Schiavone…
1. Simon Gotch vs. Ace Romero in a $20,000 Prize Fight. The prize fight rules are that the challenger wins the money by simply lasting five minutes in the ring with Gotch. Romero controlled the offense in the opening minute. Gotch came back with some punches, then Romero bodyslammed him and performed a running splash for the surprise win. Romero threw some of the money to the crowd afterward…
Ace Romero defeated Simon Gotch to win the Prize Fight challenge.
Powell’s POV: Is Gotch leaving MLW? After a good buildup, he lost quickly to Tom Lawlor in their no ropes match, and now he lost quickly to Romero out of nowhere. There was nothing done afterward to indicate that this is the beginning of a feud between the two.
Schiavone narrated a video package that focused on the press conference for MLW’s April events in New York, including the Rush vs. LA Park match advertised for April 4…
After a break, Schiavone said Kotto Brazil underwent two surgeries to repair his eye, which was damaged by glass from a champagne bottle that Ricky Martinez used as a weapon. Footage aired of Martinez getting a lap dance inside a limo shortly after the incident took place… Bocchini announced that Martinez has been suspended without pay…
Footage aired of a cameraman asking Martinez in a parking lot about being suspended. Martinez said he’s with Promociones Dorado, then pulled out a wad of cash and asked if the cameraman thinks he cares about being suspended. He also said Brazil has been in the business briefly, whereas he’s been wrestling for over a decade…
2. Andrew Everett vs. Ariel Dominguez. Everett played the heel by controlling the offense and mocking the idea of Dominguez sharing the ring with him. Dominguez performed a nice rolling German suplex for a two count. Everett came back with a Pele Kick. Everett went up top and smiled at the crowd, then performed a shooting star press only for Dominguez to put his knees up and then score the pin…
Ariel Dominguez defeated Andrew Everett.
Powell’s POV: Strange. Everett was propped up as a strong new addition to the MLW roster, then he was scheduled for the MLW Middleweight Championship ladder match and didn’t end up working the match even though he took part in these tapings. I’m surprised to see him working as a heel and even more surprised to see him losing clean to Dominguez. The broadcast team did note that it was a night of upsets, so perhaps they are trying to sell the idea that Konnan could pull off the upset win in the main event.
Footage aired of Teddy Hart winning the MLW Middleweight Championship… A video pushed the Low Ki vs. Tom Lawlor match for MLW SuperFight on February 2 in Philadelphia at 2300 Arena…
Konnan delivered a promo in front of the MLW backdrop about taking the title from Low Ki in the main event…
Footage aired of Brian Pillman Jr. defeating Tommy Dreamer via low blow with a cane in a tag match last week…
Backstage, Dreamer clapped and said kudos to Pillman. He said he underestimated Pillman. He said he took advantage of him in their first match, then Pillman returned the favor. He said he sees doubt in Pillman’s eyes and he was in that role 20 years ago. He said they will have a Singapore cane match in two weeks. He said Pillman will be wondering if he can hang with Dreamer or cope with being a second generation wrestler. Dreamer said that for every Randy Orton and Charlotte Flair there is an Angelo Mosca Jr. and a Bruno Sammartino Jr. Dreamer asked if Pillman will have a career or be a footnote. Dreamer said Pillman now has to face him in a match that helped make his career. Dreamer said he can’t go to the beach because of his scars and people look at him when he’s in public with his daughters and wonder what the hell happened to him. Dreamer said Pillman had two weeks to step up and man up…
Powell’s POV: A very nice promo from Dreamer. I liked the lines about the second (and third) generation wrestlers, and he showed good intensity. It was also nice to get a break from him busting on millennials. It may make sense from his perspective in that he’s playing to his base, but I don’t think it’s a good for the companies he works for to have him mocking any demographic.
Footage aired from the Low Ki and Tom Lawlor feud and the big brawl they had at the end of the live broadcast two weeks ago… A video hyped the MLW events in Philadelphia for April 4-5 (during WrestleMania weekend)…
The latest H2 TV segment aired with the Hart Foundation. Brian Pillman Jr. was on a treadmill telling a woman on the phone that she was his main girl, then saying she was his only girl. Pillman and Teddy Hart stood outside a hotel pool area. Hart said he helped train Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix in Mexico during a drug war when no one wanted to be there. Pillman and Hart said they want the tag titles…
The broadcast team hyped Teddy Hart vs. Pentagon Jr., and LA Park vs. Gringo Loco for next week…
A Tom Lawlor promo aired from an outdoor setting. He said Low Ki has been running from him for seven months. Lawlor said he’s a fighting champion, which is something that Low Ki doesn’t see when he looks in the mirror. He said he would show Low Ki next week what it’s like when a real fighter handles his business…
Matt Striker narrated a tale of the tape piece on the Low Ki vs. Konnan main event… Bocchini said Striker would return next week to host a control center for the Philadelphia shows…
Ring entrances for the main event took place. Konnan had a cool entrance that included some footage from his early years. Konnan got a decent reaction from his hometown fans and wore a Dwayne Wade Miami Heat jersey. Low Ki made his entrance with Salina de la Renta and Ricky Martinez, who apparently is suspended and yet still allowed to appear?…
3. Low Ki (w/Salina de la Renta, Ricky Martinez) vs. Konnan in a No DQ match for the MLW Championship. The ring announcer delivered in-ring introductions for the title match while the champion and challenger jawed at one another. Low Ki wore his usual ring gear while Konnan wore a t-shirt and jeans. The referee delivered instructions while Low Ki and Konnan continued to jaw at one another.
The bell rang and Low Ki charged at Konnan, who moved out of the way. Low Ki stopped short of running into the referee, then threw him down. Konnan pulled out a sock with something in it and hit Low Ki with it. Konnan covered Low Ki and had him pinned, but Martinez broke it up and Low Ki ended up at ringside. Low Ki came up bleeding.
Low Ki stumbled around as he reentered the ring, then threw a kick at Konnan, who quickly knocked him down. Konnan applied the Tequila Sunrise. Martinez entered the ring and attacked Konnan. Bocchini complained about the interference and said Konnan would be the champion had it not occurred. Martinez held up Konnan. Low Ki charged with a dropkick that took out Martinez once Konnan moved. Konnan low blowed Low Ki, then yelled to the receptive crowd. Salina entered the ring and tried to hit Konnan with a cane, but he pulled it away from her and teased hitting her with it, only for Low Ki to attack him from behind.
Low Ki placed a beer bottle under Konnan’s face, then stomped the back of his head to break the bottle. Konnan came up bleeding and Low Ki targeted the wound with elbows. Martinez returned to the ring and hit Konnan, then held him while Low Ki took shots. Hijo de LA Park came out and held Konnan while Low Ki continued to hit him with punches to his kidney area (Konnan legitimately had a kidney transplant). The referee stepped in and called for the bell.
Low Ki defeated Konnan in a No DQ match to retain the MLW Championship.
After the match, Park and Martinez held Konnan up while Low Ki jabbed an object at one of his kidneys. Konnan cried out in agony. Martinez and Park held Ki back. Tom Lawlor hit the ring and quickly cleared the heels before checking on Konnan. Schiavone called for EMTs to help Konnan. Cameras cut backstage where Pentagon Jr. was shown lying on the ground. Schiavone assumed he was taken out by Low Ki’s crew. Schiavone also noted that Fenix was injured and was not at the building…
Striker hyped the MLW Fusion Christmas special that is available exclusively on the MLW website. The show features PCO vs. Brody King, Myron Reed vs. Ace Austin, and Maxwell J. Friedman vs. Puma King in a flag match. Striker closed the show by wishing viewers a happy holiday season…
Powell’s POV: It was good to see them explain after the match why none of Konnan’s crew came out to save him. I don’t know how much editing they did, but the match was entertaining considering Konnan’s limitations. Konnan didn’t have to do much and yet it held my interest even if it did seem silly that Martinez was allowed at ringside and mastermind Konnan didn’t have anyone accompany him to ringside. Low Ki targeting the kidney was a nice touch that went a little overboard at the end with him jabbing the object into that area. It was enough for my tastes to have him deliver kidney punches at a kidney transplant recipient. Either way, Low Ki came off ruthless and the post match angle obviously furthers the build to his showdown title defense against Lawlor.
Overall, it was a good edition of Fusion that lagged a bit in the middle. After a couple of brief matches, they had a lot of video packages and promos. While there was some good work during that stretch, it did cause the show to drag a bit. I’m not the type of viewer who needs every match to go long and I certainly understand not having a lengthy main event involving Konnan at this stage in his life, but MLW’s last two television shows have featured too many brief matches. On the bright side, they are building up the Low Ki vs. Lawlor match really well, and they also delivered good hype for the Dreamer vs. Pillman match.
Check below for a recent Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Konnan, who discussed his return to the ring a couple days before this match was taped. Plus, Konnan shares the crazy story of how he broke into the pro wrestling business.
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