By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
MLW Fusion on beIN Sports (Episode 65)
Aired live July 6, 2019 from Chicago, Illinois at Cicero Stadium
Report by Dot Net Member Don Murphy (@DonThePredictor)
Rich Bocchini and Jim Cornette checked in from ringside and previewed tonight’s show. Timothy Barr was the ring announcer… The show opened with Alex Hammerstone’s Star Spangled Hammer Challenge for the MLW National Openweight Championship. Hammerstone was accompanied by Dynasty members, MJF, Richard Holliday and Aria Blake.
Hammerstone cut an in-ring promo. He talked about how he represented America and everything great with this country. He issued an open challenge and announced that he would be a fighting champion. That challenge was answered by Koto Brazil…
1. Alex Hammerstone vs. Kotto Brazil for the MLW National Openweight Championship. MJF joined the commentary team for the match. This was a fairly straightforward match, with Hammerstone using a series of power moves and Brazil doing his best to gain the offense through speed and aerial tactics. There was never a sense during the match that Brazil had a chance of winning. At one point, he hit a frog splash for a near fall, but that was as close as it got.
Alex Hammerstone defeated Koto Brazil in 4:40 to retain the MLW National Openweight Championship.
After the match, MJF cut an in-ring promo. He announced Hammerstone the winner and on, behalf of the Dynasty, challenged the Hart Foundation for the MLW Tag Team Championship…
The commentary team checked in and previewed tonight’s main event…
A backstage promo with Simon Gotch aired. He noted that he was standing in front of the same door that he led Tom Lawlor through the last time they were in Chicago (nice touch). As he was promising victory for Jacob Fatu in the main event, Lawlor (with a much shorter haircut) came from behind and attacked him. Lawlor slammed the door on Gotch to end the segment…
2. Myron Reed (w/Jordan Oliver) vs. Rey Horus. This was a fun match, typical for what you’d see from two high flyers. Oliver provided distraction throughout and one notable move was Reed hitting a 450 splash from the actual top rope (not the turnbuckle). The finish saw Oliver on the apron, with Horus knocking him off. Horus then turned around and met a flying back elbow from the top rope by Reed for the pin. After the match, Oliver and Reed continued the assault on Horus…
Myron Reed defeats Rey Horus via pinfall in 8:15.
The broadcast team sent us to the locker room where Georgia Smith interviewed Hart Foundation members Teddy Hart and Davey Boy Smith Jr. Smith and Hart accepted MJF’s challenge and added the ladder match stipulation. They also added the “Freebirds Rules” stipulation and announced that Brian Pillman Jr. would team with Hart to defend the titles in this match. A couple of quick notes – when Smith announced Pillman, Hart didn’t appear overly confident, which could be leading to something. It’s tough to tell, as Hart is usually deadpan anyway. They also didn’t make it clear when this match would air. Smith told Pillman to “go get ‘em tonight,” which is minor error, since it’ll be taped for a future TV episode. Finally, aside from the introductions, there was really no interaction with Georgia. Her lines were limited and it’s obvious they had her make her debut with her family, where she’d be most comfortable…
Coming out of a commercial break, Jim Cornette was in the ring for a live “Jim Cornette Experience” with guest is Salina de la Renta. Cornette started the interview by putting over de la Renta and her recent accomplishments. Funny moment – she noted that she won the “Top Female Entrepreneur Award,” but stumbled over the word “entrepreneur.” Instead of getting flustered, she yelled, “I speak three languages! It was the business woman award!”
Cornette asked about LA Park and if he plans to cash in tonight for an MLW Championship match. Salina said that information is confidential. Cornette asked if she is concerned about Konnan brining in a group to challenge hers. She noted that the last time Konnan was in MLW, he got stabbed and the two guys he managed are no longer there. “He’s the type of guy that can’t keep a superstar or please a woman,” de la Renta said.
Konnan came out to a nice pop. After a little back and forth between the two, Konnan noted that he has two new guys to challenge de la Renta’s crew, but he didn’t name them. Salina retaliated by saying she had a secret that would bring Konnan to his knees and end his career and he should keep pushing her if he wanted to find out what it was…
They replayed Tom Lawlor attacking Simon Gotch before going to commercial… A Dr. Wagner Jr. video package aired and noted he is “coming soon” to MLW… The broadcast team recapped the prior segment between Konnan and Salina de la Renta, as well as the Hart Foundation accepting the Dynasty’s challenge.
The Dynasty delivered a backstage promo. They laughed over Pillman being in the match, but only Holliday and Hammerstone were happy with the ladder match stipulation. MJF looked concerned and storming off…
The broadcast team came back and threw to a video package recapping the history between Tom Lawlor and Contra Unit…
3. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs. Jacob Fatu w/Josef Samael) for the MLW Heavyweight Championship. The announce team noted, as we were close to the top of the hour, that beIN Sports would carry this match through its conclusion commercial-free. Salina de la Renta was at ringside. This was fairly one-sided. Lawlor got in some offense, but Fatu always seemed to be one step ahead. They did a cool spot where Fatu blocked a DDT and went right into a backflip splash onto Lawlor for a near fall. The finish came when Fatu hit the Samoan Drop on Lawlor for the clean pin (I definitely feel this is the right move to keep the heat and the title on Contra Unit at this stage).
Jacob Fatu defeated Tom Lawlor via pinfall in 8:00 to win the MLW Heavyweight Championship.
The announce team did a great job expressing outrage at these turn of events, while de la Renta stormed off on the phone. Bocchini exclaimed that Contra Unit had “hijacked” MLW to close the show…
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast With Jason Powell featuring a Dot Net Weekly combo show co-hosted by Jake Barnett with a discussion of WWE’s first week of television following the creative shakeup, MLW announcing its first pay-per-view event, and much more.
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