By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 4)
Aired June 6, 2020 on beIN Sports and MLW’s YouTube Page
A narrator set the stage for the Satoshi Kojima spotlight and then a Kojima video package aired… The narrator set up the first match…
Jerry Lynn vs. Satoshi Kojima for the MLW Championship from September 2002 in New York, New York at Manhattan Center. Joey Styles was on commentary. Styles spoke about Kojima using three different finishers. Late in the match, Lynn performed a tornado DDT for a two count. Kojima came back with a spinebuster for a two count of his own. Lynn picked up another near fall and showed frustration over not getting the pin. Lynn went for his cradle piledriver finisher, but Kojima stuffed it and performed a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Kojima hit Lynn with a lariat clothesline and scored the pin…
Satoshi Kojima defeated Jerry Lynn to retain the MLW Championship.
Powell’s POV: A solid match. It looked better on paper than it actually turned out to be. The live crowd was respectful, but they didn’t seem all that fired up about the match.
Highlights aired of Kojima successfully defending the MLW Championship against Mitsuya Nagai in Japan…
Powell’s POV: There was actually quite a bit of the match footage show. It wasn’t listed as one of the key matches, so I didn’t expect to see as much of the match as I did. It was a big brawl with the wrestlers fighting outside the ring as much as they fought in it.
The narrator hyped the Kojima vs. Johnny Smith match… Next week’s Anthology show will focus on Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix…
Highlights aired of Kojima defeating Vampiro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at War Memorial Auditorium from December 2002… A Twitter exchange between Kojima and MLW promoter Court Bauer was shown with both men exchanging kind words for one another… An MLW merch ad aired…
Satoshi Kojima vs. Johnny Smith for the MLW Championship from an All Japan Pro Wrestling event in Tokyo, Japan from March 2003. Both men received the streamer treatment from the Japanese crowd. Kojima performed an early elbow drop from the ropes for a two count. Styles spoke about Smith being a relative of The British Bulldogs (he’s not). Smith performed a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Smith performed a German suplex into a bridge and got another two count. Smith hit his British Falls finisher, but Kojima kicked out quickly. Smith went for the move again, but Kojima countered into a northern lights suplex. Smith blocked a lariat and performed a backslide for a near fall. Kojima rallied and hit the lariat before getting the pin…
Satoshi Kojima defeated Johnny Smith to retain the MLW Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good main event with a live crowd that was invested in the match. This was the best of the three matches to air on the show, though it was heavily edited given that the actual match went 19 minutes and I think we saw about seven minutes on this episode.
Another teaser aired for next week’s Lucha Brothers edition. A classic promo with Konnan and the Lucha Brothers aired…
The MLW Pulp Fusion video aired. Myron Reed said the time has arrived. He told viewers to open their eyes and minds because the revolution starts now. Zenshi was shown performing a series of kicks in a backyard setting. Gino Medina spoke briefly. Ross and Marshall Von Erich were shown training while their father Kevin Von Erich watched. Mance Warner spoke about drinking.
Tom Lawlor complained about Kevin Von Erich having the same birthday as him. Alex Hammerstone played the national anthem on guitar while shirtless. Alicia Atout checked in and spoke about an interview with Col. Robert Parker. Los Parks checked in. Richard Holliday spoke about shaving his mustache because having so many Caribbean women chasing him was a lot to handle.
Jordan Oliver said it was time to unveil the newest member of Injustice. Warner yelled at Moonman, telling him that he can’t stay there again. Reed said the revolution is being televised. Reed said the new member worked his ass off and has been in the business for years. He said we all know why and said that he would have been signed three years ago if he were a white man. Lawlor griped again. Hammerstone stopped playing guitar long enough to brag about his accomplishments.
Kevin Von Erich gave his sons spear guns. Atout tried to interview Parker, but he was on a couch with Aria Blake and they ignored her. Los Parks checked in again. Oliver said it was time to open an envelope to reveal the new Injustice member. Medina told the cameraman to stay six feet away from him. Hammerstone unveiled his summer tour t-shirt. Reed said they were going to tell everyone who would rise up. Saieve Al Sabah introduced himself as the new member of Injustice. He said he will weaponize your mind, body, and soul because the revolution has arrived…
Powell’s POV: This episode was an interesting stroll through MLW’s initial run with Kojima as champion. The MLW Roll Call/Pulp Fusion clips remain the highlights of the show and this one was newsworthy with the replacement for Kotto Brazil being named. Saieve Al Sabah has worked for MLW in the past, though I don’t recall him being showcased prominently. I’m curious to see whether he has chemistry with Reed and Oliver, and I continue to wonder if the Injustice trio will need to become babyfaces given the real life movement that we’ve seen since MLW last taped first-run television.
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