By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 112)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at GILT Nightclub
Aired December 2, 2020 on Fubo Sports, Pluto TV, and MLW’s YouTube Page
The show opened with a video package with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Low Ki talking about Smith winning their meeting in the first round last year’s Opera Cup tournament and meeting again the first round of this year’s tournament… The Fusion opening aired…
Rich Bocchini and Jared St. Laurent were checking in on commentary when they were interrupted by a Contra video. Josef Samael spoke about the masked mercenary making his debut and listed his name as Mads Krugger. Samael said the suffering will be painful and won’t end quickly…
Bocchini said Contra was still hacking into the show and he apologized. The brackets were shown for the Opera Cup tournament. A tale of the tape aired for the opening match…
1. ACH vs. Laredo Kid in an Opera Cup opening round tournament match. Brief comments from both men aired during the entrances. The broadcast team noted that ACH had bulked up since his last appearance in MLW. ACH took offensive control and performed a nice backbreaker for a two count around 6:00.
A short time later, Kid tripped up ACH on the apron. ACH followed up with a cross body block and a clothesline, then performed a pair of suplexes and followed up with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Kid went for another cross body block, but ACH rolled through and suplexed Kid. ACH sold an abdominal injury.
Kid came back with a Michinoku Driver and then followed up with a pair of suplexes for a near fall. Kid placed ACH on the ropes. ACH fought back and went for a powerbomb. Kid avoided the first try, but ACH performed the powerbomb on the second try for a near fall.
Later, Kid had ACH seated on the top rope. Kid performed a leaping cutter for another two count. Kid went to the ropes and was cut off with a big kick from ACH, who followed up with a brainbuster and scored the pin…
ACH defeated Laredo Kid in 14:08 to advance to the semifinals of the Opera Cup tournament.
ACH delivered a brief backstage promo about advancing in the tournament…
Powell’s POV: A nice match. It wasn’t off the charts good as the match had the potential to be on paper, but it was still entertaining and is worth checking out if you didn’t watch the show yet. I was mildly surprised to see ACH advance. I hope we see this match again once fans are back in the building.
Tom Lawlor checked in from home and boasted about advancing to the semifinals of the tournament. Lawlor announced that Dominic Garrini has a tag team partner in Kevin Ku. Lawlor said the sponsors spared no expense. Bocchini noted that the Garrini and Ku tag team name is Violence Is Forever…
Ross and Marshall Von Erich checked in from their home in Hawaii. Ross said Contra is like a bully that needs to be beaten up over and over again before they finally learn something. Marshall spoke about how long it had been since he used the Iron Claw. Marshall said he woke up on the beach next to a shark with five holes in its head. He blamed Contra Unit and feared that it was a mother shark. Funny. Ross told Contra to try to take the MLW Tag Titles from them…
Footage of Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Low Ki from last year’s Opera Cup tournament aired… An MLW on DAZN video aired… An MLW Radio ad aired… A Stephen P New ad aired… An MLW merch ad aired…
Salina de la Renta checked in from Mexico. She had a knife in her hand and sang a song in Spanish after talking about Konnan… Additional footage of the Smith vs. Ki match from last year aired…
2. Mads Krugger vs. Ariel Dominguez. Krugger dominated the match. Dominguez went for a top rope dive, but Krugger caught him. Krugger slammed Dominguez to the mat and scored the pin…
Mads Krugger beat Ariel Dominguez in 1:46.
After the match, two masked death squad members entered the ring and placed Dominguez in a bodybag and then draped a Contra flag over it…
Powell’s POV: A good showcase for Krugger. The diminutive Dominguez always does a good job of making his opponents look good. And in this case, he made Krugger look even more monstrous due to the size difference.
Another batch of ads aired… The finish of Smith vs. Low Ki from last year aired… Footage aired of last week’s confrontation between Richard Holliday and Gino Medina…
Richard Holliday was shown watching the end of his first-round tournament match. Holliday said his win was for Alex Hammerstone. Holliday noted that he would face thew inner of Smith vs. Low Ki in the semifinals. Holliday said he would win that match too and also dedicated it to Hammerstone…
Bocchini announced The Von Erichs vs. Jacob Fatu and Simon Gotch for the MLW Tag Titles for next week’s show… A tale of the tape was shown for the Smith vs. Low Ki match…
3. Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Low Ki in an Opera Cup opening round tournament match. Low Ki wore full-body gear. St. Laurent noted that Low Ki was paying tribute to Masa Chono. He said Low Ki wore the gear in 2013 when he collaborated with Chono, but he had his knee taken out and felt like he let Chono down, so he wanted to wear it during the tournament.
Over six minutes in, Low Ki was standing on the ropes while standing over Smith, who shoved him from the ropes to the floor. Smith went to the floor and worked over Low Ki while the broadcast team noted that MLW uses a 20-count. Smith brought Low Ki back inside the ring and remained on the offensive.
Later, Smith performed a powerslam and got a good near fall shortly after the 19:00 mark. Smith set up for a powerslam, but Low Ki hooked his toes on the top rope to block it. Low Ki applied a submission hold on the standing Smith. Bocchini noted that it was similar to the way the tournament final match ended. Smith tried to roll Low Ki into a pin, but Low Ki rolled through and got the three count.
Low Ki defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. in 20:13 to advance to the semifinals of the Opera Cup tournament.
Low Ki and Smith shook hands afterward. The referee raised the arms of both men, then Smith raised the arm of Low Ki. The updated brackets graphic listed Low Ki vs. Richard Holliday in the semifinals…
Bocchini hyped Calvin Tankman in action for next week, plus The Von Erichs vs. Jacob Fatu and Simon Gotch for the MLW Tag Titles, and Holliday vs. Low Ki in the semifinals of the Opera Cup…
Low Ki delivered a brief backstage promo. He said he edged out one of the top heavyweights in the world, just as Smith did to him last year. Low Ki said the Opera Cup lineage can’t be matched. Low Ki spoke about the various ways to win and said you always have options…
Powell’s POV: If Smith is finishing up with MLW, he is going out the right way by putting over MLW Champion Jacob Fatu on the restart episode, and now returning the favor by putting over Low Ki in the tournament. Either way, it’s a big win for Low Ki to beat the 2019 Opera Cup tournament winner.
Overall, this was a good episode. The two tournament matches delivered, and it was a good restart for the man who now goes by Mads Krugger. The broadcast team is doing a really nice job despite not having a lot of time together, and it’s always a good idea when companies promote matches a week out. My audio review of this episode will be available for Dot Net Members immediately following the AEW Dynamite and NXT television shows at 9CT/10ET.
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