By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 126)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at GILT Nightclub
Streamed March 24, 2021 on Fubo Sports, Pluto TV, and MLW’s YouTube Page
Fusion opened with a Josef Samael promo. He spoke about infidels rising up against Contra, but he can smell their fear. Samael mocked the idea of Calvin Tankman claiming he would take the MLW Championship from Jacob Fatu next week. “That’s what they all say before their execution,” Samael said. He added that there is no escaping the execution that awaits Tankman next week, but first he must survive the night…
Powell’s POV: The usual strong promo from Samael. He did a nice job of setting up next week’s main event while also working in a hook for tonight in terms of a thinly veiled threat directed at Tankman.
The Fusion opening video aired… The broadcast team was Rich Bocchini and Saint Laurent, and Blake Chadwick was the ring announcer…
1. Gino Medina vs. Zenshi. Bocchini said Zenshi has taking the art of lucha libre and “added his own special sauce.” Zenshi threw an early dropkick that sent Medina to ringside. Zenshi went after him, but Medina returned to the ring. Medina tried to attack Zenshi when he returned to the apron, but Zenshi swept the legs of Medina.
A short time later, Zenshi swept Medina’s legs in the middle of the ring and then performed a standing moonsault that led to a failed pin attempt. Zenshi went to the ropes and leapt at Medina, who hit him with a Codebreaker on the way down.
Medina made a play for Zenshi’s mask, but Zenshi fought him off and performed a cannonball dive onto Medina that missed. Zenshi followed up with a Spanish Fly and got a two count. Medina eventually came back with Snake Eyes. Zenshi came right back with a back heel kick. Medina caught Zenshi with another kick to the head while Zenshi was adjusting his mask and then scored the pin…
Gino Medina defeated Zenshi in 7:12.
Powell’s POV: A solid opener. The broadcast team continued to play up Medina going after Richard Holliday Caribbean Championship. Holliday has been a heel despite being aligned with Alex Hammerstone, who is a babyface. I’m still not sure what to make of Medina, who strikes me as a heel. Meanwhile, the broadcast team continues to be fun. There’s more wrestling on television than ever these days and yet Laurent is one of the only heel color commentators. He does a really good job of working in heelish comments yet also playing it straight while providing good match analysis.
Backstage, Alicia Atout stated that Tom Lawlor claimed he was injured an unable to compete in the main event. She wondered whether the main event would occur…
Highlights aired of Mil Muertes stealing the MLW National Openweight Championship from Alexander Hammerstone. Laurent said Muertes would be in action after a break… [C] The ads featured Stephen P New’s attorney ad and MLW merchandise site… Bocchini touted the MLW.com website…
Footage aired of Contra attacking Injustice at the Kings of Colosseum event…
A black and white Myron Reed promo aired from what appeared to be his basement. He spoke about how confident he was before he lost the MLW Middleweight Championship at the KOC event and was then attacked by Contra. Reed said Daivari stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and now they will meet next week…
2. Mil Muertes (w/Salina de la Renta, Azteca Underground representative) vs. Gringo Loco. Salina carried a skull in her hand, and Muertes wore the MLW National Openweight Championship. Bocchini and Laurent had a fun debate over Muertes stealing the title. Gringo threw a couple of chops that Muertes no-sold before connecting with one of his own.
Muertes speared Gringo and then worked him over. Muertes punched Gringo, whose skull cap fell off. Muertes tossed Gringo to ringside and then followed him. Muertes dominated until Gringo avoided a clothesline, causing Muertes to hit the ring post. Muertes came right back with a backbreaker and then tossed Gringo back inside the ring. Muertes delivered a short-arm clothesline, then slammed Gringo’s head into the mat.
Muertes distracted the referee while Salina pulled on Gringo’s beard. Muertes threw repeated clotheslines in the corner and then fired off a punch. Gringo avoided a splash in the corner and performed a corkscrew moonsault. Gringo dropkicked the knee of Muertes, then performed a cutter and covered Muertes for just a one count. Muertes chokeslammed Gringo and got a two count. He followed up with a power slam for another two count. Salina choked Gringo over the middle rope. Laurent said she had to defend herself. Gringo went for a springboard move, but Muertes caught him and hit the Straight To Hell uranage and scored the pin…
Mil Muertes defeated Gringo Loco in 7:30.
Powell’s POV: The outcome was never in question. The match felt like it went a bit longer than it needed to, but it was a good showcase for Muertes.
Alexander Hammerstone delivered a backstage promo. He said he’s sick of people asking if Muertes beat him for the MLW National Openweight Championship. He said he worked his ass off to make the belt prestigious, but Muertes stole it and walks around like he’s a champion. Hammerstone said Muertes had time to post photos of himself with the belt on social media, but he apparently didn’t have time to respond to his challenge. Hammerstone challenged Muertes to face him for the championship on the April 14 edition of Fusion…
Backstage, Atout said she spoke with the MLW doctor and MLW officials, and Lawlor has a biceps injury that will keep him out of the match. She said that the match would still take place without him and ACH, meaning it would be The Von Erichs vs. Garrini and Ku instead…
A Calvin Tankman video package aired. He spoke about having a six year-old, which gives him ten years to pay for her car and twelve years to pay for college. He said that while everyone will quit, he shakes his head, gets back up, dusts himself off, and swings for the fences… [C] The ads were a New attorney ad, and another MLW merch ad…
Powell’s POV: A brief, yet effective video package. Tankman has a great personality and has quickly emerged as a likable babyface. I am really looking forward to his title match with Fatu.
Laurent ran through the PWI Top 5 rankings for the MLW Tag Titles held by Los Parks. The changes from the March 3 tag team rankings are noted in parenthesis.
5. “The Dirty Blondes” Michael Patrick and Lio Brien (same ranking)
4. Daivari and Simon Gotch (down from second)
3. Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver (up from fourth)
2. “Violence is Forever” Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku (up from third)
1. Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich (same ranking)
Bocchini announced that Bu Ku Dao would be sidelined for two to three weeks after being attacked by TJP last week. He read through some social media posts from TJP that mocked Dao, and announced that TJP had been fined $25,000 for the attack…
3. Calvin Tankman vs. a Sentai Death Squad member. The Sentai member was a heavyset masked man who wore all black. Tankman knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Tankman followed up with a spinebuster and then blasted the man with a backfist to the back of the head and pinned him.
Calvin Tankman defeated a Sentai Death Squad member in 1:03.
After the match, Jacob Fatu, Daivari, and Simon Gotch walked to ringside. Tankman performed a dive onto them. Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver ran out and helped Tankman fight the Contra members. Tankman performed his Tankman Driver finisher on Daivari in the ring while the others brawled at ringside. Laurent said that there will be a new MLW Champion if Tankman can hit the move on Fatu next week…
Ross and Marshall Von Erich delivered a promo from an echoey locker room. They accused Tom Lawlor of faking the injury to get out of the match. Marshall said he would use the chain as a bullrope. Marshall got fired up. Ross told him to save it for the ring… [C] A New ad, an MLW Shop ad, and yet another New ad aired…
Powell’s POV: The match was a simple showcase squash match showcase for Tankman. For that matter, so was the post match brawl.
Salina de la Renta was talking on the phone when a cameraman asked her if Mil Muertes would accept Hammerstone’s challenge. She confirmed that the challenge had been accepted. She was asked about Azteca Underground. She told the cameraman that it was above his pay grade, then spoke in Spanish. The AU rep showed up and said no comment, then indicated that El Jefe wasn’t happy. The rep put his hand over the camera…
The upcoming fights graphic listed Never Say Never for next week, an MLW Underground episode for April 7, and the Hammerstone vs. Muertes match for the National Openweight Championship for April 14…
Powell’s POV: I’m surprised that MLW isn’t airing a first-run episode of Fusion during WrestleMania week. I wonder if the thinking is that the market will be beyond flooded that week. Either way, I’m not complaining because that week will be beyond hectic.
Tom Lawlor delivered a promo in front of the MLW backdrop. He said Team Filthy wouldn’t let the night go to waste. He spoke about what Garrini and Ku would do to the Von Erichs. He said the Von Erichs would pay for their transgressions at the hands of Violence Is Forever…
Atout hosted the Never Say Never control center and hyped Jordan Oliver vs. Simon Gotch, Myron Reed vs. Daivari, and Fatu vs. Tankman for the MLW Heayweight Championship… Laurent read through the tale of the tape for the main event…
4. Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich vs. “Violence Is Forever” Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku (w/Tom Lawlor) in a Chain Ropes match. Lawlor had his right arm in a sling. The ring ropes were replaced by chains and there were no turnbuckle pads. The match was fought in under tornado rules with all four men in the ring at once.
The Von Erichs reversed whips and sent Garrini and Ku into the chains. They were distracted by Lawlor, which led to Garrini and Ku taking offensive control. In between the punching and kicking, Mashall threw a nice dropkick at Ku. Mashall knocked Garrini down with a discus clothesline. Ross threw a knee to Ku’s head. Marshall slammed Ku onto Garrini, then covered Garrini for a two count.
Garrini applied a heel hook on Marshall. Ku put Ross in a standing guillotine. Ross powered up Ku and slammed him onto Garrini to break both submission holds. All four men traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Garrini shoved Ross into the chains. Garrini and Ku crotched Marshall over the chains and then he fell to the floor. Garrini hit a GTS on Ross, then Ku performed a dragon suplex for a near fall.
Lawlor pulled brass knuckles out of his sling and made a bad throw into the ring. Marshall caught the brass knuckles and hit Ku and then Garrini with them. Ross put Garrini in the Iron Claw, then Marshall performed the back suplex while Ross held the claw. Marshall pinned Garrini to win the match…
Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich beat “Violence Is Forever” Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku in 7:40 in a Chain Ropes match.
A video package aired on the Injustice vs. Contra feud followed by highlights of Tankman while a graphic hyped the Never Say Never themed edition for next week…
Powell’s POV: MLW continues to find creative ways to put the Von Erichs work in tornado style brawls. It wasn’t pretty at times, but it was the usual fun Von Erichs style brawl. Overall, this was an entertaining episode and they delivered good hype for next week’s Never Say Never. My audio review of this episode will be available later tonight.
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