By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion: Alpha (Episode 8)
Taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Streamed November 10, 2021 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
The show opened with a shot of Alex Hammerstone and EJ Nduka talking when Emilio Sparks asked about Hammerstone’s ankle. They said they were talking about the game. Sparks approached Richard Holliday, who blew him off because he was on the phone. Holliday spoke to “Max” and said he appreciated him wanting to be in the War Chamber match.
Cesar Duran showed up with his masked man. Duran asked about adding to their War Chamber team. Hammerstone and Nduka said they didn’t trust him. Nduka said they don’t do deals with the devil because they don’t want pitchforks in their back. Duran fired up about how it could be the final battle between MLW and Contra. Hammerstone told him to cut to the chase if he had someone he could put in the match. Duran showed off the key that he was wearing around his neck…
Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in on commentary during the entrances for the opening match. They cut backstage where Jacob Fatu was flipping out and behind held back by Atlas Security…
1. LA Park, Hijo de LA Park, and LA Park Jr. vs. Homicide, Slice Boogie, and Rivera (w/Konnan, Julius Smokes). The match started without Homicide and LA Park. Homicide came out to a nice pop and the broadcast team assumed he was the reason that LA Park didn’t come out. LA Park walked out seconds later and looked fine.
LA Park, Hijo de LA Park, and LA Park Jr. fought Homicide, Slice Boogie, and Rivera to a no-contest.
The teams brawled and the match was thrown out. They kept fighting after the bell. They were still brawling on the stage heading into a break… [C]
Powell’s POV: A wild brawl with tables and chairs. If nothing else, MLW tag matches are consistently hardcore style brawls even when the Von Erichs are away. The crowd enjoyed the match and were especially up for Homicide.
A graphic hyped Gnarls Garvin as coming soon… A Josef Samael promo aired. He cussed about the Philadelphia fans and said they are known for backing losers, so he’s not surprised they are backing Hammerstone, Holliday, and Nduka. He said it won’t matter because there will be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide in the War Chamber…
The 5150 and Los Parks brawl continued backstage. Jacob Fatu was able to escape security. The brawl stopped when one of LA Park’s sons lost his mask…
2. EJ Nduka, Richard Holliday, Savio Vega, Blue Meanie, Warhorse, and Zenshi vs. Ikuro Kwon, KC Navarro, King Mo Lawal, Gino Medina, Kevin Ku, and The Beastman (w/Kimchee) in a 12-man survival tag team match. Once everyone was in the ring, Nduka’s team quickly cleared the other team from the ring, and then it settled into a tag match. Ku pinned Warhorse to eliminate him from the match. Nduka took out King Mo, and then took out Ku to eliminate them from the match. [C]
Beastman performed a fallaway slam and a cannonball in the corner on Zenshi and then pinned him. Savio Vega brought a kendo stick into the ring and worked over Beastman with it until the referee took it away. Beastman took advantage of that distraction and eliminated Vega. Beastman also eliminated Blue Meanie, which the crowd booed.
Nduka roughed up Kimchee, who tried to interfere. Nduka put Beastman down with a spinebuster and pinned him, then hit the same move on Kimchee. The referee counted the pin on Kimchee even though he wasn’t actually in the match.
Holliday and Medina ended up fighting at ringside. Holliday tried to return, but Kwon superkicked him. Medina returned to the ring while Holliday was counted out. Nduka performed a spinebuster on Medina and pinned him. Navarro leapt off the top rope at Nduka, who caught him, slammed him, and pinned him. Kwon attacked Nduka. Ultimately, Nduka pressed Kwon over his head and then performed a rough spinebuster and scored the pin to win the match…
EJ Nduka, Richard Holliday, Savio Vega, Blue Meanie, Warhorse, and Zenshi defeated Ikuro Kwon, KC Navarro, King Mo Lawal, Gino Medina, Kevin Ku, and The Beastman.
Powell’s POV: The teams were super random, but this was obviously a showcase for Nduka heading into the War Chamber match. Still, it felt like a “get everyone on the show” match. Navarro and Zenshi had a little time in the ring together and continue to impress. I popped for Kimchee. No complaints about King Mo being eliminated without doing much in the ring.
Dombrowski announced that Duran would have another surprise for next week’s War Chamber special…
Backstage, Duran spoke with Willow Nightingale, who said she admires Duran’s work. She said she came to MLW to win the MLW Featherweight Championship, not to make friends. Duran shook her hand. The masked henchman showed up and spoke to Duran, who excused himself from his conversation with Nightingale… [C]
An teaser video hyped NZO coming soon to MLW…
Inside Duran’s office, Fatu grabbed the henchman. Duran remained calm and told Fatu that no one wants a fight. Fatu released the henchman. Duran made a play to get between Fatu and Josef Samael, but Fatu said nothing stands between them…
The broadcast team hyped the War Chamber match for next week and then read through the tale of the tape for the main event…
3. Bobby Fish vs. Davey Richards in an Opera Cup tournament semifinal match. The broadcast team played up the idea that Fish wanted to take the Opera Cup with him to AEW. Late in the match, Fish applied a heel hook. Richards teased tapping out, but he eventually escaped the hold.
The wrestlers threw simultaneous kicks and then took turns throwing kicks before throwing simultaneous kicks again. Richards applied an ankle lock that Fish escaped. Richards threw a kick to Fish’s head and then performed a brainbuster and went for the pin, but Fish kicked out. Richards applied the ankle lock again and got the submission win.
Davey Richards defeated Bobby Fish to advance to the finals of the Opera Cup tournament.
After the match, Richards and Fish shook hands and hugged…
Backstage, Alicia Atout interviewed Alexander Hammerstone, Richard Holliday, and EJ Nduka. She noted that Savio Vega would be on their War Chamber team and wondered who the final man would be. Nduka said Duran previously used the key around his neck for his brother. Hammerstone said no one has seen Duran’s brother in years.
Holliday said he’s not happy that Vega is on their team. “He’s not a babyface like us,” Holiday said. Hammerstone said that Holliday is a tweener at best. Funny. Duran’s masked henchman entered the picture and whispered in Atout’s ear. She said something about Holliday getting a title shot.
Hammerstone jokingly questioned how he could ever trust Holliday again. Holliday jokingly said he would stab Hammerstone in the back and then ran through the scenario of how he would turn on him (it was similar to Paul Orndorff turning on Hulk Hogan). Hammerstone looked into the camera and said that Duran wasn’t playing mind games with them because he wants to face Holliday and Nduka, because he wants to face the best. Hammerstone said they would win War Chamber no matter what games Duran throws at them…
A video package aired for next week’s War Chamber match…
Powell’s POV: A very good main event match. The more traditional in-ring style was a welcome change from the first two matches. Of course, the various styles are part of what makes MLW fun. The broadcast team said the next semifinal match will air in two weeks (that match and the finals were taped at Saturday’s event in Philly).
The post match promo with Hammerstone, Holliday, and Nduka was a lot of fun. The tease of Duran’s brother is for the Matanza character that was played by Jeff Cobb in Lucha Underground. It’s strange that these characters talk about babyfaces and heels, yet apparently don’t know that Cobb is wrestling in NJPW and even appeared on AEW TV. Anyway, I got a kick out Holliday’s turn scenario and the tweener talk, and Hammerstone looked really good for saying that he welcomes the challenge of both of his buddies. I got a late start with the screener this week, so my audio review of this episode will be available later tonight or, more likely, on Thursday morning.
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