By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion: Alpha (Episode 12)
Taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Streamed December 16, 2021 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE.TV
The show opened with a 5150 video package with Konnan talking about Slice Boogie and Rivera beating Los Parks in a street fight to win the MLW Tag Titles on last week’s show. Boogie spoke about how there aren’t many gangsters who leave the game and have a luxurious retirement. He said he left the game and became an MLW Tag Team Champion…
Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in on commentary and hyped the upcoming matches… Holidead made her entrance while her pre-taped promo aired. Willow Nightingale came out and introduced Blue Meanie as her counter for Dr. Dax…
1. Willow Nightingale (w/Blue Meanie) vs. Holidead (w/Dr. Dax). Willow splashed Holidead and followed up with a missile dropkick. Dr. Dax climbed onto the apron and distracted the referee from making a count. Willow punched Dax off the apron. Moments later, Holidead shoved Willow into the referee. REF BUMP!!!
Dax choked Willow with his chain. Blue Meanie broke it up by attacking Dax. In the ring, Willow superkicked Holidead. Dax and Meanie fought their way into the ring. Willow and Meanie performed stereo Meanie offense and did the Meanie dance. Arez showed up and took out Meanie with a missile dropkick. Holidead hit her finisher on Willow and then the referee magically woke up just in time to count the pin…
Holidead defeated Willow Nightingale.
After the match, Arez celebrated with Holidead and Dax…
Powell’s POV: A turn your brain off ref bump finish. MLW’s goal is clearly to establish Holidead as the heel of the women’s division. She is talented, but the involvement of Dax makes the act feel a little cartoonish.
Cesar Duran was shown on the phone and then a 5150 video broke out for a moment. Duran told them to pour one out for El Jefe. They all toasted. Duran pulled out cards and they all cheered… [C]
Powell’s POV: I assume that 5150 hanging out with Duran is meant to solidify them as heels heading into their feud with the Von Erichs.
Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich checked in from home where Marshall was playing Pacman, which he called hand-eye coordination training…
The upcoming fights schedule listed MLW Azteca for January 6 and the Dallas event for January 21…
2. LA Park vs. Homicide. Homicide hit a Gringo Cutter and went for a cover, but LA Park kicked out at two. LA Park stuffed a tornado DDT attempt and tossed Homicide across the ring. Park speared and pinned Homicide to win the match…
LA Park defeated Homicide.
Powell’s POV: This was more straight forward than I anticipated. I assumed this would be more of a garbage match with a lot of weaponry. Then again, this match was taped on the same show that had 5150 vs. Los Parks in a Street Fight, so it’s probably for the best that they didn’t go with similar matches.
Dombrowski recapped highlights of NZO taking out KC Navarro. He announced that Navarro suffered a fractured neck and the timeline for his return is unclear…
An EJ Nduka ad aired. He spoke about his athletic background and said he became the captain of his team as a sophomore and his team played for a national championship. Nduka said he was determined to be the best and it’s carried over to every other aspect of his life. He boasted about his academic career and finishing with a 3.7 GPA and a double major…
Footage aired of Tajiri winning a four-way to capture the MLW Middleweight Championship on the Vice TV special… Rok-C was advertised for the Dallas taping…
A video aired on MLW cameraman Charlie Bruzzese, who spoke about his history in pro wrestling, including his long run with ECW… Bruzzese was shown standing at ringside. A ring announcer paid tribute to him and asked the crowd to join him in celebrating Buzzesse. A banner was unveiled for Bruzzese in the 2300 Arena rafters and then the crowd chanted his name…
Powell’s POV: A cool moment. I’m happy that MLW included that in the show.
Dombrowski announced that Calvin Tankman was arrested for attacking Alex Kane’s sidekick in the parking lot… Kane and his sidekick were seated at a table. The assistant was selling the attack, which Kane made about himself by saying that he felt it. Kane yelled “Bomaye” while the sidekick held his head in pain… [C] A video package aired for Pagano…
Dombrowski interviewed Calvin Tankman by phone from jail. Tankman spoke about what he would do to Kane and his sidekick “Mr. Thomas” once he got out of jail. He said he had to go because he just found out that he was getting out sooner than he expected…
Bocchini announced King Muertes and Taurus vs. Pagano and Alex Hammerstone for the January 6 debut of MLW Azteca… A tale of the tape was shown for the main event…
3. Tajiri vs. Atsuki Aoyagi for the MLW Middleweight Championship. The match was held in Tokyo, Japan and had Bocchini and Dombrowski doing the voiceover commentary. It was noted that Aoyagi was just 22 years-old. Dombrowski spoke briefly about the history of All Japan Pro Wresting. Aoyagi put Tajiri down with a back suplex heading into a break. [C]
Aoyagi sent Tajiri to ringside with a springboard elbow and then performed a moonsault onto him from the middle rope. Aoyagi sent Tajiri back inside the ring and then hit him with a missile dropkick and a standing moonsault, which led to a two count.
Tajiri caught Aoyagi in the Tarantula and had to release it due to being in the ropes. Aoyagi came right back with a handspring kick and picked up another near fall. Aoyagi went up top and went for a moonsault. Tajiri rolled out of the way. Tajiri threw a kick that Aoyagi blocked. Aoyagi got up and threw a couple of kicks that resulted in another near fall.
Aoyagi went up top again and went for a 450 splash that Tajiri avoided. Tajiri approached Aoyagi, who rolled him into a pin for a two count. Tajiri rallied with a piledriver for a two count of his own. Tajiri hit a kneeling Aoyagi with a buzzsaw kick and covered him for the pin.
Tajiri defeated Atsuki Aoyagi to retain the MLW Middleweight Championship.
After the match, Tajiri celebrated with the MLW MIddleweight Championship belt briefly. He dropped to one knee and looked at Aoyagi before leaving the ring…
Cesar Duran walked into the backstage area. Richard Holliday, who was with Alicia Atout, told Duran that Alexander Hammerstone wanted to talk to him. Holliday pitched having his own NFT. Duran blew him off and walked away. Gnarls Garvin told Duran that he’s ready to fight. Duran said he appreciated his ambition and walked away.
Alexander Hammerstone cornered Duran and told him that sending his monster brother after him was a bad move. Duran tried to walk away, but Hammerstone pushed him against the wall and said that it wouldn’t work out well for him if he tried to double cross him again. Duran simply adjusted his clothing and didn’t show fear. A graphic listed MLW Azteca for Thursday, January 6 on YouTube, FITE TV, and BeIn Sports…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining main event. Aoyagi was impressive, and it’s fun to see Tajiri in MLW. Dombrowski did a really nice job of providing background while also telling a sports-like story of saying that young Aoyagi was in a position to shoot for the moon while challenging a veteran for the championship. While Saint Laurent is missed, Dombrowski and Bocchini work well together.
Overall, this wasn’t a hot finale that left me anxious for the debut of Azteca, but it was a solid hour of television. I was hoping for some type of cliffhanger or a big angle to serve as a hook for the MLW Azteca debut, but no luck.
In some ways, it feels like MLW is limping into the holiday break (I can relate!). The show failed to offer a real hook for Azteca, and there was also the confusion over last week’s start time. It didn’t get much better this week with the Thursday airing and conflicting start times released by MLW and FITE TV. It’s certainly possible that I missed an announcement about this week’s show streaming on Thursday rather than Wednesday, but I can’t be the only one and it could have been made more clear via MLW’s Twitter page. MLW is usually much better about that, so hopefully things get back to normal in the new year. My audio review of this episode will be available later tonight for Dot Net Members.
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