By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 137)
Taped January 21, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at Gilley’s
Streamed March 17, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
The show opened with a Scott Hall memorial graphic… A video package recapped Richard Holliday attacking Alex Hammerstone after last week’s main event…
Richard Holliday stood in the empty Grady Cole Center and spoke about the history of the video including Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes. He said it would now be forever remembered for him. Holliday knelt down on the floor in front dried blood on the floor. He said he did what he felt was best in the moment, and that was having Hammerstone’s blood, which he said will forever stay in Charlotte…
The MLW Fusion opening aired… The broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in and hyped the upcoming matches. A limo was shown arriving at the venue. Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Rok-C vs. Miranda Gordy. Gordy took a fan’s foam finger and tore it in half prior to the match to establish herself as the heel. The broadcast team spoke about her father Terry Gordy’s history in Texas with The Freebirds the World Class Championship Promotion. Gordy dominated the bulk of the early action.
Rok-C came back with a Thesz Press. She followed up with a clunky arm drag spot, then applied a crossface. Gordy rolled onto Rok-C for a two count, but she was unable to break the hold. Gordy started to stand up and then Rok-C gave up the hold and transitioned into a sunset flip for another two count.
Gordy set up for a powerbomb, but Rok-C countered into a pin for another two count. Gordy followed up with the Bam Bam Slam powerbomb and scored the clean pin…
Miranda Gordy defeated Rok-C.
Rich Bocchini interviewed Gordy at ringside and welcomed her to the featherweight division. She said she is the power-weight division. She said she would destroy all of the Barbie dolls and ballerinas…
Powell’s POV: Rok-C was obviously a free agent when this match took place, but no one expected her to be contractually free for long. As such, MLW made the right call in putting over Gordy given that they can bring her back for future shows. While this isn’t my first time seeing Gordy, I still think it’s really cool to see her extend her family’s history in the business. Her father was a fantastic wrestler and he had the “Bam Bam” nickname, so her finisher is a tribute to him.
A video package recapped Micro Man’s debut, which was followed by Gino Medina melting down and leaving Aramiz bloody after a backstage beating. Dombrowski said Cesar Duran responded to the attack by paying Medina a bonus for his act of violence…
Mads Krugger’s promo interrupted Dombrowski. He delivered a distorted voice promo and challenged Jacob Fatu to face him in a Stairway to Hell match…
Cesar Duran was shown speaking with one of his masked henchmen in a backstage area… The limo was shown parked outside the venue… [C] A teaser listed Gangrel as appearing next week…
Powell’s POV: What if the limo belongs to a wealthy fan who is already inside watching the show? Okay, probably not.
The limo window rolled down and revealed that Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout were inside. Holliday looked into the camera and asked if viewers were expecting someone different. Holliday teased doing something raunchy. They invited cameraman Charlie to join them inside the limo…
A 5150 video package aired. Julius Smokes delivered a good promo…
An Alexander Hammerstone sit-down interview aired. He said he was in the culinary industry prior to his pro wrestling career. He said he went to college, but he had a voice in his head that drove him to pro wrestling. He said he grew up poor and so he couldn’t watch pro wrestling on cable, but he and his brother were able to watch shows such as Shotgun Saturday Night and wrestled each other when their mom wasn’t home.
Hammerstone said he tried to get his brother to enter wrestling with him. His brother thought he was too small and was wasting his time. Hammerstone said the first couple of years were bleak, but now his brother is his biggest fan. Hammerstone recalled his brother’s girlfriend calling to tell him that his brother cried while watching him win the MLW Championship on the Fightland show.
Hammerstone spoke more about growing up poor. He spoke being creative and playing music. He said where he comes from makes every moment mean more… An injury report on Hammerstone was hyped for after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: This was great. We need more of these “get to know ’em” style video packages in pro wrestling. Hammerstone came off more relatable than ever.
A Killer Kross teaser aired that listed him for next week’s show… Bocchini hosted the Azteca Underground control center for the April 1 event in Dallas. He listed the main event as Jacob Fatu vs. LA Park and hyped other matches and events for the WrestleMania weekend show…
The broadcast team listed medical updates. Marshall Von Erich is sidelined for 3-4 weeks with a fractured ankle, while Ross Von Erich suffered a concussion during a 5150 attack. There is no update on Alex Hammerstone because he refused to be evaluated…
EJ Nduka was approached by Emilio Sparks. Nduka said he’s been trying to do the right thing since he arrived in MLW. He said he would repay evil with good. He said that when he gets his chance with 5150, he’ll make it real good…
Krugger vs. Fatu in the Stairway To Hell match was officially announced for next week’s show…
Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout spoke from the back of the limo. Holliday started kissing her neck when she got a text message. She told him that this is big. “I know, I agree,” Holliday said. She showed him the message and he agreed that they had to go…
TJP made his entrance for the main event. Highlights aired of his promo from last week. TJP stood on the stage and referred to the fans as crayon eaters. He brought up MLW’s open door policy and said he thinks it’s stupid because “all of your favorite indy darling wrestlers from other companies suck balls.” TJP entered the ring and said he wanted to make it quick because the “cruisergreat has great things to do.”
The ring announcer introduced Buddy Matthews as TJP’s opponent. Matthews made his entrance and joined TJP in the ring. A “Buddy” chant broke out. He said that when he heard MLW was doing an open door policy, he couldn’t help but knock it down. Matthews referred to himself as the greatest cruiserweight…
2. Buddy Matthews vs. TJP. Matthews sold an early knee injury after a float over spot. Matthews rolled to the floor and the referee checked on him. TJP went after him, but Matthews shoved him into the barricade. TJP charged Matthews, who stepped aside, causing TJP to crash into the barricade. TJP swung and missed, then Matthews slammed him onto the ring apron. TJP eventually kicked the back of Matthews’ leg heading into a break. [C]
TJP worked over the bad knee coming out of the break. Matthews eventually rallied and hit TJP with some knee strikes heading into the final break. [C] TJP went for a superplex, but Matthews fought him off. Matthews went for a sunset bomb, but his knee gave out. TJP played to the crowd by taking a bow on the ropes. Matthews got up and kicked TJP, then performed a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.
TJP rolled up Matthews and got a two count, then immediately applied an Indian Death Lock. Matthews reached for the ropes, but TJP gave up the hold to stop him. Matthews rallied with a Stomp for a near fall. TJP stopped Matthews from going for his finisher, but Matthews drilled him with a couple of knees to the head. Matthews placed TJP on the ropes and then went up behind him. Matthews went for a move, but TJP grabbed the referee.
Matthews pried the hand of TJP off the ref, then TJP reached down and took out the bad knee, causing Matthews to fall into the ring. TJP performed a Mamba Splash on the bad knee. TJP applied a heel hook that caused Matthews to tap out…
TJP defeated Buddy Matthews.
TJP mugged for the camera and then spoke into it while gloating over his win. Highlights aired from the match… The broadcast team hyped Fatu vs Krugger in next week’s Stairway To Hell match…
Cesar Duran looked into the camera and spoke while a masked henchmen stood behind him. Duran said nothing is more important than the health of the competitors. Duran said Alex Hammerstone has been impossible to reach since he took the beating from Holliday. He said it was with great regret (then started laughing) that the MLW Championship would be vacated if Hammerstone does not appear next week…
Powell’s POV: A good cliffhanger and a good main event. It wasn’t the fast-paced banger that one might expect from Matthews and TJP, but they told a good story with the Matthews knee injury. And much like the first match, MLW made the right call by having one of their regulars beat a notable name who was in for one night. Matthews has signed with AEW since this match took place, so it wouldn’t have done MLW any good to have him beat TJP.
Overall, this was a good episode with two matches featuring notable names who have gone on to sign elsewhere. There was also some good storytelling with Richard Holliday, good hype for next week’s Stairway To Hell match, the excellent Hammerstone video, and the Duran hook at the end of the show. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly MLW Fusion audio review for Dot Net Members.
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