By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 142)
Taped March 31, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at Gilley’s
Streamed April 28, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
A shot aired of the outside of the venue and then the broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in from the stage and hyped the main event. They were interrupted by MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas. Kane said he and Thomas are going after the MLW Tag Titles held by Calvin Tankman and EJ Nduka.
The broadcast team went back to hyping the main event and then turned things over to rings announcer Tim Barr for the opening match. Ring entrances took place and Mister Saint Laurent gave the big buildup to Micro
1. KC Navarro, Aramis, and Microman vs. Mini Abismo Negro, Gino Medina, and Arez (w/Gangrel). Mister Saint Laurent sat in on commentary. Microman tagged in early on and was immediately put down with a big boot from Negro. Microman rallied quickly, but he was eventually alone in the ring with all three heels while his partners were down at ringside.
Microman avoided a Negro kick that hit Arez instead. Medina scooped up Microman and teased tossing him over the top rope and both sides of the ring before Microman’s partners intervened. Navarro and Aramis placed Microman on the top rope and then he dove onto Negro. Navarro and Aramis took out the other two opponents with stereo dives.
Negro had Navarro pinned a short time later, but Microman broke it up. Microman performed a couple of arm drags on Negro, who then placed him on the second rope and chopped him. Microman headbutted Negro and then performed a cannonball dive onto him. Microman rolled Negro into a pin that was broken up by Arez.
Gangrel grabbed Microman by the throat from ringside and then Arez kicked him. Arez picked up Microman and performed a lung blower. Aramis and Arez had a nice lucha exchange. Navarro performed a DDT on Medina, but was then kicked by Negro. Navarro came right back with a clothesline and a standing double stomp, which led to a two count.
Arez sent Navarro to the floor. Arez and Medina worked over Aramis and set up for a double superplex. Microman ran in and did a comical tower of doom spot. Microman teased diving onto two opponents, but he crawled under the bottom rope instead and then performed a double takedown on them at ringside. In the ring, Aramis set up for a move on Medina, who turned Aramis’s mask sideways. Medina put Aramis away moments later.
Arez, Mini Abismo Negro, and Gino Medina defeated KC Navarro, Aramis, and Microman.
After the match, Medina stole Aramis’s mask. Dombrowski noted that this was the first loss for Microman in MLW. MSL labeled it a minor setback…
Powell’s POV: You definitely have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy Microman’s antics, but I’m still getting a kick out of the little guy’s antics.
Footage aired of Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich turning over the World Class Championship Wrestling title belt to the city of Dallas. It was noted that the belt will be on display starting in May…
Dave Marquez checked in from backstage and then spoke with Alex Hammerstone about the main event. Hammerstone said he’d never defended his title against Mads Krugger or Jacob Fatu, but said he is firing on all cylinders… [C]
Dombrowski said June would feature the anniversary of the first MLW event held 20 years ago. He said MLW originals would return for the league’s milestone. Classic footage aired of the Los Maximos, who were advertised for the Kings of Colosseum event…
A distorted voice Mads Krugger promo aired…
Footage aired of a masked man attacking Myron Reed during the previous episode’s five-way match for the MLW National Openweight Championship…
A black and white Myron Reed promo aired. He wondered if Cesar Duran was behind the masked man attacking him, then pondered if it was someone who entered the forbidden door. Reed said he would put his MLW Middleweight Championship on the line next week and told the masked man to show his face…
Kane and Thomas were shown walking through the backstage area. They ran into Tankman and Nduka and ended up bickering with them. Nduka held up the MLW Tag Title belts and said they have what Kane and Thomas want. Tankman said no one is afraid of Kane or Thomas…
A 5150 video package aired with Rivera and Hernandez playing pool. Julius Smokes showed up and revealed that he had stolen the title belt that the Von Erichs had donated… [C]
A video package hyped Taya Valkyrie’s return for the Kings of Colosseum event on May 13 in Philadelphia. Bocchini said it would be the only MLW event in Philadelphia in 2022… The MLW World Championship roll call video aired and was followed by Dombrowski reading through the tale of the tape for the main event…
Richard Holliday made his entrance and joined the broadcast team. Ring entrances for the main event took place. Hammerstone came out and approached Holliday, who said “I’m on commentary.” Hammerstone attacked Holliday. Krugger went after Hammerstone and then Fatu performed a dive over the top rope onto both men.
2. Alex Hammerstone vs. Mads Krugger vs. Jacob Fatu in a Triple Threat for the MLW Heavyweight Championship. The match officially started once Fatu rolled Krugger into the ring. Hammerstone tried to enter the ring and was kicked back to the floor. Hammerstone eventually entered the ring and then he and Fatu cleared Krugger.
Fatu set up Hammerstone for a Samoan Drop, but Hammerstone slipped away. Hammerstone performed an overhead belly to belly suplex. Fatu came right back with a slam and a hand spring into the ropes followed by a splash for an early two count.
Krugger returned and chokeslammed Hammerstone and Fatu simultaneously. They both rolled to the floor and then Krugger performed a dive over the top rope onto Hammerstone and Fatu on the floor.
Later, Krugger performed a fallaway slam on Hammerstone. Fatu hit a top rope splash on Krugger for a close near fall. Hammerstone hit both opponents with a missile dropkick. He performed a TKO on Fatu for a near fall, and the broadcast team was quick to point out that it was the same move that Hammerstone used when he beat Fatu to win the championship.
Fatu came back with a Samoan Drop on Hammerstone. Krugger grabbed a chair and was on the apron when Fatu took it away. Fatu slammed the chair over Krugger’s head.
Powell’s POV: Why are unprotected chair shots to the head still happening in 2022? Even if it’s something the wrestlers did without permission, I would argue that MLW should have edited it out of the broadcast.
Fatu hit Hammerstone with a hip attack in the corner. Fatu placed the chair in front of Hammerstone’s head and then grabbed another chair as he climbed to the top rope. Fatu performed a Coast to Coast and then covered Hammerstone for a near fall.
Krugger hit Fatu with a Baklei club, which Dombrowski said he had used in a previous match. Hammerstone low blowed Krugger. Hammerstone took the club and tossed it aside, then ran the ropes and booted Krugger’s face. Hammerstone went to ringside and pulled out a door board from underneath the ring and ended up setting it up in a corner of the ring.
Krugger performed a chokeslam backbreaker on Hammerstone and covered him for a two count. Krugger shoved the referee to the mat. Hammerstone performed an overhead belly to belly suplex and then got a visual pinfall on Krugger while the referee was down.
Richard Holliday ran out and put Hammerstone down with his finisher. Fatu performed an apparent moonsault (the camera didn’t catch it) and got a visual pin on Hammerstone. Fatu revived the referee and got a near fall on Hammerstone. Krugger grabbed a chair, but Fatu speared him through the door board. Fatu’s momentum took him to ringside. Hammerstone hit Krugger with the Nightmare Pendulum and pinned him…
Alex Hammerstone defeated Mads Krugger and Jacob Fatu in a Triple Threat to retain the MLW Heavyweight Championship.
The broadcast team hyped Davey Richards vs. Richard Holliday for next week…
A shot aired of Jacob Fatu laid out backstage. Bestia 666 was shown standing over him along with Cesar Duran and one of his masked henchmen. Dombrowski questioned what this meant for Fatu…
Powell’s POV: A strong main event. I assumed that Hammerstone would win due to his upcoming showdown match with Holliday, but there were some believable near falls along the way. Krugger was the right guy to take the loss as there’s still money in an eventual Hammerstone vs. Fatu rematch. I can’t say that Bestia attacking Fatu excites me, but perhaps it’s just setting up a simple bounce back win for Fatu.
Overall, this was a solid two-match episode with a fun opener and a really good main event title match. I will have more to say in my weekly MLW Fusion audio review, which are available to Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
What happened to the MLW deal with AXS TV? They showed a few episodes and then nothing.
I meant Vice TV.
They never struck a long-term deal. They aired the one special and it drew only 40,000 viewers, so that didn’t help the cause.