By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 147)
Taped April 1, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at Gilley’s
Streamed June 2, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
Fusion opened with footage from last week’s Alexander Hammerstone vs. Cesar Duran match, which ended in a DQ when Richard Holliday interfered. They also showed the post match with King Muertes and Mads Krugger coming out, only to be run off by Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich to set up a future six-man tag match…
The broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in and hyped the show’s matches. The Fusion opening video aired…
Los Parks made their entrance for the opening match and their opponents were already in the ring. Cesar Duran came out and delivered a promo on the stage with two masked henchmen standing by him. Duran spoke about a reckoning and called for more violence. He made the match a Mexican death match.
1. “Los Parks” LA Park and LA Park Jr. vs. Gangrel and Pagano in a Mexican death match. Los Parks performed simultaneous suicide dives on their opponents heading into a break. [C] LA Park ended up with a chair and wound up to use it when the referee grabbed it. Park put the referee in front of him and then Pagano punched the chair into the referee’s face.
Pagano kicked the referee. He followed up by ripping LA Park’s mask. Pagano introduced skewers. LA Park ended up with them and drove them into the head of Pagano and then DDT’d him. LA Park followed up by spearing and pinning Pagano…
“Los Parks” LA Park and LA Park Jr. beat Gangrel and Pagano in a Mexican death match.
Powell’s POV: This was more of a standard match early on than we typically get from Los Parks. Both teams even observed normal tag team rules at times. It broke down into the usual Los Parks style match that played into the hardcore rules at the end.
The broadcast team hyped next week’s episode as having the Rise of the Renegades theme… A tale of the tape was shown for the NZO vs. KC Navarro match…
NZO made his entrance and delivered an in-ring promo. He said he’s been in the ring with the biggest stars and there’s nothing the business has left to offer him. However, NZO said he still has a lot to offer the wrestling business. NZO told the story of Navarro asking him to watch one of his matches. He recalled later beating his ass, but said he saw something while he was doing so. He spoke about Navarro having heart. NZO said that if Navarro wants to be a star, he needs to go through him. Navarro made his entrance…
2. NZO vs. KC Navarro. NZO shoved Navarro to the mat and smirked at him. NZO was dominant early on and performed a fallaway slam. NZO whipped Navarro into the corner. NZO went for a splash, but he crashed and burned when Navarro moved. Navarro went up top and performed a moonsault onto a standing NZO and then pinned him while holding the tights.
KC Navarro defeated NZO.
Navarro rolled to ringside and celebrated his win while NZO acted shocked in the ring…
Powell’s POV: This wasn’t what I was hoping for when it came to Navarro finally getting a measure of revenge on NZO. I assumed he would eventually go over strong to avenge the beatings he’s taken, not get an underdog style win while holding the tights.
Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout met with Cesar Duran inside his office. Duran said he had a plan last week during his match with Alex Hammerstone but it was interrupted by Holliday interfering. Duran indicated that there would be consequences. Holliday proposed another opportunity, and then Atout shut the door on the cameraman…
A Killer Kross video package aired…
The MLW Battle Riot control center segment aired for the June 23 event in New York. Bandido, KC Navarro, Lance Anoai, Juicy Fanau, and Richard Holliday were added to the Battle Riot match…
NZO was shown storming into the backstage area where he bumped into an annoyed Jacob Fatu… The broadcast team announced Alex Hammerstone, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich vs. Richard Holliday, King Muertes, and Mads Krugger for next week’s Rise of the Renegades event. They also said Aramis will face Gino Medina in a match type that would be announced later in the show… Ring announcer Tim Barr introduced the main event participants…
3. Flamita vs. Bandido. Flamita was still in Demonic Flamita mode with a black mask and black gear along with some black lip stick and face paint round his eyes. They fought to the ramp where Flamita suplexed Bandido heading into a break. [C]
Bandido had a nice offensive flurry. Flamita came back and had Bandido down when he went to the top rope. Once Flamita was on the top rope, he flipped off the fans and yelled, “F— you” before dropping back into the ring. Flamita executed a slingshot DDT for a near fall.
Bandido rallied and performed a modified GTS. Flamita came right back with a Spanish Fly. Bandido responded with a pop-up cutter. Both men laid on the mat and then got to their feet to beat the referee’s count.
A short time later, Flamita performed a sit-out tiger driver for a near fall. He went up top and attempted a moonsault, but Bandido put his feet up. Bandido hit another modified GTS and followed up with his 21 Plex finisher and scored the pin.
Bandido defeated Flamita.
After the match, Bandido offered Flamita a handshake, but Flamita stuck his middle finger and Bandido’s face and stormed away…
The broadcast team announced that next week’s Aramis vs. Gino Medina match will be a Mexican strap match (not to be confused with a Canadian or Scottish or Cuban strap match). They also announced Octagon Jr. vs. Matt Cross for the Caribbean Championship, and hyped the previously announced Alex Hammerstone, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich vs. Richard Holliday, King Muertes, and Mads Krugger match for next week’s Rise of the Renegades themed show…
Powell’s POV: The main event was a good match between two wrestlers who could probably have a solid match together in their sleep. They were tag team partners and then frequent opponents in ROH in addition to their work in Mexico. Neither wrestler is contracted to MLW and thus they haven’t really factored into the storylines, so the match felt a little random within the MLW storyline universe. Nonetheless, it’s always a treat to see the talented Bandido in action.
Overall, this was a decent hour of television. With Los Parks killing their relationship with MLW since their match was taped, and with the main event featuring a pair of wrestlers who were in for the night, this was a missable show for those looking for big storyline developments. But it was an easy to watch show that clocked in at roughly 46 minutes. It didn’t overstay its welcome and was mostly enjoyable. I will have more to say about Fusion my weekly audio review coming up later today for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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