By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 148)
Taped April 1, 2022 in Dallas, Texas at Gilley’s
Streamed June 9, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
A Rise of the Renegades opening aired and then the broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in on commentary. They ran through the lineup and explained the rules of the Mexican Strap Match before turning things over to ring announcer Tim Barr…
1. Aramis vs. Gino Medina in a Mexican strap match. It was essentially a lumberjack match with the lumberjacks holding straps that they used to whip the wrestlers when they were sent to ringside. Aramis and Medina did not have straps. There were a number of MLW wrestlers and two of Cesar Duran’s masked henchmen serving as the lumberjacks.
Aramis went up top and was shoved down by Arez. Medina ended up with a strap and wrapped it around Aramis’s neck and pulled him backwards to the mat and got a two count. Aramis ended up with the strap and whipped Medina with it until the referee caught him. Medina ended up pinning him while holding the tights.
Gino Medina defeated Aramis in a Mexican strap match.
Bocchini attempted to interview Medina afterward, but Medina told him to shut his mouth. Aramis attacked Medina and threw him back inside the ring where Medina hit him with a low blow and then pulled his mask off. Aramis covered his face while the fans booed Medina. Matt Cross, who worked as a lumberjack, entered the ring with a towel and helped Aramis cover his head…
Powell’s POV: I like this version of a strap match more than two wrestlers being tried together with a strap and needing to touch all four corners. That said, it’s getting tough to care about Medina, Aramis, and Arez because they are not consistently pushed in MLW. They are talented wrestlers, but they just don’t feel like real players in this promotion.
The broadcast team hyped the announcement of the two women who would compete to become the first MLW Featherweight Champion… King Muertes was shown backstage looking at a skull on a stick and then yelling into the camera… A Battle Riot ad aired… [C]
Alex Hammerstone, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich delivered a promo in front of an American flag. The declared Texas “Von Hammer Country” for the night…
Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout were shown in their dressing room. Holliday said Hammerstone couldn’t finish the job with Mads Krugger. He also said Hammerstone was the weak link in Dynasty. Holliday said he was the sole proprietor of Dynasty. “I am the one who is breathing rarified air, Hammer, not you,” Holliday concluded…
Taya Valkyrie vs. Holidead to become the first MLW Featherweight Champion was announced for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: I’m not really sure what Valkyrie’s character did in MLW to earn a spot in this match and yet I’m not complaining. She’s a good get for MLW.
2. Octagon Jr. vs. Matt Cross for the Caribbean Championship. The wrestlers were respectful of one another and shook hands and some early exchanges. Octagon sent Cross to ringside and then went to the middle rope and hit him with a moonsault. [C]
Late in the match, Cross put Octagon down with a cutter for a two count. Octagon came back with a kick and then caught Cross in a double underhook and held him there while spinning around before dropping down with a piledriver. Octagon picked up the three count…
Octagon Jr. defeated Matt Cross for the Caribbean Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good match. Cross can always be counted on to have quality matches with a variety of opponents.
Backstage, Cesar Duran barked at Microman and then told his masked henchmen to guard his office. Once Duran and the henchmen were out of the picture, Holidead, Dr. Dax, and Mini Abismo Negro showed up and harassed Microman. Holidead spoke of sacrificing Microman before her title match next week. Taya Valkyrie and Lince Dorado arrived to run off the heels. Microman shared his Reese’s Pieces with Valkyrie and Dorado…
KC Navarro sat down next to Myron Reed in the backstage area. Navarro started talking a mile a minute. Reed cut him off and told him to just ask for a shot at his MLW Middleweight Championship…
Powell’s POV: Apparently, just working with NZO somehow turned Navarro into an annoying talker.
A Mads Krugger distorted voice promo aired (I couldn’t make it out, but I’m pretty sure he spoke about duckies, bunnies, unicorns, and rainbows)…
A Killer Kross video aired and included footage of his wife Scarlett Bordeaux…
The Battle Riot control center aired for the June 23 event in New York’s Melrose Ballroom. NZO (listed as Real1), Davey Richards, Little Guido, Ace Romero, Savio Vega, and Los Maximos were added to the 40-man Battle Riot match…
Footage aired of Jacob Fatu and Juicy Finau taking a photo with a fan in the parking lot. They spoke about ruling the street. Finau said he was there for all the free food that MLW could give him because he’s not going anywhere…
Mads Krugger vs. Jacob Fatu in a Weapons of Mass Destruction match was announced for Fusion in two weeks…
A car arrived in the backstage area and two men opened the doors. MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas exited the car. They told viewers to mind their own business when it comes to who is funding the Bomaye Fight Club, and then teased expansion with new members…
Entrances for the main event took place…
3. Alex Hammerstone, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich vs. Richard Holliday, Mads Krugger, and King Muertes. All six men brawled once they were all in the ring. The babyface trio quickly cleared the heels from the ring. [C]
Things settled down coming out of the break in terms of there being one man from each team in the ring. Hammerstone got his hands on Holliday briefly after suplexing both of his partners. Hammerstone quickly set up for his Nightmare Pendulum finisher, but Muertes, who was the legal man, returned and saved Holliday.
Hammerstone hit a big boot on Muertes and then put him down with a Nightmare Pendulum. Hammerstone had the pin, but Atout stood on the apron and distracted the referee. Holliday tagged in. Atout tossed her shoe to Holiday, who slammed it over the head of Hammerstone. Holliday hit his 2008 finisher on Hammerstone and pinned him…
Richard Holliday, Mads Krugger, and King Muertes defeated Alex Hammerstone, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich.
A brief video package hyped Taya Valkyrie vs. Holidead to become the first MLW Featherweight Champion for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: The main event had the right finish as they are still building to the Hammerstone vs. Holliday title match. Overall, this was a good hour of television. The Rise of the Renegades theme was pretty empty in that they had a special opening and different graphics, but there was nothing really unique about the episode. MLW is hardly alone when it comes to using themes that lead to a few cosmetic changes (see AEW Road Rager).
Theme shows typically lead to improved numbers, but I suspect these will start to have diminishing returns as fans figure out that they aren’t really getting anything more than a standard show with a different name. Again, though, it was a good episode and I am looking forward to the Hammerstone vs. Holliday match airing one of these weeks. My weekly MLW Fusion audio review will be available later today for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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