By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 153)
Taped May 13, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Streamed July 14, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE TV
Fusion opened with a video package that spotlighted the Alex Hammerstone and Richard Holliday feud… The broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in and hyped the main event. The show carries the Kings of Colosseum theme…
1. Brittany Blake vs. Zoey Skye. The broadcast team said Blake was trained by Drew Gulak. Skye went to the top rope when she was introduced and started the match with a missile dropkick that resulted in an early two count. Skye followed up a short time later with a top rope crossbody block for another two count.
Blake took offensive control for a moment, but Skye performed a Backstabber and covered her for a near fall. Blake avoided a charging Skye in the corner and then performed a tornado DDT for a two count. Blake applied her Bad Omen submission hold and got the submission win…
Brittany Blake beat Zoey Skye.
Powell’s POV: Good action. Blake hit the missile dropkick to start and they maintained a good pace throughout the brief match. I hope we’ll see both wrestlers back in MLW.
The broadcast team hyped the main event… EJ Nduka was interviewed by Sam Leterna, who asked for his thoughts about Hammerstone vs. Holliday. Nduka questioned why he’s not in the match, then said he was just playing. He said he would be watching in the VIP section. He said his time is coming…
A brief Hammerstone video package aired. He spoke about the responsibilities of being MLW Heavyweight Champion and said he sure as hell wasn’t losing his belt to Holliday… A Ric Flair’s Last Match ad aired…
Bocchini said the new season of MLW will start this fall… Footage was shown of Real 1 and Jacob Fatu…
Laterna interviewed Holliday and Alicia Atout in the backstage area. Holliday said he wants Hammerstone to treat his entrance walk like a stroll down memory lane. He wants him to think of their time together in Dynasty. Holliday said he wants Hammerstone to know that all the memories they shared together meant nothing to him. Holliday said he will walk out the new champion. Atout said she already made plans in The Hamptons for the two of them and the title…
2. ACH vs. Matt Cross. Dombrowskii went on a rant about all the countries and commonwealths where Cross has wrestled and how he captivates audiences. There was back and forth action before a break. [C]
ACH suplexed Cross and covered him for a two count. Both men stood in the middle of the ring and traded forearms. ACH went for a German suplex, but Cross landed on his feet. Cross put ACH down with a nice cutter and then followed up with a shooting star press and scored the clean pin…
Matt Cross defeated ACH.
Powell’s POV: A good match between two guys who always seem to deliver in the ring. I wish there had been an actual storyline build to the match, but for some reason Cross and ACH both seem to have fairly random matches without much storyline build in MLW. I’m not familiar with new backstage interviewer Sam Laterna, but she’s off to a good start in MLW.
Alex Hammerstone delivered a backstage promo. Hammerstone spoke about how nerves would take over Holliday. He said everything Holliday has done will have consequences. Hammerstone said he wants Holliday to look him in the eye once they are in the ring and realize that he is the consequence…
Footage aired of a mystery person entering Holliday’s locker room… Another Flair show ad aired… A teaser listed Mance Warner as coming soon to MLW… Footage aired of Myron Reed turning on Davey Richards and joining Bomaye Fight Club…
Alex Kane and Myron Reed delivered a backstage promo about Richards. Reed said he trained with Richards and wasn’t impressed. Reed said Richards isn’t a big dog anymore. Kane labeled Richards a pup…
The MLW champions roll call video aired… The broadcast team read through the tale of the tape for the main event… Entrances for the main event took place. Holliday wore the white jacket with Hammerstone’s blood on it from a previous angle. Holliday and Atout made out on the stage and then again once they were inside the ring. Hammerstone made his entrance to a favorable crowd reaction…
3. Alex Hammerstone vs. Richard Holliday (w/Alicia Atout) for the MLW Heavyweight Championship. Ring announcer Tim Barr delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Hammerstone was the early aggressor and performed a nice overhead belly to belly suplex. Hammerstone signaled for his finisher, but Holiday slipped away.
Hammerstone clotheslined Holliday over the top rope to ringside and then Holliday pulled Hammerstone to the floor. Hammerstone threw punches at Holliday, who hid behind Atout. Hammerstone blocked a slap from Atout, but Holliday used the distraction to kick Hammestone. Holliday put Hammerstone down with a side Russian leg sweep. [C]
Both men were back inside the ring coming out of the break. Hammerstone picked up Holliday and drove him into the corner. Holliday came right back with a sunset flip for a two count. Holliday followed up with a spinebuster and got another two count.
Later, Hammerstone performed a German suplex. Holliday came right back with a kick and a double underhook move that drove Hammerstone’s head into the mat. Atout placed one of her heels in the ring and then climbed onto the apron and distracted the referee. Holliday hit Hammerstone with the heel and covered him for a near fall. Holliday showed frustration over not getting the pin.
Hammerstone hoisted up Holliday, whose legs grazed the referee, yet somehow knocked him out of the ring. (BAD) REF BUMP!!!! Hammerstone hit a TKO and got the visual pinfall while the referee was down at ringside.
Cesar Duran walked out with a referee who was wearing a Duran henchman mask. The masked referee took over for the first referee and then turned around while Holliday worked over Hammerstone with a chair. Holliday hit his 2008 finisher onto the chair. The original referee pulled the masked referee to ringside before he could make the three count. The original referee shoved the masked referee down and then entered the ring to resume calling the match, which upset Holliday.
Holliday reached down to pick up the chair, but Hammerstone came to life and pulled it away from him and tossed it to ringside. Hammerstone Hulked up while Holliday threw punches at him. Holliday begged off and then Hammerstone hit him with a series of clotheslines. The masked referee returned to the ring and was punched out by Hammerstone.
Hammerstone pressed Holliday over his head and then slammed him to the mat with a uranage slam. Hammerstone shook the ropes, then picked up Holliday and hit him with his Nightmare Pendulum finisher and scored the pin to win the match.
Alex Hammerstone defeated Richard Holliday to retain the MLW Heavyweight Championship.
Hammerstone celebrated his win while Atout helped Holliday to the back. Hammerstone went to the stage and played to the crowd before heading to the back…
Another Mads Krugger post-credits video aired. He was stumbling around post facial surgery and his face was heavily made up. It sounded like he said “Katanga” and then someone entered the shot and put their hand on his shoulder…
Powell’s POV: The presentation of the main event was strong with video packages and promos from both men. MLW told a good story that started with the build to Holliday’s turn and then they had a slow build to this match finally airing on television. The actual match was pretty basic, though I was surprised to see Hammerstone go over with a clean pinfall. The ref bump looked rough, but it was more on the wrestlers for barely hitting the referee, who actually took the bump pretty well. All of that said, I could have done without the referee bump and the masked referee drama.
Overall, the first two matches had no storyline support and yet were both entertaining. The main event had strong storyline support and a surprisingly feel good finish with babyface champion Hammerstone winning clean. All in all, it was a good episode. I am surprised MLW Fusion is now on hiatus until the fall, especially considering that they have the Battle Riot tapings in the can. I guess the Ric Flair’s Last Match show will provide an MLW fix since the promotion has some of its talent on that pay-per-view.
I will be back later today with more thoughts on Fusion in my audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
Sam is pretty amazing, she does a lot of commentary and interviews for HOG