By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Underground
Taped February 4, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired April 11, 2023 on Reelz
The show opened with a recap of the angle that closed last week’s episode with Thomas Billington left lying backstage by Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas… The Underground opening aired…
The ring announcer touted the upcoming match as being the first Dumpster Match in MLW history. Mance Warner made his entrance while the broadcast team of Joe Dombrowski and Matt Striker checked in. Matthew Justice was out next. Striker said Justice is “the living embodiment of thrash metal.”
Mister Saint Laurent stood in the ring and hyped the dumpster match before introducing Microman as the third entrant. The final entrant was Real1, who spoke over the mic as he made his entrance…
1. Real1 vs. Mance Warner vs. Microman vs. Matthew Justice in a four-way Dumpster Match. There were dumpsters set up on opposite sides of the ring. Real1 dropkicked Microman to start the match. Warner and Justice worked over Real1, who eventually grabbed a trashcan lid and used it as a weapon. Microman tripped up Real1 heading into a commercial break. [C]
Warner and Justice placed Microman on the top rope with the idea of tossing him onto Real1, who rolled out of the ring. Warner and Justice followed. Real1 kicked Justice in the balls and then crotched both men on the guardrail. Real1 hoisted up Warner and ran him into the ring post.
Real1 went after Microman and teased tossing him into both of the dumpsters. Warner returned and kicked the back of Real1’s leg, causing Microman to fall on top of him. Real1 came back by running Warner through a door board that was set up in the corner. Justice returned and hit Real1 from behind with a chair.
Microman rolled Real1 toward a dumpster. Justice closed the lids and then Microman rolled Real1 on top of the closed dumpster. Justice set up a ladder in the ring. Justice leapt from the ladder and and dropped an elbow on Real1. They used a long distance shot…
Matthew Justice beat Real1, Microman, and Mance Warner in a Dumpster Match.
Afterward, The Calling hit the ring and the lighting changed… [C]
Powell’s POV: A strange match with Real1 being outnumbered three to one and still getting in plenty of offense. I think this would have worked better had it between perhaps Warner and Microman facing Real1 and a flunky.
Coming out of the break, Alex Hammerstone joined Justice and Warner in fighting The Calling in the backstage area…
A video hyped MLW Fusion returning “in just a few weeks.” The narrator said it would feature the Super Series…
Powell’s POV: Will this be a separate show? If so, does the world really need yet another hour of pro wrestling programming? And we still have the rumored AEW Saturday night show, which I’ve affectionately dubbed AEW Overkill before it’s even had a chance to debut.
The broadcast team hyped the Battle Riot V match airing on the April 25 edition of Underground. They ran through a long list of entrants for the 40-man Royal Rumble style match. They also hyped the War Chamber match for next week’s show…
Entrances for the no ropes match took place. A pre-taped interview aired with Sam Laterna speaking with Alex Kane, who shockingly yelled Bomaye several times…
2. Alex Kane (w/Mr. Thomas, others) vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. in a no ropes catch wrestling match. The Opera Cup was placed on the broadcast table. After some early mat wrestling, Smith rolled to the floor. [C]
Smith put Kane in an armbar. Kane rolled onto him and got a two count, then gouged the eyes to break the hold. Kane performed a pair of German suplexes. Smith stood up after the second and returned the favor with a pair of German suplexes of his own.
Kane stood up and performed another German suplex, then Smith shot up and executed another German suplex. Both men got to their feet and traded forearm strikes.
Cameras cut backstage where The Calling was being roughed up by Hammerstone and the Second Gear Crew.
Back inside the ring, Kane performed an overhead exploder suplex. Kane lowered his straps and a “Bomaye” chant broke out. Kane hit a Painmaker (Angle Slam) and covered Smith for a near fall. Kane applied an ankle lock. Smith rolled out of it and countered into his own ankle lock.
Kane countered back into an ankle lock while Smith had to release his. Smith teased tapping, but he escaped the hold and applied a Sharpshooter. Mr. Thomas reached inside the ring and tried to pull Kane. Smith released the hold and booted Thomas off the apron.
Kane grabbed a bottle and tried to spray a substance into the eyes of Smith, who ducked it. Smith put Kane in a rear naked choke. A loud “Bomaye” chant broke out, but Kane passed out.
Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Alex Kane in a no ropes catch wrestling match.
The vocal Kane fans razzed Smith, who patted his backside at them. Thomas used smelling salts to wake up Kane…
Powell’s POV: A good match for its style. I’m guessing that the creative forces didn’t anticipate Kane’s popularity with a portion of the crowd. If they had, I wonder if they would have gone with a less decisive finish. The Bomaye routine strikes me as obnoxious, but obviously the fans who were rooting for him see it differently. That said, it’s tough to tell whether Kane is developing real fan support or if this was just a loud batch of fans who got behind him.
Lio Rush was interviewed by Sam Laterna in the backstage area. Rush had the MLW Middleweight Championship belt that he stole from Lince Dorado last week. Rush said he was disrespected by Dorado, who ducked his people’s calls. Rush said the belt was where it should be and told Dorado “catch me if you can” if he wants it back…
Calvin Tankman made his entrance. Dombrowski noted that EJ Nduka was out of action indefinitely. He also recalled that Tankman was one of The Calling’s first victims. They cut to a Calling video package with Raven speaking (it was tough to make out) and then Akira made his entrance and selected a crowbar from the group’s table of weapons. The masked man at the weapons table unmasked and revealed himself as Raven…
3. Akira (w/Raven) vs. Calvin Tankman. Akira brought the crowbar to the ring with him and the referee actually rang the bell to start the match. Akira ran across the ring and swung the crowbar at Tankman, who avoided it and went on the offensive.
The action spilled over to ringside. When Tankman returned to the ring, Akira caught him with a dragon screw leg whip. Tankman eventually came back with a popup elbow strike. The side of Akira’s head was cut. Tankman brought Akira to the ropes and set up for a move, but Raven hit Tankman with pipe from ringside. The broadcast team said dust from the pipe ended up in the official’s eye. Akira put Tankman in a choke hold and got the submission win.
Akira defeated Calvin Tankman.
After the match, Akira placed a calling card on top of Tankman while Raven and other members of The Calling stood by. Akira and Raven posed together.
Matthew Justice and 1 Called Manders came out and fought with members of The Calling. Cameras cut outside the building where Alex Hammerstone and Mance Warner were fighting other Calling henchmen. Akira went up top and held a chair behind him while performing a trust fall style dive onto Justice, Manders, and members of The Calling. Outside the building, Rickey Shane Page set a table on fire…
A brief teaser hyped Hammerstone and the Second Gear Crew vs. The Calling in a War Chamber match for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: The match was fine for what it was, but The Calling just hasn’t clicked. I guess we’ll see if they do something that makes me feel differently in next week’s War Chamber match.
Overall, it was an entertaining hour. At the same time, it feels like MLW is running a lot of gimmick matches and is not doing as much character development as they have in the past. There are certain wrestlers who get regular mic work, but we just don’t hear enough from others, which makes it difficult to feel invested in their characters. Anyway, I had some dental work done today, so my MLW Underground audio review will be available on Wednesday for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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