By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 167)
Taped February 10, 2023 in Tijuana, Mexico at Auditorio de Tijuana
Streamed June 1, 2023 on the MLW YouTube Page and FITE.TV
Fusion opened with footage of Mance Warner lying in a hotel room bed with his wet boot next to him. 1 Called Manders was sleeping in a chair while Matthew Justice was passed out on the floor. Warner woke them up and said it was time to go. Manders said it was 3:48 p.m.
Microman emerged from a sheet in a corner of the room and had a big pair of panties over his head. Warner and Justice fist-bumped Microman. Warner said they had to get to the border…
The Fusion opening aired… The broadcast team of Joe Dombrowski and Christian Cole checked in while standing in front of the MLW backdrop while entrances for the opening match took place…
1. “La Rebelion” Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf vs. Abismo Negro Jr. and Black Taurus. Bestia and Wolf came out with tag title belts around their waists. The broadcast team noted that they are not MLW Tag Team Champions, but they did not identify which belts they were wearing (they appeared to be the NWA Tag Team Titles).
When Bestia and Taurus checked in, Taurus offered a handshake. Bestia teased accepting and then pulled his hand back. Taurus performed a powerslam a short time later heading into a break. [C]
The broadcast team teased big news regarding the Never Say Never event for later in the show. Bestia and Wolf rallied and performed stereo suicide dives. The broadcast team announced that Taya Valkyrie was scheduled to defend the MLW Featherweight Championship against Delmi Exo on this show, but the match was postponed.
A short time later, Bestia performed a Muscle Buster on Abismo. Taurus came back with a backbreaker on Bestia. Wolf executed a wicked suplex on Taurus. Abismo put Wolf down with a Styles Clash for a near fall. All four men stayed down.
In the end, Wolf held up Abismo in powerbomb position. Bestia leapt from the ropes and hit a middle rope Backstabber on Abismo and pinned him while Wolf performed a suicide dive on Taurus…
“La Rebelion” Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf defeated Abismo Negro Jr. and Black Taurus.
Powell’s POV: The match was well worked and well received by the live crowd. I’m familiar with all four wrestlers, but none of them are regulars in MLW, so it felt really random to see this match on Fusion.
Willie Mack was shown having fun at the merchandise table when John Hennigan, Taya Valkyrie, and Sam Adonis showed up. Hennigan was hot about something. Mack wanted a shot at his MLW National Openweight Championship. Hennigan said he was on…
A Samoan Swat Team video package aired. Jacob Fatu vented about The Calling getting one up on him. Fatu said it would never happen again. Fatu also spoke about going after John Hennigan, then went right back to venting about The Calling…
The main event was listed as coming up next… [C] The Never Say Never Control Center aired and listed the following matches for the July 8 event: Alex Hammerstone vs. Alex Kane for the MLW Heavyweight Championship, Juicy Finau and Lance Anoa’i vs. Rickey Shane Page and Akira for the MLW Tag Team Titles, and the return of Timothy Thatcher…
Sam Laterna interviewed Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas in front of the MLW backdrop. Kane said everyone wants to know who is bankrolling the operation. Kane said everyone would find out at Never Say Never…
Powell’s POV: It’s been a while since they’ve played up the mystery of who is the financial backer of Boomaye Fight Club. With Kane leaning into the crowd cheers lately, I’m a bit surprised to see it return. But I also enjoy a good mystery and it will be nice to have that one paid off.
Delmi Exo was interviewed by Laterna in front of the MLW backdrop and asked why her MLW Featherweight Championship match was postponed. Exo said she heard that Valkyrie made some calls to her friends in Mexico and the match was cancelled. Exo said the MLW fans deserve better. Laterna acted like she was getting a message. She said she was told that Exo will get her title shot in two weeks in New York City (on Fusion)…
The broadcast team hyped B3cca for next week’s show and said it would come from 2300 Arena. A B3cca video package aired… The broadcast team announced a poll asking fans whether B3cca should be allowed to perform live at Never Say Never. They said they would have the results on next week’s show…
Entrances for the main event took place… [C]
2. El Hijo del Vikingo, Psycho Clown, and Rey Horus vs. John Hennigan, Sam Adonis, and Gringo Loco. Hennigan flipped the bird to one of his opponents to start. Adonis and Clown fought to ringside. Adonis threw a trash bucket at Clown on the floor and then returned to the ring. Gringo pressed Horus over his head and slammed him.
Hennigan’s team isolated Clown and splashed him in the corner. They even got the referee to preform a corner splash while the broadcast team played up the idea that some of the Mexican referees are on the take. [C]
Hennigan hit Starship Pain on Psycho Clown. Hennigan and his team piled on for the pin, but Horus returned to break it up. Vikingo climbed to the top of the ring post and then performed a springboard leap onto the heels all the way across the ring and then bounced off the ropes and took them down. Give us a replay, MLW!
Vikingo and Gringo brawled to the stage while Horus dumped Hennigan over the barricade. Hennigan was doused with drinks and started throwing chairs. The broadcast team said the ring announcer, who spoke in Spanish, warned the fans not to throw things.
A short time later, Vikingo’s team worked over Adonis while Hennigan and Gringo just stood and watched on the floor briefly. They returned just in time to be on the receiving end of a triple move by Vikingo’s team that led to a near fall.
Hennigan and Horus squared off, which led to Hennigan picking up a near fall. Horus came back by leaping from the middle rope and springboarding off the top rope into a tornado DDT for a near fall of his own. Adonis took out Horus and then took a crossbody block from Psycho Clown.
Psycho Clown put a chair between the legs of Adonis and then struck it with another chair. Adonis bounced back briefly, but Psycho Clown pulled out a leather strap and whipped him and his partners with it. Clown put the referee down, pulled up his shirt, and hit him with the strap once.
Vikingo and Gringo squared off. Vikingo got the better of it. He went for a tricky double jump and a cartwheel that didn’t work out, but he followed up with a big leap onto Gringo on the floor. Horus performed a flip dive onto Hennigan. Psycho rolled up Adonis for a near fall. Adonis came right back with a near fall of his own.
Adonis went up top and went for a Swanton that Psycho Clown avoided. Psycho Clown performed a Code Red on Adonis and then pinned him…
El Hijo del Vikingo, Psycho Clown, and Rey Horus defeated John Hennigan, Sam Adonis, and Gringo Loco.
The broadcast team said this match capped off the Super Series. They hyped John Hennigan vs. Willie Mack for the MLW National Openweight Championship for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: This match looked fun on paper and delivered. Ultimately, it felt just as trivial in the MLW storylines as the opening match and last week’s matches did, it’s always fun to see Vikingo. This wasn’t one of his more memorable performance, but that one jump he made that started on the ring post was terrific. How was that not shown again?!?
The heel trio work regularly in Mexico, so the fans are familiar with them and didn’t just sit on their hands as they understandably do for some of the MLW talent they don’t see regularly. Overall, this was more enjoyable than last week’s show. I’ll have more to say about Fusion in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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