By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Major League Wrestling “SuperFight”
February 3, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Streamed on TrillerTV+
Joe Dombrowski and Christian Cole provided live ringside commentary. Dombrowski said Cole is his “new partner” so has Matt Striker left? Lighting is good and they said it’s a sellout.
1. Rocky Romero (w/Salina De La Renta) defeated Ichiban in a best of three falls match to retain the MLW Middleweight Title at 16:17. Jesus Rodriguez introduced Romero. Mat reversals to open. Rocky dove through the ropes at 1:30, but Ichiban caught him and hit a snap suplex onto the thin mat at ringside. (For whatever reason, Rocky completely no-sold this move.) In the ring, Rocky hit some Forever Clotheslines. He hit a Lungblower out of the corner. Romero collapsed on Ichiban in the corner, and Salina held down Ichiban’s foot, allowing Romero to get a cheap pin at 3:25! The action continued without a break. Rocky hit a backbreaker over his knee and was in charge.
Romero hit some knee strikes to the spine, and he applied a Camel Clutch. Ichiban missed his leaping DDT, but he hit a superkick at 8:00, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. He hit a flip dive to the floor and landed on his feet In the ring, Ichiban nailed the leaping DDT for a pin at 9:08, so we’re tied 1-1. Ichiban hit some chops; for some reason, the ref backed Ichiban up. Ichiban hit his punches in the corner with fans chanting “one!” Romero hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 11:00. Ichiban nailed a top-rope superplex. Jesus Rodriguez tried to get involved but Ichiban kicked him. Ichiban got a rollup for a nearfall at 13:00.
Ichiban hit an enzuigiri and a stunner, then a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. The crowd rallied for Ichiban. They fought on the ring apron and traded kicks. Rocky hit a suplex. In the ring, Romero hit a Sliced Bread for a believable nearfall. Romero hit a second-rope Sliced Bread for a believable nearfall, and Rocky was in disbelief at the kickout. He snapped Ichiban’s fingers and hit some forearms to the side of the head. Romero hit a Sunset Driver/piledriver along his back for the clean pin. Very good match, and a bit surprising he won without cheating.
* In a fit of rage, Salina hit one of the masked lucha henchmen at ringside.
* A video clip aired of Satoshi Kojima winning the MLW title about 20 years ago.
2. Davey Boy Smith Jr. (w/Saint Laurent) defeated 1 Called Manders at 9:41. Davey wore blue jeans. They charged at each other and brawled. They went to the floor, where Davey whipped Manders into the guardrail at 2:30, and he hit a crossface blow. Back in the ring, they traded forearm strikes and chops, and Smith hit a gutwrench suplex for a nearfall and he was in charge. They again fought to the floor and Maders was bleeding from the forehead. Smith slammed Manders’ forehead on a table at ringside at 6:30; Smith got back in the ring, celebrated, and was booed.
Manders hit a backbody drop and tried to fire up. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Manders hit a spear to the kidneys in the corner, then a back suplex at 8:30. Smith hit an impressive top-rope superplex for a nearfall, then a piledriver for a believable nearfall. He immediately applied a crossface. Manders held up a middle finger but he passed out, and the ref stopped the match. Good above-average brawl from two big men.
* Christian Cole hopped up to interview Saint Laurent and Davey Boy Smith. Laurent said they are headed to the back to demand tag team title shots. Smith got on the mic and said “The only thing I love more than blood is gold.”
3. Jacob Fatu defeated Yuji Nagata at 9:01. Dombrowski heaped praise on Fatu, who came out first. A nice applause for Nagata. Standing switches and Yuji tied up the left arm. Fatu hit a headbutt at 2:00. Dombrowski said Fatu is still upset about losing to Matt Riddle last month. Fatu hit a falling headbutt for a nearfall. Nagata hit a roundhouse kick to the left arm at 4:30 and he kept working it over. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Fatu hit some clotheslines but Nagata didn’t go down. Fatu nailed the handspring-back-moonsault for a nearfall at 7:00, but he kept selling the left arm injury.
Nagata hit an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall, and he applied a crossface on the mat, and he switched to the Fujiwara Armbar, but Fatu got a foot on the ropes. Fatu hit a superkick and a Samoan Drop, then the Best Moonsault Ever for the pin! That was solid stuff but the finishing sequence came out of nowhere. (There was no hint anywhere during this match that his contract has expired and he could be leaving. Maybe they are hopeful he will re-sign?)
* Fatu got on the mic and asked Philly what’s up. Before he could say anything more, the Senti Death Squad hit the ring and attacked Fatu. There are maybe six of these guys in black. Out of the back came Krugger (who wrestles as Krule on the indies!) It has been awhile since Krugger was last here. Krugger and the Death Squad beat up Fatu, and Krugger hit him over the head with a club (think Finlay’s shillelagh). So, is this how they are sending Fatu out? Or will he have one final match with Krugger on the taping?
4. Sami Callihan defeated Akira in a street fight at 13:34. Akira has pin hair today; it’s grown back quickly since Rickey Shane Page shaved him bald. Akira hit a dropkick to open. Sami hit a low blow and a piledriver for a nearfall just seconds into the match. He grabbed a poster and gave Akira a paper cut between his fingers, then across a lip, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. He pulled out a lemon and squeezed it into the cut. (Sami has done this exact same sequence in the past two matches I’ve seen him in in recent weeks.) He grabbed a barbed-wire bat, but Akira stole it and hit Sami in the gut with it at 3:30. Akira grabbed a ripped-apart pop can and jabbed it on Sami. Sami grabbed barbed wire and wrapped it around Akira’s face.
Sami grabbed a wood board, but Akira slammed Sami through it, and he slammed the shards on Sami’s back and head. Sami bit Akira on the forehead; when Akira finally stood up at 7:00, he was bleeding from the forehead. Akira grabbed two staple guns but he tossed one to Sami! They each stapled each other on the head, then on their torso. Sami hit a Death Valley Driver across an open chair for a nearfall at 10:30. Akira hit a doublestomp to the chest. He applied a Muta Lock while wrapping the barbed wire spool around Sami’s face, and Sami teased tapping out. Sami nailed a brainbuster but Akira popped up at the one-count. Sami hit a low blow and another piledriver for the pin. Not my style of action but fans of hardcore matches will like this.
* Sami Callihan, Cannonball and Rickey Shane Page tied Akira to the bottom rope. They pointed to the back and out came Raven! However, Raven grabbed a kendo stick and he beat up Cannonball, Sami, and RSP. Akira made Raven’s pose (arms straight out to the side) and it appears Raven is now managing Akira.
* A video package aired showing that Minoru Suzuki will face Satoshi Kojima on Feb. 29 in New York City.
* In a backstage pre-tape, Mads Krugger said the war with Jacob Fatu isn’t over, and he challenged him to a match on Feb. 17. (Which I believe means it was taped after this episode went off the air.)
5. Mistico defeated Averno (w/Salina De La Renta) at 14:42. The heels came out first. I don’t know Averno but at first glance he’s similar to Andrade but 10 or so years older. Salina got on the mic and declared she’s the queen of lucha libre. Cesar Duran returned with two masked henchmen, and he introduced Mistico. Mistico hit a headscissors takedown and they traded lucha reversals. Averno hit some running back elbows. They went to the floor, where Averno powerbombed Mistico against a ring post at 2:00. In the ring, Averno was in charge, and he ripped at Mistico’s mask.
Mistico hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a springboard huracanrana, then he dove through the ropes onto Averno. Averno had a cut near his left eye. In the ring, Mistico hit another headscissors takedown, then one to the floor. He rolled Averno in the ring and got a nearfall at 6:30. He got his sunset flip fo a nearfall. Averno hit a flip dive to the floor at 8:30 and they were both down. In the ring, Averno caught Mistico coming off the ropes and got a jackknife cover for a nearfall. He applied a crossarm breaker but Mistico reached the ropes at 10:00. Averno hit a Devil’s Wings/Angel’s Wings faceplant but he made a lazy cover and only got a nearfall.
Mistico hit a corkscrew plancha to the floor. In the ring, Mistico hit a superkick and they were both down at 12:30. Averno hit a second rope Devil’s Wings for a nearfall. Mistico hit a top-rope Spanish Fly. “These two men are leaving it all in the ring,” Cole shouted. Mistico got a nearfall a 14:30. Mistico spun Averno to the mat and applied a Fujiwara Armbar, and Averno quickly tapped out. An entertaining lucha match; I’m sure they’ve done that dance many times before but it was new to me, and I enjoyed it.
* Dombrowski got word from the back that Mistico will now face Rocky Romero on Feb. 29. He also announced that Jacob Fatu will indeed face Krugger on the Feb. 17 show.
* We heard from Don King who just recited that he’s behind Alex Kane, because Kane is “for the people.” (That segment could have been taped yesterday or a year ago. It didn’t say anything new.) We then had our “tale of the tape” onscreen graphics.
6. Satoshi Kojima defeated Alex Kane to win the MLW Heavyweight Title at 11:20. Kane came out last with his entourage of 15 or so supporters. Standing reversals early on. They brawled to the floor and traded chops. Back in the ring, they kept brawling. Kane hit some rapid-fire chops in the corner at 5:00, so Kojima fired back with his own rapid-fire chops. Kane flipped Kojima off the top rope to the mat. Satoshi hit a DDT. Kane hit a Saito Suplex at 6:30. He splashed onto Kojima on the ring apron, rolled him into the ring, and got a nearfall. Kane switched to an anklelock. Kojima hit a stunner and they were both down at 8:30.
Kane hit an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall, then a German Suplex, then a release suplex for a nearfall. Kane hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 10:30. Kojima hit a clothesline, then a brainbuster for a one-count. He hit a running clothesline for the pin! The crowd was shocked! No one saw that coming! With the victory, Kojima becomes the first-ever two-time MLW Champion.
* Kojima got on the mic and said he’s achieved glory again after 20 years. “I love MLW fans. Thank you so much!” Yuji Nagata joined Kojima in the ring. Satoshi was given a beer and took a sip, then he got back on the mic and encouraged everyone to drink beer and eat bread.
Final Thoughts: I personally liked Ichiban-Romero for best match, ahead of Mistico-Averno, but again, that’s my preferred style. Nagata-Fatu takes third for me. I just didn’t sense that the main event was nearing its conclusion. So, with the win, it means Satoshi will defend that belt against Minoru Suzuki on Feb. 29.
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