By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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MLW “Summer of the Beasts”
Queens, New York at Melrose Ballroom
Streamed live August 29, 2024 on the MLW YouTube Page
The lighting over the ring was good. The fans were in the shadows, but it appears there was a good crowd of maybe 500. The ramp was a ‘catwalk’ and level with the ring, so someone could run down it and dive into the ring. Joe Dombrowski and Christian Cole provided commentary and immediately talked about how Contra Unit has hacked their feed.
* Jesus Rodriguez came to the ring to introduce Bad Dude Tito.
1. Bad Dude Tito Escondido vs. Alex Kane in a second-round Opera Cup tournament match. They immediately traded forearm strikes. They fought to the floor, where Tito hit an Exploder Suplex on the thin mat at ringside. Tito hit a slingshot senton into the ring at 1:30, then a snap suplex and another, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Kane hit a leg-capture suplex, and he speared Tito on the ring apron. Tito hit a second-rope Blockbuster and they were both down at 5:00. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing.
Tito nailed a rolling forearm and an F5 for a nearfall. Kane hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. Tito hit an enzuigiri and a German Suplex. Kane hit his own German Suplex and they hit simultaneous clotheslines. Kane hit an Exploder but Tito popped up. Kane applied a sleeper, but Tito flipped over and had his pressure on Alex, and pinned Kane! That was really, really good.
Bad Dude Tito Escondido defeated Alex Kane to advance in the Opera Cup at 8:15.
* Matt Riddle arrived and chatted with Satoshi Kojima.
2. Hanako vs. Janai Kai for the MLW Featherweight Title. Hanako is the 5’11” youngster from Stardom who I’ve seen wrestle twice this week. However, Janai must be 5’9″ and wasn’t intimidated. She hit a running kick to the head in the ropes and she kept Hanako grounded with a series of kicks. Hanako hit a backbreaker over her knee for a nearfall at 4:00. Hanako got her up into a Torture Rack but Kai flung her arms and got free. Hanako hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall. Kai hit a series of kicks to regain control. She applied a Dragon Sleeper on the mat, and Hanako tapped. Decent for the time given.
Janai Kai defeated Hanako to retain the MLW Featherweight Title at 6:08
While Cole and Dombrowski were talking, a “countdown clock” appeared on the screen, and I presume it expires at the end of this event.
3. Tom Lawlor (w/Saint Laurent) vs. TJP in a second-round Opera Cup tournament match. TJP is replacing Davey Boy Smith Jr., who beat Timothy Thatcher in the first round back in June. Dombrowski said he was told by Laurent that Davey is injured. Lawlor got on the mic and badmouthed the fans for electing Kathy Hochul (NY governor) and Eric Adams (mayor). That’s the sort of too-hometown statement, as most wrestling fans not living in NY have no idea who those two are. Standing switches and mat reversals early, and this is a good matchup. They began trading forearm strikes at 2:30. Laurent tripped TJP, allowing Lawlor to begin stomping on TJP.
Tom threw TJP shoulder-first into the corner at 4:00. Lawlor tied him in a Figure Four, and Laurent grabbed Tom’s arms for added pressure. TJP snapped the left arm backward, and Lawlor writhed on the mat at 7:30. TJP hit a series of snap suplexes. TJP hit his running Facewash kick in the corner. Lawlor hit an enzuigiri in the corner. Lawlor hit a Death Valley Driver and they were both down at 10:00. Lawlor hit a scoop piledriver for a nearfall. TJP tied him in an Octopus stretch, but Tom reached the ropes. TJP hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor, then the Mamba Splash for a nearfall, and he immediately tied Lawlor in the Pinoy Stretch. Lawlor escaped and applied an anklelock. They traded rollups, and TJP hit a running kick to the side of the face for the pin! I did not expect that!
TJP defeated Tom Lawlor to advance in the Opera Cup at 13:50.
* Video footage aired on the screen of Contra Unit; inexplicably, the camera showed the crowd watching the footage. Okay, they let us at home see it, too. The countdown clock is down to 52 minutes.
4. Matthew Justice vs. Matt Riddle. A lockup and this feels intense. Riddle hit a German Suplex. Justice hit a back suplex at 1:00. He hit a rolling summersault from the apron onto Riddle on the floor. Justice ran up the ramp but Riddle caught him with a knee as he tried to dive into the ring. Justice slid a board into the ring, and he chokeslammed Riddle through the board in the corner at 4:00. Justice got a table and he put Riddle on it. However, Riddle hit a second-rope superplex through the table at 6:00 for a nearfall.
Justice hit a brainbuster move for a nearfall. Riddle hit a standing powerbomb, then a running knee to the face for a nearfall at 8:00. Justice hit a spear for a nearfall. Justice got another table and placed it between the ring and the guardrail. Riddle hit his Tombstone Piledriver onto a folded chair for the pin. Dombrowski noted that Riddle is still undefeated in MLW.
* Riddle got on the mic, and he said Justice is his bro and dude, and has all his respect. They drank some beers.
Matt Riddle defeated Matthew Justice at 10:24.
* Dombrowski recapped the Cesar Duran-Selina De La Renta drama. We then went to a video of Selina sitting in a garden. Her “baby daddy” is in the background and he never smiles. She said he isn’t “coming in to work,” and he wasn’t happy. This cheesy drama just won’t die.
5. Paul London vs. Brett Ryan Gosselin (w/Bobby Fish). BRG came out first and said he would claim victory. London wore his black lounge outfit; I’ll reiterate he has lost a lot of weight in the past 18 months. BRG tried to attack before the bell but London was ready. London hit a clothesline and an enzuigiri. Fish distracted London, allowing BRG to take over. Brett hit a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall, and he repeatedly punched London and kept him grounded. London threw BRG from the second-rope to the mat. London hit a Helluva Kick and a butterfly suplex at 3:30, then a spin kick to the head for a nearfall. Fish grabbed London’s ankle. London gave BRG a backbody drop to the floor. He dove through the ropes but hit Fish! London hit a top-rope doubestomp on BRG’s back for the pin. Decent.
Paul London defeated Brett Ryan Gosselin at 5:24.
Fish and BRG assaulted London after the bell. This continued until Brock Anderson and CW Anderson came to the ring for the save. HOWEVER, they turned and stomped on London! I didn’t see that coming, either! CW hit a spinebuster on London, slamming him onto a folded chair. CW got on the mic but he was booed. He said they are here to make a statement, like the one they just did. Brock has gotten more portly since he left AEW.
6. Brock Anderson and CW Anderson vs. Jay Lyon and Love, Doug. Saw Lyon in solo action last week, so I’m wondering where is Midas Black. CW and Doug opened, and CW bodyslammed Doug. The Andersons kept Doug in their corner. Lyon tagged in at 2:00. CW hit a superkick that apparently knocked Lyon out, and Brock covered the prone Lyon. Basic. The Andersons seemed to make an alliance with BRG and Fish on the entrance stage.
Brock Anderson and CW Anderson defeated Jay Lyon and Love, Doug at 2:31
7. Kenta vs. Akira in a second-round Opera Cup tournament match. Kenta stalled at the bell. Akira tied up Kenta’s left arm. He hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 2:00, and he kicked at Kenta. Kenta hit a stiff kick to the spine and he locked in a sleeper on the mat. Kenta placed Akira’s feet on the ropes and hit a DDT for a nearfall at 5:00 and he stayed in charge. Akira got up and they traded slaps. Akira hit a rolling Koppo Kick and a back suplex, then a Pele Kick. He applied a Figure Four, but Kenta reached the ropes.
Akira hit a basement dropkick. They fought on the ropes, and Akira shoved him to the mat. Kenta hit a second-rope Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. He nailed a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a believable nearfall at 9:30. He went for Go To Sleep but Akira escaped and got some rollups for nearfalls. Akira hit his own Go To Sleep, but Kenta seemingly shrugged it off! Kenta hit several hard open-hand slaps to the face. Akira hit a German Suplex and a rolling Koppo Kick, then an Electric Chair backdrop. He hit a diving forearm to the side of the head at 11:30. Kenta hit the spin kick to the head, then he nailed the Go To Sleep pop-up kneestrike for the pin. That was really good.
Kenta defeated Akira to advance in the Opera Cup at 12:11.
8. Jimmy Lloyd vs. LSG vs. Little Guido vs. Nola Kitano in a four-way. Lloyd dove through the ropes onto LSG. Nola hit a flip dive onto both of them. That left only Guido in the ring… as the countdown clock expired! It brought out Donovan Dijak (w/Saint Laurent.) Dijak beat up Guido, then LSG. He hit his spinning Mafia Kick on Lloyd, then the Feast Your Eyes on Nola Kitano. Dijak got on the mic and said he isn’t scared of Riddle, Thatcher or other guys here. A great addition.
Jimmy Lloyd, LSG, Little Guido, and Nola Kitano went to a draw at about 2:00.
9. “Contra Unit” Minoru Suzuki and Ikuro Kwon vs. Satoshi Kojima and Okumura for the MLW Tag Team Titles. Contra Unit attacked and all four fought in the ring. Okumura hit a stunner out of the corner on Kwon. Suzuki stomped on Kojima on the floor. Kwon hit a Lungblower move across Okumura’s arm at 3:00, and they worked over Okumura in their corner. Suzuki tied up Okumura’s left arm and twisted and snapped his fingers. Kwon hit some crossface blows. Okumura hit a Flatliner on Kwon at 5:30. Kojima got the hot tag and hit his rapid-fire series of chops on Kwon, then on Suzuki. Kwon hit a senton on Kojima at 7:00.
Suzuki and Kojima traded forearm strikes and chops. Okumura entered and hit an Exploder Suplex on Kwon. Kojima and Okumura hit a team suplex for a nearfall. Okumura hit a Michinoku Driver. Suzuki went for a Gotch-style Piledriver, but Okumura fought free. Kwon sprayed mist in Okumura’s eyes! Minoru nailed the Gotch-style Piledriver on Okumura for the pin! New champions!
“Contra Unit” Minoru Suzuki and Ikuro Kwon defeated Satoshi Kojima and Okumura to win the MLW Tag Team Titles at 10:26
* Krule and Janai Kai came to the ring and helped beat up Kojima. The four of them posed with each of their respective title belts.
10. Mistico vs. Atlantis Jr. in a second-round Opera Cup tournament match. Jesus Rodriguez returned to the ring to introduce Atlantis Jr. They opened with a feeling-out process. Mistico hit a huracanrana that sent Atlantis to the floor, and they brawled at ringside. Mistico hit a bodyslam in the ring for a nearfall at 2:30. He ripped at the eye holes in Mistico’s mask. Rodriguez hit a cheap shot behind the ref’s back, too. Mistico hit a dive through the ropes at 5:00. He hit another one, then a third dive.
In the ring, Mistico hit a handspring-back-elbow at 8:00. He snapped off a huracanrana. He now ripped at Atlantis’ mask. He got some rollups for nearfalls. Atlantis hit a swinging faceplant at 10:30, then a kip-up stunner, then a monkeyflip. He nailed a powerslam for a nearfall. Atlantis put him in a Torture Rack and did an Airplane Spin into a powerbomb for a nearfall at 13:30. He came off the top rope but Mistico got his legs up to kick him in the head. Atlantis hit a dropkick as Mistico was tied in the Tree of Woe, then he hit a spinning Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall at 15:30. Mistico hit a second-rope superplex and they were both down. He hit a springboard crossbody block, then a Canadian Destroyer, then a Swanton Bomb for the pin!
Mistico defeated Atlantis Jr. to advance in the Opera Cup at 18:26.
Final Thoughts: This was one of the best MLW events of the whole year, and I’m not prone to hyperbole. No Paul Walter Hauser to bigfoot his way into spots belonging to good wrestlers. The Salina-Duran stuff was kept to one super-short segment. No bloody, violent matches. A pleasant debut for Dijak. I love a good tournament and this one is working for me. TJP was a great fill-in for Davey Boy, but I fully presumed he was losing to Lawlor, so that was a pleasant surprise. I’ll go with TJP-Lawlor for best, Kenta-Akira for second and an inspired Tito-Kane for third. A very good lucha main event earns honorable mention and I wouldn’t argue with anyone who liked that for best match.
I liked the decision to not have Kojima as a double champion, and I really do hope Riddle takes the heavyweight title off him sooner than later. This Paul London looks so much better than the one who returned a year or so ago. If you have to use the Andersons (I can name several indy tag teams I would chosen first), they at least made the right decision to have them as heels. I’m not going to proclaim that MLW has turned things around, but on this night, they sure hit all the right notes.
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