By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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MLW “War Chamber”
Taped May 10, 2025, in Cicero, Illinois at Cicero Stadium
Streamed June 7, 2025, on the MLW’s YouTube Page
This event was sold out with about 1,500. I’ve attended a TNA show in this venue before and it’s ideal for pro wrestling. It’s located in a Latino community, and they drew well for their lucha-themed show. Lighting is good. Joe Dombrowski and Austin Aries provided commentary.
* Saint Laurent was in the ring as the show began, and he disrespected Chicago. He called out Matt Riddle, who came out of the back, but was immediately attacked from behind by masked goons. Babathunder, (the former Batatunde/Commander Azeez in WWE) attacked from behind, and Krule came out, too. Tom Lawlor ran out for the save, and all four brawled. Krule hit a dive over the ropes. Cesar Duran came out and said these four will fight in a street fight… right now!
1. Mads “Krule” Krugger and Babathunder vs. Tom Lawlor and Matt Riddle in a street fight. All four brawled on the floor, as Saint Laurent joined commentary. Riddle got a staple gun and used it on Krule’s head and groin. Lawlor hit Babathunder with a kendo stick. Riddle, Lawlor, and Krule got in the ring at 3:30, with the babyfaces hitting Krule with kendo sticks. Babathunder got back in. The heels slammed Riddle to the mat for a nearfall. Babathunder hit a chokeslam move on Lawlor. Matt got up and hit some roundhouse kicks on Krule.
The babyfaces tossed a chair at Krule, who caught it, and they hit knee strikes onto the chair. Lawlor splashed to the floor on Babathunder, while Riddle hit a senton on Krule for a nearfall at 7:30. Krule went to do a chokeslam, but Riddle countered with a stunner. Donovan Dijak ran in and nailed a Feast Your Eyes on Riddle! Krule immediately hit a faceplant and pinned Riddle. Okay match. Aries said Krule is upset because he wanted to win without any help.
Mads “Krule” Krugger and Babathunder defeated Tom Lawlor and Matt Riddle at 8:51.
* We heard from Ikuro Kwon, who really didn’t say much. Hail Contra! Backstage, Krule attacked Dijak!
2. Ariel Dominguez vs. Myron Reed. We’ve seen Ariel before and he might be 4’10”. Reed returned at this taping (on the May 10 live show.) I’ll add that Reed got knocked out last weekend at Wrestling Revolver, but is apparently okay. This is a “lighting round” match and you have to win in under 10 minutes (but almost no MLW matches ever go that long!) Basic back-and-forth early on. Ariel hit a dive to the floor and turned it into a huracanrana. Reed hit an axe kick to the back of the head at 2:30, In the ring, he hit a dropkick. He hit a springboard 450 Splash for the pin.
Myron Reed defeated Ariel Dominguez at 3:53.
* Dombrowski interviewed Reed at ringside and asked him why he’s back now. Reed said, “It’s been two long years since the Young Goat has been here.”
* Backstage, Alex Kane, Mr. Thomas, Paul London and Matthew Justice talked about their War Chamber match later on. In a different backstage segment, Cesar Duran gave Selina De La Renta some new executive title. Rugido and Magnus came up, with the tag belts on their shoulders, and they spoke to them about being the best tag team. They want a challenge!
* Matt Riddle vs. Kenta is set for the next MLW show on June 26. We saw a video clip of Kenta, who vowed to win the title in New York City! We then heard from Saint Laurent and Dijak, and Donovan vowed he will be the MLW champion.
3. Blue Panther Jr. and Dark Panther vs. Satoshi Kojima and Okumura. The Panthers and Kojima all lost in the live taping, so they are wrestling a second time at this event. Aries said there has been a rift between Kojima and Okumura since they lost their tag titles; Dombrowski has heard the same thing. Satoshi and Dark Panther opened. Okumura and Blue Panther got in at 1:30. Okumura hit a stunner on Dark Panther. Satoshi hit his rapid-fire chops on each Panther in a corner at 4:00, then an ugly second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall.
Kojima accidentally collided with Okumura, but he was able to hit a DDT. Kojima again struck Okumura! The Panthers hit stereo suplexes for a nearfall at 6:00. Okumura and Satoshi shoved each other! The Panthers hit planchas to the floor on them, and everyone was down on the floor. The Panthers rolled back into the ring. However, Kojima and Okumura began trading forearm strikes on the floor! The ref counted them out!
Dark Panther and Blue Panther Jr. defeated Satoshi Kojima and Okumura via count-out at 7:14.
* Backstage, Alex Hammerstone boasted about how great he is. He reiterated he never lost the MLW National Title, and he wants a shot at current champ Ultimo Guerrero. We then saw the Rogue Horsemen (CWAnderson, Brock Anderson, Bobby Fish and Brett Ryan Gosselin) as they prepared for the War Chamber.
4. Shoko Nakajima vs. Delmi Exo for the MLW Featherweight Title. Delmi wore her tiara, and she got heavily cheered by the Latino-majority crowd. Delmi has a significant height advantage as they locked up to open. She hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall at 2:00. She hit the Three Amigos (rolling suplexes) on Shoko and shook her hips and torso, and Dombrowski acknowledged the Eddie tribute. Delmi dove through the ropes onto Shoko at 5:00. Shoko got into the ring and dove onto Delmi!
In the ring, Shoko went for a 619, but Delmi caught the legs and hit a backbreaker over the knee. Shoko hit a suplex, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Shoko hit a springboard huracanrana, then a 619. She hit a second 619 for a nearfall. Delmi set up for a package piledriver, but Shoko escaped. Delmi hit a TKO stunner for a nearfall at 10:00 and was frustrated she didn’t win there. Shoko got a huracanrana for a nearfall. She hit a double-arm DDT, then a top-rope senton splash for the pin. A really entertaining match.
Shoko Nakajima defeated Demi Exo at 11:04.
* The cage was erected! It’s a standard cage but it has barbed wire looped around the top.
5. Alex Kane, Mr. Thomas, Paul London, and Matthew Justice vs. CW Anderson, Brock Anderson, Bobby Fish, and Brett Ryan Gosselin in a War Chamber match. Starting for the heels was BRG, and Matthew Justice started for the babyfaces, and he tossed Brett repeatedly into the cage walls. Justice slammed BRG through a table. CW Anderson got in at 5:00 and hit Justice with a crutch. Alex Kane evened the sides at 7:00 and hit some suplexes on CW. Bobby Fish joined at 9:00 and hit some spin kicks on Kane. (They are doing much better in timing the intervals than most promotions!)
CW hit some babyfaces with the table shards. Mr. Thomas entered at 11:00 to even the squads. Kane and Fish traded punches, and Fish was bleeding from his forehead. Brock Anderson was the final heel at 13:00. Paul London entered at 15:00, so the War Games final battle officially is underway! BRG tried to climb the cage to get away from London. Kane hit a release German Suplex on Fish, then a T-Bone suplex on CW, then one on BRG, and everyone was down at 18:00 except Kane. Kane grabbed a cameraman and hit a German Suplex on him, too! That got a pop, and Dombrowski said Kane has lost his mind!
All eight got up, charged at each other, and traded punches. The RH used zip-ties to tie Mr. Thomas to the cage, but he broke free of one almost immediately. Brock wrapped a chain around his fist and repeatedly punched London, but he accidentally struck BRG at 23:00! Justice got to the top of the cage and hit a somersault onto everyone on the floor. Mr. Thomas hit a clothesline on BRG, and Kane hit a spear on BRG. Mr. Thomas then hit a Jackhammer to pin Gosselin. Decent War Chamber match.
Alex Kane, Mr. Thomas, Paul London, and Matthew Justice defeated CW Anderson, Brock Anderson, Bobby Fish, and Brett Ryan Gosselin in a War Chamber match at 24:35.
* Brock and Brett shoved each other after the bell. CW tried to calm them down, but Brett shoved CW, too, and then he slapped Brock. Brock hit a DDT onto BRG, so it looks like he’s out of the group.
* We had one final commercial for the July 26 show in NYC.
Final Thoughts: There has just been a shocking disparity between the (good) live events and the (mediocre) taped events. They put their best foot forward for the live shows (Dijak-Riddle, for instance, from this taping and some really good lucha matches). I am so indifferent to seeing the Andersons, Satoshi, and Okumura, and all of those guys were present here. Glad to see Myron Reed back, but this was also the final event for Alex Kane, as his contract expired. Shoko-Delmi was easily the most enjoyable here.
This show clocked in at just 1 hour, 38 minutes; they usually go a full two hours, making me wonder if a segment or two that was taped was edited off.
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