By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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MLW “Blood & Thunder”
Taped June 26, 2025, in Queens, New York, at Melrose Ballroom
Streamed August 9, 2025, on the MLW YouTube Page
The quality of this video is startling; it really is popping off the screen at me. The crowd here is maybe 500, but it’s packed. The lighting is good.
* Cesar Duran and Selina De La Renta came to the stage to fire up the crowd and announce a few matches on this show. The commentary team of Joe Dombrowski, Austin Aries, and Tom Lawlor was shown.
1. Matthew Justice vs. Okumura vs. Mr. Thomas vs. Ariel Dominguez vs. CW Anderson vs. Mads “Krule” Krugger in a six-way scrmable match. Dombrowski said that “Mr. Thomas has a chance to stand tall on his own,” which is as close as they’ve come to acknowledging Alex Kane’s contract has expired. I wrote their names in order of entrance; Justice attacked Krugger as Mads got into the ring, and we’re underway. Krugger and Mr. Thomas traded strikes. Ariel — who might be 5’2″ — got between them and tried chopping them both for a bit of comedy. In a fun spot, Matthew Justice stood on the apron with Ariel on his shoulders, and he hit a rolling Death Valley Driver to the floor onto two guys at 1:30! Nice!
Mr. Thomas leapt over the top rope onto everyone on the floor, and that popped the crowd. Okumura hit a stunner on Justice for a nearfall. Mr. Thomas hit a Black Hole Slam. Anderson hit a spinebuster. Thomas splashed Krule in the corner. There was a Tower of Doom spot out of the corner. Anderson hit a second-rope superplex. Krule picked up Anderson and slammed him face-first for the pin. A decent, fast-paced scramble.
Mads “Krule” Krugger defeated Matthew Justice, Okumura, Mr. Thomas, Ariel Dominguez, and CW Anderson in a six-way scramble at 5:06.
* Backstage, Cesar Duran opened a present. I’m not clear what it was; it looked like oversized, cartoonish keys. Duran told Salina De La Renta they were going on an adventure to see Don Gato! I have never enjoyed their skits and segments, and this isn’t off to a promising start.
* Dombrowski narrated a segment on the history of the Opera Cup, and listed off the names of all of the participants this year and some of their attributes and accolades. We then went to a commercial for the new “Naked Gun” movie to stroke Paul Walter Hauser’s oversized ego.
* Footage aired of Matthew Justice and Alexander Hammerstone brawling at a recent show. Backstage, Justice cut a promo, noting that Hammerstone left, while Justice has been here, tearing it up. He challenged Hammerstone to a match.
* Back to the commentary booth, the afore-mentioned Paul Walter Hauser is now on commentary with Dombrowkski and Aries. Austin was as enthused to have him there as I would be.
2. Neon vs. Paul London in a ‘lightning match.’ This match has a 10-minute time limit. (Don’t almost all MLW matches go under 10 minutes?) I’ll reiterate that while London is by no means ‘thin,’ he has trimmed down a bit in the past 18 months and is in better overall shape. We had a countdown clock in the lower left-hand corner. Neon hit some quick moves and London immediately rolled to the floor to stall. In the ring, London choked him in the ropes. Aries and PWHauser took verbal jabs at each other. London missed a Swanton Bomb at 3:00. Neon missed a moonsault, and London immediately tied up Neon on the mat, almost in a Camel Clutch hold.
Neon hit a flying pump kick for a nearfall at 5:00. London was seated on the top turnbuckle, and Neon hit a dropkick, sending London crashing to the floor. Hauser left commentary to check on London. Neon hit a flip dive to the floor onto London. Aries was critical of Hauser, saying London is a 25-year vet and he doesn’t need a cheerleader. In the ring, Neon hit a Best Moonsault Ever for a nearfall at 7:00. London hit a spin kick to the head. He hit a Helluva Kick. Neon hit a running kick for a nearfall, but London reached the ropes. We got the 9:00 call, and Neon hit a top-rope inverted senton! Nice! London rolled to the floor to avoid a pin. Neon went to the floor and grabbed London and pushed him into the ring. He went for a cover but the time limit expired.
Paul London vs. Neon went to a time-limit draw at 10:00 even.
* The crowd chanted, “five more minutes!” London kicked Neon and got booed. Hauser was in the ring and was shocked London did that. Paul shoved past Hauser and stormed to the back.
* We had a vignette from what looked like a hotel in Mexico. This was an “origin story” of Don Gato, a masked luchador.
* A Mistico video package aired. Lawlor returned to commentary, replacing Hauser.
3. Bishop Dyer (w/Saint Laurent) vs. Anthony Greene in an Opera Cup first-round match. Dyer (f/k/a Baron Corbin) has the big height and overall size advantage, and he knocked AG down with a shoulder tackle. He hit some forearm strikes and was in control. Greene hit a head-scissors takedown, sending Dyer to the floor. Greene dove onto Dyer, and they brawled at ringside. Back in the ring, Dyer moved as Greene dove onto him; AG’s arm barely grazed him. Dyer hit a short-arm clothesline at 3:00 and was in charge.
Dyer hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 5:00. Greene hit some chops in the corner. He hit his springboard twisting crossbody block for a nearfall. Dyer hit his spinning Black Hole Slam for a believable nearfall. Greene clotheslined Dyer over the top rope to the floor, then he dove onto Bishop. However, as they got back into the ring, Dyer hit his swinging faceplant for the pin. That was a sudden ending. Good action.
Bishop Dyer defeated Anthony Greene at 7:43 to advance.
* Footage aired of Matt Riddle’s road to winning the title. They keep stressing that Tom Lawlor is his “good bud.” How long will that last? (I have Booker T in my ear, saying this business is about checks and championships.)
* A commercial aired for “MLW Fightland,” which will take place Sept. 13 in Dallas.
* Saint Laurent and Donovan Dijak came to the ring. This match is happening now? Not the main event? That tells me we are having a screwjob finish. Laurent got on the mic and said New York is a “hellhole” and got booed. Dijak got on the mic and belittled Riddle.
4. Matt Riddle vs. Donovan Dijak for the MLW World Title. The music played, but Riddle didn’t come to the ring! We saw footage of a prone Riddle on the ground backstage and the “Hail Contra!” logo. Krule carried Riddle to the stage. Dijak attacked Krule, and they fought on the entrance stage. Dombrowski said Dijak doesn’t want Krule to steal his title shot. Dijak powerbombed Krule through a table, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Krule stood up, came up behind Dijak, and they brawled to the back. I expected a screwjob match…
Matt Riddle vs. Donovan Dijak never started.
* Backstage, Duran and De La Renta talked about their plans to go visit Don Gato. Laurent visited them. Dijak vs. Riddle will now happen at Fightland in Dallas!
5. Satoshi Kojima vs. Bobby Fish in an Opera Cup first-round match. What is the combined age of these two? Kojima knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Fish hit a kick to the spine, then a snap suplex for a nearfall at 2:00. Kojima backed Fish into the corner and hit his rapid-fire chops. He hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 4:00, then a back suplex. We had a brief picture-in-picture, showing that Krule and Dijak were still battling in the basement of this building.
Fish hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. They got up and Fish hit some roundhouse kicks to the chest. Satoshi hit the Koji Cutter. Fish hit an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 6:30, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip. He jumped on Kojima’s back and applied a sleeper, but Kojima fell backwards to escape, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Fish hit more roundhouse kicks to the chest. This has topped my (admittedly low) expectations. Koji hit a brainbuster for a believable nearfall, then a decapitating clothesline for the pin. A fine match.
Satoshi Kojima defeated Bobby Fish at 8:50 to advance.
* Okumura came to the ring. These friends have feuded of late but they have ‘buried the hatchet.’ Fans threw bread at Kojima. He got on the mic and told fans “don’t try this at home.” On his way to the back, Kojima stopped to hug the Opera Cup.
* More footage of Krule and Dijak still fighting backstage.
* Another commercial for Fightland, with Dijak vs. Riddle, plus Templario vs. Ikuro Kwon and Hammerstone vs. Matthew Justice in a no-DQ match. It will air live on YouTube on Sept. 13!
6. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Ava Everett. Ava came out first and was booed. Aries and Dombrowski talked about the cast on Shotzi’s broken arm, and Aries said she’s going to use it as a weapon, just like Bob Orton did. Shotzi hit some quick kicks and an armdrag, then a second-rope crossbody block. Ava dropped her weight down onto Shotzi’s cast at 2:00 and was heavily booed. Ava stomped on her in the corner and planted her foot in Shotzi’s throat.
Shotzi hit some kicks to the ribs in the corner. Dombrowski said Shotzi would hang out with a motorcycle gang as a kid because her dad was a member. Shotzi hit a DDT onto the ring apron at 5:00, and Ava fell to the floor. Ava pushed Shotzi into the ring post. In the ring, Shotzi hit some clotheslines and a discus clothesline, then a rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall at 6:30. She hit a snap suplex, sending Ava into the corner, for a nearfall. Ava hit a Lungblower to the back out of the corner for a nearfall. Shotzi applied a crossface, and Ava tapped out. Aries pointed out that the cast was rubbing across Ava’s face.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Ava Everett at 8:14.
* More footage of Krule and Dijak. They are still fighting.
* Another segment aired for Don Gato. These segments make me think of the “Most interesting man alive” commercials, as Don Gato is clearly a man of mystery with his tentacles in a lot of projects.
* We saw footage of MJF coming here and attacking Mistico.
7. Mistico vs. Ikuro Kwon in an Opera Cup first-round match. Kwon came out first, and he’s holding a Mistico mask he previously stole. Kwon attacked, mounted Mistico, and repeatedly punched him. They briefly brawled on the floor; in the ring, Kwon got a nearfall at 1:30. Mistico hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a top-rope crossbody block and a headscissors takedown that sent Kwon to the floor. Mistico dove through the ropes onto him at 3:00. In the ring, Mistico hit a powerslam for a nearfall.
Mistico missed a top-rope somersault, and he crashed to the mat. Kwon hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Kwon hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall, and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They hit stereo kicks to the head and both collapsed at 6:30. We had more footage of Krule and Dijak brawling, and they are headed to the roof? Kwon and Mistico fought in the corner, and Mistico hit a top-rope Spanish Fly for the pin. Good action.
Mistico defeated Ikuro Kwon at 7:47 to advance.
* More footage as Krule and DIjak were now on the roof of the building, and Dijak threw Krule over the ledge! He laughed. He looked down and shouted, “Where is he?”
Final Thoughts: No must-see matches here, but some decent action. I liked all three Opera Cup tournament matches, even though I felt it was pretty obvious who was advancing in all three bouts. Fish-Kojima was as good as you could hope for in 2025. Dyer vs. Greene worked for me, too. Shotzi-Ava was a fine match, too. While the scramble had several guys that just don’t interest me, they put together a solid, short action-packed match.
Ironically, the only slowish match here was the “speed” match, as London kept slowing down Neon’s high-flying offense, and that wound up being the longest match of the show. If you are not actually going to even begin Riddle vs. Dijak… that ‘match’/segment should have gone on first, rather than build up the match over an hour or so of the show. Just a bad look to promise a match that never took place. Promoter Court Bauer loves these Duran-Salina skits and now we’re going all-in on creating this Don Gato character. We’ll see where that goes. This is available on YouTube.
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