By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
MLW “Fightland”
Dallas, Texas, at NYTEX Sports Centre
Streamed live September 13, 2025, on the MLW YouTube Page
This show streamed live and free on YouTube. The lighting was good over the ring. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary. This is a small arena; there might be 400-500 in here.
1. Esfinge vs. Ultimo Guerrero in an Opera Cup first-round match. UG’s title is not on the line. They traded offense in a knuckle lock early on. They traded overhand chops. Esfinge dove through the ropes onto Guerrero at 3:00. In the ring, Guerrero hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor, then a plancha at 5:30. In the ring, Esfinge hit an enzuigiri in the corner, then a monkey-flip that sent Guerrero across the ring. He hit another one, then a springboard splash for a nearfall at 8:00. Guerrero hit a second-rope powerbomb for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. Esfinge hit a top-rope superplex and they were both down. Esfinge hit a basement dropkick to the side of the head for a nearfall at 10:00. Guerrero hit an inverted superplex, dropping Esfinge stomach-first to the mat for the pin. Good opener.
Ultimo Guerrero defeated Esfinge at 10:49 to advance.
* We had another fake commercial for “Don Gato’s” tequila. (Again, these commercials remind me of the “most interesting man alive” commercials.)
2. Blue Panther Jr. vs. Zandokan Jr. (w/Difunto, Barbosa) in an Opera Cup first-round match. Zandokan Jr. is the masked pirate; he had a nice tournament in NJPW a year or two ago. Both men have some good size on them. Zandokan Jr. hit a powerbomb early on. Blue Panther hit a Spinebuster. He stood over Zandokan and repeatedly punched his head, then hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall. While on the floor, Zandokan hit him with a chair at 2:30. He rolled into the ring and got a nearfall. Blue Panther hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee, then two more! Zandokan hit a German Suplex at 5:00. Zandokan hit a superplex and a double-handed chop for the pin.
Zandokan Jr. defeated Blue Panther at 6:09 to advance.
* Zandokan Jr. stole Blue Panther Jr.’s mask and left with his new trophy!
* Backstage, MJF and Alexander Hammerstone spoke. (Is this video new, or did they tape it at the last show?) Hammerstone said he’s tired of hearing questions about “when will the Dynasty get back together?” He said he doesn’t want that. Hammerstone said he’s worried his best days are now behind him. Hammerstone said it might be time he fully hates pro wrestling — hate every guy he faces in the ring, and hate every fan who tries to talk to him.
3. Shoko Nakajima vs. Yuki Kamifuku for the MLW Featherweight Title. Yuki appears tall and slender; she’s certainly taller than Nakajima is. Shoko has another title with her besides the MLW belt. Yuki wanted a test of strength, but Shoko stomped on Yuki’s foot instead. Basic reversals early on. Yuki ‘literally caught her by the tail.’ Shoko hit a clothesline in the corner at 4:00, then a springboard huracanrana and a dropkick. She hit a twisting elbow drop and was in charge.
Yuki hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 6:00. Shoko hit a headscissors takedown, then a dive through the ropes onto Yuki. In the ring, Yuki hit a top-rope superplex, then a flying Fame-asser leg drop. They traded rollups. Shoko hit a 619, then a second one to the back for a nearfall at 9:00. Yuki hit another Fame-asser for a nearfall. Shoko hit a Northern Lights Suplex with a high bridge for the pin. Really good action from these two.
Shoko Nakajima defeated Yuki Kamifuku to retain the MLW Featherweight Title at 9:45.
* The worst telenovela of all time continued, as Salina de la Renta and Cesar Duran were backstage and met with Don Gato. MLW Middleweight Champion Ikuro Kwon confronted them. He said he might make Templario disappear tonight.
4. Alexander Hammerstone vs. Matthew Justice in a Texas Death Match. Hammerstone brought a garbage can and lid into the ring, but he dropped them to the floor. Justice charged and stomped on Hammerstone. He hit a bulldog, dropping Hammerstone on the garbage can, then he clotheslined Alexander to the floor. Justice set up for a dive, but Hammerstone clocked with a trash can lid at 1:30. They fought to the floor, and Hammerstone clotheslined him over the guardrail and into the crowd. They brawled over to the bleachers. Justice went to the top of the bleachers and hit a frogsplash onto Hammerstone, who was lying on a table on the floor, at 4:30, rightfully earning a ‘holy shit!” chant. That had to be a 15- to 18-foot drop!
Justice dragged Hammerstone back to ringside. Hammerstone wrapped a chain around his fist and hit some punches. Justice was bleeding from his forehead. They traded punches. Hammerstone went under the ring and got a barbed-wire door at 7:30. They traded chops. Hammerstone hit a T-Bone Suplex on Justice onto the table, which was leaning against the ring! They got in the ring, and Hammerstone repeatedly hit him with a thin metal tray. They fought on the ropes, and Hammerstone hit a second-rope superplex, and they were both down at 10:30.
Hammerstone hit a release German Suplex and a standing powerbomb, then a running knee for a nearfall. Hammerstone got another table and slid it into the ring. Justice dove through the ropes onto him at 13:00. Justice hit a Death Valley Driver into a table in the corner for a nearfall. Justice hit some chairshots to the back. He set up another table in the corner, but it was lying so the bottom was facing the wrestlers. He hit a chairshot over Hammerstone’s head. Alexander responded with a low blow uppercut. He picked up Justice and ran forward, slamming him into the table. He put a metal table lining around Matthew’s neck! He hit the swinging Nightmare Pendulum slam for the pin.
Alexander Hammerstone defeated Matthew Justice at 16:19.
* Another commercial aired for Don Gato Tequila.
* The next MLW show will be Sept. 27, presumably with matches taped here.
5. Ikuro Kwon vs. Templario for the MLW Middleweight Title. Templario wore white with red lining. They traded armdrags early on. Templario hit a top-rope missile dropkick, then a dive through the ropes at 1:30, then a second one. In the ring, Kwon mounted him and hit a series of punches, then some chops and roundhouse kicks in the corner. He hit a running kick to the spine for a nearfall. Kwon hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee for a nearfall at 4:00.
Templario accidentally splashed onto the ref in the corner. He hit a German Suplex and hit a Go To Sleep knee strike, and Kwon rolled to the floor. Two masked ‘Death Squad’ guys ran in and attacked Templario. The masked ‘Don Gato‘ ran to the ring and beat up the Death Squad guys. He glared at Kwon. Templario hit a jumping knee on Kwon, then his version of a Lumbar Check over his knees for the pin! New champion! Not long enough of a match to be anything special though.
Templario defeated Ikuro Kwon to win the MLW Middleweight Title at 6:15.
* Don Gato got in the ring as Templario celebrated with his title belt.
* A video package aired of the feud between Matt Riddle and Donovan Dijak. We still have more than 20 minutes remaining in the broadcast, so it looks like this will be given enough time.
Matt Riddle’s hair is predominantly red, not blond, today — the same shade as Priscilla Kelly, really. The bell rang, but Mads “Krule” Krugger walked to ringside, holding his briefcase that gives him a title shot. This match is now a Triple Threat!! (I restarted the stopwatch, as no one had thrown a punch yet.)
6. Matt Riddle vs. Donovan Dijak (w/Saint Laurent) vs. Mads “Krule” Krugger for the MLW Heavyweight Title. Dijak and Krule brawled on the floor. Riddle hit a springboard corkscrew press onto both of them on the floor, and he hit kicks on each guy. (Why did Krule cash in so early? Couldn’t he have waited until 15 minutes in, when both men were exhausted?)
In the ring, Riddle hit a senton on Dijak. He applied a Triangle Choke in the ropes, but Krule broke it up. Krule hit some splashes in the corner on Riddle. Dijak tossed Riddle onto Krule and got a nearfall on Krule at 3:30. Krule and Dijak hit a stereo slam on Matt. Krule tossed Dijak onto Riddle, then Krule chokeslammed Riddle onto Dijak for a nearfall. Riddle hit a jumping knee to Dijak’s chin, then one on Krule, and suddenly everyone was down at 6:00. Krule hit a second-rope fallaway slam on Dijak, but Riddle immediately hit a senton on Krule for a nearfall. Nice. Riddle hit some running forearm strikes in the corner on Krule. There was a double chokeslam spot (I hate that because it defies logic and gravity).
Krule tried to flip both men out of the corner, but Dijak rotated and landed on his feet! Dijak and Krule traded forearm strikes. Riddle ran in and hit a double stunner, and everyone was down again at 10:00. Riddle hit some Yes Kicks on Dijak, but Donovan fought back to his feet. Saint Laurent grabbed Riddle’s foot. Dijak hit a low blow on Riddle, then the Feast Your Eyes knee strike for a nearfall, but Krule pulled Dijak to the floor. Dijak hit Krule in the head with a title belt. Dijak went for a moonsault, but Riddle caught him with a stunner! Riddle hit his Tombstone Piledriver on Dijak! However, Krule came up behind Riddle and hit his Full Nelson faceplant move and pinned Riddle! New champion!
Mads “Krule” Krugger defeated Matt Riddle and Donovan Dijak to win the MLW World Title at 12:01.(Official time is closer to 13:30).
* Dijak and Krule continued to brawl after the bell. They went into the back, where Hammerstone appeared, and he struck Krule with a chair.
Final Thoughts: A pretty solid show. I’m not thrilled with the heavily promoted main event being turned into a three-way. And while I kiddingly wondered why Krule cashed in as the match began (because in kayfabe it makes no sense!), I certainly prefer that over him lumbering in at the end of the match and stealing the belt. At least he ‘earned’ it by being in the match from the start.
I really enjoyed Shoko-Yuki, so I’ll give that best match. The main event takes second. Matthew Justice took an unnecessary frogsplash off those bleachers — there was no padding below. I knew he’d do it, because he’s rather insane… but I couldn’t help but think of Adam Copeland injuring himself on a frogsplash off the top of a cage from a similar height. I just think the risks were too high on that dive. Templario-Kwon and Blue Panther-Zandokan were fine for the time given… but why not make the matches longer and more memorable?
The good news is I wasn’t turned off by anything. No sign of Paul Walter Hauser (good thing!), no violent, bloody deathmatches, and the Duran/de la Renta telenovela was kept to a bare minimum.
The show clocked in at 1 hour, 49 minutes.
Be the first to comment