By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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MLW “Fury Road”
Taped September 13, 2025, in Dallas, Texas, at NYTEX Sports Centre
Streamed September 27, 2025, on the MLW’s YouTube Page
As per usual (the last two years anyway) MLW does a two-hour live show (which I generally like) followed by a two-hour taped show that often leaves me frustrated, largely because it features the guys on the roster I generally don’t care about. So, let’s see if this show can break that trend. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary.
* The show opened with a highlight package from the last show, featuring the debut of Don Gato, plus Krule winning the MLW Title from Matt Riddle. Back to the arena, Jesus Rodriguez introduced Cesar Duran and Salina de La Renta, continuing the single-worst telenovela in wrestling history. Cesar got on the mic and thanked the large crowd for coming.
1. “Galeón de Fantasma” Zandokan Jr., Difunto, and Barboza vs. Diego Hill, Atlantis, and Blue Panther. Dombrowski raved about Diego’s match in New York when he lost to Kushida, but was given an MLW contract on the spot. (I’ve been singing Diego’s praises for about three years now!) Dombrowski noted that Blue Panther just won the MLW National Title in Mexico. Atlantis and Difunto opened and tied up on the mat. Diego and Barboza tagged in at 4:00 and traded chops, then much faster reversals, and they traded rollups. Diego hit a huracanrana that sent Barbosa to the floor. The rudos dragged Diego to the floor, where Difunto hit a doublestomp on Hill’s chest.
In the ring, Difunto beat up Atlantis. Zandokan Jr. hit a missile dropkick at 6:30, and the heels all stomped on Blue Panther and were loudly booed. Difunto hit a second-rope doublestomp to Panther’s ribs. The rudos held Diego’s arms, allowing Zandokan to chop him, and they tossed Diego across the ring for a nearfall at 9:00. The rudos chopped Atlantis. Suddenly, all six were brawling. Atlantis and Zandokan brawled into the crowd and up into the bleachers.
Diego threw Difunto into the guardrail at 12:00. Lawlor made several water-related puns (in reference to Atlantis). In the ring, Diego and Difunto traded faster offense, with Hill hitting some impressive armdrags and a doublestomp. Blue Panther hit a huracanrana on Barboza, then a crossbody block on Zandokan Jr. The heels accidentally hit each other, and Atlantis began hitting tilt-a-whirl backbreakers over his knee. Diego hit an impressive flip dive to the floor. “This kid is special!” Dombrowski shouted. In the ring, Atlantis hit a huracanrana and rolled up Barboza for the pin. That was a blast.
Diego Hill and Atlantis and Blue Panther defeated Barboza and Zandokan Jr. and Difunto at 15:11.
* There was a celebration backstage, where Salina de la Renta said the Opera Cup finals will be in November. They were drinking more Don Gato tequila. Ikuro Kwon walked up, but Jesus Rodriguez told him this was “a lucha-only party,” so Kwon struck Jesus. Don Gato walked over. Kown told Don Gato he wants a match at the Nov. 20 show.
2. Paul London vs. Okumura (w/Satoshi Kojima) in an Opera Cup first-round match. I’ll reiterate that London is in far better shape than he was two years ago, but he’s not the 2006-era London you fondly recall. What is the combined age of these two? 95? Kojima joined commentary! He didn’t understand Tom’s questions, but he made it clear that he likes bread! (He had a whole tray of buns in front of him.) London hit a spinning heel kick to the jaw, then a baseball slide dropkick to the floor at 1:30. In the ring, Okumura hit an Exploder Suplex and a clothesline for a nearfall. He hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 3:00. They got up and traded chops. London nailed a superkick for a nearfall. He applied a half-crab, and Okumura tapped out. That was on the high end of my expectations.
Paul London defeated Okumura at 4:29 to advance.
* Dombrowski interviewed London at ringside. Joe started to ask him about Paul Walter Hauser, but London cut him off and said he wants to talk about the here and now. London doesn’t care if he’s going to face Aries or Kushida in the next round, this could be his last shot and he’s come here to win!
* A commercial aired for Slaughterhouse on Oct. 4 in California.
* Backstage, Mr. Thomas said he was ready for his Opera Cup match tonight against Kushida.
3. Volador Jr. vs. Titan in an Opera Cup first-round match. Standing switches to open. Titan applied a Sharpshooter, but Volador Jr. got to the ropes at 2:30. Volador Jr. dove through the ropes onto Titan at 5:00. In the ring, Volador Jr. started untying Titan’s mask and was loudly booed! Titan hit a top-rope crossbody block and a dropkick, then his own dive through the ropes onto Volador Jr. In the ring, Titan hit a swinging slam for a nearfall at 8:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes.
Titan hit a jumping side kick to the jaw, but Volador Jr. hit a suplex, and they were both down at 10:30, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Titan hit a Pele Kick, then a flip dive over the ropes to the floor, and we got an “Este’ Lucha!” chant. In the ring, Titan went for a move off the ropes, but Volador Jr. caught him with a boot and got a nearfall. Volador Jr. applied a half-crab at 12:30, but Titan eventually got to the ropes. Titan hit a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall, then a tornado DDT. Volador Jr. hit a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall at 14:30. Titan hit a top-rope doublestomp for a believable nearfall. Volador Jr. ripped off the mask and hit a DDT as Titan put his hands up to hide his identity, and Volador Jr. rolled him up for the flash pin! I’ll call that an upset!
Volador Jr. defeated Titan at 15:57 to advance.
* Backstage, Alexander Hammerstone said he used to care about pro wrestling and this place. He’s livid because he should have been in the world title picture against Matt Riddle. “What did all my sacrifice get me?” he angrily said. “I deserve the championship, so I’m taking it into my own hands. I’m taking what is mine. It’s time everyone around here remembers who the f—ing alpha is.”
* Another commercial for Don Gato Tequila.
* Backstage, Mads “Krule” Krugger beat up Saint Laurent!
4. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Alejandra Quintanilla. I’ve seen Alejandra just a few times; I’ll guess her at about 5’2″, and she is a bit shorter than Shotzi. A nice pop for Shotzi, and I’ll reiterate she now has a soft, black wrap on her left wrist instead of a cast. Standing switches at the bell, and Shotzi hit a shoulder tackle at 1:30, then an elbow drop for a nearfall. Dombrowski pointed out the soft cast. Quintanilla hit a running double knees in the corner, but Shotzi avoided a 619. Shotzi tied her up on the mat; Lawlor called it a “Spider Clutch.” Shotzi hit some knee lifts to the forehead and went right back to the mat into a submission hold.
Quintanilla got a foot on the ropes at 4:00, then she hit a bulldog and a running kick to the side of the head for a nearfall. Shotzi hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall, then a snap suplex into the turnbuckles. Quintanilla hit a hook kick to the face, and this time she hit the 619. Shotzi hit an Iconoclasm, flipping Alejandra off the turnbuckle to the mat. Shotzi hit a top-rope flying senton for the pin. The winner was never in doubt, but that was some pretty good action.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Alejandra Quintanilla at 6:43.
* Backstage, Bishop Dyer and Donovan Dijak were livid that Krule attacked Saint Laurent.
5. Mr. Thomas vs. Satoshi Kojima (w/Okumura) in a lightning match. This match has a 10-minute time limit. Kojima came out first but was attacked from behind by Mr. Thomas, who shoved Kojima into the ring post. They got in the ring and we had a bell at 00:32 to officially begin. Mr. Thomas hit a sideslam for a nearfall, just seconds in! They traded forearm strikes, and Thomas got another nearfall. Kojima hit his rabid-fire chops at 2:00, then a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Mr. Thomas hit a release suplex for a nearfall.
Thomas hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. We do have a countdown clock in the lower left corner of the screen. Thomas removed a turnbuckle pad. Thomas charged, Kojima moved, and Thomas crashed into the corner. Satoshi hit the Koji Cutter for a nearfall. So, Kojima hit a hard clothesline for the pin. Much like London-Okumura earlier, this was kept short and to the point.
Satoshi Kojima defeated Mr. Thomas at 5:05/official time of 4:33.
* Picture footage was shown of Blue Panther winning the MLW National Title from Ultimo Guerrero earlier this week. (This was pretty smoothly edited in, with Dombrowski narrating it.)
6. Austin Aries vs. Kushida in an Opera Cup first-round match. Dombrowski noted this is Aries’ first MLW match in six years! Aries got on the mic and joked that he had been canceled, but he said he came back because pro wrestling needs him. (I’ll note that his hair is darker, and it looks like he’s put some muscle mass back on since the last match I saw from him, which was summer 2024.) He called himself “The king of controversy.” A feeling-out process to open and intense reversals on the mat. Dombrowski said, “He probably looks better than the last time I saw him in a ring.” (Again, I agree with that.) Kushida targeted the left arm.
Kushida knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Cagematch.net records show this is just Aries’ 11th match of the year, and this is a first-time-ever meeting. Kushida gave him the middle finger, and they shoved each other. Aries stomped on him in the corner at 5:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Aries applied an abdominal stretch at 6:30 and, of course, grabbed the ropes to get added leverage, but the ref knocked Austin’s hand loose. Kushida hit a handspring-back-elbow, and he set up for the Hoverboard Lock, but Aries escaped and pushed Kushida into the turnbuckles. Kushida punt kicked the left elbow.
They blocked each other’s finisher, and they traded forearm strikes. Kushida hit a Pele Kick, and they were both down, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Aries went for a move off the ropes, but Kushida caught his arm and applied a cross-armbreaker; Aries quickly got to the ropes at 9:30. Aries hit a neckbreaker in the ropes, then his dive through the ropes and barreled onto Kushida. This has topped all my expectations, and Dombrowski noted that Aries was “turning back the hands of time.” Kushida applied the cross-armbreaker on the floor. Aries applied the Last Chancery submission hold on the thin mat at ringside. Back in the ring, Aries hit a dropkick in the corner, then a brainbuster for the clean pin. WOW, that SO tops all expectations going in.
Austin Aries defeated Kushida at 12:28 to advance.
* Aries walked up to Paul London backstage. They are facing each other in the Opera Cup’s second round next week … for the first-time-ever!!!! They started brawling and needed to be separated.
* Shoko Nakajima vs. Himawari and Hammerstone vs. Matt Riddle will be on the Slaughterhouse show on Oct. 4 in Long Beach, Calif., along with the second-round Opera Cup tournament matches.
7. Mads “Krule” Krugger vs. Bishop Dyer (w/Donovan Dijak). Unfortunately, there isn’t much time left on this show, so this won’t be much of a match. Dyer and Dijak carried their tag team title belts. They left the ring and attacked Krugger as he approached the ring. They fought on the floor, and they whipped Krule into the ring post. They got him in the ring. A bell sounded, but I think it was to admonish the tag champs, not to start the match. They hit a team chokeslam. They shoved all the security guards to the floor. Krule got up and flipped Dijak to the floor, then hit a shoulder block on Dyer, then a fallaway slam on Dijak, and he clotheslined Dyer over the top rope to the floor.
Mads Krule Krugger vs. Bishop Dyer never officially started. (They brawled for just over two minutes.)
Final Thoughts: MLW did it! They had a really, really good taped edition! I really enjoyed this show, and it flew by. Aries-Kushida was stellar. I first saw Aries wrestle in 2002 or 2003 — I was at an outdoor show where he dazzled against CM Punk in the match that got him launched into the national spotlight. Yes, I know he’s not the most well-liked individual, but he looked good here. Check that matches out. The opening six-man tag was fun and takes second, and Titan-Volador Jr. was third.
I guess I don’t mind too much that the main event didn’t really happen but I’d caution MLW about doing that too often — my brain still recalls one WCW Nitro after another where a heavily promoted match just started as Tony Schiavone shouted, “Fans we’re out of time!” and we never saw the action we waited two or three hours to see. The matches I didn’t care about were wisely kept short. London-Okumura could have been a disaster if they had tried going 12 minutes, but they kept it short and crisp. Same with Kojima-Thomas. The event clocked in at 1 hour, 54 minutes.
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