By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Major League Wrestling “Symphony of Horrors”
Taped October 4, 2025, in Long Beach, California, at Thunder Studios Arena
Streamed October 25, 2025, on MLW YouTube
The lighting was good. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary; Joe is dressed as a Ghostbuster, and Tom as Fred Flintstone.
* The show opened with highlights from the prior episode, including Matt Riddle turning heel, and the Opera Cup tournament matches. (The commercial breaks come about every four minutes. Very annoying. I just watched an indy show from Chicago, also on YouTube, that had no commercial breaks during the entire show.)
* Jesus Rodriguez introduced Salina De La Renta and Cesar Duran. Cesar asked the crowd if they wanted violence, and of course, the fans cheered. Salina announced that Krule and Matt Riddle will face Donovan Dijak and Bishop Dyer in the main event!
* Backstage, Matt Riddle approached De La Renta and Duran. Matt told Duran, “Your match-making is worse than Brock Lesnar.” He wants a title shot!
1. Blue Panther vs. Rugido vs. Atlantis for the MLW National Openweight Title. We had some slow-motion running by Atlantis and Blue Panther. Atlantis hit a top-rope crossbody block on Rugido. Blue Panther hit a double armdrag. Atlantis hit a backbreaker over his knee on Rugido. He leapt off the apron to the floor on Rugido at 1:30. Blue Panther hit a rolling somersault off the apron to the floor on Atlantis. In the ring, Blue Panther hit a series of punches in the corner on Rugido. Rugido hit a top-rope elbow drop on Blue Panther, but Atlantis made the save. Atlantis and Blue Panther traded blows at 4:30.
Rugido hit a clothesline in the corner on Blue Panther. This match was moving at three-quarters speed. Atlantis hit a crossbody block on Rugido for a nearfall. Blue Panther hit a double crossbody block at 6:30. Rugido and Atlantis hit double clotheslines, and suddenly everyone was down. Panther hit a double faceplant. Panther applied a Fujiwara Armbar out of nowhere, and Rugido tapped out. Meh; having two guys in one match who are both age 60 or so was not a good idea.
Blue Panther defeated Rugido and Atlantis to retain the MLW National Openweight Title at 7:36.
* We heard from Mads “Krule” Krugger, who was really angry.
2. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Brittnie Brooks in a lightning match. Again, a lightning match has a 10-minute time limit, and a clock is in the lower left corner, counting down toward zero. A lockup to open, and Brittnie hit a dropkick. Dombrowski noted how Brooks recovered from an ACL injury earlier this year. Shotzi hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 1:30. We saw Shoko Nakajima watching this match. Brooks hit a kick to the gut and one to the side of the head at 3:00, then a bulldog for a nearfall.
Shotzi got up, and they traded forearm strikes. Shotzi hit some clotheslines, then a suplex into the corner, then a rolling cannonball into the corner. She hit a rolling somersault off the apron to the floor. Back in the ring, Brooks regained control of the action. She set up for the “It’s Brittnie Bitch” (Eye of the Hurricane), but Shotzi hit a DDT for a believable nearfall at 6:00. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Shotzi hit a second-rope superplex, then a top-rope senton splash for the pin.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Brittnie Brooks at 7:14.
* Backstage, someone in a black outfit attacked Shotzi as she got to the back!
* We had a “Talking Shop” segment with Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson. They are headed to MLW! Gallows called out Donovan Dyer and Bishop Dyer!
* They aired footage of Krule putting CW Anderson in the electric chair at the last show. We then heard from Brock Anderson backstage, who was saddened, saying CW has been a mentor to him and sacrificed so much. He called out Krule, saying, “You signed your own bounty, pal.” Brock may not be much of a wrestler, but he sure looks and sounds like his dad — that was a heckuva promo.
3. Magnus vs. Okumura vs. “Divebomb” Diego Hill vs. Stigma vs. Ikuro Kwon in a scramble. I wrote their names in order of introduction. Magnus was in red-and-pink gear today. Stigma wore white, and Dombrowski said it’s his MLW debut. (Good to know; I presume he had been here.) Diego hit a superkick on Magnus at the bell and we’re underway! Those two traded some quick reversals, and Diego hit a doublestomp on his back. Stigma hit a powerbomb on Diego. Okumura hit an Exploder Suplex on Stigma at 1:30. Diego hit a springboard crossbody block on Magnus, then a dive through the ropes on Magnus; these two have great chemistry.
Kwon and Stigma traded blows in the ring, and Stigma hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip. Magnus hit a Meteora in the corner on Stigma. Okumura hit a stunner on Diego. Kwon flipped Diego and dropped him stomach-first. Stigma and Magnus hit stereo Mafia Kicks, and suddenly everyone was down at 4:00, and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. Stigma dove through the ropes onto Magnus. Okumura and Kwon started working together to beat up Diego, but Diego pushed them together, and Diego hit an Os Cutter on Kwon, then a top-rope corkscrew moonsault to pin Kwon. The crowd went nuts for that finish, as that was a wild sprint. More of that, please!
Diego Hill defeated Magnus, Okumura, Stigma, and Ikuro Kwon in a scramble at 5:22.
* We again saw footage of Shotzi being attacked backstage. Dombrowski reminded us that Cesar Duran’s brass knuckles went missing last show.
* Alexander Hammerstone came to ringside and sat down on commentary with Lawlor and Dombrowski. He’s in a bad mood!
4. “The Skyscrapers” Bishop Dyer and Donovan Dijak vs. Mads “Krule” Krugger and Matt Riddle for the MLW Tag Team Titles. There is a zero percent chance this match ends in a clean finish. Krule came out first; Riddle came out separate but he was attacked from behind, and I started my stopwatch. They brawled to ringside. Krule whipped Dijak over the guardrail and into the crowd. Still no bell; will we even technically get underway? Krule hit a chairshot over Dijak’s back at 2:00. They got in the ring and we had a bell at 2:41!!!!!
Everyone continued to brawl. Krule slammed Riddle stomach-first onto Dyer, then Krule covered the former Baron Corbin for a nearfall. Riddle hit some Yes Kicks on Dijak. He hit a running knee to Donovan’s chin at 4:00. Riddle rolled to the floor and started brawling with Hammerstone. The ref called for the bell. Dijak and Dyer slammed Krule through a table in the ring, but he sat up, got up, brawled with them, then dove through the ropes onto them.
Bishop Dyer and Donovan Dijak vs. Mads “Krule” Krugger and Matt Riddle went to a draw at 4:23/official time of 1:42; Dyer and Dijak retain the tag team titles.
* A commercial aired for Don Gato vodka. (Is that a real thing?)
* Backstage, promoter Court Bauer handed Satoshi Kojima a “Founding Father” award for his tenure in MLW.
5. Templario vs. Virus for the MLW Cruiserweight Title. Hours ago, I watched Templario compete in New Japan’s “Super Junior Tag League.” They shook hands at the bell before locking up. They had a standoff at 3:00. Templario dove through the ropes onto Virus, then a top-rope crossbody block in the ring for a nearfall at 4:30. Virus dove to the floor and turned it into a headscissors takedown at ringside. He went for a top-rope crossbody block in the ring, but Templario caught him. Virus hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 6:30. Virus hit a wheelbarrow slam to the mat, and he set up for a Homicide-style Backslide Driver for a believable nearfall at 8:00. Templario hit a springboard dropkick and a Lumbar Check for the pin. Good action.
Templario defeated Virus to retain the MLW Cruiserweight Title at 9:09.
* A vignette aired for Killer Kross coming to MLW.
* Outside, Ikuro Kwon wants Cesar to “make it right,” and he wants a rematch against Templario. He was spinning some brass knuckles.
6. Volador Jr. (w/Magnus and Rugido) vs. Satoshi Kojima (w/Okumura) in an Opera Cup semifinal match. Dombrowski noted that Kojima hasn’t won this tournament before. They traded shoulder blocks until Volador went down. Magnus and Rugido tripped Kojima, pulled him to the floor, and beat him up. They wrapped his knee around the ring post. (We have one particularly blind ref here!) Kojima fired up and hit his rapid-fire chops in the corner on Volador Jr. at 4:30.
Satoshi hit a Koji Cutter for a nearfall, but the heels pulled the ref out of the ring. Kojima hit a clothesline for a visual pin, but we had no ref! Lawlor was rightfully critical of Okumura for doing nothing at all to help out during this whole match. Magnus tripped Kojima, sending him to the mat. Volador hit a low blow and a Lungblower to the back for the cheap pin. That was brutal.
Volador Jr. defeated Satoshi Kojima at 6:51 to advance to the Opera Cup finals.
* Backstage, Krule was still brawling with Dyer and Dijak. Brock Anderson joined in on the attack on Krule. Cesar Duran told Brock he can get his title shot on November 20 in Charleston, S.C.
* Paul London and Paul Walter Hauser were shown arguing backstage.
7. Mistico vs. Austin Aries in an Opera Cup semifinal match. Don Gato sat at ringside. Aries came out first and snatched the mic from an announcer, and he ripped into the crowd and Mistico. The crowd loudly chanted profanities at Aries. Mistico dove into the ring, but Aries stomped on him, and we’re underway! Dombrowski said the rumor is that Mistico has a seriously injured neck. Aries raked the back and planted his foot in Mistico’s throat. They got up at 1:30 and traded forearm strikes. Mistico hit a handspring-back-elbow.
Mistico hit a springboard dropkick. They fought to the floor and looped the ring. They got back into the ring and traded chops. Mistico went for a moonsault at 5:00, but Aries got his feet up. Aries hit a stiff kick to the spine; Dombrowski noted Aries “has not lost a step.” Mistico hit a brainbuster, and they were both down. Mistico hit some enzuigiris in the corner. Mistico nailed a top-rope Spanish Fly at 7:30, and they were both down. They fought onto the apron, directly in front of where Don Gato was seated at ringside, and they traded forearm strikes.
Aries hit a brainbuster on the ring apron at 9:30, and he rolled back into the ring. Aries hit a second brainbuster on the apron! In the ring, Mistico applied a cross-armbreaker, but Aries reversed it and put in a Last Chancery submission hold at 12:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They poked each other in the eyes. Aries hit a release suplex, with Mistico rotating and landing on his stomach. Mistico missed a moonsault but landed on his feet. Aries flipped Mistico into the corner at 13:30. Aries nailed another brainbuster for a nearfall, but Mistico got a foot on the ropes!
Aries was livid, and he spat on the ref! He dove to the floor, but Mistico moved, and Aries crashed against the guardrail. Mistico ordered the ref to stop counting, and he rolled Aries into the ring. However, Aries got an inside cradle for a nearfall! Mistico hit a superkick at 15:30, then a springboard senton, then a springboard frogsplash for the pin. Considering their ages… and how inactive Aries has been for the past six or so years … that was really impressive.
Mistico defeated Austin Aries at 15:59 to advance to the Opera Cup finals.
* Don Gato got in the ring and celebrated with Mistico. Mistico drank a small bottle of vodka and was cheered. We saw Volador Jr., Rugido, and Magnus standing at the entrance, watching the in-ring celebration. The finals will be held on November 20.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event easily takes the best match here. I really liked that scramble and that earned second. Templario-Virus took third. So, there is a good core here that I do like watching. I’m a big fan of Dijak. I don’t love that they are using so many ex-WWE guys, but at the same time, I really do like most of the ex-WWE wrestlers they are using.
However… I said this about another recent show, but I don’t think MLW had built up enough goodwill to promise a tag title match that bell-to-bell doesn’t last two minutes. That Kojima-Volador Jr. match was rough. The three-way was difficult to get into when you know how old two of the three men were in that match, and it was just so slow. You know when ROH was at its best, at its peak? When they built around young stars that weren’t cast-offs. Here, that means building around Diego Hill and Templario, and maybe Ikuro Kwon. Again, while I like most of the recent WWE wrestlers here, it’s time to unload the over-50 crowd: Blue Panther, Kojima, Okumura, Atlantis, CW Anderson. And one good promo aside, there are better options out there than Brock Anderson, too.
The show clocked in at just under two hours.
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