By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
MLW Fusion (Episode 198)
Taped February 7, 2026, in Cicero, Illinois, at Cicero Stadium
Streamed June 13, 2026, on the MLW’s YouTube Channel, beIN Sports, Veeps
While MLW took a four-month break from airing shows, they have held monthly events since then, so I estimate they have perhaps 16 to 18 hours worth of programming “in the can.”
* This episode is from a “Lucha Apocalyptico” event, which was a legit sellout. The lighting is good. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary.
* Dombrowski narrated a video highlight reel of Killer Kross and Matt Riddle — those two will meet tonight in the main event!
1. Kushida (w/Okumura) vs. Alan Angels for the MLW Middleweight Title. This match was supposed to happen last week, but Kushida attacked him backstage, so it was moved to today’s episode. Standing switches to open. Lawlor noted Kushida was wrestling barefoot and said he has “gone back to his martial arts roots.” They worked on each other’s left arm. Angels hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 2:00.
Okumura hit some stomps on Angels on the floor and was booed. Kushida and Angels fought on the floor. As they got in, Kushida hit a running kick on Alan’s left elbow at 4:00, and he began targeting it. Kushida hit a double stomp to the chest and was in control. Angels fired up and hit some chops, but Kushida hit a basement dropkick at 7:00, and they were both down. Kushida hit some roundhouse kicks to the ribs.
Alan hit a side kick. He hit a half-nelson suplex and a top-rope frog splash for a believable nearfall at 8:30. Alan set up for Angel’s Wings, but his damaged arm gave out! Kushida went for a low-blow mule kick, but Angels blocked it. Kushida pushed the ref into Angels, then Kushida hit a spin kick to Angels’ head. He locked in a cross-armbreaker, and Angels tapped out. Really good action. Okumura put on a Contra shirt to show he’s joined the heel faction, too.
Kushida defeated Alan Angels to retain the MLW Middleweight Title at 10:14.
* Killer Kross made some comments from his home, with a title belt over his shoulder. He has faced Riddle before, but the stakes are higher. He said some people don’t take Matt Riddle seriously and “that’s a big mistake.” He said Riddle’s joking manner “disarms people.”
* Matt Riddle was walking backstage when Alexander Hammerstone confronted him. Security kept them separated.
2. Matthew Justice vs. Joshua Bishop in a street fight. Justice came out second, charged into the ring, and then they immediately brawled. Just seconds in, Bishop hit a top-rope superplex! He hit a Black Hole Slam onto a garbage can for a nearfall at 1:30. They brawled to the floor and fought over the guardrail and into the crowd. Bishop was lying across two tables. Justice (who is crazy!) stood on the balcony 20+ feet up, and leapt off a railing, but the railing moved a bit, and he crashed down a bit short of his intended target!
Justice crashed through one table, but not the one that Justice was aiming for! He still managed a cover. They got up and fought their way into the bleachers. Bishop hit a Razor’s Edge from the bleachers and through a table on the floor! Bishop covered Justice on the floor for the pin. Two insane bumps there to conclude the match.
Joshua Bishop defeated Matthew Justice in a street fight at 8:57.
* Dombrowski announced a new “Southern Crown” title belt. More info on this will be revealed in the coming weeks. He also said that Hammerstone has been ejected from the building!
3. Killer Kross (w/Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Matt Riddle for the MLW World Title. They immediately tied up on the mat, and Kross got an early two-count. He held up two fingers to let Riddle know how it nearly ended just seconds in. Matt went for a rear-naked choke on the mat, but Kross got to the ropes at 2:30. Riddle gave Kross a playful swat to the butt, and that ticked off Kross.
Kross hit a Pump Kick to the chest that sent Riddle to the floor. They brawled at ringside, with Kross hitting a series of forearm strikes. In the ring, Riddle hit three consecutive sentons at 6:00, and he choked Kross in the ropes. He hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. He hit some flying forearms into the corner and an exploder suplex, then another senton for a nearfall at 8:00. [C]
When we returned from the break, Riddle was in charge. Kross got up, and they traded forearm strikes. Riddle applied a cross-armbreaker. Kross hit a suplex, a clothesline, and a hard back elbow. Riddle hit a stunner, and they were both down at 10:00. Kross hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall, and he was frustrated he didn’t win there. Kross hit a stunner! Riddle hit a hard knee strike to the face, a powerbomb, and another running knee for a nearfall at 12:00.
Matt hit a top-rope twisting moonsault for a nearfall, but Kross immediately applied a rear-naked choke! Matt reached the ropes. Kross again applied a sleeper, but Matt powered to his feet and fell backward onto Kross for a nearfall. Kross applied a sleeper on the mat, and he had Matt’s arms and legs trapped! It looked like Kross was about to win, but Alexander Hammerstone jumped in the ring and attacked them both. Lame finish to a good match. Hammerstone and Kross traded forearm strikes.
Killer Kross vs. Matt Riddle went to a draw due to outside interference at 13:52; Kross retained the MLW World Title.
* We heard from the voice of Contra, who said that Cesar Duran is gone and has been eliminated!
Final Thoughts: Combined, these four episodes released over the past three weeks have been home runs in my book. A strong focus on the top-tier wrestlers here, and very little of the guys that don’t interest me. That was a good main event up until the cop-out draw finish. A really good mat-based opener, too.
The Matthew Justice dive was scary. He stood on this railing and as he pushed off, it shifted under his feet. Quite frankly, he’s lucky he went through one table and didn’t go straight down to the floor. It was still an ugly landing. Obviously, he intended to crash onto BOTH tables, including the one Bishop was lying on. I’ve seen Justice make many big dives from balconies and he’s lucky he didn’t get seriously injured there — and this one would not have been his fault. The episode clocked in at 58 minutes.
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