By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
MLW Fusion (Episodes 199-200)
Taped February 7, 2026, in Cicero, Illinois, at Cicero Stadium
Streamed June 20, 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.” (They filmed three straight days last weekend, so even running two episodes today, they aren’t “catching up” to what they have stored/saved.
* The past two episodes were from a Feb. 7 “Lucha Apocalyptico” event at the Cicero Stadium in Cicero (suburban Chicago), Illinois. I presume the two episodes airing tonight will finish off the matches recorded that night. It’s a legit sellout of 900-1,200. Lighting is good. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary.
* I will reiterate that I attended a TNA PPV in this venue, and it’s located in the middle of a Hispanic neighborhood. Wrestling fans are used to coming to this building to see lucha libre.
Fusion Episode 199
1. Neon vs. Soberano Jr. Soberano wore black tonight, while Neon wore purple-and-gold. Fast lucha reversals at the bell. Neon hit a dive to the floor, and they brawled at ringside. Soberano was in charge as they got back into the ring. Neon hit a dropkick at 4:30 that sent Soberano to the floor, then Neon hit a flip dive to the floor on him. In the ring, Neon hit a top-rope crossbody block and a shotgun dropkick. (Fun fact: I see Soberano Jr. already has 104 matches in 2026, as of June 19! That’s an insane schedule!)
Neon came off the top rope, but Soberano caught him with a dropkick for a nearfall at 6:00. Neon hit a second-rope huracanrana. Soberano hit a delayed vertical suplex. Neon hit a dropkick to the back as Soberano was in the ropes, and he got a nearfall at 9:00. Neon hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Soberano hit a top-rope twisting splash, but Neon somehow landed on top and got a nearfall. Soberano hit a low-blow punt kick and a Snow Plow Driver for the pin. “Soberano takes it like the true rudo he is,” Dombrowski said. Really good action.
Soberano Jr. defeated Neon at 10:25.
* The breaking news from backstage is that Blue Panther has accepted Austin Aries’ challenge for a match! That match will be next week (or for us, in about an hour!)
2. Okumura (w/Kushida) vs. Victor Iniestra. Iniestra is a regular here, usually in Chicago Style Wrestling. Okumura immediately hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. He hit a running Sling Blade for a nearfall. Okumura put him in a Camel Clutch, and Iniestra tapped out. Seriously, the wrong guy won here.
Okumura defeated Victor Iniestra at 1:24.
* A commercial aired for Don Gato Tequila.
* Backstage, Matt Riddle chatted with Killer Kross. Riddle was confident he could have beaten Kross. Kross warned Riddle about Alexander Hammerstone’s power and raw strength. Riddle disregarded every bit of advice Kross gave him. Matt vowed he would beat Hammerstone, and then he’s coming back to get Kross’ MLW Title.
3. Scarlett Bordeaux vs. Blair Onyx. Blair is one of my local favorites, and she wore her Spider-Woman gear. I always compare her spooky persona to Tatum Paxley. Standing switches early on, and Dombrowski said Blair is “enigmatic.” She went for a sliding clothesline, but Scarlett rolled her up for a nearfall. Scarlett rubbed her butt in Blair’s face, but Blair bit the butt at 1:30! Blair did a Matrix to her feet and set up for a Sister Abigail, but Scarlett escaped. Scarlett hit a DDT, then a “Scarlett Letter” (piledriver along the back) for the pin. Yeah, the better wrestler lost again (but the winner was never in doubt.)
Scarlett Bordeaux defeated Blair Onyx at 2:39.
* Shotzi Blackheart was outside, in the woods. She is on a “monster hunt.” She is hunting for Mads “Krule” Krugger! Shotzi spotted a Contra flag. She grabbed it. She said it “smells like death.” She found a body bag and tugged on it. She found Krule inside! “He’s dead. He’s no good to me dead,” she said. She opened her back and put on her MLW Featherweight belt. She found a car battery and put the jumper cables on either side of his head. “It’s alive!” she shouted. He sat up! This was all quite cheesy, and I wouldn’t argue with anyone who loves this or absolutely hates this.
4. Alexander Hammerstone vs. Ultimo Guerrero. Hammerstone carried a USA flag to the ring, and that got him boos! (Again, this is a heavily Latino neighborhood!) A huge, massive pop for Guerrero, who still had his mask on as the match opened. Hammerstone easily shoved him to the mat. He did it again. He peeled off the mask at 1:00, and the crowd booed. “The ultimate disrespect!” Dombrowski said. Guerrero hit a dive off the top rope onto Hammerstone on the floor at 3:30.
Hammerstone powerbombed him on the edge of the ring frame; he posed, celebrated, and was booed! In the ring, Hammerstone hit a chokeslam for a nearfall. Guerrero slammed him from the turnbuckles to the mat for a nearfall at 7:00. Hammerstone hit a low-blow uppercut, then the Nightmare Pendulum (swinging sideslam) for the tainted pin. “How can you be proud of this?!!” Dombrowski shouted.
Alexander Hammerstone defeated Ultimo Guerrero at 7:39.
* Rich Bocchini interviewed Matt Riddle, who called Hammerstone a “piece of trash.” Hammerstone marched over to him, and they brawled until this episode went off the air.
Fusion Episode 200
* A video package aired with many of the highlights from Episode 199.
1. Blue Panther (w/Diego Hill) vs. Austin Aries for the MLW National Title. The crowd loudly booed Aries as he took the mic. “Tonight I will humanely put down the legendary Blue Panther,” Aries said. They played to the crowd before locking up. Aries tied up Panther on the mat and did a strut. He relaxed in the corner as they aired the commercial for tequila! [C]
We returned from that one ad, with Aries in control, as he hit some chops in the corner. Panther fired up and hit some clotheslines. Panther hit a splash to the floor on Aries at 4:00. Diego jawed with Aries; it allowed Panther to hit a somersault off the apron onto Aries on the floor, but he struck Diego! Aries dove through the ropes onto Blue Panther. In the ring, Aries locked in the Last Chancery submission hold. The ref checked Panther and called for the bell! New champion! I don’t think Blue Panther tapped out, though.
Austin Aries defeated Blue Panther to win the MLW National Title at 5:51.
* Diego Hill saved Blue Panther from a post-match beatdown.
* We saw Donovan Dijak and Bishop Dyer enter a locker room. Shotzi came up and shoved them and demanded to know why they were in there. The tag champs said they were taking this locker room for themselves.
2. Zamaya vs. Lili Ruiz. Lili is with Victor Iniestra and is also a Chicago regular. She wrestled on the TNA taping in Minneapolis I attended last September. (She’s a powerhouse but maybe 5’1″). Zamaya attacked Lili from behind, and then she hit a spear! She stood behind Lili and hit some crossface blows. Lili slapped her; Zamaya clubbed Lili, and she fell. Zamaya hit a two-handed chokeslam for the pin.
Zamaya defeated Lili Ruiz at 1:27.
* Backstage, Shotzi Blackheart told Krule that she wants him to beat up Dyer and Dijak!
* In a video montage, we heard from both the Skyscrapers and the Good Brothers. They are sick of each other! There was plenty of footage of the four of them brawling.
3. Mistico vs. Templario. This could have been the main event of the taping. Templario wore gold-and-black tonight; he has such an awesome variety of gear. Quick lucha offense and reversals at the bell. (And I don’t think this is post-production “sweetener” — the crowd is just really into this!) Templario hit a huracanrana, then a dive through the ropes at 2:00. Back in the ring, Templario was in charge, and he kept the smaller Mistico grounded.
Templario stomped on the left leg and targeted the knee. They briefly brawled on the floor. In the ring, Templario tugged on Mistico’s mask at 6:30 and he was booed for that. Templario jawed at the ref. Mistico hit a loud chop at 8:00, then a springboard crossbody block, then a huracanrana, then a 619. He dove through the rope and flew head-first into Templario. [C].
Back from the commercial for the MLW store, Mistico got some rollups for nearfalls. Templario hit a springboard dropkick for a nearfall at 11:00. Mistico hit some quick spin kicks in the corner, then a Code Red for a nearfall. Templario hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall at 12:30. They traded chops, then traded kicks. Mistico hit a top-rope Spanish Fly, and they were both down at 15:00. Mistico hit a twisting plancha to the floor, then a dive onto him, and they were both down on the floor.
In the ring, Templario hit a Detonation Kick for a nearfall. He hit a powerslam, but Templario hit a powerslam, and they were both down! Mistico finally went for a cover at 18:30. Mistico went for a top-rope moonsault, but Templario got his feet up into Mistico’s face, and Templario got a nearfall. Mistico hit a Canadian Destroyer, and they were both down. (Do we have a time limit? We just hit 20:00!) Mistico hit a basement dropkick. Templario hooked an arm and got a rollup for a believable nearfall. Mistico spun him to the mat, applied the Fujiwara Armbar, and Templario tapped out. That was fantastic.
Mistico defeated Templario at 20:54.
* A video package aired where they talked about Hammerstone being a top babyface — then he vanished (a brief run in TNA that wasn’t mentioned) — and upon his return, he is bitter and angry. The video asked… “What happened to Hammerstone?”
4. Mads “Krule” Krugger (w/Shotzi Blackheart) vs. Bishop Dyer. No Dijak. Dyer held his tag title belt as he came to the ring, and he was booed. The bell rang, and they immediately brawled. They brawled to the floor. In the ring, Dyer hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 2:00, and he repeatedly hit crossface blows. Dyer argued with Shotzi and ‘pie-faced’ her. In the ring, Krule hit some clotheslines. He applied a full nelson, but Dyer ran backwards into the corner to escape at 4:00. Dyer rolled to the floor and grabbed his belt. However, Krule hit a DDT onto the title belt and scored the pin. Lame finish.
Mads “Krule” Krugger defeated Bishop Dyer at 4:46.
* Donovan Dijak came to the ring and helped beat up Krule. They used zip-ties to tie Krule into the corner. Dijak grabbed Shotzi by her throat. Krule broke free, and he brawled with the tag champs. “The Good Brothers” Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows ran to the ring and helped beat up Dyer and Dijak. The four babyfaces celebrated by drinking some tequila in the ring!
Final Thoughts: Mistico vs. Templario was fantastic. That’s one heckuva great match and the reason to tune in. Soberano Jr. vs. Neon was really good, too, and was second-best here. Aries-Blue Panther was entertaining, didn’t overstay its welcome, and took third. I have avoided spoilers (and this happened months ago!), so I had no idea that Aries won that belt.
I’ll reiterate what is working for MLW is they’ve dropped the uninteresting Salina De La Renta stuff entirely, and they jettisoned Saint Laurent, too. Cesar Duran’s role has been scaled back. No sign of Brock Anderson, CW Anderson, or Paul London on this taping. (And I did check the taping results — all the matches from Chicago have now aired. None were left on the proverbial cutting room floor.)
Seriously… Okumura brings nothing to the MLW product in 2026. I’ll just leave it at that. A good use of local talent — Iniestra, Ruiz, and Onyx are all good wrestlers and deserved some TV time. I don’t mind the squash matches mixed in, as this was a good way to get Zamaya over. So, next week’s episode will come from a new taping!
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