By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
MLW Fusion (Episode 206)
Taped April 12, 2026, in Charleston, South Carolina, at Festival Hall
Streamed August 1, 2026, on the MLW’s YouTube Channel, beIN Sports, Veeps
This is the third episode from the April 12 taping. The floor looks packed. There are at least 500 here, and the lighting is really good. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor are back on commentary. (Seriously, from a production standpoint, has MLW ever looked better?)
* Footage from prior shows opened, as Big Damo is now here and ready to challenge Krule!
* The heels came out for the next match. Austin Aries showed off his belt and said it’s the greatest belt in pro wrestling today, “because it’s in my hands.” He told his partners to just listen to him tonight, and they’d win.
1. Austin Aries, Douki, and Ultimo Guerrero vs. Diego Hill, Mistico, and El Desperado. This is quite the six-man tag! Aries took a cheap shot before the bell, and Mistico was irate! Those two opened, but Aries tagged in Douki before they locked up. Douki and Mistico traded some lucha reversals. [C] Don Gato commercial aired!
It really looks like we’re in the same spot as before the break, with Mistico fighting Douki. Desperado entered at 2:30 to fight Ultimo Guerrero. They traded overhand chops. Guerrero knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Desperado hit a deep armdrag. Diego got in at 5:00, mounted Aries, and repeatedly punched him. [C] The MLW shop ad aired.
The rudos were working over Diego when we returned from the break. Mistico jumped in, but the heels quickly took control and worked him over, too. Aries hit a second-rope flying axe handle at 8:00. Mistico hit a spin kick to Austin’s head to send Aries off the apron to the floor. Diego hit a 619 in the corner on Douki, then a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall. Aries and Mistico traded forearm strikes. Guerrero dragged Mistico to the floor. Diego snuck up behind Aries and nailed a superkick at 11:30!
Mistico flipped two UG and Douki to the mat. He hit a huracanrana on Guerrero. Desperado nailed a flip dive through the ropes onto Douki. Diego hit a flip dive over the top rope at 13:00 onto Douki and Aries. Just Guerrero and Mistico were in the ring. Mistico spun him to the mat, locked in the Fujiwara Armbar, and Guerrero tapped out. This was a really good match, and I love how Diego is fitting in so well with the top tier of the MLW roster.
Diego Hill, Místico, and El Desperado defeated Austin Aries, Douki, and Ultimo Guerrero at 13:26.
* A man interviewed Mistico in Spanish, but we had subtitles. He asked Mistico about Aries. He said this win was for the people. He loves collecting title belts, and he wants Austin’s MLW National Openweight Title!
* Another segment of Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows and Shotzi Blackheart hanging out in the back. The Good Brothers want a tag title shot! Krule walked up and joined them.
* We saw a video sent in from Corinne Joy! I’ve been putting over this teenage star for months! She’s coming to MLW.
* Footage aired of Court Bauer traveling the world and lining up participants for this year’s Opera Cup.
2. “Contra Unit” Ikuro Kwon and Okumura vs. “Glasgow Boys On Top” Mark Coffey and Wolfgang (w/Joe Coffey). Joe joined commentary. All four started brawling in the ring. Okumura hit an Exploder Suplex on Wolfgang, but Wolfgang hit a double clothesline. The guys formerly known as Gallus worked over Kwon in their corner. Kwon hit a buzzsaw kick on Mark at 3:00. Mark hit a spin kick on Kwon. Wolfgang put Kwon across his shoulders, and Mark hit a running knee to the side of the head for the pin. This was what this match should have been.
“Glasgow Boys On Top” Mark Coffey and Wolfgang defeated “Contra Unit” Ikuro Kwon and Okumura at 3:38.
* Rich Bocchini approached the three members of the Skyscrapers outside. Donovan Dijak vowed they would beat the Good Brothers again… but the Good Brothers won’t know which two of the three of them will be in the match.
* In another backstage segment, we learned who was attacked in a locker room last week … it was Teddy Long! We heard from LaBron Kozone, who was irate, and he vowed to find out who did it!
* Killer Kross and Matt Riddle were walking around backstage. Riddle told Kross, “You owe me.” Kross was perplexed by this statement and wanted more clarification.
3. Mads “Krule” Krugger vs. Big Damo. Damo really has morphed into a mix of A-Train and Ivar. They locked up at the bell and pushed off, with neither able to back the other into a corner. They traded shoulder blocks with neither going down. Damo hit a World’s Strongest Slam at 2:00, but Krule popped to his feet. Damo clotheslined him to the floor. They brawled at ringside. Krule slammed him on the apron.
They got into the ring, and Damo flattened him with a running crossbody block, and he stomped on Krule. He hit a spinebuster and an elbow drop for a nearfall. Krule hit a fallaway slam at 5:00, then a splash in the corner. Damo hit a Pump Kick and a senton, but he couldn’t hit the Vader Bomb. Krule grabbed Damo by his throat and hit a chokeslam! Kwon and Okumura ran in and attacked, causing the DQ. The lights went out, and someone threw a fireball. Josef Samael was in the ring; Dombrowski said we haven’t seen him in years. He’s back with Contra!
Mads “Krule” Krugger defeated Big Damo via DQ at 6:11.
Final Thoughts: Tune in for that all-star six-man tag. I’ll reiterate that I first saw Diego on those early Deadlock Pro shows four or so years ago, alongside Jay Malachi (Je’Von Evans), and saw them both as big stars. Aries looks sharp, and he’s such a good heel. The Damo-Krule match was a fine six-minute brawl until the lackluster finish. I can’t say I cared about Samael in his first run in MLW, and he just looks like an older, thinner Eddie Kingston now.
I’ve been praising Corinne Joy for more than a year now — she had her first match in March or April 2025, and she’s already competed from coast to coast. I’ll reiterate that she has the exuberance of Willow Nightingale, and just has a look that is a mix of Willow and former WWE diva Layla El. There is an “it factor” there. That said, she’s only about 5’2″ or so. Anyhow, this is a nice addition for MLW. I’ve been saying for a good year now that they need to be scouring the indies for new faces, and not just sign the next person released by WWE.
Be the first to comment