By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
MLW Fusion (Episode 215)
Taped January 10, 2026, in New York, New York, at Melrose Ballroom
Streamed October 1, 2026, on Tubi (Saturdays on MLW’s YouTube Channel and Veeps)
Tubi lists this episode as “Season 8, Episode 21.” Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawlor provided commentary. I’ll reiterate that the production quality of MLW has never been better than the tapings throughout 2026.
* Footage aired of last week’s “Fightland,” featuring the shocking debut of Masha (Slamovich), and the main event of Mistico and Austin Aries vs. Josh Bishop and Killer Kross.
* We are BACK at the Melrose Ballroom in New York, which means we are back to the summer tapings. This was recorded June 11. (It really did feel weird to air that show — taped in mid-September — last week. I never recommend airing episodes out of order.)
* Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux came to the ring and got a huge pop. He said, “It’s a beautiful day to be MLW Heavyweight Champion.” Right on cue, Donovan Dijak and Josh Bishop came out. Dijak got on the mic and jawed at Kross. Donovan referred to himself as “the captain,” and Josh as “the kid.” Josh didn’t like that! Matt Riddle came out. (I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all that hair being gone. For me, it’s even more jarring than a bald Shawn Michaels.) Matt got in the ring, and suddenly all four were brawling! Kross grabbed the mic and demanded a New York City street fight!
1. Soberano Jr. vs. Templario. WOW, this is why I don’t read spoilers because I didn’t know this match happened in MLW! Templario’s outfit was a shiny, metallic silver. They opened with an intense lockup, and Joe talked about their history as partners and rivals. Soberano Jr. immediately tugged at Templario’s mask. Templario dropped him with a shoulder tackle. They traded quick lucha reversals and had a standoff at 1:30. [C]
Templario hit a huracanrana that sent Soberano Jr. to the floor to regroup. Soberano hit a top-rope huracanrana. Templario set up for a dive, but Soberano cut him off with a kick at 3:00. He started untying the back of Templario’s mask. Templario hit a pop-up knee strike to the sternum, but Soberano immediately hit a dropkick, and they were both down at 5:00. Templario went for a top-rope move, but Soberano caught him and hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. Soberano again went after the mask and was booed again. Templario hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 6:30. He caught Soberano and hit a powerslam.
Soberano hit a DDT onto the ring apron and got a nearfall. Templario nailed a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Templario hit a second-rope powerbomb with a jackknife cover for a believable nearfall. Soberano Jr. hit a Canadian Destroyer! “What did I just see?” Lawlor shouted. Soberano hit a top-rope twisting press on a standing Templario for a nearfall, and they were both down. Templario hit a pop-up flipping powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:00. Soberano hit a jumping knee to the jaw. Templario hit a bodyslam, and a modified Lumbar Check backbreaker over his knees for the pin. That was pretty awesome.
Templario defeated Soberano Jr. at 10:51.
* Rich Bocchini announced the MLW pay-per-view in Chicago on Nov. 7 at the Cicero Stadium in Cicero. (They’ve run this venue before. I attended a TNA pay-per-view there a few years ago. It holds 1,300 to 1,500.) Dombrowski confirmed the tag team street fight will happen next week!
* A vignette for the Contra unit. Masha has joined Contra!
* A vignette aired for Shotzi.
2. Mark Coffey vs. Beastman (w/Kim Chee) in a lightning match. This has a 10-minute time limit. When was the last time I saw someone in a Kim Chee outfit? Beastman charged at the bell, but Coffey sidestepped it. Beastman screamed/grunted, and Coffey rolled to the floor. Beastman threw him back into the ring. Beastman hit a clothesline into the corner at 1:30. He hit a rolling cannonball into the corner for a nearfall, but Coffey grabbed the ropes. Kim Chee told Beastman to climb the ropes! Wolfgang and Joe Coffey distracted Beastman, who missed a Vader Bomb! Mark immediately hit a spin kick to the ear for the tainted pin. Passable.
Mark Coffey defeated Beastman at 3:42.
* Mark got on the mic and shouted out the Good Brothers, saying they are coming for their tag titles!
* A vignette aired with some Japanese writing. A red hat appeared. The writing on the screen asked if they are ready for “The Unbound.” Well that’s all a clear indication that Yota Tsuji (NJPW champion) is coming to MLW!
* Rich Bocchini interviewed Austin Aries backstage. Aries wore a half-mask from “Phantom of the Opera.” He said that because he caused Mistico to lose, he’s the clear favorite to win the Opera Cup. He said he’s too quick for Matt Riddle.
* Dombrowski announced that Opera Cup first-round matches will (finally) return next week!
3. “H.A.T.E.” Rina and Kamitani vs. Shotzi Blackheart and Lady Frost. Kamitani is taller and wore black. Rina’s hair is dyed red, and her gear is a mix of black and red. Shotzi and Kamitani opened, and Kamitani hit a dropkick and celebrated. Shotzi hit a second-rope missile dropkick. Lady Frost made a blind tag! The crowd booed that. Frost knocked Kamitani down with a shoulder tackle at 1:30. Frost and Shotzi argued; the H.A.T.E. duo attacked them. [C]
When we returned, the Stardom duo was working over Shotzi in their corner. Rina hit a clothesline into the corner. Shotzi fired up and hit some forearm strikes. Frost entered and hit a series of chops on Rina at 4:00. Shotzi made a hard blind tag! Frost hit a rolling cannonball on Rina, but Shotzi threw her teammate to the floor! Shotzi hit her own rolling cannonball on Rina. Frost jumped back in, but Rina suplexed her. Shotzi hit a swinging slam on Rina for a nearfall, and suddenly everyone was down at 5:30.
They all got up and traded punches. Rina flipped Shotzi to the mat. She hit a second-rope double knee drop to Shotzi’s ribs, but Frost made the save. Frost helped Shotzi up and tagged herself back in. Frost hit a spin kick for a nearfall, but Kamitani threw Shotzi onto Frost to break up the pin! (Uh-oh!) Kamitani hit a spin kick onto both Shotzi and Frost. Mina hit a Gory Bomb faceplant and pinned Frost!
“H.A.T.E.” Rina and Kamitani defeated Shotzi Blackheart and Lady Frost at 7:41.
* Unsurprisingly, Frost and Shotzi shoved each other. Several security guards jumped in the ring and separated them. The crowd chanted, “Let them fight!”
* Backstage, we saw the Contra Unit standing over what I presume were body bags. (I rewound and it wasn’t 100% clear to me.) They shouted “Hail Contra!” as we faded to black.
Final Thoughts: First, the good. I’ll put Templario and Soberano Jr. in my top five CMLL guys to watch right now, so this was a fun, pleasant surprise. Again, I hadn’t read the spoilers or the lineup. It was really good action, and they were given time to have a full match. The main event was good action, but it was clearly designed to build up a Shotzi-Frost feud. The middle match was fine – Beastman is fine in a three-minute match. So, no complaints about any of the action or wrestling tonight.
But of course, the decision to air “Fightland” out of order just feels weird. I really assume they wanted to get ahead of any blowback about using Masha. It was clearly going to be out there that they had not only booked her, but used her in a prominent role. The problem, though, is last week’s show wasn’t mentioned at all. If new audio had been recorded, Lawlor and Dombrowski would have wondered what Masha’s debut meant for Shotzi and Lady Frost. If new audio had been recorded, Joe would have mentioned somewhere in there that Killer Kross faced Bishop in a singles match. It’s just … tone-deaf … to have that hang out there and not address it.
Also, the problem with airing the September show is that we’ve further delayed the outcome of the Opera Cup. We’re only halfway through the first round! I think we had two announced for next week. Strange, questionable editing decisions aside, I am still high on MLW’s improvement this year. The roster has been upgraded, and most of the older, uninteresting characters are gone. The silliness of Salina De La Renta is long gone. Hey, we didn’t even see or hear from Don Gato tonight!
