By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Underground
Taped February 4, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired March 21, 2023 on Reelz
The show opened with the introduction of Jacob Fatu, who made his entrance for the MLW Heavyweight Championship match. The broadcast team of Joe Dombrowski and Matt Striker recapped Fatu winning the Battle Riot match to earn the title shot and spoke about his prior 800-plus day reign as champion. There was a different ring announcer for these tapings. Alex Hammerstone made his entrance and there were loud “Fatu” chants once both men were inside the ring…
1. Alex Hammerstone vs. Jacob Fatu for the MLW Heavyweight Championship. Fatu quickly sent Hammerstone to ringside and followed him. When they returned to the ring, Hammerstone clotheslined Fatu over the top rope to the floor and then dove onto him. Hammerstone pressed Fatu and then dropped him on the ring apron.
Hammerstone threw Fatu back in the ring. When Hammerstone tried to follow, Fatu knocked him off the apron. Fatu went to the floor and headbutted Hammerstone. Fatu ran Hammerstone into the ringside barricade while Dombrowski mentioned Richard Holliday’s cancer battle and wished him the best.
Back inside the ring, Fatu has the first prolonged stretch of offense and continued to have the more vocal fans behind him. Fatu ran Hammerstone into the corner. Dombrowski said they would take as much of the show’s hour as they needed to and then the show cut to a commercial break. [C]
Hammerstone suplexed Fatu into the corner coming out of the break. The loud “Fatu” chants continued while one of the broadcast team members claimed that the crowd was split. Hammerstone stared to pump himself up and there were some boos. Hammerstone worked over Fatu with some strikes and ended up putting him down with a running kick to the head.
Hammerstone followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex and then hit a Northern Lights suplex into a bridge, which led to a near fall. Hammerstone signaled for his Nightmare Pendulum finisher, but Fatu avoided it and then superkicked Hammerstone out of the ring. Fatu performed a suicide dive. Fatu went to the middle rope and moonsaulted onto Hammerstone at ringside. Striker got all douchey by asking the fans to be thankful that they were alive to see this.
Back inside the ring, Fatu performed a moonsault for a near fall. Hammerstone ran through a Fatu clothesline and then put Fatu down with one of his own. Hammerstone fired up, but Fatu rolled to ringside. Hammerstone went to the apron and pulled Fatu up. Both men traded strikes on the apron and there were dueling chants for both men. Hammerstone hoisted up Fatu and performed a Death Valley Driver on the apron.
Back in the ring, Hammerstone performed a missile dropkick. Hammerstone followed up with a TKO for a near fall while Dombrowski recalled that being the same move that Hammerstone used to win the championship. Striker acknowledged the crowd being more behind Fatu. Dombrowski said the fans still respect the hell out of Hammerstone. Striker questioned how Hammerstone could hit his finisher on Fatu.
Fatu came back with a superkick and then performed an alley-oop Samoan Drop. Fatu executed his double spring moonsault finisher for a good near fall. [C] Fatu brought a chair inside the ring coming out of the break and swung it at Hammerstone, who ducked and then put Fatu down with a boot to the head. Hammerstone picked up the chair, but Fatu superkicked him.
Fatu performed another double spring moonsault, but Hammerstone put his knees up. Hammerstone kicked Fatu in the gut and then hit his Nightmare Pendulum finisher and covered Fatu for another good near fall. The broadcast team said no one had ever kicked out of the Nightmare Pendulum. Hammestone acted stunned. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
Hammerstone went to the floor and pulled a door board out from underneath the ring. Hammerstone brought the board in the ring and set it up in a corner. Dombrowski credited the referee with letting the wrestlers fight due to the high stakes nature of the match. Hammerstone and Fatu traded strikes.
Fatu charged Hammerstone, who moved, and then Fatu hit his head on the ring post. Hammerstone hit Fatu with a big boot and then suplexed him through the door board. Hammerstone hit the Nightmare Pendulum again and got the three count.
Alex Hammerstone defeated Jacob Fatu to retain the MLW Heavyweight Championship.
After the match, Striker got douchey again by thanking the wrestlers, the referees, and the company for what he just watched. Fatu got back to his feet and then shook hands with Hammerstone. They spoke to one another than then raised their arms together. Fatu left the ring and then Hammerstone posed.
Suddenly, The Hive (calling card attackers) hit the ring and attacked Hammerstone. Raven was unmasked and stood by while four men attacked Hammerstone. Raven duct taped Hammerstone to the top rope. Akira performed a running knee on Hammerstone, who was eventually helped to the back…
Powell’s POV: A good, suspenseful match followed by an angle that felt unnecessary. I get the idea of trying to establish Hammerstone’s next threat, but they would have been better off letting the strong match breathe and doing the angle on another show. Hammerstone and Fatu worked big match style and it meant something when they kicked out of the other’s well protected finisher. This was a fun match that played to a passionate crowd. As for Striker, I’m just not a fan of him laying it on so thick, but I think he’s done a good job in MLW overall in his latest run.
Sam Laterna stood on the stage and introduced Mance Warner for an interview. Warner brought a beer out with him and told Laterna that he’s a little crazy. He asked if she’s met his family and his crew. Matthew Justice and 1 Called Manders came out and joined Warner on the stage. Manders said they were there to beat people up. Justice spoke about how the Second Gear Crew would take MLW to a new level of violence. The Hive’s logo flashed on the screen behind the trio. Warner said he didn’t know what that was, but they were off to drink some light beer…
A video package hyped Battle Riot V and listed it as “only on Reelz”…
Laterna stood on the stage and introduced Mister Saint Laurent, who said he didn’t like that Real1 was bullying Microman. MSL said he was sick of it and challenged Real1 to face the “Micro One.” MSL pumped up the receptive crowd for the match…
Dombrowski hyped Real1 vs. Microman for next week’s show…
Footage aired from last week of Cesar Duran being kidnapped by two masked henchmen…
Taya Valkyrie and John Hennigan were shown backstage venting to a member of MLW management. The man told them that they would be in breach of contract if they didn’t go to the ring…
Powell’s POV: Those damn heels. How dare they care about their kidnapped friend? Only in pro wrestling, folks.
Entrances for the MLW Featherweight Championship match took place. Billie Starkz came out first to a flat reaction. Valkyrie and Hennigan came out with Sam Adonis, who had a “missing” sign for Duran…
2. Taya Valkyrie (w/John Hennigan) vs. Billie Starkz for the MLW Featherweight Championship. Valkyrie was cocky as she took offense control to start. Starkz took Valkyrie down and covered her for an early two count. Valkyrie rolled to the floor. Starkz hit her with a suicide dive. Starkz returned to the ring and hit another suicide dive on Hennigan. Starks went back to the ring and then hit another suicide dive on Valkyrie.
Starkz rolled Valkyrie back inside the ring, Starkz went up top, but Hennigan pushed Starks off the ropes while the referee was checking on Valkyrie. [C] Valkyrie dominated Starkz coming out of the break and performed double knees in the corner. Valkyrie covered Starkz for a two count. Starkz rallied with a suplex into a bridge for a two count. Starkz threw some rough kicks and then performed a rough Gory Bomb.
Hennigan climbed onto the apron and distracted Starkz. Valkyrie tried to hit Starkz from behind, but she moved and then Valkyrie stopped before hitting Hennigan and then kissed him. Starkz charged Valkyrie, who moved, and then Starkz booted Hennigan off the apron. Valkyrie rolled up Starkz for a two count, then immediately blasted her with a knee to the head and covered for her for a near fall. Valkyrie showed frustration.
Valkyrie stomped Starkz’s head onto the mat and covered her for another near fall. Valkyrie set up for her Road to Valhalla finisher, but Starkz rolled her into a pin for a near fall of her own. Valkyrie came back and hit her finisher moments later and scored the pin…
Taya Valkyrie defeated Billie Starkz to retain the MLW Featherweight Championship.
Laterna interviewed Valkyrie while Hennigan stood by on the stage. Valkyrie dedicated the match to Cesar Duran. She gave a 900 number and asked fans to call if they had any information regarding his whereabouts…
A video package aired on The Hive. Raven spoke about how he was a lone voice twenty years ago. He said the world has come around to his way of thinking and he thinks it’s only fitting that he return to MLW and make people pay…
A brief teaser video hyped Microman vs. Real1 for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: There were a couple of clunky moments, but it was an enjoyable match overall. Valkyrie has signed with AEW since this match was taped, so it will be interesting to see if she returns to MLW to drop the title or what the company will do with the championship if she does not. Starkz worked some YouTube matches for AEW as well, but there’s been no reports of her signing with AEW.
Overall, every episode of Underground on Reelz built to the Hammerstone vs. Fatu showdown match and they came through with a good, suspenseful match. I’m not as excited about The Hive as MLW creative seems to be, but we’ll see where it goes. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly same night audio review of MLW Underground for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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