By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Fusion (Episode 68)
Taped July 6, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois at Cicero Stadium
Aired July 27, 2019 on beIN Sports
Rich Bocchini, who was joined by Jim Cornette on commentary, welcomed viewers to the show while Salina de la Renta was entering the ring, Salina said she summoned Bestia 666 from the underworld and introduced him, then Mance Warner made his entrance…
1. Mance Warner vs. Bestia 666 (w/Salina de la Renta) in a Mexican Death Match. Bestia went after Warner at ringside and the wrestlers brawled there to start. Bestia whipped Warner, leading to Salina to scramble to get out of the way, then Warner hit the ringside barricade. Bestia pulled out a kendo stick and worked over Warner with it. Warner came back, got the kendo stick, and returned the favor. Warner tried to chop Bestia, who ducked, causing Warner to chop the ring post instead.
The wrestlers made it to the ring apron and fought. Warner DDT’d Bestia on the apron. Back at ringside, Warner pulled out chairs from under the ring and set one up on the floor. Warner slammed Bestia’s head onto the chair. Warner pulled out thumbtacks and poured them onto the seat of the chair. Bestia came back and slammed Warner’s face onto the tacks. Bestia worked over Warner with a chair and then pulled a trashcan out from under the ring. In the ring, Bestia put the chair over Warner, then hit the can with a chair a couple times. Bestia kicked the can, then pulled it off and hit Warner with it, which led to a two count.
A short time later, Warner speared Bestia through a door/board set up in the corner and covered him for a near fall. Warner rallied with a couple headbutts and then picked up a door/board and slammed it onto the head of Besita before covering him for a two count. Warner lowered his knee pad and then hit Bestia with a running knee before covering him for another near fall. Salina passed Bestia a red bag. Warner placed Besita’s head inside a chair that was set up in the ring. Warner went to the ropes. Bestia threw powder from the bag at the face of Warner. Bestia performed a Muscle Buster onto two chairs set up in the ring and pinned Warner…
Bestia 666 defeated Mance Warner in a Mexican Death Match.
Powell’s POV: A good brawl. It may have been a bit corny, but I like that we saw Salina use some type of spell last week to conjure up Bestia 666, as it set the tone for what to expect from him persona. I also like that Bestia went over, as it likely means he’s returning to MLW and now Warner has a rival to conquer.
The MLW opening aired… Bocchini and Cornette hyped upcoming segments, then showed footage of Georgia Smith and Alex Hammerstone entering a hotel elevator together and appearing to be on the verge of kissing when the door closed…
A video hyped the MLW SuperFight pay-per-view for November 2 from Chicago…
Kaci Lennox interviewed Hammerstone, Richard Holliday, and Aria Blake “earlier today.” Holliday mocked Lennox for asking about the Hammerstone and Smith footage. Blake said The Dynasty had no comment on the situation…
Powell’s POV: MLW hasn’t wasted any time getting Georgia Smith involved in a storyline. Pro wrestling history suggests that something other than a kiss occurred once the elevator door closed, but it’s a nice episodic hook that has my interest.
A video package touted the MLW and Pro Wrestling Noah alliance and listed it as “coming 2019″…
Josef Samael cut a promo about the riot that nearly broke out the last time Contra Unit was in Chicago (footage aired of the fans littering the ring with debris). Samael said you have to believe in Contra Unit because they don’t believe in anything…
2. Low Ki vs. Ricky Martinez (w/Salina de la Renta). Konnan sat in on commentary and said he has a secret that he’ll be revealing soon. The broadcast team explained that Martinez demanded the rematch with Low Ki because he’s trying to work his way out of Salina’s doghouse. Cornette noted that Konnan still had Salina’s phone. He claimed it contained scandalous photos. Martinez got off to a good start in the ring, but Low Ki caught him leaping off the ropes with a kick.
Cornette asked Konnan about the secret that Salina claimed would ruin his life. Konnan said he has skeletons in his closet, but he’s fine as long as he has the phone for leverage. Salina made a play for her phone, but Konnan said he was keeping it, then threatened to throw it into the crowd if she didn’t walk away. In the ring, Low Ki applied a submission hold and Martinez’s body went limp, so the referee called for the bell.
Low Ki defeated Ricky Martinez.
After the match, Salina approached Low Ki and whispered to him. Low Ki looked intrigued by what she said, then motioned for her to lean in so that he could whisper something back. When Salina leaned in, Low Ki headed to the back and left her hanging…
Powell’s POV: You have to turn your brain off a bit when Konnan brings the phone he’s using as leverage to ringside with him, but I guess we’ve come to expect things like that from pro wrestling to some extent. The match was more of the same with Low Ki looking dominant since turning babyface, and Martinez continuing to be a disappointment to Salina.
A Von Erichs video package aired…
Bocchini noted that Kotto Brazil expressed frustration with MLW officials earlier in the week. Footage aired of Brazil, Myron Reed, and Jordan Oliver wearing orange gear and delivering a promo from an undisclosed location announcing that they will get justice…
Powell’s POV: I liked Brazil as an underdog babyface, but he had a couple of rough outings and perhaps being in a faction will give him a chance to develop slightly more in the background than he could as a singles wrestler.
Footage aired from “earlier today” of Tom Lawlor cutting a promo while standing on the curb of a street. Lawlor said Jacob Fatu stole his title, but he didn’t steal the heart of a warrior. Lawlor said taking the title back isn’t just enough for him, he wants to take Fatu’s life when they meet in the War Chamber in Dallas…
Lennox approached Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Teddy Hart at a bark. She showed them the footage of Georgia Smith and Alex Hammerstone. Smith got upset and stormed away while Teddy tried to downplay what was shown in hte video…
3. Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich vs. Josef Samael and Simon Gotch in an unsanctioned math. The Contra Unit duo entered the ring first. The Von Erichs hit the ring and immediately applied Iron Claws. The teams fought to ringside and Samel and Gotch took advantage. They took out Ross temporarily and then targeted Marshall in the ring. Ross returned and the brawl continued.
Marshall performed a top rope moonsault onto Gotch and went for a pin, but Samael quickly broke it up. Samael tossed Ross to ringside. Gotch picked up a chair, and Ross kicked it into Gotch’s face. Ross brought the chair into the ring. Samael threw a fireball at Marshall, but Ross blocked it with the chair, then hit Samael over the head (Samael appeared to put his hands up), and then Marshall pinned Samael to win the match.
The Von Erichs defeated Josef Samael and Simon Gotch in an unsanctioned match.
Samael and Gotch attacked the Von Erichs after the match and the brawl continued between the teams until security dressed as a riot squad came out to separate them. Jacob Fatu met Samael and Gotch backstage and ended up fighting the riot squad security and the Von Erichs once they returned backstage. Tom Lawlor showed up and brawled with Fatu as the fight continued as the show went off the air…
Powell’s POV: A hot close to the show. I love the idea of security wearing the riot gear to help put over the intensity of the feud. I wonder if they are setting up a future angle in that a wrestler will dress up in the gear and attack someone on a future show. If so, I hope they do this a couple more times first to help fans lower their guard. Anyway, the backstage brawl was a nice touch. We haven’t seen that area behind the curtain before so it felt like a unique situation and made the fight seem special.
It will be interesting to see how long MLW can take this approach with the Von Erichs. It’s all about hiding the weaknesses and accentuating the positives, so it’s the right call if that’s what they are doing, but I can’t help but wonder how long it will last before fans expect them to work a more traditional style match and whether they can be as entertaining while doing so. I enjoyed this show far more than the previous week’s show. The element of danger continues to be there with Contra Unit even though they lost this match, and MLW did a good job of showcasing a number of their ongoing storylines throughout the hour. John Moore will be by at some point with his weekly MLW Fusion audio review exclusively for Dot Net Members.
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