Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2022/04/14/mlw-fusion-report-alex-kane-defends-national-openweight-title-in-five-way/
MLW Fusion #141
April 14th, 2022
Gilley’s in Dallas, TX
Commentary: Rich Bocchini & Joe Dombrowski
Straight from LAX
5150’s Rivera comes out to start the show with Dr. Julius Smokes. Rivera tries to tell everybody why Slice Boogie isn’t there, but the crowd is booing him, so he tells them to shut up. Rivera says when he got off the plane from LAX, they were confronted by the police and they started asking them questions like why did they jump the Von Erichs, beat them with chains and weapons and Rivera replied sarcastically and said it’s ‘my body, my choice’. Rivera says that Boogie got more aggressive, so he got arrested. Rivera said after tonight Court Bauer will cut him a check and he will go bail out Slice Boogie, but he finds it funny that the Von Erichs have been talking about getting justice but all they have been doing is avoid them because they are weak as hell just like their father. This prompts Ross Von Erich & Marshall Von Erich to come out as they take out Smokes on the entranceway. As their backs are turned, Hernandez shows up and takes the Von Erichs out with a chair. Hernandez, Rivera, and Smokes continue to attack the Von Erichs, as Rivera grabs a table in which Hernandez sends Ross through with a Border Toss. Savio Vega and other officials come out to break up the brawling.
Say His Name
After the show’s intro, we go to Cesar Duran’s office where Duran says that every investigation needs witnesses but for some weird reason, they keep disappearing, so this bullshit is over and now El Jefe is back, and he has big plans. Tonight, there will be a four-way National Title match and he wants to know the best fighting style. Mads Krugger interrupts and says he defeated Bestia 666 and Jacob Fatu, but there is one man that he has wanted from the day he walked into MLW, and he tells Duran to say his name. Duran says Hammerstone. Krugger asks to put an end to the mighty Hammerstone and finish what he’s started, and Duran says by all means.
TJP vs. Matt Cross
Tim ‘Candy’ Barr is back here in MLW to do the ring introductions. TJP gets on the mic before the match and says last time he stood in this ring and entertained the ‘open door’ he beat one of their indie darlings so bad he had to go ask Tony Khan for a job (speaking about Buddy Matthews). So tonight, he will deal with someone in house as he’s the best wrestler in any city, any night. They show footage of both of these men from 18 years ago wrestling in MLW. TJP starts the match in control with an arm drag and pin attempt, but Cross comes back with some of his own. TJP comes back with a head scissors before Cross sends him to the outside with a head scissors of his own and hits him with a crossbody. Cross goes to the top rope, but TJP knocks him off and starts stomping on his face. TJP hits a backbreaker and a slingshot senton for a two-count. Cross comes back with chops, but TJP reverses and puts on a Boston Crab into a Pendulum. TJP hits a boot wash and goes to the outside where Cross quickly takes him out with a suicide dive. Inside, Cross hits a couple clotheslines, a springboard crossbody, and goes to the top rope, but TJP meets him up there. Cross knocks him off and hits a double stomp to the back for a two count. They trade kicks, before TJP hits a tornado DDT as both men are now laid out. They go to trade forearms before TJP hits a suplex. TJP goes off the top rope, but Cross dodges him and puts him in a Fireman’s Carry position, just for TJP to put an Octopus Stretch into a roll-up for a two. Cross comes back with a Cross Cutter, goes to the top, and hits a Shooting Star Press for the pin.
Winner: Matt Cross by pinfall at 11:07
MLW Kings of Colosseum – May 13th at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA
· Weapons of Mass Destruction Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Mads Krugger
· nZo, Taya Valkyrie, Gangrel, Micro Man, Davey Richards, The Blue Meanie, and the return of The Sandman
MLW Intimidation Games – Next Week
· MLW World Heavyweight Championship: Alex Hammerstone (c) vs. Mads Krugger
The Dynasty Showdown is Official
We go to Alex Hammerstone backstage who says that Richard Holliday was his best friend for three years and they’ve been together since he came to MLW. When MJF left The Dynasty, it was just the two of them and it felt like them two vs. the World. That friendship wasn’t just on TV, it was more than that and when MLW called him to extend his contract he called Holliday to ask him what he wanted to do. When Hammerstone’s girlfriend was diagnosed with cancer he called Holliday to help him deal with that. Holliday was the first person to congratulate him when he won the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. Now he doesn’t know how much of that was an act and asks if it’s been going on for three years. Hammerstone asks if the title is all he cared about and after all the backstabbing Holliday finally feels special, the only thing that makes him feel special is when you ring the bell. So, the match has been signed for him vs. Richard Holliday in Philadelphia, and Holliday will realize that all those lies led him to a place he didn’t want to be.
The Ultimate Hybrid Wrestler
We go to an MLW.com exclusive where someone is trying to interview Alex Kane and asks him if he’s protesting tonight’s match. Kane says he is because it’s not fair and there aren’t enough challengers and Cesar Duran should add more challengers. He wants more styles; Lucha, high flying, a bouncer, and asks to put a Super Heavyweight in the match. He is the ultimate hybrid wrestler, and he is bringing a revolutionary to the sport and he’s begging the whole locker room to keep up. Tonight, the mission is simple; the mission is submission.
Taya Valkyrie Returns to MLW
We get a video showcasing Taya Valkyrie as she returns to MLW on May 13th for Kings of Colosseum in Philadelphia, after her one and only appearance back in September 2018 for MLW War Games.
They announce that tonight’s National Openweight Championship match between Alex Kane, Puma King, ACH & Myron Reed has now added a fifth person as the super heavyweight for this championship match.
Holidead (w/ Gangrel & Dr. Dax) vs. Shazza McKenzie
Australian wrestler Shazza McKenzie is making her MLW debut with this match who they mentioned was trapped in Australia for the past two years due to COVID and is back here in the United States. Holidead starts by chopping Shazza in the corner, as commentary reminds us, they will crown a Featherweight Champion this Summer. Shazza kicks Holidead off the apron and into outside where she tries to dive onto her but takes out Dax instead. Shazza tries another crossbody inside, but Holidead catches her and drives her headfirst into the corners before sending his down on the mat where she starts biting Shazza. Shazza comes back with a head scissors but gets taken back down with a boot. Holidead puts Shazza into the tree of woe as Dax goes and attacks her. Shazza comes back with kicks while Holidead is trapped in the ropes, but Holidead comes back with a flatliner for a two. They go back and forth until Holidead hits her Kamikaze finisher for the three.
Winner: Holidead by pinfall at 5:04
Strange Sangre
Rich Bocchini tries to get a word with Holidead after the match and asks her if he’s the leader of this new group called Strange Sangre. Holidead says a lot of things are uncertain, but one thing is for sure; Gangrel is the master of pain. Holidead says she has no plans in competing in the Featherweight division but running through and have the entire division surrender to her or else MLW will have a body of pretty faces laying in the ring.
Cuz? We Don’t Have Dirty Genes
We go to Cesar Duran in his office playing the guitar, but he gets interrupted by Jacob Fatu. Fatu says he was promised a title shot and a couple months later nothing has happened, and Duran needs to make something happen. Duran is going to forgive the fact that he interrupted his music as he just gave him an idea. Duran mentions Fatu joining next week’s world title match between Alex Hammerstone and Mads Krugger, and they make it a triple threat. Fatu says at the end of the day he doesn’t matter how many people he has to go through; he will still walk away with the title. Fatu ends this by saying if Duran keeps fucking playing with him, he’s going to kill his whole god damn vibe, starting with your punk ass ‘cuz-cuz’. Duran says ‘Cuz? There’s no way those genes belong to my family. We don’t have dirty genes. There will be consequences.’ This cousin debate literally made me laugh out loud.
MLW Intimidation Games Update
The graphic shows that it’s made official for next week’s World Heavyweight Championship match:
Alex Hammerstone (c) vs. Mads Krugger vs. Jacob Fatu at MLW Intimidation Games which will be free in the slot of MLW Fusion.
Hammerstone All Access Part Three
We get our third installment of the all-access look on Alex Hammerstone. We see highlights of Hammerstone winning the world title as he says he doesn’t usually have butterflies before his matches, but that night he did. This whole time has been a wild ride for him with him saying ‘I’ll really be happy if I can get here’ and he gets there. He took every opportunity and succeeded but the top doesn’t feel like the top when you get there and now it’s about moving this company and brand forward and he has to be a better champion than the previous ones. Feels like there is more to do and is more motivated than ever and it’s lit a fire under his ass. Hammerstone says MLW has the talent at a level just as good as anywhere else it’s just about the exposure. Hammerstone says there is a certain thing that comes with this size and power, and that is he hits harder and that’s what makes him that much more dangerous.
One Silver Lining
We go to Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout sitting on a coach as Atout says they should make a documentary about someone special like Holliday. Holliday says the company is wasting money, time, and effort filming videos about Hammerstone’s past, and nobody cares about him growing up broke and eating Ramen noodles for dinner with his family. Holliday says he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Hammerstone joining the marching band to fit in at school. Holliday says Hammerstone was a skinny little bitch in high school, and he had to ‘enhance’ himself to get to where he is and wasn’t born like Holliday. Holliday got a degree while Hammerstone basically dropped out of high school. That’s not a champion, he’s a champion and it was always him and it will be him and he will take the World Heavyweight Championship from him and when he does, he promises it’s going to be the best thing ever and he can’t wait to have that gold. It’s going to look so good on him and Alicia is going to look good with him. Alicia says there is one silver lining, Cesar is back and that could be good for them, as it’s good that he’s in control. Holliday asks why but she looks in the camera and says ‘shh’.
MLW National Openweight Championship: Alex Kane (c) (w/ Mr. Thomas) vs. Puma King vs. ACH vs. Myron Reed vs. Juicy Finau
One half of the MLW World Tag Team Champions; Calvin Tankman joins commentary for this match. We have an insert with Myron Reed where he says he will become a double champion tonight and he will open up the forbidden doors and let them all in and defend the belt anywhere. Juicy Finau is revealed as the mystery super heavyweight. As the bell rings, Finau clotheslines Kane down before the rest of them start attacking Finau who fights them all off including slamming Reed down with a press slam. Reed, ACH, and Puma start triple-teaming Finau and send him to the outside. Those three start trading huracanranas now until Puma dives onto Kane on the outside. Reed tries to dive onto Finau on the outside but gets caught until ACH dives onto both of them before he dives onto Puma King on the other side as they go to the commercial.
When we come back, ACH hits Kane with a German Suplex for a two-count before going after Reed. Finau breaks up the pin as ACH tries to attack him. Reed joins in and they both get taken down with a Samoan Drop. We see a masked man at ringside who attacks Reed and send him into the barricade before leaving. Inside, Kane hits Puma with a neckbreaker and a suplex, before putting on a crossface as Puma King submits right away.
Winner: Alex Kane by submission at 4:28, to retain
Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas get in Tankman’s face and pick up his tag title before Myron Reed gets in between them and stands up for Tankman. Thomas and Tankman start shoving each other before EJ Nduka runs out to stop them. Kane hits Tankman in the back with a chair before he and Thomas ran away.