Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2021/01/20/mlw-fusion-report-jacob-fatu-retains-the-world-heavyweight-title/
MLW Fusion #118
January 20th, 2021
GILT Nightclub – Orlando, FL
Commentary: Rich Bocchini & Saint Laurent
ACH Attacked Outside Gym
Bocchini & Laurent start the show with breaking news that ACH was attacked outside of his private gym while preparing for his title match. ACH did need medical attention but he will compete later tonight. Speculations and rumors that Team Filthy were the ones responsible for the attack.
Zenshi vs. Daivari
Daivari is making his MLW wrestling debut after joining the CONTRA Unit at Kings of Colosseum. Daivari starts by taking Zenshi down on the mat trying to slow Zenshi down, as Bocchini says Daivari has officially ended the Middleweight Division. Daivari hits a pair of clotheslines for a one-count before chopping Zenshi in the corner and hitting a back body drop for a 2 count. Daivari targets the left arm of Zenshi, ending with a hammerlock slam for a 2 count. Daivari throws Zenshi to the outside and hits another hammerlock slam onto the apron. Zenshi comes back in hitting a springboard cutter for a 2 followed by a seated senton. Zenshi attempts a 450 splash off the first rope, but Daivari puts his knees up and hits hammerlock lariat for the pin.
Winner: Daivari by pinfall at 6:11
Justice for CONTRA
Myron Reed is outside by himself as Jordan Oliver is preparing for his match later against Simon Gotch. Reed says he knows what Daivari can do, but he won’t let CONTRA step all over them, and CONTRA will get justice.
Caribbean Strap Match Challenge
We go to Savio Vega at his home in Puerto Rico where he calls Richard Holliday a fraud for stealing the Caribbean Title. Savio says that Holliday is right, it’s time to solve this problem, and they will do it the IWA Puerto Rican way, in a Caribbean strap match and he’ll even provide the belt. The same one that he used against his match with Steve Austin, and MLW and IWA will e-mail the contract to him and wonder if Holliday will have the balls to sign it and fight him next week.
Jordan Oliver vs. Simon Gotch
We get the grudge match that was originally slated to take place at Kings of Colosseum. They start the match fast slugging each other out before Gotch stops that with a Saito suplex, followed by a German suplex by Oliver. Oliver kicks Gotch out of the ring as Bocchini says the doctor will never clear Kotto Brazil to ever wrestle again in MLW. Gotch is able to kick Oliver down to the outside and hits an elbow drop from the apron. Gotch lays elbows and knees to the back of Oliver before kicking him back to the outside once again. Gotch is able to apply an arm breaker inside but Oliver grabs the rope. Gotch applies it yet again and transitions into a heel hook. Oliver comes back with a big knee to the face for a 2-count followed by a big boot for another attempt. Oliver attempts a springboard elbow but falls right into a sleeper hold by Gotch and passes out.
After the match Gotch, Gotch hits a Gotch Driver, knocks the referee out, and continues to beat down on Oliver. Myron Reed runs in to check on Oliver.
Winner: Simon Gotch by submission at 7:28
Team Filthy Doesn’t Care About ‘ACH’
Alicia Atout is backstage with Team Filthy asking about the floating allegations of them attacking ACH. Tom Lawlor says he doesn’t know what floating allegations mean, and the only floating he’s familiar with is Filthy Island as he’s been out there on his boat, prospecting the best places for the biggest and most extravagant wrestling even they can have. He says who cares about ‘Ach’, saying that’s how you pronounce ACH. Lawlor says he doesn’t give a damn about ACH or anything else, except for Team Filthy. They won’t play second fiddle to some second-rate video game character like ‘Ach’.
Who Has Acquired Promociones Dorado?
Alicia Atout backstage with the scoop saying an anonymous source inside the leak has confirmed that documents have transferred power from Salina de la Renta as a promoter to Azteca Underground, Inc. for Promociones Dorado. Salina cuts in and yells at Alicia asking who she is to ask her about such private business matters. The question that she should be asking is what’s next for Mil Muertes? She wants the gold and the power, and they want real competition, before saying ‘no more questions’ and leaving her screen. Alicia is bewildered and says that every time she tries to speak to Salina, she blows her off. Alicia says she thinks she’s the ‘ever evasive’ Salina de la Renta and promises to get to the bottom of this and figure out what’s really going on because whoever Salina is working for wants to keep this a secret.
CONTRA Unit Propaganda Video
Mads Krugger in a dark room saying Kings of the Colosseum was only the beginning, he tells Alexander Hammerstone he is the face of fear, the Black Hand of CONTRA, and he will be Hammerstone’s demise. He can feel Hammerstone’s body breaking and his soul trembling because he knows when he looks into his eyes, he has met his equal. In two weeks’, time, he will finish what he has started, and it will be Hammerstone’s end. It is announced that Krugger and Hammerstone will compete in a Baklei Brawl, a bare-knuckle anything goes brawl with origins in the South African underworld.
Upcoming Fights:
January 27th – Caribbean Strap Match: Savio Vega vs. Richard Holliday
February 3rd – Baklei Brawl: Alexander Hammerstone vs. Mads Krugger
February 17th – Tom Lawlor’s Filthy Island
Holliday in Martha’s Vineyard
Richard Holliday is doing better than Vega, he says, because he is on a real island, Martha’s Vineyard not like the cesspool Puerto Rico. Regarding the contract for the Caribbean match, although he was warned not to sign it, he did anyway because he’s sick of this and he is 12 steps ahead of Savio and can’t wait to whip him around the arena with the strap.
MLW World Heavyweight Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) (w/ Daivari) vs. ACH
Alicia backstage says she got an update on the attack from ACH, with ACH saying he believes he heard Dominic Garrini’s voice when he got jumped. ACH is dedicating this match to his family and friends in Austin, Texas. ACH comes out to the match looking a bit injured from his attack as he has his ribs taped up. Fatu runs into ACH as the bell rings and begins to assault ACH in the corners, especially his ribs. ACH is able to come back and hit a dropkick but his injury slows him down as he tries to leap onto Fatu on the outside and gets caught and smashed against the ring post then dropped on the apron.
Fatu continues to attack in the corners until ACH struggles to come back but falls right into a Samoan Drop, as Daivari screams orders for Fatu to break his ribs. Fatu delivers shoulder tackles in the corner right into ACH’s ribs. ACH is able to dodge a smash in the corner and tries to lift Fatu, but his legs give up and Fatu falls on top for a pin attempt. Fatu starts to drive his fingers into ACH’s shoulder and takes him down with a headbutt. Fatu hits a splash in the corner and shouts ‘Hail CONTRA’ a couple of times but ACH is able to dodge the second splash in the corner and lands groin first against the turnbuckle. ACH strikes back and knocks Fatu to the outside with a couple of dropkicks and knocks him down outside with a punt kick. ACH throws Fatu back inside and hits a slingshot cutter for a 2 count. ACH hits a flying head scissors and an Enziguri and tries to lift Fatu once again only to take a kick from Fatu, who then hits a pop-up Samoan Drop. Fatu hits a moonsault off the top rope for the pin.
Fatu grabs the mic after the match and says CONTRA Unit is here and they are here to stay. They have been running this game since they touched down in MLW. The Black Flag followers, the body count just keeps rising. Hail CONTRA! Daivari starts chiming in until the Sentai Death Squad starts attacking Fatu and Daivari with their flag poles before Mads Krugger and Simon Gotch come out to save them. As the Death Squad walk away, they unmask to show they are Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver of Injustice.
Winner: Jacob Fatu by pinfall at 9:52 to retain the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
Siino Vision: This episode was wrestling heavy, something the last couple of episodes were lacking or came short of, so I appreciated that. The main event match was good, and the injury to ACH gave them an excuse to have a more competitive rematch and the sneaky attack from Injustice was a good way to segue into their next chapter. Intrigued by the Aztec Underground, Inc. acquisition, and makes me wonder if more former names from Lucha Underground will be introduced, I personally, would love to see Dario Cueto back on my television.
MLW has done a great job setting up the next couple of weeks with matches that have meaning and purpose behind them, and I really hope the Filthy Island lives up to what they are building up.
7.5 taped up ribs out of 10