MLW Fusion #119
January 27th, 2021
GILT Nightclub – Orlando, FL
Commentary: Rich Bocchini & Saint Laurent
Intro Interrupted
Josef Samael interrupts the intro of the show to talk about last week’s attack from Injustice on the CONTRA Unit. He calls them infantile infidels, and only fools would believe that they had a chance against CONTRA in an ambush. He reminds them that he has soldiers in the shadows, lurking in every dark corner of the planet. Daivari chimes in, as Samael says he was a weak and broken man until he was reborn in the shadows and rebuilt to the Black Flag of CONTRA, trained in lethal combat and now he is bigger, faster, and stronger. He continues to talk about his other members before ‘Hailing CONTRA’.
AAA Cruiserweight Championship: Laredo Kid (c) vs. Zenshi
The masked men start the match slow with each man in a headlock trying to wear the other down. After a couple of wrist locks and counters, Zenshi is able to toss Laredo down, before missing a dropkick. They get back to wrist locks, before Zenshi trips up Laredo and misses a standing moonsault. After locking up, Zenshi comes back with a basement dropkick to knock Laredo outside and knocks Laredo back off the apron with a springboard handstand kick. Zenshi teases a dive to the outside, but slows down and hits a slow-motion 619-ish kick to Laredo followed by a shooting star press off the apron. Zenshi hits a slingshot twisting senton back inside for a 2. Zenshi goes for a submission to wear down Laredo, but Laredo escapes and puts Zenshi in a Fireman’s carry, but Zenshi elbows his way out. Laredo comes back with a missile dropkick off the top rope and they then start fighting on the apron, but Laredo misses a moonsault to the outside, but quickly follows with a Michinoku Driver to Zenshi on the outside. Laredo hits a 450 splash off the apron onto Zenshi, as the referee continues to count to 20. They get back in at 15, as Laredo Kid goes for the cover and gets a two. Laredo holds Zenshis in the corner and hits another Michinoku driver, followed by a pair of moonsaults but the second one lands on Zenshi’s knees. Zenshi hits a somersault senton followed by a running shooting star press for a two. Laredo lands forearms, but Zenshi comes back with kicks. As Laredo Kid starts climbing the top rope, Zenshi hits a backflip Pele kick followed by a snap mare off the top for a two. Laredo then stops Zenshi off the top, but Zenshi counters. They fight on the top but Laredo Kid hits Spanish Fly for the pin and the win.
Winner: Laredo Kid by pinfall at 10:01, to retain
After the match, Laredo Kid says he is the best cruiserweight in the world and he proved it in AAA. And now he’s here in MLW to prove it to the world on who Laredo Kid is. It’s now his time and he wants to be a double champion in MLW and he wants Lio Rush and the Middleweight Championship.
The Evolution of Myron Reed
Myron Reed with a black and white video promo talking about the attack on CONTRA Unit. Reed says they did this to themselves, they poked the bar, kicked him while he was down, and tore his vest. They tried to humiliate him and make him look dumb, but he doesn’t forget. And all that pain and humiliation made him stronger and a whole new beast. He thanks them for starting the evolution of Myron Reed and now it’s time for war. And next time he gets them one on one in the ring, he’ll get his justice.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 10
10 – ACH
09 – Daivari
08 – Myron Reed
07 – Mil Muertes
06 – Richard Holliday
05 – Mads Krugger
04 – Lio Rush
03 – Low Ki
02 – Filthy Tom Lawlor
01 – Alexander Hammerstone
World Heavyweight Champion: Jacob Fatu
Von Erichs in Kauai
We see Kevin Von Erich who tells his sons Ross and Marshall to take down some trees including the stumps because it’s hard work and hard work is what got them there. He himself got screwed just like they did, and he tells his sons to take that feeling and turn it into something else. Don’t let up because the prize is right in front of them. Ross mentions that Tom Lawler is there and messing with the locals. Marshall says they have unfinished business with Lawlor, and after they care of him they’ll find the Parks and take those tag titles back.
Prepare Yourselves For Los Parks
LA Park says he is very grateful to the new owner of Promociones Dorado for the opportunity he gave them to win the tag team titles. His sons chime in with ‘Prepare yourselves, son. Violence is Forever? Please, a bunch of idiots. Prepare yourselves.” “Word, we wish you and the hairless Thai boys good luck tonight. Why? Because the winners will face the best tag team in the world. The best team and the potent family in the game. So good luck. I really hope you have insurance.” Daddy Park ends it with “Because we are going to be the most famous family and champions in the world!”
Cracked by the Whip
We go to footage from moments ago where we see a black car with tinted windows. Gino Medina comes out and the interviewer asks him what he’s doing there. Medina says shut up, he knows he doesn’t have a match. He is there to watch tonight’s main event. He is here to watch Richard Holliday get cracked by the whip.
Upcoming Fights + Filthy Island in Trouble?
They promoted for next week, in a Baklei Brawl Match, Alexander Hammerstone vs. Mads Krugger. Baklei is an African form of fighting, it’s a staple of the South African underworld with people betting on it. It’s bare-knuckle, anything goes, violent prize fights and Mads Krugger has fought in them before. We go to an undisclosed location where we see Krugger getting ready for the match and explaining his experience in these types of matches. They also promoted Tom Lawlor’s Filthy Island on February 17th. Lawlor then comes in from Las Vegas and says neither he or anybody in Team Filthy had anything to do with ACH getting injured. He then says ACH doesn’t have what it takes and isn’t championship material and says MLW executives should have put him in the title match instead. He said everybody will learn their lesson, just like the Von Erichs did. Rich Bocchini then says that Filthy Island is having some financial problems, and names sponsors who have pulled out due to the ACH and Von Erich scandal. Bocchini then questions how Lawlor will pay for Filthy Island and mentions how we might have another Fyre Festival on their hands.
Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) vs. TJP & Bu Ku Dao
It is stated the winners of this match get a World Tag Team Title shot next week. Garrini and Dao start the match with Garrini easily tossing Dao around. Garrini then gets on the ground challenging Dao to come in. Garrini easily applies a submission followed by another toss. Garrini goes for another submission but shows a bit of trouble and tags out to Ku. Ku attempts a surfboard on Dao, but Dao comes back with a hurricanrana right into a front chancery. Dao tags in TJP who hits Ku with Dao on him with a rolling senton for a 1 count. TJP tries to apply an octopus on Ku but rolls him up with a two count. TJP tags Dao back in who gets thrown on Ku by TJP for a one-count. Garrini gets tagged in and they hit a European uppercut / German suplex combo. Garrini keeps Dao down with kicks before tagging Ku back in. Violence is Forever hit a double kick for a 2 count before trading tags back and forth keeping Dao down. Garrini teases TJP, who gets stopped by the referee causing Garrini and Ku to choke Dao in their corner. After a long beat down, Dao comes back with a crucifix and finally tags TJP in. TJP comes back with a tornado DDT on Ku, and takes down Garrini with a dropkick. TJP takes down both men hitting an arm drag takedown / head scissors combo. TJP hits three front chancery throws on Ku before attempting to fly off the top ropes but gets knocked down by Garrini. Dao gets tagged in and applies a crossface on Ku, as TJP stops Garrini from interfering. Garrini ends up dropping TJP on top of Ku and Dao. All four men start brawling inside and that ends with TJP hitting a splash on Ku and Dao gets the cover and the win.
Winners: TJP & Bu Ku Dao by pinfall at 10:02
After the match, TJP gets on the mic and tells Bu Ku to follow his lead and next week they’ll be taking a stroll through Los Parks as the match is made official and announced.
The King Has Spoken
We go inside to what seems like a hospital with King Mo. He says right now he is speaking to everybody as Muhammed Lawal. He reminds everybody how he has turned Low Ki into a broken man and says there is a video of Low Ki signing his signature as “Ik Wol”. Mo said he didn’t realize what it was until he wrote it down and noticed it’s Low Ki spelled backward. He seems to fake being concerned and says he is worried about Low Ki’s head trauma. Mo takes a stand to stop Low Ki from competing again as his next time might be his last time breathing especially if he steps foot in the ring with him. Mo tells MLW to ban Low Ki ASAP.
IWA Caribbean Heavyweight Championship – Caribbean Strap Match: Savio Vega (c) vs. Richard Holliday
Before the match, Holliday backstage says that Savio thinks he’s pulling a fast one on him, and even though these are his terms he went back and researched his match 30 years ago with Stone Cold Steve Austin and said tonight will be a true Caribbean crime as he’ll smack the strap over the back to Vega and tonight Vega will find out why he’ll never get over on him. Although Vega is the reigning champion since June of 2019, Holliday has maintained physical possession of the belt itself since before the Pandemic hit and is even announced as so. As the bell rings Holliday runs and touches two of the turnbuckles right away, but Vega stops him from winning by dragging him and whipping in multiple times on his back and then starts choking him with the belt before going back to whipping. Vega tags 3 turnbuckles until Holliday pulls him in for a tug-o-war. Holliday himself with some whips and a choke to Vega. Holliday continues to talk trash before hitting three turnbuckles and right before the 4th man walks into chops by Vega. They battle some more until Vega clotheslines Holliday to the outside and pulls him back in by the attached strap until Holliday hits a neck slicer on the top rope to Vega. Holliday hits a clothesline off the top rope as he starts touching the turnbuckles. As Holliday is inches away from the 4th one, Vega pulls the strap in and is able to flip Holliday on his back. They go through another tug-o-war before Vega clotheslines Holliday down and applies another strap choke. Vega then hogtied Holliday with the strap as he goes around the ring to touch the turnbuckles but gets kicked in the face by Holliday before the fourth one. Holliday goes for the pin forgetting you can not win that way. They simultaneously start touching turnbuckles into double clotheslining each other. As Vega slowly touches the turnbuckles, Holliday is sneakily doing the same. As Vega goes to hit the final turnbuckle, the unfamiliar referee stands in his way blatantly blocking Vega from touching the last turnbuckle. As Vega goes to grab the referee, he moves out of the way causing Holliday to leap in and touch his final turnbuckle for the win.
Winner: Richard Holliday at 8:57, to become the NEW IWA Caribbean Heavyweight Champion
After the match, Holliday leaves with the title now as the legit champion and the referee as well, as Vega looks on in anger. Alicia Atout is backstage with Richard Holliday and the referee and asks Holliday about the controversy. Holliday calls the referee Tim, before correcting himself and saying Mr. Official. Holliday says there is no controversy, and he won a strap match with the odds stacked against him and they haven’t seen a champion like him in forever. Holliday then calls the referee Tim again and asks if he called it right down the middle. Tim says absolutely just like in 2007 when the Lakers played the Kings. Vega runs in calling it bullshit getting in their faces as Holliday and Tim run away.
Siino Vision: I really enjoyed this show top to bottom. The Caribbean Strap match although not technically being good, still brought out nostalgia and all the common tropes and just felt special with Savio being in there with what he claimed as the original strap he used when he fought Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1996. The ending was fun, and as soon as Tim the ref stood in the way it hit me that he wasn’t a regular official, and didn’t even have the look or feel of an average referee, to the point of even resembling Holliday a little, making me think if it was his father/lawyer or another family member. I am glad that Holliday can claim to be the official champion after months of holding the title hostage.
The tag match and Cruiserweight title match were enough to keep me interested throughout the show, and there wasn’t anything that bored me or checked me out of it. And it was overall very cool to have two titles defended on this show from AAA and IWC. The backstage segments were kept short and simple and advanced all the storylines, I just wish there was some follow up to the Promociones Dorado acquisition as I feel like that is the hottest thing going in MLW and there was no mention at all, hopefully, that soon gets resolved.
I should have known the Filthy Island was too good to be true and is just another Fyre Festival parody that I literally just wrote a report about the day prior for IMPACT with the Fire ‘N Flava Fest. This one at least has the tease of actually happening in Hawaii, so I’m hoping for an entire show set there but will set my expectations to receive just a segment where attempted hilarity will ensue with cheese sandwiches and dumpster fires.
7 Caribbean Straps out of 10
