MLW Fusion ALPHA #4
October 13th, 2021
2300 Arena – Philadelphia, PA
Commentary: Rich Bocchini & Joe Dombrowski
Lee Moriarty vs. Calvin Tankman
This is newly signed to AEW, Lee Moriarty’s singles debut in MLW. The commentary also notes that nZo (FKA Enzo Amore) was watching Fightland and has been in talks with Cesar Duran. Moriarty goes right to it on trying to take Tankman down but fails to do so. Tankman comes back with a hard right and knocks Moriarty down. Moriarty comes back with an arm drag and sends Tankman to the corner, but Tankman comes back with a hard shoulder tackle. Tankman continues keeping Moriarty down with chops, Moriarty tries to fight back but gets easily scoop slammed. They start trading strikes, but Tankman stops it with a headbutt. Moriarty comes back with a couple of kicks and a high knee and Pele kick for a two count. Moriarty puts on an octopus hold, misses a stomp on the apron, and gets power slammed onto the apron for a two count. Moriarty comes back with some rapid-fire chops but gets stopped with a powerbomb for a two count, Tankman misses the spinning back fist as Moriarty hits a cutter for a two count. Moriarty follows with a kick for another two. Moriarty jumps off the top rope but falls into a back elbow by Tankman. Moriarty gets out of the Tankman Driver, jumps onto Tankman for a Guillotine, but Tankman reverses it into the Tankman Driver for the pin.
Winner: Calvin Tankman by pinfall at 10:59
I’ll Think About It
After the match, Alicia Atout showed up on the stage with King Mo and Alex Kane and said they seemed impressed. Mo says he was and talks about his speed and strength, but he lacks the team to mold him into a true killer and that’s American Top Team. Mo said he saw Tankman struggle a bit and told him to join ATT. Tankman joins them on the stage and says, ‘I’ll think about it’.
The War Chamber Battlefield
We go to a CONTRA Unit video with Josef Samael asking Alex Hammerstone how it feels to have two belts and only one leg, and CONTRA took its trophy at Fightland and he was crying because of a mangled ankle and a shattered foot and Fightland isn’t the end. He cut one head and two more grow back and CONTRA will take him to their warzone for the almighty reckoning and that battlefield will be in the War Chamber.
National Openweight Championship is Relinquished
We head over to Cesar Duran’s office and as he tells the person on the other line of the phone that he is out of excuses and out of time and now comes the consequences, but he gets interrupted by Alex Hammerstone and tells him he’s the type of world champion he can build an empire out of. Hammerstone says he’s just there to relinquish his MLW National Openweight Championship and says it’s the right thing to do and says the opportunity for this title is for someone else. Duran says the man who has that title next has to fill his shoes. Duran tells Hammerstone to sit down and discuss his future and asks if he’s ready to face CONTRA. Hammerstone says any match, any time so Duran tells him to get a team for War Chamber but as Hammerstone leaves he gives a cutthroat gesture to the camera.
Alicia Atout Expose on Cesar Duran
We go to an MLW investigative report with Alicia Atout who questions who Cesar Duran is and what do we know about him. She says his activities in Los Angeles are well documented, but rumors have swelled for years about the true reasons for the demise of his Boyle Heights venture and the subsequent disappearance and ask if law forces were involved or trouble with the cartels and says she has obtained exclusive footage of Cesar Duran on his last night in Boyle Heights. We go to footage to what looks like Duran in his old Lucha Underground office packing up his desk and making an escape and Atout mentions how he was obviously on the run from someone or something and we see footage of Duran exchanging product for money and other activities in Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City and here in the U.S. We go to footage on the phone with an unknown party where he says, ‘I’m a wolf in the hen house’ and how he will take his time and be cautious this time. We see more footage of Duran’s office from the night the Temple fell where we see an unidentified woman (who resembles Catrina from Lucha Underground) going through his office looking for something.
Covered in Filth
Tom Lawlor speaks about defending his Opera Cup tonight by facing Davey Richards and makes fun of his wolf howl and says how he’s been taping people up and reading books his time off and after the first round is over, and the wolf has been hunted that Opera Cup is coming home with him where it’ll be covered in filth, two times.
MLW Coming Up
We get news that the War Chamber match is official for November 6th in Philadelphia, PA as CONTRA represented by Jacob Fatu, Mads Krugger, Ikuro Kwon and Josef Samael will take on Alex Hammerstone, Richard Holliday and two partners to be determined.
· Oct. 20th: 2021 Opera Cup Opening Round: Matt Cross vs. Calvin Tankman
· Nov. 6th: MLW Live in Philly (2300 Arena)
· Nov. 25th: MLW Fusion on Thanksgiving
Brittany Blake vs. Delmi Exo (w/ Ashley Vox)
Both of these women are making their MLW debut in this Featherweight Division match as they move one step closer to crowning the first-ever Featherweight Champion as commentary mentions the talks of more divisions coming to MLW, including a Middleweight Division. Blake tries to take down Exo, but Exo easily traps her down into a pinning position before whipping her into the corner and hitting a Northern Lights Suplex for a two. Exo keeps Blake in the corner, but Blake stops her and hits a backbreaker off the ropes for a one-count before applying a choke. Blake keeps choking Exo on the ropes and hits a kick for a one-count as commentary announces Duran is not happy about the expose from earlier. Blake hits a 619 followed by a cutter onto the ropes for a two-count. Blake keeps on her, but Exo pushes her off on a bulldog attempt. Blake gets distracted by Vox on the outside as Exo hits an Ace Crusher for a two count. Blake hits a tornado DDT for a two count, goes to the top rope, but Exo dodges her and hits a pedigree for the pin.
Winner: Delmi Exo by pinfall at 6:41
The Babe With the Power
Alicia Atout is backstage with Willow Nightingale and congratulates her on her win last week against Ashley Vox and Willow says he’s really excited about the women’s division here and says it means a lot to her to get a win over someone she admires so much and the babe with the power is looking to power this division.
Will Ospreay to Make MLW Debut
They go to breaking news that Will Ospreay will debut in New York City in December when MLW returns to the Melrose Ballroom.
The Hammer & The Judge
Alex Hammerstone was walking backstage about to be interviewed and he almost got jumped by CONTRA Unit’s Ikuro Kwon, but EJ Nduka was there to catch him and slam him against the wall and dropped and says he’s tired of this CONTRA nonsense. Hammerstone says he can use somebody like him on his time and will talk to Cesar Duran about it as Nduka goes back to attack Kwon.
Game of Inches
Davey Richards speaks about Tom Lawlor and says he and Lawlor were cut from the same cloth and it’s not about titles, money, or popularity it’s fighting for what you’re scared of and that’s what the Opera Cup is all about and if you get through that you get through anyone. Richards says this is going to be a game of inches and he’s going to win.
Innovator of Lucha Libre
We go back to Cesar Duran who says he saw the Expose and he cannot confirm or deny any of those scandals and those exciting charges against him, and it doesn’t matter if he gives him the best damn Lucha and he is the innovator of Lucha Libre and the greatest promoter that ever existed and tonight he will prove it, before punching the camera.
MLW Injury Report
They have an injury update on some wrestlers and say Richard Holliday suffered several lacerations from his attack two weeks ago and is listed day-to-day while undergoing CTE testing in New Haven, Connecticut. Alex Hammerstone has a hairline fracture of the ankle and full recovery is expected in about 8 weeks as they announce EJ Nduka has joined his team for MLW War Chamber.
2021 Opera Cup Opening Round: Tom Lawlor (w/ Kevin Ku) vs. Davey Richards
Davey Richards comes out with Cobra Kai-inspired gear as Tom Lawlor is last year’s Opera Cup winner. They start the match both taunting each other before taking it to the mat with Lawlor going for an armlock, but Richards twists it around. We get a graphic that announces Holidead vs. Nicole Savoy for next week. Lawlor takes Richards down and goes back to the arm, but Richards reverses it into the Circle of Stretch before Lawlor grabs the rope. Lawlor goes for the arm again, but Richards reverses it, twisting Lawlor’s arm in the ropes before kicking it. They take it outside, where Richards whips Lawlor into the guardrail. Lawlor tries to get back into the ring, but Richards pulls him out and they fight into the ring post. Lawlor chases him around the outside and traps Richards’ hands in the guardrail before kicking it. They go back inside where Lawlor punches and kicks Richards in the corner before going after the arm again and gets a two count. Richards comes back with kicks and hits a Dragon Screw on the ropes, before going to the top and missing a double stomp but quickly applies a cloverleaf. Lawlor is able to grab the ropes to break it, but Richards goes for a suplex. Lawlor reverses it into a guillotine choke, but Richards grabs Lawlor’s ankle and turns it into an ankle lock. Lawlor is able to slip out and put on a choke of his own, which Richards suplexes out of. Richards goes to the top again and hits a double stomp for a two count and goes right back into the ankle lock. Lawlor turns it into a triangle choke, but Richards right back to the ankle lock. Lawlor tries to reach over but eventually passes out as the match ends as Richards advances to take on the winner of the Bobby Fish vs. Lee Moriarty match.
Winner: Davey Richards by submission at 11:42, to advance
After the match, as Kevin Ku drags a lifeless Lawlor to the back, Lawlor snaps out of it and starts reaching for the Opera Cup but gets taken to the back by Ku.
Caribbean Holliday
Richard Holliday goes into Cesar Duran’s office and says it’s nice to meet him and says Duran is the total opposite of Court Bauer who doesn’t understand contracts. Holliday says he might not be a luchador, but he’s the most marketable man in the sport, has a thriving coffee franchise and he is the IWA/MLW Caribbean Champion. Duran says it’s disappointing that Holliday’s girlfriend has decided to play this sleazy tabloid journalist and dig around in his personal affairs as Holliday says he doesn’t have a girlfriend and Alicia Atout is certainly not his girlfriend. Duran says that the beautiful IWA Caribbean Championship will be defended, and it will be a surprise. Holliday tells Duran he should prepare himself to hear from his lawyer/father, punches the punching bag, and leaves as they announce Holliday will defend his title against King Muertes next week.
It’s On Sight
We go to a video that was just filmed by their new freelance shooter, Emilio Sparks that shows Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver from Injustice backstage calling 5150 a bunch of cowards but we see Slice Boogie, River, and Julius Smokes of 5150 from behind who attack Injustice against the pillars in the parking lot before getting in their car and driving off as Rivera says ‘we already told you, punk ass boys, it’s on sight’.
