Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling – Forged In Excellence, Night 2
October 20, 2024
By: John Siino
St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo & Don Callis
RESULTS
- Dark Match: Brent Banks & Bryce Hansen over Johnny Swinger & Raj Singh
- Dark Match: Taylor Rising over Aurora Teves
- Aiden Prince & Jet Setters over Rohan Raja, Rohit Raju & Rocky Romero via pinfall (11:11)
- QPW Qatar Title: El Reverso over Classy Ali (c) via pinfall to become new champion (6:33)
- Kylie Rae & Miya Yamashita over Harley Cameron & Laynie Luck via pinfall (9:26)
- Psycho Mike over Jake Something, Trevor Lee, Stu Grayson, Alex Zayne & Sheldon Jean via pinfall (13:27) (Recommended)
- Mike Bailey over El Phantasmo via pinfall (16:18) (Recommended)
- Raj Dhesi & Bhupinder Gujjar over Bully Ray & QT Marshall via pinfall (12:23)
- ROH Women’s World Title: Athena (c) over Gisele Shaw via pinfall (23:52) (Recommended)
- AEW International Title Match: Konosuke Takeshita (c) over Josh Alexander via pinfall (29:31) (Recommended)
The show starts with a very well-done video recap of Night 1 for those who might have missed it.
Rohan Raja, Rohit Raju & Rocky Romero vs. Aiden Prince & Jet Setters (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight)
We start night two with another six-man tag, as it’s Team Double R against the Jet Settin’ Princes. Aiden Prince and Rohit Raju start the match here, with Raju hitting an impressive leg sweep before taunting the crowd. KUSHIDA and Rocky Romero tag in next, as the Jet Setters tag in and out as they work on Romero. Raja enters and starts working on KUSHIDA’s arm, but he reverses it into a roll-up for two before tagging Kevin Knight back in. Raja & Raju take turns on Knight, as Mauro brings up their old alliance in The Desi Hit Squad while bringing up the movie RRR as Romero joins in on the attack. Knight is finally able to escape and make the hot tag to Prince who takes out Romero & Raju with a double DDT, followed by a Michonku Driver on Raju for a two. Romero & KUSHIDA both tag in, as Mauro mentions they have shared a ring about 100 times. Romero fights off the Jet Setters before tagging in Raja, as team RRR starts triple-teaming on KUSHIDA. All six men get into next with Prince hitting a dive on the outside, while the Jet Setters hit Perfect Timing on Raju and both make the cover for the win.
Winners: Jet Setters & Aiden Prince by pinfall at 11:11
QPW Qatar Championship: Classy Ali (c) vs. El Reverso
Commentary mentions that Classy Ali has never been pinned in his career, as El Reverso fully embraces the Canadian colors in his gear. They take turns running the ropes and going for pin attempts before Ali gets sent to the outside where Reverso chases him just to get stomped out as they re-enter the ring. Mauro explains this title is being defended as it’s part of the Pro Wrestling Alliance which involves Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, QPW & Oceania Pro Wrestling. Ali stays in control going for pin attempts while yelling at the referee for counting too slowly. Reverso traps Ali in a Tree of Woe where he stomps down on him, for two. Ali dodges Reverse in the corner where he goes crashing, as Ali keeps him there with stomps and chops. Ali puts Reverse in the Tree of Woe now, but he reverses it into a Sliced Bread. They tussle on the top rope before Reverse knocks Ali down and hits a moonsault to get the pin and the win.
Winner: El Reverso by pinfall at 6:33, to become the NEW QPW Qatar Champion
Rohan Raja is in the back complaining about his match, saying that he didn’t lose, but Rocky Romero & Rohit Raju did and he will never lose the PWA Champion’s Grail. Raja continues that on December 21st he will defend it in Oceania Pro Wrestling, and he guarantees he will be the winner.
Laynie Luck & Harley Cameron vs. Miyu Yamashita & Kylie Rae
They show footage from last night after the show that set this up, with Laynie Luck pretending to embrace Kylie Rae with a hug, just for it to be revealed to be a two-on-one beatdown as Harley Cameron showed up from behind to attack her. Cameron & Luck bicker over who will start the match as Miyu Yamashita is waiting on the other end, but as Kylie Rae tags in, Cameron decides to start with her. Rae stays in control, knocking down Cameron with a shoulder block for two, before tagging in Miyu as they start double-teaming on Cameron. Luck tags in and wants a test of strength, just for Miyu to knock her down and kick away before Rae joins in as they start attacking Luck in the corner. Rae hits a cannonball for two before Cameron stops her momentum with a sneak kick to her back. Luck & Cameron now keep Rae in their corner, but Rae fights off Luck with headscissors before making the hot tag to Miyu. Miyu starts rallying the crowd behind her as she goes to town on Luck with kicks and a German Suplex before Rae & Cameron get involved just to get taken out. As Luck is distracted by them on the outside, she turns around right into a Skull Kick from Miyu, who makes the cover for the pin.
Winners: Miyu Yamashita & Kylie Rae by pinfall at 9:26
McKenzie Mitchell is in the back with Josh Alexander who talks about all the eyes being on him tonight as he goes for the AEW International Championship. Alexander talks about Bret Hart inspiring him and tonight they are getting the 10-year-old Alexander with a dream and maybe someone will tune in and watch and be inspired by him.
Trevor Lee vs. Sheldon Jean vs. Alex Zayne vs. Stu Grayson vs. Psycho Mike vs. Jake Something
All six go at it as soon as the match begins with Jake Something coming out on top, until Sheldon Jean attacks him from behind. Trevor Lee gets involved and takes out Jean with a kick before Psycho Mike enters but fails to hit his body slam. Alex Zayne takes out both Lee & Mike with a Swanton bomb in the corner. Stu Grayson enters a SSB chant, as he takes Zayne to the apron and hits a senton atomico. Everybody starts fighting on the outside including Jean sending Something smashing into the ring post. Jean & Mike go at it in the ring, but Zayne gets involved to stop them. Everybody else joins in as Grayson & Something hit double-back suplexes before they go at it with each other. They start mirroring each other’s moves until Something stops Grayson from standing on his foot. Lee starts taking everybody out next but gets stopped in the corner by a Dragon Rana from Zayne. Something stops Jean with a chokeslam before he gets taken out himself by Grayson with his Nightfall. Mike enters and asks the crowd who wants to see some bodyslams, and he delivers by bodyslamming all five of his opponents over and over until Something breaks up the pin attempt. Everybody starts getting dumped to the outside until it’s just Zayne, who Mike rolls up to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Psycho Mike by pinfall at 13:27
We get the same TNA Bound for Glory commercial followed by the AEW Dynamite run-down from Mauro, as we did on night one.
El Phantasmo vs. Mike Bailey
They start with a handshake before running the ropes and going for pin attempts right away. They get into a pushing match that then turns into chops and kicks, as Mike Bailey sends El Phantasmo packing to the outside. ELP re-enters and stops Bailey with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, for two. ELP keeps Bailey in the corner, but Bailey comes right back with a missile dropkick. Bailey tries a standing moonsault double knees, but ELP puts his knees up as Bailey goes right into selling his shin. They get up for a forearm exchange with chops before they both go crashing down. Crane Kick from Bailey, before ELP sends Bailey spilling to the outside after an Airplane Spin bomb. ELP points to the crowd that ‘This is Canadian wrestling’, just to get taken out with a tope suicida. Bailey follows with a springboard moonsault that Mauro calls ‘Higher than Snoop Dogg on the International Space Station’. Mauro goes into plugging his upcoming Mauro-Juana strain. They start dodging each other’s moves before ELP hits a Tornado DDT on the outside. ELP stays in control back inside before hitting the CR2 for two. ELP follows with a top-rope splash but gets another two. Bailey misses the moonsault knees on the apron and gets a moonsault from ELP off the top rope instead. Back inside, Bayley hits the Tornado Kick followed by the Flamingo Driver to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Mike Bailey by pinfall at 16:18
We go to Bully Ray, QT Marshall & Harley Cameron in the back as Marshall talked about Ray throwing him out of his wrestling school 15 years ago for being an egotistical selfish punk that would step on anyone to get to the top, and 15 years later he’s just enough of a selfish punk to be at the top. Ray goes to talk, but Harley cuts him off and does all his lines including; ‘Do you know who I am?’, the Wassup, and ‘Bully, get the tables’, before saying she’s always wanted to do that. Ray & Marshall are stunned before Ray asks what just happened here.
Bully Ray & QT Marshall (w/ Harley Cameron) vs. Bhupinder Gujjar & Raj Dhesi
Raj Dhesi & Bully Ray start the match, coming off of yesterday’s Tables Match that ended controversially. Ray pretends to go at it before he just tags out to QT Marshall. They fight off the corners before Dhesi hits a big body slam and tags in Bhupinder Gujjar who hits a good-looking dropkick. They keep Marshall in their corner and take turns working on him as Ray is screaming at them. This upsets Ray who drags Gujjar right into the ring post by the legs. Ray tags in and he’s stomping away at Gujjar while talking trash to the crowd and Sam Leterna at ringside. Marshall tags in, but he gets sent to the outside as Gujjar tries the tag, but Marshall is right there to prevent it by pulling down Dhesi. Ray starts punching away at Gujjar but ends up getting taken down with an enziguri. Dhesi & Marshall tag in with Dhesi playing full babyface here with his offense. Gujjar tags in and hits a ripcord jumping knee strike and goes for his finisher, the Gargoyle Spear, but Ray is there to push him off the corner. Ray then leaves the ring and gets into the face of Scott D’Amore’s mother ringside, as he did last night. Former NHL player Darren McCarty, who has a history with Ray from TNA, appears behind Mrs. D’Amore and starts attacking Ray. McCarty holds Ray in front of her, as she connects a smack onto Ray. Ray gets sent back inside by McCarty, but Ray stops Gujjar and tells Harley Cameron to get on the top rope to do the Wassup Headbutt. Gujjar though, reverses it, as Dhesi pushes Cameron off to unintentionally connect with the headbutt as Ray & Cameron start screaming about what just happened. Dhesi enters and sets up Marshall for Gujjar to hit the Gargoyle Spear to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Bhupinder Gujjar & Raj Dhesi by pinfall at 12:23
Mauro throws to an interview earlier today with McKenzie and Athena, but we cut to McKenzie who is with Mike Bailey, and asks him what MLP means to him. Bailey says he wrestled hurt tonight against one of the best in the world tonight, and he won because when he’s hurt he becomes even better. Bailey says this is the type of spirit Josh Alexander needs tonight if he wants to make this crowd proud and become the new AEW International Champion.
We see a highlight package of Athena with footage of her reign in Ring of Honor, before seeing Gisele Shaw’s time in TNA.
ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Gisele Shaw
Sam Leterna handles the ring introductions, as both Gisele Shaw & Athena get big reactions. Mauro talks about Athena’s time in NXT and being established after she feuded with Shayna Baszler. Shaw holds Athan down in a chin lock, but she escapes as they start trading headlocks back and forth. Shaw continues with a shoulder block but gets one back from Athena followed by a baseball slide dropkick before attempting a dive to the outside, as Shaw is there to catch her and drive her onto the apron. They start brawling on the outside before Shaw takes Athena back inside. Athena takes control, driving Shaw into the ring post as she goes spilling right back outside again. Shaw gets in the ring just before the 10 count, but Athena is there to meet her with stomps before she starts choking her out on the ropes. Athena starts toying with her and taunting the crowd, but Shaw powers out of a cravat. A bit of back-and-forth here as Athena starts getting angry and more vicious in her attacks. Shaw stops her momentum with a Liger Bomb, as bomb women are now laid out from that. Shaw continues with a spine-buster before they trade suplexes and a power slam from Athena for two. Athena blocks a springboard cutter attempt followed by a springboard crossbody, before Shaw catches Athena right into a Michinoku Driver for two. They fight in the corner where Athena pulls Shaw into a Canadian backbreaker/powerbomb, but Shaw still kicks out at two, as Athena looks visually frustrated. Athena puts on the crossface, but Shaw reverses it into one of her own. Athena reverses this into a kneebar, and Shaw turns into a Sharpshooter. Right back into a crossface from Athena, who escapes and hits a Spear getting one. Flatliner, as Athena kicks out at one again but Shaw this time connects with the springboard cutter. Athena falls to avoid the Denoument, so Shaw decides to go to the corner just to get tripped up into it face-first. They fight on the top rope, but Athena pushes Shaw off and hits the O-Face to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Athena by pinfall at 23:52, to retain
AEW International Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Josh Alexander
Josh Alexander is out in pink-and-black, and still in babyface mode disregarding his new change of character in TNA. Don Callis escorts Konosuke Takeshita out, before rejoining the commentary table. The only other time these two have faced was in 2022 for Garden State Pro Wrestling where they went to a 20-minute draw. They take it to the mat right away, with wrist control as Callis says that Takeshita could have beaten any Canadian wrestler in the past. They start trading shoulder blocks with Alexander coming out on top. They then go into chops, as Alexander is still in control and tries an ankle lock, just to turn it into a Sharpshooter. Takeshita grabs the bottom rope to break it up and sends Alexander to the outside after hitting him with a DDT on the apron. Takeshita uses dirty tactics outside and back inside, before hitting a top rope senton for a two. Mauro shows his knowledge listing all the former International Champions as Takeshita holds Alexander down with a chin lock, just for Alexander to escape and hit a backbody drop and go right back into the ankle lock. Takeshita gets flipped out to the outside and sent to the floor with a crossbody from Alexander. Takeshita sends Alexander back outside with headscissors and meets him there with a tope con hilo. Back inside, they head to the top rope where Takeshita hits a superplex for two, and goes right back up to hit a Frog Splash, but Alexander gets his knees up. Alexander misses a top rope moonsault followed by a running knee as both men are now laid out. Alexander with a backbreaker and right back into the ankle lock, but Takeshita escapes and hits a poison rana. Alexander gets the straps down and starts hitting a flurry of German Suplexes, just for Takeshita to do it back and show the world that’s the one who wrote the thesis on the move. They move from the ring to the apron to the ramp continuing the suplexes until Takeshita hits a brainbuster on the ramp. They both get in the ring before ten, to a ‘fight forever’ chant from the crowd. Blue Thunder Bomb from Takesthia for two, as Alexander comes back with an Airplane Spin Bomb. Takeshita escapes a C4 Spike and knocks Alexander down with a big forearm, followed by two more. Takeshita powers out of an ankle lock with a German Suplex and reverses a C4 Spike to hit one of his own. They go back and forth with attempted Tombstones before Alexander hits it followed by the C4 Spike, as Mauro states no one has kicked out of it, and that continues as Takeshita breaks it up with his foot on the rope. Alexander goes back to the Ankle Lock, before sending Takeshita crashing into the corner with a German Suplex. Callis gets stressed on commentary, as they head to the top rope where Takeshita hits an avalanche lariat, followed by the power drive knee for two. Alexander tosses his headgear into Takeshita, just for him to hit another knee strike followed by the Raging Fire to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita by pinfall at 29:31, to retain
Ricochet Arrives At Maple Leaf
Don Callis joins Takeshita in the ring and says it’s been a great couple of weeks for them as not only did they just beat Josh Alexander and Mike Bailey, but they came to Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling to do it. Callis continues about Takeshita beating both Will Ospreay & Ricochet and that nobody can beat the Alpha, and tells anyone to step to the plate. Takeshita & Callis start stomping out Alexander in the corner, as Ricochet makes a surprise appearance and runs out taking Takeshita to the outside where he meets him with a Fosbury Flop. Mauro with the call for him; ‘From WWE, to AEW, and now MLP’, as Alexander shakes hands with Ricochet to end the show.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Mauro Ranallo continued to shine tonight, and his infinite knowledge of all things wrestling and beyond elevated not only the matches but the talent in each match as he deeply dived into their past matches and feuds, and didn’t shy from discussing certain moments in WWE & NXT that he was right there at the commentary table for. This show was more or less just as good as night one, but they did a great job of carrying certain stories from one night to the other, while also planting seeds for future events as well as helping AEW tell their story between Takeshita & Ricochet. The minor production flaws weren’t as prevalent, but noticeable to someone like me attentively taking notes where they tee-up going to certain segments, that never end up seeing the light of day on the broadcast. Despite that, MLP did a great job with this two-day event and some top-tier matches and talent should create enough buzz to check out their next event whether it be in your town or on Triller. The question is how frequently will they have events, but the two-night formula works for them as Scott D’Amore has already proved with the first attempt that he’s flawless at tying both shows together, which might not be as effective if they just end up doing it as just one show every other month.
