Hammerstone vs. Davey Richards World title match set for MLW SuperFight

Davey Richards is getting a shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.

It was announced via Sports Illustrated today that MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone will defend his title against Richards at MLW’s SuperFight tapings on Saturday, February 26. The tapings are being held at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Richards was the winner of MLW’s 2021 Opera Cup tournament. He defeated TJP in the finals.

Hammerstone became MLW World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Jacob Fatu in a title vs. title match at Fightland last October. Hammerstone was MLW National Openweight Champion going into the match but voluntarily relinquished that title after defeating Fatu.

It was announced last month that Hammerstone and Richards have both signed new multi-year deals with MLW.

Richards made his debut for MLW in July 2021. Prior to last year, he hadn’t wrestled since 2017.

“This is a story people will invest in,” Hammerstone told Sports Illustrated. “Davey is a veteran with more experience than almost everyone on our roster. He’s now my new measuring stick, a test that’s providing a new challenge for me as heavyweight champion.

“We’re presenting a new era in MLW. Davey’s rise here has been meteoric, but I’m the top of the mountain. Both of us are at the top of our game, and both of us are going to deliver.”

“An opportunity like this is why I chose to come back [to pro wrestling],” Richards said. “I did not come back to make friends. I came to make history.

“I came back to end things my way — and my way is being the best wrestler in the world. That will be signified by winning the MLW World title.”

Before SuperFight, Hammerstone will defend his title against Pagano in a falls count anywhere match at MLW’s Blood & Thunder tapings in Dallas, Texas this Friday.