MLW Fusion Alpha results: Jacob Fatu vs. Matt Cross

With MLW Fightland debuting Thursday on Vice TV, this week’s edition of Fusion: Alpha acted as a preview as Matt Cross challenged Jacob Fatu for the MLW World title in a match that could change the Fightland main event.

Injustice members Jordan Oliver and Middleweight champion Myron Reed take on the 5150 team of Danny Rivera and Slice Boogie in their MLW debut. Plus, Willow Nightingale will take on Ashley Vox in the first women’s featherweight division match.

The show opened with a clip from earlier in the day with National Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone getting refused entry into the building by security ahead of his title vs. title showdown with Fatu. The match was made no disqualification and the bout was heavily hyped throughout the night.

5150 (Danny Rivera and Slice Boogie) (w/ Konnan and Dr. Julius Smokes) defeated Injustice (MLW Middleweight champion Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver)

This feud kicked off at Battle Riot III when Injustice interrupted Cesar Duran’s debut, only to be interrupted by the newest and latest debuting faction in the 5150. Since then, it has been a war of words between these confident stables with this match having major implications for the next contenders to Los Parks’ MLW Tag Team titles.

5150 took control early after Smokes got involved with a helping hand from the outside. Boogie then powered Oliver down with a big uranage while Rivera launched himself across the ring and took Reed off the apron with a dropkick.

Injustice had a glimmer of hope when Oliver was fingertips away from tagging in Reed. That was until Smokes again got involved and pulled Reed off the apron denying the tag. Moments later, Reed was tagged in and was a house of fire with kicks, leg drops, feints and nip-ups.

Reed’s springboard inside-out cutter got blocked with an uppercut from Rivera. Boogie then took him out with a spear on the apron. Inside, Oliver also had a springboard cutter blocked and when he got pushed to the ropes, it was Smokes again getting involved, hitting Oliver with a loaded sock which allowed Rivera to roll him up to pick up the win.

After the match, Injustice were spray painted and Reed had his chest protector stolen. Reed defends his Middleweight title at Fightland against Arez, Aramis and the debuting Tajiri.

— Alicia Atout interviewed current Shimmer Tag Team champions The Sea Stars, Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo. Ashley referred to Delmi as “dummy” a few times which teased a bit of tension between the sisters before Willow Nightingale and Brittany Blake interrupted. Nightingale acted friendly towards the pair while Blake was quite the contrary.

— Hammerstone interrupted a CONTRA Unit propaganda video by jumping Daivari, but was saved moments later by Mads Krugger as Hammerstone attempted to get his hands on Fatu. Krugger and Hammerstone continued to brawl throughout the rest of the show.  

Willow Nightingale defeated Ashley Vox

This was a babyface match, but also played into the size and power advantage Nightingale had over Vox, who was announced as the smallest competitor in the new division. I am really looking forward to seeing more of both as this was an excellent kickstart to the division.

Nightingale’s advantages played true in the opening moments of the match and her speed was also hyped up as she snapped on a bridging suplex. Vox momentarily escaped, but was locked into an armbar.

Vox escaped and rallied with a springboard headscissors takeover and a big suicide dive to the floor. Back inside, Vox won a chop battle and had the upper hand until Nightingale countered an Irish whip with a cartwheel and connected with a smooth superkick.

Nightingale pulled out more power moves toward the end as Vox barely kicked out after a spinebuster. A somersault senton in the corner looked to have the match won for Nightingale but she instead went to the top rope and missed a moonsault.

Vox used that swing in momentum to her advantage with a big clothesline, but Nightingale just kept coming back. After a kick to the head, Vox picked up the win with a perfectly executed sit-out powerbomb.

— Alicia Atout interviewed Davey Richards about his win against TJP two weeks ago, but he was interrupted by the man himself. After some choice words between the two, TJP landed a cheap shot slap before the officials kept them apart.  

— 5150 were backstage. Smokes revealed a rock inside his loaded sock and Rivera told us they were there to take over. There was no mention of Los Parks or the tag titles but that seems to be the direction they are going.

MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu (w/ Josef Samael) defeated Matt Cross to retain

Similar to the women’s match, they played the size and power vs. speed and agility story here. Cross hit a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and a suicide dive early on which had the champion knocked off his feet. Cross hit a very clever elbow drop on the outside using the ring post to hold him in position.

Fatu seemed more uncaged than usual, going face-to-face with fans at ringside and taking some risks he normally wouldn’t, but he took back control from Cross’ early flourish when he dodged Cross coming off the top rope and rammed him with a dropkick.

Fatu brought out his trademark repertoire including a spinning uranage, a Samoan drop, superkicks, and his ever impressive handspring moonsault. Cross fought back and hit a springboard forearm and a standing moonsault of his own for a two count.

Cross successfully got Fatu onto his shoulders and made the most of Fatu missing a corner splash and connecting head first with the ring post. Cross, channelling his inner Rey Fenix, hit Fatu with a top rope double foot stomp to the back and in the same motion, he hit the ropes and dove to the outside taking out Samael who had kept interfering.

The Philadelphia fans lapped up the great action, but Cross’ admiration was short-lived as he looked up to see the Samoan bulldozer flying over the top rope with a Fosbury Flop that crushed the challenger and stopped any momentum he was building.

Back inside, Cross blocked a Samoan drop and dropped Fatu on the top of his head with a springboard cutter. He then went up top but landed on his feet after Fatu moved from a shooting star press attempt. However, he turned around straight into a massive clothesline from Fatu followed by the double jump moonsault to put him away.

Cross was taken out in a body bag by the Sentai Death Squad members as Fatu celebrated in the ring. Backstage, we saw Samael direct the SDS to a car to take Cross away. However, when they popped the trunk, Hammerstone emerged, saved Cross and continued his CONTRA assault by taking out Samael and the SDS.

MLW Fightland Thursday on Vice TV:

• World Champion Jacob Fatu vs. National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone in a title vs. title match
• Middleweight Champion Myron Reed vs. Aramis, Arez and Tajiri in a four-way title match