MLW Fusion results: 5150 vs. EJ Nduka & Calvin Tankman Tag Team title match

Joe Dombrowski and Rich Bocchini welcomed us to Charlotte, North Carolina, and ran down the card which featured a Tag Team title match, a debut and Microman.

Microman, Octagon Jr. and Puma King defeated Arez (w/Dax), Gino Medina and Mini Abismo Negro

Microman is only three feet tall, but may as well have been seven feet with how over he was with the MLW crowd. He entered to Jesus Christ Superstar (Superstar Billy Graham’s theme) which was a perfect fit for someone who was an immediate favorite with the crowd.

Of course, Octagon and Puma King had their usual excellent high-flying repertoire on full display, but it was Microman who stole the show and the hearts of the Charlotte crowd. Top rope hurricanranas, bottom rope Vader bombs and his eventual match-winning tilt-a-whirl victory roll had his adoring fans eating out of his hands.

He was, however, on the receiving end of multiple beatdowns, often three-on-one, but he always courageously and craftily found an escape to make a fool of the clumsy heels.

Mister Saint Laurent (MSL) introduced Microman before the match and joined the commentary team to continue the praise and hype of MLW’s newest hot acquisition. In the weeks leading up to the unveiling of MSL’s surprise talent, he was in skits with Cesar Duran so it was a nice surprise to see his man be a babyface.

Speaking of MSL, he mentioned the Wrestling Observer (which was nice) but Bocchini retorted and said he only spoke to Wrestling Inc. and not The Observer (which wasn’t so nice).

All six men deserve praise as this was an entertaining trios match that was given enough time for everyone to shine and show what they could do. Arez is a great character and uses his “King of Strange Style” repertoire to his advantage to stand out from the crowd. Octagon Jr. is something special with great balance and aerial skills. 

Puma King and Abismo Negro were great solid additions and added a lot to the match with Medina continuing to improve and impress and will only get better. But the match, the night, and the full WrestleMania weekend belongs to Microman who got the win after the aforementioned tilt-a-whirl victory roll.

– Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas hyped themselves up as they listed off all the challengers and opponents they have beaten recently. 

– The Von Erichs and the Morton family (Ricky and his son, Kerry) must have been hanging out all week as they were still together walking the streets of Charlotte. The Von Erichs still have their sights set on 5150, the MLW tag titles, and getting revenge for Marshall’s injured knee.

– Emilio Sparks tried to get a sneak peek into EJ Nduka’s locker room ahead of his tag title challenge with a mystery partner, but “The Judge” quickly chased him off and closed the door.

Ikuro Kwon defeated “Cash Flow” Ken Broadway

Broadway made his MLW debut and has a Floyd Mayweather-type gimmick, complete with sunglasses, a lavish entrance robe and stacks of cash he was throwing around ringside.

Broadway hit a running sitout powerslam but missed a moonsault when he tried to “Make it Rain” with the money he brought with him to the ring. Kwon took full advantage and hit a kick to the back of the head and then a killer looking chancery neckbreaker which was devastating enough to put Broadway away.

After the match, Kwon was interviewed and told us all that Jacob Fatu turned his back on CONTRA and said he wasn’t the “Samoan Werewolf” but the “Samoan Pussy.” This struck a chord with Fatu as he ran out and jumped Kwon but as they brawled to the back, Mads Krugger was there waiting to make it 2-on-1 in a cleverly worked plan.

Kwon needed the win here as he has been used as an assailant in the Krugger vs. Fatu feud of late. Hopefully, this keeps him in middleweight division contention.

– Duran was in his office on his retro red landline telephone and still talking about this investigation into his recent actions with MLW World Champion Hammerstone. Fresh off walking the streets with the Mortons, the Von Erichs stormed in and demanded a shot at 5150’s tag titles. Duran didn’t take kindly to their abrupt request and instead booked them vs. the Mortons for next week.

– Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout then entered Duran’s office complaining about Hammerstone’s attack last week. Holliday demanded Duran get his house in order or he will, teasing tension between the new power couple and MLW’s matchmaker.

– An all-access interview with Hammerstone was next. He talked about being uprooted and nearly being signed by WWE after successfully going through a tryout only for them to turn around and turn him down because “they signed too many people this time.” We then saw his MLW debut and highlights from his Openweight title run as he said how much he loves working for MLW and all they have done to help support him.

– Duran met with Arez backstage in a janitor’s closet and promised him a reward if he was willing to make a sacrifice. Duran passed him a pouch filled with gold coins to the delight of both the “King of Strange Style” and the intrigue of the viewers.

EJ Nduka and Calvin Tankman defeated 5150 (Rivera & Slice Boogie w/Julius Smokes) to win the MLW Tag Team titles

Rivera got some good heat with the Charlotte crowd by calling them inbred trailer trash rejects before Boogie added insult by calling them hillbillies. He went over the line by saying South Carolina has superior barbeque.

Tankman was Nduka’s surprise partner, but let “The Judge” take center stage early on as he fought off both tag champs. Nduka was shining bright against Rivera before Tankman came in and squashed him in the corner.

Boogie helped his team get back on track with an eye rake and a reverse DDT from the top rope. A street sweeper and a Vader bomb twisting elbow drop followed as the tag champs were in firm control of Tankman.

Rivera got too cocky and walked into a pop-up reverse elbow from Tankman which switched the momentum of the match and ultimately the run of 5150 as tag champs. 

Nduka got the hot tag and ran wild on the champions. Rivera got desperate and accidentally hit Boogie with a huge dive to the floor. He then tried a double springboard into the ring, but Nduka caught him in mid-air and hit him with his running power slam. Tankman then hit a running shooting star press to pick up the win and win the MLW tag titles. The era of “Power and Hustle” has arrived in MLW.

Next week:

The Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross) vs. The Mortons (Ricky and Kerry)