MLW Fusion results: Inaugural Women’s Featherweight champion crowned
During last week’s main event, we heard that someone had broken into MLW matchmaker Cesar Duran’s office. This week’s Fusion opened with video evidence of Jacob Fatu and Juicy Finau revealed as the culprits. They mocked Duran while serenading a picture of him with a ukulele before stealing some cash and some of his valuable ornaments.
We then cut to this week’s footage with an irate Duran cleaning up his office and phoning in help to go after the Samoan Swat Team (Fatu, Finau and Lance Anoa’i). AAA Reina de Reinas champion Taya Valkyrie entered the office and they dropped a few old Lucha Underground references while letting the MLW viewers know they are old friends. She doesn’t want her opponent’s stable, Strange Sangre, to get involved in the match but Duran told her “things can get a bit crazy around here.”
Joe Dombrowski and Rich Bocchini welcomed us to the famous 2300 Arena in Philadelphia for the first Fusion episode from this set of tapings. They ran down tonight’s card including the main event for the inaugural MLW World Featherweight Championship, plus a three-way tag team match for the Tag Team titles between champions Calvin Tankman and EJ Nduka, 5150 and The Von Erichs.
Gangrel (w/ Holidead, Dr. Dax, Mini Abismo Negro & Arez) defeated Budd Heavy
The full Strange Sangre gang were at ringside to witness a quick victory for the “red viscous liquid” drinking, sickle-wielding, supposed leader of this cultish occult gang. Gangrel dominated and took Heavy off the top rope with an impressive bulldog before planting him with the Impaler DDT for the quick win.
Strange Sangre got their shots in after the match before we cut to a tease of Richard Holliday making a statement tonight after his impressive pinfall over MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone last week in the trios tag team match.
– We saw a video recap of the increasing tension between Jacob Fatu and Cesar Duran over the past few weeks. This led to the announcement of Weapons of Mass Destruction next week between he and rival Mads Krugger. Later in the night, we were told the rules: win by pinfall, submission or surrender, no time limit, and the ringside area is weaponized and fortified with military-grade equipment, military cases containing mysterious weapons placed in the arena, and anything goes.”
MLW Tag Team Champions Hustle and Power (Calvin Tankman & EJ Nduka) defeated 5150 (Danny “Limelight” Rivera and Hernandez) and The Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross) to retain the titles
Los Maximos (Joel and Jose) joined the international commentary team while “The Interview Queen” Alicia Atout tried to question The Von Erichs and their choice of teaming up with Hammerstone last week in a pre-recorded interview. However, Marshall and Ross didn’t bite and blew her off, showing their concentration for tonight’s tag title match.
This was a Texas Tornado-style action packed three-way tag, filled with spots and mayhem all over the ringside area.
Los Maximos entering the tag division should be imminent as Limelight tossed Tankman across their (non) state-of-the-art commentary table and into their laps.
The Von Erichs and the champions had their face vs. face confrontations which was good to see. Neither took cheap shots or cheated, but both just did their best to find out who is the best team in MLW. But of course, Hernandez and Limelight were always there to break up a pin or jump the faces from behind.
Rivera hit a big no-touch plancha onto everyone at ringside, but was then shown up by his bigger taller partner as Super-Mex Hernandez took to the air to dive onto everyone at ringside, too.
5150 then hit the 456 Headcrack on Ross Von Erich. Ross was on Hernandez’s shoulders while Rivera hit a double foot stomp off the top rope and Hernandez followed with a death valley driver. To add salt to the wound, Rivera rolled through and took out Marshall with a cutter too but all this only got a two count.
Hernandez then teased a Border Toss, but Tankman slipped out and Nduka took Hernandez out with a spear. The Von Erichs then took him out with a double Iron Claw from the apron through a table at ringside.
In the ring, Tankman and Nduka hit a spike Tankman Driver onto Rivera to pick up the win and retain the titles. Los Maximos jumped the champions after the match and they all brawled to the back.
– Six new names were announced for this month’s Battle Riot IV: La Estrella from Dragon Gate, Mads Krugger, Middleweight Champion Myron Reed, Ken Broadway, Warhorse, and Microman.
– Backstage, Reed was visited by Davey Richards who asked him to join his Team Ambition, an invitation that Reed quickly accepted.
– In the parking lot, nZo seemed to be having some car trouble because of Jacob Fatu’s black Cadillac. The nZo vs. Fatu match-up continues to be teased.
– We then caught up with Holliday in Beverly Hills who had a phone call from a supposed agency he had turned down in the past. He ran down his credentials Miz-style, saying he has a book, movie and cologne coming out, is an influencer, future MLW World Champion, the first person to Hammerstone in MLW in three years, and the sole proprietor of The Dynasty.
Taya Valkyrie defeated Holidead (w/ Gangrel and Dr. Dax) to become the inaugural MLW Women’s World Featherweight Champion
Valkyrie took Holidead down early with a sliding German suplex before we went to a commercial break. After the break, Holidead took control after a guillotine leg drop. Business picked up when Holidead dropped Valkyrie face first with Angel’s Wings that Holidead calls Darkness Falls on the outside, following up with a camel clutch inside the ring.
Valkyrie fought back with a crossbody and a running hip attack and a Meteora in the corner.
Holidead fought out of the Road to Valhalla, hit a spinebuster and then a jumping Unprettier for a close near fall for the Strange Sangre member.
Speaking of Strange Sangre, Arez ran out to ringside to offer some instructions to Holidead who went for another Darkness Falls. But, Valkyrie fought out and ended up knocking Arez off the apron.
Valkyrie tied up Holidead’s legs and surfboard stomped her head into the mat before locking in another brief STF with her legs crossbowed to pick up the submission victory and become the inaugural MLW Women’s World featherweight Champion.
******
Next week:
- Mads Krugger vs. Jacob Fatu in a Weapons of Mass Destruction match
- MLW Middleweight Champion Myron Reed defends against Arez and KC Navarro in a three-way