MLW Fusion results: Timothy Thatcher vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
Big Takeaways —
- Brian Pillman Jr. overcame a separated shoulder to beat Timothy Thatcher in the Opera Cup to set up a final with Davey Boy Smith Jr. next week.
- Gino Medina stabbed Konnan in the back and joined The Dynasty.
- The Von Erichs made short work of Kenn Doane & Mike Mondo before being blindsided by Tom Lawlor and some nunchucks.
The episode is available to watch below:
Full Recap —
– Alicia Atout opened the show outside of the arena as she recapped some breaking news from earlier in the day. Brian Pillman Jr. was attacked by Injustice (Kotto Brazil, Jordan Oliver & Myron Reed) as he entered the building.
The beatdown was brutal as they smashed Pillman’s arm and put the boots to him. Atout told us Pillman had separated his shoulder and his spot in the Opera Cup semifinals against Timothy Thatcher was up in the air.
MLW Tag Team Champions Marshall & Ross Von Erich defeated The Filthy Squad (Kenn Doane & Mike Mondo) to retain their titles (2:20)
We saw a recap video from last week’s beatdown by Lawlor, Doane, and Mondo as Lawlor joined AJ Kirsch and Rich Bocchini on commentary. The Filthy Squad had karate gis that Lawlor had given them last week, making them officially members of Team Filthy. The Von Erich’s had their own in-set promo calling their opponents the jabroni Cobra Kai squad.
The Von Erichs jumped the Spirit — I mean Filthy — Squad before the bell, but Mondo quickly tripped Marshall’s ankle and the Squad beat him down in the opening moments of the match. Ross got a hot tag and ran wild, then seconds later tagged his brother back in for a Claw-assisted back suplex for the Von Erichs to pick up the quick win.
As the Von Erichs were celebrating, “Rip Von Erich” (Lawlor’s opponent from last week) unsuccessfully hit the ring and was quickly disposed of by the real Von Erich kin.
– Atout tried to interview the victorious Von Erich brothers backstage, but they were blindsided and jumped by Lawlor and his nunchucks.
– We then heard from Injustice after their attack on Pillman Jr. earlier in the day. They said they didn’t care about MLW’s rules or being charged for attacking Pillman. They said Pillman is out of the match so they should be the replacements and “You gotta lose money to make money.”
– Mance Warner then had a message for Jimmy Havoc via a video package of their bloody and weapon filled feud so far. They will meet in a no ropes barbed wire match in Texas.
– Atout then caught up with Pillman Jr. for an update on his injury. Pillman said he was cleared for his match tonight and he told Injustice that he is coming after them after he is done with the Opera Cup. Pillman also said he is going to kick Thatcher’s ass despite having a separated shoulder.
– CONTRA Unit’s propaganda video this week had Josef Samael preaching about violence and CONTRA’s strength. Jacob Fatu called out the Von Erichs, saying they want their gold and CONTRA will burn Davey Boy Smith Jr.’s legacy to the ground.
– Konnan then came to the ring and called out Gino Medina, who he called the next big thing in MLW. Medina talked about his dad and Los Gringos Locos — a group that Konnan was part of. Medina discussed what his dad told him about Konnan, and he accused Konnan of trying to use him as he was “untouchable.”
Konnan told Medina that he was trying to help him and that Salina de la Renta was the one using him. He said he didn’t know what was going down between them, who was going down…if she was going down.
Of course, this brought out de la Renta. She mocked Konnan for talking about her sex life “because he didn’t have one.” Konnan told Medina that he has shown him what she did with Low Ki, the paperwork with the Lucha Bros, and questioned why Medina would sign with her.
The Dynasty then came out. MJF told Medina that there is a reason he is the only member of the roster with two “Elite” contracts, and the crowd tried to rile him up with a “Cody” chant.
Richard Holliday asked the New York consumers to settle down and told Medina that when they are here everyone is breathing rarefied air. Alexander Hammerstone belittled Konnan and de la Renta and told Medina to side with the Dynasty.
So Medina had four choices: sign with Konnan, sign with de la Renta and Promociones Dorado, join The Dynasty, or reject them all. With a flirty smile, de la Renta tried to coax him out of the ring. Konnan tried for a handshake and Medina accepted…only to kick him in the gut and join The Dynasty in beating Konnan down.
The now four members of The Dynasty fist-bumped and posed for the crowd.
Brian Pillman Jr. defeated Timothy Thatcher in an Opera Cup semifinal match (8:11)
We had recaps of the quarterfinal victories for both Pillman and Thatcher before the injured and taped up — but still energetic — Pillman entered the arena.
Despite his injury, Pillman flew out the blocks with a dropkick and a flurry of strikes, but Thatcher gave him a stiff arm wringer that stopped him in his tracks. Thatcher focused on the injured arm with an attempted cross armbreaker but transitioned into a bow-and-arrow stretch. Thatcher then locked in a seated Fujiwara armbar, but Pillman didn’t give up.
Pillman eventually escaped Thatcher’s grasp, put everything behind his strikes, and knocked him down with a flying forearm and then a powerslam. Pillman went for his swinging neckbreaker finisher. Thatcher pushed him off, but Pillman turned that into a crossbody off the top rope.
Thatcher reversed Pillman’s finisher again into a double underhook suplex and then locked in a deep chinlock. Pillman suplexed out of it and hit Thatcher with a knee to the face. He then went for his finisher again. Thatcher dropped down into a Fujiwara armbar, but Pillman rolled around and rolled up Thatcher for the win.
Next Week —
- Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Brian Pillman Jr. in the Opera Cup finals
- Gino Medina vs. Savio Vega in a New York City street fight