MLW Underground results & video: Kojima vs. Awesome title match

By Iain Oliver
Published: 27 Sep 2020, 12:30

The Big Takeaways:

Drama unfolded as the MLW World Heavyweight Title was on the line between Satoshi Kojima and Mike Awesome, but it was Steve Corino who left with the gold.
Jerry Lynn defeated Kid Romeo to get his first-ever win in MLW.

Show Review:

Joey Styles welcomed us to the show, but was interrupted as Jerry Lynn was making his way to the ring for the opening match of the night.

Jerry Lynn (w/Christopher Daniels) defeated Kid Romeo (4:43 televised)

Daniels took the mic and told everyone that Lynn had seen the light and followed the gospel of Daniels. He called him “The Evil F’n Show” and Lynn himself started bad mouthing the crowd, who retaliated with an “RVD” chant. He listed all the family affairs he missed throughout his career and complained that Paul London was missing this scheduled match because his father was in the hospital. Kid Romeo (the former WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion) then answered Lynn’s open challenge.

Lynn jumped Romeo before the bell, but Romeo knocked him to the outside with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors as we went to a break. Romeo fought back after the break, hit an enzuigiri, and then fired up with a bulldog that got a close two count. Lynn hit a fireman’s carry into a stunner, but Romeo kicked out.

Lynn went for his cradle piledriver, but Romeo reversed it into a backdrop slam. However, Daniels had the referee distracted. Romeo knocked Daniels off the apron, but turned into the cradle piledriver to give Lynn his first MLW win.

**********

– Homicide issued an open challenge at the next set of tapings, “Rise of the Renegades”.

– The Extreme Horsemen were then cutting a promo when Mike Awesome walked in front of the camera as Simon Diamond was talking. Corino followed Awesome and started bigging him up before his MLW World title match, saying he should be the no. 1 contender. Corino asked for a shot at the title if Awesome won. He agreed and they shook on it with the stipulation that Corino can get his shot any time, any place.

– Raven was only a few seconds into his promo when CM Punk interrupted and said they will meet again soon. Raven warned him he will fall to the Raven Effect sooner rather than later.

– The Samoan Island Tribe said they were getting fitter and that Los Maximos messed with the wrong team too many times. Samu finished with his favorite sign off: “Teabag!”

– The heavyweight title rankings were back this week. Lynn remained at no. 10, London dropped a place and switched with Michael Shane to take the 9th spot, Shane was no. 8, CM Punk debuted in the top ten at no. 7. No. 6 was La Parka (dropping from 4 last week), no. 5 was Raven (no change), no. 4 was Sabu (who swapped positions with La Parka again), no. 3 was Terry Funk (who swapped places with Steve Corino (no. 2), and no. 1 was still Mike Awesome.

– The Extreme Horsemen then had another shot at cutting their backstage promo, but once again they were interrupted as Corino took a Japanese speaking crew member and dragged him to Kojima’s locker room. Corino talked up Kojima the same way he did Awesome and got himself a no. 1 contender’s shot if Kojima won. Regardless of whoever wins tonight’s main event, Corino has a guaranteed shot against them for the title.

Mike Awesome defeated Satoshi Kojima to become to new MLW World Heavyweight Champion (9:55 televised)

Kojima was having none of Awesome’s disrespect as he gave as good as he got in the opening moments. Awesome shoved him, Kojima shoved back. Awesome chopped the champ, Kojima retaliated. Kojima knocked Awesome to the floor and landed on him with a big pescado. Awesome was then backdropped into the first row of fans, but responded by whipping the champion into the guardrail.

After a short break, we were back in the ring where Awesome squashed Kojima in the corner with a steel chair. Awesome tried again, but Kojima got his feet up and smacked Awesome across the back a few times with the chair. Kojima hit his big elbow off the top rope for a two count.

They exchanged chops before Kojima hit a German suplex and a neckbreaker. Kojima looked in control and was warming up for his lariatooo, but Awesome whacked him with a big lariat of his own, followed by a big sit out Awesome Bomb and a massive splash off the top rope for a two count.

Kojima then caught Awesome on the top rope and hit a superplex. A shining wizard followed, but Awesome kicked out. Kojima tried another lariatooo, but Awesome reversed into a running Awesome-Bomb for another two count. Awesome set up a table, but knocked the referee down when he tried to power bomb Kojima. Kojima hit a Koji-cutter and a lariatooo and had a visual three-count but the referee was still down.

Kojima went for another lariatooo but Awesome hit a spear and then power bombed him through the table just in time for the referee to crawl over and count the three, giving Awesome the World title.

As Awesome was celebrating his win, he was confronted by Corino who congratulated him but reminded him that he was the no. 1 contender and Awesome had promised him a shot any time before cheapshotting him as the bell rang for the unscheduled match.

Steve Corino defeated Mike Awesome to become the new MLW World Heavyweight Champion (5:17 televised)

Corino hammered the new champion with right hands inside and outside the ring. He hit Awesome in the back and head with a chair before setting up a table at ringside, but ended up being whipped over the guardrail and into the crowd.

Back from a break, Awesome came off the top rope with a steel chair to the head but Corino kicked out at two. Awesome hit a German suplex before he went to the outside and brought in another table. The table was set up in the corner, but Corino wriggled out of a running Awesome Bomb and hit a low blow. Awesome ducked a superkick and finally hit his running Awesome Bomb through the table.

As Awesome tried to set up power bombing Corino out of the ring and through the table at ringside, Simon Diamond and CW Anderson ran in and distracted him just long enough to eat a superkick from Corino which was enough to keep him down for three and give the title to Corino.

With Diamond and Anderson being tag team champions, the Extreme Horsemen now owned all the gold in MLW. Corino took the mic after the match and said that tonight marked the start of the “Rise of the Renegades”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5quc7Qm6Of4