MLW Underground results & video: Norman Smiley vs. Kenzo Suzuki

The Big Takeaways:

Kenzo Suzuki made his MLW debut a victorious one as he defeated Norman Smiley while Los Maximos finally got their win over the Samoan Island Tribe in tag team action.

Show Recap:

– We opened with a video recap of last week’s main event between Raven and CM Punk that featured Michael Shane interfering and Norman Smiley running in to make the save.

– Backstage, Los Maximos laid a trap and lured a barefoot Samoan Island Tribe out of their locker room and right on to thumbtacks all over the floor. They then attacked them with chairs and ran toward the ring for our first match with the Samoans in close pursuit.

Los Maximos defeated Samoan Island Tribe (5:20)

Los Maximos had a quick start and nearly had the match won with a moonsault off the top, but the bigger Mana kicked out. The SIT gathered themselves on the outside and regrouped by headbutting each other, eventually restoring order and control by using their size. Mana hit a Bossman Slam inside the ring while Samu battered Joel around ringside including a groin-first atomic drop into the ringpost.

Samu took Joel backstage and laid in some vicious chops and headbutts that sent him flying out of the building’s exit door. However, in a clever turn, Joel quickly got to his feet, ran up the steps, and locked Samu out of the building. He eventually ran in to save Jose with chair shots and a big chair-assisted kick to the face. The Maximos picked up the win after a double roll-up on Mana.

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– Backstage, CM Punk explained how Raven has changed over the past year and maybe it was because he had been making “six figures” recently. He questioned if it was time Raven walked on Punk’s side, and maybe it was about time Raven found out “that straight edge means that I am better than you.”

– Tag Team Champions CW Anderson and Simon Diamond confirmed they would face Dr. Death Steve Williams and Sandman anytime and anywhere, but on one condition: they must beat them in singles matches first.

– Jerry Lynn and Christopher Daniels were backstage celebrating their recent victory over Kid Romero when Mikey Whipwreck and the Sinister Minister James Mitchell entered. They congratulated Lynn on being the best technical wrestler in history. Mitchell then massaged Daniels’ ego by saying he has been impressed how “The Fallen One” has brought out the dark side of Lynn and he would like “The Army of Darkness” to work together sometime.

– Joey Styles then brought in Homicide who said he is taking MLW to the extreme and at the next tapings, someone is going to get dropped on their head and warned everyone to be afraid of the Cop Killa.

– Raven cut a promo to Punk. He said he couldn’t believe he let Punk and Michael Shane drop toehold him on to a chair and said some people think he isn’t the real Raven anymore. He told both men he picked a partner who is timid and afraid so he will need to be twice the man he ever was to beat them.

– Kenzo Suzuki had some subtitled words for Norman Smiley. He said a warrior doesn’t wiggle and that he will destroy him and he will wiggle “no more times!”

– Steve Corino and the Extreme Horsemen were celebrating in the locker room. Corino cut a promo on the roster as he tried to shake the champagne from his eyes that Diamond poured on him. Diamond said they did what they said they would do: win the gold and show why they were the best.

– The heavyweight title rankings were back this week. Shane was back on the list at #10, Homicide remained at #9, Lynn jumped up two places to #8, Masato Tanaka dropped two places to #7, Raven stayed at #6, Punk was up two spots to #5, Satoshi Kojima (#4) and Sabu (#3) switched places from last week, and the joint #1 contenders remained Terry Funk and Mike Awesome.

– Awesome had a message for the Extreme Horsemen: he was pissed off and that they had awoken a giant. At Taboo in Orlando at the next tapings, Awesome is coming for Corino and the title.

– Los Maximos said the fans have new highlights to watch now that they have beaten the Samoan Island Tribe. They announced they have signed an open contract to take on any team from around the world at the next tapings. 

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Kenzo Suzuki defeated Norman Smiley (8:32 televised)

Suzuki acted like he couldn’t be bothered as he sauntered to the ring and slowly derobed. Smiley, on the other hand, was a ball of energy and had the crowd on their feet as they circled and sized each other up.

Suzuki knocked down Smiley early with a hard clothesline and a shoulderblock as the Japanese star showed off his superior size difference as we went to a commercial break.

Post break, Smiley took Suzuki down with a snapmare before giving the fans, and Suzuki, a little wiggle. Suzuki got the better of a chop battle before whipping him all the way over the turnbuckle to the outside. More chops followed on the outside before Smiley blocked a whip to the guardrail by stumbling and sitting himself on a ringside seat. In reality, the whip from Suzuki was a little lackluster and Smiley knew it.

Earlier in the bout, you could hear Smiley shout “come on” at Suzuki to get him to his feet. Maybe Suzuki’s gimmick was, in fact, a little insight into his attitude at the time.

Back inside the ring, Smiley tried to clamp on an ankle lock but Suzuki powered out, and moments later, he had Smiley in a Boston crab. Smiley fought to his feet and landed a few clotheslines to get the bigger man down. A spinning body slam followed before he draped Suzuki along the middle rope to give him the big wiggle.

However, it was not to be as Suzuki ran Smiley over with a big spear and folded him up with a belly to back suplex. A shining wizard followed, giving Suzuki the win.

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This week’s episode ended with a video package hyping up the next tapings with World Champion Corino vs. Awesome as the main focus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlpV3yT2uqE