MLW Fusion results: Sami Callihan vs. Mance Warner

By Iain Oliver
Published: 21 Apr 2019, 07:33

Quick recap:

Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr.) defeated Air Wolf and Rey Horus
Josef Samael defeated Ace Romero
Gringo Loco defeated Pum King
Mance Warner defeated Sami Callihan by disqualification

Full review:

Rich Bocchini and Jim Cornette welcome us to this week’s MLW Fusion taped over WrestleMania weekend in New York City.

Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr.) defeated Air Wolf and Rey Horus (7:41)

This was action all over the place as you would expect with these four. Amazingly, the only in-ring to outside dive came as the bell rang for the pinfall. Air Wolf held his own and they gave Horus quite a lot of offense, and it seemed to hint at a future singles match between he and one of the Lucha Bros.

Chain wrestling started us off but Horus soon hit a big crossbody then a round the world headscissors takedown on Pentagon Jr. A Horus and Wolf double dive attempt was thwarted by a couple of step up kicks through the ropes. The Lucha Bros. then chopped Horus and Wolf round the ring to the “whooos” from the New York crowd.

Wolf hit Fenix with a 619 and got a nearfall when Pentagon made the save. Penta then hit Wolf with a pump handle driver but Horus broke up the pinfall attempt at the last minute. With Penta hung across the middle rope, Horus baseball slid to the outside and hit an enzugiri knocking him back into the center. He then attempted a springboard crossbody but was stopped with a side kick to the gut. That didn’t stop him for long though as he caught Penta running off the ropes and hit a standing Spanish fly for another two count when Fenix made the springboard basement dropkick save this time.

Fenix came close with another two count when he hit Horus with his spike sit down tombestone (think Rikishi driver from ~2000), called the Fire Thunder Driver by Bocchini. The Lucha Bros were plotting their next attack when Air Wolf tried to springboard sneak attack, only for him to eat a double superkick mid-air for his trouble. Horus then ate one for good measure too. They then hit their double foot stomped spike package piledriver combo for Pentagon to pick up the win over Wolf, just as Fenix launched, amazingly, the only dive to the outside of the whole match as he wiped out Horus.

— Contra Unit recorded a message for MLW officials. They said Chicago was the first lesson, Battle Riot was the second, and asked MLW if they are really ready for another lesson. Jacob Fatu said that the NYPD handcuffs couldn’t hold him and issued a warning to MLW champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor.

— We saw highlights from Salina de la Renta’s news conference. She was asked when LA Park will cash in his title shot but he has not told her yet. She was asked her opinion of both Sami Callihan and Mance Warner but before she could start going into detail, Callihan stormed in and the confrontation was broken up by a security guard.

Josef Samael defeated Ace Romero (3:15)

This was a short but impactful match which continued Contra Unit’s crazed anarchistic tirade throughout MLW.

Romero met Samael on the ramp as he made his entrance. They brawled around the ring before Samael kicked the middle rope into Romero’s groin as he was getting back in. Samael was on Romero’s back with a sleeper when Acey Baby fought to his feet, fell back, and squashed him.

Romero then made his way to the top rope but Samael cut him off and slammed the 400 pounder off the top. Samael then hit a big DDT, loaded up his toe curled boot, and kicked Romero right in the face for the win.

The rest of Contra Unit (Simon Gotch and Jacob Fatu) joined Samael after the match for the 3-on-1 beatdown, but Barrington Hughes came out for the save and went toe-to-toe with Fatu. Eventually the numbers game gave Contra the advantage and Fatu hit a big splash on Hughes as the officials finally fought back control and split them up.

— We caught up with the World champion. He said that for weeks now, Contra Unit have been teaming up on people, and trying to make a name for themselves at their expense. He said they haven’t tried to make themselves famous against him, so what he wants is 1-on-1, 2-on-2, or 3-on-3. He said they will find out soon enough how “filthy” Tom Lawlor can get, and they will find out…as soon as his friends get here.

— We go backstage with Ricky Martinez when he met Sami Callihan and they soon began brawling.

— H2tv was next and we were taping from inside MJF’s car that he had stupidly left his keys in. Davey Both Smith said MJF tried to set Teddy Hart up with the fake car attack a few weeks ago, but he said the cops would definitely be interested to see what is in MJF’s glove box. The announcers let us know that the Hart Foundation have challenged the Dynasty to a tables match.

Gringo Loco defeated Puma King (6:53)

The mach immediately began with arm drags, cartwheels, leg trips, rolls and double kip ups which got the crowd’s approval. Puma hit a flying hurricanrana which knocked Loco to the outside and he followed up with a springboard crossbody. Loco soon fought back and hit a springboard cutter for a close two count.

Loco missed a second rope reverse corkscrew splash and Puma hit a pop-up powerbomb and went to the top rope but Loco got to his feet and crotched him on the top, went up to join him, and hit a Spanish Fly from the top for another close two count.

King hit a suplex from the middle rope, held on for two of the Three Amigos but Loco eventually caught him in his own pop-up powerbomb then quickly rolled him through for a sit-out powerbomb for the win.

— Salina de la Renta then met Mance Warner backstage. She started flirting and offered him him a proposition: If he can take out Sami Callihan, she will get him whatever he wants. Warner wasn’t having any of it and told Salina that his grandaddy, Mad Dog, told him that if you lay down with women like Salina, you end up with fleas. This obviously didn’t go down well with Salina as she took her frustrations out on the cameraman.

— We are with Dynasty: MJF, Richard Holliday and Alexander Hammerstone. MJF took control “as the captain” and said they had not been firing on all cylinders recently and needed to re-group to take down the Hart Foundation. Hammerstone looked disinterested throughout and didn’t seem pleased when MJF called himself the captain. I smell some dissension in the ranks of the Dynasty as it looks like Holliday is caught in the middle of a power struggle.

Mance Warner defeated Sami Callihan by disqualification (10:06)

This was a wid weapon filled brawl that had Jim Cornette laying into Callihan whenever he could throughout the match. This is defintely building to something in the future between the two so keep your eyes on that developing over the next few weeks.

They brawled around the ring, smashing beer cans into each other. Callihan used a steel chair to drive it into Warner’s throat before spitting into the air and catching it back in his mouth which Cornette found delightful. They traded suplex attempts before Callihan got Warner up and over on the concrete floor. He then dropped Warner onto the chair with a hip toss.

Back in the ring, Callihan used a chair on Warner as referee Frank Gastineau called for the bell in an apparent disqualification but it was quickly waved off and Warner returned the chair shot as the match continued.

Callihan put Warner’s head through the chair, tied his arms up in his own suspenders, and began chopping Warner’s back. Warner fought to his feet with his head still stuck in the chair, but Callihan hit a drop toe hold to regain control and managed to flip Cornette the middle finger.

Warner got a little control back as he connected with some headbutts, but Callihan caught him running off the ropes and tombetoned him on top of the seated chair, which amazingly Warner kicked out of.

Callihan brought a table into the ring as we cut to Cornette who was seething at Callihan and willing Warner on to both win the match and put Callihan out of wrestling. Warner eventually speared Callihan through the table but Callihan kicked out at one, hulked up, spat in Warner’s face, ate a clothesline and a running knee, but he kicked out at two.

Warner was about to hit another running knee to finish off Callihan but the referee called for the bell for real this time when Hijo de la Park and Ricky Martinez ran in and attacked Warner.

Callihan saved Warner and pulled Martinez off. They then met momentarily in the center of the ring before disposing of Hijo and Martinez. They shook hands then went outside and brawled with Promociones Dorado as Fusion went off the air.

Next week: The Hart Foundation (Teddy Hart, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr.) battle The Dynasty (MJF, Richard Holliday and Alexander Hammerstone) in a six-man tables match.