MLW Fusion, anyone watching it?

[El-P]

I've been very critical of MLW in the last 6 months, to the point I was ready to drop it off, but damn that PPV overdelivered. For a company the pretty much was always underwhelming as far as putting on the important matches together, this was the opposite. Only The Von Erich was Dynasty underdelivered to me. The Von Erich guys are just there to me. Take off their name and they are basically two guys. Not bad. Not very good either, nothing special about either and nothing notable really, save for the fact their name is Von Erich. No Aria Blake, so that lacked in Dynasty's presentation. 

Interesting to see Aries & Ki matches back to back, because these two have a long in common, most notably to being professional malcontent and burning bridges left and right. And also, they are damn great pro-wrestlers. Aries got maybe the best single Teddy Hart match I've seen, this was quite good, while Ki worked a very fun short, really stiff match with Pillman, who was sporting his dad's Hollywood Blonde outfit. 

I also enjoyed a lot how you got very different kind of matches. Then followed the 6 men lucha/indy crazy spotfest, and although I couldn't care less about Gringo Loco, the other two made up for him being a souless spot monkey, while Injustice, despite the goofy gimmick, are very good at that stuff too and showcase character. Koto Brazil is such a joy to watch too. And then you get Lawlor vs Tatcher in a shoot-stylish match which I really, really liked a lot. Stiff as hell, looked like a struggle, sweaty and brawly and agressive. Tatcher is awesome and Lawlor works much better in this context than in classic pro-wrestling style. And then yet another completely different style with the ECW Stairway to Hell match. Again, I'm slowly warming up to Havoc because I noticed how he does some little things, like putting the stapled dollar bills on his pocket, which was amusing. Warner is a total vampire worker, bleeds like a freak. And then Bestia looked good too. And then yet another style of match, with DBS Jr. vs Hammerstone, which totally overdelivered as a hoss match. Best I've seen from Hammerstone, who's been really good on vignettes woth Dynasty but still comes off like a Thunder JTTS to me otherwise. DBS Jr. should be somewhere in the major leagues (no pun intended). 

Main event was everything and more. Old-school double bloodletting intertwined with some crazy-ass highspots (including by LA Park, which twisting senton from the top after an inverted jump from the second rope looked impossible, especially for a guy his age and size) and booking fuckery involving both managers. I've gotta say that about Samael, he's got a great look and is a very good promo so this is his best role. And Salina was like the hottest La Catrina ever, and did she contribute, and more than with her expressive acting... Yeah, that main event was exactly what you'd want from these two (Fatu is still green in spots during his control segment, but he's gonna be big, LA Park is just ridiculously good). Salina selling her injury on Twitter is kinda cool too BTW, in a old-school-on-social-media kind of way.

MLW working with AAA is interesting. Now AAA is working with AEW, IMPACT and MLW. Also, a women division is gonna be cool, I wonder who are they gonna use from the indy scene since the talent seem scattered these days.

[Coffey]

I'm about to watch the MLW Fusion episode right now that just premiered five hours ago. The PPV got me hype on the promotion again, so I figured I should return to checking it out. Since I've pretty much abandoned RAW & only watch an hour of NWA Power on Tuesday, my wrestling time is open on non-PPV weeks outside of Wednesday night. So adding in an hour of MLW again won't be too difficult.

I'm a big fan of a lot of their roster. More promotions could use an LA Park style wrestler. AEW, in example, would kill for a stout motherfucker that'll just punch a dude in the mouth. They should probably be using Dustin Rhodes more while they still can. 

[Superstar Sleeze]

Thatcher vs Low-Ki is enough to get me to watch this episode. That has me drooling. 

[Migs]

Finally finished the PPV this morning. Good show, reminded me a lot of the Impact PPVs from the last year in that they built all the matches in at least some way and then paid them off fairly well. Nothing I really loved, but a lot to like. 

Definitely got me a bit more hyped to see where they're going with the TV the next few weeks.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

Very good match between Thatcher/Low Ki. Hart/Reed was also good but that Canadian Destroyer from the top rope was a match finisher and it was treated like your standard transitional move. Also I hope they don't drag out the Hart Foundation program with Contra like they did with The Dynasty. 

[Coffey]

36 minutes ago, Tenese Sarwieh said:

Very good match between Thatcher/Low Ki. 

The finish surprised me. I thought they were just getting ready to hit the next stage of the match & it just ended so abruptly. Low Ki didn't even get in a lot of his normal spots, which feels really reigned in for a Low Ki match. I'm shocked he didn't "get all of his shit in" so to speak. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that is OK with being underneath for that much & it was part of the appeal for me of that match.

I really like Timothy Thatcher. He stands out nowadays because he feels so old school & mat based in a sea of high flyers & big spots. 

[Tenese Sarwieh]

4 hours ago, Coffey said:

The finish surprised me. I thought they were just getting ready to hit the next stage of the match & it just ended so abruptly.

I think they was going for the realistic MMA approach where it could end at any time. I was iffy on Thatcher until he left Evolve went to europe and hooked up with Walter. 

[Cobra Commander]

it's possible that Teddy Hart was just being his usual self, but he really had a case of the "I'm jobbing tonight" face at times during that episode.

[El-P]

23 hours ago, Tenese Sarwieh said:

Very good match between Thatcher/Low Ki. Hart/Reed was also good but that Canadian Destroyer from the top rope was a match finisher and it was treated like your standard transitional move.

Well, expect it wasn't at all. It was the finish. Myron did not kick out, but the ref got dragged outside and then Samael burned Teddy Hart. 

Mr. Velvet always cracks me up. The most laid back cat ever. The match itself was everything you'd want from Teddy vs Reed. As much as I thought the whole Injustice thing has been dumb as a way to put these three together, they really show tons of personality as dickhead heels and can work beyond just do crazy spots. Koto in particular is gold.

Loved Ki vs Thatcher, clearly one of the best MLW match I've seen. Thatcher is a great catch for the company : great worker, great look, his matches are always a pleasure to watch and you can pair him with anyone and he's gonna make it interesting. I'm just waiting for Low-Ki vs Aries, honestly. I love both as workers and there's the "Malcontent dream match" aspect of it that is pretty funny in a meta way.

I don't mind Contra vs Hart Foundation, waiting for Salina to come back for a vengeance. I mean, yeah, the match with the Von Erich probably won't be any good, but I'm all for Fatu vs DBS Jr.

[rovert]

15 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

it's possible that Teddy Hart was just being his usual self, but he really had a case of the "I'm jobbing tonight" face at times during that episode.

This is really opening a can of worms and this is ProWrestlingOnly. But the murky circumstances surrounding the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend several years ago reared their head coming into last weekend. Along with Teddy Hart's association (he lives with Chasyn) with convicted paedophile and major Florida indie wrestling fixture Chasyn Rance. A troubling situation with lots of side elements. MLW has written Teddy out of storylines for now. 

[Superstar Sleeze]

Low-Ki vs Timothy Thatcher - MLW Fusion Episode 83 11/11/19

WOW! Does this one live up to the hype or what?!? I was shocked by the size discrepancy even though I have seen both men live I thought they were about the same size. I guess I thought Thatcher was smaller and Ki was bigger. I looked it up and it was mentioned that Thatcher is 6' 3" I cant believe he is 3 inches taller than me. 

The match is a great throwback to the days where matches were built around body contact and limb control, not stupid running spots. Loved the collar & elbow tieups and loved how they built from the feeling out process into the meat of the match. Thatcher won a Greco-Roman Knucklelock bridging sequence (check out that knee to the head) that earned him control over Ki. Ki tried to fight from the back but Thatcher caught him and turned into a Single Leg Crab. Thatcher pretty much owned Low Ki and was transitioned at will from limb to limb with different jointlocks. He looked great doing it. Often, I think of Low-Ki as a great worker on top, dictating pace and offense. Here he was great underneath selling different body parts and also selling the emotion of being overwhelmed. He sold that he was in a desperate situation. I liked how Ki kept trying to use strike to re-assert himself in the match but to no avail because Thatcher can play that game. So it made the strike exchanges make sense and mean something. I really liked the suplex struggle. Thatcher was channeling Fujiwara with his snarling and heavy breathing. The Tidal Wave was a great desperation Hail Mary from Ki that ended having him rocked by a HUGE Thatcher European Uppercut. Ki sold like a million bucks. Anybody has watched enough Puro and this feels like an Old School UWF or NJPW match knows  more often than not "He who controls the match is he who loses the match". So I fully expected a Ki victory, but they still caught me off guard. Thatcher went for a catapult, a big mistake as Ki jumped on the middle rope and came right back down with a DOUBLE STOMP! I marked out hard for that. What a GENIUS transition! The first time Ki got real offense. I expected that to lead to the finish, but Ki got cocky and started showboating with his strikes leading to a nice throw by Thatcher to get a nearfall. Then Thatcher went for some sort of Suplex, but Ki crawled along his back and got an inverted Triangle Choke that looked gnarly as fuck for the submission. What a cool finish! 

Total Throwback to Original UWF/80s NJPW, in a way early ROH/JAPW with Ki and Danielson. Tons of body contact not a lot of movement. Incredibly compelling, hard work & struggle and tremendous escalation. The Uppercut on the Tidal Wave and the Double Stomp were two stand out spots and the finish was just perfect for their match. Check this out! ****1/4

[SirEdger]

Apparently, Tom Lawlor is done with the company at the end of the year. Still scheduled to make the last tapings of the year though but standstills in the contract negotiations might be the reason why Filthy Tom is leaving.

So...where do you see him end up?

[El-P]

Interesting. I don't see him in WWE at all. IMPACT might grab him. I guess ROH would be interested. AEW, no idea, for some reason, I don't see Tom Lawlor as a super hot free agent. He might also just do indies.

[rovert]

9 hours ago, SirEdger said:

Apparently, Tom Lawlor is done with the company at the end of the year. Still scheduled to make the last tapings of the year though but standstills in the contract negotiations might be the reason why Filthy Tom is leaving.

So...where do you see him end up?

Back to MMA is the most likely scenario. He's very conflicted about everything. He's 36 and with a family. A lot to consider. 

 

[El-P]

They actually made it a big part of the show this week. My guess, Lawlor turns heel on the Von Erichs at Thanksgiving, then King Moe beats his ass out of the territory.

The match with Davey Boy was good, although nowhere close the Thatcher match. That thumb in the eye at the end was brutal, DBS's eye looked pretty bad. 

Enjoying the Garrini/Douglas James team quite a bit. It gives a fresh dynamic. On the other hand, the Von Erichs keep on bringing jack shit to the table save for their name. Compare them with the Young Lions of the LA Dojo, it's stricking, they just look green and mediocre, and it's not like they are any good on promos either. Meanwhile, Richard Holliday and Hammerstone are carrying the Dynasty segments in absence of MJF, they both have improved a lot since they showed up. How long will MJF remain on MLW TV btw ? 

Can't wait for Salina to return with a vengeance...

[rovert]

I can't blame Kevin Von Erich coddling his kids given what happened to him. And Ross and Marshall were born into a lot of wealth - money wise and with this vast patch of land in Hawaii they can live off forever. All that very much forms their work ethic and approach to life. Typical Von Erich spacey-ness too.

Yeah, I saw the Tom Lawlor MLW departure announcement on Twitter I thought it was weird. Then got to last week's MLW episode late. I don't know if people commenting on the story watched the episode as it was clear to me at least it was a prelude to a heel turn. Even Rich Boccini said "what has gotten into Tom?" when the announcers did their on camera after the parking lot video with Tom. A standard Wrestling "tell". 

 

[El-P]

3 hours ago, rovert said:

Typical Von Erich spacey-ness too.

It's a funny way to put it and I'm not sure I even really understand what you mean by that, but at the same time it fits them really well. These people are like.... vague.

Honestly, Lacey Von Erich playing the dumbest dumb blonde ever with the Beautiful People in TNA was more entertaining than anything these two have done thus far.

[Cobra Commander]

considering the stereotypes of the Von Erichs and Hawaii residents, KVE living in Hawaii was a perfect pairing. 

[Log]

I just want to echo @Superstar Sleeze's review of the Ki/Thatcher match.  Damn!  That choke that finished it totally looked like a choke that would finish someone.  Tight as hell, man.  It's fun seeing Thatcher getting around and facing guys like Ki and Kingston lately.  

[Blehschmidt]

1 hour ago, Log said:

I just want to echo @Superstar Sleeze's review of the Ki/Thatcher match.  Damn!  That choke that finished it totally looked like a choke that would finish someone.  Tight as hell, man.  It's fun seeing Thatcher getting around and facing guys like Ki and Kingston lately.  

Where would one find Thatcher/Kingston?

[Log]

1 hour ago, Blehschmidt said:

Where would one find Thatcher/Kingston?

I did a free month on IWTV.  I think it was Beyond Wrestling.

[Blehschmidt]

Thanks

[Superstar Sleeze]

Got to see Thatcher/Kingston live....living in Mass has its perks!

Glad you like Thatcher vs Ki and Kingston. At 6’ 3” surprised WWE has not snatched him up. They got Biff and Gulak after all.

The prospect of Biff returning to Beyond has me salivating.

[Coffey]

Show opened with a Von Erich selling his knee. Said he got pipe fucked & heard it pop. Commentators announced Tom Lawlor inked a new deal with MLW.

Jimmy Havoc carjacking a guy got a pop out of me. Apparently the falls count anywhere match is going to continue throughout the show.  "Right down the shitter, baby." I fuckin' can't. Mance is too much. There's a lot of funny one-liners from Mance & this is like an old WWF hardcore match when Al Snow & company were around. It's like total comedy.

The start to the MLW women's division was a disaster. The crowd was silent, the match was awful & the reveal was underwhelming. Pretty much a triple zero. I thought it was Taeler Hendrix but I was wrong.

It was Priscilla Kelly. She cut a decent promo later too.

The 2019 Opera Cup might be fun. 

I have no idea who Douglas James is. But he got worked by HammerStone. Match went twice as long as it should have.

Tom Lawlor does a sports style interview & talks about choosing to stay with MLW. Hints more toward his eventual heel turn.

I'm really excited for the MLW/AAA partnership. Especially if they get some big names & not like just the minis & exoticos. 

Show closes with a CONTRA promo. Josef Samael is a lot better as a heel manager than he ever was as a worker. He can still get in the Sheik spots like the fireball & shit but you don't have to watch him wrestle. Best of both worlds.

Not a great episode this week. Some story advancement with Lawlor & the Von Erichs. Mance Warner was pretty funny throughout. Women's match was bad. Hammerstone match wasn't great & was too long. That's really all that happened.

[El-P]

Pretty much agree. 

Considering Havoc vs Mancer was supposed to be a blood feud, that match was stupid as hell, but really, Havoc going all GTA Vice City jacking a car was glorious. The part in his appartement was also quite funny. You would not think Jimmy Havoc's place looked like that. Funny how they were very careful not actually damaging anything, not taking bump onto the wall. Made it fake as hell but hey, the absurdity of it worked. Other highlight, Havoc screaming "It's a kidnapping !" in the car. The end of the match was standart Havoc vs Mance, and by that I mean not very good.

I really like Douglas James, he's kinda MLW's Little Guido. But that match was indeed too long and never in doubt. Is Aria Blake gone ? What about MJF ? 

The women's match was indeed terrible, but Pricilla Kelly seems to have some character, and using some Angel Dust era FNM endears her to me. She's Darby Allin's wife ? Wife ? Married at 22 ? You know you're gonna get divorced, people, right ? Even getting married at 40, you are gonna get divorced...

So, Lawlor stays ? Ok. He's so the one who attacked Von Erich. Hey, a Dr. Tom Prichard cameo !

Yeah, nothing to write home about. I'm waiting for Salina to come back with more AAA talents.

Also, did you notice the Thanksgiving special show had the old Survivor Series font ?