Calvin Tankman has signed with Major League Wrestling. This is a multi-year agreement, according to a press release sent in by MLW. He officially put pen to paper last month and has been training for his eventual debut.
Tankman is a Division 1-recruited football player. He stands at 6’2″ and weighs in at 355 pounds. The super heavyweight possesses a dangerous move-set and uncanny agility for a man of his stature.
MLW CEO Court Bauer had this to say about the league’s latest high-profile acquisition.
“Calvin caught my eye for his athletic explosiveness and versatility as a competitor,” said Bauer. “There isn’t anyone like Calvin Tankman in the sport today and it is our privilege to share this extraordinary competitor with the world.”
Calvin Tankman also had some things to say about the next chapter of his carer. Billed as a “one-man rampage” that fuses power wrestling, brawling and high-flying, Tankman already has his eye on some of MLW’s top stars.
“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to show what I can do at the next level and MLW has given me that opportunity,” said Tankman. “I want the money, championships, and everything MLW has to offer and I don’t care who I have to go through to get it. It doesn’t matter if it’s Fatu, Hammerstone, or anyone else on the roster when I step in the ring, I’m going to prove that I’m one of the best young wrestler in the world.”
Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor is gearing up to make his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
NJPW has announced the launch of Lion’s Break: COLLISION, a new weekly series that will air on the NJPW World streaming service. The show, which premieres Friday, July 3rd, will spotlight talent new to NJPW’s US-based presence.
Tom Lawlor will be representing Major League Wrestling in NJPW in the months ahead. This is more than a one-off appearance for “Filthy” Tom, who is confirmed for at least one more match under the NJPW banner.
SEScoops has learned that there is more to the NJPWxMLW relationship than these two confirmed matches. We will provide more details on this developing situation when they are available.
Major League Wrestling has announced they have cut ties with ring announcer Mark Adam Haggerty. The news comes on the heels of Haggerty being accused of sexual misconduct online.
The promotion released only the following statement in regards to the matter:
“Working with Major League Wrestling has been an exhilarating experience so far,” Haggerty said in a press release announcing his signing earlier this year. “From the moment I was welcomed into the locker room to the second I signed that contract, every step of the way has proven to validate this journey I’ve been on for the past 3 years. To go from hoping and praying that maybe I’ll get somewhere someday to announcing the biggest names in the world on national television every week is positively incredible. I cannot thank Court Bauer and the folks at MLW enough for putting their faith in me and bringing me along for this exciting ride. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Salina de la Renta is officially back with Major League Wrestling (MLW). According to MLW, she is now under an exclusive deal with the fight league.
As the founder of Promociones Dorado, she represents the top stars of Latin America in professional wrestling, other sports leagues, TV and film.
Salina de la Renta has managed some of Mexico’s top luchadores, such as LA Park, Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix. She is widely considered one of the most powerful and influential people in MLW history.
After a reign of dominance in MLW, de la Renta vanished when Promociones Dorado clashed with CONTRA Unit at Saturday Night SuperFight back in November 2019.
MLW is now featured on the same streaming service as Bellator and several major boxing events. The promotion recently announced it has signed a deal with DAZN for its events to be broadcast on the service.
Weekly episodes of MLW Fusion, the fight league’s flagship show, will continue to air on BeIN Sports. The shows will also continue to air on YouTube for the time being.
MLW will become part of the streaming service’s weekly schedule of content and will be available on-demand as well.
The DAZN subscription service is available for $99.99 a year or $19.99 per month. Several episodes of Fusion are already available for on-demand viewing.
The announcement was teased recently on Twitter by MLW CEO, Court Bauer:
In storyline, MLW is on hiatus from hosting new shows due to a takeover from Contra Unit. In lieu of new content, the promotion is airing episodes of “Anthology” featuring matches and storylines from previous events. Wrestlers such as Low-Ki and Satoshi Kojima have already been featured on the Anthology series.
Court Bauer has said that MLW will not return to hosting events until it is safe for the company to do so.
“I have to do the right thing for the people in my company. It’s kind of the easiest decision I’ve ever made managing this company. There’s no discussion. This is what you do. And I sleep great at night.”
The company also recently announced the signing of Saieve Al Sabah, who will be part of the InJustice faction.
Major League Wrestling has announced the launch of a new weekly digital series, MLW Pulp Fusion.
Pulp Fusion is billed as a spinoff to Fusion. The show will act as a “creative bridge” while live events are on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MLW CEO Court Bauer commented on the new project in a statement sent in to SEScoops.com.
“Pulp Fusion serves as the creative tissue that connects what happened to the league and its athletes in the wake of the shocking conclusion of the May 9th episode of MLW FUSION,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer. “Along the way fans will learn what’s ahead as they take a wildly unique dive into the world of MLW each and every week.”
Wrestling fans get a candid look world of MLW with a spotlight on the athletes and rivalries of the fight league. The first episode is now live on MLW’s YouTube channel.
MLW Pulp Fusion (Episode 1)
Check out the premiere episode below. This week, we check in with The Dynasty, Mance Warner, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Konnan, LA Park, Injustice and many more.
As revealed on Fusion, Alexander Hammerstone has re-signed with MLW. Hammerstone is the promotion’s current and inaugural National Openweight Champion and a member of the Dynasty faction along with Richard Holliday and Gino Medina.
Hammerstone took to social media to explain his decision to re-sign with MLW.
“The news just dropped on the latest episode of Fusion that I re-signed with MLW,” Hammerstone says in the video. “And I got some people asking me what made me make that decision? Why didn’t I go with this company or that company? And what you have to understand is how important pro-wrestling is to me. How important its become to me, how much it means to me to prove that I’m one of the best wrestlers in the world.”
Hammerstone then continued to say that what he wants in wrestling has changed over the years.
“When I first started, I was just trying to look good, have a couple matches, get scouted, have the big company come and offer me a contract. That’s what I thought I wanted but over the years that’s really changed. If you look at the matches in the last year alone with MLW, Marufuji, Go Shiozaki, Laredo Kid, Takashi Sugiura, T-Hawk, Davey Boy Smith Jr, Brian Pillman (Jr.), Rey Horus, like I’m wrestling the best wrestlers in the world. I’m getting to go out there, I’m not being told ‘hey, give us 5 minutes,’ I’m being told ‘hey, give us 25 minutes.’”
From there, Hammerstone began talking about the freedom he is allowed in MLW.
“I’m getting to go out there and give you my best. I’m not being told how to act in promos, I’m not being told how to dress.”
“I don’t want to just make money and retire, I want to create a legacy,” he continued. “I think MLW has given me that platform.”
“I’ve just made MLW my home for the next couple of years so I hope you give it a chance, I hope you check out Fusion,” he continued. “I’m not going to be neutered, I’m not going to be chained-up.”
Check out our recent exclusive interview with Alexander Hammerstone:
Richard Holliday has signed a new multi-year contract extension with Major League Wrestling (MLW).
The news comes on the heels of MLW CEO Court Bauer revealing on social media that an “aggressive competitor” tried signing away two top MLW performers.
Bauer commented on Holliday re-signing in a press release sent in to SEScoops.
“Richard has become a staple of MLW and its telecasts, helping to lead the charge in representing the league as a world class homegrown athlete.” said Bauer. “He is a dynastic competitor with qualities you seldom find. MLW is ecstatic to continue to feature Richard Holliday for years to come.”
Holliday was nearing free agency and admits he gave some consideration to testing the waters on the open market. “MLW checked all of the boxes in terms of opportunity, presentation, creative process, and upwards mobility. Other offers were presented, and of course taken into consideration, but remaining with MLW felt like the best decision for me.”
Richard Holliday made his debut for MLW in 2018. He is a founding member of the Dynasty faction and a former MLW tag team champion with former MLW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman. He’s the reigning Caribbean Heavyweight Champion.
We’ll provide an update when MLW goes public with the other wrestler they re-signed despite a big money offer from that ‘aggressive competitor.’
Boxing legend Mike Tyson recently announced he’s back in training and is considering a few exhibition fights. This caught the attention of Major League Wrestling boss Court Bauer, who extended an invite to Iron Mike to step inside an MLW ring.
During a recent chat with Rapper TI on Instagram Live, Tyson revealed his plans to get in shape and box a few exhibition fights.
“I want to go to the gym and get in shape to be able to box three or four-round exhibitions for some charities and stuff,” said Tyson.
The 53-year-old Heavyweight Champion wants to use his notoriety to help raise money for people who are homeless and struggling with drug addiction. Tyson is feeling is his age, but still has glimmers of the killer instinct that made him a global phenomenon.
Tyson says he’s doing several hours of cardio, lifting weights and works out in the boxing ring to get in better condition. “I’m start to put those combinations together,” he said. “I’m in pain, I feel like three guys kicked the s*** out of me.”
Tyson claims to be in the best shape of his life. Last week, he released this video of himself hitting the pads.
MLW CEO Court Bauer caught wind of Tyson’s training and sees opportunity. With Tyson getting back in shape for a few exhibition fights, this could be the chance for him to finally cross over for a sanctioned pro wrestling match.
Tyson is a lifelong wrestling fan. He’s made several appearances on WWE television over the years, most notably serving as a special enforcer for the main event of WrestleMania 14. We’ll follow up on this story if Mike Tyson responds to the invite.
Check out our exclusive interview with MLW National Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone:
Alexander Hammerstone has made a big impact in Major League Wrestling since his arrival in early 2019.
Shortly after arriving in MLW, he aligned himself with MJF and Richard Holiday to form the Dynasty faction. He won the tournament to crown MLW’s first National Openweight champion – a title he still holds to this day. Hammerstone is one of the most agile heavyweights in all of pro wrestling. It is easy to see how he’s climbed the ranks of the MLW fight league so quickly.
We recently had a chance to speak with Hammerstone for an extended interview. Topics discussed include changing up his persona prior to joining MLW, his first year with the company, the Dynasty and much more.
You can listen to our full interview with Hammerstone below:
Hammerstone’s First Year In MLW, Reinventing Himself
The 6’4″ hoss from Glendale, AZ first arrived on the scene in MLW in January 2019.
Hammerstone explains that his first year in MLW brought him the most success and notoriety of his decade-long career. Prior to MLW, Hammerstone cut his teeth in Paragon Pro Wrestling and Ring Warriors, among other smaller promotions. That experience helped him put his best foot forward and make something happen on the big stage.
Just before signing with MLW, Hammerstone changed up his look and his attitude. He cut his hair, shook off the bootleg Triple H comparisons and let his personality shine through.
“I’ve always been a guy who loves doing character stuff and promo stuff, backstage vignettes and stuff of that nature,” he said. “So, that alone wasn’t new, but the way we were going with it was kind of new. For a lot of years, I presented myself a lot differently. I tried really hard to play a certain type of pro wrestler and I got kind of pigeonholed into playing this big tough guy, ‘I’m gonna beat you up’ type of character. It wasn’t one dimensional, but it was limited in what I could do with it. Finally, right before I signed with MLW, I just threw that away and said, ‘I’m just going to be myself, I’m just going to do what I like. I’m gonna try to do what I enjoy and what I think is entertaining without following any guidelines that I’m supposed to follow.’”
The Dynasty
After getting a few singles wins under his belt he aligned himself with Maxwell J. Friedman and Richard Holiday. The trio were among MLW’s breakout stars last year. They held championship gold and relished in the creative freedom they were given.
“Luckily, I got thrown into some good stories right off the bat,” Hammerstone said about his arrival in MLW. “It was only a couple weeks of TV before we began forming The Dynasty. Once that got going, it was like there was a rocket on our butts and it’s been an upward trajectory ever since.”
He continued, “The best parts of The Dynasty have been when we’re just playing off each other. It wasn’t a new thing to do promos. But it was a new thing to just be myself and enjoy it and watch things blossom in their own natural way.”
On recent episodes of MLW Fusion, Hammerstone and Richard Holiday’s exploits while on tour in Mexico were highly entertaining. In one segment, they were shown in a Tiajuana hotel room, hungover from attending a ‘donkey show’ the previous night before.
Creative Freedom in MLW
Hammerstone explained how those segments came together.
“I think there was a general idea of what direction the Dynasty was going to go in, when it was first formed,” he said. “And then it just took wild left turn after wild left turn and pretty soon it became its own strange monster. At first, it was like they were trying to tighten up the leash and control it. Then, once it got out of control, they realized they couldn’t stop us and they were just gonna let us do whatever we want to do.”
He continued, “A lot of the one-liners and segments people fondly remember were things we were specifically told, ‘You probably shouldn’t do that’ but luckily, starting out, I showed up to the company wanting to be respectful. But I’d say Max, MJF, probably had a good part in that. He was the type of guy where, we’d shoot a promo and it turned out way off the rails, way far away from what they intended it to be. And it was hilarious, but they’d say, ‘Ok, maybe we do another one without …’ and he’d just say, ‘Nope, that’s it’ and walk away and be gone, so there was no, ‘Ok, we’re going to reshoot that.’
From that point on, it really became, ‘The Dynasty is going to be the Dynasty, we’re going to do what we think is right, we’re gonna say the silly things we want to say and there’s not much you can do to stop it.’ And if they did, it would probably be way less entertaining.’”
Gino Medina has since joined the Dynasty faction, with MJF recently being forced to leave MLW after losing a ‘Loser Leaves Town’ match to Mance Warner.
Major League Wrestling announced a new project this week. MLW’s Court Bauer noted on Twitter that cameras are rolling on the league’s first virtual production. Details regarding the show aren’t currently known but MLW is touting it as a way to produce new content during the ongoing pandemic.
“While details remain under wraps, the project is the latest in recent initiatives by the league to produce unique content during a period of unexpected disruption due to the on-going pandemic,” reads an MLW update on the new initiative.
MLW has also announced a new “Anthology” series set to debut on Saturday, May 16th. The project will feature the history of the promotion from 2002-04 during its first initial run as well as the greatest rivalries and matches from its current incarnation.
The original run for MLW formed out of a wrestling business that had recently seen both WCW and ECW go out of business. It featured notable names such as Satoshi Kojima, Terry Funk, CM Punk, LA Park, Dusty Rhodes, Steve Corino, and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams. Joey Styles served as commentator for the promotion as well. MLW from 2002-04 also featured notable stables such as Steve Corino’s “Extreme Horseman” and a Hart Foundation stable consisting of Davey Boy Smith Jr, Jack Evans, and Teddy Hart.
Major League Wrestling presented another episode of Fusion this week on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show featured members of Injustice challenging for the AAA Trios Championships.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 5/2/20 Quick Results:
Poder De Norte (Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana & Carta Brava Jr.) defeated Black Destiny, Rayo Starr & Fantastick
AAA Trios Championship El Hijo del Vikingo, Myzteziz & Octagon Jr. (c) defeated Injustice (Myron Reed, Kotta Brazil & Jordan Oliver)
Injustice Attacks Brian Pillman Jr./Attempt To Cut Off His Mullet
Injustice attacked Brian Pillman Jr. backstage in Tijuana this week. The trio have made multiple attempts to take the 2-time rookie of the year out of action but this time they attempted to cut off his mullet as well.
Cameras caught up with Pillman later in the show who challenged Jordan Oliver to a hair vs hair match. It wouldn’t be the last time Pillman would have a message for the members of Injustice this week, however.
Brian Pillman Prevents Injustice From Winning Trios Titles
Injustice was granted a shot for the AAA Trios title against Vikingo, Myzteziz & Octagon Jr. due to a backstage altercation with Konnan recently.
Brian Pillman Jr. came out during the match and prevented Kotto Brazil from using a chair and also spit beer in his face. Vikingo would then hit a 630 Denton on Kotto for the win. The rivalry between Injustice and Pillman just got taken up a notch as Pillman prevented the trio from winning gold here.
Richard Holiday Purchased Savio Vega’s Childhood Home
A short Lifestyles of the Rich and Dynastic took place this week. Richard Holliday and Alexander Hammerstone were shown outside a yellow house. Holliday informed Hammerstone that this is Savio Vega’s childhood home but that the bank foreclosed on Savio’s mother. This allowed Holliday to purchase it. Holliday said he plans to turn it into an Air BnB. Now that Holliday has stolen the Caribbean title and the title to his childhood home from Savio Vega, Holliday is referring to himself as “Richie Two Titles.”
The Dynasty will have to look over their shoulders, however. Both Mance Warner and Savio Vega are coming for them.
Last week, a planned press conference featuring Team Filthy and American Top Team was scheduled. It never took place, however, as Low-Ki interrupted and attacked ATT coach Dan Lambert. This week, it was revealed that American Top Team have filed legal action against Low-Ki for the attack.
Dinner With Los Parks
LA Park, LA Park Jr. and El Hijo de LA Park took part in a cooking show this week. The family cooked pulled pork in honor of Psycho Clown’s father Super Porky.
The Parks make it clear they are with MLW and will battle all of the little clowns AAA sends up north. This includes Pagano, who has been making himself known in MLW as of late as well. They will take on Psycho Clown’s team in trios action next week.
Next week on MLW, Los Parks will take on Psycho Clown, Psychosis, and Nino Hamberguesa in trios action. Los Parks will have to back up all the trash-talking they did from their kitchen when these two sides face off from Tijuana next week.
Major League Wrestling presented its 2nd show as part of the AAA vs MLW Super Series. The event was held in Tijuana, Mexico and this week’s show featured 2 more matches in the series.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/18/20 Quick Results:
Averno defeated Douglas James (AAA leads 2:1)
Team Filthy (Dominic Garrini & Tom Lawlor) defeated Xtreme Tiger & Puma King (Tied 2:2)
After King Mo’s suspension was upheld, Tom Lawlor said Team Filthy would adapt. He also said that he and Dominic Garrini would form a tag team with the goal of relieving the Von Erich brothers of the MLW tag titles. This week, Garrini and Lawlor teamed up against Xtreme Tiger and Puma King. Team Filthy broke out some new double-team moves this week but in the end, it would be a basic rear-naked choke from Lawlor that would earn his team the victory.
There was some confusion at the end of the match as the referee didn’t signal for the bell right away after Tiger tapped. The referee immediately attempted to pry Lawlor off the luchador and neglected to ring for the bell until after Lawlor relented. Earlier in the contest, the referee had disallowed a blind tag by Team Filthy as well. There were concerns about AAA-bias from the officials in the night’s opening contest as well.
The night’s opening contest saw Douglas James of MLW take on AAA’s Averno. After Averno took the early advantage, throwing his opponent through a table on the outside and delivering a buckle bomb inside the ring, James then took control. James’ comeback led to a beautiful Meteora which looked to have his opponent finished. An extremely slow count from the referee allowed Averno time to recover, however.
In Mexico, it is not uncommon for a referee to show a little bias and it looks as though that is what happened here. After Averno recovered he delivered a massive forearm to James, knocking him out and ending the match.
Alexander Hammerstone Eats Cake After Brawl With O’l Mancer
The rivalry between the Dynasty and Mance Warner continued this week as O’l Mancer caught up with Hammerstone in the back. The two brawled throughout the arena until they hit a locker room where Alicia Atout’s birthday celebrations were ongoing. Just as Savio Vega, Brian Pillman, and Alicia Atout were going to enjoy some birthday cake, Hammerstone and Warner’s brawl spilled into the room. Warner ended up throwing Hammerstone face-first into the cake. The show ended as Vega and Pillman ate from the part of the cake that Hammerstone’s face didn’t smash into.
Brian Pillman Jr. was the victim of a vicious assault at the hands of Injustice recently. The trio smashed his head against a cinder block but miraculously, Pillman has been cleared to compete next week. Davey Boy Smith Jr. announced that Pillman will be back next week and the two Hart Foundation members will compete in tag action. He also suggested that Pillman knew “the right doctors” and that is how he got cleared.
Pillman being cleared infuriated the members of Injustice. The trio should be more worried about their upcoming shot at the AAA trios titles against Los Jinetes del Aire (El Hijo del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr. & Octagon Jr.), however. That match will air in the coming weeks on Fusion.
Richard Holliday was interviewed this week alongside Alexander Hammerstone. Holliday will defend “his” Caribbean Championship next week against Chessman. He seemed not to know who Chessman is and did not seem overly concerned about the match. Holliday has also been lobbying as of late for the Caribbean title to be made an official championship of MLW.
Last week on Fusion, Pagano was involved in a hardcore battle on Fusion. This week, he cut a promo in the back where he specifically made mention of MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu. Pagano has promised to bring carnage to MLW and it appears he may have his sights already set on the world champion.
Major League Wrestling won’t be running any live events until there is no risk to wrestlers, employees, or the general public from doing so. In a recent interview with Entrepreneur, MLW’s Court Bauer referred to other promotions filming content at this time as “grotesque.”
“I’ll say this succinctly: That my competitors are putting on events in empty arenas and exposing their talent, crews, staffs and families to the potential [of] contracting the coronavirus I think is, frankly, grotesque,” Bauer said during the interview.
Asked about his call not to run events during the pandemic, Bauer stated it was not a difficult decision.
“I have to do the right thing for the people in my company. It’s kind of the easiest decision I’ve ever made managing this company. There’s no discussion. This is what you do. And I sleep great at night.”
Currently on MLW Fusion, the promotion is airing matches filmed in Tijuana on March 13th. The company has no plans to produce more content until it is safe to do so.
Bauer also said during the interview that MLW has a 16-month strategy for programming mapped out. He would continue to say that his company has produced 3-models based on when they could return.
“We have three models: one that would have us return in the summer, one in the fall and one 18 months from now,” Bauer said.
“I have an incredible team with a financial background that helps us navigate this. We don’t have the substantial overhead that a lot of companies have, and our revenue’s very strong and steady.”
Bauer would continue to talk about how the ongoing situation will likely change the landscape of pro-wrestling. Live events might not be as essential to wrestling companies as they once were.
“Live TV is exciting, but is it essential and necessary to operate in 2020 and beyond? I think people should rethink that. And if you’re a company built on promoting events weekly, this kind of disruption might cause you to pause and think: What if this happens again?”
The full interview with Entrepreneur Media can be found here.
MLW’s Super Series with AAA began airing on BeIN Sports and YouTube this weekend. This week’s Fusion featured the first two matches in the series. The main event was a National Openweight Championship match between Alexander Hammerstone and Laredo Kid.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/11/20 Quick Results:
Tijuana Street Fight Mortiz & Pagano defeated Mance Warner & Savio Vega
National Openweight Championship Alexander Hammerstone (c) defeated Laredo Kid
It would be impossible to give a full description of all that went on in this match. Suffice to say, the MLW vs AAA series got off to quite the hardcore start when Mortiz & Pagano took on Mance Warner & Savio Vega in the opener. Warner put Mortiz through a flaming table, a car hood was somehow placed in the ring and used, and Savio Vega stabbed Pagano with a series of skewers (like for kabobs), highlighted the many crazy spots in this match.
Warner looked as though he had the match won after putting Mortiz through the flaming table. The referee was distracted, however, as he had to put out the fire that threatened to engulf the ring. This allowed Hammerstone (who left the commentary table after claiming a pharmacy called and his prescription was ready) to interfere. Hammerstone then took out Warner with a bicycle kick, continuing the Warner vs Dynasty rivalry.
With Warner out of the picture, Pagano was able to hit Savio Vega low with a chair before delivering a rolling neckbreaker for the win. AAA goes up 1-0 over MLW after getting the first victory in the series.
Later in the show, it was noted that Mance Warner was furious at the Dynasty backstage.
Before this match began, fans saw an episode of “Lifestyles of The Rich & Dynastic” featuring a hungover Hammerstone and Richard Holliday. The two had gone to a Donkey show the night before and gotten quite drunk evidently.
Laredo Kid broke out many high-flying moves on his much bigger opponent and looked to have the match won at one point. Hammerstone hit the ref with a clothesline and this led to Laredo Kid hitting a Spanish Fly but there being no referee to count the pin. As Laredo Kid turned his attention to the referee, this was all the opening the champion needed. Hammerstone gave Laredo Kid a series of power moves capped off with his Nightmare Pendulum for the win.
Hammerstone gets the win but it seems clear now that he’ll eventually have to face the Southern Psychopath Mance Warner.
At the MLW Fightland show in Philadelphia, King Mo and American Top Team merged with Team Filthy. Mo attacked Killer Kross in the back, essentially sending Kross out of the territory. MLW suspended Mo for the attack but he was allowed to compete while the suspension was being appealed. This week, MLW announced that the courts ruled in their favor and Mo’s suspension was being upheld. The former MMA fighter was suspended for 1-month and fined $10,000.
Tom Lawlor sent in a video reacting to the suspension of his new stablemate. Lawlor said Team Filthy will adapt and that he and Dominic Garrini will enter the tag division. They are setting their sights on the Von Erich brothers and tag team gold.
The 3 members of Injustice have been fined $10k each for their attack on Brian Pillman Jr. recently. They stated in a video this week that they don’t plan on paying the fine. Later, they interrupted an interview with Konnan. Konnan then granted the trio an upcoming title shot against the AAA trios champions Los Jinetes del Aire (El Hijo del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr. & Octagon Jr.). That match will take place on a future episode of Fusion.
Major League Wrestling CEO Court Bauer recently spoke with MLW.com for an in-depth interview. Bauer spoke about MLW’s television partnerships, an ambitious project he’s working on and how the Coronavirus pandemic has affected MLW operations.
Bauer started off by thanking the medical professionals on the front lines putting their lives at risk to help everyday people. He said they are the real heroes of this situation. MLW wants to do its part to entertain people and take their minds off the current situation.
Operationally, live events are on hold and several MLW stars have had their first international tours postponed. It is discouraging, but things are still brewing behind the scenes. MLW officials have discussed expanding their content offerings both domestically and internationally. They recently closed TV deals in Poland, the Middle East, North Africa and there are more things in the pipeline.
Bauer said, “There are a few more content deals in the works which he hopes to be able to share the details of soon.”
There has been some buzz in recent months that MLW has been negotiating with major over-the-top streaming as a new means of distribution for MLW content.
“I have been told by our agency I can’t comment specifically on anything pertaining to the rumors out there,” Bauer began. “Let’s just say things are happening; it’s very encouraging. The ebb and flow of deals and discussions isn’t what it typically is because of the pandemic but things are progressing. We have calls set for this week, in fact. We have the good fortune of one of entertainment’s best agencies representing us and they’ve been very active. “
The MLW Radio Network has added a few new shows to its spring line-up, including Talk’n Shop hosted by Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and Rocky Romero, as well as shows from Dutch Mantell and a few more on the way.
There is much more to the interview, which you can read in its entirety over at MLW.com.
Major League Wrestling presented another episode of Fusion this weekend on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show was headlined by a loser-leaves-town empty arena match between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Mance Warner.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/4/20 Quick Results:
Douglas James defeated Septimo Dragon via submission
Loser Leaves Town Empty Arena Match Mance Warner defeated MJF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman Forced To Leave The Territory
The rivalry between the Southern Psychopath and Maxwell Jacob Friedman all came down to this. After the Dynasty attacked him at the pay window recently, Warner put everything on the line in order to get revenge. MJF cut a passionate promo before the match informing “O’l Mancer” that he’s not the only one who can go psycho in MLW. In the end, however, MJF would try every trick in the book to get away from the Southern Psychopath during the match. At one point, the Dynasty member even attempted to call a taxi to make his escape.
MJF attempted to take the advantage late in the match with a thumb to the eye but Warner countered with a headbutt and a big-time lariat and got the 3-count. With the loss, MJF is gone from MLW.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman had quite the run with the promotion, having won both the middleweight title and the tag titles (with Richard Holliday). After his final booking with MLW, MJF sent the following out on Twitter:
While my time with @MLW is over I can assure you the Dynasty will live on….forever.
Vignettes have been airing in recent weeks promoting Pagano’s arrival to the territory. Pagano is a decorated luchador, most notably in AAA. He is a former AAA World Tag Team champion with El Mesias. He also won the Copa Antonio Pena tournament in 2018.
Injury Updates On Brian Pillman Jr. and Killer Kross
Back to Back Rookie of the Year!!! Wish me luck as I plan to do the same in 2020!!! pic.twitter.com/8F4oTJKYKK
Fans were given injury updates on both Killer Kross and Brian Pillman Jr. this week. After being attacked in the back by King Mo and Team Filthy, doctors recommend that Kross have no contact in the ring or in training for 180 days unless a waiver is signed. Kross offered to sign the waiver but his employers located in Stamford would not allow it.
As for Pillman, he suffered a fractured mandible and a dislocated temporomandibular joint due to the recent attack by Injustice. The trio has been suspended and fined by the league. There is currently no timetable for Pillman’s return.
In the opener this week, it looked as though Septimo Dragon had Douglas James right where he wanted him. Ultimately, however, James was able to make the luchador submit to a guillotine choke. Dragon had just hit a driver when he went to the top looking for a double foot-stomp. He missed the top-rope move and it allowed James to land a knee to the face, a superkick, and then a death valley driver into the corner before locking in the submission. With the win, James should move closer to a top-10 ranking in the promotion.
MLW Top-10 Rankings Via PWI
MLW presented a segment this week dedicated to counting down the top-10 rankings in the promotion via Pro Wrestling Illustrated:
MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu
Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion)
Coming up in MLW, the promotion heads back to Mexico. The next few episodes of Fusion will feature the “Super Series” between MLW and AAA. This series is set to focus the best of both promotions as the relationship between AAA and MLW deepens. The show took place in Tijuana and featured multiple title matches for belts from both promotions.
Major League Wrestling presented an episode of Fusion this weekend on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show emanated from Philadelphia’s famed 2300 Arena and featured an 8-Man tag-team main event.
The full episode of the show can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 3/21/20 Quick Results:
El Lindaman defeated Zenshi
The Blue Meanie defeated Richard Holliday via count-out
Killer Kross, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Ross & Marshall Von Erich defeated Tom Lawlor, Dominic Garrini, Erick Stevens, & Kit Osbourne
The main event of Fusion this week featured an 8-man tag team match as Tom Lawlor’s Team Filthy took on the Von Erich brothers, Killer Kross, and Davey Boy Smith Jr. Last week on Fusion, Lawlor was disqualified in his singles match against Kross setting up this week’s main event.
It was noted on commentary that at times this match resembled the old Philadelphia Flyers games from back in the team’s Broad Street Bullies days.
The Von Erich’s would take control early before Ross missed a knee in the corner which allowed Team Filthy the advantage. A hot tag would later bring in Kross, however, and he would suplex all of Lawler’s cronies.
Kross accidentally hit the referee, however, taking him out of action. This allowed the former Rip Von Erich, and Team Filthy yoga instructor Kit Osbourne to land a low blow on Davey Boy Smith Jr. This brought in Marshall Von Erich who gave the imposter Von Erich an Iron Claw Slam followed by a moonsault to get the pin.
The end of the match did little to stop the brawl, however, as the babyfaces continued to take it to Team Filthy member Osbourne after the match.
It was right in the show’s closing moments when King Mo attacked Killer Kross from behind backstage and announced that he and American Top Team have joined Team Filthy.
It was announced this week on Fusion that Mance Warner had been attacked at the pay window by Maxwell Jacob Friedman recently, and MLW officials banned MJF from the 2300 Arena as a result.
It was also arranged that Richard Holliday would face a mystery opponent this week, something Holliday’s lawyer/father was likely not pleased about.
Warner chose someone with a lot of history in the former ECW Arena as the Blue Meanie would take on the current possessor of the Caribbean Championship.
Holliday was distracted by Warner at the commentary booth, however, and it would end up costing him the match. He took the time to pour out one of Warner’s light beers but the Southern Psychopath would then blow beer mist in his face and prevent him from getting back in the ring in time to meet the referee’s count. As a result, the Blue Meanie picked up a victory inside the ECW Arena via count-out. The loss will no doubt not sit well with the members of the Dynasty.
MLW fans were also treated to a special cooking show this week featuring LA Park and El Hijo de LA Park. The Father and son combo cooked up sausage and eggs while stating they are after some championship gold in MLW.
The segment ended when LA Park grew upset about not having his chopping board or being able to add onions to the meal.
This week’s show kicked off with a high-paced match between El Lindaman and Zenshi. Zenshi came into the match with a taped-up shoulder and El Lindaman was not shy about focussing on his opponent’s injured limb throughout the match. In the end, however, it was the member of OVE’s vicious suplexes that would earn him the victory here. He hit a blue thunder bomb followed by a tiger suplex to get the win.
Brian Pillman Jr. Faces Jordan Oliver Next Week
Back to Back Rookie of the Year!!! Wish me luck as I plan to do the same in 2020!!! pic.twitter.com/8F4oTJKYKK
It was also announced on MLW Fusion this week that Brian Pillman jr. will take on Jordan Oliver next week. Pillman and Injustice have been at odds since the Opera Cup last year. The members of Injustice were alternates in the tournament and attacked Pillman backstage at the venue. Pillman made it all the way to the finals, eventually losing to his Hart Foundation stablemate, Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Pillman has since said he is going to be dropping weight so that he can compete in MLW’s middleweight division. He will be looking to earn a shot against middleweight champion Myron Reed. He’ll get his chance to show what he can do as a middleweight next week when he takes on Reed’s stablemate Jordan Oliver.
That match is in addition to King Mo vs Low-Ki also scheduled for next week’s show.
Major League Wrestling (MLW) has announced a 45-day suspension of live event due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. MLW’s April 18th event from Chicago, IL at Cicero Stadium has been rescheduled for Friday, June 12th.
MLW sent in the following press release regarding the hiatus:
Major League Wrestling temporarily suspends promoting live events for 45 days due to pandemic
MLW programming to continue Saturday nights on beIN SPORTS and YouTube
NEW YORK — Major League Wrestling has suspended promoting live events for 45 days, effective immediately, as the league continues to assess the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
At the appropriate time, the league will communicate plans for promoting live events outside of the 45-day temporary hiatus and update the status of league events.
MLW programming will continue to air Saturday nights on beIN SPORTS on cable and satelitte, MLW’s YouTube channel and with partners around the world during this period.
As a result of the temporary suspension of promoting live events, MLW’s April 18th event in Chicago has been rescheduled for Friday night June 12 at Cicero Stadium. All tickets purchased for the originally scheduled date will be honored at this time.
The MLW family would like to extend our appreciation and well wishes to all doctors, nurses, emergency services staff, first responders and medical professionals on the front line working to address the public health crisis in our nation and around the world.
Major League Wrestling presented the 100th episode of Fusion this weekend on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show emanated from Philadelphia’s famed 2300 Arena and featured a main event of Jacob Fatu defending the MLW world heavyweight championship against CIMA.
MLW Fusion #100 Quick Results:
Davey Boy Smith Jr. defeated Erick Stevens
Brian Pillman Jr. defeated Jimmy Havoc
MLW World Heavyweight Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) defeated CIMA
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
Jacob Fatu Retains, Despite Solid Effort From CIMA
Jacob Fatu is arguably the most dominant champion in MLW world heavyweight championship history. Coming into this match, few if anyone would have given CIMA a chance to take the belt here. The member of Stronghearts did manage to give Fatu a surprising run for his money, however.
CIMA must have known that he would need to take risks if he was to gain the advantage on the champ but the end of the match came when he missed a top rope move and Fatu countered into a pop-up Samoan drop. The champion then went to the top and delivered a devastating moonsault but was then instructed by Josef Samael on the outside to deliver one more for good measure before pinning his challenger and retaining his title.
Eric Stevens recently aligned with Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy but he was in tough this week as he took on the 2019 Opera Cup winner Davey Boy Smith Jr.
The end of the match came when Stevens attempted to go off the top rope but was caught by Davey Boy who then delivered his Calgary Stampede Powerslam followed by a diving headbutt for the win. After the match, Davey Boy got in the faces of Lawlor and Garrini, the other members of Team Filthy. Lawlor had been on commentary during the match.
Rookie of the Year Brian Pillman jr. faced Jimmy Havoc this week on Fusion. In Havoc’s corner was “Hell’s Favorite Harlot” Priscilla Kelly and she did not hesitate to interject herself into the match. Throughout the course of the contest, Kelly put Havoc’s leg on the ropes to break up a pin, handed him a foreign object, and as the match wore on she even came off the top rope for an attempted cross-body block.
Pillman was able to thwart all of this, however. As Kelly was coming off the top, he avoided her attack and allowed her to crash into Havoc instead. Moments later, the Hart Foundation member would hit Air Pillman for the win.
Brian Pillman Jr. and Injustice’s Rivalry Continues To Build
Pillman didn’t have to worry about the members of Injustice getting involved in his match against Jimmy Havoc this week as the trio had been banned from the building. MLW cameras caught Injustice trying to get into the building but they were turned away by security. During the course of this interaction, Jordan Oliver repeatedly stated that he would stab Pillman.
We’ve also heard that while Pillman has normally been competing at around 220 lbs, he will look to the keto diet to drop 15 pounds to the 205-pound middleweight limit. This will allow him to challenge Myron Reed for the title he took off Pillman’s Hart Foundation teammate Teddy Hart who has since left the territory. Before Reed can worry about Pillman, however, he must face Laredo Kid for the title next week.
Richard Holliday’s Caribbean Championship Reign Continues
Don’t worry consumers.
There is a very Dynastic episode of “Lifestyle of the Rich and Dynastic” featured in this episode.
Richard Holliday from the Dynasty is currently in possession of the Caribbean Championship title belt. He took that title off of Savio Vega but not by defeating him for it but rather by literally taking it from him after a recent match.
This week on Fusion, viewers were informed that Holliday defended the title on a private island earlier this week. Footage of this supposed title defense was not shown, however, and likely doesn’t exist. It sounds like the Dynasty had a great time on the island, and the trio discussed how Holidays’ new title belt is the 1A belt in the promotion alongside Alexander Hammerstone’s National Openweight belt. One has to wonder how these comments sat with the legitimate Caribbean Championship, Savio Vega.
On March 13th, 2020, MLW and AAA host a joint show in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The last time MLW was in Mexico they performed in front of a capacity crowd of 5000.
Matches listed for the show are as follows:
Black Destiny, Fantastik & Rayo Star vs. Nuevo Poder del Norte (Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr. & Tito Santana)
AAA World Trios Title Match Los Jinetes del Aire (El Hijo del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr. & Octagon Jr.) (c) vs. Injustice (Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil & Myron Reed)
Extreme Tiger & Puma King vs. Dominic Garrini & Tom Lawlor
MLW Openweight Title Match Alex Hammerstone (c) vs. Laredo Kid
Mortiz & Pagano vs. Mance Warner & Savio Vega
Gino Medina & Richard Holliday vs. Los OGTs (Averno & Chessman)
Los Mercenarios (El Texano Jr. & Rey Escorpion) vs. Hart Foundation (Brian Pillman Jr. & Davey Boy Smith Jr.)
Nicho el Millonario, Nino Hamburguesa & Psycho Clown vs. El Hijo de LA Park, LA Park & LA Park Jr.
Also, next week on Fusion we’ll see Tom Lawlor take on the debuting Killer Kross.
Major League Wrestling presented its first episode of Fusion from its recent Fightland tapings in Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena. The main event of the show featured the return to the promotion of LA Park as Los Parks took on Josef Samael & Simon Gotch from Contra Unit.
MLW Fusion 2/29/20 Quick Results:
Richard Holliday, Gino Medina, & Alex Hammerstone (the Dynasty) defeated Logan Creed, Savio Vega, and Mance Warner
Kotto Brazil & Jordan Oliver (Injustice) defeated Zenshi & Laredo Kid
Lumberjack Match LA Park & El Hijo de LA Park (Los Parks) defeated Josef Samael & Simon Gotch (Contra Unit)
The full episode of Fusion can be viewed in the player below:
Los Parks Get Measure Of Revenge Against Contra Unit
The last time we saw LA Park in MLW, he was defeated by Jacob Fatu in the main event of the Super Fight PPV in November. He returned to the territory this week along with his son El Hijo de LA Park and they faced two members of Contra Unit in Simon Gotch and Josef Samael in a lumberjack match.
Contra Unit attempted to get an early advantage by attacking the father-son team during their ring entrance. The crowd was vocally behind Los Parks, however as they mounted a comeback throughout the match. Park would finally pick up the win for his team with a twisting senton onto Samael. Contra Unit doesn’t take to losses well so we will have to see how they respond to taking the L against the legendary luchador and his son here.
Richard Holliday, Gino Medina, and Alexander Hammerstone came out to kick things off on Fusion this week. Holliday is still wearing the Caribbean Championship belt he stole from Savio Vega as well. The trio were interrupted by Konnan who was then backed up by 3 wrestlers who have all had their problems with the Dynasty in the past: Logan Creed, Savio Vega, and Mance Warner. An impromptu 6-man tag would begin.
The Dynasty would pick up the win after Holliday hit Vega with the belt. After the match, however, Konnan picked up a measure of revenge on Gino Medina with a flapjack and the babyfaces retook the ring to end the segment.
After the previous segment, Konnan found himself alone in the ring. The members of Injustice then came out and continued their ongoing rivalry with the legend. Brian Pillman Jr. who has had his own problems with Injustice stemming from their attack on him before the Opera Cup, came out to back up Konnan and serve on commentary for Inustice’s match against Zenshi and Laredo Kid.
Injustice would pick up the win after Laredo Kid was distracted by middleweight champion Myron Reed on the outside. Oliver and Kotto hit Zenshi with a crucifix stunner combo for the win.
After the match, Laredo Kid went after Myron Reed on the outside as Injustice was confronting Pillman at the commentary booth. Laredo Kid then hit Reed with White Noise in the ring and allowed the live crowd to count the 3-count on him while the luchador held up the middleweight title. It looks like a title match between these two is in the works and Pillman looks to have that title in his sights as well, though he might be a little heavy for it.
Brian Pillman Losing Weight To Go After Myron Reed’s Middleweight Title
In a backstage segment later in the show, Injustice poked fun at Pillman Jr for being north of the 205lbs middleweight limit. Pillman has since announced plans to go on the Keto diet to get down to 205 and take on Myron Reed.
Next week will be the 100th episode of MLW Fusion. The special episode will feature an MLW World Heavyweight Championship match pitting title-holder Jacob Fatu of Contra Unit against CIMA.
MLW’s Court Bauer sent out a Tweet recently that has some fans wondering exactly what the future might hold for the promotion. Last month, MLW announced they had signed on with ICM Partner,s a talent agency that typically represents showrunners in the TV and Film industries. A recent Tweet by Bauer is suggesting some interesting negotiations have taken place as of late.
Bauer sent out the following Tweet regarding some conversations he is having about the future of MLW TV. The location of the Tweet is tagged as being from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the famed-headquarters of NBC, NBC Studios, and NBC Universal.
According to a reports earlier this month, MLW has also been in contact with Amazon about providing content for Amazon Prime. The company is looking for content for its streaming service especially with looming concerns over a writer’s strike this summer. The situation between MLW and Amazon is said to be fluid with MLW seeing “momentum in a few directions with major players.”
NBC has a wrestling-related project already in the works for the 2020/21 season. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson’s early life will provide the backdrop for the sitcom “Young Rock.”
“As the only free agent in the wrestling space in 2020, MLW is in a unique position in the television landscape,” said Court Bauer, creator and Chief Executive Officer, Major League Wrestling in a press release announcing the league’s signing with ICM Partners.
“MLW provides an extraordinary entertainment experience, showcasing some of the sport’s most storied and iconic families, embracing the Mexican lucha libre culture and presenting original content in a 360 manner.”
Major League Wrestling presented Fusion this weekend on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show emanated from Texas again this week and featured the main event of Tom Lawlor taking on Ross Von Erich.
MLW 2/22/20 Quick Results:
Logan Creed defeated Moonshine Mantell
Erick Stevens defeated Douglas James
King Mo defeated Dr. Drax
Ross Von Erich defeated Tom Lawlor via DQ
The full show can be viewed in the player below:
Here are 6 takeaways from MLW Fusion 2/22/20:
Team Filthy Adds Member, Attack The Von Erichs Texas Style
Last week’s episode of Fusion saw the Von Erich brothers successfully retain the MLW tag team titles against the Dynasty in front of a raucous Dallas crowd. This week, Ross Von Erich took on Tom Lawlor in the night’s main event.
Ross looked to have Lawlor set up for the Iron Claw but Team Filthy member Dominic Garrini interfered and caused the DQ. Marshall Von Erich came out to even up the odds but Erick Stevens ran out and appeared to join Team Filthy as he joined in on the beatdown on the Von Erich brothers. With the 3-on-2 advantage, Team Filthy used cowbells and bull rope to attack the Von Erichs and then even disrespected the state flag of Texas in the middle of the ring to close the show.
King Mo has continued to train with American Top Team since signing with MLW. He took on the dastardly Dr. Dax this week after having antagonized Low-Ki in a backstage segment recently. Mo pointed out that Low-Ki trains with the Gracie family and earlier in his career, Mo KO’d Roger Gracie.
King Mo made Drax tap to the rear-naked choke for the victory.
Gorgon/Grogan Gone, Logan Creed Has Arrived In MLW
Last week on MLW, Mance Warner was able to gain access to the building only after bribing the Dynasty’s giant to allow him in the building. This week, the former Gorgon/Grogan announced that his name is Logan Creed and he is no longer a member of the Dynasty.
Creed kicked off this week’s episode of Fusion in a match against Moonshine Mantell. He picked up the victory with a power-bomb.
Before he joined Team Filthy in the night’s closing segment, Erick Stevens cut a promo in the back saying he’s targetting a match with Davey Boy Smith Jr. The commentary team noted that Stevens was not wasting any time in MLW by challenging the top contender to Jacob Fatu’s MLW World Championship.
Stevens took on Douglas James this week on Fusion. He’d pick up the victory with his Sarasota Screwdriver finisher.
MLW Top-10 Rankings From Pro Wrestling Illustrated
MLW aired a segment this week featuring a countdown of the top-10 wrestlers in the promotion as determined by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The PWI top-10 for MLW is as follows:
MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)
Davey Boy Smith Jr. (Opera Cup Winner) (Hart Foundation)
Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion) (Dynasty)
Los Parks return next week. This will be LA Park’s return to the promotion after dropping the MLW World title match to Jacob Fatu at SuperFight. Injustice will also take on the team of Zenshi and Laredo Kid.
MLW has a joint show coming up on March 13th with AAA in Tijuana:
Colonel Parker is returning to Major League Wrestling. The famed-manager hasn’t been seen in the promotion since 2018 when his Stud Stable came up short in that year’s Battle Riot event. Parker will be at MLW’s Intimidation Games from Chicago’s Cicero Stadium on April 18th, 2020.
“Having managed the likes of Steve Austin, Big Van Vader and Harlem Heat as well as promoting wrestling throughout the south, Colonel Parker has a stellar track record for success in the sport,” an MLW press release for Colonel Parker’s return reads.
MLW Signs Zachary Cooper
MLW has also recently announced the signing of Zachary Cooper:
Lawyers for Major League Wrestling have reportedly contacted WWE in regards to concerns of contract tampering. PW Insider is reporting that a source within MLW told them their lawyers have contacted WWE about contract-tampering concerns regarding “multiple talents.” A source within MLW says they have evidence against WWE in this regard.
The situation is said to have nothing to do with Davey Boy Smith Jr. recently appearing on WWE’s the Bump, however.
It is not clear which wrestlers or talent under MLW contract were approached by WWE but this is not the first time such concerns have been raised. In late 2018, MLW is reported to have sent a cease and desist order to WWE regarding contacting their talent.
“I had guys at WaleMania approached by WWE people backstage in the green room about signing,” Bauer said on Wrestling Observer Radio in late 2018. “I’m like ‘you can’t do that, I’ll give you a freebie, don’t do it again’. Boom, they do it again. I had to send a cease and desist to WWE, that’s called tortious interference.”
MLW continues to enjoy a good relationship with AEW, however. AEW and MLW have shared wrestlers such as MJF for months with seemingly no issues cropping up between the two promotions.
