The ever-controversial Eric Bischoff always finds himself in headlines due to his wrestling opinions and his remarks often lead to strained relations with superstars. Though he got to turn things around and make up with one such superstar during his recent wrestling appearance.
Donovan Dijak is one name that has made MLW his home in recent months just as the former WCW President has made appearances for the brand.
During a recent interview with Fightful Overbooked, Dijak was asked about meeting Bischoff in MLW after the two traded some harsh words during Donovan’s time in Retribution back in 2020. The former T-Bar said their previous exchange was all water under the bridge:
“Nothing too dramatic. He and I have no actual history before, that was the first time we had ever met, as far as I know, besides the time we were yelling at each other Twitter in 2020 when I was T-BAR, but it’s water under the bridge.”
The wrestling star explained that they were all on the edge due to the pandemic at the time. There is no ill will between the two because both him and Eric Bischoff were only doing their job:
“We were all going through COVID and it was a mess. His job is to talk about pro wrestling and my job was to defend what was happening at that point. It was a tall task for both of us, but there’s no issue there or anything like that. It was nice to meet him in person and tell him I was a big fan of his work.”
Donovan Dijak announced in June last year that he would be leaving WWE after the company had decided not to renew his deal. He has been wrestling in the indie circuit since then, and been a regular for MLW.
Atlanta is turning into a wrestling hotspot this winter, with multiple major promotions bringing their shows to the city starting this coming Monday:
WWE Raw at State Farm Arena on Monday, January 27, 2025 (Tickets)
WWE NXT at Center Stage on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 (Tickets)
AEW Dynamite at Gateway Center Arena on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 (Tickets)
MLW SuperFight 6 at Center Stage on Saturday, February 8, 2025 (Tickets)
With four major shows across three promotions in less than two weeks, wrestling fans in Atlanta will have plenty of opportunities to see their favorite stars live.
Wrestling at Center Stage
Ring of Honor at Center Stage (Photo: ROH)
Center Stage in Atlanta, GA opened in 1966 and has a rich wrestling history, having previously hosted WCW Saturday Night tapings and various other promotions, including Ring of Honor, TNA/Impact Wrestling, and WWE NXT.
Center Stage continues to be a popular destination for independent wrestling promotions in Atlanta. Recent events held there include GCW Mastermind (December 7, 2024), TNA Final Resolution (December 13, 2024), and Heels Have Eyes 4 (December 12, 2024).
Matt Riddle is the new “stallion” of MLW as the former WWE star became the promotion’s new World Champion tonight in Dallas.
MLW fired off its 2025 with Kings of Colosseum in Texas tonight and it was main-evented by Matt Riddle challenging Satoshi Kojima for the championship. Kojima is unprecedented in Major League Wrestling as he’s the only person in company history to hold the World Title two different times. Not only that, but Kojima is MLW’s first-ever World Champion, winning it back in 2002 when he defeated Jerry Lynn. Kojima began his second reign when he unseated Alex Kane and it’s been a memorable run for Kojima. During this reign, Kojima captured the MLW World Tag Team Championships a second time with Shigeo Okumura as well.
However, the landscape changed as Riddle defeated Kojima in the main event tonight via submission. The match came to a close when Kojima attempted his Lariato finisher only to be caught in a triangle hold.
Riddle’s win became a full-circle moment for The Super King of Bros too as he was one of the early stars to take shape when MLW returned as a wrestling company back in 2018. Post-fight, a “passing of the torch” went down as Riddle was crowned the new champ and he celebrated with “Filthy” Tom Lawlor who has been an ally to Riddle in recent months.
Along with Riddle’s Title win, a new MLW Women’s Featherweight Champion was crowned in Delmi Exo who defeated Janai Kai. Much like Kojima, Kai has also had a strong run as Champion and also much like Kojima, Exo became the first person in MLW to hold the Featherweight Championship two different times.
Former WWE Superstar Commander Azeez (also known as Babatunde), made his debut for Major League Wrestling at Thursday’s MLW One Shot event from NYC.
Now going by the name Babathunder, he battled Mads Krugger at the event before joining forces with him. The clash of the powerhouses concluded with Babathunder passing out to a rear naked choke. Afterwrds, Krugger gave the Babathunder an ultimatum to leave in a body bag or join CONTRA Unit as a mercenary. Babathunder responded “Hail CONTRA” which indicated that is now a part of the faction.
Babatunde had joined WWE back in April 2016 and was part of NXT until 2020. Following that, he made WWE his Raw debut as part of the Raw Underground brand where he was known as Dabba-Kato. He also went by the name of Commander Azeez when he was associated with Apollo Crews during the latter’s WWE Intercontinental Championship reign. However, Babatunde was later released last year.
During an interview with Developmentally Speaking, the former Dabba-Kato had reflected on his WWE release.He was asked whether he was surprised but he said that his contract was expiring anyway. He said:
“I think I kind of sensed it. My contract was coming to an end anyway. We already had conversations long before it was close to that. Now, we came pretty close, I started pushing stuff and I could feel there was nothing great planned for me. You get that feeling and I had that feeling the day was going to come. I lived through so many cuts. It happened to so many guys before me. You can prepare yourself a little bit for it. You can prepare yourself financially and mentally, which I didn’t think would be as hard as it was.”
Since his release, he has mostly competed in the independent scene. Prior to his debut in MLW, he had challenged DCCW Heavyweight Champion Hobo Hank at DCCW No Way Around but he was unsuccessful.
MLW will continue to make company history in 2025 as the promotion will be Los Angeles bound in 2025.
Major League Wrestling announced today that for the first time ever the company will go Hollywood with one of its tentpole events in the Battle Riot. Battle Riot VII will go down on April 5, 2025 from the Commerce Casino & Hotel with tickets set to go on sale December 9.
Battle Riot VI took place at the pro wrestling popular Center Stage in Atlanta with Matt Riddle winning the 40-man fight, but per usual, the event had its fair share of surprises. The full announcement from MLW is below.
Los Angeles, CA – Major League Wrestling (MLW) is bringing its most anticipated event of the year, Battle RIOT VII, to Los Angeles for the first time ever! On Saturday, April 5, 2025, MLW will take over the Commerce Casino & Hotel as 40 combatants riot in the biggest match in MLW.
Tickets go on sale Monday, December 9 at 10 a.m. PT at www.MLWLA.com and Eventbrite, starting at just $10. This is an all-ages event, so all fans are welcome to experience the thrill live and in person.
The Commerce Casino & Hotel will host MLW’s Los Angeles debut. The majestic nine-story hotel is located within minutes of downtown Los Angeles, and just an elevator ride away from its iconic card room, boasting the most table and casino card games in Southern California.? The Commerce Casino & Hotel in Los Angeles features luxurious rooms and suites, popular poker games and tournaments, 24/7 table-side services, and more.
Battle RIOT VII will showcase 40 competitors in a no-holds-barred extravaganza, as they fight for a chance to challenge the MLW World Heavyweight Champion. A unique mash-up of a battle royal and an anything-goes street fight, this super-sized main event features new participants entering the ring every 60 seconds.
Expect surprises, legends, and jaw-dropping moments as the best from MLW, CMLL, and New Japan Pro Wrestling collide to secure a title shot anytime, anywhere. Eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or by tossing competitors over the top rope—anything can happen in the Battle RIOT!
Bring your signs and be part of the MLW experience as MLW TV trucks will be rolling up for this premium live special.
Don’t miss your chance to witness history as Major League Wrestling makes its long-awaited debut in Los Angeles with Battle RIOT VII!
TICKETS: On sale Monday, December 9 at 10 a.m. PT at www.MLWLA.com and Eventbrite.
Major League Wrestling’s Lucha Apocalypto crossover event with CMLL, which was held at Chicago’s Cicero Stadium on Saturday, November 9, will stream for free tonight on the MLW YouTube Channel.
The event was originally scheduled to air live, but MLW officials cited technical difficulties and apologized for the delay in broadcasting.
MLW World Middleweight Championship Triple Threat: Místico vs. Titán vs. Averno Champion Místico defends his title against Titán of Los Ingobernables de Japón and his longtime rival, the crafty veteran Averno.
Trios Showdown: Atlantis, Atlantis Jr. & Star Jr. vs. Bárbaro Cavernario, Magnus & Felino Lucha libre legend Atlantis teams with his son and Star Jr. to face the formidable trio of Cavernario, Magnus, and Felino in a generational clash.
Falls Count Anywhere for the MLW National Openweight Championship: Bad Dude Tito Escondido vs. Matthew Justice Following a brutal attack involving a steel chair, champion Tito faces a vengeful Justice in a match that can end anywhere in the arena.
Último Guerrero & Hechicero vs. Esfinge & Kevin Knight Legendary Último Guerrero pairs with Hechicero against the dynamic duo of Esfinge and rising star Kevin Knight.
MLW World Featherweight Title Fight: Janai Kai vs. Lluvia vs. Persephone “Kick Demon” Janai Kai puts her championship on the line against CMLL standout Lluvia and the powerful Persephone.
Chain Match: Alex Kane vs. BRG After repeated attacks from BRG and the Rogue Horsemen, Kane seeks revenge in a match where both competitors are bound by chain.
PLUS: Special Appearances The event features appearances by Matt Riddle, CONTRA Unit, Donovan Dijak, MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima, and AKIRA.
Eric Bischoff is heading to Major League Wrestling’s upcoming event from New York City on December 5, MLW One Shot.
Bischoff’s latest guest on his 83 Weeks podcast is Paul Walter Hauser, as the accomplished actor who has been heavily involved with MLW over the past few months. During their discussion, Hauser turned the tables on Bischoff, asking him if he ever gets the itch to get back in the business. Bischoff said that the feeling comes and goes, but he does particularly enjoy working in a backstage role and in the production realm of the business.
Hauser noted that he has MLW CEO Court Bauer in his phonebook and decided to call him on the spot. Bauer picked up, Hauser caught him up to speed and asked if he’d be open to working with the outspoken former wrestling executive.
“Without hesitation, the answer is absolutely yes. Dude, ERic going to enemy Territory in one place where he’s never promoted a show, new york city, for one night, calling the shots. That to me sounds like money.”
MLW President Court Bauer open to working with Eric Bischoff
Bauer then made the pitch for Bischoff to attend MLW One-Shot on December 5. Hauser, playing the facilitator, made clear he’d get the two in a group text to hammer out the details. On Thrusday afternoon, MLW confirmed Bischoff will be on hand.
The event is now being billed as, Eric Bischoff’s One-Shot: An Eric Bischoff Production. Tickets are now on sale at Eventbrite.
Both Tony Schiavone and Bruce Prichard worked for MLW both in production and commentary years back right as their podcasts began taking fire courtesy of Conrad Thompson. Bischoff has previously said he wouldn’t get involved with AEW, stating that the environment wouldn’t be fun for him.
Major League Wrestling has established itself in the world of wrestling with a roster of talented individuals and tag teams from all walks of life. Now, MLW is stepping in the ring with the iconic Galoob brand to bring fans brand-new action figures.
According to Lan Pitts of Gamespot, MLW is now re-entering the toy market, teaming up with Power Town through the “revitalized” Galoob brand. MLW has stated that this new line will be “the biggest offering” of their roster to date and while no release date is currently confirmed, Pitts reports that the figures are expected to be released in 2025.
Major League Wrestling previously partnered with Boss Fight Studios to release action figures, but the line faced heavy criticism. Reports of in-house issues led to some figures being delayed, with the figure of Killer Kross (now WWE Superstar Karrion Kross) only hitting shelves after he’d already parted ways with MLW.
Galoob Action Figures
In the world of wrestling, Galoob is best known for its release of WCW figures in the early 1990s with top names like Ric Flair, Sting, and Arn Anderson being immortalized in plastic. As the figures were made of a solid, molded plastic, there was no mobility or articulation with the figures, though each figure came with its own championship.
Galoob also released accessories, including a ‘Slam Action Wrestling Arena’ and matching ‘Action Ring.’ Now, fans of Major League Wrestling can look forward to a burst of nostalgia, courtesy of these figures that will prove to be popular when they release next year.
MLW is making sure to look out for the safety of its talent and fans as Court Bauer has made the decision to cancel it’s Oct. 4 show due to the danger surrounding Hurricane Helene.
Major League Wrestling was set to put on MLW Slaughterhouse in St. Petersburg on October 4 at the famous Coliseum, a venue the company sold out earlier this year for their War Chamber event. The official announcement from the company is as follows.
MLW St. Petersburg Show Cancelled Due to Hurricane Helene: All ticket holders will receive full refunds
Due to the severe impact of Hurricane Helene in St. Petersburg, we have made the decision to cancel the upcoming show at the Coliseum. The safety of our staff, talent, crew, and fans in the Tampa/St Pete area is our top priority, and we believe this is the most responsible course of action given the current conditions.
We will keep everyone updated with further details, including rescheduling information if available.
All ticket holders will receive full refunds effective immediately.
Please stay safe and take care.
The event was stacking itself up for a big card as Satoshi Kojima was going to defend his MLW World Heavyweight Championship against Ultimo Guerrero in an international title fight. CONTRA Unit were going to defend their World Tag Team Championships against The Bomaye Fight Club and Trevor Lee was going to make his MLW debut against Donovan Dijak.
This past Thursday, the promotion put on a special Pit-Fighters event that is currently available to watch on YouTube which is headlined by Matt Riddle taking on “Filthy” Tom Lawlor.
Posted September 27th, 2024 in News, MLW. Tagged: MLW.
WWE Hall of Famer John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield has been making his presence felt in the wrestling world as of late with appearances in TNA, GCW, AAA, and beyond. Recently, the self-professed ‘Wrestling God’ arrived in MLW to assist Brock Anderson and has caught the attention of Emmy Award-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser.
On the latest MLW Pit-Fighters, Hauser made clear he has no love for JBL, who he said “came back from the dead.” He added that Layfield has no place in MLW, stating that “I know he’s one of the boys, but he’s not one of our boys.”
Hauser, perhaps best known for his role in Blackbird, confirmed that he will return to MLW in Chicago later this year and had a stark warning for the former WWE Champion.
“If JBL sticks his nose or his clothesline into my business, I will knock his ancient ass to the ground. And when he wakes up, he’ll think he’s back in Connecticut wearing a cowboy hat with his boss’ ass on his breath. So stay clear, Temu Stan Hanson.”
He may be busy on set, but @PWHIsAWrestler is keeping eyes on MLW and has plans for @JCLayfield . #MLWPitFighters 🐉
JBL, who is still under a WWE Legends contract, has explained his recent resurgence, stating he didn’t want his ill-fated alliance with Baron Corbin to be the end of his pro wrestling legacy. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on the WWE Hall of Famer as he continues to capture the attention of fans with his appearances outside WWE.
Here are the results from MLW Fightland which took place Saturday, September 14, 2024 from Atlanta, GA at Center Stage.
Opera Cup 2024 Semi-Final: KENTA defeated TJP by pinfall.
Opera Cup 2024 Semi-Final: Mistico defeated Bad Dude Tito by pinfall.
Singles Match: Donovan Dijak defeated Timothy Thatcher by pinfall.
Tag Team Match: The Andersons (CW Anderson & Brock Anderson) defeated Bomaye Fight Club (Alex Kane & Mr. Thomas) by pinfall, with interference from JBL and The Rogue Horsemen.
Singles Match: Shigeo Okumura defeated Adam Priest by pinfall.
MLW World Heavyweight Championship Match: Satoshi Kojima (c) defeated Mads Krule Krügger by disqualification after Krügger threw a fireball, leading to a confrontation with Matt Riddle.
Opera Cup 2024 Final: Mistico defeated KENTA by submission, crowning Mistico as the winner of the 2024 Opera Cup.
JBL has continued his indie tour with his latest stop being one of the most surprising locations for the wrestling veteran considering his history with WWE.
Major League Wrestling or MLW presented their latest Fightland 24 event on Sunday, September 14 from the Center stage in Atlanta, Georgia. The event featured stars such as KENTA, Mistico, Matt Riddle, and more.
One of the matches during the bout saw the Anderson brothers, Brock Anderson and C. W. Anderson taking on The Bomaye Fight Club consisting of Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas.
The ending of the bout was full of chaos. After the referee got knocked down, Bobby Fish and BRG came out to help the Andersons. The newest MLW roster member Kevin Knight took exception to this and he took out the entire faction by himself.
The Fight Club couldn’t capitalize on this opening, however. Just as Mr. Thomas was looking to win the match, JBL made his surprise MLW debut. The former WWE Champion took out Thomas with a Clothesline from Hell.
He then whispered something in Brock Anderson’s ear before leaving. This allowed the second-generation star to get the pin for his team.
John Bradshaw Layfield had not made a non-WWE appearance since 1995. This streak was broken after almost 29 years when he accompanied Nic Nemeth at the Triplemanía XXXII: Mexico City event last month on August 17.
The WWE Hall of Famer has made a number of mysterious indie appearances since then including his GCW debut and a couple of appearances for TNA wrestling.
His MLW appearance is especially surprising considering the company had been involved in a bitter legal battle with WWE until earlier this year. The wrestling giant decided to settle the anti-trust lawsuit at a massive price tag of $20 Million.
Very similar to his actions tonight, JBL had whispered something in the ear of Nemeth during his TNA debut at last month’s Emergence PPV. He then helped the fellow WWE alumni retain his TNA World Title at Friday’s Victory Road 2024 PPV. His GCW appearance was to help Mance Warner retain the GCW title.
Now this latest adventure suggests that the former WWE Champion has a purpose behind his moves and we may see him managing a faction dominating the indie scenes in the coming times.
Matt Riddle has explained why he didn’t want to join AEW after being fired from WWE and detailed the one awkward conversation he had with Tony Khan.
Many expected the former WWE star to land a deal with the company’s biggest rivals when he was released. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, however, he explained that he was actually relieved after being fired from the TKO-owned promotion.
Riddle mentioned how he is a very provocative character and being on TV was stressful for him because it magnified everything. The reason he didn’t go into AEW straight away was because he didn’t want to get the attention for a while.
Though the former US Champion didn’t completely rule out the possibility of an AEW appearance in the future. He mentioned how MLW works with NJPW which in turn works with the promotion of Tony Khan.
Matt Riddle’s Strange Encounter With Tony Khan
Matt Riddle explained that it’s possible for him to make an AEW debut that way before revealing an awkward conversation he had with Khan at New Japan’s Windy City Riot show in April:
“I talked to Tony, I don’t know if he likes me. He seemed happy. I wrestled Zach Sabre Jr. in Chicago. He seemed cool about it. I don’t know. When you meet me, I’m very sarcastic. But when I met him, I was like, ‘Oh, you like that match’?
But I said it a different way, and he looked at me all confused. And I was like, ‘Never mind, dude’. I just walked away. So that was my experience with that.”
The former WWE star later also explained why he hasn’t made a TNA appearance so far either. Riddle mentioned that he took a lot of indie bookings following his release.
So when he talked to Tommy Dreamer about potentially working for the Anthem-owned promotion, they couldn’t find dates where he was free to participate in TNA tapings.
Matt Riddle joined WWE back in 2018 and found a lot of success in the company. He was involved in a lot of controversies as well, however. Following one such controversial incident at the JFK airport in September 2023, Riddle was released from his contract.
Brock Anderson remains dedicated to professional wrestling and continuing the legacy his dad Arn made within the industry. He has gained valuable experience teaming with veteran CW Anderson as the duo already found success as the AML World Tag Team Champions. They look to add more gold working for MLW.
The old school meets new school duo faces Bomaye Fight Club at Fightland on September 14. Anderson has only heard good things about MLW.
“A couple of guys came through and managed to turn it around for themselves,” he said of the platform the promotion provides. “Parlay that into something pretty good for themselves…I think I fell into a perfect scenario. I’m tagging with someone who has been in the business for 30 years.
“He can tell me things that my old man can’t because you can be a father or a coach. Sometimes he tips around some areas. I usually know when there is something he wants to say because of that father-son bond. CW is one who can tell me this sucked, that was good, do this, do that. That experience I’m experiencing through osmosis, I’m glad it panned out the way it did. I told him, ‘You know you’re the Ole in this. You’ve turned into Ole Anderson.’ I think he has embraced it, to be honest with you.”
Anderson gained valuable experience in AEW. However, he reached a crossroads.
“After I left AEW I didn’t know where my path was going to be,” he said.”…AEW was great. I have nothing but great things to say about the people who worked there. Tony [Khan] was great to a whole industry when nobody else was working. He kept people working. It was a trying time in the business and around the world. I appreciated the experience.
“I just didn’t think I could get better there because I didn’t know if they had plans for me. There weren’t enough reps. It came down to getting reps. So, they sent something, which was a similar deal I was on. I just said, ‘I think I’ll take my chances.’ When I go out and travel, I know I’m going to wrestle and get better. That was kind of my approach to the thing. Every time I leave the house, I know I’m going to have a match.”
The 27-year-old decided to bet on himself. A difficult decision, but one that fuels his motivation. Anderson is excited to cross another legendary venue off the bucket list in Center Stage thanks to MLW. Anderson’s dad Arn retired when he was six months old. By 1997, those Center Stage days for WCW were largely in the rearview. Though the next generation talent has since caught up on Arn’s body of work and went to WWE shows while he was a producer.
“I popped in these grainy VHS tapes and there is your dad 20 years younger wrestling,” he said. “It was kind of a trip. I started to watch more of those and realized he was pretty good at this. Then I saw how the boys in the back treated him. Things started to click.”
Anderson can trace when he knew he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps. A milestone showdown between two Hall of Famers in Houston.
“It was WrestleMania25,” Anderson recalled. “WWE would always have their employees have their families. It was like a vacation treat for the year. We’re in the box. It was when the cards got to about six or seven hours. There was a lot of preshow and all that. It was a long night and I was already tired.
“Then all of a sudden you see the smoke come, all this white light and a guy descends from teh ceiling, white robe, white hat. You can’t see his face and all of a sudden HBK’s music hits. He was wrestling Undertaker. It was HBK and Undertaker 1. They went 40 minutes. Two legends going at it. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands with what they did. There was no wasted movement. Everything clicked. I thought, ‘This is what I want to do.’”
When Anderson told Arn about his career aspirations, the response wasn’t a flat no. Just an, “Ask your mom.” Then it was a hard no at the time. The parents wanted him to go to college and have a backup plan. He graduated on December 19, 2019, and started on the pro wrestling journey in January 2020. Then came the AEW opportunity.
“I want to be where is best for me,” Anderson answered when asked if his ultimate goal was a WWE run. “Personally, professionally, all that. I don’t have to pigeonhole it to one company. Wherever I feel is best for me.”
And right now that place is venturing through the independent scene and seeing what happens with MLW. The question is will we see Arn walk that aisle with his son, possibly at Fightland?
“He could show up at any time. But always keep it in the back of your head he might wonder into the building somehow or sneak down,” he said. “There is always that possibility. We always have that card up our sleeve.”
Watch MLW Fightland at 9 p.m. ET on September 14 on YouTube.
Wrestling fans know no borders, and that was evident this weekend in Queens at MLW’s Summer of the Beasts event.
Major League Wrestling’s event took place on Thursday evening at the Melrose Ballroom, drawing a sold-out crowd. The excitement wasn’t limited to New Yorkers—Art, a fan who traveled all the way from Russia, made MLW his first stop in the U.S. to experience the action firsthand.
“I came to America to see all these cool guys smashing each other around. I’m gonna see all my favorites like KENTA, Matt Riddle, Paul London—you name it. All the international talents are here tonight, and I’m really psyched to see that. So it’s going to be a bop.”
MLW fans aren't a nation, army or a universe. They're fam and this one came to America from Russia to see #MLW live last night in NYC. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/JtmPRNs5ui
Though legends like Ivan and Nikita Koloff weren’t in attendance, Art wasn’t exaggerating about the international talent packed into Thursday’s event. KENTA was joined by the likes of Mistico, Minoru Suzuki, Atlantis Jr., TJP, and Hanako. Additionally, the reigning World Champion, KOJIMA, who recently lost the World Tag Titles to CONTRA Unit, headlined the event.
The evening also showcased the ongoing Opera Cup, with four matches determining the semi-finalists. Mistico triumphed over Atlantis Jr. in the main event, while TJP bested Tom Lawlor, Bad Dude Tito defeated Alex Kane, and KENTA took down AKIRA.
Former WWE wrestler Donovan Dijak recently made his impactful Major League Wrestling (MLW) debut at the promotion’s Summer of the Beasts event.
Earlier, a Doomsday clock was shown that counted down from roughly two hours. Little Guido, Nolo Kitano, Jimmy Lloyd, LSG were competing in a four-way scramble and the clock hit zero. This led to Dijak’s debut in the promotion.
The former RETRIBUTION member surprised the fans as he interrupted the match and took out all the competitors. Dijak had Mister Saint Laurent by his side and he went on to brutally attack all four wrestlers.
After wreaking havoc, Dijak said that he was going to be the next MLW World Champion and called out the likes of former WWE star Matt Riddle and Minoru Suzuki.
Last month, the 37-year-old captured the Ryse Wrestling Grand Championship. Before that, the last time Dijak won a title was seven years back when he won the Pro Wrestling Resurgence Heavyweight Championship. Dijak has also made his presence felt backstage at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door this year.
SEScoops recently caught up with Donovan Dijak following his departure from WWE. You can check it out below:
It’s a come full circle moment for Paul London as he returns to Major League Wrestling for the first time in 21 years at Summer of the Beasts ‘24. The live event streaming worldwide on the company’s YouTube will see the revolutionary veteran square off with emerging talent BRG. London remembers stepping foot in an MLW ring at a similar career stage as his upcoming opponent in 2003.
“I remember that I was really excited about working with Jerry Lynn like I always am,” London reminisced. “I’m always happy to see him. He is probably the most lovable person in wrestling or one of them at least. I know [Christopher] Daniels was there as well. I think I was most excited about the caliber of talent that Court [Bauer] amassed. I was freshly 22 or 23. It was pretty cool.”
The now-44-year-old calls the experience of returning to the promotion after so much time surreal. “The fact it has been more than 20 years,” London added. “I really am old.”
London had one hell of a run since his first appearance in MLW. He went on to Ring of Honor followed by multiple years in WWE before his release in 2008. From there, he continued entertaining crowds around the world and made a stop back on regular television in the form of Lucha Underground. London is excited about facing BRG.
“It’s an exciting opportunity, especially for him. I got to see what he is all about. He has a lot of talent but a big mouth,” London concluded. “He has long hair. I’m sure it’s his natural hair color. I’m curious which Ryan Gosling is actually his favorite. I’m a curious guy. I also think about other famous people Mark Paul Gosselaar. Maybe he and I will have something in common after I give him a wrestling lesson.”
After all this time London has enjoyed the journey. He remains grateful that people still responding to him after all this time.
“I don’t want people to respond for some nostalgia nonsense though,” he said. “I want them to respond because they didn’t have a choice. That’s always the challenge for me is how can I either not become stale and give the audience something else. It’s intimidating. New York City is a place I’ve always had a lot of good matches there. The one-year anniversary of Ring of Honor we had there. I had a lot of good moments and friends there… have a lot on my plate and none of it is soft food.”
Returning to Wrestling Full-Time
Working in various places throughout the year is something London has always enjoyed. However, he doesn’t rule out signing a contract with another major company.
“I think about it every now and then,” he said. “Sure, if the money is right, but there are other things to consider. I think at this stage of where I’m at so much has to do with if I like this. Am I into this? Is this creative? Am I in a position where I feel I’m going to look stupid or this is bad? It’s very similar to acting where if you get handed a terrible script. What is the point? Then it doesn’t matter what the movie is. I have to like what I’m doing.
“There are projects that don’t pan out. That’s fine. I’m not saying I haven’t taken jobs because of a payday either. It can be a crippling decision-maker if that’s what you base your value on. To me, to sign a contract with a wrestling company would be a matter of who is on the roster, who is in the office, what kind of responsibilities they are looking for in me, and traveling. Will I go to a place where I’ll get devoured by mosquitos? Those kinds of things.”
Giving Back
London enjoys guiding the next generation along. It’s something he aims to do in this current aspect of his career.
“If I can help someone preserve their body or avoid mistakes I made,” he said. “If I can help someone avoid that stuff, I’m happy to do that. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the lightbulb go off. I like to help those who do want this for the right reasons.”
His Former Partner Brian Kendrick
In this world of reunions, one we shouldn’t expect any time soon is London to get back into a tag team with Brian Kendrick. The dynamic duo of high flyers turned heads with a strong run in WWE, evening winning the tag team titles.
“No. We don’t talk,” London answered on the potential of a reunion. “He is doing his own thing and I’m doing mine. It has been mentioned in the past, but I’m just not interested at all. I’m not saying it will never happen. If some money mark wants to come in and say, I’ll give you $50,000 for this one match.” I’m interested now. That’s not going to happen. Who knows? As of now, there is no interest in my book. I wish him well though. I hope he is a happy man.”
The State of Pro Wrestling
Given how ahead of their time the popular team was, Kendrick and London certainly would have made waves together in 2024. However, London doesn’t live in this line of thinking.
“Anyone can be a wrestler now. The standards and integrity have been lost in the wrestling business. That really bothers me,” London said. “I like seeing what creative people do with wrestling now. The athleticism is there and better than it has ever been. It’s outstanding and spectacular, but I don’t buy in the way I used to. I don’t feel the way I used to. We’re all marks at the end of the day. There are varying degrees of mark-ism. We all want to be led along a great story. I want to believe. Wrestling is overly planned, choreographed, and overly produced. It takes a lot of the soul out of the wrestlers.
“I don’t know. Trust your talent and see what happens. There is something thrilling and exciting about not knowing what will happen. That’s as real as it gets. I do love wrestling. I really love it. Thank god for YouTube because I get to watch all these things.”
Despite his hot takes, London still genuinely enjoys what he does for a living. He even has some favorites that happen to be under the MLW umbrella.
“I’m a big Matt Riddle fan. I met him in Germany years ago before he went up to Stamford,” London recalled. “We got along. He is a real dude and I really like the guy. Then I watch his work and i reminds me a lot of Kevin Von Erich. It’s not because of being barefoot. He has a really organic way of how he moves. He was a fighter so he gets it. I’m excited to see his match with Matthew Justice, who I know is a wild one.
There are so many guys I think highly of. TJP is another one. He is an encyclopedia of wrestling holds and moves and combinations. There are so many that impress me.”
There is another London that also admires and will be in action at the big show – and he happens to wear a mask.
“Buying generic toys meant to be The Rock or someone has been fun for me,” London explained. “I recently bought this crapy little ring with luchadors in it and I think it was like $3. One of the figures is Mistico. I was like, ‘Should I bring that? Should I have him take a picture with it?’ I know it’s weird, but I’m such a fan. I love wrestling.”
MLW Summer of the Beasts ‘24 airs live at 7:30 p.m. ET on YouTube.
This recap was originally written on MLW.com by SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo.
Major League Wrestling is back in the notorious Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL and its a stacked card and a main event with high stakes between Matt Riddle and Sami Callihan. We kick it off with a unique clash that features the opening round of The Opera Cup.
MATCH 1 Opera Cup Round 1 Atlantis Jr. vs. Shigeo Okumura
It’s a youngster vs. a veteran in this first round fight and Okumura was ready to unleash some tough love on Atlantis Jr. Okumura slowed the pace down to keep Atlantis underwater. However, the innovative generational talent got Okumura off-his-game with an airplane blue thunder bomb. Although Okumura kicked out Atlantis quickly followed up with a frog splash for the 1-2-3.
WINNER & ADVANCING: Atlantis Jr.
Post-match, both fighters paid one another respect. Can Atlantis go the distance and become the first CMLL star to capture The Opera Cup?
Alex Kane nor does Mr. Thomas plan for that not to happen, but they actually have to go through one another in their own opening round match. If you thought their match between could cause a rift with each other, think again. Both Kane and Thomas know it’s called the BOMAYE “FIGHT” Club!
MATCH 2 Opera Cup Round 1 Tom Lawlor vs. Jake Crist
Lawlor is a former Opera Cup winner and Crist was well-aware of that. The Ohio-born boy wasted no time in taking it to Filthy Tom, not even letting him get to the ring before starting the fight. The two used all elements of the ring in attempt to keep one another down, but it actually took Lawlor a superplex turned to Kimura Lock to cause Crist to pass out.
WINNER & ADVANCING: Tom Lawlor
Post-fight, Lawlor got on the mic to talk trash to Tampa, but up on the screen popped Paul Walter Hauser who issued a major challenge to Lawlor – an MMA cage fight! MSL banned from the building! Lawlor accepted!
It’s Suzuki’s first match as a CONTRA soldier and joining the ranks may have even furthered his sadism. AKIRA, however, was game for the battle. Some intense shots were traded as AKIRA found it hard to shake Suzuki, but the Death Fighter kept bringing it. However, a Gotch Piledriver was good enough for Suzuki to ultimately get the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Minoru Suzuki
Post-fight, there was no respect shown as Minoru and Ikuro Kwon went on to further attack AKIRA devastatingly laying him out with more diabolical ideas in mind. Minoru was going for another Gotch when MLW World Champ Satoshi Kojima ran down to clear the evil out!
A concerned Cesar Duran saunters down to the ring to demand to see who Salina de la Renta’s baby daddy is after she revealed she has a bun in the oven. Well Salina showed up, but she was not without her mind games to her estranged daddy. Before making the reveal, she teased that the father was Bad Dude Tito and EVEN MSL but it was a surprise that made Duran literally sick: one of his own AZTECA henchman. The mysterious man pulled off the mask, revealing a Rudolph Valentino face with an even stronger libido as he and Salina started making out! Duran couldn’t take the discuss and fainted in the ring!
MATCH 4 Three Stages Of Destruction (First Blood + Street Fight + Medical Evacuation) Mads Krule Krugger vs. Matthew Justice (Bill Alfonso)
Matthew Justice was not only ready to roll for this intense battle, but so was Fonzie who certainly has had his issues with CONTRA. Do both bring it to Krugger in the First Blood round of the fight as plenty of plunder is used. Justice gets Krugger off his feet with the indirect help of his own CONTRA soldier as he leapt off the back of a downed man to spear Krugger! Fonzie then tossed Justice a chair with barbed wire as he cracked Krugger HARD with it. Then Justice had some Mr. PPV plans as Fonzie held the chair for Justice to leap all the way across the ring for a Van TERMINATOR!! A few more cracks with the chair had the ref call for the bell noting that Krugger has poured enough crimson!
WINNER of STAGE 1: Matthew Justice
Next stage was a street fight and Justice continued to keep at his business of violence. He even showed his strength by hoisting the monster Mads up for a Death Valley Driver onto a chair! A massive ladder gets set up and Justice has to fight off a CONTRA soldier, allowing Mads to climb up and superplex Matt through a table! Krugger does drape an arm over Matt for the 1-2-3!
WINNER of STAGE 2: Mads Krugger
Someone will now be leaving in an ambulance. The two begin to brawl on the entryway as another ladder is presented. Justice gets Krugger on a table for his own plans of retribution, but the table collapses under the weight of Krugger. That doesn’t stop Justice who still decides to splash on top of Mads! Justice has a gameplan in mind as he gets a dolly. Both he and Fonzie get Krugger on it and push the massive man to the back! Fonzie hydrates Matt as they get Krugger to the ambulance, but when he opens the door to the back Ikuro Kwon is there to spray mist into Matt’s eyes! The fix was in! Kwon and Krugger gang up on Matt, set up a table, light it aflame and powerbomb Justice through it! Krugger tosses Matt in the ambulance and the match is over.
WINNER: Mads Krule Krugger
MATCH 5 MLW World Featherweight Championship Gigi Ray vs. Janai Kai (c)
The Kick Demon Kai aimed to keep the momentum moving for CONTRA against Gigi Ray who definitely showed up ready for battle. Ray received plenty of kicks in this fight, but she had her own share of offense in this fight. However, Kai caught Ray with a roundhouse thrust in the corner and it was good to keep Ray down for the pinfall.
WINNER and STILL MLW World Featherweight Champion: Janai Kai
MATCH 6 Opera Cup Round 1 Bobby Fish vs. KENTA
Fish is ready to unleash “beautiful violence” onto KENTA who is making his Major League debut tonight. KENTA had an off-the-beaten path gameplan against Bobby as he was very disrespectful to the squared circle veteran, basically treating him like a young boy in the ring. Both men delivered in this battle though and Fish got his fair share of strikes in, but KENTA did take the mouthpiece out of Bobby with a GTS and it was good enough to advance in the Opera Cup.
WINNER & ADVANCING: KENTA
MAIN EVENT No Ropes, No Hold Barred Sami Callihan vs. Matt Riddle
The stakes are high in this brutal battle as if Riddle loses, he forgoes his future World Title shot to Callihan, the right he won at Battle Riot VI.
Tampa was all behind The Super King Of Bros and Callihan was less than pleased, getting on the mic to say he’s going to beat Riddle in less than five second. That didn’t happen as Riddle rocked him with a foot to the face. Despite that, Callihan had some nasty plans in mind.
Sami pulled out all types of violent ideas including paper cuts, lemon zest and staple gun tags. He got Riddle right in the foot with one but before that, wrapped Matt’s hair around a barbed wire bat! A broken beer bottle was introduced and its remaining chards became a factor.
The ring was ripped up, boards were broken and literal nuts and bolts became a bed of brutalitiy. Despite all that, Riddle persevered and caused Callihan to submit when he crossfaced Sami with loose ring ropes!
Salina de la Renta is pregnant and from a storyline perspective, it could cause ripples within the operations of Major League Wrestling.
Salina revealed her pregnancy during the MLW ’24 Anniversary Show on June 22, weeks after the diabolical Cesar Duran dropped the bombshell that he was her long-estranged father. That shocking news was dropped during Battle Riot VI and de la Renta was clearly shaken by the family ties.
However, Salina decided to take the power in her own hands by giving Duran a belated “Father’s Day gift,” showing that Cesar was soon to be a grandfather. Duran showed astonishment but eventually displayed enthusiam for the prospect.
If fans had any doubt that Salina’s pregnancy was storylined-based, both de la Renta and MLW disregard such speculation with Salina actually revealing her baby bump online.
Duran did lean into the controversy of all by posting “what a scandal” on X.
Duran and de la Renta have been at odds for years on MLW programming as it’s been a constant power struggle between the father and daughter duo. At one time Duran was appointed as MLW matchmaker, but now strictly finds himself in a managerial role, just like de la Renta has been.
Salina just made her return to Major League Wrestling earlier this year and her contention with Duran culminated at Azteca Lucha, a sold-out show in Chicago. Both Duran and Salina had luchadores compete against one another in order to earn the rights to a mysterious key, but the battle turned to a stalemate. Now with it becoming a family affair, the drama will continue between the two talents.
The next event on tap for MLW is Blood & Thunder which takes place on July 12 in St. Petersburg, FL.
Actor-turned-pro-wrestler Paul Walter Hauser has been added to the Major League Wrestling (MLW) roster.
Hauser recently competed in MLW Battle Riot IV and seemingly impressed the management as he has now officially become a part of the roster. The New York-based promotion’s official X account announced that Paul Walter Hauser’s fighter bio is live on their official website.
Paul Walter Hauser shared his thoughts and said that he was “very excited” after being added to the MLW roster. He said:
Paul Walter Hauser gained attention of the fans across the globe with his performances in popular TV roles. He has also been a part of several movies and series including “Inside Out 2” and “Cobra Kai” and even bagged a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.
The Golden Globe winner transitioned into a pro wrestler after having a successful acting career. He made his pro wrestling debut last year. Hauser has made a handful of appearances at wrestling shows. He also appeared on an edition of AEW Dynamite where Jeff Jarrett and co. stole his Golden Globe Award.
Hauser has competed in seven matches in his pro wrestling career. Apart from MLW, the 37-year-old star has worked in Pro Wrestling Revolver, where he had the majority of his bouts. His recent match took place against Danhausen at REVOLVER Cage of Horrors 3 on June 22.
Popular wrestler and MLW alum Paul London has been helping Hauser with pro wrestling training and it seems Hauser is not stopping anytime soon.
MLW is making moves and that includes long-time pro wrestling personality David Marquez.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that Major League Wresling has hired Marquez as their new Head of Production. Not only that, but there are plans in place for MLW to hire former WWE and TNA producer, David Sahadi.
David Marquez has recently re-emerged on MLW programming as a backstage interviewer, both while having sold-out shows in Chicago and Atlanta. Previously, Marquez appeared as a personality on NWA and was the promoter of CWF Hollywood in California.
Sapp also noted that the company plans to make production changes that happen to include a TV truck starting this July.
David Marquez Adds To The Evolution Of MLW
MLW has found success hitting the road once again after having extended stays in Philadelphia, a trend that greatly began during the global pandemic. The company has lost big names such as Alex Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu, but has made an effort to build new stars such as Alex Kane, Matthew Justice, One Called Manders, Janai Kai, Rickey Shane Page and AKIRA.
MLW CEO Court Bauer also has brought veteran names into the fold including their first-ever World Champion, Satoshi Kojima and NJPW star Minoru Suzuki. They’ve also brought back Matt Riddle, who notoriously got a lot of his early pro wrestling work under the MLW banner. Riddle was the recent winner of Battle Riot VI and will have a future World Title shot down the line whenever he chooses, but before that he will take on Sami Callihan this July at their next PPV, Blood & Thunder.
Along with Riddle, Major League Wrestling has been the wrestling promotion to introduce big names to the wrestling world. MJF, Swerve Strickland as well as the aforementioned Hammerstone and Fatu all cut a great deal of their teeth under the MLW banner.
MLW is looking to continue to soar like the Falcons or the Hawks down in Atlanta after a sold out event this past weekend.
Major League Wrestling presented Battle Riot VI at the historic Center Stage down in the ATL and the place was packed to the gills for one of the promotion premier events. Now MLW has announced that another tentpole shows in Fightland will be making its way back to Atlanta on September 14. Tickets are set to go on sale this Wednesday, June 5 at 10 AM ET, and if Battle Riot is any indication, Major League Wrestling will have some surprises in store.
Battle Riot VI featured promoted acts such as Ernest “The Cat” Miller, Jimmy Yang and Violent J as participants in the 40-man match, but the real shining star of the show was Paul Walter Hauser. Hauser elminated several people in the match, including former World Champion Tom Lawlor before being eliminated by Sami Callihan. However, it was Matt Riddle winning the whole bout after tossing Callihan with the two being the final two entrants.
Primarily having a residence in the northeast, MLW has finally spread its wings after the pandemic and now have two consecutive sold out shows, one in Chicago and now in Atlanta. However, the company recently returned back to its roots when it returned to Tampa Bay back in March for their War Chamber event.
Currently advertised for Fightland is Riddle, Alex Kane and World Champion Satoshi Kojima who retained his title against the aforementioned Lawlor.
Fans at Major League Wrestling’s Battle Riot VI event saw the introduction of the promotion’s brand-new World Championship title design.
Before the show’s World Heavyweight Championship match, the new title design was introduced. This design features a gold, black, and silver center plate with the MLW logo over the world. The title also includes silver and gold side plates. The previous design had been in operation since April of 2018 when MLW returned following a 15-year hiatus.
The MLW World Heavyweight Championship has been held since February by Satoshi Kojima. The 53-year-old Japanese star is currently in his second reign as champion and won the title from Alex Kane at SuperFight. At Battle Riot VI, Kojima retained the gold against former champion ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor.
The new title is the latest creation from Belts By Dan, who has made several championships across professional wrestling. Creations of Dan’s include the AEW TNT Championship, the AEW Women’s World Championship, and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
While Kojima is proud to hold the re-designed MLW World Heavyweight Championship, his reign is in serious jeopardy. MLW Battle Riot VI also saw Matt Riddle win the titular 40-man Battle Riot match. With this win, the former WWE United States Champion has earned an MLW World Title match for any time of his choosing. If WWE’s Money in the Bank contract has shown anything, then this stipulation puts Kojima at a distinct disadvantage.
MLW Battle Riot VI featured a surprise appearance by wrestling legends Mark Henry and Teddy Long.
The two WWE Hall of Famers surprised fans as they oversaw the Ritual Combat match between Alex Kane and AJ Francis, seated beside the victor’s throne. Their appearances were not promoted for the show, but there are also a few surprises for MLW fans on the show.
Recently, Long appeared on WWE television during the 2024 draft as he took part in announcing a round of picks for the SmackDown brand. Mark Henry’s contract with AEW expired in May.
Other Possible MLW Surprises
Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select reported that WWE Superstar Xavier Woods and former TNA producer David Sahadi were backstage.
The Battle Riot match included notable names like Paul Walter Hauser, Violent J, and Chris Danger. Additional surprises were anticipated during the show, so keep checking back for more updates.
MLW Changing Pay-Per-View System
During Battle Riot, Major League Wrestling announced that its pay-per-view events will move to YouTube for MLW Members. This change marks the end of MLW’s partnership with Triller TV, which began airing MLW events in May 2023.
Upcoming MLW pay-per-views include:
MLW Blood And Thunder on July 29 in Tampa, FL
MLW Summer of the Beasts on August 29 in New York City, NY
MLW Fightland on September 14 in Atlanta, GA
You can find our full results for the MLW Battle Riot event here. There was certainly a lot to unpack when the show was over.
Matt Riddle has a guaranteed MLW World Title match at a time of his choosing after winning the sixth-annual MLW Battle Riot match.
The 40-man match came down to Riddle, Sami Callihan, Davey Boy Smith Jr, and Timothy Thatcher. Thatcher would eliminate Smith but in the process accidentally eliminated himself. Riddle then eliminated Calihan to clinch the victory.
Chris Danger, Paul Walter Hauser, Violent J, and Ernest “The Cat” Miller were among the notable names in the match at the sold-out show. Scotty Riggs and Minoru Suzuki were among the surprise entries. ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlorpulled a Mick Foley at Royal Rumble 1998 by entering the match three times. Lawlor entered once as himself before returning as ‘The Masked Assassin’ before a comeback as ‘Arachnidman.’
Riddle will now receive an MLW World Heavyweight Title match at the time of his choosing. Ironically, Riddle had (according to himself) been scheduled to win the WWE Money in the Bank contract in 2022 which would have given him a similar opportunity. The briefcase instead went to Austin Theory that year.
Satoshi Kojima is the reigning MLW World Heavyweight Champion. During the MLW Battle Riot pay-per-view, the new MLW World Heavyweight Championship was revealed and Kojima retained the title against Tom Lawlor in the latter’s first of two matches on the night.
