During Saturday night’s MLW Battle Riot III event from Philadelphia, PA, Azteca Underground boss Cesar Duran (formerly Dario Cueto) came out. He was interrupted by Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver of Injustice. This brought out LAX, now comprised of Konnan, Danny Limelight and Slice Boogie.
SEScoops correspondent Samira is live on site and sent in word that LAX got a huge reaction from the Philly crowd.
Konnan is a founding member of LAX dating back to the early 2000’s. Limelight is a fan favorite who has appeared on AEW Dark and Elevation several times over the past few months. He has also appeared on NJPW Strong.
SEScoops will have full results from MLW Battle Riot III later tonight.
Here is footage of Cesar Duran introducing LAX, courtesy of John Siino:
Major League Wrestling returns this Saturday night with MLW Battle Riot III live from the famous 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.
I will be on-hand for Battle Riot this weekend as a correspondent for SEScoops and spoke with “Interview Queen” Alicia Atout to discuss MLW’s return, Battle Riot and much more.
When asked who she thinks will win Battle Riot III, Atout named MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone as her favorite.
“As much as I don’t want to choose someone from this faction, I feel like a lot of eyes are on Hammerstone at the moment,” said Atout.
She goes on to say that many people were wondering when he will finally go one on one against Fatu and will he hold the Openweight and Heavyweight Championship at the same time.
Atout added, “Every single day when I’m opening Instagram, I’m seeing him like in the gym 10 times a day. He knows what he’s been working on and I think he’s gonna come in just like swinging. I think it might be Hammer, but I’m not sure.”
Other topics discussed include the returning to live wrestling, Salina De La Renta’s departure from MLW, her favorite reality TV shows, and more.
Watch my full interview with Alicia Atout:
MLW’s Battle Riot III is sold out and will be taking place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on July 10th at 7 p.m. EST.
Check back this weekend for MLW Battle Riot III Results!
Major League Wrestling (MLW) is launching a women’s division this summer.
This announcement comes just days ahead of MLW’s big return to a sold-out 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA this Saturday night.
According to MLW, legendary promoter Dave Prazak (founder of SHIMMER) will spearhead this new initiative.
Prazak had this to say about the launch of MLW’s women’s division:
“During my twenty-five years working in the sport thus far, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in a number of different capacities, for many companies which have focused on different types of professional wrestling. It is that variety of styles, and the right mix of different elements which makes me most excited to join the team at Major League Wrestling.”
He added, “Having focused greatly on the promotion of women’s wrestling over the years, I value the chance to assist some very deserving SHIMMER athletes in receiving opportunities to grow by entering the MLW ranks.”
New MLW Davey Richards recently spoke to WrestlingINC’s Nick Hausman. The former ROH star discussed a number of topics during the interview, including why he chose to sign with Major League Wrestling over some of the ‘bigger’ name promotions out there.
“I was blown away, quite frankly, when I announced I was going to return that a lot of the bigger name promotions reached out,” Davey Richards began. “I was very, very humbled by that. I’ve always looked at wrestling as more of a sport than entertainment. I think you should be so good at wrestling that it is entertaining. It’s just my philosophy and my opinion.”
Davey Richards on MLW
“MLW was really in line with that way of thinking in how they present their product” Davey Richards admitted. “It’s more sports-oriented. It was a really organic fit. It just clicked right off the bat, more than the other places at this time. It was really an easy decision to be quite frank. I’m really excited for July 10 and beyond.”
Davey Richards also listed some of the MLW talent that he is interested in facing as he begins his run with the company. “I think it’s gonna be a good fit. Tom Lawlor, Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu, there’s some good stuff there. There’s gonna be some magic, so I’m excited.”
Former WWE developmental talent Ezra Judge has landed himself a spot on the MLW roster following his release in May. The announcement was made on Twitter by MLW founder Court Bauer. Ezra Judge will be going by his real name in MLW, having adopted the Judge surname in WWE.
The 6’8 former NFL player signed for WWE in 2019. He never made it to the main roster and was released during the cuts in May 2021.
Ezra Judge came into wrestling fairly late in life. Having started out playing college football and was eventually drafted into the IFL. Following a short stint in football, Judge turned to bodybuilding. Picking up a few wins on the NPC circuit before turning to the IFBB Pro Tour in 2016. He placed 3rd in the Lou Ferrigno Classic that year, his highest placing in a bodybuilding competition.
Sports have been in Ezra Judge’s life since childhood, excelling in most disciplines through school, earning double letters in both track and baseball before his football days.
Signing for WWE was his first experience in wrestling. MLW will certainly offer him a very different working environment, but one a man of his size and build could thrive within.
The Judge will be a surprise package for many, as his wrestling career is still in its infancy, and at 32 years old, he still has the time needed to craft a character and skillset. Ezra Judge was held in high regard within WWE, and his NXT release was a surprise. He was picked up in the 6th round of the recent MLW draft, and will no doubt be eager to get in the ring and show exactly what he can do.
Azteca Underground is a faction in MLW but is also set to have its own show. Plans are in place to begin filming episodes of what will be something of an MLW spin-off project that will resemble Lucha Underground. Plans for the show were addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“They will also be taping content in Los Angeles for Azteca Underground and try and make it look like Lucha Underground,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “The plan is to start the Azteca Underground filming of matches in the fall and doing vignettes during the summer.”
Yes, yes, you can thank ME for ensuring you get the best lucha and violence in the entire world! Wrestling was soooo boring. But now you have @AZTECALucha and you have King Muertes! What could be better? Wait, I know. But I’m not going to share quite yet!!!!
It was also noted that some filming for the show will take place today in Los Angeles.
“They are doing some filming with Luis Fernandez-Gil (Cesar Duran, better known as Dario Cueto in Lucha Underground) on 6/18 in Los Angeles,” Meltzer continued.
Cesar Duran has also been announced as appearing in the 2300 Arena for the upcoming MLW Battle Riot event.
It was also noted that MLW has opted out of its agreement with DAZN. The deal had once included a plan for live specials. The promotion has also announced they will be in Dallas for an event in September. on the 11th The Von Erichs will likely be featured prominently on that show.
Round 5 of the MLW Draft also took place last night. TJP and the tag-team of Violence Is Forever (Kevin Ku & Dominic Garrini) were confirmed as returning for the next season.
Major League Wrestling will present the 3rd Battle Riot event on July 10th when it runs its first show in months from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. The signature match features 40 of MLWs top wrestlers entering at intervals of every 60 seconds. Eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or being tossed over the top rope. The winner will earn a shot at the MLW World Championship currently held by Contra Unit’s Jacob Fatu.
“You couldn’t ask for a bigger way to kick off the new season than a huge match with BIG stakes,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer. “Philly was set to get the Battle Riot last July before the pandemic hit, so I felt I had to make good on that promise and deliver it this July.”
Additionally, MLW is stating that the winner of this year’s Battle Riot will be able to cash-in the opportunity at any time.
“The winner gets a World Heavyweight Title Shot anywhere, anytime! It could be that night; it could be in 6 months – you just don’t know. The challenger has the key to unlock an instant title shot against whoever the champion is!”
The news was first revealed by Alicia Atout during MLW’s latest draft. Azteca Underground selected Arez. The former Dario Cueto, now known as Cesar Duran, made the pick.
Tom Lawlor won the first Battle Riot in 2018. He then defeated Low-Ki for the MLW World Championship. LA Park won the 2nd Battle Riot in 2019 but was later defeated by Jacob Fatu.
Mil Muertes has signed a new contract with MLW. According to MLW boss Court Bauer, the former Lucha Underground champion re-upped with a multi-year deal that runs through at least 2023. Bauer tweeted:
“One of the most popular wrestlers since The Restart is staying with @MLW for years to come as I have signed @Mesiasaaa to a multi-year deal. Let the body count continue!”
Mil Muertes quickly established himself as one of the top stars in MLW. He will have a big role in MLW’s Azteca Underground storyline, which featured a massive cliffhanger ending at MLW Fusion’s recent season finale.
MLW has discussed a significant roster refresh during this ‘off season’ period. The MLW Open Draft is ongoing, with new signings being announced each week.
MLW officially returns Saturday, July 10th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA. Fans will be in attendance for the first time since the pandemic. Tickets are now on sale at MLW2300.com.
MLW has announced the signing of former TNA and ROH star Davey Richards and confirmed that he will be making his debut for the promotion in July.
The company has been looking to restock its roster following their new TV deal with Vice. Just last week they confirmed Dario Cueto as El Jefe of Aztec Underground.
They announced another big addition to their roster as part of their open draft concept this week and confirmed that Davey Richards who announced his return to pro wrestling in March has signed with the promotion:
The episode featured Alicia Atout interviewing the company’s newest signing. During the interview, the former ROH star revealed that he actually signed with the promotion a while back.
Richards claimed that he was offered contracts by several companies when he announced his return to professional wrestling. He chose MLW as his new home because it stood out as a sports-oriented option.
The heavyweight star has had a successful career and he has competed for many well-known companies as well as the most famous independent promotions.
Davey Richards has won gold everywhere he has been. Apart from being a former ROH champion, he is a former TNA tag team champion and IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champion as well.
MLW will return to Philadelphia for their July 10 event which will be held in front of fans and their newest signing will also be making his debut on the same show.
The mysterious faction of Azteca Underground debuted in MLW earlier this year. The former Dario Cueto, now known as Cesar Duran, was revealed last week as the organization’s benefactor. He announced that he is building a new temple and may or may not have sacrificed Salina de la Renta to the gods after the camera cut away.
According to comments made by Court Bauer on Sean Waltman’s “Pro Wrestling 4 Life” podcast, Azteca Underground is potentially going to become its own show. The faction has been referred to previously as the “spiritual successor” to Lucha Underground.
“All I can say is that we may or may not have received two bids for a second series that may or may not involve Azteca Underground,” Bauer said on the show (transcriptions via WrestleZone).
Bauer also said during the podcast that Azteca Underground will feel “distinctly different” from episodes of Fusion.
“It’s going to be interesting. With the new project, Azteca Underground, it’s a pretty fun project,” Bauer said, “but it’s also going to be easier for us to make something feel distinctly different from Fusion.”
A brand new episode of Pro Wrestling 4 Life with @TheRealXPac & @Nick_Hausman drops tomorrow at 6 am EST!!!
— Pro Wrestling 4 Life w/ Sean "X-Pac" Waltman (@ProWres4Life) May 13, 2021
Dark Side of the Ring Creators Interested In Collaborating with MLW
In a recent interview with the WINCLY podcast, the co-creators of Dark Side of the Ring (Evan Husney and Jason Eisener) spoke about wanting to collaborate with MLW now that the promotion is on VICE TV.
“Court Bauer, he’s awesome. I’ve talked to him many times about this,” Husney said. “He had reached out to me, I think, when season two was airing. He reached out to me and and sort of had the idea of ‘wrestling is getting big on this network. What do you think?’ And obviously, because we did the Von Erich story, I knew Ross and Marshall Von Erich from the episode, and them being such a huge part of MLW, I thought it was a cool idea because Vice, the way the network launched originally to where what it’s kind of evolved into, it seems like now Vice TV, as a network, is open to a lot more different types of storytelling.”
Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 premiered last week with an episode on Brian Pillman. The show airs on VICE TV which recently signed a deal with Major League Wrestling. MLW shows now air on VICE Saturdays at noon est.
Co-creators of Dark Side of the Ring, Evan Husney and Jason Eisener, recently appeared on the WINCLY podcast and spoke about a potential crossover between MLW and Dark Side of the Ring.
“Court Bauer, he’s awesome. I’ve talked to him many times about this,” Husney said. “He had reached out to me, I think, when season two was airing. He reached out to me and and sort of had the idea of ‘wrestling is getting big on this network. What do you think?’ And obviously, because we did the Von Erich story, I knew Ross and Marshall Von Erich from the episode, and them being such a huge part of MLW, I thought it was a cool idea because Vice, the way the network launched originally to where what it’s kind of evolved into, it seems like now Vice TV, as a network, is open to a lot more different types of storytelling.”
In MLW, the Von Erichs are currently feuding with Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy. They lost the tag-team titles earlier this year to Los Parks from Azteca Underground.
Dark Side of the Ring Creators on How To Produce A Wrestling Show
The Dark Side of the Ring creators continued to talk about wanting to change the way wrestling is shot.
“If there is a way to innovate with MLW and to do something different, hey, if they want us to maybe look at some different lighting tweaks or camera tweaks, we can kind of bring a more cinematic lens to wrestling because that for me, as a whole, is the thing that makes wrestling really hard for me to watch today because I think the in-ring talent is great. I think there’s a lot of awesome talent across the board,” Husney continued.
He then continued to say he’s had discussions with MLW about possibly doing a cinematic style FMW show. It’s not clear if Bauer is into this idea, however.
“We’ve talked about it,” Husney stated. “It’s funny because I’ve talked to him about FMW, and I’ve been like, ‘Yeah man, we got the smoke, and the fog and the da da da.’ I have mentioned it a few times to him. I don’t know if he thinks I’m totally out of my mind or if he thinks that it would be cool. But hey, I think obviously being on the same network, there’s got to be some possibility of collaboration. If my schedule frees up, we can do a Halloween themed PPV.”
Dark Side of the Ring returns to VICE TV on May 13th. The episode will focus on Nick Gage.
Court Bauer’s MLW promotion is gearing up for the start of a new era. El Jefe from Azteca Underground was revealed on Fusion this week and a big show from the 2300 Arena has been scheduled for July.
It has also been reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently that MLW and WWE were developing some type of relationship. Bauer recently spoke to Forbes about those rumors. Bauer noted that his company is in talks with some “interesting people” but any relationship would have to benefit both parties.
“A collaboration must have a long-term vision and a genuine commitment to enriching both parties,” said Bauer.
“We’re having some interesting conversations with some interesting people, and if there is a two-way relationship that feels like it’s a win-win for the companies, the talent and the fans—and has a long-term sustainability to it—we’ll always examine it. You can’t do one-sided. I don’t kiss rings, I don’t need the validation,” Bauer continued.
Court Bauer on MLW and VICE TV
Bauer also spoke about MLW’s new deal with VICE TV and how it helps both parties.
“Vice TV has found an audience in pro wrestling. They’re the fastest-growing entertainment cable network in America, and in this day in age to be growing in linear cable a lot—and their success with Dark Side of the Ring and finding this audience—[the pro wrestling audience] is a very loyal audience. It always has been. That’s why Turner Sports grew in the ‘70s, because of the Atlanta Braves and pro wrestling. The reason USA Network found its way in the ‘80s was because of WWF. Pay-per-view thrives because of wrestling. This formula worked for them, and in us they have a partner that’s very true to their audience, which is full of Gen Z and millennial viewers.”
MLW is looking to add some fresh faces to its roster before the show on July 10th. The promotion announced a draft of sorts will take place in the coming weeks.
Last night on MLW Fusion, the former Dario Cueto from Lucha Underground, now known as El Jefe, was revealed as the leader of Azteca Underground. Salina de la Renta had been abducted by one of El Jefe’s representatives and delivered to him in the show’s final scene. El Jefe informed Salina that he is building a new temple and this requires a sacrifice. While the camera cut away, it is assumed that Cueto made Salina that sacrifice.
According to comments Court Bauer made to Post Wrestling, the scene was Salina de la Renta’s send-off from the promotion. She is now gone from MLW.
“I think the character deserved a big prominent focus and a great send-off in the last scene of this era of MLW.”
MLW is looking to bring in some fresh names to its roster. They announced on Fusion last night a “2021 Draft” that will take place between now and MLW’s return on July 10th.
Salina de la Renta tweeted this out-of-character message about the end of her run with MLW:
“Nothing to cry about. Everything comes to an end and we’re grateful for those awesome memories. It’s also part of evolution and you gotta start somewhere, this the ending of a chapter in a book with many more chapters to come.”
MLW is on hiatus. The next show is scheduled for July 10th at Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena.
It was a significant show last night for MLW. The promotion will be taking a hiatus until July 10th when they welcome back fans inside Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena. Last night’s Fusion was billed as the “Season Finale” and in addition to the big reveal of the former Dario Cueto, a major title change also took place on the show.
Myron Reed becomes the first person to win he MLW World Middleweight Championship twice as he defeated Lio Rush to regain the belt. Rush had defeated Reed for the title on January 6th’s Kings of the Colosseum event. Reed would kick out from Rush’s frog splash in the rematch, however, and pick up the win with his “No Cap Splash” moments later.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman was the inaugural champion. He held the title for close to 3 months before vacating it. Teddy Hart then won the vacant belt and successfully defended it 6x over the course of the next 11 months. Hart then dropped it to Reed, who held it through 4 title defenses and then a pandemic before dropping it to Rush in January.
Teddy Hart (1x) 6 defenses, 330 days as champion.
Myron Reed (2x – current) 4 defenses, 424 days as champion.
Lio Rush (1x) 2 defenses, 120 days as champion.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (1x) 1 defense, 141 days as champion
MLW presented its “Season Finale” show last night. The promotion will be taking a hiatus until they welcome back live fans on July 10th inside the 2300 Arena. On tonight’s show, there was a major angle and a big title change.
The full show is available in the player below:
MLW Fusion 5/5 Quick Results:
Laredo Kid defeated Gringo Loco
Richard Holliday defeated Ariel Dominguez
MLW World Middleweight Championship Myron Reed (c) defeated Lio Rush (c) – New Champion
At the very end of the show, we got an update on Salina de la Renta. She was shown last week with a sack over her head being escorted into a car by a masked man presumed to be one of El Jefe’s handlers. This week, we saw a woman believed to be Salina escorted into an office where the former head of Lucha Underground, Dario Cueto, sat. Cueto was revealed as “El Jefe” and the man behind the Azteca Underground faction. El Jefe told the woman that he is starting a new temple, and that requires a sacrifice before the camera cut away.
Myron Reed Wins Back World Middleweight Title From Lio Rush
MLW fans were treated to Rush vs Reed II this week. Rush had defeated Reed for the title on the January 6th Kings of the Colosseum show before defending it against Laredo Kid and Brian Pillman Jr.
Reed would win back the title after a back-and-forth match that could have gone either way. Perhaps the turning point in the match came when Rush hit his Frog Splash on Reed but was delayed in making the cover. The momentary delay allowed Reed to kick out from Rush’s finisher. Rush became frustrated at this point and his next attack was countered by the challenger into his “Cappn Crunch” move followed by his springboard 450 splash for the win. After the match, Reed’s Injustice stablemates Jordan Oliver and Calvin Tankman came out to celebrate with him.
Contra Unit “Gatekeeping” Title For Jacob Fatu
National Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone has been calling out MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu but it appears Contra Unit is gatekeeping title matches for the champion. Alicia Atout explained this week that while Contra does have the ability to determine who faces the champion, there is one exception to that rule and that is the Battle Riot event, where the winner is guaranteed a title shot. The 40-man rumble styled event didn’t take place due to the pandemic in 2020.
Richard Holliday made quick work of Ariel Dominguez this week. Following the match, Holliday was about to be interviewed by Alicia Atout but was interrupted by his former Dynasty stablemate, Gino Medina. Holliday defeated Medina recently on Fusion but evidently Gino is not done with him. Medina attacked Holliday from behind and gave him a DDT onto the stage area to close the segment.
MLW announced on last night’s show that the promotion will be holding a draft in the coming weeks. Recent reports have stated that MLW is looking to freshen up its roster and bring in some new faces. It seems likely then that this draft is how the promotion will announce new additions to its roster.
MLW will be airing classic episodes for the weeks leading up to its return on July 10th from the 2300 Arena. Saturday episodes will also air on VICE TV. No matches have been announced for the show thus far but El Jefe revealed in the episode’s closing segment that he plans on being there on July 10th. Earlier in the show, Marshall Von Erich also promised Tom Lawlor and Team Filthy that there will be a reckoning in Philadelphia as well.
Dario Cueto made his return to pro wrestling on Wednesday’s MLW Fusion season finale. The former boss of Lucha Underground was revealed to be the mysterious El Jefe figure behind Azteca Underground. He was not referenced by name.
Cueto, portrayed by actor Luis Fernandez-Gil, served as the owner, promoter and on-screen authority figure of Lucha Underground during its 4-season run.
El Jefe appeared in a video package that aired at the conclusion of the broadcast. He chastised a kidnapped Selina De La Renta for her recent actions. He declared, “Im building a new temple.”
Following the blockbuster debut of Dario Cueto, MLW heads to the ‘off season’ on a major cliffhanger. Fusion is now going on hiatus until the summer. MLW returns in July in front of a packed house at Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena.
MLW recently announced a partnership with the VICE TV cable network. They’re airing recap shows Saturdays at 12 noon (Eastern).
You can watch this week’s MLW Fusion below, including the arrival of Dario Cueto as El Jefe de Azteca Underground:
The season finale of MLW Fusion airs this Wednesday on YouTube. It will be the final first-run show for the next two months.
MLW boss Court Bauer recently announced that the promotion will take a hiatus until July, when the return in front of a packed house at Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena.
With the “Season Finale” show falling on Cinco de Mayo, MLW is teasing a big angle involving Azteca Underground.
This Wednesday is Cinco de Mayo!!! A day of grand festivities and consequences. ?
Scheduled for this week’s show is Myron Reed challenging Lio Rush for the World middleweight title. Richard Holliday will also be in action although an opponent has yet to be named.
Azteca Underground
The Azteca Underground angle is expected to make a big impact in the promotion shortly. Last week on MLW Fusion, Salina de la Renta escaped from El Jefe’s handlers via helicopter after falling out of favor with the organization.
The Lucha Underground style faction has yet to reveal who “El Jefe” is but many are speculating it could be Dario Cueto. Konnan is expected to return to the promotion shortly as well.
MLW News and Notes
In addition to the Azteca Underground angle, MLW is said to be looking to freshen up its roster. PW Insider noted that the company is in the midst of negotiating with new talent. An MLW source stated the company is looking to have “a focus on bringing in high profile talent.”
Calvin Tankman is said to have impressed a lot of people in MLW as well. He had a high-profile match against Jacob Fatu for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship at Never Say Never.
The biggest match the company is building to continues to be Alexander Hammerstone challenging Jacob Fatu. It is rumored that this match could take place on a special event broadcast on DAZN.
MLW Fusion on 4/28 featured the Von Erichs and Team Filthy continuing their rivalry. Tom Lawlor would take on Marshall Von Erich in the main event. The full show is available in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/28 Quick Results:
Ross Von Erich defeated Dominic Garrini
Bu Ku Dao defeated El Hijo de LA Park
Tom Lawlor defeated Marshall Von Erich via referee stoppage
The first match of the night also featured the rivalry between the Von Erichs and Team Filthy. Ross Von Erich picked up the victory over Dominic Garrini in just over 5 minutes after countering a suplex into a modified falcon arrow.
After the match, the two factions came to blows in the ring and had to be separated by referees.
After Garrini’s loss to Ross Von Erich, Team Filthy got nervous. They were shown in the back discussing strategy and Lawlor called someone. It was later revealed that Lawlor called disgraced former NBA official, Tim Donaghy. Lawlor was later shown in the back giving an envelope to Donaghy.
Later in the show, Lawlor and Donaghy confronted Marshall Von Erich and forced him to take a drug test. When Von Erich returned with a full cup, however, he just tossed it back in Lawlor’s face instead.
After a recent victory over his former mentor, TJP, Bu Ku Dao picked up another big win this week on Fusion. He picked up the victory over Azteca Underground’s El Hijo de LA Park after a diving flat-liner.
Immediately after the match ended, a worried-looking Salina de la Renta stormed away from the ring area. Later in the show, she was shown being shoved into the back of a car by a masked assailant, possibly an associate of “El Jefe.” She appeared to have escaped later, however.
Middleweight champion Lio Rush no-showed a media event ahead of next week’s title match against former champion Myron Reed. MLW would later announce that he has been fined for missing the event.
Tom Lawlor Defeats Marshall Von Erich In The Main Event
In the night’s main event, Marshall Von Erich and Tom Lawlor would go one-on-one. Von Erich came out with his knee taped up and Lawlor made a point to target the injured limb throughout the match. This included hitting Marshall with a wrench to the knee while the referee’s back was turned.
The match looked to be over around the 11-minute mark when Von Erich hit the Claw Slam but surprisingly, Lawlor kicked out. Shortly after, Lawlor locked in the leg lock and Marshall passed out due to pain. The ref called for the bell and Lawlor picked up a huge victory via referee stoppage.
Team Filthy and the Von Erichs continued the fight after the match with ACH coming out to help the brothers. The brawl would spill to the back and all around the arena to end the show.
A new chapter begins this weekend for Major League Wrestling.
MLW Fusion, the fight league’s flagship show, premieres on Vice TV this Saturday at 12pm (Eastern). MLW sent in the following press release touting the historic broadcast:
NEW YORK — Major League Wrestling (“MLW”) today announced it will premiere on Vice TV this Saturday at noon (Eastern).
“This Saturday we kick off an exciting new chapter as millions of fans can now tune in to Vice TV for Major League Wrestling,” MLW CEO Court Bauer said. “Just like Vice TV, MLW is an unfiltered and immersive experience.”
Witness top ranked wrestlers and the next generation of wrestling’s most legendary families as they clash each week on Vice TV.
A national audience on cable and satellite will witness the rise of CONTRA Unit, a new hope emerge with the arrival of Ross and Marshall Von Erich and some dynastic moments from Alex Hammerstone and Richard Holliday.
Journey to the hottest arenas and fight clubs as rivalries are ignited for championship gold each and every week with MLW on Vice TV.
MLW will return to Philadelphia’s famous 2300 Arena on July 10th, 2021. Fans will be welcomed back in the building for the show and tickets are on sale now.
On MLW Fusion this week, Court Bauer announced that the company will be taking 2-months off. The episode of Fusion on May 5th will be considered the end of the season. A new season will then kick off with the July 10th show in Philadelphia.
This news comes on the heels of MLW announcing a new partnership with VICE TV. MLW will debut on the network on May 1st with content from its archives to get viewers up to speed on the promotion. VICE TV’s 3rd season of Dark Side of the Ring is then set to premiere on May 6th.
In addition to the deal with VICE TV, MLW is also said to be in negotiations with other networks, including Discover Plus.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that MLW will be looking to add new talent to its roster shortly.
“MLW is looking at adding a lot of new talent with the new deals, both to freshen up, and also because a lot of the Mexican talent they had been featuring won’t be available because of the difficulty right now in getting visas renewed,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
Alicia Atout interviewed MLW’s Court Bauer about all the latest developments:
Major League Wrestling Fusion this week featured Court Bauer making a big announcement, a huge upset in the main event, and your boy Hammer challenging the MLW World Champion.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
NJPW’s Rocky Romero faced off with former member of the Dynasty Gino Medina in the night’s opening contest. Commentary played up Romero’s NJPW affiliation and also mentioned Tom Lawlor competing on NJPW Strong, where he has made it to the finals the New Japan Cup USA.
Romero pulled of the victory with an arm-bar. That’s two straight losses for Medina, who recently lost to Richard Holliday as well.
PWI Top-10 Rankings
New top-10 rankings were released on this week’s episode as well.
MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)
Alexander Hammerstone (Dynasty) (National Openweight Champion)
King Mo dismantled his opponent in quick fashion this week. The referee eventually called for the bell as Mo had his opponent locked in a standing guillotine.
After the match, head coach at American Top Team Dan Lambert and King Mo cut a promo on the referee and Low Ki. King Mo said at ATT they don’t tap or submit and the next time him and Low Ki face each other, he’s going to break him in half.
Alicia Atout interviewed Court Bauer this week to talk about the company’s future. Bauer spoke about the new deal with Vice TV and also hinted there are other opportunities in the works as well.
Bauer revealed that the company will close out “this season” on the May 5th show in two weeks and then kickstart a new season in July. When the company returns later this summer, they will welcome back fans into the arena. Their first taping for the new season will be held at the historic 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
TJP turned heel by turning on his protege Bu Ku Dao recently in MLW. TJP said that Dao just wasn’t pulling his weight when the two had teamed up together. Dao would get revenge on his former mentor in this week’s main event, however. After a back-and-forth match, Dao overcame a referee bump (when he’d had TJP down for a 3 count) to hit a spinning flatliner and get the pin. What a win for Bu Ku Dao!
Before the show came to a close this week, we got a snippet from a press conference with Alexander Hammerstone. Your boy Hammer said he was tired of the debate regarding who is the best between MLW’s two champions. He called out MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu for what will be a giant main event match.
“Jacob Fatu, the ball is in your court. The challenge is out there.”
Vice TV, the channels that airs the Dark Side of the Ring series, is getting deeper into the pro-wrestling world. MLW has announced that they have reached a deal with the station to begin airing its content shortly.
The announcement was made last night on MLW’s YouTube channel. MLW programming should begin appearing on the channel next month. The new deal will not impact existing relationships the promotion has with BeIN Sports or DAZN, according to a report by PWInsider. MLW is also believed to be in negotiations with Discovery Plus as well.
Court Bauer on MLW’s TV Deal With Vice
“I think you have two decades of atrophy within an empire that had a grip on the market, and that atrophy has allowed all this other life to flourish,” Court Bauer told Forbes.
“[WWE] is still very successful in spite of their atrophy. But now they’ve locked in their deals, they’re not going to pivot in a creative direction to grow their audience. They’re not growing their audience, so for somebody like me there’s great opportunity. There are all kinds of interesting opportunities that I can look at and things that WWE may or may not do–I might be willing to do, or do differently.”
Dark Side of the Ring: Season 3 is scheduled to begin airing on VICE TV on May 6th. Season 1 of Dark Side of the Ring featured an episode titled “The Last of the Von Erichs” that focussed on Kevin Von Erich and his family. The Von Erichs are a big part of MLW currently, with Kevin managing his sons Ross and Marshall Von Erich.
MLW Fusion 4/14 featured 3 championship matches. The Caribbean title, MLW tag-team titles, and the National Openweight Championship were all on the line.
The full show can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/14 Quick Results:
Caribbean Championship Richard Holliday (c) defeated Gino Medina
MLW Tag Team Championships Los Parks (c) defeated The Dirty Blondes
National Openweight Championship Alexander Hammerstone (c) defeated Mil Muertes
Richard Holliday Defends Caribbean Strap Against Gino Medina
This match has been months in the making. Several backstage altercations have taken place between Medina and Holliday, usually with the two disagreeing about how Medina left the Dynasty. Medina says he quit, Holliday says he fired him. They’d finally meet in singles action with the Caribbean title on the line this week.
Medina hit Holliday with his own version of the 2008 but was unable to pin his opponent with it. Shortly after, Medina went crashing face first into an exposed turnbuckle. This allowed Holliday to hit his version of the 2008 to gain the victory.
Los Parks Retain With Help From El Jefe’s Associate
The MLW Tag Team Championships were also on the line this week. Los Parks took on Aria Blake’s Dirty Blondes. Both teams would resort to under-handed tactics in an attempt to gain the advantage in the match. Ultimately, it would be the team from Azteca Underground who would gain the victory.
The Dirty Blondes had gained the advantage thanks to repeated low blows. El Jefe’s associate then lifted up the ring and allowed LA Park Jr. to illegally enter the match. He then gave both members of the Dirty Blondes a low blow and LA Park and El Hijo de LA Park then rolled up their opponents for the victory.
After the match, Salina de la Renta lost her composure and attacked Aria Blake. All the stress El Jefe appears to be placing on her seems to be getting the best of Salina.
We heard from Injustice’s Myron Reed this week. Reed mentioned that as the former middleweight champion, he’s owed a rematch against Lio Rush. He said he first needed to get Contra out of his way before he cashed in his rematch. Reed also said that going to war with Contra made him a better wrestler and more hungry for his rematch with Rush. Still, no date announced yet for the match, however.
MLW announced this week that Court Bauer will appear next week’s show. They mentioned a potential new TV deal and update on the partnership with DragonGate as reasons for his appearance.
Alexander Hammerstone was able to defeat Mil Muertes in the night’s main event. He was able to retake possession of the belt he never lost after giving the Man of 1000s Deaths the Nightmare Pendulum. El Jefe will likely not be pleased with Salina regarding this loss.
After the match, Hammerstone cut a promo and said that next week he is going to hold a press conference to announce some very “Dynastic News.”
Coming Up In MLW
Here is what MLW has scheduled for next week:
Court Bauer To Appear
Alexander Hammerstone to announce some “Dynastic News”
