‘MLW: Fusion’ Wrestling Review (Sept 21st 2018)
Welcome to this week’s Major League Wrestling: Fusion review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have more great action from one of the better leagues in the sport, today.
Match #1: New Era Hart Foundation defeated The Stud Stable (Dirty Blondes, Parrow) – Hurricane 6-Man Tag
The following is courtesy of MLW.com:
Teddy Hart issued an open challenge to any three grapplers in MLW who wanted to face the New Era Hart Foundation. Col. Robert Parker was quick to respond, bringing his tag team of the Dirty Blondes and his One Man Demolition Machine Parrow the opportunity. With all six men allowed to be in the ring at once, it was a wild one at times. Hart, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr. were able to single out Parrow early in the match. While he held his own, delivering a massive chokeslam to Pillman at one point, the numbers caught up to him. After knocking Parrow out of the ring, Hart landed a moonsault on the entire Stud Stable team.
Later in the match, the Stud Stable seemed to have all the momentum. With Hart motionless in the center of the ring, Leo Brien and Michael Patrick were scaling to the top turnbuckle in opposite corners for what was sure to be a devastating double-team maneuver. For some reason, Parrow told them to hold off. He hit a jumping splash on Hart and went for the pinfall. Pillman broke up the pin attempt and it was all downhill from there for the Stud Stable. Less than a minute later, Smith planted Parrow with running powerslam he calls the Calgary Stampede, which led to the pinfall victory for the Hart Foundation.
My Take: 3 out of 5 – This was a fine match with a lot of gusto. I like the attitude this version of the Hart Foundation brings to their fights, as they always seem like they’ve got a chip on their shoulder. I loved the look of the finish, which made Smith into the brute that he tried to be in the WWE, but wasn’t able to make happen. The right team won and made for a fine opener.
Match #2: MJF & Aria Blake defeated Joey Ryan & Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of MLW.com:
Maxwell J. Friedman defeated Joey Ryan to win the World Middleweight Championship at Battle Riot. Their rivalry was extended this week on MLW: FUSION in a mixed tag team match. MJF’s new girlfriend Aria Blake was his partner, while Ryan secured the services of the debuting Taya Valkyrie. Ryan and Valkyrie got the better of it through most of the match, but MJF was able to take advantage of a miscue. Despite his disgust from being on the receiving end of a lollipops from Ryan’s trunks, he kept his wits about him. MJF had the presence of mind to pull Valkyrie into the line of fire as Ryan was lining up a superkick. Superkicking his own partner and receiving an ill-advised crotch shot from Blake were enough of a distraction for Ryan that he was unable to stop the pinfall attempt by Friedman, who rolled him up for the three-count.
My Take: 2.5 out of 5 – This was a fun little match that was sold on the idea of setting up MJF and Aria Blake as a heel tandem. They lied, cheated and stole the victory from Ryan and Taya, who made for a very bizarre pair of faces, this time out. Over-all, this was not any-thing to write home about, but it was fun.
Match #3: Main Event – PCO, Brody King Battle to Double DQ
The following is courtesy of MLW.com:
This matchup was a straight-up fight from the beginning. Throughout the contest, both men put their hands on the official, which would normally result in a disqualification, but the official was clearly trying to give these brawlers some leeway. With both men gouging at each other’s eyes, the official stepped in and tried to separate them. King and PCO simultaneously shoved the official yet again. Apparently, that was one time too many and the contest was ruled a double disqualification. But the battle wasn’t over. King hit a massive piledriver on PCO following the bell. But PCO was not going to allow the bounty hunter to have the last word. Numerous referees and League officials pulled King off PCO and out of the ring. The French Canadian Frankenstein took advantage, quickly climbing to the top rope and landing a huge moonsault on King and the officials who had just pulled King out of the ring. There was a pile of humanity on the floor of War Memorial Auditorium as FUSION went off the air.
My Take: 2.5 out of 5 – This was less a match than a brawl, but it was an exciting brawl, nonetheless. PCO is some-thing else and has had one hell of a reprieve all throughout 2018. Brody looked good here and is certainly a name to watch. Over-all, I wish they had wrestled, but the brawl was worth watching.
News Of The Night:
- Shane Strickland will fight Tom Lawlor at Fury Road.
- Salina De La Renta tried, in vain, to re-sign Pentagon and Fenix to new contracts.
- Joey Janela attacked MJF after the latter’s victory.
- Colonel Robert Parker fired Mike Parrow from the Stud Stable and had the Dirty Blondes beat the hell out of him.
- Sami Callihan and Jimmy Havoc will fight each other in the near future.
Final Verdict: 2.5 out of 5 – This was a step or more down from last week, but it was a solid presentation, at least. The final match left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, if only because the booking reminded me of a bad night on Smackdown… or Raw… ahhhhhhh!
