MLW Fusion results: National title tournament semifinal match
A Jacob Fatu vs. Barrington Hughes promo video opened up this week’s episode of MLW Fusion. Hughes is undefeated in MLW, but he has never met anyone like Contra Unit’s Fatu.
Air Wolf defeated Rey Fenix (9:48)
A surprise upset for Air Wolf as he put away one half of the former MLW Tag Team Champions. Jim Cornette told us Air Wolf wanted this more than he wanted to breathe, and Rich Bocchini said it could be a breakthrough match for Air Wolf.
It seems with All Elite Wrestling’s debut looming ever closer, MLW is looking for replacements to fill the hole the Lucha Bros will make if they leave full time.
They did chain wrestling to begin, which got the fans involved in dueling chants for both wrestlers. The tempo picked up after they traded chops, with Air Wolf being sent to the outside by an arm drag from Fenix coming off the top rope. However, Air Wolf soon sent Fenix outside himself and hit a running crossbody over the top rope to the floor.
Inside, Air Wolf hit a snap German suplex followed by a delayed version, getting a close two count. Cornette questioned if Fenix should have had a different game plan coming into this one and if he has maybe underestimated Air Wolf.
A jumping face plant/flatliner got Air Wolf another two count as he kept on top of Fenix, thwarting every comeback attempt by the Lucha Bro. They again traded chops while Fenix was on the apron. A moment of lapsed concentration gave Fenix the opening to smack Air Wolf in the face with a hard dropkick and momentarily change the momentum of the match.
With Air Wolf sitting on the middle rope, Fenix tightrope walked across the top rope and kicked him in the face. Air Wolf fought back with another suplex as the commentary team were surprised he was still in this match.
Fenix gave Air Wolf a step-up tornado kick while he was on the top rope. He then went for a Muscle Buster off the top, but Air Wolf slipped out and rolled up Fenix and got the surprise three count victory.
Fenix raised Air Wolf’s hand after the match as the commentary team played up the big win for Air Wolf.
– We then saw a graphic of a new arrival — Austin Aries is coming to MLW soon.
– Kaci Lennox was backstage with Salina de la Renta. De la Renta called out Mance Warner and Sami Callihan, saying they caused chaos last week on the show she was producing. She then challenged them to a match next week against Promociones Dorado and said she will bring the chaos to them, and the chaos will put them in the hospital.
Jacob Fatu defeated Barrington Hughes (0:30)
Cornette called this a match between a Samoan man-eater, and a man who eats everything else. This did not take long at all and sounded like there was a lot of crowd sweetening going on.
Contra Unit are on a collision course with MLW World Heavyweight champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, so it made sense to keep Fatu really strong heading into a potential match with the champion.
Hughes backed Fatu up in the corner with some chops and hit an avalanche. Fatu superkicked his way out of the corner, then hit a standing Hughes with a Whisper in the Wind style top rope corkscrew, which knocked Hughes down long enough for Fatu to get the three count.
– H2tv was up next. Teddy Hart thanked the Lucha Bros for handing them their MLW Tag Team titles and said he hopes they meet again in the future. He then called out MJF and called him a pansy and a momma’s boy.
Hart called Rich Swann awesome and he warned Brian Pillman Jr. about him for his National Openweight Championship semifinal match. Pillman said the Hart Foundation respects Swann, but he is not going to lie down for him. He said Teddy has a title, Davey Boy Smith Jr. has a title, and Pillman is coming to take the National title.
– Alexander Hammerstone had a recorded message for Gringo Loco. Hammerstone said he was concentrating on celebrating after he wins this National title tournament. There will be clubs, limousines, drinks, and MJF has even rented an elephant. Momma Hammer is coming, Papa Hammer is coming, Grand-papi Hammer too. Even weird Uncle Gary Hammer is flying in to celebrate. Gringo Loco isn’t putting the breaks on their celebrations.
– Ross & Marshall Von Erich have signed to MLW and will make their MLW debuts on June 1 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
– Tom Lawlor was in his gym with a promo for Avalanche. He said he has been drowning his opponents in sweat, tears, and spit — getting filthy. The only abdominal snowman Avalanche needs to worry about is Lawlor.
Ariel Dominguez defeated Bryan Idol (4:07)
The 5’2” Dominguez was quoted as being the smallest competitor in MLW. He has been training with Lawlor — and it showed throughout this match. A guillotine choke helped him pick up a win and send him on his way up the ranks.
Idol took Dominguez out with a knee to the face and a single-leg dropkick. He suplexed him into the top turnbuckle and nearly landed on his head as he kept on the pressure. Idol got a close two count after a swinging side slam.
Dominguez rolled through a suplex, but Idol kept hold of him and hit a shoulder breaker for another two count. He then went up top and missed a big moonsault, which gave Dominguez the opening for his comeback. Dominguez fired up with a clothesline, chops, and a standing dropkick, flooring his opponent.
A suplex, roll through, and kick to the face got Dominguez a two count, but Idol got back into it with a big right hand. Dominguez fell to the apron but was able to springboard up and hit a twisting DDT. After a struggle on the mat, Dominguez was able to keep Idol locked in a guillotine choke and grab a leg long enough to pick up the win.
– Mance Warner and Sami Callihan cut a promo on Promociones Dorado and Salina de la Renta. They accepted the challenge to a tag match against Ricky Martinez & El Hijo de LA Park, but Warner said it wasn’t a tag team match, he was coming for fingers, arms, and legs.
Warner said de la Renta had stopped them beating each other up, so they are going to beat Promociones Dorado up instead. Thumbs and knee pads up…and down.
– The cameras caught up with de la Renta and Low Ki talking backstage. They argued about Ki’s contract being up for renewal. Ki was frustrated that the promoter is becoming the feature, and as de la Renta noticed the camera, she suggested they take their conversation elsewhere.
Alexander Hammerstone (w/ MJF and Richard Holliday) defeated Gringo Loco in a National Openweight Championship tournament semifinal match (4:55)
Hammerstone sent MJF and Holliday to the back before the match began. Cornette called Loco one of his guilty pleasures and an amazing athlete. He said Loco has added on muscle but it hasn’t altered his agility.
The story of the match was Hammerstone’s strength vs. Loco’s speed — and it was the strength that won in the end after a superplex and a Nightmare Pendulum to send Hammerstone into the tournament final.
Loco took the early advantage, hitting a standing moonsault and a spike headscissors takedown and knocking Hammerstone to the outside. However, Hammerstone had the dive scouted and met Loco with a kick to the face. Hammerstone then dropped Loco face-first on the apron on the outside.
Back inside, Loco fought back and hit a springboard moonsault to a standing Hammerstone for a two count. Loco used his speed to dodge an attack and hit a big back body drop. He then went up top again, but Hammerstone crotched him and joined him up in the corner.
The camera cut away on what could have been a dangerous tumble to the floor, but when we cut back Hammerstone hit a superplex off the middle rope. He then put Loco away with the Nightmare Pendulum to advance to the National Openweight Championship finals.
Hammerstone took the mic after the match and told everyone he is one win away from the National Championship. He said it didn’t matter if it was one win or 1,000 wins, he is getting it either way. Hammerstone said he is not a prospect — he has destiny and that is why he is the next National Champion.
Next week —
Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Rich Swann in a National Openweight Championship tournament semifinal match
Mance Warner & Sami Callihan vs. El Hijo de LA Park & Ricky Martinez
