Finally, Major League Wrestling is back in business and one individual who hasn’t missed a beat is the National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone as he makes his way to the ring for the opening bout of MLW Fusion presented by newlawoffice.com.
The venue is smoke-filled and the anticipation is high. Hammer’s opponent, Jason Dugan awaits his soon-to-be foe. We kick it over to Rich Bocchini and Jared St. Laurent to talk about what we can expect from The Restart. Then it’s back to the ring for the opening contest.
Alexander Hammerstone vs. Jason Dugan
Hammer nails Dugan with one hard lariat before delivering his Nightmare Pendulum for that W.
WINNER: Alex Hammerstone
“How long does your boy Hammer have to be number one in the rankings ’til I get what’s coming my way?” asks Hammer. “Fatu! It’s time to stop running. It’s time to give the people the fight they want to see…I’m waiting on you!”
Next in line is Myron Reed defending his Middleweight Championship against Brian Pillman Jr. as the two have had some major bad blood between one another since Pillman made an impact at the 2019 Opera Cup.
Bocchini and St. Laurent await the challenger as his music plays, but there’s no sign of Pillman. The Cincinnati Kid’s Bengal hisses again, but still no sign. Bocchini and St. Laurent are perplexed as we go to commercial break, but we do get a tease of an incoming Lio Rush looking to make a major league legacy in MLW.
Back from it, third time’s a charm and out comes the challenger and Pillman looks brash, bold and somewhat distracted (as noted by Rich). Pillman had to make a fast weight-cut to reach 205 Middleweight standards.
Next is the champion. The Young GOAT comes out with his Injustice ally, Jordan Oliver as Bocchini and St. Laurent make note of Myron’s much controversial chest protector.
Middleweight Championship
Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Myron Reed (c) (with Jordan Oliver)
Myroon looks focused as all get out as the two talk trash to one another and the official holds up the the cherished prize. Bell rings and it’s Brian who starts off hot against Hot Fire with a shoulder block and some punches to the dome. Myron rolls out to recoup and Brian initially goes for a leap outside, but re-adjusts to kick Reed in the mush. The two duke it out and Brian chops at him, but that chest protector comes into play. As Pillman favors his hand, Myron makes the most of the moment to dive on top of Pillman.
Reed goes for another attempt but Brian catches him with a European uppercut. Knee to the face and then a springboard senton to the back of Myron before he cradles him up for a two count.
Myron attempts a kick but Brian catches the leg and front kicks him. A suplex attempt, but Reed rolls him into a small package. Kick out! Reed charges at Pillman and he rocks him with a powerslam. Two count. Brian continues to kick at Myron while he’s down and soon locks him hard in body scissors which leads to a sit-down abdominal stretch. Myron fights to his feet but the bulkier Brian adjusts it for a regular abdominal until he uses the ropes for leverage. The ref breaks it up and it allows Myron to get back on the offensive. He tries to roll through on Brian, but the challenge locks him into a modified deathlock and uses Reed’s very own vest for leverage.
Myron boots Brian in the face and it leads him to charge at the champ. Myron avoids and leg drops Brian over the ropes. He then leaps back in with a spinning uppercut from the top rope for a two count. Another pin attempt only gets one. Myron alternates between forearms and chops. This motivates Reed to take off his chest protector. The two trade shots for quite some time before they collide with one another with stereo cross bodies. The ref checks on both before going to his ten count. Myron kips up and boots Brian down. Clothesline one connects, but two doesn’t. An enziguri dizzies Pillman and Reed uses the ropes to slam Brian down.
A leg drop over the apron gets a two count. Myron is frustrated as the administration was a bit delayed due to a shoulder position discrepancy. Myron climbs up top and leaps off but Brian turns it into a backslide pin for two. Pillman goes off on a flurry of attacks before slamming Reed down with his strength for a jarring spinebuster. Cover: 1-2-no!
Pillman picks Reed up for suplex, but Myron rolls free before Brian catches him with his vaulting cross body from the turnbuckle for a very near fall.
Brian goes for another suplex, but Reed turns it into a stunner. He then turns it into a springboard cutter from the turnbuckle. Reed maintains his hod and turns it into an Osaka cutter for a very close fall.
Both men make it to their feet and avoid each other’s attack until Brian hits a modified Michinoku Driver for a near W.
Myron crawls to the corner and grabs hold of his vest. As Brian charges, Reed times it so Pillman rams his knee off the chest protector. This allows Myron to hit his Captain Crunch finish for the pinfall victory.
WINNER and STILL Middleweight Champion: Myron Reed
“I’ve been telling people for a long time: stop sleeping on the Young GOAT,” says Reed backstage post-win. He heard Lio Rush is in MLW and he wants him next.
We cut to Los Parks who are all ready for The Restart. They’re chomping at the bit to get some gold as they await the appropriate opportunity to re-enter Major League Wrestling and cause some disruption for CONTRA.
The feed cuts and speaking of the devil, we see CONTRA’s Josef Samael. While us infidels rejoice in The Restart, Samael tells us to beware of the shadows. He currently lurks in the badlands of Tunisia. He’s aiming for “the next stage of this war” as Jacob Fatu awaits his next victim, Davey Boy Smith Jr. This isn’t a restart for Fatu and CONTRA. They’ve been running rampant the whole time and he’s ready to show that “British poodle” the “pain game!”
It was Konnan who figured out that CONTRA was paying Salina de la Renta off to help with access to MLW headquarters. She was indeed on the take. Since then, Salina’s manager and promoter’s license have been revoked, but next week she’ll address the MLW audience.
Next up the historical 2020 Opera Cup bracket. Round one is as follows:
- Tom Lawlor vs. Rocky Romero
- Low Ki vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
- Laredo Kid vs. ACH
- Richard Holliday vs. TJP
(Alternates for the tourney are: Gino Medina, Jordan Oliver and Hijo de LA Park, King Mo, Dominic Garrini and AAA’s Daga)
Alicia Atout returns for The Restart as she was standing backstage earlier in the day with last year’s Opera Cup winner and number one contender for the World Title, Davey Boy Smith Jr. His training for tonight’s match has been “rough and tough.” He’s trained with Josh Barnett in Los Angeles and he’s traveled across the pond to Japan to work under Kazushi Sakuraba & Satoru Sayama, the original Tiger Mask. He’s ready for tonight’s bout 100% physically and 100% mentally and Davey is unabashed in saying that this is the biggest match of his career. It’s been 16 years since he first made his debut in Major League Wrestling. He was only 18 at the time and remembers doing his chemistry homework on the flight to Orlando as he and TJ Wilson were ready to roll as The Stampede Bulldogs. All the tears he’s endured over the night, it comes down to one night. He tells Fatu to meet Mr. Destiny himself. That’s up next.
We see Richard Holliday beachside as he’s stuck in the Carribean. He’s stuck in the Carribean! How did this happen? He thinks it’s because of Alicia Atout hand, who he tried to prevent from getting over the Canadian border. It’s a true travesty that he’s not there for The Restart: our very own MLW/IWA Carribean Champion isn’t there. How could they?
The Von Erichs are working out as their legendary father Kevin watches on. He notes that CEO Court Bauer was the late great, Gary Hart’s protege. Hart had a real feel for the business and Marshall notes that it’s pretty divine they’re working with Court as Kevin worked with Gary.
Celebrate Thanksgiving the way it should be with some action in the squared circle as next week Fusion will air on Turkey Day to fire off the beginning of the 2020 Opera Cup!
We see the tale of the tape as Bocchini brings up Davey Boy’s injured back. Like Batman taking on Bane, he suffered a broken back at the hands of CONTRA’s hostile attack. Will that become a factor in the fight?
World Heavyweight Championship
Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Jacob Fatu (c)
The intensity is in both men’s eyes as Fatu enters, pacing back and forth like a caged lion as he awaits to tangle up with the brave Bulldog. The belt is held up by the official and the bell rings. Very tense stare down and the two lock up before they quickly break. They lock up again and you see both men battle for power. DBS spins Fatu against the ropes and reset number two occurs.
Side headlock by Davey as he tries to ground the champ. Fatu forces him off and they both collide. Davey yells at Jacob to give him all that he’s got and they collide once more. They do it again and again, but DBS catches him with a powerslam for a two count!
Fatu stands right up and they both slug it out. Fatu hits a hard headbutt and Davey remains unphased, not once but twice. Davey gives headbutts of his own and unleashes a flurry of him, finally downing the Samoan Werewolf and dizzying himself. Davey stays on top of matters and hoists Fatu up for an extremely impressive stalling suplex!
Davey crashes down and covers for a two count. DBS is favoring that lower back and Fatu sets his sights on it. He launches Davey into the turnbuckle before grabbing hold of it and then headbutting it. Fatu corners Davey and hits him in the ribs. He sends DBS into the opposite corner and the Bulldog’s back is in a bad way. Fatu headbutts it and then he bodyslams Davey that even winds the champion. More headbutts to the back by Jacob and Davey fights back. Bocchini notes how fast Fatu’s matches typically are but this one is much different.
Fatu lifts Davey up in a torture rack, but DBS fish hooks the upper lip and nose of his foe and it frees him. Fatu uppercuts him for his troubles and goes for that handspring moonsault, but Davey gets his knees up. Fatu charges in at the corner Smith is supporting himself in but Davey avoids. The challenger makes the most of it and gets some offense in . An atomic leg drop has Davey favoring his back before he covers for two.
Smith soon goes for a side suplex, but the wide base of Fatu doesn’t allow it, that is until Davey gets a couple shots in and finds the adrenaline to do so. Beautiful Saito suplex. Two count.
Davey tries to stay on top and charges at the champ, but Fatu catches him with a sidewalk slam. Fatu covers and gets a two count.
Fatu goes up top, but Davey headbutts Jacob in the midsection. He goes for his papa’s powerslam, but Davey’s back gives out. Big side kick to the lower back by Fatu. Big Samoan drop and the champion hits his patented moonsault for the 1-2-3! Big title retain by CONTRA’s main killer!
WINNER and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Jacob Fatu
Fatu chants “CONTRA” in celebration as he takes in the well-earned win. Fatu grabs the mic. He wants someone to step up as CONTRA been’s running then whole show in this concrete jungle. He calls out Hammerstone saying his “bitch ass don’t want none of this.” Apparently Hammer does as he answers the champion’s call. Hammer points down Fatu before turning his aggression out on some CONTRA insurgents at ringside. Suddenly, a masked stranger comes and gives Hammer a chair shot to the back. Another chair shot before chokeslamming the Openweight Champ hard on the apron! St. Laurent says this has to be “The Black Hand” of CONTRA. Whoever this individual is, he left the top ranked contender laying as the feed cuts out.
