Major League Wrestling delivered an action-packed show on July 8 with MLW Never Say Never.
Among other matches, Alex Hammerstone will defend the MLW World Heavyweight Championship against Alex Kane. Plus, the 2023 MLW Open Draft will begin.
The results are as follows:
A video package hypes up the show.
MLW National Openweight Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Calvin Tankman
Tankman takes a swing at Fatu. They trade counters, and they’re evenly matched early on. The powerhouses trade blows. Both men go crashing to the outside, and Fatu seemingly hurts his knee upon impact. Tankman gains the upper hand and drills the champion with a series of strikes. Tankman goes for a senton while Fatu is seated in a chair, but Fatu moves, so the challenger lands hard on the steel. Fatu slams Tankman into the barricade. Back in the ring, Fatu controls the action. Tankman rallies with some stiff strikes. Tankman sends Fatu to the outside with a Pounce.
The challenger dives onto Fatu at ringside. Fatu hits a kick and a moonsault for a two-count. Fatu hits an avalanche hurricanrana and a Swanton for another two-count. Tankman nails Fatu wuth a back elbow. Fatu hits a twisting dive onto Tankman for the win.
Winner and still MLW National Openweight Champion: Jacob Fatu
After the match, Fatu grabs a microphone and hypes up the crowd. He tells Tankman to get back in the ring and calls him the toughest opponent he has faced in a long time. They shake hands and hug, and Fatu raises Tankman’s hand.
In an interview, Ava Everett looks forward to her Title vs. Title match with Delmi Exo. She says she’ll take MLW’s title back to Germany.
Alex Kane and Bomaye Fight Club arrive. Kane gets a “Bomaye” chant going.
MLW World Featherweight Championship vs. wXw World Women’s Championship: Delmi Exo (c) vs. Ava Everett (c)
Everett quickly leaves the ring and grabs both titles. Exo gets her back in the ring, and she takes the fight to Everett. Delmi sends Everett back to the outside with a dropkick. Everett counters a dive and takes control as she grounds Exo. Ava maintains the advantage and dominates a stretch of the match. Exo rallies and dumps Everett with a spinebuster. Delmi dives onto Everett at ringside. Ava dumps Exo with a cutter for a near fall.
Exo hits a suplex and spikes Everett with the Delmi Driver for the win.
Winner and new wXw Women’s World Champion: Delmi Exo
The broadcast team highlights upcoming MLW events on FITE+.
Timothy Thatcher vs. Tracy Williams
Thatcher and Williams feel each other out and battle for positioning early on. Thatcher takes Williams to the mat. Williams traps him in an ankle lock, but Thatcher reaches the ropes. A slam and an elbow drop give Thatcher some momentum. Williams takes control, but Thatcher fires back with some stiff uppercuts. Williams fires back with a forearm.
Thatcher dumps Williams off the top rope. He grounds Williams and squashed an attempt at a rally. Williams gets a near fall with a DDT. Thatcher is down, and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner via stoppage: Tracy Williams
Medical officials check on Thatcher after the bell, and he walks out on his own two feet.
The 2023 MLW Open Draft begins, and Kevin Blackwood is named as the first pick.
Country Whipping Match: Mance Warner vs. Sam Adonis
Adonis cuts a pre-match promo and hypes himself up. He then insults Warner. “The Southern Psychopath” comes to the ring. Warner hits Adonis with a series of strikes as he takes control early on. Adonis and Mancer brawl at ringside, as they hit each other with the strap. Adonis gains the upper hand, but Warner rallies. Back in the ring, Adonis chokes Warner with the strap and gouges him with a screwdriver. Warner is busted open. He whips Warner with the strap. Adonis continues to gouge Warner’s wound with the screwdriver. Warner is a bloody mess, but he rallies with a series of strikes. He hits Adonis with a chair. Adonis slams Warner through a wooden board.
Some Azteca henchman charge the ring and attack Warner. “Mancer” tries to fight them off, but he’s outnumbered. Second Gear Crew and Microman make the save and chase the henchman to the back. Microman hits Adonis with a kendo stick. Adonis drops Microman. Warner slams Adonis through a wooden board and drills him with a knee strike for the win.
Winner: Mance Warner
Warner celebrates with Microman and Second Gear Crew.
Mister Saint Laurent is asked about betraying Microman. MSL says Microman tried to steal his glory and his attention. He calls himself the biggest genius in MLW history. MSL says Microman is over, and it’s on to the future. He reveals that he has a scoop, and he says he has a top draft pick for his new venture, the World Titan Federation. MSL announces Matt Cardona as the crown jewel of the World Titan Federation. In a vignette, Cardona says he is The Agent, the number one draft pick, and he will be at MLW Fury Road.
MLW World Tag Team Championship Fans Bring The Weapons Match: The Samoan Swat Team (Juicy Finau & Lance Anoa’i) (c) vs. The Calling (AKIRA & Rickey Shane Page)
The two teams quickly start brawling, and Jacob faut fights with other members of The Calling. Security officials take Fatu to the back. The Calling takes control, as AKIRA drills Lance with a kick. The champions rally, and the brawl spills back outside of the ring. AKIRA drills Anoa’i with another kick. Juicy uses a plunger as a weapon.
Rickey accidentally hits AKIRA. The Calling tries to interfere. Juicy initially fights them off, but Delirious attacks Juicy. Fatu comes back down and takes out Delirious. He takes the fight to RSP and AKIRA. Fatu dives onto members of The Calling at ringside.
Page pins Anoa’i with a super Raven Effect through a table.
Winners and new MLW World Tag Team Champions: The Calling (AKIRA & Rickey Shane Page)
A financial backer of the Bomaye Fight Club is finally revealed, and it turns out to be Don King. He tells Alex Kane to win the world title.
B3CCA comes out to perform a concert. She says her best friend Doja Cat was supposed to open for her, but she didn’t come to the show because the city is so filled with crime. B3CCA performs her new song. A fan interrupts the concert and gets dragged away by security.
MLW World Heavyweight Championship: Alex Hammerstone (c) vs. Alex Kane
Hammerstone and Kane square off and feel each other. Hammerstone drops Kane with a shoulder tackle. Kane suplexes Hammerstone twice and gets a two-count. Hammerstone sends Kane to the outside. Hammerstone slams Kane onto the apron. Kane and Hammerstone trade blows at ringside. Kane drops Hammerstone with a thunderous blow. The challenger takes Hammerstone down with a diving clothesline. Kane crushes Hammerstone with a splash on the apron.
Kane continues to maintain the advantage. Kane gets a two-count with a German suplex. Hammerstone rallies and takes control. The champion gets a two count with a powerslam. A Burning Hammer earns Hammerstone a two count. Kane drops Hammerstone with a Flatliner and gets a two-count. Kane locks in a choke, but Hammerstone reaches the ropes. The challenger dumps Hammerstone with the Kane-maker, but the champion reaches the ropes.
Hammerstone hits a superplex. Kane fires back with a suplex of his own. Hammerstone floors Kane with the Nightmare Pendulum, but Kane rolls to the outside. Kane takes Hammerstone down with a gutwrench suplex. Mr. Thomas gets on the apron and distracts Hammerstone. Kane accidentally knocks Thomas off the apron. Kane gets a near fall with a roll-up. He locks Hammerstone in a choke hold and makes Hammerstone tap out.
Winner and new MLW World Heavyweight Champion: Alex Kane
Kane and Bomaye Fight Club celebrate to end the show. The new champion grabs a microphone and comments on his win. He reflects on his growth, teases changing the colors of the title and vows to win more gold.
Make Or Break Moment
Alex Kane recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. Kane said a show like Never Say Never is extremely important. Kane said he considers his match against Hammerstone as a make-or-break moment.
“We’re already on the map but the impact hasn’t been big enough,” Alex Kane said. “I know with the Reelz deal like we’ve reached a certain demographic that nobody else is really touching. I think with it being live and that demographic, being able to reach even deeper into that demographic will be extremely beneficial for us.
“Every big moment I’ve had in MLW has been a test, and this is like the final. It’s not the final exam but it’s [a huge test]. Can I perform under this kind of pressure or not? This is like a make or break moment, in my opinion.
“So I definitely think this is very, very important. For now, if I do end up beating [Alex] Hammerstone, that’ll be kind of like the tone-setting for me. Whatever happens in the future, if I’m not with MLW, like, wrestling on one of the other two big brands. There’s a lot in the backpack for me right now.”
