This past Saturday, Alexander Hammerstone retained the MLW National Openweight Championship in the Star Spangled Hammer Challenge at Kings of Colosseum.
This past April, the championship was officially unveiled, with heavyweight and middleweight wrestlers able to compete for it. It was then announced that four wrestlers would compete in a single-elimination tournament. With the winner becoming the first titleholder. Hammerstone defeated Gringo Loco while Brian Pillman Jr. defeated Rich Swann. The following month, Hammerstone and Pillman Jr. faced off at Fury Road 2019. Hammerstone became the inaugural MLW National Openweight Champion. This victory only strengthened the feud between The Hart Foundation and The Dynasty. Two factions within MLW that are equal parts confident and capable.
Hammerstone’s first title defense came at Kings of Colosseum on July 6th. Beforehand, it was announced that he would put the MLW National Openweight Championship on the line in a Star Spangled Hammer Challenge. Essentially, this would serve as an open challenge during the 4th of July weekend. The Dynasty opened the show, with Hammerstone issuing the challenge in question. The one who answered the challenge of the self-proclaimed “true American hero” was Kotto Brazil.
Early on, Brazil used his superior speed to evade the offense of the larger, more hard-hitting Hammerstone. Brazil was able to score an early one-count, showing that he was serious about dethroning the first-ever MLW National Openweight Champion. Despite the tenacity from Brazil, he struggled to phase Hammerstone, who executed a running boot that nearly turned the Largo, Florida native inside out.
Though Brazil attempted to fight back with a basement dropkick, Hammerstone was able to catch his opponent and slam him with authority. Hammerstone went for the Nightmare Pendulum early, but Brazil avoided the signature move, executing a tornado DDT in response. A string of offense from Brazil followed. With everything from an enzuguri to a missile dropkick to the kitchen sink being thrown into the mix. Brazil followed up with a frog splash, but Hammer was able to kick out!
Brazil went for a second aerial move, but this would prove to be the challenger’s undoing. Dynasty member Richard Holliday distracted Brazil from the outside, which was enough for Hammerstone to take advantage. Hammerstone hit a stalling suplex followed by the Nightmare Pendulum for the 1… 2… 3! Hammerstone remains the MLW National Openweight Champion! Maxwell Jacob Friedman followed the match by not only congratulating his partner on a job well done but insulting the live audience in true MJF fashion.
The Dynasty is in the house, and the people of Chicago are NOT happy. #KingsofColosseum@The_MJF @alexhammerstone @MostMarketable
We go live on @beINSPORTSUSA at 9pm ET / 6pm PT. pic.twitter.com/RpJLrjSkVP
— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) July 7, 2019
With Hammerstone as the MLW National Openweight Champion, The Dynasty is on its way to becoming perhaps the most powerful faction in the promotion. On a future episode of MLW Fusion, Pillman Jr. and Teddy Hart of The Hart Foundation will put the MLW World Tag Team Championship on the line against Holliday and Maxwell Jacob Friedman of The Dynasty. It’s safe to say that Hammerstone’s victory against Brazil created a precedent. Whether Holliday and Friedman are able to capitalize on their partner’s momentum remains to be seen.
