MLW Fusion for Episode 33 | Review

This week’s episode of MLW Fusion for Episode 33 opens with Salina de la Renta performing a ritual. She is chanting in a language I’m not entirely sure is just Spanish. This brief footage ends with blood on her fingers after saying the name LA Park. We then are told that MLW will be hosting its first-ever live special on beINSports. This will happen on December 14th live from Miami, FL at 8:00 PM Eastern.

Next is a rundown of the night’s matches. First is the main event which will see the MLW Tag Team Championships defended. The Lucha Bros, Fenix and Pentagon Jr., will defend against LA Park and Hijo de LA Park presented by Salina de la Renta. Also set to take place tonight is Brian Pillman, Jr. of the Hart Foundation taking on the hardcore legend Tommy Dreamer. The first match is set to begin next. The traitor from Team Filthy, Simon Gotch, is out first. He cuts a promo on his “filthy” past and lays out the open challenge. He will give $10,000 to anyone who can beat him. His filthy opponent for the evening is Ariel Dominguez.

MLW Fusion for Episode 33

Tony Schiavone notes on commentary that Dominguez is a top-rated amateur wrestler looking to break into the pros. Dominguez is also much smaller than Gotch, giving up a good amount of weight and several inches in height. Gotch used this size advantage for all that it was worth, easily tossing Ariel around the ring. The finish came mercifully quickly, after just a few minutes. Gotch hit a piledriver and scored the easy pinfall. After the match, the ruthless Simon Gotch retrieved a few hundred dollar bills from his bag and stuffed them into Dominguez’s mouth. He then gave Dominguez another piledriver before retrieving the bills from his opponent’s mouth.

At MLW Never Say Never, Gotch will have to atone for what he did to “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. They are set to face off in no ropes, no holds barred fight. The only way to win is by knockout or submission, and those are the only rules. Footage is shown from last week’s episode in which Kotto Brazil earned a spot in the MLW Middleweight Championship match. His celebration was short-lived though, as after the match he was attacked by Maxwell J. Friedman, the Middleweight Champion. Kacy Lennox is backstage with MJF to get his thoughts.

MJF decries the style of match MLW has booked and says that he will not participate in a ladder match. He feels this ‘hardcore’ style of a match is beneath him. So we’ll have to see what happens in Miami, what MLW management will do about this claim. A video promo from Tommy Dreamer on his match with Brian Pillman, Jr. is next. Dreamer talks about how he was a fan of Brian Pillman Jr.’s dad. He also talks about how Pillman Jr. lacks respect and he intends on teaching him some.

Bocchini reminds us of what is to come!

Rich Bocchini reminds us that while Dreamer vs. Pillman is next, there is still the main event to look forward to. Kacy Lennox is backstage again with Stokely Hathaway who returned on last week’s episode of MLW Fusion. Stokely outlines his plans now that he’s back and it’s very simple: domination. He plans to manage someone, achieve great success, and dominate MLW. Returning to the ringside area, we see Brian Pillman, Jr. makes his entrance. Out next is his opponent, the Innovator of Violence, Tommy Dreamer.

The match starts slowly, traditionally, with some lock-ups. Dreamer eventually goes for Dusty Rhodes’ signature flip, flop and fly. Between the flop and fly, Pillman attempts to outsmart the veteran but only ends up delaying the inevitable. Pillman retreats to the outside for reprieve, but Dreamer follows. With some assistance from a fan, Dreamer spits beer into the young Pillman’s face. Pillman does get into control of the match, throwing several chops and strikes.

MLW Fusion for Episode 33

Dreamer does get back into the driver’s seat after a few minutes, with punches and maybe a bite or two, and a cutter out of nowhere. Brian was able to use his speed to get the best of Dreamer, putting him onto the mat. His mistake would prove to be trying to get his cane at ringside, which the referee prevented him from using. While he stood over Dreamer, posing and celebrating himself a bit too early, Dreamer caught Pillman in the mid-thigh region. This caused the youngster to fall backward, top over tea kettle and get pinned.

After the match, the veteran goes over to Pillman and talks to him, apparently driving home the lesson. Pillman nodded, shook his hand appeared to agree until Dreamer’s back was turned. Pillman hit Dreamer with a swinging neckbreaker before assaulting him with the cane. Clearly, the lesson Dreamer attempted to teach Brian Pillman, Jr. didn’t stick. Teddy Hart came from the back to get Pillman back under control. Pillman decided to hit Dreamer with a second swinging neckbreaker before heading to the back. Teddy Hart will be in action next week on MLW Fusion.

Konnan discusses the Lucha Bros

The footage is then shown of Konnan addressing the media ahead of the MLW Tag Team Championship fight. Konnan assures us that the Lucha Bros will leave as they came in, as tag team champions. It is also announced that on next week’s episode, RUSH of Los Ingobernables will be making his debut against Sammy Guevara. We recap the footage from two weeks ago where Simon Gotch betrayed “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. MLW cameras caught up with Lawlor in Las Vegas and this footage is also shown. Lawlor says that Gotch is fake and a phony, and that he will make Gotch pay for what he did.

We then go to Matt Striker in the MLW Control Center, where he runs down all of the action for MLW’s debut in Miami. First is the major announcement from earlier, that MLW Fusion will air live on December 14th.

Currently signed for MLW Never Say Never on December 13th is:

  • Teddy Hart vs. Pentagon Jr.
  • No Ropes, No Holds Barred
    “Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs. Simon Gotch
  • Falls Count Anywhere in Miami
    PCO vs. LA Park
  • RUSH vs. Shane Strickland
  • Dragon Lee vs. Rich Swann
  • DJZ vs. Hijo de LA Park
  • Andrew Everett vs. Dezmond Xavier

Announced for MLW Zero Hour which will be broadcast live on December 14th is:

  • Singapore Cane Match
    Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Pillman, Jr.
  • RUSH vs. Rich Swann
  • Ace Romero vs. Barrington Hughes
  • Dragon Lee vs. DJZ
  • MLW World Heavyweight Championship, No Disqualification Match
    Low-Ki (c) vs. Konnan
  • Ladder Match for MLW World Middleweight Championship
    MJF (c) vs. Kotto Brazil vs. Jason Cade vs. Andrew Everett vs. Dezmond Xavier

It is finally time for what we’ve all been waiting for, the main event. The Lucha Bros, cornered by Konnan, defend against LA Park and Hijo de LA Park presented by Salina de la Renta.

The match begins with stiff strikes between both teams. This one resembles less of a traditional tag team match and more like a tag-team fight. The action moves to the outside quickly and weapons, of course, are involved. After several minutes, all of the fighters return to the ring but they bring the weaponry with them. Rey Fenix does get removed from the action, leaving Pentagon Jr. to fend for himself for quite a while. Fenix is able to rally back and dig deep, getting back into the mix to assist his brother.

The match ends with a double team move from the Lucha Bros on Hijo de LA Park. Pentagon picks Hijo up in a double-underhook position and Fenix jumps off the top rope with a double stomp. Fenix then takes LA Park out on the outside with a dive. Pentagon covers Hijo de LA Park for the win, much to Salina de la Renta’s dismay.

Where will the war between Salina and Konnan’s camps go next? We’ll find out next week on MLW Fusion. This was MLW Fusion for Episode 33.

My name is Brandi, I'm 30 years young and have been a wrestling fan since the tender age of 2. My love of writing grew from school and I soon found ways to merge my two loves. Aside from writing and the pro graps, I love to do crafts and read. I was born and raised in Alaska, which is also where I currently make my home. Hit me up, I love to chat!