Welcome to this week’s review of MLW Fusion for episode 40. This week was episode number 40! The show opens with Shane ‘Swerve’ Strickland in the ring. Swerve cuts a scathing promo and he is eventually interrupted. And he is interrupted by none other than Rush. Rush called Strickland a perro (dog in Spanish, can also mean bitch) and Strickland attacked. This led to an impromptu match between the two is started. These two would brawl for over ten minutes. Swerve’s aggressiveness has increased since his change in personality as well.
However, Rush would not be denied. He kept kicking out and was able to hit the Rush Driver on Swerve. This allowed Rush to pick up the victory over Strickland. We then get the opening video package for MLW Fusion. It does feel a tad out of place nearly 20 minutes into the show though. Also, on tap for tonight’s episode is the Hart Foundation versus the Dirty Blondes and Ricky Martinez of Promociones Dorado taking on Gringo Loco.
In the case of Ricky Martinez, Promociones Dorado has cut checks and paid the fines outstanding from the Kotto Brazil case. Now that the fines have been paid, Salina de la Renta has demanded that Martinez returns to work. Up next we have Ace Romero taking on Ariel Dominguez of Team Filthy. Before we get to the match though, we recap what happened last week between Salina de la Renta and her hired gun Sami Callihan. Callihan wanted more money, and Salina demanded he takes out Tom Lawlor.
Lawlor overheard all of this and set a plan into motion to catch Callihan. Due to this, Salina has now signed a match between Sami Callihan and her charge LA Park. We then go back to the ringside area, for the Ariel Dominguez/Ace Romero fight. Barrington Hughes is also on hand, joining Rich Bocchini and Tony Schiavone for commentary. Hughes quips that he finds Acey Baby to be a bully and has been scouting him. Ace Romero makes quick work of the much smaller Dominguez, putting him away with the splash elbow drop. After the match, Barrington stands up and the two have a staredown.
We are then treated to another promo from Brian Pillman, Jr. regarding his match with Tommy Dreamer at MLW Superfight. Brian and a mystery partner of his choice will take on Dreamer and a partner of his choice. After this, we go to an interview in the backstage area. Kaci Lennox has the MLW World Heavyweight Champion. She asks him how it feels to be undefeated in MLW for 15 years. Low-Ki says it feels like he has solidified his place as the greatest MLW World Heavyweight Champion. He also says that come Superfight, Tom Lawlor will join the long list of people who have tried and failed to dethrone him.
After this, we go to the next match of the evening. It will be Ricky Martinez, presented by Salina de la Renta, taking on Gringo Loco. Martinez is wearing Kotto Brazil’s eye patch as a trophy. Loco, of course, is no stranger to Promociones Dorado. He wrestled LA Park on MLW Fusion episode 38. Martinez started the match off hot, even banging Loco’s head off the mat. Gringo Loco had gained control of the match in the critical moments, but Salina de la Renta proved why she is valuable on the outside. She was able to assist Ricky Martinez by pulling him out of the landing zone of Loco’s corkscrew moonsault. Martinez was able to recover and hit Loco with a Death Valley driver for the win.
We then go to the backstage area to see Col. Robert Parker giving his team, the Dirty Blondes, a major pep talk. He stressed that they need to get a win here against the Hart Foundation. Before we get to the main event though, we get to see a promo from Tom Lawlor as he is preparing for MLW Superfight. Lawlor talks about waiting seven months for this match and seeing all that Low-Ki has done to avoid him. Now there’s no one else but Low-Ki to face the music.
Next, we go to Matt Striker in the MLW Control Center. He has a major announcement regarding Superfight. On beINSports on February 2nd, there will be another live MLW special! At 8:00 pm Eastern, there will be a live one hour special from the famous 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Currently signed for MLW Superfight are:
- Gringo Loco vs. Puma King
- The return of MJF
- Brian Pillman, Jr. & a Mystery Partner vs. Tommy Dreamer & a Mystery Partner
- Simon Gotch vs. Ace Romero
- Mance Warner’s MLW Debut
- MLW World Heavyweight Championship Match – Low-Ki (c) vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
- MLW World Tag Team Championship Match – Lucha Bros (c) vs. The Hart Foundation
It is main event time on MLW Fusion! The Hart Foundation will take on Col. Robert Parker’s team, the Dirty Blondes. There was also some scuttlebutt shared by Tony Schiavone that if the Dirty Blondes could upset the Hart Foundation, they might be added to the MLW Tag Team title match. However, Leo Bryant and Michael Patrick proved to be no match for the Hart Foundation. They had a size advantage over Brian Pillman, Jr., but Davey Boy Smith, Jr. would prove to be the difference-maker. Davey put the Dirty Blondes away with a huge superplex from the top rope.
After the match, Tony and Rich let us know that Kotto Brazil has signed a medical waiver. He will return to action next week on MLW Fusion. Also set for next week, is Sami Callihan taking on LA Park. See you next week!
