Welcome to this week’s MLW Fusion review. We have a special treat for this one, it is the hour of Intimidation Games that aired LIVE on beINSports. There are two matches scheduled for this, and they are sure to be great. We will see the Lucha Bros, Pentagon, Jr. and Rey Fenix taking on Taurus and Laredo Kid. In the main event, we will see “Filthy” Tom Lawlor defend the MLW World Heavyweight Championship against Low-Ki. It will also take place inside of a steel cage! The show opens with a customized MLW Intimidation Games opening package, highlighting the fighters to be featured tonight. Just like with Superfight, Intimidation Games is sponsored by GoDaddy.com.
Rich Bocchini also introduces the newest member of the MLW broadcast team, Jim Cornette. Jim even has his signature tennis racket in a special beINSports case. Without wasting any time, they turn it over to Tim Barr for the ring introductions for our first match. Out first is Taurus and Laredo Kid, the team representing Triple-A! Laredo Kid is somewhat unassuming in appearance, in his green mask and matching tights. Taurus is a big man, with actual horns on his mask. Next is the crowd favorites, Pentagon, Jr. and Rey Fenix. They are bedecked in matching samurai-like entrance attire. Pentagon is in all-black as usual. Fenix is wearing the gold variant over his purple and gold mask and tights.
The match begins with as Jim Cornette points out, the two bulls of each team, Pentagon, Jr., and Taurus. It quickly breaks down into a lucha rules style match, meaning there are no tags in or out. It’s constant action, which is different than American style tag team wrestling. If you are looking for an easily accessible and enjoyable lucha libre match, this one is for you. All four individuals pull out amazing maneuvers, even Taurus flying around like it’s nothing. Both teams display an insane amount of teamwork and work together like well-oiled machines. The crowd was very solidly pro-Lucha Bros but they appreciated the work of Team AAA as well.
A common complaint about the “flippy” style in today’s wrestling is that there a lack of selling. A key point of lucha, as well as this contest, in particular, is that selling is important, especially after near-fall situations. The luchadores also must work harder, as most of their face is covered with a mask. This is a study in using the exciting, fast-paced style with spectacular fancy moves while still maintaining the high art of traditional pro wrestling. The ending came following a tandem package piledriver on Laredo Kid. Fenix soared to the outside to keep Taurus at bay while Pentagon, Jr. picked up the pinfall victory. After the match, the fans participated in a lucha tradition, throwing money into the ring. This is considered a high honor and means you put on a truly incredible match.
After the match, both Rey Fenix and Pentagon, Jr. got on the microphone and thanked their opponents and the crowd. Following that, we go to a video package reminding us that Jimmy Bloody Havoc is coming back to MLW. Next is the latest edition of H2 TV, where we are joined by Teddy Hart and Brian Pillman, Jr. They announce that they will be implementing Freebird Rules with the MLW World Tag Team titles, meaning that any two members of the group can defend them. And then from there, we go to the MLW Control Center. Matt Striker updates us on Battle Riot II, set for April 5th in New York City. Confirmed entrants so far are Pentagon, Jr., Davey Boy Smith, Jr., and Pro Wrestling NOAH star Minoru Tanaka.
Next, we go to a promo from Maxwell Jacob Friedman, MJF and Richard Holliday. MJF does most of the talking, and from this, we learn a couple of things. One, that he and Holliday’s partnership now has a name and that is The Dynasty. And two, that they want a shot at The Hart Foundation and the MLW World Tag Team Championships. We’ll have to stay tuned to see if League officials grant their request. We then go to Kaci Lennox in the backstage area, who is outside of Promociones Dorado’s locker room. Salina de la Renta reminders her of the media blackout, but also says Low-Ki is ready to take back the title for her. Now it’s finally time to go back to the ring, with the black steel cage in place for the main event.
The main event of Intimidation Games, presented by GoDaddy.Com, is, of course, the MLW World Heavyweight Championship match. It will also be completely commercial free thanks to our friends at GoDaddy. Out first is the challenger, accompanied by the silver-clad vixen Salina de la Renta. Ever the creative entrance man, Tom Lawlor’s entrance into the cage is certainly unique. The rules for this match are traditional for a cage match, the only ways to win are by pinfall, submission or escaping the cage with both feet touching the floor. Following the championship introductions, Low-Ki started the match off hot, immediately attacking Lawlor. Lawlor bounces back, taking the control back early on. It would continue to be a back and forth affair for the first half of the fight.
The cerebral Low-Ki was able to concentrate on the head of Tom Lawlor, to keep him off balance and on the defense. It started with ramming the champion’s head into the cage and was followed up with a unique foreign object. Salina gave Low-Ki a high heel, an age-old weapon in wrestling, which cut Lawlor’s stomach and struck him in the head as well. The lion-hearted Lawlor refused to lay down and die though. He fought back continuously and demanded more of Low-Ki. They told an incredible story and made the cage match exciting. The finish came when the two were fighting on the outside of the cage and trying to get down. Lawlor fell milliseconds before Low-Ki and his feet hit the floor first. Thus, Tom Lawlor retains the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
However, he was unable to properly celebrate his victory. After the match, he was attacked by a group led by his former friend, Simon Gotch. He was pummeled by three men, Gotch, and two others. They drag Lawlor back into the cage, continuing the beatdown. Lawlor attempted to fight them off, but three-on-one are odds against any man. The coup de grace was when the large Samoan member of the group ascended to the top of the cage. He dropped down onto the MLW World Heavyweight Champion with a vicious splash. After, Gotch draped Lawlor in a flag bearing the logo and word Contra; this has been flashing briefly across the screen for the last several weeks. It appears we finally know what that means, this new stable of Gotch and his two cohorts. Later, they were identified as Jacob Fatu and Josef Samuel.
We will have to wait and see what develops in the coming weeks, but surely Tom Lawlor will have some injuries from this attack. It will also be interesting to see what exactly CONTRA’s goal is in Major League Wrestling. Until next week on MLW Fusion, this has been Pro Wrestling Post’s weekly MLW review.
