MLW Fusion Recap (4/13): LA Park Issues Open Challenge, Pillman Takes On MJF, Reed And Swann Team-Up
Recap of last week's Battle Riot II event, where Teddy Hart retained the Middleweight championship, but suffered a concussion after MJF stroke him over the head with a champagne bottle. "Filthy" Tom Lawlor retained the Heavyweight championship after a war with Jimmy Havoc, and LA Park emerged the victor of the Battle Riot match, which gives him a title opportunity whenever he wants.
MLW Fusion intro.
Rich Boccini and Jim Cornette welcome us to another episode of MLW Fusion. Cornette tells us we'll be hearing from Tom Lawlor regarding the attack he suffered at the hands of Contra. Also on the evening's card, Rich Swann and Myron Reed team up, and LA Park hosts an open challenge in the main event.
MJF makes his way out for the evening's first bout. He's joined by the rest of Dynasty. (Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday.) His opponent...Brian Pillman Jr. No Hart Foundation with Pillman.
MJF versus Brian Pillman Jr.
Tie-up. Pillman pushes MJF up against the ropes...ref makes him break the hold. Second tie-up...this time MJF pushes Pillman up against the ropes. Hammerstone strikes Pillman on the outside but the ref doesn't see it. Two big shoulder bumps from Pillman. He goes for a third...Holliday trips Pillman. Referee tosses Dynasty! MJF is livid. Holliday and Hammerstone argue at first, but eventually leave on MJF's orders.
Slap from MJF. Pillman fires back with a dropkick. He charges MJF in the corner but slows down so he can slap MJF. Pillman nearly wins it with a roll-up...MJF kicks Pillman into the turnbuckles shoulder first. MJF then goes right after the arm, stomping on the wrist and cranking it over the middle-rope. Pillman attempts to trade strikes...MJF slows him down by going back to the arm. Senton on the arm by MJF. Suplex. MJF shoves in boot into Pillman's throat. MJF puts Pillman up on the top rope...Pillman knocks MJF off...flying crossbody from Pillman! Both men are down.
Pillman with a combo of strikes...running forearm, followed by a superkick. Pillman goes for an Irish-whip but his arm gives out. MJF charges...powerslam from Pillman with cover...MJF kicks out. Pillman goes for a corner lariat but MJF pulls the ref in the way stopping Pillman in his tracks. Thumb to the eye by MJF...double-stomp to Pillman's arm...roll-up by MJF...Pillman just kicks out! MJF argues with the ref. He walks right into a cradle from Pillman. Got em!
Brian Pillman Jr. wins by pinfall.
Pillman immediately flees the ring in celebration. Kaci Lennox meets MJF at the top of the entrance path to ask how he feels about the loss. MJF grabs the mic in anger, calling Lennox a bimbo and claiming that the match was a fluke.
Flashback to last week when MLW Heavyweight champion Tom Lawlor was attacked during a post-Battle Riot press conference by the Contra Unit. Boccini reminds us that Lawlor will address the attack later in the night.
Interview from earlier in the day by Salina de la Renta. Salina calls Promociones Dorado the forefront of latin culture and sports. She says starting in May, she'll be an Executive Producer MLW Fusion. (Or just for the May 4th episode that was hard to clarify.) "As for when LA Park cashes in his title opportunity...stay tuned," says Salina.
Promo from Sami Callihan. He says that he had to run away from MLW for a bit so he can find himself. He's ready to cause havoc, and cause pain to whoever gets in his way. He then calls out Mance Warner for being as messed up as he is, and challenges Warner to a matchup at next week's Fusion to boost ratings for the show.
Highlights of Brian Pillman Jr's victory from earlier in the night are shown. Footage of Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday is played, where Holliday is trying to calm down Hammerstone who is irate that the referee tossed him from ringside. Holliday says they have reservations at a nice restaurant, and that their car is currently parked in a handicap spot. Segment ends when Hammerstone chases the camera man away.
Lance Anoa'i and Jimmy Yuta are on their way to the ring for tag action. They'll be facing the team of Rich Swann and Myron Reed. Reed and Swann continue to wear the tape over their mouths with the word "JUSTICE" written across, continuing the story that they are being cheated by the referees and MLW higher-ups.
Lance Anoa'i & Jimmy Yuta versus Rich Swann & Myron Reed
Yuta and Reed begin. They grapple. Yuta takes Reed down with a wristlock. Big knee to the chest. Reed gets to his feet and forces Yuta into the corner, where he lands the first strike. Yuta gets angry and stomps Reed down in the opposite corner. Swann and Anoa'i tag in. Swann goes for a frankensteiner but Anoa'i catches him...powerbomb attempt...Swann lands on his feet....dropkick form Anoa'i. Big back body drop and standing moonsault in succession from Anoa'i. He lays into Swann's chest with chops before tagging Yuta back in. Yuta with a chop of his own. Swann with a thumb to Yuta's eye. While the referee pulls him back Reed rakes at Yuta's eyes from the apron! Double-suplex from Reed and Swann. Reed with a pinfall attempt...Yuta kicks out and Reed yells at the referee for counting slow. Swann with a middle-rope axe handle. He's overly aggressive with Yuta, chopping at his chest and choking him right on the ropes. Quick tags from Reed and Swann...more tandem offense. Springboard leg drop from Reed...running swanton by Swann. They're in full control.
Yuta attempts a comeback but Swann forces him into his team's corner to slow him down. Double suplex...this time Yuta lands on his feet. Hot tag to Anoa'i. He runs right through Swann and Reed. Shoulder bump. He picks up Swann in a Samoan drop and dropkicks Reed at the same time. Superkick from Anoa'i to Swann. Uranagi. He climbs...450 misses! Reed runs in from the entrance path with a cutter! Yuta breaks up the pin! Reed argues with the ref, Swann with a low-blow onto Yuta. Double-team from Reed and Swann onto Anoa'i. Back to back 450s pick up the win for Reed and Swann.
Rich Swann & Myron Reed win by pinfall.
Mance Warner is shown drinking beer backstage with some random dude. Warner says that he's fought guys on moving trucks before. Kaci Lennox shows up and asks him how he feels about Sami Callihan's challenge. Warner says that he looks forward to the fight, and promises that when he pulls the knee-pad down...Callihan is gonna feel some pain.
MLW Heavyweight champion Tom Lawlor cuts a promo. He says for 22 years he's put his career on the line so he could call himself a champion, and now he is one at MLW. He runs down all the injuries he's suffered just to win a wrestling match. He then says that the worst pain he's ever felt was from Jacob Fatu and the Contra unit's attack. He promises to choke Fatu out, that way his lifeless body can't feel a damn thing.
Main event time! LA Park comes out accompanied with Salina de la Renta. She gets on the microphone and wishes the live audience a good evening. She says that Jimmy Havoc was supposed to face Park, but he was unable to. She then reissues the open challenge, which is answered by...Sami Callihan.
LA Park versus Sami Callihan
Brawl to start. Park slows Callihan's attack down with a big powerslam. Fight spills to the outside, where Callihan smashes a beer off Park's head. Park grabs an umbrella and starts whacking Callihan over the back. Park asks a fan to hand him a metal stand, which he uses as a weapon, thrusting it into Callihan's gut. Callihan picks the stand up and fires off a few shots of his own. Park with a chairshot to Callihan's face. Another shot to the back. Back-and-forth brawling. Callihan shoves his thumbs into Park's eyes. Park taunts Callihan to hit him harder...then drops him with one strike. Atomic drop from Park...he throws Callihan groin first into the ring post.
Back in the ring Park lands a headbutt and stiff lariat in succession. Callihan kicks out. Park goes to fight the referee...Callihan with a thrust kick but Park moves and the referee gets knocked out. Callihan hits Park with his baseball bat. He has the match won but no referee is out. El Hijo de la Park and Ricky Martinez run out and stomp Callihan down.
Mance Warner runs out to help Callihan! He fights off Callihan's attackers, but gets outnumbered and beat down. Low Ki runs out to join in on the attack. Daga joins in on the fun! He takes out Promociones Dorado with a superkick, then hits Warner with a superkick for good measure. Suicide dive from Daga! Callihan goes for a suicide dive as well but LA Park hits a spear out of nowhere! Referee recovers...that's it.
LA Park wins by pinfall.
As soon as the bell rings...Promociones Dorado all team up on Daga, Callihan, and Warner with Salina de la Renta calling the shots.
Matches for next week are announced, including Josef Samael against Ace Romero, and Sami Callihan versus Mance Warner.
Footage cuts back to Dynasty who are looking for their car. Teddy Hart and the rest of the Hart Foundation have stolen it! Pillman moons Hammerstone and Holliday. Hammerstone and Holliday can't believe it. Holliday says that it was MJF's car.
