7/12 MLW TV Tapings Report: Low Ki challenges for Strickland’s MLW title, Pentagon & Rey Fenix vs. ACH & Rich Swann for the tag titles, John Hennigan vs. Teddy Hart, Jimmy Havoc vs. Tom Lawlor

By Tom Stoup, PWTorch correspondent


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

MLW TV TAPINGS REPORT
JULY 12, 2018
ORLANDO, FLA. AT GILT NIGHTCLUB
REPORT BY TOM STOUP, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

The unique Gilt Nightclub environment was even more alive than usual with wrestlers milling about before bell time. Jake Hager strut through the parking lot. Shane Strickland caught up with producers at the truck. Joey Janela texted in the fresh air, and complimented fans’ t-shirts in the ticket line. Jimmy Yuta poked his head out of the building, then dodged back inside.

Parrow and the Dirty Blondes were shown on screen confronting Fred Yehi in passing. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor and Simon Gotch showed up and told Yehi they have his back. As the Stud Stable retreated, Lawlor offered Yehi a Team Filthy jacket. Yehi accepted and, laughing, complied when Gotch suggested Yehi should give them his signature mask in exchange. Gotch chortled, “I got to take his face off.”

Ring announcer Tim Barr plugged BeIn Sports and hyped the crowd, passing out BeIn Sports swag. He reminded everyone to keep chants and gestures appropriate for TV.

(1) Parrow (with Col. Robert Parker) pinned Ariel Dominguez. The diminutive Dominguez tried an amateur takedown on Parrow, and was easily gutwrenched away. Parrow then gorilla pressed Dominguez in to the turnbuckle. Dominguez staggered, and escaped a Murder Bomb. Parrow then delivered a devastating chokeslam with extra elevation and placed one hand on Dominguez for the three before clearing the ring of the unworthy competition.

(2) John Hennigan pinned Teddy Hart. Hennigan joked with a fan chanting “Morrison” as dueling chants broke out. The wrestlers went counter for counter to start, shaking hands in a stalemate. The action spilled on top of the crowd, Hennigan hi-fiving nearby fans when he found himself at advantage. As the wrestlers reentered the ring Hart countered a suplex, snapping Hennigan’s neck on the top rope. Hennigan scored two with a standing corkscrew then shot back at one of his hecklers, calling the fan “fat boy.” Hart scored a near fall with a sunset flip, then the closest near fall to that point with a Canadian Destroyer. Hennigan got his knees up for a springboard moonsault, and scored a close two with a Spanish Fly. Hart then defiantly kicked out of Starship Pain. Hart caught Hennigan in a package DDT, then chained a lumbar check with two top rope springboard moonsaults. Hennigan refused to stay down for three. As Hart went for a pinning combination, Hennigan countered the maneuver in to a pin of his own for the win. As Hennigan showed respect to Hart, Hart spat on the referee and sucker punched Hennigan. Hart cursed as he exited.

(3) “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (w/Team Filthy) pinned Jake Hager (w/Col. Robert Parker). Parker introduced Hager as “the man who rules the world.” Fred Yehi entered with Team Filthy. He still had his mask. Hager looked more vulnerable than he has to date in MLW against promotion workhorse Lawlor, but managed to keep the momentum in his favor. Hager scored two with a suplex as Parker cheered him on and fanned himself with a handkerchief. Lawlor took Hager down with a discus clothesline, then kicked out of a Hager Bomb. Hager looked distraught and fought to find the ankle lock, but Lawlor flopped his way to the rope. Hager nearly clocked the referee as he angrily charged his opponent. Living up to his nickname, Lawlor dug at Hager’s eye and rolled Hager up for the arguable upset as Parker threw a fit.

Tim Barr announced that official MLW merchandise is now available at MLWShop.com.

(4) Simon Gotch & Fred Yehi (w/Team Filthy) pinned the Dirty Blondes (w/Col. Robert Parker & Parrow).

Gotch wore Yehi’s mask as a kneepad. Tags came fast as the the teams took the aggression to one another straight away. Tom Lawlor snuck a chairshot in on Mike Patrick, then chucked the chair to Parrow to confuse senior official Frank Gastineau. Gotch cradled Patrick for the win as Parrow protested.

MJF interrupted an in-ring interview with Aria Blake. He called the interviewer a “Dollar Store Oprah Winfrey,” and ushered her from the ring. After sarcastically suggesting how nice it must be for Blake to take daily STD tests while dating Joey Janela, MJF propositioned Blake. Janela appeared, and fought MJF to the backstage area to presumably begin their scheduled falls count anywhere match.

Barrington Hughes hit the ring and called out Sami Callihan, “Death Machine” Leon Scott, and Sawyer Fulton. The villainous trio took to the ramp, and Scott entered the ring as his cohorts departed.

(5) Barrington Hughes defeated Leon Scott via disqualification. Scott furiously took to Hughes but couldn’t fell the colossus. Hughes slammed Scott to the mat and dropped an elbow before Sawyer Fulton and Sami Callihan interfered. Kotto Brazil flew in with Callihan’s bat, swinging and connecting with Fulton’s left shoulder to leave a nasty welt. Brazil cut a fiery promo on Callihan’s crew, dove on them over the tope rope and in to the crowd, and challenged Callihan to a match as Hughes brawled to the back with Callihan’s henchmen. Callihan remained on the defensive against the vehement Brazil, eventually turning the tables by drilling Brazil to the mat from the top rope and demanding the bell be rung.

(6) Sami Callihan pinned Kotto Brazil. The “Worldwide Desperado” went after Brazil like a rabid bulldog, taking advantage of the upper hand he attained during the pre-match brawl. Brazil earned high marks for effort, narrowly surviving a chokehold and other predicaments that appeared certain to end him. Callihan looked elated as he arranged chairs on the outside, with their legs pointing up. Brazil slipped away, however, and scored a near fall with a powerbomb. Callihan caught the upstart on the top rope, returning fire with a massive powerbomb of his own. A shoulder breaker ended the affair in Callihan’s favor.

(8) Big Kahuna Kahn vs. “The Fabulous” Kiki Roberts ended in a no contest. Su Yung – with a kendo stick – and Zeda Zhang interfered with their music and crimson strobe lights blaring, and took out the boisterous male competitors.

Joey Janela was shown attacking MJF backstage, continuing their falls count anywhere match. Tim Barr entered the ring to introduce the opponents, who did not appear on command.

(9) MJF pinned Joey Janela in a Falls Count Anywhere match. MJF and Joey Janela brawled to ringside. MJF used Blake as a human shield, then poked Janela in the eyes. The two wrestled between the ropes before Janela dove on MJF in to the crowd and piled chairs on the playboy. Janela attempted a moonsault off a chair, but the chair collapsed and Janela spiked himself in to MJF for two. Janela hurled a chair in the ring, and it landed on MJF’s leg. Janela arranged multiple chairs in the corner, but wound up being thrown in to them himself. Janela wrapped MJF in a chinlock, and MJF remembered the hard way that rope breaks wouldn’t apply in this match. Janela powerbombed MJF on the apron, and MJF caught the rope on the way down and took a tumble. Janela stomped a chair in to MJF for two. MJF pleaded on the ramp as Janela looked to finish things, but Blake turned on her boyfriend with a stiff strike to help MJF emerge victorious. The new couple shared a smooch after the bell.

Simon Gotch introduced his running open challenge, announcing that “in light of recent events” the prize had increased from $250 to $500. The other Team Filthy members present appeared extremely impressed.

(10) Simon Gotch (with Team Filthy) pinned Angel “The Annihilator” Pierce. In boxing gloves Pierce entered to a royalty free-sounding version of “Gonna Fly Now” as Tim Barr listed the fighter’s boxing credentials. Pierce went in for a jab, but Gotch absorbed the blow and quickly put the match away with a piledriver.

(11) Jason Cade pinned Jimmy Yuta. The former Team TBD members couldn’t wait to get a piece of one another and quickly flew in to the crowd when Yuta dove on Cade. Back in the ring, Cade stood on Yuta’s head and argued the technique’s legality with senior official Frank Gastineau. Yuta scooped Cade in to a powerbomb for two, then locked in an STF. Cade scored a near fall of his own with a burning hammer. Cade hit a superplex, landing awkwardly on his left leg. The wrestlers went punch for punch, but Gastineau warded Yuta off when Cade collapsed to the mat. Rhett Giddins appeared out of nowhere and sank a hefty clothesline in to Yuta. Cade popped up, revealing his ploy. Scoring the decision, Cade exuberantly celebrated with Giddins over the fallen Yuta.

(12) Teddy Hart pinned Vandal Ortagun. Hart invited Ortagun to flaunt on the top turnbuckle. When Ortagun obliged Hart threw him to the mat and went on the offensive, landing a sharp kick to Ortagun’s nose. Ortagun continued to sell his nose as Hart instructed the referee – the same one from his match with John Hennigan – to stay out of the way. Hart launched Ortagun for a thunderous lumbar check. He looked pleased with himself as he packaged Ortagun in to a DDT. Hart lifted Ortagun from what could well have been a three count, then nailed one final lumbar check for the win. Hart enjoyed personal interactions with fans as he made his way to the back.

After the match, PW Torch caught up with Teddy Hart and Vandal Ortagun. Ortagun was openly honored to have shared the ring with Hart – a wrestler he watched as a kid – especially in a contest of a greater length than he’d yet enjoyed in MLW. Grateful for his opportunities, he added, “MLW is the place to be.” Hart himself lauded Ortagun’s talent, and said the fans are what keep him going.

(13) Jimmy Havoc pinned “Filthy” Tom Lawlor in a grudge match. Havoc wasted little time diving on Lawlor to the outside. He propped Lawlor on a chair, charged, and simply poked Lawlor in the eyes. The two brawled around the nightclub as a cut on Lawlor’s back from his prior match reopened. Havoc flopped a wooden board on to Lawlor, and pulled a cheese grater from beneath the ring. Lawlor backdropped Havoc on the apron and used the grater on Havoc’s forehead. Lawlor then licked the grater. Havoc found a pizza cutter and a bag of lemons beneath the ring. Lawlor drilled staples in to Havoc’s face with a staple gun. Havoc then used the gun on Lawlor’s groin, and began collecting chairs as his face poured blood. Lawlor locked in a standing sleeper, but Havoc pulled out a piece of paper with which to slice at the webbing between Lawlor’s fingers. Havoc squeezed lemon juice in to the papercuts. Lawlor lacerated Havoc with the pizza cutter, opening a deep wound in Havoc’s bicep that almost instantly began spurting large quantities of dark blood. Trying to hold his skin together, Havoc conferred with senior official Frank Gastineau then quickly charged at Lawlor with a clothesline and put the match away prematurely. He had his arm tied off and presumably headed straight to a hospital. The ring crew cleaned the mat with peroxide.

(14) Rey Fenix & Pentagon, Jr. (c)  pinned ACH & Rich Swann to retain the MLW Tag Team Championships. Swann moonwalked away from the blood stains left on the mat from the prior bout. ACH danced to the Lucha Bros’ entrance theme. Many MLW personalities including Teddy Hart and Aria Blake gathered on the balcony to watch. After the wrestlers insisted upon doing their own ring introductions, Fenix caught his opponents in a double cutter and dove out of the ring on to ACH. Pentagon and Fenix double-teamed Swann, crushing him with a vicious stomp/powerbomb combo. Sickening chops caved in the chests of ACH and Swann. Fenix became a missile and nearly kicked Swann’s head off. Swann sold like his cerebral cortex had suddenly taken a vacation. Swann charged up, taking on both tag champs at once. He and ACH went for simultaneous powerbomb pins for simultaneous near falls. Mocking Pentagon, ACH called “Cero huevos” and ate a kick to the face. He tried coming back with a crossbody and got served kicks in stereo for his trouble. Swann and Pentagon then threw down, culminating in ACH rescuing Swann from defeat after a Pentagon Driver. After a rapid fire sequence of somersaults and flips, Swann hit a 450 on Fenix for two. The four wrestlers formed a circle of chops highlighted by Pentagon practically searing ACH’s right pectoral off his ribcage. Pentagon powerbombed Swann from the top for what may well have been the hardest mat bump of the night. Pentagon held Swann in place as Fenix stomped the prone wrestler in to a piledriver for the victory. ACH mimed CPR on his partner, and begrudgingly shook Pentagon’s hand. Fans threw dollar bills in the ring for the champions, but ACH snuck around collecting them.

(15) Ricky Martinez (with Salina de la Renta) pinned Danny Santiago. Martinez made quick work of the white belt.

(16) Low Ki pinned Shane Strickland (c) to become the MLW Champion. John Hennigan noticably joined the wrestlers at the bannister to watch the main event. Low Ki argued with fans and mocked “Swerve” chants during Strickland’s entrance. Low Ki told Strickland, “You know we didn’t have to do this. But you’re too stupid, and now we have to do this.” He slapped Strickland, who then took to the irritant with strikes and a hip toss. Strickland found an armbar early but Low Ki was already on the rope. Low Ki hit a body slam for one. Low Ki went for a springboard enziguri, contending with loose ropes to achieve success. Strickland tore Low Ki’s shirt and deposited Low Ki’s red tie on the mat. The challenger acted frightful, and sought to protect himself from the champion’s onslaught. Strickland went for a double stomp and tweaked his right knee when Low Ki evaded. Low Ki landed his signature kick to Strickland’s head, and covered the champion for three. After Low Ki’s celebration, Stickland accepted “Thank you Swerve” chants as he mouthed apologies to the crowd. Low Ki could be seen filming a post-match promo.


NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS TV TAPING: 6/7 MLW TV Tapings Report: Teddy Hart, Released NXT Wrestler debuts alongside Impact Knockout, First Tag Champs crowned in Triple Threat, MVP-Callihan Boiler Room Brawl

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