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MLW FUSION TV REPORT “FURY ROAD” – EPISODE 64
JUNE 29, 2019
MILWAUKEE, WISC.
AIRED ON BEIN SPORTS NETWORK
REPORTS BY MATT CASTLEBERRY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Rich Bocchini, Jim Cornette
The MLW Intro aired first.
Josef Samael opens the show telling Tom Lawlor that he won’t be able to defend his title if he can’t see. He says flags will be flying at half mast next week. Jacob Fatu says that Tom Lawlor’s time is up.
The MLW Fusion Intro aired next.
Rich and Jim opened up the show, and Jim introduced and welcomed in the Von Erich brothers. Ross said they had Tom Lawlor’s back, and Marshall said they were here and meant business and they kept their word. Jim said someone finally put a dent in CONTRA Unit, and Ross said to expect more of that from the Von Erich brothers.
(1) ADAM BROOKS vs. AUSTIN ARIES
Adam Brooks was out first, and he apparently was a top ranked contender from Australia. Austin Aries was out next, and Rich showed us how Aries was in the first match on the return of MLW to TV getting a win over ACH.
The two men started circling each other, with Aries landing quick leg strikes to the knee. Brooks tried to follow suit, but Aries caught his kick attempt and sent him to the mat. Aries went into a sprawl, and eventually put Brooks in a front facelock. Brooks countered into a wristlock, and both men made their way to their feet. Brooks had Aries hooked from behind, but Aries countered into a wrist lock of his own and used a takedown to put Brooks back on the mat. The two men continued to counter back and forth, until Aries had a front facelock and Brooks rolled to the ropes.
Aries stomped Brooks in the corner, and then whipped him across into the ropes. Brooks missed a clothesline, and Aries cartwheeled by him and hit a deep arm drag. The two locked up in the middle of the ring, Brooks pulling a headlock. Brooks whipped Aries into the corner, and then leapt out onto the apron hitting a leg sweep on Aries. Brooks came back in and hit a shotgun dropkick on Aries, but only got a one count. Aries rolled outside the ring, Brooks followed him out, but Aries took advantage rolling back in and catching Brooks with an elbow on the way in.
Aries set up to do an inside out neck breaker, but Brooks reversed it and hit a cutter on the top rope. Brooks then came in through the second rope with a jumping cutter for a two count. Aries rolled out of the ring again, and Brooks was going to attempt a suicide dive, but Aries moved and it stopped Brooks attempt. Brooks springboard over the top anyways, and hit Aries with a kick to the face. Brooks then rolled Aries back in the ring, and tried to go up top, but Aries caught him with a forearm and stopped his climb. Aries then went up top and tried to set Brooks up for something, but Brooks fought him off the ropes. Brooks jumped off the ropes, but Aries ducked under him, so Brooks charged him and got a boot to the face.
Aries tried going up top now, but Brooks hit him with an enziguri. Brooks put Aries on his back, setting up for a package cutter, but Aries clapped his ears. Aries hit a shin buster on Brooks, and followed it by flipping Brooks over his head face first to the mat. Aries jumped on Brooks, landing knee strikes to his ribs, and forearms to his head, in what initially looked like a pin attempt. Brooks got up and stumbled into the corner. Aries hit him with a running European uppercut, and then a snapmare takeover. Aries then went to the second rope and hit a big elbow to the back of Brooks head, for a two count. Brooks tried to fight back with a few punches to the gut, but Aries cut it off with an elbow to the back of the head. Brooks reversed an Irish whip, but Aries held on to the ropes. Brooks charged, but got tossed over the top and to the apron. Aries grabbed Brooks through the ropes and hit a neckbreaker in between the first and second rope, sending Brooks to the floor. Aries tried a suicide dive under the second rope, but Brooks punched him right in the face. Brooks hit a slingshot DDT on Aries but couldn’t make the cover, as Rich sent it to break.
Coming back, Brooks had Aries in a front facelock, but Aries wiggled free and hit Brooks with a big chop. Aries then charged Brooks, but Brooks gave him a big boot. Brooks tried a leg capture suplex, but Aries reversed it into a rollup for a two count. Aries then transitioned straight into the Horns of Aries, but Brooks made it to the ropes before he tapped. Aries rolled to the ring apron and tried to suplex Brooks inside out, but Brooks blocked it, and the two went back and forth for a moment. Brooks started using forearms strikes to take down Aries, and then went for a springboard DDT to the outside. Aries caught Brooks, and hit a DVD onto the ring apron. Aries rolled Brooks back in, and then went up to the top. Aries missed a 450 splash, and Brooks took advantage hitting a leg capture suplex neck breaker (I know this has a name, but it escapes me) for a close two count.
Brooks rolled out, and then climbed up top. Brooks went for a swanton bomb, but Aries got his knees up. Aries then hit a discuss five arm on Brooks, and followed it with a vertical drop brain buster for a three count!
WINNER: Austin Aries.
(Matt’s Thoughts: That was a great opening match. Austin Aries, when on, is one of the best performers out there. Adam Brooks, who I had never seen before, showed me a TON as well. The two together had one hell of a match, and it was the perfect way to open up the show. Very impressive debuts by both men, who Rich and Jim said were looking towards the middleweight title. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see either in a match with Teddy Hart. Great wrestling to open up the show!)
After the match Kaci Lennox wanted to get a word with Austin Aries, and so he invited her into the ring in the midst of a big “Austin Aries” chant. Kaci was in the middle of welcoming him back, when Aries took the mic from her and said don’t interrupt these people they aren’t done yet, and he told then to continue. The crowd started chanting his name again, but Aries stopped taking it in long enough to open the ropes for Lennox to get out of the ring. Aries finally spoke, saying it was good to be home, which started a “welcome home” chant. Aries said that when you aren’t making your life public on social media, people think you aren’t doing anything. He said since he left his…former employer…he’s been working on things. Aries said he had his sights set on the right place, because there’s a war going on in professional wrestling. Aries said the key term there was professional wrestling, not sports entertainment and not the phenomenon he called cosplay pro wrestling. Aries said you know who you are, you’ve got the costumes but you really can’t do the magic can you. Aries called himself the last real magician in pro wrestling, and said he was in MLW because they were doing things the right way. Aries said they actually stick to weight limits here, and joked about being a heavyweight champion all over the world but never being a heavyweight a day in his life. Aries said you don’t need to be a heavyweight to be the best, and so he wanted to make sure everyone knew he was a middleweight. He said that was bad news for one man, the champ Teddy Hart. Aries said people think you’re a real asshole, but not compared to this one. Aries dropped the mic and left the ring to a standing ovation.
A recap of what happened last week between Teddy Hart and the Dynasty was shown. Teddy was beat down, and MJF and Holliday ran off with his tag team title belt. A video from earlier this week was shown of the Dynasty hanging out on “Martha’s Vineyard”. Richard Holliday said it was nice out, beautiful weather, sun shining. Holliday said they had to close an orphanage to buy the place, but kids shouldn’t expect a handout. Alex Hammerstone was tanning, and asked if he looked even. Alex said he was going for a sweet Hogan tan, and Holliday asked 87 or 91, to which Hammerstone said of course 91. Holliday said his dad taught him the possession is 9/10 the law, so technically they were tag champs. MJF said big shocker they Dynasty had all the gold, because they were the best there is, best there was, and best there ever…but he cut himself off to take Arya Blake back to their room to “fix her nails”. Holliday asked Hammerstone why Max needed to go help her, which Hammerstone gave him a look like he was an idiot and just said “seriously”. Hammerstone walked off leaving Holliday to read the newspaper.
Josef Samael had a promo next. He said there was a storm brewing. Samael said they’d taken Lawlor’s pride, they’d taken his hair, and next week Fatu was going to take his title.
A vignette for Savio Vega aired next, promoting his upcoming return.
Highlights from the six man tag match last week, between CONTRA Unit and Tom Lawlor and the Von Erichs were shown. CONTRA suffered their first loss since coming to MLW, but that didn’t end the war.
(2) JACOB FATU vs. ARIEL DOMINGUEZ & SAM BLACK
Fatu made his way out, as the other two got a jobbers entrance. Fatu hit the ring, and never gave a chance for introductions, as he attacked right away. He tossed Dominguez across the ring, and hit a superkick on Black. Fatu came off the ropes and hit a handspring moonsault off the ropes onto Black, which was SUPER impressive for a guy his size. Ariel Dominguez tried a springboard clothesline, but bounced off of Fatu. Fatu hit a big samoan drop on Ariel, and then piled up both men in the middle of the ring. He hit the springboard moonsault on both men for the three count.
WINNER: Jacob Fatu
(Matt’s Thoughts: Fatu is a true, legit, 100 percent, badass monster. Enough said.)
The rest of CONTRA Unit hit the ring and beat down Fatu’s opponents afterwards, and then posed for the crowd in the ring.
A video for upcoming events aired next. Next week coming your way will be Kings of Colosseum, followed by Never say Never (July 25) and then War Chamber (September 7).
Kaci was backstage with Salina de la Renta. Kaci asked about the loser leaves MLW match between Mance Warner and Sami Callihan, and asked if she’d went too far. Salina said the ratings were amazing, so that tells you what you need to know. Salina asked why we were standing there talking about a goat f—-r when we would be talking about the Empresario of Promociones Dorado. Salina said it must be so hard to see a twenty-two year old in control.
The Kings of Colosseum control center was next. KoC would be LIVE from Chicago next week. Rich made a few new announcements for the show. Alex Hamerstone would be having a Star Spangled Open Challenge for his title. Also, there would be a live Jim Cornette Experience with Salina de la Renta. Myron Reed would be going one on one with Rey Horus, and of course the main event would be Tom Lawlor taking on Jacob Fatu.
Mance Warner filmed a promo earlier today, out drinking a few light beers. He said Fourth of July was coming up, he said it was our time, red white and blue. Mance said Salina spent her money getting everyone she could find to try and run Mance around like a punk bitch, but that ain’t happening. He said he ran Sami off, and he was headhunting them next. Mance said there would be fireworks going off, blood running, and you know he means business because he’s putting his beer down and turning his hat around. Mance said one-by-one he would lay them all out, and then he would have a good time.
(3) JOSEF SAMAEL vs. “FILTHY” TOM LAWLOR
Josef Samael would make his way out first, from “Parts Unknown”, home of many great wrestlers before him (including Kane, the Berzerker, Ax, Smash, Papa Shango, Doink, and most famously the Ultimate Warrior). Samael made sure to do all he could to agitate the crowd on his Filthy Tom Lawlor was out next, of course, and Rich and Jim both wondered why he would even take this match a week before defending his title against Jacob Fatu. Rich mentioned that the Von Erichs were standing by in case CONTRA Unit tried to attack.
Lawlor charged the ring, but Samael caught him as he came in with stomps to the back, and forearm blows to the back of the head and neck. The two men traded blows in the middle of the ring, but neither could gain a huge amount of momentum. Rich told us LA Park was in the building, and COULD cash in at any time he wanted. Lawlor backed Samael into a corner, and hit a few strikes to the midsection. Lawlor then whipped Samael to the opposite turnbuckle, and followed it with a flying elbow and then a clothesline. Samel rolled out of the ring, but Lawlor followed him out giving him quick strikes against the railing.
Smael fought back with chops, and then sent Lawlor back first into the railing. Lawlor then fought back with chops of his own. Samael made his way back to the ring, and Lawlor followed him back in. Lawlor continued to hold the momentum with quick palm strikes, but Samael reversed an irish whip into the ropes, and sent Tom throat first into the top rope. Samael stood on Lawlor’s throat, and then put him in short armbar. Lawlor fought his way out with kicks to the head, but Samael cut him off by pulling him to the mat by his hair. Samael then applied a half camel clutch, and raked at Lawlor’s eyes. Samael continued to use chokes on Lawlor, and then pulled him up for a captured arm clothesline. Samael continued to just wear Lawlor down with a camel clutch, but Lawlor finally made it to the ropes, Samael used the ropes to choke Lawlor after the break though.
Samael climbed out of the ring, and used the ring post to choke Lawlor again. He climbed back up on the apron, and tried to splex Lawlor out of the ring to the floor, but Lawlor fought until he reversed it. The camera had cut backstage where CONTRA Unit was attacking the Von Erich brothers, before going back to the ring. Lawlor was in control, but Samael fished the spike he likes to use out of his boot. Samael tried to spike Lawlor, but Lawlor ducked, and the spike stuck in the top turnbuckle. Lawlor hit a punch to the gut, and then a spinning heel kick, and then went to get the spike himself. Lawlor went to use the spike, but the referee tried to stop him, so Tom tossed the ref out of the way. That gave Samael a chance to attack Tom while distracted, but the ref had called for the bell.
WINNER: Josef Samael – by DQ
(Matt’s Thoughts: Let me slip these in before the aftermath. I think this match helped to continue the story of Lawlor vs CONTRA pretty well. This was never going to be a scientific wrestling match, as much as an educated brawl, and it delivered in that. Samael got the win by DQ, but Lawlor wasn’t hurt taking the loss. This is how you book two guys to stay strong without having to resort to something overly screwy. It made sense that Tom got himself DQ’d after all he had been through with CONTRA.)
Samael continued to fight with Lawlor outside the ring, and in the back CONTRA brawled with the Von Erichs. Officials everywhere were trying to break things up, but it was absolute chaos at ringside and in the locker room. Rich told us we were out of time, and we close the show with anarchy!
FINAL ANALYSIS: Phenomenal opening match, a great beat down by Jacob Fatu, and a wild brawl to end the show. You can’t beat MLW Fusion when it comes to packing in so much into an hour of television. Another great episode, as this was the “go home” show before Kings of Colosseum. Court Bauer continues to push all the right buttons, as week in and week out Fusion (and the live events) always leave you wanting more. That is the best thing you can ask for in episodic TV, a reason to WANT to tune in week in and week out. Even outside of the ring, every week we get something that pushes a non featured (that week) story forward. While most of this week surrounded CONTRA, Lawlor, and the Von Erichs, we still got updates on the Dynasty/Hart Foundation feud. We also were reminded of Myron Reed and Rich Swann’s continued protest against officiating in MLW. Last, but not least, we got another log on the fire in the feud between Mance Warner and Promociones Dorado. Everything just tends to make sense, and when that happens it makes it an enjoyable show to watch. Next week we get Kings of Colosseum, which will feature Tom Lawlor defending his title against Jacob Fatu in what could be one of the most explosive matches of the year in MLW. Can ANYONE stop the Samoan Werewolf? So far no one has really come close, but if anyone can it just might be Tom Lawlor. I am very much looking forward to that, and all the matchups next week. Hopefully you’ll join us again. Until then…Matt out!
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