2/8 MLW Fusion TV Report: Sandman & Dreamer vs. Pillman & Davey Boy Jr., DJZ vs. Myron Reed, Gringo Loco vs. Puma King

MLW FUSION – EPISODE 44
FEBRUARY 8, 2019
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
AIRED ON BE-IN SPORTS NETWORK
REPORT BY KRIS KARCHER, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT

Commentary Team: Rich Bocchini, Matt Striker

The MLW intro played.

The show opened with a video package highlighting the title fights from last weeks live special. Including The Hart Foundation winning the tag titles, and Tom Lawler becoming the new MLW World Heavyweight Champion.

The Fusion intro played.

Rich Bocchini and Matt Striker run down the show for the night, including a tag match between Brian Pillman Jr. and Tommy Dreamer each with a mystery partner. Also Gringo Loco goes one on one with Puma King.

(1) Myron Reed vs. DJZ

Both men lock up in the center of the ring. They chain wrestle, neither man gaining an advantage. Reed slid out of the ring, and DJZ chased after him. Reed ran around the ring and attempted to catch DJZ off guard by quickly sliding back in, but DJZ was quick enough to avoid the trap, causing Reed to miss with an elbow. DJZ rolled into the ring off Reeds back, then hit a standing dropkick, followed by another dropkick jaw-buster. DJZ reverse leapfrogged over Reed and then hit a springboard back elbow. Reed slid out of the ring, but DJZ was able to hit a dive, through the turnbuckles and crash into Reed. DJZ pandered to the crowd and got a small chant. DJZ hit a slingshot crossbody and followed that up with a springboard moonsault but Reed got his knees up. DJZ took to the outside.  Reed lept over the top rope and hit DJZ with a crossbody to the outside. The two exchanged chops on the outside. Back inside the ring, Reed was in offensive control, working DJZ in a headlock. DJZ was able to get a boot up and kicked a charging Reed in the face. DJZ hit a pounce clothesline on Reed before hitting a neckbreaker. DJZ hit a running back elbow, but Reed was able to hit Reed with an Enzeguri when he went for another one. Reed hit DJZ with a pair of cutters and got a two count. Reed argued with the ref about the count. Reed then went to the top rope, but DJZ was able to knock Reed’s legs out from under him. The two battled on the top rope until Reed was able to hit an Enzeguri on DJZ and send him crashing to the ring. Reed then attempted a springboard senton, but DJZ was able to counter that into a powerbomb. DJZ attempted to hit his ZDT, but Reed was able to counter, and eventually, Reed caught DJZ in a leverage pin, using the tights to gain an advantage and picking up the victory.

WINNER: Myron Reed

(Karcher’s Analysis: Not a bad little match. Reed and DJZ both have tremendous athletic skills. Their characters are lackluster or nonexistent and neither man is involved in any type of storyline at the moment, so this match felt a tad anticlimactic. There really didn’t feel like much stakes for this one as it’s unclear who is who in the middleweight division at the moment. They should spend some time trying to straighten out that division, Seeing as they are running thin on main event talent, the middleweight division would be a great place to test new guys out and give them something important to do while you build them up. Instead, the division just feels like the leftovers that aren’t good enough for the main event.)

They played a video package for MLW’s next live event Intimidation Games in Chicago on March 2nd

They aired a promo from Teddy Hart and Brian Pillman Jr. in which they answer questions from the fans. The first question was which girlfriend will Pillman take out for Valentine’s day. Pillman couldn’t decide and chose to answer no comment. He implied he had a girlfriend in every town they have wrestled in so far. The next question asked Hart which Pussy (meaning cat) would he play with on Valentine’s Day. Hart joked around that you can get thrown off TV talking like that. They showed Hart’s cats, Caspian, and Mr. Velvet. Apparently, Hart also has a cat rescue with over 35 cats. interesting. Someone asked for advice on spicing up his 25-year marriage. Hart suggested a swingers club. The next question asked if Davey Boy Smith was single. Hart said he thinks he is, if you don’t count asian bath houses. Someone asked if Davey is as big as he looks on TV. Hart asked for clarification on whether or not they were referring to the shorts or the stature of the man. Hart claimed he was probably pretty big but didn’t know for sure. Last question, hair or no hair? Hart said it depends on where they are referring to, but he said no hair if they are talking about what he thinks they are. Pillman said he doesn’t like bald women unless they donated their hair for charity. Hart mistakenly thought Pillman was still referring to pubic hair and told Pillman that they don’t take that kind of hair. Unless it is really curly he added on. Pillman wished the audience a happy Valentines’s day. Hart got distracted by Pillman’s BeIn sports sunglasses and put them on. He said everything is different when you look through glasses that Pillman Jr. has worn. He said you see what he sees which is nothing but success.

(2) Gringo Loco vs. Puma King

Puma did some very strange stuff with the ropes before the match, laying in between the top and middle rope, and shimmied his way from one turnbuckle to the next like that. Puma charged at Loco, but Loco was able to leap over puma and avoid the attack. The two exchanged an impressive amount of Lucha Libre style chain maneuvers, ending in a standstill. Puma went to shake hands, but pulled his hand away last second and licked his hand like a cat. Puma then hit Loco with a big knee to the chest. Puma pandered to the crowd a did a little dance. Loco was able to hit a spinning hurricanrana, and Puma responded with one of his own. Puma king hit a cross body from the ring onto Loco on the floor. Back inside the ring, Puma went to the top rope and hit a huge crossbody then a superkick. The crowd was chanting mildly for Puma. Puma bailed to the outside but Loco hit a diving frontflip onto Puma over the top rope and to the floor below. Back inside the ring, Loco hit a corkscrew elbow for a two count. Puma hit a top rope codebreaker and used a Lucha Libre style pinning combination for a two count. Puma looked as if he was going to try a sunset flip powerbomb off the top rope, but slipped, and Loco went for a moonsault, missing but landing on his feet, and eventually hitting a springboard cutter on Puma for a near fall. Puma hit a spinebuster then a sunset bomb for a two count. Puma went to the top, but Loco recovered and knocked him down. Puma was able to hit a head scissors from the top rope on Loco. Back up on the top rope, Loco hit a Spanish fly from the top rope for the win.

WINNER: Gringo Loco

(Karcher’s Analysis: Good match here. I really like Gringo Loco for reasons I’m not entirely sure of. I’m glad he was able to pick up the win here. Some good lucha action from two luchadors that are a bit bigger then what we are used to from that style of wrestling. A couple moves seemed a bit sloppy, and both men appeared to get winded before the end of the match, but they still managed to put on a decent match. The crowd wasn’t very hot for this, unfortunately.)

They previewed The Lucha Bros making a decision on their future, which would happen later in the show.

They showed MJF backstage. He said something has been pissing him off lately. He said everyone is talking about Teddy Hart redeeming himself. He said he doesn’t understand why, and why everyone is congratulating him when he put himself in that situation. He said he deserves congratulations. He said he’s never been to jail or done drugs or any of the other things Hart has done. He said next week he will beat down Hart and take back his title.

They showed an interview with Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer was asked about his upcoming tag match at the old ECW arena. Dreamer said Pillman should be proud to wrestle in that arena. An arena in which countless wrestlers, Pillman’s father included, bled for their craft and made a name for themselves. He said he has 2,000 family members he could choose as his partner. The interviewer asked if Dreamer would tell him who it would be. Dreamer said just like Christmas you have to wait to see, and it’s going to be like Christmas morning when everyone sees his partner.

They aired a video package highlighting the return of Jimmy Havoc, who is returning soon.

(3) Brian Pillman Jr. & Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman – No DQ

Pillman got on the mic and said the smart marks have been waiting for this for a long time, Pillman Jr. holding a mic in the 2300 arena. He said he wasn’t going to bring out some washed up ECW junkie. He said he had a constitutional right to pick his partner. He said he’s in Philly where the constitution was written (He said it in a sinister voice that was really strange) He announced Smith would be his partner. Dreamer got a nice pop and some ECW chants as he came out. Sandman got a good reaction as well, but not as big as some of the House of Hardcore pops I have seen Sandman get in recent years. Sandman poured his beer down the throat of a fan at ringside, then proceeded to motorboat said fan. I hope she gave prior consent. Sandman poured beer down the mouth of some other fans and oddly hugged Teddy Hart as he walked around the ring. He jokes with one fan in a nice sweater who clearly did not want the beer. This lasted way too long, but it was nice to see The Sandman enjoying himself. Sandman spit beer in the face of Smith to start the match. No DQ so I guess no tags either. I’ll do my best to recap the action but multiple things happen simultaneously so I’ll do my best. Sandman and Pillman brawl on the outside, and so do Dreamer and Smith. Sandman smashed a beer on Pillman’s head. Dreamer instructed a fan to put his foot up and proceeded to slam Pillman into the fans waiting boot. That was awesome. Dreamer clanked Pillman and Smith’s heads together. It was sad watching Pillman sell for Sandman, and I understand the nostalgic nature of the match, it’s just something to keep an eye on and maybe not have Pillman looking this weak very often.

Dreamer and Sandman double-teamed Pillman hitting a double clothesline and a double elbow drop. Sandman didn’t look half bad at times. The chops to the chest were clearly hurting Sandman’s hand though and he even said so audibly. Dreamer tagged in (yes they went to a normal tag match) and gave Pillman a suplex. Pillman was able to battle back and hit a side Russian leg sweep on Dreamer. Smith tug in and began to work Dreamer and keep him away from Sandman. Smith tug Pillman back in, and Pillman took over hitting a bodyslam and elbow drop on Dreamer. Pillman and Smith double-teamed Dreamer in the corner and Smith tug in. Dreamer was able to hit a DDT on Smith. Dreamer made the hot tag to the Sandman. (Yes, I wrote that in 2019) and Sandman took out Smith and hit a white Russian Leg Sweep on Pillman. Sandman appeared to be shaken up a bit from delivering that move.  Sandman went for the cover but was broken up by Smith. Smith threw Sandman to the outside and Dreamer hit a cutter on Smith out of nowhere.

Pillman was running away from Sandman, who had a Singapore Cane in his hand, and Pillman Slipped on some spilled beer at ringside. The camera didn’t directly catch it but you can see it in the back of a hard camera shot. It was genuinely pretty funny. Dreamer grabbed two chairs and threw them into the ring. Pillman was grabbing random items from under the ring and throwing them in Sandman’s path as he stalked him with the Singapore Cane. Pillman reached under the ring one last time and pulled out a man by his legs. This man was revealed to be none other, then The Blue Meanie. Meanie got a huge reaction from fans, and Striker wondered weather Meanie has been under the for the last 17 years. Pillman used Meanie as a shield, but Meanie turned around and decked Pillman, allowing Sandman the opportunity to crack Pillman with the cane across the back. As dreamer picked up Smith and attempted to drive him through the two chairs Dreamer had set up, Pillman raked the eyes of The Sandman and stole his can. Pillman then slid into the ring and cracked Dreamer in the face with the cane. Smith then powerbombed Dreamer through the chairs for the win.

WINNERS: Brian Pillman Jr. & Davey Boy Smith Jr.

(Karcher’s Analysis: While not the most technically sound match, this was a lot of fun. The Sandman was a great surprise, (even though that was my most likely guess) and he actually did really great for what he was asked to do. Meanie was a true surprise and that whole sequence was perfectly timed. MLW did the right thing by putting over the younger guys, but I would have been happy either way, as seeing Dreamer and Sandman celebrate a victory would have been just as satisfying as seeing Pillman get another win. Pillman remains my favorite MLW wrestler and the person I most I see on this roster that has major superstar potential. This match was another step in the right direction. He’s so odd on the mic, as evident by his opening match promo, but he’s very captivating and I’m always intrigued by whatever he ends up saying.)

They went backstage with Pentagon, Fenix, & Konnan. Konnan said the world was wondering what they were going to do. Fenix cut a promo in English that was surprisingly audible. He said they want to wrestle everywhere, Japan, England, the US, and Mexico. He said they are the best tag team in the world. Pentagon cut a promo that was subtitled. He said they can wrestle wherever they want when they want, and they don’t care who it is. He said in Chicago they will be waiting in their house, MLW, waiting to take on any challenger.

They showed Tom Lawler leaving Club Risque, a strip club in Philadelphia. (Not a very good one BTW. Went to a bachelors party there one time. I guess right in line with Lawler’s “Filthy” mantra) He was asked what he was doing there and said he was up all night celebrating. He had the championship with him. He said the work never stops when you’re Filthy Tom.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Good show. Nothing out of this world in terms of the matches themselves, but some entertaining stuff throughout the show. It certainly didn’t drag this week. I really enjoyed the main event this week, despite involving one man that probably shouldn’t be anywhere near a ring in 2019. I can’t give The Sandman too hard of a time, however, as he looked about as good as you could expect him to tonight. Pillman was as captivating as ever. I’m not sure I love the H2 TV segments, in which Hart and Pillman just goof off and say things that lead to innuendo. Some of its funny, and I don’t think it goes as far as to be offensive, but if they overdo it, I could see the segments becoming less and less entertaining. Overall another good episode of Fusion. Things should start to take shape for Intimidation games coming up March 2nd which will have another live special to go along with the TV tapings. Hopefully starting next week they will start to develop some matches for that card. Next week we also have already announced, MJF taking on Teddy Hart for the MLW Middleweight Championship. Should be a good one. I’m Kris Karcher and thank you for reading my report. Check back next week for another report exclusively here on PWTorch.com.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 2/2 MLW Fusion “Superfight” TV Report: Low Ki vs. Tom Lawlor for MLW Hvt. Title, Lucha Bros vs. Davey Boy Jr. & Teddy Hart, Brazil vs. Martinez