6/23 MLW FUSION TV REPORT: Jacob Fatu vs. Mads Krugger, MLW Middleweight Title match, more

MLW FUSION REPORT
JUNE 23, 2022 (RECORDED)
TAPED IN PHILADELPHIA, PA
AIRED ON YOUTUBE
REPORT BY MARCUS ARIAS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

MLW Fusion Commentators: Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski

-Joe and Rich went over tonight’s card.

-Davey Richards entered Myron Reed’s locker room and gave him some encouraging words about Myron’s title defense later tonight. The whole time Davey was speaking, he had his eyes locked on the MLW Middleweight Championship.

(1) MYRON REED VS. AREZ VS. KC NAVARRO – MLW Middleweight Championship

As soon as the bell rang, KC and Arez worked together and double-teamed Myron with a sequence of tandem moves. Reed rolled to the outside after a double superkick. The alliance was short-lived as Navarro and Arez turned their sights on each other. Arez trapped KC in the corner and let loose with a series of stiff-looking kicks and forearms. Arez set Navarro on the top turnbuckle and caught him with an enziguri, sending KC to the floor. The King of Strange Style missed on a dive attempt, as KC slid back into the ring. Navarro connected with a suicide dive.

KC went back into the ring and was met by Myron. Both men took turns countering each other’s attacks. Myron was positioned for a springboard maneuver but Arez yanked Reed down to the floor. Arez missed with a moonsault to the outside and was struck by KC with a dropkick through the ropes. KC stood on the apron, preparing for something. Reed charged into KC but Navarro ducked, as Myron dove onto Arez. KC rolled Arez into the ring for a two-count.

After a brief strike exchange, Arez tried for a head-scissors takeover but KC held on and powerbombed Arez. Navarro got another two count as Reed broke up a pin attempt. Arez grabbed hold of Myron and rolled him up, getting a two count of his own. Arez avoided a kick to the head from KC, causing Navarro to hit Reed instead. Reed went to the outside again as Arez and KC began to brawl. Arez gained the advantage after tying up KC in the ropes and catching him with a springboard DDT. Arez went for the cover, getting a two-count after Reed broke up the pin with a springboard 450. Reed went to follow up as Strange Sangre surrounded the ring and Holidead tripped up Reed, allowing Arez to try for a pin and a two count.

Reed and Arez traded shots until Myron hit Arez with an enziguri, causing Arez to go to the floor. This gave KC an opportunity as he rolled Myron up for a two-count. Reed rolled through and grabbed KC’s tights, getting another near fall. KC stunned Reed with a kick and took out all of Strange Sangre with a dive. Reed caught KC with a cutter and the Cap’n Crunch for the win.

WINNER: Myron Reed in 6:15

(Analysis: This was a fun opening match. It did a great job of showcasing the high energy of the middleweight division. I don’t think this slowed down at all and they crammed a ton of stuff in a little over six minutes. The slow turn of Reed is great. He feels like he needs to do whatever he can to keep his title and is showing that he’s willing to do whatever it takes. I can’t wait for a match between him and Davey Richards.)

-After the match, Rich Bocchini interviewed Reed. Reed said that he’s out to be the best and to do that, he needs to surround himself with the best and praised Davey Richards. Rich asks if a match between Reed and Richards is on the horizon. Reed abruptly ended the interview and walked away.

-A video package for Mads Krugger aired. Mads called Jacob Fatu a traitor and said that not only will he end Fatu, his era of cruelty will begin.

-Alex Kane held a press conference. Mr. Thomas said that no real challenger for Kane has stepped up yet. Kane said that an incentive is needed. Mr. Thomas suggested a $5000 bonus for a match. Alex said it should be more since the Bomaye Fight Club has some financial backing. Mr. Thomas and Alex settled on a $20000 bonus for a twenty-minute match.

(2) LOS MAXIMOS vs. CHRIS CAGE & JADEN VALO

Before the match, EJ Nduka joined the commentary team.

Cage and Valo did not wait for the bell and began to brawl with Los Maximos right away. During the match, a video of Calvin Tankman being attacked backstage was shown. This caused EJ to leave the commentary area and go to save his partner. Amongst the chaos, Los Maximos caught Cage with the Washing Machine and hit Valo with a double Spanish fly, getting the win.

WINNERS: Los Maximos in 1:45

(Analysis: This was a straight-up squash so, there’s not a lot to say here. I will say that seeing Los Maximos back in the ring and hitting the moves that they innovated so long ago with such precision is great. It looks like they are moving forward with putting Los Maximos against Hustle & Power and I think that will be surprisingly good.)

-After the match, Rich went to get some words from Los Maximos and said that he would try to get some more information regarding the attack on Tankman. He was interrupted by the East Coast legends who said that Tankman didn’t matter and that Los Maximos was here in MLW to be the champs.

-Cesar Duran was shown walking through a dark warehouse, eventually finding Arez and Gangrel. Duran said he knew about Strange Sangre’s issues with Microman. Cesar suggested a match. Gangrel agreed as he and Arez snarled in the darkness.

-Another Killer Kross vignette aired.

-Rich interviewed Alex Hammerstone via satellite. Hammerstone confirmed that he will be defending the MLW Heavyweight Championship against Richard Holliday on July 14th. Hammerstone said that he has nothing to prove to Richard, he is going to take out his frustrations and beat up Holliday, pure and simple.

-A recap of Taya Valkyrie winning the MLW Featherweight Championship was shown. It was announced that next week, Strange Sangre will compete against Mircoman, Lince Dorado, and Taya.

(3) JACOB FATU vs. MADS KRUGGER

The ring was shown with various weapons surrounding it as the rules are shown on screen. The match has no time limit, anything goes, and must be won by pinfall, submission, or surrender.

Krugger was out first. Fatu came out shortly after with a chair in hand, throwing it into Mads’ face. Fatu rolled Krugger into the ring and grabbed the chair again. Krugger prevented Jacob from getting into the ring, knocking Fatu to the floor. Mads went for a suicide dive but was clocked in the head by Fatu with the chair.

Jacob opened up a military crate and grabbed a kendo stick. Fatu swung away with the weapon, hitting Mads several times. Krugger opened a crate as well, revealing a pair of nightsticks. After a series of strikes, Krugger threw Fatu into the barricade. Mads opened another crate, finding a chain. Fatu disarmed Krugger with a throat punch and began to choke Mads with a flag. Fatu blasted Mads again with the chair and set up a table. Jacob grabbed the kendo stick again and began to battle Mads on the ring apron. Krugger threw powder into Fatu’s eyes and put Fatu through the table with a very awkward powerbomb.

Krugger rolled Fatu into the ring and found a gas can and lighter. The crowd began to chant “We want fire.”. Krugger and Fatu traded blows until Krugger knocked Fatu down with a big boot. Mads grabbed his signature club and swung at Jacob. Fatu avoided the attack and speared Mads hard. Fatu grabbed the club and readied a swing. Mads grabbed Fatu by the throat and went for a chokeslam. As Fatu went to the mat, he dropped the club. Krugger caught it and nailed Fatu in the head. Mads covered Fatu with the Contra flag and doused it with gasoline. Fatu got up before Krugger could light it.

Fatu sent Mads to the floor and followed up with a big dive. Jacob rolled Mads back into the ring and the two big men exchanged strikes again. Fatu slammed Mads down with a back-body drop but Mads immediately got up to his feet. Krugger dropped Fatu down with the same move. This time, Fatu stayed down. Mads hit a choke-breaker. Fatu held on and caught Mads with a German suplex. Once again, Mads got right back up. Jacob was able to get Mads up for the Alley-Uce. This managed to stun Mads but not for long. Mads somehow pulled off a Destroyer! Fatu answered back with a superkick and hit the big moonsault. Krugger rolled out to the floor before a cover could be made.

Fatu hit Mads with a suicide dive. Jacob positioned Mads on a gurney and hit Krugger with a roll of barbed wire. The Samoan Werewolf climbed to the top rope and hit a huge splash. Fatu got Krugger back in the ring and made a cover, getting the first two count of the match. Krugger held on and tried to lock on a triangle choke until Fatu turned it into a pin attempt. Jacob charged into Mads but Krugger slammed him down with a spinebuster. Two masked men came to the ring and gave Mads a table and a ladder. They then began to dismantle some turnbuckles. Fatu fought them off but was hit by a clothesline by Krugger. Mads set up the table and tried for another chokeslam. Fatu broke free and connected with another superkick. Jacob blasted Krugger with a chair, causing him to fall through the table. Fatu climbed the ladder and hit the Samoan Splash for the win!

WINNER: Jacob Fatu in 17:00

After the match, Mads sprung up and began to brawl with Fatu on the floor. Fatu opened up a crate marked “Biohazard”, and shoved Krugger’s face into its contents, stealing Krugger’s mask in the process. Fatu celebrated as the show went off the air.

(Analysis: I loved this match…until the post-match angle. This feud has been going on for so long and has been deadlocked with a one-to-one record between the two. This needed a little extra violence to cap off the program. I thought the military theme of the match was appropriate and went well with the concept of Contra. Some people may have issues with the sequence of no-selling but I think it did a great job of making Fatu and Krugger monsters. This match was Jason Vorhees vs. the Wolfman. The spot with the biohazard crate lost me. Tables, clubs, chairs, and barbed wire were perfectly fine here but insinuating that Fatu unleashed a biological weapon on Krugger was just plain dumb.)

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S MLW TV REPORT: 6/16 MLW FUSION TV REPORT: Women’s Featherweight Championship, triple threat tag team title match, more