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The pressure is mounting for the World Heavyweight Champion.
Challenges are coming from all angles at World Heavyweight Champion Shane “Swerve” Strickland. This week on FUSION, we learn more about that, as well as the collateral damage suffered by the champion’s closest ally, Barrington Hughes.
In this week’s main event, wrestling fans got to see a first-time ever encounter. High-flying, ultra-talented grapplers ACH and Rich Swann will push each other to the limit. In addition, we’ll also see Salina de la Renta lead Sammy Guevara to the ring on behalf of Promociones Dorado as he faces off with Fred Yehi.
The Death Machines Bring the Pain
Prior to last week’s main event with World Heavyweight Champion Shane “Swerve” Strickland set to face off with bounty hunter Brody King, there were others with their sights set on claiming that bounty. Sami Callihan’s Death Machines – Fulton and Leon Scott – almost got to Strickland on his way to the ring. But the champ’s friend Barrington Hughes stepped in to stop them while Shane handled business in the ring against Brody.
Barrington Hughes was interviewed by MLW correspondent Kaci Lennox to open this week’s show with his head heavily bandaged. The super heavyweight shared how he blacked out as the two Death Machines using an unknown weapon pummeled the Caramel Colossus. While suffering a 2 on 1 attack, Barrington Hughes did ensure Strickland had a fair 1 on 1 encounter with Brody King.
The bad news for the Death Machines? According to Hughes, Callihan’s Death Machines have to deal with a “pissed off Colossus.” Hughes says he and the Death Machines “ain’t done rumbling.”
Kotto Crushed by Callihan’s Death Machines
We hadn’t even made it to the ring for a match yet this week and the action had already gotten ugly. Kotto Brazil was being interviewed following his first-ever FUSION victory last week. But the Death Machines showed up and beat him mercilessly. Sami Callihan, who clearly orchestrated the attack with his followers, appeared on camera with a message for MVP.
“If you ever want to see your friend Kotto again, come find him,” Callihan said into the camera.
This was clearly retribution for Brazil trying to assist MVP when he was attacked by Callihan and the Death Machines a few weeks ago. The MVP-Callihan feud isn’t over and now there’s collateral damage.
The Rise of the Death Squad
Ariel Dominguez was set to square off with Jaye Skye in a prospect bout, looking for more opportunities in Major League Wrestling. Just seconds after the two locked up, the lights went out in the building. Rapid red siren lights flickered as Su Yung and Zeda Zhang approached the ring.
The two women then proceeded to violently decimate Dominguez and Skye. Smashing a kendo stick into the head of one wrestler while the other raked her victim’s eyes, the two quickly sent a message to all men and women in the league: beware.
The Professional Lurks
Viewers got to see Shane “Swerve” Strickland highlights as Low Ki gave an accounting of the World Heavyweight Champion’s exploits thus far in MLW. Victories over Jimmy Havoc, Pentagon Jr. and Brody King were brought to the fore.
But Low Ki wants to know if Strickland can outlast him, if he can survive him. Will the pressure of being champion crush Strickland? The stakes are even higher now that de la Renta and Promociones Dorado have upped the ante and made the bounty $60,000. With the increased bounty, de la Renta has given the first shot at that prize to Low Ki.
According to Low Ki, he now has “60,000 reasons to burn down Swerve’s House.” Not to mention championship gold on the line July 12th in Orlando.
Battle Riot Control Center
The MLW 40-Man Battle Riot, set for July 19 in New York City continues to see its list of entrants grow. This week on FUSION, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Brody King, Low Ki, Jimmy Havoc, Head Shrinker: Samu and Leon Scott were all added to the match.
In addition, 2 new other matches were announced on this week’s show. In addition to the already announced ACH and Rich Swann vs. Hart Foundation’s Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Teddy Hart (with Brian Pillman II), Low Ki will face off with John Hennigan.
And more MLW gold will be doled out in New York. The World Middleweight Championship will be the prize when Joey Ryan and Maxwell J. Friedman square off.
Brazil in the Boiler Room
While MLW officials and others searched the building for Kotto Brazil. It was his buddy MVP who finally found him in the boiler room. Left behind was a cell phone with a message from Sami Callihan, who challenged MVP to a Boiler Room Brawl.
Sammy Guevara (with Salina de la Renta) vs. Fred Yehi
Back from a trip abroad to hone his skills at the behest of Salina de la Renta, Mr. Money’s Worth Sammy Guevara returned to Major League Wrestling on this week’s episode of FUSION. He didn’t exactly return with a gimme for an opponent, as the Savageweight Fred Yehi was signed for the bout.
The young Guevara is certainly a product of this generation. While Yehi was headed to the ring, Guevara had his phone out and was vlogging. Guevara may have wanted to spend a bit more time focusing on his opponent. As he showed off after a dropkick early in the match, Yehi exploded into the youngster with a huge shoulder block.
Yehi remained in control for most of the match. Guevara was able to briefly turn the tide with a modified power slam into the turnbuckle. From there, the two went back and forth with strikes and suplexes. Yehi scored a near fall with a power bomb, but couldn’t put Guevara away.
But the Savageweight continued with the savagery. Yehi eventually caught Guevara in the Koji Clutch, while repeatedly striking Guevara in the face with his elbow and forearm. It was too much for the younger grappler and Yehi picked up the submission victory. While Yehi enjoyed a well-deserved victory, Guevara walked to the dressing room pleading his case to a clearly disappointed de la Renta.
Rich Swann defeated ACH
With “Filthy” Tom Lawlor on commentary – and possibly scouting potential competition – Major League Wrestling presented a dream match between ACH and Rich Swann. Two of the most talented athletes in Major League Wrestling had a quick dance off in the ring prior to locking up.
Both men showed their quickness, counter-wrestling ability and athleticism early in the match. Swann finally delivered the first impact with a dropkick. But ACH responded with a chop that took Swann off his feet. The first near fall of the match came off an ACH backbreaker/German suplex combination, but Swann recovered enough to kick out at 2. The size and strength advantage of ACH was kept him in control, before a modified hurricanrana shifted the momentum in Swann’s favor.
The quickness and athleticism of Swann was then on full display, hitting ACH with a step-up enziguri while ACH was on the top turnbuckle. He followed that up with an even more dazzling maneuver, leaping up to hit another hurricanrana, this time with ACH still perched on the buckle, leading to yet another near fall.
ACH responded with a second-rope frog splash for a near fall and scored another near fall with a feat of strength. ACH, battling a sore shoulder, rocked Swann with a one-armed bridging German suplex. Swann responded with a handspring off the ropes into a cutter to score a near fall and business was picking up.
After what seemed like minutes of back-and-forth striking, ACH missed a frog splash off the top and it looked like Swann was in control. But ACH mustered enough energy to counter Swann into a cradle and scored the pinfall for a huge victory. The end of match saw ACH and Swann share a fist-bump. This could be the start of a great rivalry … or perhaps a great partnership. We’ll see where the ACH-Swann saga takes us moving forward in Major League Wrestling!
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