Tonight is the night – we will determine who is the winner of the 2019 Opera Cup. For the first time in 71 years, a new champion will be crowned and it will between Davey Boy Smith Jr & Brian Pillman Jr., but first we have some MLW championship gold to be defended.
Match 1
MLW World Middleweight Championship
El Lindaman vs. Myron Reed
Before the match, Myron agrees with all the Cassius Clay comparisons that are being thrown at him, but he’s no system rat, he’s no robot. He doesn’t fit in anyone’s mold. If he’s more like anything, he’s more like Muhammad Ali because he wants justice.
Reed and Lindaman stare one another down. Reed tries to slug Lindaman down but it barely phases the 5’4″ monster. Reed soon gets a Flatliner for his efforts.
Crisp bodyslam by Lindaman only gets a 1 1/2 count. Jordan Oliver gets a distraction in aid for Reed and the Middleweight Champ captializes.
Reed forearms Lindaman to the face and that fires Lindaman u enough to dive onto his Injustice foes. Lindaman then takes a second dive on Reed that breaks the ringside barricade!
Back in the ring, Lindaman catches the leg of Reed forearms the champ in the back before rattling him with a solid double leg dropkick to the noggin!
Soon, Lindaman goes for a vertical suplex, but Reed twists it into a modified stunner before hitting his patented springboard ace crusher and then landing a reverse falcon arrow. Reed goes for the cover, but it’s only good enough for two.
So much frustration on the side of Reed who goes back for a springboard attack, but Lindaman catches Reed with a double dropkick right underneath the chin. The pure strength of Lindaman hoists Reed up for a Kuma Goroshi that needs to be seen to believed before he rolls him over for a back suplex attempt. Reed elbows and carries the momentum of both into the top rope hanging Lindman’s neck off it. Reed lands on the entryway and full blown charges at Lindaman, leaping over the rope and hitting an ace crusher! He then hits the No Cash Splash for the 1-2-3!
WINNER and STILL MLW Middleweight Champion: Myron Reed
We typically see Injustice get unjustifiably mixed up in one another matches, but Reed got this first title defense victory unassisted!
Speaking of Injustice, Brian Pillman tells Alica Atout “A Grade 3 AC Joint Separation,” because of the attack of those three young hyenas. Pillman says he sees a lot of himself in Reed, Oliver and Brazil. He’s refused surgery and is going into the Opera Cup finals despite the injury. So much is running through Brian’s mind as he faces his mentor in Davey Boy. This isn’t about the Hart Foundation, however. This about two legacy wrestlers fighting for that prized possession and there will be no “hearts” in that ring for one another. He’s putting it all on the line.
King Mo weighs in on The Opera Cup finals: it doesn’t matter to him who wins, but he does want to face the Cup holder once that dust settles. “The King” also is coming for Jacob Fatu.
The latest episode of Lifestyles of The Rich & Dynastic brings newest member Gino Medina into the hi-filuting fold and no better way to start that all off with the Gift Train coming down the tracks and yes, it’s full of champagne. Holliday says that Grogan is busy watching the door downstairs before he presents Gino with an official card welcoming him into The Dynasty. Medina talks trash on Konnan after feigning friendship with him last week. He was astounded that people recognize him as the “Hulk Hogan of Mexico.” That awakens the beast in Alexander Hammerstone who says Konnan’s nothing but a senile relic up in MLW. Gino made the right call in joining The Dynasty. They all share in a “Dynasty Bro!” before his street fight with Savio Vega.
Match 2
Street Fight
Gino Medina vs. Savio Vega
Out comes Gino first as he walks out with his Dynasty brothers and he receives a chorus of booes by the sold out crowd in NYC.
Savio Vega has a few words for Medina before he takes the ring. Vega takes great exception to Medina’s actions against Konnan and will make him pay for such trangressions. That’s apparent because Vega comes sauntering out with his trusty kendo stick, and boy, does he utilize it to start things off.
Medina soon grabs hold of it on the outside to turn the attack onto Vega, but Vega smacks him with a trash can lid before wielding a steel chair. Medina soon grabs that too and makes Vega pay in the center of the ring before delivering an enziguri with a trash can on top of Savio. A pizza pan and stop sign come into play as Medina shows off his brawling ability, but is sure to mix in his athleticsm. A slap to the face fires Savio up and he doles out a flurry of punches to his younger foe.
Medina grounds Savio before attempting an arrogant pin that barely gets a one count.
Savio shows Gino what a street fight is all about as he chokes Medina with his bare hand before sending him onto the outside for some more kendo stick assault. He tags that up with a hockey stick but Medina channels Tim McCracken of Slap Shot fame to smash Savio with that very stick as well.
The action gets back into the ring and Savio catches him with some signature attacks. Savio goes for his patented spinning heel kick but Medina ducks and tries for a quick cover – only good for two. Gino swings a chair, misses, and Vega does hit that spinning heel kick!
Out comes the Dynasty however to mock Vega, and it’s good enough for a distraction, allowing Medina to execute a low blow onto Vega before hitting his finisher for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Gino Medina
Post-match, The Dynasty join in on the celebration of Medina’s first win as a member of the squad.
AJ Kirsch notes that The New York State Athletic Commission is investigating Tom Lawlor’s use of nunchucks in the attack of The Von Erichs from last week. It’s an illegal object in the state and Lawlor could be facing some repercussions.
Alicia Atout is backstage with Davey Boy Smith before he makes his way out for his big finals match-up against Brian Pillman Jr. DB touches upon the historical significance of Stu Hart’s Opera Cup and notes that Brian’s father trained in the famed Dungeon. He likes to think that he had a helping hand in building Brian’s ring acumen, and he credits his younger friend in the hard work he has put in to get to the finals, but now it’s go time.
Just for safe-keeping, it’s revealed that all three members of Injustice have been kicked out of The Melrose Ballroom to insure there won’t be any interference in the finals.
We also get the major announcement that The Opera Cup will be an annual tournament for Major League Wrestling, but who will bring home the trophy tonight?
Main Event
The Opera Cup Finals
Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Brian’s left shoulder is wrapped up, but he looks ready as ever to get down to business. The same can be said for Davey Boy as he’s got a pure expression of determination on his face. The official introductions are made, the bell rings and we are underway.
“Hart Foundation” chants can be heard as the two lock up. Davey backs Brian into Pillman’s corner before he backs off. Pillman does the same to DB, feigning a chop, and the two slap hands as a matter of respect.
Davey wrenches the arm and Pillman unwraps himself from the trouble, locking in a side headlock. The crowd is fully invested in the bout as not a peep can be heard this usual raucous crowd. Rich Bocchini compares to the crowds in Japan.
Davey sends Brian into the ropes and hits a strong shoulder block to put his partner down. Big bodyslam before he surfboard stretches the arms of Pillman.
Pillman powers up to a vertical back, but Davey stays on top and continues to crank on the arms. This has to put torque on Pillman’s shoulder. Finally, Pillman reverses the lock up, but he eventually breaks it up with his quickness and athleticism. He splashes onto DB on the outside.
Pillman rolls Davey back in for more offensive attack, but a big boot between the eyes sends Pillman down. Back onto the outside we go.
DB continues the attack before breaking the count, giving him more time to snap suplex Brian onto the concrete floor!
Davey sends Brian back into the ring and rattles him with a European uppercut. Pin attempt, but only a two count. Davey has a headlock on Brian as the crowd begins to get behind the underdog in Brian. Davey stays on top of things and headbutts Pillman back down to the canvas.
Sharp forearm to the back of Pillman as Davey softens him up for a suplex attempt, but he can’t do it.
Pillman, however, continues to have trouble in finding his offensive footing as Davey is sure to keep Pillman down.
Davey soon signals “it’s over” as he delivers a bodyslam and a leg drop. He stomps on the chest of Brian before ascending to the top rope. He goes for an atomic leg drop but Brian rolls out of the way. This is his chance!
He begins to punch away at DB and hits him with a roundhouse kick. Snap suplex into a pin attempt,.but just a two count.
Pillman runs at the ropes but DB catches him mid-air. The ever clever Brian rolls him in a small package for a near fall!
The two trade a multiple array of pin attempts, but Brian catches Davey with a superkick then a a sharp knee. Brian leaps off with his springboard diving clothesline but only catches DB with his wrist instead of the crook of his arm so it’s only good for two. Pillman doesn’t relent and hits his Dire Promise DDT! Pinfall, but no! Only two. Pillman signifies the end, He goes for another attempt, but DB drives him into corner. Pillman runs for a flipping cross body, but the target is missed. Davey soon hits his Running Powerslam, but Brian kicks out of that, not once but twice!
As Pillman attempts to get to his feet, he trades some hard slaps with Davey Boy. It gets heated as Davey grabs Brian and plants him hard with a leaping tombstone piledriver. He goes for a diving headbutt and hits it! 1-2-no! Davey is astounded. Snap powerbomb! Another kickout! Davey locks in a crossface hard. In a call back to his match against Timothy Thatcher, Pillman attempts to roll DB up for a pin, but Davey’s strength gets himself back in position to continue his crossface and Brian taps.
WINNER and 2019 Opera Cup Champion: Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Davey sets the trophy down by his fallen friend as both men share an emotional embrace. Brian lets DB have the full stage of the canvas as he celebrates in front of the sold-out crowd hoisting his grandfather’s trophy. “It’s about pride, passion and determination” Davey says as he beams with humility. What a way to cap off such a historic moment in pro wrestling!
