It is an interpromotional title unification match this week on MLW Fusion presented by www.newlawoffice.com! Laredo Kid calls himself the “most complete luchador” as Middleweight Champion Lio Rush believes the current AAA Cruiserweight Champion is a “paperweight” behind that mask. This main event is sure to shake up the wrestling landscape, but first we see if ACH is able to get himself on the right track after getting shook up by Jacob Fatu a few weeks back.
MATCH 1
Brian Pillman Jr. vs. ACH
The two young stars feel one each other out as Brian shows a bit of his brashness by tapping ACH with the tip of his boot. Pillman Jr. feigns sportsmanship by extending his hand, but ACH slaps it away which leads to him getting a boot to the open ribs!
The two go back and forth as we see Team Filthy saunter their way on the stage. ACH tries to get some offense happening and even hits a crisp calf kick to send Brian rolling for refuge.
However, ACH does notice Team Filthy and Pillman makes him pay with a knee to the midsection. Pillman wraps his legs around ACH to wear him down, but ACH rolls back for a quick pin attempt. ACH shows his submission prowess as he surfboards Brian, but Pillman makes it to the ropes and trips ACH into the turnbuckle.
The two competitors fight back with strikes, but two boots rattle Pillman. He still manages to hit a powerslam and he gets a two count.
Leg trip by ACH and he drops down for a dropkick, but hurts his ribs in the process. He goes for a double underhook maneuver, but the two resort to hard strike exchanges instead. ACH catches Brian with a roundhouse, but Pillman avoids. He goes to the top turnbuckle, but a gigantic flipping kick literally brings Brian back to earth.
He hits a brainbuster and that’s all she wrote.
WINNER: ACH
Post-match, Team Filthy has made their way to ringside and they slowly creep on the apron. Sure enough, they come in and gang up on the fighter from Austin. He finds that Texas brotherhood with the Von Erichs as they come in for the save and it breaks into an all-out brawl. Garrini and Kevin Ku have to bail Tom Lawlor away from the boots of Ross and Marshall!
“There’s nothing stronger than Texas roots!” ACH makes clear.
We hear an answer from Savio Vega after he was pitched to sell IWA Puerto Rico to Promociones Dorado by Salina de la Renta. While the pandemic has hit the promotion hard, Savio makes it crystal clear that IWA is for the fans and it is not to be sold to some mysterious buyer. An emphatic “no” from Savio.
MATCH 2
Zenshi vs. Calvin Tankman
Zenshi is one brave man as he aimed to take the tall task on to face Tankman in a rematch. Calvin looks very fierce as the bell rings and Zenshi goes for the legs, but Tank swats him off. He attempts to slide through Tankman’s legs but avoids the big man’s advances and the two have an athletic chess match until Tank pops Zenshi hard with a picture perfect dropkick!
He then follows it up with a spinebuster that would make Ron Simmons grin! Tankman covers and gets a two count. He implores Zenshi to fight on. He does but he gets a massive hip toss for his efforts. 1-2-kick out!
Zenshi continues to try to get back in the game with some mid-strikes, but several slams floors him for a running shooting star by Tankman, but Zensi avoids the force and hits one of his own for two! Tankman hoists him up but Calvin gets sent to the outside. They battle on the apron and Zenshi goes for a reverse hurricanrana to the outside, but Tankman holds on. Action gets sent back into the ring and Tankman sends Zenshi crashing to the mat with a running shoulder tackle. Big reverse backbreaker and then a monster lariat levels Zenshi. It looks all but over, but Zenshi kicks out!
Tankman goes for his patented driver, but Zenshi wriggles free to kick Calvin out of sorts with a Pele kick. Zenshi ascends up top and comes flying off only to be caught by Tank in the Tankman Driver for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Calvin Tankman
It was a hard-fought fight for Zenshi, but Heavyweight Hustle lived up to the moniker!
Update on Hammerstone after last week’s Baklei Brawl: The National Openweight Champ has reportedly suffered a grade 1 concussion and Krugger hasn’t been seen since. MLW does however air a video of Josef Samael stating that “the Mighty Hammerstone has failed.” He made the same mistake that so many others had made in the past. He thought he was immortal. Josef says that he sent Krugger to the hills of Russia as he prepares to end Hammerstone. He also states that the same will happen to Injustice.
The MLW crew catching Lio Rush heading to the venue tonight for his big interpromotional fight against Laredo Kid. Well, it’s not a big fight for him, but it will be for Laredo (Lio confidentally states that he knows the outcome). He hands the camera man a cool $20 to watch his back.
“The Interview Queen” Alicia Atout is in Orlando with the league, but catches Richard Holliday in Aruba as he still soaks in his questionable Caribbean Title win against Savio Vega. She makes it clear that Holliday is a self-proclaimed champion, but Holliday says that he is indeed the rightful champion. She asks him about crooked referee Tim Donaghy, but Rich dismisses his NBA past and calls the man a noble citizen and a close personal friend. None of that had anything to him officiating the match. Atout pressures Holliday further about the questionable result of the strap match, but Holliday ends the interview and makes it clear to Alicia that she’ll be hearing from his lawyer/father.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Top 10
10) Laredo Kid 9) Daivari 8) Myron Reed 7) Mil Muertes 6) Richard Holliday 5) Mads Krugger 4) Lio Rush 3) Low Ki 2) Tom Lawlor 1) Alexander Hammerstone
MATCH 3
CONTRA Unit (Daivari & Simon Gotch) vs. Injustice
The ninth ranked Daivari wraps himself in the CONTRA flag as he sets foot into the ring, but Injustice comes out exuding all kinds of confidence. Suddenly, Jacob Fatu comes running out and attacks both of them from behind.
The match hasn’t even started and all hell has broken loose! Myron dives on top of the infidels and that allows Fatu to be isolated with a cutter double team by Reed & Oliver! Fatu bails and so does his comrades!
NO CONTEST
They may not have any sponsors currently but Filthy Island does have some announcements for next week. Rocky Romero will be making his way to the Island from New Japan & The Canton Crippler Dom Garrini will be facing Mauna Loa.
We see Salina de la Renta respond to Savio Vega’s dismissal of her proposition. That offer was not optional. She says next week, the “‘new temple’ will be consecrated with blood and death.” Mil Muertes will be made into a King of Death. Next week, Savio won’t be on Filthy Island but he’ll be in an Azteca Jungle Fight with the “Man of 1,000 Deaths!”
In addition to that, King Mo will face is long-time rival, Low Ki. Right now, however, it’s main event time.
MAIN EVENT
Interpromotional Title Fight
MLW World Middleweight Championship vs. AAA Cruiserweight Championship
Lio Rush (c) vs. Laredo Kid (c)
Lio relaxes on the turnbuckle and Laredo looks determined as the bell rings and this big title fight is underway. Standing switch by Laredo starts it off, but matters becomes frantic. Lio goes out of the ring to reassess the matters at hand. Laredo has Lio’s number in every offensive tactic the Middleweight Champ challenges with and it causes Rush to rush out of the ring.
Laredo gives chase and does end up catching him with a knee to the gut and then a spinning kick to the bread basket. Sidewalk slam and it gets LK to cover attempts, but two kick outs. Lio and Laredo battle it on the apron and a somersault kick causes Kid to tumble to the floor. The ref begins his 20 count.
Lio goes to the outside and smacks Laredo’s head off the apron. He sends LK back into the ring and lariats him. He covers for a two count. Hard right hands from Lio and then a very hard kick to the spine. Lio corners Laredo and he delivers a real hard European uppercut to the back of LK. He covers, but only gets a two. Snap suplex, but only good for another two. Lio is vocally frustrated.
Lio goes for another suplex but Laredo holds strong. A knee strike sends LK to the mat. Kid rolls Lio up for a near fall, but Lio frees himself. Although he crashes hard into the turnbuckle, Lio avoids a cross body and nails a huge enziguri onto Laredo. This gives him a brief window to recuperate. Surfboard stretch to LK and a sharp elbow to the back is the follow up. The two trade hard right hands. A quick combo stuns LK, but he answers right back with a shot of his own. Big Michinoku Driver downs Lio. He hits two moonsaults! 1-2-kickout!
Laredo works the leg of Lio and twists him up for what is akin to an inverted figure four, but Lio makes it to the ropes. Two kicks and a neckbreaker turns out to be a good follow-up for LK. He comes off with a senton but misses. Lio hits a bounce back stunner. He goes up for the Final Hour and hits it! He covers, 1-2-3!
WINNER and NEW AAA Cruiserweight Champion: Lio Rush
One knee doesn’t hold “The Man of The Hour” down as he becomes a double champion! Rush is ecstatic as he holds both beauties of gold in his hands. Lio asks us all “What’s the time?” “It’s Rush Hour,” he says – it is and will always be. There’s an even better reason to call him a “Moneyweight Champion” now an d soon people will have no choice but to call him the greatest Middleweight, the greatest Cruiserweight and the greatest wrestler in the world!
