MLW Fusion Episode 79 Recap/Review: 10/14/19

In MLW's first show in Mexico, the Tag Team Titles are on the line in the main event tonight as current champions The Dynasty take on Los Parks. Aside from that, we should have a bevvy of excellent content here, so let's not waste any more time and dive right into it.

Oraculo vs. Black Danger vs. Ricky Marvin

Marvin and Danger start the match out with an alliance of sorts as they team up on Oraculo with a variety of double-team maneuvers. Oraculo tries to fight back, trading blows with both of his opponents before getting a pin attempt on Marvin, who counters with one of his own before planting him with a DDT. Danger then sends Oraculo to the outside with a basement dropkick; the brawl for a spell before getting back in the ring.

Marvin and Danger continue their double-team, only for it to backfire when Oraculo dodges Marvin's running enzuguiri. He then hits Marvin with a springboard cutter, then sends Danger to the outside with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. After hitting Danger with an asai moonsault, Oraculo gets back in the ring and nails Marvin with a springboard hurricanrana. Marvin kicks out, then proceeds to put both of his opponents in a double gedo clutch. Marvin then sends both of his opponents in the corners. He hits Oraculo with a rope-hung dragon screw whip, then Danger with a rope-hung springboard stomp to the leg.

Marvin counters Oraculo's headscissors attempt with a variation on the TKO. Marvin breaks up the pinfall as Oraculo attempts a tilt-a-whirl stunner; Danger fights out and hits Marvin with a rope-assisted piledriver. Oraculo then attempts a springboard thesz press of sorts, only for Danger to fight out and hit him with a double underhook piledriver. Danger attempts for more offense only for Oraculo to fight out and hit him with a canadian destroyer, then dropkicks Marvin before drilling Danger with a poisoned hurricanrana.

After sending Marvin to the outside, Oraculo connects with the 450 splash to Danger for the W.

A good match and a decent way to start the show, albeit being a bit sloppy in spots. Oraculo was the clear crowd favorite here, and he did a good job of playing to the reactions. But with that being said, some parts felt dragged on, especially the Marvin/Danger team-up; not only that, but there were a couple of sequences that seemed to be mistimed and looked messy in the process. Despite the negativity, I still liked the match. It provided a couple of cool spots and was a nice way of warming the crowd up.

Rey Horus (The Crash Heavyweight Champion) vs. Alexander Hammerstone (MLW National Openweight Champion), Champion vs. Champion Match

Using his power advantage from the get-go, Hammerstone goes to town on Horus, punishing him in and out of the ring. Fighting back, Horus connects with a calf kick to Hammerstone on the ring apron, then hits him with a suicide dive. After the two tool around for a bit between the ropes and the outside, Horus connects with a second-rope leg drop. Horus tries to follow-up, but Hammerstone responds with a pop-up drop then a clubbing lariat.

After being worked over for a bit, Horus fights back and sends Hammerstone to the outside then follows up with a somersault tope over the ring post. Back in the ring, Horus throws a slingshot splash then a diving crossbody at Hammerstone; he then ascends to the top rope, only for Hammerstone shove him off, then hit him a bicycle kick/german suplex combo. He then doubles down on Horus with a sit-out powerbomb, but Horus kicks out.

The two trade blows before Horus connects with a springboard tornado DDT; the referee gets momentarily knocked out as Hammerstone knees Horus then drills him a burning hammer. Hammerstone then hits Horus with a chair, only for Horus to kick out. After Horus counters a powerbomb attempt with a yoshi tonic, he then drop toe-holds Hammerstone into the corner before following it up with a 450 splash. Hammerstone's Dynasty mates MJF and Richard Holliday come in to drag Horus outside the ring, breaking up the pinfall and resulting in a DQ win for Horus.

Another pretty good match here. Hammerstone and Horus played off each other well, providing some good spots and sequences in the process. I always enjoy a good powerhouse/high-flyer bout, and this was no exception. Weird finish aside, this was an entirely enjoyable match featuring two capable competitors whose polarizing styles meshed quite well. This was definitely better than the opener and might be MOTN depending on what happens in the main event.

Los Parks (L.A. Park & El Hijo De L.A. Park) vs. The Dynasty (MJF and Richard Holliday) (c), MLW Tag Team Championship Match

MJF and Hijo start the match out, and there's a lot of teasing and plodding in the process. MJF then tags in Holliday, who works Hijo over for a spell. Following a backstabber to Holliday, Hijo and L.A. manage to get some double-team offense in with a series of dropkicks to Holliday. After distractions from MJF and the referee, it seems as though The Dynasty are in control here, continuing punishment to Hijo.

Hijo fights back with chops to the backs of his opponents, then he and L.A. execute another series of dropkicks to their opponents, culminating in Hijo flapjacking L.A. onto Holliday. They follow it up with a samoan drop/corkscrew neckbreaker combo to Holliday, then stereo suicide dives to The Dynasty. Despite this, The Dynasty manages to overcome it as MJF tosses L.A. into the guardrails as Holliday plants Hijo with a gutwrench powerbomb for the win.

This was fine, I guess. Lots of plodding with a fair amount of okay spots thrown in here and there. Not really sure why this was the main event, as the middle match had more stakes to it. But I don't book the show, so what do I know? Anyways, it's an alright match, but not one you need to immediately seek out.

This was a pretty decent show that was exceptionally highlighted by Hammerstone/Horus. The opener was decent albeit a bit sloppy in parts and the main event was just sort of there, to be honest. You can watch the first and last matches, but especially focus on Hammerstone/Horus.

MLW Fusion Episode 78 Recap/Review: 10/7/29

Apologies for being so lazy on this blog. Depression's been kicking my ass and I've just been finding it hard to enjoy things nowadays. With that being said, I'd like to remedy that and try to get back into the swing of things. While normally I cover ROH, this time around I'd to try something a little and start covering one of my new favorite promotions, MLW. So let's get to it.

Magnus & Septimo Dragon vs. Los Parks (L.A. Park & El Hijo Del L.A. Park)

Los Parks attack their opponents just as the bell rings, getting the advantage right from the start, clubbing them with strikes in the corner then continuing the carnage outside. After a couple chair shots and tosses into the guard rail, we're back in the ring as L.A. Park whips Dragon and Magnus with a weight belt, Dragon taking a majority of the damage. Trying to mount some momentum, Magnus superkicks Hijo then takes down L.A. with a headscissors. With both Parks on the outside, Magnus takes advantage with a slingshot corkscrew plancha.

Dragon follows it with a springboard corkscrew crossbody. The action gets back in the ring as L.A. ascends to the top rope only for Magnus hang him up and send him crashing down. Dragon hits Hijo with a standing spanish fly while Magnus connects with a swanton bomb to L.A.; both Parks kick out. L.A. blocks attack from both of his opponents as he sets Dragon upon the top rope. Hijo hits a super spanish fly on Dragon while L.A. spears Magnus; both tecnicos kick out as the action spills out to the outside once again.

Los Parks deliver dual diving crossbodys to the outside before L.A. and Magnus eventually end up back in the ring. The two trade strikes before L.A. plants Magnus with a DDT; Dragon breaks up the pinfall attempt with a double stomp as he and Hijo make their way back into the ring. Dragon peppers in some elbows on Hijo, who halts his momentum with a superkick then sets him up on the second rope for a super codebreaker.

Dragon rolls out of a double stomp attempt from Hijo, then hits him with a Go 2 Sleep, followed up by a PK. He tries for a split-legged moonsault, only for Hijo to catch him then drill him with a running Canadian Destroyer. The two men spill to the outside as Magnus and L.A. enter in once again. Magnus dodges a spear and L.A. is sent shoulder-first into the corner; Magnus attempts a cover, only for the referee to be pulled out by the manager of Los Parks, Selina De La Renta.

Magnus superkicks L.A., only to be met with one from Hijo, who then goes on to deliver a flurry of strikes to Dragon before hitting the Backstabber. After being met with a headbutt, Hijo dodges another Dragon attack before landing a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Magnus and L.A. have an exchange. L.A. shoves Magnus into the referee, then ascends to the top rope for a twisting frog splash. Magnus rolls out of the way while the referee takes the brunt of the attack. De La Renta low-blows Magnus while the referee is down; L.A. rolls Magnus up for the win.

I really didn't expect this match to go on for that long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was paced well, and we got to see some impressive sequences from both teams. Los Parks gave a good heel performance, and I can say something similar of Magnus & Dragon, who performed their role well as the babyfaces who get ambushed in the beginning, then fight back in the middle only to succumb to dirty tricks in the end. A well-told story and a damn good way to start the show off.

Dominic Garrini vs. Ariel Dominguez

It's a technical affair from the start as Garrini and Dominguez trade holds in an effort to gain advantage. Garrini quickly takes it with a hip toss, then a gutwrench toss; following a quick slam, Garrini submits Dominguez with a cross armbreaker, debuting in MLW with a lightning-quick victory.

A quick match, but one that builds Garrini as a feared mat technician in MLW. It's practically a guarantee we're going to see him square up against Filthy Tom Lawlor and Timothy Thatcher, and I for one am looking forward to both of those matches.

Austin Aries vs. Brian Pillman, Jr. 

Pillman eggs Aries on at the start, baiting him in and catching him with a series of hard chops and knee strikes, getting him to the outside. Back in the ring, Aries gets Pillman on the ring apron, then attempts a knee strike only for Pillman to counter with a shoulder tackle, then a sunset flip. Pillman clotheslines Aries to the outside, then attempts a slingshot plancha. Aries dodges it as Pillman lands on the ring apron; Pillman leaps over a chop block attempt from Aries, then hits him with a back kick/double axe-handle combo.

Aries blocks a springboard attempt from Pillman, then connects with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Aries connects with a missile dropkick, then pounds Pillman with a slew of strikes. Aries then attempts a brainbuster on the ring apron, but Pillman blocks and the two trade suplex counters. Aries ends it with a shoulder block into a second-rope neckbreaker. Aries attempts to work Pillman over further, only for Pillman to answer back with a series of uppercuts then a snap scoop powerslam.

Pillman attempts his straight-jacket neckbreaker finisher, only for Aries to counter with a northern lights suplex, then a transition into his Last Chancery finisher. Pillman gets to the rope as Aries attempts another brainbuster on the ring apron. Pillman fights out and hits Aries with a superkick, then attempts a suicide dive; Aries blocks with a headbutt, then gets back in the ring to plant Pillman with a brainbuster for the win. After the match, Aries calls out Teddy Hart, who he attacked last week with a brainbuster on the ring apron. Hart answers and the two brawl as the show ends.

Shorter than I expected it to be, but a damn good match regardless. Both men were in tip-top shape here, trading rapid-fire sequences and telling a good in-ring story in the process. It also furthers the feud between Aries and Teddy Hart, and rest assured, they'll put on an absolute barnburner. I really can't complain on any side here, as everyone involved look strong in the process.

An excellent episode, to say the least. We had an absolute banger of a lucha-style tag team opener, plus the superb main event. I honestly prefer the opener, but not by much. Honestly, one of the best episodes they've had in a while, and I'm excited to see what they pull out next.