In August, when I made my first list of 5 must-see matches from MLW, I ended that article by saying to watch out for a part 2.
And here it is.
MLW has continued to produce a high level of in-ring action from some of the best independent talents from around the world. This list of another 5 must-see matches includes some well-known veterans, some of the best young talents on the brink of stardom, and some of the hottest worldwide stars currently unsigned by the bigger wrestling companies.
If you like any style of wrestling MLW should have you covered. If you like high flying: MLW has some of the best Luchadores captivating us with fluid and smooth Lucha Libre, and also some of the best North American talents who can roll, dive and springboard with the best of them. If you are more of a hardcore, weapons and deathmatch style fan? MLW will give you what you want with enough staple guns, trash cans and wooden boards you could shake a stick at. And keep your eyes peeled for a technical wrestling division emerging with the likes of Tom Lawlor, Davey Boy Smith Jr, Timothy Thatcher, Dominic Garrini and Simon Gotch all being on the roster.
So as the wrestling world continues to evolve and full-time contracts are still being thrown around, MLW will roll onto PPV on November 2nd with a packed show from top to bottom. No doubt many more must-see matches will emerge from MLW Superfight when the PPV world witnesses Jacob Fatu and LA Park colliding for the world title, Austin Aries challenges Teddy Hart for the middleweight title, and the Von Erichs challenge MJF and Richard Holliday for the tag titles. These and a whole host of other mouthwatering matches will be previewed next week, but for now, to whet our appetites for Nov 2nd, here are another 5 must-see matches from Major League Wrestling.
5. ACH vs Austin Aries – MLW Fusion Episode 1
Where better to start than the opening match on the very first episode of MLW Fusion. ACH and Austin Aries were given the opportunity to set the standard for the rest of the MLW roster to follow and they did not disappoint. And at just under 20 minutes long they put on a stellar performance that did not slow down at any point.
This was a technically sound match sprinkled with athleticism throughout, these two seemed to bring out the best in each other. Aries first run in MLW didn’t last too long but he put in a great show here keeping his focus on ACH’s ribs through the majority of this match.
ACH, now better known as Jordan Myles in NXT, eventually fought back and matched Aries in the athletic department. He hit a frog splash late on but missed a 450 splash when Aries got the knees up adding insult to the already injured ribs. Aries eventually picked up the win after a late flourish culminating in his patented Brainbuster. And with that, MLW Fusion was off to the races, and it could have not been given a better start.
4. Rey Horus vs Aerostar – MLW Fusion Episode 46
This high flying affair headlined episode 46 and they did not disappoint anyone with their exciting and acrobatic in-ring action. It gave a 7-minute highlight of what these two amazing athletes can do, and Aerostar didn’t try to kill himself by jumping off any light grids!
They went back-and-forth all through the match, taking turns to dive, jump and fly at each other to gain the upper hand. Aerostar hit a headfirst suicide dive to the outside, and a top rope corkscrew crossbody. Horus retaliated with his amazing running tope con hilo from the ring, over the corner ring post to the floor below.
Aerostar wasn’t done for though, he came back with a middle rope springboard from the apron and caught Horus with a codebreaker on the way in. He then stepped up to the top rope and dove off with a trust fall dive to the delight of the crowd. He continued his high flying affair with a beautiful middle rope-assisted step-up flip dive to the floor.
Horus busted out a standing C4 to twist the momentum back in his favour and finished off Aerostar is spectacular fashion. With Aerostar sitting on the top turnbuckle, Horus sprang to the top rope, jumped, twisted direction in mid-air, hooked his legs under Aerostar’s arms, and hit a victory roll from the top rope. Incredible action well worth a watch.
3. Injustice (Kotto Brazil, Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver) vs Gringo Loco, Air Wolf and Zenshi – MLW Fusion Episode 73
Much like Aerostar vs Rey Horus, this was a spectacular aerial display from all six on show. Filled with flips, dives and non-stop action. Worth watching if this is your type of match. All six put in a lot of effort and imagination and it showed in the end product.
The action was fast-paced with Brazil, Loco and Zenshi all hitting quick early dives to the outside. Air Wolf then completed the combo with an Asai moonsault onto everyone. From there on out it was nothing but non-stop action.
Zenshi is probably one of the most underrated fliers going today. He loves to slingshot himself body first off the top rope from all different angles. He showed off his repertoire in this match by coming off the top rope onto Oliver, hitting a handspring flip double kick to two opponents on the apron, a double cutter to Reed and Brazil and then another handspring flip kick to Oliver.
But Zenshi was on the other end of a spectacular cutter from Myron Reed when Reed ran, jumped over the rope, grabbed Zenshi (who was on the apron) and planted him with a cutter to the floor!
The finish to this organised chaos came when Air Wolf got caught with a Jordan Oliver springboard stunner then Kotto Brazil hit him with a Shiranui (non-rope walk sliced bread #2) in quick succession.
2. Mance Warner vs Sami Callihan; Falls Count Anywhere, Loser Leaves MLW – MLW Fusion Episode 62
Warner and Callihan had already clashed previously in MLW before this outing but after becoming better friends than enemies with their hatred towards Salina de la Renta and Promociones Dorado, these two were forced to face each other in a Falls Count Anywhere Loser Leaves MLW match by orders of executive producer for the night Salina de la Renta.
They brawled all over the arena in this one. Through the crowd and up into the bleachers, into the merchandising stands, food stalls and eventually back into the ring. They were not shy on using weapons either: wooden doors, trash cans, staple guns and even the deadliest of all deadly weapons: Tabasco Sauce was used for punishment here.
Towards the end, the hardcore brutal action goes up a notch. Warner was staple gunned between the eyes, the shoulders and the forehead. He was given a piledriver off the middle rope through a wooden door and a tombstone on a chair but he still kicked out. He eventually rallied after having his tongue stapled to a piece of the broken door and won with a running knee.
As a result, Callihan left MLW and has not been seen since.
1. Marshall and Ross Von Erich vs CONTRA (Simon Gotch and Josef Samael) – MLW Fusion Episode 68
This was another wild brawl in the run into this year’s War Chamber match, filmed in front of a red hot Chicago crowd that was firmly behind the Von Erich brothers from the start.
The Von Erichs had administered CONTRA their first loss as a team previously on episode 63 of Fusion, and here they suffered their second loss again at the hands of the Dallas based brothers.
The match had a bit of everything: ringside brawling, weapons, high-flying, near falls, and A FIREBALL finish- all in the space of six minutes. The fight continued into the post-match where riot police had to get involved to stop Jacob Fatu and Tom Lawlor from adding any further mayhem to the situation.
Contra were up to their old tricks of trying to instigate a crowd riot before the bell, and the Von Erichs had their Iron Claws locked in early on. It wasn’t all fists and knuckles, Marshall busted out a big top rope moonsault that garnered a close near fall that needed saving from Samael.
The finish came when Josef Samael threw a fireball but Ross shielded the ball with a steel chair, then used said chair to clobber the arsonist over the head and pick up the win.
Riot police were involved in the post-match pull apart but failed to keep the incensed brawlers apart. They were joined backstage by Tom Lawlor and Jacob Fatu- who took out some police with a steel chair and we left that episode of Fusion with the ongoing chaos giving no signs of letting up.
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