MLW Fusion Recap: Team Filthy Tangles In Super Series, Alicia Atout’s Birthday Gets Bashed By Warner & Hammerstone
Artwork by Bill Pritchard
To hear the complete recap of MLW Fusion, take a listen to “The Survey Says…” with WrestleZone’s Dominic DeAngelo. He talks the “unorthodox” officiating by those Tijuana referees as Douglas James and Team Filthy are both in action against the stars of AAA Lucha Libre in the Super Series. Be sure to watch the full episode of this week’s MLW Fusion below:
We catch up with Mance Warner moments after last week’s Fusion and he ain’t pleased. He went through fire and broke near every damn chair in the building in his barrio street fight, but Alexander Hammerstone had to come play interference and now The Bucksnort Brawler has decided to set sights on that Openweight Title gold. “You big dumb son of a bitch” he says to Hammer straight before bouncing for some beer.
Douglas James is well aware of Averno’s legacy but James has been nothing but a competitor his entire life. It’s nothing but respect for but he aims to show him why he’s an ultimate hybrid wrestler. He wants to assure Averno why he never says die. Onto the opener!
Match 1
Douglas James vs. Averno
Super Series night two kicks off as the two circle one another. They spend some time sizing one another up before Averno takes him down, but both quickly reset. Takedown by James before trying to lock in a rear-naked guillotine. Rope break. Douglas is quick to elude Averno’s advances and dropkicks him out of the ring. Averno soon turns the tables by sweeping the leg on the apron and tossing him into the barricade.
Averno finds himself a half broken broken and flings James into it. Hammer blows to the back of James before tossing him back into the ring for one fierce corner turnbuckle powerbomb. Only a two count.
The two trade chops and James hits several forearms that softens Averno up for a hurricanrana. Averno goes to the outside and James leaps out with a tope, but doesn’t get all of it as his leg catches the bottom rope. James remains unphased. He catches Averno with a superkick and smashes him down with a meteora.
A very slow-paced pinfall allows Averno up before three. Averno catches the leg of James who gets hit with one scary forearm that sends James toppling down to the canvas. That was enough for the official to call the match.
WINNER: Averno
Birthday girl Alicia Atout is standing by Davey Boy Smith and he wishes Atout such before addressing Team Filthy. He’s still not 100%, but he will participate in the Super Series. Alicia asks DB for an update on Brian Pillman Jr. He might be in a lot of pain and be eating food through a straw, but Pillman Jr. is healthy enough to compete in the Super Series as well. The Hart Foundation will reunite for in-ring competition in Tijuana.
Speaking of TJ, it’s official: Injustice will get their Trios Tag Team Title shot against Jinetes Del Aire in a few weeks!
Injustice is with Alicia and Myron Reed is well aware of people not respecting them. Kotto thinks that the talent down in Mexico doesn’t respect them and neither does Alicia, but they will still take those titles and maybe even a mask or two. Jordan Oliver doesn’t pay mind to Brian Pillman Jr.even if his dad was a “Superstar.” No matter what, they may plan to get a little drunk down in TJ, but they also plan to to get justice.
Cameras catch up with Holliday and Hammerstone as they were trying to cross the border, but they try to remain undercover. Holliday says the he does plan to defend the Caribbean Title against some low-rent, low-budget Wolfpac Sting (it’s AAA’s Chessman). The camera man asks if Hammer got to “the pharmacy.” Hammer plays naive and changes the subject to toilet paper.
Bocchini gets word that Mance Warner has cooled down and left the building in Tijuana. Light beers always help.
Despite his suspension, King Mo and his corner man Dan Lambert tuned themselves in on Busted Open Radio to reaffirm Mo’s status as “Knockout King” despite their underhanded win against Low Ki a few weeks back in Philly.
Pagano got the W last week in the Super Series, but promises carnage in MLW. Without the clown, there is no party, he states in espanol.
Alicia Atout takes exception to Hammerstone’s actions against Mance Warner, but Hammer has other plans in mind for Alicia’s birthday – a double sized tanning bed. Alicia doesn’t appreciate what the champ is implying, and neither does Mance as he comes in out of nowhere to brawl with Hammer.
Team Filthy has a big tag main event tonight and Lawlor makes it known that The Von Erichs think they deserve all the accolades while he and Garrini have earned their way into the ranks and it’s clear that Team Filthy wants a shot at those MLW tag belts.
Alicia Atout has an unexpected update on the brawl between Hammer and Mancer as they surprise her by fighting their way out of the elevator.
Main Event
Tom Lawlor & Dominic Garrini vs. Puma King & Xtreme Tiger
Xtreme Tiger and Puma King both come out to major pops in TJ as the announcer makes the in-ring introductions. Tom Lawlor retrieves his mouth guard from his trunks as he and Tiger size one another up. Lawlor slugs away at Tiger, but the tables of attack quickly begin to turn and Tom takes a moment to beg him off. Tiger shows his athletics and both keep finding themselves in offensive stalemate until Tiger catches him with a crisp enziguri.
Garrini gets tagged in, but so does Puma King and he gets a major reaction. Garrini holds court initially, but Puma King gives him a lesson in luchador. A blind tag by Lawlor gets made, but the ref denies its legality Lawlor gets in however and shows PK what it’s like to be filthy, flourishing with a double foot corner choke.
PK gets the tag, but so does Lawlor. The fresh Xtreme Tiger gets the better of Lawlor who rolls to the outside. Garrini tries to suplex him from behind, but Tiger lads on his feet. Garrini hits a forearm, but Puma King makes a blind tag (which the ref allows!) to hit a codebreaker on Garrini.
We then see everybody in stereo sink up with a group submission. Lawlor disposes of Tiger, but King soon grabs hold of Lawlor. Garrini gangs up on him and cinches in his signature rear-naked choke, Tiger breaks it up and Team Filthy beat him down.
Tiger finds his rhythm and locks Lawlor in one unique submission. Lawlor later slugs Tiger and Garrini once more locks in a rear naked choke.
Puma King makes the save and gives Garrini a helluva atheltic showing that glazes the eyes of Garrini. He goes for the pin but Dom kicks out. Team Filthy forearm King in unison and Garrini delivers a knee to the knoggin of King as Lawlor drops him down with a brainbuster.
Tiger swiftly breaks up the pin attempt as he gets Garrini out of the equation. Lawlor soon finds a seam, and grabs hold of Tiger for the quick submission victory at the discretion of the official, tying the series at 2-2.
WINNERS: Team Filthy
This is a heck of statement by Team Filthy as they vie for those MLW Tag Team Titles.
Fusion isn’t finished however as Savio Vega has orchestrated quite the set-up backstage for Alicia Atout’s birthday (complete with cake and yes, Brian Pillman Jr.!) As they get ready to start the festivities, in come Mance and Hammer still brawling away. Hammer has evil intentions on his mind as he sees the cake, but Warner reverses and sends Hammer face first into the chocolately goodness.
Despite this, the cake is had and enjoyed by all (along with some light beers, baby.)