Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski welcome fans to a brand new episode of MLW Fusion: Alpha! We kick things off with a singles contest between KC Navarro and Warhorse.
KC Navarro vs. Warhorse
Both men outsmart one another with a beautiful leapfrog exchange. Warhorse heads to the outside, only to be on the receiving end of a perfect middle rope dive by KC Navarro. Navarro climbs the ropes and hits a missile dropkick that sends Warhorse straight into the corner. Navarro slams Warhorse’s head into the top turnbuckle, believing it’ll help him keep Warhorse dazed. Well, if you’re a metalhead like Warhorse, the headbanging reinforces and strengthens your skull to take such brunt slams like he just did onto the turnbuckle. In other words: He’s not fazed at all. Warhorse counters Navarro off the ropes with a power slam.
Around the ring, Warhorse lights up Navarro’s chest with some gnarly open hand chops. Warhorse turns his attention toward Navarro’s ankle with a Black Foot Deathlock (in honor of his Native American heritage). Navarro clutches the bottom rope to break the hold. On their feet, Navarro goes to work with a tornado DDT for a close near-fall. Navarro climbs up to the top rope again. Warhorse leaps out of the way as Navarro soars down. Navarro springs back up and eats a massive lariat and big kick in the corner. Warhorse lands on his feet, coming off the top. Navarro counters with a Code Red before conquering this match with a Sliced Bread on the heavy metal powerhouse.
Winner: KC Navarro
Last Week: Calvin Tankman targeted Alex Kane after his loss to TJP in the Opera Cup. Myron Reed involved himself by trying to separate Tankman from Kane. Some are starting to wonder if he’s stirring the pot at all? Emilio Sparks found Reed earlier today and asked the debatable question. The Young GOAT does everything he can to dodge this question and does so successfully.
– Next week, Los Parks will defend their MLW World Tag Team Championship against newcomers and newest rivals 5150 in a Philly Street Fight.
– Throughout tonight’s program, Emilio Sparks will be following around Cesar Duran to see if he can find out any new scoops about Azteca Underground. In the first clip, we see Duran heading down a flight of stairs with a big wad of cash in his hands.
– Before tonight’s Opera Cup Final main event, we relieve the opening and semifinal matches that led to TJP and Davey Richards becoming the last two men standing. They play clips from their respective matches throughout this episode.
Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) vs. Top Dogs (Davienne & Skylar)
* Willow Nightingale joins Rich Bocchini and Joe Debrowski on commentary during this contest. *
The Top Dogs waste little time tossing Sea Stars towards the ropes as they make their way into the ring. Sea Stars return the fight with stereo dives on the outside. Once order restores, Davienne and Delmi Exo affirm themselves as the legal women at the beginning of the bout. Davienne looks for a lateral press on Delmi. Delmi kicks out immediately. Davienne plants a ruthless chop before tagging out Skylar. Top Dogs continue to cut the ring from Delmi as Skyler applies a foot chokehold in the corner. Skylar makes a hot tag out to Davienne, who sends Delmi for a ride with a deadlift German suplex for a second near-fall.
Skylar tags herself back in. Before she works on Delmi again, she knocks Ashley Vox off the apron. She keeps Delmi grounded as she tags Davienne back in. Top Dogs join forces with an assisted sliding dropkick for two. Ashley Vox runs in to break up the count. Ashley takes out Top Dogs with a double dropkick from off the top rope! Ashley tries to put it away with a brutal clothesline on Skylar, but she kicks out at two. In comes Delmi. She connects an exploder suplex on Skylar, which helps her sister Ashley set up her Tidal Wave finisher. Ashley hits her diving senton and earns the pinfall victory.
Winners: Sea Stars
– As Willow Nightingale wraps up her commentary duties, here comes Holidead. Both women erupt with trading blows. They carry their fight from the ring to the ramp and up behind the curtain.
– We turn our attention to Pt. 2 of Emilio Sparks’ undercover investigation into Cesar Duran. In this segment, we see Duran taking to his masked assistant. His assistant is holding a silver box. Inside the box, it’s Matanza Duran’s mask.
– The new National Openweight Champion, Alex Kane, is done with American Top Team. In a press conference, he reveals he’s established his own fight club.
Next week on MLW Fusion: Alpha:
* Philly Street Fight for the MLW World Tag Team Championship: Los Parks (c) vs. 5150
* MLW World Middleweight Championship: Yoshihiro Tajiri (c) vs. Atsuki Aoyagi
This match took place at an All Japan Pro Wrestling ring last Sunday
* The MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone will be in action.
* nZo makes his MLW debut
– Speaking of title contenders, we hear from 5150, who put Los Parks on notice one last time before they lock up next week!
– We’ve made it to Pt. 3 of Emilio Sparks’s undercover investigation on Cesar Duran. In this scene, Duran is standing in front of a door with his masked assistant right behind. The assistant is holding on to the box. Duran takes off his necklace, which has the key he uses to release Matanza Duran (Jeff Cobb) with. We hear Cesar say, “My brother, it’s time to unleash you again.” He unlocks the door, and a monstrous shriek projects outward. The assistant hands Cesar the box and catch Sparks’ production crew. They end the feed.
And now, the main event. Which star will become the 2021 Opera Cup Winner?
2021 Opera Cup Finals: Davey Richards vs. TJP
TJP was looking for a Greco-Roman lockup, but Davey Richards ducks underneath and ensnares a waist lock. Richards turns his attention on TJP’s arm and takes him down on the mat with a takedown. TJP reverses the hold with a tight side headlock. Richards uses his feet to flip him over and back in control with a wrist lock. Both men rise to their feet with the wrist lock still cinched in. TJP finds a unique way out, causing a brief pause in their contest.
They restart, with TJP sending Richards right back down on the mat. Richards gains leverage with a cranked head scissors takeover. TJP looks for two back-to-back headstands to escape out. Richards blocks the headstands with two sitdown piledrivers. TJP slams his knee pad straight across Richards’ face. The damage continues with TJP snapping Richards’ knee just before the quick break.
Coming back from the break, TJP heads for a lateral press on Richards. Richards kicks out at the two mark. TJP applies more pressure on Richards’ injured leg with Figure Four. Richards reverses the hold, allowing TJP close proximity of the bottom rope. TJP executes a slingshot senton from the apron and immediately goes for another pin. Richards gets his foot on the bottom rope by the two count. TJP twists Richards up in a butterfly submission (an inverted Figure Four while cranking the neck forward). Richards pulls out to hit a brutal clothesline!
Both men duke it out with no budges. Richards grabs TJP’s leg and sticks it between the ropes. With a violent snap, down goes TJP after enduring a dragon screw leg whip. Then, TJP gets caught in the center of the ring with a trailer hitch submission. TJP squirms his way over to the bottom rope. He clutches his knee. After some back and for tangling, TJP hoists Richards up on his shoulders in the fireman’s carry before hitting his Detonation Kick for another close near-fall.
On the apron, Richards has TJP in the exploder suplex position. TJP blocks it by holding on to the ropes. TJP creates an opening by slamming Richards face-first down near the ring post! TJP throws Richards back into the ring and heads up to the top rope. He springs downward with the Mamba Splash, but it still isn’t enough for him to put the American Wolf away! Playing possum, Richards plants a kick to the gut, sending TJP back on the apron. Richards scales the ropes and flies off with two diving foot stomps! Is this enough?! Not quite! Richards digs deep with a brainbuster for the same results!
In the final seconds of the match, Richards sets TJP up with an ankle lock. TJP reverses, looking for a submission of his own (looks like he was going for a Shapshooter of sorts). Richards counters TJP’s submission with another ankle lock. TJP refuses to tap. Richards hammers down a series of kicks in hopes TJP will think twice. That’s it; TJP surrenders with a tap! Davey Richards is now the 2021 Opera Cup Champion!
Winner: Davey Richards
Post-Match: Cesar Duran presents Davey Richards with the Opera Cup. The fans break out with a boisterous “Davey” chant. Richards grabs a microphone and calls the fans of Philly his family. Richards dedicates this victory to them and guarantees to them and all his other fans worldwide that he’ll always give them their money’s worth every time he steps into the ring
That concludes this week’s episode of MLW Fusion: Alpha.
