Major League Wrestling showcase fighting styles from around the world. Saturday night, on January 11, 2 disciplines will be tested as Dominic Garrini looks to prove Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is supreme to Zenshi’s high-flying Lucha Libre. Major League Wrestling today announced Dominic Garrini vs. Zenshi for MLW: Zero Hour at the NYTEX Sports Centre in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth area on Saturday, January 11. The event will be a MLW FUSION TV taping for beIN SPORTS.

Undefeated in singles competition, Dominic Garrini is all business when the bell rings. A no-nonsense combatant and decorated BJJ fighter who has gone on record that he has no respect for Lucha Libre nor the decorated double champion of South America in Zenshi. Garrini can back up the fight in his words in the ring. Ice cold, calculated and quick to submit adversaries, “The Crippler of Canton, Ohio” is a feared and respected grappler. Garrini is currently a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Chad Kuhn and James Clingerman. A veteran of over 200 Competitive Jiu-Jitsu matches and holding countless gold medals from the IBJJF, ADCC, AGC, NAGA, Grapplers Quest and other organizations, Garrini is as real as it gets.

Originally from Atlanta, the Tecnico Zenshi relocated a few years ago to South America on a journey of enlightenment. Now calling Santiago, Chile home, Zenshi reemerges in America as a transformed fighter. Honouring the bushido code and balancing his fighting and training with the power of zen, the luchador is a peaceful albeit dangerous opponent. Wearing a colourful mask, the high flying luchador is one of South America’s most popular fighting athletes. Thrilling fans and overwhelming opponents with gravity-defying attacks, Zenshi is South America’s premier Luchador.

BJJ. Lucha Libre. Which style will prevail?

Signed thus far for Zero Hour:

• NO ROPES BARBED WIRE MATCH: Jimmy Havoc vs. Mance Warner
• GRUDGE MATCH: Ross Von Erich vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
• NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT: Alex Hammerstone (c) vs. Aerostar
• NO HOLDS BARRED FIGHT: Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Simon Gotch
• If MJF wins, he gets a World Tag Team Title shot – If he loses, he can never challenge the Von Erichs again to a title fight: MJF vs. Marshall Von Erich
• Savio Vega vs. Richard Holliday
• TRIPLE THREAT TAG TEAM MATCH: Drago & Puma King vs. Injustice vs. Hijo de LA Park & Taurus (presented by Salina de la Renta)
• THE DEBUT OF… Erick Stevens

Major League Wrestling (MLW®) has come to terms with Mark Adam Haggerty to join the league. Haggerty serves as the ring announcer for MLW’s events and weekly series FUSION. Haggerty will bring his excellence in announcing to MLW next on Saturday night, January 11 when MLW returns to Dallas, Texas at Zero Hour.

“Working with Major League Wrestling has been an exhilarating experience so far,” said Haggerty. “From the moment I was welcomed into the locker room to the second I signed that contract, every step of the way has proven to validate this journey I’ve been on for the past 3 years. To go from hoping and praying that maybe I’ll get somewhere someday to announcing the biggest names in the world on national television every week is positively incredible. I cannot thank Court Bauer and the folks at MLW enough for putting their faith in me and bringing me along for this exciting ride. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Haggerty joined MLW in December for the Opera Cup held in New York City. Praised for his poise, high energy and one-of-a-kind call of the action, Haggerty received rave reviews for his debut performance. “Mark keeps our audience attentive and excited about the matches and events,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer and founder. “I am proud to have Mark join our team and enrich the MLW experience.”

Mark Adam Haggerty is an openly gay ring announcer and broadcaster, performing for over 60 promotions in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“I get asked all the time why it’s important that a ring announcer is gay. Well on the surface, it’s not! My talents and abilities and presence should all speak for themselves, but on top of that is a word that keeps coming up time and again – ‘representation.’ Just the same as it’s important for an openly gay man to be running for president, it’s important that a whole world of LGBTQ pro wrestling fans see someone on their television every week who represents them. There are a handful of visible wrestlers out there already and I’m honoured to be the first announcer. I grew up thinking there was no place for someone like me in this business and now I’m signed to one of the most-watched companies in the world. If that’s not important on some level, at least in terms of inspiring others, then what is?” -Mark Adam Haggerty

IWTV and Smart Mark Video have come to terms on a new agreement that will expand our partnership into 2020 and beyond. This new agreement will build upon the existing relationship with Smark Mark Video, which has allowed to bring thousands of hours of independent wrestling content to IWTV subscribers. Now the two companies are merging into a united force, in an effort to better serve the independent wrestling community and the promotions we partner with.

What does this mean?

• Smart Mark Video will head the video production efforts to help improve on the quality of the live-streamed events
• Speaking of live streams, new live streams will be announced soon featuring new partner promotions
• In addition to heading IWTV live event production, Smark Mark Video will continue to partner with FITE for live streams, including featured IWTV partner promotion events
• New promotions will also become a regular part of the weekly Throwback Thursday release schedule
• All IWTV partner promotions will now have access to additional distribution options through Smart Mark Video including DVD, Blu-Ray, VOD and MP4
• Equipment upgrades and further development of apps will ensure the best possible viewing experience for fans
• A multi-casting feature will be added soon, allowing multiple events to stream live on IWTV at the same time.

More information were revealed during Beyond Wrestling’s New Year’s Eve special “Heavy Lies the Crown”.

• As noted in the original announcement, the merger with Smart Mark Video means new partner promotions will be streaming live with IWTV in 2020. First out of the gate will be Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW) who will make their IWTV live streaming debut with their Built To Last show from Cleveland, Ohio on IWTV on Friday, February 7th at 6:30 pm CST/7:30 pm EST.
• The expanded relationship with Smart Mark Video also means more on-demand content from new promotions will be available to IWTV subscribers. As of today, 4 Game Changer Wrestling events have been added to our library and can be viewed at any time with more to come.
• This Thursday night at 8 pm EST IWTV will host the premiere of Everytime I Die’s ‘Tid The Season wrestling event which took place on December 15th in Buffalo, New York.
• In addition to the Thursday night premiere of ‘Tid The Season, IWTV has 2 live streams scheduled for this weekend. First, on Saturday night, January 4th at 8 pm EST, ICW New York presents No Holds Barred live from Jersey City, New Jersey at 8 pm EST. The entire event will be contested with no rules, submissions or disqualifications and features Low Ki vs deathmatch legend Masashi Takeda, Killer Kross vs Chris Dickinson and more.
  The following day, Sunday, January 5th, Southern Underground Pro (SUP) presents Stay Cold live from Nashville, Tennessee at 2 pm CST/3 pm EST. Stay Cold will see the winner of the 2019 Independent Wrestling Face Of The Future Award, Manders, taking on Jon Davis, plus Curt Stallion vs Brett Ison and more.

All pics courtesy of MLW, IWTV, GCW and Smart Mark Video