A lot of people forget how rich a history MLW has. It has been a home for some of the best in the world since the early 2000s and now we get a trip into that history as MLW has remastered its Underground tapes. We will be treated to some top-class matches this week as we see Jerry Lynn vs LA Park, AJPW’s Taiyo Kea vs Malice, and the main event, Vampiro vs Christopher Daniels. It was an action-packed debut for this new historical tour of MLW. Not to mention there is an opening video for the show that features Powerman 5000’s Worlds Collide. How can this not be amazing? Let’s get into it!
Jerry Lynn defeated LA Park via Running Tornado DDT
LA Park crashing down with the Tornillo!
After nearly 20 years, #MLWUnderground is available on MLW's YouTube channel! Catch @laparktapia vs @itsjerrylynn on the premiere episode ANYTIME!
WATCH: https://t.co/xIk9nUTZoE pic.twitter.com/Hm1fyw85Ka
— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) July 13, 2020
The first match was a singles match between two of the company’s biggest names, LA Park and Jerry Lynn. MLW wanted to showcase it was pure wrestling, not sports entertainment, so of course, they’d send these guys out first? What better way to prove that point than have two of wrestling’s best against each other? Lynn started by mocking LA Park’s appraisal of his chair so Park beat Lynn down with knees and chops instead of locking up. He continued by stomping him down and planting him with a Suplex. The show cut for an ad break and returned to Park working the arm. Lynn escaped and took Park over with a snapmare put Park down with a Wheelbarrow Bulldog. Lynn taunted Park and dodged all three of his corner strikes then made the chairman pay with some corner punches. Park wiggled free and chopped down Lynn then hit him with a thrust kick. He tried to charge Lynn in the corner but ended up running shoulder-first into the ring post. Park bailed so Lynn went to the top and hit him with a diving crossbody. Lynn initiated a count-out but got bored waiting for Park and tried to rush him. Park dodged and kicked Lynn as he was in the ropes. Lynn received more chops in the corner but was able to avoid Park’s running corner senton. Both men threw each other into the turnbuckles and Park hit Lynn with a second rope spinning heel kick. He followed Lynn to the outside with a twisting plancha and tossed Lynn into the ring post before rolling him back in the ring. He went top rope and missed a diving senton and allowed Lynn to finish him with a running Tornado DDT. This was an excellent opener as it was simple but effective at setting the tone for what the show would be full of, crisp wrestling and exciting action.
Taiyo Kea defeated Malice via Bridging Northern Lights Suplex
Devastating kicks from Taiyo Kea!#MLWUnderground on @beINSPORTSUSA pic.twitter.com/KXwuUJQGFi
— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) July 12, 2020
Next up was a guest star from AJPW’s Taiyo Kea taking on Malice. These were both names I hadn’t heard of before this match so let’s all learn together. Kea was a student of Mutoh so I had high hopes for him and Malice was absolutely massive and with a little research on my end, was in WCW as The Wall which was a fitting name given how tall he was. Malice backed Kea into a corner but was met with and startled by a chop from Kea. He regrouped, backed Kea into the ropes, and hit some heavy knee strikes. He followed up by launching Kea with a back body drop style facebuster and knocked him out of the ring with a clothesline. Malice followed to the outside but was sent reeling by more chops from Kea. Malice raked the eyes and bounced Kea off the ring post but was yet again answered back with more chops. Malice backed up, winded Kea with a gut kick, and hammered him off and over the apron. When he had finished smashing Kea off the apron he returned to the ring and knocked Kea down with a double throat thrust. Malice disrespectfully stomped on Kea so Kea caught the leg and twisted it with a Dragon Screw. He continued to stomp and target the knee then the video skipped ahead. When it returned, we had a stunned Kea perched on the top rope. He was superplexed to the mat and planted Kea with a spinebuster. Kea kicked out of that and the second rope leg drop that followed. He then escaped Malice’s powerbomb with a hurricanrana and hit Malice with a vicious combo of kicks. He then finished the match with a bridging Northern Lights Suplex. This was a lot more competitive than I was expecting. I’m always up for a good slugfest match and this delivered nicely.
Vampiro defeated Christopher Daniels via Sambo Suplex
Christopher Daniels (@facdaniels) with an STO followed by the "Best Moonsault ever!"
#MLWUnderground on @beINSPORTSUSA pic.twitter.com/Fwvtc2CgM6
— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) July 12, 2020
Last but not least was the main event, a star-power heavy clash between Christopher Daniels, one of the world’s greatest against Vampiro, another top star of that generation. Daniels was in full-on Fallen Angel mode and even made his entrance to Marilyn Manson’s Disposable Teens so he was already the winner in my books. Vampiro, on the other hand, was a whole new man, no face paint, no dreads just a skinhead ready to fight. He used his size and weight advantage to drag Daniels around the ring and hesitantly gave Daniels a clean break. They traded technical holds then Vampiro barred an arm and forced Daniels to the mat. They traded more holds then Vampiro bailed out of a headlock to the outside. He slid back in and kept Daniels grounded with more technical and submission holds. Daniels loosely took control but Vampiro downed him with a shoulder block. Daniels tried to square up but was countered and taken to the mat with a cross legbreaker. Daniels made it to the ropes and stalled on the outside. He eventually returned to the ring and locked Vampiro in a side headlock. Daniels jabbed a thumb in the eye of Vampiro and started pummelling him in the corner. Daniels continued to pound away through an ad break and threw Vampiro into the ropes. Vampiro ducked a clothesline attempt and caught Daniels with a nasty hook kick. Instead of going for the pin, he climbed to the top rope and hit Daniels with a spinning leg lariat. Daniels bailed outside again, so this time Vampiro followed him and tossed him into the guardrail. He then slammed Daniels off the announcer’s table, chopped him on the outside, and battered Daniels in the back with a chair. He finally rolled Daniels back in the ring, kicked him in the hamstring, and caught him with a leg drop to the back of the neck. Vampiro then kneed questionably low twice and tried for a pin. Daniels kicked out, avoided a charge, and finally got some offence in with a running neck breaker. He hit an Arabian Moonsault to the outside and clotheslined him into the guardrail. Back in-ring both men ran the ropes, traded kicks and Daniels reversed a leapfrog into a powerbomb. Daniels dropped Vampiro with an STO and hit the Best Moonsault Ever but only got a two count. He went top rope again but Vampiro caught him with an uppercut then launched him with an overhead belly to belly. Vampiro missed a twisting senton so both men got up and chopped it out. Daniels missed a strike and ate the Sambo Suplex for the three-count. This was another excellent MLW main event that had a ton of drama, excellent wrestling, and good old-fashioned brawling. Both men were in peak conditioning and brought it hard for the first episode of MLW Underground.
Pulp Fusion Recap
Now for our weekly Pulp Fusion recap. This week saw Richard Holliday trying to recover from his 4th of July party hangover and the surprise appearance of Mance Warner with his pet bear, Filthy Tom Lawlor preparing for his big trip to Kauai and how he’s bringing Kit Osbourne, sorry Rip Von Erich, Alex Hammerstone advertising his first-ever Hammerstone Body-Building Invitational Tournament, King Mo losing his rag over Low Ki, the Von Erichs learning of Tom Lawlor’s impending visit and how they want to fight them both, Jordan Oliver talked more about now being a heavyweight and the work he’s put in, Savio Vega is getting closer to putting on his MLW match in Puerto Rico and once again challenged Holliday, Gino Medina answered questions about Promociones Dorado and Salina de la Renta refusing to answer Alicia Atout’s questions about Konnan’s allegations. We’ll hopefully have more next week alongside another episode of MLW Underground.
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