Welcome back to MLW Underground. This week we seek the stakes continue to rise as LA Park and Sabu take part in singles action to prepare for their upcoming Mexican Massacre match. Park would have to contend with dream opponent Shocker whilst Sabu would have the main event position against Satoshi Kojima’s upcoming opponent Taiyo Kea. Both men were looking to impress so both were going to leave it all on the line in the ring. Plus, we’d have action from Fuego Guerrero as he makes an MLW impact against Super Crazy and our weekly Pulp Fusion recap. Let’s get into it.
Super Crazy defeated Fuego Guerrero via Sit-Out Powerbomb
Fuego Guerrero with a little Déjà Vu! #MLWUnderground
? https://t.co/k9XLqDW3JT pic.twitter.com/5VIIxpxjrW— MLW (@MLW) August 2, 2020
First up was Fuego Guerrero taking on Super Crazy in his MLW debut. He was here to show the company what zero gravity really meant and he had a more than willing opponent to demonstrate that on. They locked up and broke off with Super Crazy not feeling the crowd’s energy. He tried again and tripped Guerrero to the mat but Guerrero popped up and threw Super Crazy to the outside with an arm drag. He didn’t follow Crazy outside so Crazy came in and hit a couple of jabs. He went for a backbreaker but Guerrero reversed and sent him flying outside again. Once again, he didn’t follow Crazy out and ate more strikes and kicks. Guerrero then wowed the audience with an around-the-world headscissors that sent Crazy bailing outside. Guerrero caught Crazy on the way back in and pummelled him with strikes and kicks. He tried for a sunset flip but Crazy rolled through and hit a dropkick to Guerrero’s head. The camera cut out and returned to Crazy trying a powerbomb. Guerrero broke out and nailed Crazy with a DDT. He continued to strike at Crazy and tried for a Code Red but Crazy collapsed. He kicked Crazy in the back and tried to whip him into the corner but Crazy answered back with a lariat. Crazy crushed Guerrero with a duo of corner clotheslines and nailed him with a brainbuster but only got two. Guerrero was sent into the corner again but took Crazy over and kicked him to the floor with a spinning buzzsaw kick. He went top rope and followed Crazy down with a corkscrew plancha. He threw Crazy back in the ring and hit a standing moonsault but only got two. He tried to go top rope again, missed a Swanton, and got caught with a sit-out powerbomb. Crazy got the win but Guerrero impressed the MLW crowd. It’s a shame there was a cut in this match as I’d have loved to see more of this. The pair had excellent chemistry and Fuego Guerrero might have seemed familiar to some who know him by his other name, Amazing Red.
LA Park defeated Shocker via Corkscrew Moonsault Senton
.@laparktapia making sure there's no future little "Guapo's" in the near future for @guaposhock#MLWUnderground
?️ https://t.co/k9XLqDW3JT pic.twitter.com/3RPPWCKqNa— MLW (@MLW) August 1, 2020
Originally reviewed here. This was billed as a dream match when it first aired. Shocker was a hot commodity in the Lucha Libre world as its top rudo. He was the 1000% Guapo star and an arrogant competitor who was determined to take LA Park lightly. Instead, he had to fight an all-out war against Park and suffered the loss for taking him lightly. Despite the result, this was an amazing back and forth bout of Lucha craziness, stiff striking, and constant punishment. In the end, he went to the well too many times and got his voice raised an octave for it. Park was taken to the limits but he made his point by winning against the younger star with a chip on his shoulder. This was long and intense with both guys showing very obvious disdain for each other. You can read the original review for a summary of all the action that took place.
Taiyo Kea defeated Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso) via H5O
Sabu drops the leg on Taiyo Kea through the table!!#MLWUnderground
? https://t.co/k9XLqDEsSl pic.twitter.com/UB8Cny5Kse— MLW (@MLW) August 2, 2020
Last but not least was the ultimate clash of styles. It would be the high-flying, hardcore brawler in Sabu taking on the heavy-hitting powerhouse from AJPW, Taiyo Kea. Both guys also had legends in their history as Kea was trained by Keiji Mutoh and Sabu had Bill Alfonso lurking in his corner. Both men tried for single-leg takedowns then backed off. Sabu conferred with Alonso, which Kea didn’t like, so he walked over and booted Alfonso through the ropes. Sabu took advantage and rolled Kea up into a heel hook. The camera cut out then returned to Sabu laid out outside the ring. Kea tried to follow but Sabu avoided it and threw him into the guardrails. Sabu launched him into the crowd, set up his chair, and hit the step-up dive onto Kea. Sabu was given a table but Kea attacked him as he set it up. Kea slammed Sabu off the table and went top rope but Sabu rocked the ropes and crotched him. He dragged Kea off the ropes into a draping DDT and threw his chair into Kea’s head. Sabu set the chair up again and hit a step-up leg lariat, knocking Kea’s throat onto the chair. Kea avoided the triple jump moonsault and kicked the chair into the face of Sabu. He dropped Sabu with a Suplex but got stunned on the top rope and planted with a top rope Frankensteiner from Sabu. He hit a springboard leg lariat and sent Kea into the guardrails again with a baseball slide. The table was set up and Kea was laid out on it. Sabu put him through it with a leg drop then got Kea in the ring for the triple jump moonsault. Kea caught Sabu with his knee and took him over with a Hurricanrana. He stomped Sabu’s hand over the chair and unleashed a series of stiff kicks. Sabu fell onto the chair and was set up for Kea’s finisher. Alfonso distracted Kea and Sabu hit him with the chair again. Alfonso placed a chair over Kea’s face and Sabu launched a running kick to it. Sabu locked in the Camel Clutch but Kea powered out and hit a TKO. Kea picked Sabu up again and hit a neck breaker then ended the match with the H5O for the win. Kea took a kicking but managed to power through and put Sabu down. This was an excellent bout to watch with Sabu on top form and Kea proving to be a nasty opponent.
Pulp Fusion Recap
We start this week in Mexico with Los Parks at the family pool relaxing. They talked about spending time together as a family through this pandemic. Hammerstone was still training for the invitational, this time going on a very hot bike ride. We get more footage of someone observing CONTRA Unit. Richard Holliday was reading a very specific book on himself. Salina de la Renta was at her pool too, talking to AAA and turning down their offer. Tom Lawlor and Kit Osbourne (still suitcase bound) were waiting for a ride to take them to the airport again then carjacked someone when the ride wasn’t coming. Savio Vega spoke about Salina de la Renta coming to Puerto Rico for some meetings and told the camera in IWA Puerto Rico, money talks. Dominic Garrini was hunting for the next filthy fighter, this time in Thailand. Mance Warner was trying to hawk the last Mancer 2020 sticker. Last but not least, Pulp Fusion ended with Jordan Oliver mocking Simon Gotch again, only to be attacked and choked out by Gotch, who stared into the camera and walked off.
All images courtesy of MLW Twitter, Videos courtesy of MLW YouTube