Welcome back to MLW Underground. This week’s action-packed episode contains the much-awaited rematch between Mike Awesome and the man who stole his title, Steve Corino of the Extreme Horsemen. That main-events a show that also contains a hoss fight between Dr. Death Steve Williams and C.W. Anderson and a proving match for Da Hit Squad as they look to make a name for themselves against the devastating power of the Samoan Island Tribe. Plus, we get some huge developments from the present world of MLW as they gear towards The Restart. Let’s get into it, shall we?

Dr. Death Steve Williams defeated C.W Anderson via Backdrop Driver

"Dr.Death" Steve Williams counters @ECWAnderon's choke hold with the Back drop driver!!!

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— MLW #TheRestart | Nov 18 (@MLW) October 31, 2020

First up was the first tag title contender match for Steve Williams and Sandman. The Extreme Horsemen had forced the pair to win singles matches against the pair and Williams was up first against the Enforcer, C.W Anderson. Williams was jumped as he got in the ring and a slugfest broke out. Williams KO’ed Anderson, so he rolled to the outside for a time out. Williams dived to the outside and continued slugging away, then bounced Anderson of the timekeeper’s table. They brawled on the outside as Anderson used the ring edge and guardrail to gain control. He stopped to pose and got pummelled by Williams into an ad break. When the cameras returned, Williams sent Anderson flying with a shoulder tackle. He tried to continue the charge but ran himself into a superkick. He hit the Oklahoma Stampede but Anderson kicked the ref on the way down. Simon Diamond rushed the ring and pummelled Williams as the ref was distracted. Sandman chased him off and Anderson tried to take advantage. Anderson whipped him into the ropes and tried to lock on a sleeper hold but Williams fought out and stole the win with a Backdrop Driver. This was a simple but effective brawl between two powerful big men with some heavy-hitting strikes. Williams has kept the tag team dream alive for now. Can Sandman deliver the same next week?

The Samoan Island Tribe (Samu & Ekmo) vs Da Hit Squad (Monster Mack & Mafia) ends in no contest

Da Hit Squad lay out Samu with a Cossbody into the corner from Monsta Mack followed up with a Cannonball from Mafia!

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— MLW #TheRestart | Nov 18 (@MLW) October 31, 2020

The next match on the card was a tag team bout between a newly formed Samoan Island Tribe and the fired-up new blood, Da Hit Squad. Monster Mack and Mafia had already fired up viewers through an impassioned promo they gave ahead of their upcoming match. Da Hit Squad struck first, laying in fists on Ekmo and Samu as they made their entrance. Mafia threw Ekmo into a turnbuckle and the pair double-teamed Samu. Ekmo went after Mafia as Monster Mack hit Samu with a flying clothesline. The Samoans brawled around the ring, attacking Da Hit Squad with anything the crowd offered. Ekmo hammered Mafia with a chair as Samu pummelled Mack with headbutts in-ring. The tables turned though as Ekmo missed a table charge and Samu got low-blowed. Samu was crushed in the corner and Ekmo was hit with a double-team Suplex. We got a figure-four/frog splash combo from Da Hit Squad that only got two. Ekmo caught Mack into a swinging Uranage and ran a splash train of members of Da Hit Squad. The Samoans continued to batter the Da Hit Squad until the match was called off. No one was happy about the result and both teams continued to brawl until security ripped them away. This was an excellent opening shot that makes me want to see more from both teams, especially against each other.

Between the matches:

• Impassioned promos from Da Hit Squad, Mike Awesome, and Steve Corino
• CM Punk holding a wake for Raven’s career, attacking him for his alcohol consumption and challenging Raven to a straight edge rules match.
• More verbal barbs from Los Maximos towards the CMLL tag champs and from Bill Alfonso at the Sinister Minister and co. The Sinister Minister did respond to this as Sabu had taken out one of his best soldiers, Christopher Daniels with a spike in the eye.

Steve Corino defeated Mike Awesome Via Chair to the face

Mike Awesome, Awesome bombs @StevenCorino once again but this time through a table!

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— MLW #TheRestart | Nov 18 (@MLW) October 31, 2020

Last but not least was the main event. Steve Corino vs Mike Awesome volume 2. The monster of a man Mike Awesome against the thinking man’s wrestler, Steve Corino. Trickery had gained Corino the title, would trickery help him retain? Awesome wasn’t going to wait and let Corino get to the ring, then ambushed him with a barrage of charges and strikes, then dumped him over the top rope. Awesome launched him into the guardrails but Corino launched him over and hammered him with a punch. He dragged Awesome back over and threw him into a ring post. Awesome came back with a slingshot shoulder block and clothesline but Corino took out his leg. He continued to assault Awesome with a host of leg-based offence and smashed a chair across Awesome’s skull. Corino went to the top but was met by Awesome and brought crashing down with a superplex. Awesome took the chair to the head of Corino multiple times, then caved Corino in with a diving chair to the head. A sit-out Awesome Bomb followed and massive flying splash but that only got two. He brought in a table and set it up in the corner. He hoisted Corino up for the Awesome Bomb but Corino broke free. Awesome tried to retaliate but just clotheslined the ref and ate a superkick. Awesome recovered and put Corino through a table. He then hoisted up the lifeless body of Corino and put him through a second table with an Awesome Bomb. He covered Corino but the ref was way too slow to count. Corino fished a weapon out of his trunks and smashed it into Awesome’s jaw but he also got two. The rest of the Extreme Horsemen rushed the ring and ambushed Awesome. Terry Funk snuck into the ring and hammered all the Horsemen with a trashcan and accidentally pelted Awesome with a chair. Funk came out to help Awesome and cost him the match by missing a chair shot. The Extreme Horsemen thanked him for this by hanging over the ropes until Williams and Sandman came to save him. This was a brilliant match to watch that fell into heavy shenanigan territory. The ref has taken more bumps than the wrestlers tonight but hey, for the most part, the match was what I wanted it to be.

Pulp Fusion Recap

Pulp Fusion didn’t really happen this week. The original stream for it was corrupted and cut off after a minute and a half of transmission errors. A while later, a second video was uploaded showing the re-taking of MLW headquarters from the evil clutches of CONTRA. Samael had hijacked the YouTube channel to deliver another mocking sermon only for his soldiers to be destroyed by the combined might of Injustice, The Von Erichs, The Dynasty, Savio Vega, and Los Parks. Samael retreated and we got the official date for The Restart, November 18, 2020. MLW is back and free of the clutches of CONTRA Unit… for now.

We’ve even learned of another new signing for The Restart as Laredo Kid is joining the company in an official capacity. People will remember he has worked with the company during taping sets and had one of the matches of the MLW/AAA Super Series against Alex Hammerstone for the World Openweight Title. Welcome to the party Laredo Kid.

All images courtesy of MLW, MLW Twitter, Videos courtesy of MLW YouTube