Welcome back to MLW and the next episode of the Fusion ALPHA series. Today, we’ll see the first action from the women’s featherweight division as Willow Nightingale takes on the Sea Stars Ashley Vox, the turf war escalate between Konnan’s new army the 5150, and the young GOATs Injustice. Then, lastly, the MLW World Heavyweight Title will be defended as Matt Cross gets a shot at ruining the title vs title match by potentially dethroning Jacob Fatu. Let’s see what happened when the new stars met the established and who was left standing when the dust settled.

5150 (Slice Boogie & Rivera w/Dr Julius Smokes & Konnan) defeated Injustice (Jordan Oliver & Myron Reed) via Rock in a Sock Roll-up

Up first tonight was the turf war battle between 5150 and Injustice. Konnan’s new force had come out of nowhere and were out to show Reed and Oliver the full meaning of Injustice. Both teams wanted a tag title shot and the eyes of Cesar Duran were watching this one very closely. Before introductions could even be made, the pair started beating the hell out of each other. Injustice took the lead and sent Boogie to the floor with double clotheslines and then sent Rivera out after him with a slingshot codebreaker into a step-up cutter. They both took to the air and both quickly came crashing down as Boogie caught Reed out of the air and Rivera sent Oliver into the ring post. Oliver and Boogie had a heavyweight chop battle but Smokes intervened and cut off Oliver’s momentum, allowing Rivera to sneakily boot him in the face. 5150 went on the rampage and bullied Injustice with lethal power and double-team manoeuvres. Smokes kept throwing in barbs and cheap shots when he could as his boys kept torturing Oliver, even preventing a hot tag by dragging Reed off the apron. Oliver kicked free again and this time launched of Rivera’s back to make the hot tag. Reed came in kicking and knocked both of 5150 loopy with head kicks so Injustice could hit a double-team powerbomb. Injustice could smell the blood in the water and went for the kill but Rivera threw Reed to the apron for a Boogie Spear and countered the Clout Cutter into a rope push. Smokes cracked Oliver in the head with a Rock in a Sock and Rivera rolled him up for the win. The beatdown continued long after the bell as 5150 kept attacking until Oliver could pull Reed away. Konnan’s new unit definitely left its mark here and will have impressed Duran with their love of violence. Even the ref was attacked as 5150 sprayed an L in his back. This match kicked ass and was an incredibly energetic way to open the episode. I can’t wait for more between these groups.

Willow Nightingale defeated Ashley Vox (w/Delmi Exo) via Willow Bomb

Next up was the first match of the women’s featherweight division. The Sea Stars’ master of Reel Catch Ashley Vox was taking on the Babe With the Power Willow Nightingale in what was sure to be an interesting clash of styles. Nightingale showed off that power early on with a strong lock-up and easy knockdown, feeding on the crowd’s energy as she did so. Vox tried to show off that catch style but Nightingale threw her off and pummelled her with corner elbows. Vox tried for the Fish Hook again but Nightingale just slammed her into the mat for a senton. That was followed up by Three Amigos and another two-count as Nightingale ended the sequence with a Bridging Fisherman’s Suplex. She just kept going with a Russian Leg Sweep into a Modified kicking Koji Clutch but Vox escaped into a pin. Vox took advantage with a dropkick and bounced off the ropes for a Hurricanrana. Nightingale fell outside so Vox followed with a Suicide Dive and sent Nightingale into the railing hard. Back in-ring, Vox spiked Nightingale with a Tornado Flatliner and trapped her in a Neck Crank. Vox lit Nightingale up with uppercuts but this seemed to wake her up and the pair went counter for counter until Vox could escape doom to land a corner uppercut. That momentum didn’t last though as Nightingale nearly decapitated her with a Cartwheel Kick. They both fought up and Nightingale almost took the win again with a vicious Spinebuster. Nightingale had Vox on the ropes with a corner senton but missed her Moonsault and got fish-hooked into a nasty forearm. Vox tried to tap Nightingale out but Nightingale gave her a tour of the buckles and rocked her with a head kick. The sit-out Powerbomb followed and Vox was out for three. Willow Nightingale was the first winner of the MLW Women’s Division putting on a tough showing against the Queen of Catch, Ashley Vox. Both women showed out and started the division off with a bang.

Between the Matches:

Hammerstone is in the building and chaos is now ensuing!

#MLWFusion | @alexhammerstone
▶️ https://t.co/EedG00RGx6 pic.twitter.com/uTj5dH5LWQ

— FIGHTLAND on VICE TV (@MLW) October 6, 2021

• Before the first match of the Women’s Division, the Sea Stars were giving a little history about their group when Willow Nightingale came along to celebrate and Brittany Blake came into the frame to intimidate everyone.
• CONTRA interrupted the feed again with more cryptic warnings when Hammerstone burst into their video to attack Daivari. Mads Krügger was also in the building and the giants got into another fight. They brawled around the venue, smashing each other off everything they could until the end of the show where Hammerstone interrupted CONTRA’s big leaving ceremony. Samael gave a proper video later interlaced with footage of Hammerstone’s fight and Fatu’s dominance.
• Alicia Atout interviewed Davey Richards about his win over TJP two weeks back. TJP gate-crashed this and the pair started fighting again. Richards told TJP they could fight any time.
• 5150 reiterated that they wanted a title shot and promised to terrorise everyone until they got it, then revealed their weapon from the Injustice match and mugged the cameraman for his shoes.

MLW World Heavyweight Title: Jacob Fatu (w/Josef Samael) defeated Matt Cross via Double Spring Moonsault

Last but not least, the main event. Matt Cross pulled on the history between himself and Cesar Duran to get himself a title shot against the Samoan Smashing Machine, Jacob Fatu. Cross is a world-respect veteran of the hybrid style but could he find a way to beat Fatu when so many before him have failed? Cross started strong with quick kicks and escapes, sending Fatu crashing into a guardrail with an early Suicide Dive. Fatu struck back and used his necklace like a knuckleduster. Cross used his speed again to send Fatu into a ring-post and hung off that same post for a flag-pole press. Cross tried to get flashy again in-ring so Fatu downed him with a dropkick. Fatu started to pick apart Cross as he landed a Falcon Arrow and multiple headbutts. Cross struck back again but was caught out of the air into a Tornado Uranage. The pair kept trading blows and Fatu tanked a boot to nail Cross in the throat. Samael screamed for blood and Fatu flattened Cross with Alley Uce. He didn’t stop there and threw Cross from buckle to buckle. Samael tried to interfere but only succeeded in waking Cross up and got to watch as Cross downed Fatu with a springboard forearm. He followed up with a standing Moonsault but only got two. Not to be outdone, Fatu superkicked back into things and crushed Cross with a handspring, flipping Moonsault. Cross refused to die and baited Fatu into eating the ring post again for a double stomp, then took out Samael with a Suicide Dive. Fatu used that diversion to his advantage and dived onto Cross but again, got cut off in the ring with a rope-spring Cutter. Fatu dodged the Shooting Star Press and floored Cross with a lariat, then ended things with the Moonsault. The champion had retained his belt but I don’t think anyone was prepared for how much fight Cross had brought here. He had Fatu’s number so many times and put on one hell of a main event fight.

Don’t forget that if you’re enjoying the new MLW and have Vice TV, Fightland is on tonight at 10 pm ET or 3 am UK time. MLW has two monster title matches on offer as we’ll see the four-way Middleweight Title Fight between Arez, Aramis, Tajiri, and the champion Myron Reed and that big Title vs Title fight between Alex Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu. Plus, be sure to come back here to read all about it when it’s done.

All images courtesy of Basil Mahmud, MLW, Video courtesy of MLW YouTube