Welcome back to MLW Fusion. We’re back from the Azteca Tour and ready to jump back into the bright lights of FUSION in Dallas, Texas. It’s out with the fight clubs and in with the spotlights of the ring yet the Azteca plot still simmers, waiting to be unleashed. On the cards tonight, Richard Holliday suffers the wrath of Cesar Duran as he gets another shot at his former title, the IWA Puerto Rico Caribbean Title against King Muertes, Ikuro Kwon looks to get back into the action post-CONTRA with a match against EJ Nduka and in the main event, it’s Alexander Hammerstone vs Pagano, falls count anywhere for the MLW World Heavyweight Title. It was all to play for as Fusion exploded back to life. Let’s get into the action.

IWA Puerto Rico Caribbean Title: King Muertes defeated Richard Holliday via Chair-based Straight to Hell

I feel sorry for Richard Holliday. Ever since Hammerstone went for the World Heavyweight Title, he has been dragged into every horrifying feud that has come Hammerstone’s way. This was no different. Sure, he’d been given a title match but really, this was just another excuse for Cesar Duran to see the Dynasty beaten down. Holliday seemed confident but after so much abuse, was he really ready for this? Muertes is a total monster. He’d fought to protect himself and Alicia Atout, was this going to be his reward? Holliday was in full babyface mode for this one. He’d questioned his position in the company for a while and he’d had to work from below for this one. A competitive if stiff start made them both seem equal but a Spear quickly shut Holliday down. He took the lumps and picked an opening, using a rope-assisted DDT and multiple clotheslines to get the match back under control. Nothing he could do could keep Muertes down and Holliday was forced to power through more destructive slams. Just as he had the match won with a 2008, Azteca Goons swarmed the ring and tried to attack the referee. At the same time, the feed cut backstage and Hammerstone was also being swarmed by Azteca goons. Back in-ring, a goon came at Holliday with a chair and ate it as Holliday dropkicked it into him. These heroics were culled off instantly though as Muertes hit Straight to Hell on the discarded chair and ended things. Holliday had valiantly fought and almost conquered the Azteca Monster but as expected, Duran had a plan and played it to perfection. Holliday once again became a second-hand victim to Hammerstone’s idealism and despite the excellent effort he’d pulled out here, had suffered another nasty beating. He just can’t catch a break at the moment.

EJ Nduka defeated Ikuro Kwon via The Verdict

Next up was another display of power from the Judge. We’d seen him murder opponents in the ring, throw bodies around in Battle Royales and the Riot. Now, he was getting another pop at CONTRA in a pseudo singles rematch against Ikuro Kwon in his hometown of Dallas. This was the first time since the fallout we’d seen Kwon back in action and I was glad to see him again. This was a big chance for him to show off and kick more ass. Sadly, he’d been put against the Judge so it was only going to end one way. Kwon came out with a point to prove and kicked the absolute hell out of Nduka, massacring him with heavy hands and heavier kicks. He was dragged away from a barrage of corner kicks and Nduka launched him with an uppercut. Nduka started showing off as he methodically broke down Kwon, striking and slamming as he trash-talked his open challenge opponent. We had Stampedes in multiple corners as Nduka started having fun before ending things with the Verdict. Kwon had started strong and got a chance to show off but, in the end, this could only go one way and the Judge did exactly what he keeps doing, destroying opponents. God help everyone when he starts chasing titles.

Post-match, Kwon was livid and took to the mic, claiming he’d kicked out and refusing to leave. He demanded another match and called out the “traitor” Jacob Fatu. Luckily for him, Fatu was backstage in gear and came out to maul him. Again, Kwon started fast but got mauled by Fatu and put through a table with a massive diving splash. Fatu is back and deadlier than ever. If you call out the Samoan Werewolf, you’re going to get murdered.

Between the Matches:

• Cesar Duran was not happy to be in Dallas. After a recap of the Duran vs Hammerstone feud, he ran down the locale and warned that Hammerstone would not have his title by the end of the fight. He was just like Texas, all talk, no fight.
• Part 3 of the insiders look at Jacob Fatu played next as the former champion described being half-in and half-out the industry before MLW signed him. He reflected on how horrible things could be and the horror shows he’d seen. Professional wrestling had saved him from the nightmares he could have faced in the hood. Fatu is no gimmick, he’s just himself being himself in a fight. He misses CONTRA but sometimes “bro-shit just doesn’t work out.” He’s going to be coming back for his title though, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but Hammerstone has better watch his back.
• That all-familiar sign of the hourglass on the TV played again. This time, it left no more questions. What many had guessed was coming true, Killer Kross was back. The Monster of Monterrey will be back in an MLW ring at SuperFight in Charlotte, on February 26th. Tick-tock, time is running out for whoever he picks as his first victim.
• Mr. Saint-Laurent had been absent from the company for some time because he had been travelling the world looking for the best fighter he could find. Now, he seemed confident that the search had come to an end. He was going to reveal this new wonder of the world to the company very soon.
• The SuperFight control centre reminded us of the big Davey Richards vs Alexander Hammerstone main event title fight, the Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat appearance and gave us the news that nZo was going to be back. They ended the segment by confirming that Killer Kross was back and everyone was going to pay the toll.
• 5150 were lamenting that Konnan was in the hospital. The man that had brought them to the dance couldn’t be with him but they were going to defend the MLW Tag Titles in his honour next week against Los Parks in a ladder match.

MLW World Heavyweight Title Falls Count Anywhere: Alexander Hammerstone defeated Pagano via Nightmare Pendulum

Last but not least, the main event. Hammerstone has taken on any challenge that had come his way on the road to the title. He had fought off Duran’s best and taken part in matches he’d never normally do, all to please the matchmaker. Now, it was time to get a bit of revenge as he defended his title against the man that left him injured, the Juarez Hellraiser, Pagano in a no holds barred fight. Duran claims Hammerstone doesn’t know how to fight, this was the perfect opportunity to prove Duran wrong. It started with heavy hands and a swaggering Pagano imposing his will on Hammerstone. Pagano went for the toys by bringing out a trashcan and after a failed trashcan-Moonsault, dented it with his own body as Hammerstone hit a Powerbomb. They brawled around the outside as the pair went attacked with various bits of ringside plunder. Pagano smashed through a car hood and brained Hammerstone with multiple trays. The Payaso got the hardcore party going and Hammerstone cut it off with a plunger. The pair kept trading as Pagano grabbed skewers and used the plunger on Hammerstone. They fought to the stage and Pagano kept putting the hurt on Hammerstone with heavy shots. Hammerstone vanished backstage and the show cut to adverts.

The feed returned and the pair were smacking each other around the production area, dodging sets and lights. They re-emerged into the sea of humanity and both guys met the harsh wooden floor of the venue. Pagano shared stabbed Hammerstone in the head and shared a beer with fans before continuing the chase after the champ. He kept ya boy Hammer at bay with a cock kick and tried to skewer the champion. Hammerstone hit low too and skewered Pagano. Those were knocked back out and a pissed-off Pagano hit back even harder. Despite the pain, Hammerstone kept dodging and flattened Pagano with Stonebreaker. A board was set up and the action returned outside as Pagano bailed. Hammerstone abused Pagano with a chair but the demonic clown had scaled the top rope as he wasn’t looking and cleaved his head off with a guillotine leg drop. Hammerstone was trapped in the ropes and flesh met steel chair through a rope-assisted Piledriver. The chair kept knocking loopy as Pagano kept kicking it into him and drove it into him again with a Springboard Codebreaker. Hammerstone just wouldn’t die though. Pagano went for broke with a Suicide Senton and crashed out as Hammerstone dodged, landing back-first onto an open chair. Pagano also refused to stay down so Hammerstone dropkicked him through the board. The Azteca goons returned and Pagano smashed Hammerstone’s head in with a broken board. Holliday made the save and Hammerstone hoisted Pagano up for the Nightmare Pendulum. The Dynasty had been successful in the end and Hammerstone retained his title after an absolute war. This kicked ass as Hammerstone went after Pagano with all the hardcore tools on offer. It was definitely a fun watch and the best way to give Pagano an MLW Title shot.

Post-match, the Dynasty celebrated and Alicia Atout came out to interview Hammerstone. He’d gone through hell again and stuck it to Cesar, just how was he feeling? At least, that was what would be asked if the mic was working. Atout kept trying to fix it as Hammerstone waited. The thing was, this was all a ruse. Atout low-blowed Hammerstone with the mic and Holliday laid into Hammerstone. He’d snapped and Alicia Atout had joined him. After months of tension between the pair, we’d seen Atout’s and Holliday’s true nature. Holliday had always been the Dynastic one and this was him taking it all for himself. He was sick of Hammerstone’s war, now he was going into business for himself, and to start, he was taking the MLW World Heavyweight Title. Atout was matching the ferocity of Holliday and ended the show by establishing how she and Holliday were going to be the new power couple of MLW. Looks like Hammerstone has enemies on all sides. That ended MLW FUSION and left us all with a whole host of new questions. Namely, why Holliday?

All images courtesy of MLW. Video courtesy of MLW YouTube