Welcome back to MLW and to another massive episode as not one but two different titles are on the line tonight. Cesar Duran was in a giving mood and was offering one fighter a chance for revenge and another a chance at redemption. I am of course talking about Calvin Tankman finally getting his hands on Alex Kane and Myron Reed getting a chance to win back the Middleweight Title in a star-studded four-way fight. Plus, we have the return of KC Navarro who looks to show he’s shaken off nZo’s attack by battling international sensation Ho Ho Lun. Who knows what else will happen as the crazy world of MLW continues to spin out of control? Let’s get into anarchy.

MLW National Openweight Title: Alex Kane (w/Mr Thomas) defeated Calvin Tankman via Jack-Knife

Up first tonight, we had the big boy match of the company. Alex Kane has done nothing but run-down Calvin Tankman since sabotaging his Opera Cup run. There’d been assaults and provocation, leading to this monstrous bout. Kane was going to have to defend his claims and his title against a very vengeful Tankman. This was Tankman’s big chance at revenge and the payday he wanted for his family. This opened as you’d expect with Tankman murdering Kane with his heavy hands and vicious elbows. Kane could do nothing but duck and weave until he was presented with an opportunity to boot back into a Stunner. Tankman shook that off and delivered a pounce but any further action was cut off as Kane cleverly went for the leg and knee of Tankman, pulverising it in the ropes. Mr. Thomas made it even worse by attacking the joint with a lead pipe. The match was stopped by the ref but Tankman exploded back out once Kane ran his mouth again. More stiff shots met the face of Kane but the Suplex Assassin started throwing out Suplexes. Tankman cut him off with a pop-up back elbow and signalled for the end but the champ went limp and took out the injured leg again. He rolled into a Jack-Knife and took the win. Kane had stopped the rampaging Tankman in his tracks again. It hadn’t been the cleanest win but it was a win nonetheless. He cleverly destroyed Tankman’s power base and made him play the Bomaye game. He wins this exciting round but somehow I think the war is far from over. Of course, Kane used this history-making win to once again promote Crybaby Calvin, his best-selling shirt. He ended the segment claiming to be the most dangerous man in MLW. He’d ended one hell of a heavy match with the win and a whole see of boos.

KC Navarro defeated Ho Ho Lun via Jesus Piece

Up next was the return for the Blessed One KC Navarro. After having the misfortune of running into nZo during the last set of shows, he’d been recovering from a neck injury and was now blessing fans with his return. He needed to show he was back in working order before getting into it with nZo and what better way to do so than against Dragon Gate’s Ho Ho Lun? This started fast with a whole host of charges and counters until Navarro could smash Lun to the flow with a dive. He got the action back to the ring and the counters continued with both bringing out strikes and kicks. Navarro collided neck first into the buckle and started twisting the neck as much as he could. Lun kept throwing around Navarro and almost scored the win with a Michinoku Driver but the Blessed One wasn’t ready to quit. Navarro caught Lun off-guard with a Codebreaker and kicked him into position for the Jesus Piece and the win. Lun had come to fight but Navarro had managed to hold his own and battle through another reaggravated neck injury. He was knackered from the action but he had plenty of harsh words for nZo. He was going to put the real bitch in his place. We’d seen what Navarro does in regular action, imagine what he could do in a grudge match? We’ll find out next week. I enjoyed this little fast-paced treat but would have loved to see a bit more between the two.

Between the matches:

.@MostMarketable wants his title shot for the World Heavyweight championship at any cost that he and @AliciaAtout have just put out a bounty over the head of @RichardsWesley. #MLWFusion pic.twitter.com/MQHigrqqcP

— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) March 4, 2022

• The show opened with a recap of Richard Holliday’s meeting with Cesar Duran. Holliday can’t get a title match with Davey Richards in the picture. The power couple had had a devious idea and now Holliday and his partner in crime Alicia Atout were offering a huge bounty to anyone who injures Davey Richards. The hunt was on and Richards was the prey.
• As Tankman’s match was up in the air, Homicide took advantage of Holliday’s bounty by attacking Davey Richards. He fought off this would-be attacker and went on the hunt for Holliday.
• 5150 cut another scintillating promo decrying the “family” side of the business. They were self-made with no daddies helping them out. Now with Ricky and Kerry Morton getting a title shot, they were furious that families were getting the shots without having to prove their worth as they had. They would have the shots but 5150 were now in the business of collecting family legacies alongside gold. They tackle the Von Erichs next week.
• Karlee Perez approached King Muertes and offered him a strange artefact citing that once he had this, he would become a god. With an evil laugh, Muertes accepted her offer and walked off.
• Davey Richards narrowly dodged death again as Rei and Jun Saito jumped him. The AJPW bruisers were the second party to answer the bounty but they too were also dispatched by the Wolf.

.@MostMarketable Plan has backfired.#MLWFusion pic.twitter.com/Lr8zmRWZhO

— Major League Wrestling (@MLW) March 4, 2022

• Alex Kane kept pissing people off as the cameras panned to the back to capture an altercation between the champ and ACH with both guys being held back. Emilio Sparks came to find Kane later on and the champ was full of more trash-talking following his win. Tankman tracked him down and the hostilities began again. Kane now has to defend against Tankman and ACH next week.
• BEEF and Budd Heavy were knocking back beers and venting their frustrations about losing. BEEF wanted to formulate new plans and demanded the pair fight meaner and get drunker. Heavy was drinking to all these suggestions and passed out.
• Davey Richards was still on the hunt for Holliday but found himself in hot water as Homicide and the Saito  Bros were back for round two. Muertes emerged to join the fray and Richards found himself surrounded, 4 to 1. Alex Hammerstone evened the odds and together the pair fought them off. That match will finally happen next week as part of the SuperFight special. Richard Holliday’s plan had failed. The show made sure to end the episode with another preview for that massive main event.

MLW Middleweight Title: Myron Reed defeated Matt Cross, Tajiri & Bandido via Flame On Cutter on Cross

This match came with a special introduction from the matchmaker, Cesar Duran. He’d promised a mystery foe for this match and after running down Dallas, he gave the fans the knowledge they wanted. That opponent was the Lucha Superstar Bandido. He was joining the four-way alongside Myron Reed and Matt Cross in an attempt to dethrone the Middleweight champion, Tajiri. Was the craftiest of veterans leaving Dallas with his gold? Reed and Cross were knocked out so we could have an international clash between Tajiri and Bandido. Reed and Cross got rid to show what they could do before Reed got a shot at Bandido. Cross got to do the same as Bandido took swings and flips at everyone. Cross got the better of Bandido and the match cut to commercials. Tajiri ambushed Cross as the ads faded and started beating the hell out of him, cutting off Reed with a vicious mid-kick as he tried to interfere. Reed was trapped in the Tarantula and nearly landed the Buzzsaw but Reed ducked and Bandido decapitated Tajiri with a Superkick. Reed did the same to Cross and removed his top to chop it out with Bandido. Things got chaotic as Reed fired up, Cross stole Reed’s momentum and Bandido almost stole the win with a roll-up and a Crucifix Driver. Cross saved the match and tried to charge Bandido but ended up in a hellacious Tower of Doom Powerslam Poisonrana clusterfuck of a move. It was gnarly as hell. Tajiri picked his moment to strike and took down Bandido then tried to steal his win. He tried to mist Myron again but hit Bandido and got knocked away. Cross burst to life for a double rebound cutter and went for the Shooting Star Press but Reed clipped his wings with Flame On and took the title. Reed had won.

Bloody hell, this was eclectic. There were so many fun moments in this match. I’d have loved to have given it double the time just to get more of Bandido vs everyone. As it stands, it did exactly what you’d want. It was a physical, fast, and furious fight with everyone doing what they do best. Reed learned from the last bout, picked his moment to perfection, and now, makes history as a three-time champ. Hot Fiyah has always proved his worth to the company and whether you love him or hate him, he always earns those belts. He was against three well-travelled stars and stood tall when the smoke cleared. This was a kick-ass main event that ended one hell of an episode of Fusion. Next week is SuperFight and we’re in for something special. There’s so much on the line as MLW enters Charlotte.

All images courtesy of MLW, Video courtesy of MLW YouTube