MLW Roundup: Salina de la Renta making history, Lawlor vs. Contra Unit booked, skeleton fight on Fusion

Let’s catch up on this week’s news in MLW and preview Saturday night’s episode of Fusion.

The biggest story of the week will be Salina de la Renta’s historic role as executive producer of this week’s MLW Fusion.

De la Renta has been making the publicity rounds on Univision’s Noticiero Univision Deportes and Busted Open radio.

The show will feature a double main event of Pentagon vs LA Park and Daga vs Low Ki. Both bouts should be memorable. The last time skeleton men Pentagon and LA Park wrestled each other in MLW, it was voted as MLW’s match of the year. The last time Daga and Low Ki wrestled each other, Low Ki almost tore off Daga’s ear.

Low Ki has some words for Daga’s return to MLW.

Low Ki threatened to snatch the soul out of Daga’s body. Damn, too bad this feud didn’t take place in Lucha Underground. Literal soul snatching would be something I’d like to see.

Rounding out the broadcast will be Gringo Loco vs Hijo de LA Park, the reveal of the National Openweight Championship bracket, and an exclusive from the Contra Unit.

The preview, written by de la Renta, also throws out a tease for appearances from Sami Callihan and Mance Warner.

Oh and please note if that sweaty baby warthog Sami Callihan or that goat lover Mance Warner even dare come near my show, Promociones Dorado can’t be held responsible if they are beaten, arrested or robbed (in no particular order).

I hope Callihan and Warner don’t ruin any matches, but any other kind of chaos should be fun. I wonder if Warner will be drinking Corona Light in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

Which match do you think will steal the show? Who are your picks to be winners? Which four wrestlers would you like to see in the National Openweight bracket?

MLW Fusion airs on beIN SPORTS Saturday nights at 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT. New episodes are posted on YouTube Mondays at 7 pm ET. Fusion is also broadcast in the UK, Ireland, and Israel.

In other news, some of which comes from the MLW newsletter (sign up here):

The first fight has been announced for Milwaukee’s June 1st show, Fury Road. The Contra Unit has accepted Tom Lawlor’s challenge for 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, or 3 vs 3. Lawlor teased bringing friends, so there is no doubt that battle will be wild.

In the meantime, Lawlor will defend the Heavyweight Championship against “Avalanche” Robert Dreissker in May on Fusion. As for the Contra Unit, it is rumored that they have a hit list with names other than Lawlor. Ohh, sounds exciting. It would make sense for them to go after MLW’s stars. Contra could target the biggest fan favorites in the Hart Foundation or could go after Promociones Dorado to prove they are the most evil bad guys on the roster. I hope MLW brings on faction warfare.

The justice conspiracy story with Rich Swann and Myron Reed has taken an odd turn. Last week, referee Doug Markham claimed he was getting threatening phone calls. He pointed the finger toward Swann and Reed. It looks like Markham is taking it a step further.

Referee Doug Markham has formally reported Rich Swann and Myron Reed to several state commissions for “endangering the welfare of a state sanctioned referee during competition.” While Swann and Reed’s conduct is questionable, many feel these are trumped up charges. Will the state commissions acquiesce and take action against Reed and Swann? Only time will tell.

Is this leading to a double turn as Markham becomes a hated heel ref?

Jonathan Snowden will be starting an MLW podcast with his wife Kristina on the MLW Radio Network. Snowden is respected in MMA and professional wrestling circles. That show will begin May 28. I know I’ll be tuning in whenever they interview wrestlers.

Also on the MLW Radio Network, Konnan is returning with a podcast to keep it 100. That sounds cool, but what I’m really interested in is mango pirate dancing.

I don’t know what mango pirate dancing is, but it sounds funny.

MLW is forming a street team in NYC. You can fill out a form (here) if you are interested in joining.

We’ll close with the best bit of info. Mance Warner now has a shirt available on the MLW shop with Pro Wrestling Tees.

Pro Wrestling Tees

As much as I enjoy Mance Warner’s good-natured light beer drinking, that shirt is terrifying. I would close the closet and run away every time I saw Ole Mancer staring at me like that.

Who would you like to see team up with Tom Lawlor to fight the Contra Unit? If you were a member of the Contra Unit, which MLW wrestlers or personnel would you put on the hit list? What do you think of Mance Warner’s new shirt?