MLW Fusion: Chaos in Chicago as the Von Erich brothers battled the Contra Unit

The Chicago airings of MLW Fusion ended in chaos. Episode 68 featured Mance Warner fighting Bestia 666 in a Mexican Death Match, Low Ki vs Ricky Martinez in a grudge rematch, and the Von Erichs against the Contra Unit in an unsanctioned bout.

On to a recap and review of the show...

Note: Zenshi vs Gringo Loco was advertised again and again not aired. Is MLW pulling a Funkasaurus on us? If MLW has the footage laying around, it would be cool if they released it as a bonus match on YouTube.

Salina de la Renta opened the program with a promo in the ring. She thanked Mance Warner for his services, specifically getting rid of Sami Callihan for her. Warner’s idiot luck is over, because she has summoned Bestia 666 from the underworld.

Mexican Death Match: Bestia 666 vs Mance Warner

Bestia 666 came out to hard heavy metal. He wore yellow face paint as a skeleton. During Mance Warner’s entrance, Jim Cornette poetically played with words, “Mancer Dancer, Mancer Romancer is now a Mancer Necromancer.”

Bestia attacked with a suicide dive to kick off the action. Weapons used were a turnbuckle screw, chairs, a kendo stick, thumb tacks, and a big wooden board. Highlights from the floor brawling were Warner using a turnbuckle screw to fish-hook Bestia, Warner comedically winding up his arm for an eye poke fakeout then hitting a DDT on the apron...

And Bestia slamming Warner’s head into thumbtacks on a chair seat. In the ring, Warner speared Bestia into a wooden board. At one point, Cornette exclaimed, “I don’t know, but if I was Mance, I would take just a second, just a moment TO PULL THE THUMBTACKS OUT OF MY FACE.”

For the finish, Warner did his knee pad up, knee down running knee. Bestia kicked out at two. Salina slipped a red bag to Bestia, then she created a distraction with an aerosol spray. Warner climbed the corner planning to attack Bestia, but Salina sprayed him in the face. That allowed Bestia a moment to throw powder from the red bag into Warner’s face. Bestia picked Warner up for a Muscle Buster onto open chairs.

That move won the match for Bestia 666. Salina got her Golden Ticket back.

Alexander Hammerstone and Georgia Smith dating?

The show intro and card lineup followed the opening bout. They showed the tweet of Georgia Smith and Alexander Hammerstone getting close in an elevator. There was a cool visual effect of zooming in on the tweet’s video to transition it into full screen.

Kaci Lennox attempted to get the scoop by approaching Alexander Hammerstone, Richard Holliday, and Aria Blake as they were entering the building. She asked about the rumors between Hammer and Georgia Smith. Hammerstone stammered, then Holliday stepped in to take the interview over. He scolded Lennox for reporting fake news and not focusing on how the Dynasty were tag champs and Hammer was National Openweight champ. Blake simplified it by stating, “The Dynasty has no comment at this time,” then shoved the mic into Lennox’s face.

A video played hyping the new alliance between MLW and NOAH from Japan. I don’t know what the announcers were saying in Japanese, but I like their enthusiasm.

Josef Samael hates ingrate fans and their fat-ass wives

A message from Josef Samael of the Contra Unit cut into the broadcast.

Samael referenced the last time Contra was in Chicago and the fans throwing trash in the ring. He told those filthy ingrate fans and their fat-ass wives that any trash thrown into the ring will make him beat the living hell out of the stupid Von Erichs. Contra doesn’t believe in nothing, man. They’re just here for the violence.

Low Ki vs Ricky Martinez

Konnan was ringside for commentary. He said he would be revealing scandalous secrets about Salina de la Renta, since he was in possession of her phone. Low Ki gave a side-eyed glance at Konnan as he passed by.

Ricky Martinez threw his jacket in Low Ki’s face then dropkicked him in the lower leg to get an early advantage. Low Ki came back with a flurry of palm strikes. Later, Martinez jumped into a rolling kick from Low Ki.

Near the end, Ricky and Salina were bickering about strategy to finish Low Ki. Salina saw her phone with Konnan, and that created a distraction on Low Ki’s behalf. Martinez was focused on Salina and Konnan, so he didn’t see Low Ki’s attack coming. Low Ki locked in a dragon sleeper. Salina yelled that if Ricky taps, then she will end his career. The referee stopped the bout when Martinez passed out.

After match, Salina tried to sweet talk Low Ki with business. Salina whispered in his ear. Low Ki seemed interested. He motioned her to come close so he could speak, then he walked away as a diss.

Justice!

Kotto Brazil was joined by Jordan Oliver and Myron Reed in a dark room. Brazil was stating his case about poor officiating, while Oliver and Reed repeated his points like a couple of cronies. Brazil always has to watch his back for interference and MLW does nothing. They need justice and will get justice. All three said justice at the same time. Justice!

Tom Lawlor ends his silence

Tom Lawlor was on the other side of a barbed fence than the cameraman for his first promo since losing the Heavyweight Championship to Jacob Fatu. Lawlor has had to live a living hell from all the Contra Unit attacks on him. That’s fine though. Lawlor loves that stuff. What he doesn’t like is that Fatu stole his title. However, Fatu didn’t steal Lawlor’s warrior heart. Lawlor will get his rematch at Never Say Never in New York to take his title back.

Lawlor shook the fence, and it rolled open. Going to war in NYC is not enough. “I want to get my hands on you. I want to get my hands on blood. I want to taste your entrails. I want to taste your life.” Lawlor will be going to war in the War Chamber in Dallas. Be prepared to be dismembered.

Brotherly reaction to sisterly love

Kaci Lennox chased down Davey Boy Smith Jr. to get a comment about the footage with his sister and Alexander Hammerstone. Davey was sitting in a bar with Teddy Hart as Lennox showed him the video for the first time. Smith crushed a can and stormed off.

Unsanctioned Match: Von Erichs vs Contra Unit

Marshall and Ross Von Erich were set to battle Josef Samael and Simon Gotch. The Von Erichs attacked first with leaping punches before the bell. They immediately slapped on Iron Claw submissions. The Contra Unit eventually escaped as Samael raked Marshall in the eyes and Gotch used a side suplex on Ross.

The bout broke down into brawling for the majority of action. The top highlight was a moonsault by Marshall.

In the end, Ross booted a chair into Gotch’s face. Samael was setting up for a fireball, but Ross used the chair to block the flame from his brother’s face. Ross clobbered Samael with the chair. Marshall covered him for the win.

The two teams continued fighting after the match. A riot squad was brought out to separate them. MLW producer Alex Greenfield pulled a Jeff Van Gundy by hanging onto Marshall’s trying to break it up.

Contra went backstage. Camera angle change to gorilla position. Jacob Fatu was there with a chair. He beat up the riot squad and attacked the Von Erichs when they arrived. Tom Lawlor ran in to fight Fatu. “Absolute chaos in Chicago,” as the show went off the air.

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Chaos! The ending to episode 68 of MLW Fusion was a hoot. I loved MLW stepping up the security by bringing out a riot squad. Sure, the riot squad was kind of chumpy looking, but security goons always are in the world of professional wrestling. It adds to the fun when they get beat up.

The Von Erichs versus the Contra Unit was a good time. The Von Erich brothers had their signature spots with the Iron Claws and double dropkick. The finish was super awesome. Ross blocking the fireball with a chair was a very creative way to create a fantastic moment.

Tom Lawlor talking up the War Chamber has me excited for that eventual war. Lawlor is a filthy savage by wanting to consume their innards. Bonus points for the barbed fence scenery to set up the War Chamber announcement.

Bestia 666 picked up a big win. As much as I wanted Mance Warner to gobble the gremlin, it was smart for Bestia to be victorious, even if he had to cheat. It would have been lame for his MLW career if he lost his debut after last week’s superb witchcraft summoning by Salina de la Renta.

Unfortunately, the match between Low Ki and Ricky Martinez was overshadowed by Konnan and Salina de la Renta on the floor, but they did a good job of reminding me to hate Salina. She was cool as heck last week as a bruja. This week, she was a bruja in a different sense by threatening Ricky that his career would be over if he tapped. I’m okay with no women’s wrestling in MLW at the moment, but I sure would love them to bring in a lady to kick Salina’s ass in a proper match one day.

MLW did a really good job on the little details for this episode. For example, Jim Cornette asked Konnan how he could trust Low Ki after being shanked in the kidney, and Kotto Brazil laid out a strong case for joining Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver, even though I still say it is officiating incompetence instead of bias. MLW didn’t brush past events under the ring, so to speak. They paid respect to the details from their own stories.

What was your favorite moment from episode 68 of MLW Fusion? Did Bestia 666 impress you in his debut? What did you think of the chaotic ending?

MLW Fusion airs on beIN SPORTS and PlayStation Vue 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, Israel, and Africa.