MLW Fusion recap: Samoan Swat Team & Second Gear Crew get wild in hardcore tag title defense

The Samoan Swat Team had more ounce to the bounce against the Second Gear Crew in a hardcore match for the tag team titles in the feature attraction of MLW Fusion episode 172.

Mance Warner, 1 Called Manders, and Matthew Justice went over their strategy by drinking beers and doing squats. Gold is the goal. Put the SST through the tables, then hit the pay window.

Warner and Manders came out for the main event to battle Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau. The action started with a four-way chair fight. Steel was thrown with no remorse.

As the match progressed, SGC gained an advantage when Warner punched Lance off the ladder crashing onto another ladder in the corner.

SGC tried to double-team Juicy, but he was too powerful. The Tongan set up Manders on a table and climbed the turnbuckles. Warner tried to save his pal by jumping on Juicy’s back. That only added more weight as Juicy took flight with Warner along for the ride to splash on top of Manders through a table and earn the three-count. SST remain MLW tag team champions.

After the match, The Calling ran out to overwhelm the weary warriors. SST regrouped to clear the ring as SGC brawled up the stage toward Raven to close the show.

The Calling was busy all night long. A promo aired declaring their intentions to take all the gold in MLW. Akira currently holds the MLW World Middleweight Championship. Rickey Shane Page is coming for Jacob Fatu and the MLW National Openweight Championship. RSP and Akira have a tag title match against Lance Anoa’i and Juicy Finau at Never Say Never. Raven will lead The Calling to take over MLW piece by piece.

Akira was in action to defend the middleweight title against former champion Lince Dorado. The luchador found success with his high-flying style until Akira resorted to pulling off the mask. Despite covering his face, Dorado still showed the heart of a champion by kicking out of a running knee. When Akira lifted his opponent for a powerbomb, Dorado countered for a hurricanrana pin. This was still without his mask. Akira managed to kick out and snatched Dorado for an inverted facelock side slam for victory.

Mandy Leon competed against Billie Starkz. The youngster rallied with fighting spirit, but The Calling’s goons shoved her off the turnbuckles. Leon finished with a DDT as a salute to Raven.

The show opened with a swerve heel turn. Davey Boy Smith Jr. powerslammed Microman on Microman Day of all days. It turned out that Mister Saint Laurent was in on the attack to betray his client. MSL and Smith embraced in a hug to laugh at poor Microman. (Full details here.)

On the news front, Taya Valkyrie was fined $2,500 and suspended for one week as punishment for the violent attack on Delmi Exo.

Part two of the Bomaye exposé ruled out Conrad Thompson, Jim Cornette, Dixie Carter, and Queen Latifah as the financial backers. The person’s identity will be revealed at Never Say Never. (Full details here.)

Alexander Hammerstone is set to defend the MLW World Heavyweight Championship against Alex Kane in the main event of Never Say Never on July 8. The PPV special is available for streaming through the Fite+ package. Hammer had some final words for his adversary. Kane crossed the line calling Hammerstone a placeholder champion. He is not holding this spot. This is Hammer’s spot.

Kane claimed to be a superstar, and he is the truth. Bomaye! Bomaye! Bomaye!

This episode of MLW Fusion was rowdy. The Samoan Swat Team and the Second Gear Crew got buck wild with those chairs. The reckless contact made me wince more than once. Akira and Lince Dorado worked a smooth clash in styles with ruggedness versus lucha libre finesse. Mandy Leon and Billie Starkz also brought the physicality in what their match called for. The Davey Boy Smith Jr. heel turn caught me by surprise and created instant heat on the Bulldog for attacking the beloved Microman.

I particularly liked the excitement in two of the finishes. Juicy Finau proved he’s harder to stop than it looks, especially with gravity on his side. That was an emphatic splash to close the match. If there is a move to make the crowd go, “Whoa,” then that was it. Akira was slick in unmasking Dorado. He pulled it off as a strategic move rather than a cheap heel trick. Dorado wowed with his ability to survive despite being compromised covering his face.

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