MLW Fusion review: Konnan is a master of the lock in a sock, Rush debuts

MLW Fusion returned from Cicero Stadium in Chicago for Episode 34. It featured Tom Lawlor running, Konnan using a lock in a sock, a getaway car, 143 pounds vs 400 pounds, and a AAA champion against a CMLL megastar in Rush’s debut.

One quick note before we get to it. Last week, I praised the ring announcer, but I guessed his name wrong. Ray Flores is the man with the golden pipes.

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

Tom Lawlor kidnapped?

The show opened with a reporter yelling questions at Simon Gotch, who was entering the arena from an alleyway. “Why’d you turn your back on your friend, Tom Lawlor?” Gotch smugly replied, “You need attention that bad? Every time I open my mouth, half a million hits.”

Lawlor appeared from behind a car to chase Gotch. Run, run, run. Gotch hid behind an open door. Out came Ricky Martinez to ambush Lawlor. Lawlor tackled Martinez inside the building. Gotch closed the door and smiled.

I never knew hiding behind an open door was such an effective technique. I’ll have to try that sometime.

Hart Foundation at Pro Wrestling Tees

Teddy Hart and Brian Pillman Jr. visited the Pro Wrestling Tees shop in Chicago. There was a Tommy Dreamer shirt displayed next to a Hart Foundation shirt, so Pillman shoved the Dreamer shirt down the front of his pants.

Jason Cade vs Teddy Hart

This bout was a hard fought contest. It was closer than I believed it would be. I expected Teddy Hart to win not with ease but without worry. Not so.

I found it interesting that the fans seemed to be behind Hart. I guess Mr. Bad Attitude is more heel than Hart.

Brian Pillman Jr. was at ringside streaming live on Instagram. He stayed out of the match for the most part, except moving Hart out of the way of a potential maneuver and an elbow to Cade. To be fair, Cade paintbrushed Pillman with a wide stroke, so the elbow by Pillman later in the match was probably payback.

They were moves aplenty by Jason Cade and Teddy Hart. Top highlights include a hammerlock DDT by Hart, a dope springboard moonsault elbow drop by Hart, a leg drop by Cade off the safety rail to Hart who was draped over the rail, an electric chair lungblower by Hart, and a Gory Special flipped into a sitout powerbomb by Hart.

For the finish, Hart blocked a super hurricanrana. Hart leaped for a Canadian Destroyer. Then, Pillman elbowed Cade. The winning maneuver was a super Canadian Destroyer.

Konnan’s song and dance routine

Salina de la Renta was on the phone. Konnan rubbed in the win by Fenix and Pentagon last week. He mentioned how he was going to take the World Heavyweight Championship from Low Ki at Zero Hour.

Konnan exited with pep in his step while singing a mix up of a Ruben Blades song and a tune from West Side Story. “La vida te da sorpresas. Sorpresas te da la vida, ay Dios. I like to live in America. Dee dee, dee dee.” Salina spazzed out.

During the scene, there was a pipe noise in the background. Could that be Tom Lawlor being tortured?

Lock in a sock

Konnan came out of a door and asked the reporters if they wanted an exclusive. They followed him to find Ricky Martinez spitting up blood. Konnan was holding a sock and dumped out a lock.

Marko Stunt vs Ace Romero

Ace Romero has a snazzy entrance song. It even got Marko Stunt to strut a bit in the ring. Romero had a picture-in-picture promo with a catchphrase of, “Pounce the world tour.”

143 pounds vs 400 pounds. Quite the size difference. The bout played out as you would expect in speed vs size. Surprisingly, Stunt fought hard and made a go of it after kicking out of a running elbow drop. Highlights include a huge dropkick by Romero and a super sunset flip powerbomb by Stunt.

My favorite part was Stunt getting pumped to attempt a Hogan-Andre-esque slam to the big man. After he failed, Tony Schiavone laughed and muttered, “What in the hell.”

For the finish, Romero caught a flying crossbody by Stunt and turned it into a spinning slam similar to the Black Hole Slam.

Shane Strickland shouting

Kaci Lennox reported outside CEO Court Bauer’s office. A shouting match could be heard with Shane Strickland. “You’ve been screwing me over since day one.” “Screwing?!?”

News

The Miami shows have some new matches.

Never Say Never

• Fred Yehi vs Low Ki
• Hart Foundation (Davey Smith Jr. & Brian Pillman Jr.) vs Tommy Dreamer & Barrington Hughes
• Ace Romero will be in action

Zero Hour

• Hart Foundation vs Dirty Blondes
• Simon Gotch’s $20,000 Prize Fight Challenge

Get the rest of the bouts here and don’t forget MLW Fusion will be live, live, live for the first time ever with one hour of Zero Hour on beIN SPORTS at 8pm ET on Friday, December 14.

Salina de la Renta & Low Ki

Salina de la Renta yelled words for Konnan. This promo didn’t make sense to me, since Konnan vs Low Ki has already been announced. Salina said, “... Come fight Low Ki. And what do you do? You say no and turn it down.” Technically, that is true but Konnan later accepted.

Low Ki began flapping his gums until Ricky Martinez inched up the stairs with a trashcan as he was spitting blood. Low Ki decided to escape with Salina and tossed the car keys to Martinez.

Sammy Guevara vs Rush

Sammy Guevara came out with the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship. Rush’s theme song began with what sounded like Matthew McConaughey’s humming from The Wolf of Wall Street.

Rush’s debut did not disappoint. He did his signature spots, such as faking a kick then posing (Sammy did one of his own) and the camera cable whip. Top highlights include a powerbomb onto the table by Rush, a twisting suicide dive by Guevara, and a superplex by Rush.

For the finishing sequence, Rush missed a flying senton. Guevara attempted a shooting star press but Rush got his knees up. Running dropkick into the corner by Rush. Two count. Rush ended the match with a double underhook piledriver.

After the match, Rush cut a promo in Spanish with English subtitles. “MLW. (Expletive) your mother.” Rush came to MLW for the feud that everybody wants. Rush vs LA Park.

Escape from Cicero Stadium

Low Ki and Salina de la Renta hurried into the car driven by Ricky Martinez. All of a sudden, Tom Lawlor appeared and ran after them like a madman.

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Another good outing in Episode 34 of MLW Fusion. All of the backstage scenes were wacky and silly in a good way. Konnan singing, hitting someone with a lock in a sock, Tom Lawlor starting the show with a foot chase and ending the show in the same manner. What’s not to love?

This episode did leave me with one question. What exactly happened to Tom Lawlor after Gotch closed the door on him? I assumed he was kidnapped and beaten, but Lawlor appeared again in the final scene. Whatever went down, one thing is clear. The MLW meanies need to up their game on their kidnapping skills. I came across a video with Stokely Hathaway saying he escaped because they left the child lock off. He rolled out and took his ass home.

The wrestling was entertaining. All three matches are worth making time to watch. Various times I thought the underdogs were done, but they kicked out. I like how they showed great heart. It gives a sense that the mid-card talent are capable of victory in any contest and makes the roster look strong as a whole. One of my favorite things about Lucha Underground is that anyone can win on any given evening, for the most part. It is nice to see that in MLW as well. It provides a sense of unpredictability in matches.

I was most impressed with Teddy Hart. He’s always in tag or trios matches in AAA, so a singles bout was new to me. Hart displayed a wide variety of unique maneuvers. I eagerly await his Never Say Never main event against Pentagon. That should be fire.

When I began watching MLW, I never thought it would become a destination for dream matches. Dream match might be a little exaggerated, but MLW is providing fights I never thought I would see. For example, a AAA champ against a CMLL megastar in Sammy Guevara vs Rush.

That would be something if MLW could pull off mask vs hair with LA Park and Rush. I missed their CMLL feud. It is supposed to be dynamite. A mask vs hair blow-off was on the table. Instead, LA Park took his talent to AAA for the Poker de Ases main event at Triplemania XXVI. Imagine the hype if MLW could score that lucha de apuesta.

Which was your favorite match of the episode? What were your impressions about Rush? Who is joining me in a desire of a, “Konnan Sings the Hits,” lounge record?

MLW Fusion airs live on beIN SPORTS Friday nights 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT with replays at 11 pm ET. New episodes are posted on YouTube Saturday nights at 6:05pm ET.