MLW Fusion: Dreamer vs Pillman Jr. in a Singapore cane match, Tom Lawlor licking a bloody hammer

MLW Fusion returned from Miami with episode 39. Featured bouts were Dragon Lee vs Rich Swann, Tommy Dreamer vs Brian Pillman Jr. in a Singapore cane match, and Low Ki vs Fred Yehi. Also, find out why Tom Lawlor licked a bloody hammer.

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

Snooping Tom Lawlor

MLW Fusion opened with the camera finding Tom Lawlor eavesdropping on Sami Callihan and Salina de la Renta behind a closed door. “I want my money,” Sami screamed. Salina shouted back, “You get what you earn and you haven’t done sh(bleep) around here.” Salina requested that Callihan take out Lawlor tonight.

A Tony Schiavone voice-over drowned out the yelling. Lawlor sneakily walked away. Schiavone queried, “Is Sami Callihan ready to take a trip to smash mountain, courtesy of Filthy Tom?” I thought smash mountain was a euphemism for sex.

Low Ki promo

Low Ki was backstage pontificating about Tom Lawlor at SuperFight. He gloated about being undefeated for fifteen years in MLW. He has gone through world-class athletes and won’t be losing. Low Ki will ride off into the sunset to retire as the greatest champion.

Dragon Lee vs Rich Swann

This match was a slower paced athletic contest. The story was Rich Swann with a measured approach to ground Dragon Lee from lucha libre tactics. Highlights include a variety of fancy kicks, Swann dancing, a frog splash by Swann from the middle rope, and a reverse hurricanrana by Lee.

For the finish, Swann went high risk and missed a corkscrew 450. Lee capitalized with a thunderbomb to win. The two competitors displayed good sportsmanship afterward.

Sami Callihan approaching Ace Romero

Sami Callihan was on the hunt for Tom Lawlor. He asked Ace Romero if he has seen Lawlor but didn’t get a response until a hammer was bantied about. “What’d you do, eat him? Go on, get.”

Callihan went into a hallway and bumped into an old man. “Old man, move. Move. Have you seen Tom?” The confused senior replied, “Jerry?” Callihan angrily clarified, “I said nothing of Jerry. I said nothing of Jerry.” Callihan grabbed the old man’s sunglasses. “These are mine now.” The game of cat and mouse continued.

Brian Pillman Jr. promo

Brian Pillman Jr. had words for Tommy Dreamer before their Singapore cane match. Pillman was banging his horse head cane against a brick wall. “That is the sound of a Millennial man putting an old geezer out of his misery.” Pillman is tired of Dreamer shaking his fist and telling him to get off his lawn. “It’s my yard now. MLW is my field. It’s my playground.” Pillman is tired of politics and being held back. “Your old and archaic ways are going to be purged from this business.” Pillman is, “Definitely not afraid of utilizing a phallus,” and threatened to use his ‘old reliable’ cane tonight.

More Tom Lawlor

Tom Lawlor was in the back and asked a fellow for a favor. The accomplice had just come out of the bathroom. Lawlor requested that the guy let Callihan know Lawlor is warming up in a room by the kitchen. Lawlor shook his hand then looked down like he was passed gross toilet germs to his hand.

Singapore cane match: Tommy Dreamer vs Brian Pillman Jr.

Brian Pillman Jr. entered solo without any Hart Foundation members. He was wearing a t-shirt, a button shirt, a sweatshirt, and a soft jacket.

That strategy didn’t last long as Dreamer ripped off some layers and choked Pillman with his own clothing.

After Tommy Dreamer’s ringside beer brawling, Pillman worked Dreamer’s hand and fingers. Highlights include Dreamer draping Pillman over a chair for some cane whacks to the back and a drop toe hold by Pillman to send Dreamer’s head into the chair.

For the finish, Dreamer placed two Singapore canes and the horse head cane on top of a chair. The intention was to slam Pillman on top of the weapons, but Pillman grabbed a Singapore cane to yank upward at Dreamer’s groin. Swinging neckbreaker by Pillman to win.

Sami Callihan carrying on the pursuit

If you are ever following Sami Callihan with a camera, be sure to stay five feet behind at all times or else risk being yelled at. Callihan ran into Lawlor’s new buddy, who relayed the proper message about Lawlor being next to the kitchen. Callihan knocked a box out of that dude’s hands just to be a jerk.

SuperFight Control Center

Simon Gotch vs Ace Romero has been added to the card of Rey Horus vs Aerostar and the two championship matches of Low Ki vs Tom Lawlor and the Lucha Bros vs the Hart Foundation. Also, Mance Warner will debut.

Heavyweight Championship: Low Ki vs Fred Yehi

This title tilt was a submission-based bout. The two went back and forth for about five minutes with different locks, holds, and heavy strikes. For the finish, Fred Yehi had Low Ki’s back in the corner. Low Ki forced a rope break then delivered a vicious clubbing blow. A crushing flying double stomp to Yehi’s back was the winning move to retain.

The conclusion to Sami Callihan hunting Tom Lawlor

Sami Callihan kicked open the kitchen door with hammer in hand. The camera man knocked over a bowl to ruin the element of surprise. Callihan went through another door that closed behind him. Boom, bam, coughs, gargles, and sounds of violence. Tom Lawlor exited that room to be seen by the camera. Basically, he kicked Callihan’s ass in the other room. Lawlor held a bloody hammer and licked it. Yum!

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Episode 39 of MLW Fusion was pretty decent. Decent in terms of entertainment. Tom Lawlor licking a bloody hammer could be seen as indecent.

Something felt off about Rich Swann vs Dragon Lee. The energy seemed low. I wonder if this was an unintentional cool down match during a long taping session. It was definitely not a showcase for Dragon Lee. He was mostly on the receiving end with a handful of moves here and there. I was expecting more with all the hype on his name.

The Singapore cane match was fine. I would have preferred a little more carnage though after Tommy Dreamer’s emotional promos the past few weeks. It was more like a wrestling match with canes instead of a cane fight in a wrestling ring. The contest felt like a chapter in the story rather than a finish to the feud. I was caught off guard by Pillman’s clean win, but I liked it. That was a big victory to build up the Pillman character as a threat not to be taken lightly.

For those curious about Pillman’s performance as a second generation talent, he seemed sufficient for his experience level. Pillman did what he needed to do. I’ve never trained in wrestling, so I have no clue on the expectations for a one year veteran. In my opinion, nothing stuck out as a surefire blue chip with number one guy material for WWE, but he didn’t mess up at all either. I’m sure if Pillman keeps working to improve his craft, then he will be in the wrestling business for a long time.

Low Ki’s match against Fred Yehi was alright as well. I enjoyed the change of style from the usual high-flying go go go often seen from luchadores. That flying stomp by Low Ki was brutal. I could feel Yehi’s pain.

The scenes with Tom Lawlor and Sami Callihan were my favorite parts. It was a simple story of cat and mouse that progressed throughout the show to reach a conclusion. The humor of referencing Tom & Jerry and Lawlor being bothered by bathroom germs but okay with licking a bloody hammer was the sort of random silliness that is my cup of tea and one of the reasons why I enjoy MLW Fusion on a weekly basis.

Which was your favorite match from episode 39 of MLW Fusion? What did you think of Brian Pillman Jr.’s performance? Which wrestler stole the show?

MLW Fusion airs 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 6:05 pm ET.