‘The Monster’ Abyss Goes to War at MLW War Games

Sami Callihan left Shane Strickland and the world in suspense for weeks in regards to the final spot on his team for MLW War Games. That spot has now been filled – on September 6 in Fort Lauderdale, “The Monster” Abyss will join Callihan, The Death Machines, and Jimmy Havoc in the barbaric two-ring cage.

Sami Callihan and Shane Strickland have been at one another’s throats for weeks. Since Episode 10 of MLW Fusion about seven weeks ago, Callihan and The Death Machines have been making life miserable for “Swerve” and his allies. It started with an attack on Barrington Hughes by Leon Scott and Fulton as Strickland prepared to make his way to the ring to face Brody King. Hughes was left laying backstage while Strickland found himself embroiled in Salina de La Renta’s bounty and eventual challenger Low Ki.

The very next week, Kotto Brazil was interviewed to provide his thoughts on his first-ever MLW victory. Before Kotto could make too much of a statement, though, Scott and Fulton struck again with Callihan picking up the rear. Kotto would be hauled away and dumped in a boiler room for MVP to find later that evening.

The combustible elements from each side of this war would never be far from one another. Two weeks after Brazil’s attack, Shane Strickland was mysteriously attacked outside of the arena before the show could begin. The perpetrator of the assault remained unknown until Sami Callihan revealed himself to be the one behind the heinous assault. Callihan ran down Strickland and promised to put an end to him before all was said and done.

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At Battle Riot in New York City, Strickland looked to gain some modicum of revenge as he and Callihan tore into one another in the middle of the wild 40-man elimination match.

With The Death Machines by Callihan’s side in the match, Strickland would find himself quickly overpowered before a piledriver on the apron delivered by “The Worldwide Desperado” removed him from the match.

Finally, hoping to settle the score once and for all, Strickland and Callihan would meet one-on-one in MLW Fusion Episode 16. The former champion would fight valiantly but, as had been the case in the past, the numbers would be too much to overcome.

With Scott and Fulton at ringside, Callihan was able to put Strickland away knocking the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion down yet another peg.

Through all of the attacks, losses, and the dissolution of the relationship he once had with Sami Callihan, Shane Strickland fights on. He laid out the challenge to Callihan for War Games as a way to end things decisively. Over the last couple of weeks, speculation arose around who would fill out the rest of each man’s 5-team squad. Strickland started out with Kotto Brazil and Barrington Hughes by his side while Callihan stood with Leon Scott and Fulton before recruiting Jimmy Havoc.

"“Shane, over the past four years you have changed. You are not the same Shane Strickland that I created. You let these fans get in your head and make you think that you’re a bigger star than you are. You’re not on my level and you will never be on my level because I am going to end you before you reach your maximum potential.”– Sami Callihan"

This past week on MLW Fusion, Strickland revealed his fourth teammate – John Hennigan. As this pick was revealed, “Swerve” and company were informed that Callihan had enlisted “The Monster” Abyss to join his ranks. From the shadows, Callihan, Scott, Fulton and Havoc attacked the four men before being chased off by Strickland’s fifth man – “The Innovator of Violence” Tommy Dreamer.

September 6 will see the MLW debut of Abyss who has been a mainstay of TNA/Impact Wrestling since 2003. He has carved out a legacy for himself as one of the most violent competitors in Impact history competing in Monster’s Ball, Barbed Wire Massacre, and Lethal Lockdown matches. The latter of these gives Abyss unique experience in War Games.

None of the men competing in this match have been in a proper War Games match before, though Tommy Dreamer has had success in one Lethal Lockdown match. Abyss has competed in four total Lockdown matches with two victories for his teams.

Callihan needed to pull from the depths to find someone who could match the level of violence that Tommy Dreamer will bring to Strickland’s team. He also had to find someone depraved enough to fit in with himself, The Death Machines and Jimmy Havoc.

With the selection of Abyss, Callihan has rounded out a group who will be bent on bringing destruction, and an end, to Shane Strickland’s front door. War Games emanates from Fort Lauderdale on September 6 – if you can’t see it live and in person, you can catch it when it hits beIN Sports and MLW’s official YouTube channel.