MLW Fusion Results, Highlights, and Grades: War Games
Low Ki’s Future
A pre-taped segment with Low Ki and Salina de La Renta entering the building airs with reporters asking questions about Rey Fenix and the future of the MLW World Heavyweight Title. I don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t know what anybody said here! With that in mind, though, de La Renta running down reporters in Spanish comes off far more convincing than any promo I’ve seen of hers in English. Can we just get more of that? In NXT, everyone knew Asuka meant business and was about to smash someone into pieces when she would begin yelling in Japanese; I think the same idea could be used with de La Renta, who I’ve found to be less than impressive as a manager to this point.
After working their way through the reporters, Ki and Salina nearly collide with Tommy Dreamer as he exists a conference room – obviously not coming out of a meeting where anybody on the planet reviewed his War Games promo. The three have a tense moment before Dreamer apologizes for almost running into Salina and walks off.
Grade: Good. Another super short snippet here, but I saw more fire in Salina’s bit here than I have so far. If only she’d challenge that same level of enthusiasm into her managing and was more active at ringside rather than standing silent and emotionless like a statue of a manager.
Hart of the Matter
Casey Lennox is with Teddy Hart and Brian Pillman Jr in the back where she introduces the duo as two-thirds of the group facing fines and possible suspensions for the vicious attack on Kevin Sullivan two weeks ago. Off-mic, Pillman mutters “We can’t be suspended if Davey takes care of it.” What does that mean?! As the two men swirl snifters of wine, Hart declares that nobody is going to be suspended and that MLW can call the cops if they want, but that’s a coward’s move (here’s looking at you, noted cop-caller MJF). Hart implies that his family has taken crap for decades in this business, but the new Hart Foundation has momentum that can’t be stopped.
Pillman keeps it short as he continues the Hart Foundation’s weird beef with the US media by telling the American people who they’re being lied to at every turn. He expects the Foundation to be vilified, but they will devour every plot and attempt to take them down to make themselves stronger and better. Pillman calls the group the new “cash cow” taking over Major League Wrestling before Hart wraps things up by telling Lennox that she actually had respect this time around before, again, declaring that the media won’t smear their name.
Grade: Fine. Teddy is meandering, as usual, making sense about 60% of the time while talking for a bit too long. Pillman was better here as his piece was kept short and to the point without as many winding roads as Hart usually tends to go down.
The Inhuman PCO
Directly before the main event kicks off, PCO is with the extremely busy Casey Lennox to build toward his match with Brody King next week. PCO is insane. Okay? The quicker everyone realizes that, the better off you’ll be. I say that as someone who absolutely loves PCO. PCO tells King that he’s going to find out exactly why PCO isn’t human as his eyes flicker and dart all over the place. He’s not going to win any Oscars or Emmy’s anytime soon, but PCO knows exactly what his character is and what he should be doing and he does it with perfection.
Grade: Fine. If you miss it, you aren’t missing anything spectacular. I think the segment itself is less than twenty-seconds long, but it works as an in-the-box style promo to hype what should be a super fun hoss fight with Brody King.