MLW Fusion Results, Highlights, and Grades: Low Ki Disgraces Fenix

Back from a break, Shane Strickland breaks down the factors leading into his match with Tom Lawlor at Fury Road. Strickland makes it known that despite no longer holding the MLW World Heavyweight Title, he is still the Ace of Major League Wrestling. He’s coming to Fury Road in New York to show everybody that he’s still the man in MLW at the expense of Lawlor.

Grade: Okay. Not the best promo from Strickland. It was a little stilted but not terrible – nothing that another take couldn’t have fixed.

In an “Earlier Today” segment, MJF and Aria Blake approach Ricky Martinez outside of the locker room of Low Ki. MJF tries to strike up a conversation with Martinez asking if he could get some assistance from Salina de La Renta for some unknown reason. MJF tries to bond with Martinez over his scarf and Martinez’s tie having similar patterns which is just adorable. Martinez gives him no real response but seems to take that as a positive.

Grade: Good. MJF is always a treat. He plays the role of the smarmy, entitled, somewhat obtuse jerk perfectly and this segment is no exception.

It’s time to catch up with Jason Cade and Rhett Giddins as they leave the arena. Giddins tries to shoo the camera away but Cade allows them to stay so he can address Jimmy Yuta. Cade is furious that Yuta interrupted him as he tried to bless the crowd with his words earlier in the night and reminds Yuta that he has a “bad freakin’ attitude” and he’s going to take it all out on his former partner.

Grade: Good. Cade seems like he’s having fun with the solidified heel turn, and if it leads to more matches with Yuta then I’m on board 10,000%.

In our final pre-main event segment, Tom Lawlor provides his thoughts on his coming match with Shane Strickland. Lawlor challenges Strickland to bring his all because he wants to face him at his peak – he wants the Strickland who beat Matt Riddle and Pentagon and who once held the World Heavyweight Title. Lawlor vows to fight with the champions of the past in his mind before letting us all know that this isn’t Swerve’s House – it’s a Filthy World.

Grade: Good. Another fun snippet of a promo to build toward Fury Road. Love the tagline at the end and I think it sticks better than attempting to replace the “L” in MLW with “Lawlor”.

I just have to say, I love the style of promo that MLW has embraced. It’s nothing groundbreaking or anything, but it goes to show you how much can be conveyed in a 15-30 second clip when the wrestlers are allowed to just speak their own words in their own style. Not every promo needs to be in front of a backdrop with an interviewer and a microphone, and these quick promo bursts help to get so many more faces and voices into an episode of Fusion each week. Ba-da-da-da-da, I’m lovin’ it.