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

It’s main event time as Rey Fenix challenges Low Ki for the MLW World Heavyweight Title. Fenix and Pentagon were brought into MLW under the wing of Salina de La Renta’s Promociones Dorado, but they have both since parted ways to align with Konnan much to the dismay of de La Renta. Now, Fenix looks to sever the final tie with his former promoter as he looks to wrest the championship away from Low Ki.

MLW World Heavyweight Title: Low Ki vs Rey Fenix

The crowd is all over Low Ki during the intros and it’s hilariously wonderful how loud they boo him to the point of nearly drowning out the ring announcer. The Fort Lauderdale crowd is firmly behind Fenix in his attempt to become an MLW double champion.

These two start things off slowly for about the first 1% of the match before Fenix begins to fly. After some fancy footwork on the ropes with a springboard arm drag, Fenix flies onto Ki outside of the ring with a somersault plancha which takes the challenger over the guard rail and into the crowd. This one is almost immediately out of control!

Fenix follows up with a snappy superkick across the jaw of Ki against the railing before taking things back into the ring. Ki proves that he’s got Fenix scouted by avoiding his rolling cutter with a shotgun dropkick to the chest. At this point, Ki begins to slow it back down with his trademark kicks to the chest.

Fenix rolls to the outside to escape the onslaught but Ki follows him out and continues to lay a beating on the challenger. Ki re-enters the ring and waits for Fenix to join him and, once he does, he begins ripping at the mask of the challenger. This always gives me a stress stomach ache. During NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors, El Desperado and Dragon Lee had a match where the mask-ripping was giving me a panic attack. If you’re into feeling extremely nervous while watching wrestling, I suggest you go check it out.

Back to the match at hand, Ki is able to dominate most of the remainder of the match. While back on the arena floor, Ki slingshots Fenix into the railing causing the challengers to be split wide open. With blood now pouring from the head of one half of the World Tag Team Champions, Ki zeroes in on his prey.

Despite a late-match second wind, Ki is able to trap Fenix in a wheelbarrow in the ropes where de La Renta rips the damaged mask off of the face of Fenix. Fenix, looking to protect his face, rolls into the ring with his hands covering his face. Low Ki uses the vulnerability to land a double foot stomp from the top rope to the small of Fenix’s back to grab the victory and retain the championship.

Grade: Great. Fantastic main event and well worth the wait after the previous weeks of War Games matches.

I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt about Low Ki becoming the MLW World Heavyweight Champion at first. I love Shane Strickland and Ki’s victory just fell a little flat for me. However, I think the story arc of Ki moving away from The Professional in the shirt and tie to a Low Ki bent on destruction has been an enjoyable one. The de La Renta/Konnan stable war adds another wrinkle as well to flesh the World Heavyweight Title scene out even more.