MLW Fusion Results, Highlights, and Grades: Hart vs Swann

Konnan: Miracle Worker

Directly before the main event, Konnan is backstage with Casey Lennox to provide an update on the situation with Pentagon Jr and Fenix. Apparently, Konnan has connections at every level in every country and has sprung the Tag Team Champions from the ICE detention center where they were being held.

Konnan informs Salina that the Lucha Bros will be able to defend their Tag Team Titles in Chicago against Los Parkas and that she’ll be looking at another (another?) “L” when the duo come out successful on the other end.

Grade: Okay. Thankfully, this wraps up a weird “monster of the week” type storyline.

This is easily the quickest resolution to any immigration problem in this country in the past couple of years. Konnan was somehow able to free two masked men from ICE detainment in the span of a single episode of MLW Fusion. Maybe his talents are being wasted in professional wrestling?

One thing that struck me as odd here is Konnan telling Salina that she’s looking down the barrel at “another loss” when the Lucha Bros come to Chicago. So far, Salina has been successful over both Fenix and Pentagon Jr at the hands of Low Ki and LA Park respectively. de La Renta has the momentum heading into Fightland as she looks to bring more gold back into her fold.

Teddy Hart vs Rich Swann

Has anyone made any kind of Tunnel of Love joke with these two yet? You know, Hart and Swann? Anything there? Anyway.

Teddy Hart starts off with a handshake and a hug for Rich Swann showing some sportsmanship to his recently injured competitor. Hart proceeds to pose on the second rope to the cheers of the crowd, but when Swann does the same he finds himself attacked by the leader of The Hart Foundation from behind.

Hart is in control early on hitting a trifecta of lungblowers from different positions on Swann, working over the back of his smaller opponent. Hart takes his time to soak up the adulation from the crowd after every other move or so as he plays with Swann a bit.

Remember that promo from Swann right before the main event? The one where he claimed ACH would be by his side to prevent Smith and Pillman from interfering? Well, ACH was nowhere to be found and The Hart Foundation shenanigans were in full effect.

Hart and Swann spill to the outside for a bit where Hart uses a portion of the guard rail to continue his attack on Swann with a body slam and moonsault across the steel. Fighting back onto the apron, the two trade the advantage back and forth with piledrivers and cutters along the edge of the ring.

Swann is almost able to put Hart away with the Sharpshooter eliciting a mixed response from the crowd, but in the end, it’s Hart connecting with a Canadian Destroyer off of the top rope for the three count. The Destroyer, of course, comes with more assistance from Smith at ringside.

Grade: Okay. I just wasn’t feeling this match which felt like it dragged on and on.

I’ve written in the past about Teddy Hart and how it seems like he’s stuck in a time warp still living in an era where hitting move after move is enough to incite a crowd rather than building a story to each of those moves. I saw more of that here.

While there was some quick back and forth action, it never felt like this one consistently found its pacing. Hart, at times, seems to move at about half-speed and pauses a lot to play to the crowd which, in my opinion, hurts the overall flow of the match.

I think there’s also a problem with how both Hart and Swann are presented and received. The Hart Foundation should have been the clear heels here as they used their numbers to cheat Swann out of the victory time after time – yet, the crowd was at best split between Hart and Swann and at worst favoring Hart.

You can’t fault the crowds for cheering for who they enjoy watching, but I think it might be time to stop trying to make The Hart Foundation a hated faction unless they start committing some truly heinous acts on the top fan-favorites in MLW.