MLW Fusion Results, Highlights, and Grades: Strickland vs Rush
Pillman’s Playground
Brian Pillman Jr joined us from the “exotic place” of a rooftop playground to brag about his victory over Tommy Dreamer in a match he helped make famous – the Singapore Cane Match.
Pillman begged Dreamer to do battle with him one more time and offered the opportunity for The Innovator of Violence to do so in his own backyard. Pillman was quick to let Dreamer know that, if they do face off again, it would be Dreamer begging for mercy.
How Was It? Not the greatest. A little bit of a rambler, but it got the point across.
Pillman still has a ways to go until he’s a consistent promo. Sometimes he hits the mark and other times he falls short. This one felt a little bit directionless or, at least, not made up of fully formulated ideas before the words were spoken.
Nonetheless, Pillman and Dreamer will have the opportunity to choose mystery partners and go to war once more in Philadelphia at SuperFight.
Low Ki: 15 Years And Counting
Backstage, Kaci Lennox asked Low Ki how it felt to be going on 15 years undefeated in Major League Wrestling. Ki, always modest, claimed that this solidifies him as the great MLW World Heavyweight Champion of all time.
The Professional graciously let Tom Lawlor know that, at SuperFight, he could join a long list of wrestlers who have tried and failed to knock him from his pedestal in MLW. Ki rattled off the names of the others Lawlor could join – names like Daga, Rey Fenix, and Shane Strickland.
How Was It? A solid promo from the World Heavyweight Champion.
Blink and you’d miss it, but Low Ki does well at not only putting over his own accomplishments but, in a backhanded kind of way, putting over Lawlor and the men he’s beaten in the past to stay on top. Daga, Fenix, and Strickland are all top names in independent wrestling and adding Lawlor to any list that includes them is a positive for the leader of Team Filthy. We’ll see if Lawlor can be the one to break the cycle of Low Ki’s dominance on February 2 at SuperFight.
Ricky Martinez vs Gringo Loco
Both men started off hot here charging at one another in the center of the ring but avoiding contact. Neither man gained the early advantage, finding ways to counter and counter-counter one another’s moves until a frustrated Martinez caught an unwitting Gringo with a pair of kicks and a jumping neckbreaker.
Martinez added insult to injury by gyrating on the head of Gringo before driving his skull into the canvas to the delight of himself and de la Renta.
Back on their feet, Gringo caught Martinez with a pop-up spine buster but saw the tides turn quickly as the jacked Martinez sent him spiraling into the air with a shoulder block.
Keeping everybody guessing, though, Gringo caught Martinez on the top rope with a super Falcon Arrow before laying him out with a springboard cutter in the center of the ring. Gringo could only keep Martinez down for a two count and set to the skies once more.
With a corkscrew senton in mind, Gringo took to the air but Salina at ringside was able to pull Martinez out of the way. Back on his feet, Martinez gouged at the eye of Gringo in a clear message sent to Kotto Brazil before nailing a stomach breaker for the victory.
How Was It? A little uninspired.
I don’t think I’m necessarily on board with Gringo Loco. I’ve seen him a handful of times in MLW and elsewhere but have honestly never been blown away by him. His offense, for the most part, feels like someone moving through mud.
I have enjoyed Martinez as he steps more and more into his role in MLW and within Promociones Dorado and am looking forward to seeing him highlighted more and more as a feud with the returning Kotto Brazil looms on the horizon.