MLW: Jacob Fatu vs Alex Hammerstone at Fightland has a big fight feeling
On October 2nd there is a big wrestling event that has a lot of people interested in the entire card. No, this is not a WWE or an AEW event, instead it’s MLW’s Fightland. Scheduled to go down in Philadelphia, the main event of Jacob Fatu against Alex Hammerstone is exactly what big-time professional wrestling is about.
One thing that made the recent runs of Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, and Kenny Omega special is that they have consistently found ways to win regardless of who was standing across from them. Reigns has not been defeated since December of 2019, while Omega has only lost once, dropping the Impact title to Christian. Lashley was just as dominant, putting together a reign of terror that saw him earn his first WWE championship.
Mainstream wrestling fans may not know the names of Alex Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu, but these two individuals have been equally as prevalent as a part of MLW.
On name alone, Fatu should immediately cause the ears of wrestling fans to perk up. Yes, he is a part of the Anoa’i Family; the same group that has helped create the likes of Yokozuna, Rikishi, The Usos, and Roman. Fatu’s father, Sam Fatu, performed in the WWE as the Tonga Kid and WCW as The Samoan Savage.
At this point in his career, Jacob Fatu has lived up to that name. At 6’2, 299 pounds he moves around the ring as if he’s not a heavyweight. And Fatu’s moonsault is one of the best in the business today. His current run as the MLW World Heavyweight Champion is 814 days into its existence. During that time, he has defeated the likes of Matt Cross, CIMA, Davey Boy Smith Jr, ACH, Tom Lawlor, and others. While the pandemic has played a part in the length of that run, it is clear that Fatu was destined to be booked as the monster that he is today.
But he is in for a very tough outing with Hammerstone. Hammerstone’s title run as the MLW National Openweight Champion is even longer than that of Fatu’s current run, sitting at 849 days. Mil Muertes, Laredo Kid, Lawlor, Smith Jr, and many others failed to take the title off Hammerstone’s waist. He is the first man to hold that title and what a run this has been.
Hammerstone has everything that an organization would want to build around. He and Fatu are 30 and 29 years of age respectively, giving MLW two youthful talents that could be pillars of not only this promotion but others for the time to come. Every opportunity MLW showcases these men, they are given the superstar treatment and that has resonated with the way fans see this approaching bout.
Throughout the pandemic, MLW promised that the title versus title match would happen in front of fans, and stretching it out to 2021 has helped the build of this moment. With this main event, Fightland stands to be a strong card. Davey Richards, Myron Reed, Jordan Oliver, Alicia Atout, and plenty others are scheduled to attend. While the term “dream match” is thrown around consistently, the booking of Jacob Fatu versus Alex Hammerstone has ensured that this will be a big match for fans to enjoy on October 2nd.