MLW Fusion Report: Myron Reed vs. Shane Strickland, Richard Holliday vs. Davey Richards

Photo Courtesy: MLW

MLW Fusion #143

May 5th, 2022

Gilley’s in Dallas, TX

By: John Siino

Commentary: Rich Bocchini & Joe Dombrowski

Richard Holliday (w/ Alicia Atout) vs. Davey Richards

They start the match locking up as Richards works on Holliday’s left arm. Holliday tries it back, but Richards bridges out. Holliday comes back with clubs and stomps to the back, before being tossed to the outside where Richards attempts a suicide dive, just for Holliday to go back in and hit a spinebuster for a two. Holliday stomps out Richards in the corner before Atout chokes out Richards using the bottom rope. Holliday works on Richard’s left arm as the crowd boos him. Holliday tries to lift him up, but Richards reverses and hits a double stomp as they go to the commercial.

When we come back, Richards is delivering kicks to Holliday in the corner followed by a Dragonscrew on the ropes. Richards goes to the top, but Holliday gets out of the way before Richards grabs him and puts him in the Trailer Hitch in which Holliday crawls over and grabs the rope to break up. Richards comes back with more kicks, but Holliday dodges one and hits a double hook into a backbreaker for a two. They go back and forth until Richards puts on an ankle lock and into a penalty kick for one count. Richards hits a couple of superkicks, but Holliday comes back with a clothesline and The 2008 for the pin and the win.

Winner: Richard Holliday by pinfall at 9:39

Rich Bocchini tries to get a word with Holliday and Atout after, but Atout takes his mic and says there’s only one Richard that actually matters in her man. Atout says it’s time to hear from the new MLW World Heavyweight Champion, as Holliday tells the crowd to shut the hell up. Holliday says he doesn’t care what the fans think because he knows he’s the next champion and it was always him.

Reckoning Coming

We go to Ross and Marshall Von Erich who are upset that 5150 stole the World Class Heavyweight Championship. They said 5150 crossed the line by bringing their family into this, it makes them sick and it’s time to get even. They promise they will kick some ass tonight and there is a reckoning coming.

Put Some Respect

We see footage from earlier today where Mr. Thomas interrupts EJ Nduka backstage and tells him ‘good luck’ for tonight. Nduka says he doesn’t need luck and said Thomas was the clown who was talking all that crap with ‘that Ninja Turtle’. Thomas says he has respect, but he likes that bling Nduka has but what doesn’t look good on him is his partner, Calvin Tankman who calls him a bum. Nduka says to put some respect on their name, and he is looking at the future.

Octagon Jr. is the Golden Assassin

We see footage done in a classic martial arts style video for Octagon Jr. going through his accomplishments. Speaks about how Octagon was born in Mexico and was a tenacious loner showing promise while competing against some of Lucha’s best, preparing for the inevitable. And then the call came to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and travel to the East where two clans have waged war for generations, the yin to the other’s yang (as we see Pentagon Jr. in the video). Those who have donned the Octagon mask have waged war against the dark arts of their rival clan in a never-ending conflict. Embarking on a journey of combat and knowledge, Octagon Jr. trained in an ancient fighting art in his clan’s sacred dojo, but to be the master, he had to not only train in all fighting styles but conquer all that challenged his clan. And now it is his time to ascend, the MLW ring calls out to this warrior who fights with fury, he is Octagon Jr., and he is the Golden Assassin.

Next Week

·       MLW Caribbean Championship Cyclone Match: King Muertes (c) vs. Octagon Jr. vs. El Dragon vs. El Hijo de LA Park

Hustle & Power (Calvin Tankman & EJ Nduka) vs. Budd Heavy & Red Pickins

This is a non-title match for the MLW World Tag Team Champions now going by Hustle & Power. Tankman and Pickins start the match as the crowd is fully behind Hustle & Power. Pickins delivers very weak shots at Tankman before Tankman sends him flying with a shoulder tackle. Tankman chops Pickins on the ropes, before tagging in Nduka who comes in and hits a hard spinebuster. Nduka rams Pickins in the corners, before tagging Tankman back in and hitting a power slam on Pickins and spearing Heavy as Tankman hits a standing splash on Pickins for the pin.

Winners: Hustle & Power (Calvin Tankman & EJ Nduka) by pinfall at 1:20

Bocchini gets a word with Hustle & Power after and says they have been rolling along here. Tankman says they are two of the baddest men in any locker room and he promises that nobody can stop them. Nduka says they are the Hustle & Power of MLW.

That’s Not Enough

We go to Cesar Duran’s office where Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout are back there and tell Duran they are so happy they have upped the security here and talk about an emergency exit being propped open for them to come back in. Bestia 666 comes in and Duran hands him a stack of cash, but Bestia says that’s not enough. Duran keeps adding money, but Bestia says it’s not about the money it’s about Jacob Fatu and he wants a match with him. Duran makes an Apocalypto match between Fatu and Bestia, as Bestia takes the cash and leaves

Next Week

·       Apocalypto Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Bestia 666

MLW World Middleweight Championship: Myron Reed (c) vs. Shane Strickland

Myron Reed comes out first and gets on the mic. Reed says he’s dealing with injustice again and he needs answers on who attacked him, so he calls out Cesar Duran. Duran says that Reed is not a goat, but a sheep and he always welcomes the best fighters from around the world and tonight he has opened up a forbidden door to a former MLW World Heavyweight Champion. Duran tells Reed that he better be a moving target because this will be a ‘Killshot’ for him as it’s revealed to be AEW’s Swerve Strickland, who’s going by Shane Strickland and comes out to Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody’.

They start the match fast with a couple of pin attempts from Swerve and Reed blocking his kicks as they get into a shoving match. Reed lands a kick but gets sent on the apron where Swerve snaps Reed’s arm and sends him to the floor where he kicks him and keeps Reed’s head on the apron with his boot. Swerve keeps working on Reed’s arm in the corner, by stretching and kicking it. Reed comes back with a leg drop on the apron and then hits a tope suicida to Swerve on the outside. Reed jumps off the top rope back inside, but Swerve moves and lands in a fireman’s carry position as Reed hits an assisted DDT using the ropes for a two count. They start trading forearms and chops as Swerve falls on the apron, hits an elbow and a low dropkick followed by a suplex that Reed counters in a cutter. Reed tries a piledriver, but Swerve pushes him off and hits a kick and a cutter. Swerve hits a double stomp off the top rope but only gets a two-count. Reed fights off Swerve with elbows, hits a boot, goes to the stage, and jumps back into the ring with a cutter attempt but Swerve catches him for a cross-arm breaker. They transition into a couple of roll-up pin attempts before Reed jumps off the middle rope and hits a cutter for the pin and the win.

Winner: Myron Reed by pinfall at 7:54, to retain

Moby Dick & Jaws

We see 5150’s Rivera, Hernandez, and Dr. Julius Smokes who are by a river with the World Class Heavyweight Championship. Rivera says there are ducks here that remind him of the Von Erichs because they quack-quack all the time. Rivera says out with the old, in with the new with 5150 to live and die. He takes the title belt and chucks it into the river and says they better go send somebody to get it as Smokes says, ‘Moby Dick and Jaws!’

About John Siino 359 Articles
New York native and reporter at POST Wrestling. He is also Associate Producer at POISONRANA, co-host of 'Collision Course' and the host of the 'Shot in the Dark' podcast.