Good evening to you all,
As we begin the night with Cesar Duran after he’s made his announcement of last week saying he’ll take over the MLW brand. Duran has a gift for us, but according to him, we don’t deserve it. Regardless, he’ll show it to us anyway. He just signed a new Luchador from Mexico he deems to be the strongest and most brutal of all the Luchas he’s welcomed into Azteca… Sam Adonis.
As Duran introduces this man to the audience, I can’t say they were happy to see him. I could hear the crowd saying “You suck!” towards Cesar. I almost fell over laughing. Although, Duran is annoying, he does sign those with the best talents such as Adonis, the agitator. Cesar says that if MLW wants this fighter on their roster more often, they’ll have to offer him extra money, which someone at the commentary table labelled it as laundering. Rightfully so. Ha!
Sam Adonis vs. Johnny Patch
Right off the bat, Adonis is disliked by the crowd as they shout distasteful comments at him, which he retaliates with remarks of his own that aren’t audible for me to hear. Thank you, God.
As the match begins, Adonis has Patch in a hold that closely resembles the Hurt Lock Bobby Lashley is so prone to use against his opponents, before throwing Johnny forwards using his head.
Given he allowed this man into his group, Duran is at ringside looking on the match with anticipation.
Johnny was about to do a back slide, but Adonis quickly intercepts with a knee to the groin. Sam decides to put on a little side show by tight-rope walking then performs an astonishing neck breaker that took way too much time if you ask me. Adonis is too theatrical for a sport that doesn’t require this kind of showstopper.
Adonis uses the full extent of Patch’s arm to deliver two clotheslines before finishing him off with an Orange Blossom Thunder Driver. A name so unnecessarily long and bonkers. Lord. Who named this move?
Winner: Sam Adonis
I’ve never hear of this Lio Rush character, but he sounds intriguing. Apparently, he’ll be back soon. I’m not sure when, so I’ll wait here till then.
Elsewhere, the Bomaye Fight Club, I hate the way the spell their name, have made it crystal clear that this year they’ll put the new British Bulldogs out of their misery, even though, Alex Kane’s team are the ones who lost last week.
Kane also makes it known that he changed the Opera Cup’s name to Oprah Cup. Says he’ll win it then eliminate everybody at Battle Riot, and step on top of Hammerstone’s chest with the title belt held high because he says so. Hmm. Slightly delusional.
What do the Bulldogs have to say about that? When Davey Boy Smith Jr. said that Kane can name the Cup the Celine Dion Cup, or the Jim Carrey Cup for all he cares, I burst out crying. That came out of nowhere. Ha! Ha! Ha!
The point is that the names don’t matter, but if Alex damages the Cup, that’s a different story. “You can keep spuing your verbal diarrhea (ew), thinking your funny, it’s only a matter of time before you step into the ring with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and I’m going to hurt you.”
We love pain here.
Yamato vs. Shun Skywalker (c) – Open the Dream Gate Championship match
For this fight we go to Dragongate Japan to witness Yamato wrestle against Skywalker for a Championship match. It’s riveting to see another wrestling brand on the same night as MLW, and it’s in Japan. A fascinating place I want to visit one day.
Skywalker seems to have a tight grip on Yamato with a headlock that almost looked to me like they randomly decided to rest in the middle of the ring. It took a while…
Just as Yamato thinks he has a handle on Shun, he’s met with a sudden spine breaker. Yama manages to turn it around into a high kick to Skywalker’s jaw as he sat at the top of the turnbuckles.
Yamato has a plan. He drags Shun towards to the ramp, so he could deliver a brain buster, instead, Skywalker makes himself heavy enough to switch the roles by planting Yamato on his head with the exact move his challenger tried to do. The gambit failed for Yama there.
Shun runs towards Yamato at full speed, and he receives an Exploder as quickly as a race car’s winning streak. He tumbles close to the ring after that.
Skywalker goes with another tactic. He crashes Yamato’s body face first against the apron and wastes no time with a harsh kick to the face once inside the ring, a body slam then a Moonsault for a failed cover.
Yamato later chooses to destabilize Shun’s leg, so he can’t fly from high places. This gives the challenger the advantage as he kicks a cornered Skywalker in the front and back of the head.
Yamato beautifully hits a Missile Drop Kick from the top. Shun counters with kicks to the lower abdomen and a DDT for good measure.
There’s a lot of shrieking during this fight, mind you. Aside from that noise, Shun wanted to Powerbomb Yamato, yet he changes it into a Sleeper. Skywalker attempts to break the hold by climbing to the second rope and back drop Yamato. It was a success for Shun, but a failure for Yama.
Shun amazes us with a Moonsault with his knees up to crash onto Yamato’s throat followed by another flip off the ropes, but Yamato remains in the game.
Later Shun tried to Powerbomb Yamato, but once again, his challenger reverses it into a Sleeper then a German Suplex that Shun quickly gets up from. Astonishing. Yet more so for Yamato because he kicks out of the SSW due to Skywalker’s two second delay.
Since the Galleria move didn’t work, Yamato chose to end this fight with the Ragnarök to win the Open the Dream Gate Championship belt for the fifth time.
Winner: Yamato
Unfortunately, the reason why Richard Holliday hasn’t been present on our screens as of late is because he’s been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in September of last year. “When you’re breathing rarified air, you keep fighting.” Holliday said.
He may have been a two-face prick in the ring, but I never wish bad on anyone. So I pray he’ll get healthy soon and soundly. That’s my biggest concern.
Backstage, Microman was minding his business while eating Reese’s, but Sam Adonis chose to dump a garbage can on top of him. Lince Dorado decides to step in and assist, yet Duran seems to have an ulterior motive. He tries to lure Dorado into Azteca’s clutches given the gold around his waist.
Taya Valkyrie (c) vs. Trish Adora – Women’s World Featherweight Championship match
Taya shows no fear when brawling with Adora. She’s taken Brittany Blake and Lady Flammer to retain her title, so this isn’t going to be a new challenge… or so she thinks. Underestimating your opponent could be just as dangerous as the potential defeat.
Valkyrie has most of the leverage over Adora as they tumble in the middle of the ring, but Trish does manage to get a grip on the champ’s arm while she’s flattened on her stomach.
Taya rises up by tangling Adora’s limbs, so she has none left to tap out with. Valkyrie stomps on the back of her neck with harsh aggression.
Trish fights back with a few knocks to the face then a suplex to the champ.
Valkyrie was looking for The Road to Valhalla, but she’s swiftly met with a back breaker out of nowhere. So she headbutts the challenger.
What I didn’t expect was for Cesar to trip up Adora while Taya kept the referee’s attention on her. That came as a huge surprise. That man is going to get it. Guarantee.
Another shocking involvement from Duran was when Trish had Taya in her arms, preparing for whatever it is she was going to, then suddenly, she’s pulled from under her feet, so Taya could cover a win in the most corruptive way possible.
Winner: Taya Valkyrie
TOP PHOTO: Sam Adonis standing with Duran after a victorious match. Courtesy of MLW