Before anything bloody and gory could take place, Matt Riddle questioned Cesar Duran’s matchmaking abilities to be worst than Brock damn Lesnar. Ha! I hope you heard that, Mr. The Beast because I wouldn’t be surprised if you did. Your name has been dropped. Riddle weirdly getting paired off with Mads Krugger, the same man who took his title in the first place, against the World Tag Team Champions in The Skyscrapers is a big plop of an idea. Duran wanted to test if Matt is truly the alpha male of MLW.
Atlantis vs. Rugido vs. Blue Panther (c) – Three-Way National Openweight Championship match
Rugido slightly kicked the champ over as Atlantis delivered an arm drag to Rugido before sighting his sights on Panther. The champ went for the cover after smacking Atlantis with a clothesline, but Rugido intercepted. Blue surprised everyone with a rolling Senton onto Atlantis on the main floor. It didn’t take long for Blue to return to the ring and get chopped by Rugido. Back and forth assaults ensued between the two.
While Blue Panther basked in the admiration of the fans, Rugido saw an opening and took it by ploughing through the Champion with a clothesline. Whatever momentum Blue had was extinguished after that. His mask was nearly removed as a result. Atlantis came bulldozing in once he noticed that Rugido was going for the cover. While he remained on the sidelines, Panther and Atlantis brawl it out in the middle. The champ almost retained his title following a roll up.
At some point, it seemed like Blue and Rugido teamed up to overwhelm Atlantis as the fight spilled to the outside. They whipped Atlantis into the guardrail, so Blue and Rugido could focus on each other. Later on, Atlantis slid back into the ring, he and Rugido got squashed by a body splash from Blue. The champ was amazing to watch when he delivered an incredible launching maneuver against Rugido, sending him into the corner.
Atlantis and Rugido missed the double clothesline as Blue reversed with a double face plant. Atlantis went flying outside the ring, leaving Panther with Rugido. The champ initiated an arm bar out of nowhere to which Rugido tapped to almost immediately.
Winner: Blue Panther
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Brittnie Brooks – Lightning match
Brooks was holding her own pretty well as she almost pinned Shotzi with a backslide within the first ten seconds of the match. Brittnie knew the assignment the moment she arrived as she delivered a painful knee strike to Shotzi’s abdomen. In the crowd area, World Featherweight Champion, Shoko Nakajima, was keeping a close eye on tonight’s proceedings.
From the top, Shotzi flattened Brittnie with a crossbody that also squashed her face when you pay attention. My reaction was “oof”. Whatever Blackheart was thinking of doing, Brooks prevented her with a couple of kicks to the stomach plus a suplex for good measure.
There’s eight minutes left on the clock as both women do their best to knock the other out cold long enough for a three count. A kick to the temple sent Shotzi to the turnbuckles. Brooks’ bulldog was nicely done, but not match ending nice since Blackheart remained in the fight.
And she didn’t disappoint with that comeback offensive movement she does that caused Brittnie to spiral. An Exploder slowed her down. Blackheart followed Brittnie to the main floor with a rolling Senton to her opponent. Nakajima was caught off guard by Shotzi’s abruptness.
Five minutes left to this match as Brooks yanked on Shotzi’s back while she attempted to climb the ropes. A running knee to Blackheart’s jaw really showed on her face how hurtful that was. Despite that, Shotzi’s shock when her DDT didn’t pin Brittnie down annoyed her. Even Shoko jolted a little bit. When Brooks got back up, she punched the hell out of Blackheart that she bounced a good two feet away like a fish out of water. Ha!
She moved passed that, delivered a superplex and a Senton to win over Brooks. Even though Shotzi won, a mysterious assailant attacked her backstage just as she was sending a message to Priscilla Kelly… now she can since, I’m sure, she was just here.
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart
BREAKING NEWS The Good Brothers, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, also known as The O.C., are coming to MLW on Nov 20. After CW Anderson sacrificed himself on the electric chair by Mads Krugger’s hand three weeks ago, Brock Anderson was looking for his time to strike back by demanding a title match versus Krugger next month.
Magnus vs. Diego Hill vs. Shigeo Okumura vs. Ikuro Kwon vs. Stigma – Middleweight Scramble match
Ha! The second the bell rang, Diego went and kicked Magnus in the side of his head so quickly that I found it comical. The man didn’t see it coming at all. Okumura planted Hill, then Stigma took him out, and Ikuro floored his ass as the last man currently standing. Magnus came back and rammed Kwon down. Magnus and Hill were left in-ring as Diego exchanged the best of himself against Magnus, who rolled to the floor after that stomp to his back.
Hill was hoping to flip Stigma over after being caught off guard, yet he suffered at his hands nonetheless with a powerbomb cover that Shigeo had to break up. He took out Stigma. My friend Kwon made it back in the fight as he and Okumura attempt to double their efforts on Magnus, who got the best of both men. The same can’t be said when Diego came flying in.
Back in the ring, Ikuro hit a beautiful kick to Stigma’s stomach, but he couldn’t follow that up since his prey alluded him with a dragon corkscrew. These types of matches are so fast that anyone swoops in and out in seconds. Magnus and Stigma were battling it out now. Hill continued to get better as he stomped Stigma with a Mexican Destroyer until he got destroyed himself by Okumura.
Kwon ploughed Hill and Stigma for the price of one, yet he collided with Magnus’ boot as he tumbled backwards out of sight, out of mind. Meanwhile, Magnus and Stigma had the same idea and knocked each other out. Again, Shigeo and Ikuro were trying to work together to take out Diego, their opponent got the better of them, escaped, shoved Kwon into Okumura, then performed a winning corkscrew from the top to earn a title match with Templario.
Winner: Diego Hill
Mads Krugger & Matt Riddle vs. The Skyscrapers (c) – World Tag Team Championship match
I thought I was hearing things when the announcer said that this is a Tag Team Championship match that involves Riddle and Krugger as partners? I suppose I wasn’t paying enough attention to what Duran said earlier, but I could have sworn that he didn’t mention titles on the line, lest of all the ones the Skyscrapers are holding.
While Riddle was making his entrance, the Champions ambushed their challengers prior to the start of the match. Bishop Dyer went after Matt as Donovan went for Krugger’s neck… ultimately, that only sent him flying into the crowd area like old cheese. Dyer witnessed Dijak being taken out, so he bulldozed Mads into the guardrail. Alex Hammerstone enjoyed every minute of it.
Right in front of the commentary table, Mads hit Donovan in the head with a trash lid. Krugger was seen bleeding from the temple when he came back with a chair in hand to smack Dijak with. Strangely, even Hammerstone thought this to be more violent than he expected despite, not long ago, said that Matt and Mads are getting what they deserve.
Riddle and Krugger hate one another, that’s why this makes no sense to me for them to actually team up for something that’ll probably last a month. Regardless, Krugger sent Donovan plunging into Dyer’s stomach. Funnily so, Mads used Matt as a weapon against Dyer for a near fall. Riddle was seen rolling around pain. “It took all three of his braincells to come up with that maneuver.” said Hammerstone
For only a second, Matt felt like having a verbal discussion with Hammerstone after dodging Donovan’s attack and deliver a middle finger knee strike. Like I said, this wasn’t going to last, even before winning the belts. Riddle left the ring to get in Hammerstone’s face. What made me laugh was how the announcer got up knowing exactly what was going to happen with his hands up like: “Oh, hell no. I’m out.”
Matt shoved Alex, which encouraged him to pounce after Riddle like he asked for it. I know I asked for it. Everyone’s balls were doing jack hell as the Skyscrapers put Krugger through a table he set up. It did nothing to him. Hammerstone and Riddle were still tussling outside. The one thing I can always count on is MLW’s ability to give me really, bloody violence.
Winners: No one
Congratulations to Satoshi Kojima for receiving the Founding Father’s Award for helping build MLW to what it is today. He was presented with that award earlier this evening by Court Bauer.
Virus vs. Templario (c) – World Middleweight Championship match
Even though Virus was bending Templario back multiple times, the champ was still good to look at as he fought to escape the grip he was in. He dodged a trip attempt from Virus and flipped the man over into a crucifix pinning position for a near fall. Virus came close to winning as well.
There wasn’t too much of a need for high flying action since most of it was kept on the mat to better keep the opposing challenger grounded. Virus took a chance and succeeded into forcing a crash with Templario and the unprotected floor. Virus climbed to the top, and Templario swiftly followed him there, unfortunately, his challenger headbutt him hard enough to fling him off.
Templario momentarily fell into the trap, but he came back by tripping Virus to land face first into the bottom turnbuckle. An amazing suplex from the champ nearly came with a retention then and there. Virus made sure to not let that happen as he sent Templario’s body down to the mat from up high. Whatever that was that came after, a brain buster maybe, Templario kicked out regardless. Big ouchy.
Templario made an explosive comeback when he adjusted mid-air for a missile drop kick, then performed a back breakker Code Red-like ending move to remain Champion.
Winner: Templario
Volador Jr. vs. Satoshi Kojima – Opera Cup Semi-Finals match
Since Kojima clearly had the upper hand, Volador’s friends saw fit to grab him by the ankle and proceed to rough him up in the background close to the fans. Okumura was trying to get the referee to do his job. Volador nearly stole this match, luckily, Satoshi remained in the game. Junior loved utilizing his battalion to his advantage cause deep down, he knows he sucks ass versus Kojima. That’s even more apparent when he’s trapped in the corner getting his chest torn open.
Since he couldn’t flatten Volador from the top, Kojima climbed back down to deliver a Cozy Cutter instead. I think Volador kicked out at the same time that his friends yanked the referee from the ring. We’re not sure… but that played a part when Kojima had Volador dead to rights with the lariat, yet there was no official. Okumura had to shove the dazed referee back inside the ring way too late.
Satoshi had to re-strategize his approach, Magnus saw this as an opportunity to trip Kojima in the corner, which caused him to land on his head and Volador hit him with a low-blow, then finished him with a Code Red.
Winner: Volador Jr.
Backstage, the Skyscrapers were ganging up on Mads Krugger. The only memorable moment I can speak on was that security guy with curl hair slipping on his run over here. Ha! Just when they got Dyer and Dijak to back away, Brock Anderson swooped in from behind with a chair to Krugger’s spine. Because of this, Cesar Duran sanctioned a title match between Mads and Brock.
Hidden footage of Paul London and Paul Walter Hauser yelling at each other was revealed after Slaughterhouse. They didn’t appear to be on the repairing stage of their friendship when they went in opposite directions swearing.
Mistico vs. Austin Aries – Opera Cup Semi-Finals match
Knowing that he mangled Mistico not too long ago upon finding out that he’ll be facing him in the Semi-Finals, Austin barely allowed Mistico time to breathe since he came out here. Nevertheless, Mistico did well to fight back with a couple of well-placed elbow shots to Aries’ jaw. A drop kick plus a kick to the stomach forced Austin to slip onto the outside. Before pushing him back inside the squared circle, Mistico chopped Austin down a little bit.
Aries may have to resort to petty tricks and sneaky tactics to advance, causing Mistico to get caught up in the ropes at some point, the masked Luchador recovered very fast as he kicked Austin on the side of his head while he climbed the turnbuckles. Aries flew on the receiving end of a Spanish Fly, and they both laid there to catch their breath. Mistico leaped into the cover, but by then, Austin had his foot on the bottom rope.
As retaliation, Aries drove Mistico’s neck through the apron with a brain buster. It was difficult for Mistico to get to a vertical base as he’s seen wobbling to his feet. Austin initiated another brain buster that rattled everyone’s bones. Pathetically, Aries wanted a count out win, but Mistico wouldn’t stay down. I was actually surprised when Aries rolled free from La Mistica, a submission no one has come out of unscathed.
In return, Mistico was able to escape the submission hold he was under as well. Aries measured his man, charged in and got floored for his troubles. Because Austin doesn’t like being told he’s wrong, he spat in the referee’s face for not counting to three despite the fact that Mistico’s foot was on the rope. Clearly, Aries stole the brace-knuckles from Duran’s office and planned to use it on Mistico. Luckily, he saw it coming and moved out of the way as Austin collided with the rails.
Mistico didn’t want to win via count out, so he pushed Aries back on the mat. A Senton and body splash finally put an end to Aries.
Winner: Mistico
TOP PHOTO: Diego Hill raising his hands in victory with Blue Panther. Courtesy of MLW
