By Jon
COMMENTATORS: Rich Bocchini & Saint Laurent
MLW’s first big event of the year, Kings of Colosseum, features three championship matches: Myron Reed defending the World Middleweight Title against Lio Rush, The Von Erich Brothers putting the World Tag Team Championship on the line against The Dirty Blondes, and Alexander Hammerstone defending the National Openweight Championship against the man who put him out of action for a month Mads Krugger.
CHAMPIONS
- MLW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Jacob Fatu
- MLW NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION: Alexander Hammerstone
- MLW WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION: Myron Reed
- MLW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Von Erich Brothers (Marshall & Ross Von Erich)
LINEUP
- BUNKHOUSE MATCH: The Von Erich Brothers [c] vs. The Dirty Blondes for the MLW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (*)
- Myron Reed [c] vs. Lio Rush for the MLW WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (***)
- Alexander Hammerstone [c] vs. Mads Krugger for the MLW NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**)
*****
BUNKHOUSE MATCH
The Von Erich Brothers (Marshall & Ross Von Erich) [c] defeated The Dirty Blondes (Michael Patrick & Leo Brien) [w/ Aria Blake] via pinfall to retain the MLW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (3:53)
Von Erichs came to fight for this one, wearing their best Bunkhouse attire (jeans and cowboy boots, or jeans and NO boots in Marshall’s case). Brawl broke out immediately among the teams, the action spilling backstage and even outside of the wherever they’re recording these shows, Michael Patrick getting thrown over and somewhat through a plastic folding table. The fight moved back to the ring, Aria Blake got involved but couldn’t secure the win for her boys (and Col. Robert Parker by proxy) as The Von Erichs got the win with a Claw/back suplex combo on Patrick.
- Not much to it really, but there’s something to be said about being quick and efficient I guess. Also Aria Blake is cool and all but she’s no substitute for Col. Robert Parker. BRING ME COL. ROBERT PARKER YOU MONSTERS. (*)
-Von Erichs are ready to fight in 2021 and have signed an open contract to take on all comers.
-OPERA CUP 2020 CLIP: Tom Lawlor beats Low-Ki for the sterling silver.
–”Filthy” Tom Lawlor sent in a video message bragging about all the seedy strip clubs he’s brought the Opera Cup to and how he brings it to the bathroom with him and sometimes uses it as a bathroom. Lawlor said he was sober for the first time since winning, however, because he had an announcement: FIGHT ISLAND IS COMING.
–Myron Reed and Lio Rush made some comments ahead of their upcoming match tonight, the former saying he needed to beat his idols to cement his legacy and the latter calling himself the “Champ of the Hour”.
–Saint Laurent ran down the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 10…so will I:
- 10. Mads Krugger
- 9. Calvin Tankman
- 8. Laredo Kid
- 7. ACH
- 6. Richard Holliday
- 5. Myron Reed (World Middleweight Champion)
- 4. LA Park (not sure how, but okay)
- 3. Low-Ki
- 2. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (2020 Opera Cup Winner)
- 1. Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion)
- WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Jacob Fatu
-Bocchini announced that Jordan Oliver vs. Simon Gotch has been postponed and will not take place tonight, and hinted at possible CONTRA shenanigans being the reason.
Lio Rush defeated Myron Reed [c] [w/ Jordan Oliver] via pinfall to win the MLW WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (14:19)
Reed caught Rush in midair, but Rush turned it into a sunset flip for an early two-count. Reed countered a bulldog with a slingshot back suplex followed by a slingshot legdrop. Rush played some mind games with Reed, quickly dodging him all around the ring, smile on his face. Rush sent Reed to the floor with a rolling kick followed by a tope suicida through the middle and bottom ropes. The two traded forearms, Rush blocked a cutter attempt and hit a nip up into a spin kick for a two-count. Reed mounted a comeback with a series of clotheslines; Reed tried to create separation by sending him to the apron but Reed immediately slingshotted (is that even a word?) back in with a chestbreaker. Rush rolled through a half-nelson suplex, Reed connected with a fireman’s carry slam into a superkick but still couldn’t put him away. Rush rolled to the apron, visibly annoying Reed as he set up for a springboard. Rush connected with a moonsault on the floor and a twisting Unprettier but Reed kicked out of the pinfall attempt. Reed sent Rush to the apron again with a Matrix dodge and enzuigiri, then LOST HIS DAMN MIND and connected with an inside out cutter that sent them both crashing to the floor. Back in, Reed dodged the No Cap Splash, hit a bounce back stunner, and finished things off with a Frog Splash for the win.
- And with that Lio Rush wins a championship in his big MLW debut, ending Reed’s year-plus reign. I dug the match a lot, Reed’s cutter to the floor being the coolest move of the entire show, and I totally get MLW wanting to put the gold on Rush as he’s a pretty big name thanks to his WWE run and current stint on The Challenge. Glad they gave this one some time and both looked excellent, I’m looking forward to seeing what Rush does in MLW since he’s sticking around apparently. (***)
–Alicia Atout’s interview with Alexander Hammerstone was interrupted via CONTRA video feed, where Josef Samael promised two things in the New Year: a brand new CONTRA soldier and the end of Hammerstone’s career. I could listen to Samael’s fanatical promos all day. Honestly I’m surprised I never joined a cult.
–Salina de la Renta interrupted Bocchini & Laurent to announce that next week will be a special episode of Fusion executive produced by her and under the Promociones Dorado banner. She also announced that she cut a deal with LA Park to bring him back in the fold by giving Los Parks a shot at the Tag Team Titles against The Von Erichs on the show. A World Title match was also hyped for the week after as Jacob Fatu will defend against ACH.
–Myron Reed put Lio Rush over as the better man but vowed to do anything to get his World Middleweight Championship back. He and Jordan Oliver were then blindsided by Jacob Fatu and Simon Gotch of CONTRA, alongside their newest member: DAIVARI.
- Injustice vs. CONTRA is not a feud I saw coming (I also didn’t watch the MLW stuff during most of the pandemic) but I’m into it. Gonna take a lot for me to want to cheer for Jordan Oliver though, that dude is a natural at being someone you want to beat the sh*t out of. I mean that in the best way possible.
Alexander Hammerstone [c] & Mads Krugger fought to a double countout; Hammerstone retained the MLW NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (Time Not Recorded)
Hammerstone attacked Krugger during his entrance, blasting him with the Openweight belt. Krugger slammed Hammerstone off the buckles to start the match proper and splashed him in the corner. Hammerstone dodges a boot and connected with a release overhead belly to belly suplex, showing off his hideous strength. Hammerstone continued the attack with a bicycle kick and pumphandle fallaway slam but his pinfall attempt only got him a one-count. Krugger dropped down to block the Nightmare Pendulum, the two then traded corner advantage, raining down blows while shoving the ref away. The action spilled to the floor and they continued fighting on the entrance stage as the ref counted them out, and the show itself ending on the brawl still in-progress.
- MLW normally runs the match times at the top of the screen but after a CONTRA “surge” it disappeared for the end of the match and I couldn’t get a full time for the contest. I can almost guarantee that it ONLY bothers me but I’m a crazy person like that. Hammerstone and Krugger had a decent brawl, throwing bombs at each other and you could feel the animosity through the TV. The double countout was kind of a bummer, but either one taking a pinfall loss would’ve been weird so I get it ultimately. MLW has me on the hook for this Hammerstone/CONTRA feud and I can’t wait until it leads to YA BOY HAMMER smacking Jacob Fatu down and ascending the throne.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: Kings of Colosseum was an okay episode of TV, with Rush vs. Reed being the only highlight wrestling-wise. Hammerstone/Krugger was a fun brawl that continues that story, while the opening Tag Team match felt…just sorta there? I don’t know. I was hoping for a little more Bunkhouse in the Bunkhouse match, didn’t even go four minutes. Overall at under an hour they packed a lot in and there’s a lot to look forward to with MLW in 2021.
- MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Myron Reed vs. Lio Rush
- MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: Myron Reed’s inside out cutter off the apron to Lio Rush. Out of nowhere KICKASS move.
