While dealing with a monopoly-related legal battle with WWE, Court Bauer’s MLW soldiers on with fresh storylines and a new World Champion in Alex Kane. MLW added a twist to this title change as it wasn’t simply another bruiser defeating the champion bruiser in a war.
During the post-match celebration, boxing manager and promoter Don King was revealed as the mystery backer behind the Bomaye Fight Club faction and movement in MLW. The BFC is a faction of Black wrestlers headed up by Alex Kane.
MLW Revealing Don King as the Backer of the Alex Kane-led Bomaye Fight Club Was Pulled Off Masterfully
Court Bauer is no stranger to working with personalities and athletes outside of professional wrestling. Tied in with Alex Kane was MMA camp owner and wrestling manager Dan Lambert. Kane came in towards the end of American Top Team and King Mo’s reign of mischief in the company.
Disassociated from them, Kane went on a path of destruction engaging in a feud with fellow wrecking ball Calvin Tankman. While he would be banned from competing in the annual Opera Cup tournament as a result, he would go on to win the National Openweight title and Battle Riot V.
With the Battle Riot V win, Alex Kane was on the path to face Alexander Hammerstone for the MLW World title at Never Say Never 2023. Way before the rise of Kane—or before he joined MLW in 2021, Court Bauer wanted to do something with Don King and the company.
MLW has always promoted itself as the evolution of wrestling—hybrid wrestling. While this took more in the shape of presentation—the COVID era match clock should’ve stayed—and the way storylines are booked, Court has done a good job of giving MLW its own wrestling universe.
The matches lean competitive in nature, and gimmicks and storylines for both all-age audiences and mature audiences exist on the same show, the core pro wrestling styles of brawling, flying, technical, and all-round are represented. You’ll have bouts with brawlers, brawls with technical strikers, aerial wars between hardcore daredevils and lucha technicians.
There’s always been a mix and in-ring, that’s where the “hybrid wrestling” manifests and makes MLW come off as a competitive-leaning product–even while mixing in sports entertainment. This is also what made Don King a must-get for Court Bauer.
However, MLW needed the right person to pull it off. There were some main event and to roster picks such as Jacob Fatu, Davey Boy Smith Jr, E.J Nduka, and King Mo but it wasn’t until Alex Kane came in that it clicked.
Kane started the faction Bomaye Fight Club and brought in other wrestlers he was familiar with and drew inspiration from the legendary “Rumble in the Jungle” fight between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman in 1974. Bauer felt that the connection was obvious and the faction was formed organically.
Not only that, the BFC accompanied Alex Kane everywhere much like an entourage/fight camp. Bauer saw the “perfect connection” as he told the New York Post.
“There was no other option on the table that we felt was so organic and would be such a great native of Don King promoting champions from Ali, to [Mike] Tyson to Kane and we’re like that’s the perfect landing if we can stick the landing.”
The idea was always there but the right name had to come along. While he’s 91, Don King is still very active in managing fighters and getting fights together. Kane found out that Don King would be involved in April 2022 but it took some time before King could shoot a promo given his fight booking.
Alex Kane was stoked to hear about Don King being in the mix:
“When Court told me it was Don King, I was ecstatic. Don King is a legend and a symbol of black excellence. I wanted to tell the world, but I had to keep it quiet.”
MLW aims to get Don King involved more with Alex Kane and the Bomaye Fight Club. The goal would be for him to appear live a few times but getting the promoter, Kane, and the BFC together for taped segments would also be considered a win.
Both the World champion and Bauer are also interested in cross-promotion with King’s stable. What do you see coming out of Don King being involved in wrestling again?
Let us know in the comments.
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