Let’s dive into MLW Fusion ALPHA #6 with two Opera Cup 2021 matches, Mads Krugger in action, and a scheduled Tankman bout. They’re really pushing that kid as he’s been featured on several episodes in a row so far.
The Sizzle
Really nice opening segment to MLW Fusion ALPHA as Cesar Duran caresses the MLW National Openweight title. He says that on Thanksgiving, fans will give thanks to him as he’s blessing us with a new champion on that night.
Following this up is King Muertes—the new Caribbean champion. He tells Duran that he handled his end of the deal and now Duran must honor his end.
Duran asks if he is certain as it requires a sacrifice and Muertes answers in the affirmative, is given a mysterious box. When Muertes opens it, a glow comes from the box and he seems entranced by the contents.
In a picture-in-picture promo before his match with the debuting Bobby Fish, Lee Moriarty says he represents All Elite Wrestling but he also represents himself. He’s confident that he’ll be taking the Opera Cup 2021.
Following the Opera Cup opening bout, EJ Nduka is being interviewed about his involvement with Dynasty and War Chamber 2021. He says that he’s been training with Hammerstone and that after the War Chamber match with CONTRA Unit, maybe Hammerstone should give him a World title shot as thanks.
Before his match against Gino Medina, Calvin Tankman is interviewed about if he’ll be joining American Top Team. Tankman says he doesn’t need help and that actually they should be joining his train.
American Top Team takes offense to this and attacks him, targeting his eye and leaving him bloodied. Los Parks are back with promos! Where have they been with these? They were the best part of the non-wrestling action before COVID.
They’re trashing American Halloween and talking about how small the candy bars are and that Mexican sugar is the best. Someone walks by wearing an OG Konnan mask and holding their Halloween bucket and Los Parks runs his sh**.
They end by saying trick-or-treat is for LOS NINOS! LOS NINOS! LA Park then tells everyone to stop being cheap and hand out large candies. A mood.
Cesar Duran shows up and talks with Mads Krugger backstage. He puts some words in his head by telling him that him targeting the World Championship doesn’t betray CONTRA’s mission and only strengthens it. Duran also mentions Krugger’s roots as a mercenary before sending him out for his match.
There is a brief interview with Willow Nightingale who is signing merch. Asking about the Holidead attack triggers her and Nightingale calls up Duran for a match against her—which she gets.
Tankman’s match seems to canceled following the attack. After the Mads Krugger twofer, we get a dope 5150 promo and Konnan opens it!
He says that his group is hungry and that they want a shot at Los Parks’ MLW World Tag Team championship. This posse promo where everyone gets to speak and everyone shines is great and it brought the energy of the episode back up significantly.
Hammerstone is being interviewed by Alicia Atout and he’s excited to be interviewed as the World Champion. CONTRA is still a focus and he wants to finally dismantle them.
He calls in Dynasty partner Richard Holiday to speak as well. Holiday is all bandaged up and can’t be heard. Hammerstone asks him to speak again and apparently says something unsavory resulting in a slap from Atout who storms off.
The World Champion tells him that he can’t say that and that he messed up. Before the main event, we get words from Alex Shelley and TJP about the upcoming Opera Cup match.
The Steak
Lee Moriarty vs. Bobby Fish was an even bout with the opening moments being a feeling out period before it picks up. Fish’s experience turns things around quickly and he hones in on Moriarty’s leg more after softening it up a bit.
Man, Bobby Fish has really been wearing Young Moriarty out. Those kicks found their target—that leg—at least 99-percent of the time.
He mixed in some suplexes—including a nice Exploder into the ropes to chop down The King of TAIGASTYLE’s stamina. Moriarty favored his leg throughout the mat and it’s looking unlikely he’ll find a wide enough opening for victory. Sure enough, Fish picks up the submission victory with his Fish Hook.
After Willow’s segment, we finally get back to in-ring action as Dr. Dax comes out with Holidead to face Mad Krugger—oh, damn. That was over quickly. Krugger gets the win with a Full Nelson Facebuster.
Holidead stomps on the defeated Dr. Dax afterward. Krugger threatens Hammerstone and says there is no challenge for the “Black Hand of CONTRA”.
Budd Heavy comes out during his CONTRA chant and it looks like an impromptu match—only for him to take the Full Nelson Facebuster. Krugger picks up a second win.
In the main event, TJP and Alex Shelley had a very technical, competitive bout. Lots of counter submissions and there was a nice pace to this one.
Knowing that both have a technical base but are capable of ludicrous speed, I didn’t know what to expect pace-wise. I thought it was going to be slower but it could’ve been too fast and not enough “umph” like the TJP vs. Davey Richards bout.
This shattered my expectations as the pace was right in the middle. Not too fast but not slow at all. This time, the holds got to marinate a bit instead of just spatting the load and going through their arsenal in an extended match.
It could’ve gone either way, I was hoping for Shelley to win but expecting TJP to take it. In the final seconds of the bout, Alex Shelley has his Border City Stretch locked in.
TJP crawls for the ropes but Shelley manages to roll away only for TJP to end up in a favorable position and hold the ropes. The referee doesn’t see this and counts the pin. TJ will advance to face Tankman in the semi-finals.
MLW Fusion ALPHA #6 Verdict: Bronze Medal (2.5/5)
Oof. There was a ton of sizzle in this episode. So much that this episode of MLW Fusion ALPHA was kind of bogged down. The steak here was good. Krugger’s matches weren’t bad squashes and I didn’t expect a lengthy match with this monster but the placing of those squashes didn’t help much.
Some strong vignettes and promos—Duran and Muertes, 5150, Los Parks, Hammerstone-Atout-Holiday—made the sizzle better than decent. The rest of the promos and angles were fine. None of them were weak but those were the standouts. I’m going with TJP vs. Alex Shelley as the match of the episode but it was close with Fish vs. Moriarty.
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