This Saturday, MLW presents SuperFight, live on pay per view.
This will be the company’s first pay per view event and will feature four title fights, first-time dream matches, grudge matches, and much much more.
MLW will look to ride on the coattails of previous special events for their first forage into the PPV world, and they have put all their cards on the table with a stacked line-up. Numerous matches up and down the card have the opportunity to steal the show and be “match of the night”, and I’m sure a lot of eyes will be on the stars of AEW as they lace up their boots for MLW.
PRE-SHOW
CONTRA Unit (Simon Gotch & Ikuro Kwon) vs. Dominic Garrini & Douglas James vs. The Spirit Squad (Kenn Doane & Mike Mondo)
All I can say is good luck Spirit Squad… you may need it.
This put together three-way tag team match could set the winning team on course for a future tag title match. Gotch and Kwon should be looking to get back to winning ways after losing the War Chamber match and the recent 6 man tag against Promociones Dorado on last week’s Fusion. Gotch and Kwon have more than enough to pick up the win here, as long as they can keep their violence within the rules and avoid disqualification.
The pairing of Garrini and James is intriguing. Both have shown great things in their debut matches and the future is certainly bright for these two. Could they be CONTRA’s newest rivals? I think so, as I can see Garrini continuing his winning ways and picking up the submission victory (over the Spirit Squad).
Prediction: Dominic Garrini and Douglas James
Gino “El Intocable” Medina vs. Air Wolf
Gino Medina will make his MLW debut at SuperFight against Air Wolf. The bold prediction here would be for Air Wolf to win, but unfortunately, I can’t see it happening. Medina’s debut has been hyped up in recent weeks and he has the biggest stage to prove why he belongs in MLW. Air Wolf should give a good showing of himself. Wolf has been a regular in MLW this year and has had some outstanding performances, but the hype surrounding Medina may be too much for him.
Prediction: Gino Medina
Savio Vega vs. Leo Brien
We have not seen Savio Vega since Alexander Hammerston nearly broke his legs with a Nightmare Pendulum back in the summer. Coming back into action after time off against Leo Brien could be too much for the Puerto Rican veteran. Brien returned to MLW recently with a new look and a new sense of aggression. I can see only one outcome here, and it doesn’t look good for Savio.
Prediction: Leo Brien
Zenshi vs. El Hijo de L.A Park
This should be good. Athletically this should top anything else on the card because if recent showings are anything to go by, Zenshi and Hijo will pull no punches when it comes to risk-taking to put on a great performance in the pre-show.
No real rivalry or feud to touch upon, this has been put together to showcase each of these unsung talents and should hopefully get people talking more about them. A good performance could boost the winner towards the Middleweight title perhaps? From recent performances, they both more than deserve the chance.
Prediction: Zenshi
MAIN SHOW
Gringo Loco, Puma King & Septimo Dragon vs. Injustice (Myron Reed, Jordan Oliver & Kotto Brazil)
Another mouthwatering match-up comes your way in 6 man tag form when Injustice continue their revolution for justice in MLW when they go up against Gringo Loco, Puma King and Septimo Dragon.
Injustice and Gringo Loco are currently interlocked in a feud and have already clashed in a 6 man tag action on a recent episode of Fusion. Zenshi and Air Wolf were Loco’s tag partners that day as Injustice picked up the win, so he has been paired with Lucha stars Puma King and Septimo Dragon this time in hope of getting the win.
Puma King has been more of a regular in MLW than Septimo Dragon, but don’t let that fool you. Dragon showed he was more than up for the challenge when he teamed with Magnus recently in a valiant effort against LA Park and El Hijo de LA Park.
Loco will be hoping his new pair of partners will give him the boost he needs to finally put Injustice to bed, but they will need to work hard, as Reed, Oliver and Brazil seem completely driven and motivated to prove why they are three of the best young talent out there today.
Prediction: Injustice
Stairway to Hell match – Mance Warner vs. Jimmy Havoc vs Bestia 666
At the 11th hour, Salina de la Renta flexed her executive muscle and got her Tijuana Gremlin inserted into the stairway to Hell match involving Jimmy Havoc and Mance Warner.
Bestia holds a recent win over Warner and a grudge over Havoc for his actions against his father. At Jimmy Havoc’s Slaughterhouse just a few weeks ago, Havoc viciously assaulted Mexican legend Damian 666 which brought his son Bestia out to make the save. What better way to evoke revenge than on PPV with two equally minded weapon loving mercenaries.
The Havoc and Warner feud has been building for some time. They came head to head recently in a Bunkhouse match where Warner came away with the victory, but also a punctured lung. Havoc exacted his revenge on Warner immediately following the bell, wrapping barbed wire around Ol’ Mancer’s mouth and pulling back in a demonic camel clutch. The same barbed wire will be hanging from the ceiling and will be free to use for whom who retrieves it first after climbing the ladder. No belts on the line in this ladder match, only more pain and torture.
This will be another bout where you shouldn’t expect much scientific breaking down of body parts- unless of course, the body part is your opponent’s forehead and your weapon is a sharp piece of barbed wire.
Prediction: Jimmy Havoc
MLW National Openweight Championship: Alexander Hammerstone vs Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Following on from the previous match, my prediction for this match intertwines with my fantasy booking of the National Openweight division.
Davey Boy Smith Jr. has challenged Hammerstone for the title before but came up short- only just. After a disqualification loss, Smith stood tall over Hammerstone and other Dynasty members MJF and Richard Holliday. So he will be hoping to take the next step, defeat the champion and lift more MLW gold. His next opponent is already lined up: Filthy Tom Lawlor, and if that match isn’t mouthwatering enough, add in a title to the situation and you have yourselves a division defining bout on your hands.
In my opinion, Hammerstone is destined (no pun intended) for great things in MLW. So dropping the Openweight title could open the door for him to push towards the heavyweight title. A strong winter could propel him to the Battle Riot where he can guarantee himself heavyweight title shot if he wins. And if he retains, he can silence the doubters and show he is the real deal. After appearing in Pro Wrestling NOAH’s N-1 Victory tournament the doubters should be minimizing, and a good showing here against Smith will no doubt show he can hang with the best of them.
Prediction: Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Tom Lawlor vs. Timothy Thatcher
The next two match-ups have me excited for a few reasons. I’m predicting that MLW will use their National Openweight title to form a technical, mat-based, strong style, Josh Barnett Bloodsport type division: and who better to have in said division than Filthy Tom Lawlor and Timothy Thatcher.
For fans of the MMA cross-over and strong style, this match should be right up your street. Filthy Tom needs a new venture after losing his world title earlier this summer, and a National Openweight division matching him up with the likes of Thatcher, Davey Boy Smith Jr. (his next opponent), his old foe Simon Gotch, Dominic Garrini and Douglas James should wet his appetite and keep him occupied for now.
Thatcher’s run in MLW had a bit of a stuttering start. He lost to Davey Boy Smith Jr. in his debut match but came good in his next outing against Douglas James. Thatcher’s style should match Lawlor’s perfectly so this mouthwatering contest should put both competitors in a good spot regardless of the outcome.
Prediction: “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
Low-Ki Vs Brian Pillman Jr.
A battle of generations as one of MLW’s most decorated talents goes up against one of their brightest up and comers.
A few weeks ago, Low Ki offered some advice to the young Brian Pillman Jr, who took issue with the former MLW Champion.
Then, on an episode of H2TV Brian Pillman Jr mocked Low-Ki to a female friend whilst at the pool, which upset Low-Ki enough to challenge Pillman to a match at Superfight.
Low-Ki is the longest-reigning MLW World Champion in history, with a title run that lasted over a decade *wink*. Brian Pillman is the 2018 rookie of the year, and has gotten better and better and better since them, winning the MLW World Tag Team Titles at one point this year. For me, this could go either way; it will be a fascinating clash of styles. Experience takes it though, in my opinion.
Prediction: Low-Ki
MLW Tag Team Championship, Texas Tornado Match: The Dynasty (MJF & Richard Holliday) vs against Ross & Marshall Von Erich
At recent MLW Fusion tapings in Dallas Texas, the Dynasty threatened to buy a local children’s hospital and turn it into a Casino, much to the chagrin of Kevin, Ross and Marshall Von Erich who just happened to be visiting some sick children at the same time. A heated argument between the factions and a spilt Richard Holliday coffee turned Dynasty’s hatred away from the Harts and onto their next famous wrestling family foes- the Von Erichs.
Since the Dynasty got the better of the Hart Foundation (with a little help from Austin Aries -see above), and Marshall & Ross Von Erich were victorious in the War Chamber against CONTRA Unit, these two teams have been on a collision course for the MLW tag team gold.
There has been no physical confrontation between the two teams as of yet, only a war of words, so Saturday will mark the first clash between the two teams inside, or outside the ring. However, the war of words has been raging for some time now. Who will have the last laugh? My prediction is that we will be seeing new tag champions.
Prediction: Marshall and Ross Von Erich
MLW Middleweight Championship: Teddy Hart vs Austin Aries
Ever since Austin Aries re-debuted this summer he has been calling out Teddy Hart for a shot at his middleweight title. Upon re-debuting, Aries declared himself a member of the middleweight division, stating that he has won world and heavyweight titles all around the world, but the belt collector set his sights firmly on Teddy Hart’s strap.
Hart has been quite the belt collector himself recently in MLW. He held the middleweight and tag team titles for a good part of the year, winning the vacant middleweight title back in December 2018 and the tag titles in February. He has seen off challenges from MJF, Myron Reed, Ace Austin and Jimmy Havoc for the middleweight title, but succumbed to MJF and Richard Holliday recently when he and Davey Boy Smith Jr. lost the tag titles in a ladder match.
On the 21st September edition of MLW Fusion, Austin Aries had enough of Hart ignoring his challenges and made his intentions very clear. He interfered at the end of a two out of three falls match between the Dynasty and the Hart Foundation, caused the Hart Foundation the match (and the tag titles), then dropped Hart on his head with a Brainbuster on the ring apron.
Hart returned from injury on the October 5th Fusion episode to answer Aries’ challenge with a fistfight that continued to back. At SuperFight, if both can be left to their own devices this match could steal the show.
Prediction: Austin Aries
MLW World Heavyweight Championship, No Disqualification: Jacob Fatu vs LA Park
It was Gorilla Monsoon that made the call “The irresistible force meeting the immovable object”, and nothing could better describe MLW’s main event of CONTRA Unit’s Jacob Fatu vs Promociones Dorado’s LA Park.
During WrestleMania weekend in New York in April of this year, LA Park won the 40 man Battle Riot match to become the number one contender to the MLW world heavyweight title. Similar to the Money in the Bank briefcase, LA held his right to a title match via a golden ticket, a ticket that Promociones Dorado’s impresaria Salina de la Renta has held onto ever since. On September 17th, news broke that LA Park would cash in his title shot at SuperFight against champion Jacob Fatu.
Fatu defeated former champion Filthy Tom Lawlor at the King of Colosseum event in July this year and has been on a collision course with LA Park ever since. His CONTRA Unit teammates have run rough shot over MLW in recent months, only hitting minor speed bumps against the Von Erich brothers, however, Fatu himself has yet to be pinned in MLW.
No disqualification also gives this match another intriguing edge. LA Park’s pinfall losses are also extremely rare, so unless we have another Hell in a Cell finish coming up (please, no) we can almost guarantee that someone’s winning streak is coming to an end. No DQ should indicate a definitive finish to the match, however, it only opens the door for the remaining members of the two factions to get involved with no repercussions and influence the outcome of the match.
In recent weeks LA Park has promised that he will not lose, especially in Chicago, and Fatu has promised violence, anarchy and a title retain for CONTRA Unit. What I can promise you is that we most definitely will not be seeing any headlock takeovers, hammerlocks or drop toe holds. Be prepared for all-out carnage as the legendary Mexican hardcore maniac meets the moonsaulting 300lbs Samoan tank in what should be organized carnage at its very best.
Prediction: Jacob Fatu
You can see MLW SuperFight this Saturday Night LIVE from the Cicero Stadium in Chicago on pay per view from 12 midnight (GMT), 8 pm (EST) or 5 pm (PST) on FITE.tv globally and also on Direct TV and DISH in the USA.
Keep tuned into TWM for results, feedback and fallout from MLW’s first ever pay per view!
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