MLW Fusion Recap (2/23): Rey Horus Against Aerostar, Mance Warner Makes Debut, MJF Addresses Hart

Recap of last week's epic main event, when Teddy Hart retained the MLW middleweight championship against former champion MJF. Following the bout, Hart was attacked backstage by MJF and Richard Holliday, who tossed Hart into a garage door, and possibly broke his ribs with the use of a steel chair.

Fusion Intro.

Matt Striker welcomes us to another week of MLW wrestling. He informs us that MJF and Richard Holliday will address their attack on Teddy Hart later on in the show. Rich Boccini announces that Mance Warner will be making his debut tonight, as well as Aerostar taking on Rey Horus in the main event. Striker says that new MLW heavyweight champion "Filthy" Tom Lawlor will also be making a statement tonight regarding his steel cage rematch against Low Ki at Intimidation Games.

Lance Anoa'I is on his way to the ring for the first bout of the evening. His opponent...Rich Swann. Flashback to last week when Swann attacked Boccini after losing another match-up. Commentary informs us that Swann is disputing his possible suspension. Promo from Swann, who thanks the MLW "faithful" for their support. He says that everybody knows that he keeps the party going all night long. Swann makes his way out.

Lance Anoa'I versus Rich Swann

Swann challenges Anoa'I to a test of strength to open things up. Instead of locking-up, Swann uses the opportunity to show off his dance skills. Anoa'I charges Swann, but the little man uses his speed and shows off his athleticism to avoid the big samoan. Head kick from Swann stuns Anoa'I. He bounces off the ropes...Anoa'I surprises him with a back body drop that sends Swann to the outside. Tope Con Hilo from Anoa'I! Crowd pops huge. He tosses Swann back in the ring and lays into Swann's chest with vicious knife-edged chops.

Swann baits Anoa'I in and drops him on the middle-turnbuckle. He jumps to the apron and delivers another kick to Anoa'I's head to take back control. Swann targets Anoa'I's arm to wear him down. He grabs Anoa'I's hair and nearly gets disqualified. Anoa'I lands a few strikes but Swann thumbs him in the eye and slows him down with an abdominal stretch. Anoa'I breaks the hold with a hip-toss then starts unloading on Swann with stiff lariats. Running frankensteiner from Anoa'I, followed by a standing moonsault! Pinfall attempt...but Swann is able to get a shoulder up.

Anoa'I hits several forearms that drops Swann to his knee. He goes for an Uranagi but Swann shifts his weight and lands a five strike combo. Handspring cutter from Swann...Anoa'I kicks out at one! Phoenix splash from Swann misses. Anoa'I with a superkick. He climbs...450 attempt but Swann moves! Swann quickly rolls the big man up and puts his arms on the ropes to secure the victory.

Rich Swann wins by pinfall with assistance by the ropes

MJF and Richard Holliday will be explaining their actions next! Low Ki versus Tom Lawlor rematch is next week!

Tom Lawlor cuts a promo on Low Ki from outside. He says it doesn't matter who he's training with, if he thinks he's going to take the title back from him at Intimidation Games after he worked his whole life to reach the top, he's got another thing coming. "This is my world. This is a cage fight, and I'm gonna conduct my own blackout when it comes to you in Chicago," states Lawlor to end the promo.

The video of MJF and Holliday's attack on Teddy Hart is played again. Striker questions whether this attack was in the heat of the moment, or if it was premeditated.

Cut to MJF who calls Hart a phony and a paper champion. He calls himself the real champion because he never officially lost the gold, which is why he beat Hart down. Richard Holliday walks up. MJF says that Holliday is the most marketable man in professional wrestling, and the person who choked Hart out with a steel chair a week ago. MJF takes another shot at Hart's background: "Richard Holliday does not come from a drug infested crazy family, and neither do I," growls MJF. MJF ends the promo by claiming that he is better than Hart...and he knows it.

Mance Warner debut is next! Kaci Lennox interviews him right before his bout. Warner walks up and hands Lennox a white-board. He writes down his strategy for victory. Number one: Light Beer. Number Two: Eye pokes. Number three: Knee-pad up, knee-pad down. Number four: Lariats. All of these things will lead to his victory. Warner then addresses the entire MLW locker room, saying he'll square off against any of them, calling out Jimmy Havoc and Low-Ki in particular.

Still to come...Rey Horus versus Aerostar. A highlight video of Aerostar is played, showing his incredible high-risk maneuver offense from his time in AAA and CMLL.

Jimmy Yuta makes his way out to face the debuting Mance Warner.

Mance Warner versus Jimmy Yuta

Warner charges Yuta into the corner and lays into his chest with stiff chops and jabs. Yuta gets a boot up on a Warner charge but it has little effect. Yuta follows up with a slap to the face and lacks in a tarantula submission, but Warner overpowers Yuta to break the hold. Short-armed headbutt from Warner. Yuta fires back with a combo of elbows and chops. Warner tosses Yuta into the corner again and slows him down with an open palmed strike. Dropkick from Yuta sends Warner to the apron. Yuta goes for a springboard attack but Warner fakes a punch then lands a DDT on the apron. He goes for a suicide dive...but instead just steps through the ropes and surprises Yuta with an eye-poke. Crowd chants "one more time." Another eye-poke.

Yuta shoves Warner into the barricade and follows up with a suicide dive. He throws Warner back in the ring and rolls him up...Warner escapes. Samoan drop from Yuta with pinfall...Warner escapes again. Warner lands a headbutt onto Yuta who was coming off the middle-rope. He pulls down the knee-pad...knee-trembler. Big Lariat. Warner wins.

Mance Warner wins by pinfall

The feed cuts to the H2 Network (Hart Foundation channel) where Davey Boy Smith Jr is playing with one of Hart's cats. Teddy Hart is there smoking a cigar. Hart then commends CM Punk for having the balls to step into an MMA ring, while calling out Dana White and asking for some potential dream UFC showdowns, which include Brock Lesnar. Hart also says that MLW has a talented roster who doesn't need to be bought out by the AEW promotion. "I'm not here for the money...I'm here for the gold," states Hart.

Main event is next. A video package highlighting Rey Horus's lucha skills is played.

Rey Horus versus Aerostar

Tie-up. Quick takedown by Horus. Nice sequence where both men show off their speed and athleticism. Series of arm-drags and quick pins until eventually Aerostar and Horus yield to have a staredown.

Horus lands the first strike with a kick to Aerostar's gut. Big chop. Horus escapes to the outside but Aerostar pursues him with a suicide dive! He throws him back in the ring...walks the ropes...and hits a very impressive lungblower. Horus responds with a springboard twisting arm-drag that sends Aerostar to ringside. Tope Con Hilo from Horus over the ringpost!

Horus strings together a series of moves including a discuss lariat and a single-legged basement dropkick. Aerostar finally gets back to his feet. Drop-toe hold from Aerostar, followed by an enziguri. He uses the ropes...springboard codebreaker. He lands his signature falling from the stars top rope attack. Aerostar gets a Lucha chant going with the crowd. Horus avoids an attack and catches Aerostar with a belly-to-belly sending him into the turnbuckles. Powerslam from Horus...he climbs to the top...Aerostar knocks him off sending him to the outside again. Step-up dive from Aerostar! He throws him back in the ring...handspring cutter. Horus responds with a spanish-fly and both men are down. Aerostar climbs the middle-rope but Horus runs up and hits a sunset-flip bomb. Horus wins.

Rey Horus wins by pinfall

Following the bout, Horus and Aerostar celebrate the competitive match-up with a hug.

Next week...Lucha Bros versus Taurus & Laredo Kid is announced for MLW Chicago, as well as the Low Ki versus Tom Lawlor title rematch inside a steel cage.

Promo from Salina de la Renta at her compound in Puerto Rico. "Next week in Chicago, I'm gonna show Tom that he messed with the wrong b—h." The interviewer asks if he can talk to LA Park or Low Ki. Salina says they cannot, then pretends to not understand English or Spanish.

That's the show friends.