Alex Kane Wins MLW Battle Riot V, Earns Title Shot Against Alex Hammerstone

Alex Kane looks primed to end Alexander Hammerstone's 564-day reign as MLW World Heavyweight Champion.

Kane overcame 39 other competitors to win MLW's Battle Riot V on Tuesday night, earning a future title shot against Hammerstone at a time and place of his choosing. Kane won the match by last eliminating Davey Boy Smith via submission. Other notable wrestlers who participated in the match include John Hennigan (FKA John Morrison in WWE), Lio Rush, Taya Valkyrie, Lince Dorado, Lance Anoa'i, Mance Warner, and Calvin Tankman. 

After the match, the entire BOMAYE Fight Club came out to the ring to celebrate with Kane, the new No. 1 contender for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. Later in the night, Kane sent out an ominous warning to Hammerstone. 

"I am the face of @MLW," Kane wrote on Twitter. "Hammerstone is just a placeholder always has been."

MLW has yet to announce the date for the Kane vs. Hammerstone title bout. As reported earlier, Hammerstone suffered an injury during the War Chamber match earlier this month and MLW has been teasing the possibility of Hammerstone vacating his title. However, Hammerstone is seemingly up for the challenge of defending his title against Kane.

"Congratulations to @Alex_kane11," Hammerstone reacted via Twitter. "He's gonna do something no one else in @MLW history has ever done. Be the first-ever Battle Riot winner to not go on to win the World Championship!"

Hammerstone was referring to the previous winners of the Battle Riot — Tom Lawlor (2018), himself (2021), and Jacob Fatu (2022), all of whom went on to capture the MLW World Championship. While Lawlor defeated Low Ki to win the title in early 2019, Fatu defeated Lawlor to begin his dominant 819-day reign as champion in July 2019. In October 2021, Hammerstone finally ended Fatu's reign to begin his own dominant reign.