MLW Fusion Recap (10/19): Shane Strickland Vs. Tom Lawlor, Hijo De La Park In Action

Video package highlighting tonight's matchup between Shane Strickland and "Filthy" Tom Lawlor. Strickland question's his critics who wonder if he is still the franchise of MLW. In a voice-over, Tony Schiavone calls this bout the main event for the evening.

MLW Fusion Intro.

This week's episode of Fusion comes to you from New York City. Tony Schiavone and Matt Striker welcome us to the show. Striker breaks down Tom Lawlor's MMA style against Shane Strickland's hybrid offense, while Schiavone indicates the the winner of said matchup will determine the ace of the promotion.

Salina De La Renta brings out Hijo De La Park for our first matchup of the evening. Striker reminds us that he is the son of LA Park. His opponent...Sammy Guevara.

Prior to the match beginning...a short clip shows that Salina once fired Sammy from Promociones Dorado.

Sammy Guevara versus Hijo De La Park

Sammy tries to shake Hijo's hand, but Hijo opens up his offense with a strike that sends Sammy to the outside. Suicide dive from Hijo. He throws Sammy back in the ring but Sammy comes right back with suicide dive of his own! On the apron Hijo hits an enziguri, followed by a top rope crossbody, and a frankensteiner. Sammy responds by showing off his athleticism, dodging attacks and landing a big dropkick. Top rope crossbody from Sammy this time. Sammy slows things down by putting Hijo in the corner. Hijo explodes out with a Mexican destroyer piledriver.

On the outside Hijo surprises Sammy with an Asai moonsault. Back in the ring Sammy catches Hijo with a powerslam. Standing shooting star press and Sammy gets a two count. Sammy climbs to the top but Hijo meets him with a kick. Spanish fly off the turnbuckles from Hijo. Close two count! Hijo wears Sammy down with kicks and now he climbs up, but Sammy grabs him off in a torture rack. Back kick and a superkick from Sammy that sends Hijo to the outside. Twisting Tope Con Hilo from Sammy. He quickly rolls Hijo back in the ring and goes for a top rope maneuver. Hijo moves and catches him in a modified piledriver. Sammy can't kick out.

El Hijo De La Park wins by pinfall

Kaci Lennox is backstage with Tom Lawlor. "Filthy" Tom says he knowns what he's going to bring to tonight's battle against Shane Strickland, but what will Shane bring? "Will he be the man who was once MLW heavyweight champion? Or will he be the man who couldn't even make it into the Wargames matchup?"

Interview ends sending us to our first break.

Konnan addresses Salina in a promo, calling her a dirty politician for her actions against Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. He says that on November 8th in Chicago, the Lucha Brothers will be walking out as champions, and that Salina, LA Park, and El Hijo De La Park, will be leaving empty handed.

Samoan Island Tribe (Lance Anoa'i and Samu) are out for tag team action. They're facing the Smash N Dash Connection of Kotto Brazil and Barrington Hughs.

Smash N Dash Connection versus the Samoan Island Tribe

Samu and Lance attack Kotto and Hughs right as the bell rings. Samu powerslams Kotto and quickly tags in his son Lance. Back drop attempt but Kotto lands on his feet and hits a corkscrew headscissors. Roll-up from Kotto but Lance kicks out. Dropkick from Kotto and another quick cover. Only two. Lance responds with some strong knife edged chops that knocks Kotto down.

Samu tags in and he wears Kotto down in his teams corner. Kotto attempts some offense on Kotto but it has no effect on Samu, who destroys Kotto with a standing lariat. Lance comes back in and spits in Hughs face. Lance irish whips Kotto but he evades an attack, hits a lungblower and a german on Lance. He tries to tag in Hughs but Lance catches him with a modified samoan drop. Hughs has yet to be tagged in.

Big gut kick from Lance, and he spits in Hughs face again. Hughs tries to come in but Lance superkicks him...and again...and again. Kotto attempts another evasion but Lance surprises him with a thrust kick. Samu tags in...double faceplaint on Kotto. Lance goes up for a splash but Kotto moves. Hughs tags in and he explodes on the Samoans with big clubbing blows. He tries to smash their heads together, but it has no effect. Double-headbutt from the Samoans to Hughs but Kotto comes out of nowhere with a double top rope dropkick. Kotto uses Hughs to execute sliced bread and Lance. Hughs follows up with a big splash for the win.

Smash N Dash Connection win by pinfall

Schiavone tells us that next week, Sami Callihan and Jimmy Havoc will spin the wheel to determine the dangerous stipulation for their war next week.

Callihan cuts a promo on a handheld camera. He's much calmer than usual. He says that he used to think that he and Havoc were a lot alike, but that now...he thinks Havoc is a phony. Callihan ends by saying that only one man can walk out of their deathmatch...and it will be him.

Ad for Stokely Hathaway's MLW return.

Kaci Lennox is backstage with Shane Strickland this time. Shane says he feels confident, and that MLW would be hard-pressed to find an asset like him. He claims that Tom Lawlor doesn't know what he's in for. "This is still Swerves house."

PCO against Brody King is announced for Chicago, along with Lucha Brothers against Los Parks for the MLW tag titles. Low Ki also defends the heavyweight title against Shane Strickland at Cicero in Chicago.

Salina de la Renta responds to Konnan, praising him for bringing Pentagon and Fenx back to America. She says that she can see the future...and that the future looks bright for Los Parks.

Tom Lawlor and Simon Grimm are sparring in the back to prepare for Strickland.

Main event is next as we go to our final break!

Striker informs us that Low Ki will be on commentary for the main event.

Jimmy Havoc responds to Sami Callihan. He wonders what match they'll get when they spin the wheel, but it doesn't matter, because whatever they get, he'll make New York run red with Sami's blood.

Shane Strickland is out first... Lawlor second. A reminder that Low Ki is on commentary. He calls himself the ace, and claims that whoever wins this main event, they don't run MLW. He does.

Shane Strickland versus Tom Lawlor

Both men jaw at each other to start. Tom grabs an early waist lock on Swerve to begin. Chain wrestling sequences to begin. Swerve goes for a big head kick but Tom dodges and unloads a series of kicks to Swerves mid-section. Swerve counters a powerslam and tosses Tom to the apron. Tom tries to get up but slips...Swerve allows him to get back in the ring for the next exchange.

Tie-up. Swerve pushes Tom to the apron again. He cranks Tom's arm over the ropes and kicks his legs out. Tom hits the apron hard. On the outside, Swerve locks Tom's arm onto the barricade to damage it. He does the same thing near the ring post, smashing Tom's arm off with a loud thud. Tom fights back with right hands. He attempts a lariat with the bad arm but Swerve moves and Tom hits the ring post.

Back in the ring Swerve stomps on Tom's elbow. Springboard maneuver by Swerve who transitions into an armbar...Tom blocks it but Swerve takes a mounting position on Tom's back. Submission locked in on Tom's shoulders. Tom breaks the hold by getting to the ropes...WITH HIS TEETH. Big PK from Swerve right into Tom's chest. Tom catches a kick and attempts a single-leg crab. Swerve upkicks to escape and hits a big discus clothesline. He nearly wins the match with a roll through cutter but Tom kicked out.

Swerve climbs to the top rope but Tom chops him before he can attack. Another chop. Superplex from Tom and he rolls right through to lock in a guillotine choke. Swerve is fading. Referee drops the arm once. Twice. Swerve gains a burst of energy and powers out of the hold. Brainbuster from Swerve! Both men are down.

In the center of the ring, both men trade open handed strikes. Knife edged Chops from each man. Tom unloads with a series of quick strikes but Swerve wretches the bad arm. Tom responds with a GTR and a falcon arrow in succession. Cover...close two count. Big knee strike from Swerve, Tom comes back with a stiff forearm and a one-armed German suplex. Airplane spin from Tom with an added death valley driver. Rear naked choke from Tom.

Salina comes down to ringside to distract the referee. Low Ki is off commentary...he runs into the ring and hits Tom with a rolling kick to the bad arm! Ref doesn't see it. Low Ki yells at Swerve to attack Tom. Swerve hits a baseball slide. He drapes Tom over the barricade and hits a double stomp from the entrance way. He rolls Tom back in the ring...huge double stomp from the top ropes. TOM KICKS OUT AT THE LAST SECOND. Low Ki is furious. Swerve dislocates Tom's arm with a vicious arm kick. Several knee strikes from Swerve. He picks Tom up in a fireman's carry but Tom shifts his weight and locks in the rear naked choke! Swerve taps!

Tom Lawlor wins by submission

Low Ki and Salina look on from the entrance path stunned. Striker calls Lawlor the next big threat to Low Ki's title.

Next week, LA Park and PCO will square off, as well as Jimmy Havoc against Sami Callihan.

Kaci Lennox is with Tom Lawlor. She asks when he will cash-in his MLW battle-right contract. Lawlor calls Low Ki a great champion, but says he's also great at running away. He says that at MLW Superfight on February 2nd, he's ready to go hunting for some big game.

That's the show friends.