MLW Fusion Recap (1/11): Singapore Cane Match Between Dreamer And Pillman, Low Ki Defends MLW Title
Show opens with Tom Lawlor standing outside of Salina de la Renta's office. Salina is arguing with Sami Callihan for not taking Lawlor out earlier, while Callihan angrily demands the money he is owed. Lawlor acknowledges the camera, and smiles.
MLW Fusion Intro.
Tony Schiavone and Rich Boccini welcome us to another episode of Fusion. They announce tonight's card, including Tommy Dreamer versus Brian Pillman Jr. in a singapore cane match, and Dragon Lee versus Rich Swann. Schiavone and Boccini also hype up MLW SuperFight, coming up in February, where MLW Heavyweight champion Low Ki will defend the title against Tom Lawlor.
Promo from Low Ki. He says this week is the 15th anniversary of his undefeated streak in MLW. He says he will never lose, and retire as the greatest MLW champion of all time.
Dragon Lee is on his way to the ring for the first matchup of the evening. He high-fives the fans. Rich Swann dances out second with his typical swagger. (This should be fun.)
Dragon Lee versus Rich Swann
Tie-up. Lee snatches rips at Swann's face and snatches on a chinlock. Swann reverses the hold before locking in a hammerlock. Arm-drag from Lee, but Swann responds with one of his own. Both show off their athleticism with a series of quick covers and backflips, ending in a double-dropkick attempt. They break apart.
Swann baits Lee in for a test of strength, but begins to dance instead. Lee charges at him, kickstarting another fun sequence. Swann lands the first strike with a flush dropkick. Big strike to Lee's chest. Another. Swann fakes a chop and punches Lee in the mouth. Swann taunts the crowd. Lee fires back with a dropkick of his own. Tranquilo pose from Lee, but Swann stomps him! Lee slides to ringside, but Swann chases him out. He tosses Lee into the barricade. Chop attempt but Lee moves and Swann strikes the metal post!
Back in the ring, Swann with a snapmare & penalty kick combo. Swann puts Lee up on the top turnbuckle...he climbs up with him. Swann tries to rip off Lee's mask! He pulls him down and double-stomps him. Lee responds with a frankensteiner, double-underhook backbreaker, and a basement dropkick. He's clearly upset that Swann went for the mask. While Lee plays to the crowd, Swann lands a series of roundhouse kicks to Lee's gut. Middle-rope frog splash from Swann with a cover...Lee escapes. Suplex attempt from Swann gets blocked, Lee throws him into the ropes, german attempt but Swann lands on his feet! Superkick! Lee with a thrust-knee, followed by a reverse frankensteiner! Swann pops right up and lands a roundhouse! Both men are down. (Great sequence.)
Each man trades blows in the center of the ring. Discuss forearm from Swann, big boot in response from Lee. Haymakers from both guys. Lee climbs, but Swann surprises him with an enziguri. Another. Swann with a frankensteiner from the top! He climbs for the Phoenix Splash but Lee moves. Dragon driver! That's all!
Dragon Lee wins by pinfall.
Post match Lee and Swann embrace and shake hands out of respect.
Backstage Sami Callihan is looking for Tom Lawlor. He runs into Rocky Romero and asks if he ate him. Romero says he hasn't seen him. Segment ends with him bumping into a stranger.
Promo from Brian Pillman Jr. He smashes against the wall, saying that's the same sound the cane made when he broke it off Kevin Sullivan's head. He calls MLW his playground, and that Dreamer's old ways of playing politician will soon be at an end. He calls him a washed-up has been, and promises that tonight...he'll not only be bringing out a singapore cane, but old reliable. (Referring to his custom metal cane.)
Preview for MLW SuperFight in Philadelphia on February 2nd.
Cut to Tom Lawlor backstage. He tells a member of "Team Filthy" to let Sami Callihan know that he's warming up in a room by the kitchen. (Sounds suspicious.)
Brian Pillman Jr. comes out, carrying his own singapore cane. Dreamer is out second. He has one as well.
Tommy Dreamer versus Brian Pillman Jr. Singapore Cane Match
Action starts with Dreamer tripping Pillman from the outside. They smash their respective canes into each other. Dreamer lands the first strike with the cane into Pillman's gut. Another to Pillman's back. Pillman chops Dreamer in the chest and shows that he's wearing many layers to absorb those can shots. Dreamer with a neckbreaker. He starts peeling Pillman's clothes off, then tosses Pillman to the outside. Dreamer chases Pillman on the outside. He grabs a beer from a fan, drinks it, and spits it in Pillman's face! (Classic Dreamer.) Dreamer continues to strip Pillman's layers off. (He's literally wearing like 5 shots.) Pillman dodges a chop, atomic drops Dreamer onto the barricade, and lands a superkick! Pillman slams Dreamer's arm off the ringpost, and slides him back into the ring.
Pillman smashes the singapore cane off of Dreamer's arm. He targets Dreamer's wrist. Dreamer attempts a comeback, but Pillman yanks him down by the hair. Discus elbow to Dreamer's back, followed by a dropkick. Pillman takes the cane, climbs to the middle-rope, and smashes Dreamer again. Cover but Dreamer kicks out at two. Pillman with joint manipulation on Dreamer's hurt hand and wrist. Dreamer breaks the hold with some punches, but Pillman picks him up and powerslams him.
Pillman grabs his own personal metal cane (AKA old reliable as we learned earlier) that he always brings to the ring with him. He climbs the middle rope but Dreamer cuts him off with a singapore cane shot to Pillman's gut! Both men trade blows in the center of the ring. Jabs from Dreamer...bionic elbow! Powerslam with cover from Dreamer...Pillman escapes. Dreamer looks under the ring for something...it's a steel chair! He throws it, drapes Pillman over it, and whips him in the exposed back with the Singapore cane. Dreamer goes for a running attack but Pillman with a drop-toe-hold. Dreamer lands right on the chair head first! Cover but Dreamer kicks out! Pillman whips Dreamer with the Cane multiple times, but Dreamer is able to duck one and land a Russian leg-sweep.
Dreamer begins unloading on Pillman with the cane. Jumping cutter! Pillman kicks out again! He puts the chair and the Canes, and sets up a DVD. Pillman shifts his weight and low-blows Dreamer with a cane! Swinging neckbreaker from Pillman...Dreamer can't kick out.
Brian Pillman Jr wins by pinfall.
Pillman can barely get to his feet, but he celebrates his victory in the ring.
Backstage Sami Callihan is still searching for Tom Lawlor. He runs into "Team Filthy" who tells Callihan exactly where Lawlor is as instructed.
Preview for MLW Battle Riot II in April.
Flashback to Promociones Dorado's attack on Konnan from two weeks ago.
Matt Striker gives a full rundown of MLW SuperFight.
Main event is next! Fred Yehi of "Team Filthy" and Low Ki, announced from last week. Yehi comes out first. The champ is out second accompanied by Salina de la Renta.
Ring announcer informs the crowd that this is a title match! (Surprise!)
Fred Yehi versus Low Ki for the MLW Heavyweight championship
Yehi goes for a takedown but Low Ki blocks the attempt. They get pushes into the ropes, where Low Ki transitions into an armbar! Ref breaks the hold since it's on the ropes.
Tie-up. Yehi with a waistlock, but Low Ki pushes him off the ropes and to break the hold, landing the first strike in the process. Yehi with a big powerslam! Low Ki responds with a quick shoulder block. Big strikes from Low Ki, but Yehi lands a knife edged chop. He takes Low Ki down and targets the left leg with a submission. The champ escapes the hold, baits Yehi in, and hits Yehi in the stomach several times. Yehi fires back with a vicious combo that ends in a standing basement dropkick. Yehi then rolls Low Ki up...LOW KI JUST KICKS OUT!
Low Ki lands a huge haymaker forearm to the back of Yehi's head. He climbs...double-foot stomp finisher to Yehi's back. (OUCH.) That'll do it.
Low Ki retains by pinfall.
Cut backstage to Callihan who enters the kitchen. He has a hammer in hand. After yelling at the camera man, he goes into the room that Lawlor is supposedly in. The door closes...we hear fighting. Lawlor comes out with the hammer...it's all bloody.
That's the show friends.