MLW Fusion Recap (12/14): Opera Cup Begins, Pillman Battles TJP, ACH Returns

Welcome to Wrestling INC's recap of Major League Wrestling's weekly episodic Fusion. Tonight's show takes place from the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York. Feel free sound off thoughts in the comments. Enjoy the show!

Commentary team for today's show is Rich Bocchini, AJ Kirsch, and Dan Lambert. (Edit: Lambert was only on commentary for the opening tag bout)

Show opens with Injustice (Kotto Brazil, Jordan Oliver, Middleweight champion Myron Reed) already in the ring. They refuse to leave the ring and are arguing with MLW officials for not being entered into the 2019 Opera Cup tournament. King Mo makes his way out with a crown on his head. Mo is ready to fight. He squares up and tells Injustice that he'll take on any of them. ACH is here. Huge pop from the crowd. He and Mo shake hands and stand next to each other as Injustice flees the ring. Ring announcer states that this is now a tag team match. Oliver and Brazil will be competing.

King Mo/ACH versus Injustice

Injustice attacks Mo and ACH before the bell rings. ACH avoids an attack and traps Brazil in the corner. Huge chops. Backflip and flush dropkick from ACH. Oliver charges...ACH with a back sweep. He tags in Mo...double hip-toss. Mo hits leg kicks sending Brazil to the mat. He goes for a knee-bar but Brazil manages to make it to the ropes to break the hold. ACH back in. He stomps Brazil down in the turnbuckle. Brazil finally lands some offense...frankensteiner and dropkick in succession. Injustice with a triple-team while the referee stops Mo from coming into the ring. They whip ACH into the barricade on the outside. Back in the ring...Oliver corners ACH...ACH slaps him but Injustice use their numbers again to pound ACH. Oliver with a chop. Quick tags by Injustice as they wear ACH out. Mo tries to rally his partner over to his corner. Brazil attempts a sharpshooter...he locks it in. ACH struggles...he grabs the rope.

ACH connects with a stiff lariat and finally tags Mo in. Mo powers Brazil up with a powerful spinebuster and atomic drop. He rag-dolls him...Brazil counters a powerbomb with a frankensteiner into an Oliver enziguri. Injustice goes for another double-team...Mo spears them both. ACH tagged back in. He lands vicious strikes on both Brazil and Oliver...foot sweep/dropkick combo. Double team from Mo and ACH. Mo hits a gut-wrench powerbomb and transitions right into a kneebar. Brazil taps.

King Mo/ACH win by submission

Bocchini takes us through our remaining matchups, which are all Opera Cup related. Brian Pillman Jr. faces former cruiserweight champion TJP, and Timothy Thatcher collides with Richard Holliday in the opening round.

Commercial for MLW shop.

Back from break...Gino Medina is seen speaking with Konnan. It appears they are going over his contract.

Cut to the Dynasty. Richard Holliday and Alexander Hammerstone are chatting at a bar. Holliday buys them two coffees. MJF appears and begins the chant for their gift train. MJF presents Holliday with comically sized air-pods. Holliday is so taken aback with excitement that he begins crying. MJF asks Holliday what he got for him...Holliday presents Max mini...a person who is supposed to resemble MJF but looks nothing like him. MJF calls the gift dogs**t. This ends the segment.

Quick run down on the lineage of the Opera Cup. The voice-over tells us that Davey Boy Smith Jr. donated the cup to MLW to revive the historic tournament.

Timothy Thatcher is out for Opera Cup action. Richard Holliday is out second accompanied by Hammerstone and MJF.

Timothy Thatcher versus Richard Holliday Opera Cup Opening Round

Tie-up. Holliday forces Thatcher up against the ropes. After some jaw-jacking...Thatcher hits an enziguri, then follows up with a back suplex. Thatcher clubs Holliday across the back. Knee to the gut. He goes for a suplex...Holliday reverses it into a final-cut. He goes for a back body drop...Thatcher picks his ankle and applies a single-leg crab. Holliday attempts to up-kick his way out but Thatcher transitions into an ankle-lock with ease. Holliday counters into a school-boy...VERY close two count. Dropkick by Holliday. He targets Thatcher's ankle before dropping a running elbow for a nearfall. Thatcher fires back with more forearms...Holliday cuts him off with a running attack. Uppercuts from Thatcher. This leads to a back and forth striking exchange. Thatcher goes to slap Holliday but Holliday quickly DDTs him. Cover...only two. He begins stringing together offense like a butterfly backbreaker and an off the ropes spinebuster. Thatcher refuses to stay down. Big slap across Holliday's face. Double-underhook suplex...Holliday kicks out. Thatcher sets up for a superplex...Holliday manages to reverse it into a final cut while in air! He goes to pick Thatcher up but Thatcher locks in an armbar. Holliday taps.

Timothy Thatcher wins by submission

Backstage Salina de la Renta is interviewed. After insulting the interviewer, Salina notices Gino Medina and begins chatting with him. Commentary calls Gino a hot prospect in MLW.

Cut to Mance Warner. He challenges Jimmy Havoc to another fight since a backstage incident led their last match to not occurring. "An eye for an eye," growls Warner.

Ross and Marshall Von Erich confide in their father Kevin. They explain how Tom Lawlor betrayed them, and why Lawlor's motives don't make sense. Kevin says that they must eventually face off with Lawor. "And you don't leave that ring until you are finished."

Promo from Contra Unit. Josef Samael says that Ikuro Kwon has been sent on a very special mission, and that soldiers are rising up all across the world pledging their allegiance to Contra.

A video from OWE's Stronghearts. Leader CIMA calls out Contra Unit, and declare that they are going to show them their traditional hybrid-style the hard way.

Main event time. TJP is out first. Brian Pillman Jr. is out second. Here we go.

Brian Pillman Jr. versus TJP Opera Cup Opening Round

TJP with an early takedown. Pillman grabs a wristlock. TJP quickly counters brings Pillman down with a headscissor. TJP keeps the hold applied...Pillman goes for a jacknife pin but TJP uses another headscissors. Pillman with an evasive escape. He lands an up-kick. Both men reset. Pillman snags a headlock. TJP shows off his athleticism to break the hold...he grabs a headlock now. Pace picks up...each man dodges a roundhouse. Crowd gives TJP and Pillman a nice ovation for the sequence. Another tie-up. Pillman pushes TJP into the corner. Big chop. TJP fires back by sending Pillman to the outside. Springboard catapult dropkick from TJP. Back in the ring TJP hits a backbreaker for a one count. He puts Pillman into the sharpshooter, then flawlessly transitions into the Muta-lock. Pillman breaks free and whips TJP off the ropes...somehow TJP gains position and locks in the Octopus hold. Pillman counters it into a stretch muffler but TJP rolls him up...Pentagon armbreaker from TJP. He climbs...swanton misses. Pillman takes advantage and lights TJP up with chops. Snap powerslam for two.

Pillman sets up for his swinging neckbreaker finisher. TJP has it scouted. He uses the ropes...tornado DDT. Both men are down. Pillman to the apron. He goes for a sprinboard maneuver but TJP superkicks him to ringside. Both guys up top...TJP tries a superplex...Pillman blocks it...eventually TJP hits it. He keeps contact and picks Pillman up for a brainbuster. Cover...somehow Pillman kicks out. Roundhouse from TJP connects. Another two count. He traps Pillman in the kneebar. Pillman is close to the ropes...he gets there. TJP with some leg kicks. Pillman answers with a big chop. Back and forth striking...Pillman wins the exchange with a vicious superkick. Both guys going for their finisher...Pillman locks up the arms...swinging neckbreaker. That'll do it.

Brian Pillman Jr. wins by pinfall

Pillman celebrates.

That's the show friends.