Fusion #17
Date: August 10, 2018
Location: Melrose Ballroom, New York City, New York
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Rich Bocchini

Things are already starting to get interesting around here all over again, just after Battle Riot. We still have Black Friday Management and Promociones Dorado hooking up to make things that much more dangerous, but there are several stars who could rise up to challenge them. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Earlier this week, Kotto Brazil, Barrington Hughes and Shane Strickland challenging Sami Callihan and the Death Machines to WAR GAMES.

The ten man WarGames, with two more partners for each team to be announced, is confirmed for September 6 in Fort Lauderdale.

Barrington Hughes vs. Leon Scott

They slug it out and Hughes is rocked less than ten seconds in. A release Rock Bottom plants Scott and there’s the big elbow to draw in Sawyer Fulton for the DQ at 37 seconds.

Result: Barrington Hughes b. Leon Scott via DQ when Sawyer Fulton interfered (0:37)

Post match Hughes fights back but Sami comes in with a baseball bat to the head to cut him down. Brazil runs in and takes the bat for the save. Kotti is tired of that and wants Sami RIGHT NOW. He wants to show Sami that Kotto can and Kotto will.

Kotto Brazil vs. Sami Callihan

Before the bell, Sami gets dropkicked off the apron and Kotto hits a big flip dive onto both him and the Death Machines. A 619 underneath the bottom rope has Sami in more trouble but he’s right back with a powerbomb to take over. The bell rings and it’s Sami chopping away in the corner to rip some skin off Kott’s chest. Sami takes him to the floor and chokes with a boot, followed by some wild rights and lefts back inside.

A chinlock slows things down for a few moments but Sami stops to spit. You never spit when you have the chance and Brazil is back up with some dropkicks. A hanging Sister Abigail cuts him off in a hurry though and Sami demands a standing ten count. Kotto gets up and it’s right back to the chinlock. This time the counter is a heck of a tornado DDT but Sami is up with a heck of a clothesline.

With the wrestling not working, Sami loads up a pile of chairs on the floor, with the legs of one sticking up. Tony can’t handle the idea of Sami trying to impale Kotto with a running Razor’s Edge so Brazil slips out and gets two off a Code Red. Kotto takes him up top for a super hurricanrana but Sami counters into a super Jackknife. Get Outta Here is good for the pin on Brazil at 10:17.

Result: Sami Callihan b. Kotto Brazil – Get Outta Here (10:17)

Brian Pillman Jr., Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Teddy Hart are in Calgary and really don’t care to answer any questions from internet media while dropping various Brian Pillman references (including a pencil reference). Davey refers to them as the new Hart Foundation and threatens the cameraman.

Konnan says there’s nothing up with him talking to Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. because they’re just friends. Low Ki comes in and says he doesn’t buy it. It would be in Konnan’s best interest to mind his own business. They start speaking Spanish and tensions are high.

Middleweight Title: Joey Janela vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Friedman is defending and this is Falls Count Anywhere, meaning Janela can jump him in the back for two before they’re ever in the arena. Janela drags him into said arena by the scarf but Friedman drops him face first onto a table for two. Tony thinks the violent nature of the match benefits Janela. Rich: “Why’s that?” Tony: “Because he’s nuts!”

Friedman’s arm gets sent into a chair and Joey knocks it into a chair for good measure. Janela’s girlfriend Aria Blake smiles a lot as Friedman gets superkicked into a pile of chairs. Back up and Friedman hides behind her, which of course is enough for him to sucker Janela in. They get inside for the first time with Friedman stomping on the arm and slamming him into the mat for two.

We hit the chinlock so it’s time to plug WarGames. Janela’s comeback doesn’t last long as Friedman knees him in the ribs and we take a break. Back with Janela hitting a double stomp off the apron onto a chair for two and dragging Friedman up the aisle. One heck of a low blow cuts Janela down again but he’s fine enough to backdrop Friedman. Janela stops to ask Aria for a kiss though and she clocks him with a bottle, giving Friedman the retaining pin at 10:19.

Result: Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Joey Janela – Pin after Aria Blake hit Janela with a bottle (10:19)

Post match Friedman kisses Blake, much to Bocchini’s distress.

Callihan has hijacked a camera and says he knows who he wants on his WarGames team. It’s Jimmy Havoc, who, after agreeing to never talk about Mexico again, wants to be sold on the match a bit. Sami explains the match by saying there will be five other people locked in a cage for him to hurt. Havoc is open to negotiations over drinks. He would be the right call for a spot like that.

The Stud Stable comes up to Team Filthy to talk about them ruining Colonel Parker’s hat. Parker wants a match set for later, though Team Filthy wants to make sure the Stable will be wearing pants. Lawlor warns them to Google Team Filthy and find out what they’re all about. Apparently the match will be a Dojo Challenge, with details to be announced.

Konnan talks to Pentagon Jr./Rey Fenix, who rip up their Promociones Dorado contracts and leave with him.

Havoc is official for WarGames.

Kevin Sullivan tells Brian Pillman Jr. to not associate with Teddy Hart and Davey Boy Smith Jr. Pillman says he likes those guys but Sullivan throws the cameraman out.

Teddy Hart vs. John Hennigan

The winner gets a World Title shot. The fans are behind Hart during the entrances but seem pleased with John as he poses. Feeling out process to start and we hit the dueling chants. Johnny spins out of a wristlock but you don’t ask Teddy to get into a flipping contest. A springboard moonsault into a wristlock gets Teddy out but Johnny lands on his feet because his balance is incredible. Johnny sweeps him down into a chinlock but Teddy rolls him down into a legbar.

Hart bails to the floor and steps to the side before Johnny can try a flip dive. Back in and Johnny scores with a superkick to send Teddy outside. Of course that means a big corkscrew dive, followed by a slingshot elbow to give Johnny two. A super Samoan drop connects as the fans think Johnny sucks. Johnny: “Don’t tell me what your mama does for money fat boy!”

Teddy flips over Johnny in the corner, walks on his back and gets two off a sweet Code Red. A super Canadian Destroyer gets two more so Teddy springboards into a moonsault to the floor. Johnny is sat in a chair and one heck of an uppercut knocks both him and said chair backwards. Back in and a slingshot piledriver (exactly what it sounds like) sets up an Arabian Press but Johnny gets the knees up.

The slugout goes to Hennigan and a super Spanish Fly is good for two more. Hennigan’s sliding German suplex drops Teddy on his head and Starship Pain gets a very close two. Countdown to Impact misses so Teddy plants him with an implant DDT. A top rope corkscrew Lionsault connects for the same, with Tony chastising Hart for not hooking a leg. How Monsoon of him. Now the fans are more behind Johnny, including as he sits down on a sunset flip for the fast pin at 14:56.

Result: John Hennigan b. Teddy Hart – Cradle (14:56)

If you like the sound of this show, check it out in full right here.

MLW Fusion Episode 17: John Hennigan vs. Teddy Hart

Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 28 wrestling books. His latest book is the the Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews.

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