Fusion #45
Date: February 15, 2019
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Matt Striker, Rich Bocchini

We’re still in Philadelphia and it’s time for a title to be on the line. In this case that would be the Middleweight Title, which should be a fun match between Maxwell Jacob Friedman challenging Teddy Hart. This promotion has become a home for the Hart Foundation, which is quite the odd development. Let’s get to it.

We open with what looks like a fan created Hart Foundation music video.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. explains where he got a custom made Egyptian wool shirt in Japan. He offers a lot of praise for Japan in general and is working on his Japanese. A fan, who I believe was very prominently featured during Sandman’s entrance last week, comes in so some flirting can ensue.

Opening sequence.

Earlier this week, Salina de la Renta posted a video on Instagram making fun of Tom Lawlor and the fans (or marks as she calls them). She’s fine after the loss because Low Ki has a guaranteed rematch, which he’ll be using at Intimidation Games.

Ace Austin vs. Rich Swann

Swann is freshly heel and talks about bringing the party with him wherever he goes. They go basic to start with Austin working on an armbar as a random graphic pops up, saying CONTRA. It’s not acknowledged by commentary. Some armdrags have Swann down and it’s time to for the rapid fire near falls into stereo dropkicks for a standoff. Swann lays on the top rope for a breather but Austin drop toeholds him down for a kick to the back.

Something off the top is shoved down though with Austin crashing onto the bare floor. A chop off goes to Austin back inside and a springboard spinning kick to the face gets two. Austin goes up and hits a top rope Vader Bomb for….the pin at 5:40? That was weird as the referee didn’t seem ready to count and even stopped at two before the three went down.

Result: Ace Austin b. Rich Swann – Top rope Vader Bomb (5:40)

Post match Swann beats up the referee and says that was two. Bocchini gets beaten up for trying an interview and Swann goes after the announcer as well, drawing some hard booing.

Ariel Dominguez vs. Alexander Hammerstone

This is Hammerstone’s debut and Dominguez is still rather small. Hammerstone growls about how he’s anything but normal and the future has arrived. Dominguez gets choked into the corner to start and an armdrag is blocked with raw power. There’s a Brogue kick to knock Dominguez silly and Hammerstone throws him with a German suplex. Hammerstone grabs a pumphandle and walks him around the ring before tossing Dominguez with a suplex.

The fans chant ONE MORE TIME but Hammerstone goes for a delayed vertical instead, allowing Dominguez to slip out. You don’t do that to Hammerstone though as it’s a hard clothesline to drop Dominguez. The Nightmare Pendulum (Hellevator) finishes Dominguez at 2:36.

Result: Alexander Hammerstone b. Ariel Dominguez – Nightmare Pendulum (2:36)

Lawlor vs. Low Ki II is a cage match. The Contra thing pops up again as this is being announced. Also announced for the show: Taurus/Laredo Kid vs. the Lucha Bros.

Mance Warner is a very southern guy who has a bunch of nicknames while drinking light beer and talking about the semi truck engine he rented for the weekend.

Here’s MJF for his title shot but first, he needs to call Philadelphia white trash for liking ECW. As for Hart, the fans cheer for him even though MJF never lost the title. Why aren’t they chanting for him instead? Hart can come out here tonight and face him one on one because MJF is ready to prove that he’s the better man.

Middleweight Title: Teddy Hart vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Hart is defending and has his cat Mr. Velvet with him. MJF won’t shake hands so Teddy goes to the corner for some posing instead. They switch places and Hart pulls the trunks down in the corner. Friedman sends him outside in a heap and kicks the rope for a low blow on the way back in. Why that isn’t a DQ isn’t made clear but Friedman suplexes him down into a headlock.  That stays on for a lot longer than you might expect until Hart fights up and walks MJF’s back into the sunset flip for two.

The top rope Lionsault is good for the same and Hart goes with the right hands to the face. Hart spends too much time talking though and gets his arm stomped, followed by the hanging piledriver for two. The Fujiwara armbar goes on and MJF even bites the hand to make it worse.

Hart makes the rope so MJF puts him on top, where Hart pulls his trunks WAY up for some pain. The ref gets bumped and a hammerlock DDT plants MJF for no count. With Hart checking on the referee, MJF grabs a chair but gets kicked low to put him back in trouble. The electric chair Backstabber sets up the corkscrew Lionsault to retain the title at 11:13.

Result: Teddy Hart b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Corkscrew Lionsault (11:13)

As Teddy comes through the curtain, Richard Holliday jumps him as MJF comes in to say it’s his belt. It seems that we have a payoff as the double beatdown ends the show.

If you like the sound of this, you can check out the full show for free right here:

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 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews.

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