Joe Dombrowski and Matt Striker welcomed us to the premiere episode of MLW’s new weekly series: MLW Underground on Reelz, complete with a new opening video and theme song “Enemies with Benefits” by Violent Idols.
Striker brought Jacob Fatu to the ring and asked when he is cashing in his guaranteed title shot at MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone. Fatu told the Philadelphia crowd he would be cashing in right here tonight, but before we could get any further, Real1 interrupted to reignite their feud.
He insulted Fatu’s family before calling him a poor man’s Rikishi. Fatu warned him he was “going to beat the f*ck out of you” but security scrambled out to drag him away. Real1 has a new annoying catchphrase where he spins around and says “Eeeeeeeeveryone” in a kid's voice. Give him his due -- he knows how to rile up a crowd.
After security dragged Fatu to the back, Real1 said he was there for a fight, but when a fight came his way in the form of Mance Warner, Real1 scuttered out of the ring to bad mouth Warner from a safe distance. He focussed on Warner’s country look before eventually getting back in, teasing a fight, and finally agreeing to start the match.
Mance Warner defeated Real1 by knockout
After all his talking, Real1 took one right hand to the jaw and was out like a light. This felt like the first step in a longer feud between the two as after we came back from a commercial. Real1 was livid, throwing debris around ringside, and it was announced later in the night that Real1 will get another chance in a street fight next week on Underground.
Alex Kane defeated The Marvelous Jafar in a Peach State Prize Fight
Kane continued his hype towards a match with Davey Boy Smith Jr. by bringing out the Hart family’s Opera Cup they stole from 2022 winner Davey Richards. The Bomaye Fight Club brought out a Philly cheesesteak as well which Kane ended up smashing into a fan’s face at ringside.
For the Prize Fight, Kane ended up doubling the money which brought out local wrestler The Marvelous Jafar.
Striker and Dombrowski were hyping up Jafar's training at the Monster Factory as Kane crushed him in the corner at the opening bell. Kane continued to throw the skinnier Jafar around the ring as the Fight Club counted along with the suplexes. There was blood coming from Jafar's face as Kane suplexed him onto his head in the corner which caused the referee to call for the bell.
Kane hit another few suplexes for good measure and told the crowd he was just warming up and wanted another fight. This brought out Davey Boy Smith Jr who took out the Fight Club one after another until Myron Reed and Mr. Thomas jumped him from behind. Smith was then saved by the Billington Bulldogs, but the MLW security team came out to break up the fight which only further built the hype towards their eventual rematch.
- Another hype video ran for the returning current NJPW star Lio Rush.
- The mystery attacker made his way to Underground and Mads Krugger was their latest victim. The commentary team again said they hoped for answers soon.
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone defeated EJ Nduka in a Last Man Standing Match to retain the title
Earlier in the night, both competitors cut passionate promos in front of the Bet Online advertising boards, but it was Nduka who took the early advantage by taking advantage of the rules and blindsiding the champion, hitting him with Nduka’s own Tag Team title belt.
Hammerstone briefly rallied, but Nduka then took advantage of the rules again using both a kendo stick and the guardrail, then slamming Hammerstone on the ring apron.
Nduka focused his attack on the champion's back and ribs by running him back-first into the ring post. But Hammerstone took advantage of a small opening and hit a one-footed missile dropkick from the top rope. He then got some revenge with his own kendo stick shots and smacked Nduka as he scrambled up the ramp.
Nduka again worked on Hammerstone's back as he slammed the champion on the ramp. After a commercial break, Nduka was setting up a table between two seated chairs that he eventually drove the champion through via a spinebuster.
Nduka tried to keep Hammerstone down by chaining him to the bottom rope, but Hammerstone broke free, hulked up and sent the challenger crashing down with a big clothesline.
Hammerstone finished off with a flurry of action as he hit Nduka with a chair, speared him through a wooden table in the corner, hit his jumping pump kick, and finished Nduka off with his Nightmare Pendulum.
To add weight while the referee counted Nduka out, Hammerstone added parts of the broken door and chairs on top of him before the ref finally counted to ten to declare Hammerstone the winning, giving him yet another successful title defense.
Next Tuesday on MLW Underground:
- Real1 vs. Mance Warner in a street fight
- Willie Mack vs. Calvin Tankman
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