MLW Saturday Night SuperFight recap and reactions

MLW’s debut pay-per-view, Saturday Night SuperFight, went down on Nov. 2 in Chicago and it was full of incredible matches and crazy moments.

Pre-show

Leo Brien vs. Savio Vega

The two men brawled for a majority of the match with Brien controlling the momentum. Brien looked to finish the match early with an elbow drop but Vega was able to move out of the way. Vega gained control until Brien struck him with the cowbell he brought to the ring and hit an elbow drop for the pinfall.

This was a rough match that can be summed up as a slow plodding slugfest that was designed to get Leo Brien over, but ended up going too long and only ended up hurting both men.

Air Wolf vs Gino Medina

Both men tried to match each other in agility and quick offense in the early going. Air Wolf seemed to have Gino reeling for most of the contest as he was able to execute his signature maneuvers with ease. Wolf looked like like he was closing in a win as he executed a Pele kick but Gino took control and hit a Snake Eyes and then Eat Defeat for the win.

Gino Medina’s debut match in MLW went well. Air Wolf came off as the more polished competitor here but Medina was able to keep up and showcase his unique arsenal. Medina looks to have a bright future in MLW moving forward.

El Hijo de LA Park vs Zenshi

Zenshi came right out of the gate hitting a hurricanrana on Hijo. Hijo wore out Zenshi with a folding chair for a while (no clue why he wasn’t disqualified for that). Park physically dominated Zenshi but Zenshi was able to hit explosive moves every once in a while.

The highlight of the match for Zenshi was the combo maneuver of a sweep kick and a top rope twisting senton. The lowlight of the match for Zenshi was his failed attempt at a long-range Coast to Coast. Zenshi looked to finish the match with a 450 splash but Hijo was able to move and hit a piledriver for the victory.

Chaotic and sloppy but in no way a bad match, Zenshi came off well outside of the one Coast to Coast attempt and Hijo continues to put on fun contests.

CONTRA Unit vs The Spirit Squad vs Douglas James & Dominic Garrini

Douglas James started off hot, grappling with Ken Doane and cutting off Ikuro Kwon as he attempted to rush the ring. The match descended into chaos as all the teams brawled. The Spirit Squad start to work over Dominic Garrini until Gotch tagged in and was suplexed by Garrini. The team of James and Garrini looked to be in control and closing on a win until Kwon slid in and misted Mike Mondo. Contra Unit then was able to win the contest by pinning the blinded Mondo.

This had a very clunky and strange finish that confused many fans with who was legal and who wasn’t. Besides the ending the match was very well put together and highlighted all the participants.

Main Card

The Dynasty (C) vs The Von Erichs, MLW Tag Team Championship match

The Von Erichs came out of the gate hot but The Dynasty almost immediately enacted their premeditated game plan. MJF and Richard Holliday took out Ross but then focused all their attention on Marshall with the intention of taking him out of the entire contest. The tag champs hit Marshall with the ring bell and proceed to focus all their energy on Ross.

The Dynasty worked over Ross with great success until Marshall slid back in and hit the tag champs with a double clothesline. Marshall and Ross took control and looked to go for the claw but MJF continued to cheat to stay alive. The Dynasty scrambled to keep the match going, hitting a massive move on Ross but as he is getting pinned Marshall flew in with a moonsault. The Von Erichs isolated MJF and hit him with their patented Claw/backdrop suplex for the win. The Von Erichs are the new MLW Tag Team Champions.

A little rough around the edges as the Von Erichs continue to tone up their game as they ascend up the MLW card, but it was time for the tag title to be dropped to the Von Erichs. Holliday and MJF are masters of getting the crowd behind the underdog babyfaces. An overall good match.

Injustice vs Gringo Loco, Puma King & Septimo Dragon

Gringo Loco is over huge with his hometown crowd to start off the match. Puma King and Septimo Dragon double-teamed Injustice until the duo and Loco attempted to chop Myron Reed, who is wearing a chest protector. Injustice isolated Loco until “The Base God” reversed an aerial attack from Jordan Oliver into a powerbomb.

The luchadors isolated Reed as Loco hit a split-legged moonsault on his opponent. Reed looked to flame up and turn the tide but was planted with a tombstone for his trouble. Injustice then kicked into a whole new gear as all three members took out the ragtag team of luchadors. Reed hit a cutter to the floor and a massive 450 for the win.

This was an incredibly fun match that endeared every competitor to the Chicago faithful. This was definitely the biggest win for Injustice in their short time as a unit.

Teddy Hart (C) vs Austin Aries, MLW Middleweight Championship match

Aries blindsided Hart with a suicide dive to start off the match. Aries worked over Hart but Hart fought back. Aries had nothing but viciousness in his eyes as he hit Hart with a DVD on the apron. Aries went for the brainbuster but Hart was able to block the attempt and hit a lungblower.

Hart continued to pour on offense and looked to have the pinfall but Aries get his foot on the bottom rope. The two men fought on the top rope and Aries locked in the Front Chancery but Hart was able to get to the rope. Hart hit an Asai moonsault to the outside and rolled Aries back inside. Hart looked to have the win in the bag but Aries hit a massive brainbuster for a super close two-count. Aries went for another suicide dive but Hart sidestepped him as Aries crashed into the guardrail. Aries almost stole the win with a schoolboy but Hart got him back up and hit a deadly Canadian Destroyer for the victory.

Hart and Aries put on a great match that may have also run a tad bit long. Overall the match was super solid and amped the crowd up exponentially.

Low Ki vs Brian Pillman Jr.

Pillman started out poking the bear and ate a barrage of Low Ki offense for his trouble. Pillman fought back with a dropkick and a powerslam. Ki fought back as well but also ate a diving clothesline. Pillman was shaken up from Ki’s nasty kicks and the referee checked on the young star but Pillman said he was fine.

Pillman only has enough energy to throw his mouthpiece at Ki which angered the former champion. Ki then hit a nasty rolling kick which put Pillman down for the count as the ref waved the match off. Ki showed respect to Pillman after the match.

Pillman and Ki had quick match that nevertheless told a solid story with a great ending.

Timothy Thatcher vs “Filthy” Tom Lawlor

The two started out with heavy strikes and brawl out to the floor. Lawlor went for a figure four leglock but Thatcher escaped. Thatcher started looking for a submission victory but Lawlor engaged him in a slapping battle on the mat. Lawlor finally locked in a successful figure four but Thatcher escaped to the rope. Lawlor then put Thatcher into a long airplane spin before the two engaged in another slap battle and traded suplexes as the match continued to be dead even.

Lawlor looked to run away with the match until Thatcher hit Filthy with a picture-perfect butterfly suplex. Both men continued to trade suplexes until Lawlor planted Thatcher with a tombstone. Thatcher went for his patented armbar but Lawlor caught him with a crisp pumphandle suplex. Lawlor started grounding and pounding, finally locking in a sleeper hold. Thatcher had no options left and to tapped out.

This was an incredible contest with almost every style of wrestling sprinkled in. Both men showcased themselves in spades and both came out of this match looking like legitimate monsters.

Mance Warner vs Beastia 666 vs Jimmy Havoc in a “Stairway To Hell” Ladder Match

Mance Warner started the match by immediately running at Havoc. Bestia looked to interject himself but Warner hit him with a trash can. Mancer and Havoc went after each other with a staple gun until Havoc was chokeslammed onto a ladder. Bestia and Warner attempted to go for the barbed wire but Havoc pushes them both off the ladder.

Havoc then went for the barbed wire himself but was instead dropped through a wooden board. Warner was able to pull down the barbed wire but Bestia and Havoc took it from him, using it against him. Bestia and Havoc both went for pins but broke each other’s attempts up. Havoc then sideslammed Bestia onto a sideways chair. Havoc used the barbed wire on both his opponents until Mancer rocked him with a nasty lariat. Warner, sensing the end, and planted Bestia through another board for the win.

Up until the main event this contest was definitely match of the night. The trio put on a violent affair that was also booked super well.

Alexander Hammerstone (C) vs Davey Boy Smith, MLW National Openweight Championship match

The two started off grappling with Smith showing that he has the advantage in the ground game. Smith surprised Hammerstone with his evasiveness and durability and planted the champ with a suplex. The two fought for position, striking each other extensively, but then Hammerstone ripped the turnbuckle pad off one of the corners.

Smith almost got the pinfall with a leg drop but Hammerstone won’t say die though, hitting a top rope dropkick on Smith. The champ went for another but instead received a superplex. Smith got another close pinfall with a diving headbutt. The behemoths traded suplexes until Smith locked in a crossface. Hammerstone reached the rope as The Dynasty ran out to distract Smith.

Hammerstone then slammed Smith into the exposed turnbuckle and hit a Valkyrie Missile for a close two count. Hammerstone then rolled Smith up while grabbing the topes, unbeknownst to the referee, for the win.

Hammerstone and Smith put on nice match with clashing styles that ran a bit long but still felt engaging and fun.

Jacob Fatu (C) vs LA Park, MLW Heavyweight Championship match

The two mammoths started off by trading blows and suplexes. Park lariated Fatu to the outside as the two brawled on the floor. Back into the ring, Fatu had full control of the contest. Josef Samael, meanwhile, begins stabbing Park’s face with a spike as Fatu ripped his Park’s infamous mask.

Fatu beat down Park in the Chicago crowd; “The Samoan Werewolf” had complete control of his opponent at this point. Park finally turned the tide for a moment with a powerslam but Fatu regained control of the match. Park gained a bit of distance, hitting an impressive twisting senton off the top rope for a close two count. Park then is in control as he grabs everything at ringside to strike Fatu with.

Both men are bleeding profusely as Park struck Fatu with his belt. Fatu then hit a massive Fosbury Flop to the outside. Fatu set up a table in the ring and went for a moonsault. Park avoided the moonsault and went for a pin on the champ but Samael puts a stop to that by hitting the referee with a fireball.

Salina de la Renta then started jawing with Samael and Park went for a spear on the leader of Contra but Samael moved and Park accidentally speared de la Renta through the table Fatu set up earlier. Fatu then went for the kill, spiking Park with a Samoan Drop and a massive springboard moonsault for the win and succesful title defense.

What. A. Match. These two had an incredible main event match that started out slow and bloody and crescendoed into an amazing finish. This was one of the best indie main events that fans will see this year.

Ultimately, Saturday Night SuperFight was a great pay-per-view event with only one lackluster match on the pre-show and solid rest of the card. MLW should definitely consider this a home run.