MLW FIGHTLAND

October 2nd at the wrestling world famous 2300 arena, Major League Wrestling held what they dubbed “The Most Anticipated Title Fight of the Year”. This was an event I was able to attend live in the second row. The two biggest matches of the night were for the MLW middleweight championship, held by two time Wrestler of the Pod the “Young Goat” Myron Reed; and the title for title no disqualification war that would be held between MLW Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone and the head of the Contra Unit MLW Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu. If you watched MLW’s Fightland October 7th on Vice TV you’ll notice these are the only two matches from the event that were on the show. The rest of the card to be shown in later weeks. This month’s spotlight goes to these two epic title fights.

Fatal 4 Way MLW Middleweight Championship

One of the biggest signings from the MLW Draft this past summer was the “Japanese Buzzsaw” himself Tajiri. So when the announcement that Tajiri would be making his debut being involved in the MLW Middleweight title fight with young Mexican luchadores Arez and Aramis, and one half of #Injustice Champion Myron Reed, all eyes focus was on what would happen when the Japanese veteran faced the new school style of high flying. While there were no evident heels in the title fight the clear fan favorite was Tajiri, undoubtedly due to his ECW roots. The match began with both young challengers and even the champion taking the time to show respect and shake hands with the legend. From there it was much a story of high flyers doing the best they could to overpower the other until Tajiri was effectively activated. Backflips, flying outside neck breakers, suicide dives and some reversals not even I can accurately describe. Then, like the waking of a Japanese dragon, or… in this case a buzzsaw, the strong style kicks began to connect, cutting down one after another. Tajiri hits his signature tarantula then assists in kicks as Myron Reed is put into a top rope variation of the same move. After some good back and forth Myron hits quit cappin’ and the pin is broken up by Tajiri who lands his iconic poison mist on Myron while the ref is distracted, and lands the Buzzsaw kick for the victory. The 2300 arena erupted in cheers and you deserve it chants for the new MLW Middleweight Champion. While surprised at the outcome, it only made since that Tajiri win in the ECW arena, a place that felt like home.

Title for title Hammerstone vs Fatu

For months on end Hammerstone had been banging at Contra’s door for the MLW Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu. It took him winning a battle royal after having a war with the black hand of Contra Krugger to earn a shot at the champ that Contra couldn’t con their way out of. Fatu was proved to be unafraid of Hammerstone after his win however, almost running over his manager and mouthpiece of Contra Josef Samael to start the fight early. Alexander Hammerstone and Jacob Fatu had been simultaneously undefeated in 2021 and this was the match that was bound to happen. Either Hammerstone was a false prophet or Fatu was due to pass the torch. The atmosphere in the 2300 was positively on Hammerstone’s side, the place erupted with at his arrival and a thunderstorm of boos rained down when the head of Contra made his way to the ring, all except for a few in the front with a Contra flag, rare spotty Contra shirts and yours truly in a contra jacket.

The match was however a different story than the build. Even though Jacob had been the face of the company for over a year and top 25 on the PWI 500, Fatu was preforming as if he had a chip on his shoulder, like he was the one who had to prove something to everyone, Fatu was hungry. Cursing at the crowd, telling them who runs the show after big moves and being the first to weapons, the Samoan werewolf was on a warpath to stay champion. While Hammerstone’s offense was minimal, it would always immediately level the playing field. This usually resulted in a frustrated Fatu raising the stakes higher and higher. Fatu would pull outside dives, guard rail smashes, and even a standing backflip off of the guard rail trying to break Hammerstone and compete at a pace he just couldn’t keep up with. Hammerstone had to pull a springboard dive and a flying top rope dropkick just to keep himself in the fight.

After throwing Alexander into steel chairs wrapped up in a corner, after pulling a Shane O’Mac style coast to coast, it seemed Fatu had came up with one last high risk maneuver to finally put away Hammerstone. Fatu pulled out a table, laid Hammerstone on top and draped the Contra flag over him before doing the Mighty Moonsault from the top rope through the table on Hammerstone. This in my opinion should have been the end of the match, but Hammerstone kicked out, and by some amazing feat of strength pulled out a swinging cutter for the 1,2,3. The match was amazing. The win however felt less celebratory then predicted. In a surprising twist, all the effort, flight, and amazing will to establish himself as the true face of the company ended up making more of the arena true fans of Fatu rather than being behind Hammerstone who was supposed to be the hero. The event was amazing and these matches were unforgettable. That’s why they deserve this months spotlight.