Tonight is the night: it’s the 2021 Opera Cup Finals on MLW Fusion ALPHA (presented by www.newlawoffice.com) as Davey Richards will battle a well-known nemesis in TJP. The tournament has been a bracket of two tales as both men have made their way to the top by the beat of their own drum. The show first starts off with a bit of heated singles competition!
MATCH 1
KC Navarro vs. WARHORSE
The Simply Blessed Navarro is the first to enter before WARHORSE makes his way out with his cherished Parts Unknown Most Interesting Wrestler Award.
Bell tolls and KC shows his masterful skills at evading WARHORSE and makes the man pay with a tope to the entryway. Shotgun dropkick from up top sends Warhorse in the corner to recoup. KC makes the mistake of pounding WARHORSE’s head off the turnbuckle and he headbangs up the adrenaline, nailing Navarro with a powerslam. WARHORSE stomps on KC in the corner.
Warhorse grabs hold of the head of Navarro for a headbutt as KC tries to flip WARHORSE over for a pin. WARHORSE cinches in a side figure-four leg lock as KC struggles to make it to the ropes. Corner splash by KC Navarrao and he follows up with a hangman DDT. 1-2-no!
KC leaps off top but readjusts after WARHORSE moves. WARHORSE limbers up for a massive lariat and gets a near fall!
KC is down in the corner and WARHORSE feeds him a running knee before climbing up top. KC avoids the attack and nails WARHORSE with a sunset bomb! He hits the Jesus Peace sliced bread and secures the 1-2-3!
WINNER: KC Navarro
Post-match, KC makes clear that it’s just the beginning and he’s gunning for that Middleweight Title.
Earlier outside, Emilio Sparks approaches Myron Reed and asks if he has stirring the pot between Tankman and Kane. While Reed says that aiming Kane to lose is his game, he knows what Emilio is up to and is having none of it.
It’s official: NEXT WEEK Los Parks will defend their World Tag Team Titles against the ever eager 5150. Their bloodthrist will certainly be quenched as it’s under Philly Street Fight rules!
Sparks remains a busy man as he was live streaming Cesar Duran walking out of his office. Duran is seen counting many large bills and it brings up the question as to where’s that money coming from?
MATCH 2
Top Dogs (Davienne & Skylar) vs. The Sea Stars
Willow Nightingale joins Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski on commentary as we get are first glimpse of Top Dogs!
Davienne and Skylar waste no time in attacking The Sea Stars only to take time jaw jacking with the crowd. Big mistake as Sea Stars takes them out.
Davienne nails a back suplex on Delmi Exo and gets a near fall. The Top Dogs however keep her cornered for some tag chemistry. This offense goes on for quite some time as Skylar ties Delmi up for a sliding dropkick by Davienne. Ashley Vox just barely makes the same.
The momentum shifts as Vox nails a double droppkick from up top! Vox fish hooks Skylar before a forearms shiver downs Skylar for another near fall. The Top Dogs nail a double powerbomb for a near fall, but Delmi runs in to nail a series of suplexes! THe Sea Stars hit the Tidal Wave on Skylar for the 1-2-3!
WINNERS: The Sea Stars
Post-fight, Holidead attempts to ambush the commentary table, but Willow catches her and the two begin brawling it out!
We cut back to Emilio’s live stream: Duran’s henchman opens a box and inside? Mantanza’s mask. Dombrowski rightfully questions what the hell is going on.
Alex Kane is now with his new associate Mr. Thomas. He doesn’t need any greedy promoters middle manning the fight business and the new National Openweight Champion formally announces the formation of Boom Bye Yae Fight Club, citing Muhammad Ali’s Rumble In The Jungle.
From the office of Cesar Duran, Alex Hammerstone will be facing a mystery opponent next week!
We cut to 5150 and Slice Boogie makes it clear that MLW f*cked up by giving them a title shot. What do you think they’re going to do? Konnan says that three months ago, everyone knew the landscape changed and it did. Rivera says next week, it’s going down. If they thought taking the mask was their pride, wait until they take their belts next week!
Emilio continues to live stream Duran as Cesar removes the key. He unlocks the door, but the henchman catches sight of Emilio and his cameraman Freddie and the two have to bail. It’s main event time.
In a pre-fight video, TJP mocks Davey’s four knee surgeries before making clear he doesn’t lose to anyone. Ever.
Big “Davey” chants by Philly as the American Wolf makes his way to the squared circle.
Davey says the only problem with him is that he was born 400 years too late. He should be swinging an axe on a battle field, but he knows steel sharpens steel. That’s the mindset he has heading into the finals.
MAIN EVENT
2021 Opera Cup Finals
TJP vs. Davey Richards
There’s only one way to describe the first part of this fight: chess match. Both men know one another’s tactics and styles so well that they elude and evade one another until the fight gets to the ground.
Davey has TJP’s number initially, but TJP turns the table for a bridging Indian deathlock. Davey makes it to the ropes.
After some ruthless offense from TJP, Davey pops up to boot wash TJP in the corner. TJP dropkicks the shins of Richards and sends him to the outside. TJP stomps on the hand of Davey before giving him a snake eyes off the apron!
On the outside, TJP continues a focus on that knee with a chop block. Davey gets back in the ring and TJP cranks him down for a near fall.
TJP goes old school for a figure four and Davey has to fight through the pain and pin attempts. Sure enough, Davey uses his strength to spin TJP over and reverse the pressure! TJP gets the ropes and continues the “attack the knee” gameplan. Slingshot senton from TJP. TJP covers but Richards puts his foot on the rope at one. Now TJP locks in a modified butterfly submission.
The fans clap for Davey who makes it to his feet to duke it out with TJP and it’s Davey who gets the better with a leaping lariat!
Both men get to their feet and remove their respective wrist tape. It’s a literal slug fest. Davey evades an attack in the corner and Richards dragon screws the leg of TJP on the second rope. Richards misses a top rope leap and locks in a trailer hitch submission! TJP just makes it to the ropes!
Davey goes for a suplex, but TJP counters. He hits his Detonation Kick: 1-2-no!
The fight gets to the apron and TJP hits a fisherman’s buster on the apron. He rolls Davey back in the ring and nails a Mamba splash: 1-2- Davey just kicks out!
“Let’s go Davey” echoes throughout the 2300 Arena as TJP boot scrapes Davey in the corner. The man is ruthless. Davey looks in dire straits but the Wolf plays possum as he pops TJP up for a well timed kick!
TJP is out on the apron as Davey climbs up. He howls before leaping onto TJP with a double knee stomp! Davey climbs the other side and hits another in the ring! 1-2-no!
Davey immediately rolls over and hits a brainbuster! 1-2-no!
Davey wastes zero time and hits the ankle lock! TJP pushes himself up and has Davey’s shoulders pinned, but Davey flips him back over for an ankle lock and TJP is forced to tap!
WINNER and 2021 OPERA CUP CHAMPION: Davey Richards
Post-fight, Cesar Duran presents Richards with the historic cup. Duran formally announces Richards as the winner before The American Wolf is handed the trophy. Davey grabs hold of a mic after sitting the cup in the center of the ring. The vet is grinning ear to ear before saying the following:
“I feel like we’ve known each other forever, Philadelphia.I look around this awesome MLW audience, I don’t see fans, I don’t see a paying customer, I see the only family that I have ever known. You were there when I was a young guy starting out,y ou were there when my family died. You were there when I became world champion and you were here when I have won the Opera Cup!
“It was told to me in the back that I should dedicate this to someone very special to me, but me being Davey Richards, I don’t exactly follow the script, now do I? So this one is for you, Philadelphia because you were there through thick and thin and as long as I’m able to I will step in this ring and every goddamn night I will give you every penny you spent. This hunt never dies!”
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