There’s plenty to talk about coming off the hot heels that was War Chamber but this Thanksgiving special of MLW Fusion ALPHA (presented by www.newlawoffice.com) has three massive matches lined up, including a five man ladder match to determine the second ever National Openweight Champion! First however, we see the final round of the Opera Cup Semi-Finals take place!
MATCH 1
2021 Opera Cup Semi-Finals
TJP vs. Calvin Tankman
It’s no doubt TJP has had a ruthless agenda in his quest for the Opera Cup and proved that in his opening round match against Alex Shelley, but he’ll certainly have to hustle against Calvin Tankman.
Sure enough, TJP sees adversity against Tankman’s tank-like power as he gets thrown and tossed around the canvas.
TJP manages to slow the big man down with a side headlock and utilizes the ropes for the takeover. Tankman is grounded. Once Tankman gets some sort of offense going, TJP tackles another tactic: bailing out of the ring for a swig of water. We cut to commercial as Tankman is more than amused by his opponent’s action.
Back in it, Tankman flings TJP across the ring. He flings TJP into the ropes once more as TJP takes a moment to tranquilo. He ultimately pays the price for such as he gets sent into the barricade. Tankman goes for a dive, but TJP has seemingly vanished at ringside. Sure enough, Tank finds TJP under the ring as Alex Kane comes out at the top of the entryway. TJP throws his bottle of water in Tankman’s face and nails the big man with a cross body as Kane watches on with a rather large associate.
TJP focuses on attacking the lower body of Tank and then takes it to him in the corner. He then reverses a Samoan Drop attempt into the octopus stretch. That takes Tankman down to a knee for a dropkick to the outside. TJP distracts the official as Kane and his assistant boots and suplex Tank onto the floor!
A groggy Tankman gets back in the ring as Kane watches on. TJP rakes the back of Calvin with the heel of his boot to wear him down in the corner, but Tank pops up for a pounce that levels TJP!
Tankman sends TJP in the opposite corner and after taking a boot, catches TJP for a big-time backbreaker before leveling him with a lariat! 1-2-no!
The two men fight it out on their feet, but the 2300 shakes when Tank catches TJP with a pop-up backfist. tankman charges at TJP but TJ evades and grabs hold of Tank’s trunks in a roll-up: 1-2-no! TJP follows up with a tornado DDT. TJP goes up top but Tank meets him up high for a suplex attempt. TJP headbutts Tank off. As Tank grabs hold of TJP, TJ yanks off a turnbuckle pad. Once more, TJP plays interference with the referee as both Kane and his assistant send Tank harshly into the open buckle!
TJP leaps off top for his Mamba Splash and gets the tainted 1-2-3.
WINNER and ADVANCING to Opera Cup Finals: TJP
Post-match, TJP is met by Alicia Atout at the stage. Atout says he should be ashamed as to how he handled his tournament victories. TJP is more than pleased to embrace the “tough work” that comes with delegation.
Next week, it will be the MLW Opera Cup Finals: TJP will face Davey Richards once more!
Alica Atout is with Warhorse. Alica asks him about his Parts Unknown “Most Interesting Person of 2021” award. He feels amped up for it, but his name is not spelled correctly. Alicia notes that it is, but WARHORSE is all caps. In comes KC Navarro who sits down in a chair. WARHORSE does not appreciate it and a brawl breaks out between the two.
Emilio Sparks wants to get word with Tankman after the match. He asks the hypothetical if matters may have been different if Tankman decided to join forces with America Top Team. Tankman doesn’t want to answer anything at the moment, but Sparks stays on the subject. Tank pins Emilio against a wall and tells him that he had his opportunity but Kane is taking money out of his pocket and therein food off his child’s plate. Who comes in but to calm matters down but Myron Reed. He settles Tank down and walks off with him.
In two weeks time, we’ll see the MLW debut of NZO!
We get a sattelite feed from Kauai, Hawaii to get Thanksgiving greetings from Ross and Marshall Von Erich. Marshall is happy to announce the birth of his second son, Archie Ross Von Ericn and the brothers thank all the fans for the well wishes. The Von Erichs make clear that they’ve gotten word about Cesar Duran’s plans, but they have a plan of their own: challenge for the World Tag Team Titles. They know Duran can make it happen so give them a call!
Not only will the league get the debut of NZO in two week’s time, but we’ll see World Middleweight Champion TAJIRI defend his belt against Atsuki Aoyagi from AJPW..
MATCH 2
Budd Heavy vs. Gnarls Garvin
Speaking of debuts, we see “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin make his way in Major League Wrestling against a Philadelphia favorite, Budd Heavy.
Budd has been put through the ringer recently after facing Alex Kane and Garvin is ready for fighting as he gets right to it as the bell sounds. He nails Budd with a rapid fire of shots in the corner before sending him aginst the ropes for a emphatic dropkick.
He then collides with Budd over the ropes and hits a side suplex for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Gnarls Garvin
Undoubtedly a statement victory for Gnarls Garvin and Philadelphia is not pleased with his victory. Alicia Atout is standing by with him post-match but he tries to prompt Alicia to head to the back “and get him a Coors.” She clearly doesn’t but Beef wants to introduce himself to the crowd. He says a friend from Nashville sent him to MLW and he’s here to chew up the competition and spit them out. And hey, there’s nothing you can do about it.
Alicia Atout found The Dynasty backstage and talked to Hammerstone and Holliday about the potential end of CONTRA. That’s where Alex has to correct Alicia: he thinks this is definitevly the end of CONTRA. Holliday hashes out his holiday plans at his family’s house/winter residence again. Suddenly, the masked AZTECA associate presents Hammer and Holliday with a set of ROLEX watches. Holliday is intrigued at the marketing opportunities while Hammer sees the “gift” as bait. Holliday sees it perfecting his ensemble for his date on Black Friday, but Hammer makes clear that it’s a “no.” Holliday admits they’re probably fake anyway, but “c’mon.” Hammer walks off.
Emilio Sparks catches up with Alex Kane and asks him about his new associate. The latter tells Sparks to mind his business, but Kane makes it clear that they’re cool. He wants to mention that the associate is a part of his new “team” and yes he said “team.” His new friend is Mr. Thomas, but he has to focus on his ladder match. In bursts Calvin Tankman who is held back by security as Kane feigns fight mode before discussing his suplex gameplan.
We cut to Cesar Duran’s office who has Sparks and Atout as guests. Duran asks what sort of purpose either of them serve as interviewers and Atout makes her case first: she connects with interviewees more on a personal level which gives a more intriguing and deeper interview than just the base fluff. Emilio says Duran doesn’t need “cute.” MLW is a war zone and he is in trenches as a reporter. Atout and Sparks bicker before Karlee Perez enters. She notes both of their good qualities they bring to their occupations, but says to Duran to cut a cue pool stick in half and see who survives. Duran thinks before stating that he likes the work both are doing and is going to keep them around, but they want more scoops and exclusives.
The new duo send both reporters on their way. When they exit, the masked assistant enters with the ROLEX box and Duran is a little miffed. We can’t be miffed, however because it is main event time!
MAIN EVENT
National Openweight Championship Ladder Match
Alex Shelley vs. Myron Reed vs. Zenshi vs. Alex Kane vs. “Wild Card”
All four known competitors come out before we see the Wild Card. Philadelphia is shocked to learn that it is longtime MLW vet, ACH makes his return!
The bell rings and everyone gangs up on The Suplex Assasin! Kane shows exactly why the four other men did that as he lariats down ACH & Shelley before chokeslamming Reed and Zenshi. Mr. Thomas slides a ladder in the ring and the fight continues on the canvas and the floor!
After a brief break in an unprecedent move, Zenshi springboards off the top rope in an attempt to grab the title without the ladder and the unorthodox Chilean gets his fingers on the gold!
This allows Reed to set up a ladder but Zenshi fights him to make the climb. Reed goes to tip the ladder but Zenshi walks the tight rope to evade! This soon causes Reed to slide to the outside only to get leveled by Shelley and ACH!
Back in the ring, Shelley traps ACH in the rung of the ladder to dropkick him. Shelley begins to climb but Kane suplexes him off!
ACH keeps his presence in the fight by delivering a tornado DDT to Kane and soon sends Reed into the side of the ladder. But little does ACH know that he set himself up for a Flame On Cutter off the ladder! Shelley sees the opportunity and nails Reed with a flatliner into the ladder!
Kane grabs hold of Shelley and Reed by the throadt, but Reed manages to nail Kane with a Flame On Cutter as well!
The battle focus shifts to Shelley who drives all his weight into a sandwiched Zenshi in the ladder. Zenshi makes the use of the ladder by jamming the edge of it into the midsection of Shelley. Zenshi walks the rungs of the leaning ladder but ACH catches him with a suplex but Kane catches him with one!
Kane and Mr. Thomas soon get their come uppance as Reed soars through the air to crash onto both of them!
Kane is down and the other four men find themselves fighting atop of two ladders in the center of the ring! They’re all trading shots as Zenshi looks to get the better of the situaton by hitting Reed with a headscissors off the ladder. Shelley is quick to seek opportunity but gets caught by Kane in a choke hold. Kane flings Shelley to the outside and makes the climb to secure the belt and become the second ever National Openweight Champion!
WINNER and NEW MLW National Openweight Champion: Alex Kane
Kane remains undefeated in Major League Wrestling and now has that accolade with the National Openweight Title around his waist! Out comes an irate Calvin Tankman once more as security holds him back. Mr. Thomas participates in the pomp and circumstance of putting the belt on Kane as the show ends!
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