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Major League Wrestling (MLW) made their return tonight to television on FUBO Sports and their YouTube channel for MLW The Restart. MLW had been out of action for seven months due to the COVID-19.
MLW kicked their return off in a big way with three championships on the line and made a big announcement tonight as well. MLW The Restart kicked off with a promo video narrated by commentary legend, Joey Styles. The video package played various highlights of MLW leading up to tonight's event.
Match 1: MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone vs Dugan
Hammerstone made his way to the ring, and the commentary team of Rich Bocchini and new commentator Jared St. Laurent discussed the MLW card for tonight and the show's opener airs.
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Once the video package ends, we see Hammerstone's opponent in the ring. Making his debut tonight for a tryout is referee Larry Peace Jr. Peace checks both Dugan and Hammerstone, and the match begins.
Hammerstone hit Dugan with a clothesline and his finisher to get the win in a matter of seconds.
Result: Alex Hammerstone def. Dugan
After the match, Hammerstone cut a promo claiming he wants Jacob Fatu.
Grade: A
Match 2: World Middleweight Champion Myron Reed vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
This match was set for a 60-minute time limit. PIllman Jr.'s music hit first. We waited, and we waited and Pillman Jr. did not come out. His music hit a second time and there was no sign of Brian. Bocchini assumed that maybe something happened and then he says, "Pillman doesn't want to go to the ring." Based on his performance, I would tend to agree.
MLW cuts to a video package of Lio Rush. They cut back to the entrance, and Pillman Jr's music hits for the third time, and he finally comes out. The commentary team makes it known that Pillman Jr. had to cut from 225 down to 205lbs to be able to wrestle Reed.
Myron Reed comes out with Jordan Oliver. This match went back-and-forth.
At one point, Pillman Jr. tried to chop Reed (who wears a chest protector like D-Lo Brown), but it had zero effect, and only hurt himself. The match continued to go back-and-forth, and while having Reed in a submission, Pillman Jr. used Reed's vest for leverage until the referee caught on and started counting for Pillman Jr. to break it up.
The two men hit each other with crossbody blocks by mistake. Reed was in the corner with his chest protector stuffed between the middle and top turnbuckle. Pillman Jr. went to hit a running knee, and Reed moved out of the way leaving Pillman Jr. to hit the chest protector. Reed would hit his finisher, "Captain Crunch," for the victory.
Result: Myron Reed def. Brian Pillman Jr.
Grade: C-
After the match, a promo was cut by Reed saying he wants Lio Rush!
After that, a bunch of promos air. We see Los Parks, and at the end, they say, "We want the gold." A Contra video airs with Jacob Fatu on Davey Boy Smith Jr. It's discovered that Contra paid off Selina De Le Renta to help them help into MLW Production. Commentary announced that MLW fined De La Renta and revoked her production credentials.
MLW also played a video package on the history of the Opera Cup announced its 2020 Opera Cup participants. Last year, Davey Boy Smith won it. Afterwards, Alicia Tout interviews Davey Boy Smith Jr., and we saw a video package of Ross, Marshall, and Kevin Von Erich as Kevin tells how the Von Erich's have a history with MLW.
Main Event: MLW Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Right off the bat, these two have an intense staredown. The match had a good back-and-forth pace.
Smith Jr. hit the stalling suplex on Fatu just like his dad, British Bulldog. The two go back-and-forth, with Fatu getting Smith Jr. in a torture rack and Smith Jr. raking Fatu's eyes to get out. Fatu attempted a springboard moonsault on Smith Jr., but Smith Jr. got his knees up and blocked Fatu.
The match would go back-and-forth one last time before Fatu would hit Smith Jr. with a Samoan Driver, then his finisher, the Moonsault, for the victory.
Result: Jacob Fatu def. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Grade: A
After the match, Fatu would cut a promo about how "Contra never stopped running this." Fatu then called out Hammerstone, and Hammerstone came out and is attacked by a monstrous masked man with a chair, and the show ends.
