Intro to MLW: After the closure of both ECW and WCW in 2001, many fans were left looking for an alternative to the WWF. For a few years some fans found that alternative in MLW, or Major League Wrestling. Founded by Court Bauer, MLW used the term “Hybrid Wrestling” to describe their brand of wrestling that featured many different styles. It was pretty clear from the beginning to anybody watching that MLW was trying to take over as the “new ECW”. Many former ECW and WCW stars would pass through MLW over the next year and a half. MLW would end up running a total of ten shows and air 35 TV episodes before shutting down. Journey back with me now through the complete run of MLW.

Genesis 2002-06-15 from Viking Hall in Philadelphia, PA

Here we are for our first ever Major League Wrestling Event. Live from Viking Hall, formerly known as the ECW Arena. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas shows up before the building opens and fans show up and says it’s time for him to make history again.

Opening Video, which shows lots of the action from tonight’s card including a person holding up the MLW Championship. I won’t spoil it for you though.

Joey Styles is our hosts and commentator and tonight we have an 8 man title tournament. Joey tells us that these are wrestles and NOT sports entertainers. MLW will innovate and bring wrestling back to the industry according to Joey.

1st Rnd Match: La Parka vs. “New F’n Show” Jerry Lynn, ref Mike Keiner

Joey talks about how this is La Parka’s first time back in the states since leaving WCW. He then talks about how WCW dropped the ball with him. Joey can’t stop talking about how much weight Parka has lost which makes me think someone else is under the mask. Parka with some loud chops and a snap suplex for 2. Parka keeps the advantage with some blows until Lynn hits a flying headscissor then a bulldog. They have some nice counter spots back and forth. Parka charges the corner but Lynn moves and Parka hits the ring post and goes to the floor. Lynn comes off the top with a crossbody to the outside. Back in the ring lots more back and forth action Parka hits a spin kick and Lynn goes to the floor. Parka follows with a corkscrew planach. Parka misses a twisting somersault senton and Lynn hits a leaping corkscrew DDT for the win in 7.03 to advance to the next round.

“King of Old School” Steve Corino is in the bathroom talking to a mirror. He has a match coming up with Shane Douglas tonight. Corino says six months ago he was ready to retire. He won the ECW and NWA World Titles and beat countless legends on wrestling. Corino says he once looked up to Douglas until the day Shane threw down the NWA World Title. Corino yells about Shane sitting at home collecting WCW checks while he was out bleeding.

1st Rnd Match: “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Vampiro, ref John Finnegan

Vampiro looks different from his WCW days, gone is the face paint and he is now shaved bald. Big fan of both these guys so looking forward to this match. Vampire controls the arm to start. Daniels trips him up and takes the leg. They trade a few holds on the mat and Vampiro slides out to the floor. More mat wrestling once they get back to the action. Vampiro gets a leg lock on and Daniels as to bail out of the ring. Six minutes in and these guys are still just getting warmed up. Daniels with an eye poke to gain control of the match and he hammers away on Vampiro. Vampire ducks a clothesline hits a super kick and comes off the top with a spin kick. They go to the floor and Daniels gets sent into the guardrail. I notice the lighting is much better then for ECW shows and can see just how small the building really is. Chair to the back on Daniels. In the ring Vampiro goes to work on the leg and groin area including the ring bell to the balls. Daniels comes back with a neckbreaker and throws Vampiro to the floor. Daniels with an Arabian moonsault to the floor of a standing Vampiro. Big boot and powerbomb for 2 for Daniels. STO and moonsault for 2. Daniels goes up top but Vampiro cuts him off and hits a super belly to belly that sends Daniels all the way across the ring. Vamp misses a corkscrew somersault senton. They get into a chop fight Vampiro ducks a punch and hits a urinagi for the win in 13.55

Joey tells us this was Vampiro’s 3rd match in the past 48 hours. Bam Bam Bigelow was supposed be in the next tournament match but backed out. We now go to comments from his replacement The Wall. Wall says he has been hearing Bam Bam chants but says that Bam Bam turned his back on the fans. Wall hates not being appreciated and after tonight the fans will learn to appreciate him. Taiyo Kea is going to kick The Wall’s ass tonight.

1st Rnd Match: The Wall vs. Taiyo Kea, ref Mike Keiner

Joey says Bam Bam showed up to the locker room saw the competition and got in his car and left. Wall goes for a back drop but Kea lands face first. They go to the floor and Kea destroys Wall with a few chops. Wall overpowers Kea and gets a 2 count after a clothesline. Leg whip by Kea and he attacks the leg with stomps and submissions. Back to the floor Wall grabs a chair but it gets superkicked into his face. Kea comes off the second rope with drop kick to the knee. He goes up top but the Wall takes him down and hits a superplex for 2. Spinebuster gets another 2. Six minutes in and Wall is moving very slowly. Second rope leg drop for 2 by the Wall. Wall goes for a powerbomb but Kea gets a rana. Kea hits a northern lights with a bridge for the pin in 6.41.

1st Rnd Match: “King of Old School” Steve Corino vs. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, ref John Finnegan

Douglas comes out to a big pop. Douglas gets the mic. “Cut the fucking music!” “Welcom back” chant from the fans. Douglas talks about how he has made history over and over again. He talks about the UWF and ECW. Douglas was the youngest man to hold a major title in the history of wrestling when he won the UWF TV Title. He talks about throwing down the NWA Title that Corino tried to resurrect. Douglas says this is the house he built. Corino grabs the mic and cuts a promo similar to his bathroom one from earlier. He adds that Douglas ran to WCW while he stayed and got his ass kick. Corino talks about how once Shane left he carried the company on his back while a fat piece of shit bounced his checks. Corino says Douglas is here to put him over so he can go on to win the MLW Title later tonight. He tells Shane to leave and just get counted out. Very passionate promo from Corino. He asks Douglas if he wants to get pinned or counted out. Douglas says he is going to walk but then of course nails Corino and we are off. Swinging neckbreaker for 2. Corino comes back. He goes for rolling suplexes but Shane blocks the second and hits three of his own. Douglas goes up top but gets slammed off. They go to the floor and brawl. Shane hits a few low blows on Corino. He crotches Corino on the rail and hits him with a chair. Corino snaps Douglas’ neck on the rope. Corino goes to work on the arm for a few minutes and then they both go down from a double clothesline. Small package by Shane for 2. Corino reverse it for 2. Douglas with a northern lights for 2. Crowd totally dead for this match. Corino goes for the old school explosion but Shane breaks out and hits the belly to belly and picks up the victory in 9.38.

Jerry Lynn is walking backstage and he runs into Christopher Daniels. Daniels tells Lynn that he has a troubled soul. Daniels offers Lynn salvation to join him.

Semifinals Match: “New F’n Show” Jerry Lynn vs. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, ref Mike Keiner

Franchise attacks before the bell. Lynn with an irish whip to the corner and follows with a drop kick. Lynn hits a bulldog from the second rope. Lynn hits a leg drop to the back of Shane’s neck and they go to the floor. Lynn with a baseball slide. Lynn shoves Douglas to the ring post and then slams him into the guardrail. Douglas again to the post and he is busted open. Lynn with a sunset flip and they do the spot where the roll around with it a few times each getting near falls. They both get up and go down with double clotheslines. Lynn up with some more clothesline and he hits a TKO for 2. Douglas with a mule kick low. Lynn goes for a belly to belly but Douglas blocks it and goes for his own. Lynn blocks that and hits the swinging DDT he used to beat La Parka but Douglas kicks out and then hits a belly to belly for 2. Douglas goes for a suplex but Lynn rolls out and goes for a cradle piledriver but Shane blocks it with a backdrop. Lynn however rolls him up for 2. Shane hits a Pittsburgh Plunge and moves on to the finals in 7.29.

Semifinals Match: Taiyo Kea vs. Vampiro, ref John Finnegan

We get about three minutes of back and forth until Kea hits a rana for 2 and a vaderbomb splash for 2. A blue thunder bomb from Kea for 2. They go to the floor and fight a bit. Back in the Kea kicks the shit out of Vampior’s chest. Kea with a powerbomb for 2. Vampiro keeps holding the back of his head leading Joey to believe that he has a concussion. Kea with another powerbomb. Vampiro throws Kea into the corner and hits a belly to back. I don’t get why Vampiro is all of the sudden on top because he just got up after the second powerbomb. The crowd is totally dead for this match. Kea with a sunset flip for 2. Chop fight, Kea comes out on top of that. Vamprio goes for a hip toss but Kea hits a shitty looking DDT for 2. Kea goes upt top but Vampiro cuts him off and hits a super rana for 2. Kea flips out of a suplex and hits a TKO for 2. The bell rings out of no where at 12 minutes and we have some confusion. The ref calls for 5 more minutes. Before the match can restart Shane Douglas’ music hits. Douglas hits the ring and they all start fighting and we get..

Tournament Finals Match: “The Franchise” Shane Douglas vs. Taiyo Kea vs. Vamprio, ref John Finnegan

Vamprio hits Kea with a spin kick and then Shane hits a belly to belly on Vampiro and gets the win for the title in 1.07. Douglas takes the belt and gets on the mic “cut the fucking music!” Douglas makes history again tonight and calls out all his enemies in business including Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman, HBK, Ric Flair and the original 3 nWo members. Douglas runs down the many titles he has won. He ends with the MLW Championship and says they can all kiss his ass and throws down the title. He’s not a man to be given a title of a wanna be company. He blazes his own trail and takes the titles he wants. Douglas spits on the title. John Finnegan gets the belt and mic and tells Douglas he’s not going to pull this shit again. Finnegan says if he doesn’t defend the title he will be banned from wrestling in PA ever again. Douglas takes the belt and is pissed off.

My thoughts on the show…

So much great talent on this show made me want to love it, but in reality it sucked. Shane Douglas, who if you follow my ECW reviews know I love, was absolutely HORRIBLE tonight. The promo with Steve Corino was really good but all three matches he was involved in were complete garbage. I was highly disappointed in the Vampirio/Daniels match as well. The only match worth even taking a look at was the opener and even that was just “OK”. With the talent involved in this I was thinking I was going to love it, but it was just bad, really bad. Prince Nana, Super Hentai & Ultra Taro Jr. defeat Abunai, Devon Storm & Rising Sun and PJ Friedman defeats Shirley Doe were not shown on the home video. Thumbs down here.