MLW Fusion 7/4/2026

MLW Fusion 7/4/2026

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/06/mlw-fusion-6272026.html

We are at Center Stage Theatre in Atlanta, GA. Joe Dombrowski and Tom Lawler are on commentary.

Joe Dombrowski does an intro video talking about the 4th of July. CONTRA Unit interrupts. They say we worship delusions and put Contra logos on cheap shirts. Contra says they were not created for amusement, they were created from fire. They say soon we will taste that fire.

Rich Bocchini has an update on the Bishop Dyer contract dispute. He says the question has been where Dyer. He says MLW and Dyer's negotiations have come to a sand still. He says Dyer is trying to use his status as a tag champ to get an edge over MLW. Rich tells us Dyer is locked out of MLW. He says Dijak is allowed to remain a tag champ if he can find a new tag partner. He says if Dijak can't, the tag titles will be vacated.

Thoughts: There were rumors that Dyer/Corbin was re-signing with WWE and it looks like that is the case here. 

MLW Southern Crown Title Bunkhouse Stampede Match - Festus vs. Jesus Rodriguez vs. Matthew Justice vs. The Beastman vs. Andrew Everett vs. Trevor Lee vs. Josh Bishop vs. Ikuro Kwon vs. Diego Hill vs. Paul Hauser

This match crowns the first MLW Southern Crown champion. It's supposed to pay homage to Southern wrestling. Jesus Rodriguez is Ricardo Rodriguez of WWE fame. Festus is Doc Gallows, doing his old WWE gimmick. They say Gallows is away on medical testing.

Here's some of the highlights of this:

Andrew Everett tried to springboard but was thrown back by Festus. Josh Bishop throws Hill to the outside off a razor's edge. Justice chaired Bishop in the head. Jesus rang the bell and basically made Festus shut off and walk around with his tongue out. 

Kwon shoved Don Gato and got dropped with a punch. Jesus hit Beastman with his own bone. Jesus went for a pin on Festus, but Tom Lawlor rang the bell and woke Festus up. Festus pushed Beastman down steps. Justice and Josh then fought down the stairs and to the back.

Lee countered Hill's crossbody with a spanish fly. Hill hit a nice  double jump corkscrew moonsault on Kwon. Everett hit a top rope ssp on Hill. Trevor Lee won this match with a M. Bison stomp on Everett.

Thoughts: It had a ton of action going on as all 10 men fought at once. We had tons of camera cuts and a lot of fast paced action. The ring couldn't hold all of these guys and there really wasn't more than 3 people in the ring at once here. I figured Lee or Hauser would win as those two made the most sense. What we got was fine but kind of messy. I don't really think MLW needs this title. I also didn't love Gallows trying to be Festus here while still trying to be his current character.

Rich Bocchini talks to Teddy Long. Teddy says MLW brought him back here and says being back here at Center Stage brought back memories. He says he's here for another reason too and we will find out about it.

Teddy then runs into Donovan Dijak. He says Dijak is one of the new Skyscrapers (Teddy used to manage The Skyscrapers in WCW). Dijak says "New Skyscrapers? My @ss". Teddy asks about who will he find for a partner and Dijak tells him to worry about himself. Teddy tells him good luck on everything. He says The Skyscrapers is copyrighted and he'll be looking for his royalty check.

We go to The Contra Mercs War Room with The Good Brothers, Mads Krule Kruegger and Shotzi. Doc brings up Dijak and Dyer being broken up. Doc says they are coming to fight Contra no matter the numbers. Doc says they are the real Contra and are coming. They drink beer and Doc acts wild throughout this.

Teddy Long comes out to talk. Teddy says getting a pop like this lets you know that you are still over. He asks for a "holla holla holla". Teddy says it's an honor to be here and says this is where he started. He says he introduced Butch Reed and Ron Simmons and says he had The Skyscrapers also. He says he's not here to talk about the past but MLW's future too. He says he's here to talk about the next big thing in MLW - Labron Kozone. 

Labron Kozone comes out. 

LaBron Kozone vs. Alan Angels

AA waistlocks him and LK throws him off by the arm. AA side headlocks him. AA goes for a leapfrog and is booted in the chest down. LK slams AA then bottom rope elbow drops him for 2. 

LK euros AA then AA chops him. LK no sells the chops then chops AA down. LK exploders him. AA kicks LK in the chest. AA flying headscissors him. AA enzugiri's him from the apron. AA is caught coming off the top rope and LK backbreakers him. LK is sent out.

AA dropkicks LK in the knee. AA double stomps LK's back on the apron. AA's tope is caught and LK apron powerbombs him. LK holds him for a big lariat and pins him.

Thoughts: It was mostly a squash and it was fine. LK kind of looks like a smaller Keanu Carver. He's muscular, he hits hard and he seems like a decent pick-up. He needs a new name though as he sounds too much like Lebron James and a calzone.

We get a Don Gato video.

We then get a video of a fake heart with blood being poured on it.

Donovan Dijak vs Karl Anderson

KA hits chops on DD. They trade forearms. KA gets the edge and forearms him in the corner. KA chops him and kicks him in the knee. KA chops DD off the apron. KA slingshot plancha's him outside. 

KA is caught coming off the apron and DD chokeslams him on the apron. DD boots him inside and forearms him. KA hits chops and forearms. DD back elbows him. DD hits mounted shots. DD backbreakers him. DD 2nd rope splashes him for 2.

DD chinlocks him. KA chops him then double boots him out of the corner. KA 2nd rope diving neckbreakers him for 2. We go to break and return. DD misses a corner charge and KA jumping facekicks him. KA flipping neckbreakers him for 2. DD back elbows KA in the corner and chest clubs him.

KA boots him from the 2nd rope. KA's top rope diving cutter is caught. DD spinning death valley drivers him for 2. KA hits chops. DD sitout chokeslams him for 2. DD misses a top rope moonsault. KA pump kicks him. They trade shots. KA spinebusters him for 2.

DD facekicks him. KA blocks a GTH and rolls up DD. KA pins DD.

Thoughts: Karl winning was a big upset here. Karl really doesn't do a lot but various strikes and boots. I think they used canned heat here to make the crowd sound better than they were. This was alright, but it may have been better with a few minutes shaved off.

Josh Bishop nails Karl from behind after. Karl is thrown in the ring. Dijak stomps on Karl. Dijak and Josh double chokeslam Karl. They say Josh Bishop will be Dijak's new Skyscrapers partner.

Rich Bocchini interviews Dijak and Bishop. They push Rich away. Dijak says MLW has shafted The Skyscrapers. He says "my @ss" to the supposed contract dispute with Bishop Dyer. He says Josh Bishop is now the 3rd Skyscraper. Josh then grabs the other MLW Tag Title and says we are now looking at the new MLW Tag champion and Skyscraper. 

CONTRA Unit interrupt the feed. They says The Contra Mercs needed to believe they had fallen because the alternative is unbearable.

Overall thoughts: The opener was a bit chaotic as expected. It had a lot of action though and they did okay with it. LaBron Kozone had a decent debut and he looks like has potential. The main was alright but Karl Anderson is a very limited wrestler and there's only so much you are getting out of his matches. They made the best of a bad situation here with Bishop Dyer leaving and Josh Bishop is indeed a suitable replacement for him. Teddy Long also appeared for an interesting cameo, but I don't think he's going to be back much. There was nothing must see on this one and most of their top singles guys were missing. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 though as it was an okay show.