MLW Fusion Recap (3/9): Simon Gotch Faces Ace Romero, Tom Lawlor Update, Battle Riot Qualifier

Recap of last week's MLW title rematch between Tom Lawlor and Low Ki, which took place inside of a steel cage. Lawlor would emerge victorious, but suffer a beat-down after the match from Simon Gotch, and his new faction, Contra.

MLW Fusion intro.

Rich Boccini and Jim Cornette welcome us to tonight's show, taking place from Cicero Stadium in Chicago. They announce Contra leader, Simon Gotch, demanded a rematch against Ace Romero. The bout is announced as the main event. Also on scheduled for tonight, an update on MLW heavyweight champion Tom Lawlor, and Alexander Hammerstone is in action.

Our first match of the evening is a qualifier for Battle Riot. Ace Austin is out first. His opponent...DJZ.

Ace Austin versus DJZ Battle Riot Qualifier

Tie-up. Austin takes early advantage with a hammerlock but DJZ reverses the pressure. Austin rolls DJZ up. DJZ uses shows off his athleticism and rolls Austin up. They share a staredown. Austin catches DJZ with a very athletic takedown, then follows that up with a basement dropkick. Fight spills to the outside where DJZ nails Austin with a superkick. He whips Austin into the barricade...Austin jumps directly over and lands on his feet...DJZ dives over the gate taking Austin down!

Back in the ring, DJZ hits a dropkick that sends Austin into the corner. Big boot from Austin but DJZ fires right back with a middle rope elbow. He goes for a tornado DDT...Austin catches him and turns it into a codebreaker. Running corner lariat from Austin...he lays into DJZ with clubbing blows. He puts DJZ on the turnbuckle...headscissor off the top! Austin stringing together some offense...springboard legdrop takes DJZ into the mat.

DJZ slows Austin down with a back body drop...he goes for a high-risk move that Austin turns into a spinebuster! Fun sequence of reversals that ends with DJZ powerboming Austin off the top. He sets up for his finisher but Austin surprises him with a running blockbuster. That'll do it.

Ace Austin wins by pinfall and advances to Battle Riot

Cornette calls Austin's victory an upset. Boccini agrees.

Salina de la Renta is being interviewed backstage but she says she can barely hear the question because of noise happening next to her. It's Mance Warner who is telling a story. Salina goes to shut him up, but he bumps into her and spills beer all over her. Salina is furious. Mance tries to help her clean up but she leaves. Mance is upset that he wasted a good beer.

A Jimmy Havoc vignette is played hyping his return.

A doctor gives an update on Tom Lawlor, although doesn't reveal too much due to doctor/patient confidentiality. He says that Lawlor fractured his ribs among other injuries, and that Lawlor could potentially never compete again due to the attack from Contra.

Kaci Lennox interviews Mance Warner. She asks Mance what his goals are in MLW. Mance asks Kaci who the top dogs are in MLW, Lennox mentions Lawlor, LA Park, and Teddy Hart. Mance says that he wants the gold, and calls out each man, he just wants to fight.

Promo from Simon Gotch. He calls out Ace Romero for taking $20,000 from him in their last bout, but promises that tonight they are fighting for something much more.

A video promo from earlier in the day confirms that Alexander Hammerstone will be in Battle Riot. Ace Austin cuts a promo and says that he may have snuck by DJZ, but that at Battle Riot he'll prove that he belongs.

Recap of Rich Swann's actions over the last few weeks, which includes attacking commentator Rich Boccini.

Alexander Hammerstone is on his way to the ring for our second bout of the evening. His opponent...Isaiah Velasquez...is already in the ring.

Alexander Hammerstone versus Isaiah Velasquez

Velasquez charges Hammerstone to start, but the big guy catches him. Velasquez escapes and lays into Hammerstone with quick strikes, attempting to use his speed to slow Hammerstone down. He goes for a twisting arm-drag...Hammerstone doesn't move. Velasquez baits Hammerstone into charging him and Hammerstone goes over the top. Velasquez with a suicide dive...Hammerstone catches him and powerbombs Velasquez on the apron! From there, Hammerstone picks apart Velasquez. Back in the ring...he lays into the smaller competitor with huge knee strikes to the gut.

Velasquez tries to mount a comeback, but Hammerstone ends that early with a huge belly-to-belly suplex. Hammerstone misses a corner strike...Velasque with a thrust knee to Hammerstone's face. He tries to go high-risk, but Hammerstone crotch drops him. Hammerstone climbs...stalling superplex. He then picks Velasquez up for his finisher...the nightmare pendulum.

Alexander Hammerstone wins by pinfall

It's announced that the Hart Foundation will be defending the MLW tag team championship against Richard Holliday and MJF on next week's episode of Fusion.

Promo from MJF and Holliday. They are getting ready for a high-class after party but none of the preparations are made and they both flip out. MJF insults the staff and Holliday nearly assaults them. MJF pulls out a car key and says that they'll go for a drive in their new vehicle.

Backstage, El Hijo LA Park pushes Mance Warner for spilling his beer onto Salina. Brawl between the two starts. While they're going at it...Brian Pillman Jr. picks up Mance's unfinished beer and drinks it.

Preview for Battle Riot II.

An interview from earlier in the week from the Hart Foundation. Davey Boy Smith says that Holliday and MJF are lucky that he wasn't allowed in the building in Philadelphia when Hart was attacked. Davey Boy threatens to put a serious hurt on them, and accepts their tag team challenge. It's once again confirmed for next week.

Camera catches up with Salina de la Renta. El Hijo LA Park strolls up, but it looks like he lost the fight to Mance Warner. Salina angrily slams her purse off a nearby wall, then gets on her phone. She calls Ricky Martinez and says that she has a task for him.

Flashback to Simon Gotch's open challenge from a few weeks ago that was answered by Ace Romero. Romero would go on to win the prize bout, which was for $20,000. This is played to hype up...our main event!

Simon Gotch is on his way to the ring. Ace Romero is out second.

Ace Romero versus Simon Gotch

Gotch opens up with a running boot. He lays into Romero with stiff strikes. Romero fires right back with a standing lariat, before launching Gotch across the ring with his signature shoulder block. Gotch goes to the outside. SUICIDE DIVE from Romero! Romero goes for a corner splash but Gotch avoids it and takes Romero down with a barrage of kicks. He chops Romero down with leg kicks, then nails the big guy an enziguri.

Romero's adrenaline kicks in...screaming at Gotch to strike him. Romero gets to his feet and clubs Gotch with big lariats. Contra runs to the ring and attacks Romero!

Ace Romero wins by disqualification.

Jacob Fatu decapitates Romero with a superkick. Another brutal beatdown from Contra. They smash a railroad spike over Romero's head several times. He is busted open. The assault lasts for several minutes. Referees try to get in the ring to stop Contra but they keep chasing them out. Gotch places two coins over Romero's eyes, and buries Romero under the Contra flag, much like they did to Lawlor.

That's the show friends.