MLW In Philly: One Year Later
The 2300 Arena was sold out for MLW’s long-awaited return.
The night before Andy Reid finally won the Super Bowl, Philadelphia celebrated the end of another layoff: MLW returned.
The 2300 Arena was sold out for FIGHTLAND, as a stacked lineup of familiar faces and international sensations drew a raucous crowd. “You freaking psychos are going to be on national television” was how commentator A.J. Kirsch kicked off the nearly five-hour taping (without an intermission). Chants of “Shut the fuck up,” “Kill Kross Kill” and “Where’s the mustache” echoed throughout the former ECW Arena as Philly maintained its reputation as the most vocal fanbase in the wrestling world. The passion was rewarded with the announcement that Battle Riot III – MLW’s version of the Royal Rumble – comes to the City of Brotherly Love on July 18.
The news was a relief because a year in between MLW events is too damn long. Hell, several of the company’s top stars from back then are already gone: Teddy Hart, MJF, Rich Swann, Pentagon and Fenix. Look how much has changed between Feb. 2, 2019 and Feb. 1, 2020:
The Dynasty wasn’t even a thing at SuperFight, MLW’s previous event in Philly. MJF had just recruited Richard Holliday that night, as they attacked Teddy Hart backstage after a tremendous Middleweight Championship main event. We didn’t know about Holliday’s obsession with AirPods, the gift train or his lawyer/father. We barely knew Alexander Hammerstone, who debuted in MLW that night, destroying Ariel Dominguez. Since then, the trio has dominated the company – winning the Tag Team Titles and National Openweight Championship – and expanded, adding Gino Medina to the group. As evident by his absence, it appears that MJF is no longer a member of The Dynasty, or MLW for that matter, due to signing with AEW.
The latest thorn in The Dynasty’s side – Mance Warner – also debuted at SuperFight. No stranger to the local crowd, Warner was CZW World Heavyweight Champion at the time, so fans were well aware of his affinity for lariats and light beers. On that night, he defeated Jimmy Yuta in convincing fashion, and after bloody wars with Sami Callihan and Jimmy Havoc, ol’ Mancer has become arguably the most beloved fighter in MLW.
Another stable that wasn’t around is Injustice. The seeds were just being planted at SuperFight, as Rich Swann attacked referee Doug Markham and commentator Rich Bocchini, blaming his loss to Ace Austin on biased officiating. As a result, Swann was suspended, inspiring Myron Reed to launch a crusade for justice in the promotion. Reed recruited Jordan Oliver (who met with MLW brass for the first time at the Philly show) and later Kotto Brazil, forming a highly successful trio aiming to fight discrimination of any kind. Of course, they’ve achieved their goals (such as capturing the Middleweight Championship) by any means necessary.
In a little-known fact, the top faction in MLW also debuted at SuperFight. Jacob Fatu and Josef Samael annihilated Chico Adams and Kwame Nas, a couple of poor souls who became the first victims of Contra Unit. Their attack was so excessively violent that MLW couldn’t get clearance to air it on beIN Sports. The mysterious group, referred to as “global dealers in violence,” have since commandeered MLW broadcasts, airing threats and assaults at random. Fatu currently (and for the foreseeable future) sits high above the rest of the competition as MLW World Heavyweight Champion.
At SuperFight, Tom Lawlor ended Low Ki’s undefeated streak and dethroned him as champion. The beloved MMA specialist held the gold for five months before running smack into Contra. Recently, he has reverted to his Filthy ways, recruiting new teammates (Dominic Garrini, Erick Stevens, Kit Osbourne and possibly even King Mo) to wreak havoc on the promotion.
As for Low Ki, he was unceremoniously ejected from Promociones Dorado after losing the title at SuperFight. Since then, he changed his training regimen and developed more power to knockout opponents. He’s also won the fans over again, and after what went down at FIGHTLAND (no spoilers), it wouldn’t be surprising if he meets Lawlor again in the future.
How will MLW look in February of 2021? Philly can’t be certain, but at least we’ll have a good idea after Battle Riot III this July. Tickets available now!
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