MLW Fusion results: Davey Richards vs. Alex Kane, Killer Kross vs. Matt Cross

This week's MLW Fusion opened with a hype video for the main event of Davey Richards vs. Alex Kane for the National Openweight title, focussing on their previous match that ended with the betrayal by Myron Reed as he turned his back on Richards and joined Kane's Bomaye Fight Club. 

Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski welcomed us to the Melrose Ballroom in New York City, taped earlier this past June.

Samoan SWAT Team (Jucy Finau and Lance Anoa'i) defeated Los Maximos (Joel and Jose Maximo)

This was a perfectly fine tag match to highlight the Samoan SWAT Team. Los Maximos are MLW originals from the 2003 era so that may give away their age group, but they have clearly and wisely adapted their style to save their high-flying signature spots for the right match at the right time. Tonight wasn't that night as the match was made to shine a light on Finau and Anoa'i. 

The match played into the advantages of the SWAT team as they told the story of the big team vs. smaller team dynamic well. The Samoan Anoa'i and Tongan Finau used their strength and size to overpower their opponents, but still showed their doses of athleticism when Anoa'i took out everyone with an early tope con giro. A flying headscissors and a corner cannonball followed as Anoa'i had another great outing here.

Finau brought strength and charisma as he delivered spinebusters to both Maximos on top of each other before finishing the brothers off with a double Samoan drop that was topped off by a top rope splash by Anoa'i.

- Mance Warner was in the venue's bar and issued a challenge to Mads Krugger for weapons-filled gimmick match that he had not decided on yet.

- MLW World Tag Team Champions EJ Nduka & Calvin Tankman seemed to have some tension building after Nduka eliminated his championship partner from the Battle Riot match. We saw footage from the night before when the champions met up, shook hands and said, "They will do what they need to do and worry about everything else later." Was this a tease at a future breaking point for the champions? 

Then during a promo, Myron Reed called over Tankman and suggested he should join the Bomaye Fight Club -- an offer Tankman quickly shot down given the history between himself. and Alex Kane. Reed also pressed on the tension between he and Nduka by asking Tankman where Nduka got his expensive watch from. This was a strong hint toward Nduka being in cahoots with Cesar Duran, a man who has a history of offering expensive gifts to try to lure wrestlers to his side.

- Taya Valkyrie was on the receiving end of a sneak attack from Brittany Blake last week. This week we saw the immediate aftermath of the attack when the cameras caught up with the MLW Featherweight champion. Valkyrie said all she had to do was ask for a shot and it was hers. 

- "The Clout Couple" Richard Holliday and Alicia Atout were getting ready for Richards' falls count anywhere match against MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone in next week's Thanksgiving episode. The self-proclaimed "sole proprietor" told us that the New York City catchphrase "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" is a crock of sh*t as Holliday can make it no matter where he goes. He said he will beat Hammerstone's ass on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and 52nd Street and then will become the new champion.

Killer Kross (w/ Scarlett Bordeaux) defeated Matt Cross

Before he re-signed with WWE earlier this year, Kross briefly returned to MLW and faced off with his namesake here in an impressive outing. As always, Scarlett was in his corner at ringside but didn't have to make her presence felt as her man crossed the finish line on his own with a big victory. 

We were told that Kross had been training with Wanderlei Silva and Daniel Garcia and it showed as he presented a killer instinct in the way he dominated 90% of this short match.

Between the onslaught, Cross had a nice flurry of offense with a tilt-a-whirl takedown and a handspring cutter. But when he was caught mid-air during his handspring elbow, Cross had that look on his face that he knew his fate was sealed. Kross carried Cross across the ring before dropping him headfirst on a Doomsday Saito suplex to pick up the impressive and dominant win. 

- A promo video aired for future middleweight contender Shun Skywalker, dubbed Dragon Gate's Harlequin.

- MLW's 2022 Opera Cup tournament is up in the air due to the trophy being stolen from Davey Richards. Fans were encouraged to reach out to MLW directly with any tips they might have on the whereabouts of the trophy.

- Last week, we saw Budd Heavy attacked in the locker room area with a mysterious calling card placed upon him. This week, another member of the MLW roster befell the same mysterious fate. Hammerstone found the fallen superstar backstage after he had a brief confrontation with Nduka who was looking for a title shot. Duran's name was quickly mentioned so there's still a tease about a Nduka/Duran connection.

Davey Richards defeated Alex Kane (w/ Mr. Thomas) to win the MLW National Openweight title

Before the match, Richards promised to become the new Openweight champion and delivered on his promise by relentlessly pushing through the pain barrier and putting Kane away with a Gotch piledriver.

Ever since Myron Reed turned his back on Richards and sided with the Bomaye Fight Club, Richards has been on the receiving end of beatdown after beatdown, including a vicious attack during the recent Battle Riot match. 

Kane, Reed and Thomas have been fixated on exposing Richards as a quitter after Richards took a break from the sport a few years ago. This week, it was Richards who got his revenge in this nearly 15-minute affair by putting away the founding member of the Fight Club. After the match, it was strongly hinted that another member of the club wanted a shot at Richards.

Richards was out for retribution, but struggled in the early going to get any real advantage. It was Kane who hit the first big move with an exploder suplex into the corner then moments later, a big splash on the ring apron.

Kane kept the attack focused on Richards' back, but the challenger fought back and hit a series of headbutts while both were on the top rope before delivering a brutal superplex. A forearm exchange quickly turned to a series of kicks by Richards before he delivered a dragon screw while on the apron.

Richards locked in the Trailer Hitch and rocked Kane with a kick to the head and a Saito suplex. Kane then came close to a win out of nowhere when he countered with a release suplex. His offense was short-lived though as Richards still had momentum and rolled through another suplex attempt, locked in an ankle lock, soccer kicked Kane's head off, and hit a double foot stomp from the top.

Amazingly Kane kicked out at one, but as quickly as he kicked out, Richards was equally as quick to pull him to his feet and hit a brain buster, this time for a two count. 

Determined to keep going, Richards would not give up and again quickly got his groggy opponent up and hit a Gotch piledriver to finally put him away for the three count and the title victory.

Myron Reed then came out on the stage and stared a hole through the new champion as he celebrated in the ring. Richards may have eliminated one threat from the Bomaye Fight Club, but he seems to have unleashed another. 

Next Week:

• MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone defends against Richard Holliday in a falls count anywhere match
• MLW Women's Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie defends against Brittany Blake