Tonight’s Thanksgiving edition of MLW Fusion featured two first round matches for the Opera Cup 2020 Tournament. Richard Holliday squared off with TJP and Tom Lawlor went one-on-one with Rocky Romero. Tonight’s episode also featured the debut of Calvin Tankman. Footage of tonight’s episode can be viewed below:
Strong Points of the Show
- I appreciated Jared St. Laurent calling a short cut a “smart cut” during the opening match. Small detail from tonight that I thought was clever.
- This week’s promo from the Von Erich family was much more enjoyable and easier to hear. And it was a nice touch for a holiday episode to see the Von Erich family together.
- Seeing America’s Top Team attempting to get Low Ki’s license suspended is enjoyable. It feels similar to the storyline ECW did with Sabu back in 1999. The suspension of a license is not a storyline that has come up in a while and it feels fresh.
- Salina de La Renta’s promo tonight was perfect. It was short yet powerful. I’m looking forward to seeing where her storyline with Konnan goes from here.
- The fact that Calvin Tankman’s opponent was named Robert Martyr made me chuckle. Especially considering the match served as Tankman’s debut for the promotion.
Weak Points of the Show
- The confrontation between Gino Medina and Richard Holliday fell a little flat. That segment served its purpose in reinforcing that Medina is no longer a part of The Dynasty. However, it felt a little drawn out and not as impactful as it could have been.
- I am not sure why the referee held up the Caribbean Championship before the match between Richard Holliday and TJP. I feel like the goal was to reiterate that Holliday is the unofficial Caribbean Champion. The presentation just felt a little awkward.
- Throughout the show, footage of Alex Hammerstone being attacked from last week was shown too much. It makes complete sense that the attacked was recapped since it centers around the promotion’s heavyweight championship. But the angle felt overplayed by the end of tonight’s broadcast.
Match Results
- Richard Holliday defeated TJP in a first round match for the Opera Cup Tournament
- Calvin Tankman defeated Robert Martyr
- Tom Lawlor defeated Rocky Romero in a first round match for the Opera Cup tournament