Andrew’s MLW Fusion Results & Ratings: S8 E23

Josh Bishop looked like a beast last week when he popped out of the RKO and Diamond Cutter spot. Dijak sold dead, but Bishop dropped Kross through a table and won the match for the Skyscrapers. Which makes Bishop the first person to pin Killer Kross in his entire career in MLW. The first round of the Opera Cup starts to wind down, but we still have a few matches.

Rina gets her shot at Shotzi today and Matt Riddle’s Opera Cup match is today. Let’s see what else is going on.

YOTA TSUJI (@njpw_yotatsuji) IS COMING TO MLW?!

Watch MLW FUSION: https://t.co/y45aGqILFw pic.twitter.com/tVjSFJjB8W

— MLW (@MLW) October 16, 2026

Ratings:

• Tiara James vs Zamaya: Zamaya wins via Death Valley Driver – SQUASH
• Love Doug vs Okumura w/Ikuro Kwon: Okumura wins via Straight Jacket Clutch – *
• Opera Cup: Matt Riddle vs Mark Coffey: Riddle wins via Bro-Stone – ** 3/4
• MLW Featherweight Championship: Shotzi Blackheart (c) vs Rina: Shotzi retains via Diving Senton – *** 1/4

Results:

Kross and Scarlett come out talking about how Kross doesn’t hold talent back. H’s putting over Bishop, so Skyscrapers music hits, Dijak starts talking. Says because it was a tag team match, “they” beat Kross, not Bishop. So that means Kross lost to Dijak and owes HIM a title match. Bishop looks confused like he doesn’t know who the hell is talking. Kross flips it, and tells Bishop if he wants people to stop calling him a kid, he needs to talk for himself. The crowd wants Bishop to talk and this is actually a good way to make Bishop look like a sympathetic babyface on a heel team. Then Dijak does his best Batista impression and Bishop is staring a hole in Dijak’s head. 

It’s an amusing promo, but not exactly riveting. It does make you believe that the Skyscrapers are done and Dijak will probably screw Bishop out of beating Kross in the rematch.

Tiara James vs Zamaya

Tiara looks amazing, comes out with swagger, grabs a Zamaya poster and brings it to the ring to cut a promo burying Philly and Zamaya. 

Zamaya comes out angry, Spears Tiara before the bell. Tiara powders, Zamaya grabs her, throws her back in and the bell rings. Death Valley Driver and pinfalll. Another God forsaken squash with extra steps.

Love Doug vs Okumura w/Ikuro Kwon

This is jobber on jobber violence. At least Love Doug’s theme is amusing, he looks like an NWA reject though.

Doug uses pocket rose petals for a Cradle, taunts, Okumura misses Stomps, heads a Dropkick, does out and Doug tries to follow but Okumura lights him up with a Throat Chop, Mongolian Chops and then posts him. Crucifix pin from Okumura for two, Doug counters the charge, Bulldog, wants the Love Shot, but gets countered, perched and Iconoclasm. Straight Jacket Clutch from Okumura, and Doug submits.

They run back the same Phantom of the Opera Cup interview with Austin Aries…God the editing team needs to be kicked in the balls repeatedly. 

Opera Cup: Matt Riddle vs Mark Coffey

Joe Coffey is on commentary.

Riddle tries to hit the Flying Armbar early, into a T-Bone Suplex, but Mark tries to fight off, gets space and hits a Spinning Uppercut into Stomps. Body Shots from Mark, manhandles Riddle and Riddle tries to fight back but eats a Lariat. Wolfgang attacks Riddle after he gets dumped, then thrown back in and Mark is still working. Diving Shoulder Tackle from Mark, Riddle has not been doing well since he cut his hair.

Coffey takes Riddle’s head off with the Back Elbow, into a Headlock. Mark gloats, Drop Step from Riddle and German Suplex gives Riddle time to recover. Flash Knee, Kip Up, Exploder Suplex and Senton attempt but Knees get up. The fight to the apron, Wolfgang tries to rally Mark, Floating Bro takes them both out. Back in the ring, Fisherman’s Buster from Riddle for two. Mark counters the Bro-Stone with a Cradle, kick, and then a Flying Shin Kick for two. Back and Forth, Flash Knee, Punch, Backfist and Mark falls out of the ring. Wolfgang throws Mark back in, RKO! Bro-Stone and Riddle wins.

GBOT should be ashamed of themselves!

MLW FUSION: https://t.co/y45aGqIdPY pic.twitter.com/GdRFonuuLM

— MLW (@MLW) October 16, 2026

MLW Featherweight Championship: Shotzi Blackheart (c) vs Rina

The fans are obviously more in Shotzi’s corner, but Rina is still popular since she’s the visiting star with great momentum. Headlocks, Rina pulls Shotzi’s hair and pulls back into the Headlock. Shotzi gets out, Drop Toe Hold, Tiger Feint from Shotzi, High Kick, Rina ducks the dive and John Woo Dropkick sends Shotzi into the corner. Rina stomps on Shotzi’s chest and does the standing choke spot in back to back corners. Snapmare from Rina for a near fall so she goes in to trying an Armbar, Not the cleanest but Shotzi is fighting through it, so that’s good, Rina transitions to the farside for the Penta Snapping Armbar.

Rina whips, charges but Up and Over, then Rina eats a Boot, Shotzi with the Hair Grab Face Smash, throws her into the corner and Chupacabra for two! Shotzi wants a DDT, Rina counters and they start throwing Forearms. Rina reverses the Whip, Judo Tosses Shotzi, Pink Devil Knees! But only a two count! Rina want the rope run, but Shotzi grabs her, snatches the wrists and Pumphandle Overhead Suplex from Shotzi. Rina counters Shotzi’s follow up with the Octopus Crucifix Bomb for two. Cradles, Capo Kick from Shotzi into a Dive to keep Rina smashed against the barricade.

Shotzi gets posted, STO from Rina and Rina holds the ring. Rina crotches the referee with the rope, grabs her cat-o’-nine-tails and starts whipping Shotzi and then chokes her in the corner. Rina hits the Pink Devil, referee is slow to the count so Shotzi kicks out. Pink Devil attempt two, countered into a Cradle. Shotzi goes up for the Senton and retains.

Overall Score: 4/10

So let’s get the good out of the way…the main event was fun. Rina showed to everyone why she’s got a bunch of momentum. She’s charming, she’s solid, yes there were spots that were a little too light both physically and tonally, yes the selling dead for the Senton was a little oversell for a Cradle Counter, but it’s also in line with most modern wrestling. Three and a half of the four points I’m giving this show, is for the Main. Coffey and Riddle gets the last half a point because it was tolerable.

But Christ on a Bike, two Squash matches, replaying the same Aries promo from like two weeks ago because your editing team is drunk and on the spectrum…come the fuck on. Watching this show weekly is like a fever dream for people with actual memory. Fire your editors. And also…it really bothers me that while we know Baron Corbin went back to WWE, Bishop Dyer never really got a real write off, he just stopped showing up. They didn’t even try to say “Oh no, he’s too hurt after the Tennessee Tornado match he’ll be out for the foreseeable future”, he just ceased to exist. Lazy lazy booking.