This recap was originally written by SEScoops’ staff writer Dominic DeAngelo on MLW.com.
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It’s a history-making night in Chicago as MLW made its return to the Windy City after a five-year hiatus from the city. However, the league rings it in big with a sold-out Cicero Stadium and a stacked card as Cesar Duran and Salina de la Renta fight for supremacy. What hangs in the balance, but a literal key that opens the door for one of the two promoters to take power. Trios action starts the battle off!
MATCH 1
Virus, Villano III Jr. & Felino (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
This match rocks Cicero to open the show as both Felino and Maya Jr. show the technical side of lucha libre, but all competitors get physical, including Rodriguez who exchanged a tuxedo for wrestling gear. The tide turns in the favor of Salina when the upstart Villano III Jr. gets caught in a signature torture rack by the legendary Atlantis and has no option but to submit!
WINNERS: Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (1), Cesar Duran (0)
MATCH 2
MLW National Openweight Championship
Bad Dude Tito vs. Rickey Shane Page (c)
It’s a different tone for RSP as he no longer has The Calling at his side, but the big man is ready to step up against another big man in Bad Dude Tito. Tito has been a game contender in any match he’s done since coming to MLW and even took Satoshi Kojima to the limit in a World Title Fight.
Tito switched up his style a bit as he not only delivered the strength, but the speed and even dove at Rickey through the ropes to the outside!
RSP decided to show how fast he was as well, but Tito’s size didn’t phase the champ. He firman tossed Tito like he was a middleweight before dropping an elbow on him. RSP followed that up with his signature gordbuster toss. However, Tito did make the adjustments. He hit RSP with a death valley driver, but Page somehow managed to get a shoulder up! Fatigue kicks in for both fighters but Tito manages to muster up the strength to hit a Thunder Driver for 1-2-3! New champ!
WINNER and NEW MLW National Openweight Champion: Bad Dude Tito
We see Bill Alfonso backstage and he gets ambushed by Mads Krugger and CONTRA Unit! Before he gets knocked out, he warns Krugger that Matthew Justice isn’t gonna be happy!
MATCH 3
Ultimo Guerrero (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Atlantis Jr. (representing Salina de la Renta)
This battle is a clash of styles and experience as the veteran Ultimo Guerrero takes on the legacy youngster in Atlantis Jr. Guerrero has been all too familiar with Atlantis Jr. throughout his whole career and he had the young fighter scouted. Atlantis had UG off his game with an outside attack and then rocked him hard with several kicks. However, Guerrero figured him out. Atlantis went for a top hurricanrana but Ultimo held on and jarred him with a massive powerbomb!
Atlantis managed to keep Guerrero grounded enough to nail one beautiful frog splash for the definitive 1-2-3!
WINNER: Atlantis Jr.
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (0)
Duran has to be fuming and it’s added salt to the wound when Guerrero exchange handshakes with Atlantis Jr.
MATCH 4
Vacant MLW World Tag Team Championships
Second Gear Crew vs. COZYMAX
This match has quite the historic stakes as if Kojima wins, he’ll be the first dual champion in MLW history. However, SGC have their own stakes in the matter as they lost the straps to WTF under nefarious means.
This fight is hard-hitting. SGC really bring out all stops against Kojima, trying to isolate him on the outside, but Okumura reminds them not to take their eyes off him as he does a flipping senton onto both.
SGC does have Okumura dead to rights when they hit a combo spear and lariat! Kojima gets in the ring in just enough time to break it all up.
Justice and Manders go for a corner double team but Okumura pulls Kojima free and it opens him up to nail a LARIATO on the legal man in Manders. He picks Manders up and it allows Okumura to hit a running Cozy Cutter! 1-2-3!
WINNERS and NEW MLW World Tag Team Champions: COZYMAX
History is made in Cicero as KOJIMA is a dual champion!
MATCH 5
Joshua Bishop (with MSL) vs. Matt Riddle
Joshua Bishop doesn’t endear himself to Chicago nor the Mexican fans in the crowd when he snatches a Mexican flag from a fan to disrespect it. That fires them up and they get even more hot when Matt Riddle walks out. The fan whose flag was stolen fill Riddle in who grabbed the flag from MSL and waved it to a huge reaction from Cicero!
The bell rings and Bishop uses his brute strength against Riddle, including a massive fallaway slam akin to Scott Hall and then an extremely impressive blackout slam on Riddle. Riddle was able to show his striking ability. It catches Bishop off his game and he gets laid out after a high knee lift. Riddle swings up top to nail a twisting senton for the pinfall!
WINNER: Matt Riddle
Post-fight Riddle hypes up his desire to win Battle Riot this June before being attacked by Sami Callihan! Callihan grabs hold of Joe Dombrowski and says he’s going to win the bout. Riddle breaks up Callihan’s hold on Joe and the two begin brawling big time!
MATCH 6
Averno & Magnus (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Fuego & Star Jr (representing Salina de la Renta)
Star Jr. really sets the tone for the fight when he catches Averno with a leaping stiff shot to the back of the head. Star Jr. shows why he’s one of Salina’s star acquisitions in this fight. His synergy with Fuego.
Fuego shows his skill too with a big spinning headscissor takeover but Magnus catches him with two double knees and gets him down for the pinfall win!
WINNERS: Averno & Magnus
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (1)
Duran has one more shot to tie Salina and he has to do it with his prize client, MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico.
MAIN EVENT
MLW World Middleweight Championship
Bárbaro Cavernario (representing Salina de la Renta) vs. Mistico (c) (representing Cesar Duran)
Mistico makes an epic entrance and even offers a hand in respect for Bárbaro Cavernario, who declines the proposition.
The crowd is absolutely ELECTRIC for Mistico in this match, but Cavernario brings his brawling style to take Mistico off his game. However, the talent of Mistico is clearly unparalleled as the champ kept his focus and hit some of his signature movesets. Cavernario gets a near pinfall after a DVD backbreaker combo. Caverno uses the ropes to splash on top of Mistico.
He continues to wear Mistico down by wrenching the arm of the champion and punches on the right shoulder. Mistico manages to get on the top rope and uses a twisting arm drag to fling Cavernario to the outside, setting him up for a twisting over the top splash!
The war wages on but the finish comes when Mistico catches Cavernario in his signature spinning fujiwa armbar! Barbaro taps and Mistico retains! Duran has tied Salina de la Renta, which means the key stays in Cesar’s possession
WINNER and STILL MLW World Middleweight Champion: Mistico
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (2)
Post fight, Duran celebrates his tie as Salina says they should have a sudden death match to really determine the winner. In comes MLW CEO Court Bauer to give Duran his payout for Chicago and while that happens, Salina runs off with the key! However, the Azteca henchmen corner Salina and they lock the door behind them! Salina is screaming as we see Duran grinning ear to ear.