Line #52 Wrestling/MLW


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51593449_10218699792270533_910708709439569920_o_0.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The world of MLW never stops!]]
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4	Major League Wrestling (MLW) is an American ProfessionalWrestling promotion based out of New Rochelle, New York that originally existed from 2002-2004. In 2011, it would be resurrected as a wrestling podcast network for the next 6 years of its existence before announcing its return as a wrestling promotion in 2017.
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6	MLW, in its original incarnation, held its first show, ''MLW Genesis'' in UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} and its second, ''MLW Reload'', in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, before settling into Florida and doing shows in Orlando, St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale. It advertised itself as featuring "hybrid wrestling," combining a variety of different styles. MLW featured a wide-range of talent, from RingOldies Wrestling/TerryFunk, Wrestling/DustyRhodes, Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher and Wrestling/JerryLawler, to 1990s stars such as Wrestling/ShaneDouglas, [[Wrestling/JimFullington the Sandman]], Wrestling/{{Sabu}}, Wrestling/ChrisCandido, Wrestling/DrDeathSteveWilliams, Wrestling/MikeyWhipwreck, Wrestling/{{Raven}}, Wrestling/LaParka, Wrestling/NormanSmiley, Wrestling/MikeAwesome, Wrestling/DevonStorm, [[Characters/RingOfHonor Steve Corino]], Wrestling/MasatoTanaka, Wrestling/JerryLynn, and, at the time, stars on the rise such as Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels, Wrestling/SamoaJoe and Wrestling/CMPunk. It aired a weekly television show, ''MLW Underground TV''. Unfortunately, the promotion was not financially successful and shut down in 2004.
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8	MLW returned in 2017, promoting shows in Orlando and, and was able to secure a national television deal with beIN Sports less than a year later for a new weekly series: ''MLW Fusion''. Prior to the show's launch, MLW would introduce contracts that would give them as much control over their roster as a Wrestling/{{WWE}} contract, but still allow their talent to perform in other promotions.
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10	Some of their roster were introduced to a national audience for the first time such as Salina De La Renta, Air Wolf, Barrington Hughes, El Hijo De LA Park, Ricky Martinez, Kotto Brazil, and Marko Stunt just to name a few. Much as Wrestling/ImpactWrestling has done in its heyday, MLW has also provided career resurgence to the likes of Low Ki, Tom Lawlor, Teddy Hart, and arguably, the members of one of the promotion's BigBad stables: Wrestling/ContraUnit.
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12	As a note, in re any references to Wrestling/JoeyStyles' commentary, do see the Trivia page.
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14	Major League Wrestling recognizes five titles that are defended at its shows;
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16	* '''MLW World Heavyweight Champion''': '''Satoshi Kojima''' since February 3, 2024
17	* '''MLW World Middleweight Champion''': '''Mistico''' since March 1, 2024
18	* '''MLW World Tag Team Champions''': '''[=CozyMax=] (Satoshi Kojima and Shigeo Okumura)''' since May 11, 2024
19	* '''MLW National Openweight Champion''': '''Bad Dude Tito Escondido''' since May 11, 2024
20	* '''MLW Women’s World Featherweight Champion''': '''Janai Kai''' since October 14, 2023
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22	Defunct championships include;
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24	* '''MLW World Junior Heavyweight Champion''': '''Sonjay Dutt''' since September 19, 2003 (deactivated after the company stopped hosting events in its original run. The championship was not brought back after MLW's promotional return and replaced by the World Middleweight Championship)
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26	They also had one unofficial title that was defended at its shows;
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28	* '''MLW Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (a regional title originally from IWA-PR)''': '''Octagon Jr.''' since May 13, 2022 (Title has been returned to IWA-PR and no longer defended at MLW when it was declared vacant on January 6, 2023)
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30	Other accomplishments:
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32	'''Battle Riot (an AlternateCompanyEquivalent and combination of the Wrestling/RoyalRumble and Wrestling/LuchaUnderground’s Aztec Warfare (or Wrestling/DefiantWrestling’s own version of a rumble), with pins, submissions and over the top rope eliminations, usually featuring 40 participants and the winner gets to challenge for the world heavyweight championship whenever they want)''':
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34	* '''Tom Lawlor''' (2018) Successfully cashed in his title shot opportunity against Low Ki at [=SuperFight=] for the World Heavyweight Championship
35	* '''[[Wrestling/LaParka LA Park]]''' (2019) Cashed in his title spot at against Wrestling/JacobFatu but came up unsuccessful.
36	* '''Alexander Hammerstone''' (2021) Successfully cashed in his title shot against Jacob Fatu at Fightland 2021.
37	* '''Jacob Fatu''' (2022) Cashed in his title shot againt Alexander Hammerstone but came up unsuccessful.
38	* '''Alex Kane''' (2023) Successfully cashed in his title shot against Alexander Hammerstone at Never Say Never 2023.
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40	'''Opera Cup (a single-elimination tournament revived from discontinuity since 1948)''':
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42	* '''Davey Boy Smith Jr.''' (2019)
43	* '''Tom Lawlor''' (2020)
44	* '''Davey Richards''' (2021)
45	* The 2022 tournament was cancelled since Alex Kane stole the cup from Richards.
46	* '''Davey Boy Smith Jr.''' (2023)
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48	!! "Major League Tropes":
49	* {{Acrofatic}}: Subverted by Barrington Hughes. Hughes is as immobile as he is fat. Played straight by Gringo Loco and Ace Romero, with the former flying from the MLW set in his debut match against [[Wrestling/LaParka L.A. Park]] (who himself can qualify for this trope) with a perfect crossbody, and the latter very agile and capable of suicide dives despite weighing 400 pounds.
50	* AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload: CONTRA Unit’s full name is “Crusaders of Nihilistic Terror Revolution Armada” Unit.
51	** Apparently the SWAT in MLW’s version of the Samoan SWAT Team stands for “Samoans With A Tongan”.
52	* AdamWesting: In 2021, Tim Donaghy, a former [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] referee who served prison time for his involvement in a scheme to fix games, debuted in MLW as a crooked referee.
53	* AngryBlackManStereotype: The inception of Injustice, as Rich Swann and Myron Reed felt they were constantly screwed over by referees and management. Though once Jordan Oliver joined, it became a group of angry men in general.
54	* BalanceSpeedStrengthTrio: The New Era Hart Foundation. Teddy Hart is the balanced one, Brian Pillman Jr. is the speedy one, and Davey Boy Smith Jr. is the powerhouse.
55	* BatmanGambit: Tom Lawlor overheard Salina De La Renta and Wrestling/SamiCallihan discussing ambushing Lawlor to take him out before Lawlor got his title shot against Wrestling/LowKi. Lawlor had someone backstage tell Callihan where he could be found. Callihan took the bait, and Lawlor was able to ambush Callihan, using Callihan's claw hammer on him in the process.
56	* BigBad: Steve Corino, as the leader of the Extreme Horsemen in the original.
57	** Low Ki, Salina De La Renta and their Wrestling/PromocionesDorado faction became this from 2018 to early 2019.
58	** Wrestling/ContraUnit, headed by Jacob Fatu & Josef Samael, have been this for ''almost two years''.
59	** Cesar Duran and his Wrestling/AztecaUnderground faction has been shaping up to be this after planting the seeds of Contra’s demise.
60	** Wrestling/{{Raven}} and his new faction The Calling in 2023, sort of mix between Raven’s old stables like The Flock or Raven’s Nest, and Contra.
61	** Mr. Saint Laurent and his World Titan Federation starting from late 2023.
62	* BigBadWannabe: Richard Holliday (and by extension Alicia Atout) were shaping up to be the BigBad as a result of their betrayal of Alexander Hammerstone, the goal of being the World Champion, and heavily implying that he's the one who's been making Hammerstone's life a living hell as well as Cesar Duran. Despite all that he failed in gaining the championship, twice.
63	* BigDamnHeroes: Tom Lawlor virtually saving Wrestling/{{Konnan}}'s life at MLW Never Say Never after Wrestling/PromocionesDorado jumped Pentagon backstage and then bludgeoned Konnan. Calvin Tankman fits this trope as well because he rescued Injustice from being stuffed into bodybags by CONTRA.
64	* BigGood: [[Wrestling/VonErichFamily Ross and Marshall Von Erich]] were initially treated as this during the ongoing feud with Contra. While their alliance with Tom Lawlor is treated as MLW's ultimate team of good guys, Contra was considered unstoppable until the Von Erichs arrived. Only after they showed up have Contra actually started losing matches. They also represent tradition and respect in wrestling, i.e. Contra's polar opposite.
65	* BigGuyLittleGuy: The Smash N Dash Connection, with Barrington Hughes as the big guy and Kotto Brazil as the little guy.
66	* BloodKnight: Since turning face, Wrestling/SamiCallihan has started picking fights with every member of Wrestling/PromocionesDorado along with a face vs face match out of respect for Mance Warner's brand of violence.
67	* BountyHunter: The Extreme Horsemen (Corino, C.W. Anderson and Simon Diamond) sent both Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher and Wrestling/JerryLawler to take out Funk. Since the revival, Brody King counts as one.
68	* ButtMonkey: Stokely Hathaway pre-Fusion. Kit Osbourne/Rip Von Erich of Team Filthy.
69	* TheCameo: Among others, Wrestling/DrDeathSteveWilliams brought out Wrestling/DLoBrown as a partner against [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/mlw/mlw-t.html MLW Global Tag Team Crown Champions]] C.W. Anderson and Simon Diamond at ''MLW Hybrid Hell''. Also, notable cameos that had happened during the Battle Riot: The Blue Meanie, the Spirit Squad (Kenny & Mikey), Impact's Fallah Bahh, and Konnan (who would later go on to have a prominent role in the promotion in the months ahead) to name a few. In the following year's Battle Riot, Impact's LAX (Santana & Ortiz) made their presence known after fighting off Low Ki and Ricky Martinez at Impact's United We Stand the night before.
70	* CampStraight: Mike Mondo and Kenn Doane of the Spirit Squad. Yes, THAT Spirit Squad.
71	* CanonWelding: [[spoiler: Since the arrival of Mil Muertes and "El Jefe", MLW retroactively places the Wrestling/LuchaUnderground universe into its realm. This is especially evident with Muertes' LU backstory, along with Cueto pulling the strings of Azteca Underground and the desire of creating a new Temple. In that respect, The Azteca Underground storyline qualifies as a StealthSequel to the late promotion and former Creator/ElReyNetwork drama.]]
72	* ChekhovsGun: The Funkin' Army (Wrestling/TerryFunk[=/=][[Wrestling/JimFullington The Sandman]][=/=]"Dr. Death" Steve Williams) went into the War Games match against the Extreme Horsemen (Corino[=/=]C.W. Anderson[=/=]Simon Diamond[=/=]Wrestling/BarryWindham[=/=]PJ Walker (Justin Credible) at a disadvantage. Unlike the usual cage for a War Games match, this one did not have a roof on it. The reason for this became apparent when Sabu and manager Bill Alfonso came out, since it allowed Alfonso to throw a table over the top so Sabu could come off the top and put Justin Credible through it.
73	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Some wrestlers will show up and disappear just as quickly with no notice. Special mention goes to the Kotokushi Death Squad, Zeda Zhang and Wrestling/SuYung who showed up twice, beat up a few low card male wrestlers, were featured on MLW's website, then suddenly stopped being used. Their profile was removed during one of MLW's profile updates. Also, Stokely Hathaway had abruptly vanished from MLW as a result of signing with WWE's NXT in early 2019 after his brief return in late 2018.
74	** The Stud Stable came back when MLW began running shows again with Colonel Parker, Aria Blake, the Dirty Blondes and Mike Parrow (he wasn’t actually part of them this time around since he was fired by them in 2018) all returning. When MLW had a small hiatus before Battle Riot 3, every member of the stable was gone once again.
75	* ContinuityNod: While Fred Yehi got Chuck Cunninghamed again and a planned reuniion of Team Filthy after Simon Gotch betrayed Tom Lawlor never came to fruition, Ariel Dominguez was shown beaten up and bloodied after trying to save Tom from a Contra beating during Episode 61 of ''Fusion''.
76	* CoolOldGuy: Konnan, as opposed to his gimmick as LAX's manager where he's portrayed as a middle-aged gangbanger. In MLW he's a mentor to Pentagon Jr. and Fenix, trying to look out for them while beefing with Salina De La Renta and her stable. He has however reverted back to a middle-aged gangbanger with his latest iteration of LAX, 5150 since Battle Riot III.
77	* CrowdSong: [[Wrestling/JimFullington The Sandman]]’s entrance would have crowds singing along to “Enter Sandman” of course. In his one night return in 2019, they still sang despite having to use an instrumental version of the song.
78	* {{Crossover}}: Unofficially with Wrestling/ImpactWrestling since 2018. At least a handful of the MLW roster is comprised with its wrestlers also being affiliated with Impact (& vice versa). At Impact's United We Stand event during [=WrestleMania=] week, this trope would come into play officially with at least one Impact vs MLW match on the card.
79	** Does it frequently with PCW Ultra, which makes sense since Josef Samael is a co-founder.
80	** As of July 26, 2019, MLW has an "alliance" with Wrestling/ProWrestlingNOAH. Current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Minoru Tanaka will be coming back after appearing at Battle Riot 2019, and Alexander Hammerstone will participate in NOAH's N-1 Victory Tour in August, with further collaboration expected.
81	** On August 12, 2019, MLW announced a "strategic partnership" with The Crash Lucha Libre. Six days later, MLW announced Ricky Martinez would be wrestling on The Crash's September 7th card. And then on August 23rd, MLW announced a co-promoted event with The Crash on October 5th, which will be an MLW Fusion taping.
82	** During the Saturday Night Superfight PPV, MLW announced a partnership with AAA Lucha Libre. This has led to various AAA wrestlers such as Laredo Kid and Drago making appearances, and will lead to a joint card held by MLW and AAA in Tijuana on March 13th.
83	** On February 2, 2020, MLW announced that they have entered into a partnership with Wrestling/DragonGate. The COVID pandemic put a stop to those plans but as of Mar 31, 2021 they have announced the partnership is back on. It finally bared fruit in 2022, first with Ho Ho Lun at that year’s Blood and Thunder event.
84	** In October 2020, it announced a "strategic alliance" with IWA-PR for the “celebration of inter-promotional events, direct support to the events of each of the companies and collaboration in other types of promotions” and brought in its Caribbean Heavyweight Championship to be defend at MLW events.
85	** An unofficial one with Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling has been going on since the Restart, with New Japan’s Rocky Romero wrestling in a few matches for the promotion, while Tom Lawlor regularly wrestles in and has established a Team Filthy branch in New Japan Strong. Lawlor also formed another Team Filthy branch in Paradigm Pro Wrestling.
86	** On April 29, 2021, MLW announced a partnership with British promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling.
87	** On July 7, 2021, it was announced that Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}} Women Athletes co-founder Dave Prazak had joined MLW to help relaunch its women's division; later to be announced in September as the MLW Women's Featherweight division.
88	** On mid-November 2021, MLW announced its relationship with Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, for Wrestling/YoshihiroTajiri to defend the MLW World Middleweight Championship there, just as Wrestling/SatoshiKojima did with the World Heavyweight Championship in the Underground years.
89	** On March 27 2023, MLW announced an international inter-promotional collaboration with German promotion Westside Xtreme Wrestling was in the works, that later revealed that WXW wrestlers would come over to defend their titles at MLW shows.
90	** On August 24 2023, MLW announced an official crossover with Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, starting with them sending KUSHIDA to wrestle at Fury Road'23. They also announced a partnership with Wrestling/TokyoJoshiProWrestling the same month, sending Maki Itoh to wrestle at Fury Road'23.
91	** On September 26 2023, in a promo by Salina del la Renta, it was revealed that MLW has partnered with historic Mexican Lucha Libre promotion Wrestling/{{CMLL}}, in a landmark strategic alliance between MLW, NJPW and CMLL for a variety of crossover collaborations, commencing on October 2023.
92	* CurseCutShort: The [[TheTeaser cold open]] to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp0IFH1D9PA&index=27 May 25, 2018]] episode of ''Fusion'' ends with one.
93	* DarkerAndEdgier: Moreso than WWE, less so with Lucha Underground, and sits about equal with Impact Wrestling.
94	* DavidVsGoliath: Inverted at ''MLW Revolutions'', with the Samoan Island Tribe defeating Los Maximos, played straight in the rematch at ''MLW Hybrid Hell.''
95	* DeathFromAbove: ''MLW War Games'' included what started as a handicap match with [[Wrestling/ManaThePolynesianWarrior "The Polynesian Warrior" Mana]] against Matt Martel (Striker) and Richard J. Criado. The Samoan Island Tribe (Samu and [[Wrestling/{{Umaga}} Ekmo]]) made their way out brawling with Monsta Mack of Da Hit Squad, and it got turned into a Falls Count Anywhere Weapons Match. The Samoans absolutely destroyed their opponents. It ended with Martel set up on a table in the crowd. Ekmo climbed up so he was on top of the posts of the two rings and dove ''OVER'' the guardrail to put Martel through the table. The referee didn't even bother to count the pin. This has been Jacob Fatu's mantra as of late especially from when he climbed the top of the steel cage and landed on Tom Lawlor (who was already victorious and exhausted after his title match with Low Ki).
96	* DeadpanSnarker: Tony Schiavone on commentary. An example from when LA Park was throwing chairs into the ring during his match against Wrestling/SamiCallihan: "Someone's going to tell their friend 'I was really close to the action!' 'Oh? Where was your seat?' 'In the middle of the ring.'"
97	* DeadGuyJunior: Brian Pillman Jr. and Davey Boy Smith Jr. respectively.[[note]]Though neither is technically a "Jr." The original Davey Boy Smith was in fact David Smith (no middle name); his son is Harry Francis Smith. In the case of the Pillmans, only the "Jr." part is kayfabed; the two Pillmans have different middle names (the father was William, the son is Zachary).[[/note]]
98	* DeepSouth: "Ol' Mancer" Mance Warner is a rare positive example of this trope. He's a decent if slightly ditzy guy who just happens to enjoy eye pokes and light beer.
99	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable:
100	** Low Ki has been untouchable since MLW's original run in 2004, with him having never lost once within the company. [[spoiler: His 15-year undefeated streak ended at the hands of 'Filthy' Tom Lawlor at MLW [=SuperFight=].]]
101	** Barrington Hughes went undefeated for nearly two years in the promotion. His streak ended when he got squashed by Jacob Fatu.
102	** Jacob Fatu was undefeated and reigned as world heavyweight champion for about 2 years before Alexander Hammerstone dethroned him.
103	* DirtyCoward: CM Punk, who at ''MLW Summer Apocalypse'', August 22, 2003, brought out Florida indy wrestler Chasyn Rance as his special "Straight Edge Referee" for his Straight Edge Rules (fans couldn't curse or drink beer during the match) match with Raven. Rance, of course, allowed Punk to cheat nonstop. Jason Cade has this in spades as well during his feud with Jimmy Yuta.
104	* DisneyOwnsThisTrope: The company trademarked the [=WarGames=] name due to no active rights holder, as Wrestling/{{WWE}} left the name dormant after its purchase of Wrestling/{{WCW}} and MLW used it for its 2003 and 2018 shows with the name. However, in 2018, WWE acquired the rights to the [=WarGames=] name from MLW for its [[Wrestling/{{WWENXT}} NXT]] [=TakeOver=] events, which led to MLW to create [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent a variation called War Chamber]].
105	* DisproportionateRetribution: Legendary manager "Playboy" Gary Hart sent [[Wrestling/NelsonErazo Homicide]] and Wrestling/LowKi to attack Terry Funk at ''Reloaded Tour 2004'', January 10, 2004, out of revenge for Funk having lost the "I Quit" match to Wrestling/RicFlair at ''[[Wrestling/{{WCW}} NWA]] Clash of the Champions IX'', on November 15, ''1989''. In the revival, Salina De La Renta dispatched L.A. Park to go against Mance Warner. Why you ask? For accidentally spilling beer on Salina's dress in the hallway.
106	** Gino Medina was either fired from or quit the Dynasty, depending on whether you believe him or Richard Holliday. All Holliday was guilty of during the feud is talking smack toward Gino and insisting he fired him. Gino [=DDTed=] Holliday on a stage and put him in the hospital.
107	* TheDragon: Ricky Martinez for Wrestling/PromocionesDorado. Wrestling/JakeHager for the Stud Stable. Jacob Fatu for Wrestling/ContraUnit.
108	* DumbJock: Richard Holliday is basically a himbo.
109	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Some of the early episodes of ''Fusion'' don't seem to have people's alignments quite worked out.
110	* EnemyMine: What does noted Garbage Wrestlers Sami Callihan and Mance Warner have in common? Both of them have beef with Salina De La Renta (& her Wrestling/PromocionesDorado stable). Callihan has his grievances with Salina after failing to take out Tom Lawlor as well as Warner spilling light beer onto Salina's dress.
111	* EnforcedPlug: Stephen P. New, Attorney at Law (and Wrestling/JimCornette’s lawyer) and his mid-show ads for his law office; New, Taylor & Associates.
112	* {{Expy}}: Alex Hammerstone is one part Triple H, one part Late 00's Chris Jericho.
113	* EvilOldFolks: Josef Samael is in his 40s, but loves to torture the victims of Contra Unit's assaults. He even loves throwing fireballs in the faces of any of the hapless victims of these beatdowns. Hell, one of them was how Fenix got written off alongside brother Pentagon Jr.
114	* EyepatchOfPower: Kotto Brazil started to wear one as a result of an attack at a Miami nightclub by Ricky Martinez.
115	* FacelessGoons: CONTRA Unit’s Sentai Death Squad.
116	** Cesar Duran’s Los Aztecas henchmen.
117	** The Calling has GasMaskMooks.
118	* {{Gangbangers}}: 5150, the newest iteration of the Latin American Xchange.
119	* {{Garbage Wrestl\|er}}ing: Lots, everywhere. With Wrestling/{{Sabu}}, the Sandman, Terry Funk, Wrestling/JimmyHavoc, Wrestling/SamiCallihan etc. what else would you expect?
120	* TheGiant: Mocked by Andrew Everett in his match against the diminutive Team Filthy member Ariel Dominguez. Everett isn't a big man by any means, but Dominguez is tiny.
121	* GenreBlindness: Los Maximos tried to ram the Samoan Island Tribe (Samu and Mana[[note]]He is actually a Maori from UsefulNotes/NewZealand[[/note]])'s heads together, which they no-sold.
122	-->'''JOEY STYLES''': "There is a young man who has not watched his wrestling tapes."
123	** Barrington Hughes tried the same thing with Samu and his son Lance Anoa’i, with predictable results.
124	* GimmickMatches: [[MeleeATrois Three-Way]] Street Fights, Falls Count Anywhere, War Games, No Rope Barbed-Wire, Mexican Massacre, etc.
125	* GoldDigger: The reason that Aria Blake would end up with MJF from her ex Joey Janela. Later mentioned that MJF had to pay her off as well after they broke up.
126	* HateSink: Contra Unit has quickly established themselves as this. Their attack on Tom Lawlor after his cage match with Low Ki and their beatdown of Ace Romero after his match with Simon Gotch got thrown out drew massive heat. It went up to eleven after Jacob Fatu and Josef Samael's beatdown of a jobber tag team got so heated that fans began throwing garbage into the ring and forced arena security in Chicago to act in order to stop irate fans from rushing the ring.
127	** A similar incident occurred in another episode of ''Fusion'' when Tom Lawlor (along w/ his Team Filthy teammates) desecrated the Texas state flag in the middle of the ring and disrespected the hometown heroes; Ross and Marshall Von Erich. Yep, Team Filthy isn't Dallas' favorite wrestlers at this point.
128	** The Spirit Squad. The reason they were signed is because one half of MLW's audience hates them for being the kind of "Sports Entertainment" MLW isn't, the other half hate them for legitimately being good, obnoxious heels.
129	* HiddenDepths: Dense as he can be, Richard Holliday got his degree in business somehow.
130	* HistoryRepeats: Wrestling/ShaneDouglas won an eight-man tournament to be crowned the first MLW World Heavyweight Champion, then insulted the MLW title belt by spitting on it and throwing it down in a repetition of him throwing down the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on August 27, 1994. Except this time, he was stripped off the belt and MLW later refused to acknowledge Douglas' reign as champion and officially recognized Wrestling/SatoshiKojima as the first-ever MLW World Heavyweight Champion.
131	* HollywoodSatanism: [[Wrestling/JamesMitchell The Sinister Minister]], of course.
132	* {{Hypocrite}}: Teddy Hart and the new Hart Foundation. Teddy demands respect from people while at the same time leading Brian Pillman Jr. to bludgeon the shit out of Wrestling/KevinSullivan for trying to lead Brian down a better path. Also with the Injustice stable during which they claimed that the referees wronged them even though they cheated in some of their matches with foreign objects and interference.
133	* InsistentTerminology: In the revival, MLW's in-ring talent are referred to as "Fighters", in order to emphasize that there are numerous styles of wrestling employed by the members of the roster. Mr. St Laurent's World Titan Federation is meant contrast this with his in-ring talent being referred to as "Superstars".
134	** The original era championships were referred to as “Global” championships instead of “World” championships.
135	* IntercontinuityCrossover: The arrival of Mil Muertes and the acquisition of Wrestling/PromocionesDorado by Azteca Underground is one between MLW and the defunct Wrestling/LuchaUnderground.
136	* InterfaceScrew: Happens whenever The Calling are onscreen.
137	* MaskedLuchador: La Parka/L.A. Park, Fénix, Pentagón Jr., Rey Horus just to name a few.
138	** Unmasked Luchador: Juventud Guerrera
139	** Non-Masked Luchador: Wrestling/SuperCrazy, Daga, Konnan
140	* MsFanservice: Wrestling/{{Francine}}. She once did a promo for the MLW T-shirt which started with a closeup of her saying, "If I can't wear my MLW T-shirt," then pulling back to see her sitting nude from the side with her legs folded up against her chest, "then I won't wear anything at all."
141	** Salina De La Renta also counts as she's a SpicyLatina.
142	* OddlySmallOrganization: Black Friday Management, a supposedly shadow syndicate founded by Gary Hart along with Homicide and Low Ki during MLW’s last year in its original run. It came back when Low Ki came back for the revival along with Stokely Hathaway as the manager, though it was implied that it also did business outside the promotion as [[Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter MVP]] was said to be a former member before he came to the company. Low Ki was the last talent to be affiliated with it.
143	* PartsUnknown: Played with. Jordan Oliver is announced as from "The 845", which is a UsefulNotes/NewYorkState area code that includes his hometown of Newburgh.
144	* PowerStable: Wrestling/PromocionesDorado, Wrestling/ContraUnit, Team Filthy, The Dynasty (for a brief time with Grogan) in the revival, the Extreme Horsemen in the original.
145	* PowerTrio: Los Parks, The New Era Hart Foundation, Sami Callihan and his Death Machines team, Injustice (before Kotto Brazil left), The Dynasty (before Wrestling/{{MJF}} left) in the revival. The Samoan Island Tribe (during [[Wrestling/{{Umaga}} Ekmo’s]] brief run) in the original.
146	* PrecisionFStrike: Salina De La Renta with a couple of choice ones aimed at Ricky Martinez after he lost by KO to Low Ki.
147	* ProductPlacement: CM Punk once cut a promo on Raven with a case of Pepsi featured prominently on screen, and Punk even invoked the company's 1984 campaign slogan, saying he will show Raven why he is the "Choice of a New Generation."
148	* PsychoForHire: Sami Callihan is a bounty hunter in MLW, often paid to do dirty work for Promociones Dorado to soften people up. Later on after Callihan's departure, Jimmy Havoc fulfills the role for the faction.
149	* PutOnABus: As is tradition for most wrestling promotions, MLW often quietly releases wrestlers they have no use for. On screen though, some departures are explained, such as Seth Petruzelli getting beaten up by the Stud Stable and having not been seen since.
150	* TheQuisling: Simon Gotch betrayed Tom Lawlor to Promociones Dorado, leading him straight into an ambush.
151	** According to Wrestling/{{Konnan}}, Salina de la Renta was the one that let CONTRA Unit into MLW in the first place, and received undisclosed funds from the spring of 2019 – September 2019 before the relationship supposedly had a falling out upon [[Wrestling/LaParka LA Park]] electing to cash in his Battle Riot title shot. There are also indications that Salina and CONTRA briefly collaborated again on or near May 9th, 2020 by aiding CONTRA in gaining arena access to the AAA/MLW Super Series, which led to the seizure of the league by CONTRA until the Restart.
152	* ResetButton: The ''Reload'' shows in January 2004 were supposed to be this, but it was too little too late.
153	** Happened again 13 years later after the promotion initially folded.
154	** "The Restart" initiative was more akin to a soft reboot for MLW post-COVID-19.
155	** The "Fusion: Alpha" initiative was yet another one for the return of crowds to events.
156	* RingOldies: Kevin Sullivan, PCO, Tommy Dreamer and LA Park. Also, Konnan who came out of retirement to face Low Ki for the MLW Title in December 2018. Dan Severn counts, participating in the second Battle Riot at the ripe old age of 61.
157	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: "Filthy" Tom Lawlor is on one of these when Low Ki and Salina De La Renta decided to make Tom's pursuit of the MLW Title personal. The most personal point is when Salina paid off Simon Gotch to turn on Tom Lawlor and Tom made Simon tap out in a no-holds-barred, no ropes match, with nothing standing between him and Low Ki as a result.
158	* SanitySlippage: Used to explain Tom Lawlor turning heel on the Von Erichs.
159	* ScrewedByTheNetwork: What Injustice believes their members suffer from.
160	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After failing El Jefe of Azteca Underground numerous times, Salina left the area. She didn't get too far...
161	* SlobsVersusSnobs: The theme of the Dynasty vs Hart Foundation feud. Teddy Hart took the Middleweight title formerly belonging to UpperClassTwit [[Wrestling/{{MJF}} Maxwell J. Friedman]], MJF brought his friend Richard Holliday back to assault Hart, one tag team match later and Alex Hammerstone would make the feud 3v3.
162	* SmugStraightEdge: CM Punk, of course.
163	* SpicyLatina: Salina De La Renta
164	* SpiritualSuccessor: To Wrestling/{{ECW}}, both good and bad. Good, in terms of the action. Bad, in that promoter Court Bauer, along with inheriting several former ECW roster members, seemed to have Wrestling/PaulHeyman's money management skills as well.
165	** Since its revival in 2017, MLW also counts as one to Wrestling/{{WCW}}, in terms of its talent (namely Tony Schiavone, Konnan, Kevin Sullivan, LA PARK to name a few) and the old school styles of wrestling.
166	** More directly with Wrestling/LuchaUnderground, as the Azteca Underground storyline began to take shape. What's more, at the time of ''LU'''s final season, a handful of the talent was featured prominently at least in the early years of the revival of MLW.
167	* StraightGay: Mike Parrow of the Stud Stable is out of the closet in Real Life.
168	* TagTeam:
169	** The Samoan Island Tribe
170	** The Far East Connection (Dick Togo and Ikuto Hidaka)
171	** Da Hit Squad (Monsta Mack and Mafia)
172	** The Stampede Bulldogs (Harry Smith and TJ Wilson, aka WWE's the Hart Dynasty- DH Smith and Tyson Kidd)
173	** The Havana Pitbulls (Ricky Reyes and Rocky Romero)
174	*** Essentially the entire MLW Tag Team division both past and present, obviously. If we listed every team which competed in MLW, we'd be here all day.
175	* TagTeamTwins:
176	** Los Maximos
177	** The Shane Twins (Mike and Todd)
178	* TakeThat:
179	** The Quagmire Ribs (sponsor of the Hart Foundation's webseries H2) website has a menu option of 'Sinclair's Extreme Right Wings' and its made in Baltimore. A jab at Wrestling/RingOfHonor by extension of its owners, the Sinclair Broadcasting Group.
180	** The Filthy Island episode of Fusion was one to the UFC’s Fight Island events. It was even promoted as being a wrestling version of what Fight Island should have been.
181	** The World Titan Federation is basically one to Wrestling/{{WWE}} as it presents its wrestlers as "Superstars" and promotes "Sports Entertainment". Even their tagline is a mockery of WWE's tagline of "Then, Now, Forever" with theirs being "Then, Now, Whatever".
182	* TemptingFate: MJF drew #1 for the 2019 Battle Riot. Prior to the match starting, he cut a promo about how he was better than everyone and called himself "The Ultimate Fighter". Then the second entrant was introduced: [[Wrestling/DanSevern Dan "The Beast" Severn!]] Cue MJF [[OhCrap looking ready to shit his tights.]]
183	* ThugDojo: Team Filthy’s latest incantation is basically Series/CobraKai, they even use the creed in some of their promos.
184	* TraumaticHaircut: Contra's Josef Samael gave Tom Lawlor one after he and Jacob Fatu jumped Lawlor and kidnapped him during the MLW Fury Road special.
185	* UnstoppableForceMeetsImmovableObject: Jacob Fatu versus Barrington Hughes. Fatu squashed Hughes to establish how dangerous he is.
186	* UpperClassTwit: The theme of Maxwell J. Friedman's Dynasty stable.
187	* WhamEpisode: Episode 131, the 2021 season finale of ''Fusion'', finally revealed the identity of Wrestling/PromocionesDorado's {{mysterious backer}}, El Jefe. [[spoiler:The man behind Promociones is none other than the former Dario Cueto from Wrestling/LuchaUnderground.]]
188	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: There was a storyline where Simply Luscious appeared to be scouting either Raven or CM Punk. She was released before it was resolved.
189	* WhiteGangBangers: Jordan Oliver's gimmick. FridgeBrilliance and TruthInTelevision applies, because Oliver's hometown of Newburgh, NY is known for having extensive gang activity, so it'd make sense that a white kid who grew up there would be a gang member.
190	* WildCard: Technically, Richard Holliday in 2021 solely by being associated with the now-babyface Alex Hammerstone. While still antagonistic towards Alicia Atout and Savio Vega, Holliday was also part of the squad who raided MLW Headquarters to take it back from CONTRA Unit in 2020, and was feuding with the firmly heel Gino Medina. Eventually subverted in 2022 when he and Alicia Atout did a FaceHeelTurn by way of stabbing Hammerstone in the back and the two of them kissing on top of Hammerstone's unconscious body to boot.
191	* WrestlingFamily: [[WildSamoan Samu and Ekmo (Jamal[=/=]Umaga)]] teamed together as the Samoan Island Tribe, Samu’s son Lance Anoa’i briefly worked with the promotion in the revival and even teamed with his dad for one match. Former MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu is the son of Wrestling/TheTongaKid and now teams with Lance as part of the new Samoan SWAT Team.
192	** Cousins Teddy Hart and Davey Boy Smith Jr. made up two thirds of the New Era Hart Foundation with Brian Pillman Jr.. Smith later began teaming with his other cousins, the brothers Mark and Thomas Billington who are nephews of the Wrestling/DynamiteKid.
193	** Marshall and Ross Wrestling/{{Von Erich\|Family}} signed with MLW in 2019, with their father Kevin later making appearances as well, and the sons held MLW's tag team belts from November 2019 to January 2021. They dropped the belts to another family pair, Los Parks, made up of father and son [[Wrestling/LaParka LA Park]] and El Hijo de LA Park, who are also joined by his other son LA Park Jr..
194	* WrongfullyAttributed: The "Caribbean Heavyweight Championship" had several fictional aspects were added to the background of the title in this form. Despite using the belt and the acronym “IWA” being visible on camera, MLW confabulated it with the longevous WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship by claiming that it had “been won by the likes of Wrestling/PedroMorales, Gilberto “Gypsy Joe” Meléndez, Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher, and Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon” (though of these, only the third actually held that title, with the others holding different accolades within the World Wrestling Council). The promotion claimed that “the San Juan Star, El Vocero and Claridad island newspapers have all chastised Holliday's actions when he held the tile”, this despite the first being defunct, the second no longer covering professional wrestling and the third never having done so. The claim that it was sanctioned by the “Sports Ministry of Puerto Rico” is equally fictional, since no such executive department exists and the Puerto Rico Department of Sports and Recreation only oversees promotions as a form of entertainment business.
195	* YouAreFat: Injustice began calling Brian Pillman Jr. fat and making fat-shaming comments about him after he announced his intent to move down to the Middleweight division in order to challenge for Myron Reed's championship. It served to show Injustice's pettiness because Pillman is already in great shape.
196	* YouHaveFailedMe: Salina De La Renta punished Wrestling/SamiCallihan for his failure to take out Tom Lawlor (see BatmanGambit above) by forcing him into a Falls Count Anywhere match against LA Park, which Park won after spearing Callihan through several chairs. This was also the reason that Salina had fired Sammy Guevara for losing his match when he was in her Promociones Dorado faction.
197	** Salina herself failed El Jefe numerous times, during which El Hijo de LA Park lost his match against Bu Ku Dao in a recent Fusion episode. That instance is the straw that break the camels back to which she later got abducted by a large masked man outside the arena. [[spoiler:it's strongly implied that she got sacrificed as a way to help "El Jefe" create a new Temple]].

Context Wrestling / MLW