Josh Alexander is once again the undisputed MLP Canadian Champion after defeating Stu Grayson at MLP Northern Rising. The match brought an end to the unusual two-champion situation surrounding the title, with Alexander entering as the recognized Canadian Champion and Grayson carrying the Interim MLP Canadian Championship.

The conclusion was decisive, but it was not without controversy. Don Callis became involved during the closing stretch, throwing Alexander a screwdriver. Alexander used the weapon on Grayson to escape the Nightfall, then followed with two C4 Spikes to put the interim champion away and unify the championship.

Alexander’s victory restores one clear titleholder to the MLP Canadian Championship picture. It also closes a chapter that began when injury forced him to step away from active competition, creating an opening for Grayson to establish himself as a hard-working interim champion in his absence.

A championship dispute settled in the ring

The MLP Canadian Championship had been split between Alexander and Grayson since March. Alexander remained the titleholder, but his injury-related absence meant that the promotion needed an active champion to represent the division. Grayson won the Interim Championship through a demanding gauntlet match and proceeded to build a substantial reign of his own.

For more background on this topic, read Grizzled Young Veterans Capture MLP Canadian Tag Team Titles at Northern Rising.

That circumstance gave the Northern Rising match added weight. This was not simply a champion facing a challenger. Alexander and Grayson each had a legitimate claim to the title picture, one rooted in Alexander’s original reign and the other in Grayson’s work during the period when the undisputed champion could not compete.

Grayson had effectively carried the active side of the championship while Alexander was sidelined. Alexander, meanwhile, returned with his original title status intact and now has defeated the man who had become the division’s most active standard-bearer. The outcome leaves no remaining ambiguity: Alexander is the undisputed MLP Canadian Champion.

The finish ensures that the story of the match will not be limited to the title unification itself. Callis’ involvement and the screwdriver directly affected the final sequence. Grayson had Alexander in position for the Nightfall before Alexander escaped with the weapon, changing the direction of the bout. Two C4 Spikes followed, giving Alexander the pinfall victory after the momentum had swung sharply in his favor.

Stu Grayson’s interim reign featured 14 successful defenses

Grayson earned the Interim MLP Canadian Championship in March by surviving a gauntlet that included Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Michael Oku, Rich Swann, and Rohan Raja. That field alone illustrated the challenge in front of him, as each opponent brought a different style and level of experience to the match.

Winning the gauntlet was only the beginning. Grayson went on to make 14 successful title defenses as interim champion. That total is central to understanding the significance of his loss at Northern Rising. He was not a temporary placeholder who simply held the belt until Alexander returned. Grayson made the championship active, defended it repeatedly, and established a body of work that made the unification match feel earned rather than procedural.

His reign also highlighted the difficult nature of an interim championship. An interim champion can compile defenses, overcome challengers, and perform the duties expected of a champion, yet still be required to face the returning titleholder to remove the interim designation. Grayson reached that final hurdle at Northern Rising and came up short, but his 14 successful defenses remain an important part of the title’s recent history.

In defeat, Grayson loses the championship recognition he fought to obtain in March. Still, his performance over the course of the interim reign gives him a strong argument for remaining near the front of the MLP Canadian title conversation. The question now is whether he will pursue another match with Alexander after the disputed circumstances of the finish, or whether a new contender emerges.

Alexander extends a reign interrupted by injury

Alexander’s undisputed status comes after a championship reign that had already reached 512 days. That number reflects the length of time he held the MLP Canadian Championship, but the reign was heavily affected by the injury that required him to step away.

Before Northern Rising, Alexander had recorded four successful title defenses during those 512 days. The limited number of defenses was not simply a matter of title scheduling; the injury interruption was the major factor. While Alexander retained his standing as champion, Grayson’s interim reign allowed the championship scene to continue moving while the original titleholder was unavailable.

That contrast made the unification match especially compelling. Alexander entered with the longer official reign and the original championship lineage. Grayson entered with the greater number of recent defenses and the momentum of an active titleholder. Their match was therefore as much about proving current supremacy as it was about settling the administrative distinction between champion and interim champion.

Alexander ultimately prevailed, adding another major result to his MLP run. However, the manner in which he did so will be part of the conversation going forward. The screwdriver enabled him to escape the Nightfall, and Callis’ decision to toss him the weapon was an unmistakable outside intervention. The C4 Spikes ended the contest, but the pivotal opening was created before those finishing moves landed.

Don Callis changes the outcome

Callis’ involvement was the critical variable in the final moments of the championship match. With Grayson looking to finish Alexander with the Nightfall, Callis introduced the screwdriver. Alexander used it on Grayson to get free, denying Grayson the chance to complete the move that could have secured the undisputed championship for the interim titleholder.

Once Grayson was vulnerable, Alexander capitalized immediately. The first C4 Spike put the match in Alexander’s control, while the second provided the final emphatic statement. The sequence left Grayson unable to recover and allowed Alexander to secure the victory.

The association with Callis adds another layer to Alexander’s reign. It remains to be seen what, if anything, will come next from that involvement, but at Northern Rising there was no question that Callis played a direct role in the result. For Grayson, that fact could provide a clear foundation for a rematch request. He was not simply beaten after a clean exchange of finishing moves; he was stopped after outside interference prevented him from landing the Nightfall.

Whether MLP treats the result as the start of a longer rivalry or moves Alexander toward a different challenger has yet to be determined. What is settled is the championship’s status. There is no longer an interim titleholder alongside the recognized champion.

What the unified title picture means

Alexander leaves MLP Northern Rising with one championship designation: Undisputed MLP Canadian Champion. The result consolidates a title scene that had been divided out of necessity following his injury absence. It also places the focus squarely on who will step forward as the next challenger.

Grayson is an obvious candidate because of the volume and quality of his interim reign. Fourteen successful defenses make him difficult to dismiss, and the Callis-assisted finish gives him reason to argue that the unification match did not provide a fully clean conclusion. At the same time, the names Grayson defeated in the March gauntlet underline the depth of talent that could also seek a shot at Alexander.

For Alexander, the Northern Rising victory is both a return to active championship control and a chance to reshape the reign on his terms. His 512 days as champion have included only four successful defenses because of the injury interruption. Now that the title is unified, every future defense will carry the added significance of being for the undisputed championship.

The Northern Rising main development is therefore straightforward: Josh Alexander defeated Stu Grayson, ended the interim title era, and emerged as the sole MLP Canadian Champion. Yet the final image is unlikely to end discussion. Grayson’s 14 defenses, Callis’ interference, the screwdriver escape, and Alexander’s two C4 Spikes have ensured that the championship picture remains consequential even after the belts and designations have been unified.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.