Major League Wrestling taped a new slate of MLW Fusion content on November 8 at Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, delivering a card that featured a championship change, international talent, multiple familiar names in action and an apparent challenge issued after one of the evening’s matches.
The most significant result from the taping saw Matt Riddle defeat Austin Aries to become the new MLW National Openweight Champion. Aries entered the match as champion, but Riddle emerged with the victory and the title, creating a major development for the National Openweight division heading into the episodes set to air on Tubi.
Riddle’s win gives MLW a new champion in one of its featured singles championships. The National Openweight Title has traditionally offered a platform for a wide range of matchups and styles, and the title change immediately places attention on who will step forward to challenge the new champion once the taped material reaches television.
Matt Riddle Captures the National Openweight Championship
The National Openweight Championship bout between Aries and Riddle was one of several prominent matches filmed in Chicago, but it stood apart because of the title’s change of hands. Riddle defeated Aries to end Aries’ reign and leave Cicero Stadium as the new champion.
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No additional details regarding the finish, the duration of the match or Riddle’s immediate plans as champion were provided in the available results. Still, the outcome alone makes the bout a central story coming out of the taping. Championship changes often shape the direction of multiple upcoming programs, particularly when a new titleholder brings a different profile and set of potential opponents to a division.
Aries’ loss also leaves an obvious question for the televised episodes: whether he will pursue a rematch or whether MLW will move directly toward a new challenger for Riddle. The taping results do not confirm either direction, so the next steps around the championship remain to be seen on Fusion.
Killer Kross, Mistico and Yota Tsuji Unite Against CONTRA
Another major match from the taping paired Killer Kross with Mistico and Yota Tsuji against CONTRA’s Big Damo, Brick Savage and Okumura. The trio of Kross, Mistico and Tsuji secured the win over their opposing six-man unit.
The lineup brought together three very different competitors for one side of the match. Kross provided a powerful presence, while Mistico and Tsuji added two widely recognizable international names to the victorious team. Across the ring, Big Damo, Brick Savage and Okumura represented CONTRA in the losing effort.
Brick Savage remained active later in the taping. He won a separate match and then called out anyone, prompting Jumbo to confront him. The available results do not indicate whether that confrontation became physical, whether a match was made, or when the situation may be addressed. What is clear is that Savage’s post-match callout led directly to Jumbo appearing in front of him, establishing a potential issue to watch in forthcoming programming.
Esfinge Competes Twice in Chicago
Esfinge had a particularly busy night at Cicero Stadium, working two matches during the tapings. In one bout, Esfinge defeated Ultimo Guerrero. Later, Esfinge faced Titan, with that match ending in a draw.
The victory over Ultimo Guerrero gave Esfinge a meaningful singles result, while the draw with Titan prevented either competitor from gaining a decisive advantage in their second meeting of the evening. A draw can often leave a rivalry unresolved, although the spoilers do not state whether MLW has officially positioned the result as the start of a continuing program.
Titan was not the only other luchador in action. Templario defeated Diego Hill, adding another singles result to the card. Mistico’s involvement in the winning six-man match, along with the appearances from Esfinge, Ultimo Guerrero, Titan and Templario, made lucha talent a substantial part of the taping’s overall lineup.
Joe Coffey Splits His Results
Joe Coffey also wrestled twice during the taping, finishing the night with one victory and one defeat. Coffey defeated Colton Vaught in a singles match, then later lost to Josh Bishop.
The results establish contrasting outcomes for Coffey on the same night. His win over Vaught put a victory on the board early, but Bishop gained the later result between the two. With no match details or post-match angle included in the spoilers, it is not known whether the Coffey-Bishop result is intended to lead to a rematch, a broader rivalry or simply stand as a one-off contest.
Wolfgang and Mark Coffey were also in action as a team. The Good Brothers defeated Wolfgang and Mark Coffey, giving the Good Brothers the tag-team victory at the taping. The result adds another notable name-driven matchup to a card that blended singles, tag team and six-man competition.
Tessa Blanchard, Masha Slamovich and Others Pick Up Wins
Several women’s division matches were taped in Chicago. Tessa Blanchard defeated Zamaya, while Masha Slamovich defeated Keyra. Both results give Blanchard and Slamovich victories heading into their eventual television airings.
The spoilers do not include information on the placement of either match within the episode order, nor do they reveal whether the winners addressed their victories afterward. The outcomes nonetheless establish that both Blanchard and Slamovich were victorious on the same night, which could prove relevant if MLW’s women’s division stories intersect in future episodes.
Elsewhere, Kozone defeated Andrew Everett. Trevor Lee defeated Dijak in another singles contest. These results provided two more notable outcomes from a taping filled with competitors from a variety of backgrounds and styles.
Lee’s victory over Dijak is especially notable simply because both men are established singles competitors, though no further storyline context was provided with the match listing. As with several bouts from the show, viewers will have to wait for the broadcast presentation to learn whether MLW attaches additional promos, video packages or angles to the result.
Complete MLW Fusion Taping Results From Chicago
The November 8 taping produced the following announced match results:
- Killer Kross, Mistico and Yota Tsuji defeated CONTRA’s Big Damo, Brick Savage and Okumura.
- Esfinge defeated Ultimo Guerrero.
- Joe Coffey defeated Colton Vaught.
- The Good Brothers defeated Wolfgang and Mark Coffey.
- Titan and Esfinge wrestled to a draw.
- Trevor Lee defeated Dijak.
- Tessa Blanchard defeated Zamaya.
- Josh Bishop defeated Joe Coffey.
- Templario defeated Diego Hill.
- Matt Riddle defeated Austin Aries to win the MLW National Openweight Championship.
- Brick Savage won a match, called out anyone, and was confronted by Jumbo.
- Masha Slamovich defeated Keyra.
- Kozone defeated Andrew Everett.
What to Watch When Fusion Airs
Because these matches were taped for future editions of MLW Fusion, the order in which they air and the full television context around each segment have not been established by the results alone. The championship bout involving Riddle and Aries will naturally be the key item to follow, especially for the reaction from the new National Openweight Champion and any response from Aries.
Beyond the title change, the Brick Savage and Jumbo confrontation is the clearest unresolved development from the night. Savage’s call for an opponent and Jumbo’s response may signal an upcoming match, but no formal bout was listed in connection with the confrontation.
There are also unresolved competitive threads from the draw between Titan and Esfinge, the split results for Joe Coffey, and the wins recorded by Blanchard and Slamovich. The Chicago tapings supplied no shortage of material for upcoming broadcasts, with the new National Openweight Champion at the center of it all.
MLW Fusion airs on Tubi.
Darryl Polo
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.