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MLW is just over two years into its beIN Sport adventure and returns to the world of wrestling. The company, owned by former WWE writer Court Bauer, originally started in 2002 and resembled a mash-up of latter-day ECW and early Ring of Honor. The promotion allowed a number of old ECW and WWE stars like Steve Corino, Raven, and Steve “Dr. Death” Williams to find work. It also gave newcomers such as CM Punk a place to start their careers. Despite burning brightly, it occurred outside of mainstream wrestling view and the company closed due to a lack of funds.
In 2017, after years of running the MLW Podcast Network featuring shows from Jim Cornette, Konnan, and other wrestling personalities, Bauer resurrected the promotion offering fans something different than the other combat sports companies on television. Combat sports fans are anticipating the next big UFC mixed martial arts event which will be UFC Fight Night featuring Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov. Fans can get a bet bonus and tips given here before wagering on the fighter they believe will win the bout.
Bauer’s wrestling promotion has presented fans with a lot of excitement since re-debuting with “Fusion” in April 2018 on beIN Sport. Still considered a wrestling promotion behind the WWE, AEW, and even Impact, MLW is on the rise. Thanks to solid wrestling, impressive competitors, and good booking, MLW is bringing fans the sports-based wrestling that AEW promised.
Does MLW have wrestling’s most exciting talent?
While the WWE have made it a mission to develop talent through NXT and AEW has mostly signed up wrestlers that are friends with the Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Kenny Omega, MLW has taken a slightly different route. Bauer has made it a point to find the best wrestlers on the indie scene and put them in top positions.
One of Bauer’s most significant finds was Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known to AEW fans as MJF. The 24-year-old was a main event star for the company and even won its Middleweight Championship before being lured to AEW. Bauer also gave current WWE rising star Matt Riddle a break featuring him in top matches in 2017 before MLW had found a new TV home. Riddle, a former UFC Ultimate Fighter competitor, transferred his MMA skills over the ring. Fans of Riddle and combat sports can use this promo code for the Blaydes versus Volkov fight and bet on the fighter they believe will win at UFC Fight Night.
The promotion continues to showcase exciting wrestlers including the Von Erich brothers, Alexander Hammerstone, and Brian Pillman Jr. MLW arguably has a better roster of wrestlers top to bottom than AEW.
A bright future for MLW
In spite of the current restrictions put on live sporting events, MLW has a bright future thanks to its ‘hybrid wrestling’. Unlike the WWE, where competitors compete in a very similar fashion, MLW combines a variety of styles including catch, strong style, hardcore, and lucha libre to give fans something new and exciting. It is a throwback to the 1990s when WCW and ECW revolutionized the industry.
Add in a host of exciting fighters including MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu, Hammerstone, and Davey Boy Smith Jr, and the promotion is thriving in spite of still being off most fans’ radars. The likes of Hammerstone and Richard Holliday have recently signed new long-term contracts with the promotion which shows just how strong the company is right now. MLW can even claim veteran stars of yesteryear Konnan, Kevin Von Erich, and Robert Fuller (aka Col. Robert Parker) as part of the roster to help guide younger grapplers.
Can MLW reach the heights of the WWE and AEW? They don’t have to as long as it continues to provide exciting sports-based wrestling to fans seeking an alternative to WWE.