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Major League Wrestling has announced Jacob Fatu will attempt his eleventh defense of the MLW World Heavyweight Championship against MLW National Openweight Championship holder Alexander Hammerstone in a title-versus-title match at its Fightland show on October 2 at the legendary 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Fatu and Hammerstone have been two of MLW’s biggest stars over the past two years, holding the MLW World Heavyweight Championship and MLW National Openweight Championship respectively, and the bout is arguably the biggest match in MLW history considering its proximity to the company’s long-rumoured broadcasting deal (expected to be revealed shortly).
In March, MLW owner Court Bauer revealed on Twitter that CONTRA Unit leader Josef Samael has (kayfabe) veto power on any potential title defenses for Fatu. He later told MLW.com in April: “Is there a loophole? I don’t know but our team is looking at every line of that deal to see what can be done.”
Now, the match finally has a date and a venue: Fightland, October 2, 2300 Arena. Tickets are available here.
Fatu defeated “Filthy” Tom Lawlor to win the MLW World Heavyweight Championship at MLW’s Kings Of Colosseum television special in July 2019 in Cicero Stadium, Cicero (a suburb of Chicago), Illinois. He has made ten successful defenses of the title since then against Lawlor, L.A. Park, Ross von Erich, Brian Pillman Jr., CIMA, Davey Boy Smith Jr., ACH, Jordan Oliver, Calvin Tankman and Matt Cross.
On the same night as Fatu’s title win, Hammerstone made his first successful defense of the MLW National Openweight Championship against Kotto Brazil. His reign began at MLW’s Fury Road television special in June 2019 in the Waukesha County Expo Center, Waukesha (part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area), Wisconsin, defeating Pillman Jr. in the final of a tournament to crown the inaugural champion.
Hammerstone has made 13 successful defense of the title against Smith Jr., Brazil, Savio Vega, Rey Horus, Smith Jr. again, Douglas James, Aero Star, T-Hawk, Laredo Kid, Mads Krügger, Krügger again, King Muertes and Lawlor.
Beyond next month’s blockbuster match, both men are key figures of the company’s future. MLW announced Hammerstone signed a new multi-year deal with the company last May, while Fatu is signed to the company into late 2025 after inking a four-year extension last summer (as reported by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi at the time).
Fightland will also see the return of the Opera Cup. The opening and semi-final rounds of the tournament will take place on October 2 and the final will take place at MLW’s Intimidation Games show on November 6 in the 2300 Arena.
MLW re-vitalised the tournament in 2019 after a 71-year hiatus and it is now a regular fixture in MLW’s calendar. Smith Jr. won the tournament in 2019 (though the tournament final technically did not air until last January) en route to unsuccessfully challenging Fatu for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship on the return episode of Fusion – MLW’s flagship show – last November after the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic prevented the company from taping content for seven months.
Lawlor won the tournament last December but has not challenged for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship yet, though his title shot might just be set for a future date or he might have used his tournament victory to challenge Hammerstone for the MLW National Openweight Championship at MLW’s most recent show in July which is yet to air.
All Japan Pro Wrestling’s TAJIRI will also debut for MLW at Fightland. He is best known to American fans for his tenure in WWE in the early 2000s and signature spots such as spraying mist into his opponent’s eyes, his tarantula walk and the devastating Buzzsaw Kick.
Other talent confirmed to appear at Fightland include Alicia Atout, Aramis, Arez, Cesar Duran (formerly known as Dario Cueto in Lucha Underground), Danny Rivera (also known as Danny Limelight in other promotions), Davey Richards, Dr. Julius Smokes, Kevin Ku, Lee Moriarty, Richard Holliday and Slice Boogie.
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