Hey guys we deep dive this time covering MLW’s Battle Riot 7. With Dose Evil and a surprise visit from Mr. Thomas, we unpacked the chaos and fun that this event brought to LA.
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🔥 Surprises That Hit (And Missed)
MLW surprised us with Austin Aries on commentary. I wasn’t expecting him at all. While there’s a history of mixed reactions around Aries, he did his job well—solid heel commentary, brought personality, and it worked for the night. Still, a little “what are we doing here?” moment.
🤼 Lucha Chaos: A Tale of Two Matches
The show was heavy on lucha content. We opened with a six-man tag featuring Atlantis Sr. and Jr., and while the in-ring action delivered energy, the storytelling lacked context for viewers unfamiliar with CMLL. Ultimo Guerrero vs Atlantis Sr. felt like we were jumping into a story mid-way. Same with the triple threat between Esfinge, Hechicero, and Templario—great talent, but little emotional hook without vignettes.
👩🎤 Women Steal Some Shine
Janai Kai vs Himawari was a solid women’s match. Hima, repping TJPW, brought a unique flair, even using her hair offensively (and no, she’s not copying Bianca Belair). Kai worked stiff and picked up the win with a roundhouse. The crowd reaction was a little off, but storytelling-wise, this had more meat than most matches.
🎤 Backstage Segments Delivered
Saint Laurent’s segment with The Filthy Bros gave big laughs. Toss in Dijak and “Bishop Dyer” (Baron Corbin still rolls off the tongue better), and MLW might have something cooking with this big-man alliance. The Rogue Horsemen-Bomaye interaction was hilarious, especially with Paul Walter Hauser getting into the Bomaye spirit harder than Mr. Thomas himself.
💀 Mads Krueger Promo = Consistent
Mads did what Mads does—big scary post-apocalyptic presence. Great production, but it’s time to evolve his story.
📝 Final Thoughts
MLW knows how to pop a crowd live—especially in lucha-heavy cities like LA. But the stories need bridging content. Show me why these matters, connect the dots, and I’ll be fully invested. The potential is there. Now just make the pieces click.
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