''MLW Fusion'' is an American

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as films and television series, streamed over the Internet. Standing in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aerial systems, cable t ...

program produced by

Major League Wrestling Major League Wrestling (MLW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in New Rochelle, New York. The promotion was founded in 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by former WWE writer Court Bauer. The promotion markets its product as ...

(MLW) that premiered on April 20, 2018. Originally airing on beIN Sports USA, ''Fusion'' moved to MLW's

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel in 2020; with beIN Sports now airing replays on Saturdays. From November 10, 2022, to February 2, 2023, the series would stream on Pro Wrestling TV. A thirteen-part mini-series, titled ''MLW Fusion: Alpha'' (stylized as ''MLW Fusion: ALPHA''), aired from September 22 to December 16, 2021. A second mini-series, '' MLW Azteca'', aired from Thursday January 6 to February 3, 2022.MLW AZTECA anthology mini series coming
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History

2018–2020

Major League Wrestling announced their partnership with

beIN Sports beIN Sports ( ) is a Qatari multinational network of sports channels owned and operated by the media group beIN. The network has played a major role in the increased commercialization of Qatari sports. Its chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and its ...

on March 30, 2018, in which the network would air a weekly television series. Subsequently, MLW announced their television tapings would take place at Gilt Nightclub in

Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...

. ''MLW Fusion'' aired on Friday nights beginning on April 20, 2018. On September 19, MLW announced a deal for the show to be streamed through

FITE TV Triller TV (stylized as TrillerTV, formerly known as FITE and FITE TV, and currently marketed as TrillerTV powered by FITE) is a Bulgarian-based American digital video streaming service. Owned by Flipps Media, Inc. and operated by its parent co ...

, and to air on beIN Sports in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

. On November 29, MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would be broadcast live for the first time on its December 14 episode, during MLW's ''Zero Hour'' event. Since then the company continued to air periodic live specials. In January 2019, ''Fusion'' added its first international broadcast partner, EGO TV in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. In February 2019, MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would be moving from Friday to Saturday nights. After the conclusion of the MLW vs AAA Super Series on the May 9, 2020, episode, ''Fusion'' went on a hiatus due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. A spinoff series, titled ''Pulp Fusion'', was uploaded weekly on MLW's

channel in the interim beginning on May 29, 2020.

"The Restart", ''Fusion: Alpha'', and ''Azteca'' (2020–2022)

On September 10, MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would move to Wednesday nights on fubo Sports Network. On October 10, they revealed ''Fusion'' would return on November 18 at 7pm EST and new episodes would also premiere on MLW's

channel on the same night. With the move to YouTube and Fubo Sports, ''Fusion'' abandoned its original year-round, weekly format; a special "season finale" aired on May 5, 2021. During the premiere of Battle Riot III on July 24, 2021, MLW announced a new season of ''Fusion'' to air on "a new home" in the Fall, and a new, four-part mini-series titled ''MLW Fusion: Alpha'' (stylized as ''MLW Fusion: ALPHA'') to lead into the new season. Initially intended to air in August, ''Fusion: Alpha'' was later re-announced on September 6, 2021, as "a new season and series from MLW" to premiere on September 22 on MLW's YouTube channel, and would also air on Saturdays and Mondays on Bein Sports. Beginning October 19, 2021, ''Fusion: Alpha'' also streamed on

. On December 7, MLW announced that the series finale of ''Fusion: Alpha'' would air on December 15, 2021, though the final episode would instead air on December 16. MLW also announced a new "anthology mini-series" titled ''MLW Azteca'', which was taped during the MLW Azteca/The Crash show in December 2021. The series premiered on Thursday January 6, 2022, on MLW's YouTube channel and

, and aired for five episodes.

2022–2023

During the January 27, 2022, episode of ''MLW Azteca'', MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would return for a new season on February 10. On the June 23 episode, they announced that the current season would end with the Kings of Colosseum special on July 14, 2022. During the finale, MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would return for a new season in the Fall. On October 11, 2022, MLW announced a partnership with

streaming platform An over-the-top media service (also known as over-the-top television, or simply OTT) is a digital distribution service of video and audio delivered directly to viewers via the public Internet, rather than through an over-the-air, cable, satell ...

Pro Wrestling TV (PWTV), bringing the promotion's programming library to the service beginning November 3. The new season of ''Fusion'' premiered on PWTV on November 10. On January 20, 2023, MLW announced a broadcast deal with U.S cable channel

Reelz Reelz (formerly known as Reelz Channel) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The network's programming was formerly devoted to entertainment-oriented programming focusing on the Hollywood ...

to produce a new flagship show titled '' MLW Underground Wrestling'', which premiered on February 7 and featured matches and segments that were originally taped for ''Fusion''. Following its premiere, BeIN Sports ceased airing ''Fusion'', and the show's February 9, 2023, episode was postponed. On the April 11 episode of ''Underground Wrestling'', MLW announced that ''Fusion'' would return and feature the 2023 Super Series. On May 11, MLW's website revealed that the new season of ''Fusion'' would premiere on Bein Sports and Bein Sports Xtra in the U.S and Canada, on Friday, May 26. The following day, MLW announced that the season would air first on the MLW YouTube channel, beginning on Thursday, May 25. On May 16, 2023, they announced that ''Fusion'' would also be included with a FITE+ subscription, as part of a larger partnership between MLW and FITE announced on May 2. MLW announced on May 24, 2023, that ''MLW Fusion'' would return to BeIN Sports on June 16; airing Fridays on BeIN Sports Xtra, and Saturdays on Bein Sports in the U.S and Canada. ''Fusion'' instead returned to BeIN Sports on Saturday June 24, 2023. Following the 2023 ''Fusion'' season finale, MLW revamped their event schedule to air two events every month; a live, premium event for Triller TV+ subscribers, and a free, taped special for BeIN Sports and MLW's YouTube channel.

Production

Filming locations

Initially, ''Fusion'' had been taped at Gilt Nightclub in

. In May 2018, MLW announced they would be holding television tapings at the Melrose Ballroom in

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

on July 19, marking the first time tapings were held outside the state of

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. Subsequent tapings have been held at various venues around the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. From Fall 2020 until 2021, due to the

, MLW returned to Gilt Nightclub to tape their programming

behind closed doors Behind Closed Doors may refer to: Film, television and radio Film * ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1929 film), an early talkie starring Virginia Valli * Behind Closed Doors (1961 film), ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1961 film), an Italian comedy film by Dino ...

. From July to December 2021, MLW programming was taped at the

2300 Arena 2300 Arena is a multipurpose indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, used primarily for professional wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, and concert events. Originally known as Viking Hall, the venue has since been named XPW Arena, New A ...

from the promotion's home base in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Special episodes

Roster

The wrestlers featured on Major League Wrestling take part in scripted

feuds A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because ...

and storylines. Wrestlers are portrayed as either

villains A villain (also known as a " black hat", "bad guy" or "baddy"; The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.126 "baddy (also baddie) noun (pl. -ies) ''informal'' a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.". the feminine form is villai ...

heroes Heroes or Héroes may refer to: * Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good Film * ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama * ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film Gaming * ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...

in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match.

Commentators

Broadcast history

''MLW Fusion'' originally aired on Friday nights in the United States on

BeIN Sports beIN Sports ( ) is a Qatari multinational network of sports channels owned and operated by the media group beIN. The network has played a major role in the increased commercialization of Qatari sports. Its chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and its ...

. In February 2019, the show moved to Saturday nights. On November 18, 2020, new episodes of ''Fusion'' moved to Wednesday nights on fubo Sports Network and MLW's

channel, with BeIN Sports now airing replays on Saturday nights. With the premiere of ''MLW Azteca'' on January 6, 2022, MLW programming moved to Thursdays nights on YouTube; ''Fusion'' would return on February 10 of that year. On November 10, 2022, ''MLW Fusion'' moved to Pro Wrestling TV, continuing to air on Thursday nights. On May 25, 2023, ''Fusion'' returned to MLW's YouTube channel, and also began airing on FITE for FITE+ subscribers.

International

In addition to the U.S., ''MLW Fusion'' also airs on BeIN Sports in Canada and Puerto Rico. As of 2022, ''Fusion'' is currently carried by

StarTimes StarTimes is a Chinese electronics and media company in Sub-Saharan Africa. StarTimes offers digital terrestrial television and satellite television services to consumers, and provides technologies to countries and broadcasters that are switchi ...

and Wataaa Fight Channel outside of North America, Fight Klub Poland, and MBC in Mauritius. On July 5, 2022, MLW announced a new broadcast deal with Ayozat TV in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

References

External links

*
MLW Fusion on beIN Sports
* * {{Professional wrestling in the United States 2018 American television series debuts 2010s American sports television series 2020s American sports television series American professional wrestling television series BeIN Sports Fusion