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GRAYSON VS. GRESHAM, GISELE VS. CROWLEY, RHINO AND MORE: 7/15 MAPLE LEAF PRO WRESTLING MAYHEM TV ON TSN2 & MYAEW.COM REPORT

Welcome to my coverage of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling's premiere episode of Mayhem TV on TSN2 (in Canada) and MyAEW.com (everywhere else, pretty much).  The plan is for Cory Strode to cover the show regularly but since it's the first episode and Cory won't be watching the episode until tomorrow, I am diving in to take a look at the first episode.  

So here we go!

After a video opening, Mauro Ranallo and Don Callis were in the ring before an enthusiastic audience.  Ranallo proudly proclaimed that Canada finally has a weekly pro wrestling TV show again.  Ouch, TNA probably didn't like that.  Callis, introduced as being from AEW told the fans that "Daddy's back."  Ranallo said that MLP is rooted in Canadian excellence, the ring is open to any talent and any style from around the world.  He declared this was MLP on TSN.

They went to a video package with Scott D'Amore voicing it over.  He said that everyone says they love the business, until it takes something from them.  For some it's legacy, for others it's survival.  They interspersed old Canadian footage with today's stars.  He said that Canada has shaped pro wrestling but tonight, a new generation is here, not pay tribute to the past, but to fight for what comes next.  He said welcome to Mayhem.

MLP Interim Canadian Champion Stu Grayson vs. Jonathan Gresham

They explained Grayson won the Interim championship as Josh Alexander is out with an injured.  Grayson went into the crowd as he came to the ring.  Ranallo talks about Grayson as a proud Canadian wrestler while mentioning others, including Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.  The announcers told the story of Gresham's strokes and how he now has a perception on life.  

They had some nice back and forth wrestling before facing off.  Gresham played to the crowd.  They locked up with Grayson snatching a side headlock.  Gresham was sent into the ropes but shoulderblocked down.  Gresham snatched Grayson during a leapfrog attempt and pulled him into a sunset flip.  Grayson nailed a Frankensteiner and a standing dropkick, sending Gresham to the apron outside.  Grayson asked the crowd if they wanted to see something cool.  They did, so he hit a senton atomico to Gresham on the outside.

They showed an awkward looking camera angle of PWA Champion's Grail Champion Rohan Raja and his "Queen" Aurora Teves watching the match on a monitor.  They pretty much had their backed to the camera and a good part of the screen showed the empty table the monitor was on, but I guess you could argue that "live" in the moment not every camera shot would be perfectly centered and captured.

Gresham backed off and offered Grayson a handshake.  They shook but Gresham tried to kick Grayson.  He caught the kick and chopped away as they went to commercial. 

TSN warned the show could feature coarse language and acts of violence.  Well, it's pro wrestling, so I certainly hope so!

When they returned, Grayson was in control and nailed a backdrop driver.  Gresham wanted a time out, selling a back injury but he was faking it.  He caught Grayson with a rollup fo a two count  and tied up the champ's legs before locking in a STF.  He turned it into a surfboard and tried to wear Grayson down.  Gresham continued to control, working over his lower extremities.  Gresham did this to set up for the figure four leglock.

Grayson fought back and nailed a lariat.  Gresham tried to take him down but was kicked off.  Grayson laid into him with chops but Gresham slipped away from an Irish Whip attempt and nailed an enziguiri.  Grayson began whipping out suplexes.  Ranallo quipped it was STU-plex City.  They battled to the top where Grayson nailed a superplex, followed up a jumping knee strike and Knightfall for the pin.

Your winner and still Champion, Stu Grayson!

They kept showing Raja watching.  The other shots were better.

A nice showcase for Grayson and a way to showcase Canada, beating an American name.

They plugged the 10/3 Northern Rising PPV with tickets going on sale 7/31 for Toronto.

Raja complained to the camera that an interim champion started the show while he's in the back watching when he's the measuring stick in MLP.  He had a decent gift for gab.

They aired a vignette where MLP Women's Champion Gisele Shaw said she's been carrying the women's division since day one, but people seem to act surprised and are looking for the next big star.  Let people talk.  While they chase the future, she's building a legacy.  Instead of asking who's next, ask who's ready now.  The women's division belongs to her.

They aired a vignette on a boy named Michael who had wide, crazy eyes as his second grade teacher wondered who he would be when he grew up.  This was a vignette for Psycho Mike and it was hilarious:

Back in the ring, Gama Singh Jr. said it was fitting that a second-generation Canadian star should be represented.  He ripped the fans for hating his father Gama Singh.  Johnny Swinger, not identified, was behind him in the ring.  Singh said he will defend his legacy against anyone willing to walk out.  Out came former ECW Champion Rhino.  Bad call, Gama!  The live crowd loved this.

Gama Singh Jr. vs. Rhino

Singh tried to fight off Rhino was manhandled and clotheslined down.  He gored Singh and scored the pin.

Your winner, Rhino!

Short but sweet.  Swinger never got mentioned, which was odd.

They aired a video piece on 1st Faction, the MLP Tag Team Champions.  They want to own it all, not take it over.  They will defend the belts next week vs. Mascara Dorada and Capitan Suicida.

They aired a video feature on Stu Grayson.  He feels pressure as they go to television because he wants to be a leader and Canadian pro wrestling can't afford to mess this up.  He praised Jonathan Gresham as being a great pro wrestler and he had to fight to find a way to take him out.  he had to outlast him.  He can take far more punishment than anyone else.  He has to out-do himself every night because he's the champion.  He said the October PPV will be a chance to once again prove what he's capable of.  Every time he steps in the ring, he seizes the reward.  Good character building vignette.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Jesse Bieber & Johnny DeLuca

Zack Gibson controlled Bieber early.  DeLuca tagged in and came in with some fire but was quickly clubbed with a hard lariat.  James Drake tagged in and they double-teamed DeLuca.  Drake dared DeLuca to bring the fight to him and absorbed some shots before taking him down.  The Vets continued to control the ring and worked over DeLuca in the corner.  They were all over him and showed some intensity.   DeLuca stuns Gibson with a dropkick.  Bieber tagged in and attempted to do some clubberin' but played to the crowd too much, allowing him to be taken down and wiped out with double-team maneuvers.  They killed him with a double Codebreaker for the pin.

Your winners, The Grizzled Young Veterans!

This played like an 80s squash.  The stars looked like stars and controlled but they allowed some hope spots for the opposition.

They went to a Johnny TV vignette.  When a network needs a star, they know who to call.  It's emotionally exhausting but every show needs a leading man.  Next week, he'll face TJP, saying he looks like the final boss of an energy drink can.  Ouch.  They played up that he acted like a snotty Hollywood star:

Mauro ran down the lineup for next week and then played up Northern Rising on 10/3 as the biggest show of the year for the company.  They are back in the former Maple Leaf Gardens for the event.

MLP Women's Champion Gisele Shaw vs. Alice Crowley

Crowley was nicknamed Big Al and wore the type of hat Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir always sported back in the day.  The announcers said Shaw will take any chance to put herself in the spotlight.  They said Crowley has traveled the world and has been seen in Juggalo Wrestling.

Shaw controlled Alice early but Crowley rolled out of an armbar.  They locked up and Crowley took her down and nailed a knee.  Crowley followed up with a hard running kick and Shaw backed into the corner.  She avoided Crowley's charge and used her long legs to smother Crowley in the corner.

After a commercial, Shaw was working over Crowley on the mat.  Shaw nailed several forearms in the corner.  Crowley ducks one and hits several lariats, strikes and a bicycle kick.  She nailed a Saito suplex for a two count.  Shaw used a sunset flip takedown for a near fall.  Crowley snapped her with a fisherman's suplex for a two count.  Crowley played to the crowd, giving Shaw a chance to block her lariat and hit a Flatliner DDT and then a running kneestrike for the pin.  

Your winner and still Champion, Gisele Shaw!

Good bout.  Crowley showed some real promise.  Shaw played a good arrogant heel.

Ranallo thanked everyone for watching as we went to cameras following behind Stu Grayson as he was exiting.  He saw someone laid out and run up to them to see if they were OK.  This allowed Rohan Raja to attack him outside.  It was his valet Aurora Teves laying there.  How did they know when Grayson was going to leave?  Grayson and Raja brawled outside near production equipment.  Raja grabbed a rolling case and shoved it towards Grayson, who leaped into a shotgun dropkick, hitting Raja and landing on the case.  OK, that was cool.  Grayson was working over Raja with rights when Teves lowblowed him.  Grayson was tossed into the side of a truck and was hurting.  Raja asked, "So this is Mayhem, eh?"  He told Grayson, "Welcome to my kingdom" and the show went off the air.

A good, solid first hour that spotlighted the champs in the ring, showed some nice character-building vignettes and an angle that I would guess sets up a future TV main event.  The Psycho Mike vignette cracked me up.  This was a good start for the promotion's TV in my opinion.

Stay tuned for more MLP coverage on PWInsider.com!

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