Fightland 2021 was a professional wrestling supercard event produced by Major League Wrestling (MLW), which was held on October 2, 2021 and was the third event under the Fightland chronology. Matches from the event were taped for MLW programming; the main card aired as a one-hour special on October 7, 2021 on Vice TV, while other matches would air as part of the mini-series, MLW Fusion: Alpha.
Sixteen professional wrestling matches were contested at the event. The main event was a no disqualification title vs. title match, in which Battle Riot winner Alexander Hammerstone cashed in his Golden Ticket opportunity against Jacob Fatu, with both Hammerstone's National Openweight Championship and Fatu's World Heavyweight Championship on the line. Hammerstone won the match to end Fatu's two-year long title reign in what was also Fatu's first loss in MLW. On the undercard, Tajiri made his MLW debut against Myron Reed, Arez and Aramis for Reed's World Middleweight Championship in a four-way match, which Tajiri won.
Production[]
Background[]
The show featured wrestling matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, orless distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
In April 2021, MLW announced a television deal with Vice TV. A block of MLW programming, including reruns of MLW Fusion, began airing on Saturdays starting May 1. On September 17, 2021, it was announced that Vice TV would air Fightland on October 7, following a new episode of its original documentary series, Dark Side of the Ring. As an expansion of the channel's professional wrestling programming, and their previous agreement with MLW, Fightland marks the first wrestling event to air on Vice.
Storylines[]
The card consisted of matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by MLW's writers. Storylines were played out on MLW's weekly television program, Fusion, and the league's social media platforms.
The main storyline heading into Fightland was the feud between MLW National Openweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone and MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu of Contra Unit. At the end of the AAA vs. MLW Super Series on the May 10, 2020 episode of Fusion, Contra Unit attacked various wrestlers and staff before ultimately taking over MLW headquarters (a storyline explanation for MLW's hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic). Hammerstone was among members of the MLW roster seen taking back MLW headquarters in a video uploaded to MLW's YouTube channel on October 29, 2020. Hammerstone campaigned for a World title shot throughout 2020 and into 2021, as he was ranked #1 in MLW by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. At the end of the April 21, 2021 episode of Fusion, Hammerstone once again challenged Fatu to a title match. The following week, on the penultimate episode of the season, Contra leader Josef Samael denied the challenge on Fatu's behalf, claiming that he ultimately controls who gets to fights him. On June 10, 2021, it was announced that MLW Battle Riot III will take place on July 10, and that Hammerstone would be the first entrant. Hammerstone would ultimately win the titular match, earning a World title match against Fatu. On September 1, 2021, Hammerstone revealed he will face Fatu at Fightland, and put his own National Openweight title on the line in a Title vs. title match.
On August 31, it was announced on MLW's website that Tajiri would be making his MLW debut at Fightland. On September 16, it was announced that Myron Reed would defend the World Middleweight Championship against Tajiri, Arez and Aramis in a four-way match at Fightland.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Mads Krügger defeated Dr. Dax (w/ Holidead) (0:38)
- Mads Krügger defeated Budd Heavy (0:22)
- Alex Kane defeated Warhorse in a Prize fight challenge (5:42)
- Calvin Tankman defeated Matt Cross in a 2021 Opera Cup quarter-final match (8:15)
- Bobby Fish defeated Lee Moriarty in a 2021 Opera Cup quarter-final match (12:20)
- Davey Richards defeated Tom Lawlor via submission in a 2021 Opera Cup quarter-final match (11:41)
- TJP defeated Alex Shelley in a 2021 Opera Cup quarter-final match (14:47)
- Los Parks (L.A. Park, L.A. Park Jr., and El Hijo de L.A. Park) vs. 5150 (Homicide, Slice Boogie, and Danny Rivera) (w/ Dr. Julius Smokes and Konnan) went to a no contest in a Trios match (5:11)
- Nicole Savoy defeated Holidead (8:06)
- Tajiri defeated Myron Reed (c), Arez and Aramis in a Four-way match to win the MLW World Middleweight Championship
- Calvin Tankman defeated Alex Kane in a 2021 Opera Cup semi-final match
- King Muertes (c) (w/ Catrina) defeated Tom Lawlor in a Casket match to retain the MLW Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (11:51)
- EJ Nduka, Richard Holliday, Savio Vega, The Blue Meanie, Warhorse and Zenshi defeated Beastman, Gino Medina, Ikuro Kwon, KC Navarro, Kevin Ku and King Mo in a 12-man elimination match (13:15)
- Davey Richards defeated Bobby Fish in a 2021 Opera Cup semi-final match (12:09)
- The Sea Stars (Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo) defeated Willow Nightingale and Zoey Skye (4:45)
- Alexander Hammerstone (National) defeated Jacob Fatu (World) (w/ Josef Samael) in a Title vs. Title No Disqualification match for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship and MLW National Openweight Championship (16:21)
External links[]
Major League Wrestling |
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2002 |
Genesis • Reload • King Of Kings |
2003 |
Revolutions • Hybrid Hell • Rise Of The Renegades • Summer Apocalypse • War Games |
2004 |
Reloaded Tour 2004 - Night 1 • Reloaded Tour 2004 - Night 2 |
2017 |
One Shot • Never Say Never |
2018 |
Zero Hour • Road To The World Championship • Spring Break • The World Championship Final • Intimidation Games • Battle Riot • War Games • Fury Road • Fightland • Never Say Never • Zero Hour |
2019 |
Superfight • Intimidation Games • Rise Of The Renegades • Battle Riot II • Fury Road • Kings Of Colosseum • Never Say Never • War Chamber • Saturday Night SuperFight • Blood & Thunder • Opera Cup |
2020 |
Zero Hour • Fightland • AAA x MLW |
2021 |
Battle Riot III • Fightland • Opera Cup • Azteca x The Crash |
2022 |
Blood & Thunder • SuperFight • Intimidation Games • Azteca Underground • Kings of Colosseum • Battle Riot IV • Fury Road • Super Series • Fightland |
2023 |
Blood & Thunder • SuperFight • War Chamber • Battle Riot V • Never Say Never • Fury Road • Slaughterhouse • Fightland • One Shot |
2024 |
Kings of Colosseum |