MLW Summer of the Beasts Review - June 26, 2025

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

The Skyscrapers def. Los Depredadores to Win the MLW World Tag Team Championship

Los Depredadores weren't MLW World Tag Team Champions for very long, but I can't say I'm heartbroken over their reign being cut short. The Skyscrapers is a great name for the duo of Donovan Dijak and Bishop Dyer and I love how no time was wasted in putting the tag titles on them. They work really well together as partners and this was a fun opener with the correct result.

Brock Anderson def. Anthony Greene

I don't believe Anderson was ever a body guy during his time in AEW, but he looks bigger than I remember. He resembles his father more and more by the day. At any rate, this was a solid match from these two. I enjoyed Greene during his short stint in WWE/NXT and he did some stuff on AEW Dark after that, but he hasn't ended up anywhere on a regular basis to my knowledge. I honestly would have rather seen him go over here.

Yuki Kamifuku def. Wakana Uehara; Ava Everett Confronted Shotzi

I obviously wasn't familiar with either Kamifuku or Uehara coming into this contest, but both of them were impressive and had a nice match in the time they were allotted. As I've said before, I'm all for MLW working with other companies to deepen their women's division. Shotzi is a strong addition and I like how they quickly set up her first opponent in Everett with their post-match segment.

Kushida def. Diego Hill

Hill must be a big deal on the independent scene because the commentators gushed over his performance and he was subsequently signed to a contract by Cesar Duran despite the loss. He certainly shined here, I'll give him that. This was a top-notch sprint and Kushida was the perfect opponent for him. Hopefully Hill can capitalize on this and continue building momentum.

MJF Attacked Mistico

This was an extremely well done angle. When the masked men attacked Mistico, I can't imagine many people actually thought it'd be MJF considering AEW hasn't worked with MLW in years, but it was an awesome moment, nonetheless, especially given MJF's history in MLW. A top AEW star attacking a top CMLL star on an MLW show is pretty cool. I liked their match at Grand Slam: Mexico and am looking forward to the eventual rematch.

MLW National Openweight Champion Ultimo Guerrero def. Matthew Justice and Alexander Hammerstone in a Three-Way Match

Los Depredadores losing the MLW World Tag Team Championship earlier increased the chances of Guerrero also losing his title here. It didn't happen, but Justice being a last-minute addition made the outcome less predictable. This was a well-worked three-way and Hammerstone not getting pinned leaves the door open for him getting another shot soon. He also brawled with Justice afterward.

MLW World Heavyweight Champion Matt Riddle def. KENTA

Riddle continues to kill it bell to bell, even if the crowds aren't always behind him. KENTA is super talented in his own right, so this was the excellent main event you'd expect from them. I especially appreciated how it was straightforward wrestling with no shenanigans. The best was saved for last. KENTA showing respect to Riddle afterward was a pleasant surprise.

Overall Show

MLW's shows tend to be very hit or miss, but this one definitely fell in the former category. This was a really entertaining event and it was newsworthy as well with MJF returning, Shotzi debuting and the tag titles changing hands. The in-ring action also delivered, so it was a successful night all around. MLW needs to follow this formula more often instead of focusing on the crap that drags down the shows (Contra Unit, the drama with Salina de la Renta, the excessive hardcore matches, etc.).

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