MLW rings bell on 2024 with 'Kings of Colosseum'
Major League Wrestling founder Court Bauer talks about the upcoming event.
Major League Wrestling (MLW)’s first premium live event of the year is expected to be a special one with World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane defending the title against Richard Holliday along with the returns of Matt Riddle and Sami Callihan.
"Kings of Colosseum" is to take place Saturday in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on Triller TV.
MLW founder Court Bauer told Fox News Digital in a recent interview the first premium live event (PLE) is the start of what is expected to be a big year for the company.
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"It’s a huge year for us," Bauer said. "For the past two to three years, we’ve been charting a course and that course is for huge growth like any company wants. We’re about to enter that period now. We’ve been making some moves behind the scenes and this is going to be a noisy year for us, and we’re going to kick it off in a big way in Philadelphia."
MLW landed Riddle after WWE and him parted ways. The company also landed Callihan once he parted ways with Total Nonstop Action (TNA). Both competitors previously competed in MLW before moving on: Riddle in 2017-2018 and Callihan in 2017-2019.
MLW founder Court Bauer previewed "Kings of Colosseum." (MLW)
Riddle will take on Jacob Fatu in a singles match. Callihan will face off against Satoshi Kojima, a former New Japan Pro Wrestling star, in a singles match, too. With their returns, Bauer vowed to give pro wrestling fans more action and less soap opera drama.
"It’s part of the long-term game plan that we go," he explained. "You look at wrestling right now, wrestling’s entering a new Wild West. You have agents in Beverly Hills running WWE, and then you have MLW. We’re full of true grit. We don’t pander to Hollywood. We’re unapologetically pro wrestling. We are a combat sport.
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"MLW doesn’t have a room full of Hollywood writers and agendas writing storylines. We’re doing this the way it was done in the ‘80s and ’90s like, frankly, how the UFC is doing it today. You make the best fights. You give them something new and exciting. Showcase every fighting style you can. … It’s a great time to be a part of MLW and a great time for the fans because we’re going to go big and loud this year."
"Kings of Colosseum" isn’t the only card set on the schedule. MLW will be back in Philadelphia on Feb. 3 for "Super Fight" then hit New York City on Feb. 29 for "Intimidation Games."
MLW heads to the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida, area for "War Chamber" on March 29. And on May 11, MLW will host "Azteca Lucha."
Additionally, Bauer told Fox News Digital he is looking toward growing MLW’s international footprint and hopes to offer more live shows.
"We want to take over across the country, and in order to do that, you need a certain level of star power because they’re going to drive box-office ticket sales," Bauer said. "They’re going to bring a lot of people that may not know about MLW, and they’re going to come and check it out, and then they get to see the next generation of talent."
'Kings of Colosseum' will feature the returns of Matt Riddle and Sami Callihan. (MLW)
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"It’s an interesting time because you got to have real grit to get through a very competitive landscape and stand out. There’s a reason why the other promoters want our talent. They watch our show. They know the show is good, they know the talent is great, and you can only see them in MLW, which is a big part of what we made our thing about."
Aside from Saturday’s PLE, "Major League Wrestling: Fusion" can be seen on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on beIN Sports, Triller TV and YouTube.
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