Davey Richards is your new MLW National Openweight Champion.
Thursday’s MLW Battle Riot IV tapings from New York City saw Richards defeat Alex Kane to capture the MLW National Openweight Title. The finish saw Richards hit a double Stomp from the top, a Brainbuster and a Gotch Piledriver for the pin. He received a standing ovation after the match.
This is Richards’ first reign with the title, and his first title reign in MLW. This win makes him just the third MLW National Openweight Champion in history. Kane won the vacant title back at MLW War Chamber on November 6, 2021, by winning a Five-Way Ladder Match over Alex Shelley, ACH, Zenshi and current MLW World Middleweight Champion. The title was introduced in June 2019 as current MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alexander Hammerstone defeated Brian Pillman Jr. in tournament finals to become the inaugural champion. Hammerstone held the title for 865 days, but relinquished it when he won the World Title. Kane held the strap for 230 days.
You can click here for our detailed spoilers from the MLW Battle Riot IV tapings. There’s no word yet on when Richards vs. Kane will air, but the matches taped on Thursday night will air over the next few weeks as MLW Fusion episodes, and as the Battle Riot IV special.
The storyline going into the Richards vs. Kane title match was that Richards was looking to shut the braggadocios Suplex Assassin up, and complete his year-long hunt for the title. This match came after Kane and Richards fought to a 20-minute time limit draw at the MLW Kings of Colosseum event on May 13 in Philadelphia, which was the controversial $20,000 “Thrilla In Phila” Prize Fight Challenge.
Full spoilers from the Battle Riot IV tapings can be found here.
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