Intimidation Games (2024)

Intimidation Games (2024) was a professional wrestling event produced by Major League Wrestling (MLW). It took place on February 29, 2024, at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, and streamed live on Triller TV. It was the fourth event under the Intimidation Games chronology.

Additional matches were taped for MLW's "Once Upon A Time In New York" special, which aired on BeIN Sports USA and MLW's YouTube channel on March 16.

Production

Background

Intimidation Games is a reoccurring event produced by Major League Wrestling (MLW) that was first held on May 3, 2018, as a television taping for '' MLW Fusion''. The second event was broadcast live on March 2, 2019 as a special episode of ''Fusion''.

On December 18, 2023, MLW announced that the fourth edition of Intimidation Games would take place on February 29, 2024, at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York. As part of MLW's partnership with Triller TV to produce live specials for TrillerTV+ subscribers, the 2024 edition will also be the second to air live.

Storylines

The card consisted of matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by MLW's writers. Storylines were played out across MLW's social media platforms.

Per MLW's "Open Door Policy," several free agents would be announced for the event, including the MLW return of Bobby Fish. and the debut of former WWE wrestler A. J. Franci$.

On December 27, 2023, MLW announced on their website that Matt Riddle will be in action at Intimidation Games. During The Burning Crush, which aired on February 17, 2024, Riddle in vignette challenged anyone from New Japan Pro-Wrestling to meet him at the event. Later, it was announced that Bad Dude Tito of TMDK would be Riddle's opponent. Several days later on Night 1 of NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo, Riddle defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to capture the NJPW World Television Championship, with MLW announcing that his match with Tito at Intimidation Games will be for the title.

During the Reload special on January 20, 2024, Minoru Suzuki was announced to be returning to MLW at Intimidation Games. His opponent would be revealed as Satoshi Kojima at SuperFight. Later in the night, Kojima would defeat Alex Kane to win the MLW World Heavyweight Championship, thus making his match with Suzuki at Intimidation Games a world title match.

When Místico was announced to debut in MLW at SuperFight, Promociones Dorado promoter Salina de la Renta was confused as she had not authorized the deal. As her stable was the main pipeline for Latin American wrestlers to MLW, she was suspicious. As such, de la Renta would accompany Místico's rival Averno for their match at SuperFight. Over the next several weeks, several signs began pointing to Cesar Duran, former MLW matchmaker and owner of Azteca Underground – which had previously purchased Promociones Dorado in 2020 – returning to the company. Duran had been kidnapped and reported missing since the summer of 2023, though his masked Azteca henchmen would still maintain a presence. It was eventually revealed that de la Renta orchestrated Duran's disappearance after he held her captive back in 2021. At SuperFight, Duran fully returned to announce Místico for his match, where he beat Averno. After the match, MLW announced that Místico would challenge Promociones Dorado's Rocky Romero for the MLW World Middleweight Championship at Intimidation Games.

Results

References

External links

Intimidation Games official website

{{MLWPPV, Intimidation Games

Major League Wrestling shows
2024 in professional wrestling
February 2024 events in the United States
Professional wrestling shows in New York City
2024 in New York City
Events in Queens, New York