Various: Alex Hammerstone Makes Surprise MLW Return, Austin Aires Joins MLW Commentary Team, & More MLW Battle Riot VII News, Shota Umino vs. Hirooki Goto for IWGP World Title Set for NJPW Windy City Riot 2025

Alex Hammerstone Makes Surprise MLW Return, Austin Aires Joins MLW Commentary Team, & More MLW Battle Riot VII News & Notes

Saturday’s Battle Riot VII event for Major League Wrestling in Long Beach, California featured Alex Hammerstone making his surprise return to MLW. Hammerstone was revealed to be MLW authoruty figure Cesar Duran newest surprise signing to the company.

HAMMERSTONE IS HERE!!!#MLWRiot is streaming NOW & FREE:
▶️ https://t.co/tROwbeGoaE pic.twitter.com/5JFd3ZHNV4

— MLW (@MLW) April 6, 2025

Saturday’s event also featured former MLW talent Austin Aires making his surprise return and being revealed as the newest member of MLW’s commentary team alongside Joe Dobrowski.

Saturday’s event also featured Alex Hammerstone, Raj Dhesi (Jinder Mahal in WWE), Chris Adonis (Chris Masters in WWE), Titus Alexander, and Rob Van Dam making surprise appearances at the surprise entrants for this year’s Battle Riot match.

In regards to the Battle Riot match, current MLW World Champion Matt Riddle was the winner of this year’s match after last eliminating RVD to successfully defend his title.

Saturday’s event also featured a teaser vignette hyping up two mystery people arriving soon to MLW. The mystery people are currently speculated to be the Good Brothers’ Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows.

Saturday’s event also featured Shoko Nakajima defeating Delmi Exo to become the new MLW Women’s World Featherweight Champion.

Saturday’s event also featured Mistico relinquishing his MLW World Middleweight Championship due to his partially torn right tricep and a ligament injury in his right ankle

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Shota Umino vs. Hirooki Goto for IWGP World Title Anounced for NJPW Windy City Riot 2025

New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced one new match for the card of their Windy City Riot 2025 event, which takes place on April 11th at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

This new match announced was an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match of Shota Umino vs. Hirooki Goto (c).

'Two Japanese guys should show America that true Japanese Strong Style is the best pro-wrestling in the world!'

Hirooki Goto vs Shota Umino is ON for Windy City Riot!@wintrustarena TICKETShttps://t.co/W5a11eC5Pu#njpw #njriot pic.twitter.com/LpRocRjj8M

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) April 5, 2025

Current card for NJPW Windy City Riot 2025:

• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship – Shota Umino vs. Hirooki Goto (c)
• NJPW Strong Openweight Championship 30-Minute Iron Man match – Tomohiro Ishii vs. Gabe Kidd (c)
• NJPW Women’s Strong Championship #1 Contender – Mina Shirakawa vs. AZM
• NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship – Intergalactic Jet Setters (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight) vs. World Class Wrecking Crew (Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson) (c)
• Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Last United States match – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Konosuke Takeshita
• El Phantasmo & Rocky Romero vs. Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito & Titan)
• Zack Sabre Jr. vs. David Finlay