| Intimidation Games (2024) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster featuring various wrestlers | |||
| Promotion | Major League Wrestling | ||
| Date | February 29, 2024 | ||
| City | Queens, New York | ||
| Venue | Melrose Ballroom | ||
| Event chronology | |||
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| Intimidation Games chronology | |||
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Intimidation Games (2024) was aprofessional wrestlingpay-per-viewevent produced byMajor League Wrestling (MLW). It took place on February 29, 2024, at the Melrose Ballroom inQueens, New York, and streamed live onTriller TV. It was the fourth event under theIntimidation Games chronology.
Additional matches weretaped for MLW's "Once Upon A Time In New York" special, which aired onBeIN Sports USA and MLW'sYouTube channel on March 16.
Intimidation Games is a reoccurring event produced by Major League Wrestling (MLW) that was first held on May 3, 2018, as a television taping forMLW Fusion.[1][2] Thesecond event was broadcast live on March 2, 2019 as a special episode ofFusion.[3]
On December 18, 2023, MLW announced that the fourth edition of Intimidation Games would take place on February 29, 2024, at the Melrose Ballroom inQueens, New York.[4][5] As part of MLW's partnership withTriller TV to produce live specials for TrillerTV+ subscribers, the 2024 edition will also be the second to air live.[6]
The card consisted of matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayedvillains,heroes, orless 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.[7] 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 ofBobby Fish.[8] and the debut of formerWWE wrestler A. J. Franci$.[9]
On December 27, 2023, MLW announced on their website thatMatt Riddle will be in action at Intimidation Games.[10] DuringThe Burning Crush, which aired on February 17, 2024, Riddle in vignette challenged anyone fromNew Japan Pro-Wrestling to meet him at the event. Later, it was announced thatBad Dude Tito ofTMDK would be Riddle's opponent.[11][12] Several days later on Night 1 of NJPWThe New Beginning in Sapporo, Riddle defeatedHiroshi Tanahashi to capture theNJPW World Television Championship, with MLW announcing that his match with Tito at Intimidation Games will be for the title.[13]
During theReload special on January 20, 2024,Minoru Suzuki was announced to be returning to MLW at Intimidation Games.[14] His opponent would be revealed asSatoshi Kojima atSuperFight.[15] Later in the night, Kojima would defeatAlex Kane to win theMLW World Heavyweight Championship, thus making his match with Suzuki at Intimidation Games a world title match.[16][17]
WhenMístico was announced to debut in MLW at SuperFight,[18] Promociones Dorado promoterSalina 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 rivalAverno for their match at SuperFight.[19] Over the next several weeks, several signs began pointing toCesar Duran, former MLW matchmaker and owner ofAzteca Underground – which had previously purchased Promociones Dorado in 2020 – returning to the company.[citation needed] Duran had been kidnapped and reported missing since the summer of 2023, though his masked Azteca henchmen would still maintain a presence.[citation needed] It was eventually revealed that de la Renta orchestrated Duran's disappearance after he held her captive back in 2021.[citation needed] At SuperFight, Duran fully returned to announce Místico for his match, where he beat Averno.[16] After the match, MLW announced that Místico would challenge Promociones Dorado'sRocky Romero for theMLW World Middleweight Championship at Intimidation Games.[15][20]
| No. | Results[31] | Stipulations | Times[32] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brett Ryan Gosselin (with Zayda) defeated Dyln McKay, Cannonball, Marcus Mathers, Love, Doug and Ichiban bypinfall | Six-way scramble | 6:16 |
| 2 | Bad Dude Tito (withJesus Rodriguez andSalina de la Renta) defeated Azteca Sesenta y Seis bypinfall | Singles match | 1:24 |
| 3 | A. J. Franci$ (with Mister Saint Laurent) defeated Mr. Thomas (with The Bomaye Fight Club (Alex Kane and Faye Jackson)) bypinfall | Singles match[27] | 2:22 |
| 4 | Delmi Exo (withCesar Duran) defeated Zayda (with Brett Ryan Gosselin) bypinfall | Singles match to determine the #1 contender to theMLW World Women's Featherweight Championship[28] | 4:17 |
| 5 | Matt Riddle defeatedDavey Boy Smith Jr. (with Josh Bishop) bypinfall | Singles match | 11:55 |
| 6 | Star Jr. (withSalina de la Renta) defeatedMagnus (withCesar Duran) bypinfall | Singles match[29] | 8:34 |
| 7 | Alex Kane and CozyMax (Shigeo Okumura andSatoshi Kojima) defeated World Titan Federation (Josh Bishop,Richard Holliday andTom Lawlor) (with Mister Saint Laurent) bypinfall | Six-man tag team match[30] | 9:50 |