Alex Hammerstone and Austin Aries Make Triumphant Returns at MLW Battle Riot VII

Alex Hammerstone and Austin Aries Make Triumphant Returns at MLW Battle Riot VII

Saturday night’s MLW Battle Riot VII delivered major surprises, including the highly anticipated return of Alex Hammerstone to Major League Wrestling (MLW). Reintroduced by Cesar Duran—who dubbed him a “franchise player”—Hammerstone made it clear he’s back with a purpose.

In a powerful statement, Hammerstone declared that his return isn’t just for fanfare. He officially entered the Battle Riot match, setting his sights on reclaiming the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. His last appearance in MLW was in 2023, when he suffered a loss to Jacob Fatu.



Also making headlines at Battle Riot VII was the return of Austin Aries, who joined the commentary team alongside Joe Dombrowski. Aries, a seasoned veteran, previously wrestled in MLW during 2018 and 2019, including a notable match against ACH on the debut episode of MLW Fusion.

These returns added excitement and star power to one of MLW’s biggest events of the year, signaling that the competition—and the drama—is only heating up.