Opera Cup (2021)

Opera Cup (2021)
The 2021 winner Davey Richards
Venue2300 Arena
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Start dateOctober 2, 2021 (2021-10-02)
End dateNovember 6, 2021 (2021-11-06)
Competitors
Champion
Davey Richards
← 2020
2023 →

Opera Cup (2021) was the third Opera Cup professional wrestling tournament produced by Major League Wrestling (MLW). The first two rounds were held at Fightland on October 2, 2021, while the finals took place at War Chamber on November 6, 2021.

Production

Background

The Opera House Cup was annually held as a professional wrestling tournament for nearly fifty years in various cities in the United States until its discontinuation in 1948. Stu Hart won the final tournament and kept the possession of the Opera Cup trophy since then. On July 21, 2019, Major League Wrestling announced that it would be holding an event on December 5 at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York City, New York which would be a set of television tapings of MLW's television program Fusion.[1] On July 24, it was reported that Stu Hart's grandson and MLW wrestler Teddy Hart would be donating an inherited "family heirloom" to MLW.[2] On July 30, MLW.com announced that the family heirloom was Stu Hart's Opera Cup trophy and MLW would be bringing back the Opera Cup tournament on the December 5 supercard, naming it Opera Cup.[3]

On August 17, 2021, it was announced on MLW's website that a third Opera Cup would be held in 2021.[4] It was later announced that the first two rounds of the tournament would take place at Fightland on October 2 and the final round would take place on November 6.[5]

Storylines

The tournament consists of matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by MLW's writers. Storylines were played out on MLW's social media channels and the weekly mini-series, MLW Fusion: Alpha, on MLW's YouTube channel and beIN Sports USA.[6]

On September 5, 2021, the previous year's Opera Cup winner Tom Lawlor pushed for entry into the 2021 tournament.[7] On September 9, the tournament brackets were revealed with the first five participants being Lawlor, Calvin Tankman, Davey Richards, TJP and Matt Cross.[8] On September 13, it was announced that Bobby Fish, who had been recently released by WWE, would be making his MLW debut at Fightland as the sixth participant in the Opera Cup.[9][10] The following day, it was announced that Lee Moriarty would be the seventh participant in the Opera Cup.[11] Alex Shelley was announced as the final entrant in the Opera Cup.[12][13]

Results

Quarter-final (October 2)
No.Results[14]Stipulations
1Calvin Tankman defeated Matt CrossSingles match
2Bobby Fish defeated Lee MoriartySingles match
3Davey Richards defeated Tom Lawlor via submissionSingles match
4TJP defeated Alex ShelleySingles match
Semi-final
No.ResultsStipulations
1Davey Richards defeated Bobby FishSingles match (October 2)
2TJP defeated Calvin TankmanSingles match (November 6)
Final (November 6)
No.ResultsStipulations
1Davey Richards defeated TJPSingles match

Tournament brackets

The tournament brackets were revealed on September 26, 2021.[15][16][17][18][19]

Quarterfinals
Fightland
(October 2) 		Semifinals
Fightland
(October 2)
War Chamber
(November 6) 		Final
War Chamber
(November 6)
         
Calvin Tankman Pin
Matt Cross
Calvin Tankman Pin
TJP
TJP Pin
Alex Shelley
TJP [20]
Davey Richards Pin
Davey Richards Sub
Tom Lawlor
Davey Richards Pin
Bobby Fish
Bobby Fish Pin
Lee Moriarty

References

  1. ^ "MLW SETS RETURN TO NYC LATER THIS YEAR". Major League Wrestling. July 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "TEDDY HART DONATES FAMILY HEIRLOOM TO MLW". Major League Wrestling. July 24, 2019.
  3. ^ "NYC TO HOST FIRST OPERA CUP IN OVER 70 YEARS". Major League Wrestling. July 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Opera Cup '21 comes into focus". Major League Wrestling. August 17, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Philly to host Opera Cup". Major League Wrestling. August 25, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  6. ^ Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "Lawlor demands Opera Cup entry". Major League Wrestling. September 5, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  8. ^ "First 5 Opera Cup participants announced". Major League Wrestling. September 9, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Bobby Fish is coming to MLW". Major League Wrestling. September 13, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  10. ^ JUSTIN BARRASSO (September 13, 2021). "Bobby Fish Set to Debut for Major League Wrestling After WWE Release". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Lee Moriarty enters the Opera Cup". Major League Wrestling. September 14, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Alex Shelley joins MLW; enters Opera Cup". Major League Wrestling. September 15, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  13. ^ Dave Scherer (September 16, 2021). "ALEX SHELLEY JOINS MLW, ENTERS THE OPERA CUP". PW Insider. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  14. ^ Joseph Lee (October 2, 2021). "Taping Results For MLW Fightland (SPOILERS)". 411Mania. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Davey Richards vs. Tom Lawlor set for FIGHTLAND". Major League Wrestling. September 20, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Bobby Fish vs. Lee Moriarty at FIGHTLAND". Major League Wrestling. September 21, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Alex Shelley vs TJP Philly fight signed". Major League Wrestling. September 23, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Matt Cross vs. Calvin Tankman added to FIGHTLAND". Major League Wrestling. September 24, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Brackets for Opera Cup revealed". Major League Wrestling. September 26, 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  20. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 6, 2021). "MLW War Chamber 2021 - Event @ 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved November 8, 2021.