Opera Cup (2021)
{{short description|2021 Major League Wrestling tournament}}
{{Infobox sport event
|name = Opera Cup (2021)
|image = Davey Richards 2013.jpg
|event = Opera Cup (2021)
|alt =
|size =
|caption = The 2021 winner Davey Richards
|date_start = Fightland (2021)
|date_end = War Chamber (2021)
|competitors = {{smalldiv|
}}
|venue = 2300 Arena
|location = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|champion = Davey Richards
|previous = 2020
|next = 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.{{cite web|url=https://mlw.com/2019/07/21/mlw-sets-return-to-nyc-later-this-year/|title=MLW SETS RETURN TO NYC LATER THIS YEAR|publisher=Major League Wrestling|date=July 21, 2019}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://mlw.com/2019/07/24/teddy-hart-donates-family-heirloom-to-mlw/|date=July 24, 2019|title=TEDDY HART DONATES FAMILY HEIRLOOM TO MLW|publisher=Major League Wrestling}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://mlw.com/2019/07/30/nyc-to-host-first-opera-cup-in-over-70-years/|title=NYC TO HOST FIRST OPERA CUP IN OVER 70 YEARS|date=July 30, 2019|publisher=Major League Wrestling}}
On August 17, 2021, it was announced on MLW's website that a third Opera Cup would be held in 2021.{{cite web |title=Opera Cup ’21 comes into focus |url=https://mlw.com/2021/08/17/opera-cup-21-comes-into-focus/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=August 17, 2021}} 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.{{cite web |title=Philly to host Opera Cup |url=https://mlw.com/2021/08/25/philly-to-host-opera-cup/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=August 25, 2021}}
=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.{{cite web|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|work=HowStuffWorks|publisher=Discovery Communications|accessdate=March 5, 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|archivedate=November 29, 2013}}
On September 5, 2021, the previous year's Opera Cup winner Tom Lawlor pushed for entry into the 2021 tournament.{{cite web |title=Lawlor demands Opera Cup entry |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/05/lawlor-demands-opera-cup-entry/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 5, 2021}} On September 9, the tournament brackets were revealed with the first five participants being Lawlor, Calvin Tankman, Davey Richards, TJP and Matt Cross.{{cite web |title=First 5 Opera Cup participants announced |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/09/first-6-opera-cup-participants-announced/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 9, 2021}} 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.{{cite web |title=Bobby Fish is coming to MLW |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/13/bobby-fish-is-coming-to-mlw/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 13, 2021}}{{cite web |author1=JUSTIN BARRASSO |title=Bobby Fish Set to Debut for Major League Wrestling After WWE Release |url=https://www.si.com/wrestling/2021/09/13/bobby-fish-mlw-debut-opera-cup-philadelphia |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 13, 2021}} The following day, it was announced that Lee Moriarty would be the seventh participant in the Opera Cup.{{cite web |title=Lee Moriarty enters the Opera Cup |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/14/lee-moriarty-enters-the-opera-cup/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 14, 2021}} Alex Shelley was announced as the final entrant in the Opera Cup.{{cite web |title=Alex Shelley joins MLW; enters Opera Cup |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/15/alex-shelley-joins-mlw-enters-opera-cup/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 15, 2021}}{{cite web |author1=Dave Scherer |title=ALEX SHELLEY JOINS MLW, ENTERS THE OPERA CUP |url=https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=150802 |website=PW Insider |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 16, 2021}}
Results
{{Professional wrestling results table
|caption = Quarter-final (October 2)
|match1= Calvin Tankman defeated Matt Cross
|stip1= Singles match
|match2= Bobby Fish defeated Lee Moriarty
|stip2= Singles match
|match3= Davey Richards defeated Tom Lawlor via submission
|stip3= Singles match
|match4= TJP defeated Alex Shelley
|stip4= Singles match
}}
{{Professional wrestling results table
|caption = Semi-final
|results=
|match1= Davey Richards defeated Bobby Fish
|stip1= Singles match (October 2)
|match2= TJP defeated Calvin Tankman
|stip2= Singles match (November 6)
}}
{{Professional wrestling results table
|caption = Final (November 6)
|results=
|match1= Davey Richards defeated TJP
|stip1= Singles match
}}
=Tournament brackets=
The tournament brackets were revealed on September 26, 2021.{{cite web |title=Davey Richards vs. Tom Lawlor set for FIGHTLAND |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/20/davey-richards-vs-tom-lawlor-set-for-fightland/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 20, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Bobby Fish vs. Lee Moriarty at FIGHTLAND |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/21/bobby-fish-vs-lee-moriarty-at-fightland/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 21, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Alex Shelley vs TJP Philly fight signed |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/23/alex-shelley-vs-tjp-philly-fight-signed/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 23, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Matt Cross vs. Calvin Tankman added to FIGHTLAND |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/24/matt-cross-vs-calvin-tankman-added-to-fightland/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 24, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Brackets for Opera Cup revealed |url=https://mlw.com/2021/09/26/brackets-for-opera-cup-revealed/ |publisher=Major League Wrestling |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=September 26, 2021}}
{{8TeamBracket-NoSeeds
| RD1=Quarterfinals
Fightland
(October 2)
| RD2=Semifinals
Fightland
(October 2)
War Chamber
(November 6)
| RD3=Final
War Chamber
(November 6)
| RD1-team1 = Calvin Tankman
| RD1-team2 = Matt Cross
| RD1-score1 = Pin
| RD1-score2 =
| RD1-team3 = TJP
| RD1-team4 = Alex Shelley
| RD1-score3 = Pin
| RD1-score4 =
| RD1-team5 = Davey Richards
| RD1-team6 = Tom Lawlor
| RD1-score5 = Sub
| RD1-score6 =
| RD1-team7 = Bobby Fish
| RD1-team8 = Lee Moriarty
| RD1-score7 = Pin
| RD1-score8 =
| RD2-team1 = Calvin Tankman
| RD2-team2 = TJP
| RD2-score1 = Pin
| RD2-score2 =
| RD2-team3 = Davey Richards
| RD2-team4 = Bobby Fish
| RD2-score3 = Pin
| RD2-score4 =
| RD3-team1 = TJP
| RD3-team2 = Davey Richards
| RD3-score2= Pin
}}
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|group=Note}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://mlw.com/ Major League Wrestling official website]
Category:2021 in professional wrestling
{{MLWPPV|Opera Cup}}