The Opera Cup returns.
Major League Wrestling has confirmed the return of their annual tournament with one major surprise.
16 wrestlers from MLW, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) will compete in the single elimination tournament that begins on August 9th.
One of the biggest surprises is the return of Austin Aries. Now the former TNA World heavyweight Champion has been in the commentary booth for quite some time in MLW. However, the Opera Cup is where he’ll make his official in-ring for the promotion.
Aries was a major force for MLW in 2018 and 2019. He made his debut for Major League Wrestling a year following his release from WWE, beating ACH at a World’s Collide event. He would have four more matches with MLW in 2019 before exiting the company.
But Austin Aries isn’t the only former WWE name in this tournament. Paul London, Bishop Dyer (aka Baron Corbin), Bobby Fish, and KUSHIDA will also be in the upcoming tournament. Dyer is fresh off his MLW World Tag Team title win with Donovan Dijak at Summer of the Beasts, where as Fish is a member of the Rogue Horseman (Bobby Fish, Brett Ryan Gosselin, Brock Anderson & CW Anderson). London and KUSHIDA have been wrestling in MLW for a good period of time, though KUSHIDA is mostly a New Japan Pro-Wrestling guy.
Below are the official matches for the Opera Cup.
2025 Opera Cup Brackets
The tournament is divided into two sides: Bracket A and Bracket B.
Bracket A
Místico vs Ikuro Kwon
Último Guerrero vs Esfinge
Austin Aries vs KUSHIDA
Paul London vs Okumura
Bracket B
Volador Jr. vs Titán
Zandokan Jr. vs Blue Panther Jr.
Satoshi Kojima vs Bobby Fish
Bishop Dyer vs Anthony Greene
The historic tournament dates all the way back to the 40’s, with Stu Hart winning the inaugural tournament. It was discontinued shortly after, but MLW brought it back in 2019 with the winners being Davey Boy Smith Jr, Tom Lawlor, Davey Richards, and Mistico. Who will walk out as the 2025 MLW Opera Cup winner?
That isn’t the only confirmed match for Blood & Thunder as former WWE star Shotzi Blackheart made her debut for the promotion at Summer of the Beasts and was confronted by Ava Everett. Shotzi’s first match against Everett was made official by Selina De La Renta.