Former WWE NXT faction members to make MLW debut in Battle Riot
Two members of former WWE NXT faction Gallus are set to debut for MLW this month.
Scottish brothers Joe & Mark Coffey are the latest entrants confirmed for MLW Battle Riot VIII, a 40-man battle royal that’s being held in Kissimmee, Florida on January 29. It’s an anything goes Royal Rumble-style match where eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or being thrown over the top rope. The winner earns a future shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Championship that is currently held by Mads Krule Krugger.
Both Coffey brothers (and their Gallus faction mate Wolfgang) were released by WWE in May 2025. They spent time in both NXT UK and NXT while with WWE, with Mark Coffey being a former NXT UK Tag Team Champion and Heritage Cup Champion. Joe & Mark are both free agents and are taking bookings internationally.
Among the other Battle Riot participants will be Alex Hammerstone, Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Killer Kross, KUSHIDA, Templario, Bishop Dyer, Donovan Dijak, Adam Brooks, Ikuro Kwon, Okumura, Matthew Justice, Paul London, Mr. Thomas, Diego Hill, Jesus Rodriguez, and Austin Aries.
MLW’s YouTube channel is broadcasting the Battle Riot event live. So far, only two matches have been announced for the card:
MLW Battle Riot VIII (Thursday, January 29) —
- 40-person Battle Riot match for future MLW World Heavyweight Championship shot
- MLW Middleweight Champion Templario defends against Kushida
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.