MLW raises stakes of Battle Riot match
MLW has raised the stakes of Battle Riot VIII by announcing that the World Heavyweight Championship will now be on the line.
It was confirmed today that Mads Krule Krugger will enter the January 29 Battle Riot match and put his MLW World title up for grabs. The annual 40-man battle royal usually determines a future challenger for the belt, but this will be the second straight year the title itself has been defended. Matt Riddle retained in Battle Riot VII in 2025 before later dropping the championship to Krugger.
The Battle Riot is also set to include 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, Anthony Greene, Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Austin Aries.
Since the Battle Riot was introduced in 2018, it’s been won by Tom Lawlor, LA Park, Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu, Alex Kane, and Riddle (twice).
This year’s event is taking place in Kissimmee, Florida and will air live on MLW’s YouTube channel.
MLW Battle Riot VIII (Thursday, January 29) —
- 40-person Battle Riot match for MLW World Heavyweight Championship (no DQ battle royal, eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or being thrown over the top rope)
- 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.