MLW hosts Battle Riot VIII on Thursday night, and the field is stacked with potential winners.
First things first. How to watch. The Battle Riot event is being taped tonight (Jan. 29, 2026) from Kissimmee, Florida, however, it will air next Thursday (Feb. 5, 2026) for free on the MLW YouTube channel and on cable for beIN SPORTS at 8 pm ET.
The Battle Riot match is similar to the Royal Rumble with a few tweaks, such as no disqualification. For the second year in a row, the MLW World Heavyweight Championship will go to the winner.
The field for Battle Riot VIII includes:
- MLW world heavyweight champion Mads Krugger, Matt Riddle, Alexander Hammerstone, Killer Kross, Bishop Dyer (aka Baron Corbin), Donovan Dijak, Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Austin Aries, Matthew Justice, Kushida, Templario, Ikuro Kwon, Paul London, Mr. Thomas, Jesus (Ricardo) Rodriguez, Diego Hill, Okumura, Adam Brooks, Anthony Greene, Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey, Wolfgang, Cody Fluffman, Cha Cha Charlie, and Paul Walter Hauser
40 wrestlers enter the Battle Riot, and this list counts 26 participants. That leaves plenty of room for surprises.
I could be talked into at least ten of those wrestlers winning the Battle Riot. Krugger is a dominant force, and he is the reigning world champion. Matt Riddle and Alexander Hammerstone are former world champions. Riddle has embarked on his heel journey, while Hammerman is out to destroy anyone in his path to regain the top spot in MLW. Bishop Dyer and Donovan Dijak are the current tag champs. Both of those Skyscrapers can carry the top of the card with a mean and nasty edge. Never count out the Good Brothers. Austin Aries is still a magician in the ring with a long list of career accomplishments. Matthew Justice would be a believable underdog story in the landscape of MLW.
If pressed to bet on one man, I’m rolling with Killer Kross. His style of charisma and star power fits well in MLW. Kross released a poetic vignette traveling to the badlands of the Danakil desert in Ethiopia to get his mind right.
Also on tap is a world middleweight title fight between champion Templario and challenger Kushida.
Who are you picking to win MLW Battle Riot VIII?
