[6] For nearly a year, Mister Saint Laurent, former MLW color commentator and Vice President of Operations, had been trying to take over the promotion with his "World Titan Federation" (WTF) stable.

MSL would lure away wrestlers such as Davey Boy Smith Jr., Tom Lawlor, Alexander Hammerstone, and Richard Holliday, as well as bring in former WWE stars like Matt Cardona and A. J. Franci$, in his attempts to undermine the company.

These attempts included winning the MLW World Heavyweight Championship, but Cardona and Holliday would fail to take the title from then-champion Alex Kane at One Shot and Kings of Colosseum, respectively.

During a media event in New York on March 4, MSL, Franci$, Lawlor, Holliday, and Brett Ryan Gosselin attacked the current champion, Satoshi Kojima, stealing the new version of the title belt that MLW CEO Court Bauer and Kane were to present to him.

"[14] MLW would soon announce a War Chamber match between The Calling (Page, Callihan, Cannonball, and Talon) and The Response (Raven, Akira, Crist, and Lloyd) for the TV taping portion of the event.

[15] During The Burning Crush, A. J. Franci$ via vignette interrupted a promo by Alex Kane to announce that he has joined the World Titan Federation and that would be coming to Intimidation Games.

[14] Franci$ was also with promoter Mister Saint Laurent when WTF attacked Satoshi Kojima during the New York media event on March 4; immediately getting into a brawl with Kane.