This week saw the debut of the new MLW Azteca miniseries from from Tijuana, Mexico, as Cesar Duran attempted to stack the deck against MLW Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone, teaming him with Pagano to take on King Muertes and Taurus in the main event.
Duran cut a passionate promo in front of the live crowd, welcoming them to his “Theatre of Violence” before the new opening video package.
Aramis, Destiny and Myzteziz Jr. defeated Arez, Black Danger and Dinamico
The Aramis vs Arez feud continued here as they faced off on opposite sides of an exciting trios match that was a great way to start the show. The non-stop action sprawled inside and out of the ring as no tags were required.
Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski explained the rudos and technicos heel/face disposition before mentioning most US-based rules are not in play which explained the dives, pinfall breaks and constant flow of action once one member left the ring without tagging.
After an opening sequence of multiple dives, Destiny hit Danger with a cutter from the top rope and Myzteziz Jr hit a torneo and a top rope head scissors on Arez. Aramis landed on his feet after flipping from the top rope, followed by a running Spanish fly in quick succession.
The rudos team had all three of their opponents pinned after Dinamico hit a top rope 630, Arez hit a top rope double foot stomp and Danger hit a springboard crucifix bomb but the technicos all kicked out.
After a break, the action continued with the technicos getting their chance to shine by hitting three big moves at the same time: Myzteziz and Aramis came off the top ropes with 450 splashes while Destiny flew through the ropes like a torpedo with a headfirst dive to the floor.
Arez and Aramis were left in the ring where Aramis hit his aeroplane spinning powerbomb for the win.
This was a good match that didn’t overstay its welcome. Danger is one to watch as he had some impressive and fluid dives and springboards here.
— MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane was highlighted with a video package showing him winning the title and his recent storyline with Calvin Tankman before he was interviewed by Alicia Atout.
Kane said that he pressed charges against Tankman because he assaulted him and his bodyguard and tried to steal their car. Kane will defend his title against Aerostar next week and if he retains, he will defend against Tankman at the MLW Blood & Thunder in Dallas, Texas, on January 21.
— Duran and Karlee Perez summoned King Muertes to their office to explain the main event for tonight. Muertes promised to make Hammerstone and Pagano no more as Duran said he would partner them with a mythical beast: Taurus.
— We saw a recap of the tension and ongoing storyline between Hammerstone and Duran. Duran wanted to befriend Hammerstone and get him on his side, but after rejecting a gift from Duran, Hammerstone was attacked by Duran’s storyline brother Matanza Duran (Jeff Cobb). Matanza didn’t get the job done, so this led to tonight’s main event with Duran bringing in more monsters to take out Hammerstone.
Psycho Clown defeated Richard Holliday (w/ Alicia Atout)
Atout joined the commentary team and explained that Holliday basically begged for her to join him to ringside. “The Wild Brawling Clown” was a heavy favorite with the children in the crowd and fans at ringside.
This was mainly used to get Atout on commentary to further develop the storyline of Duran’s dodgy dealings within MLW and his feud with Hammerstone.
Atout explained that Duran has caused friction, infighting and paranoia within the locker room since joining MLW. She also mentioned it was her journalistic duty to investigate Duran’s role in him joining MLW and the goings-on around the unnamed Salina de la Renta leaving.
Compared to the opening match, this seemed slow which wasn’t a surprise. Holliday interrupted a second suicide dive with a right hand to take control but after the break, there was a chop battle which ended with a Psycho Clown power slam. Holliday came back with a torture rack neckbreaker for a two-count.
As Holliday was climbing to the top rope, one of Duran’s masked assailants came to ringside and dragged Atout to the back. This distracted Holliday which allowed Clown to meet him on the top rope and a top rope Spanish Fly for the win.
— MLW Tag Team champions 5150 cut another of music video-style promo as they hyped up their title defense against the Von Erichs brothers in Dallas on January 21.
Kevin and Marshall Von Erich responded from their training camp in Kauai, Hawaii. Kevin was there hyping them up and getting them ready for their return to their hometown.
— Backstage, Duran was confronted by Holliday as he demanded to know where Atout was. Duran said she was safely locked in her locker room and he moved her there “to keep her safe from Psycho Clown.”
He then introduced a suspect looking local policeman from Tijuana who had a few questions for Holliday about an apparent incident in a nightclub the night before, something he knew nothing about. Holliday was dragged off after telling Duran he will be hearing from him (and not his lawyer-slash-father as he calls him).
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone and Pagano defeated IWA Caribbean Champion King Muertes and Taurus in an Apocalypto match
Muertes looked strong here which should set him up for some high-profile matches this year in MLW.
An Apolocalypto match is a Texas Tornado match with weapons. A steel chair was used early on by Hammerstone while Taurus hit Pagano with a garbage can lid. On the outside, Taurus speared Pagano over the guardrail and into the front row. Hammerstone and Muertes joined them, knocking the full guardrail down in the process and continuing to barrage straight into fans and bystanders.
Taurus whipped Hammerstone with a camera cable while Muertes suplexed Pagano on the entrance stage. Hammerstone hit a pump kick to Taurus in front of the commentary table as the ringside brawling chaos continued.
After the break, weapons were strayed around the ring as Taurus and Muertes seemed in firm control. Cookie sheets, trash cans and a chair were all used before Muertes and Pagano were left nose-to-nose in the ring.
The heavyweight Muertes hit a spinning headscissors takedown before hitting a spear for a near fall. Hammerstone came in and hit a torture rack TKO onto a garbage can for a two count.
Hammerstone’s team looked in control as he backdropped Taurus through a massive wooden floorboard in the corner of the ring, Pagano hit Muertes with a blockbuster before hitting Taurus with a one-armed running powerslam on a chair. They both hit poor Taurus with a power bomb/top rope clothesline combination.
It was Muertes’ turn to take some offense as Hammerstone hit a German suplex and a power bomb as Pagano took to the air and took out Taurus on the outside with a rolling dive before putting him through another wooden board.
Inside the ring, Muertes was hit with a Nightmare Pendulum from Hammerstone which was the end as the MLW champion picked up the win for his team.
Duran appeared on the ramp to get Hammerstone’s attention, motionining with the cutthroat gesture. Hammerstone turned around, only to be smacked in the face by his tag partner Pagano. A three-on-one beatdown then ensued as the luchas stomped the champion.
Since Holliday was taken away by Tijuana “police” earlier in the night, that left Hammerstone alone to be beaten down. Duran’s masked assailants then carried Hammerstone out of the ringside area as MLW Azteca went off the air.
Next week:
– MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane vs. Aerostar title match
– MLW Tag Team champions 5150 vs. TBA title match
– Bestia 666 in action
