MLW Azteca Lucha
May 11th, 2024
Cicero Stadium
Cicero, Illinois
A video airs showing the history between Salina De La Renta and Cesar Duran. I think she is tremendous in her role, and I adore her. This show, Azteca Lucha is for a key, and a battle between two factions. The key will unlock the biggest weapon in Lucha Libre.
Salina has a confrontation with Aztecha Henchmen at the entrance, and Cesar finally lets her in the building. El Hefe opens the show and welcomes everybody to the event.
Six Man Tag Team Match
Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr. & Jesus Rodriguez vs. Felino, Villano III Jr. & Virus
The Match:
Felino, Villano III Jr. and Virus are representing Cesar Duran. Wouldn’t Villano III Jr. rather just be Villano VI? Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr. & Jesus Rodriguez represent Salina, and it’s interesting seeing Jesus get in the ring to fight for Salina. Shame Rocky Romero isn’t here to back Salina up too. It’s not often you get to see Jesus wrestle, and I am aware this show is going to be VERY wrestling heavy with it being a Lucha Libre heavy show. I’m just thankful for MLW having 2 hour Pay Per Views. Duran’s boys dominated a fair amount of the opening portion of this match, getting heat on Atlantis. Guerrero Maya Jr impressed before things broke down and all 6 men were doing battle. Jesus really needs to try cut a bit of weight. Villano has a better physique that his father and uncles did. Felino worked the crowd well, and after my comments on Jesus, he still moves very well. Atlantis finally got Villano III Jr. up for a Torture Rack like submission and he gave up immediately, and Salina’s team gets the first win!
Winner/s: Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr. & Jesus Rodriguez via submission.
Salina is in Cesar’s office and this feud between them is so odd. Cesar does ask where Salina’s beautiful mother is tonight and Salina get’s angry, but I don’t blame him wondering where she is, holy hell.
The ring announcers skull is of a strange shape.
MLW National Openweight Title Match
Rickey Shane Page (c) vs. Bad Dude Tito
The Match:
I am surprised Tito is getting yet another title shot in MLW, having lost opportunities at the NJPW Television Title and the MLW World Title in the last few months. I do wish MLW still did Fusion tapings. I find myself wanting more of the product. Rickey Shane Page has apparently lost his ‘Calling’, which would be surprising. RSP held his own with Tito, who definitely looks a lot more jacked than RSP, and I will be surprised if this title reign ends here and Tito randomly takes the title. Tito hit the Greetings from Asbury Park and just like that he ended RSP’s super long reign, when gee… I would have thought AKIRA would be the guy to take the belt off him. Not really a big deal, just surprising!
Winner: NEW MLW National Openweight Champion, Bad Dude Tito via pinfall.
We see Contra attack Bill Alfonso backstage and knock him the fuck out for no reason. I did like Bill asking him what his problem was and that Matthew Justice wouldn’t be happy about it before Bill was knocked out.
Singles Match
Ultimo Guerrero vs. Atlantis Jr.
The Match:
Atlantis Jr. now shows himself, after his father already wrestled earlier, and finally after seeing this mans name for decades, I get to see Ultimo Guerrero perform for the first time. Guerrero and Atlantis have had a major feud in the past which included the match where the original Atlantis beat Ultimo Guerrero for his mask. Which apparently did a million dollar gate! Ultimo Guerrero dominates early and shows much more physicality to Atlantis Jr. I have to admit, I think MLW are drawing more people than TNA Wrestling to their Pay Per Views. Atlantis finally fought back after Ultimo kept on messing with his mask one time too many. I would prefer seeing Cesar and Salina out at ringside for these matches, but as long as they keep cutting back to her, no worries. I mean, them. That actually was not on purpose. These two actually created some great drama between the two of them. Ultimo Guerrero wrestles hard for a 52 year old man. They too were given some decent time for this match up. Ultimo Guererro hit a sweet release powerbomb on Atantis Jr. off the top rope! Some ass hole fan in attendance tried to start a Fight Forever chant. Atlantis and Ultimo both missed some important top rope moves. Atlantis Jr. finally hit a high impact Frog Splash for the victory.
Winner: Atlantis Jr. via pinfall.
MLW World Tag Team Title Match (vacant)
CozyMAX (Okumura & Satoshi Kojima) vs. The Second Gear Crew (1 Called Manders & Matthew Justice)
The Match:
I hate the idea of vacating the belts but I am assuming there is a good reason behind this. MLW wouldn’t just have Lawlor and Davey Boy attacked and then they don’t come back. Just when the World Titan Federation was starting to gain some steam, but I guess they really want to get this Contra thing over. CozyMAX were dominated early by The Second Gear Crew, and the Contra Logo keeps on hacking into the feed so you know they will be showing up during this match. I have a feeling this will either be a no contest or CozyMAX will somehow walk out with the belts. Kojima scored a hot tag and did his usual machine gun chops which I will allow because he’s Kojima. Kojima hit a Koji Cutter on Manders, Okumura gets the chance to show off his best, are the old boys going to do it? Kojima hit a Lariat on Manders, Justice copped a Superplex and then the CozyCutter scored the pinfall for CozyMAX to become the new MLW World Tag Team Champions! No sign of CONTRA throughout this one which I found surprising.
Winner/s: NEW MLW World Tag Team Champions, CozyMAX (Okumura & Satoshi Kojima) via pinfall.
They hype MLW Fury Road between matches.
Singles Match
Matt Riddle vs. Josh Bishop (w/Saint Laurent)
The Match:
Josh Bishop is the last man standing with the WTF, and it does bother me a bit that MSL has not addressed what has happened to the World Titan Federation in one fell swoop by CONTRA, I assume this will all be covered in due time. If I had my own wrestling company, I would hire Josh Bishop. It’s the usual heat on Riddle from the outset, and I am sure it will lead to that same old Riddle comeback. Wow, Riddle hit an RKO and then hit a sommersault Broton for the victory. For those still going on about ‘accusations’, maybe there’s nothing to it considering MLW still use him.
Winner: Matt Riddle via pinfall.
Sami Callihan attacked Riddle during his interview with Joe Dombrowski with a trash can lid, and then grabbed Joe and spoke on the mic about getting a World title match again over Riddle, and then Riddle and Sami ended up in a big timne brawl at ringside as it gets split up by agents and referees.
The show some hype for the MLW Battle Riot IV, and announce some people who are set to show up for it.
Tag Team Match
Averno & Magnus vs. Fuego & Star Jr.
The Match:
Magnus is a reality TV star from down south and is the cousin of Mistico. This is a fairly cold match for this series between Salina and Cesar, I really think Rocky Romero should have been involved but I am assuming that AEW have taken Rocky away from MLW. Star Jr. had a dive caught, and he got a still double powerbomb on the outside of the ring. I didn’t realize Fuego was Fuego Del Sol. Remember the big love in they had at AEW when Sammy offered him his AEW contract and they hugged and it was all such a beautiful moment and then they proceeded to do nothing with him and then he was unemployed a year later? Yeah. This was a struggle between both teams, Star Jr. had spot on the match with a flipping suicide dive between the ropes. Magnus ended up pinning Fuego for 3 after running double knees into the corner.
Winner: Averno & Magnus via pinfall.
Cesar and Salina continue to play cute with this BS with the Key.
MLW World Middleweight Title Match
Mistico (w/Cesar Duran) (c) vs. Barbaro Cavernario
The Match:
This should be a great Main Event – Mistico has killed it every single time I have seen him in MLW. I have never seen Barbaro Cavenario, but he wouldn’t be put in the Main Event of this MLW Pay Per View for no reason! You can see why Mistico didn’t make it in WWE, it’s just not his style, and to be made to change wasn’t going to fit. I have seen nothing but brilliance out of him since being in MLW. Popped so hard for the referee losing a shoe as he tried to get out of the way of a Mistico takedown on Barbaro. You know what, this referee is a big boy but he’s cutting a good pace. These two really went for it. As Barbaro went to end things, Mistico hit a variation of the Spanish Fly off the top rope, Barbaro tapped out immediately after Mistico locked in the La Mística, making it a draw, 2-2 between her and Cesar.
Winner: Mistico via submission.
The show ends with Salina stealing Cesar’s key and trying to find out what the big secret was but it was just more Henchmen, and it looks like she’s getting kidnapped.
Final Thoughts:
It doesn’t make much sense to me to have a series between 2 warring factions lead by two people who are at eachothers throats, with a Key on the line to unlock a big Lucha Power, only for it to not be a best of 5, but a best of 4, which makes it more likely to have a draw. I think MSL not getting mic time to talk abotu WTF being damaged by Contra, and Contra’s only presence on the show was to attack Bill Alfonso? I’m really not sure about that. Nonetheless, it was a great show that celebrated Lucha Libre in a sense, and we got 2 title changes, and a great main event. It needed more Zayda!
