Hello renegades and welcome to the next step in Cesar Duran’s plans for MLW. Azteca Underground had infiltrated the American operations and now, he was bringing them to Mexico for some Lucha Extrema. In the opening salvo of this new miniseries, we’d see Aramis, Black Destiny, and Myzteziz Jr taking on Arez, Black Danger and Dinamico in six-man tag action, Psycho Clown battled Richard Holliday and in the main event Duran had paired Alexander Hammerstone up with the most violent man in Mexico, Pagano, against the juggernaut team of King Muertes and Taurus in an Apocalypto Match. It was all going to get wonderfully violent this week so let’s get into the action.
Aramis, Black Destiny & Myzteziz Jr defeated Arez, Black Danger & Dinamico via Desnucadora Del Muscatero on Arez
Up first tonight was some six-man Lucha tag action as Aramis and Arez continued their legendary rivalry with some friends. Aramis had Black Destiny and Myzteziz Jr whilst Arez was paired with Black Danger and Dinamico. It was going to get wild as we’ve seen what Arez and Aramis do when they’re alone. It was going to be pure Technicos vs Rudos action. This is one of those few matches where I won’t do play-by-play as it was so fast and so athletic from the get-go. It was full of uber-athletic flips, rapid springboard moves and non-stop fast-paced fighting as both teams tore into each other. This was pure Lucha Tag rules so there were bodies flying everywhere and so much blink and you’d miss it action. The Rudos may have been out to spoil the fun but that didn’t stop them bringing the excitement too, even as they were being thrown around or used as crash pads. All three Rudos had their moments where the Technicos were at their mercy but alas, the ref was counting too slow for them. It wouldn’t last as the Technicos would end up in the same spot with all the Rudos down. This was pure anarchic fun and, in the end, it would be Aramis that got the win on Arez with Desnucadora Del Muscatero. Holy hell this was an incredible match to open with. It was six highly skilled, high-flyers putting on a masterclass of their craft. It was a blur of high-flying, high-impact offence, and warring personalities. Aramis managed to get a measure of revenge for the briefcase match and got the first big win of the series alongside his team. If nothing else, watch the show for this one.
Psycho Clown defeated Richard Holliday via Avalanche Spanish Fly
The next fight of the night would be somewhat more controlled. It would be the Airpod and Coffee God Richard Holliday taking on the ultimate favourite of Mexico, Psycho Clown. We know Holliday steps it up in big matches but could he handle the energy and ability of Psycho Clown? He was definitely in for a fight. Alicia Atout was going to get a close-up of the action from commentary as Holliday had begged her to come out with him. They opened with a popularity contest that Clown won by a mile and began to lock up. Clown went to the ankle and mocked Holliday for going to the ropes. He kept winning whatever contest he threw at Holliday and sent them both over the ropes with a Cactus Clothesline. He launched himself at Holliday again with a Suicide Dive and fired up the fans again. Clown wound up another dive but Holliday cut him off in the ropes with a shot to the face. Holliday began dropping elbows and went for a pin, the ref stopping this with the world’s slowest count. He began working an arm and shoulder as the show cut to commercials. When it returned the pair were striking it out. Clown made his comeback with a powerslam but once again, Holliday cut him off in the ropes with a hung DDT. Clown still had some fight in him so Holliday bludgeoned him with corner lariats and hoisted him up for a Torture Rack Neckbreaker. Holliday broke tradition by going to the top rope and got distracted as an Azteca Henchman dragged away Atout. Clown stunned him up there by hitting him with a belt and took the win with an Avalanche Spanish Fly. Clown had taken the win but the circumstances of it were all a bit dubious. What had happened to Alicia? Holliday recovered and charged to the back after her, leaving everything behind in the process. This was an odd little match but I’m not going to complain about getting to see Psycho Clown in action. It did kind of get buried under the story though.
Between the matches:
5150 with a message for the Von Erichs.
#MLWAzteca @DannyLimeLight @SliceBoogie
▶️https://t.co/bsmZLHggIB pic.twitter.com/fcrCwtRaGa— MLW (@MLW) January 7, 2022
- MLW reminded viewers of the contract status of Alexander Hammerstone and recapped how Alex Kane had come to be National Openweight Champion. This led through the story of Bomaye Fight Club and to an interview with the champ alongside Mr. Thomas as Alicia Atout asked about the Calvin Tankman situation. Kane was confident when it came down to it, he’d beat Tankman. Alex Kane vs Aerostar was also announced for next week.
- Cesar Duran and Karlee Perez were toying with a tablet talking about uncontrollable forces and scorpions when Muertes appeared on the scene. Duran reminded him of his mission tonight and since Perez couldn’t be there to attend him, Duran had brought him a beast, Black Taurus. He wanted revenge for Hammerstone snubbing him, this was his first shot at that.
- 5150 dropped another video package about the Von Erichs. They’d heard them barking up a storm threatened to beat them up and sell their cowboy boots for party money. 5150 were the new top dogs in the division and the Von Erichs could wait until Dallas for that smoke. They have their first title defence next week. The Von Erichs had a rebuttal video too from a training session in Kauai.
- Bestia 666 returns to MLW soon. The last time we saw him, there was a lot of blood. The package just claimed he was rising soon.
- Once Holliday has found Duran, he claimed he had saved Atout’s life and Holliday was escorted away by some “police” about some nightclub incident. This was all part of Duran’s and Perez’s plan.
Apocalypto: Alexander Hammerstone & Pagano defeated King Muertes & Taurus via Nightmare Pendulum on Muertes
Last but not least, the main event. It was time for an Apocalypse. Hammerstone, the world heavyweight champion was going to have to try and work with the extreme king Pagano as he found himself in another hardcore bout. His opponents had been hand-picked by Duran for being monsters and now, there were no rules either. Hammerstone was in enemy territory with King Muertes and the monstrous yet intelligent Taurus. This was going to get vicious. It opened with both teams throwing bombs and the temporary eliminations of Hammerstone and Muertes by Taurus and Pagano. Muertes introduced Hammerstone to plunder around the outside and Pagano kicked the crap out of Taurus inside. Those mini battles kept gaining steam as Taurus and Hammerstone fought back, Hammerstone going to the weaponry and Taurus using his raw power. Pagano and Taurus were reaching a stalemate with a slugging contest so Muertes and Hammerstone took over with chair and drink tray shots. Hammerstone and Muertes teed off on each other with fists and Hammerstone made the monster fly with an overhead belly to belly. Hammerstone charged again after a dropkick and got smashed into the mat with a powerslam. Pagano tried to help but he was dragged in and cracked in the head with another drinks tray. Pagano rolled out and Taurus followed to gore him into the crowd. Hammerstone saved Pagano from being impaled by an umbrella and tried to beat the bull into submission with more tray shots. They collapsed through the barricade and the crowd got another taste of the action as Muertes speared Pagano through another row of chairs. The other side wasn’t left out as Taurus launched Hammerstone across the venue into the opposite barricade. He ripped up a camera lead and started whipping and choking Hammerstone with it as Muertes dragged Pagano towards the ramp. Hammerstone brained Taurus with a cookie sheet and booted him into the fans whilst Muertes dumped Pagano with a stage Suplex. Taurus met the apron and Pagano got driven face-first into the stage. Hammerstone was put in a trashcan and Muertes swung away at him with a chair, it was all getting hectic now as Taurus and Muertes tried to decide who’d use what on who.
.@alexhammerstone With a burning hammer onto the garbage bin!
▶️https://t.co/bsmZLHggIB pic.twitter.com/oVS5WvlnIW
— MLW (@MLW) January 7, 2022
Boards were set up as Hammerstone kept getting punished with the chair and Pagano was kept out of things with a trashcan lid. The plunder kept meeting the two men and Taurus targeted Hammerstone’s leg. Pagano started firing back but Muertes cut that off with a decapitating lariat. Pagano came back again with a whipcord lariat and squared up to Muertes for another round of thrown hands. Muertes scored big with a head-scissor and winded Pagano again with another spear. Hammerstone saved the day and trapped Muertes in a Torture Rack before driving him into the trashcan. He set up a board and danced around it as Taurus tried to gore him. Hammerstone countered and backdropped Taurus through it. Pagano followed up with a one-arm powerslam and joined Hammerstone for a springboard lariat bomb. Muertes crushed both with corner charges and also got Powerbombed as Pagano kept Taurus out of things with a Suicide Senton. Muertes countered the Nightmare Pendulum with a Lungblower but couldn’t get the three. Pagano broke a board and Taurus with a DVD and Hammerstone stunned Muertes for the Nightmare Pendulum for the win. The odd couple team had taken the win over Duran’s chosen. This had been a mess of a match in the best way as it became an anarchic barrage of pain, plunder, and brawling. Duran was livid and Pagano turned on Hammerstone, destroying him with a cookie sheet and more fists. Hammerstone was murdered by all three of the men in the ring and was carried off on the backs of a sea of henchmen. That sight ended the show and put a mysterious cap on a pretty successful first episode of Azteca. The matches hit nicely even if some were laboured by stories. There’s a lot of intrigue going on and the power-hungry Duran seems to be implementing his newest scheme to control all those titles. Let’s see where this all goes.
All images courtesy of MLW, video courtesy of MLW YouTube