By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Major League Wrestling Azteca (Episode 3)
Taped December 3, 2021 in Tijuana, Mexico at Fausto Gutierrez Auditorium
Streamed January 20, 2022 on the MLW’s YouTube Page and FITE.TV
Emilio Sparks waited outside the building and approached Cesar Duran as he arrived with three of his masked henchmen. Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday confronted Duran before Sparks could get to him. Hammerstone grabbed Duran by the throat, but Holliday told him it was a trap and got Hammerstone to avoid hitting Duran.
Duran told Hammerstone that he would be stripped of the MLW Championship if he got physical with him. Hammerstone said he might not care about the championship as much. Duran blamed something on Court Bauer (subtitles, please) and told Hammerstone to rest his injury because he would defend the championship whether he’s healthy or not. Duran said it’s his world and Hammerston and Holliday are just rats who are living in it…
The Azteca opening aired… The broadcast team of Rich Bocchini and Joe Dombrowski checked in set up footage that showed the teams from the MLW Tag Title match fighting prior to the show…
1. “5150” Slice Boogie and Rivera vs. Aerostar and Drago for the MLW Tag Titles. Before the match, Rivera cut a heel promo on the crowd in Spanish. Boogie spoke in English, which got more heat. Multiple women were shown flipping off the duo in the crowd. Drago performed an early suicide dive on Boogie and Rivera. Aerostar followed up with a senton from the top rope onto all three men on the floor. Cool dive.
5150 isolated Aerostar. Boogie performed a nice German suplex and got a near fall. Drago eventually entered the match, but it was Aerostar got a near fall on Boogie that Rivera had to break up. Dragon hit an assisted tornado DDT on Rivera. Boogie and Rivera came back with some double team moves on Drago and then played to the crowd for heat.
Aerostar performed a corkscrew dive on Boogie. Rivera took out Aerostar with a leaping kick and then hit him with a knee. Boogie hoisted up Aerostar on his back and then he and Rivera performed a double stomp Death Valley Driver combo move that led to Boogie pinning Aerostar…
“5150” Slice Boogie and Rivera defeated Aerostar and Drago to retain the MLW Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: It’s been nice to see a couple of more traditional tag team matches over the last two weeks, albeit lucha style We didn’t get much of that with the Von Erichs or Los Parks as tag team champions. 5150 can brawl with the best of them, but they are also versatile enough to have more traditional style matches. That said, I assume it will be a big brawl when they defend the MLW Tag Titles against the Von Erichs at the taping in Dallas tonight.
Highlights aired of Alex Kane defending his title over Aerostar on last week’s show. Backstage, Kane was speaking with Mr. Thomas when Sparks entered the room for an interview. Kane said he had a new sponsor. Kane and Thomas showed off “Crybaby Calvin” t-shirts to mock Calvin Tankman…
Powell’s POV: Kane’s delivery of his promo was impressive. Between his mic work and in-ring work, it’s easy to see why MLW are so high on him.
The broadcast team hyped the Tijuana Street Fight… [C] A television was shown with static on the screen along with an hourglass image…
Richard Holliday was shown pacing backstage and venting about not knowing what a Barrio Brawl was. Alexander Hammerstone and Alica Atout tried to calm him down while he wondered how much coffee he needed to drink before his match. Holliday decided he needed a weapon and asked for Hammerstone’s MLW Championship belt. Hammerstone asked if he was crazy. One of Duran’s henchmen showed up to let Holliday know it was time. Hammerstone offered Holliday some testosterone pills that he said were a present from a Tijuana pharmacy. Holliday passed, saying they wouldn’t kick in for a month…
2. Toto vs. Proximo. Early in the match, Toto performed a Destroyer at ringside. Later, Proximo performed an impressive senton dive through the ropes. In the end, Proximo hit a Spanish Fly from the ropes and then put one of his feet over the middle rope while pinning Toto…
Proximo beat Toto.
Powell’s POV: While there was nothing wrong with the match, I don’t believe either wrestler has ever even been mentioned on MLW television before. I enjoy seeing new faces, but it’s much better when the wrestlers are properly introduced.
A video package recapped Davey Richards being attacked last week and having his Opera Cup trophy stolen. It was also announced that Richards will challenge Alexander Hammerstone for the MLW Championship at the SuperFight show in Charlotte… The broadcast team hyped Jacob Fatu breaking his silence… [C]
Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich checked in from Hawaii. They said 5150 have been running their mouths, but it will be hard to keep doing that when they are in the Iron Claw. Marshall said they are taking the titles and will be coming home (to Dallas)…
A video package aired with Jacob Fatu smoking a cigarette with a bottle of booze next to him while he sat outside. He noted that he’s the son of Tonga Kid and said it was nothing but love growing up, but he didn’t want to wrestle. He said he went to jail and while he was there, he saw the Usos on television with Tamina and they were facing Tyson Kidd, Davey Boy Smith Jr., and Natalya.
Fatu said he got out of jail and then everything fell into place as far as wrestling was concerned and he went to a school run by Rikishi, Gangrel, and Black Pearl. Fatu got emotional while talking about how his wife told him that he wouldn’t see his kids if he kept going to jail. He said he didn’t really respect the business even though he grew up in it without even realizing it. Fatu said he saw the good, bad, and the ugly of what it did for his family and he decided to give it a shot…
Powell’s POV: Excellent footage. It was actually jarring to see Fatu in regular attire and being himself after seeing him in his gear while in character for so long. This felt raw and real, which is quite the fun shift from the Contra version of Fatu.
El Hijo Del Vikingo vs. Aramis for the AAA Mega Championship was announced for next week from the “underground fight club”…
Bocchini sent things to the streets of Tijuana, which looked a lot like last week’s “underground fight club” only at night rather than during the day when last week’s matches were taped. Cesar Duran stood on a catwalk and introduced the Barrio Brawl…
3. Pagano vs. Richard Holliday in a Barrio Brawl. There was no ring. The wrestlers brawled on the cement floor and a referee was present. Weapons were used in the No DQ style match. There was an early commercial break. [C]
The wrestlers fought near Duran. Holliday took control and grabbed a chair and walked toward Duran, but the masked henchman referee choked out Holliday from behind. The referee shoved Holliday toward Pagano, who ended up punching him and pinning him…
Pagano beat Richard Holliday in a Barrio Brawl.
Powell’s POV: I like that Holliday was protected in that he clearly had the upper hand when the referee stopped him from going after Duran. The brawl was underwhelming, but it’s not like I can blame either guy for not taking a bunch of bumps on concrete.
The upcoming schedule listed next week’s AAA Mega Championship match, tonight’s show in Dallas, and next month’s MLW SuperFight event in Charlotte… Entrances for the main event took place…
4. Mads Krugger vs. Bestia 666 in a Tijuana Street Fight. Krugger took control the brawl and tossed a trash bucket and other items inside the ring. Bestia charged Krugger, who put him down with a big boot. Krugger hit Bestia with a cookie sheet. Krugger picked up a cheese grater, but Besita hit him with the cookie sheet and eventually raked his back with the grater. Krugger came back with a choke breaker. [C]
Krugger went for a suicide dive, but Bestia hit him with a chair from the floor. Krugger sat up only to have Bestia slam a chair over his back. Bestia hit him with the chair again and then wrapped it around his head and ran him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Bestia took the grater to Krugger’s head.
Bestia went for a muscle buster, but Krugger stuffed it while sitting on the top rope. Krugger grabbed Besita by the throat and pulled him onto the ropes. Bestia performed a huracanrana and got a two count. Bestia set up a chair in the ring and then slammed a cookie sheet over the head of Krugger, who no-sold it. Bestia delivered a running knee that Krugger also no-sold. Krugger blocked another running knee, then picked up Besita in Full Nelson position and slammed him face first onto the chair before pinning him…
Mads Krugger defeated Bestia 666 in a Tijuana Street Fight.
The broadcast team hyped the AAA Mega Championship match, and announced Alexander Hammerstone vs. Octagon Jr. for the MLW Heavyweight Championship for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: A good show closing garbage match. Krugger plays his monster role well. I’m anxious for the Dallas tapings to start airing. The joint shows with The Crash promotion are decent, but there are just too many new faces who don’t mean anything to viewers who don’t follow lucha libre closely. MLW is at its best when it can focus entirely on its own talent and storylines, so hopefully the Dallas matches will start airing after next week’s show. My audio review of this episode will be available shortly.
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