By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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MLW “Azteca Lucha”
Cicero, Illinois at Cicero Stadium
Streamed live May 10, 2025 on the MLW’s YouTube Page
I attended a TNA PPV at this venue in November 2023, and I really like it. I point out being there because this is a heavily Latino neighborhood with a lot of signs written in Spanish; I ate at a pizza place that was operated by Spanish-speakers. Again, point being this is a good location for a lucha-themed wrestling show. Joe Dombrowski and Austin Aries provided commentary; Joe said they were sold out with about 2,500, which sure seems high to me based on my own experience in that venue (and the listed capacity being 1,800). The lighting was really good.
1. Rugido and Magnus vs. Blue Panther Jr. and Dark Panther for the MLW Tag Team Titles. The Panther brothers are clearly bigger and taller. Blue Panther opened against Magnus, who wore a white mask with green pants. Basic lucha reversals early on. Rugido, in the cat-like mask, got in at 1:30 and locked up with the bigger Dark Panther. DP tied up Magnus on the mat. Magnus hit a backbreaker over his knee at 5:00, and the rudos worked over Dark Panther, and they kept him grounded. Magnus hit a stunner for a nearfall at 6:30. Rugido tied him in a Camel Clutch. Blue Panther got a hot tag and hit some clotheslines, and he clotheslined both rudos to the floor.
The panthers hit stereo planchas to the floor and they were all down at 8:30. Dark Panther hit a modified 619. Blue Panther hit a powerslam for a nearfall. Rugido and Blue Panther hit simultaneous crossbody blocks and both were down. Blue Panther hit several backbreakers over his knee at 10:30, then a dive over the top rope onto the rudos. Dark Panther hit a missile dropkick for a nearfall on Rugido, but Rugido got a foot on the ropes. Dark Panther hit a dive to the floor at 12:00. He hit a second dive, then a third one. In the ring, Magnus hit a low blow and pinned Blue Panther Jr. Good action until the lame finish.
Rugido and Magnus defeated Blue Panther Jr. and Dark Panther to retain the MLW Tag Team Titles at 13:21.
* The Panthers, in Spanish, challenged them to a rematch in Mexico City. The rudos accepted… but then they attacked and stole the Panthers’ masks!
* Backstage, Mistico told Cesar Duran he’s recovered from his injuries. Templario – in a red mask tonight after wearing green a day ago in NJPW — approached and challenged him. Jesus Rodriguez ran in and told Duran that “it’s chaos out there.” What’s going on? They ran from the room.
2. Alex Hammerstone vs. Satoshi Kojima. No sign of Okumura tonight; Joe pointed it out after I did. Joe said they might not be seeing “eye to eye” after losing their tag title belts. They locked up, and Hammerstone easily shoved him to the mat. Kojima knocked him down with a shoulder tackle at 1:30. They took turns making their chest muscles shake. They fought to the floor. In the ring, Hammerstone stomped on Kojima in the corner. Hammerstone rolled to the floor and kicked Kojima’s head as it was on the ring apron at 5:30.
In the ring, Hammerstone hit a knee lift and stayed in charge. Kojima fired up and hit his rapid-fire chops in the corner at 7:30. Hammerstone hit a spin kick to the head, then a missile dropkick at 9:30, then a hard bodyslam for a believable nearfall; that should have been it. Satoshi hit a Koji Cutter, but Hammerstone got a foot on the ropes. Hammerstone hit a powerslam, but he couldn’t get the Pendulum Nightmare. Kojima hit a hard clothesline, and they were both down. Hammerstone hit a German Suplex, then the Pendulum Nightmare for the clean pin. This was at a slower pace, but I really like the final few minutes with some believable nearfalls, and the right man won.
Alex Hammerstone defeated Satoshi Kojima at 12:18.
* Azteca 13 came to the ring. He wore all black with the signature red mask of all these Azteca jobbers. Myron Reed, who hasn’t been here in a few years, jumped in the ring and attacked him. He got on the mic and said, “The Young GOAT is back and justice will be served.” Smart addition to the roster.
* MLW Featherweight Champion Shoko Nakajima was shown at ringside. She will give former champion Delmi Exo a rematch on June 7. (I presume that is the taping later today?)
3. Hechicero and Guerrero Maya Jr. vs. Esfinge and Atlantis. Maya and Esfinge opened. Atlantis and Hechicero squared off at 2:00, and Atlantis pushed his opponents into each other. Maya hit a spear on Esfinge at 4:30. Esfinge and Atlantis wish-boned Hechicero’s legs. Maya hit a Lungblower to Esfinge’s chest at 6:30. Maya began untying Atlantis’ mask and was loudly booed! He nearly got it off! Hechicero accidentally dropkicked Maya. Atlantis hit a backbreaker over his knee. Esfinge hit a roundhouse kick.
Maya hit running knees into the back of Esfinge’s head at 9:00. Esfinge hit a tilt-a-whirl armdrag on Hechicero, and he hit a monkey flip on Maya. Atlantis hit more backbreakers over his knee. He dove off the apron onto Hechicero on the floor. In the ring, Maya hit a faceplant on Esfinge at 11:00. Esfinge hit a Death Valley Driver on Maya. He tied up Maya’s legs before leaning back for added pressure and pinned Maya! Joe called it “The Egyptian Knot.” Nice finisher, and the crowd applauded it.
Esfinge and Atlantis defeated Hechicero and Guerrero Maya Jr. at 11:44.
* Backstage, the “Rogue Horsemen” Bobby Fish, Brett Ryan Gosselin, CW Anderson and Brock Anderson sat around a table. BRG is sick and tired of being treated like a fool! He wants a War Chamber match! CW and Fish warned BRG that “you don’t come out the same” from War Chamber.
4. Ultimo Guerrero vs. Barbaro Cavernario vs. Zandokan Jr. in a three-way for the MLW National Title. Zandokan Jr. is a masked pirate; I best know him from a run in NJPW two years ago; I think he was in Super Junior Tag League. Aries said Guerrero has the best mullet in all of lucha. Basic reversals to open, and Cavernario hit a flip dive onto both men at 1:00. In the ring, he stomped on Zandokan and kept him grounded. Zandokan Jr. dove through the ropes onto them. Guerrero hit a top-rope splash onto both guys at 3:00. In the ring, Guerrero hit a double clothesline.
Guerrero hit a second-rope face-first suplex on Zandokan for a nearfall at 5:30. Zandokan hit a superkick and a headbutt. Cavernario hooked one of Zandokan’s legs and hit a swinging slam for a nearfall at 7:30. Cavernario hit a springboard Vader Bomb. They did a tower spot, and Zandokan Jr. got a nearfall at 9:00 on Guerrero. Cavernario hit a dive through the ropes. Guerrero hit a second-rope back suplex, with Barbario flipping and landing stomach first, with Guerrero then pinning him. Good match.
Ultimo Guerrero defeated Zandokan Jr. and Barbaro Cavernario to retain the MLW National Title at 10:24.
* Joe Dombrowski interviewed Hammerstone at the entrance/stage area. He said he feels like the embodiment of MLW. He grabbed a U.S. flag and wrapped it around his neck. We saw Ultimo Guerrero was still in the ring. The crowd started chanting “Mexico!” (As I noted in my opening paragraphs, this neighborhood is heavily Latino and it is the same in the crowd.) Guerrero approached Hammerstone, and Alex said he had no problem with him… but then he attacked Guerrero from behind!!! Hammerstone held up the National Title in one hand and the U.S. title in another!
* Alex Kane has accepted the Rogue Horsemen’s challenge to a War Chamber! Kane’s team will include Mr. Thomas, Paul London and Matthew Justice. (Yay, no Paul Walter Hauser!!!)
5. Matt Riddle (w/Tom Lawlor) vs. Donovan Dijak (w/Saint Laurent) for the MLW Heavyweight Title. We had an on-screen ‘tale of the tape,’ and I always love those — it gives the match a ‘big fight feel.’ Riddle wrestled just 7.5 miles away on Friday night for HOG. Dombrowski said Riddle won via DQ in their only prior meeting. Riddle tried a sleeper early, and we had an extended feeling-out process. Dijak slammed him on the ring apron at 3:30, and he took control. Riddle hit a fisherman’s buster, and they were both down at 6:30.
Riddle hit a top-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall. He hit a running knee to the chin for a nearfall at 9:00, but he missed a moonsault. Riddle hit a second-rope German Suplex, and a top-rope corkscrew splash for a nearfall, and he was shocked he didn’t win there. Dijak hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall, then a top-rope moonsault for a nearfall at 11:30. He hit a flip dive to the floor on Dijak and Lawlor.
In the ring, Riddle hit a stunner! Laurent hopped on the ring apron to argue with the ref. Dijak hit a low blow, then the Feast Your Eyes pop-up kneestrike for a visual pin, but Lawlor pulled the ref from the ring! Lawlor hit Laurent. Krule ran to the ring but he accidentally(?) hit Dijak over the head with a briefcase. Riddle tied Dijak up in a submission hold on the mat, and Dijak tapped out! Dijak was angry that Krule cost him the match!
Matt Riddle defeated Donovan Dijak to retain the MLW Heavyweight Title at 14:29.
6. Mistico vs. Templario vs. Ikuro Kwon in a three-way for the vacant MLW Middleweight Title. We saw footage of Kwon stealing the title at the last show in Los Angeles as the (then-injured) Mistico vacated the belt. Mistico and Templario hit stereo superkicks on Kwon to open. Mistico hit a dive to the floor on both guys, and everyone was down at 2:00. In the ring, Kwon and Mistico traded forearm strikes. Kwon hit a German Suplex on Templario at 4:00, then an enzuigiri on Mistico.
Templario leapt off the ropes and hit an armdrag on Mistico. Kwon powerslammed Templario for a nearfall. Mistico missed a moonsault but landed on his feet, and he hit a powerslam. Templario hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex, and everyone was down at 7:00. Mistico hit a superkick on Kwon. He dove through the ropes on Templario. Mistico hit a top-rope Spanish Fly on Templario for a nearfall at 9:30, but Kwon made the save. Kwon hit a pop-up neckbreaker move on Mistico, but he didn’t quite land it perfectly. Templario hit a Canadian Destroyer, and everyone was down. Mistico hit a Swanton Bomb to pin Kwon! New champion! Mistico regained the belt he never lost!
Mistico defeated Ikuro Kwon and Templario in a three-way to win the vacant MLW Middleweight Title at 11:13.
* Kwon was irate! He stood up, grabbed Mistico, snapped his neck, and stole Mistico’s mask! He celebrated with his new ‘trophy’ as the crowd berated him.
Final Thoughts: A solid show. I liked Dijak-Riddle and it was highly entertaining until the predictable outside interference, so I’ll give that best match, ahead of the main event. Hechicero’s tag match takes third.
MLW did something long overdue here. The main roster filled with Americans have almost entirely not been involved with the Mexican stars and vice versa. It’s almost like we’ve had two separate promotions under the same umbrella. So I’d say the Hammerstone attack on Guerrero is long overdue, to start new fights, new matchups, between these groups of wrestlers.
Good review, I agree with your assessment,it was a solid show and an easy watch of course I always like seeing the Lucha stars, and I’d say on paper it was a better lineup than the WWE show on the same night.