Winfree’s MLW Azteca (Ep. 4) Review 1.27.22

Alrighty, time to head back to the land of MLW for the next episode of the Azteca series. Tonight MLW Heavyweight champion Alexander Hammerstone defends his title against Octagon Jr. plus AAA Mega champion El Hijo del Vikingo defends that belt against Aramis. Thus far these shows from Mexico have been kind of a mixed bag, so let’s see what’s in store for us tonight.

Looks like we’re back in the fight pit featured in the second episode. We get right into action with Arez and Black Tigre.

Match #1: Arez vs. Extreme Tigre

We go right into roll ups from Arez but he can’t quite get the pin and they reset. This time Tigre goes for a roll up for 2 of his own. They trade leg sweeps then we get another stand off. Arez offers a hand shake, the crowd tells Tigre not to do it and he should have listened as they start hitting the ropes until Tigre hits a head scissors. Arez cuts off a dive with a tilt a whirl double knee backbreaker to take over. Snap suplex from Arez then a kick to the head but that only gets 2. Tigre avoids a Sunset flip and hits a Code Red for 2 but turns the kick out into a submission hold and Arez has to scramble to the ropes to break it. Arez gets caught on the top rope and dropped onto the ropes by Tigre. Tigre sends Arez to the floor and hits a dive onto him. Back into the ring but Arez with a shoulder shove between the bottom ropes to send Tigre to the floor. Again they head into the ring, this time Arez heads up top but misses the flying nothing then they trade corner attack misses before Tigre hits a Sick Kick for a near fall. Tigre wants to end this but Arez cuts him off with a series of kicks to the head then a Lionsault for a near fall. More kicks from Arez but Tigre catches one and hits a modified Dragon Screw then hits a piledriver but only a 2 count as the ref seemed to be going slow on that count. Tigre heads up top but flies into a super kick and Tigre rolls out of the ring. Arez follows him with a moonsault off the apron, then back in the ring so he can hit a double stomp. A swinging Northern Lights suplex (I think he calls that the Sahrawi Suplex but don’t quote me) from Arez follows and he manages to hook both legs on the bridge and gets the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Arez won in 7:38

Rating: 3 stars

A pretty good Lucha match, these two worked well and didn’t have too many technical bobbles.

A video from 5150 follows, Boogie and Rivera both feel pretty good as they throw some dice. They don’t think anyone can hang with them, but Cesar Duran walks in and congratulates them on their success. But Duran wants to focus on the future, specifically Blood and Thunder. Rivera says they’ve sacrificed everyone put in front of them. Duran tells them to be ready for the Von Erichs, Boogie and Rivera mock them for not even having first names. Duran warns them to win and put the Von Erichs behind them, then they play dice.

Another cryptic vignette featuring an hourglass, but this time a car is driving as well.

Back to the ring for more action.

Match #2 – AAA Mega Championship Match: (c) El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Aramis

Aramis comes out right away with a shotgun drop kick, then they hit the ropes. Some incredibly evasive moves from Vikingo then he hits a kick to the face. Aramis lands an uppercut as Vikingo is on the top rope, they both head up and Vikingo partially flips out of a top rope hurricanrana. Aramis is able to get a head scissors take over, they hit the ropes again and Aramis is able to keep pace with Vikingo and neither man gets an edge. Vikingo declines a hand shake and lays in strikes. A multiple rotation head scissors from Vikingo sends Aramis out of the ring, then he climbs from the top of the ropes to a support column that’s holding up the awning they’re under then hits a cross body from that pole onto Aramis on the floor. Crazy spot there. Back into the ring a cover from Vikingo only gets 2. Vikingo heads up top but Aramis counters his Shooting Star Press with the knees. Out of the ring and Aramis powerbombs Vikingo into the support pole and follows it up with a moonsault off of the second rope. They head back into the ring, Aramis wants his finish, but Viking counters the Desuncadora del Mosquetero with a hurricanrana into a pin but only gets 2. Vikingo lands a drop kick to send Aramis into the corner, then grabs an electric chair and transitions into a wheelbarrow facebuster for a near fall. Strikes from Vikingo but Aramis counters with an enziguri then a flapjack and a reverse brainbuster for a near fall. They star trading elbows from their knees, both men fight to their feet then they trade chops in a show of machismo. Both men avoid kicks before Vikingo flips out of a wheelbarrow then catches a diving Aramis but Aramis counters a Catatonic into a Buckle bomb but as he tries to follow up Vikingo hits a Crucifix Driver, only for Aramis to return the favor and both men are down. Arez shows up and hits a tilt a whirl backstabber to drop Aramis behind the refs back. Vikingo follows up with a Meteora in the corner then the imploding 450 splash to pin and win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: El Hijo del Vikingo retained the title in 8:48

Rating: 3.5 stars

Darn good lucha style match there, which isn’t surprising given what Vikingo is capable of and Aramis more than held up his end of the bargain. That was a pretty crazy sprint for nearly 9 minutes. Post match Vikingo gives props to Aramis and both men celebrate in the ring.

We get a video package for EJ Nduka, he talks about getting married and having his first child in 2020. He signed to WWE’s Performance Center in 2019 and learned from the greats, all of that has created what you see before you. EJ is the Judge, Jury, and Executioner, and in 2022 he’s coming to take over. Solid promo from EJ there.

An update on the schedule, Fusion will return on February 10th when MLW returns to the United States.

A Mads Krugger video is next, he slew a demon to pay his debt to Duran and now he wants his trophy, Jacob Fatu.

A reminder that someone jumped Davey Richards a few weeks back and stole the Opera Cup.

Cesar Duran is on the phone, and here comes Alex Kane and Mr. Thomas still yelling “Bomaye”. Kane wants a new challenger since Calvin Tankman is out of the equation. Duran asks if he can handle Lucha libre, then puts him in a trios match next week. Kane doesn’t care about lucha libre and calls the flippy stuff trash, he also doesn’t play well with others so he’ll do this but Duran is going to owe him a favor. Duran says that’s funny and walks off.

We’ll get more of the interview with Jacob Fatu next week.

Alright, main event time and Cesar Duran moves to ringside to observe the title fight.

Match #3 – MLW World Heavyweight Title Match: (c) Alexander Hammerstone vs. Octagon Jr.

Hammerstone’s left arm is in a brace. Octagon has the crowd behind him, and seems to have the favor of Duran. They tie up and Octagon immediately goes after the arm of Hammerstone and forces him to the mat briefly. More arm wringers from Octagon then he starts yanking the arm around the ropes and punching the elbow. Kick from Octagon then an overhand chop. Octagon gets Hammerstone on the rope rope and keeps attacking the arm before putting Hammerstone in the tree of woe so he can hit a basement drop kick. Hammerstone catches Octagon with a back body drop then clotheslines Octagon out of the ring but his arm is still messed up as he follows Octagon out of the ring. On the floor Hammerstone starts targeting the back of Octagon then press slams Octagon onto the apron. Back into the ring, and a bunch of masked goons have shown up on the entrance stage. Hammerstone keeps stomping on Octagon in the ring but this is getting rather ominous. The goons have distracted Hammerstone long enough for Octagon to recover and hit a kick then a Meteora in the corner. Octagon heads up top with a headstand then a slingshot Arabian Press for a near fall. Hammerstone heads out of the ring, and Octagon follows him with an Asai moonsault. I think at this point there are more goons on the stage than fans on the bleachers. Back in the ring Octagon heads up top again but Hammerstone catches him and hits a Catatonic. Clotheslines from Hammerstone before he runs into a kick, but he catches Octagon with an overhead belly to belly suplex for a 2 count. Super kick from Octagon floors Hammerstone, then he heads up top and hits a 450 splash for a near fall. Octagon goes back to attacking the arm but Hammerstone cuts him off with a chop then hoists Octagon up like he’s going for an Awful Waffle, but he spins several times and turns it into a facebuster and that gets the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alex Hammerstone retained the title in 7:40 shown

Rating: 2.5 stars

A solid match, Hammerstone’s selling of the arm helped a lot here and he was a pretty darn good base for Octagon. The stuff with Duran and the masked goons wound up being more a distraction to the audience than really playing into the match itself.

Post match Duran is pissed and orders the goons to rush the ring. Hammerstone fights off a bunch of them but the numbers game is going to catch up eventually but here comes Richard Holliday and goes back to back with Hammerstone and we get a big brawl to end the episode.

7.2

The final score: review Good

The 411

Pretty good episode this week, the middle match was the best quality wise but nothing was bad this week and the continued hostilities between Hammerstone and Duran is becoming more and more interesting. Vikingo and Aramis is definitely worth a watch, nothing was actively bad, and we got some decent video interludes. All in all a win of an episode for a series that's been a touch uneven.