Winfree’s MLW Azteca (Ep. 5) Review 2.03.22

Time for the next episode of MLW Azteca, tonight AAA Mega champion El Hijo de Vikingo teams with Laredo Kid and Octagon Jr. against National Openweight champion Alex Kane, Villano III Jr., and Rey Horus. EJ Nduka will be in action, as will Extreme Tigre. Last week ended with Dynasty members Richard Holliday and MLW World champion Alexander Hammerstone fending off a platoon of Cesar Duran’s masked goons, and one imagines there will be consequences for that. Alright, let’s get to the action.

Alexander Hammerstone and Richard Holliday are on the beach at night, tanning. Hammerstone says there are still rays to catch, Holliday wants the Hogan tan but thinks he lost color, Hammerstone sells him on the post rays and the value of the hard leather exoskeleton the Hogan tan gives. That leads to Holliday bringing up Valentine’s Day and noting he wants to get a pump on before that, so naturally Hammerstone ribs him about his Valentine being Alicia Atout. Holliday has to take a call and heads out while Hammerstone reclines to continue tanning in the moonbeams.

Commentary runs down the episode for us then we get our first match.

Match #1: EJ Nduka vs. Adrian Quest

Quest jumps EJ right away with strikes to try and keep the big man off balance. EJ tosses him into a corner, Quest counters with a springboard drop kick and more strikes. EJ has had enough of this and hits a shoulder tackle in the corner, then another one. Tossing suplex from EJ, then another one. They hit the ropes but Quest tries a springboard and is caught in The Verdict. No pin from EJ though, he hoists Quest onto his shoulders for a Snake Eyes then a running shoulder tackle. Quest tries to fight back with a series of kicks, then an awkward head scissors sends EJ into the corner. Moonsault press from Quest is caught by EJ, then EJ hits a running powerslam to end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: EJ Nduka won in 3:10

Rating: Gelber Zentner. . . SQUASH

EJ Nduka is a massive physical presence, he’s still finding himself in the ring in many ways but that’s to be expected.

A video package for Davey Richards is up next, he talks about being flattered by being called a legend on shows, but he didn’t get into this for that. He got into this for purpose. All the pep talks, matches, it’s all secondary to the world title. He puts over Hammerstone has having earned the title, Richards was there when Hammerstone won the belt and knows first hand how bad his ankle was and he still pulled it off. Richards respects Hammerstone, but he will not hold back when he gets his title shot. Decent promo from Richards.

Video from Emilio Sparks, he followed Richard Holliday to Beverly Hills where Holliday is doing some shopping. A fan gets a picture with Holliday then Holliday sends him off and walks out of frame.

Another creepy monitor with an hourglass shows up, this time the monitor shatters.

Breaking news, the Von Erich’s have tested positive for COVID and wont be available to challenge for the titles in Dallas. 5150 won the IWA Puerto Rico tag team titles on tour recently and that leads to a video from the tag team champs. Rivera and Boogie say Duran has Mr. Burns vibes, but they’ve warmed up to him. They’re not done, still MLW tag team champions and now new IWA tag team champions, and they put over Duran as taking care of them. Rivera says it doesn’t matter if the Von Erich’s or Los Parks or any other nepotism based teams show up in Dallas, 5150 is keeping their titles and taking yours if you bring them. Another solid promo from those two, they’re really finding a nice rhythm.

A Contra video cuts into the intros for our next match. Mads Krugger rose from the ashes of a pointless existence, committing atrocities across the globe for his one pleasure. Until CONTRA gave him purpose, gave him a name, and turned him into a monster. Until Fatu ruined it. Fatu was given the kingdom, and then betrayed Contra. Fatu took Krugger’s purpose, now his purpose is Fatu.

Match #2: Extreme Tigre vs. Mecha Wolf

Wolf offers a handshake, Tigre accepts and we get a clean handshake. They tie up, and Wolf shoves Tigre off then poses. Tigre complains about a mask pull. Another tie up, again Wolf shoves Tigre off. Tigre changes tactics, working a hammerlock into a cradle then La Magistral cradle, both of which get 2 counts. Time to run the ropes and Tigre hits a head scissors that sends Wolf out of the ring. Tigre to the apron, tries a seated senton but Wolf catches him and tries to powerbomb him into the crowd but Tigre avoids that and punches Wolf. Wolf back drops Tigre into the crowd when Tigre charges him, the Wolf hits a flying cross body over the barricade and onto Tigre. We get a minor cut and come back to Wolf chopping Tigre on the outside. Back into the ring now and Tigre avoids a DDT then hits a Code Red for 2. Tigre grabs a hammerlock neck crank, and Wolf has to get to the ropes to break the hold. Enziguri from Wolf, then a slingshot tornado DDT for a near fall. Tigre out of the ring to recover, and Wolf hits a Heat Seeker (a suicide dive between the first and second ropes) that hits Tigre and sends Wolf through the barricade. They head back to the ring, Wolf looks to head up top but misses a splash and Tigre hits a Sick Kick for a near fall. Tigre’s turn to head up top, but Wolf meets him up there, Tigre fights him off then flips out of a German suplex attempt. Wolf lands a spinebuster then a Shining Wizard. Wolf wants to end this, and hits a toss up into a kick to the back to get the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Mecha Wolf won in 7:58 shown

Rating: 2.5 stars

Solid match, I wonder how much the cut might have hurt it. The finish was a touch anticlimactic but the action was good.

A preview for the upcoming SuperFight card follows.

Los Parks have a video, they congratulate 5150 on being double champs but call themselves the kings. They’re the best tag team in the world, not 5150 and want a match for all of the gold.

Part 2 of the video interview with Jacob Fatu. We replay that he’s seen the good, bad, and ugly of this business. He pulled up to the wrestling school and got sat down and really talked too by the trainers, his uncle and Gangrel. They asked if he was serious about this path, and his uncle gave him a serious dose of reality. Once he started training he truly started respecting the business, runs down the physical cost of training, what they had gone through to provide for his family. He notes there were several times in his life he should have been gone, but when it comes to wrestling you can’t only have one foot in it, you’ve got to commit and MLW helped him do that. I’m still not entirely sure of the point for these, but this was better than the first one as Fatu seemed to have a much clearer direction he was going.

Alright, main event time.

Match #3 – Trios Match: Octagon Jr., Laredo Kid, and El Hijo de Vikingo vs Villano III Jr., Rey Horus and Alex Kane w/ Mr. Thomas

Villano spits at Octagon and those two square up. A lot of circling from both men, then they tie up but neither man gets an edge before they separate. Another tie up, then Villano moves to the back and hits a mat return. Octagon hits an arm drag and we get a stand off. Octagon starts working the arm, Villano counters with an arm drag then avoids a sunset flip and gets one of his own for a 2 count. They trade leg sweeps and lateral presses then stand off. Time for overhand chops, they trade a bevy of chops before Octagon hits a corkscrew cross body. Some head scissors takedowns from Octagon but Villano is able to drop kick him out of the ring and Vikingo comes in off of that, per lucha rules a wrestler leaving the ring constitutes a tag. Vikingo hits an enziguri, a clothesline in the corner, then runs up to the ropes and hits a cross body. Satellite head scissors from Vikingo sends Villano out of the ring. Horus comes in and goes right after Vikingo. Evasive moves from both men before Horus hangs Viking over the top rope then a slingshot cross body. Horus sends Vikingo out of the ring and Laredo comes in. Some chops from Laredo, then they trade escapes in the corner before Laredo hits a neckbreaker. Kane gets tagged in and decides to enter the match. Kane and Laredo shove each other, Kane’s strength edge is obvious. That leads to Kane calling all three of his opponents on, they oblige and Kane takes some super kicks. Clotheslines from Kane as he fights back then a drop suplex from Kane. Villano and Horus go to congratulate Kane, he ignores them because he doesn’t want to be here. Laredo takes some double team moves from Villano and Horus, then Kane powerbombs Laredo. Laredo rolls out of the ring, the dissention between the heels continues until Vikingo comes in and attacks but he gets stomped down by all three men. Villano and Horus try again to get Kane on the same page, it seems like they do but Kane declines and tosses Vikingo out of the ring instead of into a super kick. Octagon’s turn to get attacked by all three heels. That goes on for a long time before some communication issues lead to Kane leaving his partners. Vikingo back in and now the faces take out the heels and stand tall. The heels join up, and we’re denied a set of dives but things break down as we get all three men brawling on the floor. Kane is sent back into the ring, Laredo follows him in and starts laying in strikes. Super kick from Laredo, then he low bridges Kane though that was way more awkward than it needed to be. Horus is in now and hits a Spanish Fly, time for everyone to get their stuff in as the parade of finishers follow until Kane takes out Viking with a clothesline. Vikingo school boys Kane for 2 and Kane heads out of the ring but Viking hits him with a Suicide Dive that might have hurt him more than Kane. Laredo and Octagon both dive onto Mr. Thomas and take him out. I think Vikingo banged his head on the metal security rail. Mr. Thomas helps Kane up and the two of them decide they’ve had enough and leave the match. Villano and Horus run into super kicks, then Laredo dives into a kick from Horus. Horus dives onto Octagon then Laredo with an Asai moonsault onto Octagon and Horus. Vikingo is back, and hits a ludicrous corkscrew moonsault onto the pile of bodies from a ways into the top rope. Back in the ring Viking flies into a powerbomb from Villano but that only gets 2. Spinning powerbomb lungblower from Villano still only gets 2. Villano heads up top, Vikingo crotches him on the top rope though. Vikingo heads up top with Villano, and hits a top rope poisoned rana for a great near fall. Vikingo the ropes again, this time a Phoenix Splash from the second rope but he still can’t put Villano away. Meteora from Vikingo connects, then the Imploding 450 connects and he’s finally able to pin Villano.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Vikingo, Octagon Jr. and Laredo Kid won in 19:20

Rating: 3 stars

Slightly generous 3, but it was enough better than average to warrant it I think. It was over long for sure, and part of the middle was pretty dead, but the closing stretch was solid and made Villano look resilient as hell. Vikingo is still crazy talented, and I thought Kane did a good job with his persona even if his actual work is still a work in progress. I hope Vikingo was OK because he looked to be in serious pain after that suicide dive.

We head to Emilio Sparks, he asks Alicia Atout about her boyfriend, she denies that Holliday is her boyfriend (baka) but she has been waiting for him. A car drives up, and a masked goon dumps Holliday out of the back. Holliday has a paper with matches on it, Alex Hammerstone vs. Pagano and Richard Holliday vs. King Muertes. Alicia and Sparks check on Holliday as the episode ends.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Kind of a mixed bag this week, we didn't get much overall narrative progression and that's been one of the things holding these shows together. The wrestling was fine but nothing truly stood out. This was the end of the Azteca taping segment and we'll be back to Fusion next week, I'm curious to see how the crowds back in the States might make a difference.