By Jeremy Peeples, WrestlingObserver.com
The Big Takeaway
Johnny Mundo turned heel by smashing Alberto El Patron through a pane of glass in Dario Cueto’s office. In doing so, Hernandez is the number contender, Alberto is written out for the time being, and Cueto appears to be pleased at Mundo’s new-found aggression.
Show Recap
Last week, Daivari made his in-ring debut and won via DQ in a nothing match. Hernandez turned on Prince Puma in a tag match to give Cage a win over the champion, and The Crew beat Son of Havoc and Angelico in the opener. The main event featured Alberto El Patron in one of his best US matches ever against Johnny Mundo. Alberto got the win with the kneeling superkick, and the show closed with Katrina bringing Mil Muertes back to life. Tonight, Alberto battles Hernandez in a match to determine the number one contender to Puma’s title, and Jack Evans is set to make his debut in the promotion.
The show begins with a recap of the Alberto-Mundo issue and Hernandez becoming number one contender, and then Mundo and Alberto telling Cueto that Hernandez didn’t beat either of them. Alberto-Mundo gets a quick highlight reel and that brings us to this week’s show. Cueto goes to his brother’s cage and tells him that he has purchased ancient medallions that will make one warrior as powerful as his brother. We hear his brother breathing heavily in the background as Cueto leaves. The live band plays and Striker talks about the Alberto-Hernandez number one contender’s match. Striker and Vamp says that tonight, someone new debuts – so that will likely be Jack Evans.
Melissa Santos introduces Aerostar and Striker says that this is the first time we’ve seen him since he beat Drago to end their series. Vamp says that we’ll probably see Drago again in the clouds of never, never land. Jack Evans comes out and gets a huge “lucha, lucha!” chant. Evans is put over as being a veteran who once worked 388 days in a row.
Match One – Aerostar vs. Jack Evans
Vamp says Evans is disrespectful saying he invented lucha. Evans goes for a tumbling routine and gets dropkicked in the ass for his troubles. Aerostar avoids a whip into the buckle with a twirling rope walk leading to a rope walk rana for 2. Evans goes for a corkscrew hop to the floor and eats a triangle dropkick and a flip dive to the floor. Vamp immediately tells people at home to not do any of these things. Vamp says they’re trained pros, while he was trained by Homer Simpson. Evans takes him down with a judo throw and kicks the neck. Evans yells that he is lucha libre, and he is such a great prick heel.
Evans counters a kick with a multi-step takedown into an STF. Aerostar gets to the ropes and Vamp name-drops Chono. Knee strikes to the head lead to a tornado kick and more smack talk and a corkscrew splash for 2. Evans gets a back handspring into a German and taunts more. Evans gets tossed over the top in a crazy spot, and then Aerostar dives over the top onto his feet and flapjacks Evans into the wall and mini-balcony. Evans recovers and gets a 450 off the mini-balcony.
This move gets several spots, including “this is awesome”. Mid-ring 450 misses and Aerostar goes up top very slowly. Evans kicks him and meets him up top where Aerostar punches him down and hits a super Canadian Destroyer for the win! This was a crazy video game match, but so much fun to watch. Evans goes into convulsions on the mat after that one.
In the locker room, Mack asks Ryck how he got all this money. Ryck tells him his business is his business, and his fancy moves didn’t get them the titles. Ryck says it’s about making money, and for the right amount, he’d kick his own family’s ass. A whole bunch of folks are mid-ring.
Match Two – Killshot vs. Cage vs. Sexy Star vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. King Cuerno vs. The Mack
Cueto says that they’re all competing for a very valuable prize – one of the Aztec medallions for a chance at immortality. After a break, the action begins. Everyone fights for a bit before Pentagon and Fenix go at it. Fenix takes control with kicks, but eats a Slingblade for 2. Striker says this is one fall to a finish. Fenix gets a somersault rana to the floor on Pentagon. Killshot takes Cuerno down, but gets clubbed. Killshot ducks down and gets a dropkick, but Cuerno responds with one of his own in the corner.
Sexy attacks Cuerno and goes to the floor ASAP. Cage takes Killshot down and 619s him. Cage and Cuerno double suplex Killshot and Mack. Cage hits a flying elbow to Mack while Cuerno splashes Killshot for 2. Sexy ranas Cuerno down, but eats a Cage clothlesine before Fenix kicks him down. Killshot superkicks Pentagon, who chops him later. Stereo double stomps from Fenix and Pentagon leads to more double team stuff from Cuerno and Cage onto Sexy, who gets taken down. Cuerno gets the Thrill of the Hunt on Killshot for 2 before Sexy breaks that up and Pentagon kicks her into oblivion.
Pentagon hits Three Up, Three Down onto Sexy but Mack makes a save. Mack gets Cage down and hits a standing moonsault for 2. Pentagon and Fenix go at it and Fenix sends him to the floor and hits a corkscrew plancha. Cage’s discus clothesline takes Mack out on the floor. Fenix dives into a Cage suplex, but Killshot dives onto Fenix forcing a makeshift Powerplex on the floor. Arrow of Death from Cuerno to Killshot!
Pentagon dropkicks Sexy into the corner and hits Sexy with a Gori driver and a Package Piledriver onto Fenix at the same time! Sexy prevents an arm breaker, but gets hit with a double knee gutbuster. Rewind rana and a standing moonsault hit for Fenix and he hits a standing moonsault for the win! This was crazy, but a bit too frantic at times.
Back in the Temple, Cueto meets with the Trios champions and says that since The Crew beat them, they’ll get a shot. Ivie says she only needs her hands to kick their asses and Cueto says she’ll need her legs to – because it’s a ladder match. Cueto is pleasantly amused by the team’s misery. Fenix is backstage when the lights flicker and Katriina tells him that he fell into her trap and Fenix’s power of 1,000 lives gave Muertes the life he needed. A group of lucha specters descended on him from the lockers and they go to a break. This was hilarious.
Melissa Santos is mid-ring and she runs down the stipulation that the winner will be the number one contender and the only ways to win are via pinfall and submission. Hernandez comes down while Striker says he’s a 20 year veteran who has held over 30 titles in pro wrestling. Boy does that ever bury just a title win being important. Alberto comes down in a new El Patron shirt with his AAA Mega title and Striker says that out of nine MMA victories, nine came from submission.
Main Event – Alberto El Patron vs. Hernandez No. 1 Contender’s Match
Alberto sends Hernandez into the corner and gives him a clean break. Hernandez does the same, but gives him a more aggressive break. Hernandez gets some shoulder charges and sends him to the floor and tosses his back into the apron. Patron avoids a Stinger splash and gets a series of lariats and a lungblower for 2. Hernandez pounces him down and clubs away and chokes him. Alberto gets the kneeling superkick for 2. Alberto sets up the armbar, but Mundo attacks and DDTs him on the floor. He grabs Alberto and tosses him through Dario’s office window to a sea of boos.
Mundo looks pissed and Cueto looks on astonished. Alberto is brought back to the ring covered in blood by Mundo, and Hernandez is happy to get the easy win. The medics show up to help Alberto and Cueto assesses the damage to his office while sipping his drink. Striker says that the Temple has brought out the worst in Mundo, and the Temple is now Johnny’s world.
Well, Mundo is such an arrogant character that he really should be a heel – so the turn works. The main event was nothing special, but it being super-short also meant it didn’t allow Hernandez to be exposed. The opener was easily the best match of the night, while the second match was just beginning-to-end craziness. Next week’s Trios title ladder match should be something else, and I’m interested in seeing where they go with Mundo from here.
To see every screen taken for the show, just click here.