MLW Azteca results: Pagano vs. Savio Vega hardcore match, two title defenses

The MLW Azteca era continues from Tijuana, Mexico, with the fallout from World Champion Alex Hammerstone being kidnapped from the arena last week at the orders from Cesar Duran. 

Savio Vega stepped up for the locker room as he faces Pagano in a hardcore match following Pagano turning on Hammerstone last week. Also, two MLW titles are on the line with Alex Kane defending the National Openweight title against Aerostar and 5150 defending the Tag Team titles against Destiny and Skalibur.  

A video package recapping Duran stacking the deck against Hammerstone and Richard Holliday aired. Holliday was removed from the building before Pagano turned his back on Hammerstone and helped Taurus and King Muertes beat down the champion. The video ended with Karlee Perez telling Duran, “Do you understand that this is a force that we can’t easily control once it’s released, right?”, teasing something big is on the horizon.

Duran then addressed the viewing audience from his office. He called the fans “filthy renegades” and said they have turned our backs on him after sticking up for Hammerstone. He is in complete control of MLW and everyone should use Hammerstone as an example as everyone needs to bend the knee and respect his power.

MLW Tag Team Champions 5150 (Slice Boogie and Rivera) defeated Skalibur and Destiny to retain the titles

We saw our first glimpse of the special outdoor arena in Tijuana. It was daylight as 5150 made their entrance after they had cut a promo against the MLW tag division, hyping up their next match against The Von Erichs in Dallas at the end of the month.

Konnan was out with 5150.

After an early break, Destiny and Skalibur hit dives onto the champions on the floor. 5150 played the heels well as they cheated behind the referee’s back as Konnan bad-mouthed the three rows of fans facing the camera that made up the crowd.

Rivera had a close two count after Boogie launched him across the ring to knock Skalibur off the apron before Boogie hit a big Vader bomb elbow onto Destiny, but the crowd favorite kicked out at two.

Skalibur flew through the air as he got the hot tag and helped Destiny power bomb Rivera onto Boogie as the action broke down. Moments later, Rivera spike DDT’d Destiny as Boogie held him and slammed him with a powerful German. 

Skalibur got caught with a big boot and the 456 Headcrack: a double foot stomp from Rivera while Skalibur was on Boogie’s shoulders, followed by a death valley driver for the win and successful title defense.

Konnan got on the mic and called out Aerostar and Drago who answered the challenge and brawled with the champions.

— Alicia Atout met up with Savio Vega who said Duran promised to give him the IWA back if he can beat Pagano in tonight’s hardcore match. Duran had purchased the Puerto Rican-based company in storyline last season.

— Emilio Sparks caught up with nZo who explained why he attacked KC Navarro recently. He said it was about respect and that he taught Navarro a lesson: he should never turn his back on anyone. Later in the night, we heard that nZo has been suspended because of the attack and because he didn’t issue an apology.

— It was announced that Davey Richards has signed a multi-year contract with MLW. Later in the night, he was attacked and his Opera Cup trophy was stolen was allegedly stolen.

— The speculation on Hammerstone’s whereabouts continued when Holliday tried to get into a room guarded by three masked henchmen of Duran. Atout then dragged him off, saying it wasn’t worth it and he was just playing into his games.

— 5150 were backstage when a masked Duran associate gave them a piece of paper saying they will defend the titles against Aerostar and Drago next week.

MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Kane (w/ Mr. Thomas) defeated Aerostar to retain the title

Kane used his power advantage early on, but Aerostar hit a corkscrew plancha and a headscissors takeover to begin the power vs. high flyer story that played throughout the match.

The commentators talked about the ongoing storyline between Kane and Calvin Tankman, talking about how Tankman was arrested and Kane made it legally impossible for Tankman to be here tonight. Rich Bocchini questioned if Kane was dodging Tankman.

Aerostar slipped out of a suplex and Aerostar hit a step up tope dive to the floor on top of both Kane and Mr Thomas. Aerostar then went up top, but as Thomas distracted the referee, 5150 ran out, pushed Aerostar off the top, and clocked him with a big clothesline. 

Kane then quickly locked in a Kata ha jime and the referee called for the bell as Aerostar passed out.

— Sparks then caught up with Duran backstage and asked him where Hammerstone was. An odd-looking masked henchman took some orders from Duran before taking a dressing down from him too. Then, before Duran could get anything of value out to Sparks, EJ Nduka appeared and asked Duran the same question about Hammerstone. Nduka was invited into Duran’s office to talk privately and he begrudgingly went in as Sparks chased down the henchman.

— We saw a darkened room where Mads Krugger was tied up in chains and held by more of Duran’s masked henchmen. Karlee Perez was there and after Krugger said he wanted Jacob Fatu, Perez said he will first face Bestia 666 next week.

— Sparks was then outside as he had been following the odd-looking henchman from earlier. We saw him go down some stairs as Sparks was in close pursuit.

Pagano defeated Savio Vega in a hardcore match

Pagano hit a slingshot elbow for an early two count. Some chops, big right hands and clotheslines followed before the hardcore action started as they brawled around ringside.

The outdoor setting gave them a few different environmental objects to use. An example: there was a steel gate that Vega went headfirst into, busting him open.

Pagano hit a springboard dropkick from the top rope before he set Vega on the top rope and brought out a bag of thumbtacks. Pagano went up but Vega fought him off and front suplexed him face and chest first into the thumbtacks. When getting to his feet, Pagano picked up a handful of tacks and threw them in Vega’s face as he came off the top rope.

Pagano then put a chair on top of Vega as he tried to get his eyesight back and hit a moonsault from the top rope onto the chair to pick up the win. Duran keeps the IWA after all.

 — We then caught back up with Sparks who followed the odd masked henchman down a darkened corridor. We passed two locked rooms that had “Salina” and “Killstop” handwritten on them. We heard female screams to indicate this is where Salina de la Renta has been all this time since Duran made his first appearance.

The masked henchman was at the door at the end of the corridor that had “Hammerstone” written on it. The champion had his arm through a small window and the henchman by the throat. The henchman took the mask off and it was Holliday who unlocked the door and helped Hammerstone escape as MLW Azteca went off the air.

Next week:

– MLW Tag Team Champions 5150 (Slice Boogie and Rivera) vs. Aerostar and Drago in a title match

– Mads Krugger vs. Bestia 666 in a Tijuana street fight