Post by Slade on Jun 4, 2020 17:33:40 GMT -5
AZTEC WARFARE IV
From the Temple in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California
Commentary Team: Matt Striker and Vampiro
Ring Announcer: Melissa Santos
***
We’re really glad that you’re our friend and this is a friendship that will never, ever end.
The camera scans around the room. There’s no one there. Then, Bray Wyatt says, “Hey, I’m over here. Not there. Here. No, not there either. Here! Hi!” He smiles and waves at the camera. Ramblin’ Rabbit appears and asks why Bray looks so happy today. He says that he’s happy because the gods are happy. And if the gods are happy that must mean that YOU! – Yes, you, Matanza Cueto! – have made them happy. You have made them so happy that they want you to come home. The path to salvation has been opened and it will be revealed tonight when Matanza wins Aztec Warfare. Everyone is rooting for you!
Mercy the Buzzard, Huskus The Pig Boy and Abby The Witch all appear at the same time. Ramblin’ Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard and Huskus the Pig Boy all say they are rooting for him. Abby the Witch says she is not. Bray exaggerates a look of shock, slaps his land cheek with one hand and then smiles and waves a disapproving index fingers at her, saying, “Oh Abby!” *Insert cheesy wah-wah horn sound here.*
Bray goes on to say that they all want him to succeed so that he can come here, to his new home, and live happily ever after. But, also, so Matanza can meet him. He wants to meet Matanza. He can’t wait. And Bray is sure that Matanza will want to meet him. It’s time to come home and let him in. After Bray says that, everyone smiles and waves goodbye.
“See you soon, Matanza!”
***
VS.
INNER CIRCLE VS. THE GODFATHER & HIS STREET PROFITS
Sammy Guevara, Santana & Ortiz vs. The Godfather, Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford
After a long ring entrance that was more like a raucous party by The Godfather & His Street Profits, we had our first match of the evening. It was an impressive trios debut for the Inner Circle. There was a moment in this 10-minute contest where it looked like they might end up on the losing end, with The Godfather taking everyone for a ride on the Ho Train, then Santana getting a spinning Stinger Splash from Angelo Dawkins and a 5-Star Frog Splash from Montez Ford. However, Guevara and Ortiz turned the tide on them. Guevara performed a diving double-foot stomp on Dawkins and rolled into a somersault to pop-up and execute a rolling thunder DDT on Ford. Then, he helped Ortiz lift the over 300-pound Godfather up for the powerbomb-blockbuster combo known as the Street Sweeper. Santana popped up after executing the blockbuster portion of the combo, helping help Guevara stand guard as Ortiz pinned The Godfather for the 1-2-3!
WINNERS : The Inner Circle
***
After making a grand entrance, complete with giant fans making his long luscious locks blow in the wind, Johnny Mundo waited in the ring to find out what his unique opportunity for this evening was going to be. Matt Striker and Vampiro speculated as to what it might be, ultimately agreeing that neither them knew. He wasn’t going to be competing in the Aztec Warfare match itself, and all the titles already had challengers. Antonio Cueto exited his office and announced that even though Mundo has been a giant disappointment, he’s giving him one last chance to prove something of himself in a championship title match. All of the Lucha Underground and Mash-Up Wrestling titles already have challengers, so it won’t be for any of those belts. Instead, he found someone in Florida who was eager to come all the way to California to defend his CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP! On cue, standing at the top of the Temple stairs was the “Loose Cannon” Brian Pillman, with his ring gear on and his championship title belt around his waist.
VS.
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Brian Pillman vs. Johnny Mundo
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Brian Pillman vs. Johnny Mundo
Whether Bobby Heenan sanctioned it or not – and chances are he didn’t – Brian Pillman put his title on the line. Johnny Mundo was looking to make a favourable impression on Antonio Cueto and the Believers, and to add a title belt around his waist. It may have shocked some to see them trade grapples and holds for the first 5 minutes of the contest. They both showed off some impressive technical chops, but soon enough, the pace quickened.
They were highly competitive and matches each other move for move in the middle portion of the match. When Mundo hit Pillman with a dropkick, it was not long before Pillman hit Mundo with a dropkick of his. Pillman’s spinning wheel kicks, tornado DDT, vertical suplexes and a diving corkscrew crossbody were all mimicked by Mundo, who in turn had his STO backbreaker, 180-degree spun out falre leg drop, tilt-a-whirl DDT, and standing shooting star press mimicked by Pillman. Through all of that, the point was driven home that they were about as evenly matched as any two luchadores could be.
The game of one-upmanship came to a halt when Pillman when for an Irish whip and Mundo reversed it. When Pillman came back off the ropes, Mundo gave him a C-4 standing moonsault slam and pinned him. Pillman kicked out. Mundo tried for a hangman’s neckbreaker, only to Pillman reverse into a backslide pin for a 2-count and then execute his own hangman’s neckbreaker. He followed it up with another pin, and again, he got a 2-count. Pillman sent Mundo into the corner and charged in, but Mundo leapt up and over him. Pillman stopped short of hitting the turnbuckle but turned right into a superkick. With the champion laid out in the corner, Mundo immediately went for Starship Pain, but he landed on Pillman’s knees.
After they got up, Pillman gave Mundo a Russian legsweep and transitioned it into a cross armbreaker with a headscissors. Impressively, Mundo didn’t submit, even though he was trapped in the hold for at least 20 seconds. Pillman let him go and climbed the top rope. He went Air Pillman, but Mundo moved out of the way and then gave him the Moonlight Drive. He covered him for 1…2… kick out! Mundo dragged Pillman to the corner to put him in place for another attempt at Starship Pain, but Pillman pulled him down into a school-boy roll-up for a 2-count. They both got up and Pillman ducked a springboard roundhouse kick and then executed a release dragon suplex. After that, he went up to the top and this time executed Air Pillman. 1…2…3!
After winning the match, and celebrating his win in the ring, Pillman went over to the play-by-play table and demanded Matt Striker give him his headset. After some hesitation, he handed it over. Pillman put it and said that he was pissed off at Bobby Heenan for refusing to book him any title defenses throughout the month of May. Even when he came to Battle of the Belts, his match was put on the pre-show and declared a non-title bout. Pillman isn’t stupid. He knows that Heenan is trying to run out the clock on his title reign so he can strip him of the title on a technicality. Pillman goes on to say that he won’t let that happen. He told Heenan that he’d defend this title anywhere in the world and that’s exactly what he did. He called up Antonio Cueto with a business proposition and he took him up on his offer. So if Heenan doesn’t want him to defend his Southern Heavyweight Championship in the South, then he’ll fly out here to the sunny beaches of California every 30-days and defend his title to someone in The Temple.
WINNER : Brian Pillman
***
VS.
GIFT OF THE GODS MATCH
Chris Jericho {c} vs. Damien Priest
GIFT OF THE GODS MATCH
Chris Jericho {c} vs. Damien Priest
This was a competitive match that saw both competitors brawl around ringside and into the bleachers. Priest gave Jericho all he could handle and more with a variety of elbow and forearm strikes, and some long shoot kicks and roundhouses. Jericho preferred a slower pace, and the moments when he was in control always came after he pulled a maneuver that would have disqualified him anywhere other than in the Temple.
“Big Strong” Jake Hager was at ringside for Jericho and Catrina was there for Priest. Neither got involved until near the end of the match, even when they brawled outside. Priest had the high spot of the match when he went over the top rope for a topé suicida (à la The Undertaker) that took out both Jericho and Hager. Back inside the ring, he gave Jericho a crucifix bomb and went for the cover, but Jericho was saved by Hager, who grabbed Priest by the foot and pulled him all the way out of the ring. They traded blows until Hager went for an Irish whip to send Priest into the rows of wooden seats at ringside. However, Priest was able to counter it and send Hager into the seats.
After that, Priest was taken down with a diving double axehandle smash from the top turnbuckle. Jericho picked him up and rolled him into the ring. He waited for Priest to get up and went for the Judas Effect. Priest managed to step out of the way and then dropped Jericho with a roundhouse kick. Before he could do anything more, Santana and Ortiz attacked. Priest managed to fight them both off, taking them out of the ring with a running big boot and a running clothesline, respectively. Then, Guevara gave Priest a springboard tornado DDT. He was acting cocky and real proud of himself when he fell under the spell of Catrina, who came right up to him and faked giving him a kiss, dropping to her knees and giving him a low blow. Jericho grabbed a handful of her hair. He was about to do something to her when she slapped him right across the face. Then, Priest came him the Reckoning! However, as he got up, he was dropped hard into the mat – speared in the heart with a Reaper’s Trident!
Mil Muertes had returned! Catrina looked like she was in shock. She watched as the Man of a Thousand Deaths picked up Priest, took him to the middle of the ring. He stared straight into her eyes for a solid 5 seconds – although it could been an eternity – before giving Priest the Flatliner right on the Aztec crest. After that, he walked up to Catrina. No one was sure what would happen. It looked like they might reunite, but then Mil Muertes grabbed her by the throat, lifted her, and executed a 180-degree spinning chokeslam!
Jericho scrambled over to take advantage of his fallen opponent. 1-2-3! Jericho collected his championship, and his Inner Circle joined him to celebrate his retaining the Gift of the Gods.
WINNER : Chris Jericho
***
VS.
LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Prince Puma vs. Pentagon DARK
LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Prince Puma vs. Pentagon DARK
***
VS.
TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLE MATCH
PINNACLE OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT VS. TRUTH MARTINI’S AUTHORS OF PAIN
Hulk Hogan, John Cena & Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman, Akam & Rezar
Six big competitors will arsenals consisting of big power maneuvers came to the ring for this one. The mass of humanity, as one commentator might say, was enormous. Everyone got a chance to show off that power, whether it was Akam and Rezar powerbombing their opponents with aplomb; Strowman rushing around the ring to bodycheck Reigns three rows deep into the ringside seats or sending Cena crashing through the office door of Antonio Cueto; Hogan lifting Strowman up and giving him a bodyslam, Reigns stacking Akam and Rezar into a fireman’s carry for a massive double Samoan drop; or Cena giving Strowman the Attitude Adjustment right on the Aztec crest in the center of the ring. A mid-match triple vertical suplex spot brought the Believers to their feet as each side lined up and tried to lift the other up and send it crashing down to the mat. They went back-and-forth jockeying for position and leverage until Strowman, Akam and Rezar finally got their three opponents into the air and dropped them straight on their backs.
After twelve minutes, the match devolved into a pier six brawl. The combatants battled all around the ring, into the audience, and up on the small mezzanine level of the Temple. Reigns and Strowman fought over to the area above Cueto’s office. Strowman lifted Reigns into a military press and threatened to drop him all the way down to the floor, but Reigns escaped and drew Strowman away from the edge, and then gave him a spear that sent him tumbling down a rarely used metal staircase behind some of the high-rise bleachers. Meanwhile, Hogan and Cena collaborated on a double powerbomb they gave to Rezar out on the hardwood bleachers. About a minute later, they were back in the ring with Akam, who was holding his ground, however he needed a clear assist. Truth Martini gave him his Book of Truth, which he used to knock Hogan off the ring apron before he could receive a hot tag from Cena. Then, Akam picked him up and lifted him into the air for a powerbomb but he went tumbling down when Reigns gave him a spear. Cena fell right into a matchbook cover and got the 3-count for the win.
WINNERS : Pinnacle of Sports Entertainment
***
VS.
MASH-UP WRESTLING MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
AJ Styles {c} vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
MASH-UP WRESTLING MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
AJ Styles {c} vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
There were legitimate questions concerning how well AJ Styles would be able to defend his Mash-Up Wrestling Men’s World Championship after recently being bitten by a venomous snake. No, it wasn’t Jake Roberts who bit him, but it may as well have been. “The Snake” was looking real dangerous coming into this bout after putting the champion and Samoa Joe both on the shelf. Styles was back just in time to defend the title. Meanwhile, Joe had suffered a crushed larynx after getting choked out by a boa constrictor and had to withdraw from tonight’s Aztec Warfare match as a result.
Roberts brough a burlap sack with an as yet unknown snake inside it to the ring and placed it under a corner turnbuckle. It gave him an early psychological advantage over Styles. Roberts repeatedly directed Styles towards that corner with his offensive attacks, repeatedly whipping him into the corner, kicking and punching him down to the canvas. There was even a moment when he bashed Styles’ head into the top turnbuckle repeatedly, then the middle, then the bottom, and brought him face-to-face with the opening of the sack, which made Styles panic in fear as Roberts slid out of the ring and started to loosen the tied rope that held it shut.
Styles got some offense in here and there, but for the most part, Roberts was executing his game plan to perfection over the first 10 minutes of the match. However, Roberts couldn’t sustain his advantage to the finish. After executing a gutbuster, a back body drop and a short-arm clothesline, Roberts seemed ready to finish off the champion. However, Styles rolled out to the ring apron, when Roberts met him and tried to go for a DDT. Styles hooked an arm around the top rope to block, then fought out of it and executed a brainbuster!
Styles started a come back after a short back-and-forth brawl on the floor that ended with him executing a high angle belly-to-back suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, he executes some snap suplexes, some big diving knee drops and a ushigoroshi that got a long 2-count. He applied the Calf Crusher, but Roberts refused to submit and dragged himself to the ropes to force a break. After ducking a clothesline and landing a Pelé kick, Styles went out to the ring apron . He looked to be sizing up Roberts for a Phenomenal Forearm, but a pair of hands reached up from under the ring and held onto one of his legs, preventing him from taking flight.
Roberts got up and struck Styles with a running forearm to knock him to the floor. Roberts moved towards the sack with the snake in it, prompting the referee to get in the way. This was but a distraction allowing a mysterious masked luchadora to come out from under the ring and hit Styles with a steel chair and then give him a DDT on the chair. Moments later, the White Rabbit appeared at the top of the Temple stairs and pointed down at her with his cane. Paul London and El Bunny ran down and chased her off. Roberts picked up the fallen champion and brough him back into the ring where he pinned him. 1…2… shoulder up! Roberts questioned the count before going to pick up Styles again, only to have him reverse and get him down into the Calf Crusher once more. Roberts made it to the ropes again. As Styles got up, Roberts looked towards the corner and saw the White Rabbit grab the sack with the snake in it and leave. When Roberts got to his feet, after complaining to the referee, he turned fully around and got taken down with a Phenomenal Forearm. Then, to ensure he stayed down, Styles picked him up and executed the Styles Clash! 1-2-3!
WINNER : AJ Styles
***
VS.
MASH-UP WRESTLING WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Asuka {c} vs. Shayna Baszler
MASH-UP WRESTLING WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Asuka {c} vs. Shayna Baszler
Asuka has been the Mash-Up Wrestling Women’s World Championship for a long time now. Her title reign has been very impressive. That said, she has not faced a challenger like Shayna Baszler. The Queen of Spades is a legitimate bad ass inside the ring. One might have expected the champion and challenger to start out slowly, working each other over with a variety of holds, however that was not the case. As soon as the bell rang, Asuka taunted Baszler, whose face she covered in mist a few weeks back, with got her are riled up and ready to throw down.
Baszler backed Asuka into the corner, but the referee forced a break. As he slowly separated them, Asuka slapped Baszler in the face, which made her throw a punch. Asuka ducked it, switches spots with Baszler and peppered her with shoot kicks and then a spinning hip attack to knock her down. She backed away, let Baszler get up and taunted her some more. Asuka had clearly gotten into Baszler’s head and the tactic of taunting worked well in the early going as he brought Baszler’s temper out but led her to walk right into trouble. However, the last time she goaded Baszler in, leading to a hip toss, she tried to drill her with a rapid roundhouse kick when Baszler sat up. Baszler was quick enough to duck it and then tackled Asuka and began to pummel her with elbow and forearm strikes.
Baszler took over. After the referee forced her off of Asuka, she rolled out of the ring, then grabbed the champion by the foot and dragged her to the outside where she rammed her face off the turnbuckle post and then gave her a vertical suplex. Baszler gave her an arm ringer and pulled it around the turnbuckle post, yanking on her arm to drive her shoulder into the turnbuckle post a few times. Not long thereafter, she took Asuka into the ring and kept attacking the arm and shoulder with a variety of holds and shoulderbreaker variations. However, when she attempted a Kirifuda Driver, Asuka was able to make a quick escape and drop Baszler with a spinning back fist and then a running hip attack.
Asuka maintained control of the match for the next few minutes and went for her first pinfall attempt following a running hip attack to Bazler’s face when she was down in the corner. She later went for another pinfall after executing an inverted DDT. After that, she went for submission victories with a STF, flying cross armbar, seated Fujiwara armbar, and an ankle lock. Baszler would not submit to any of them. After Baszler forced a rope break on the ankle lock, Asuka gave her a deadlift bridging German suplex for a long 2-count.
When Asuka put Baszler on the top turnbuckle to try something more impactful, it backfired. Baszler fought back and knocked her off the turnbuckle, then took the champion down with a diving knee strike to that caught her in the jaw. She went for the cover but only got a 2-count. Baszler performed some rolling gutwrench suplexes and applied a Boston crab to try for the submission. After that, she also attempted a figure four leglock, and an ankle lock to no avail. When she tried to apply a rear naked choke, Asuka was quick to back into the ropes, fighting to force Baszler to fall through the ropes. She held onto Asuka and they tumbled out to the floor, which finally broke her free. When Baszler finally got up, she bent over to grab Asuka, but received a drop toehold that smashed her face off the ring apron. Asuka quickly got up and executed a brainbuster on the floor. Baszler was out cold so Asuka sent her back into the ring and applied the Asuka Lock. Baszler was already out and unable to respond, leading the referee to award the match to the champion.
WINNER : Asuka
***
The first luchador to enter the ring is Matanza Cueto. Wearing the Gauntlet of the Gods, there is a terrible feeling of impending doom for all other luchadores who are scheduled to compete in this match. Antonio Cueto warned of multiple sacrifices to the gods. Could there be nineteen? Taya Valkyrie is the unfortunate luchadora to draw the second entry into the match. She will have to go the distance to get the title match, a task that seems impossible when starting the match against Matanza. She ducks, evades, and avoids Matanza as much as possible, looking for an opening to attack. When she finds her opening, she goes on the attack, but doesn’t truly get the advantage. Matanza is overpowering and soon enough plants her into the mat with the Wrath of Gods! 1-2-3! Taya Valkyrie is eliminated. As Matanza lifts his hand into the air, he gets struck with a springboard corkscrew kick by Johnny Mundo, and then a springboard missile dropkick from “Darewolf” PJ Black.
Angel Garza is the next luchador to enter the match and he joins the members of the Worldwide Underground in battling the “Monster” with the power of a god. Matanza, however, is too powerful to be put down and he sends everyone flying around the ring with overhead belly-to-belly suplexes, athleticplexes and powerbombs. When Mundo tries to get Taya out of the ring and away to safety, Matanza grabs him by the hair. PJ Black hits Matanza from behind and tells Mundo to get Taya to safety, but this leads to him getting the Wrath of the Gods. Not officially entered into the match, Matanza doesn’t pin him. He simply raises his arm up and drives his fist into Black’s chest. The Temple lights go out. Another good luchador has been sacrificed to the gods.
But when the lights come back on, with Matanza still down on one knee with his gauntlet-adorned fist touching the Aztec crest in the center of the ring, he looks at a pair of fancy black loafers. The Believers are losing their minds as Matanza slowly lifts his head and looks up to see:
Dario Cueto!
Matt Striker and Vampiro can’t believe that Dario has risen from the dead. Dario is holding a microphone and lifts it up to speak. “Matanza tell papa that THIS IS MY TEMPLE!” He points to the top of the Temple stairs to reveal that the next luchador in the match is the legendary EL SANTO!
El Santo comes to the ring and goes at it with Matanza, blow for blow. He seems impervious to the powers of the gauntlet. When he attempts a hurricanrana, Matanza counters with a jackknife powerbomb, then picks him up and gives him the Wrath of the Gods! Matanza covers. 1…2… kick out! No one kicks out of that! Matanza looks Dario – who is standing at ringside – in the eye. He is in shock. He picks up El Santo, who catches him off guard with a small package. 1…2…3! Incredible! El Santo has eliminated Matanza Cueto! They continue to fight, eventually the gauntlet gets pulled off his hand. El Santo drops it on the floor as their brawl continues. Dario Cueto picks it up and leaves.
The fifth luchador to enter Aztec Warfare was Will Ospreay, who entered the ring and waited around, alone, for the sixth luchador to enter. Returning to the Temple after a long layoff from Lucha Underground – it was the “Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne! They partook in a bit of chain wrestling. Ospreay hit Dunne with a handspring roundhouse kick and took him down with an Essex Destroyer. Dunne hit Ospreay with a step-up enzuigiri kick and took him down with a snap release German suplex.
Next up, it was Fénix! A member of the longest reigning trio to hold the Lucha Underground Trios Championships, Fénix entered the ring with a springboard clothesline to Dunne and then gave Ospreay a springboard DDT. He gave them both Mexican arm drags, then took Dunne off his feet and out of the ring with tilt-a-whirl headscissors and sent Ospreay through the ropes with a superkick. Then, he did a running step-up onto the middle rope tornillo to take them both out!
Coming in hot at number eight was Mustafa Ali! He ran down the stairs, slid into the ring, then ran across and cleared the top rope with a hands-free over-the-top-rope moonsault plancha that took everyone out. Ali sent Ospreay back into the ring to try to eliminate him with pinfall attempts following a slingshot rolling thunder neckbreaker and a tilt-a-whirl DDT, but neither move did the trick. Dunne took Ali down from behind with a running clothesline and then gave him a sit-out vertical suplex powerbomb that got a long 2-count. Fénix dropped Dunne with a springboard dropkick, then lifted him onto his shoulders and executed a TKO, but Dunne got a shoulder up on the pinfall attempt.
Accompanied to the ring by Famous B and the Beautiful Brenda, entering the match at number nine with a big height and weight advantage was Mike Awesome. He threw his weight around, taking his opponents out with running big boots, dropkicks, thunderous clotheslines and lariats, spinebusters and backbreakers. Awesome stood tall after taking everyone down, but then his height and weight advantage went right out the window with the arrival of Dominik Dijakovic!
Dijakovic went right into the ring and started throwing down with Awesome. Blow-for-blow, they appeared to be trying to murder each other. They fought out of the ring and into the bleachers with Famous B and Beautiful Brenda following around at a safe distance, cheering on Awesome and telling Dijakovic that he was worthless.
Passing the halfway point, the second half of the field started entering the match with the arrival of Aero Star! He came into the ring with a springboard hurricanrana for Ospreay, gave Dunne a springboard missile dropkick, and executed a diving corkscrew crossbody on Ali. Then, he came face-to-face with his trios partner, Fénix. They slap hands in a show of respect and then tied-up. Fénix got Aero Star into a side headlock. Aero Star sent Fénix running. He dropped to the mat, then leapfrogged him and then went up for a hurricanrana but Fénix miraculously flipped through and landed on his feet. Next, Aero Star ran the ropes, Fénix dropped to the mat, then leapfrogged him, then he went for a dropkick, but Aero Star clung to the ropes to avoid it. Then, he ran at Fénix and gave him déjà vu tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Around and around and around and around he went into finally he finished it off with an implant DDT! He went for the pin but Fénix kicked out.
Coming in at number twelve is “Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero! Guerrero entered the ring by climbing the turnbuckle and landing a diving crossbody on Aero Star. He gave Fénix a hurricanrana and then a dropkick to Dunne that sent him to the outside. Guerrero then took him down with a slingshot plancha. Next, Ospreay took him down with a Sasuke Special. Then, Fénix took Ospreay down with a springboard tornillo. Aero Star took the whole group down with a springboard trust fall. Mustafa Ali climbed to the top turnbuckle and performed a corkscrew moonsault into the pile. Mike Awesome took everyone out with an over-the-top-rope topé suicida. Finally, Dijakovic took the entire group out down like a bowling ball knocking all the pins down with a springboard topé con hilo!
Entering the match at number thirteen was King Cuerno, who saw no one in the ring and a giant mass of humanity struggling to get up off the floor. Upon entering the ring, King Cuerno took out his invisible bow and fired off an invisible arrow in their direction, then ran the ropes a few times to build huge speed and momentum and shot himself through the ropes, knocking everyone down once again with his Arrow From the Depths of Hell. Cuerno picked up Ali, who was his nearest competitor and threw him into the ring. He climbed the top turnbuckle, but Ali met him up there and gave him a Spanish Fly. He pinned him for a 2-count.
Rey Mysterio Jr. was the fourteenth luchador to enter the match. Meanwhile, as Ali got up, he was taken down by Ospreay with a cutter from out of nowhere. Ospreay was then nailed with a discus lariat by Dijakovic, who was then sent crashing into the turnbuckles by a falling forward dropkick by King Cuerno. Mysterio traded blows with Cuerno and then dropped him onto the mat by countering his attack with a wheelbarrow bulldog. Ali gave Mysterio a sunset flip, but Mysterio rolled through and gave him a roundhouse kick to the side of the head. Then, Eddie Guerrero dove in with the frog splash and made the cover. Mustafa Ali was eliminated. Upon getting up from the pinfall, Guerrero was rocked with a superkick from King Cuerno, who then tried to attack Mysterio, but got a basement dropkick to the knee that sent him headlong into the ropes. Mysterio connected with the 6-1-9 and followed it up with the West Coast Pop! 1-2-3! King Cuerno was eliminated.
Rhea Ripley entered Aztec Warfare next, bringing her brutality with it. It was too much for some of the luchadores to handle. She showcased her power with a running big boot to Ospreay, a spinebuster for Guerrero, and a powerslam for Mysterio. Aero Star took her down with diving tilt-a-whirl headscissors. When she got up, he tried to give her a hurricanrana, but she blocked, lifting him into the air and landed a spinning sit-out powerbomb. Then, she gave him the Riptide and pinned him for the 3-count. Aero Star was eliminated. Dijakovic stopped her wrath of destruction with a discus elbow smash that knocked her senseless, but not off her feet. Mike Awesome kicked her and gave her an Awesome Bomb! Before he could pin her, however, Dijakovic struck him in the back of the head with a discus big boot. Then, he picked up Awesome and gave him his Feast Your Eyes! Dijakovic made the cover. 1...2… Famous B broke it up! That was a big mistake. He ran and Dijakovic chased after him. Meanwhile, Guerrero and Mysterio picked their fallen luchadores to target, climbed opposite turnbuckles and performed stereo frog splashes onto Awesome and Ripley. Mike Awesome and Rhea Ripley were simultaneously eliminated.
Entering next - and not a moment too soon for Famous B - was Dr. Wagner Jr. who didn’t go to the ring. Inside, he went straight after Dijakovic, who had finally caught up to Famous B and had his hands tightening the tie around his neck. the doctor of bad medicine hit Dijakovic across the back with a chair and then ran his feet up the side of a high-rise bleacher retaining wall to execute a tornado DDT on the chair. Before he could do anything more, Pete Dunne gave him a step-up enzuigiri and then the X-Plex on the floor. Dunne brought Wagner into the ring and gave him the Bitter End. 1-2-3! Much to the dismay of Famous B, Dr. Wagner Jr. was eliminated.
The seventeenth competitor in this match, making her surprise debut, was Kairi Sane. As she made her entrance, Dunne was in surging, delivering enzuigiris and superkicks to everyone and snapping the finger joints of Guerrero, Mysterio, Ospreay and Fénix. He gave Sane a rude welcome with a superkick. He picked her up and tried to give her the X-Plex, but she miraculously flipped through and landed on her feet. Then, she ran to the ropes and gave him a spear! She gave Guerrero a flying headscissors takedown, dropkicked Ospreay into the corner and gave him a Sliding D running elbow drop, knocked Mysterio down with a springboard forearm smash and gave Aero Star the Alabama slam. Then, she went to the top rope and gave him the Insane Elbow! 1-2-3! Fénix was eliminated.
Coming in at number eighteen was Andrade Cien Almas, who was accompanied by Zelina Vega. He entered the ring by giving Sane a dragonrana that nearly eliminated her from the match. They traded blows. Almas backed Sane into the ropes and tried to throw a punch. She ducked it and drop a knee into his midsection and then gave him tornado DDT. Sane decided to go for the Insane Elbow, but Vega pushed her off the top rope, sending her crashing down into a retaining wall for one of the bleachers. Meanwhile, Almas got back to his feet, but was immediately taken down again with an OsCutter from Ospreay! Before he could make the pin, Vega took him down with a diving hurricanrana. Then, she pushed Almas all the way out of the ring to save him from getting pinned. Guerrero saw this hot mamacita and tried to use his smooth latino heat on her, but she kicked him in the crotch, then went outside the ring to check on Almas. While she was bent over tending to him, Sane got up, ran at her and executed a spear!
Drago was the second to last luchador to enter the match. He delivered kicks, arm drags, tilt-a-whirl headscissors and hurricanranas to anyone who came at him. Drago held the center of the ring. After emptying it, he left the ring himself, landing on Ospreay with a topé con hilo. Dunne tried to attack, but Drago countered with an elbow to the sternum and then rolled him into the ring. Drago went for a springboard maneuver, but Dunne gave him a dropkick and then went to work on his joints. He made a mistake by grabbing at his fingers to snap them. Just before he could get the move off, Drago spat mist in his eyes and then gave him a standing reverserana! 1-2-3! Pete Dunne was eliminated.
Awesome Kong was the last of the twenty luchadores to enter Aztec Warfare. She came in with a bang. Thunderous clotheslines and strikes were served up to everyone around. Sane received a powerslam. Almas got a Samoan drop. Ospreay got a spinebuster. Drago received a chokeslam. Guerrero also got a chokeslam. Mysterio received an Awesome Bomb. Aero Star was caught diving off of the top rope and squash with a fall forward slam and then Awesome Kong went to the top rope and executed an Awesome Splash! 1-2-3! Aero Star was eliminated.
Kong got up and looked at the carnage all around. When she turned around, she saw Dijakovic climbing into the ring. These two heavy hitters started throwing bombs at each other. They both ran to the ropes to try to knock each other down with clotheslines. Finally, when Dijakovic went to the ropes for another attempt, Kong followed and clotheslined him over the top. She left the ring to brawl with him on the outside.
Back in the ring, Guerrero was battling with Sane on the top turnbuckle. She knocked him over into a tree of woe position and then executed the Marine Spike (diving double foot stomp). She was pulling Guerrero out of the corner when Almas picked her up from behind and executed a delayed belly-to-back suplex. Then, he gave her La Sombra and covered her for a 3-count. Kairi Sane was eliminated.
Almas and Drago traded kicks and punches and then went into a sequence of several pinfalls countered into other pinfalls, none of which earned a 3-count. This continued until Guerrero landed a diving crossbody on Drago. When he got up, Almas gave him a superkick that knocked him down and out of the ring. Almas got up and was taken down with a springboard seated senton by Mysterio, who then gave Drago a drop toehold into the ropes and the 6-1-9. Before he could settle onto the ring apron, Almas gave him a dropkick that knocked him out to the floor. When Almas got up, Ospreay was in mid-flight and landed the OsCutter. He turned Almas over and went for the pin. 1-2- foot on the ropes! He noticed that Vega was standing right there. Of course, she saved him. This momentary lapse of concentration did him no good because while he was standing and staring down at Vega, he was pulled into a school-boy roll-up by Angel Garza! He grabbed a handful of tights. 1-2-3! Will Ospreay was eliminated.
Garza, who had disappeared moments after he was given an athletic-plex by Matanza Cueto, was probably the freshest luchador in the match at this point. He used that energy to counter an attack attempted by Drago, then hit him with a superkick and give him a middle rope springboard moonsault for a long 2-count. Moments later, he executed the Wing Clipper and pinned him for the 1-2-3! Drago was eliminated. Garza got up and did some showboating until he came face-to-face with Awesome Kong. She charged at him. He ducked her attack. When she turned around, he put a hand up to tell her to stop, and she did, out of confusion. Then Garza ripped his pants off and threw them at her. The distract was enough for him to knock her off her feet with a pair of superkicks.
Meanwhile, outside the ring, Drago was attacked by a masked luchadora with a serpent motif. He tried to defend himself and did an okay job until Jake Roberts hit him with a chair from behind, and then gave him a DDT. Together, Roberts and the luchadora picked up Drago and carried him out of the Temple.
Back in the ring, Guerrero was giving Garza the Three Amigos. When he finished, he did a Latino Heat shimmie and went to climb the top turnbuckle. Almas tripped him up and they fought on the top turnbuckle. Garza eventually got up and joined the fight. Then Mysterio got in on it. Eventually, Dijakovic and Kong came over and powerbombed Almas and Garza as they brought Mysterio and Guerrero down to the mat with superplexes! After that, the two heavyweights threw down again until Dijakovic rocked Kong with a pair of spinning back elbows. Then, he picked her up and gave her Feast Your Eyes! 1-2-3! Awesome Kong was eliminated.
Dijakovic continued to drop his opponents, giving Mysterio a chokeslam backbreaker, a sit-out chokeslam to Almas and a discus elbow smash and discus big boot to Guerrero. Garza took him down with a tornado DDT then he went for a middle rope moonsault, but he landed on Dijakovic’s knees. After that, Garza received the Feast Your Eyes! 1-2-3! Angel Garza was eliminated.
Down to the final four: Dominik Dijakovic, Eddie Guerrero, Andrade Cien Almas and Rey Mysterio Jr. (Oh sure, El Santo wasn’t pinned or submitted, but he wasn’t pulling the same move as Angel Garza. El Santo was long gone, presumably still embroiled in a battle with Matanza Cueto.)
There were a few moments where everyone took a corner and watched what everyone else would do. They eventually squared off and attacked each other. Fists and feet were the name of the game. A long stretch of that led to Almas getting knocked out of the ring with a big boot by Dijakovic. Guerrero sent Mysterio out of the ring with a back body drop. He charged at Dijakovic and gave him a dropkick into the turnbuckles. Guerrero put the boots to him, ran across the ring and charged back in for a basement dropkick. Then, he went climb the turnbuckles, but Almas got on the ring apron and they fought on the ring apron until Guerrero gave Almas a snap suplex on the apron. Meanwhile, Dijakovic got up and Mysterio took him right back down with a springboard seated senton. He hooked a leg for the cover, but Dijakovic kicked out. Mysterio ran the ropes and went for tilt-a-whirl headscissors, but Dijakovic countered it into a backbreaker. Then, he lift Mysterio up and threw him across the ring with his Time to Fly vertical suplex throw. As he approached Mysterio, Guerrero took him down with a diving crossbody into a lateral press for a long 2-count. They got up and Dijakovic blocked an attack from Guerrero and then gave him a sidewalk slam. When he got up, however, he received a superkick and La Sombra from Almas. 1-2-3! Dominik Dijakovic was eliminated.
As Guerrero was getting up, Almas gave him a feint front kick and then a back elbow. Then, he gave him a rope hung triangle armbar. When he let go, he went for a springboard dragon rana, but Guerrero landed a dropkick on him while he was in mid-air. Then, he picked up Almas and gave him the Three Amigos. Before he could get up off the last one, Mysterio dropped the dime on him. Mysterio climbed the turnbuckle and tried to go for a frog splash, but he landed on Guerrero’s knees. Guerrero got up and gave Mysterio the Splash Mountain powerbomb! Almas rushed Guerrero from behind and tossed him out of the ring. Then he executed La Sombra on Mysterio and pinned him. 1-2-3! Rey Mysterio Jr. was eliminated.
Down to the final two: Andrade and Eddie. With Guerrero on the outside, Almas went to the ropes and performed a springboard corkscrew plancha to take him down. Then, he tosses him back into the ring and executed a double springboard moonsault and make the cover to get a 2-count. Almas picked up Guerrero and sent him into the corner. He charged in but Guerrero leapt onto his back and executed a sunset flip powerbomb. He got up and appeared to be going for a suplex, but Almas blocked. They punched each other in the ribs and jostled for position until finally Almas executed the vertical suplex. He got up and climbed the turnbuckles. He did a little shimmy in a show of disrespect to Guerrero and then went for the frog splash but Guerrero rolled out of the way. When they both got up, Guerrero ran over and sent Almas into the corner turnbuckles with a dropkick. Then he ran in and flung him into the center of the ring with a monkey flip. Now, Guerrero was rolling. He did his shimmy and started climbing the turnbuckles. Zelina Vega went up to try to hold him up, finally slapping him, then climbing the turnbuckles herself and executing a frankensteiner!
Almas picked up Guerrero and applied the hammerlock. He was setting up for La Sombra, but before he could get his leg hooked in, Guerrero drove a few knews into his mid-secton, then escaped around back to execute a bridging German suplex. 1…2… kick out! Back to their their feet, Guerrero lifted Almas up and gave him a Gory Special. 1…2… kick out! He pointed to corner and climbed the turnbuckle again, and again Vega went up the turnbuckle to stop him. She tried to give him a frankensteiner again, but this time he held onto the top rope with both hands, then lifted Vega back up and gave her a powerbomb off the turnbuckles onto Almas’ chest! He quickly ran back to the corner and climbed the turnbuckles. He leapt from the corner and landed the frog splash! 1…2…3!
The Temple erupted into a chorus of cheers as Eddie Guerrero was announced by Melissa Santos as the winner of Aztec Warfare. Now, he will go on to Ultima Lucha Cuatro to challenge Prince Puma for the Lucha Underground Championship!
WINNER : Eddie Guerrero
***
We enter the layer of Reptile Tribe, with snake pits and other scaly green monsters a plenty. It is a golden palace of sorts. Drago is forced to stand, with his arms upright, wrists bound by chains to the ceiling. He pulls to try to break free but can’t. A masked luchadora, carrying a whip walks over and asks him if he knows who she is. He says he doesn’t. She says he does, but he seems to forget. She asks if the name Kobra Moon rings a bell. He says it does not. She says she is his queen and tells that he must address her as such. He says he will not, so she whips him. She tells him to say her name, again, he refuses and he whips him. This is repeated a few times before she stops and says that he will not eat until she calls him his queen. He says that he will never do that. She says that she has a feeling he will, then turns to look over her shoulder, saying, “Right my king?”
Sitting in a golden throne, the shape of a king cobra’s head, is Jake “The Snake” Roberts. He looks at Drago and says that Drago will call Kobra Moon his queen, and he will call Roberts his king. And when he realizes who he truly is, he will help them win the coming Tribal War. If is a war the Rabbit Tribe wants, then it is a war they will get because now the most powerful reptilian warrior has come back home.
***
Mustafa Ali walks into a 7-11, bent over and clutching his ribs. He walks up to the clerk and tells him that he needs to urgently go to the bathroom because he has a gastrointestinal problem that is flaring up. The clerk gives him a key to the bathroom and Ali runs over to it. He opens it and goes in. Suddenly, he looks fine. He lifts the ceramic top off the toilet and finds a small button inside, somewhat hidden by the flushing mechanism. He hits the button and a door market “janitor closet” clicks open. He opens the door and walks down a flight of stairs. There’s a small secret service operation at the bottom of the stairs. He’s greeted by a man who tells sends him into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office. Ali has urgent breaking news for him: Dario Cueto is alive. Schwarzenegger can’t believe it. He goes on to say that he disappeared almost as soon as he came, and he took the Gauntlet of the Gods with him. Schwarzenegger tells him that the Gauntlet is a weapon of mass destruction, which is why he needs to find Dario and take it from him so they can destroy it before it destroys all of humanity.
***
In the Oval Office, POTUS is watching the ending of the Trios Championship Match and sees the Pinnacle of Sports Entertainment get a decisive victory over the most threatening trio they could possibly face. He immediately pauses the video, grabs his phone and tells his secretary to put him through to Agent VKM. When he answers, POTUS tells him that he saw what the PSE did to the Authors of Pain. It was spectacular! POTUS says there is clearly no one who can stop Operation #MEGA now. Agent VKM asks if he saw all of Aztec Warfare. POTUS says there was no point in watching anything after the PSE retained their Trios Championships. Agent VKM tells him they have a problem: Dario Cueto is back. POTUS can’t believe it. He’s dead. Agent VKM reminds him how his body went missing from the morgue. Now, he’s back, and if he’s an immortal, there’s almost nothing they can do to ride the United States of America of lucha libre and the filthy influence it has on the time-honoured tradition of sports entertainment. POTUS tells him that he’ll have to do whatever it takes even if he means Agent VKM has to walk through the doors of the Temple himself.
***
Antonio Cueto climbs into a black limousine. He takes a seat next to LA City Councilman Delgado, who says that the dark lord is eager to hear what is this urgent emergency that could not wait. Antonio says that Matanza is missing. Delgado tells him not to worry. He has made so many sacrifices of late that he is becoming ascendant. He should return soon, more powerful than ever, and when he does, he’ll finally be ready to finish the dark lord’s bidding. Antonio says he doesn’t think that is so because he’s lost the Gauntlet of the Gods. Delgado asks how and does he know who has it. He tells him that Dario is back and he has it. Surprised, Delgado, asks him how this could be – and how could he get the Gauntlet from Matanza. Antonio says he has it but it wasn’t he who took it away from him. It was is accomplice: El Santo.
Delgado can’t believe it. He tells Antonio that if Matanza is with Dario and El Santo, they may be able to turn him. If they do, he will be a greater danger to all of them. He will be able to stop everything they have worked so hard to accomplish because even without the Gauntlet of the Gods, it has made he him too powerful for mere mortals to incapacitate him. They will have to unleash The Fiend on him. Then he turns to look into the dark side of the limo and asks the dark lord what he thinks they should do about El Santo. He says there is no one, not even The Fiend, who has the power to destroy El Santo. There is only one who has what it takes to kill this man of the heavens. Sitting forward, the dark lord emerges from the shadows and says, “It is me. I am the one. I will kill El Santo.”
***