MLW Lucha Apocalypto
November 9, 2024
By: John Siino
Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois
Commentary: Joe Dombrowski & Tom Lawlor
*NOTE: This show was originally scheduled to air live on YouTube on November 9th but was delayed to the following day due to technical difficulties. The previously canceled Slaughterhouse event from October 4th was taped alongside this show, to air on November 23rd.
RESULTS
- Hechicero & Ultimo Guerrero over Kevin Knight & Esfinge via pinfall (10:30)
- Chain: Brett Ryan Gosselin over Alex Kane via pinfall (5:14)
- MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship: Janai Kai (c) over Lluvia, Persephone via submission (8:27)
- MLW National Openweight Championship Falls Count Anywhere: Matthew Justice over Bad Dude Tito Escondido (c) via pinfall to become new champion (10:23)
- MLW World Tag Team Championship: Minoru Suzuki & Ikuro Kwon (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Matt Riddle – No Contest (6:55)
- Atlantis, Atlantis Jr. & Star Jr. over Felino, Magnus & Barbaro Cavernario via pinfall (12:35) (Recommended)
- MLW World Middleweight Championship: Mistico (c) over Averno, Titan via submission (23:44) (Recommended)
The show starts with Cesar Duran kicking off the show, welcoming us to Lucha Apocalypto. Joe Dombrowski is joined on commentary by a masked individual, who reveals himself to be ‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor, filling in for Christian Cole tonight.
Hechicero & Ultimo Guerrero vs. Kevin Knight & Esfinge
A couple of debuts for MLW here, with Esfinge & Hechicero from CMLL, both having a couple of appearances in AEW earlier this year. Ultimo Guerrero attacked Esfinge before the bell rang, as Kevin Knight & Hechicero started the match. Hechicero takes Knight down to the mat right away and starts twisting him up, putting on a surfboard before tagging in Guerrero. Guerrero does more of the same to Knight while getting the crowd into it with chants. They start chopping away and running the ropes before Hechicero gets involved as well and is taken out with a double dropkick from Knight. They continue double-teaming on Knight, knocking him to the outside. Hechicero continues with the submissions before Guerrero re-enters and hits an avalanche gut buster on Knight. Knight eventually escapes and makes the hot tag to Esfinge who goes to town on both opponents but gets caught in the Conjuring by Hechicero, followed by a rolling pin until trapping him down to get the win.
Winners: Hechicero & Ultimo Guerrero by pinfall at 10:30
Who Took Cesar Duran?
We go to Salina de la Renta in the back who says tonight you will witness what it’s like when her family comes together. Salina’s mother talks about how Bad Dude Tito is a beautiful man, so Salina suggests that she date her. They get interrupted by Jesus Rodriguez who hands Salina a card telling her that someone took her ‘dad’ Cesar Duran, so she sends her henchmen to look for Duran and tells whoever did this, that they will pay.
Chain Match: Brett Ryan Gosselin vs. Alex Kane (w/ Mr. Thomas)
Mr. Thomas is ringside for this chain match, as commentary wonders about the whereabouts of the rest of the Rogue Horsemen for Brett Ryan Gosselin. Alex Kane goes right after BRG, whipping away at him with the chain and using it to whip him into the corners. BRG tries to escape to the outside, but Kane pulls him into the post with the chain. BRG is already busted open from that, as commentary wonders if this is the first time that’s ever happened to him. Kane hits a couple of suplexes, before ripping his shirt off and choking BRG out with it. As he’s choking out BRG, the rest of the Rogue Horsemen come out and take out Thomas. They get on the apron and distract Kane, as BRG rolls up Kane and pins him, with his feet on the ropes for leverage.
Winner: Brett Ryan Gosselin by pinfall at 5:14
We get a promo from Mads Krule Krugger ahead of his Weapons of Mass Destruction match against AKIRA at Slaughterhouse, which airs November 23rd on YouTube.
MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship: Janai Kai (c) vs. Lluvia vs. Persephone
Two more debuts here in MLW, with the luchadoras from CMLL in Lluvia & Persephone both challenging for this championship, as Janai Kai is closing in at 400 days as Women’s World Featherweight Champion. Right away, Lluvia & Persephone double-team on Kai and knock her to the outside before they go at it themselves. They trade off arm drags and run the ropes before Persephone catches Lluvia into a trap suplex before mounting her with punches. Lluvia dodges her in the corner and takes her to the outside with headscissors, but Kai trips her up when she is trying to dive into Persephone. Lluvia & Persephone go back to double-teaming on Kai, chopping and kicking her against the ropes. They put on a dual submission on Kai, but she escapes and comes right back with a flurry of kicks on both opponents. Persephone takes out Lluvia with a spear, and Kai takes advantage and goes for multiple pins. Lluvia traps Persephone in the ropes and hits her with a dropkick for another two. Back to double-teaming on Kai backfires, as Lluvia ends up taking out Persephone with a top rope crossbody. Kai kicks Lluvia to the outside and puts on the Demon Clutch on Persephone who taps out to end the match.
Winner: Janai Kai by submission at 8:27, to retain
After the match, Delmi Exo is in the crowd and tells Kai that she’s pushed one too many of her buttons and stealing Duran was the biggest mistake Contra Unit could have made, as Joe Dombrowski asks if it was indeed them, as it hasn’t been established to the viewers yet. Exo puts out a challenge to Kai right then and there, but Kai tells her to get in the ring. Exo takes out a Sentai Death Squad member with a chair, but as she goes to enter the ring, Kai runs away to the back.
Dombrowski & Lawlor talk about how there could be other suspects in the kidnapping of Duran, such as Eric Bischoff. We cut to Salina who talks about knowing that it was Contra Unit, and if she doesn’t get her father back unharmed, there will be severe consequences.
MLW National Openweight Championship Falls Count Anywhere Match: Bad Dude Tito Escondido (c) (w/ Jesus Rodriguez) vs. Matthew Justice
Bad Dude Tito Escondido goes right after Matthew Justice during his entrance, as they quickly take it into the crowd and fight amongst the fans and use chairs. Justice drags Tito deep through it and uses a fan replica’s title belt before they take it back ringside, where Jesus Rodriguez distracts Justice enough for Tito to take him out with a Death Valley Driver on the outside. Tito starts tossing a barrage of chairs onto Justice, before stacking a bunch more on the floor and putting Justice onto them with a brainbuster for a two. Justice comes back with a Death Valley Driver to Tito onto the chairs before going and grabbing a table that he sets up on the outside. Justice goes to the top rope, but Rodriguez distracts him again, causing Tito to grab him and put Justice through the table with a Tequila Sunrise from the apron, but Justice kicks out at two. They take it back into the crowd, as Justice finds another table before taking out Rodriguez & Tito with chair shots. Rodriguez tries to choke out Justice with a garbage bag but gets taken out. Justice places Tito on the table, goes up the stairs of this arena, and jumps off a ledge onto Tito and the table, to get the pin and the win. This Falls Count Anywhere match never entered the ring at all.
Winner: Matthew Justice by pinfall at 10:23, to become NEW MLW National Openweight Champion
Joe Dombrowski is in the ring and brings out the MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima. As he enters the ring, he gets attacked from behind by Minoru Suzuki & Ikuro Kwon. Matt Riddle runs out and sends them packing to help Kojima. Riddle gets on the mic and says he’s getting sick and tired of them, and tells Suzuki & Kwon to put the MLW World Tag Team Championship on the line right then and there, as Suzuki answers with ‘Of course. Come on, fucking young boys!’
MLW World Tag Team Championship: Contra Unit (Minoru Suzuki & Ikuro Kwon) (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Matt Riddle
Satoshi Kojima & Ikuro Kwon start the match by running the ropes as Kojima knocks him down with a shoulder block. Kwon comes back with kicks for a 2 count before Minoru Suzuki tags himself in and goes after Kojima in the corner. Kojima comes back with machine gun chops before all four men take it to the outside and fight against the barricades. Contra Unit starts using chairs and cable wires, as the referee lets it slide before Suzuki & Kojima re-enter the ring. Kojima stops Kwon’s kicks by hitting a Koji Cutter, as Matt Riddle tags in and goes after Kwon with a flurry of moves including a bridged German Suplex for two. Kwon comes back with a side slam, before tagging in Suzuki. Suzuki catches Riddle off the apron with a rear-naked choke, before grabbing what looks like part of the ring skirt and choking out Riddle with it. The referee tries to intervene, as Kwon sprays red mist into Kojima’s face. Suzuki tosses the referee out of the ring as the match is thrown out.
Winner: The match ended in a no-contest at 6:55
Suzuki & Riddle keep going at it until Kwon enters with chairs, and he and Suzuki continue to attack Riddle until dozens of security and personnel run into the ring to keep them all apart.
Magnus, Felino & Barbaro Cavernario vs. Star Jr., Atlantis Jr. & Atlantis
All six luchadores here from CMLL are making repeat appearances for MLW with this trios match. Magnus & Star Jr. start the match here, as the commentary team plugs away that CMLL stars have their own merch on MLW Shop as well. The crowd gets into this lucha action here, as Atlantis & Felino enter next until the rudos start triple-teaming on Atlantis. Atlantis Jr. enters to help his father, but he gets ambushed by all three opponents as well. Atlantis Jr. fights them all off, knocking them all to the outside as Star Jr. enters next to fight them off. The rudos continue to triple-team each opponent, working on Atlantis Jr. & Star Jr. for a while, with Barbaro Cavernario hitting a springboard splash on Star Jr. for two. Atlantis Jr. finally stops this ambushing with three backbreakers, before Star Jr. enters and goes to work hitting a double springboard dropkick on Barbaro. Atlantis enters a flurry of arm drags and backbreakers, before hitting a Plancha on Barbaro on the outside. The cameras have a hard time keeping up with all this fast-moving action, that ends with Atlantis Jr. hitting a frog splash on Felino to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Atlantis Jr., Atlantis & Star Jr. by pinfall at 12:35
Eric Bischoff’s One Shot
We get a promo for their next special on December 5th from Queens, New York that is being presented as Eric Bischoff’s One Shot (An Eric Bischoff Production).
Dijak Hijacks The Filthy Commentary
Two masked members of Los Aztecas make their way to the ring, as the Doomsday clock comes up on the screen. Donovan Dijak and Saint Laurent make their way to the ring. Los Aztecas try their best to go after Dijak, but he takes them out with a double choke slam before suplexing one onto the other. Dijak continues as Saint Laurent asks if anyone back there has the balls to take on Dijak as they have an open contract. Dijak takes their masks off and says the MLW locker room is full of nothing but a bunch of cowards who haven’t been a threat in 15 years. He brings up that KENTA hasn’t been a threat since some guy started doing his finisher better than he does and Matt Riddle is only a threat when he goes to the dispensary and they don’t have his favorite strain. Dijak then looks over at Tom Lawlor and says that Lawlor spent 5 seconds in the ring with him and then decided to do commentary for the rest of his career. Lawlor has enough of this and enters the ring, as Dombrowski keeps saying that he isn’t clear to fight. They push referees away and start brawling before dozens of security members enter to keep them apart.
MLW Upcoming Schedule
- Eric Bischoff’s One Shot – December 5 – New York City
- Kings of Colosseum – January 11 – Dallas
- SuperFight 6 – February 8 – Atlanta
MLW World Middleweight Championship: Mistico (c) vs. Averno vs. Titan
We get a very good video package before this match, narrated by Joe Dombrowski talking about the history of these three competitors for anyone not too familiar with them and how they connect. Things like this are small, but very important in the long run. Tom Lawlor is out of breath and without his shirt, but he stays on commentary for the main event. Titan is making his MLW debut with this triple-threat match. Mistico gets a big entrance and reaction here from the crowd as commentary brings up Mistico is the main reason why they are sold out here tonight. All three go at each other right away, going for multiple pin attempts as the crowd chants ‘This is Lucha’. They all start trading chops before Mistico heads to the top and takes out Averno with a headscissors. Titan holds Mistico on the outside as Averno attacks him and we start getting some double-teaming to Mistico on the outside. They continue the double-team once back inside. They go back out and fight against the commentary table before Titan flips out to hit a double stomp on Mistico. Averno & Titan’s partnership continues, as they both start working on ripping off Mistico’s mask. Mistico gets a burst of energy and takes them both to the outside where he meets them with a corkscrew dive. Mistico follows with a tope as the crowd is on their feet for him.
Mistico starts going for pins on Titan, but Averno is there to break it up. Averno hits Mistico with the Devil’s Wings, but this time Titan breaks it up. Titan hits a spinning fireman’s carry slam for two, heads to the top but misses the double stomp. Titan takes out both opponents on the outside with a dive, before tossing Mistico back inside. Titan & Mistico are on the top rope, as Averno joins in and hits the Tower of Doom getting a two on Mistico. Averno & Titan end up on the top rope next as Averno hits another Devil’s Wings, but Mistico gets up to stop the count. Mistico places Averno on the top rope and hits a Spanish Fly. The crowd gets behind Titan a bit, as he takes down Mistico and hits his top rope double stomp, but Averno breaks up the count. Mistico takes them both to the outside and hits them with back-to-back dives. Mistico keeps fighting them both off before trapping Averno in La Mistica, as he taps out right away to end the match.
Winner: Mistico by submission at 23:44, to retain
As soon as the match is over, Barbaro Cavernario runs out and attacks Mistico, pulling off his mask. Barbaro gets on the mic and puts out a challenge to Mistico and his MLW World Middleweight Championship for Kings of Colosseum on January 11th.
Salina’s Water Breaks
We end the show with Salina de la Renta yelling at someone on the phone for going back to the hotel, instead of finding the kidnapped Cesar Duran. Jesus Rodriguez & Los Aztecas find Duran tied up to a chair as he says he doesn’t know if it was Contra Unit that did this to him. Salina (who is legit pregnant) seems to be breaking water and says ‘It’s time’, as Jesus & Los Aztecas rush to get her to the hospital. Duran finds a piece of paper in his pocket that he seems conflicted about before he goes and joins the rest of them.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was your run-of-the-mill MLW show that was saved by some fantastic lucha action from CMLL, which to no surprise was the best work on the show, highlighted by an outstanding main event. The working relationship with CMLL seems to be a huge help for MLW, as you can tell most of the crowd here in Cicero came out to support the luchadores that they seemed familiar with. The video package before the main event is such an important detail to point out, as it informs me and anyone else tuning in to get more familiar with the wrestlers and why the match is so important.
Someone who I wasn’t too familiar with was Persephone, who stood out to me and I would be shocked if AEW doesn’t showcase her sooner rather than later since they are working with CMLL as well, but WWE might want to consider bringing her in as Persephone already has the presence and look of a star. If AEW does use her, hopefully, it won’t be another Stephanie Vaquer situation for them.
The MLW side of the show lacked a bit as far as in-ring action goes and relied more on this overseeing storyline about the kidnapping of Cesar Duran and Salina’s pregnancy. It all might seem absurd, but at least it’s a constant type of storyline that MLW continues. Wonky camera work throughout and the commentary was hurt a bit as well, as the team of Joe Dombrowski & Christian Cole work very well together, and you can sense that type of chemistry missing tonight. Not sure the reasoning for the switch, but could have been as simple as it was there to set up the brawl between Tom Lawlor & Donovan Dijak.
MLW has had a couple of hiccups lately with their Slaughterhouse show being canceled due to circumstances out of their control and this show being postponed due to technical difficulties. I know sometimes you can’t control these types of situations, but this isn’t the first time this has happened, and I can already see the criticism online from fans who had set aside time to watch this on Saturday night. The timing would have been perfect, with it following AEW Collision and those already in watching wrestling for the night were ready to make the switch over to YouTube, which was moved to a much tougher spot the following night going against Sunday Night Football. Regardless, it’s a free show on YouTube that anyone can go back to watch at any time, and the word of mouth of the CMLL matches should be enough to gain an audience.
