MHW- The Lucha Alternative (C-Verse)

[Aura]

 

As reported by TotalExtremeWrestling.com, the world of lucha libre is set to see a new addition in the coming weeks.

When The Gatekeeper left his longtime role as a booker for EILL at the tail end of 2019, many fans believed that the sun had set on the career of one of the largest competitors in lucha libre history. However, this instead turned out to be the beginning of another chapter, as on the first day of January 2020, The Gatekeeper officially announced the opening of a new company, Mexican Hardcore Wrestling.

In an interview on La Red De La Lucha where he announced MHW's launch, The Gatekeeper explained that he felt that he had done all that he could in EILL, but there was still more that he had to offer the world of lucha. The following excerpt outlines this vision in further detail:

 

"I have seen the best lucha matches that the world has to offer, but I know that there is a demand for a less traditional approach to the sport. Across the world, there are wrestlers who are willing to take greater risks and brawl harder for their chance at glory. To some, the willingness to bleed and expose themselves to such danger would see foolish. However, in this I see opportunity. Mexican Hardcore Wrestling will be the new home for the toughest, wildest, and most dynamic luchadors in Mexico."

 

The risks of opening such a company are evident from the beginning. A hardcore wrestling company has never launched on such a scale in Mexico, and it is unclear on whether or not they have a path to success. MHW's rebellious image has a unique edge, but it may dissuade fans of more traditional lucha from offering their support. With three major companies already operating, there is also the question of whether or not MHW will be able to garner enough attention or talent in the wake of competitors who have a very large head start on them.

Mexican Hardcore Wrestling is still little more than a name at this point, but The Gatekeeper has promised more to come. A card for MHW's first event, MHW Venganza, is due to be announced in the coming days. For now, it remains to be seen if Mexican Hardcore Wrestling will be a passing fad, or if the true giant of lucha libre's latest venture will be a gigantic success.

[Aura]

It's been a long time since I tried to write a dynasty on this site. My first attempt was awkward and completely forgettable, and I kind of regret that I didn't wait longer until I was better at playing TEW and writing in general to make an attempt. However, I'm feeling a little more confident now, so I would like to give it another shot.

I decided to go with MHW for two reasons. One, I'm really interested in the C-Verse's inactive promotions, and I wanted to put my own spin on one. Second, I never see anyone talk about MHW, so I thought that it would be a good way to work with a company that more or less has a clean slate. I've messed with it a little in the past, but I haven't done a full-fledged playthrough until now, so hopefully this turns out well!

[Aura]

Ref Benn was as much of an old pro as a man who had never laced up for a match could be in the lucha world. He grew up around the business, and had spent the last 40 years refereeing indie shows all across the country. Few men had seen more luchadores come and go as he did, and that made him the obvious choice for The Gatekeeper to bring in as his second-in-command. Truth be told, he wasn't completely sold on whether this "hardcore lucha" experiment would work out. However the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new company was intriguing enough to draw him in.

The two men sat at Gatekeeper's kitchen table, which was currently standing in for an office, as they went over the collection of wrestlers that they had signed. They had a collection of old and new talents, brawlers, flyers, and those that could do both.  As they looked over their options, Benn couldn't help but question some of Gatekeeper's choices.

"You know that I respect you, both as a man and an member of the business." Benn explained as he began his inquiry. "But looking at this roster, I have to raise some concerns. You described MHW as a sort of gritty, no holds barred kind of promotion. However, I'm not sure that most of our talent carries that image." Benn flipped through pictures of the luchadores that they had chosen for the company.

In response, The Gatekeeper shook his head. "Ref, everything we see right here? This is what they've done so far with their careers. Once we get them in and start training, that's when we can put together their new gimmicks, and how we'll present them here. Some of them we'll probably bring in as they are, and a few of them will be getting some big changes." He crossed his arms as he spoke. "I already discussed some gimmick ideas with a few of them, and they're willing to give them a shot.

"I see your point there." Benn concedes, but then he holds up headshots of two specific wrestlers, Mercenario III and Noxious. "However, I can't help but notice that two members of our roster have never wrestled a match."

Gatekeeper pointed to the pictures in question. "First of all, we signed Los Mercenarios, so that means we get all of them, even the newbie. And second, I have a strong feeling about Noxious. He's green, but from what I've seen of his training, he could turn into a great fit for what MHW should represent." He tapped Noxious' picture. "Besides, if we want MHW to stick around for the long term, we'll need some younger stars to carry the torch once our main eventers start to get old, eh?"

Benn looked back at the pictures in his hand. Considering those headshots were the only pictures they had of the two, not even any shots from training, he still didn't have full confidence in the idea. However, he knew for a fact that most of the wrestlers that they chose for the roster could at least put on a serviceable match, so hopefully they would be able to drag the newcomers up with their performances.

"All right." Benn said, getting up from the table to stretch his legs. "Let's make some phone calls then. Hopefully these young guns won't make us regret this decision."

 

[Aura]

DAY ONE ROSTER

A.D.B

Daredevil Aero

El Orgulloso

Fernando Fernandez

Firebird

Flash Savage

Gringo Star

Handsome Felipe

Hijo Del Vigilante

Máscara Roja Jr

Mercenario I

Mercenario II

Mercenario III

Noxious

Payaso Jr

Red Rascal

Styx

[Aura]

 

After weeks of contract negotiations, training, and booking meetings, MHW: Venganza had finally come. For the first time, Mexican Hardcore Wrestling would be on display in front of a crowd of paying fans. Granted, Bar Juarez was one of the smallest venues around, and they didn't exactly draw the kinds of crowds that EILL or OLLIE would be pulling on a similar night. Even so, they would only get one opening night, so they had to make it count.

The Gatekeeper patrolled the backstage area, just as he had since he transitioned to his backstage role. Compared to the crowded EILL locker rooms that he had become accustomed to, it was almost barren. Being emptier didn't mean that the room was dead, though. Being filled with mostly younger talents, many of whom haven't had their big break or were hungry to prove themselves, the energy in the room was intense.

Los Mercenarios had sept up in one corner of the locker room, discussing plans for the evening, while Payaso Jr was listening to music on his headphones while lacing up his boots. Gatekeeper tapped him on the shoulder to make sure that he was paying attention, and the clown-painted man looked up to get a thumbs-up in return from the boss. The mood was pretty positive, and everyone seemed ready to give it their best once the curtain fell.

Well... all except for one.

There were a few members of the roster crowding around one area, with a few whispering to each other. Gatekeeper had been around long enough to know that something was going down, and his great height let him see exactly what it was. Ref Benn, who was leading the locker room due to seniority, was having a bit of a talk with Gringo Star, who seemed rather unhappy with the proceedings.

"I was told this was a name company. A big shot!" Gringo complained. "I could've stayed on the indies if I wanted to work Bar Juarez!"

It was a surprising sight. Gringo always jumped straight into character during training, so Gatekeeper hadn't taken him for a complainer. At least he was finding this out now before it could become a problem. To his credit, Benn wasn't taking Gringo's attitude lying down.

"This is the first show. We don't have an established fanbase. Right now, we are basically indy level." Benn lays down the facts in his matter-of-fact tone. "I don't care who you are, no company sells out arenas on day one. Not unless they have El Patron headlining the card, and I don't think he's planning a comeback." Benn may have looked weary, but he still had a sharpness in his eyes.

Gringo wanted to make a comeback of his own, but looking around, he could see how many pairs of eyes were on him, as well as the hulking presence of the Gatekeeper. Deciding that it wasn't worth escalating, he backed down. "Alright, alright." He muttered as he shook his head. "I'll go over my match or something."

"Get to it, then." Benn replied. Gatekeeper gave Gringo a look as the younger luchador passed him by, and he gave no reply other than a start. At the very least, he was thankful that none of the talent started any real problems. Bar Juarez was the cheapest venue in town, so he wasn't keen on getting kicked out, especially on their first night.

As the minutes counted down to showtime, The Gatekeeper walked through the curtain. It was time to give the people what they came for.

____________________

MHW: VENGANZA

Gringo Star vs. Handsome Felipe

Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Styx

Fernando Fernandez & Noxious vs. Los Mercenarios

Payaso Jr vs. Mascara Roja Jr

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- A.D.B. vs. El Orgulloso

[Aura]

Anyone's free to make predictions on the show's results! I don't have any prizes for it, but it's always fun to play regardless. Besides, it may help me find out how predictable my booking is.

[229tman]

Gringo Star vs. Handsome Felipe

Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Styx

Fernando Fernandez & Noxious vs. Los Mercenarios

Payaso Jr vs. Mascara Roja Jr

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- A.D.B. vs. El Orgulloso

[DarK_RaideR]

Mexican hardcore and MHW are criminally underrepresented in the diaries, at least if you take out all the ones inspired by/stylized as Lucha Underground. Glad to see you take a swing, good luck and have fun!

[CQI13]

Don't know any of these folks, but...

MHW: VENGANZA

Gringo Star vs. HandsomHandsome - we aren't giving a rabble-rouser like Gringo the win here are we?

Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Styx

Fernando Fernandez & Noxious vs. Los Mercenarios - they have a team name. Has to count for something, right?

Payaso Jr vs. Mascara Roja Jr

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- A.D.B. vs. El Orgulloso

[KyTeran]

MHW: VENGANZA

Gringo Star vs. Handsome Felipe

Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Styx

Fernando Fernandez & Noxious vs. Los Mercenarios

Payaso Jr vs. Mascara Roja Jr

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- A.D.B. vs. El Orgulloso

[Aura]

MHW Venganza

 vs 

Gringo Star vs. Handsome Felipe

The show opens with Gringo Star charging to the ring with little sign of his previous attitude remaining. As he played to the crowd with his wild antics, Handsome Felipe (formerly known as Felipe Caballero) stroked his mustache before leisurely walking to the ring. The match was a clash of styles, with Felipe's athleticism giving him some impressive maneuvers, but Gringo's wild brawling keeping him from getting too much of an advantage. The finish came when Gringo brought a chair into the ring, only for Felipe to superkick it into his face before dropping him onto that same chair with a Caballero Drop for the pin. Rating: 31

 

 vs 

Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal

Pumping techno music plays in the bar as the daredevil party boy Daredevil Aero makes his entrance, although the crowd doesn't seem to be getting into it. This match features no weapon use from either competitor, focusing purely on their acrobatic skills. However, there are plenty of underhanded tricks on display from Red Rascal, whose trickery keeps Aero from ending the match too quickly. In the end, Aero springboards off the ropes for an Aerosault to finish the match to tepid reception. Rating: 22

 

 vs 

Firebird vs. Styx

The crowd starts to wake up more as Firebird comes out. His tattoos and tough guy attitude seem to resonate somewhat with the crowd. As for Styx, his cool look and elaborate entrance made him stand out if nothing else. This match was a straightforward brawl with both men attacking aggressively at every opportunity. Unfortunately, this meant that Styx's somewhat limited brawling ability was contrasted with Firebird's more refined moveset. Even so, both men managed to incorporate some weapon spots to keep things interesting. After extensive brawling on the outside, Firebird pulls Styx back into the ring to nail a Fire Bomb XXL for the win. Rating: 29

 

 vs 

Fernando Fernandez and Noxious vs. Los Mercenarios

The massive Mexican flag graphic in Fernando's entrance got some cheers from the more patriotic fans, while poor Noxious entered to relative silence. In return, Los Mercenarios came in looking likemen on a mission. While Fernando and Noxious weren't buried, it was clear that Los Mercenarios had a teamwork factor than the makeshift team couldn't match. As Noxious went for a desperate tag at the tail end of the match, a third Mercenario emerged from the back to yank Fernando off the ring apron. While Merc II kept beating down Fernando at ringside, Merc III entered the ring to help Merc I bring Noxious up for an elevated Merc Drop. A win for the established trio, although not one that got the crowd excited. Rating: 21

 

Post-match, Los Mercenarios get in the ring, and Merc I announces that they are here to take over MHW. However, his delivery wasn't too convincing, and he was unlikely co convince anyone that hadn't bought into their match Rating: 19

 

 vs 

Payaso Jr. vs. Mascara Roja Jr

This unintentional battle of the Juniors opens with Payaso making his debut to the sounds of remixed carnival music, looking enthusiastic. In contrast, Mascara Roja comes out looking like he means business. This was another primarily athletic matchup, but both men made creative use of the tools provided to them, most notably Payaso blocking a kendo stick shot with a cookie sheet and encouraging Roja to keep hitting it, making the red-masked warrior toss the weapon aside in frustration. Mascara Roja put on an aggressive spectacle for someone who isn't usually a hardcore specialist, but that didn't save him from getting wrapped up in a clown cradle for the three. Rating: 34

 

Proud, regal-sounding music plays as El Orgulloso walks down the entrance ramp, basking in his own glory. He holds out his hand, wordlessly requesting a microphone until an annoyed Ref Benn hands him one. Clearing his throat, he addresses the gathered crowd.

"Loyal fans, It's an honor to see that you have waited through all of this uncouth garbage in order to see a true wrestler apply his craft." He's going out of his way to act as arrogant and above-it-all as possible in his delivery "And I am overjoyed to tell you that in a few minutes, you will get to watch me become this organization's champion. And it... will be... perfecto."

 

In response to this display of arrogance, A.D.B. steps onto the ramp with his own theme song playing. He brought his own mic, and holds up his hand to make sure everyone's quiet before he responds.

"Look here, Orgulloso. Nobody came here to listen to you talk, and I know nobody came here to see you strut like some kinda peacock. In that ring, there's only one thing you oughta do, ad that's square up." Following his own words, he hands his microphone to a tech guy and takes off his ring jacket before heading into the ring to start the match. Rating: 31

 

 vs 

Campeonato del Mundo MHW Title

El Orgulloso vs. A.D.B.

Both men start by scoping each other out, but once the match picks up the pace, it doesn't slow down. A.D.B. and Orgulloso are both fantastic athletes, and they show off their skills well. The main theme of the match is A.D.B. being gifted in both brawling and flying, so he uses his varied skillset to try to bring down Orgulloso, who is much more specialized with his acrobatic moveset. Feeding into the match is Orgulloso's habit of posing and praising himself after particularly impressive moves, keeping him a definite rudo despite his flashy style. A.D.B. nearly has the match won as he starts setting up a superplex, but a hard knee to the gut from Orgulloso breaks his momentum, giving the masked man an opening to boot him to the canvas. One Springboard Senton later, El Orgulloso is the first MHW champion despite never touching a weapon in the match. Rating: 42

Overall Rating: 34

[Aura]

229tman: 6/6

CQI13: 6/6

KyTeran: 5/6

 

Now that the first event is in the books, I'd like to ask if anyone has any criticism or suggestions. For example, I'm not sure if the pictures in the match card makes the post look a little too busy, so I might try to make the next event with just text. Likewise, any questions or criticisms regarding character or story writing are welcome as well. I'm doing this for fun, but I also want to try to keep getting better at it.

[DarEatWorld]

1 hour ago, Aura said:

229tman: 6/6

CQI13: 6/6

KyTeran: 5/6

 

Now that the first event is in the books, I'd like to ask if anyone has any criticism or suggestions. For example, I'm not sure if the pictures in the match card makes the post look a little too busy, so I might try to make the next event with just text. Likewise, any questions or criticisms regarding character or story writing are welcome as well. I'm doing this for fun, but I also want to try to keep getting better at it.

Enjoyed the first show. Personally I MUCH prefer diaries with pictures, especially when I don't know the talent well. Just my 2c.

[DarK_RaideR]

Liking the first show, feels a lot like the good parts of ol' ECW. Another vote in favour of images from me.

[masterevans]

I like the images! I dont play in mexico nearly as much as I should so I barely know any of the talents. I like to run hardcore promotions so this is actually helping me scout a bit 😂

[Aura]

In the days following Venganza, Gatekeeper and Benn rent over the results from the show, both critical and financial. While far from a standout show, the reviews that appeared online seemed to be at least fairly complimentary, with the main event receiving specific praise.  Since two of the company's best workers were involved, that was little surprise. Benn finished crunching the numbers of their expenses and sales, and laid down his pencil.

"With everything taken into account, we have a net profit of just under $200." He revealed his results. "And with almost three weeks left to bring in money from sponsors and merchandise, unless something goes horribly wrong, we should be seeing a rather decent profit for MHW come the end of the month." He finished with a nod. "All in all, not the worst way our opening could have gone."

"Perfect." The Gatekeeper's stern, unsmiling face showed a bit of appreciation for their newfound positive momentum. "Has anything major come out about the event yet?"

"La Red La Lucha is going to be putting out a small piece later this month, but I feel like there won't be a lot of ground covered that we both don't already know." Benn rattled on. "For one, Noxious is as green as his mask, and he really showed it in that tag team match."

Gatekeeper shook his head. "I'll admit, that was on me. I thought that we could hide his lack of experience in a multi-man match, but there was no one in that match with the skills to keep everything together. I'll need to start booking him with more solid hands. That way he'll have more opportunity to grow, as well as better opponents to hide his lack of polish."

Benn replied with a shrug. "Understandable, and I can see where you're coming from. However, there's a chance that they could hit us for making El Orgulloso our champion. There's no denying that the man is talented, but the optics of a hardcore lucha promotion's first champion being one of the worst brawlers on the roster probably aren't the greatest.

"Hmm..." Gatekeeper seemed to think on this one for a good while. "I understand your concerns, but I have thought about this. Orgulloso is a poor brawler, but he's legitimately one of our best wrestlers. He's good enough that we can reasonably put the belt on him, and popular enough to be a draw for crowds." The big man relayed his opinions. "As for his lack of brawling credentials, I have something in mind for that too.

"Let me guess..." Benn cuts in partway through the explanation. "You're going to play up his non-hardcore style for heat from the crowd, right? Make him a real rudo?"

"Exactly." The Gatekeeper answered confidently. "The longer he holds that belt, the more fans will want to see someone yank it off of him. We play this right, and the eventual title change will be incredible."

"For a low level company." Benn doesn't hesitate to add.

After a moment, Gatekeeper concedes. "... For a low level company."

With everything looking to be in the clear, this gave the men plenty of time to start planning out next month's show.

[DarK_RaideR]

Happily surprised to see these guys reach the same conclusion I had in mind about Orgulloso while reading this. As a cocky dude with flowing hair, he can absolutely pull this off. My money's on Firebird unseating him as the next champion.

[Aura]

 

MEXICAN HARDCORE WRESTLING: VENGANZA REVIEW

Mexican Hardcore Wrestling aired its first show at the beginning of January, and promised fans the kind of spectacle that they would not see at any other lucha promotion in the country. In some ways they delivered, while others can leave fans feeling like they have seen it all before.

The talent on display is a definite change from the major lucha companies, with MHW's roster primarily made up of indy workers. Some, such as Arthur Dexter Bradley (Rechristened A.D.B. in MHW) and Firebird, are seasoned pros, while others seem to have proven that they still need to put in extra work before they're ready for the big time. This show likely exposed the crowd at Bar Juarez to a few talents they were not familiar with, and some of them really took the opportunity to show what they could do.

However, at times the show felt like just another independent lucha program with some extra violence thrown in. MHW has more than its fair share of brawlers, but in matches between  less brutal competitors such as Daredevil Aero vs. Red Rascal, one can doubt that there is anything hardcore about the match at all. That isn't to talk down to traditional lucha, but since MHW wants to stick out from the crowd, it needs to make more of an effort to do so. In addition, a few too many members of the roster seem to be in need of extra seasoning, particularly during the only multi-man match of the evening.

 

HIGHLIGHT: A.D.B. vs. EL ORGULLOSO

MHW's first title match has appropriately the best match on the card by a good margin. With the all-rounder A.D.B. facing off with the aerial specialist El Orgulloso, it provided the clash of styles that one would want to see in a promotion that promotes both lucha and hardcore. A.D.B. may have a new name, but he's still the same solid competitor that has been lighting up the indies, although it remains to be seen how much he has grown from his days in FCW. Orgulloso, on the other hand, it a pure luchador, unlike what one would expect from MHW's mission statement. However, he made an impressive showing in his debut, snagging the belt and showing off a solid amount of his arsenal in the process. Now the test for MHW is whether a decidedly non-hardcore character like Orgulloso can be a believable champion for this company.

 

LOWLIGHT: FERNANDO FERNANDEZ & NOXIOUS vs. LOS MERCENARIOS

This match did a lot to prove why having seasoned hands in the ring is a good thing. The most experienced man in the match only had 3 years of experience, and considering that this was Noxious' first professional match, that is not a formula for success. Los Mercenarios struggled to connect with the crowd as the rudos they were clearly intended to be, while Noxious just looked lost in the shuffle of a far-too-long match between a bunch of inexperienced luchadors. Fernando Fernandez tried his best to get something out of his opponents, but he could add little more than half-baked fisticuffs to the mess in progress. Los Mercenarios' promo following the match only further showed how far they are from being ready for prime time. The only highlight of the match was the admittedly cool assisted Merc Drop finisher. Find a gif of that and skip the rest.

Edited October 19, 2022 by Aura

[Aura]

In the lead-up to Juego Mortal, The Gatekeeper and Benn hold a meeting to discuss the company's near future.

"I trust you've seen our financial reports?" Gatekeeper said, his stone-like face betraying a hint of enthusiasm.

"Over $6,000 profit in our first month, and looking set to match it after Juego Mortal." Benn confirms. The old, cynical referee even seems a bit happy in his own right as he recounts their success. "Within just a couple of months, we should have doubled our initial seed money. I'd call that a good start."

"And with us running at such a significant profit, there are a few ideas that I have in mind." Gatekeeper picked up where he left off. "Of course, we'll save most of what we've made. MHW is still young, and we'll need to keep a healthy supply of money available. However, I am planning to make a small expansion to our roster."

Benn leans forward, of two minds about the idea. "An expansion? We could use a couple of extra hands, but don't go wild. We have too many men on the roster, and you'll be getting nothing but complaints from guys we didn't have room to book."

Gatekeeper holds up a hand firmly. "Relax, Benn. You know that I won't act rashly. I just have a couple of names that I had shortlisted for our original roster that didn't make the cut. It's not a move that we have to make immediately. The card for the next show is already set after all."

Although Benn had been skeptical to a degree almost every step of the way, he had to concede that point. So far things had been going well. "All right. Anyone that I'd know on that list?"

A low chuckle escapes The Gatekeeper's lips. "I'd say that you'd be familiar with almost everyone that's worked the Mexican indy scene, Ref." He commented lightheartedly. "There's at least one indy worker that I think would be a good fit. I also think that I may have an idea for our first international star. There's a wrestler that just left GSW that I I could see playing a role on our roster."

"Now hold on a minute." Benn saw fit to intervene. "I know that we're going for a hardcore image, but we can't just pick up very brawler that walks out of another company. For instance, do we even know if this guy is any good in the first place?"

"I watched a few matches of his." Gatekeeper replied. "Definitely not a technical marvel, but I think I can fit him in. Plus, I wouldn't offer a full contract like with out main roster, not at first. I would give him a trial to see if things work out." He continued. "Besides, like I said, I have a plan. It certainly wouldn't hurt to surprise our fans with a few new faces, now would it?"

In response, Benn shrugged. "I've already trusted you this far, and it worked. Might as well see what happens this time"

 

________________________________________

MHW: JUEGO MORTAL

Payaso Jr. vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Noxious

Daredevil Aero & Gringo Star vs. Los Mercenarios

A.D.B. vs. Styx

Handsome Felipe vs. Flash Savage

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- El Orgulloso vs. Hijo Del Vigilante

(For fun, you can also guess which GSW alumni Gatekeeper is considering bringing in, although this won't be revealed for a few more updates.)

Edited October 20, 2022 by Aura

[DarK_RaideR]

I think Shooting Star Perez would be the best fit from the GSW roster, but the AI usually keeps him and Top Dolla (who would be my second pick). Devyn Retribution tends to be let go, but he's not that good for lucha, or anything really. So I'm guessing one half of Brown Pride quit the company and are coming into MHW. Hopefully it's LatiNoFear who's a decent high flyer, but if it's MexiCain he can make up for his shortcomings by being solid on the mic.

[KyTeran]

MHW: JUEGO MORTAL

Payaso Jr. vs. Red Rascal

Firebird vs. Noxious

Daredevil Aero & Gringo Star vs. Los Mercenarios

A.D.B. vs. Styx

Handsome Felipe vs. Flash Savage

Campeonato del Mundo MHW- El Orgulloso vs. Hijo Del Vigilante

[Aura]

MHW Juego Mortal

 

 vs. 

Payaso Jr vs. Red Rascal

As two of the more agile competitors on the roster, Payaso and Rascal took to the ring to show off their lucha skillsets. Interestingly, they not only shared their high-flying abilities, but also their penchant for in-ring antics. Although Rascal tried some sneaky maneuvers to get one over on Payaso, the clown outpaced him every time, never letting him get a definitive upper hand. While Payaso looked good, the unbalanced match made Rascal look quite inferior, and the crowd seemed to catch on. After being released from a long airplane spin, a shaky-legged Rascal walked right into a Clown Cradle for the pin. Rating: 33

 

 vs. 

Firebird vs. Noxious

After the high-flying acrobatics of last match, this one was a back-to-basics fistfight. Noxious' size and muscles faced off against Firebird's toughness and experience. Despite some impressive power and dangerous-looking clotheslines at his disposal, Noxious was little more than a speed bump for the determined Firebird, who squashed him in just under six minutes with a Fire Bomb XXL. Rating: 26

 

 vs. 

Daredevil Aero and Gringo Star vs. Los Mercenarios (II and III)

The odd couple tag team of Daredevil Aero and Gringo Star brought two completely different fighting styles to the ring against Los Mercenarios. Despite lacking good teamwork, both managed to use their own skillsets to force the brothers to make emergency tags when things got rough. In particular, Aero practically bounced around the ring when facing off against the much larger Merc III. However, Merc II hobbled after a leg whip from Aero and made a hurried tag to Merc III, who remained in the ring for the rest of the match. The end of the match came as Merc III dropped Aero with a Merc drop, making the young gun look strong. Rating: 19

 

 vs. 

A.D.B. vs. Styx

Coming off of his title match loss to El Orgulloso, A.D.B. looked to regain some credibility against Styx. This match was more of a slugfest than the previous title match, with both men focusing more on fisticuffs and weapon spots than anything else. However, A.D.B. lacked the energy from last month's show, and it showed in his performance. The match was a decent display, but fairly routine, especially for those who knew what A.D.B. was really capable of. At least the Samoan Spike DDT that put Styx down looked quite impactful. Rating: 28

 

 vs. 

Handsome Felipe vs. Flash Savage

The battle of the egomaniacs came as Felipe strutted to the ring like his usual suave self. The debuting Flash, on the other hand, acted as though he expected the crowd to shower him in praise like he was El Patron and Fray Valiente combined. The two men combined to put on an impressive acrobatic exhibition, with both showing off their array of agile and aerial attacks. Being possibly the smallest man on the roster, Flash used that size to his advantage as he deftly dodged many of Felipe's attacks. Feeling as though he was being upstaged, Felipe showed his frustration by manhandling his loudmouthed opponent into a vicious gutbuster before laying him out with a Caballero Drop. One thing is clear: Handsome Felipe does not like someone taking his spotlight. Rating: 35

 

EMLL's resident hitman, Hijo del Vigilante enters the ring, taking a microphone as he makes an announcement regarding his arrival. "If you know me, or you know my grandfather, you know exactly why I'm here. As long as I wear this Vigilante mask, I follow one code, and that's to fulfill my contract." He pauses to let his words simmer before continuing. "And tonight, I have a contract on Mexican Hardcore Wrestling, and if what I've seen tonight is any indication, this'll be the easiest money I ever made." He lets out a low chuckle. "And you know what? I think I'm gonna start by taking that pretty little Campeonato del Mundo belt."

El Orgulloso's regal theme music announces his arrival, and he doesn't look threatened by Vigilante's cocky threats at all. "Well, look what we have here." The prideful luchador states with a grin. "It looks like another talentless, brawling thug thinks that they deserve to hold my belt." He steps into the ring and briefly looks Vigilante up and down. "From where I'm standing though, you don't even look fit to carry my custom-made, wrestling boots." He said, rubbing his foot on the ground for emphasis. "But if you'd still like to try, I'd be happy to embarrass you."

Both men square up, and it's time for the match to begin... Rating: 32

 

 vs. 

Campeonato del Mundo MHW

El Orgulloso vs. Hijo Del Vigilante

Orgulloso and Vigilante had completely different approaches to the match, and each man was confident that their chosen style would lead them to victory. Ironically, their arrogance would likely have led to their downfall against many other opponents on the roster. Vigilante beat down Orgulloso several times, but chose to try to continue the punishment than go for an easy pin. Likewise, Orgulloso's refusal to divert his attention from his acrobatis left him open to being countered again and again. It was a hard-fought battle with many near-falls, but in th end Orgulloso won out with a Springboard Senton for the three-count. Orgulloso may be annoying, but there's no arguing that it was a hard-fought title defense. Rating: 44

 

Overall Rating: 37

Edited October 21, 2022 by Aura

[Aura]

After the post-show cleanup following Juego Mortal was finished, spirits among the roster were high. The closing match was the best up to that point, and everyone went home with the feeling of satisfaction that comes from a job well done.

However, there was one thing that Gatekeeper needed to take care of. As the locker room was packing their bags, he made a quick phone call while Benn and Payaso were doing a final sweep of the locker room. After a couple of rings, he received an answer.

"Hola." The voice of Eduardo Dos Santos, better known as Mercenario II, came through the phone. He and his brothers had left the show early to get him checked out by a medic following his tag match, so they had been absent for the latter half of the show.

"It's the boss." Gatekeeper answered, making his identity clear. "The show just wrapped, so I'm checking in to see how you're holding up. Doctor say anything we should be worried about?"

"No no, nothing like that, boss." Merc II, quickly waved off Gatekeeper's concerns. "I broke my toe when I swung my foot too hard into the mat. Doctor says it'll probably be good in a little less than a week." For a man with a broken bone, he seemed pretty calm about the situation."

To tell the truth, Gatekeeper had been fearing that Merc II had broken something worse with how he could barely walk after the match, so this was a relief. 'Well then, glad to hear you're already on the mend. Anything else you'd like to mention?" Silently, he was wondering if Daredevil Aero would come up in the discussion. Aero had done a good job of selling, but he also delivered the leg whip that led to Merc II's injury.  The risk of bad blood developing in the locker room was legitimate, and he wanted to get ahead of the curve if that's what was brewing.

"Nothing really.  Just gonna try to stay off my feet the next few days until my toe's healed up." The masked man answered. "Was there anything you needed to tell me?"

Relieved that Merc II seemed to have already brushed off the incident, Gatekeeper breathed a sigh of relief. "So the doctor said you'll need a few days to heal up? Let's make it a full week before you're back in the gym. Give you a couple extra days to make sure you're 100%."  He commented. "See you when you're healed up, kid."

Gatekeeper ended the call. A crisis was averted for now, but he was lucky that Eddie was so calm and professional. If someone more hotheaded had been involved, it may have been another story. But for the time being, Mexican Hardcore Wrestling's sense of tranquility remained.

[Aura]

KyTeran- 6/6

 

So there goes the story of Mexican Hardcore Wrestling's first injury. Thankfully it was a minor one, and none of the locker room's more volatile personalities were involved. At the next show, one of MHW's signature gimmick matches will be introduced... although it's one that you likely know very well.

[Aura]

Sorry for the delay. I've been busy with a lot of non-TEW-related things, but I'll have the next update up soon, introducing what can hopefully be one of MHW's big attractions.