Welcome o the first part of the National Wrestling Alliance going to Mexico as part of the World is a Vampire tour with The Smashing Pumpkins, where we get to see the NWA Talent mix it up with their AAA counterparts. These matches took place back in March of this year, and this is the first time we will see American ‘rasslin’ go head to head with lucha libre.
Kyle Davis introduces the show and says at points he goes over who will be the entrants for the upcoming 2023 Crockett Cup in June. Then we head to Foro Sol Stadium in Iztacalco, Mexico City. Joe Galli and Tim Storm are on commentary as they go over the First Match of the tour between…
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Cyon and Homicide vs. Komander and Octagon Jr.
Cyon and Homicide are not your usual tag partners, but they set their differences aside for the time being. Komander displays his balance acumen for the fans at ringside. Galli mentions that they’re utilizing the referees and ring as part of the deal with AAA, and even mentions that the rules of lucha libre are a bit more lax than in the United States. Also, Galli mentions that the language from the fans is a lot more colorful here.
(Author’s Note: If you remember Lucha Underground or recently saw the Lucha Libre World Cup and how they mixed up the rules with Lucha/Regular wrestling, you’ll be fine following along.)
Komander outshines Homicide early on he gives the luchador a “number-one-finger” salute, Boricua-style. Now Octagon is in, and he too out moves the Notorious Legend. He tags in Cyon, who proceeds to stomp Octagon in the corner and slams him hard to the mat. Cyon is strong, but then Komander displays his daredevil style by diving at the big masked man. Homicide comes back in and beats Octagon down amidst “Culero” chants. Back to Cyon with another slam to cover for a two count. He and Homicide send him up the top turnbuckle, and Octagon shoves them away and lands a double crossbody. Now both luchadors take over with high-flying and rope-assisted moves like Octagon nailing a springboard moonsault to the outside. He follows with a tiger feint kick on Homicide and then nails a split-legged moonsault to cover but Cyon breaks the count. Cyon and Homicide double team with an assisted Koji cutter and then Cyon follows up with a powerbomb to Komander for a two count. He then pulls up Komander into a surfboard. Meanwhile, Homicide tears at Octagon’s mask but he gets sent out of the ring, where Komander launches with a tope suicida. He throws Homicide back in the ring, where Octagon whips him into the corner and nails him with double knees. He follows up top and delivers the Phoenix splash for the three count.
Your Winners via Pinfall: Komander and Octagon, Jr.
We come back, and Davis talks about some of the official entrants for The Crockett Cup, like NWA World Tag Team Champions, La Rebelion (MechaWolf and Bestia 666); The NWA US Tag Team Champions, the Country Gentlemen (AJ Cazana and Anthony Andrews), and Chris Adonis and Tyrus recently formed a partnership.
We have more coming up, but we head back to the ring with an intergender tag team match between…
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Aron Stevens and Natalia Markova vs. Arez and La Hiedra
Arez is more familiar with fans in the US, having competed in Major League Wrestling. He is currently the La Leyenda Azul champion (in honor of the famous Blue Demon). La Hiedra was part of the World Cup match and is the daughter of luchador Sangre Chicano. Galli also mentions that, unlike intergender matches in the United States, men and women can battle the other gender, because…let’s call it “progression.”
As Stevens gives fans the business, they return his generous behavior by giving him a “Puto!” salute.
(Author’s Note: If you must learn a language like Spanish, I highly recommend knowing the curse words because it is fun and Es Bueno ser Bilingue. This has been a PSA not to be a Puto Gringo.)
Arez starts with Stevens, and he’s seen enough of the King of Strange Style and tags Markova in. Now Hiedra is in and the women battle it out, with Markova landing a nice spinning kick to the masked estrella. Stevens tags back in, thinking he’s got it easy but Arez comes in and goes to work and lands a springboard moonsault to cover Stevens for a two count. Markova gets back in the ring in and she is fearless on Arez and nails a cutter on the strange one for a count of two. Tag back to Hiedra and Markova whips her hard into the corner. She props up the luchadora, and Hiedra kicks her away and explodes with a missile dropkick on The Crush. Stevens comes from behind and attacks with a cookie sheet, since apparently no rules in intergender matches. Viva Gender Equality! Stevens and Markova double team on Arez and then The Crush focuses on Hiedra, nailing her with her signature Beautiful Disaster kick and then following up with a Jazz stinger for just a two count. Arez attempts a powerbomb and Stevens pulls him off and punts right in the…err, little Arezes. He covers and the ref counts, but Hiedra kicks the arm away and then she gives him an Ace Crusher for making the wrong count. She dropkicks Markova, but Stevens grabs her by the hair. Arez comes to and nails a step-up enzugiri, and follows by delivering a spinning suplex with a bridge. Another ref runs in for the three count, and chalk up another win for the luchadors.
Your Winners via Pinfall: La Hiedra and Arez
Davis is back and mentions the other entrants for The Crockett Cup. Setting aside past differences, Mike Knox and Trevor Murdoch will team up for action, as well as Magnum Muscle (Dak Draper and Big Strong Mims), as well as Ricky and Kerry, The Mortons.
Speaking of which, we head back to Mexico for a triple-threat match for the…
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NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship: Kerry Morton (c) vs. Jack Cartwheel vs. Sal The Pal
Since this is a rebroadcast of March, we see Sal still had his hair. Galli mentions Cartwheel has a gymnastics background as well as wanting to make a name for himself in AAA. Morton is really playing up being cocky, to the point he’s going to channel The Power of Douchenozzlery™.
There is a lot of action between the three men, and there are points in the match that Cartwheel likes up to his moniker, like with he nails Sal with a rope-assisted spinning springboard elbow for a two count. Morton pulls out Cartwheel and sends Sal out of the ring. He urges the former gymnast to get back in the ring, and as he climbs between the ropes Morton kicks the middle rope right in his…err, cartwheels. A snap suplex by the champ with a cocky pin on his neck gets him a two count, and Morton slows the pace and then cinches Cartwheel into a Figure Four leglock. Sal comes in and claps for joy and then covers Cartwheel for the pin, then Morton and back until Morton releases the leglock. Now Sal and Cartwheel battle and the madman bites him up the top turnbuckle and mounts for a superplex, but Morton sneaks up, and all three come down in a superplex powerbomb combination. All three men slug out and then Cartwheel sends Both Morton and Sal out of the ring and he utilizes an amazing cartwheel tope con hilo to wipe ’em out to the fans’ delight. He covers Sal, but Morton breaks up the count. All three attempt quick pin attempts but neither man gains an advantage. The end comes when Sal wrenches his knee with a dropkick to Morton’s gut. As he focused on the injured Sal, Cartwheel landed a cutter on Morton and goes up top to deliver a corkscrew splash to cover, but Morton pulls him off and nails the Kiss It Goodbye knee strike and delivers the Showstopper elbow to retain.
Your Winner, And Still NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion: Kerry Morton
Davis winds down and thanks AAA for allowing the NWA to host their World Is a Vampire event in Mexico. Speaking of which, AAA will be featured in the Crockett Cupp, with teams like Toxin and Arez, along with Myzteziz and Octagon will be in at Crockett Cup.
There will be more to cover, and Slam! Wrestling will have your rundown of the teams leading up to The Crockett Cupp, but it’s time for the Main Event, and it’s a…
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No Disqualification Match: Trevor Murdoch vs. Psycho Clown
Psycho Clown is huge in Mexico as a technico (good guy) with an intense rivalry currently with Sam Adonis in AAA. He is proof that clowns are not scary and evil and can be interesting in the ring.
*cough*Yabo*cough*
Sorry, must be my allergies.
Murdoch goes to work and he soon realizes that the Clown is more than a match for him. Anyway, since we’re in Mexico, this match looks to be Un ‘Manos Poderosos (or “a hoss match’, if you will). Neither man back down, and Clown dropkicks Murdoch to the outside and follows him with a tope suicida. He grabs a piece of the stage to set in the corner and then takes a cookie sheet and slams it across his back. Murdoch fires back with a trash can lid to the Clown’s head and covers for a two count. Now Murdoch grabs another piece of the stage and sets in the opposite corner. He whips Murdoch to the corner but he manages to pump the brakes. Clown rushes and Murdoch backdrops him and he caught the worst of the mat on his head and neck. Murdoch stays on the offense and suplexes the Clown through the stage piece in the corner. Clown recovers with a roll-through and a low dropkick, but Murdoch fights back. The end comes as Murdoch sets up another piece of the stage in the ring corner, and the Clown spears him through. He covers Murdoch for the one, two, and three.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Psycho Clown
Davis promises more matches from part two of The World is a Vampire tour as the show goes to the credits.
NWA USA - 05/13/2023
Final Thoughts on Part One of The World Is a Vampire:
Obviously, this is not the first time this year that the NWA and AAA joined forces, and I hope there are more pairings like this in the future. Both wrestlers brought their respective “A” games to Mexico and displayed how well Lucha libre can mesh with American-style wrestling.
Some of the standouts from the show like Cartwheel and Hiedra have promising futures and hopefully we can see more of them State side.
For now, see ya next Saturday!
