IWA Puerto Rico Zona Caliente 4/13/2023

IWA Puerto Rico Zona Caliente 4/13/2023

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kaxn_cn4Tf8

It's been a while since I have seen IWA PR. I'm watching with subtitles and I'm not super familiar with some of the wrestlers, so bare with me.

IWA was briefly available in my area during the late 90's when it was really hot. We used to have a great television block with IWA, old WCCW/USWA Texas stuff and a WWE C-Show, so I'm a little nostalgic for Puerto Rican wrestling.

Nathaly Perez, Miguel Perez and Krystal

Miguel Perez (the GM or authority figure of some sort) basically announces that he is bringing back the IWA PR Women's Title with his daughter Nathaly Perez and Krystal. They argue with each other. Genesis, the previous champ, can't defend the title, so that's how we got this. Perez announces that a wrestler named Roxy will face the two girls in a three way. He gets angry at their arguing and yelling and says he doesn't care, then leaves.

Invader is interviewed

Invader is interviewed. He had his head put in cake during his 77th birthday celebration by Romeo and grabbed Savio Vega's throat over it.  He said he wants to be the ref in an upcoming Savio Vega match and asks if anyone has the balls to step up to him during it.

Jungle Z, Crowley and Zodiac vs Drunken Express (Excellent Mantel, Pupe Jackson and Kiko Navarro)

The order of the names is accurate

There's Pupe Jackson getting nailed by Zodiac, Kiko Navarro and Excellent Mantel, who is about to get hit by Crowley

Pupe Jackson takes a random bump for no reason

The announcers say Jungle's team is the new generation of the IWA. Zodiac wears a Templario mask. There's a Memphis wrestler named JackSYN Crowley, which could be Crowley here, but I don't know.

The Drunken Express get jumped during their entrance then all 6 guys brawl outside then inside the ring. Jungle's crew all get thrown over the top to the floor. Zodiac goes at it with Kiko then takes a 2nd rope hurricanrana. Kiko 2nd rope crossbodies him for 2. Zodiac hits a decent lariat on Kiko. Crowley side slams Kiko then Kiko and Jungle go at it. Jungle kind of throws him backwards then Zodiac hits a nice lariat on Kiko.

Kiko cutters Crowley then hits a death valley driver on Jungle. 4 men fight in the ring then the Express hit double cutters. Mantel hits terrible corner punches on Crowley then Pupe 2nd rope headbutts Zodiac in the crotch. Crowley is slammed then also takes a 2nd rope headbutt to the nuts.  

Jungle is picked up like a double back body drop then dropped forward. Crowley is picked up and takes a 2nd rope elbow for the Drunken Express victory.

It was quick and there wasn't anything wrong with it.

John Hawking is interviewed. "The Scorpion" Mike Mendoza answered his open challenge for the title. John said Mike crossed the line. He said he's willing to defend the title against him. He said he has the support of the IWA fans and represents all of the IWA and his fans. He said he will defend it with his life and tells him to bring everything he has got.

Mike Mendoza then does a promo. He said he looked up to a lot of IWA legends and said he had to wrestle around and test himself. He said  he's been training hard and said he desires his title. He says he has beaten the people Hawing have beaten and says he better win if he wants to call himself the best. He said he will give him the best fight of his life and says he will see him at Jucio Final on 4/15.

They have an advertisement for an embroidery company and we see an IWA shirt being produced which is kind of cool.

Rene "El Chulo" Santiago

We return from break. Fernando Tonos, the old heel manager disrespected a boxer named Rene "El Chulo" Santiago and they will battle for the WBO Latino Championship. Santiago says he will show him that he has to respect him and the people of his hometown. He said he will break his face in front of his people.

Mr. Big does a promo on Apolo for a bullrope match. He said he's been here for 20 years. He said they fought many times and says this is Apolo's final fight in PR. He said there is nothing to lose. He said he will take him 6 feet underground and bangs the cowbell on his head. This was a decent promo.

Will De Windt and Kwang vs The Legion of Fear 

Espectro

Kwang works on Ninja

Savio is not under the Kwang mask. The LoF's are two masked dudes and one of them may be named Ninja and the other may be Espectro.

Will locks up with Ninja then Ninja headscissors him.Ninja armlocks Will then Espectro spinning sideslams Will. Drago puts Will in the tequila sunrise. Will takes a running corner lariat from Ninja then a cannonball from Espectro. Will is thrown out then Ninja goes for a dive but Kwang kicks him. Will then does a single underhook facebuster on Ninja.

Kwang chops Ninja then chops him in the throat. Kwang hits kicks to the gut and footchokes him. Will chokes Ninja on the middle rope then neckbreakers him and keeps rolling for triple neckbreakers. Will hits a decent dropkick on Ninja then Kwang works a traphezeus hold on Ninja.

Kwang spinning heel kicks Ninja then Ninja takes a double kick. Kwang hits chops and stomps. Will hits chops on Ninja then Ninja returns fire with chops. Ninja takes a boot in the corner then Will goes up the buckles and top rope belly to belly suplexes Will. Kwang and Espectro get in and Espectro hits pumphandle slams him for 2. Will superkicks Espectro for 2. Will takes a russian legsweep from Ninja then Will and Kwang are whipped into each other. Espectro does a nice swinging and spinning side slam on Will and wins it.

The match wasn't that good. Will and Kwang are both pretty limited guys right now and a shorter match would have done them more favors.

Khriz Diaz does a promo on Miguel Perez. Perez's daughter got involved and hit Khriz or his partners and Khriz slammed her backwards on the mat. He says Miguel has the perfect excuse to challenge him and says he knows Miguel wants to relive his glory days. He says he accepts his challenge. He says his time has passed and he is seeing the new idol of Puerto Rico. He says he hopes he trains well and brings out his past glory because he will be judged at Jucio Final (Final Judgement). Khriz then says he is the chosen one. Nothing wrong with this promo here.

Ivader talks about Jucio Final. He says he will see Savio at Jucio Final with a taped fist.

Jucio Final has John Hawking vs Mike Mendoza, Manny Ferno vs Pedro Portillo III under a mask, Apolo vs Mr. Big, Miguel Perez vs Khriz Diaz, Azazel vs Manu, Niche and Harry Williams vs Nick Mercer and Jay Blake, Nathalya Perez (Miguel's daughter) vs Krystal vs Roxy for the women's title and Fernando Tonos vs Rene Santiago plus others.

Romeo does a promo on Savio Vega. He says he will establish himself as the most powerful. He said he came to the IWA as a young wrestler many years ago and said he approached Savio, as he could help him. He asked him to show him his cobra clutch. Romeo says he showed him the cobra but didn't believe in the potential of it. He said this has gotten personal and says his cobra clutch is more lethal than his. He then talks about Invader, as Invader came to save Savio from Romeo's cobra clutch. He said Invader is forgettingthat Savio testified against him in the Brody trial I think. Romeo then shows a fork and says Savio will die. Romeo says it's good Invader's fist is bandaged and tells him to wrap up both fists. He said he will do what no one else has done and take out both at Jucio Final. Good stuff.

The masked guy (Pedro Portillo III) who is fighting Manny Ferno does a promo. We see clips of him hitting Ferno with a belt. He says Ferno won't accept that he is better than him. 

Overall thoughts: As I said, please excuse me not knowing some of the names. This show was all about building to Jucio Final this week and they did a good job of it. The two matches they had weren't much though.