IWA Puerto Rico Impacto Total 5/20/2023

IWA Puerto Rico Impacto Total 5/20/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/iwa-puerto-rico-impacto-total-5132023.html

Raúl Magnum and El Wizard are on commentary.

We see someone driving up to a hospital and then they cut away.

Doom Patrol (Death Warrant and Death Cold) vs The Drunken Express (Excellent Mantel and Pupe Jackson)

Death Cold is in the front, Death Warrant is in the back

Pupe Jackson is in the Hogan attire and Excellent Mantel is in the Savage attire. Kiko Navarro as Roddy Piper is with them.

Death Cold  has the white and black facepaint and Death Warrant has the all white facepaint and is fatter. Pupe and Mantel are dressed up like Hogan and Savage again.  Pupe Hogan and Death Warrant start us off. Warrant hammerlocks Pupe then Pupe reverses it. Pupe hits a snap mare and kicks him in the back. Warrant shoulders over Pupe and he loses his wig. Wizard calls Pupe a drunk. Pupe hits a nice dropkick on Warrant then dropkicks Cold.

Mantel is tagged in and double axe handles Cold's arm. Drunken express hit a double back elbow then sandwich kick the sitting Cold. Mantel chops Cold then Pupe does Hogan poses and punches Cold in the arm. Cold hits Pupe from behind. Warrant tries to get in, Mantel tries to stop him and Pupe is double teamed.

Warrant chokes Pupe over the 2nd rope and Pupe takes a double chop on the ropes. Doom Patrol do a double drop down then trip Pupe into an elbow drop on the back. Pupe takes a snapmare from Cold then Cold dropkicks him in the back of the head. Wizard quesions whether Pupe has a brain, saying there is just a flea flying around in a helmet. Pupe has his neck stretched in the corner by the non-legal man. Warrant corner splashes Pupe then whips him into a Cold lariat.

Cold chokes Pupe over the middle rope. The announcers talk about Controversial Inc doing well in the US. Pupe is popped up into a codebreaker then takes a stiff german from Warrant. Pupe's head starts to shake as he hulks up. Pupe 2nd rope leg lariats Warrant. Mantel gets the hot tag in and hits punches on Cold. Mantel lariats him then does a big facebuster for 2.

Mantel takes a uranage from Warrant. Pupe is kicked and starts shaking then hulks up. Pupe no sells shots from Warrant and points the finger at him. Pupe hits the big boot on Warrant then legdrops him. Pupe throws Warrant out. Cold hits Pupe from behind and Pupe no sells it. Pupe waves his finger at Cold then points at him. Pupe hits punches and a headbutt. Pupe then facekicks him and hits the big legdrop. Mantel top rope elbows Cold and picks up the win.

The beatdown was a little long and of course it was silly with the impersonations, but it was a fun match and made sense with a clear format. I don't think it's possible to hate Pupe Jackson. He's hilarious.

Doom Patrol jump the faces after. Kiko Navarro tries to help out but is corner splashed by Warrant. Doom Patrol steal the Drunken Express' Copa Victor Quinones after and run for it.

Labrava Escobar does a promo. She said she is happy Krystal accepted her challenge because Krystal will show her if she is a real champ tonight. Escobar says the same Puerto Ricans who support Krystal will cheer a Colombian like her. She then calls her a b@stard. Labrava's a good promo even if you don't speak Spanish.

Krystal responds back, She says how cool it is that she comes looking for a title shot. Krystal says she comes up and goes down like a champ. She says long live the champion of the world, Krystal.

Roxxy does a promo. She said the time has come tonight. She says she is full of energy to beat her and become the champ. She says it is not what is said, but what is done (basically, actions speak louder than words).

Ray Fonseca comes out with a briefcase. Wizard says Ray comes out on God's command and calls him an idol.

Edrax vs Ray Fonseca

Edraxis part of Los Super Classics. Wizard says Ray is well prepared for Edrax. Edrax poses on the ropes. Ray tries it too but slips. Wizard said he didn't fall but was just checking the ropes. Edrax whips him into the ropes and dropkicks him. Ray slaps him then takes a punch flurry.

Ray throws a spike or something at him then hits him with the briefcase when the ref isn't looking. Ray chokes Edrax over the bottom rope then elbow drops him for 2. Ray hits a chop in the corner and Edrax powers up. Edrax hits chops then Ray hits a stiff lariat. Wizard thinks it's hilarious and they call Edrax "The Prodigy". Ray pounds on Edrax and Edrax shakes his head and hulks up.

Edrax tells him to suck it then hits punches. Ray back body drops him but misses a butt drop. Edrax hits kicks and a spinning enzugiri. Edrax puts him on his shoulders but falls overdue to his size. Ray misses a corner charge then Edrax bulldogs him for the win.

It was short and made sense with Ray cheating and using some his size then Edrax making his comeback. Two matches in a row with people hulking up isn't a good thing though.

Controversial Inc do a promo. They say the time has come and it's the night of great controversy. They say they are coming for the tag titles tonight and The Faces of Destiny will leave disappointed. They say the FoD's will have to prove themselves tonight. They then say their phrase which seems to be something like, "the one who doesn't like it is already dead".

The Faces of Destiny do a promo. Jay says zero hour has arrived. They say they have faced the best and will continue to prove themselves. They said Controversial Inc doesn't have it and never will. Nick Mercer says they are the undisputed kings of tag teams and say they will show them who commands the division and the industry of wrestling.

Romeo and Mr. Big with La Alianza vs "El Fugitivo" Niche and Vessago

Jose Resto is your referee.

Vess tags out to Niche then Romeo tags out to Mr. Big. Big shoulder throws Niche and Wizard says he threw him like na old rag. Romeo gets in and is taken down by Niche. Rome slaps niche in the slap and gets him angry. Niche pounds him while Romeo is hanging out of the ropes. Wizard sees no problem with La Alianza out at ringside. Vessago gets in as Wizard talks about what each member of La Alianza does. Romeo chops Vess and Vess no sells it.

Vess ducks a chop and hits his own on Romeo. Vess rips Romeo's shirt and hits chops. Romeo then leaves the ring. Niche headlocks Bigand is tripped by Fernando Tonos outside. Wizard says Niche lost his balance and says niche ate canvas. Niche is worked on 2v1 while the ref's back is turned. Niche's neck is catapulted into the bottom rope.

Niche does a huge flipping sell for a Big lariat. Romeo snapmares Niche and kicks him. Niche is beat up outside by La Alianza while the ref isn't looking then thrown in. Big chinlocks Niche on the mat. Nichge gets out of the hold and slides outside to push La Alianza. Tonos is grabbed by Niche and falls over then niche is beat up 4v1. Tonos hits Niche with his shoe.

Big hits a sitout powerbomb on Niche but somehow niche bounces and then dropkicks him. The announcers try to sell it as Niche bouncing into by accident but I don't buy it. Vessago gets in and back body drops Romeo. Vess lariats him then hits corner punches. Vess cutters Romeo then Niche top rope dropkicks Mr. Big. Niche spinning heel kicks Big and goes out. Niche goes up top and is pushed down to the floor.

Romeo puts Vess in the cobra clutch and Big hits  shots on him while he's in the hold. Big hits a big chokeslam and Romeo grabs the pin.

I liked this minus the Niche dropkick spot out of the powerbomb. Maybe on paper it worked, but not in reality. Niche took some big bumps here like he always does.

Romeo and Mr. Big with La Alianza vs "El Fuguitivo" Niche and Vessago

Wizard Analiza

Wizard salutes Ledesma Medical Transport for taking Manny Ferno away in the ambulance. He says Pedro Portillo will finish Manny off tonight. Wizard wants to talk about Doom Patrol vs Drunken Express. Wizard blames the ref and the costumes of the Drunken Express for the Doom Patrol loss. Wizard said the Doom Patrol suffered so much injustice that they took the Copa Victor Quinones. He said the cup really belonged to the Doom Patrol and then cuts to the them.

The Doom Patrol do a promo. Warrant says he's upset and said the cup belongs to them. Cold talks about how easy it is to take everything away from others and they pose with the trophy.

We go back to Wizard and he says we have a segment on here called "From the Latrine", where he says he gives equal opportunity to people. We then cut to the Drunken Express. The Express are upset about losing the cup. Mantell calls them cowards and said they are making excuses. Mantell says this is their cup and says on the 20th, the team who is left standing gets the cup.

We go to Wizard again and he says he approves this message.

IWA Armageddon on 5/20/2023 has

Title Match - Romeo Quevado vs Niche

#1 Contender's Match - Mike Mendoza vs Pedro Portillo III

John Hawking vs Romeo

Title vs Title - Miguel Perez vs Manu

Tag Titles - The Faces of Destiny vs Controversial Inc

Women's title - Krystal vs Labrava Escobar

For La Copa Victor Quinones - The Drunken Express vs Doom Patrol

#1 Contenders Match - Nathaly Perez vs Roxxy

Vessago vs Khris Diaz

Rumble Por La Copa Alcaldesa Maria Vega (Mayors Cup)

Savio Vega has a message for Invader #1

Niche does a promo outside. He said his dad used to wake him up on weeknds to watch wrestling. He said one of his brothers got into wrestling and he was excited to see him wrestle. He said he was proud of his brother and says 2002 was the worst year of his life as his dad passed away. He said wrestling wasn't the same. He said Savio Vega and Apollo came to the funeral. He said he would miss his dad a lot and said he was going to make a promise to him. He said his brother then began to train him in the street to wrestle. He said his friends underestimated him. In December 2022, he said he decided that a new Niche was born.

He said he had a dream about his dad saying he missed him and was taking care of him. He said he sees people like Romeo Quevado talking and underestimating him. He said before Romeo gets on the plane to Puerto Rico, he has to salute to a photo of Fidel Castro (as he's from Cuba). He said he may not know wrestling as well as others, but he fights with punches and kicks from Puerto Rico. He said he fights with his heart in his hand and said he is not going to stand in his way of the championship. He says Romeo is misinformed. He said he'd like his brother and mother there to see him fight. He said tonight, he will guarantee that a new idol and star is born. He said he will keep his promise to his dad and win the title. Then he will take it to his dad's grave and say he did it. He said he urges the fans who supported him to come tonight and give him the support and strength he needs.

It was a long but very heartfelt and passionate promo that was well done.

They run down the Armageddon card again for tonight with everyone on it getting a quick line or two. They have an extended package on Savio/Invader and re-show some of the Portillo/Vega/Ferno/Curevo angle from a weeks ago.

We find out who was in the car at the hospital in the beginning and it's Manny Ferno with a paddle heading towards it.

Overall thoughts: The Armageddon show was just hours after this so they naturally shilled it hard. The three matches we saw were fine and the Niche promo was good. It was a good show overall that made you want to see Armageddon.