To the great surprise, Broken by Glory was quickly followed by EPW’s next event . On 16.10.2022, some may have wondered about the date, as it was the day after CEO Mike Mendoza’s birthday. He was also loudly celebrated again, as you could see in the social media. A little serenade and donuts. The best comment: “I never expected Mike to eat something like this!” Well, an athlete is only a human being and the pastry is granted to him. Last Ride was announced with a skull that got in the mood for Halloween. The five announced matches, on the other hand, seemed a bit strange, but were quite understandable in the big picture. No matter how long you waited for the confrontation, Androide787 does not show up this evening to finally redeem his title chance against El Atleta Manu, which he did instead, we’ll get to that later. But Australian Suicide dares to enter the ring against the undisputed champion. Gian Carlos and Felix Aldea are taken under the wing of Edrax and Samuel Olmo in a tag team match, the two should show what they can do and learn something more. You can feel sorry for Xavier Millet and JC Navarro, who each have a woman at their side this evening – and Yaide and Nathalya Perez are everything in the ring, but no friends. Alfredo Melies has something to sort out with Adam Riggs, who took a stand against Mendoza. Harry William (someone has to decide on a name please. At what feels like every event, Mr. Reckless or Williams) is confronted by Hijo del Enigma, who had a match the night before that a good part of the wrestling world watched. And then someone wanted to fly directly from Orlando.
But we are not there yet. In the ring is the great Nahir Robles, who also looks enchanting this evening and makes the announcements with incomparable charm. She is joined by Many, a well-known referee in Puerto Rico. Are we ready for the first battle? Yes! Reckless Harry Willams comes to the ring with Facepaint, is greeted and you already know that this will not be an easy encounter. He trained a lot and changed visibly. His development is not yet complete, but we will certainly hear much more from him. His opponent: Hijo del Enigma, who as always appears masked and wears a shoulder paint instead of facepaint. The yellow wall of Inteligencia Ruda has built up to the side of the ring, so there will be a mood. Let’s get started. A careful circle, a handshake, you expect the first action, but no, not yet. Once again, the two opponents circle each other, then they attack each other. Kicks, punches, what the two take, is clearly audible. The audience likes it, they follow the clapping of their hands on their chests under cheers and cheer them on both. Now Williams sends his opponent to the mat, who looks a bit battered, but can then defend himself. “Enigma!” is shouted again and again, then Williams proves his strength by picking up Enigma to a vertical suplex and making a squat. This is a demonstration of strength that will be talked about for a long time. Williams has goals and he makes that very clear, he wants to be noticed, he wants to get out of the small halls and into the bigger events – and why not? For some time he clearly has the upper hand, but Hijo del Enigma still defends himself against the pin, then he rears up and is now the one who maltreats the opponent. After all, both are lying on the ring floor, while Williams tries to pin Enigma, is not even counted because the shoulders are not on the ground. On the ropes, everyone wants to push the other down, Williams now clearly battered, pin attempt Enigma. Many are surprised that the pin goes nowhere. You have to see that this is actually not the first match of the evening, but with the recording it is the beginning and it has it all. Grandiose encounter, in which both give nothing to each other and show what they are capable of. It was not foreseeable that Enigma would take home the victory in the end. Williams did great and made his place clear. It’s not over between the two, that’s for sure.
A tag team match that starts with Gian Carlos coming to the ring with a demon grimace. Goes pretty well with the evening. Edrax as always is a bit more relaxed. The challengers are Samuel Olmo and Felix Aldea. As always, Olmo is greeted loudly. He is popular in contrast to the opponents, who are even booed. Edrax and Olmo begin, the former wants to say something, turns to the referee, finally shows the middle finger. Why doesn’t it start? Zack, Abklatsch. Huh? Is Edrax afraid of El Arquero? Oh come on, then the other team applauds and the two rookies go after each other. It goes fast, the first pin attempt after only a few seconds, it is interrupted by Edrax, who finally grabs Aldea in the corner and wants to show him who is the experienced in the ring and who will win. Then he mimics an archer and aims at Samuel Olmo, who of course does not want to put up with this and storms into the ring, but can be held back by the referee. Again Gian Carlos is in the ring, pin attempt, Edrax storms across once, attacks Olmo, not an easy match for Many, who has his hands full to ensure order here. Actually, a lot happens, actually it’s a nice thing that’s fun, unfortunately the mood is a bit depressed here again. But what was it like at the NFL in Munich? America was surprised how much atmosphere Germany can create in the stadium, maybe I just have the wrong standard and they are a bit more restrained in Puerto Rico instead of celebrating their team to victory. The two rookies are still in the ring, well, now they rather crawl, clap off and then the old hands show what it means to be a wrestler. It gets faster, the moves more sophisticated, almost more grown-up. The mood gets even better when Olmo Edrax pushes into the ring. Olmo has a firm grip on the audience – and why not? He has already shown unforgettable matches and actions here in this ring at EPW. The closeline of Edrax sends him to the mat after all. Aldea storms into the ring, pounces on Edrax, he wants to prove himself here and show what he can do, that he has not forgotten the words of his mentor and wants to go up. Edrax finally kicks his own teammate out and who is now officially substituted? Olmo sends Gian Carlos directly into the spear of Felix Aldea, who pins his opponent and carries the victory home.
Zack, it goes on. Manu enters the ring armed with a kendo stick and grabs the microphone. We know that this does not mean anything good. He makes it clear once again that he is the champion, EPW belongs to him and no one can push him from this throne. I think it’s a shame that we didn’t play this hard, blatant, brutal match Manu vs. Mendoza for the title, where Mendoza wins after a long, fierce battle. But well, another topic. Miguel Perez Jr. , wrestling and coaching legend and now head coach of EPW and Manu mentor, comes into the ring and also makes it clear who El Atleta Manu is.
But Manu is not yet coming into the ring for his fight, because now the Intergender Tag Team Match is on. Xavier Millet is now back in the memory of the audience. He takes his time on his way into the ring, beautiful with the Puerto Rican flag on his shirt. That is well received. But then comes the queen of the dojo, Yaide. She has shown many times that she is fearless and that it doesn’t really matter who fights alongside her in a tag team. She takes on everyone. Today, the opponents are JC Navarro, who is warmly welcomed. Oh yes, when he shows up laughing, that’s fun, no matter how stupid I find his gimmick (and even if wrestlers always reject criticism and think you have to worship it and find it horny through the bank, no, we can all have a free opinion and also criticize). With Nathalya Perez, a battle-mad chick comes into the ring, who is a third-generation wrestling – and yes, the head coach is her dad – but she doesn’t hide behind it. If she received a lot of praise from Mendoza last time, she has already shown before that she belongs in the ring. The men begin, but the two girls stand in their corners just like women do: aggressive, a bit and restless scratching their hooves. The mood rises, finally it’s a little louder in the dojo when Navarro starts on Millet . He substitutes Yaide, who gives her opponent a slap in the face, who has washed, oh and another one. I’m not afraid of you, she makes clear, and uses Navarro as a pawn. Perez begs for the substitution that finally comes. The fact that the commentary tone seems to be defective in the recording doesn’t bother you so much, because you concentrate on what you get to see. Meanwhile, the women are in the ring and here it gets personal. It’s no longer about the match itself, but about a feud between the two. It gets fast and rough, at some point you expect both to pull and scratch each other’s hair screaming, but no, it’s professional wrestlers who then attach their moves. You can’t really say who dominates, it alternates. Yaide once again does not mince her words, her words are a weapon that the audience loves and celebrates accordingly. While standing outside the ring, Perez regains her strength. Substitution? No, that’s out of the question, so the men have to do it themselves by clapping it. Not that their struggle is bad, but you want to see the women, this passionate aversion, the ridicule. However, Millet now takes Navarro quite to the chest, so that he literally hangs in the ropes and finally lands rudely on his back, but no, the pin attempt does not last long enough, the referee tries to escape from the ring from the angry Millet. Then Navarro just has to keep plugging in, another tweezing attempt, no, it’s not over yet. Navarro would have the chance to get a pin, then Millet wins the upper hand again. When both finally lie on the floor, Perez begs for her substitution, Yaide is just as fast in the ring and like furies the two attack each other. Nathalya almost makes it and when her opponent manages to free herself, she snaps, hits the ground and yells something that prefers not to be translated. Yaide finally clings to Nathalya’s ropes, I haven’t seen that before, but seems to be painful. Is it the end? No. She is able to free herself and get Yaide out of the ring, who remains in front of the rows of chairs with a pain-distorted face. Millet pounces on Nathalya, who fights back, Navarro rushes to help, finally only the two are in the ring and cheer themselves. What a match! Perez jumps out of the ring, Yaide is out of order, Navarro ends the fight. Wow! It was quick, but it was a great match. While the two celebrate their victory, Yaide attacks from behind, pounces on Perez, is stopped by Navarro, who pushes her into the corner, then Perez goes after the competitor, it is a real war that has broken out here. And the audience? The show thinks that’s great and wishes for a fight between the two. Here and now. Yaide goes roaring into the improvised locker room, the rest celebrates Nathalya Perez, who has shown what she can do.
Main Event Time. Australian Suicide emerges from behind the curtain, but is unhappy with the welcome. His reception must be loud. So we repeat the whole thing and of course the audience goes along well. But you’re actually waiting for someone else. On the gentlemen of the house, because this is no longer Mendoza, but El Atleta Manu, who with his coach Miguel Perez Jr. entrance. “Manu, Manu” form chants, he throws the title belt into the ring, a kendo stick, his apparently new trademark, is placed at the edge, Manu has no opponents, only victims. Big words from Australian Suicide, Laola wave, he pulls off his show, Manu watches, he wants to get it over with quickly. But great praise, because Suicide finally provides the right mood, that’s what the dojo sometimes lacks – at least from a German point of view, there needs to be more atmosphere, party, cheering, boos, chants. Manu flies out of the ring, Suicide grabs a chair, sets it up in the middle of the ring and reaches for a book he seems to want to read. He fends off his opponent’s attack attempt. What a show! Manu is angry, he now sneaks up unnoticed from behind, lifts Australian Suicide up and is now really fed up. You can’t see exactly whether he tears the book apart, in any case it leaves the ring roughly. This is not about literature, but about wrestling. Manu brutally breaks over his opponent, like a hurricane, whipping there are the obligatory blows to the chest. Australian Suicide has become a training dummy that doesn’t fight back, just has to take every blow and has nothing to oppose them. But then a rebellion, as if out of nowhere. Kicks, punches, a suplex, the audience becomes quieter. Pin attempt. No end. But the two have already taken a lot, you can tell it. Now the EPW champion gains the upper hand again, gets angry, wants to put an end to the whole thing and when that fails, he thinks. Okay, let’s grab the chair, no, says the referee, distracting Manu, who is to be pinned. After freeing himself, he grabs the title belt like last time and hits his opponent in the face, the fight is stopped immediately. But Manu hasn’t had enough, he goes after the Australian Suicide lying on the ground . His mentor holds him back, makes it clear who his student is, the superiority, the master of the house. El Atleta Manu. But at some point it is enough for Manu, he goes to Miguel Perez Jr. How can he? What’s going on? And why does no one intervene? You kind of expect Mike Mendoza, but he holds back. For this, Nathalya Perez courageously stands in front of her father. And Manu doesn’t want to put the kendo stick on her after all . What does that mean? The audience spurs him on, then the lights go out and Androide787 appears in the ring to great cheers. He’s here! And pounces on Manu, with whom he still has something to clarify, then he grabs the kendo stick and wants to hit Manu, but he flees. Androide787 is back, finally, and he wants to redeem his deserved chance at the title. Mendoza in the background has fun with it, he sees that this scene is very well received by the audience , everything done right. And here are two of the oldest dojo students who compete for the favor of the master and of course want to be the godfather of the dojo. A fierce, verbal exchange, Manu sees himself as an invincible champ, but android is ready and there it comes: In November there will be the longed-for match. No regular match, a street fight! The audience is thrilled! This will be hard, bloody, merciless – will we crown a new champion in November?
Now there is another match. Ungrateful place after what has just happened. We want to talk about the streetfight , but we prefer to talk about the singles match. Adam Riggs vs. Alfredo Melies. The latter defends Mendoza to the point of blood, if need be, and has clearly backed him. Riggs, in turn, has stood up to him and sided with Pedro Portillo III. Didn’t he want to stop by? At least that’s what he announced a few hours ago on Twitter. He won’t want to influence the match, as is his way? Then comes his music and chant: Oh, Pedro Portillo. And there it is. He LAWE Heavyweight Champion enters the Espiritu Fitness Center. Where is Mendoza? Does he allow that? PPIII will stand in the corner of Adam Riggs for this match. And there is finally Mike Mendoza, gallantly jumping into the ring: “What the fuck are you doing here?” He stands in the corner of Alfredo Melies and makes it clear beforehand: You’re getting on my nerves, Portillo, we’ll see each other in November at Espiritu de Lucha II. Somehow, Portillo doesn’t quite seem to have expected that. Then the screaming starts, the fight begins, the two cheer on their fighters, who are fighting a hard battle. You can’t have your eyes everywhere because so much happens at once. Again and again you can hear Mendoza shouting, while Portillo seems a bit quieter, a bit overwhelmed, but then he also runs at full speed and he has his fans in his luggage, which should not be underestimated. The fight continues just outside the ring . Riggs takes a sip from a water bottle, spreads the rest over Melies, and sends it back into the ring. It’s nice to clap when you hit it, everyone knows that. Then Portillo and Mendoza yell at each other . A Powerbomb from Melies should bring the end, Riggs can just pull up his shoulder. On the ropes it goes on, that should have been it. But Portillo pulls the referee out of the ring by the boots and prevents the pin. Mendoza storms in, what’s the point, that’s not possible. Now it goes on inside and outside, while discussions take place, Riggs grabs Melies, wants to pin him and the referee is also on the spot, but this time it is Mendoza who pulls the impartial out of the ring. You wait a bit for him to knock down the two brawlers left and right and then devote himself to the actual fight again. Unfortunately, this does not happen. But this is Mendoza’s house, right? Portillo enters the ring, Mendoza climbs in as well, the two attack each other, Riggs prevents an attack, then there is a double closeline from Melies, a Frog Splash and Melies’ victory. What? It was fast, you couldn’t even look and what did Portillo do? Melies and Mendoza hug, the referee leaves the ring shaking his head. It’s not quite over yet. a verbal exchange of blows follows, a declaration of war – and guess what: This will be a tag team match. Portillo is already celebrating, Mendoza shakes her head and laughs. When Portillo makes it clear that he is undefeated and will remain so, he turns around and leaves, but Mendoza holds him back. Wait, don’t go! People like it when I punch you in the face and rip your heart out. Yes, they do. And there’s this adorable little girl in the front row, who nods proudly and when Portillo leans over to her, she makes it clear: That’s exactly how it is, Portillo! The audience celebrates the little one who turns to Mendoza and forms a heart with both hands. Against so much charm, not even the previously undefeated LAWE Champion has a chance!
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