On February 23, 2020, Liga Wrestling presented its first show of the year. Formerly known as World Wrestling League, Liga Wrestling had a spectacle in a modern arena and with a fresh face.
As we have discussed before, the WWL name had a curse in Puerto Rican wrestling. The promotion had too many closures that fans lost hope on the brand. Moreover, WWL was doing smaller shows, consciously reshaping the traditions that still permeates wrestling on the island.
Liga Wrestling had its first shot at the new arena on February 9. The show was held in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, which is a big change from the more rural areas that they use before. A large, High Definition screen was the first sight that fans appreciated when entering the warehouse. With a max of 200 fans, it was presented as a PROGRESS Wrestling-like theme; neon lights, clear sound, Americanize food, and a wide variety of beer made the scene look fresh. Puerto Rican fans are accustomed to the old “empanadillas” and some crummy beer that the owner might have bought for the show.
New champions, plus new feuds
The match that opened the show was Star Roger vs. Mark Davidson. Both were former Americas Champions, the latter being a student of the former. The match was a solid one. It featured modern style and great “Rudo” work by Davidson. In the end, it was Star Roger who won that match, and the night, as we later would find out.
The best match of the night was the Tag Team division and its fatal four-way bout for Thunder & Lightning’s WWL Tag Team Championships. Westside Mafia and Primos Melendez returned, alongside premier heel faction, Puro Macho. The energy of the crowd went to the roof. Everybody hit their best maneuver. Surprisingly, Los Primos Melendez, in a heel turn, beat Thunder & Lightning, the 20-plus year veterans, to win the tag titles.
The other title change came with Mike Mendoza vs. Angel Fashion (C). Former friends turned into enemies, the match had a solid outing. Fashion resisted most of the fatal shots of Mendoza, but a the end, a GTS finish everything. Mendoza became the first-ever 2x WWL Heavyweight Champion.
But, as we already noted, the night was for Star Roger. The former Puerto Rican champion challenged Mendoza after the match, with the latter accepting (he wanted to prove to his heel manager that he could take Roger on the same night). Roger, with a betrayal of Mendoza’s manager, beat the new champion and made it the shortest reign in the company’s history.
After the match, a new heel faction was formed, “Los Rudos #1”. It will now have the main champions of La Liga, Star Roger (WWL Heavyweight Champion), Los Judas Melendez (WWL Tag Team Champions) and probably the WWL Cruiserweight Champions.
Liga Wrestling is now fighting against the power of nostalgia for IWA PR and the big update of WWC with Los Colons. But it seems that the modernization of wrestling in Puerto Rico will come from their part.
