When it was announced WWE would not only head for Mexico City but hold multiple episodes of television there, AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio and Raw General Manager Adam Pearce agreed upon an idea — hold a tournament to find the best luchador to challenge Roman Reigns for his world heavyweight championship in the main event of a packed weekend on Monday Night Raw.
Penta won that tournament, and was given all the pomp and pageantry you would expect when he arrived to try to finish the job in front of a partisan crowd who treated him like a God. Reigns, then, was public enemy number one, walking into the belly of the beast with an entire arena roaring its disapproval.
This had a big fight feel, a rarity for a regular episode of Raw in the fall with just a month of build up.
And they delivered with a big fight match, a back-and-forth war.
At one point, after Penta survived the Spear, The Tribal Chief grabbed a microphone and demanded Mexico acknowledge him. Graves called it a signal for the beginning of the end. He tried to get a running start for the Spear, ran into a Superkick, and then Penta hit the springboard Mexican Destroyer.
And still only got a two count.
They set up for next big spot with the back-and-forth punches, a battle won by Penta. He hit three Superkicks before trying for the Mexican Destroyer once more.
This time he ran into a Superman punch.
He couldn’t answer the count.
Reigns ripped the heart out of the Mexico City faithful.
What an incredible thrill ride this match was.
“I don’t hear shit now,” Reigns could be heard telling the camera just before they faded to black.
