Since October 2020, MLW had been incorporating story elements from Lucha Underground into its programming. Talent formerly associated with Lucha Underground were brought into MLW as part of the "Azteca Underground" stable.[1][3] The stable would later become the central focus of the MLW Fusion: Alpha mini-series, which premiered on September 22, 2021.[4][5][6]
The second Azteca event, entitled MLW Azteca Underground, was held on April 1, 2022 at Gilley's Dallas in Dallas, Texas.[11] It served as a television taping for MLW Fusion, with several matches airing as part of its special Rise of the Renegades episode.
On December 12, 2023, MLW announced that it would be holding a third event, MLW Azteca Lucha, on May 11, 2024, at the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois.[12][13] The event will stream live on Triller TV, as part of an overall deal with MLW to air live monthly events for TrillerTV+ subscribers.[14] Additional matches were taped for Fury Road, which aired as a television special on Bein Sports USA and on MLW's YouTube channel as part of the promotion's expanded event schedule.[15]
