The Kampeon ng Masa tournament takes center stage in Episode 13 of Aksyonovela TV, with tournament finalist Rex Lawin in action and Jomar Liwanag having to defend his spot from the machinations of PAC RG and Bryan Leo. But first, we check in with the status of an MWF original and speculate how he would fit in the grand scheme of things.
Hello, this is BJ again, Smark Henry's MWF storyline enthusiast, off to review Episode 13 and speculate about the Kampeon ng Masa title.
Mr. Lucha is Told to Evolve
The episode cold opens with a tête-à -tête between Senior Analyst Tarek El Tayech and Creative Director William Elvin. They talked about Mr. Lucha's absence in recent events, as well as his actions back in Episode 9. In response to Lucha's complaints about the changing landscape of MWF, William Elvin said that the world at large is changing: The onus is not on MWF to stay static, but on Mr. Lucha to evolve if he wants to still be a part of the promotion.Verdict: Like
I've been quite critical of AksyoNovela's promos on occasion, but this was an example of how it can work well. It was interesting, it pushed the story forward, and it didn't overstay its welcome. It's also interesting to consider how Mr. Lucha will respond to this challenge. What if he does change, but not in the way William Elvin expected? Mr. Lucha has yet to win an MWF title, but as this slow burn story continues, I see his heelish anti-establishment attitude pushing him forward to be the first No. 1 contender for the Kampeon ng Masa after the tournament ends.
Rex Lawin versus Razael
Razael is from World Underground Wrestling Philippines, and as a whole I like it when two brands cross-pollinate like this. I've mentioned before that the only reason I don't watch all the Pinoy wrestling is because I can only really devote time to one promotion. Razael, for his part, was quite good at being the heel for this match. It was a good match, even as this was largely a showcase for Rex as the Kampeon ng Masa finalist.Verdict: Like
Bryan Leo versus Jomar Liwanag
Veronica Shannon hypes up Rex Lawin after his match, but she was cut off with an ambush from "Classical" Bryan Leo. Rex came to Veronica's defense, but Jomar entered the fray to keep Rex out. With the two semi-finalists in the ring, they went straight to their match.This match was not as exciting as the previous match. Perhaps this was because heel to heel dynamics are a little difficult to build up? We don't really know who to cheer for, although the crowd was solidly behind Jomar. He would eventually dispatch of Bryan Leo with a German suplex, selling the idea that the move that took out PAC RG has been elevated to a finisher.
Verdict: Like
I mentioned the possibility of Jomar becoming the wild card to win the Kampeon ng Masa tournament, but honestly I was expecting him to lose here. Wrestling cliches dictate that skeevy authority figures get away with their dastardly tactics at least until the main match. MWF has shown that they will not necessarily dig into the bag of cliches, and now I am not so sure if Rex is winning the belt anymore.
Meanwhile, "Classical" Bryan Leo seems to be headed into a storyline of disappointment. Even with multiple chances, he has now failed both CoCo Gus and PAC RG, and now he has assaulted a female referee. Will he be protected and continue to be a liability to the admin? Or will they both discard him, as the two authority figures make amends?
Or what if Mr. Lucha recruits Bryan Leo as a fellow disgruntled wrestler?
Total Likes: 3
Total Dislikes: 0
Episode 13 tl;dr: The Kampeon ng Masa finals are now set in stone, with Rex Lawin locked in to face the wild card of this tournament, Jomar Liwanag. Bryan Leo assaults a referee in frustration. Mr. Lucha continues to be absent.
Disclaimer: BJ Recio is personal friends with the wrestler who plays the Fabio Makisig character. He is otherwise unaffiliated with the Manila Wrestling Federation in any way, shape, or form.
