The áscaravsMáIWRG Máscara vs. Máscara (September 2016) (Spanish for "Mask versus Mask") was a major professional wrestling event that was scripted and produced by the lucha libre wrestling company International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG; sometimes also referred to as Grupo Internacional Revolución in Spanish) that took place on September 4, 2016, in IWRG's home arena Arena Naucalpan in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico. The main event and highlights from several of the matches on the show were broadcast the following day on AYM Sports in Mexico and matches from the show were later posted online by the Lucha+ TV show.
In the main event of the show, a Lucha de Apuestas or "bet match", Trauma I defeated Canis Lupus, forcing him to unmask and reveal his real name, Héctor López. Also on the show Imposible defeated Heddi Karaoui to win the IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship and the team of Veneno and Chicano became the number one contenders for the IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Championship.
Production
Background
In Lucha libre the wrestling mask holds a sacred place, with the most anticipated and prestigious matches being those where a wrestler's mask is on the line, a so-called Lucha de Apuestas, or "bet match" where the loser would be forced to unmask in the middle of the ring and state their birth name. Winning a mask is considered a bigger accomplishment in lucha libre than winning a professional wrestling championship.
The Máscara vs. Máscara show was the third of three major shows held within a week of each other, produced by the three biggest lucha libre promotions in Mexico, AAA, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and IWRG. The first show, AAA's Triplemanía XXIV, which took on Sunday August 28 at the Arena Ciudad de México with Psycho Clown defeating Pagano in a Lucha de Apuestas match in the main event. The second major lucha libre show, the CMLL 83rd Anniversary Show, took place five days after Triplemanía on September 2 at Arena México where Dragon Lee defeated La Máscara in a match where both their masks were on the line. Finally IWRG held the Máscara vs. Máscara show two days later on September 4.
Storylines
The event featured six professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either heels (referred to as rudos in Mexico, those that portray the "bad guys") or faces (técnicos in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they performed in matches with a pre-determined outcome.
In early 2016 Trauma I defeated El Hijo de Dos Caras to win the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship in the main event of IWRG's 2016 Triangular de la Muerte ("Triangle of Death") show. Subsequently, Trauma I and his brother Trauma II became involved in a storyline feud with Los Insoportables ("The Unbearables") team of Canis Lupus and Eterno). This led to Los Traumas defeating Los Insportables in the main event of IWRG's Choque de Rudos ("Villain Shock"). A few weeks later Los Insportables gained a measure of revenge by defeating Los Traumas. On April 13 Los Traumas and their father Negro Navarro successfully defended the IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship against Canis Lupus, Eterno and Apolo Estrada Jr. Throughout the storyline the focal point was on the issues between Trauma I and Canis Lupus, which lead to Canis Lupus defeating Trauma I in the main event of the Lucha de Fieras ("Fierce Fight"). On April 24 Canis Lupus played a key role in Máscara Año 2000 Jr. defeating Trauma I to win the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, attacking Trauma I when the referee was not looking. After the match Canis Lupus demanded a title match as he helped Máscara Año 2000 Jr. win the championship. The following week the two faced off in a match where both wrestlers would bleed heavily during the match. Following Máscara Año 2000 Jr. cheating to retain the championship Trauma I came to the ring, challenging both wrestlers to a Lucha de Apuestas match.