The Latin American Xchange (LAX) is a professional wrestling stable that has wrestled in various incarnations primarily for Total Nonstop Action / Impact Wrestling and currently in Major League Wrestling (MLW).
The group achieved initial success as a stable consisting of Konnan, Hernandez and Homicide. Puerto Rican wrestler Apolo was a brief original member, who was later replaced by Machete. Later, upon the departure of Konnan from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Homicide and Hernandez wrestled exclusively as a tag team. The original gimmick of LAX centered on its members being Hispanic, denouncing the perceived repression of ethnic minorities by the NWA Championship Committee and TNA Management, with LAX's response as a group of militant street thugs. After becoming fan favorites, the group continued to stand as proud street Latin Americans, but dropped its militant focus.
In 2017, LAX returned to Impact Wrestling, with founding members Konnan and Homicide being joined by Diamante, Santana and Ortiz. They were briefly joined by Low Ki, and King who later assumed leadership when Konnan was absent. King later split the group along with Hernandez and Homicide to form The OGz. When Santana and Ortiz left for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the stable became dormant. The latest rendition is called LAX 5150 or simply 5150 and is composed by Slice Boogie, Danny Rivera and Julius Smokes. It began working for MLW in July 2021, once again managed by Konnan.
Professional wrestling career Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Konnan vs. The James Gang (2005–2006) LAX emerged from the breakup of 4Live Kru, which was the result of 3Live Kru adding new member Kip James, and Konnan being tired of the shenanigans between B.G. James and Kip James. When Kip was permitted into the stable, it was the last straw. At Turning Point in 2005, Konnan attacked Kip and B.G. with a chair, signaling that stable's end. Throughout December, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong, B.G. James' father, tried to get 4Live Kru back together. On the December 31, 2005 episode of TNA Impact!, Bullet Bob encountered Konnan, who expressed himself like he had a change of heart and was willing to talk. Later in the show, however, two other Latino wrestlers, the returning Apolo and the debuting Homicide, ambushed Bullet Bob backstage at Konnan's command. As a result, a feud began between LAX and the James Gang, who sought revenge for the attack.
The feud between LAX and the James Gang continued through January 2006. At Against All Odds on February 12, 2006, Apolo and Homicide were scheduled to wrestle the James Gang. Apolo, however, had been released from TNA earlier that month for no-showing an event. His departure was explained on-screen by Konnan, who simply stated that the LAX was expanding, then introduced Apolo's replacement, the debuting Machete. Homicide and Machete went on to lose to the James Gang. On the March 18, 2006 episode of Impact, Homicide and Machete lost to Shark Boy and Norman Smiley after Konnan inadvertently hit Machete with his slapjack. After the match, Konnan tore off Machete's Puerto Rican t-shirt and threw him out of the stable. On the March 31 episode of TNA Xplosion, Konnan justified why he fired Machete, pointing to Machete's loss to Shark Boy. Later that evening, Konnan introduced the newest member of the LAX, the returning Hernandez. Hernandez and Homicide teamed together in a loss to Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal.
The Militant Thugs (2006–2007) LAX were next involved in an angle where they refused to wrestle, claiming that Latinos were "discriminated" against in TNA. The storyline borrowed heavily from the then-current controversy surrounding illegal immigration. During this time Konnan established a "border" around the Spanish announcer area (where he provided Spanish commentary alongside Moody Jack Meléndez) and denied entry to non-Latino individuals (they usually used the derogatory term "gringo" when referring to American wrestlers or non-Latino wrestlers in general). LAX often jumped any wrestlers who wander too close to the area. On the June 29 episode of Impact!, Jim Cornette declared that LAX's work stoppage would mean a "check stoppage". Homicide would wrestle on the July 6 episode, with the stipulation that LAX have a special Spanish ring entrance, announced by Melendez.
Konnan later made an offer to Ron "The Truth" Killings to join LAX. After Killings denied the offer, LAX assaulted him. LAX also attempted to give Sonjay Dutt a similar beating after one of Dutt's matches, but Killings interfered and made the save; this led to a tag team match at Victory Road between Homicide and Hernandez and Killings and Dutt. Hernandez picked up the victory for LAX after applying the Border Toss on Dutt.
On the July 20 episode of Impact!, the NWA World Tag Team Champions A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels made an open challenge in which they offered any team on the TNA roster a contract to face them for the titles, including LAX, who would then proceed to attack the champions, causing both of them to bleed, and then signed the contract with Daniels' blood. On the August 24 episode of Impact!, LAX would defeat Styles and Daniels in a Border Brawl to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. LAX lost the title back to Styles and Daniels at No Surrender in the first ever tag team Ultimate X match, but were granted a rematch after assaulting Styles in Mexico City. LAX regained the title in a Six Sides of Steel match at Bound for Glory, after Homicide performed Da Gringo Killa on Styles, while Konnan strangled Daniels with a coathanger from outside the cage.
On the edition of October 19 of Impact! LAX started a feud with America's Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris) by attacking them after the four of them had lost an eight-man tag team match against Styles, Daniels and the James Gang. The assault ended with Hernandez applying the Border Toss on AMW's manager Gail Kim. During the November 16 episode of Impact!, LAX nearly burned the American flag, as they promised one week earlier, but were stopped by Petey Williams. After stealing a victory over America's Most Wanted at Genesis Konnan told Homicide to use Da Gringo Killa on Gail Kim. Petey Williams made the save, and TNA Management Director Jim Cornette stripped them of the Titles for "conduct extremely disrespectful to TNA and its fans," which ironically caused fans in the arena to turn on Cornette despite LAX being the villains.
LAX refused to return the belts, hired a lawyer, and (kayfabe) threatened to sue TNA for violating their First Amendment rights. At that point, Cornette backed down and reinstated LAX as NWA World Tag Team Champions. On the next episode of Impact! they were placed in a match against Kurt Angle and Petey Williams with Cornette stating that he could not strip them of the titles but he could make them defend it. Throughout the broadcast LAX took out James Storm and Chris Harris, as well as Petey Williams right before the title match. LAX seemed to have the advantage on Angle when Samoa Joe came out to tag with Angle. Angle and Joe both proceeded to apply their respective submission holds and made both Homicide and Hernandez tap, thus apparently winning the NWA World Tag Team Championships. But soon after the bell sounded Cornette and LAX's lawyer appeared with the lawyer stating Joe was not signed to the contract and the match must be declared a disqualification on Angle to end the show. At Turning Point, LAX defeated America's Most Wanted in a flag match after they managed to hang the Mexican Flag, making the LAX the first non-American team to win a flag match on American soil. They had another victory over America's Most Wanted on December 14 in a "Titles vs. Career" match after James Storm deliberately hit Chris Harris with a beer bottle. The loss forced AMW to disband.
On the edition of January 4, 2007 of Impact!, Homicide and Brother Runt competed in a "Lucha Callejera", or Street Fight. The match ended with Hernandez interfering when he applied a Border Toss on Runt, throwing him into a propped-up ladder. Then LAX entered into a feud against Team 3D. At Final Resolution, LAX retained their tag championship by disqualification against Team 3D, when an apparently drunk Brother Runt came out and jumped off the top rope with a headbutt on Homicide. Konnan was not with LAX; he was injured recovering from hip replacement surgery. The television storyline cover for the surgery's necessity was a Team 3D "sniper attack". He would later be scheduled to have kidney replacement surgery, as well. LAX and 3D met again on Impact! the same week, LAX retained the titles when Hernandez used the slapjack to score a pinfall over Brother Ray. In mid-February, Machete returned to TNA and to the LAX, although he was not recognized as part of the TNA roster, in an enforcer/bodyguard role, seen with a Puerto Rican flag bandanna over the lower part of his face, pushing the wheelchair-laden Konnan to the ringside area so he could continue managing Homicide and Hernandez during matches. The team revealed even more of a mean streak in the wake of Konnan's injury. The LAX formed an alliance with Alex Shelley, as they would attack the family and friends of Team 3D as Shelley videotaped the assaults, which included Brother Ray's real-life uncle, Brother Devon's trainer Johnny Rodz, and Brother Runt. In the February 23 episode of Impact!, the teams faced each other in a "Belting Pot" lumberjack match, in which both teams had a group of leather strap-armed followers that would act as lumberjacks in the match. LAX was supported by a group of "Latino Nation" members and Team 3D had a group of "Italian Family" mobsters behind them (this angle was used to promote Brother Ray's Italian roots). Team 3D won that match after the leader of the Italian mobsters (Sopranos star Steve Schirripa) interfered. The teams met again at Destination X in a Ghetto Brawl, and the match was won by LAX. Later that week, the teams faced each other again a six-man tag match, in what would end up being another victory for LAX and Shelley. The LAX would claim to rob the legacy of Team 3D, until Team 3D with their honorary WWE, WCW and ECW tag team championships in tow, would challenge LAX at Lockdown. LAX accepted, under the condition that the Six Sides of Steel would be electrified, a match that played into the LAX's favor with its Mexican wrestling heritage. Before the event, LAX kidnapped Brother Runt and shot him with a tazer gun to antagonize Team 3D. At Lockdown, LAX lost to Team 3D as they were defeated in the Electrified Steel Cage match to lose the NWA World Tag Team Championships. At Sacrifice, LAX failed to regain the World Tag Team Title in a Triple Threat Tag Team match against Team 3D and Scott Steiner and Tomko, although neither LAX member was involved in the decision.
Heroes of the Latino Nation (2007–2008) Despite Konnan quitting at the June 19 TNA IMPACT! tapings, Homicide and Hernandez remained in TNA to continue on as LAX. On the edition of July 26, 2007 of Impact!, LAX became heroes by attacking the Voodoo Kin Mafia for disgracing the Puerto Rican flag. At Hard Justice, LAX beat VKM. VKM originally beat LAX when Kip James pinned Hernandez with the Fameasser, however Hector Guerrero, the one Latin American who LAX had actually feuded with (although loosely) during Konnan's tenure as the leader, showed the referee that VKM had used powder to win. After a restart Homicide pinned Kip with a roll-up.