Latin American Xchange

The Latin American Exchange or Latin American Xchange (frequently abbreviated to LAX) is a heel Hispanic professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, currently consisting of Konnan, Homicide, Hernandez and Machete. The current gimmick of LAX is the perceived repression of ethnic minorities by the NWA Championship Committee and TNA Management, and LAX's response as a group of militant street thugs. Homicide and Hernandez are the current NWA World Tag Team Champions.

History
LAX emerged out of the breakup of 3Live Kru, which was the result of Konnan being tired of the shenannigans between B.G. James and Kip James. When Kip was permitted into the stable, it was the last straw. At Turning Point 2005, Konnan attacked Kip and B.G. with a chair, signalling 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!, when Bullet Bob encountered Konnan, Konnan sounded like he'd had a change of heart, and was willing to talk. Later in the show, however, two other Hispanic 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 2006 on February 12, 2006, Apolo and Homicide were scheduled to wrestle the James Gang. However, Apolo 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, 2006 episode of TNA Xplosion, Konnan justified his firing of Machete, pointing to Machete's loss to Shark Boy. Later that evening, Konnan debuted the newest member of the LAX, the returning Hernandez. Hernandez and Homicide teamed together in a loss to Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal.

LAX were next involved in a storyline where they refused to wrestle, claiming that Latinos were "discriminated" against in TNA. The storyline borrowed heavily from the current controversy surrounding illegal immigration. Konnan has even established a "border" around the Spanish announcer area (where he currently provides commentary alongside Moody Jack Melendez) and denies entry to non-Latino individuals (they usually use the term Gringo when referring to American wrestlers). LAX often jumps any wrestler(s) who wander too close to the area.

On the June 29 episode of iMPACT!, Jim Cornette ordered that LAX's work stoppage will mean a "cheque stoppage." Homicide would wrestle on the July 6 episode, with the stipulation that LAX have a special Spanish ring entrance, announced by Melendez.

Konnan would later make an offer to Ron "The Truth" Killings to join LAX. After Killings denied the offer, LAX would give him a beating. LAX would also attempt to give Sonjay Dutt a similar beating after one of Dutt's matches, but Killings would come out and make the save, leading to a tag team match at Victory Road between Homicide and Hernandez vs. Killings and Dutt. Hernandez would pick up the victory for LAX after hitting the Border Toss on Dutt.

On the July 20 episode of TNA iMPACT!, the NWA Tag Team Champions A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels offered any team on the TNA roster a contract to face them for the titles, including LAX, who would proceed to attack the champions and sign the contract.

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. However, LAX lost the titles back to Styles and Daniels at No Surrender 2006 in the first ever tag team Ultimate X match. LAX would regain the titles in a six sides of steel match at Bound for Glory 2006 after Homicide hit AJ Styles with Da Gringo Killa.

During the November 16 episode of iMPACT!, LAX nearly burned the American flag, as they promised one week earlier, but was stopped by face-turning Petey Williams.

After stealing a victory over America's Most Wanted at Genesis 2006 Konnan told Homicide to use the Gringo Killer 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." Despite the fans' recent increased recognition of face and heel (as hinted by more boos directed at heel wrestlers, esp. during entrances) and the recent extremism of the "anti-American" actions of the LAX, this actually infuriated the fans in the arena and stirred up some unsavory chants directed at Jim Cornette.

LAX refused to return the belts, hired a lawyer, and 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 couldn't strip them of the titles but he could make them defend it. Throughout the broadcast LAX took out James Storm and Chris Harris, America's Most Wanted, 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 then both locked in their respected submissions and made both Homicide and Hernandez tap, 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 2006, LAX defeated America's Most Wanted in a flag match after they managed to hang the Mexican Flag. They had another victory over America's Most Wanted on December 14 after James Storm deliberately hit Chris Harris with a beer bottle. The loss forced AMW to disband.

On the January 4 edition of TNA iMPACT!, Homicide and Brother Runt competed in a "Lucha Callejera", or Mexican Street Fight. The match ended with Hernandez interfering and did a Border Toss on Runt into a ladder.

Since then LAX has entered in a feud aganist Team 3D.

At Final Resolution 2007, LAX retained their tag championships by Disqualification against Team 3D, when Brother Runt came out and jumped off the top rope. Konnan was not with LAX; he was injured recovering from hip replacement surgery. The TV 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 in iMPACT! the same week, LAX retained the titles when Hernandez used the slapjack to score a pinfall over Brother Ray.

Machete has recently returned to TNA and to the LAX in an unnamed role, seen with a Puerto Rican flag bandana 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. Recently in a "Belting Pot" lumberjack match between LAX and Team 3D, complete with "Latino Nation" thugs and "Italian Family" mobsters, Machete appeared in this role as a member of the Latino Nation. Team 3D won that match after the leader of the Italian mobsters (The Sopranos star Steve Schirripa) interfered.

In wrestling

 * Associates
 * The group also has an association with Spanish language broadcaster "Moody Jack" Melendez, with whom Konnan broadcasts when not managing Homicide and Hernandez. With Konnan out for a while with an injury, it appears that "Moody Jack" will take over his place as the voice for the team.


 * Finishing and signature moves
 * Da Gringo Killa (Back to back double underhook piledriver) - Homicide
 * Border Toss (Throwing crucifix powerbomb) - Hernandez
 * CrackerJack (Release overhead choke suplex) - Hernandez
 * Avalanche Ace Crusher (Top rope Cutter) - Homicide
 * Elevated diving bulldog - Hernandez or Machete and Homicide
 * Signature foreign object: Slapjack

Championships and accomplishments

 * Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
 * NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times, current) (Homicide and Hernandez)
 * TNA Match Of The Year -- Ultimate X at No Surrender 2006 for the NWA World Tag Team Championship -- (2006) with A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels


 * Wrestling Observer Newsletter
 * Tag Team of the Year (2006)
 * Best Gimmick (2006)

Trivia

 * Konnan often wears a Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball cap, with an "X" painted beside the logo to spell "LAX".
 * When LAX enters an arena, periodic switching between the live footage and the entrance video takes place, similar used in the past for both the nWo and D-Generation X. A yellow wash over the video is also present. Additionally, the LAX logo is similar in design to that of the nWo. The three stables are also similar in terms of their anti-authority bents.
 * 5150, a number often seen on LAX clothing and spoken during promos, is a reference to the California Welfare and Institutions code for Involuntary Psychiatric Hold. As referenced by LAX, this code stands for several different categories of people which would be deemed "mentally insane" ("locos de la cabeza" in Spanish, the LAX's preferred language, at least in kayfabe).
 * Konnan and Homicide were original members of LAX. The third member (who would often tag-team with Homicide, as Konnan stands in a mouthpiece/managerial type role) changed periodically during the feud with the James Gang until Hernandez rejoined the TNA roster. This marked the beginning of the present and longest lasting incarnation of LAX.
 * Mexican-American wrestler Oscar Gutierrez is mentioned briefly in their entrance theme song.