Over the course of its two-decade history, Impact Wrestling (formerly known as TNA) has had a number of noted factions, from Main Event Mafia to Beautiful People to Violent By Design. But one of its more memorable acts was the Latin American Exchange, or LAX. Typically led by the legendary Konnan, LAX provided a much-needed spotlight on Latinx wrestlers, and were a staple of the tag team division.
Over the years, LAX has had a couple of incarnations and several lineups, working as both heels and babyfaces. Fans might not be aware of this classic group, so let’s go over their history and what you need to know about them.
10 Born Out Of 3Live Kru’s Breakup
Before LAX, Konnan was a member of 3Live Kru, a trio that included B.G. James (formerly Road Dogg) and Ron Killings (better known as R-Truth). Eventually the group expanded to 4Live Kru with the addition of Kip James, a.k.a. B.G.’s former partner Billy Gunn. Konnan took exception to Kip’s presence in the faction, and turned on his former partners.
While attempts were made by the Jameses to reconcile, the two parties officially became enemies with the introduction of Apolo and Homicide, signaling the formation of LAX. Eventually Apolo would be replaced by Homicide, which would make up the classic lineup of the group.
9 Managed By Konnan
While the membership of LAX would evolve over the years, one constant in the group was Konnan, who would lead the group in its early days as well as in more recent years. With the breakup of 4Live Kru, Konnan stepped back from in-ring competition to serve as a manager and mouthpiece for LAX.
However, that didn’t mean he stayed out of the ring for good. He’d take part in big matches here and there, including LAX’s big showdown against The James Gang — B.G. and Kip James — alongside B.G.’s father, Bob Armstrong, at Destination X in 2006.
8 Started As Heels
As one might imagine from the details of the group’s formation, LAX started off as heels in the Impact Zone, with their grievances going from personal to political. Following their feud with the James Gang, LAX took part in a storyline that played off of the real-life hot button topic of illegal immigration into the US from Mexico.
As part of this story, the group would go on strike from competing in the ring in protest of Impact’s discrimination against Latinx wrestlers. Part of this protest also involved taking over the Spanish announce table, policing it like a border and attacking non-Latino wrestlers and other on-screen personalities who got too close to it.
7 Rivalry With AJ Styles And Christopher Daniels
In July 2006, LAX answered an open challenge from AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels, who held the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After an attack by LAX, a rivalry ensued, which would lead to Hernandez and Homicide capturing the title.
Several rematches ensued, including Styles and Daniels winning the belts back in an acclaimed Ultimate X match — the first one to feature tag teams — at No Surrender. Their feud would hit a climax at Bound for Glory that year in a great Six Sides of Steel match, which would end with LAX emerging as tag champs yet again.
6 Turned Face in 2007
In mid-2007, Konnan ended up departing Impact, but Homicide and Hernandez stuck together as a tag team, and ended up becoming babyfaces.
Appropriately, their face turn happened because previous rivals Kip James and B.G. James — now the WWE-baiting Voodoo Kin Mafia — tried to defile the Puerto Rican flag, leading to a bout that LAX ultimately won at Hard Justice. Following their face turn, LAX gained a new manager in Hector Guerrero, and added Salinas (a.k.a. Shelly Martinez) to the group.
5 Eight-Time Tag Team Champions
LAX weren’t just a major staple of Impact Wrestling’s tag team division — they also were no strangers to being at the very top of it. Hernandez and Homicide emerged from their aforementioned feud with Styles and Daniels as two-time champions, and captured the belts for a third time at Sacrifice 2008.
A later incarnation featuring Santana and Ortiz would become Impact Tag Team Champions a whopping five times during their run, bringing LAX’s overall title wins in the company up to eight. If one factors in the group’s wins outside the Impact Zone, the number shoots up to double digits.
4 Broke Up In 2009
LAX’s tag team run would cool off by the end of 2008, as both members would start pursuing singles titles thanks to both Hernandez and Homicide winning Feast or Fired briefcases. In Hernandez’s case, he earned a World Title shot that would ultimately prove unsuccessful, while Homicide would actually capture the X Division Championship.
It wouldn’t be until September 2009 that LAX would officially break up thanks to Homicide turning heel and joining Eric Young’s World Elite stable. While a reunion was teased the following year, Homicide would eventually be released from the company.
3 Santana & Ortiz Were Members
LAX would remain dormant until March 2017, with Konnan organizing a new version of the group, featuring not only Homicide but new additions Diamante and future AEW stars Santana and Ortiz. Initially working as heels, the new LAX would capture the Impact Tag belts as well as those of the affiliated Global Force Wrestling.
Later that year, however, LAX would take on Ohio Versus Everything for the Impact Tag Team Title at Bound for Glory in a street fight that would end in a double turn for both teams, with LAX becoming babyfaces in the process.
2 Feuded With The Original LAX
In 2018, LAX added to its ranks Eddie Kingston (renamed “King”), who ended up becoming leader of the group while Konnan recovered from an attack. It turned out that King had orchestrated the attack in order to take leadership, causing a schism in LAX.
This resulted in two rival factions forming, with Konnan, Santana, and Ortiz retaining the name LAX while King led original members Hernandez and Homicide as The OGz. This would lead to a climactic “Concrete Jungle Death Match” at Bound for Glory 2018, where the LAX team were victorious.
1 Now In Major League Wrestling
While there is no longer an LAX in Impact Wrestling thanks to Santana and Ortiz moving on to All Elite Wrestling, in 2021 Konnan formed a new LAX in the promotion Major League Wrestling. Now called LAX 5150, the group includes Slice Boogie, Rivera (a.k.a. Danny Limelight), and Julius Smokes, later adding LAX veteran Hernandez to the lineup.
In late 2021, Rivera and Boogie defeated El Hijo de L.A. Park and L.A. Park Jr. to capture the MLW World Tag Team Championship, holding the belts for 112 days.