Lucha Underground – Season One Episode 26 – 6th May 2015
The Best In The Business
Within this episode we’ll see a couple of matches with such significance that I can’t believe more wasn’t done to promote them ahead of time. Johnny Mundo will do battle with Alberto El Patron in what could be argued is the biggest match in Lucha Underground history (in terms of name value at least) – and it seems crazy they hadn’t announced it ahead of time. Prince Puma, new #1 contender Hernandez and jilted contenders King Cuerno and Cage will all be thrown together in one combustible tag match, plus The Crew look for some payback on Son Of Havoc and Angelico for their embarrassing Trios Title defeat a couple of weeks ago. Matt Striker and Vampiro to call from The Temple in Boyle Heights, CA.
Dario Cueto is interrupted in his office by Mundo and El Patron, both of whom want a shot at Prince Puma’s championship. They agree they are both more deserving than Hernandez though, and apparently El Jefe is with them on that. He likes to shake things up for sh*ts and giggles, and puts Mundo and Alberto in a match tonight. Winner faces Hernandez, and the winner of THAT match will get the shot at the Lucha Underground Title.
Son Of Havoc/Angelico vs Cortez Castro/Mr Cisco
Ivelisse is on crutches at ringside with her ankle in a cast. They’ve not confirmed it on camera but she competed in the Trios Tournament finals with a broken ankle so will certainly miss some ringtime. Dario was extremely disappointed in The Crew’s failure to take the Trios Championship from Ivelisse, Angelico and Havoc two weeks ago, and has threatened them with punishment at the hands of caged brother ‘Matanza’ if they disappoint him again. This is their first opportunity to avenge that loss, and their chances remain good whilst the new champs continue to struggle with unity and cohesion.
Ivelisse takes a seat and sulks at the popularity of her ex-boyfriend Havoc, who starts strongly with Castro. Angelico’s unpredictable striking continue the momentum for the new champions – all the while Ivelisse sits ringside barking instructions and pushing the angle that she sees herself as team captain. She berates SOH for missing a standing moonsault and is disingenuous in her praise of Ang as he comes close to taking out Cortez with the Fall Of The Angels. ARABIAN PRESS to the floor by Havoc! SOMERSAULT PLANCHA BY ANGELICO! Ivelisse is then a dick getting in her opponent’s face and celebrating the success of her partners! STEP UP KNEE STRIKE from the floor, to the apron, to the ring, from Angelico to Castro gets 2. The fans demand Son Of Havoc, who basically throws his own partner out of the ring to be allowed in! The Crew give him a 3-D Lungblower (which Striker calls the ‘Psycho Realm’) and land a huge victory at 05:25
Rating - ** - I don’t know whether the four men involved would be too thrilled about it, but Ivelisse was the most entertaining part about this. She was so fun to watch as the bitchy backseat driver on the sidelines, but then jumping around and being smug about her partners’ success as and when they landed a big spot. Angelico is so smooth and slick in everything he does…and looked a cut above the other three here. Entertaining enough as a way to progress to the eventual Trios Title rematch, whenever Ivelisse is healthy enough to compete again.
Daivari is in Dario Cueto’s office, but pisses him off by texting throughout their meeting. Some exposition reveals more about Daivari’s character; he is that he is from a wealthy family whom own a lot of property in LA and doesn’t need to compete…but he wants to anyway because he likes violence. El Jefe obliges and books him against Texano – next!
Konnan brings Hernandez and Prince Puma face to face. He looks to keep the peace, but accuses Hernandez of trying to cost Puma the belt. The three of them bicker until the boss struts in, and orders Puma and Hernandez to form a tag team because he’s a dick like that.
Delavar Daivari vs Texano
Daivari has switched up his first name again, and is nicknamed the ‘Golden Warrior’ now. I actually quite like the attempt to give him a character, but keep him recognisable for whatever residual name value he has from his WWE tenure. He attacked Texano during the Trios Tournament final, not only costing Texano’s team defeat but also meaning that Texano himself suffered the embarassment a pinfall loss to Killshot in only his second ever LU match. Last week Tex destroyed a match to call out Daivari, and his benevolent boss has obliged him swiftly.
‘Oh sh*t’ – Melissa Santos running from the ring as Texano sprints out during her introduction and attacks Daivari. The bell rings, but the match is over less than twenty seconds later because Tex can’t keep his emotions in check and shoves the referee over. He is disqualified, and Daivari waffles him with the microphone so he can slither away to fight another day…
Rating - N/A - Not a match of any substance of course, and honestly this isn’t a feud or issue I’ve got any vested interest in watching. I was far more interested in seeing what minor tweaks the LU writers had come up with for Daivari’s character than I was the match itself. Texano is such a fun old school heel, and if I’m honest I don’t get the logic of this booking as it sets him up needlessly as a babyface.
Prince Puma/Hernandez vs King Cuerno/Cage
Nobody in this match likes each other, much to the amusement of their bloodthirsty, violence-loving promoter. Dario Cueto has forced Puma and Hernandez to team up together even though they don’t like each other one bit after what transpired last week. Prince overheard Hernandez telling Cueto he wants the LU Title, and Hernandez went one step further by trying to cost Puma the belt in his high stakes defence against the now-banished Drago. Cuerno and Cage, meanwhile, both want shots at Puma’s belt again as they both feel like Hernandez cost them their previous title matches.
The big men start for their teams, and Hernandez strikes first with a slingshot tackle. The smaller masked men in next with Puma hitting a double backflip headscissors…but then getting knees on a Red Star Press and instantly grounded by the meticulous Cuerno. He drops the champ on his ribs with a TKO, leaving him in the ropes for Cage to hit the 818. King starts bumping on his damn neck to sell the power of Hernandez, who tanks him by press slamming him over the top rope before flying out after him with Air Mexico. Puma wants to dive too but is prevented by his own partner hogging the spotlight! Konnan frantically tries to talk strategy with his former stable-mate as Prince misses the Benadryller on The Machine. ARROW FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL! Hernandez shoved his own partner into the path of that! BORDER TOSS ON THE APRON FOR PUMA! Hernandez just crushed the LU Champion, and cockily walks out despite being berated by Konnan. Cage gives the already-unconscious Puma Weapon X and picks up the win at 07:25
Rating - *** - I thought this was a good match. It was far tamer than many Lucha Underground matches you’ll see, but the dissension spots between Hernandez and Puma were really well done. Cuerno and Cage were solid hands but all the drama here was on the interplay between Puma, Konnan and Hernandez; and they absolutely nailed their respective roles. This did far more to get me excited about a Puma/Hernandez title match than I was a week ago…
Black Lotus wants to return to the Temple to fight, but is urged by her mentor (El Dragon Azteca) not to lest she suffer the same fate as her parents. He agrees to let her leave if she can best him in combat. She fails and reluctantly agrees to remain under his tutelage.
Alberto El Patron vs Johnny Mundo
This is only Alberto’s third Lucha Underground match, and the first time he’s fought anyone other than pre-existing AAA rival Texano. He was a major recruit for Dario Cueto, but has spent his time on the periphery of Lucha Underground thus far – competing infrequently and spending his time antagonising fellow former WWE star Johnny Mundo in the locker room. El Patron has belittled Mundo’s career, whilst Johnny has defiantly pointed to his exemplary body of work in LU thus far to call himself the ‘poster boy’ of this promotion. Both believe they should be #1 contender to Prince Puma…and more importantly each believes they are the ‘best in the business’. Who will score the huge victory, and advance to face Hernandez for a title shot next week?
Alberto looks lean and athletic, but still seems to have a slight power advantage over Mundo. Johnny is obviously the quicker of the two though and shrugs him off to send him all the way out of the ring. Pescado attempted…but El Patron counters by catching him in the ring apron then booting him in the head. He attacks the head and neck; looking to keep Mundo grounded at all costs. But he gets too confident and tries something out of the Mundo playbook…MISSING a moonsault! Johnny capitalises in a flash with a springboard enziguri for 2. ELBOW SUICIDA INTO THE BARRICADE BY AEP! That seemed to land so hard a chunk of the set lies on the floor of the building. Mundo keeps getting back to his feet…so again and again Alberto puts him down, piling into the back and neck once more with a tilta-whirl neckbreaker. CORKSCREW PESCADO BY MUNDO! Now he starts going after Patron’s back, presumably setting him up for the Fin Del Mundo. Unfortunately for him Alberto blocks it with the INVERTED SUPERPLEX which gets 2! Rompe Destinos blocked! Running knee blocked! Running knee by Johnny! FIN DEL MUNDO! ALBERTO GETS THE ROPES! ROMPE DESTINOS! MUNDO GETS THE ROPES! El Patron muscles Johnny into the corner for repeated kicks to the arm, but misses a tackle and collides shoulder-first with the ringpost. Mundo double stomps the back for 2! His arm is hanging limp by his side now though, and he walks defenceless into the ARMBREAKER! SUPERKICK! EL PATRON WINS! It’s all over at 12:17
Rating - **** - I enjoyed the old school vibe of the Alberto/Texano matches, but they were disappointing that they were far below the high standards Alberto was setting for himself with his early-2015 ROH run. This was much more like it. Of course it’s easy to point out that he’s in there with Mundo, who has been phenomenal since Lucha Underground started, but El Patron was on point here too. The dynamic between them was perfect – with the taller, stronger and more technically gifted Alberto trying to work a slower pace whilst Mundo refused to be grounded and look to take to the skies whenever possible. I’ve not always said this about him, but I also thought Johnny’s selling was PERFECT here. The arm wasn’t a factor until late in the match, but the way he sold fatigue and general wear and tear on the beating he was receiving from his opponent was superb. More of a traditional wrestling match than many LU main events, but I thought this was excellent…and I’d definitely like to see them get a rematch with more time to play with.
Catrina is back! She wears a black veil and approaches the coffin of Mil Muertes. She opens the casket and licks his sacred stone…as a voiceover version of her announces that for him ‘death is just the beginning’. Mil’s eyes open!
Tape Rating - *** - These episodes go by so fast and take so little of your time to watch, that any time you get a match with the quality of Alberto/Johnny within one it becomes easy to recommend. That main event is well worth watching, and as a more grounded and traditional wrestling match probably appeals to a broader audience than the somewhat niche Lucha Underground product usually would. In general I’ve loved the focus on the Lucha Underground Championship over the last few weeks. Puma has it whilst Alberto, Mundo, Hernandez, Cage and Cuerno are all in hot pursuit. After weeks of Trios Championship stuff it’s nice to have the top prize taking centre stage once more.