Lucha Underground – Season One Episode 37 – 22nd July 2015
PenUltima Lucha
Now we are a week away from the two week, two-episode, season-ending extravaganza Dario Cueto has christened ‘Ultima Lucha’. The majority of the card is set, we’ve seen warriors come and go, legends come out of retirement or betray their heritage, bloody murders, immortal monsters and teleporting lucha ghosts. The one loose thread we have left to tie up before heading to Ultima Lucha is the smaller matter of the seventh Aztec Medallion. Six are already held – by Fenix, Jack Evans, Aero Star, Bengala, King Cuerno and Sexy Star. Tonight we’ll see a Battle Royal for the final coveted medallion. Matt Striker and Vampiro, himself preparing for a big match at Ultima Lucha, will call the action from The Temple in Boyle Heights, CA.
Dario Cueto has Big Ryck in his office, recalling their early days together in Lucha Underground and accusing him of losing focus thanks to Daivari’s money. My DVD skips here, but the pay-off of the segment is that Big Ryck is simply awarded the final Aztec Medallion (plus a wad of cash).
Johnny Mundo vs Texano
This is a big match in itself, but also represents the ideal way for both of these men to prepare for Ultima Lucha. For Mundo, he gets to test himself against one of Alberto’s big rivals in Mexico, whilst Texano gets to face one of the biggest names in Lucha Underground whilst preparing for one of the biggest names in ALL of Lucha Libre – Blue Demon Jr.
Vampiro calls Texano a ‘sh*tkicker’, which is quite a fun description of his style. He demonstrates that by shaking off Mundo’s attempts to work a leg with a simple kick across Johnny’s pretty face. Mundo slithers to the floor and gives him an elevated swinging neckbreaker from the apron…then acts like a jackass by strutting into the ring and not letting Texano back in! There is some MNM-style posing too, before he finally leaves the ring and BOOTS TEX’S HEAD INTO THE RAILINGS! Back in the ring Texano retaliates with such an emphatic monkey flip that Mundo somersaults through the air and lands flat on his face! Moonlight Drive blocked…but so is Texano’s Ligerbomb. The Crew spoil things by running in and attacking Texano, causing a disqualification at 05:55
Rating - ** - There was quite a fun dynamic at play here. Mundo is great at being a dickhead and delivered a lavishly nasty rudo performance here. But Texano has never been portrayed as a nice guy, and was actually a real prick in his own right – meaning we had two dudes being assholes and just trying to beat each other up in the most sadistic manner available to them. The non-finish was disappointing, but we know they have bigger opponents on the horizon so neither could really afford the buzzkill of a clean loss here.
Johnny Mundo shrugs his shoulders and helps The Crew put the boots to Texano…until Alberto El Patron rushes The Temple and fights him off. We then get the unexpected spectacle of Texano and El Patron joining forces to fight off The Crew. They staredown uncomfortably but don’t come to blows
Dario Cueto brings Hernandez into his office to tell him that he will be headlining week one of Ultima Lucha. Hernandez arrogantly presumes it will be a ‘Strap Match’…but El Jefe has other ideas. Instead it’s going to be a ‘Believer’s Backlash’ match. Since the fans hate Hernandez so much, they are all going to be given a leather belt and permitted to flog either man if they fall out of the ring…
The Mack vs Cage
Last week we saw a real slug-out between these two men, with the unexpected conclusion of The Mack pinning Cage for arguably his biggest win in The Temple thus far. The Machine has been a major player since his arrival in Lucha Underground, and hasn’t taken kindly to such a high profile loss. He has an immediate chance for revenge…
Cage flips big Willie into a hiptoss backbreaker then drags him out of the corner with a big clothesline. He is fired up and hellbent on getting payback, and therefore doesn’t see The Mack coming when he sunset flips out of the corner AND PINS CAGE AGAIN! It’s all over at 00:43
Rating - N/A - Unlike Sexy Star’s rapid-fire win over Super Fly last week, this brief match makes perfect sense to me. Clearly they’ve decided to build that Mack is able to exploit big, jacked-up Cage’s vulnerability to flash pins and now frustrates The Machine with back-to-back clean victories over him.
An irate Cage jumps The Mack, and they brawl out of the ring to the floor. Security tries to break them up, but they are such big dudes that they are able to send bodies flying and continue fighting. Dario Cueto has seen enough. He books Mack and Cage into a Falls Count Anywhere Match to kick off Ultima Lucha next week.
Back from commercials with El Jefe in the ring to make an announcement on what the Aztec Medallions mean for the competitors that hold them. The seven medallion holders will fight for a chance to win the ‘Gift Of The Gods’ Championship belt. That belt earns the holder a shot at the Lucha Underground Championship whenever they want – provided they give him a week’s notice to promote it (so no Money In The Bank style title switches)…but if they don’t take their shot they’ll have to defend the Gift Of The Gods belt like any other title. Once the LU Title shot has been ‘cashed in’ the Medallions are scattered and the process begins once again. (Fun concept, I like it). He invites the Medallion-holders to come to the ring and place their medal into the Gift Of The Gods belt and claim their spot in the inaugural match. Six fighters come forward, with Fenix still missing after his Death Match with Mil Muertes. El Jefe announces a Battle Royal for the vacant medallion…but is interrupted by THE RETURN OF FENIX! Cueto is an asshole and doesn’t let him have his medallion back, instead making him compete in the Battle Royal like everyone else…
Aztec Medallion Battle Royal
Personally I think it would’ve been more of a memorable moment if Fenix’s return had taken place part-way through this match rather than before it started, but never mind. The winner of this gets the final medallion and the last place in the Gift Of The Gods Title Match at Ultima Lucha. There’s also a twist in that the winner will be determined by pinfall or submission only – meaning the final two will compete in effectively a standalone match. Entrants are Fenix, Argenis, Delavar Daivari, Killshot, Super Fly, Marty Martinez, Mascarita Sagrada, Famous B, Ricky Mandel and Vinny Massaro.
The Moth is an oddball but smart enough to make a beeline for Mascarita so he has an easy time of it. Famous B hits Mandel with a Pedigree, then an Immortal Leg Drop before tossing him out. B boots Argenis out moments later as well. Rolling Thunder Cutter from Killshot to Famous! He foolishly lines up the Kill Stomp…and is punished by Daivari shoving him off the top to the floor. Daivari rockets Massaro out of the match, as on the other side of the ring Mascarita sprints across the apron to monkey flip Super Fly – causing them both to crash out of the match! The Moth and Daivari team up to eliminate Famous B, then form an alliance of convenience to rough up Fenix. The Bird Of War heroically throws Daivari out, meaning we are down to Fenix and Marty with the Medallion at stake. The Moth is mocked by Vampiro for having had so many shots at a medallion, and chastened by ‘Kill The Moth’ chants coming from the fans. Fenix is supposedly slowed down and still struggling with injuries sustained at the hands of Muertes…but it doesn’t stop him nailing a TRIPLE SPRINGBOARD, DOUBLE SOMERSAULT ARMDRAG…THEN A TOPE ATOMICO TO THE FLOOR! They unfortunately botch the finishing spot, but it’s Fenix holding Marty’s shoulders down for three at 07:11
Rating - ** - As I said during my intro, I think it would have been a more powerful moment if Fenix’s return had been held off until partway through, and this rather rushed and thrown together match didn’t do a whole lot for me in truth. Famous B’s underdog run to the final four was a fun, understated little deal and Fenix busting out a couple of mental highspots to take down the comical Moth at the end was cool, but this won’t live long in the memory.
Fenix climbs The Temple steps and places his medallion into the Gift Of The Gods belt to signal his participation in Ultima Lucha…as Dario Cueto glowers from the door of his office.
With Konnan killed off last week, all night LU have promoted the fact that tonight Prince Puma will speak for the first time in the season. He doesn’t get to utter a single word however, as Catrina and the suited Mil Muertes march down the steps to confront him. The Disciples Of Death, but in a huge statement of intent Puma fights them ALL off! Mil enters the ring and the FIGHT IS ON! PUMA TAKES MUERTES DOWN! 630 SENTON NAILED! Catrina is left surveying the scene, as Puma has just taken out ALL of her fighters in mere seconds…
Tape Rating - ** - I thought that bringing Ultima Lucha in as a manner of blowing out the season in a spectacular fashion would focus and enhance the product, but it’s actually had quite a destabilising effect. A few weeks ago the promotion felt super hot, blasting out week after week of electrifying, must-see television. The last few episodes have just come off the boil, feeling less like standalone must-see events and more like skippable, building blocks which you can gloss over and pick up on when we finally do reach Ultima Lucha. There have been some exciting moments (I’ve loved the two Puma/Muertes segments from the most recent episodes) but between reduced quality in-ring content and an increased focus on some of the least-interesting elements of the series (the ‘Mexico’ storyline, Sexy Star’s scattergun booking, anything involving Delavar Daivari etc) mean that the last month has felt like a noticeable step back. Hopefully the two week long festival of violence known as Ultima Lucha makes up for it – and that starts next week!
Ultima Lucha Card:
Blue Demon Jr. vs Texano
The Mack vs Cage (Falls Count Anywhere Match)
Hernandez vs Drago (Believer’s Backlash Match)
Son Of Havoc/Angelico/Ivelisse vs Disciples Of Death (Trios Title Match)
Fenix vs Jack Evans vs Aero Star vs Bengala vs King Cuerno vs Sexy Star vs Big Ryck (Gift Of The Gods Title Match)
Pentagon Jr. vs Vampiro (Cero Miedo Match)
Alberto El Patron vs Johnny Mundo
Prince Puma vs Mil Muertes (LU Title Match)