Lucha Underground – Season One Episode 38 – 29th July 2015
Ultima Lucha: Part 1
This is it. After thirty seven mad episodes filled with whacky characters, unpredictable plot twists and some truly spectacular wrestling we have finally reached the two week, two episode, three hour (yes, next week is a double-length special) raging climax. This is Ultima Lucha! The headline act tonight is the Believer’s Backlash Match between the ultra-popular Drago and the hated Hernandez – where ringside fans will be given leather straps to flog the wrestlers should they leave the ring! We’ll also see The Mack and Cage settle their rivalry in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, and the eagerly-awaited Trios Title bout seeing Catrina’s Disciples Of Death challenge Ivelisse, Son Of Havoc and Angelico. Matt Striker and Vampiro, himself preparing for a huge Ultima Lucha battle next week, call the action. We are taped in The Temple; Boyle Heights, CA.
Black Lotus has improvised ways to continue her training despite being held captive in a cell by Dario Cueto. El Jefe offers her champagne to celebrate Ultima Lucha, then gives a lengthy, expositional speech – revealing that Matanza is a ‘monster’ because his father exploited him and made him win underground fights for financial gain. Dario also says that Matanza didn’t kill Lotus’ parents – the murderer was Dragon Azteca. Lotus sullenly goes back to her training, seemingly working on a death punch by relentlessly beating the wall of her cell.
SIDENOTE – It’s disappointing that, given the amount of money El Rey, AAA and Robert Rodriguez dropped into Lucha Underground Season One, that they couldn’t find more money to give The Temple a different, ‘big event’ feel. The opening of this feels like any other week – and it’s only posters adorning The Temple walls showing the Ultima Lucha card which makes this feel even slightly different. Considering they made a decent fist of making Aztec Warfare and Grave Consequences ‘feel special’ with very little outlay, I feel like they could have done more here.
The Mack vs Cage – Falls Count Anywhere Match
Over the last two weeks Willie Mack has done something that only one other luchador has been able to do: pin ‘The Machine’. In fact, he’s done it twice! Fuelled by anger at missing out on a Trios Title shot when Cage assaulted him in the locker room, Mack has extracted revenge by embarrassing Cage with consecutive victories using flash pins to expose his lack of speed. The animosity between these two boiled over and led to a brawl all over the building last week, prompting Cueto to give them one more rematch with a special stipulation attached. Can Cage get a win, or does Mack complete the hattrick?
Cage attacks Mack during his entrance, and the fight gets underway at the top of the Temple steps. They fight on the roof of the perch (that Fenix was put through weeks ago), before Mack muscles Cage up for an EXPLODER INTO THE BLEACHERS! Cage tries to swing a chair…so Mack SPEARS HIM THROUGH A DOOR! But Cage explodes back through the same door blasting a fire extinguisher into his face then walloping him with a Stop sign. DDT ON THE STOP SIGN for 2! Mack didn’t like that, so breaks a 2x4 across The Machine’s back. Willie pulls out a cooler and pops open a couple of beers…THEN HITS A STONE COLD STUNNER ON THE FLOOR! FOR 2! BOTTLE BROKEN OVER CAGE’S HEAD! NO SOLD! DISCUS LARIAT! That was awesome, and plays off the vignette which saw Cage introduced early in the season. A table is set up at ringside, and Mack grabs Cage for an AVALANCHE CHOCOLATE THUNDER BOMB THROUGH THE TABLE! STILL CAGE KICKS OUT! The fight spills onto the roof of Cueto’s office…SPINEBUSTER THROUGH A GARBAGE CAN! CAGE KICKS OUT AGAIN! This is insane! Chocolate Thunder Driver COUNTERED with a Discus Lariat over the railings. DEAD-LIFT SUPERPLEX OFF THE RAILINGS ONTO THE OFFICE ROOF! MACK KICKS OUT! Cage is pissed, and pulls out a concrete cinder block. CURB STOMP THROUGH THE CONCRETE BLOCK! MACK IS DEAD! Cage gets his win back at 07:43
Rating - **** - A completely crazy way to kick-off Ultima Lucha. These two big dudes went all over the building, took some lunatic bumps and put on a classic. It’s so easy to write this off as vapid, garbage wrestling, but it was so much more than that. I loved the neat little touches, like Cage being ultra aggressive with every kick-out having been beaten by flash pins two weeks running. The way he refused to quit despite taking an absolute beating showed us a whole new side to ‘The Machine’. He was as emotional and driven as we’ve seen him all season, enduring all manner of abuse in his desire to avenge what he viewed as embarrassing losses. And that little touch with the glass bottle no-sell was an AWESOME moment for fans who have watched all season. I came into this match thinking that LU haven’t done enough to introduce us to The Mack’s character, and have left to Cage drift after initially booking him very strongly…but none of that matters after this. In front of a ravenous crowd this was a star-making performance and a season-best match for both men.
Son Of Havoc/Ivelisse/Angelico vs Disciples Of Death – LU Trios Title Match
Per the orders of El Jefe, this will be fought under Tornado Rules, making it even more difficult for the champions to cover for the fact that Ivelisse is still wrestling with a broken ankle. The feel-good fairytale rise of the Trios Champions has been one of the best storylines of the first season. Separated lovers and the cocky outsider who drove them apart, forced to team for the amusement of their boss, and fighting overwhelming odds at every turn…somehow Ivelisse, Son Of Havoc and Angelico have risen above it all and still hold gold around their waists. But they have been haunted by Catrina’s electrified lucha ghosts for weeks – the Disciples Of Death. Catrina has eyes on all her other-worldly charges being title holders by the time Ultima Lucha ends. Barrio Negro, Trece and El Siniestro de la Muerte (thankfully now wearing different colours so we can tell them apart) are up first.
The Disciples’ new gear is even more creepy. Barrio goes right after the hobbling Ivelisse, booting her to the ground as the other Disciples mug the two male champions in the corner. He gives Angelico a rack bomb, then hops out of the ring to start wearing Ivelisse out with her own crutch. Trece gives Havoc a crucifix driver, but Son Of survives that to dish out ROLLING TOPE SUICIDAS! TOPE ATOMICO BY ANGELICO! There’s a really weird and obvious edit in here with Angelico lining up a running knee strike on Siniestro, but then the camera angle changes and it’s Negro in the ring instead taking the move. Anyway, Havoc follows it with the Red Star Press for 2. Ivelisse is fighting for all she’s worth, biting and clawing at Siniestro even though she can barely stand. HORSE COLLAR ON HER GOOD LEG! Havoc makes the save! Angelico and Muerte brawl into the crowd, which given Ange’s history with insane dives creates an instant buzz…but instead Siniestro gives him a nasty back drop in the bleachers. Havoc fights off two Disciples at once…as Angelico starts to climb. FLYING CROSSBODY OFF CUETO’S ROOF TO THE F*CKING FLOOR! TO THE DAMN FLOOR! HOW IS HE ALIVE!? Unsurprisingly, despite taking out the challengers, he lies on the ground coughing up blood. Catrina slithers towards into the ring and raises the Stone Of Death into the air to resurrect the Disciples. Ivelisse TAKES HER DOWN! CATRINA NAILS HER WITH THE STONE! Barrio pins Ivelisse, and we have new champions at 06:20 (shown).
Rating - *** - I’d read a few negative reviews about this, and I can understand why, given how popular the now-former champions were and how little we’ve been exposed to the Disciples in comparison. But, given the limitations of Ivelisse’s injury and the brief amount of time they had (not to mention the super-hot match they had to follow too), I thought this was a cracking little match. The Disciples are so creepy to look at, and all three of the wrestlers playing them have absolutely nailed the ghostly mannerisms and movements to go along with that look. In just a few minutes these six created real drama – with the champs fighting for all their worth against opponents whom seemed almost impervious to pain, and were able to survive even the most insane of attempts to take them out (i.e. another totally ridiculous Angelico dive). The finish, with a scorching confrontation between Ivelisse and Catrina, drew nuclear heat from the Believers. Although it’s sad that their reign is over, putting the belts on Catrina’s guys moving forward makes sense – and we instantly have a big money rematch next season when Ivelisse can actually walk again.
Vampiro and Matt Striker drink a beer to toast their time at the announce table together (since Vampiro is wrestling next week and they didn’t know if they had another series at this point). This felt very much like paid product placement…and if product placement funds another series I’d say slap promotional logos all over every single luchador in order to do so. A hoard of fans then get their own entrance, wielding leather straps, ahead of the main event…
Hernandez vs Drago – Believer’s Backlash Match
Yet again we have another unique twist on a signature wrestling stipulation – the Lumberjack Strap Match. Since the fans hate Hernandez and his arrogant attitude so much, Cueto has allowed a group of them to surround the ring and nail him (or Drago if they are so inclined) with straps if they fall out of bounds. Drago blames Hernandez for the fact that he isn’t in the main event title match next week instead. He earned that opportunity (and his career back) fairly, but was then assaulted by Hernandez before a new #1 contenders bout with Mil Muertes. They fought again, and after beating him, Hernandez then embarrassed him (and his fans) by saying that dragons aren’t real. Will the Dragon get his revenge and end what has been a turbulent season for him on a positive note?
Hernandez shoves the smaller man to the ground and instantly starts taunting the fans on the floor. He boots Drago out of the ring…and is furious when he sees the Believers help Drago to his feet! He sprints out after the Dragon, and is promptly flogged to pieces by every fan that can lay a strap on him. Drago capitalises with a springboard corkscrew crossbody…then hits a Cactus clothesline to send Hernandez back to the floor. He stands and watches as the fans (including the hefty hot-tub review guy) beat the sh*t out of Hernandez some more. The big Texan retreats back inside and crushes his masked opponent with a sit-out powerbomb. He gets knees with trying a flying body press though, and is swung into a tornado DDT by Drago. Argentine backbreaker blocked…Dragon’s Tail attempted, but Hernandez is so big he can’t complete it! BORDER TOSS OVER THE TOP INTO A PILE OF FANS! AIR MEXICO…BUT DRAGO SPRAYS YELLOW MIST INTO HIS EYES! Hernandez has no vision and crawls under the ring to escape the strap-wielding Believers…whilst Drago uses the time to set up a table and pull out his nunchucks! NUNCHUCKS TO THE HEAD! FLYING SPLASH THROUGH THE TABLE! Drago hits the same move back into the ring and gets a feel-good win, sending Hernandez packing from The Temple at 08:46
Rating - *** - Probably the weakest match on the show, but the crowd (the actual attendees, not the mix of plants and genuine fans with straps) made this feel like a real spectacle. Hernandez has come off like a jerk since he debuted, and he hasn’t been particularly well-received by fans of the promotion. Although his work hasn’t been great, seeing him literally take a whipping from the crowd and a beating from one of the most popular guys on the roster was a hell of a fun way to end his brief tenure in The Temple. He got almost no offence in at all here (save one spectacular Border Toss spot), and seemingly only turned up to give the fans a good time by taking a ten-minute ass kicking. You could criticise him for many things, but he was a good sport here and this was an entertaining Part 1 main event.
SIDENOTE – Hernandez didn’t return for Season Two, and controversially went back to TNA after falsely allowing them to believe his contractual obligations to Lucha Underground were fulfilled. LU forcefully objected to a man they had under contract appearing on a rival promotion, leading to Hernandez losing his job with TNA as well.
We cut to the dark streets surrounding The Temple, and see El Dragon Azteca making a beeline for the front door. A hooded figure blocks his path, and begs him to stop because a ‘prophecy’ forbids him from entering. Azteca enters anyway, determined to rescue Black Lotus…
Tape Rating - *** - A hugely entertaining way to begin our Ultima Lucha festivities. This was the ‘warm up act’ for next week’s feature-length season finale, and on that front it did a hell of a job. Although the show didn’t look any different, it certainly felt like the performers were pulling out all the stops to create something memorable. Mack/Cage was utter carnage and completely stole the show. If you were uncertain about either of them before, it cemented their place on the roster and all but ensured they’ll be given more prominent roles on the roster next season. The sensational underdog Trios Title storyline ended in heartbreaking defeat for Ivelisse, Angelico and Havoc…but their match was decent despite obvious limitations; and sets up all manner of possibilities for both teams moving into the next season. And whilst the main event wasn’t necessarily to my taste, allowing a handful of actual fans a chance to whip a wrestler they have vocally disliked since he debuted was a novel spectacle. Hernandez has his critics but I can’t help but respect him for showing up and getting beaten up for ten minutes straight just to make Drago look good. Next week is where the serious stuff awaits us; Mundo/El Patron, Pentagon/Vampiro, the inaugural Gift Of The Gods Title Match and Puma/Muertes. Big thumbs up for Part 1 of Ultima Lucha though…