Reviews

Lucha Underground Review 06/08/16 by Mark McAllen

TJR Wrestling

Taped in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California this is Lucha Underground for Season 2 – Episode 20.

Black Lotus walks into Dario Cueto’s office and tells him that El Dragon Azteca Jr. knows where he keeps Matanza locked away. She tells Cueto that Azteca wants to kill Matanza, but she stopped him from doing so. However, she tells Cueto that she wonders why she stopped him from doing so. Lotus is starting to get the feeling that Cueto lied to her about her mentor (the original El Dragon Azteca) killing her parents, and she’s starting to believe that it was actually Matanza who killed them (which is true).

Cueto tells her that he’s the only one who has been telling her the truth and diverts away from the topic by telling her that Ultima Lucha is coming and that he wants Lotus to be a part of it. He tells Lotus that at Ultima Lucha she will have a chance to avenge her parents’ death against the man who killed them, El Dragon Azteca Jr. It will be Black Lotus vs. El Dragon Azteca Jr. and if Lotus wins, she gets to take off Azteca’s mask and bring it back to the Lotus triad. Cueto: “And then finally your parents can rest in peace.”

Mexican rock band Voodoo Glow Skulls kick off this week’s episode with their musical stylings as our commentators Matt Striker and Vampiro welcome us back to The Temple. Striker lets us know that we are a mere 4 weeks away from Ultima Lucha 2. Striker tells us that since Matanza defeated Cage last week for the Lucha Underground Championship, The Monster sits and waits to find out who he will defend his title against at the biggest Lucha Underground event of the year.

Evaluation: You can say that Ultima Lucha is Lucha Underground’s WrestleMania in terms of it being their biggest show of the year and their season finale until they’re back again next year for Season 3. With Ultima Lucha just four weeks away, it means that Season 2 will only have 24 episodes which is less than Season 1 which had 39. I don’t mind less episodes because it allows for certain storylines to not drag as much. Also, LU was trying to find its footing in Season 1, so if they believe they’ve found their stride and think less episodes are better than I’m all for it. Then again, I probably wouldn’t be this okay with less episodes if I didn’t already know that a Season 3 was confirmed for next year.

In regards to tonight, Striker lets us know that a 6-on-6 matchup will take place. Whichever team wins that will fight each other next week in an elimination match that Cueto is calling, a “6-to-Survive” match. Vampiro also tells us that tonight we will see Drago and Aerostar face Jack Evans and PJ Black in the first ever nun-chuck match.

Marty The Moth Martinez

Melissa Santos introduces Marty “The Moth” Martinez while Marty does his usual creepy guy thing behind her that makes Santos want to get out of the ring as quickly as possible. Marty takes Santos’ mic and taunts Killshot with the military dog tags that Marty stole from Killshot three weeks ago. Marty calls him out to confront him and doesn’t see Killshot initially so he gloats in the ring about how Killshot is scared. However, Marty doesn’t realize until too later that Killshot is standing right behind him. Killshot tackles Marty, sending them both out of the ring where they quickly trade punches back and forth. The bell rings and this match is underway.

Marty “The Moth” Martinez vs. Killshot

Killshot superkicks Marty. However, Marty quickly gets back up and throws Killshot into the steel barricade repeatedly before powerbombing him into the barricade. Marty then looks to throw Killshot into the announce table, but Killshot counters and throws Marty into the announce table instead. The referee calls for the bell as his count has reached ten. The match lasted a little over a minute.

Result: Double Count-out

Post-match, Marty and Killshot continue fighting each other outside the ring. Killshot gets the upper hand and takes back the dog tags Marty stole from him. However, right as he does so, Marty sneaks up from behind Killshot, German Suplexes him and steals Killshot’s dog tags once again.

Evaluation: Can’t consider this a match due to the length and outcome, so not really worth doing much analysis for. It’s just a way to continue the Marty/Killshot feud which will likely end with a legitimate match at Ultima Lucha. If that’s the case, I’m fine with it because I really liked the match they had three weeks ago. Maybe they can add a stipulation this time around.

(Commercial)

Mr. Cisco is in an interrogation room with handcuffs on. He was arrested by undercover cops Joey Ryan and Cortez Castro two weeks ago after he walked in on Ryan and Castro snooping around Cueto’s office. Ryan and Castro enter and Cisco spits in Castro’s face. The lead female detective enters and tells Cisco he can either wear a wire to help them catch Cueto, or her can rot in jail. At first Cisco turns it down, but then he asks why they want to take down Cueto. The lead detective tells Cisco that they’re after Cueto for drug trafficking, money smuggling, murders and most importantly, the lead detective thinks Cueto is “a linchpin to the end of days.” She asks Cisco one last time if he’s in or if he’s out. Cisco drops his head and that’s the end of the segment.

Evaluation: We can assume that even though they cut away at the end, Cisco likely accepted the offer; reluctantly, but accepted it nonetheless. Continuing from Season 1, this Cueto story is the big storyline of this season, so I’m interested to see how this culminates.

Nun-chucks are hanging from various spots around The Temple, so you know what that means. In the background you can hear Jack Evans screaming “shut up! I don’t wanna hear it!” He’s awesome. Before Melissa Santos finishes introducing PJ Black and Jack Evans, Evans takes the microphone from her hand and introduces himself as Jack “The Dragon Slayer” Evans. Evans: “That’s how it’s done.”

(Commercial)

Aerostar Drago

Nunchucks Match: PJ Black & Jack Evans vs. Drago & Aerostar

The rules of a nunchuck match are simple. The only way to win is by pinfall or submission and nunchucks are legal. I’m guessing that’s it? It’s the first ever nunchuck match, so we’ll learn more as we go.

Well, here’s another rule! It looks like in a nun-chuck match tornado tag rules are in effect. That means all four men will be legally competing at once, no tags. Drago and Aerostar get in control right away with a lot of quick hurricanranas, superkicks and springboard dives. This culminates in Aerostar getting a nearfall on Evans which was broken up by Black.

Black and Evans head outside the ring to retrieve a pair of nun-chucks hanging from The Temple. Evans stands on Black’s shoulders to try and get them, but it’s broken up by Aerostar who leaps on top of Evans, causing him to tumble to the ground. Both teams now race up The Temple steps to try and grab the nunchucks and this time Evans gets them. Black holds Drago’s arms behind his back and Evans wails on him with the chucks. They do the same to Aerostar. Drago gets out of Black’s clutches and retrieves chucks of his own. All four men take the fight into the crowd as both teams attack each other with nun-chuck strikes.

Evans and Aerostar battle on top of Cueto’s office until Aerostar’s nun-chuck strikes force Evans to fall off, but Black is underneath Evans to catch him. However, Aerostar leaps off the top of Cueto’s office onto both Evans and Black, taking them both out. Drago drags Evans in the ring, traps him in the corner and sprays green mist right in Evans’ face. This was enough to disorient Evans who Drago covered with a unique pin attempt for the three count after eight minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Drago & Aerostar

Evaluation: I thought the match was fun, but did not need the nun-chucks. The idea of having to go around, not just the ring, but the entire Temple to retrieve elevated chucks just seemed too silly and it took a bit away from the match for me. At first I thought this match would be the end of the rivalry between these two teams, which has been going on since the beginning of this season). However, since Drago and Aerostar got the win, I’m assuming they’ll add a third luchador to their team and challenge for Black, Evans and Mundo’s Trios Titles.

(Commercial)

6-on-6 Tag Team Match: Prince Puma, The Mack, Texano, Sexy Star, Son of Havoc & Rey Mysterio vs. Fenix, Ivelisse, King Cuerno, Taya, Johnny Mundo & Chavo Guerrero

The winning team will fight each other in an six-person elimination match next week to determine who will fight Matanza for the Lucha Underground Title at Ultima Lucha Dos. If you’ve been following Lucha Underground this season and look at the members of both teams, it seems kind of obvious that Mysterio’s team will win this one. It still should be a fun match though.

Before the match starts, Pentagon Jr. comes to ringside in a wheelchair. He has a microphone and thanks Chavo for being the only one who supported and helped him. Pentagon: “But…now…I…will…destroy you!” Chavo turns around and is attacked by Pentagon who is out of his wheelchair and moving fine. Pentagon then holds Chavo down, eggs on the crowd and breaks Chavo’s arm.

Evaluation: That likely means Chavo won’t be competing at Ultima Lucha Dos. No complaints from me! That was a cool return for Pentagon. I’ve missed seeing him in action. I’m guessing he’ll take Chavo’s spot in this match.

(Commercial)

Cueto and Black Lotus come out of Cueto’s office. Cueto tells Pentagon that it’s good to have him back in The Temple and gives Pentagon Chavo’s spot in the match.

Evaluation: Everything I said above about how the outcome seems kind of obvious due to the members of each team, disregard that now. Pentagon being added to Mundo’s team makes this a much tougher match to predict, solely because I think Pentagon winning makes sense in regards to his storyline this season.

6-on-6 Tag Team Match: Prince Puma, The Mack, Texano, Sexy Star, Son of Havoc & Rey Mysterio vs. Fenix, Ivelisse, King Cuerno, Taya, Johnny Mundo & Pentagon Jr.

As they do every week, the El Rey Network’s YouTube channel uploaded this week’s main event in its entirety. You can watch the full match below.

The bell rings while all 12 wrestlers are in the ring and trying to decide who starts off the match. During this time, Mundo is trying to seprate Ivelisse and Taya who are bickering in each other’s faces. Both teams settle down and decide that it’s going to be Taya and Sexy Star who kick off this match. While Taya is talking with Mundo and not yet ready, Sexy rushes up from behind her and rolls her up into a pin attempt, but Taya kicks out at two.

Sexy and Taya evenly trade a series of blows and reversals until Sexy tags in Son of Havoc and Taya tags in Havoc’s ex-girlfriend and former Trios partner Ivelisse. They both shrug at each other, clap hands and go on with the match. There are a lot of reversals happening between these two since they both know each other so well. Pentagon then tags himself in and so does The Mack. After a series of counters, Pentagon catches Mack with a back stabber. He then ties Mack’s arms in the ropes and laces him with a big chop. Fenix tags in next and hits Mack with a springboard dropkick. Fenix goes for the cover, but Mack kicks out at two. Fenix tosses Mack into the ropes, but Mack catches Fenix taking him out with a tackle to Fenix’s legs.

Both men struggle to make it to their corners, but they do and make the hot tags to Rey Mysterio and King Cuerno. Cuerno lays Mysterio out with a big boot right away. He continues to lace into Mysterio with kicks to the gut, until Mysterio counters and nails Cuerno with repeated springboard attacks. Mysterio goes for the cover, but Mundo breaks it up. After he does so Puma sends Mundo out of the ring with a running dropkick.

Mysterio tags in Texano who hits Cuerno with a leg drop off the second rope. He goes for the cover, but Cuerno kicks out at two. Texano stays on Cuerno with chops to the chest until Cuerno catches Texano with a dropkick. Cuerno, in desperate need of a tag, tags in Mundo who goes right after Texano with punches to the face. Texano eventually gets to his corner to tag in Prince Puma who immediately gets thrown out of the ring by Mundo. Cuerno then enters and hits a suicide dive outside onto Puma.

Sexy Star and Taya are now fighting in the ring even though I’m positive they didn’t make any tags. Sexy throws Taya out of the ring and suicide dives onto her. Now Ivelisse gets to the top turnbuckle leaps to ringside hitting Taya and Ivelisse with a flying crossbody. Pentagon and Mack are now fighting in the ring; I guess the whole rule of you have to tag in to be the legal wrestler has been totally thrown out the window. Mack hits Pentagon with a modified exploder suplex sending Pentagon to ringside. Then Mack, Puma and Fenix all hit everyone outside the ring with big dives over the top rope. Mundo tries to do the same, but is caught by Puma with a superkick that hangs him up in the ropes. Mysterio capitalizes by hitting Mundo with a 619. Puma heads to the top rope to try and finish Mundo off with a 630 splash, but Mundo kicks Mysterio into Puma, runs to the top rope and hits Puma with a Standing Spanish Fly. He goes for the cover (as Mundo and Puma are actually the legal men) and gets the three count after 13 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Fenix, Ivelisse, King Cuerno, Taya, Johnny Mundo & Pentagon Jr.

Evaluation: It was a fun match, but I thought there were way too many people in there. Lucha Underground does this a lot where they have these giant multi-wrestler matches that are really fast paced with a ton of big spots, but it always just seems like it’s too much. I understand why they often do it though as they only get (excluding commercials) about 40 minutes of television time a week, so they want to get everyone on as frequently as possible. In regards to the result, once Pentagon was added to this match, it could have gone either way. Mundo’s team winning makes me think Pentagon will definitely be the lone survivor next week.

Catrina is in King Cuerno’s house and is next to where he keeps Mil Muertes’ “deceased” body. Catrina does some magic and tells him to rise, and Muertes does. He’s alive again. No surprise there.

Game ball goes to…

Pentagon Jr. – Welcome back.

Final Thoughts

I thought this was just an okay episode of Lucha Underground. The last two matches were pretty fun, but there have been much better episodes this season. As mentioned above, this episode seemed a little too clustered. The wheels are just starting to turn on our way to Ultima Lucha Dos, so I expect the next few weeks leading up to the event to be a lot of story building and planning.

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That’s it for me. Thanks for reading. If you like Lucha Underground and have other friends who enjoy the show too, then give this review a share. I appreciate any thoughts or conversation in the comment section below.

Pictures used above are courtesy of Lucha Underground.