Reviews

Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha Review Aug 5 by Kurt Zamora

By Kurt Zamora • Published 6th August 2015
TJR Wrestling

Welcome one and all to a very special edition of the Lucha Underground Review right here on TJRWrestling. This is a show I’ve earned being able to do a review for after the catastrophe that Tough Enough has become. This is going to be more of a live running blog than a play by play. I’ve learned filling in for this show before, play by play is damn near impossible. So I’m just going to throw in my thoughts and musings during each match and put them together in a review that hopefully you’ll enjoy. If you missed part one of Ultima Lucha, Jerry has you covered here at this link and if you want to go back and look at my preview for every match, you can do so here.

So far I’m 3-3 on predictions. My thoughts on the first three matches are as follows: Cage and Mack had a Falls Count Anywhere match that was simply outstanding. This match was 100% the perfect choice to set the tone for the rest of the event. Cage delivered a Curb Stomp on Mack through a cinder block that made Seth Rollins jealous. I felt the Trios Title match had potential but ended up falling flat. The Disciples of Death winning makes sense if they go a certain way with Mil Muertes tonight, but I just thought the ending lost the momentum they picked up during the match. Angelico does another insane dive though, and that’s always worth watching. Believer’s Backlash with Drago and Hernandez was simply perfect. Beyond the really fat guy they kept calling “Hot Tub” that was afraid to hit Hernandez, this match was everything it should’ve been and needed to be. A lot of fun for sure. The cliffhanger with El Dragon Azteca was just another example of the beauty of this show. We didn’t need a cliffhanger, but we’re getting one anyways! I fully expect that to come to a head tonight. I’ll be looking forward to what they do with that, will Pentagon Jr’s Master reveal himself, and will Dario Cueto unleash his brother, as the three main questions I hope to have answered. Without further ado, let’s continue with ULTIMA LUCHA!!

The show starts with a great video package hyping all the matches tonight. Their vignettes and montage videos have been top notch since day one. Michael Schiavello is replacing Vampiro with Vampiro wrestling. Great choice, he’s really good announcing.

Johnny Mundo vs. Alberto El Patron

I am shocked this is opening the show, but much like Cage/Mack did last week, this will definitely set the tone for the night. I expect this to be very physical after Alberto got the Jannetty treatment, and sure enough Alberto goes off on Mundo early all around ringside. Mundo plays a game of hide and seek under the ring, and when Alberto finally catches him, he gets a faceful of dirt in his eyes. A nice touch to the grunge of The Temple. Mundo controls the action until Alberto cuts him off going for the End of the World. Both men take a bad spill off the top rope as the crowd tries to rally Alberto. Really a fun match so far and they haven’t hit the next gear yet. Alberto hits a picture perfect Backstabber for a two-count. Mundo goes one better and hits an awesome Backstabber off the top rope. Mundo can’t follow up though and misses a 450 Splash. Alberto goes to dive on Mundo on the outside but gets a knee to the ribs instead. Mundo follows that up with an impressive corkscrew dive over the top rope to the outside. Alberto gets control back with a innovative double foot stomp and follows it up with the cross arm breaker, but Mundo is to the ropes very quickly. Alberto sporting a busted lip. Alberto ties Mundo to the Tree of Woe, but Mundo pulls himself up as Alberto charges and Alberto goes shoulder first into the post. Both men to the top rope and Mundo hits the same double foot stomp on Alberto, and connects with End of the World but Alberto kicks out! Alberto tries to kick Mundo’s head off, but Mundo pulls the ref in the way. Alberto locks on the Cross Armbreaker again and Mundo taps, but no ref! Mundo is able to escape and both men are at square one again. Alberto manages to get Mundo in the Cross Armbreaker again over the top rope but here comes Melina Perez! Melina drills Alberto with his AAA Championship, Mundo goes up top and hits End of the World and the ref is awake, 1-2-3!!

Post match, Alberto attacks Mundo and sends him flying into rows of seats behind the announce table. Alberto says “Payback is a bitch” and proceeds to send Mundo head first through the office door window!! Melina charges Alberto but gets spanked for her efforts. Mundo falls out of the door and is absolutely covered in blood. What a visual. Alberto stands over him and winks.

Winner: Johnny Mundo

Wow! That was a damn good opener and two surprises there as I really thought Alberto would get the win and revenge, but the other surprise of Melina changed everything. I love that reunion. Alberto not winning doesn’t matter after getting his heat back like that at the end. They did a tremendous job all around with this match and angle. I look forward to seeing how they build on the relationship between Melina and Mundo. I would love to see them find a 3rd person and have a rivalry with Son of Havoc, Ivelesse, & Angelico.

El Dragon Azteca shows up to Black Lotus’ cell to break her out. Dario Cueto is waiting on him though. Dario says he has broken a treaty they had in agreement which is punishable by death. He teases releasing his brother, but Black Lotus turns on El Dragon and chokes him out and then kills him with a shot to the spine! Dario releases Black Lotus from her cell and says after what she’s just done, she’s started a war and the only person that can protect her is himself. Dario unlocks his brother and says that he’s coming with them.

Cero Miedo Match: Vampiro vs. Pentagon Jr.

The match me and Rich Nava came to see! He’s the reason I get to watch this live. This is Lucha’s best storyline, which is saying a lot. Cero Miedo match is No DQ and No Countout. So this is going to get violent. Vampire does not disappoint with his ring gear, full makeup and dressed as a priest from the Day of the Dead basically. He looks awesome. I just got even more excited for this match. Pentagon wastes no time and goes straight for Vampiro with a chair. They climb into a balcony section of the crowd and chairs and fans scatter as they beat on each other. Pentagon removes the mats around the ring and gives Vampiro an AA onto the concrete. He then goes back to destroying Vampiro with a chair. The ref pulls Pentagon off and throws up the X to check on Vampiro, but Pentagon chokes him out with a cable cord. The EMT’s come out to stretcher out Vampiro as they throw it to a commercial.

We return to Vampiro being carried away, but he refuses to be done and he’s coming back to the ring for more. And he connects with a spinning heel kick. Vampiro has upped the ante now as he brings Thumbtacks into the match and then slams Pentagon right on the thumbtacks! Vampiro goes to the top and goes for a huge splash but catches the thumbtacks! Pentagon goes to the outside and grabs some glass light tubes and shatters them all over Vampiro! Vampiro is bleeding all over his head and some gets on Pentagon, who promptly licks it off. This guy is AWESOME. That was disgusting though. Pentagon goes for more glass tubes and brings them into the ring. Both men trade chops and then sets up some tubes in the corner, but Vampiro counters and hiptosses Pentagon through the tubes! Then Vampiro rips off the majority of the mask of Pentagon. Vampiro has the last set of tubes and he hits Pentagon dead to rights over the head! Pentagon is instantly gushing blood. The crowd is chanting “This is Awesome” and there is no denying that. Both men on the top rope and Vampiro hits a HUGE overhead Belly to Belly and Pentagon lands on a pile of glass shards and thumbtacks! If that wasn’t enough, now Vampiro is setting up a flaming table! This match is insane! Pentagon turns it on him though and hits a Uranagi through the flaming table!! Vampiro is on fire for a good 3 or 4 seconds! He gets put out and rolls to the outside, Pentagon follows him and pins him for the win!

Post match, Pentagon goes to speak to his Master, but Vampiro rolls in the ring and tells Pentagon to break his arm. Pentagon sets up the arm and he snaps it! Pentagon tells his Master that he has finished what he has promised and wants his Master to show up. Vampiro has a mic now and says, “You’re looking for your teacher. Well let me tell you something. As your teacher, I tell you that you are ready… My Son.” HOLY. SHIT. Both men hug and then pose in the ring as the crowd is in total disbelief.

Winner: Pentagon Jr.

I have no words. That was beyond my wildest expectations. I mentioned in my preview that it would be something Lucha would do to have Vampiro revealed as the master, but I didn’t think they’d actually do it. Rich would like me to plug his twitter @RichNava95 as he predicted this on June 3rd, which coincidentally was retweeted by Vampiro. So I’ll give him his just due here. That whole match/angle was insane. Is Season Two official yet?! I need more of this!! If you’re reading this before watching the actual show, GO WATCH THIS MATCH!!!

Gift of The Gods Match: Big Ryck vs. Bengala vs. Aerostar vs. Sexy Star vs. Jack Evans vs. Fenix vs. King Cuerno

Seriously? I don’t get a Texano/Blue Demon come down match after that insanity? I have no hope of following this match with all seven in the ring at the same time, so I’m just gonna hit the high spots. I’m pulling for King Cuerno as I wrote in my preview. Big Ryck teases a dive to the outside, but all the other competitors charge him in the ring and take him down. Aerostar hits the first big dive with a step up splash over the top rope. He goes for another splash, but Fenix hits a big bodyslam on the outside to counter it. Jack Evans goes for a cartwheel handspring dive, but Cuerno moves and lays him out with a huge kick. Bengala counters a Sexy Star attack with a knee to the vagina. Well, that’s one way to do it I guess. Big Ryck takes over the match again and attacks everyone, laying them all out. Aerostar comes out of nowhere though and hits a HUGE dive from way above the announcers onto Bengala, Cuerno, & Fenix. I have no idea how he even got up there. WOW!

Sexy Star is the only one in the ring, but Marty The Moth comes out for some reason. He’s the worst character on Lucha. Star dispatches of him quickly and then dives onto the majority of her opponents. Now Big Ryck pulls her back into the ring, but Star manages to hit him with a hurricanrana. Cuerno and Fenix back in the ring and Cuerno hits Thrill of the Hunt on Star and then sends her to the outside instead of pinning her. Bengala now joins the fray. They go to the outside and Cuerno hits his suicide dive to the outside on Fenix. That seriously may be the best dive in the buisness with the distance he gets. Jack Evans and Aerostar back in the ring and Evans tries to choke out Aerostar, but Aerostar counters with a nasty DDT and splash. But Sexy Star breaks up a pin attempt. Big Ryck hits a Urinagi on Star, but before he can capitalize, Daivari shows up with a chair and lays out Big Ryck, even though he hired Big Ryck as protection. Don’t know what that’s about. Daivairi says he’s fired and then Jack Evans hits a 450 Springboard Splash. Cuerno stops that attempt.

Cuerno locks in a modified surfboard with Dragon Sleeper, but Fenix breaks it up. Cuerno to the outside and now Fenix and Evans in the ring. There are a ton of cool submissions used in this match. Evans has Fenix in a modified Octopus Stretch, but Fenix gets out of it, delivers some huge knees to the head and then hits his Fire Driver and wins the match!!

Winner: Fenix

That match wasn’t as wild and crazy as I expected, maybe I had outrageous expectations, but damn it was good. Pretty much everyone shined for a little bit. Fenix winning the match makes sense as they have continuously made him out to be a big deal and IF Mil Muertes wins the title, they can continue their storyline from earlier in the season when Muertes took out Fenix for a few weeks, returning the favor from when Fenix took out Muertes.

Blue Demon Jr. vs. Texano

No issues with this match getting the “Divas treatment” before the main event as this match has the least amount of heat on it. Maybe it’s because I don’t watch AAA. Blue Demon comes out with The Crew minus Chavo Jr. Blue Demon hands Melissa Santos a note and she says that due to Blue Demon’s legendary status, this match is now No DQ as well. After the bell rings, Texano immediately has to fend off The Crew. The crowd which has been red hot all night, is very quiet all the sudden. I think this match and the Trios Title should’ve changed slots. Texano hits a Spinebuster and Powerbomb but The Crew get involved again. Blue Demon grabs a kendo stick, but here comes Chavo with a chair and cuts off Blue Demon. But of course he lays out Texano with the chair and then gives it to Blue Demon who hits Texano with it. Just like that, the match is over.

The story here is that the Guerrero and Blue Demon families have come together for the first time.

Winner: Blue Demon Jr.

That was honestly a waste of time and easily could’ve been resolved before using time on Ultima Lucha on it. They can’t all be winners though I guess.

Lucha Underground Title Match: Mil Muertes vs. Prince Puma (c)

Both men are shown walking to the ring and we find out that by order of Dario Cueto, there must be a winner. I wonder how that will come into play. Puma does not have Konnan by his side for this match. Catrina is looking extra sexy tonight for anyone wondering. And by anyone, I mean everyone. This match starts with about 25 minutes left on the show, so they’re giving this plenty of time. Puma tries fighting off Muertes early, but can’t get him off his feet. They go to the outside and Muertes drags Puma into the bleachers where they trade blows. They switch from one bleacher set to another and it looked like Puma just threw a shoe right at Muertes. Puma grabs Catrina and uses her for a couple moves on Muertes, that was really cool. Muertes isn’t deterred though and sends Puma flying into the first few rows of seats. The crowd trades chants for both men. Puma’s innovations are just incredible. He hits Muertes with a couple cool shots using the elements around him. He grabs a table and sets it up, but Muertes cuts him off. Muertes knocks him down and then grabs the huge wooden steps, sets them up how he likes, and then delivers a powerbomb onto the sets. Puma hits flush against the wood.

Puma gets to the inside though and goes to dive out onto Muertes, but Muertes swings for the fences with a chair and drills Puma right in the skull. He carries Puma back into the ring, but Puma will not die and both men trade blows in the ring. Neither man can control the match. Puma leap frogs a Muertes Spear attempt and Muertes hits a chair that was set up in the corner face first. Puma hits another big move and goes for a cover, but only a two-count. Puma sets Muertes up for a Phoenix Splash, but lands on his feet after Muertes moves. Muertes hits a huge powerslam but only gets two. This match just screams big fight atmosphere right now and the announcers are doing a great job adding to that. Both men trade blows again but Puma hits a rolling Pele kick out of nowhere! Puma hits a suplex combo on Muertes, really showing off his strength, but only gets a two count again. Tremendous match! Puma goes to the apron after a stiff right hand from Muertes. Muertes spears Puma off the apron and not quite through the table. They were off by just about a foot. Muertes makes sure the table’s broken though by Powerbombing Puma through it. He gets Puma back inside but only a two count!

The crowd continues to dual chant, while Muertes hits him with a twisting Chokeslam! Huge impact on that move. Muertes goes for another spear but Puma moves and kicks the hell out of Muertes, setting him up for a 630, which he hits! Muertes kicks out in the nick of time! Puma wants another 630, but Muertes moves and Puma lands right on his back and Muertes comes out of nowhere with a spear that does connect this time! He brings Puma to the middle of the ring and Flatliner… Puma kicks out!! Unbelievable! Muertes wants to drag Puma into the corner, but Puma continues to fight. Muertes is taken down, but Puma doesn’t have enough time to get to the top rope. Puma gives a series of headbutts, but Muertes won’t be denied and catches Puma in a top rope Flatliner… NEW CHAMP!!

The crowd is in shock as Catrina gives Puma the dreaded Lick of Death. The Disciples of Death come out and Catrina’s Stable of Horror have all the Gold now.

Winner: And New Lucha Underground Champion, Mil Muertes

What an amazing match to cap off the season. This was presented as the final battle it was meant to be. Both men looked tremendous in their roles, and now we go into season two with Catrina having all the power and all the championships. Aztec Warfare set the bar for Lucha Underground, but there’s a group of 3-5 matches after that, that are in the discussion for next best match of the season and this one is firmly in the middle of that discussion.

We now go to Dario Cueto’s office and Cueto is on the look out while Black Lotus packs a bag of money. They rush off into an SUV and we get a quick glimpse of his brother in the back of a horse trailer attached to the SUV. He looks like he’s wearing a mask from the band Slipknot. Not sure what I was expecting to see, but it wasn’t that. Not a bad thing, just an observation. Maybe I really was expecting Goro from the Mortal Kombat series. We now see Fenix in a Gold Trans Am leaving The Temple with his belt, and then what looks to be King Cuerno in a truck now follows behind him. Now we go to Marty The Moth who has Sexy Star tied up somewhere and laughs maniacally. Son of Havoc meets Angelico outside and says that they’re getting the Trios Titles back. Angelico says he’ll see him down the road. Havoc then hops on a motorcycle with Ivelesse. Aerostar and Drago shake hands backstage and Drago says they will meet again and then Drago turns into a Dragon again while Aerostar turns into a rocket ship. Don’t question it, just go with it. It’s greatness. Now we’re with Pentagon who asks his Master where are they going now? Vampiro shows up and says they’re going to a dark place. Now we see someone spray painting a question mark onto the Lucha Underground banner on top of The Temple. We return to Dario Cueto who gives a sly smile and the screen turns to “To Be Continued…” Season One is officially over.

Wrap-Up

A full five minutes of teases and cliffhangers for season two! That was tremendous. The question mark on the banner is obviously a sign that Rey Mysterio is coming in season two. He will be a Rock Star on that show. So much to learn stil and so many questions to ask that it could fill it’s own column. I cannot wait for season two! I just can’t say enough good things to all the writers and wrestlers and everyone associated with this product. This is the best hour of wrestling on TV and I know they’re just going to up their game for season two. Go back and binge watch season one on watchwrestling.ch if you haven’t watched this show. I’m still blown away by how far Pentagon and Vampiro took it and four of the five matches were A+ efforts. This show delivered everything and more.

Thanks for reading and following along, until next time, do not feed the animals or Dario Cueto’s brother.