The Lucha Libre Thread

[pryko]

This weeks Lucha Underground was a little different to previous weeks, with the 2 seperate 10 man matches, followed by the singles match.  Champion is to be crowned though after the 2 week break.  That's pretty cool.

 

Dario Cueto at the end too.  They always give an ending that makes you want more.

[reychampion]

Every episode feels different. They don't seem to have the same structure which is brilliant. Very hard to predict what's coming and who you'll see.

 

Preferred the first 10 person match but have always enjoyed spot fests and that was a cracker. It all promises much. Aztec warfare sounds interesting.

 

Shame no Cage yet.

[pryko]

Oh absolutely.  It wasn't a knock on it, I love Lucha Underground and watch it every week.

 

Cage's video said he was debuting in Janary did it not?  I know they're taking the next 2 weeks off, so the next episode is when Aztec Warfare is, which as you say sounds interesting to say the least.

[Linus]

Hey, it's Lucha Underground! And we had quite the week last week with a terrific ladder match won by Johnny Mundo! No rest for the wicked though...

 

Show starts with ten men in the ring. It's basically nine flyers and Big Ryck. Dario Cueto comes out and says that these ten men - and ten more later - will fight for a "unique opportunity" to be revealed later! Ten-way dance! Ten-way dance!

 

Okay, it's Prince Puma and Fenix and Drago (who I found out used to be "Alan" of Los Spice Boys) and Super Fly and Mascarita Sagrada, and Big Ryck and King Cuerno (the Horny King!) and Pentagon jr and Son of Havoc and Mariachi Loco! And it's a great match. They start with a beatdown on Ryck and a ROAR spot. haven't seen one of those for a while. Love it.

 

This was just one spectacular spot after another, and it flew by. Even Mariachi Loco - an Area Jobber, basically - played his part, and they did some fun stuff with Mascarita Sagrada and Big Ryck. Son of Havoc did some dives - and a smart fake-out - that would make his mum proud.

 

About halfway through Stryker explained the rules, and I was wondering. First man to get a pinfall wins, basically. The final spots came down to Puma, Fenix, and Big Ryck, and it was Fenix with the surprise win, piledriving Puma for the pinfall after ten minutes of fun.

 

After the break, seven men, one woman, and one exotico were in the ring. They were joined by Chavo Guerrero to make ten, for a ten-man Boyle Heights Battle Royale! There was Famous B and Ricky Mandel and Sexy Star and Pimpinela Escarlata and Johnny Mundo. And Bael and Cisco and Cortez Castro and Mil Muertes! Famous B and Ricky Mantel are Area Jobbers, and Bael is B-Boy, aka Benito Cuntapay, and he's now with the Choloons, who they're calling The Crew.

 

This was a standard, over-the-top-rope-both-feet-must-touch-the-floor Battle Royale, so I dont know what was so "Boyle Heights" about it, and it wasn't long before both Area Jobbers were eliminated. Pimpi, the world's slowest luchadore - and I've seen Mil Mascaras (who wrestled at 75 years old last week!) -  was eliminated next, after some really slowwwwwwwwwwww stuff, dumped out by Muertes. Catrina was at ringside but we didn't see nearly enough of her.

 

Sexy Star got some fire on Chavo, but he roughly eliminated her, like the heel he is. This left the three Choloons and three big stars, so the Choloons went next, leaving Mundo, Chavo & Mil Muertes to face off.

 

They did a three-way suplex spot that KILLED Chavo and RULED. Chavo was tossed out and it got really slow. Slower than Pimpi. With all that, "oh, you cant eliminate me, I'm hanging on for dear life" stuff that you hate. But eventually Mil Muertes eliminated Johnny Mundo for the big win. This went longer than the first match but wasn't half as good.

 

Back after another ad break, and Mil Muertes and Fenix were in the ring. Dario Cueto came out of his office - I want an office - holding a title belt. It looked swank. He announced that, on the next show - in three weeks, because holidayz - they would crown the first champion in an extreme match he called AZTEC WARFARE! I shudder to think.

 

There would be 20 men in it - probably the same 20 we saw tonight, but I hope not (I'm praying that they'll bring in Nino Hamburgesa one day) - and the winner of Muertes versus Fenix would enter last. The loser, he said, would enter first and be at a significant disadvantage, so they should FIGHT!

 

Muertes put the beatdown on Fenix, who countered with some dives and dropkicks. Both men were almost counted out at one point but that's a sucky way to end a match so they made it back in. They did more MOVEZ but Muertes caught Fenix with an uppercut coming off the tope rope and hit the Flatliner for the win.

 

Catrina got in the ring and licked Fenix and then made out with Muertes. I hate him. Oh, that mystery Chinese woman was watching this. Yeah, I don't know either. Vampiro and Stryker could offer no more information on her than she was "hot".

 

We cut backstage and Cueto is talking to his mystery man, the one presumably locked away with his GIANT KEY. He said the mystery man wasn't allowed the title belt because he likes to destroy beautiful things...

 

This was a very different show to anything I've seen for a while. It's nothing totally new, but getting the entire roster out there in two matches is a novel way of finishing out the year. Fenix was also an interesting winner and it's good they're pushing new people.

 

We've had 8 episodes of this now and it's a solid chunk of television wrestling. The booking is sound, the announcing works for the product, and the majority of the matches are entertaining and often thrilling. When NXT is on form it's the best show out there. On those weeks it slightly misses, Lucha Underground is more than competition for it. What a time to be alive!

[Snitsky's back acne]

Am a little behind, just watching the 3/12 episode and have to say Johnny Mundo has never looked as cool. He comes across as a superstar in his backstage skits with Cueto.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

I've said it before, taped backstage skits are where it's at for Mundo. If he ever goes back to WWE, they should adopt this formula. Never give him a live mic.

 

Just binged and caught up on Lucha Underground. They get everything right. I can't fault them on a single thing.

 

Well, maybe how creepy the announcers can be towards women. Vampiro was getting a bar for the mysterious Asian chick, to the point Striker was calling him creepy. Pot, kettle.

 

Love how effectively they bring in new talent. Super Fly was made to look like a star just by hitting a couple of cool moves. Take it away and it's a pedestrian squash in his debut, but everyone gets a chance to shine somehow.

[UK Kat Von D]

One of the reasons they are so good at bringing in new talent is because they have a hot product. When you have a hot product everyone benefits, including new guys just walking in. Add that to fantastic video packages and seemingly plans for most the roster, they have a winning formula. There is no one who is just there.

 

This weeks episode was great. Two good matches and one incredible match. Lucha Underground have nailed the "I can show this to a non-fan" match, and they seem to try to put on at least one a week. Great stuff

[Linus]

Great opening match on this week's AAA TV, with Bengala, Drago & Niño Hamburgesa taking on Eterno, Carta Brava Jr & el Hijo del Pirata Morgan.

[Linus]

And the rest of the show is a good watch, too. Heated women's tag with Sexy Star (a heel here) & Taya Valkyrie versus Faby Apache & Ivelisse, and a good tag main with Pentagon Jr & DJ Zema Ion versus Mysteziz & Fenix. If you don't mind a show in Spanish, AAA is worth watching.

[JNLister]

Lucha indy outdoor show features a dive and a half:

 

[Snitsky's back acne]

Lucha indy outdoor show features a dive and a half:

 

 

At least he didnt do a front flip.

[Linus]

Spent some quiet time watching AAA's Review Of The Year, which focused mostly on Triplemania. It had a whacky set-up, with the faces and heels having separate Christmas dinners. Nino Hamburgesa dressed as Santa and went to spread cheer to the heels but they stripped him of his outfit and beat him up. Sad face.

 

I also watched the Guerrero Maya Jr & Delta versus Hechicero & Cavernario Barbaro CMLL tag title match, and it's really, really good. Lucha!

[Undefeated Steak]

Hey, it's Lucha Underground!

 

Sorry Linus.

 

So we have our first LU champion. I thought it was going the other way when it came down to the final two. Glad it didn't. I'm happy with that result. The entire show was one match, one Dario Cueto promo and a visual of Konnan. That's the beauty of one-hour shows. Less is more.

[Linus]

I watched it this morning and will have my review up soon. It was a good show but suffered from missing the thing that makes this show unique - the vignettes. That Cuerno dive, though!

[Linus]

Hey, it's Lucha Underground! And it's AZTEC WARFARE!

The show starts with a panorama of the "temple", the grotty warehouse-like building where Lucha Underground stages its shows. There are Aztec dancers and Aztec drummers, and the crowd is at its usual boiling temperature.

Dario Cueto is in the ring with the title belt to introduce the rules for AZTEC WARFARE! Two men will start out, and another man will enter every 90 seconds. Eliminations are by pinfall or submission, and ANYTHING GOES!

Fenix is number 1, and - in an entirely random drawing, honest - Johnny Mundo is number 2, and they start off the match! They do some stuff and by the time number 3 - Mr Cisco, one of Big Ryck's choloons - enters, they are both on the mat, and ripe for a senton each. Love me a senton.

Cisco avoids a standing Shooting Star Press from Fenix but rolls straight into Mundo's corkscrew moonsault and is pinned for the first elimination.

Next in is King Cuerno - the HORNY KING - and it's not long before he hits his MASSIVE tope suicida on Mundo. He must clear ten feet doing it. It's a thing of beauty. Fenix then hits a ropewalk swanton to Cuerno and number 5, Son of Havoc comes out.

Havoc hits a handspring elbow on Mundo and then a Space Flying Tiger Drop to the outside on Mundo and Fenix. The crowd, of course, go wild, although Machete is not there for a high five this week.

Pimpinela Escarlata is number 6 and looks better in this than she has before. Fenix takes a bump for a kiss from Pimpi, who then dropkicks Cuerno and tries to kiss the referee.

Prince Puma is number 7, and goes straight at it with Mundo. The beauty of the no over-the-thop-rope elimination is that guys can do dives and also take time out on the floor to give two or three guys in the ring time and space to work. Puma hits a lionsault on Mundo but then runs straight into his boot.

That woman from the other week is shown scouting in the crowd again, and Ivelisse comes out as number 8. She high kicks Fenix right off the bat. Aces.

Striker says that this has been an incredible week for professional wrestling, with Wrestle Kingdom 9 and now this. Nice touch in a pre-taped show. Son of Havoc Shooting Star Presses and eliminates Pimpinela Escarlata and the crowd do NOT like that.

Drago comes out at number 9 and he and Cuerno go right at it. This feud must continue! He gets a near-fall with a whacky lucha move before hitting Mundo with a DDT for another nearfall. I saw Mini Drago on AAA this week and thought it was the actual Drago for a while. They are both very short.

Cuerno hits the Thrill Of The Hunt on Ivelisse and she's gone, which is disappointing because she's been good. She's also in AAA at the moment, but as a face, so we've got that, yeah?

Bael - Benny Cuntapay to his friends and me - is number 10, and he starts brawling with Puma. Havoc and Puma then go at it, with Puma hitting a better Superman punch than Roman Reigns ever did and a Shooting Star Press for the pin.

Cortez Castro - the third of Big Ryck's choloons - is out and he goes straight for Puma, laying him out with punches. Bael hits a running facewash on Puma, and then Area Jobber Ricky Mandell, of all people, is number 12 and lays out Castro with a dropkick.

Puma and Mundo then eliminate the choloons, just in time for Big Ryck to come out at number 13. Ryck destroys all the men in the ring - Puma, Mundo and Mandell, the latter with a uranage and a pin. He then Gorilla Presses Drago and throws him to Cuerno, who hits the Thrill of the Hunt for the pin. Mundo then Crucifixes Cuerno and eliminates him. Thick and fast, this action stuff.

Pentagon Jr comes out at number 14 and gets straight into Puma and Mundo. Ryck catches him in a full nelson but eats a superkick from Mundo and Puma. Pentagon Jr almost eliminates Fenix but the pin is broken by Ryck, and Striker tells us it must be because of Big Ryck's ego, otherwise why would you?

Superfly, still wearing the mask he lost in AAA last month, comes out at number 15 and flip flop flies his way around the ring and onto people. Big Ryck then traps him in the corner and punches away, leaving himself open to a sunset flip from Mundo. Ryck rolls through it and starts punching Mundo from the mount. RYCK IS PUNCH.

Chavo Guerrero Jr is number 16, and he's brought a chair with him. Smart guy because, as Dario Cueto said, ANYTHING GOES. He hits Superfly with the chair and pins him. He hits Pentagon Jr with the chair and pins him, too.

Out at number 17 is Mascarita Sagrada, but you can't see him until he reaches the top of the entrance way. After a commercial break, Mascarita is all over Chavo, who slaps him down and eats a huracanrana from his trouble. He then has a to-do with Fenix and Striker compares Fenix to Rey Mysterio Jr, without actually naming him. Because he's under contract to another company, I'd guess.

Sexy Star is number 18 and goes straight after Chavo. She is dressed as Ms Marvel. Eat your heart out, Blue Pants. She kicks Chavo out of the ring and flips onto him.

Mascarita then goes at it with Big Ryck and I know some people hated their bit on the last show but I love the huge man/tiny man match-up. It won't surprise you that Ryck ENDS Mascarita with a huge lariat and just about a ten count.

El Mariachi Loco - I know! - is number 19, which means that Area Jobber Famous B is the man missing out on this tonight. Poor B. Loco actually looks a million dollars, and he's an actual Area Luchador, which I did not know until I just did my RESEARCH. He then eats a superkick from Puma.

Out last because he won the final on the last show is Mil Muertes, accompanied by the beautiful - but deadly - Catrina. He takes out Mundo before KILLING Mariachi Loco and pinning him. He and Big Ryck have a staredown, which just accentuates how big Big Ryck is. Well, he's not Average Ryck, I guess.

Ryck is next eliminated when Mundo, Chavo, and Fenix inadvertently team-up to get rid of him, and then Chavo KILLS Fenix and pins him, too.

Sexy Star comes back in to go one-on-one with Chavo, even taking her gloves off. Mano a mano - look it up. Chavo, the bastard, tries to hit her the chair but she ducks it and it's dropped, just in the right place for him to slam her onto it. He puts the chair on her face but is interrupted from whatever he had planned next by BLUE DEMON! Yes, he's back! Demon slowly gets into the ring and slowly shoves Chavo and Sexy Star hits Chavo with the chair. What is karma called in Mexico. Blue Demon then says he's not done with Chavo. Oh joy!

This leaves a final four of Mil Muertes, Sexy Star, Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma. Mundo, the iron man, has been in since the start. Sexy Star eats a nasty spear from Muertes and is pinned, leaving just three. They go back and forth, and Mundo and Puma double superplex the monster, leading to Catrina getting up on the apron. Muertes goes over to her and Mundo accidentally hits her with a kick meant for Muertes. Muertes is distraught, and Mundo is frantically trying to say he didn't mean it. Puma and Mundo team up to knock Muertes down and hit stereo 450 splashes and a double-pin to eliminate him.

We're down to Mundo and Puma, and this is how this whole thing started, 9 shows ago. Striker turns to Vampiro for colour commentary but Vampiro says he is just a fan, enjoying this match, and has no words. Puma gets a VERY nearfall with a Spanish Fly and Mundo gets one of his own with  the Starship Pain.

Mundo puts Puma in the corner for a Spanish Fly of his own but Puma fights him off and hits a 630 splash for the win. PRINCE PUMA IS YOUR LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPION!

Konnan comes down to the ring to celebrate with his protege and whoever uploaded this show to the internets then switched his TV over to another channel so that's all she wrote!

This was, literally, a one-match show. And it was a great match that never dragged. The criticism that's coming out of most mouths about Lucha Underground is they're not building to anything - a PPV, say - and I can see that. Maybe they need to have three or four calendar marks like AZTEC WARFARE? Who knows. Great show.