By John Moore
Lucha Underground TV on El Rey Network
Taped November 22 in Los Angeles, California
In this week’s intro video, Marty Martinez talking about his sister was featured as well as Willie Mack looking freaked out. Johnny Mundo and Taya Valkarie’s beatdown on cage was shown. Dragon Slayer Jack Evans, Prince Puma, Pentagon Jr, and Mil Muertes were also in this intro. “Death Comes in Threes” was the title of this episode…
In the women’s lockerroom The Mack walked up to Sexy Star. (Per a tour of the temple, we were shown there is a female and male locker room). Mack wanted Sexy Star in his corner for his match against Marty the Moth. Sexy Star shook her head to say no. The Mack said that’s not the Sexy Star he knows, the Sexy Star he knows is strong and an ass kicker. He then put out his fist and asked her if she wanted to help squish that bug. Sexy Star fist bumped him in agreement…
John’s Thoughts: Willie Mack does do some cheesy acting, but that cheesy acting works well in an El Rey B-Movie setting so it’s not outta place.
Matt Striker checked in on commentary joined by Vampiro. Striker introduced the huge three way for the Lucha Underground Championship as well as Johnny Mundo vs. Cage in a No-DQ match. He passed it to Melissa Santos who had her personal space invaded by Marty the Moth Martinez. The crowd chanted “No! Means! No!”.
1. The Mack (w/Sexy Star) vs. Marty “The Moth” Martinez. Willie Mack didn’t leave much time for ring intros as he stormed the ring right when he entered the entrance to beat up on the Moth. Striker said that in the last match we saw “seeds of a budding friendship” between Sexy Star and The Mack. Mack slammed Marty’s head several times on the turnbuckle. Marty slammed his own head to show a bit of insanity.
Mack followed up with some running enziguris. Mack stopped a tope with a back body drop. Marty hit a top rope tope after taking off his Aztec Pride shirt. Marty worked on Mack on the apron and only got a one count in the ring. Mack was stunned with a corner bulldog. Marty flapped his arms on the top rope and missed a splash. Mack recovered with a German and T-Bone Suplex.
Mack went to the top rope and motioned for the crowd. Suddenly the lights turned out and Striker said we were having technical difficulties. Creepy Danny Elfman-esque music played as a new luchadora entered the temple through the entrance. Sexy Star flashed the new luchadora an angry glare. The new wrestler looks like a female/Aztec Mankind.
Mack was still waiting on the ropes until the lights turned back on which allowed Marty to slam him down. Marty hit a top rope curb stomp for the pinfall victory.
Marty the Moth defeated The Mack via pinfall in 3:25.
Marty grabbed a microphone and told everyone to bow down to his sister, The Mariposa. Mariposa showed off her garb which was in the ascetic of tattered moth wings. Mariposa gave Sexy Star a boot to the face before the commercial break…[C]
John’s Thoughts: Again, just like the last time we saw these three in the ring it was more of an angle than a match, but this time the angle had more of a purpose in that it was to introduce Marty’s sister Mariposa. To give you a little background, the person portraying Mariposa is indy wrestler, Cheerleader Melissa, who you may also know as Raisha Saeed or Alissa Flash from TNA.
Fenix was shown walking across a bridge that looked to be the one over the Los Angeles River. Fenix said that in Mexico City, he grew up very poor. He said the real world didn’t want him. Fenix said he sought a different path one of myth and fantasies. He said he became the Fenix, yet no one believed in him still. They said he wouldn’t survive in Lucha Underground. So he proved them wrong and defied death.
Fenix was shown beating up one of those generic luchadores we usually see in these packages. Fenix said he proved the people wrong who said he would never be a champion. He said people still think that he’ll never be Lucha Underground Champion, that it’s only a fantasy. Fenix said that some fantasies are worth believing in while some myths become legends…
Jack Evans was taking a piss in the restroom when suddenly he was attacked by Drago. Drago threatened Jack Evans for calling himself Dragon Slayer and gave a light bulb a jump kick. Drago asked Jack to slay him. Drago was blindsided by PJ Black and his nunchaku. Jack Evans and Drago also pulled out nunchaku and had a three way dance. They all did nunchaku katas before Drago made the first strike. Ultimately, Evans and Black won the numbers game.
Jack Evans tried to scare Drago out of Aztec Warfare. Suddenly the lights went out and sparklers were running. In the shadows a man said that he would give Black and Evans the same warning of not wanting to be in Aztec Warfare. The man was Aero Star who came in with some green super nunchaku. This caused Evans and Black to retreat as Aero Star walked over to help up his longtime friend and rival. They shared a bro forearm shake as the show went to commercial…
John’s Thoughts: The Fenix video package was a good one in a similar way that the King Cuerno one from last week further flushed out the character. The only problem I see with airing it in this episode is that it almost foreshadows the main event for me in that Prince Puma and Pentagon Jr have no chance because they are spending so much time focusing on Mil Muertes vs. Fenix. As for the Drago segment, there was a bit of an overkill with the nunchaku, but I liked it. Also, Aero Star in all of his time traveling glory is starting to become one of my favorite luchadores due to all of his outrageous supposed powers.
“They Call Him” Cage was already in the ring coming back from break. Taya Valkyrie came out of the entrance instead of Johnny Mundo next. She had a mic and told cage that she knew that Cage wanted to face Johnny, but since Johnny already beat his ass, it was her turn. She said her name was Taya. Taya said she was the “perfect woman”. Taya than said she knew that Cage wasn’t a man and wanted to know if Cage had the balls to face her. Matt Striker talked about gender roles again and also said that Taya was trained by Lance Storm (is Lance Storm becoming the next Stu Hart for Canadian wrestlers?)
2. Taya Valkyrie vs. Cage in a no disqualification match. Vampiro compared Taya’s journey from Canada to Mexico to his own journey. Taya started off with a slap on Cage. Cage came right back with a strong clothesline. Cage did Deadlifts with Taya and hit a Samoan front slam. Cage earned a two count after an argentine cutter. Striker called Cage an “equal opportunity ass kicker” which bewildered Vampiro.
Taya managed to stagger Cage with a low blow. Taya followed up with a front dropkick. Taya then hit a tornado DDT. Taya hit Cage with double knees in the corner and got a two count. Taya went under the ring and grabbed a pipe. Cage blocked it and slammed her on the railing/turnbuckle. Cage asked everyone “Who’s the F—ing machine!”.
Cage took the action back in the ring and hit a powerbomb followed by a buckle bomb. Cage then set up tables outside of the ring. He then did his deadlift suplex from the inside to the outside of the ring through the tables. Back in the ring, Johnny Mundo ran in and hit Cage with the pipe. Cage kicked out a pin by both Johnny and Taya.
Johnny Mundo brought a cinder block, sugar glass bottles, and a kettle weight. Mundo was given an Alabama Slam. Taya saved Johnny from getting curb stomped into the blocks. Johnny stopped Cage with a bottle from slamming Taya, but Cage no sold the shot. Johnny then threw Taya to Cage to protect himself as Cage gave her Weapon X for the victory.
Cage defeated Taya via pinfall in 7:04.
Johnny Mundo retreated in fear as he went up the steps as Cage celebrated his victory.
John’s Thoughts: Now personally, I cringed a lot at what was happening in this match but to some people this would be a good match. There was a lot of good though in that Taya was really good against Cage. Taya has been a hidden gem in women’s wrestling, even though I think that she does go too far with the violence to herself sometimes. What Taya showed here though is that she is probably neck-and-neck with Ivelisse as far as best female wrestler in the company is concerned because her wrestling was crisp rather than clumsy.
Another Famous B commercial aired where B talked about retiring from Underground Fighting. He had a bad actress named Brenda do a testimonial about wanting to become famous. Famous B used his “magic touch” to make her go from ugly to beautiful. Famous B told us to dial 423-GET-FAME again…
John’s Thoughts: These commercials are funny, but they are starting to get old three weeks in a row. Maybe that’s the point?
Ivelisse left Catrina’s office and told her partners Angelico and Son of Havoc about getting a match for next week with the stipulation of either winning or hitting the open road. Angelico complained. Son of Havoc called everyone “idiots”. Ivelisse told them to man up and to win next week. Angelico made fun of Ivelisse being Havoc’s girlfriend. Havoc said “Ex-Girlfriend!”…
All three of the Lucha Underground Championship combatants came to the ring right before the commercial break…[C]
3. Prince Puma vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Mil Muertes (w/ Catrina) in a triple threat match for the Lucha Underground Championship. Catrina had Mil’s magic rock with her. Marty Elias held up the belt to show that this was a championship match. Striker said this was a match between speed, power, and submission. Puma and Pentagon made a reluctant alliance to double team Mil Muertes.
The two wrestlers dominated Mil for a while. Mil made the comeback by hitting both of them with a double clothesline. Mil slammed Puma with a powerbomb and hit a backbreaker on Pentagon. Mil put Puma and Pentagon both in the corner and hit them with corner clotheslines. Pentagon was disposed outside. Puma was thrown outside and hit Pentagon with a DDT along the way. Puma shook up mil with a feint kick.
Puma was sent to the outside with a forearm. Mil Muertes flew through the air with a plancha. Mil started to fight with Puma through the stands. Puma tightroped the railing to huracanrana Pentagon. Mil came down and slapped Puma. Puma hit a forearm and Pentagon hit a Kick to take down Muertes. Pentagon slammed Puma on the apron. Mil recovered and took Pentagon in the ring.
Mil gave Pentagon a powerbomb to earn a two count. Mil earned another two count after a DDT. Pentagon Jr came right back with two consecutive sling blades. Mil went outside and Pentagon followed up with a Tope Con Hilo. Puma followed with a Tope Con Hilo on Mil of his own. Pentagon went back in the ring and hit yet another Tope Con Hilo. Puma went back and hit a CORKSCREW Tope Con Hilo. The tope-fest ended when Puma and Pentagon decided to fight in the stands.
Pentagon blocked a suplex and body slammed Puma on the steps. Pentagon ran at Mil with a running crossbody. Mil recovered and rammed Pentagon’s back against the apron and threw him against the wooden seats. Puma came up with a Shooting Star from the crowd to Pentagon and Mil. Pentagon Jr escaped the benadryller but took down Pentagon with a kick.
Puma hit the 630 on Pentagon, but the pinfall was broken up by Mil Muertes. Puma tried to take down Mil with European uppercuts but Mil came back with a power slam. Mil Muertes went for the flatliner but was met by a Pentagon superkick. Puma and Pentagon then hit many superkicks on Mil to take him down.
Pentagon Jr earned the nearfall after a Michinoku Driver on Puma. Pentagon hit his finisher the Package Piledriver and tried to break Puma’s arm. Mil stood up and speared Pentagon. Mil followed up on Puma with a spear to him. Mil Muertes hit both Pentagon and Puma with a double flatliner to earn a victory by pinning them both.
Mil Muertes defeated Prince Puma and Pentagon Jr via pinfall in 12:00 to retain the Lucha Underground Championship.
As Mil soaked in his win, the Gift of the Gods Champion Fenix was atop the steps with a microphone in hand. He said he was sorry that Mil’s celebration won’t last long because he’s cashing in his Gift of the Gods next week. he said he’s doing this for a match with Mil Muertes. Fenix said that the Man of 1000 lives is coming for “You and your Championship!”. The credits showed and the show ended, again without any post-credits.
John’s Thoughts: Hot damn! That was one hell of a match and possibly the best match so far in season two. Triple Threats are usually best when performed this way with plenty of action left and right. The rapid superkicks. the tope con hilos, the planchas, the spears, there was a lot. I didn’t like that they telegraphed the finish by looking ahead to a match against Fenix, but Pentagon and Puma quieted that thought by putting on a well fought match.
Ultimately out of this, Lucha Underground is doing an amazing job building up Fenix without him even being in many matches. This Fenix vs. Mil Muertes feud has been the best feud in Lucha Underground dating back to last season and they continue to take it up a level each time they attempt to. Mil came out of this match looking really strong by essentially winning a two-on-one handicap match and Puma and Pentagon lose nothing because they are at odds with each other. The fact that Mil shows fear to no one but Fenix also makes Fenix look like the most powerful person in the world!
This was a solid show with a really good main event match. What’s also really cool is while this was a really good main event, Lucha Underground also already promoted two more huge main events in the next few weeks. First we get Fenix vs. Mil Muertes which has high expectations after last year’s encounters. Aztec Warfare is also on the horizon. Not to mention, Rey Mysterio has to show up sometime right? Thank you for reading along with me and make sure to check out Will Pruett’s member exclusive audio review later today as well as my LU Hit List coming soon.
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