By John Moore
Lucha Underground on El Rey Network
Taped June 2017 in Los Angeles, California at The Temple
This week we got a totally different intro teaser since the Cueto Cup is over and done with. The video started off with Matanza banging Dario’s head against bars due to him wanting revenge against Rey Mysterio for being the only person who defeated him via pinfall. The odd Fenix, Melissa Santos, and Marty The Moth love triangle was featured. Then came scenes from Joey Ryan outing Veneno as Officer Ricky Reyes. Also featured was Son of Havoc, Son of Madness, and Johnny Mundo (w/ Benjamin Cooke). This week’s episode was titled “Havoc Running Wild”…
Dario Cueto was chatting with his brother at the Matanza cage. Dario said he locked Matanza away to protect Matanza and the family from his obsession with Rey Mysterio. Matanza was breathing heavily in front of a Rey Mysterio question mark drawn in blood. Dario said he understands now that Matanza is trying to protect him. Dario said without Matanza, Rey hurt Dario. Dario revealed to Matanza that Rey gave Dario a 619. Dario said in two weeks Lucha Underground was having hit’s 100th episode and he was booking Matanza vs. Rey Mysterio as the main event. Dario said to do it for the family, and destroy Rey. Matanza made gorilla noises and movements against the cage…
John’s Thoughts: There’s a Matanza match I can look forward to due to Matanza improving over the course of Season 3 (circa 2016) and Rey wrestling like the Rey Mysterio before the leg injuries. At this time, Matanza had been off TV due to a serious hand injury that Dot Net Staffer Will Pruett was witness to where he cut a vain by punching real glass. I also like this match due to it fitting in continuity without LU trying to come up with more “new” stuff. They should work with making what they have established come out more developed.
Vampiro and Matt Striker checked in on commentary. Vampiro introduced Slapbak as the house band. Vampiro announced that Ultima Lucha Tres was going to be a four-night event…
John’s Thoughts: Ugh. More isn’t better! Especially in the case of Ultima Luchas in the past were the last two year had underwhelming initial Ultima Luchas with the final show being the real one. Hell, last year they had an episode that should have just been called “4-A-Unique Opportunity” (Just like they had Six-To-Survive right before) and instead they slapped the unnecessary “Ultima Lucha” tag on it. Negativity aside, I hear that Ultima Lucha 3 Day 2 or 3 might have a surprisingly good match.
1. Son of Madness vs. Mascarita Sagrada. Son of Madness held up Son of Havoc’s vest. Sagrada wore a vest given to him by Son of Havoc. Madness choked and yelled at Sagrada in the corner. Madness put the boots to Sagrada in the corner. Madness yelled at Sagrada regarding Sagrada wearing his gang’s colors. Sagrada hit Madness with a Tornado DDT and La Magistral Cradle. Sagrada went for a Tope Suicida but he ran right into a forearm by Madness. Sagrada took a boot in the corner. Madness hit a brainbuster on Sagrada for the win.
Son of Madness defeated Mascarita Sagrada via pinfall in 2:12.
Son of Havoc ran in to put the beatdown on Son of Madness. Dario Cueto summoned his security guards to break things up. They were independent wrestlers. In fact one was Tough Enough’s Eric Watts (not the son of Bill Watts. It’s the tall dude on Stone Cold’s Tough Enough with an Afro). Paul London cradled Sagrada and carried him to safety. Dario then booked a main event of this show between Son of Havoc and Son of Madness for an Aztec Medallion. Dario was making the match a “Boyle Heights Biker Brawl”… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Even though I think Sagrada should be winning a few matches, I understand why they kept this short with madness getting the win if they were going to have a main event rematch. It’s a bit odd that they have to do this because they do tape out of order to prevent fatigue, but maybe it’s just a great attention to detail by the writers. That said, I don’t approve of this ode to Sons of Anarchy that revolves around the guy who’s a parody of Sons of Anarchy.
Mariposa and Marty the Moth were invading Melissa Santos’s personal space as usual. Already in the ring was Mistico’s brother Argenis…
2. Marty the Moth Martinez (w/ Mariposa) vs. Argenis. Marty Elias is the referee for this match so we have two Marty’s in the ring. Argenis tried to chop the tree down with low kicks to the shin. Marty shoulder tackled Argenis to the corner and gave him rapid punches. Marty gave Argenis a pump kick. Marty gave Argenis the Mandible Claw. Argenis slipped away and gave Marty a punch and high crossbody. Marty countered an armdrag into a flapjack. Marty ripped apart the left eye of Argenis’s mask. Argenis made a little rally with a few kicks to send Marty outside. Argenis hit Marty with a Tope Con Hilo.
Mariposa distracted Argenis to allow Marty to throw Argenis around in the bleachers. Argenis fought his way out with a kick. Mariposa threw Argenis around as Marty Elias was distracted (even though he was right next to Argenis). Argenis bladed from being thrown in the turnbuckle. Marty gave Argenis a dropkick. Due to the lockups, Marty was covered in Argenis’s blood. Argenis turned a back suplex into a neckbreaker. Marty hit Argenis with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Marty then turned a Tiger Bomb into a codebreaker.
Marty the Moth defeated Argenis via pinfall in 5:09.
Marty the Moth ripped off the bloody mask from the face of Argenis. Argenis rolled away and covered up quickly. Elias gave Argenis a towel. Marty demanded the microphone from Melissa. Mariposa snatched the mic. Marty said hi to Melissa Santos and wanted a response. He asked Melissa if Melissa likes Marty taking off Argenis’ mask. Marty threw the bloody mask at Melissa. Marty vowed to take Fenix’s mask at Ultima Lucha 3 in a match so he can show Melissa how ugly Fenix really is. Fenix was in street clothes and disposed of Marty from the ring with a running knee. Fenix gave Mariposa a superkick. Fenix said he accepts the challenge and wants the match to be a Mask vs. Hair Luchas De Apuestas match… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Okay, now this feud just got compelling. The only thing that’s totally unnecessary is Melissa Santos as a love interest/active character. She’s just a vestigial component and the feud would be much better without her (you could just have Marty being obsessed with the Symbol of Fenix). Marty pushes Lucha Underground’s TV-14 rating to close to MA with his violence, mental problems, and not-so-subtly-implied molestation of the Sexy Star character (which actually led to an amazing payoff in “No Mas”). As much as it’s not to my taste, he’s a solid part of Lucha Underground and the edgy dark themes of Robert Rodriguez flicks. I’m looking forward to this Moth vs. Fenix match!
3. Joey Ryan vs. Sexy Star. Sexy Star was on fire out the gates with chops and punches. Ryan missed a corner splash. Star hit Ryan with a Tornado DDT. Sexy Star followed a tilt a whirl head-scissors with a victory roll attempt. Star gave Ryan slaps in the corner. Ryan slammed Sexy Star to the ground when she almost ran into referee Rick Knox. Taya came to ringside with a ring sign to mock Sexy Star in condescending fashion. Joey Ryan had Star locked in the camel clutch. Joey Ryan gave Star a body slam. Star kicked out of several pin attempts.
Joey Ryan pulled the lollipop out of his trunks next to his junk and sucked on it. Striker made the same joke he made a few months ago where he said he thought he saw a pube on it. Striker then referenced Jim Cornette by saying Joey Ryan is “Killing the business one day at a time”. Star grabbed Ryan by the chest hair and tossed Ryan around. Striker called it an “areola toss” and luckily Vampiro called out Striker for how dumb that call was. Sexy Star hit Ryan with the Three Amigos. Taya’s sarcasm distracted Sexy Star causing Star to attack Taya. This allowed Ryan to hit Star with a superkick for the victory.
Joey Ryan defeated Sexy Star via pinfall in 4:48.
Striker said this may be Joey Ryan’s biggest win in his Lucha Underground career. Joey Ryan was about to stick his trouser lollipop on Sexy Star but suddenly Ricky Reyes ran in and saved the day with his kendo stick… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Sexy Star continues to look great in the ring by putting in another solid in ring performance. It looks like they’re moving away from her random arachnophobia gimmick so that’s good. This is starting to develop into one of Lucha Underground’s strongest current storylines where Sexy Star is losing all her matches because she’s letting her aggression get the best of her. This hopefully will lead to a good Taya and Star encounter. On the other end of the ring, Joey Ryan gets a win and he needs those.
It was time for a Dario Cueto cinematic. Dario as putting the medallions in cloth bags. Ricky Reyes entered the office. Dario calmly smiled and said he knows that Reyes is an undercover cop. Reyes said Dario should be arrested for what happened to Mr. Cisco (who Dario killed with the red bull). Dario teased using the bull on Reyes but instead he held it in his hands and then told Reyes that he knows that Ryan is a cop too. Dario then booked Ricky Reyes vs. Joey Ryan in a match for an Aztec Medallion for next week. Dario tempted Reyes in this match by saying that Reyes wants to get his hands-on Ryan. Dario made it a street fight. Reyes broke the kendo stick and left Dario’s office… [C]
4. Son of Havoc vs. Son of Madness in a Boyle Heights Biker Brawl. Havoc gave Madness a Theaz Press. Madness huracanrana’d Havoc to the outside and then gave Havoc a double stomp to the outside. Havoc dodged a trash can shot. Havoc then gave Madness a (unprotected) trash can shot to the head. Havoc and Madness brawled in the bleachers. Havoc gave Madness a body slam on the bleachers. Madness turned the tide by slamming Havoc’s back into a trash can. After brawling in the ring, Havoc hit a series of strikes which included a double footstomp to the back.
Madness and Havoc traded strong shots in the center of the ring with Madness ending the sequence with a brainbuster. Havoc blocked a powerbomb and Death Valley Driver. Madness managed to hit the DVD on the trash can on Havoc. Madness missed a hammer shot. Havoc hit a pump kick and surprised Madness with a (sugar) glass bottle. Havoc ended the match with the shooting star press for the win.
Son of Havoc defeated Son of Madness via pinfall in 13:04 to win an Aztec Medallion.
Son of Havoc celebrated with the crowd as he put on his vest. Lucha Underground ended with Havoc slapping hands with the fans…
John’s Thoughts: That was a nice main event match to a feud that wasn’t so great. What I liked about how Lucha Underground is starting to do things is they are slowly getting out the rest of the medallions. I hope they don’t do another trios match to get rid of medallions again. With Havoc getting one, I would go with Havoc to win the Gift of the Gods.
Even though I came out of this season’s tapings very inspired, the storylines are hit and miss all across the board due to there being so many active storylines (where’s Drago by the way?). As more hype for you guys, I’m not going to spoil things, but via my subjective opinion, I can tell you that there is going to be come great in-ring business down the road. As for the next taping I attended. It’s the final day of Ultima Lucha 3, and due to the time delay I have no clue what the prior night’s tapings matches were. I’m looking forward to it due to the show having good in ring action to compensate for bad storylines. I’ll have more thoughts in my members exclusive Lucha Underground audio review.
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