By John Moore, Prowrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
Lucha Underground on El Rey Network
Aired October 24, 2018 – Season 4 Episode 20
Taped in March 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California at the Union Central Cold Storage Warehouse
This week’s Lucha Underground teaser recapped Dante Fox vs. Killshot, King Cuerno hiding the Gauntlet of the Gods from Catrina, Matanza getting powered up by Antonio, and Jake Strong breaking ankles (which includes a cheap post edit tongue sound effect). This week’s episode is titled “Seven to Survive”…
Matt Striker and Vampiro checked in on commentary. El 43 was the house band for this week. Matt Striker said Ultima Lucha 4 is happening next week. Vampiro said the main event of next week’s show is Killshot vs. Son of Havoc in a mask vs. mask match. Striker said this episode might just have one match and it’s the Gift of the Gods Elimination Match…
1. King Cuerno vs. Big Bad Steve (w/Famous B) vs. Hernandez vs. Aerostar vs. “The Darewolf” PJ Black vs. “The Savage” Jake Strong vs. Dante Fox in an elimination match for the Gift of the Gods Championship. Cuerno and PJ Black teamed up early on against Dante Fox. Fox took out both men with a double cutter. Fox took down everyone on the outside with an inverted 450.
Matt Striker reiterated that the Gift of the Gods title belt now has new rules which makes it similar to WWE’s Money in the Bank. Hernandez cradled Fox like a baby to mock him. Fox escaped and hit Hernandez with a kick. Hernandez used a double lariat to take down Fox. Fox escaped a Border Toss attempt and eliminated Hernandez after a back slide. [c]
Madness ensued back from the break. Fox and Strong brawled around the announce table. Cuerno and Aerostar brawled in the stands. PJ and Steve also brawled in the stands. Aerostar caught Cuerno with a crossbody from the barricade on Cuerno. Strong power bombed Fox on the entrance elevator. Famous B stood between Black and Steve for a distraction. Steve grabbed a wrench and hit Black with it. Steve also beat up Aerostar with the wrench. Black low blowed Steve while he was gloating. Black also low blowed Strong. Black got a nearfall on Strong after a sunset flip. Black was eliminated after Strong locked in the Ankle Lock on him. They gave Strong that dumb sound effect for the leg break. [c]
Steve and Strong brawled with punches. Dueling “Steve” and “Strong” chants occurred. Fox and Cuerno ran interference. Steve held Aerostar so Cuerno could hit him with his signature chest slap. Steve hit Aerostar with an impressive pop up cutter. Steve and Cuerno squared up for some strong style punches. Steve was staggered after a roundhouse and high knee from Cuerno. Cuerno landed the loud chest slap on Steve. Steve and Cuerno took each other down with lariats. Drago was randomly dressed as a construction worker, for some reason, as he led a forklift to the ring with Aerostar on the pallet.
The forklift lifted Aerostar to feet above the second story of the Temple. Aerostar dove from the top onto Cuerno and Steve. A “holy shit” chant ensued. Striker said, “the shit is holy and blessed”. Aerostar eliminated Steve via pinfall. [c]
John’s Thoughts: My thoughts here hold up from me being live in the crowd in that the MVP of the match so far is Big Bad Steve. Steve’s a generic but cool name because it’s so generic. The “Big Bad” part screams jobber.
The crowd chanted “git” at Famous B. Jake Strong hit Aerostar with a delayed body slam. Vampiro noted that Aerostar might also be hurt form his big dive. Strong hit Cuerno with a suplex. Strong hit Cuerno with a body slam for a nearfall. Strong held up his hand and started to slap his chest to invoke “Strong” chants (me, not knowing that he’s changed his gimmick at the time, instinctually mouthed out “We the People” because I’m an American dammit!). Aerostar caught Strong with a Meteora to prevent Strong from breaking Cuerno’s ankle.
Aerostar tried to take down Strong with low kicks. Aerostar hit Strong with a Trust Fall for a nearfall. Strong popped up Aerostar into the ankle lock. Aerostar tapped out. Cuerno saved Aerostar from leg breakage. Cuerno hit Strong with a series of three kicks. [c]
Cuerno, Fox, and Strong were the final three. Cuerno put his fist out in a show of respect to Aerostar. Cuerno’s a full on babyface now? Cuerno used dodges to land knees and punches on Fox and Strong. Strong popped up Cuerno into the ankle lock but Cuerno sent Strong outside. Cuerno kicked Fox outside. Cuerno was limping but he was still able to land the Arrow from the Depths of Hell on Strong. Fox traveled to the top of the entrance stage so he could hit Strong and Cuerno with a senton from the second story of The Temple.
A “This Is Lucha” chant occurred while all three men were on the ground. The camera showed that Harley from Epic Meal Time was in the crowd and was impressed. Dante Fox hit 450 on Cuerno. Cuerno got his hand on the bottom rope for the break. Jake also broke the pin by pulling Fox off of Cuerno. Vampiro said, “why would he do that?” (good point, it’s an elimination match). Cuerno caught Fox with two high knees. Cuerno hit Fox with The Trill of the Hunt for a two count. Cuerno struggled but Cuerno managed to get Fox into a modified Surfboard.
Cuerno hit Fox with the loud chest slap. Swagger entered the ring to hit Cuerno with a Vader Bomb. Cuerno grabbed the bottom rope for the break. Fox hit Cuerno with 450 Rolling Thunder and hit Strong with a springboard cutter for the two count. Fox tried to hit Strong with a Swanton Bomb but Strong got his knees up. Strong, Cuerno, and Fox took each other out with kicks to leave all three men lying. A three-way punch battled ensued in the center of the ring. It turned into a kick battle. The crowd gave the trio an ovation during the moment of respite.
Strong brought Cuerno and Fox to their knees with a series of punches. Cuerno and Fox took Strong to his back with double enzuigiris. Cuerno and Fox traded kicks. Fox hit Cuerno with the springboard Spanish Fly and the Fox Catcher (Fisherman Brainbuster) for the elimination. The crowd chanted for Strong after Fox eliminated Cuerno. Fox hit the brakes on a Tope Con Hilo when Strong got out of the way. Fox hit Strong with a shotgun dropkick from the apron which sent Strong into the front row. Fox got a nearfall on Strong after a superkick.
Fox put Strong on the top rope. Strong caught Fox’s enzuigiri and went for the Ankle lock. Fox did a matrix dodge. Strong reversed a headscissors into the Ankle Lock on Dante Fox. Striker was in intense mode on commentary. Fox rolled around to try to reverse the lock but Strong pulled back and reinitiated the lock to pick up the submission win.
Jake Strong won the seven-way elimination match in slightly over 35:00 of TV Time to become the new Gift of the Gods Champion.
The crowd chanted “This is Bullshit”. Striker said this is not bull shit. Vampiro said Strong just proved he is number one. Strong went back at Fox after the match and did his cheap sound effect ankle break (this one sounded like someone was munching on a carrot). The crowd chanted “Culero” (asshole) at Strong as Strong celebrated with his not-Money in the Bank. Matt Striker reminded the viewers that Antonio Cueto added the rule where you can cash in the title at any time. Striker closed out the show with hype for Ultima Lucha 4 next week…
John’s Sarcasm: Oh joy, Jack Swagger wins Money in the Bank again…
But Wait? There’s more! This week’s Lucha Underground post-credits stinger cinematic had Johnny Mundo doing martial arts training on the rooftops of Downtown LA. Aerostar teleported onto the roof to tell Johnny that there is no amount of training that Johnny can do to prepare him for “The Monster” Matanza Cueto. Johnny said that Matanza slaughtered his friends and attacked his fiancé. Johnny said Matanza ruined his wedding, so he’ll now give Matanza a funeral.
Aerostar said that it will be Johnny’s funeral if he doesn’t accept Aerostar’s help. Johnny said he stands a better chance against Matanza alone after Aerostar’s failed performance earlier in the night. Johnny said sorry and he doesn’t need a partner. Aerostar did a whistle which summoned Drago who flew to the rooftop like a jet plane. Drago presented Johnny with the Gauntlet of the Gods. Aerostar said Johnny saved his oldest friend and now they are here to save Johnny. Johnny asked Aerostar how the metal glove that Brian Cage carried around is supposed to save him? Johnny was reluctant to put the glove on because he said he’s not a glove guy. Drago did an animalistic growl to scare Johnny into putting the glove on.
Johnny put the gloves on and said “I feel like… like a god”. Johnny had CG electricity in his eyes. Johnny struck his John Morrison poses and he said, “this is INCREDIBLE!!!”. John also had CG electricity on his abs. Drago wondered if giving the glove to this idiot was a good idea. Aerostar said only time will tell. Johnny was doing piston punches on the roof like a dork, but an adorable dork. Johnny was having too much fun doing his punches to close out the show.
John’s Thoughts: This was a pretty compact and harmless episode of Lucha Underground. The Gift of the Gods title match was solid, but the rushed nature of the build and amount of wrestlers in the singular match took it down a notch for me. Standouts from the match were Big Bad Steve, King Cuerno, Aerostar, and Dante Fox. Jake Strong was solid in his end by not seeming completely out of place but he was outclassed by a lot of the flashier wrestlers. Dante Fox’s random insertion in the match stands out as the biggest plothole since there is no reference to his relationship with Killshot who’s whole heel modus operandi was set up from Fox being missing.
The highlight of the show is the post credit cinematic which reintroduces the Gauntlet of the Gods. This was also rushed and random. Johnny’s dorky charm and Aerostar’s surprisingly good acting saved the cinematic so the rushed plot points are excused at least for this week. Johnny using the Gauntlet is also going to lead to some fun stuff in his match against Matanza. That’s it for this week. I’ll be by later today with my Audio Review for the Dot Net Members.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Jerry Lynn.
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