Welcome to the Lucha Underground Review for the May 27, 2015 episode, on the El Rey Network. Find out what happened, who had the edge, and what exactly constitutes a “Death Match” in Lucha Underground.
FAMILY TIES
The show opened up this week with Black Lotus arriving at the Temple, only to be halted by Chavo Guerrero Jr. The Mexican Warrior explained that he wasn’t there to stop her, but to protect her as per the request of El Dragon Azteca. Chavo reiterated much of what we heard last week, that Black Lotus’ family, the Guerreros, and the Cuetos all have a long history together and that Chavo’s grandfather was there when Lotus’ parents were killed by Dario Cueto’s brother. Guerrero tried to convince Black Lotus to get her revenge in the ring with “the world watching”.
On paper, this Black Lotus angle would be seven kinds of cheesy, but due to the unique cinematic nature of Lucha Underground’s backstage vignettes it works. I have especially been invested since the return of Chavo last week. I’m very curious to see where this goes, especially since it ties so closely to El Jefe, Dario Cueto.
AERO STAR VS. JOHNNY MUNDO
This match was a Debutante Ball of sorts for Johnny Mundo’s recent heel turn. It’s the first time we’ve seen him in action since putting Alberto El Patron through a window a couple weeks back and Mundo came to impress. The Shaman of Sexy hasn’t changed his style in the sense of what he does in the ring, but he has changed how he does it. Mundo is showing a much greater vicious streak than we’ve ever seen from him before, and while he does still have a chip on his shoulder, he doesn’t have the cocky attitude that he sported during his heel runs in WWE. In this match Mundo was all business, throwing forearms and stomping all over Aero Star, however, the man from the cosmos is not to be taken lightly, and he proved it here.
Aero Star was at his best here, flying all over the ring, in and out. He proved why his best of five series with Drago was so good. At no point did this feel like a squash match, that being said, Mundo’s newfound mean streak kept Aero Star on his toes and Johnny wouldn’t let up. One mistake from Aero Star led to The End of the World.
Edge: Aero Star fought a hell of a match here and has nothing to be ashamed of, but there’s no denying the fire that has been lit under Johnny Mundo. From bell to bell Mundo didn’t let up. He may have been on the defensive from time to time, but everything he did was calculated. Johnny Mundo had the edge in this match, and with this vicious streak he has now, he may not lose that edge for quite some time.
FEAR NO EVIL
It was time for another sit down interview with Vampiro, and this week’s guest was Sexy Star. The focus was on Sexy’s troubles with Pentagon Jr. and the situation involving Super Fly, whom Sexy Star defeated in a mask vs. mask match. She was adamant that, even though she hasn’t heard from Super Fly since he was forced to unmask, he is still a dear friend whom she respects very much. As for the topic of the man with Cero Miedo, or zero fear, Sexy was quite proud of her defeat of Pentagon Jr. last month and looks forward to the next time they meet which, as Vampiro informed, would be in a submission match as made by Dario Cueto.
At times Vamp seemed to try to instigate, particularly when the subject of Super Fly came up, but he was still very respectful of Sexy Star, and after he almost got involved when Pentagon attacked ring announcer Melissa Santos, I expect that if things go South for the lovely luchadora, we may see Vampiro showing Pentagon what the meaning of fear really is.
LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP
HERNANDEZ VS. PRINCE PUMA (c)
Viewers knew, from the first time Prince Puma and Hernandez met that they would wind up eye to eye in the ring together, and they didn’t disappoint. This was the classic struggle of power vs. speed, brute force vs. agility, and in the end, agility won, but not without power putting up a fight. Hernandez was able to throw Prince Puma around the ring with ease and even took to the air a couple of times himself, but as is often the case Puma’s tenacity along with a 630 senton helped him get the victory.
Edge: It’s very difficult to discount Prince Puma in any situation. It would seem his greatest asset is his ability to withstand punishment and keep going and it is that never give up attitude that gives him the edge.
LUCHA UNDERGROUND MAIN EVENT
DEATH MATCH
FENIX VS. MIL MUERTES
Last week and even heading into the match, the rules of this “Death match” were vague. As the match got underway Matt Striker was finally able to explain to the viewers that it was basically a No Holds Barred match with no count outs and no disqualification.
The match itself lacked the carnage of the Grave Consequences match, but was no less brutal in execution. Mil Muertes took it to Fenix and while Fenix got in his fair share of offense, Muertes shook it off like bullets on Superman. Nothing phased the man of 1000 deaths, nothing. Mil, sporting white eyes in this match, making him look even more menacing, used his environment, beating Fenix with a chair and slamming him headfirst on the announce table, but the best use of the Temple came when Mil Muertes carried Fenix up the stairs to the top of the Temple and, atop the structure that is across from Dario Cueto’s office, proceeded to powerbomb Fenix through the structure! Unlike Cueto’s office, there were no windows and it was this moment where Lucha Underground did something they rarely do, they took a commercial break mid-match. When back from the break, the door to the structure was finally opened and the three skull faced gentlemen who accompanied Mil Muertes and Catrina to the ring, carried Fenix’s limp, lifeless body to the ring where Mil finished Fenix off with a ferocious Flatliner to secure the victory.
Edge: Mil Muertes is back, and in a big way. He gets the edge because he dominated Fenix throughout this match and while I wouldn’t say he made short work of Fenix, he certainly made it look effortless. Mil Muertes may be unstoppable, although I’ve said that before.
BLOOD IS THICKER
If nothing else, Dario Cueto makes good on his promises, and unfortunately for The Crew he came to collect. Cueto wanted The Crew to take out the Trios Champions Son of Havoc, Ivelisse, and Angelico in the trios ladder match last week, however failing to do so would result in The Crew meeting Dario’s brother up close and personal. The Crew came up short in the match, with Dario calling them an embarrassment and saying “El Jefe will not be embarrassed.” What followed is the most brutal, visceral scene I have witnessed in Lucha Underground.
Dario Cueto looked at The Crew and told them to choose. The three men looked to one another, but it was the original members Mr. Cisco and Cortez Castro who grabbed Bael by the arms ready to sacrifice him, quite literally. Cueto instructed that they hold him up to the bars of his brother’s cage and all the viewer heard was a sickening crunch as blood sprayed all over the faces of Cisco and Castro. This was certainly a vicious way to end an episode whose running theme seemed to be death, and it also has me wondering exactly what this monster looks like.
Until next week, keep your mask on!
