WMD: Marty vs. Killshot (A Lucha Underground Preview)
There seems to be a large amount of excitement for this week’s Lucha Underground episode. Granted that generally seems to be the case all the time but this week is different. Fans, backstage people; even some of the wrestlers themselves have been talking up this Wednesday’s episode as something you don’t want to miss. And it’s all because of two men; Killshot and Marty “The Moth” Martinez. To the casual LU fan those names don’t mean much, especially when you place them alongside names like Pentagon Jr., Fenix, Johnny Mundo, King Cuerno, Mil Muertes, Angelico, Matanza and countless others from LU’s endless talent pool. But their stature has done little to dampen the growing buzz over their match this Wednesday, labeled a “Weapons of Mass Destruction” match (WMD) by Dario Cueto himself. What does the match entail? Beats me. But whatever it means it seems to be the only way to conclude a storyline that, if you’ve been paying attention, has become one of the most interesting in Lucha Underground since it first started in the middle of season two. As such it only feels natural that this match, the only one announced as of now for Wednesday’s show, deserves a massive break down to get you hyped for the battle to come. If you’ve seen it all, consider this a refresher course. If you haven’t, allow me to tell you the story of Marty and Killshot, how they got here and how it will all come to an end.
Marty “The Moth” Martinez
I can’t even remember the episode where El Jefe stepped outside the Temple for a quick moment, only to come face to face with an enthusiastic young man in a yellow Aztec Pride shirt. What you couldn’t forget however was the captivating persona of Marty the Moth, an overeager fan who claimed to have the blood of the Aztec tribes running through his veins and merely wanted a shot to prove himself. He got it and during the latter days of season one became one of the most entertaining performers in the Temple. Sure he was a tad creepy in how he acted towards announcer Melissa Santos and he basically lost every match he was in, but there was something endearing about Marty almost in the same way it had been for Son of Havoc. Of course we eventually learned that Marty was less of a silly crazed fan and more of a Patrick Bateman typed if he were essayed by The Joker. This became apparent when he kidnapped Sexy Star at the end of season one and then held her hostage for some time into season two somewhere in the sweet hell known as the Californian suburbs. Oh and he was assisted by his sister Mariposa, a just as sinister psycho as Marty only without theatrics and the Mark Hamill impression. Eventually both Marty and Mariposa were defeated by Sexy (with an assist from Big Willie Mack) but looking back on it, it seems as though it didn’t matter that Marty lost. And that’s been the genius of The Moth to this point; sure winning is nice, but not nearly as nice as scarring your soul. This may be an important thing to remember when you’re watching Wednesday Night.
Killshot
Like Marty, Killshot was a background guy in season one. He was introduced as a pal of Big Willie and Big Ryck and seemed as though he was both a huge Deadshot fan and the antithesis of King Cuerno. Then season two happened and it all changed. Turns out Killshot isn’t a Deadshot cosplayer or Deer Antlers’ good twin; he’s instead a former sniper haunted by the evils of war he witnessed and the brothers he lost fighting for his country. The red, white and black attire soon became replaced with camouflage, dog tags and more angst than a 1990’s grunge album. But the most important aspect of Killshot is his motivation. In the age where many wrestlers fight for honor, glory, prizes, money, women, men and so much more, Killshot fights for something more powerful; he fights to forget.
How Did We Get Here?
Here’s the thing that you’ve got to understand about Marty, besides the fact that the mind games mean just as much as victory; he likes to target troubled souls and expose their dark past in order to gain any edge that can lead him and Mariposa up the latter. Sexy Star was an easy target considering her issues before she put on the mask and found her inner strength, which Marty and Mariposa broke down into a million pieces. Killshot, with a past that would traumatize an already traumatized Ben Willard, made for even easier pray, which is no doubt why Marty targeted him once he got “bored” with Sexy. He did just that in their first match; Killshot won the bout but lost the war after Marty attacked him post match and stole Killshot’s dog tags. You may roll your eyes on that but it was no small thing; Killshot’s dog tags are in many ways the last link to a past he wants to forget, a reminder of the brothers he lost and maybe the only thing keeping him from reverting back to that sadistic soldier. By stealing the dog tags and later taunting Killshot by putting them down his Speedo short tights, Marty was looking to take a piece of Killshot’s soul and to push him down a level in order to get them back. Killshot did just that in the next match, which saw both men counted out in a hard hitting brawl; the only problem is that once again Marty emerged with the dog tags despite Killshot looking every bit the superior.
The two haven’t met in one on one action since but have continued to cross paths. In fact Marty and Killshot would team together alongside Sinestro de la Muerte against The Crew and Joey Ryan to earn spots in the Seven Way Gift of the Gods match at Ultima Lucha Dos. Marty offered Killshot the dog tags as a truce prior to the match and they would get along well on route to winning; naturally after the match Marty revealed it was all a ploy and stole the dog tags back once more. Killshot would get one last chance for revenge at Marty during said Gift of the Gods match, but ultimately was bested by both Marty and Mariposa and left without his dog tags again. You may be noticing a pattern by this point; even though Killshot has often looked like the better man, Marty has always been one move quicker, one firm step ahead of his rival. And after meeting with El Jefe last week his plan has become full; he has successfully lured Killshot into a situation where, in order to gain back what he’s lost, Killshot must reach back down into the place he doesn’t want to go or he’ll otherwise fall victim. It’s a plan good it’s almost enough to convince that Marty is crazy like a fox. Or maybe just crazy.
What to Expect
There’s several ways to look at it. Based on the stipulation I have no idea what to make of what will happen. The best I can gather from a WMD match is that there are no rules and all weapons are legal, including military weapons if Marty's astonishingly good final hype promo is any indication. If nothing else this will be crazy, and truthfully this match getting crazy makes sense from every angle. From a kayfabe perspective this makes sense for a blow off match; Marty has toyed with Killshot for so long with the latter being unable to get his revenge, and this match sets it up for him to get than and regain the piece of himself Marty stole. From a real life perspective, this is a match featuring two young, truly underrated LU talents that have done almost everything there is in the Temple except for one thing; have a career defining match. Think of everyone else you know in the Temple, from Pentagon to Puma to Mil to Fenix to Angelico to Havoc to Ivelisse to Cage to Matanza to Mundo to even Vampiro; they’ve all had at least one match that’s made them a commodity in and out of LU. This is Marty and Killshot’s chance to do the same and even beyond the great story they’ve told to get here and any other factors involved, that’s what will make this match special. I said it from the first time I saw these two go at it that some day they were going to deliver something you’d never forget. This Wednesday night appears to be that day.
Winner
Here’s where things get difficult. Both guys have not only not yet had a defining LU match but also haven’t had a defining LU win, and it’s easy to see both guys taking this one home. There are also going to be other factors at play; Mariposa will most certainly get involved to help Marty (which helps his chances) and the season three trailer featured someone who appeared to have some sort of military connection, which makes it possible that one of Killshot’s friends is on the verge of debuting to have his back. Tons of suspense either way! At the end though I keep coming back to this one point; Marty really doesn’t have to win this match. It’s not about wins with that character; it’s about the games he plays and the havoc he wreaks on the lives he chooses to ruin. The fact that it’s gotten this far in many ways means he’s already won. And so because of that I have to go with Killshot, getting the biggest win of his life in the wildest, greatest accomplishment of either man’s career. As the man, the myth, the legend says, you won’t want to miss it.
That’s it folks. Guess what; turns out LuchaPalooza’s closing ceremony will need to be pushed back again! That’s what happens when CMLL reviews take precedent. You can expect to see me breaking down tonight’s Puebla show later this evening, and tomorrow will definitely see the closing ceremony of LuchaPalooza finally brought to light. Till we meet again, a picture of Marty on the weekends when he moonlights as a Batman villain.
