Lucha Underground Review: Life After Death
Its 10:46 on a Wednesday and I’m still trying to figure out what the hell just happened nearly two hours ago. That can only mean Lucha Underground was just on! And wouldn’t you know it, the final episode before Aztec Warfare II was a feat of surgical brilliance; it built up next week’s show, it settled old scores, it gave us the reveal we’ve all wanted and a main event that once again topped the great main event we saw last week. Not even The Dark Knight followed up its original this well! But let’s not waste time; this beauty deserves to be talked about!
Love After Death Indeed
There’s been a whole hell of a lot of great scenes in this Lucha Underground season; this one right here was the most important. Yes, even more so than the Aerostar one, and don’t think that wasn’t the toughest thing I’ve had to do since choose between Pizza Combos and Cool Ranch Doritos earlier today. Here’s what we learned; Catrina not only still has feeling for Fenix (unless long ass make out sessions aren’t enough proof for you), but actively seems to regret that she chose Mil over him last season. Talk about a swerve! The problem; Catrina is most definitely not of the living (shocking I know) and is actively looking to get back to being so, and she thinks Fenix is the key to getting her there with him being the Man of 1000 Lives and all. There’s your explanation for why she’s wanted Cuerno and Mil to get rid of him despite her feelings. Complexity! Rest assured this wouldn’t be the last time we got a look at this story this evening.
Lucha Underground Trios Championship Match
Ivelisse, Angelico and Son of Havoc defeated The Disciples of Death
Sadly there were no death defying leaps from Angelico here, the biggest bummer since I turned on the TV this morning and Gone in 60 Seconds was the only thing on. Even still, this was a solid match that did exactly what it needed to do; get the Trios Championships back to the Greatest Trios Team to Ever Live! No offense to the Skeletor Army, but the Trios Division wasn’t exactly hopping with them as champs. Putting the belts on Ivelisse, Angelico and Havoc is just what the doctor ordered, and now we’ll get to see just how good these three can be as Champions with all three on full strength. Oh, and they don’t have to leave Lucha Underground! Combine all of that with the fact that Angelico now has two more titles in LU than Jack Evans and it’s a victory all around. Yes I said that to jumpstart that Jack-Angelico feud. THE PEOPLE WANT IT!
REY AND AZTECA ARE COMING TO THE TEMPLE!!!
The moment you’ve all been anticipating happened; Rey Mysterio finally announced to Dragon Azteca II that his training was complete (clearly Rey’s teachings move much quicker than Azteca I’s do!) and that they had both been invited to the Temple for Aztec Warfare II next week. That’s right; not only are we getting Aztec Warfare, but we’re getting the debut of Azteca and Rey Mysterio’s first Temple appearance as well! Is it wrong that I’m more excited for Mysterio? Don’t get me wrong; Azteca II is an unknown to most and it’ll be interesting to see what he brings. But man, Mysterio really got me in this segment. The look he had in his eyes about the opportunity to prove himself once more had a fire I haven’t see in the guy since he was feuding with Eddie Guerrero.
Bull Rope Match
Texano defeated Chavo Guerrero
First off, how about The Crew walking out on Chavo? About time they left Chavo to sink in the ocean alone. Much like the first match, this one did what it needed to do and nothing more; produce a solid bout that established the right guy. I’m not sure it’s the showcase match Texano still needs (largely because the storyline needed more steam than it had), but it was definitely a step in the right direction and it definitely established him as the superior. Like Puma, his direction coming out of Aztec Warfare is something to keep your eyes on.
The Disciples of Death are Dead
Let the record show that I tweeted out that the Skeletor Army was finished following their loss to open the show. As it turns out I was a half an hour early with that prediction! Hey, it needed to happen; the Disciples served their purpose, went as far as they could go and can now go join Bael in the great lucha gig in the sky. Quietly the best part of this scene was how it much of a badass it made Immortan Mil work, which wouldn’t normally be a big deal (or necessary) until you realize what exactly followed this moment.
MANTAZA! THAT’S MATANZA!!!
Yes indeed girls and boys; finally…FINALLY, the LU gave us a glimpse of Matanza and holy hell if he isn’t the most diabolical hater since the so called Beautiful. Then again he’d have to be looking like the bulkiest dude of all time while clad in a butcher outfit, a mask that even Jason would turn away from in fear and more blood than a Quentin Tarantino movie. Good lord, the showers Matanza must have to take after ending poor dudes. There was also a bit about El Jefe (who was in this scene too by the way) saying how Matanza was ready and that it’s time for them and Black Lotus to return to the Temple and honestly who cares, MATANZA FINALLY ARRIVED! No disrespect to the greatest wrestling boss of all time (and a man who may unleash Matanza on me for the blasphemy I just uttered), but do you know how long I’ve waited for this?! I’ve investigated who Matanza was and all that noise like it was a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Today is the day it’s all come together. I NO LONGER HAVE TO KNOW!
Lucha Underground Championship Match
Fenix defeated Mil Muertes
Ladies and gentlemen I have been to Madison Square Garden, I have seen the wondrous beauty that is Yvonne Strahovski; I’ve even witnessed a grown man satisfy a camel (just kidding. Or am I?). But mother of puss bucket, these Lucha Underground main events are becoming never before acts of epicness that even Judah Ben-Hur would stand up and applaud. The last three weeks alone have given us Fenix and King Cuerno in an excellent (and different) ladder match, Pentagon, Puma and Immortan Mil delivering the best triple threat match since Seth-Cena-Lesnar and the Immortan and Fenix adding yet another breathtaking chapter to a rivalry so wonderful that Celtic-Rangers has given up trying to compete with it. Excuse me while I duck for cover from millions of angry Scottish Football fans!
Let’s get this out of the way; no this match wasn’t as good as Grave Consequences. It started off a tad slow (where as Grave Consequences was full blast from start to finish) and again, comparing anything to Grave Consequences is something not even hipsters would dare do. But this was easily better than the Death Match these two had (an excellent match as well!) and once it got going it delivered action that was, in my opinion, even better than last week’s awesome main event. We had callbacks to past events in the feud (Mil tearing Fenix’s mask, biting him), we had violent chair shots, we had an awe inspiring Aerostar esq plancha by Fenix from the guard rail; dammit they had just about everything here. Most importantly is that they had one of the greatest match endings I’ve ever seen, with Mil going for the Flatliner and Fenix reversing it into a pin that recalled the Puma-Pentagon double pin from a few weeks ago and a finish that Bret Hart would’ve designed back in the 90s. Unbelievable stuff to both protect the great Immortan and make Fenix the third Lucha Underground Champion in history!
Of course, the poor bastard could barely celebrate with the crowd (a great visual by the way) before Catrina changed the game once more by making Aztec Warfare for the Lucha Underground Championship (along with Fenix entering in at number one and Mil entering last). So much for my theory that it would be immediately defended afterwards! The announcement makes sense though, especially considering the opening segment (which makes Catrina’s decision for Aztec Warfare just as much about what she wants as it is about what Mil wants). Be prepared for this to be a short reign for Fenix kids; Matanza is most definitely going to be in that match and on the off chance he doesn’t win I reckon Mil will be gunning for Fenix like there’s no tomorrow. Either way, what a moment for him. The dude is still only 25 years old and already he’s delivered amazing match after amazing match for Lucha Underground (including four this year alone), seemingly every week too. You can’t say enough about Fenix, other than he totally deserved this. AMINO!
That’ll do it folks. I’ll be back tomorrow with…something. Who knows? Till next time, a special request from a reader! I live to make you all smile; except you Mortensen. You know exactly why too!
Like this article? Like Lucha Libre? Like me?! Head on over to the cool dudes at LuchaShop.com, enter in the code LTERIC and get some gear! Good things will happen for everyone if you do so (like 10% off your purchase!). Also, you can now get Rey Mysterio stuff AND a Juvi shirt designed by Jesse Hernandez! How chill is that?!
