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Csonka’s Lucha Underground Review 7.20.16

July 20, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka
7.5
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s Lucha Underground Review 7.20.16  

Csonka’s Lucha Underground Review 7.13.16 – (Season 2, Episode 26) Ultima Lucha Dos (Part III)

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Trios Title Match: Drago, Fenix and Aerostar defeated Champions Johnny Mundo, Jack Evans and PJ Black @ 12:00 via pin [***½]
– Black Lotus defeated Dragon Azteca Jr @ 4:20 via DQ [**]
– Lucha Underground Title Match: Champion The Monster Matanza Cueto defeated Pentagon Dark @ 11:32 via pin [***]
– Taya defeated Ivelisse @ 6:52 via pin [**¾]
– Rey Mysterio Jr defeated Prince Puma @ 16:46 via pin [****¼]

– We get a big video package, going back all the way to the beginning of the season to set up tonight. It was a great video package, which is not a surprise.

– Pentagon speaks with his master (Vampiro) about tonight’s title match. Vampiro claims he is not ready, because he still has fear. Vampiro claims Pentagon has to destroy the man that is afraid in order to overcome. He then sends Pentagon into a cave, we then get a wacky light show and PHANTOM LUCHADORES start to beat down and destroy Pentagon as Vampiro tells him to find the darkness. Vamprio and Pentagon then do battle, and after they do, Vampiro tells him he is ready. The light must be extinguished, so that Pentagon Dark may take his place.

Trios Title Match: Champions Johnny Mundo, Jack Evans and PJ Black vs. Drago, Fenix and Aerostar: On paper, this is a great choice for the opener. Mundo eye poked Fenix right away, because he’s a glorious dick. We then went into a quick series of guys in and out, with Aerostar hitting a corkscrew high cross. Non-stop action here early, until the ref cut off the faces from dives, allowing the champions to take back control. They worked quick tags and double teams on Fenix. After a bit of work on Fenix, it broke down with everyone in and the heels being send to the floor and Mundo eating a destroyer off the ropes. Aerostar did a dive off of Fenix’s shoulders to the floor onto the heels; Fenix then hit a he splash onto Mundo for a near fall. Mundo fought back, but Drago and Fenix worked together and then we got a dive by Drago. 450 by Fenix on Mundo, but Evans pulled the ref to the floor. Fenix and Aerostar continued the attack on Mundo, chopping him down in vicious fashion. Mundo finally scored a low blow and then Black used a title belt to take out the faces. The champions then brought in all three titles, went to attack Fenix, played air guitar first and then laid out Fenix. They tossed the ref back in, but Fenix kicked out. They worked over Fenix as the ref was down, Mundo laid a belt on Fenix but Angelico returned and hit Mundo with a crutch. Drago and Aerostar made their comeback, we got dives from Aerostar and Drago as Angelico beat on Mundo with the crutch. Sit out tombstone on Mundo by Fenix and we have new champions! Fenix becomes the first man to win all three titles in Lucha Underground. The match was very good and energetic, it got a bit slow during the heel shenanigans, but after all of their bullshit, they finally got their comeuppance.

– Back to the temple for the next match.

Black Lotus vs. Dragon Azteca Jr.: This is Lotus’ in ring debut in Lucha Underground. Azteca tried to attack with a dropkick and misses, allowing Lotus to work some strikes. She kept control and hit an arm drag off the ropes and sent Azteca to the floor. Azteca fought back and sent her to the floor, missed a dive but rolled through; Lotus hit a DDT on the floor. She tried to follow up, but was slammed to the wall. Back into the ring, Azteca misses the high cross and Lotus covered for 2. Lotus worked more strikes, but then ran into an elbow strike. Azteca slammed her down and then went up top, but Pentagon Dark arrived and ran in for the DQ. The work as fine, but I wasn’t a big fan of the finish. Lotus’ character has simply existed for two seasons, and we have nothing close to a culmination to a story in regards to her character.

– Pentagon attacked and broke the arm of Lotus as Vamprio looked on and smiled. Package piledriver to Azteca, and he then broke HIS arm at the direction of Vampiro. Cero Miedo bitches.

– After the commercial, Pentagon Dark said that last year he beat his master in this ring. He as not ready for the monster, and he broke Pentagon Jr. he felt the pain and frustration, but his teacher taught him again, took him to a dark place and now he has defeated his fears. He is here, stronger and more powerful than ever. Ian is dead, and replaced by Vampiro. But Pentagon Jr is also dead and shattered, and is now stronger as Pentagon Dark. Pentagon Dark is Cero Miedo, is not afraid of anything and is not forgiving and kicks ass. He will destroy Matanza Cueto. The title match is next, and Dario says there MUST be a winner.

Lucha Underground Title Match: Champion The Monster Matanza Cueto w/Dario Cueto vs. Pentagon Dark: The bell rings and Pentagon hits a dive and starts the attack on the champion. Pentagon, who had his “back broken” by the champion, takes the fight to the Matanza and chokes his out with a cable. It’s all Pentagon early, and I like it because it plays off of the previous match and the fact that Pentagon knows he has to keep attacking and end this as soon as possible. Vampiro hands Pentagon a chair, and he lays into Matanza with several shots as Dario pleads with his brother to fight back. We’re five minutes in and this is the most sustained offense anyone has had on Matanza to date. Pentagon slammed Matanza into the chairs and then the wall before breaking him down with chair shots. Back in the ring, Pentagon got the first cover of the match for 2. Matanza tried to fight back repeatedly but Pentagon was one step ahead and kept on the attack. Matanza finally slammed Pentagon into a chair in the corner, which Pentagon had set up, and Matanza started to put offense together, including a standing moonsault and shooting star press for a near fall. They then went face to face and traded strikes, but Matanza hit the old Scott Steiner moosnault slam and sent Pentagon to the floor. Matanza looked to be going for a dive, but Pentagon used a chair shot to cut him off and hit the destroyer off the ropes. Vampiro then handed Pentagon a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire into the ring, Dario ran in to make the save and Pentagon attacked and tried to break his arm, but Matanza used the bat and the wrath of the Gods slam and picked up the win. I liked this for the most part, they really gave Pentagon a lot and it played into the story well, but this was another anticlimactic and well, garbage finish in the third straight match. Also, I know that Matanza is a monster filled with the sprits of the Gods and all, but that finish was weal after everything they did in the match. The crowd chanted bullshit for the finish, and I agree. In the end, it was just good.

– Post match Vampiro tried to check on Pentagon, but Pentagon wanted no part of this and bailed.

– After the break, Vampiro was back to taking his meds, because he failed.

Taya vs. Ivelisse: Ivelisse wasted no time, taking the fight to Taya right away. Ivelisse tossed her around a bit, but when it went to the apron, Taya slammed Ivelisse to the apron and took control and mocked Ivelisse. Ivelisse kept trying to fire back, but ate a DDT into a chair. Taya talked way too much, allowing Ivelisse to fight back, slam her to a chair and lay in some kicks. The fight went into the first level of the crowd, where Ivelisse hit a high cross back onto Taya on the floor. The pacing was solid here, but they had a great intensity as they brawled into the bleachers. They fought on the steps and then tumbled to the floor. They finally got back to the ring, where they picked up the pace well and Ivelisse had control and laid out Taya with a German suplex. Ivelisse hit the sunset flip bomb, and the lights went out and when they came back on Catrina arrived in ring gear. She it a Barbie crusher and then disappeared. Taya hit the suplex and double stomp for the win. Another match and another shenanigan filled finish. They worked realty hard and I thought they were on their way to having a possibly delivering something specials, and then the finish happened. I get wanting to set the stage a bit for season three, but this feels like overkill.

– Post match Catrina teleported back to the ring and promised that, “death comes to everyone, even you bitch” and then gave her the lick of death.

– We get a video for Prince Puma, with the disembodied voice of Konnan making a cameo. In fact, Rey and Puma seem pretty chill about his demise.

The Prince vs. El Rey: Prince Puma vs. Rey Mysterio Jr: After the commercial break, they shook hands and we were off. They worked a nice back and forth to begin, with Rey keeping up but not being able to out do Puma. The crowd was great early, and it was obvious early that they were going for the basic story; Puma is the younger, stronger and faster wrestler, but Rey is the more expedited wrestler and “The King.” Rey had started to put some run together, but Puma took control and was using all of his advantages (younger, stronger and faster) to try and break Rey down. The battle went to the floor, where Rey managed a RANA, sending Puma into the apron. After Rey’s sliding Frosty the Snowman splash, they returned to the ring, where Rey kept control and scored a near fall. They worked into a pretty sensational series of counters, leading to Rey hitting the tornado DDT for a near fall. Puma finally was able to break out the strength, catching a RANA, transitioning into a northern lights suplex and then into the deadlift suplex for a great near fall. They battled up top, and Rey hit a reverse RANA off the top and scored a near fall. This is really strong so far, with both guys playing their roles very well. Rey looked for a head scissors, but Puma hit the lumbar check and blue thunder bomb for another near fall. Puma countered the 619, hit a kick and then he hit a 619! The 450 connected, but Rey survived! Puma hit the Bennadryller, which connected again for a near fall as Puma went for a cocky cover. Puma kept on the attack, went up top and looked down on Rey and then MISSED the 630 as Puma took too long. Rey ten hit the RANA into the pinning combo for a near fall, both men were down and the crowd was still hot for this. Rey was able to fight off Puma, but the 619 was caught and pulled Rey back in and went for a tombstone, but Rey countered and spiked Puma on his head. 619, springboard into the RANA and cradle, and Rey picks up the win. That was an excellent match, and one that I feel the show needed. I loved the layout, the pacing and the work as it felt similar to the KUSHIDA vs. Liger match from earlier this year; the old lion going on the hint one last time, but this time, the old lion won the day. I am not sure that was the best of ideas, but the main event delivered. Puma is great, but Rey more than held his own here. I am not sure how many more singles performances like this he has left, which made it pretty special.

– Post match they embraced, and Rey then told Puma that these were Puma’s people and left the ring to him.

– Striker and Vampiro were sending on out way, but Pentagon Dark arrived and beat the shit out of Vampiro! Pentagon busted him open with the barbed wire baseball bat, and then beat him down with part of the announce table, which ha had broken. In the ring Pentagon continued the assault with the barbed wire bat, and then biting the bloody head of Vampiro. Pentagon punted him in the face, licked his blood and then took the mic. He asked Vampiro if he remembered last year, and said Vamprio was no longer his master and that HE was now the master. He wanted to humiliate Vampiro and claimed he would feast on his blood and then kicked him in the head again. And then because he could, he dug the barbed wire into his head again and kicked him in the face one more time, before licking Vampiro’s blood again.

– We see Police ARRESTING EL JEFE! What is this bullshit? They took him away in a police van, but he looked up and smiled as we got the
“to be continued”…

– Where was Councilman Delgado?

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia.”

7.5
The final score: review Good
The 411
Overall the Ultima Lucha Dos finale was a good, but not great close to season two. There was nothing bad on the show wrestling wise, and the main event was excellent and well worth that spot. But the first four matches all having shenanigan filled finishes took a lot of energy out of the show for me, I don’t care what company you are, that’s bad form. I appreciate them trying to set things in motion for season three with those finishes, but it felt like too much from a company that is usually very creative. And seriously, where was Councilman Delgado? I guess he’s collecting bail for Dario.

See you for season three kids…

legend

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