She’s Sexy. She’s a Star. She’s the LU Champion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsTJz7XDtw0

We’re going with straight talk this week – ZeeWI takes a break – because this week, I just want to talk about the sheer awesomeness that was Aztec Warfare III. Specifically, the completely amazing moment that was Sexy Star finally winning the Lucha Underground Heavyweight Championship.

It’s only been the last year or so that the attitudes of fans towards women’s wrestling has begun to shift. There are plenty of reasons we can cite for this trend – better quality of women wrestlers, more access to good women’s wrestling, or the fans simply growing tired of the way Divas were presented (vapid, shallow, skanky) – and all of them are totally valid. Luckily, those with the power to change things have actually listened to the fans. And for this, we should absolutely be grateful.

Before I go on my huge loving rant of what happened on Lucha Underground, I should definitely reveal my skeletons. Last August, I wrote about the WWE’s Divas Revolution being “bunk”. Many jumped on how early it was to call the movement a failure – which, of course, I didn’t, but we don’t always worry about facts around here. Still, there was a sense that I wasn’t in favor of seeing the women wrestlers – specifically the Divas – succeed. That I was rooting against them, and my rush to judgment (or my rush to state an opinion in real time) was proof of my unwillingness to just “wait and see,” or “give it (the Revolution) a chance.”

Two ideas, for the record, that I rail heavily against at all times. If you see something, and you don’t like it, you don’t have to wait weeks (or months) for it to finish before having an opinion. Because – and this is the beauty of it all – opinions are allowed to change. So if you find yourself enjoying something you once didn’t, it’s okay! It’s not a crime! Everything will be all right.

I only bring that column up to show that I’m not one of those fans who feels that every wrestler who happens to be a woman is the greatest wrestler in the world. I don’t think we need to blindly support any measure that may bring the women more time, especially if one thinks that the current goings-on aren’t so good. I griped about the Revolution because it was 3 groups of 3 women, fighting in never ending circles, and it sucked.

Since then, the groups have died, the women have become more individualized (as I stated I wanted to see happen), and WWE even dropped the “Divas” tag in favor of simply calling them “Women Superstars.” And you know what? With those changes, the Revolution no longer felt bunk to me. A changed opinion! Crazy!

So, with that all said, let’s get to Aztec Warfare III, and the events that led to the crowning of our new champion.

Heading into the match, I considered Johnny Mundo to be – far and away – the favorite. I should clarify that I do a pretty good job of avoiding the Lucha Underground spoilers (for the crazy reason of “I watch the show weekly anyways”), but at the start of Season 3, I saw that, at some point, Sexy Star won the Gift of the Gods Championship. And so, I assumed that she would eventually end up with the Heavyweight Championship belt around her waist, as usually happens with these guaranteed title shot championships (Gift of the Gods, Money in the Bank, Feast or Fired, etc).

When she then lost the Gift of the Gods to Mundo a few weeks back, I was definitely stunned, and somewhat dismayed. I had been looking forward to Star as a Lucha Underground champion. It just seeemed like a cool thing to do, and something LU should do, as Star has, from Day Freaking One, been pushed as equal to the men. She’s been the one that, if any woman was going to hold a singles championship in The Temple, it needed to be her. Mariposa, Taya, even Ivelisse… just not on the same level as Sexy Star. And in an instant, Johnny Mundo took it all away from her.

Mundo also seemed to have all of the momentum heading into the match. He was the Gift of the Gods Champion, and he was constantly badgering Dario Cueto for a title shot. Cueto, however, didn’t appreciate the swagger of Mundo, and kept making things difficult on the man, granting title shots to his partners, but never Mundo himself. Mundo would approach Cueto shortly before Aztec Warfare began, telling the owner a story of how Mundo was absolutely walking out the champion when the match was over. But, just in case things fell through, he clarified that he would absolutely be cashing in his Gift of the Gods championship the next week. Either way, he was going to be holding that belt soon.

Again, Cueto didn’t appreciate the arrogance, changing Mundo’s number from 12 to 2, starting him off against Matanza, who Dario placed at #1 just to show how devastating his brother could truly be. Mundo was absolutely pissed off, and rightfully so. I just figured this was the final hurdle for him to climb before finally winning Lucha Underground’s top prize. Because, if we’re being honest, as surprised as I was that Sexy Star hadn’t yet won LU’s title, I was even more surprised that Mundo hadn’t found that belt around his waist yet.

From the start, Mundo has been positioned as the biggest “celebrity” in The Temple. The most well-known name, the brightest light, he was the one who had been everywhere. Even Chavo Guerrero wasn’t hyped as hard as Mundo was when Lucha Underground started. And Prince Puma, while clearly the main focal point, was the home-grown creation (sshhhh, Ricochet fans) that they created. That Mundo to this point had continued to come up short in the biggest matches was a definite surprise.

It was with all this in mind that, even with him entering at #2, I still considered Mundo the heavy favorite for Aztec Warfare III. His momentum seemed to dictate that he’d win. Dario Cueto’s assuredness seemed to hint that Mundo would prove him wrong. And with Jack Evans and PJ Black assisting him through the match, it just didn’t appear as if anyone else was going to stop what now appeared to be inevitable.

And much like the two prior versions, Aztec Warfare once again proved to be a balls-to-the-wall, power packed hour of action. Matanza, Mundo, Son of Havoc, Jeremiah Crane, Pentagón DARK, PJ Black, Mariposa, Rey Mysterio, Dr. Wagner, Marty the Moth, Jack Evans, Sexy Star, Ricky Mandel (!!!), Mascarita Sagrada, Famous B, The Mack, Joey Ryan, Mil Muertes, Kobra Moon, and finally Drago would enter the ring in the hopes of becoming the Top Dog of The Temple.

All the feuds would be played up as well – Rey Mysterio and Matanza would cross paths multiple times, with Mysterio actually being the one to eliminate Matanza to the shock of the Temple Faithful. Son of Havoc and Jeremiah Crane – the former and current guys of Ivelisse – would work together and against each other in a nice nod. Kobra Moon and Drago locked horns. The Worldwide Underground stayed a unit that made it miserable for everyone else. Pentagón would go after everyone in his way. Sexy Star and The Mack would work together as they had done in the past. Joey Ryan, refusing to learn his lesson, would repeat his mistake of handcuffing himself to the set again. And he would be mauled, again.

However, things would eventually break down. PJ and Evans would be eliminated, leaving Mundo to his lonesome. Pentagón would be shockingly taken out by Black Lotus and her group. Matanza, seething over his own elimination, would attack Mysterio, handing Mundo an easy pin. When the smoke settled around the final four, we had Mundo, Star, The Mack, and Mil Muertes all left in the ring.

And, if I’m being honest, this is when I realized that my thinking of this match had been, to quote a good friend, very uptight. I figured that we could take The Mack out of consideration, and while a viable option, I just didn’t think a second title reign was in the cards for Mil Muertes quite yet. Which, of course, left Sexy Star, and the guy I had picked from the start, Johny Mundo. But, looking at the group, it hit me.

“How great would it be if Sexy Star, after Mundo took her Gift of the Gods title, ends up winning the belt tonight?” I asked a friend who was watching with me. Instantly, we decided that had to be the finish for the match – Star pinning Mundo to put Mundo firmly in his place.

Of course, just as we laid that scenario out, Angélico would appear from out of nowhere, attacking Mundo, Black, and Evans (the latter two had returned to the ring), laying all three out with his Office Roof Dive, leading to Mundo’s elimination. A shocking, shocking elimination, to say the least.

It wasn’t much of a surprise when The Mack was eliminated next, though. He and Star had tried to fight Muertes together, but Mack would eventually eat a Flatliner, sealing his fate. And just like that, Sexy Star was left with Mil Muertes. We repeated our belief that, while obviously the huge favorite, Muertes wasn’t going to win his second Lucha Underground Championship.

I then wondered if Prince Puma – buried the week prior by Muertes in Graver Consequences II: Gravelectric Boogaloo would be the one to help Star win the championship. As Muertes dominated the majority of the action with Star, we simply sat and waited for Puma to come and help out. And we waited. And we waited. And then we bit hard on a great false finish.

After that, I began to wonder if we had simply been suckered in by Lucha Underground’s usual great storytelling. If we had just hoped that Star was going to win because we’re silly fans, and we still like to give a shit about the wrestlers that we watch. And, of course, that we’re just easy marks that wanted to pop like dorks if and when Star defeated Muertes.

So when the tables were set up, and Muertes placed Star on the top turnbuckle, I was basically composed of 15% hope, and 85% resignation to the obvious conclusion. Star was alone, no one was coming to help her, and Mil Muertes was just too big and too strong for Star to be able to win this encounter. Still, she had made an incredible showing for herself, and absolutely would earn a one on one shot later…

Sexy Star, however, wasn’t having any of that. She threw elbows at her gargantuan opponent. And then, the incredible happened, as Muertes fell from his perch, crashing through the two tables. Star needed a second to shake off the beating she had received to that point, before rising to her feet, leaping, and landing a double stomp for good measure before covering and getting the 1, 2, and 3!

You want to hear something stupid? I got goosebumps. And while I’m not one of those types that cries when he’s happy, I probably got as close to something like that happening as I ever have in my life. And I’m not fronting like I’m the biggest fan of Sexy Star walking the face of the earth, because I’m not. I like her just fine, but this moment was bigger than simply Sexy Star winning the Lucha Underground Heavyweight Championship.

It was how she did it, who she did it against, and the fulfilling of what seemed to be an unspoken promise from the first episode of the first season of Lucha Underground. It had seemed from the start that she’d one day win the Lucha Underground Heavyweight Title, but season 2 really took a lot of that momentum away, as she was left facing – and defeating – her tormentors in Marty and Mariposa, before finally getting back on track.

Star had busted her ass for the company, had earned a guaranteed title shot, and had lost that very same title shot. It seemed like she’d only be a champion in our hearts, but not in the record books. And Lucha Underground, in Aztec Warfare III, reassured us that what they had been saying all along was something that they believed. Sexy Star is equal to the men. Sexy Star can defeat anyone at any given time.

It all felt historic. Star wasn’t assisted. She didn’t have someone holding her up as she thanked them for the help. She did it on her own. She used her own will to make it happen. And she became the first woman to hold a Heavyweight Championship in a bigger-than-indy American wrestling company, and I’m only hedging my bets due to my not knowing if she’s the absolute first Female Heavyweight Champion ever, period.

This was a revolution, and at the same time, it was the result of the revolution. For the last couple years, the performers and the fans have fought for the women to be treated with more respect. To be seen not as Tits in Spandex but as capable athletes who can deliver in the biggest moments. WWE has gotten better with their women. TNA has always tried to treat the Knockouts with dignity. And now, Lucha Underground has awarded its highest achievement to Sexy Star.

And while it may not last long (again, I don’t know spoilers, but I still feel like Mundo’s getting that belt sooner than later), the fact that it happened is what mattered. The precedent has been set.

Congratulations to Sexy Star for winning the Lucha Underground Championship. Yes, it happened months ago, but it only aired a few days ago, and so the excitement is still very real.

Let’s keep it going, ladies. You’re doing it.

It’s All Wrestling. It’s All Great. We All Love It.