wrestling / Columns
The 411 Staff Looks Back at Season One of Lucha Underground
In October of 2014, Lucha Underground came into the lives of wrestling fans, and for some of us it was a great experience. The promotion created an identity (a very out there identity for the regular world of wrestling), they set their own set of rules and they stayed with them. With their quality roster, they have brought back the art of booking episodic TV in the world of wrestling. They have done such a good job of connecting the stories, interweaving feuds and continually building to peaks though out the debut season. The promotion took outdated match concepts and the authority figure and made fans love them all over again; Lucha Underground was a critical success in their first season. Today, some of the 411 staff, who were part of the Lucha Underground faithful, come together to discuss their thoughts on season one…
* He is 411’s regular NXT reporter and a DVD reviewer, he is Kevin Pantoja!
* He is a long time 411 wrestling columnist, he is Dino Zee!
* Finally, he is a wrestling columnist (as well as MMA Fact or Fiction head and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. reviewer) he is Wyatt Beougher!
What was your favorite thing about season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: My favorite thing about Lucha Underground’s first season was simply the fact that it felt so different. They got the underground feel right and nailed it. 2015 gave us a ton of wrestling to choose from with WWE and TNA on always, ROH getting a spot on Destination America and the launch of NJPW World. The show that felt the most different from all others was Lucha Underground. From the look and feel of the Temple, to the Dario Cueto character to the way out there storylines, Lucha Underground was different and always a blast to watch.
Dino Zee: Man, tough. I loved everything about Lucha Underground, and I’ve made no secret about that. For a favorite, though, it’d be one of two things: the presentation, or the new wrestlers that became instant favorites. I really, really loved that Lucha Underground never made a joke of itself. Drago is a dragon, and that’s that. He’s not a guy in a costume, he’s literally a dragon that breathes fire and flies. Mil Muertes really dies, and then is reborn. There is no side laughter about that; it’s just how it is. Matanza eats Bael, and that’s what happened. No “he’s actually just injured, but gonna be okay” crap like we get elsewhere. That kind of straightforward presentation was really appreciated. And then there’s Son of Havoc, who I decided was my favorite guy roughly 15 seconds into the first episode. Fighting Sexy Star, I figured he was going to lose. And then he won! And then he formed my favorite team and took part in my favorite episode of the whole season, where Team Havoc won the Trios titles. There’s Pentagon Jr, who I had never heard of, and is now simply my favorite wrestler, period. Without Lucha Underground, I don’t know if I’d ever see them. And that’s ignoring the rest of the amazing roster.
Wyatt Beougher: I can’t believe the boss would put the most difficult to answer question at the beginning, but here we are. Since I finished Ultima Lucha for the first time, I’ve been going back and forth on this one, because there are so many, many things to love about Lucha Underground: their unique visual presentation, the high-quality wrestling, the roster, the Temple, the LU faithful. Ultimately, I went to the one thing that I think is sorely missing from both WWE and TNA today – the storytelling. In the big two promotions, especially WWE, they set their minds to a story and carry it out to its predetermined conclusion (barring injuries, of course), regardless of whether or not that makes sense or what kind of fan reaction the storyline gets. In Lucha Underground, ninety-nine percent of the time, the storylines actually do make sense, no matter how fantastical they may be, and if something is not working, there is a concerted effort to fix it (see: the early portions of the Angelico/Ivelisse/Son of Havoc storyline, compared to the reaction when they won the Trios title). Honestly, the storytelling in Lucha Underground has been so good that it makes watching the other two promotions even more frustrating than it had been before LU’s debut.
What was your least favorite thing about season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: It’s hard to really pick a least favorite thing about Lucha Underground. It’s been very good and so much fun so I’ll be nitpicking here. My biggest gripe was the ring announcing. While Melissa Santos is a beautiful girl, her voice is grating and I hated hearing her introduce matches. Two other things that bugged me was actually two of the performers. Blue Demon Jr., despite being a big name, was sloppy throughout the entire season. Also, Hernandez was a disappointment. He isn’t bad, but he felt way out of place among the top guys in LU.
Dino Zee: The easy answer is “that it ended,” but that’s cheap. I guess my least favorite thing was the storyline with Chavo Guerrero, Blue Demon, “Mexico,” and Texano. It stretched the entirety of the season, but really led to not much in the long run. Chavo bases Demon, and now Mexico is coming for him. But we hardly ever see Chavo, and then he’s fighting with Demon in the locker room, and then Demon turns heel on Texano because DEMON is Mexico. And then Chavo and Demon join up. I don’t know, none of it really did much for me. Even Texano’s face turn came out of nowhere, especially considering how he was a giant heel feuding with El Patron upon arrival. Honorable mention to Fenix beating Mil Muertes in a huge match, and then doing absolutely nothing.
Wyatt Beougher: This one is fairly easy, and actually somewhat ties into what I said in my answer to the first question. The only things that I did not like about Lucha Underground were all fairly minor complaints, but the biggest of those was the early season commentary. Matt Striker’s terrible pronunciation of simple Spanish words like “demon” (which was alternately “deMOAN” or “DAYmon”) and an inability to treat the women of LU as anything other than objects of sexual desire, combined with Vampiro’s half-stoned-sounding, brotastic color commentary were easily the worst part of the first handful of episodes. Thankfully, over the season, it felt like they managed to figure things out and while there were still a few uncomfortable moments down the home stretch, Michael Schiavello’s presence on the two-hour season finale only served to remind me of how well Vampiro and Striker had gelled with one another. Striker’s still got those oddly specific wrestling nerd tendencies, and Vampiro still occasionally sounds like he may have been taking bong rips between matches, but overall, Striker treated us to some fantastic play-by-play and Vampiro’s knowledge of the Mexican wrestling scene and its history definitely added to the overall presentation of the shows. With Vampiro apparently leaving commentary to either manage or team with Pentagon Jr, I am actually nervous to see who Lucha Underground signs to replace him for season two..
Who was the best overall in ring performer during season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: I’ll admit, this was a tough one to choose. Fenix, Mil Muertes, our former Trios Champions, Drago, King Cuerno, Johnny Mundo and others all had valid claims to this spot. In the end though, I went with the champion, Prince Puma. From the very first episode, you could tell there would be a spotlight on him. The guy won the title in the excellent Aztec Warfare match and defended it in good to great matches against all kinds of opponents. Everyone from the powerhouse Cage to Drago to King Cuerno to Mundo, who he has excellent chemistry with. Whenever he was called upon to do so, Prince Puma delivered and was a very deserving first champion for the show.
Dino Zee: Pentagon Jr, all day long. It’s not even close. The least heralded of the “Big 3” that appeared (along with Drago and Fenix), Pentagon took a second to find his footing, but once he did, it was all glorious. Man or woman, young or old, it didn’t matter- Pentagon was coming for your arm. Add to it the beatdown he put on Vampiro, his great interviews, and the Cero Miedo match, and Pentagon walks away with this in a landslide. Shouts to Son of Havoc, Angélico, and Drago as well.
Wyatt Beougher: This is a tough one for me, because both Prince Puma and Fenix had some incredible matches and likely showed a new audience just how good high-flying wrestling could look. With that said, I have to give the nod to Alberto El Patron – his matches may not have been as breathtaking as Puma’s or Fenix’s; however, he was signed as the big name free agent addition to the roster and with that came a certain expectation to perform in the ring. I feel like El Patron exceeded those expectations and he felt like the biggest star in the building every time he made his way to the ring. In particular, his matches with Johnny Mundo really showed how badly both guys were limited by WWE during their respective times there, and the opening match for the two-hour season finale really emphasized just how badly WWE screwed up with Alberto. Even in defeat, El Patron felt more important than he did for 99% of his WWE career, and that visual of Mundo busted open after the match is one that will resonate strongly with wrestling fans for years to come.
Which main performer was booked the worst during season one of Lucha Underground?
Dino Zee: Chavo Guerrero. He’ll show up, act like a bit of a bitch, do something kinda messed up, and then there’s no follow up. Considering his position behind the scenes, I’m really surprised at how badly he’s used, and what a non-factor he’s been.
Kevin Pantoja: This was definitely one of the tougher things to pick considering I feel like most people in Lucha Underground were booked pretty well. However, one person kind of stood out and that was Sexy Star. I enjoy her work overall, but it honestly felt like she was out of place at the Temple at time. Besides the fact that she was relatively normal in a place full of strange fantasy like characters, she seemed to float for most of the year. She would move from angle to angle with no real payoff. Her stuff with Big Ryck ended up being forgotten and it was another in a line of frustrating moments for her. It’s like they knew they had to book her because she was a girl that would compete with the guys, which they wanted to highlight, but didn’t come up with much for her.
Wyatt Beougher: I’m using “main performer” to include talent who were at the main event level for all or part of season one here, and I think the biggest example of poor booking in my mind was actually with Sexy Star. For the duration of the season, we were told that she could compete with the men and most of the time, we saw that when she stepped into the ring; however, when it came to the storylines that she was involved in, everything felt incredibly disjointed – she had beef with Chavo for months over him turning on Blue Demon, but then when he came back to the Temple, it was like that none of that had ever happened. I feel like she should have come to Texano’s aid when Chavo and Blue Demon were beating him down. Then she took umbrage with Pentagon Jr trying to break Super Fly’s arm, which led to issues with both Pentagon and a newly-heel Super Fly. It never really felt like those issues were addressed before she jumped into the Gift of the Gods stuff for the finale, and at that point, the mutual respect that she and Big Ryck had developed earlier in the season was basically forgotten. In a promotion where storytelling was absolutely one of their strongest suits, Sexy Star must have given the creative team frequent bouts of temporary amnesia.
Which main performer needed to be utilized better during season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: Here’s another tough one. I’m gonna go with Pentagon Jr. Don’t get me wrong, his stuff throughout the year was pretty damn good but I feel like there should have been something better for him to do at Ultima Lucha. I get that the fans at the Temple treat Vampiro like he’s a legend, but I think Pentagon deserved better. Vampiro has always sucked in my eyes and I would have liked to have seen a bigger spot on the big show for Pentagon Jr. He’s really the only person I can think of for this.
Dino Zee: I’ll go Fenix. Treated as a top level star, he really didn’t have much to earn that type of praise, outside of the big win over Mil Muertes that didn’t lead to anything. They brought it together by the end of the season, but no other “top” guy did so little during the season in my opinion. I don’t mind if the mid or lower wrestlers aren’t being shown quite as often, which is why you won’t see Famous B or Bengala in here as my answer. Fenix was supposed to be a big deal, was treated as one at the jump, but then quickly lost all momentum while out with the injury.
Wyatt Beougher: This is a pretty easy pick, as King Cuerno was one of my favorite performers on season one and other than a few brushes with the main event, I never really felt like he got his due. One week he was main eventing against Prince Puma in a very good match and then we turned around and he was the third most important guy on a trios team. It looked for a moment like he would return to relevance, but then he just kind of disappeared again until it was time to do the Gift of the Gods medallion stuff. Hopefully if Lucha Underground does get a season two, Cuerno will be a bigger part of it.
What was the best match during season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: Grave Consequences. I gave this match ****1/2 and stand by it. Fenix and Mil Muertes had, as I said earlier a phenomenal casket match, known as a Grave Consequences match. This was hands down the best casket match in history. Granted, it doesn’t have much competition but this holds it’s own as one my favorite matches in a year full of great ones. Mil Muertes was the beast that he needed to be and Fenix took his beating, while making resilient comeback attempts. Mil ripping Fenix’s mask was an excellent touch as this went for about fifteen minutes and never slowed down. Do yourself a favor and make sure to see this match. Honorable mentions go to Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma’s All Night Long match and the Aztec Warfare itself.
Dino Zee: This is tough, because while I feel the Trios Title Finale was amazing, that was more a product of incredible storytelling culminating in a great finale, along with one stupid awesome dive from Angélico. So, I’ll at least mention it here. That match ruled. But, as far as one single match? I’m going to go with the Fight All Night for the title between Prince Puma and Johnny Mundo. I didn’t think either guy could deliver an entertaining, hour long match, and they absolutely shut my stupid mouth right up. Great match, with some awesome spots, and El Patron returning to screw Mundo over. Honorable mention as well to the Cero Miedo match for unbelievable violence and gore, and Vampiro getting beat down by Pentagon. Still, I’ll stick with the Fight All Night. Great job by everyone involved.
Wyatt Beougher: Another easy one here, as the Grave Consequences casket match between Fenix and Mil Muertes was easily my match of the year to this point. Not only was the match itself engrossing and well-wrestled, but it had several weeks of storylines leading up to it, meaning it was more than simply a throwaway gimmick match, and it set into motion the main storyline for the final stretch of season one. Grave Consequences was arguably the best primer for lucha libre that American audiences unfamiliar with the Mexican take on professional wrestling could ever ask for – it featured a clear-cut battle between good and evil, with Fenix, the underdog embodiment of life eternal, taking on Mil Muertes, the much bigger and much stronger vision of death incarnate. When all looked lost for Fenix, he was able to overcome the odds and pick up a huge win, seemingly vanquishing the monster heel – in essence, it was every story WWE tries to tell with John Cena, only it actually played out throughout the course of the match instead of being a catch phrase designed to sell t-shirts to children.
What new performer did you discover and become a fan of during season one of Lucha Underground?
Kevin Pantoja: There are so many to choose from. I knew of Sexy Star, Mundo, Alberto El Patron and a few others beforehand, but there were a bunch that I discovered. I’m gonna pick someone that I knew of, but hadn’t seen enough of, Ivelisse. Yes, I remember her from Tough Enough and her work as Sofia Cortez. I thought she was okay but never thought much of her. That all changed while watching Lucha Underground. She started off managing Son of Havoc and was entertaining there, but once we got to see her step into the ring, she was great. There’s something special about her. She has an it factor about her that makes her stand out. Her winning the Trios Championship with Angelico and Son of Havoc is among my top three moments in LU history. I want more Ivelisse in my life, regardless if LU gets a second season or not.
Dino Zee: Already mentioned them both: Son of Havoc and Pentagon, Jr. Instant fans of both, I’m very happy with my selections. Havoc brings a great comedic element, but also SPACE FLYING TIGER DROPS when he feels the time is right. Pentagon just completely restored my faith in heels. Very, very happy to have found them both.
Wyatt Beougher: I think King Cuerno is probably cheating here, since he didn’t actually exist as Cuerno before Lucha Underground, but every time Cuerno stepped into the ring, his natural charisma and the grace of his movements made him the focal point of any match or segment that he was involved in. And if we are strictly limiting this to characters who had performed in the same gimmick outside of LU but who I discovered in LU, Fenix is at the top of the list, as some of the things he was able to do should have been physically impossible. That crazy elbow drop that he pulled off during the trios tournament where Angelico was hanging in the ropes and Fenix ran from the turnbuckle to the middle of the top rope and then dropped the elbow to the outside on Angelico was a thing a beauty. Fenix’s real-life brother was also a highlight, as Pentagon Jr developed from a skeleton ninja jobber to one of the most merciless characters on the show.
If Lucha Underground doesn’t receive a second season, what will be the show’s legacy after only 39 episodes?
Kevin Pantoja: Man, I really hope they get a second season. The show is just too good, too consistently for it go away. However, in the event that it doesn’t get the second season, I think it will be remembered much more fondly than other one season wrestling programs, like Wrestlelicious or Wrestling Society X. Lucha Underground went out and did something different while staying true to what they wanted to be. They never strayed away from their plan and it led to a really fun product. In an era where a lot of things are so similar to each other, it was a breath of fresh air to have LU around.
Dino Zee: Proving that you can be a somewhat goofy wrestling show that isn’t self-aware, and still be good. You don’t have to apologize for all the fake stuff. You don’t have to apologize for being brutal. You don’t have to apologize for men beating women. You don’t have to apologize for having characters die off. It’s wrestling. You can have your cake and eat it too. In today’s super smarky environment, Lucha Underground turned everyone into giant, screaming marks. Rabid marks who loved the product. Lucha Underground proved that you can still keep kayfabe, but you have to try to, you know, KEEP KAYFABE. And no one freaked out about it.
Wyatt Beougher: Can we just assume that it is going to get a second season? Because the alternative is too depressing to consider.
…
Fine, fine, if Lucha Underground somehow does not get renewed for a second season, I think it will be remembered as a promotion that was ahead of its time, one that focused on characters and storytelling without sacrificing the in-ring product. If nothing else, it will forever be “that wrestling show that got nominated for an Emmy”, but in reality, Lucha Underground was so much more than that. Intended as a way for AAA to break into the American market, Lucha Underground somehow managed to succeed where other promotions had failed – making lucha libre accessible for American markets – and striking a balance between the production format of American professional wrestling popularized by the WWF/WWE executed by rote on a weekly basis and the more fantastical elements you might see on popular shows like Game of Thrones, grindhouse movies, or Mexican telenovelas. Lucha Underground showed that a wrestling promotion could have a weekly show that was more – more engrossing, more stylistically different, and, sometimes, even more ridiculous (in a good way).
