Csonka’s Lucha Underground Review 2.18.15

Introduction
As a reminder, this will not be another traditional recap, but instead it will be a mash up of the Rs, Instant Analysis and my usual Twitter ramblings I would do during the shows; completely uncensored and as the ideas flow unfiltered to the old keyboard. Remember, this is a review; and I am here to review the show. As always, I encourage discussion and even disagreement, just do so in a respectful manner. I will be doing the review for Raw and most PPVs and iPPVs going forward.

Lucha Underground 2.18.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
~ Mil Muertes defeated Chavo Guerrero @ 5:40 via DQ [**]
~ Ivelisse defeated Angelico @ 2:45 via [NR]
~ Texano defeated Super Fly @ 1:28 via pin [NR]
~ No DQ Match: Pimpinela Escarlata, Mascarita Sagrada & Sexy Star defeated The Crew @ 8:00 via pin [**½]

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* Opening video package, playing angle catch up and also featuring Big Ryck’s awesome promo from last week.

Mil Muertes vs. Chavo Guerrero: Muertes is solo, and Catrina is not with him. Likely because he tried to rip her head off last week. This goes back to the early episodes of the series, Muertes wanted to take out Blue Demon Jr. but Chavo did that. Chavo then disrespected the lucha community and Mexico as a whole and it had been teased that Chavo would have to pay a debt; Muertes now looks to collect. Chavo would work the knee to gain control of things, Catrina would eventually make an appearance during the match. Commentary actually noted that Muertes seemed unfocused and off his game due to the lack of Catrina. Catrina then distracted Muertes with a magical stone, allowing Chavo to attack with a chair for the DQ. Muertes no sold it, hit the flatliner on Chavo onto the chair and stood tall. Catrina tried to leave, but Muertes tried to make her lick Chavo, but she refused. Muertes tried to give her the flatliner, but Fenix made the save. Catrina and Fenix then made out to piss off Muertes. The wrestling was perfectly solid, but this was more about advancing the Muertes/Catrina/Fenix angle.

* Mystery chick picks a lock backstage and continues her search for Matanza.

* Dario Cueto meets with The Crew. He’s pleased with them, and will reward them with a main event spot tonight. But to stay there, they have to earn it by proving that they will be his rabid dogs. He wants then to destroy some underdogs, Pimpinela Escarlata, Mascarita Sagrada & Sexy Star. Cueto says their only job is to hurt them so bad that they never come back.

Angelico vs. Ivelisse: Ivelisse is sick and tired of Havoc losing week after week, so she is taking Havoc’s rematch with Angelico. Ivelisse says she is the baddest bitch in the building and will take care of business. Angelico is acting as if he doesn’t want the match, but Ivelisse just wants to fight. The problem here, again, is that they are having the man treat this as if it is a joke, which is the death of intergender wrestling. You can do it right (Del Rey in CHIKARA, LaRae in PWG), but I feel that Lucha Underground continues to miss the boat here. The ref got distracted, Havoc kicked Angelico and Ivelisse got the fluke roll up. They then had Angelico hit on Ivelisse after the match. We’re what, 15 episodes in now? Lucha Underground has shown that they do not have the ability to book intergender wrestling properly, and they really need to stop it. Build a women’s division around Ivelisse and Sexy Star and move on, because you have not done a good job so far with booking intergender wrestling and it is depressing.

* Vampiro did a sitdown interview with Texano, who is pissed that he lost his AAA mega Heavyweight Title to El Patron. This was in Spanish and subtitled, but I felt Texano came off like a star; cool, cocky and single minded in wanting to get revenge on E Patron.

Texano vs. Super Fly: Superfly got next to nothing in, and I am fine with that. As far as the match goes, this was simply an introduction to Texano and his repertoire. El Patron appeared and hit the ring, and we had a brawl as patron wanted revenge from last week. Patron attacked Texano with the bull rope until security rushed the ring to separate them. The crowd was into this, and continues to see El Patron as a big time star. I do appreciate the story of Texano following Patron to Lucha Underground to get revenge and his title back.

* Back in Cueto’s office, Cage arrived still wearing the ripped up Lucha Underground Title. He demands to be recognized as the champion, and Cueto says he is what he wants in a champion. But, next week Cage gets a rematch with Puma in a non-title match and if he wins, he will get a title match. Cage tosses the torn up title onto Cueto’s desk and demands that he gets him a real title. Chavo then arrives and says to tell Mexico that they got what they wanted, and that he quits. Cueto then wished Chavo, “the best in his future endeavors”. Cueto cared as much about Chavo quitting as I did.

* Mystery chick finds the growling creature, and says she wants to kill who or what ever it is. Matanza?

No DQ Match: Pimpinela Escarlata, Mascarita Sagrada & Sexy Star vs. The Crew (Cisco, Beal & Castro): For those new to the product, this is a mixed team vs. men. Pimpinela Escarlata is an exotico (man dressed as a woman), Mascarita Sagrada is a mini & Sexy Star is a woman. The Crew attacked right at the bell and controlled as they beat down and choked out Pimpinela Escarlata, taking Escarlata out of the match. Sagrada got to run wild, head scissors and dives until he got powerbombed onto the apron. The Crew beat down Sagrada 3 on 1. They curb stomped him onto a chair, and he’ll be no help for the rest of the evening. Sexy Star was left alone and got the time to shine, but the Crew took control until BIG RYCK returned, looking like a jacked up Nick Fury. Hey did the Raw distraction finish allowing Sexy Star to score the win. Big Ryck had a stare down with the Crew as the show ended. I felt that they gave Star too much here, mainly because it was a 3 on 1 scenario. Had it been a regular match, fine, but I felt that they were making the Crew look awesome and then undid some of that down the stretch. Also, while I get the “surprise” factor in Ryck’s return, I loathe that distraction finish.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s show was fine, but ultimately one you could skip. It lacked that really good match that has become a trademark of the show. While they did some storytelling, which I am all for, nothing felt like it was something I had to see. Overall I felt that while generally fine, it was one of the weaker shows of the series thus far.