Csonka’s Top 11 Lucha Underground S3 Matches

– Welcome back to column time with Larry. Today I thought that I would go back, and share what I feel are the top matches from season three of Lucha Underground. I hope that you enjoy, and feel free to share your favorites from the shows. The only rules are “have a take, be respectful of other’s opinions and don’t be a dick.” We all have opinions, we’re going to disagree, just be cool about it.

11. From 7.19.17 – Cueto Cup Tournament Match: Prince Puma vs. PJ Black [****]: This was a great main event, Puma continued to kick ass and is embracing the new attitude (the dark training from Vampiro) well. This was Black’s best post WWE match I have seen, he busted his ass and delivered in the main event spot and looked more motivated than ever.

10. From 12.28.16 – Best of Five Series For The Ultimate Opportunity: Cage vs. Texano [****]: This developed into an excellent and intense brawl, hitting the high notes at the right time and keeping the crowd the whole time. This was one of the best matches of the early season and Texano’s best Lucha Underground performance to date. I found Texano to be too over hyped at times, but he was a strong utility player that had the ability to work upward when needed.

9. From 11.16.16 – Lucha Underground Title Aztec Warfare Match [****]: Aztec Warfare delivers once again, mixing great action and interweaving the season’s established stories very well. Whether you like her or not, this was the Sexy Star redemption tour, and the crowd treated it like a big deal, so on that level, it worked. Aztec Warfare again proves that a “one match show” is not a bad term. Everything came together well, which is a credit to the storytelling of Lucha Underground.

8. From 5.31.17 – Lucha Underground ALL NIGHT LONG Title Match: Champion Johnny Mundo vs. The Mack [****]: As a complete package, this was a great piece of business. It felt like it took a bit to get there, but they worked hard, got the crowd completely invested and delivered memorable spots and a finish that gives the fans a reason to tune in (but I can fully understand people getting pissed over the non-finish). This was an instance where the interference not only played into the story well, but also made complete sense and added to the match. Star and Havoc looking to get revenge for everything Mundo and crew have done to them over the run of the series made sense and also gave Mack a way to even the odds. This was really entertaining, and was a great way for Lucha Underground to get back up and running after their mid-season break.

7. From 8.02.17 – Cueto Cup Tournament Match: Prince Puma vs. Dante Fox [****]: This was an absolutely great sprint style match, and everything you want from these two guys; almost videogame style with an amazing crowd. No one wants to see them grab a hold and work a limb, they want fast paced, super athletic and balls to he wall action and that’s what we got here. Also I loved that they didn’t do any bullshit interference and did the Killshot angle post match.

6. From Ultima Lucha Tres (Part IV) – Lucha Underground Career vs. Title Match: Champion Johnny Mundo vs. Prince Puma [****]: As expected, these two had an absolutely great match. While I am not a big fan of the ref bump/run-ins shenanigans, this made sense tonight and played off of the whole deal that Mundo constantly screwed the whole roster and kept the belt with WWU’s help. The Angelico return was a pleasant surprise, as he was here for revenge and to stop someone else from getting screwed. They got it out of the way, the closing stretch was really great and Puma overcame the odds to keep his career and win the title back. The combination of in ring action and storytelling was a great overall package here.

5. From Ultima Lucha Tres (Part II) – Luchas de Apuestas (Hair vs. Mask) Match: Fenix vs. Marty The Moth Martinez [****]: Normally I wouldn’t be a fan of the Mariposa & Melissa involvement, but in this case it made sense since Mariposa & Melissa were such a major part of the overall story and story they were telling here tonight. The story was Fenix and Melissa overcoming the bullies and Fenix keeping his mask, while true love won out over evil and Marty got his comeuppance. Add in an intense and bloody match with a great crowd and this was a great match to close out the feud and give the babyface lovers closure.

4. From 9.14.16 – Weapons of Mass Destruction Match: Killshot vs. Marty The Moth [****¼]: In my opinion, this was a completely off the charts main event main event match, with an amazing effort from both that more than delivered on the violence that they promised; in my opinion, this was the first REALLY great match of the season and really held up on the rewatch. Marty and Killshot were really unsung heroes in season three.

3. From 8.23.17 – The Cueto Cup Finals: Prince Puma vs. Pentagon [****¼]: This is easily one of the very best sub-ten minute matches you’ll see, and one of the very best matches of the season. These two guys are simply great, and work extremely well together. The action was insane; it was clean and built perfectly to a climax with Puma picking up the win after his master Vampiro gave him the final instruction to do so. This is really interesting because it confirms Puma’s turn to the dark side. He’s given in to Vampiro and did everything to kill the ghosts of his past to get another title shot, while also taking out Vampiro’s former protégé along the way (which played into the finale). The crowd only added to this, creating an absolutely insane atmosphere that you can’t find anywhere else on US TV. This was an absolutely awesome sprint.

2. From 11.09.16 – Grave Consequences Match: Mil Muertes vs. Prince Puma [****¼]: This was an overall excellent effort, a step below the matches with Fenix, but better than the one with Matanza. They did a great job of telling the story of Puma looking for revenge and to put Muertes in his past, while also looking to gain revenge for Muertes killing off Konnan. These two work very well together, they kept a great pace, it never felt slow and the audience was amazingly into it the entire time. This was not only one of the best main events of the season, but also one of the top matches of season three. Puma got a little too big for his britches, stepped up to a man who has been in three of these matches, and was just not as prepared as he thought he was. Muertes also takes out a top contender one week before Aztec Warfare, where he will look to regain the title in the same match he lost it in when Matanza debuted. Muertes needed to win this stipulation match, since he had lost the previous ones. Catrina can only bring him back so many times… in theory. They played to their history and to the stipulation very well.

1. From Ultima Lucha Tres (Part I) – Hell of War (Three Stages of Hell) Match: Killshot vs. Dante Fox: There is absolutely no other way to describe this match, other than absolutely fucking insane. This was an excellent main event, taking up the majority of the show, and allowing an angle that has been a featured part of the season, get a proper feature. There was absolutely no holding back from either man, they gave it their all, went well beyond what they needed to do to steal night one of Ultima Lucha Tres, setting the bad insanely high. The crowd was electric the entire time, only adding to the insanity in the ring. But be warned, this is the closest thing you’ll see to deathmatch wrestling on US TV, and it’s certainly not for everyone. There are times where I am not a big fan of this style of match, but much respect and credit to these two, they pulled me in, made me care and they stole Ultima Lucha Tres on night one. This is not only a must-see match, but the best match of season three. This was beautiful insanity and a great exercise in organized chaos.

The Season THREE All Stars
(The following made the above list the most times, and the number of appearances also includes Aztec Warfare (for those that [articipated) as it was certainly a group effort.)

* Texano – 1 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* Cage – 1 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* Fenix – 1 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* Pentagon – 1 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* PJ Black – 2
* The Mack – 2
* Mil Muertes – 2
* Killshot – 2 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* Dante Fox – 2 (NOTE: was not in Aztec Warfare III)
* Johnny Mundo – 3
* Marty The Moth – 3
* Prince Puma aka The Mother Fuckin Truth – 5 (NOTE: Was not in Aztec Warfare III)

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”