Lucha Underground – January 21, 2015: Careful Kid, You’ll Put Your Eye Out
Lucha Underground
Date: January 21, 2015
Location: Lucha Underground Arena, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker
As the first Lucha Underground Champion, it was only a matter of time before Prince Puma found his first challenger. In this case it’s the monster non-luchador Cage, which is a great choice for a monster for Puma to slay before he moves on to his next opponent and likely the first major feud. Let’s get to it.
We look back at Cuerno vs. Drago last week and tonight it’s last man standing.
Cortez Castro/Cisco vs. Pimpinela Escarlata/Mascarita Sagrada
Escarlata dances a lot and the referee isn’t sure what to do. The Crew starts double teaming Escarlata but he comes back with a wristdrag/headscissors combination to take over as Big Ryck is shown scowling in the crowd. Cisco misses a running dropkick in the corner but Castro sneaks in a kick to the head, allowing Cisco to hit a running shot to take over.
A senton backsplash gets two for Cisco and it’s back to Castro for two of his own off a suplex. It’s off to Sagrada (who I watched on a Raw from 1997 earlier today so he’s got to be up there in years) for a top rope hurricanrana but Cisco kicks him in the face. Well the mask but close enough. Sagrada hits a big dive to the floor to take out Bael and Escarlta kisses Cisco to the floor because he’s a comedy character you see. A huge dive takes the Crew down but they pop back up again for a 3D into a Codebreaker to pin Sagrada.
Rating: D. Well at least they’re keeping the comedy guys together instead of letting them go all over the show. The Crew has taken a major step backwards in the last few weeks and I was kind of liking them not being around any longer. I don’t know why I’m supposed to care about any of them as they’re interchangeable lackeys for Big Ryck.
The snarling Ryck gets in the ring after the match and hands Cisco his cigar. He wants everyone to hear this: someday he’s coming after the gold and doesn’t care who is carrying it, because everyone must appear before the judgment of Big Ryck. The Crew jumps him from behind and destroys Ryck before putting his cigar in his eye. They all leave and are shown going into Cueto’s office.
After a break, Cueto pays off the Crew for taking care of Ryck. So we have some hired goons, which makes more sense for them as they’re really not interesting because they don’t have characters, so make them guns for hire.
We get a sitdown interview with Cage, who doesn’t care if people like him or not. He’s here to make money and win titles. I love how this company is built around making money. That’s little more than a plot point occasionally but here it’s one of the major reasons for everything happening. I like that bit of realism every now and then and it’s working well. Vampiro nearly gets in Cage’s face during the interview but Cage’s intensity convinces Vampiro that he’s the real deal. He’s good as a monster for Puma to conquer before probably dropping down to the midcard or leaving and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Super Fly vs. Pentagon Jr.
Time for the standard high flying lucha match of the week. Pentagon runs him over to start but eats a superkick as Striker says Pentagon builds his entire career off being different from Octagon. I thought he did it by being the second person to use the Pentagon character but that’s just me. Super Fly superkicks him down but takes one of the loudest chops I’ve ever heard to send him outside.
Something like an AA on the floor has Super Fly in even more trouble but a double clothesline back inside puts both guys down. A Tajiri handspring into a wristdrag puts Pentagon down and Super Fly hits a cartwheel into a moonsault over the top for a big crash. Back in after about two seconds and Pentagon kicks him in the face for two as the selling still isn’t a strong suit around here. A package piledriver of all things is enough to knock Super Fly out cold for the pin.
Rating: C-. Decent match here but the lack of selling is starting to get on my nerves. You could at least stay on the mat for a few seconds after a big spot but it doesn’t see to be something done in lucha libre. That being said, it’s certainly more exciting this way and more of a roller coster ride to the end, which is the style they seem to be going for.
Post match Pentaon Jr. says he was misled by Chavo and is going to bring in the one man that he knows he can trust to help him out. As is the case in wrestling, no name is given.
El Mariachi Loco vs. Sexy Star
Loco’s character is actually funny as he was a cook in a Mexican restaurant and just showed up one day. Feeling out process to start with Star hooking a big headscissors and Loco bails to the floor. Back in and a bicycle kick stuns Loco but he drop toeholds her down. A hard chop in the corner has Star in trouble until she low bridges him to the floor. Striker: “How stupid is that guy?” Star hits a huge cross body from the top to the floor but Loco drops her throat first across the top rope. Loco misses a Swanton though and gets small packaged for the pin.
Rating: D. So wait, is Star supposed to be someone in way over her head or the chick that can wrestle with anyone? Loco is a guy that passes a hat around for tips after a match and used to work in a restaurant but Star can’t hit a big move on him for a pin? That’s not quite what I expected from someone they’re pushing like her, but it could have been a lot worse.
King Cuerno vs. Drago
Last man standing. Cuerno charges into an enziguri to start and Drago dropkicks him out to the floor. A high flip dive takes him down for six before Drago hits something like an Orton DDT from the top rope for six, sending Cuerno rolling back to the floor. Drago loads up a dive but gets caught in a Bubba Bomb but Cuerno throws him back inside instead of letting the count go up.
Two German suplexes into a brainbuster get eight on Dragon and Cuerno just kicks him in the head to stagger him again. Back up and Drago hits something like a running Blockbuster before having the referee drop down as a launch pad for a hurricanrana. Another hurricanrana sends both guys to the floor with Drago getting up first. Back in and Cuerno just kicks Drago’s head off to put him down again. A legdrop gets six or seven before Cuerno throws him outside and loads up a table.
Drago fights back with some rapid fire strikes but gets rammed head first into the post four times in a row to slow him right back down. Cuerno loads him onto the table but Drago pops up and kicks Cuerno down for a break. Not that it matters as the King slugs him down and hits the Thril of the Hunt off the apron through the table for…..eight? Cuerno is livid so he hits a running dropkick to a seated Drago in the corner. Instead of letting the referee count, Cuerno ties Drago to the ropes for the ten count to win.
Rating: B-. It’s a good and violent match but I’m not wild on Cuerno winning like that. Much like Sexy Star, they don’t seem to know what kind of a character they want him to be. He’s been vicious and violent but is now getting cheap victories like this one. Then again, Cuerno is one of my favorites in Lucha Underground and I want to see him move on to something fresh.
Cuerno puts the deer head on Drago to end the show.
Overall Rating: C+. Again they’re doing a nice job of mixing things up instead of just having the same characters out there every week. It’s a good lesson that only NXT and Lucha Underground seem to understand, which is one of the best things they could do. Good, fun show here which flies by just like it does every week.
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