Lucha Underground – February 25, 2015: The Best Thing This Kind Of Company Can Do
Lucha Underground
Date: February 25, 2015
Location: Lucha Underground Arena, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker
There are a lot of stories going on around here and the main match tonight is Cage vs. Lucha Underground Champion Prince Puma in a non-title match for a potential future title shot. Other than that we have the continuing rivalry between Texano and Alberto El Patron over the AAA World Title. Let’s get to it.
A car pulls up and a woman is tied up in the back.
The house band plays us in. They really don’t need to exist.
The announcers recap recent events. I want to punch both of these guys in the face.
Aerostar vs. Drago
We get a rare handshake to start before Drago is sent to the floor ten seconds in, setting up a springboard dive from Aerostar. Back in and Drago rolls up a limping Aerostar for two but the selling lasts all of five seconds. That doesn’t sit well with Drago so he hits a springboard tornado DDT followed by a not great looking throw into a faceplant for two. Drago misses a charge into the corner and takes a running kick to the back.
A kick sends Aerostar to the floor with Drago hitting an even better flip dive as they’re flying fast so far. Aerostar pops back up and avoids a charge on the apron, sending Drago face first into the post. It’s Aerostar going up 2-1 on the dives, even though he almost leaves it short and crashes.
Back in and Drago hits a top rope hurricanrana before doing one of the most overly complicated dives into a cradle (Dragon’s Lair) that I’ve ever seen. The flips took nearly five seconds and only got a one count. The fans think this is awesome as Aerostar sunset bombs him out to the floor. A springboard splash back inside is good enough to pin Drago in a fast ending.
Rating: C+. RIDICULOUS (in a bad way) flips aside, this was the kind of match you want to open a show like this. Usually you would want something like this in the middle of a show but given that this is just 45 minutes long after commercials, there’s not enough time to build up a regular card. Very fun, but certainly not technically sound, match.
Aerostar helps him up and they shake hands again post match. Cueto comes out and says he enjoyed that. These two have fought twice now and it’s 1-1. This match was so entertaining that they’re going to face each other until someone wins two more times. The winner will get a unique opportunity. I could live with that idea, especially when it’s not something we see that often in today’s wrestling.
King Cuerno video.
Cage vs. Prince Puma
Non-title and you would think this would end the show. The champ goes right after Cage to start but is shoved down with ease. A discus forearm staggers Cage and Puma heads to the apron, only to eat a HARD clothesline, sending him back first onto the apron and head first onto the floor in a sick crash. The Cesaro apron superplex gets two for Cage and he catches a cross body with ease and throws Puma down with a fall away slam.
We hit the neck crank before he misses an enziguri and gets thrown down again. All Cage so far and a powerslam drops Puma one more time. Cage misses a moonsault though and an enziguri sends him outside. A HUGE running shooting star off the top stuns Cage again and sends Striker into full mark mode. The springboard 450 only gets two on Cage so he throws Puma around with a gutwrench suplex. He tries one too many though and gets hurricanranaed down.
A Phoenix Splash misses and Cage is all ticked off, setting up a wicked discus lariat to turn Puma inside out for two. Cage plants him with a sitout powerbomb for two more and we hit a Brock Lock. Cue the injured Konnan, who starts a Puma chant and draws Puma the full nine inches to the ropes. A powerbomb into a buckle bomb into Weapon X (a Gory Bomb into a downward spiral) is enough to make Konnan throw in the towel to give the match to Cage.
Rating: B-. This was more storytelling than a match and there’s nothing wrong with that. Cage is a monster and I’m really surprised WWE let him go off his developmental contract. He has the look and the power, but for some reason they didn’t see potential in him. You would think he would be perfect as a bodyguard for someone in a Matt Morgan style role. Either way, this sets up a big showdown at some point in the future with an easy yet good story.
After a break, Konnan tells Puma that he just did him a favor.
Sexy Star rants to Cueto about the Crew injuring her friends and promises to put them in hospital. Cueto’s offer: a match about Big Ryck next week with the winner getting to face the Crew. No man is allowed to help her next week either. Now THAT is some smart booking and an interesting way to get us to multiple potential conclusions.
Vinny Massaro vs. Pentagon Jr.
Massaro is a regular in California. Pentagon dedicates this match to unnamed master. A hard chop puts Massaro down to start and that double underhook driver is enough to give Pentagon the easy pin.
Pentagon powerbombs him through a table for good measure. The arm is cranked to keep up the evil streak.
King Cuerno vs. Johnny Mundo
This should be good but it makes no sense to have it as the main event when you had Puma vs. Cage. Mundo charges at Cuerno to start but eats a forearm. That just ticks him off more though as Mundo hammers away and hits a running knee to the face for two. A superkick knocks Cuerno off the apron and sets up a HUGE spinning flip dive to take Cuerno down one more time.
Back in and Cuerno slams Johnny down and drops a leg for two. It’s back to the knee as Striker determines that a corner is sacred for some reason. Mundo fights back with right hands and a spear for two with his knee not being in any noticeable pain. Cuerno tries to spin around Mundo’s arm but falls down on his face. To be fair though, that was quite the difficult looking spot. Thrill of the Hunt doesn’t work and Mundo kicks him down again. A superkick knocks Mundo into the corner but he comes back with a springboard knee to the chest.
The Moonlight Drive looks to set up the End of the World but Cuerno kicks Mundo to the floor. A good looking suicide dive sends Johnny into the barricade as this is really picking up. Now the knee is giving out. Convenient timing after all his high spots are done. Cuerno goes back inside for an even bigger suicide dive, driving Mundo’s spine into the announcers’ table. The third suicide dive connects and Mundo is DONE, but Cuerno can’t beat the count back in either for a double countout.
Rating: B-. Heck of a fight here but Mundo really didn’t look like he was able to hang in there with Cuerno, which really doesn’t hold up for the sake of a rematch. Those suicide dives looked great though and confirm Cuerno’s status as my favorite guy in this promotion. Really fun beating at the end but Striker continued to get on my nerves and brought it down a few pegs.
Mundo gets back up and dives between the ropes onto Cuerno’s back. A kick to Cuerno’s face drops him as well and they fight up the steps. Striker says Cuerno knows the jungle so well. That’s such an appropriate line because it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT’S GOING ON AT THE MOMENT. Mundo spears him through a wall (the Jungle Wall right Striker?) and that’s it.
Well almost all of it as we see the car from earlier again.
Overall Rating: B. Really solid episode this week as they set up a lot of stuff for the future and had some great action at the same time. There’s some real talent on this roster with Cuerno and Puma standing out, but guys like Cage and Pentagon have potential as well. The key to this show continues to be its logical, week to week booking which is the best thing a company like this can do: give you a reason to come back next week.
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Cage is getting a massive push. Here he’s debuted feuding for the LU title and in AAA his debut had him pin Alberto Del Rio. He may challenge for the title at the upcoming AAA iPPV.