Lucha Underground 1×14: Open Mic Night

always have to be on alert for headkicks on this show

the results

Fenix b Argenis (5:32; “Fire Driver” sit down piledriver)

Johnny Mundo b Son of Havoc (8:46; Fin de Mundo)

Pentagon Jr. b Ricky Mandell (3:41; armbreaker)

the developments

Catrina watched the Fenix match, then licked Argenis. Fenix looked as confused as everyone else. Mil Muertes was upset about this and choke lifted Katrina when she tried to explain it to here. (Catrina didn’t seem to be threatened or unnerved.) Muertes stormed away, and happened on Chavo. Chavo failed to run away, faced off against Muertes, and Muertes beat him into the wall. Muertes said Chavo would get his punishment for taking Demon away from him next week.

Big Ryck, in a confessional booth, told a priest he was coming for the Crew, an “eye for an eye.” Ryck now has an eye patch over the burned eye.

this looked great, too bad it missed

Havoc and Ivelisse were back together. Havoc had a few chances to win, and might have won with his top rope SSP but took way too long and Johnny got his knees up, then hit the Fin de Mundo to win. Cuerno attacked Mundo after the match, dropping him with the Thrill of the Hunt.

Pentagon broke Ricky’s arm, and dedicated it as another sacrifice for his master.

Alberto convinced Dario to give him an opportunity to talk to the crowd. Alberto was introduced as AAA champion and had the belt with him. He spoke of his family and being successful in the US until he was stabbed in the back and disrespected. (A transcript of the interview is here.) Alberto was happy to be with the Lucha Underground fans. Before Alberto could finish his speech, Texano (Jr.) came out of nowhere and attacked Alberto, knocking him down and whipping him with the lasso. Texano declared the championship would be back with him soon.

thoughts

Catrina couldn’t have been that concerned about Mil Muertes finding out if she went out of her way to flirt with Fenix just a week later. It’s really unclear what’s going on her head in this situation – is she’s really interested in Fenix, is she trying to do motivate Mil Muertes? Fenix is unnerved, Mil Muertes is aggravated, but Catrina’s unphased even when she’s being choked off the ground. She’s the one who needs the backstory vignette now, because she’s operating on a different plane.

another broken arm

Mundo & Havoc was the best match of the week (and the mostly likely one to end up as the YouTube free match.) Havoc got to have a much more complete match than his previous matches – it was really a spotlight for him, with the story of him just screwing it up in the end to keep his losing streak going. There was less story going on with Argenis, but it was likewise a match where the loser got a lot in before the stronger pushed luchador got the win. Argenis hasn’t had many long singles matches himself; even this sub six minute one might have been the biggest.

Striker & Vampiro were better this week! They’re also self aware and making fun of themselves, with Vampiro doing an extended bit of mistaking Ricky Mandell for Rick Martel and Striker noting “I sometimes like to call that move Tanahashi.” Striker was also dropping a metric ton of history in the first match, most of which was accurate. Texano was a completely unknown to the crowd and probably most of the viewing offense, but the announcers established his background and reason for being there quickly. They also acknowledged the crowd getting behind the rudo Pentagon as he broke another arm – a guy being dominant is going to get cheers, and there’s more of that to come.

Texano lets his lasso talk for him

Alberto’s speech, at least in my recollection, was his best ever English language promo. He was excited to be there and had things he wanted to say. There are a couple shots at WWE at the end which ought to get some attention, but tonight’s not the night where the masses are interested in thinking bad about WWE. The promo quickly established Alberto’s role in the promotion. At a lesser level of importance, so did Big Ryck.

This wasn’t the biggest action packed show, but they moved a lot of pieces around for later.

One thought to “Lucha Underground 1×14: Open Mic Night”

  1. Wait so the problem for Alberto in WWE was racism and not that he was boring, uncharismatic and never able to connect with the crowds? He’ll probably point to start and stop pushes, but that has happened with everybody not named John Cena. Look at Ziggler, Ryback, Swagger, etc.

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