Lucha Underground 1×15: “Eye For An Eye”

chair definitely jobbed in this match

the matches

Mil Muertes defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr. [DQ for chair usage, 5:35]
Ivelisse defeated Angelico [double leg cradle, 2:41]
Texano Jr. defeated Super Fly [reverse neckbreaker, 1:31]
Sexy Star, Mascarita Sagrada, Pimpinela Escarlata defeated The Crew (Bael, Mr. Cisco, Cortez Castro) [Sexy bodyscissors cradle on Bael, 7:41]

the devolpments

Catrina was not with Mil Muertes to start the match, but came down with the stone during the match. Catrina distracted Mil with the stone, allowing Chavo to hit Mil with a chair for the DQ. Mil no sold it and took out Chavo with flatliner on the chair. Mil pulled Catrina in and tried to force her to lick Chavo, but Catrina wanted no part of it. Mil choked Catrina, then teased the flatliner, but Fenix made the save. They escaped, and Catrina kissed Fenix while eyeballing Mil Muertes.

Texano = me IRL

Dario was really happy with the Crew’s work this season. They have new jersies! Dario gave them a main event, but demanded they prove it by destroying their opposition so he’d know they would do that to anyone who defies him. Dario named “three freaks” who the crowd love – Sexy Star, Pimpinela Escarlata, and Mascarita Sagrada – in a no DQ match. Dario wanted the Crew to hurt the tecnicos so bad that they would never come back. Following those orders, the Crew dominated the match. Pimpinela was injured early and taken to the back by the medics. Poor Mascariata took a curb stomp on the chair. Sexy made a 1 on 3 comeback, then was able to hold it even when the Crew fought her 1 on 1. The Crew were about to finish off Sexy Star when Big Ryck appeared – and Sexy used the distraction to cradle Bael for a win.

Son of Havoc was supposed to face Angelico, but Ivelisse was sick of the SoH losing and demanded to take the match herself. Angelico did not want to fight here and was quite a jerk at times. Havoc snuck in a kick, Ivelisse got a schoolboy trip, and a cradle for the win. Ivelisse appeared to be unaware of the kick. Angelico hit on Ivelisse after the match.

Vampiro had a sit down with Texano! Texano objected to the idea of being called ex-champion. Texano says he beat everyone for two years and then Alberto stole his title. Texano says he’s only here to destroy Alberto and get his title back. Announcers put Texano over strong in commentary. Super Fly may not have gotten an offensive move in during the short Texano squash. Alberto calmly walked to the ring, chased Texano out of it, and got the best of Texano on the outside. Albert got the bullrope and attacked Texano in a replay of last week. Indy wrestling security broke it up. Alberto scattered them with the lasso.

bad week for the back of Mascarita Sagrada’s skull!

Cage demanded to be declared as champion by Dario. Dario pointed out Cage lost, but gave Cage a non-title match again Puma next week where Cage could earn a title match if he wins. Cage was satisfied and threw the broken belt to Dario, insulting it and demanding a better one for when he wins. Cage left, and Chavo entered to announce he was quitting and going to El Paso. Dario (unconcerned): “Chavo, I wish you the wish the best in your future endeavors.” Chavo wasn’t thrilled with that line, but Dario amended to say Chavo was welcome back at any time. Dario looked at the broken belt and declared the gods would not be happy. On this show, he may have meant that literally.

Black Lotus searched around the temple and found the caged monster. Lotus explained that when she was little, all she wanted to be is the woman who killed “you” with my bare hands. A flash of movement or action obscured the view, and that was the last we saw of either of them.

There’s a Cricket Signature Move Of The Week now! It was Prince Puma’s 630 splash.

Vampiro declared Lucha Underground the #1 promotion in the universe. Take that, Mars Championship Wrestling!

thoughts

This was the weakest in-ring show so far. There were a lot of angles going on to distract from that, but none of them came across very strong. Maybe the new Cricket sponsorship was the most important thing to happen all night.

Mil Muertes lost one match and Catrina dumped him. She has some high standards. (They’ve never brought up Catrina taking that kick again.) Chavo vs Mil Muertes was a match I was out on early on. It was a spot they could’ve used a better match in given the rest of the show and it didn’t really happen. I guess they wanted to visual of Mil no selling a chair shot over having a clean finish. Not sure I would’ve done the same, especially with it being Chavo’s exit from the show. Catrina’s reactions indicated she may be just using Fenix to get back at Mil; she was saved, but the kiss was more for Mil’s benefit than a thanks.

Ivelisse/Angelico was all angle – was this the intergender wrestling Voices of Wrestling has been warning me about? It fit that template of a man not taking a woman seriously and a woman needing to prove something. It didn’t exactly fit the story they’ve been telling here: Son of Havoc keeps screwing it up on his own, but had no such problem when it came to gifting Ivelisse a win. Ivelisse doing what Son of Havoc could not makes sense in the story, but Ivelisse doing it because Son of Havoc suddenly found a way to win doesn’t really.

Maybe the treatment of Texano was the best thing on this show. They put over Texano so big on commentary, but in ways where it din’t feel like they were just blowing smoke. That’s kind of the debut he needed to have, though getting trashed by Alberto after the fact felt a bit too soon.

Sexy Star spinning DDT

Main event was as good as a match with that layout is going to be, but it was just not a match layout that was going to produce something on the level of their usual main events. The punishment to Mascarita looked good, Sexy Star’s comeback spots were nice, it just wasn’t a match designed to get a lot of stars and that was missing on this show. It does appear to be designed to be the farewells for now Mascarita Sagrada & Pimpienla Escarlata, who have not appeared on the tapings since this show. (Chavo’s also really gone.)

Three women got in the ring on tonight’s show. Catrina got in trouble and was saved by Fenix. Ivelisse got in trouble and was saved by Son of Havoc. Sexy Star got in trouble and was saved by Big Ryck. That feels like a pattern, but sometimes things just align in unplanned ways. I’d be more concerned if I didn’t know how those stories turn out. Most people don’t know how those stories turn out. (Black Lotus probably didn’t need a guy to save her, but what happened we left her was very unclear.)

The funny thing is next week’s show has three matches which appear like they might have been the standout match on this show. It’s almost like a correction to this show, only it was actually just taped 20 minutes later. Maybe it’ll turn out that these matches had to be this week and others next week, but doing Cage/Puma this episode and saving The Crew match or Chavo/Muertes for next week might have been a better mix.

Volador vs Ultimo Guerrero in Arena Mexico, Lucha Underground preview

photo by CMLL/Alexis Salazar

CMLL (TUE) 02/17/2015 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Leono & Metatrón b Akuma & Cholo
2) Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pierrothito b Astral, Shockercito, Stukita
Rudos took 1/3
3) Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis b Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Skadi
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. b Virus [lightning]  (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Maya won with a Sacrifica Maya in 8:32.
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther b Misterioso Jr., Pierroth, Sagrado
Panthers took 2/3, including winning the second fall quick.
6) Boby Zavala, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero DQ Dragón Rojo Jr., Stuka Jr., Volador Jr.
Rudos took 1/3, UG cheating (faking a foul) to defeat Volador. Volador demanded a singles match next week.

It feels like Volador and Ultimo Guerrero started facing each other a lot more after the All Elite press conference. Virus vs Guerrero Maya Jr. is exactly what you’d want out of them in a lightning match.

Tonight’s Lucha Underground is title An Eye For Eye. That’s exactly what Big Ryck promised for the Crew. Those three are in a match tonight. There’s a clip of Dario talking to the Crew about their match: against Sexy Star, Mascarita Sagrada and Pimpinela Escarlata.

The Mil Muertes vs Chavo Guerrero match (clip) is also taking place tonight, following up on a plot point all the way back in episodes 2 & 3. Mil was angry at Chavo for interrupting in his attack on Blue Demon Jr. Hopefully the announcers and the beginning of the show video package will refresh people’s minds on that storyline, because it’s not one that has been touched much in three months. It’s probably more just an old thread brought back in service of the newer Mil Muertes/Fenix storyline, but bringing up that old history is a good reminder of how much this show has already changed. Chavo & Demon appeared to be central on screen figures in this promotion in those first few tapings, but Demon hasn’t wrestled since those shows and neither man has appeared since the week after Aztec Warfare until now. The top guys get cycled in and out on this show just like the lesser guys.

(That said, it’d still be weird to go another week without at least a check in on Prince Puma and Konnan.)

It’s a four match show. Ivelisse tries to get a win against Angelico, and Texano has his first match in Lucha underground against Super Fly.

IWRG has a FILL show tonight in Naucalpan. Not sure if it’ll air – the recent midweek shows have not.

Mascara Ano 2000 & Hijo de Mascara Ano 2000 defeated Solar & Solar Jr. in the Leyendas Inmortales tag team tournament in Arena Quetearo.

LA Park & Silver King beat Hernandez & Head Hunter I in what’s said to be terrible match in Arena Coliseo Monterrey. The semimain was a super libre match which ended in a DQ. I’m going to put this in bold: shows like that one are more of a problem for lucha libre anything Hijo del Ninja is doing.

There’s video of Rayman vs Makabre in one two parts.

Kamaitachi has a plan: he’ll unmask Dragon Lee, then he’ll unmask a lot of other people, and it’ll prove he’s the best in CMLL. You can tell Kamaitachi is a foreigner because his plan is “I want to be #1” and not “uh, I guess I should win masks or hair at some point?”

ChilangaMask’s Facebook mentions they’ll be back in Guadalajara on May 16, and also teases another trip to the US.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

RobViper has a music video of 10/28/14 CMLL.

Hechicero wants a title. Angel de Oro should be concerned.

SuperLuchas looks back at a February 17th with both Mil Mascaras and Canek defending their heavyweight titles, and one of them losing them.

CMLL’s Stellar Moments include clips of the All Elite show. They have the whole show filmed, they thought it was better not to the big matches.

Flamita introduces the Sky Stars to Tribal Kid.

AYM has brief interviews with Goya Kong about Japan and Hijo de Mascara Sagrada about his return from injuries.

Segunda Caida reviews more early Invasors action.

Blue Demon Jr. talks about his AAA appearances next weekend.

Dragon Rojo’s new Santos inspired mask got some attention.

An article on the benefit show for Kaleth this week.

Lineups

CMLL (TUE) 02/24/2015 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16 & Pequeño Nitro
2) Flyer, Oro Jr., Star Jr. vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Artillero, Súper Comando
3) Dark Angel, Estrellita, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Tiffany, Zeuxis
4) Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Tritón vs Boby Zavala, Luciferno, Pólvora
5) La Máscara, Rey Cometa, Titán vs Kráneo, Negro Casas, Olímpico
6) Volador Jr. vs Último Guerrero

The last time Volador and Ultimo Guerrero met, the referee seemed to give Volador an unplanned win by counting Ultimo Guerrero down for three when he was meant to be kicking out. That shouldn’t happen twice, but it is the CMLL ref crew.

This would be a shockingly quick return from knee surgery for Rey Cometa. Lucifierno is back but not teaming with his trio.

CMLL (TUE) 02/24/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Índigo & Sensei vs Apocalipsis & Sádico
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Shockercito vs Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pierrothito
3) Blue Panther, Stuka Jr., Super Porky vs Misterioso Jr., Pierroth, Sagrado
4) Ángel de Oro, Atlantis, Mistico vs Ephesto, Felino, Mephisto
5) La Sombra vs Rey Bucanero

Sombra & Rey Bucanero have met in a Universal tournament semifinal, but this is their first real singles matches. I have no idea how it’s going to go. I know how the tercera is going to go, so wish they’d skip it and air the segunda instead.