Matches
Daga defeated Máscarita Sagrada (2:12, russian legsweep into a crossface, OK)
Killshot [O], Siniestro de la Muerte, Marty the Moth defeated Cortez Castro, Mr. Cisco [X], Joey Ryan versus (8:04, Killshot double stomp move, OK)
Sexy Star & Mariposa [O] defeated Ivelisse [X] & Taya (9:58, Mariposa running Schwein -> Sexy Star pin, OK) for two Aztec Medallions
Developments
The main title match for Lucha Underground is already set, and this episode was focused on working out the undercard. Two matches were definitely set, and more seem strongly suggested.
The biggest match isn’t for anything but pride. Prince Puma, in his first in-ring interview, explained that Konnan (mentioned by name) would motivate him by telling him he could be the next Rey Mysterio. Puma has even more respect for Rey after being champion with him, but wants to know if he actually be the next Rey Mysterio, or if Prince Puma is even better. Puma wants a match at Ultima Lucha. Rey Mysterio appeared to give credit to Prince Puma for being good, but noted “you are a prince, and I am El Rey.” Mysterio also wants to know if he’s still the best, and accepted the match for Ultima Lucha 2.
Ultima Lucha 2 will also have a seven way Gift of the Gods match. There were three qualifying matches on thie show, seemingly was as many consequences for the losers as the winners.
Daga defeated Máscarita Sagrada for one Medallion. Kobra Moon watched on, but didn’t get involved this time. Famous B didn’t get involved, but seemed to wish he did. Instead, he attacked Sagrada, blaming the mini for all the losses he’d taken since coming under Famous B’s management, and vowed to get a new/better client. (Brenda didn’t seem happy about all of this.)
Killshot, Siniestro de la Muerte and Marty the Moth picked up Medallions by surprsingly being a more cohesive team the than Castro, Mr. Cisco, and Joey Ryan trio. Yet another argument between the police directly led to the loss. Peace was kept on the winning team by Marty giving Killshot back his dogtags, but Marty stole them right back at the end of the match. (Not sure if it’s important, but Catrina was not with Siniestro this time either.)
Neither team in the women’s tag match really got along, but it was a misamed Taya spear on Ivelisse which essentially ended the match. Sexy Star dodged out of the way, and later was thrown on the pin by Mariposa.
The seven medallion went to the debuting Night Claw, who simply was handed it by Dario in a office segment (similar to how Big Ryck got his in Season 1.) Night Claw is a man in a black cat mask, described as a descedent of the Jaguar tribe, and hyped as the next great upcoming luchador – the next Prince Puma. (This started the show, nicely dovetailing with Puma’s own “the Next” to end the show.) We won’t see him in action until Ultima Lucha 2, but Dario warned him that overconfidence called the Jaguar tribe to be the first to be destroyed by the Aztec Gods, and told him not to make the same mistake. Announcers were aware a new wrestler had been given a Medallion, but did not know his name or identity.
The was one more midshow office vignette, with Dario finally meeting with Dragon Azteca. Dario revealed to Azteca that he would fight Black Lotus, and revealed to the audience that he’s manipulating these two. Cueto didn’t outright admit it, but he strong hinted to Azteca that it was Black Lotus who killed the previous Dragon Azteca. That doesn’t seem like something you’d do if you saw Black Lotus as an ally, but instead something that’d happen if you wanted them to destroy each other.
Thoughts
I find myself comparing episodes to ones from last season a lot in this final third. This reminds me of the “Aztec Medallion” show late last year, where the hour was also spent on handing out Medallions to round out the Gift of the Gods match. It seems likely to be a Lucha Underground staple; they’re always going to want to do a 7 way match at Ultima Lucha, and it’s usually going to require getting a lot of Medallion matches done quickly.
This matches on this show got more time and were better than those; I didn’t give a high grade to anything, but the trios match wasn’t far off and the women’s match had some moments. Both were essentially doing relevos increibles matches, and I’ve kind of become just dismissive of that concept in general from having seen it so many times both in Mexico and here. It wasn’t as a negative as other times, the stakes of the matches forced them to do amost normal matches, but it’s nothing that interests me.
It doesn’t help that most of the feuds involved don’t feel that important right now. Marty/Killshot is the best one of the group. The Police stuff is interesting more for the outside the ring mythology than to see then squabble yet again. Taya/Ivelisse doesn’t feel like it has any stakes, almost like it was randomlly generated. And I was disappointed they didn’t play out the feelings from the end of No Mas more; a Mariposa who was tough but as scared of Sexy Star as Sexy had been scared of her earlier in the season would’ve been a progession, instead of defaulting back to the tecnico/rudo defaults.
Night Claw comes off as Lucha Underground’s attempt to create another Drago like character (though one where they’d definitely own the image rights.) It’s a grand introduction to give the guy we know as (spoiler) Flamita, and I’m interested in watching how they handle him. LU obviously had no idea his tenure in AAA is about to come to an end and they seemed to have big plans for him here by pinning him to one of the tribes. Backing away from him might be a challenge, though we may have to wait to Season 3 to see Night Claw’s mug on a wall.
There is a bit of a problem with the Gift of the Gods match. Just like the recent match, it’s a lot of people on the fringes of the roster. Sexy Star’s the only person on the list who’s won a feud. Otherwise, it’s a lot of people who may secretly be good – Daga, Mariposa, Siniestro to pick three – but haven’t been successful. They are building it up with a feud, Killshot & Sexy each have issues with the Moths, but maybe not with credibility. I think it probably means good things for Ultima Lucha 2 itself – they grabbed the big guys into matches and this is obviously leftovers – but it’s going to be hard to believe the winner has a shot at Matanza. There doesn’t appear to be a Cage coming this time.
The Famous B storyline feels like it went too long, and didn’t do much for Máscarita at all. The too long thing might not be helped – this feels like another thing they’ve paced out for Ultima Lucha – but I hope there’s some better day for Sagrada to come.
Ultima Lucha 2 lineup
- Pentagon Jr. vs Matanza (c) for the Lucha Underground Championship
- Night Claw, Daga, Marty the Moth, Killshot, Siniestro de la Muerte, Mariposa, Sexy Star in a Gift of the Gods championship match
- Prince Puma vs Rey Mysterio Jr.
- Dragon Azteca Jr. vs Black Lotus
- (probably something with Taya & Ivelisse)
- (probably something with Cuerno & Mesias)
- (maybe something with Cisco, Cortez, Joey Ryan)
- (maybe Famous B’s new protege vs Máscarita?)