Lucha Underground 3×25: Left For Dead

Dante Fox with the best possible Ephesto tope

Matches

PJ Black beat Sexy Star (4:23, DQ for brass knucks punch to the face, ok)

Son of Havoc defeats Son of Madness (8:44, Son of Havoc inside cradle, ok)

Prince Puma beat Ricky Mandel (1:15, reverse DDT into a Michinoku Driver, no rated)

Dante Fox beat El Dragon Azteca Jr. (9:01, Foxctacher, good)

Developments

a lucha spot on Lucha Underground

This did turn out to be the suspected Dante Fox focused episode. Dante’s version of what happened in Afghanistan has Killshot escaping being captured, but leaving Fox behind. Fox could hear Killshot leaving, and it’s not clear even if his tale if Killshot knew his friend was even still there. Their Afghans took out their anger by beating Dante and were going to behead him before other soldiers rescued him. Dante being bitter about his experience makes sense, and the vignette shows he’s still traumatized by it. His actions seem to have some justification, though neither man is clearly the bad guy in the feud.

The vignette did end with Killshot making gun motions at Dante from atop the Lucha Underground Temple. That, and last week’s ending, obviously foreshadowed the main event Dragon Azteca/Dante Fox match ending with a distraction. It did, but that backstory was a fakeout – it was actually Worldwide Underground providing the distraction, attacking Rey Mysterio as he was watching Dragon Azteca return to the Temple. Azteca’s horrible luck continued as trying to help out his mentor again caused him to take a loss.

Other matches were a bit more predictable. Sexy Star lost another match to another bit of Worldwide Underground involvement: this time it was Taya throwing knucks to PJ Black. Sexy got them herself, but was caught using them for the DQ. Prince Puma never had to take off his jacket to defeat Ricky Mandel (who’s glasses remained on for the short fight.)

I’d be worried about PJ’s ankles if this wasn’t the safest thing he’s doing

In between the matches, both Azteca and Puma told Rey they’d like to face him at Ultima Lucha 3 for the title, though Puma was a lot less nice about it. Puma also posed towards Vampiro at the end, so he’s clearly not taken any of Rey’s advice. There was also the weekly Mundo/Rey vignette, this time with both guys talking about each other.

The only other first round match was kind of predictable too: the debuting Son of Madness joined many others by getting off to an 0-1 start against Son of Havoc. Havoc and the announcers went from having no idea who this clone was to knowing everything about the backstory between them: Havoc had committed some crime against their common bike gang and Madness was here to collect. Madness didn’t seem as sure as this as Vampiro was, as sometimes he’d try to beat up Havoc and sometimes he’d just want to win the match. It was an odd experience. Madness lost, but did walk off with both jackets anyway.

Three second round matches were announced for next week: Paul London vs Mil Muertes & Jeremiah Crane vs Taya from the C (Week 3) block, and Fenix versus Marty the Moth from the B (Week 2) Block. The remaining quarterfinals matches, which will air over the following two weeks, are Drago/Pentagon and Mack/Texano from A block, Cage/Pindar as the other B Block match and PJ Black/Prince Puma and Dante Fox/Son of Havoc from this D block.

Thoughts

Havoc goes for a ride

And so ends the four weeks first round. It’ll probably still be tournament heavy the next few weeks, they’ve got eight matches to fit in three weeks, but sprinkling in other matches will help with the variety a bit. The format of these first round matches changed a little bit: it seemed like there was less vignette time this week and it allowed them to have two long matches instead of just one. The pattern that didn’t chance is they gave a lot of time to a match and then got out of a finish with a distraction once again.

That’s the problem with these shows, now that we can look back at all of them. The first round matches were mostly either heavily favorites people winning as expected, or matches which could’ve gone either way where the winner just happens to be the person who’s rival didn’t get involved this round. Crane/Killshot was last week’s toss up, and ended with that distraction. Black/Star & Azteca/Fox both fit this week, and both just ended because other people got involved. Aerostar/Drago seems like the only meaningful match that escaped that sort of interference finish. It feels like Lucha Underground is already stating to move towards setting up Ultima Lucha and these finishes are less about protecting people and more about getting people in the places they need to be 11 episodes from now, but the repetitiveness of how they’ve gotten there hurts.

hope interns get good health benefits

It affected the main event for me. In some ways, Azteca/Fox was better than Crane/Killshot last week, and it was at least it’s equal in making a couple of people presented as third tier characters so far feel like they could have a chance against top guys. The finish did the opposite, making their own match background to someone else’s issue – and issue which probably doesn’t really need the help, since they’re already showing a lot of Mundo & Rey each and every week. (I wonder if the idea for interference here predated the idea for the Road To… style vignettes. They didn’t need both.) Fox looked outside, better than he did in his earlier match with Killshot, and it’s good that he’s moving on. It also just seems likely he’s going just as far as Killshot lets him.

The Madness/Havoc match got some time and did some moves and it just didn’t work for reasons hard to articulate. The visual of one guy facing his bigger, hairer clone didn’t look great. Vampiro artificially knowing everything here felt oppressive: going from not knowing who Havoc was facing to being a thousand percent confident that this is an old biker gang grudge felt transparent like the writer getting over his own story. It’s not like it couldn’t be true, but Vampiro was forcing the details of a story that he should not have known that much about, and that didn’t seem to being told in the ring. If you want revenge on someone, usually you’re not trying too pull the tights to get the win. Son of Havoc getting something to do is a good idea but this didn’t feel like it was it.

PJ Black was much more game for facing Sexy Star this time around, selling big and showing off on offense. Maybe it was because the outcome was different and he was more motivated; guess we’ll see next round with Puma. Ricky Mandel did his Worldwide Underground Intern gimmick well and it was a great week to have a moody Prince Puma around.

one more tope

 

Atlantis out of Universal tournament, Cueto Cup wraps up, Cavernario/Caristico (in GDL)

Drone

CMLL (TUE) 07/04/2017 Arena México [CMLL, CultIcon]
1) Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro DQ Fantasy & Stukita LUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Nitro unmasked Fantasy
2) Metálico, Misterioso Jr., Sangre Azteca b Flyer, Príncipe Diamante, Sensei LUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Misterioso replaced Arkangel. Rudos took 1/3. Misterioso took Flyer’s mask.
3) Fuego, Johnny Idol, Stigma b Cancerbero, Raziel, Universo 2000 Jr. LUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Raziel & Cancerbero’s success was stopped after Universo 2000 Jr. suffered an arm injurying the match.
4) Drone b Puma [lightningLUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Drone took 8:30.
5) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther b Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón LUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Blue Panther Jr. replaced his father. Tecnicos took 2/3
6) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas LUCHA LIBRE MARTES DE NUEVOS VALORES EN LA ARENA MEXICO 4 DE JULIO DEL 2017 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
tecnicos took 1/3.

It sounds like Drone/Puma is the only match worth watching and nothing in particular was set up for next week.

Atlantis off Friday’s CMLL Universal tournament and out for a few weeks with a right knee injury, according to CMLL’s Facebook. They claim it’s his first significant injury in 34 years of wrestling. There’s no mention of who would take Atlantis’ place in the tournament, or if they’ll even do a replacement. Puma King (Occidente Light Heavyweight), Diamante Azul (Occidente Heavyweight), Forastero, Sanson, Cuatrero (Occidente Trios) and Negro Navarro and Black Terry (Arena Coliseo Tag Team) hold championships recognized by CMLL and haven’t otherwise been in the tournament. Plenty more hold small local championships.

Today’s Lucha Underground is episode 3×25, “Left for Dead”. It’s the final matches of the Cueto Cup first round:

  • Sexy Star vs PJ Black
  • Prince Puma vs Ricky Mandel
  • El Dragon Azteca vs Dante Fox
  • Son of Havoc vs Son of Madness

The title and preview suggest this is going to be a Dante Fox spotlight episode, probably finally showing the POW backstory that’s been showing up as quick clips in upcoming episode montages all season. Son of  Madness is making his debut.

Record has an interview and quick video story on Black Fury, who was part of the La Llave de la Gloria match in Puebla this past Friday. She says she’s making this her final chance at making in the wrestling business; either she gets into AAA or she’s going to move on. Fury started when she was a kid, has wrestled for 10 years and missed a year due to an dislocated elbow.

MedioTiempo has more about about the head to head battle this weekend in Monterrey. MDA’s ticket deal for this Sunday in Arena Jose Sulaiman is free tickets, though only for the upper level bleachers. Revolucha is doing 2×1 sales for Arena Coliseo Monterrey, though those may also be for a limited area.

Stardom announced Mary Apache will appear on their July 16 & July 23 shows. It’s noteworthy because that’s not one of the women’s groups AAA’s worked with in the past, AAA has acknowledged this booking, and Mary Apache hasn’t been seen on AAA TV since March. She’s worked an AAA spot show as recently as May, so perhaps it’s another case of letting someone not in the current plans work their own schedule and not a bigger break, but it’s unusual.

AAA posted this week’s Zona Ruda. La Parka was the studio guest.

Lucha Talk had a very great idea for a title and reviews this week in lucha libre.

LuchaWorld has the latest news update.

Segunda Caida reviews CMLL 06/23/17.

+LuchaTV’s latest podcast has Villano V Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr, Silver King, Nicho, Damian and Rey Horus all on. On the podcast, Nicho says last match is scheduled for July 29th against Masada, so he’ll be around for a while yet.

Paralelo Digital talks to IWRG’s Aramis about how he got into wrestling.

An interview with Monclova lucahdor Aztec Warrior, returning after some injuries.

Kcidis draws the Festival de Mascaras.

Lineups

CANTU (MON) 07/10/2017 Cancha de Futbol Rap, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
1) ? vs ??
2) Baby Rush & Lady Flammer vs Hija de Karonte & Nefasta
3) Enky, Larry Miranda, Súper Brazo vs Kuas Extrem, Rio Bravo Jr., Snaiper
4) Hijo de LA Park, Laredo Kid, The Tiger vs M-ximo, Maniaco, Mosco de la Merced
5) LA Park & Rey Escorpión (Elite) vs La Máscara & Psycho Clown

This is a tribute to Super Porky show, which is the excuse for La Mascara, Psycho Clown and Maximo being on the same show. It’s something AAA wouldn’t have allowed yet and suggests they’re getting more open to allowing them in AAA.

I really need a new way to identify the touring guys who have the same name as area luchadors (Diamante, Rey Escorpion, Black Taurus) because listing them as Elite forever is not going to work. (Nacional) maybe.

CMLL (TUE) 07/11/2017 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
2) Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante, Robin vs Hijo del Signo, Metálico, Nitro
3) Estrellita, Sanely, Skadi vs La Seductora, Metálica, Tiffany
4) Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Pólvora
5) Valiente vs Gran Guerrero [lightning]
6) Ángel de Oro, Mistico, Niebla Roja vs Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible

Semimain is higher than usual for a lightning match. It’s a test to see where they are on Gran Guerrero; he really should be winning if they have big plans for him and Niebla Roja. Fourth match looked. Third match…does not. Fantasy/Nitro appears to be a thing.

CMLL (TUE) 07/11/2017 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Magnum & Vaquero Jr. vs Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
2) Esfinge, Fuego, Stigma vs Puma, Tiger, Virus
3) Johnny Idol, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Felino, Sam Adonis, Vangellys
4) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Mephisto, Último Guerrero
5) Carístico vs Cavernario

Carsitico and Cavernario sounds like a fun feud.

Zona 23 (SUN) 08/06/2017 Colonia San Francisco Chilpan, Tulitilan, Estado de México
1) Dragosth & Rosario Negro vs Gargola & Viajero Extreme
2) Abortex vs Tóxico
3) Hector El Perro & Lunatik Fly vs Aero Kid & Demente Extreme and Lunatik Extreme & Ovett and Charles Venegas & Epitafio
4) Terremoto vs Juan el Ranchero
5) Arez vs Impulso
6) Drako vs Demoledor
7) Súper Mega vs Corsario Negro Jr.

Annual show by fan group, with every match pretty much being a hardcore match.

The Crash (FRI) 08/04/2017 Palenque del FEX, Mexcali, Baja California
1) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
2) Arkángel Divino & Black Boy vs Black Danger & Último Maldito and Oraculo & Serpentico and Kamik-C & Skalibur
3) Rey Horus vs Lio RushWillie MackFlamita
4) Extreme Tiger & Jack Evans vs Bestia 666 & Hijo de Pirata Morgan
5) Black Taurus (Elite), Daga, Zorro vs Garza Jr., La Máscara, Rey Escorpión (Elite)
6) Penta Zero M & Rey Misterio 619 vs Brian Cage & Carlito

This is the first time The Crash will make it to Mexcali this year, though they’ve gone there in past year. That four way looks really good and I’d suspect many of the same people are on a Tijuana show the next day.