Matches
Dr. Wagner & Famous B beat Texano (4:24, Famous B inside cradle, ok)
Killshot defeated Dante Fox in the Hell of War (25:13, two falls to one, excellent)
- first blood: Dante Fox backdrop Killshot thru a glass panel to cause him to bleed (10:20)
- no DQ Killshot Storm Cradle Driver: (6:12)
- stretcher match: Killshot places Dante into the stretcher (8:41)
Developments
This show had one match mostly about plot developments and one almost not at all. I mean, Killshot definitely did win the feud over Dante Fox, but that wasn’t the the biggest issue in the moment.
The opener, which appeared to exist just to be something completely different, saw Famous B finally win Texano’s contract. B got a little help from Dario, who made it a real handicap match. B got a little help from the returning (and still masked) Dr. Wagner Jr., though Wagner was visually pinned by Texano before realizing B was the legal match. B got a lot of help from Brenda, who’s flirting with Texano most of the season paid off with a kiss here, and that kiss led to B rolling up Texano for the win. Texano seemed upset about the predicament to end the segment.
The Hell of War was the most ultraviolent style match in the history of Lucha Underground, even outpacing the light tubes of Cero Miedo. Dante found a pane of glass and brought it to ringside to tease a big move off the apron to cut Killshot, brought it inside later, and reversed a Killshot move to send the masked wrestler back first thru the glass to cut him. Dante pulled out barbed wire from underneath the ring during the second fall, but was driven thru it by Killshot, then dropped on his for the tie fall. Killshot seemed enroute to having the third fall won when he had Dante strapped to the stretcher, but went for a double stomp off a railing for even more punishment. This led to a few moves on the stretcher, with barely survived. Dante barely survived as well. He and Killshot fought up to the music platform, with Killshot surprising Dante with a bottle to the end, and Dante taking the plunge off the stage and thru glass to the floor. Killshot picked Dante up and placed him in the ambulance to win the match. Announcers said the feud was over, but praised Dante’s performance in the match.
Thoughts
This was incredible. The Lo Mein Pain on the ladder would be a crazy moment in a normal match. It was a normal moment in an utterly crazy match. The effort matched the spectacle Killshot and Dante Fox were two men who wanted to steal Ultima Lucha with their match and completely succeeded. The long length legdrop and the springboard into a Spanish Fly made this match memorable even outside the props. They made the most of what those props too, teasing the moments out so they meant a lot when they happened, and making them feel big when they occurred. The first fall was all chair focused, pushing the importance of cutting each other open to win the fall. The glass pane started on the floor so they could tease a big plunge into it, so they could prepare the fans for the moment when they actually did that plunge two falls later. The barbed wire had near misses, came off a big move, and went into a decisive finish. The end was definitely the end.
This match, a lot like Cero Miedo, is not for everyone. The blood is uncomfortable, the glass is uncomfortable, the barbed wire is uncomfortable, and the piece of Fox’s flesh left behind on the stretcher is super uncomfortable. I don’t want to see this style of match normally, I’m not going to be happy with the lesser imitations that are going to be done, and I hope this is not the style either man has to wrestle in the future. I won’t argue with anyone saying it was too much or maybe not that great idea, because I was considering those same ideas when it happened (and I didn’t even see what Dante laid behind live.)
If you’re going to do this kind of match, I prefer you make the most out of it. Dante Fox & Kilslhot made the most out of it, at least the most that can be made out of something on a third season episode of Lucha Underground, and both should be made men going forward. Killshot won and Killshot went two for two in big matches on this season, he’s got to be in store for more. Shane Strickland’s even better now, a year removed from this insanity. But this was really Dante Fox’s night, a LU version of Mick Foley’s 1998 King of the Ring performance that should follow him around forever. The last third of the season was a Dante Fox’s breakout performance, just as strong as Pentagon & Fenix in season 1. If they can come back for a Season 4, he should absolutely be on their level. They don’t even need to turn him face; that win was the turn.
(For what it’s worth, the glass appeared to be sugar when I grabbed a small bit of it from the ring after the match. I was wrong, and LU says it was tempered glass. Still cut them – and Rich Knox! – pretty well.)
As for the other match: it was weird at the time that Texano and Wagner came off as minor figures on this show. This was taped right before they were in the TripleMania title match (with Cage), and they were in a few minute comedy match. Now, it seems about normal for how they’re used on the show. Texano & Wagner as two-thirds of a trio (with Famous B or another partner) might work, and it’s not like they’re going anywhere on their own.
Still To Come On Ultima Lucha 3
episode 103 (October 4, Ultima Lucha Week 2)
- Ivelisse vs Catrina
- a unique opportunity battle royal with Paul London, Saltador, Mala Suerte, Argenis, Cortez Castro, Son of Madness, Vinnie Massaro, The Mack, Joey Ryan, Ricky Mundo, PJ Black, Mascarita Sagrada, and Pimpinela Escarlata
- Fenix vs Marty the Moth, mask vs hair
episode 104 (October 11, Ultima Lucha Week 3)
- Taya vs Sexy Star, last luchadora standing
- Pentagon Dark vs Son of Havoc for the Gift of the Gods Championship in a Ladder match.
episode 105 (October 18, Ultima Lucha Week 4, the end?)
- (a match that hasn’t been announced)
- Cage vs Jeremiah Crane vs Mil Muertes for the gauntlet
- El Dragon Azteca Jr. vs Matanza Cueto in a cage match
- Johnny Mundo (c) vs Prince Puma, title versus career for the Lucha Underground championship