Lucha Underground 1×33: Death vs. the Dragon

matches

Super Fly defeated Sexy Star (6:34, double powerbomb) [ok]
Aerostar [O] defeated Cage, Marty Martinez [X], the Mack (9:04, springboard splash) [good]
Mil Muertes defeated Drago (8:51, flatliner), will get the title shot at Ultima Lucha

Many more GIF with bad aspect ratios are available here.

developments

Alberto el Patron versus Johnny Mundo was announced for Ultima Lucha. Neither man (nor Dario) appeared on the show, though they did show clips to explain why they were doing this match.

Super Fly had a sit down interview with Vampiro, which turned out to be most testy one of those yet. Super Fly was unapologetic about costing Sexy Star the match with Pentagon Jr., feeling he took much more from him by taking his mask. Super Fly specifically called out Vampiro for getting involved and saving Sexy from Pentagon’s attack. Super Fly was wearing a pad on his injured arm, but Sexy Star didn’t (or couldn’t) take advantage. Super Fly survived Sexy Star’s casita – the move which had caused him his mask – and beat her cleanly with the double powerbomb in an event match. Super Fly continued to attack Sexy after the match.

Pentagon too was angry about Vampiro interfering in his attack on Sexy Star. Pentagon was supposed to be in a five way for an Aztec Medallion, but instead ripped the microphone away from a scared Melissa Santos, declared his mentor wouldn’t be impressed by a medallion, and demanded retribution from the man who cost him his greatest sacrifice. Pentagon challenged Vampiro and got in his face. Vampiro again did the slow tease towards fighting, with a referee getting in the way this time. Pentagon Jr. was sent to the back.

The match continued on as a four way. Mack and Cage fought early and often,. Marty surprisingly held his own, but lost to Aerostar. Aerostar joins Jack Evans and Fenix as medallion holders.

Angelico, Son of Havoc and Ivelisse were training and arguing when Catrina confronted them. She teased licking Ivelisse, and made it clear the trios champions were in her sights. The Disciples of Death materialized behind the champs, knocking them out and disappearing again.

Prior to the main event, Hernandez rushed the ring and beat up Drago with a belt. It seemed a bit random, but Striker instantly knew Hernandez was angry about Drago winning the title shot match last week instead of him. Of course, Hernandez had caught Drago his last title match.

Drago was hurt at the start of the match, but didn’t seem a bit bothered by that attack as the match went on. It might have been because Mil was hurting him in other ways. Drago was competitive, though this tended towards Mil’s destruction of Fenix in their last match. Not on as big a scale, but still something like 75/25 for Mil. Mil escaped the Dragon’s Lair cradle, and beat Drago with the Flatliner for the clean win. Prince Puma walked out as if to face off with Mil much the same way he had with Drago, but Konnan stopped his protege from actually getting close to the ring.

Also, in another universe elsewhere on the dial, Hernandez returned to TNA.

Ultima Lucha lineup so far

in an effort to avoid unconscious spoilers, I’m only listing official matches

• Prince Puma (c) vs Mil Muertes for the Lucha Underground championship
• Johnny Mundo versus Alberto el Patron

thoughts

A solid show overall. There was some good matches and some guys who are lesser played getting some focus.

Sexy Star/Super Fly was better than Sexy Star/Pentagon Jr., maybe because they were asking less out of it. Sexy’s dive to the floor looked really shake and might have shook up Super Fly. Super Fly was solid in the match and in the prematch interview, though he still comes off a supporting character in other people’s storylines and not one with a specific personality of his own. It’s strange to see Sexy Star beat Pentagon Jr. once and pretty much a second time and then have her lose to Super Fly. Maybe it points to a rethinking of the character between tapings, though the post match attack made it clear this wasn’t supposed to be it for them.

Vampiro may not be a personal favorite, but it’s impossible to miss deny how the place goes bonkers every time he teases fighting Pentagon Jr. It really comes thru on the show.  The fans still love Pentagon Jr., they just really want to see Vampiro and they’re doing a great job of teasing it happening.

Four way was exciting fun. Cage & Mack were great throwing around and destroying each other. Marty worked surprisingly well with Aerostar (or they edited it surprisingly well) and Aerostar’s win was done in a way where it made sense. It was strange to see Marty, previously treated like a goofball fan, battling even with a guy who was destroying everyone when he debuted in the promotion. There really needs to be a “Marty’s kind of an idiot, but he’s also has a background of a [whatever]” explainer to give him some credibility, because it just feels like a big character leap otherwise.

As alluded to prior, they switched around the episode order this month. (Not the last time it’s happening, either.) Originally, Drago lost his title shot one week after getting it. Moving All Night Long to the week in makes it less a sudden change from Drago’s big moment to Drago being eaten up by Mil Muertes. Drago wasn’t squashed, but he was sacrificed a bit to continue Mil’s monster build for the finale. They did such a great job of building Drago up as a star two weeks ago that it felt too soon for him not to be one again. Match was good, but I just never really believed Drago was going to win, even when he used his trademark cradle. Mil kind of let him get pulled in by the crowd chants a bit here – there was a table spot for no reason but people chanting for a table for no reason – and it could’ve used Drago putting up more of a fight. In some ways, the four way was better because it didn’t feel like an inevitable (and a little sad) conclusion. Nice change of pace by having the run-in happen prior to the match for once.

thing that’s not about this episode, but about the show

Hernandez showing up in TNA is not itself a hugely meaningful event. The WON mentions Hernandez would’ve had to be let go from Lucha Underground to be working the All Elite shows, and figures it must be the same for the TNA ones. (The WON says LU/AAA guys can’t work All Elite, which would have to be a new rule since Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero have been on All Elite shows for months.) I’ll avoid spoilers and just say his character can leave without disrupting anything after the finale. But Hernandez getting out of his deal is another data point, just like Ricochet returning to Dragon Gate (being positioned as a short term deal) is another data point.

The real hugely meaningful deal is it’s June 24, there are only six more episodes of this TV show left, and still no one’s come and said the show is not officially renewed. It’s been two months since the last taping, two months of people saying the news of renewal was really close, and two months of nothing publicly happening. (This seems like a particular problem for AAA, who’s equally overdue on announcing anything about TripleMania and have said nothing about that as well.) I can wait for news about the renewal to happen, but people who are relying on wrestling (or TV) to get paid can’t. A big decision’s got to be made soon, or other people will continue making their own little decisions.