Monday May 18 2015

I got a lot of really nice feedback on last week’s blog about keeping Lucha Underground 1 hour so let me open by saying Thanks everyone. I always appreciate feedback especially when it’s that I’m doing awesome stuff.

But in tweeting with some of the Last Real Heels I’ve got some additional thoughts:

People should watch Lucha Underground two hours a week. And they can. The previous week’s episode is shown at 7 PM just before the new one. If you can watch both, do it. Especially if you’ve seen last week’s episode because I can just about guarantee - you’ve missed stuff.

The Luchadores are NOT held back. And I’ve heard from multiple sources, the locker-room has enjoying mixed the styles seeing what each other can do. Talent has talked about publicly and privately about how each week there’s a game of one-ups-man-ship. It’s a big part of the reason why every week, LU viewers are tweeting, “That was the best main event since last week’s main event!!” or words to that effect.

I got in the habit of watching last week’s before this week and sometimes it felt like watching the match the first time. Matches like Johnny Mundo vs Angelico, or any of the Drago-Aero Star series or the recent 7-way are so fast & furious that you’re gonna miss stuff. Hitting rewind all the time hurts the flow of the match so I suggest do what I do - watch 2 hours of Lucha Underground every Wednesday from 7 PM - 9 PM. Watch, Mark Out & Repeat the next week over.

Because here’s the best thing about being a Lucha Underground fan - you don’t actually hate wrestling anymore. It’s great!

Case in point, Episode 27 “Ancient Medallions” was the latest greatest episode ever in a long line of greatest episodes ever. And as promised, it kicked off a new saga for the Luchadores.

The show opened with a tender moment from Dario Cueto. And by tender I mean chilling. Dario talked to his brother about money being no object in obtaining these mysterious Aztec Medallions that will make one Luchador very powerful. He even says he’ll bring up a TV to his brother so he can watch the violence. Sort of tender. Not sure if Melissa Santos told Dario’s brother which channels El Rey network is available on the way she does for the crowd at the live tapings.

In his first appearance since his defeat in the best of 7 to departed forever Drago, Aero Star returned from the Cosmos to take on Global Superstar Jack Evans. I know a lot of you asked about Jack and this was his long-awaited debut. In addition to some spectacular moves, Jack also declared himself the greatest Luchador ever and told the Temple full of believers to kiss his ass or something like that.

Despite his cockiness and well-established reputation, Jack Evans show why Lucha Underground is a constant proving ground because he LOST to Aero Star in his debut. Aero Star has the potential and skill to rise to the very top of LU. Coming up short in the Drago series only fueled his cosmic fire in this quest. Jack Evans is an impressive Luchador but will he become like King Cuerno, using this debut lose to kick off a spectacular LU career or will he find out that he’s joined LU too late & is too behind the curve to catch up? We’ll find out in the weeks to come.

Big Ryck was counting his money in the locker-room. It’s not always a good idea but when you’re as big, tough & mean as Ryck then it’s just fine. His cousin, THE Mack came up to up asking about the money. Big Ryck very quietly told Mack that there’s business and then there’s family. The two should not be confused with each other.

I love yelling, screaming promos as much as anyone but I also love the sinister, understatement of this scene. In fact, Big Ryck was probably SCARIER because he said this stuff with that quiet assuredness of “I know I can break you in half so best if you just back off.”

Time for the 7-Way. Again, just worth watching over and over. These guys squeezed in just a sick amount of action. And as well they should since Dario Cueto revealed that the quest for the Aztec Medallions is a quest for immortality. Apparently, there’s ancient powers in those cabinets along with some very expensive tequila in El Jefe’s office.

The 7 Luchadores - Cage, Fenix, Killshot, King Cuerno, The Mack, Pentagon Jr & Sexy Star - either chose wisely or poorly, it remains to be seen, charging each other to win the first Medallion. However, bad blood got in the way of the quest as Pentagon Jr & Sexy Star went after each other resuming their feud. Mack and Killshot tried to double-team everyone but it’s a hard thing to do when Cage is throwing people around and King Cuerno’s hitting the arrow of death. But it in the end, Fenix once again scores the win with a moonsault.

This was one of those matches were online reviews just don’t do it justice. You can check it out here: https://youtu.be/vLHIWqG7fQY

The Trios Champions are still (THANK GOD) not getting along once again making for the most fun segment of the week. They were called before Dario Cueto who once again put on his Eddie Graham hat and booked their next title defense. Next week, against The Crew in a LADDER MATCH!!! Ivelisse protested about her ankle, but Dario told her they either defend or are stripped of the titles. They agreed to defend. And Angelico was nice enough to move a chair so she could limp out of the office. How in the world are these three going to survive a ladder match with Cortez Castro, Mister Cisco and Bael?

Huge credit to Fenix winning the 7-way who has risen to the top of Lucha Underground and fought his ass off to stay there. This guy is proving to be unstoppable. Maybe that’s why Mil Muertes & Catrina set their eyes on him with what’s looking more and more like a Long Game trap for all of Lucha Underground. Catrina found him the locker-room and told him in the most evil way possible she never really liked liked him and he was just a pawn in their scheme. Not since Lisa Simpson told Ralph Wigum she didn’t cho-cho-choose him has a heartbreak been so diabolical. How diabolical? Catrina disappeared into thin air. (“But that’s not realistic!!” cry the critics, “More licks of death” say the fans)

Look on the bright side, Fenix. You got a lick of death in the mouth from Catrina. I’m pretty sure 80% of my twitter followers would chop of their right arms for one of those.

But there may not be bright side for Lucha Underground as three mysterious figures in skull masks (at least I hope they were skull masks) leapt from the shadows.

I have a feeling we’re just glimpsing what the beautiful Catrina and the brutal Mil Muertes have in store.

And the shocks were just beginning.

“Si! Si! Si” echoed around the Temple as AAA Mega-Champion Alberto El Patron took on the Benedict Arnold of Lucha Underground, Hernandez. These two powerhouse engaged in a brutal slugfest. El Patron can wrestle on the mat but he’s never been afraid to scrap as well. Hernandez was able to overpower him and had the upper hand before a superkick evened the odds.

But then from out of nowhere, Johnny Mundo appears at ringside. He DDTed Alberto on the floor and then THREW Alberto through the window of Dario Cueto’s office. Dario looked up from next week’s booking sheets with a look of shock and then did what only Dario Cueto would do. Poured himself a drink.

Dario drank to the violence as a bloodied Alberto El Patron was stretched away after Hernandez won to become the number 1 contender. And the believers were left stunned by this shocking betrayal by Johnny Mundo, a man they thought they could count on to be a hero for them.

-”LUCHA UNDERGROUND WILL LIVE & DIE BY THE UNIVISION ANNOUNCEMENT.” Last week came & went. No announcement. Lucha Underground is still alive. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about TV deal negotiations it’s to be patient. This is complicated stuff with a lot of parties involved.

-TNA moving to Wednesdays. I have no idea what it means for Lucha Underground. With a Season 2 in (hopefully) final negotiations as the top priority, people will cross that bridge when they get to it.

-Yes, a very high ranking source told me that Season 2 is not official official yet so I’m sticking with “close” as opposed to signed.

-I know we live in the era of the DVR & OnDemand but still, Lucha Underground, NXT & Impact Wrestling all on the same night doesn’t seem like good news for ANY of those groups.

-Dario Cueto & Ivelisse are at it again on Twitter:

-Johnny Mundo & Cage are the two latest Lucha Underground stars to participate in the Lucha World Cup. Not sure how official or cannon this will be but we’re starting to see they’ll be representing Lucha Underground in the tournament.

-How action-packed was Wednesday’s episode? A member of Metallica was in the crowd and all the buzz was about the wrestling & story lines. Metallica. But all anyone wanted to talk about was Dario drinking to a brawl through a window. THAT, my friends, is over.

-We can talk about ratings, creative, angles and stuff all day long but the bottom line is, this is what wrestling is all about & why Lucha Underground WORKS:

-Check out this interview w/ Chavo Guerrero about producing & storytelling in Lucha Underground: http://handsometimmydexpress.com/2015/05/13/making-lucha-underground-an-interview-with-chavo-guerrero/

-Keep an eye on Lastrealheels.com for a new interview with the Real Heels of Lucha Underground - THE CREW.

-This is from Vinnie Massaro and it’s basically my whole week:

-Couple of Birthdays over the weekend. Machete himself, bad-ass Superfriend of Lucha Underground turned 71. Wait, 71? Really?? He could kick the shit out a lot of people these days.

-And of course, everyone’s favorite ring announcer Melissa Santos turned twenty…something. A lady’s age is never discussed but Happy Birthday to Melissa just the same.

-I’ve been told by several people it’s shoot booze in Dario’s office.

-Another great read from Cage Side Seats: http://www.cagesideseats.com/2015/5/13/8597623/stop-making-excuses-and-start-watching-lucha-underground-tonight-may-13-2015

-The latest rankings from the good folks at Lucha Temple: http://luchatemple.com/lucha-underground-rankings-week-26/

-Best wishes to friends & family of SoCal wrestling fixture Joe Franciosi. A lot of people mourning his sudden passing this weekend and my thoughts are with them.

-This post is another reminder that people are STILL discovering Lucha Underground. For those of us who’ve been watching from Day One, it’s easy to forget that there’s still a ton of folks out there just finding both El Rey Network & Lucha Underground. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I ask you guys to spread the word. If we want a Season Two (and beyond) of Lucha Underground - wear the T-shirts, send out the tweets, tell all your friends, tell your friends who don’t like wrestling, I bet they’ll love Lucha Underground: http://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/3675vr/just_watched_my_first_ever_episode_of_lucha/

-This Wednesday sees a Trios Tournament Final Rematch but this time it’s a ladder match. Barring some kind of miracle, The Crew look set to become the new Champions.

-Keep the tweets, emails, questions coming.

luchanews@fastmail.fm

Twitter & Instagram: @Undrgrndluchadr

And I will see you Underground. Lucha Underground.