Lucha Underground Report And Analysis: The Art Of War (120)

https://youtu.be/iLQieEzdZSE

Expectations are high for the 31st edition of Wrestlemania, as we get ready to witness history this Sunday on the Grandest Stage of Them All. There is some serious drawing power on this year’s card, with the likes of Lesnar, Sting, Cena, HHH and the Undertaker scheduled to get it on. Many fans feel disappointed by the lackluster build to the event but fortunately the spectacle of WrestleMania is its lure, and there is nothing that can diminish the magnitude of the event.

Executive producers at Lucha Underground know this is the most important week in the world of professional wrestling and responded accordingly with a double main event for both the AAA and LU World Heavyweight Championship titles.

The promotion is looking to heat things up this summer as they are working on a major show that will be booked as “their version of WrestleMania”. The event is scheduled to take place in August and will be called Ultimo Lucha. While pay-per-view is not an option at this juncture, it may end up being a two-hour or even three-hour show on El Rey. Preparations for the event are ongoing as of this writing (spoiler ahead, you’ve been warned) with drastic changes scheduled to take place (still giving you a chance to focus your eyes on the subsequent paragraph) such as Johnny Mundo turning heel in most volatile fashion. He will enter a program with AAA World Heavyweight Champion Alberto El Patron that will begin airing sometime in May and in all probability will spill over as part of the main event at this summer’s Ultimo Lucha event. By the way, Lucha Underground officials are starting to crack down on fans bringing mobile devices into their tapings because of the feeling that they are sending out news and spoilers. They might not be allowing any mobile devices in the building going forward. Not sure how to feel about this as cell phones are an imperative necessity in today’s society. I remember when WWE had this problem during the Monday Night Wars. The only viable solution is going live. You can’t tell fans not to carry their phones or take pictures, might as well tell them not to chant or have fun either.

Last week we were treated to a very well produced casket match that fans and journalists alike are calling one of the best matches of the year so far. This week we see a major shift in storyline as tonight’s episode is centered around the AAA world title and the new and improved Lucha Underground world title. The new belt is an absolute beauty, one of the best designed titles out there.

We get a video package recapping Alberto’s debut against Texano, Konnan teaching Puma the art of war, Cage’s path of destruction and a bit on the drama involving Ivelisse, Angelico and Son of Havov. Matt Striker and Vampiro welcome us to the show, its time for Lucha.

Angelico vs Son of Havoc

Havoc starts off hot with a spear on Angelico, sending him rolling to the outside, then goes for an outside dive through the ropes and either gets tangled up or stops midway to change position. I rewinded several times and couldn’t tell. Striker said he was “changing position to adjust to Angelico getting up the floor” but I think it was a botch. Either way good job on the commentating. Back in the ring, Havoc curbstomps Angelico for a two count. Angelico hits a mix of his cool strike/kick combos. Havoc gets up to the top rope but gets a Pele style soccer kick to the head. Angelico is one heck of athlete. He does an awesome running flipping senton over the corner turnbuckle to the outside that looked amazing. Hits his target right on the money. Had he not, he would probably be in the hospital right now. The crowd is chanting holy s***. Havoc hits a bicycle kick then a standing shooting star press for 2, then a handspring elbow to the corner followed by a backbreaker. Ivelisse literally does not shut up throughout the match. She reminds me of why I’m single. She grabs Havoc’s beard while on the apron but he pushes her away so he could kick an approaching Angelico. Havoc then hits a sick springboard doublestomp onto Angelico’s back and into a standing moonsault. Angelico then lands a running knee on Havoc while he’s in the corner. These guys are tearing it up. He goes for the Fall of the Angels crucifix powerbomb but Havoc counters it into a hurricanrana. That was awesome, hard to pull off and he did it with flair. I love it when wrestlers make difficult moves look easy. Shows their aptitude and poise. They battle it out on the top rope and Havoc lifts Angelico like he’s going for a superplex but crotches him on the top rope instead. He then grabs a mic and says IVELISSE, YOU ARE HOLDING ME BACK, YOU ARE WHY I’VE BEEN LOSING, YOU ARE DUMPED! Finally some balls man! He lands a Shooting Star Press on Angelico and finally gets the win. Havoc wins, Havoc wins! And in the process regains his manhood. Great contest that set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Ivelisse can’t believe she got dumped. She kicks Angelico right in the face. That’s what he gets for acting like the lame guys out there who hit girls up fresh out of a long term relationship.

We go straight to Dario Cueto’s office where he is signing an official contract. It’s Hernandez and according to Cueto, Konnan has high praise for him. He says here in Lucha Underground he will not be held back by being in some *smug face* tag team. Cueto gives him a front row seat to the main event.

Bull Rope Match- Alberto El Patron vs Texano
AAA World Heavyweight Championship

This blood feud started in AAA and has crossed over, no pun intended, into Lucha Underground. Both men are tied to the rope as they trade strikes to start off. Alberto dropkicks Texano outside and hits a hurricanrana from the top apron. He climbs up again but Texano smashes him with the cowbell and chokes him with the rope. Texano then grabs a chair and hits Alberto in the back. Goes for another chair shot but Alberto hits a sweet looking DDT that flips him inside out. Texano shakes it off and hits a dropkick but then gets cracked over the head with the bell as he climbs the top rope. Alberto takes advantage and hits a superplex. Digging the offense. He hits his signature backstabber, vintage Del Rio. He grabs the rope Texano brought to the ring and whips him with it but Texano fights back and hits a sick codebreaker for a near fall. A very near fall. Alberto eventually positions Texano on the top rope in a reverse suplex position and hits a brainbuster for two. I’ve always loved that move and Alberto executes it to prefection every time. He calls for the armbreaker but Texano launches him into the wedged chair on the turnbuckle. That was nice. Near fall again. Texano grabs a table but Alberto hits a double knee crusher on the arm and then hits a superkick. He goes for a super hurricanrana but Texano counters and powerbombs him through the table! This one is over, he goes for the cover- 1, 2, kick out! The crowd is going nuts for this. All they’re missing is a ladder for this to be the first ever bull rope TLC match. Texano smashes Alberto with the cowbell while on the top rope and goes for a superplex but El Patron grabs his arm while hanging outside the ring Minoru Suzuki style and taps out Texano to retain. This was solid. Texano is a heck of a rudo (heel) and this match showed why he was AAA heavyweight champion for 2 straight years.

Konnan is seen training Puma in the gym with intermittent flashes of Cage flashing through his mind. In walks Hernandez and Konnan tells Puma they are great friends that go way back, even drops the LAX reference. Hernandex tells Puma “what’s up big time, I’m a big fan”. It looked as if Puma felt he was about to get jumped. They keep teasing betrayal. Konnan is one sketchy guy who is not to be trusted.

Boyle Heights Street Fight – Cage vs. Prince Puma
Lucha Underground World Heavyweight Championship

Striker and Vampiro hype the fact that anything can happen in a Boyle Heights street fight. Having grown up in the hardest projects in town I can tell you from experience that it’s true. Hernandez is watching front row. Dario Cueto comes out with the new title belt and says “this is what you’ll be fighting for!” It’s so well crafted and the gold makes it shine even in darkness. It is truly an awesome looking belt. Cueto is one heck of a compelling authority figure. Puma lands a nice dropkick but Cage brings the power game to Puma and clotheslines him of the apron. Flips him inside out.Puma goes for a hurricanrana on the outside but gets powerbombed into the post. They’re outside battling it out, Cage is beating the tar out of Puma. He throws him back into the ring and gets a chair. Cage goes for a chairshot but gets kicked in the stomach prompting Puma to nail a Vandaminator on Cage. Puma grabs a garbage can lid and hits Cage repeatedly with it. He then does a standing shooting star press onto Cage with the lid on top of him. Puma sets a table up outside but Cage nails Puma with the lid. Back in the ring Puma springboards but Cage catches him in a torture rack position and hits a backbreaker. Cage is everything you need in a champion. He’s fast, athletic and very powerful. He tries to deadlift suplex Puma out of the ring but to no avail. Puma then hits a shooting star press from the top apron onto Cage who is outside. Wow, that was extreme and a thing of beauty; spectacular. If you want to know why he’s champ, that’s why. Cage is placed on the table outside, Puma then springboard 450 splashes Cage through it. Puma is a highlight reel. Camera keeps cutting to Hernandez and Konnan during all of this. Back in the ring, Puma goes for a top rope maneuver but Cage pushes him and sends him flying to the floor. He places Puma’s head in the chair and then slams him into the post. Konann tries to intervene only to be tossed onto the metal fence. Cage takes the garbage can and tosses it in ring. Puma nails Cage with a suplex on the chair and then signals for a 630. Cage moves out of the way as Puma lands on his butt. Too many of those can be lethal to the spinal cord. Cage hits a clothesline from hell for a near fall. Cage hits his Weapon X special, a move which I love by the way, but does not go for the pin. For a moment I thought we had a new world champion. He proceeds to ground and pound Puma with his fists. He hits Puma with repeated powerbombs, the last one onto the garbage can. Cage now calls out Hernandez. Hernandez distracts Cage long enough for Konnan to hit Cage with his “loaded cane”. Another garbage can is tossed in by Hernandez and Puma hits the 630 for the win. Wasn’t thrilled about the finish but the match itself was great. Hernandez didn’t really do much for me or the match but it’ll make for a nice feud between Cage and Hernandez in the near future. Puma is a gifted athlete. He’s unafraid, impressive and full of life. He deserves to be champion even if he doesn’t have the look that Cage has. Cage’s time will come. For now, all hail Prince Puma.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Son of Havoc defeated Angelico @ 6:50 via pin

AAA Mega Championship Bullrope Match: Champion Alberto El Patron vs. Texano @ 8:26 via submission

Lucha Underground Street Fight: Champion Prince Puma defeated Cage @ 12:18 via pin 

Final thoughts

Great show but for some reason I feel last week’s was better. That casket match was sick. What was great about tonight’s show is that it felt important and that’s always vital. It was great to see Son of Havoc break away from Ivelisse and finally become a babyface. The Alberto El Patron vs.Texano match was another good chapter for them, even with the anticlimactic ending. The main event was good, though a bit overbooked toward the end. It should have been more about Puma/Cage and not Konnan/Hernandez, but I understand it helps further the story. We have seemingly closed the book on the Patron vs. Texano and Cage vs. Puma feuds for now and will probably start fresh next week with new storylines. Lucha Underground has learned the art of not only writing but booking episodic TV. They have taken us on a rollercoaster of a ride building to peak before taking us to the valley low and peaking again. We’ve had some great cliffhangers throughout the show and it continues to be easy to follow and very fun to watch.

From Boyle Heights, I’m Rudy Cabrera, see you next week.