It seems to me that Robert Rodriguez is traveling the Ted Turner road and starting a cable network with a wrestling show as one of its marquee programs. Most of us may or may not know who he is yet all of us have been influenced by his work because American culture itself has been influenced by his work as he is by far one of the most respected film directors (not to mention screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and editor) of our generation. He has directed plenty of successful and groundbreaking films such as From Dusk till Dawn, Sin City, Desperado, The Faculty, Spy Kids, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Planet Terror, El Mariachi, Grindhouse, Machete and Machete Kills. He has worked with every actor you can think of including the Hollywood elite and has made films with the likes of John Carpenter, Guillermo Del Toro and Quentin Tarantino, three of the greatest minds in the history of cinematography. Well, in 2014 Rodriguez launched his own cable TV channel, El Rey. Together with his primary investor Univision, which has the largest audience of Spanish-language television viewers on the planet (and specializes in sports, world news, telenovelas and feature films), the network looks to revolutionize the world of broadcasting and mass communications with a creative approach to television known as “original programming”.
Among the hottest prospects to air on El Rey was, you guessed it, Lucha Underground. The Network’s vice Chair Scott Sassa released the following statement last year: “The ‘Lucha Underground’ franchise is perfect for El Rey Network. It features good versus evil, intense action, humor, drama, great characters and most importantly great stories from two of the best storytellers in the business- Mark Burnett and Robert Rodriguez. It’s the perfect time and they are the perfect team to bring lucha to America.” Virtually every website and reporter has praised Lucha Underground for its production and cinematography (from the Greek roots ‘kinema’ which means “movement” and ‘graphein’ which means “to record”), a word that in short explains the science of catching and recording light and image on film. It’s also where the word motion picture comes from. The reason why Lucha has been so well received is because of the aforementioned men and in essence I wanted you to meet them, even if it’s only on paper.
Mark Burnett is the genius CEO of United Artists Media Group, a subsidiary of MGM, and is currently the executive producer of 11 network television series. This man won six Emmy Awards, one Producers Guild of America Award and five People’s Choice Awards. He is so well known he is practically a star. His current series include critically acclaimed shows such as Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, The Sing Off, Shark Tank, Beyond the Tank, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, 500 Questions and the People’s Choice Awards. Yes, he produces the Awards. This is who’s producing your show people. I personally love ‘Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader’ and have great respect for the ‘Survivor’ series. Don’t let that one go over your head. In addition to these shows Burnett also produces cable series: Women of the Bible, On The Menu, Lucha Underground and Intervention. In 2013 TV Guide Magazine named Burnett its “Producer of the Year” and in 2014 The Hollywood Reporter named Burnett No. 1 on the Top 50 Reality Players of 2014. I don’t know of anyone else in the wrestling industry with this level of experience and success. He was responsible for producing ‘The Bible’, a historic series that brought in 100 million viewers nationwide and ended up being the most-watched cable miniseries of the year. Kevin Dunn only wishes he had these credentials, let alone his knowledge and skill.
Rodríguez and Burnett are changing the face of wrestling as we know it. Rodriguez not only has the credits of producing, directing and writing his films, he also frequently serves as editor, director of photography,camera operator, steadicam operator, composer, production designer, visual effects supervisor, and sound editor on his films. Hence the reason for his nickname “the one-man film crew”. He highlights his numerous roles in his film credits; Once Upon a Time in Mexico, for instance, is “shot, chopped, and scored by Robert Rodriguez”, and Sin City is “shot and cut by Robert Rodriguez”. He is that good and Lucha Underground proves it.
On to the show.
Let me just say Boyle Heights is the right place to shoot the show. The indy wrestling scene in LA is white hot and has been for two decades now. PWG sold out their last show in five minutes and this is no exaggeration. As someone who was born and raised in the city and grew up wrestling in many a backyard and small inner city promotions I can tell you that the city of angels is passionate about wrestling and is riddled with biased die hard fans like me. Lucha is here to stay.
We get a video package detailing the events of past weeks and it sets us up for the opening scene where we see a car driving up Boyle Heights with a girl tied up in the trunk to start the show. An everyday thing in this neighborhood. The camera work and special effects make this show feel like a Hollywood movie, a suspense thriller about wrestling. Simply put, amazing. Mariachi El Bronx welcomes us to the show and Matt Striker is with Vampiro on commentary. Prince Puma returns tonight after the brutal beating he and Konnan received from Cage a few weeks ago. Matt Striker says these two fought last week which is obviously not the case. Considering when these were taped, they really should have done everything in their power to correct the mistake. Obsessing over the little things is what makes the difference. They mention Cage gets a title shot if he win’s tonight’s non-title match. Aerostar is mid-ring to meet Drago.
It should be noted that the event is sold out and there are almost 300 fans in attendance for our show tonight and many more lingering outside waiting for the event to be over. Also in attendance for tonight’s tapings are former LA Lakers star AC Green, women’s MMA star Shayna Baszler, UFC star and New Japan announcer Josh Barnett, former TNA Knockout “Cheerleader” Melissa Anderson (Alissa Flash, Raisha Saeed) and UFC fighter Goyito Perez. Not bad, not bad at all. Are you interested in Lucha yet?
They are.
Aerostar vs Drago
Aerostar hits a hurricanrana that sends Drago to the floor. Goes for a springboard plancha, almost botches, but still manages to launch himself from the top rope onto the outside to hit a clean high cross on Drago. Match is starting fast. Drago gets up and hits Aero with a springboard tornado DDT off the apron and onto the outside floor. The crowd is alive and not a person is sitting on their seats. Drago turns a fireman carry into an X-factor which looked great. He runs into the corner but Aero hits a somersault flip before nailing a double knee strike to the back of Drago’s head as he’s trapped in the corner. Powerbomb gets Aerostar 2. Drago flips him and kicks him before nailing a flying senton to the outside.
Aerostar makes it in first but quickly finds himself outside again as he releases his body through the ropes to land a suicide dive. They’re back in the ring, both men on the top apron and Drago hits a perfectly executed super Japanese armdrag on Aerostar from the top. “This is awesome” chants break out and they’re not doing anyone a favor, this is legit awesome on every level. Aerostar counters the Dragon’s lair with a cradle for 2. He sets him up on the apron and jumps over Drago with a running sunset flip into a powerbomb on the outside floor! Sick. Now the crowd is chanting holy sh**. He hits a beautiful springboard splash ala Rey Mysterio for the win and the match is over. Great bout, you could tell the crowd didn’t want it to end. Neither did I. They shake hands in sportsmanship but Dario Cueto comes out of his office to say he doesn’t care how much Aero loves Drago, he’s going to put them in a best 3 out of 5 series and offers the winner a “unique opportunity”. These guys could have a best out of 10 for all I care.
King Cuerno is in the gym looking ripped and ready for action while they show a brilliantly produced super-slow motion shot of his arrow dive made even more impressive by sound effects. That’s how you get a move over.
Non-Title/No. 1 Contenders Match:
Cage vs. Prince Puma
Not sure how I feel about the LU champion working the mid-card. I’m pretty sure I don’t like it. It’s a number one contenders match as well. I’d like to know the reasoning behind this. Cage lands a big toss to Puma, who comes back with a strong elbow before botching a springboard hurricanrana. Cage no sells a head kick and shoulder tackles Puma off the ropes and into the apron. His back hit really hard against the apron. He couldn’t stop the fall and landed his head hard on the outside floor. The crowd immediately starts chanting holy sh** and rightfully so. Cage hits the deadlift suplex from the apron for a near fall. Cesaro himself would’ve been proud of that one. Puma dives in the air but Cage catches him, curls him as if he was curling at the gym and hits him with a fall away slam. The crowd is all over this match.
Cage hits a beautiful wheelbarrow suplex and a powerslam, but misses a moonsault from the second rope. Puma hits a tornado kick sending Cage outside and hits a spectacular looking springboard shooting star press from the top turnbuckle to the floor! Insane. That was as spectacular as it was suicidal. Crowd chants holy sh** again. This guy is a highlight reel. It was truly awesome. It must feel great to be able to defy the laws of gravity. He continues to wow everyone as he lands a picture perfect 450 splash for a near fall but Cage kicks out! Puma makes the hardest moves in the industry look so easy. This match is delivering on so many levels.
Cage blocks the Benadryller, Puma reverses a gut wrench powerbomb into a near fall, Cage no sells a superkick, Puma lands two enziguris and heads to the top. He misses the Phoenix splash, Cage hits a clothesline from hell and somewhere JBL is hearing a ring in his ears. He gets a near fall as the crowd chants ‘that was three.’
Cage lands a pump handle into an inverted Falcon Arrow and locks on the Stretch Muffler. This is what a number one contender’s match should look like. Puma is bent out of shape but Konnan appears out of nowhere from out of the crowd to cheer him on and Puma somehow reaches the ropes. Cage hits a powerbomb, a second powebomb but this time to the turnbucle ala Seth Rollins and then the Gory special flatliner he calls Weapon X, the best finisher and name for a finisher (Wolverine anyone?) in wrestling today. He mounts on top of Puma and begins to clobber him with his fists. Konnan then tosses in the towel and the senior official stopped the match. This one is over.
They worked really well together, and put out a great match considering the time they were given. Cage looked like a beast and Puma played the role of a resilient champion well. A suspicious Konnan continues to be the centerpiece of this storyline. Their relationship is very interesting; Konnan is obviously out for himself, attaching himself to Puma out of interest. Puma has repeatedly been shown to be upset with Konnan and the fact he doesnt allow himself to be manipulated by him is intriguing. Is Konnan setting up Puma for a fall in order to back a better prospect? Weapon X
After a commercial, we go backstage where Konnan explains to Puma that he did him a favor. He says it is all about deception in the art of war and they must bring their plan into fruition. Very Machiavellian.
ROH bought an ad on El Rey for their 13th Anniversary PPV.
Sexy Star complains to Cueto about men getting involved in her matches. Cueto makes Sexy Star vs. Big Ryck (what!?) next week, and promises no men will get involved or at all try to save her. Dario is such a sleazeball he even winks at her. All he wants is for her to get hurt. They cut another great all-Spanish promo. Sexy star looks pretty when she’s up close and personal. I don’t know what she’s going to do against Big Ryck next week. Last week she took big hits to the body and face courtesy of the Crew. She’s as tough as she is sexy but I wouldn’t recommend showing up.
Another ROH PPV commercial which focuses on Alberto El Patron being on the show. Vinny Massaro is mid-ring to face Pentagon Jr. Someone is going to get broken off.
Vinny Massaro vs Pentagon Jr
Collar and elbow tieup sets up for one of my favorite maneuvers – Pentagon Jr. slapping the living daylights out of someone’s chest. Superkick connects then sets him up for a nasty looking driver for the win. That is one sweet move. Pentagon Jr. gets a table, sets him up, slaps the back hard before powerbombing him right through it. And, of course, snaps his arm back while he’s down to continue his reign of terror. Wished they would’ve done more with this one as Vinny is a big athlete that could’ve given Pentagon a run for his money, not to mention it was unbelievable he didn’t get one single piece of offense.
After a break, King Cuerno comes down to the ring followed by Johny Mundo – leading to an intense shot of them staring each other down. It’s time for our main event.
