We noted before how El Hijo del Fantasma, Ivelisse, Joey Ryan, and Kobra Moon all were released from their Lucha Underground contracts recently as part of their lawsuit settlement with the promotion.

At the time it was noted that while the other stars might take a different route, Fantasma also known as King Cuerno could be heading to WWE.

During the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer talked about this possibility and revealed some details on the relationship between both sides.

According to Meltzer, Cuerno was offered a WWE deal in the past and while there has been no recent update on the matter, the offer is believed to be still valid.

Not only that but the Lightweight Star was also offered a spot in the Cruiserweight Classic Tournament in 2016 but Lucha Underground and AAA blocked him from accepting the offer.

Regarding the possibility of Ivelisse signing with the company, Meltzer noted that she has had issues with backstage personnel in the past.

They possibly date back to her time in the company as a development talent dubbed Sofia Cortez. She worked for the company in 2010-2011 and there has been no recent talk of her return.

Though WWE is trying to sign as many talents as possible and considering the current environment, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the company presents her with an offer.

Jack Swagger is the current World Champion of Lucha Underground but as it turns out, even he has no idea about a possible 5th season of the show.

Swagger was recently interviewed by WrestlingInc, where he talked about his friendship with R Truth, Truth performing before his MMA debut and more.

While talking about Lucha Underground, Swagger recalled being optimistic about a 5th season last year but claimed that sitting around and waiting for it isn’t very cool:

“In 2018 I was very optimistic about it, but I haven’t heard anything since we wrapped in April, It’s very cool when it comes around, but sitting around and waiting for it isn’t very cool especially when it’s just crickets and no one knows. I’m still the current Lucha Underground Heavyweight Champion so the line starts here. It’s a great place to work but I’m tired sitting around waiting on them.”

The former WWE World Champion Jack Swagger made his Lucha Underground debut as a heel on June 20th, 2018 under the moniker “The Savage” Jake Strong.

He went on to win several big matches and after winning the Gift Of Gods Championship, Swagger cashed it in against Pentagon Jr. for a shot at Lucha Underground Championship. He then defeated Pentagon and is the current LU Champion.

We noted before how Joey Ryan and several others superstars had joined forces and filed a lawsuit against Baba-G Productions and the El Rey Network, the respective production company and broadcasting network for Lucha Underground.

These stars were seeking release from their Lucha Underground contracts. Now Lucha Central is reporting that El Hijo del Fantasma, Ivelisse, Joey Ryan, and Kobra Moon all have been granted their release from the promotion, as part of the lawsuit settlement.

The Lucha Underground contract prohibited them from working with many other wrestling companies, despite the fact that there has been no news about a fifth season of the show.

To make matters worse, the wrestlers were only paid for the episodes they appeared in. Since most of the talents were paid less than $1000 per appearance, they made less than $4000 a year with the promotion while stars working for other companies make a living wage, usually starting from around $50,000 a year.

Though now as part of the settlement, they have been released with immediate effect and all 4 of the stars are free to negotiate and sign new deals with any other promotion.

Out of these 4, Joey Ryan is very likely to sign with AEW. There is no news on what the other stars are planning for their future but the belief is that Fantasma will be courted by WWE now that he is free from his contract.

Lucha Underground Star Shane Strickland was expected to sign with WWE in the next few weeks and start with the company in January next year, but it appears that his arrival will be delayed.

Strickland’s current contract is supposed to expire in near future however now Pwinsider is reporting that his signing could be delayed due to an issue with the contract. Though the site couldn’t elaborate what the issue is.

Shane was expected to end his tenure with MLW soon as well but after the recent report, it appears that he will be stricking around with the company for some more time.

Originally MLW’s Miami tapings scheduled for next week were expected to be his last working dates with the company. Although now he is also scheduled to work the company’s Philadelphia tapings on February 3rd.

For those who don’t know, so far Strickland has worked on four seasons of Lucha Underground where he wrestles under a mask using the name Killshot.

While he hasn’t won any championships there, Shane has won a number of titles on other promotions including the MLW and CZW World Heavyweight Championships.

No word yet on when the former World Champion will start his tenure with WWE but we’ll keep you posted.

In the past couple of months, we have heard many rumours about Rey Mysterio’s future and it was reported by multiple sources that he was in talks with WWE.

However, recently it was revealed that the talks between Mysterio and WWE have broken down and the High Flyer will not be returning to the company he called home for well over a decade.

Now the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has explained how events occurred and why things didn’t work out between the two parties.

According to the Newsletter, things were overblown from the start as the talks between WWE and the Mexican Star never reached a serious stage. Apparently, when the news of Mysterio possibly returning to WWE came, he was actually talking to GFW.

As we noted before, the deal breaker on WWE’s part was his representative Konnan whom Vince McMahon apparently has a grudge with. On the other hand, Rey’s reason for not signing with WWE was their tight schedule.

It’s been said that at this stage of his career, the former World Champion is looking to work a lighter schedule where he could also work on side projects, which would not have been possible in WWE.

Regarding his future, it’s being said that he is expected to receive a significant offer from GFW soon and it’s most likely the next destination of the High Flying Star.

Though it’s worth noting that Rey Mysterio has a non-compete clause due to which he won’t be able to work for GFW for at least 90 days after the current season of Lucha Underground expires in September.

Lucha Underground returns on Wednesday May 31st, 2017. The promotion recently released a trailer for the second-half of season 3:

State Of Lucha Underground

Lucha Underground wrapped filming for season 3 over a year ago, and have yet to announce tapings for the season 4. Despite the long layoff, tapings for the company’s 4th season are expected to begin this fall.

Last year, the El Rey Network increased their funding for original programming, which includes LU, leading to speculation Dario Cueto’s promotion has security they will be around for awhile still. They are now distributing their content through iTunes and Netflix as well, which should increase their revenue streams.

Some wrestlers/luchadors have expressed frustration in a possible 16-month gap between tapings however. Such lengthy layoffs, while common in television, are new territory for pro-wrestling, where at most promotions will tape a few months in advance.

Former WWE Superstar and current Lucha Underground talent John Morrison (a.k.a Johnny Mundo) recently did an interview with Colt Cabana on The Art Of Wrestling podcast to talk about his time in the WWE. You can check out some of what he had to say here below (quotes via Wrestling Inc.):

Morrison says he wasn’t released from WWE, but just decided not to re-sign his contract:

“I wouldn’t say I quit or was released. At the end of 2011, I just didn’t resign. I let my contract run out. They offered me a couple of things. They didn’t offer me what I wanted.” Morrison continued, “I wanted to make a movie and I didn’t want to work 250 days a year.”

Being tired of not having any “creative autonomy”:

“That’s one of the reasons I left. I was tired of just kind of being on that express train, whatever you want to call it, so to speak. It just sort of shoots forward and you have no creative autonomy, no control over your time, and there’s not much time for side projects or family and friends.”

Believing he’d take a year off from wrestling to do movies after leaving WWE:

“When you leave WWE, like, when I left I was thinking, ‘maybe I’ll take, like, a year off, and in that year, I’ll probably do a Marvel movie, maybe a couple of movies. I don’t know.’ And, obviously, completely unrealistic.”

“I was thinking with the TV exposure I had with WWE, and it’s kind of hard to explain to people sometimes how many countless hours you are on television when you’ve been on the road with WWE. I was thinking that was going to open doors, get me auditions, and get me into a lot of high profile roles. The thing that I didn’t take into consideration is that acting, like wrestling, is a skill. And, as many people are fans of wrestling that are going to be excited to meet you, talk about what The Undertaker and John Cena were like, there [are] a lot of people out there who are movie producers and casting directors who are not impressed with wrestling on your resume.”

.@Matt_Striker_ is here to get you hyped for #AztecWarfare 3! Don't miss it, WEDNESDAY at 8p ET on @ElReyNetwork! pic.twitter.com/GBPH53s5TH

— Lucha Underground (@LuchaElRey) November 12, 2016

Tonight’s Lucha Underground episode will feature the big Aztec Warfare 3 match with 20 luchadores competing for the Lucha Underground Championship. Matt Striker previews tonight’s show in the video above.

Below are highlights from last week’s episode with the Grave Consequences match and more:

Tonight’s Lucha Underground episode on El Rey will see Ivelisse return to face Mariposa, as well as the continuation of the Best of 5 Series between Texano and Cage, who can be seen above in a new vignette.

Here is the official preview for tonight’s episode:

“The Prince and The Monster: Matanza gets another opponent; Ivelisse finds a new love; Killshot receives some news; The Rabbit Tribe is introduced.”

Mariposa & @RealIvelisse face off for the first time in singles competition on a NEW #LuchaUnderground, WEDNESDAY at 8p ET on @ElReyNetwork! pic.twitter.com/dzh919cU0s

— Lucha Underground (@LuchaElRey) October 3, 2016

Texano and Cage continue their BEST OF 5 Series for Dario's ULTIMATE OPPORTUNITY! NEW #LuchaUnderground, TOMORROW at 8p ET on @ElReyNetwork! pic.twitter.com/wcoeBE75PJ

— Lucha Underground (@LuchaElRey) October 4, 2016

This week’s Lucha Underground episode drew a total of 123,000 viewers – 85,000 for the first-run episode and 38,000 for the replay.

This is down from last week’s total of 134,000 viewers. Last week’s first airing drew 99,000 viewers and the replay drew 35,000.

The 123,000 for this week is the lowest total going back to season two. The previous low came for the 6/15 episode, which drew 128,000 viewers.

The Lucha Underground season 3 premiere on El Rey drew a total of 234,000 viewers – 227,000 for the first airing and 7,000 for the replay.

This week’s episode drew a total of 154,000 viewers, down from last week. The first airing drew 99,000 viewers while the replay drew 55,000 viewers.

Below are video highlights from this week and the full Weapons of Mass Destruction match with Killshot vs. Marty The Moth:

Source: PWTorch

– We do not have viewership numbers for last Wednesday’s Lucha Underground season 3 premiere as the show did not make the Cable Top 150 for the night.

– There’s also still no word on the next set of Lucha TV tapings but they’re rumored for January 2017.

– Lucha Underground may be holding house shows in the near future. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that some LUG talents were recently contacted about doing house shows on 10/16 in San Diego, 10/23 in Phoenix and 10/30 in Houston. These are not confirmed dates but they are being talked about.

– Next Wednesday’s Lucha episode will feature the first ever Weapons of Mass Destruction match. Below is the synopsis for next week and a promo from Marty The Moth to Killshot:

“The Amulet: Killshot takes on Marty the Moth in the first Weapons of Mass Destruction Match; the power of an Aztec amulet is revealed.”

– El Rey also posted these videos from last week’s season 3 premiere with various video highlights and the main event with Pentagon Dark vs. Rey Mysterio:

The official trailer for Lucha Underground’s third season has been released and can be seen above. The trailer features Rey Mysterio and Prince Puma, among others.

Season 3 premieres Wednesday, 9/7 at 8pm EDT on the El Rey Network.

The El Rey Network announced on Thursday that Season 3 of Lucha Underground will premiere Wednesday, September 7th.

40 episodes, Cero Miedo. #LuchaUnderground Season 3 premieres Wednesday, September 7 at 8p ET on @ElReyNetwork! pic.twitter.com/ybdjQ0zNgs

— Lucha Underground (@LuchaElRey) July 28, 2016

From the official press release:

“Lucha Underground,” El Rey Network’s exhilarating, lucha libre wrestling series from Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett, MGM, Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures will return for an all-new 40 episode, third season on Wednesday, September 7 at 8PM ET, it was announced today.

Masked heroes and villains will continue to battle it out for wrestling supremacy in the hour-long weekly series, giving fans a ringside seat to the blood-pumping, chant-starting lucha libre drama and excitement. With Dario Cueto’s fate unclear, only one thing is for sure, this new season will bring even more death defying action with a new set of luchadores ready to leave their mark on the Temple.

Wednesday’s Lucha Underground season finale on The El Rey Network drew 127,000 viewers for the first showing and 43,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 108,000 viewers and the replay drew 56,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 170,000 viewers, up from last week’s 164,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.

El Rey Network issued the following:

THE FINAL CHAPTER OF SEASON TWO CLOSES WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE, TWO-HOUR SUPERSIZED EPISODE OF ‘LUCHA UNDERGROUND’ WEDNESDAY, JULY 20th AT 8:00 PM ET/PT ON EL REY NETWORK

MISSED A MATCH OR WANT TO RELIVE THE ACTION? ENCORE PRESENTATIONS OF THE FULL SEASON CONTINUES WITH A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY REY MYSTERIO!

Check out sneak peeks of “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKX6ME0iX8o

In the conclusion of Lucha Underground’s electrifying second season, “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III,” an explosive match pits Fenix, Drago and Aerostar against Worldwide Underground hits the temple, while Rey Mysterio clashes with Prince Puma. Plus, Pentagon battles the Monster Matanza Cueto, and Ivelisse goes head-to -head with Taya. Last but certainly not least, El Dragon Azteca Jr. challenges the Black Lotus in an intense match that shouldn’t be missed! The final chapter of ‘Lucha Underground’ is sure to go out with a bang on Wednesday, July 20th at 8:00pm ET/PT on El Rey Network.

‘Lucha Underground’ Season Two Marathon Schedule Continues…

Monday, July 18th

·8:00pm ET – “Monster Meets Monster” (Ep 213)

·9:00pm ET – “Cage in a Cage” (Ep 214)

·10:00pm ET – “No Mas” (Ep 215)

·11:00pm ET – “Graver Consequences” (Ep 216)

·12:00am ET – “Crime & Punishment” (Ep 217)

·1:00am ET – “Enter the Mundo” (Ep 218)

Tuesday, July 19th

·8:00pm ET – “Judgment Day” (Ep 219)

·9:00pm ET – “The Contenders” (Ep 220)

·10:00pm ET – “Six to Survive” (Ep 221)

·11:00pm ET – “Fame and Fortune” (Ep 222)

·12:00am ET – “The Phoenix, the Dragon, and the Spaceman” (Ep 223)

Wednesday, July 20th

·6:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part 1” (Ep 224)

·7:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part II” (Ep 225)

·8:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” (Ep 226)

·10:00pm ET – “Ultima Lucha Dos – Part III” (Ep 226) Encore presentation

Last night’s Lucha Underground episode on The El Rey Network drew 108,000 viewers for the first showing and 56,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 104,000 viewers and the replay drew 39,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 164,000 viewers, up from last week’s 143,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uemKm8NiCz0

El Rey sent out the following preview for tonight’s episode of Lucha Underground featuring Part 2 of Ultima Lucha Dos:

Ultima Lucha Dos Part II is in full swing as the epic three-part season finale continues on the newest episode of “Lucha Underground,” Wednesday, July 13th at 8:00pm ET/PT on El Rey Network. While seven luchadors battle it out in a massive Gift of Gods Elimination Match, King Cuerno goes to war with Mil Muertes in a ferocious Death Match. The fun continues with new one-hour episodes of the lucha libre wrestling series from Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett Wednesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT.

Last night’s Lucha Underground episode on The El Rey Network drew 104,000 viewers for the first showing and 39,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 116,000 viewers and the replay drew 103,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 143,000 viewers, down from last week’s 219,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.

The three-week Lucha Underground “Ultima Lucha Dos” event begins this Wednesday night on El Rey. Matches announced include:

Ivelisse vs. Taya

Black Lotus vs. El Dragon Azteca Jr.

Rey Mysterio vs. Prince Puma

Texano vs. The Mack vs. Cage vs. Son of Havoc

Death Match: Mil Muertes vs. King Cuerno

Gift of the Gods Championship Elimination Match: Marty The Moth vs. Sexy Star vs. Mariposa vs. Killshot vs. Sinestro vs. ??

Lucha Underground Trios Championship Match: Drago, AeroStar and Fenix vs. PJ Black, Jack Evans and Johnny Mundo

Lucha Underground Championship Match: Pentagon Jr. vs. Matanza Cueto

Last night’s Lucha Underground episode on The El Rey Network drew 116,000 viewers for the first showing and 103,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 104,000 viewers and the replay drew 62,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 219,000 viewers, up from last week’s 166,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.

The El Rey Network issued the following:

ULTIMA LUCHA DOS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! DARIO CUETO INTRODUCES A TWIST ON THE NEWEST EPISODE OF ‘LUCHA UNDERGROUND’ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29TH AT 8:00 PM ET/PT ON EL REY NETWORK

Check out sneak peeks of “The Phoenix, the Dragon and The Spaceman” here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS_eCrvk5t0

Ultima Lucha Dos is one week away, and Dario Cueto is prepared to announce a new “Unique Opportunity” that everyone in the Temple has been waiting for! While El Dragon Azteca faces Prince Puma, Boyle Heights is preparing for the mind-blowing events to come. Tune in to the newest episode of “Lucha Underground,” Wednesday, June 29th at 8:00pm ET/PT on El Rey Network for another week of the adrenaline-fueled series. Don’t miss new one-hour episodes of the lucha libre wrestling series from Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett Wednesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT.

Wednesday night’s Lucha Underground episode on The El Rey Network drew 104,000 viewers for the first showing and 62,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 95,000 viewers and the replay drew 52,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 166,000 viewers, up from last week’s 147,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.

The El Rey Network issued the following preview for tonight’s Lucha Underground episode:

THE TEMPLE HEATS UP AS A NEW LUCHADOR ARRIVES IN THE LATEST EPISODE OF ‘LUCHA UNDERGROUND’ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22nd AT 8:00 PM ET/PT ON EL REY NETWORK

Check out sneak peeks of “Fame and Fortune” below.

Ultima Lucha Dos is just around the corner and Prince Puma reveals his plans in the newest episode of “Lucha Underground.” While a new luchador arrives at the Temple, the 7 Ancient Aztec Medallions are redistributed. Tune in Wednesday, June 22nd at 8:00pm ET/PT on El Rey Network for another week of the adrenaline-fueled series. Don’t miss new one-hour episodes of the lucha libre wrestling series from Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett Wednesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wMY_5AuUiw

Wednesday night’s Lucha Underground episode on The El Rey Network drew 95,000 viewers for the first showing and 52,000 viewers for the replay. Last week’s first airing drew 85,000 viewers and the replay drew 61,000 viewers.

The total for this week’s episode was 147,000 viewers, up from last week’s 146,000 viewers.

Lucha Underground did not rank on the Cable Top 150 this week.