1/11 Lucha Underground Review: Texano vs. Joey Ryan, Cage vs. Veneno, Cueto vs. Azteca

By Joel Dehnel, PWTorch contributor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

LUCHA UNDERGROUND – SEASON 3, EP. #19
JANUARY 11, 2017
TAPED IN LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
AIRED ON EL REY NETWORK
Report by Joel Dehnel, PWTorch contributor

The show opened with a recaps of Matanza-El Dragon Azteca, Cortez Castro, Texano-Famous B and Mundo-Mack.

Backstage: Dario told one of the mysterious men in a suit that Matanza will be fighting tonight. Azteca entered Dario’s office. Azteca demanded to face Matanza in the ring tonight. The man across from Dario complimented Azteca for having balls. Azteca requested that the match be a death math. Dario picked up his phone and said there is a new main event tonight.

Announcers: Matt Striker welcomed the audience to the show. Striker said there is a new main event tonight between El Dragon Azteca and Matanza in a death match. Vampiro interrupted and gave message to Mil saying his time will come. Striker hesitantly threw to Santos.

In ring: Santos introduced Texano to the ring. His opponent tonight is Joey Ryan.

1 –  TEXANO vs. JOEY RYAN

Ryan stuck his sucker into his trunks. They locked up with each other and Texano pushed Ryan into a corner. They reset mid ring. Texano knocked over Ryan then dropped an elbow. Ryan caught Texano on the ropes then brought Texano to the outside. Ryan tossed him into the ring post then rolled Texano back into the ring. Ryan pulled the sucker out of his trunk and put it back into his mouth. Ryan continued to dominate Texano.

Famous B and Brenda walked down the aisle and cheered on Texano. Texano hit a flying leg onto Ryan then a kick. Texano set set Ryan on the top rope then drop kicked him off. Texano leaped on top of him. Ryan caught Texano on the top turnbuckle and hit an Angle slam followed by a sleaze kick. Ryan went to grab the bull rope but B stopped him. Brenda gave Texano a horse shoe. Texano hit Ryan with the horse then pinned him.

WINNER: Texano at 7:02

Post match: B and Brenda tried to celebrate with Texano. Texano pushed B away, but got close to Brenda.

[Break]

In ring: Mundo stood in the ring. He gave a shout out to Taya who he said was at home working on his documentary. Mundo introduced himself to resounding boos. Mundo said you can call him whatever you want, but you must refer to him as the Lucha Underground Champion. He said he beat everyone who stood in his way. He said nobody believed in him except the guys in the ring (PJ Black and Jack Evans). Mundo hugged both of them. He asked them to leave the ring because he needed a moment alone. Mundo address Mack in a mocking tone. Mundo told Mack that he doesn’t deserve to be in the same ring as him.

Mack attacked Johnny from behind and stomped him in the corner. Black and Evans made the save. Mack gave stunners to Evans and Black. Mundo screamed for security to hold back Mack. Mack broke free then stunned each security member as each of them watched. They literally waited to get stunned one after another.

Mack grabbed the belt and said this belt was his and he will beat his ass all night long.

[JD’s Reax: So there has always been security but because Johnny called for them, they appeared? An easy fix for this would be for the announcers to say Johnny hired his own security. Instead they left the viewer thinking there is arena security and only now they have shown up, just ignoring all the other brutal unfair beat downs. Then the security hardly restrained Mack; they all just waited to each be given a stunner. Just a very unrealistic moment.]  

[Break]

In ring: Santos introduced Cage to the ring. His opponent is Veneno. Vampiro and Striker kept mentioning that this luchador looked familiar. Cage took off his metallic glove before the match.

2 – CAGE vs. VENENO

Cage knocked over Veneno to start. Veneno got some offense in to start, but fell into a lariat clothesline. Cage hit a pile driver for the win.

WINNER: Cage at 1:21.

Post match: Cage put on the glove and pushed the referee.

Sexy Star ran into the ring and accused Veneno of being the person leaving a spider in her locker. She kicked him then told him to stay away from her.

[Break]

Backstage: Prince Puma beat on a punch bag while remembering what Konnan had told him. Catrina walked up behind him and told him that its never the same once you die. Puma said there are visions he cant get out of his head. One of which is Mil’s blood. Catrina said shes had a similar vision except it wasnt Mil’s blood it was Puma’s. Catrian disappeared then Puma did a back flip and knocked the punching bag off the rack.

[JD’s Reax: Called it. I told you she was dead.]

In ring: Santos introduced El Dragon Azteca to the ring. Next out was Matanza.

[Break]

3 – EL DRAGON AZTECA vs. MATANZA CUETO (w/Dario Cueto) – Death Match

Dragon hit a flurry of kicks to start. Matanza cught Dragon and slammed him then clubbed him over the head. Matanza grabbed a steel chair from the outside. Matanza set the chair in the cornr. Dragon hit a hurricaran on Matanza. Matanza grabbed the chair the Dragon kicked him in the face. Dragon threw the chair at Matanza. Dragon set up the chair then leaped off of it to the outside and onto Matanza. Matanza threw Dragon into the ring post. Matanza carried Dragon up the stair case. Dragon leaped onto a ledge on the top of the temple then jumped onto Matanza. Dario told Matanza to kill him. (Remember that Scott Hall qoute? Sigh.) Matanza brought Dragon down the stairs then choke slammed him throught the bleachers. Marty Elias called for the bell a 6:28. Rey Mysterio came to help Dragon. Matanza climbed his way into the crowd to get to Mysterio. They fought each other at the top of the temple. Rey lifted Matanza over the barricade and they the bleachers. Dario freaked out and told everyone to leave the temple.

WINNER: Matanza at 6:28 via stoppage.

Post match: Rey Mysterio came to help Dragon. Matanza climbed his way into the crowd to get to Mysterio. They fought each other at the top of the temple. Rey lifted Matanza over the barricade and they the bleachers. Dario freaked out and told everyone to leave the temple.

-Outside the temple people took pictures with Santos as Marty ‘The Moth” stalked her.

-Mariposa had Marty tied up in a bathroom, She slapped him as Marty said, “I did good”.

-Lucha will return this Summer.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m hoping that this Marty storyline with Mariposa and Santos is not a repeat of the storyline with Sexy Star. I have faith that Lucha learned that kind of story does not work on a wrestling show, but Marty’s reaction makes me think something along those lines happened. We will just have to wait to see.

I’m not sure what I was hoping for, but I wanted more out of Cage’s new glove. Those are the drawbacks of shooting in front of a studio audience. They can’t show of the mystical powers you see backstage in the ring. Same thing with the Aztec Medallions. They were built like these amazing things, but in front of the live audience they are just metal tokens that lead to a title shot.

I thought the Mysterio brawl with Matanza was good. Clearly, that was the match the fans wanted to see, not El Dragon Azteca. The brawl got people at home excited to see that match. Mysterio showed some fire and resilience. He made the heel authority figure panic. Not something you will see anywhere else.

Can’t ignore the elephant in the room, Mundo-Mack. This was a title match that had been built for quite some time. I complimented LU for building to this title match, but it didn’t happen. They felt that the unadvertised return of Matanza was a bigger deal than the big title match that had been built and advertised for quite some time. This was a bad choice by LU. They didn’t deliver on what had been advertised. We know that the match will happen at some point, but no indication when. Lucha is going to take a few months off so maybe the match will happen then. They have plenty of storylines and grudges to come back to this summer.

As for me, I will be back when Lucha returns. I hope to be on more PWTorch audio shows in the near future. For now, I’ll spend more time focusing on WWE going into WrestleMania.


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1 Comment on 1/11 Lucha Underground Review: Texano vs. Joey Ryan, Cage vs. Veneno, Cueto vs. Azteca

  1. I don’t think the “security” acted any differently than they do at a WWE televised event. I agree that after all the hype not getting the Mack vs. Mundo match was a let down.

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