The Most Incredible Moments
From Lucha Underground
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
Happy Cinco de Mayo to my friends from South of the Border, as well as readers around the world. Cinco de Mayo is an historic day in Mexican culture, particularly in the state of Puebla. Latino heritage has slowly morphed into American pop culture, and gringos such as yours truly are just as excited for May 5th as we are for the Fourth of July. Anybody who seeks proof of the Hispanic influence on the average American, needn't look any further than the highly popular Wednesday night wrestling program "Lucha Underground," on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network. Rodriguez has been an instrumental force in blending various cultures for a generation, and is responsible for cross-demographic hits like "Desperado," "From Dusk �till Dawn," and even "Spy Kids" which featured a Latin-American family of superspies. So when Robert Rodriquez teamed with reality-TV guru Mark Burnett, executives from AAA and former WWE creative members, the result is a one-of-a-kind conglomerate, and microcosm of cross-cultural collaboration.
In honor of today's most important of days, I've decided to talk about the TOP FIVE most entertaining, most athletic, and most extreme moments from the newest promotion in America. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty for Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News, and these are the "Most Incredible Moments from Lucha Underground."
5. The Crew Burns Big Ryck's Eye
Coming in at number five is the finale from the January 21st Lucha Underground tapings. Big Ryck—AKA Ezekiel Jackson—was originally introduced to the Temple as a villainous gang leader, with his stable of cronies known simply as the "Crew." The Crew is comprised of Mr. Cisco, Cortez Castro, and Bael—who now appear to be operating under the orders of Lucha Underground owner Dario Cueto. On January 21st, the Crew drew a line in the sand and made it clear to their former shot-caller that they were in business for themselves. They beat Big Ryck with kendo sticks, as is their M.O., and finished the assault with one of the most heinous acts ever perpetrated inside a squared-circle. Big Ryck was accustomed to walking the aisle while smoking his trademark cigar; the Crew took the burning ember of Ryck's Philly blunt and rammed it into his cornea. The big man writhed in pain in the center of the canvas, while the Crew walked away, pleased with their actions. Ryck would remain off of television for several weeks, and when he returned, he did so with a patch on his eye and unrelenting revenge on his mind.
4. The Championship Cage Match
Prince Puma is the first—and currently ONLY—Lucha Underground Champion in history, and since winning the title, has gone on to wrestle incomparable contests against individuals such as King Cuerno, Brian Cage, and the aforementioned Big Ryck. Puma is probably the most popular babyface on the Lucha roster, with the exception of Johnny Mundo AKA John Morrison. Mundo debuted for Lucha Underground on its very first episode, and immediately established an uneasy alliance with Puma—much to the chagrin of Puma's mentor, Konnan. On the January 28th edition of Lucha Underground on El Rey, Johnny Mundo would have his opportunity to challenge for the Lucha Underground championship, when he met Prince Puma inside a steel cage. This was the first Lucha Underground cage match, and yielded some outstanding spots and innumerable memories. Johnny's parkour background and Puma's work with Dragon Gate as Ricochet, prepared both individuals for what was one of the best matches in LU history, and perhaps among the greatest cage matches of the modern era. When the dust cleared, Prince Puma retained his title, but not without going through hell on his way to victory.
3. Aztec Warfare
The first-ever Lucha Underground champion was crowned on the January 7th episode, following a 60-minute gauntlet dubbed "Aztec Warfare." Lucha Underground is one of the best-timed wrestling promotions in the world, as their status as a standard television show makes it easier to prepare for commercial breaks. Lucha has dedicated their entire program to just two or three matches in the past, but this was the first time that one match occupied the entire hour. The �Warfare match was similar to a Royal Rumble, save for the pinning element, and just 20 participants. Unlike the WWE's yearly 30-man battle royal, "Aztec Warfare" allowed for combatants to leave the squared-circle and fight their opponents around the ring. This was less than six months into the series, and gave new viewers a one-of-a-kind chance to check out the entire roster in one sitting. "Aztec Warfare" pushed the mixed-gender precedent established early on by Lucha Underground, by allowing female competitors like Sexy Star and Ivelisse the chance to challenge for the world title. The match came down to Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma; following a series of missteps on Johnny's behalf, Puma took to the sky and delivered the insanely innovative 630 splash. Prince Puma then covered an unconscious Johnny Mundo for the one, the two, and finally the three to become the first ever World Champion in Lucha Underground history.
2. The Trios Tournament Finals
Dario Cueto introduced the Trios championship to his Temple and its inhabitants just over two months ago, and started a tournament to crown the inaugural title holders. He put his three least favorite wrestlers on a team in the hopes that they would self-destruct. But much to the annoyance of the Lucha owner, Ivelisse, Son of Havoc and Angelico made it to the final round. The finals debuted on the El Rey Network on April 22nd, and featured a Triple Threat match with the aforementioned trio battling Big Ryck, Killshot, and Willy Mack as well as King Cuerno, Cage, and Texano. The latter team was eliminated first, and Big Ryck's band of brawlers was the second to be sent home. Ivelisse and her partners assumed that they were the new Trios champions, but Dario had other plans. He introduced the "Crew" as the third and final obstacle between them and the Trios titles. The Crew sought to decimate the hodgepodge alliance, and separated them so that they couldn't gain any momentum. Ivelisse was in the center of the ring with an injured leg, nearly 30 feet from her closest team mate; hope was all but lost for the babyface underdogs when Angelico shocked the world! He was standing on top of Dario's office, clear across the audience and almost 20 feet in the air. Seeing no other alternative, the South African sensation leapt across the fans and into the ring, catching members of the Crew in the process. Son of Havoc capitalized on the offensive maneuver, and we have our first ever Lucha Underground Trios Champions: Son of Havoc, Ivelisse, and Angelico.
1. Grave Consequences
When word got out that Lucha Underground would be hosting a casket match, wrestling fans and critics alike felt that the infant promotion might have just "Jumped the Shark." I mean—the casket match has been synonymous with the Undertaker for the past twenty years, despite the actual origins of the bout. But audiences were caught by surprise when things kicked off with a "Day of the Death" celebration featuring actors in full make up and elaborate costumery. It was clear that this match between Mil Muertes and Fenix would be different than what we've come to expect from casket matches. Mil Muertes was in firm control for the majority of the match, and manhandled Fenix, causing a geyser of blood to shoot out from underneath his mask. The action was oftentimes confined to the ringside area where the casket was located; Fenix and Mil Muertes battled around the Temple and into the crowd where they set up shop on top of Dario's office. During the final moments of this 20-minute match, Fenix hit Muertes with a double foot stomp to the back of his head, which sent the monster spiraling into the darkened casket. Catrina—Mil's former manager—slammed the door for Fenix, helping him win what is arguably the best match from Lucha Underground, and without question the greatest casket match of all time.
Thank you so much for stopping by for a quick read here at Cheap-Heat.com. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy Cinco de Mayo. Enjoy your Tacos and Tequila and make sure you've got a plan to get home; pick a designated driver, call a Taxi, or even an Uber—those are pretty nifty and damn affordable at the same time. Until next time, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to check out all of my work at Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News; follow me on Twitter via @TapeTraderz and on Facebook by LIKING "The B+ Players"; and listen to my weekly podcasts available every single Friday, Saturday and Sunday—exclusively at Cheap-Heat.com.
