http://www.cheap-heat.com WWE, TNA, ROH, NJPW - Blogs, Reviews, Top Lists, Indy News & Results Fri, 02 Oct 2015 18:47:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-61715/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-61715/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2015 22:02:11 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews AAA independent wrestling John Morrison Johnny Mundo Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Mexican Prince Puma Ricochet The El Rey Network WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12481 We are getting closer to the season finale of Lucha Underground dubbed "Ultima Lucha," but where does the company go from there? Rumors have been running rampant regarding the potential future of Lucha Underground and what might become of its current incarnation. Speculation aside, I wish nothing but the best for a truly innovative promotion […]

We are getting closer to the season finale of Lucha Underground dubbed "Ultima Lucha," but where does the company go from there? Rumors have been running rampant regarding the potential future of Lucha Underground and what might become of its current incarnation. Speculation aside, I wish nothing but the best for a truly innovative promotion that delivers on a weekly basis. This week's entire hour was dedicated to one match, the first thing this has happened since the show debuted last summer.

This week's episode of Lucha Underground begins with a montage explaining the legacy of Johnny Mundo inside the Boyle Heights Temple. Johnny has been taunted and teased in previous months, the world title alluding him by inches the whole time. Johnny has competed in cage matches, ladder matches, and the inaugural "Aztec Warfare" competition to crown the first ever champion. Tonight is another first for Lucha Underground, when Johnny heads into battle against Prince Puma in an Iron Man Match. The �Temple is rocking, as is the custom, this week swaying to the sexy sounds of Mexican Dubwiser, an eclectic group of guys wearing Nazi caps and aviator sunglasses. Speaking of SEXY, Vampiro introduces himself as well as his "Sexy Partner," Matt Striker. You really get the feeling that these two men get a kick out of working together. Vampiro has been doing commentary south of the border for years, whereas Striker came through the WWE system. When positioned side by side, I dare say they are one of the best twosomes in the industry. Just my opinion though. They throw it to the action almost immediately, because this Iron Man competition will need the entire hour.

"The following match is �One Match, One Show: All Night Long," Melissa Santos introduced the world championship match, starting with the diabolical challenger Johnny Mundo. For my money, this could be John Hennigan's first time playing a heel since he was ECW champion in 2007. This match begins as soon as Prince Puma enters the arena, with both individuals jockeying for an early advantage. The number one contender to the Lucha Underground title is Drago, who will most certainly be watching this match with intent, eager for his opportunity at "Ultima Lucha" later this summer. Puma is the first man to be swept off his feet, and may have even gone into this bout a little over confident. The first man to early a decision will have a particular edge over his opponent; theoretically, the first man to earn a pin fall or submission, would merely have to keep his distance for the remainder of the match. Back and forth they go, with the fans battle chanting "Puma" versus "Mundo." They head to the outside and Johnny misses a dive, on which Puma capitalizes with a plancha of his own. The fans are going wild, and for the first time in this match, one man is decisively in control.

We head into a commercial break, and when the action returns, Prince Puma is still in control, and the fans are chanting: "This is awesome." Puma attempts a pin, but it's no use and the score remains tied at zero-zero. If this was tennis, it would be "Love-All." That is until the first decision in the match! Puma caught Johnny in a tight victory roll, and earned a victory thanks to referee Marty Elias. Puma mocked Johnny by holding up one finger on his right hand, and a zero with the left. Mundo resorts to dirty tactics to regain the advantage and kicks the aggression up from a six to a ten. Just over ten minutes in and Johnny is eager to earn a pin fall, but can't seem to get it done. He continues the onslaught for a number of two counts, before finally pinning puma with the help of the ring ropes.

Puma powerbombed Mundo through—a box? Like—a wooden crate at ringside? Peculiar, but it warranted a "Holy Shit" chant from the crowd. Prince Puma and Johnny Mundo remained tied at one-a-piece for a mere matter of moments before Mundo picked up another fall by smacking Puma across the face with a crowbar. Once again, the audience chanted "Holy Shit," unbelieving the lengths the former member of MNM was willing to go. The champion was now trailing 2-to-1 with about 40 minutes remaining in the bout. Mundo took immediate advantage of Puma as soon as he reached his feet by hitting Puma with his "Moonlight Drive" signature move. Another pinfall for Johnny! The champion was now trailing by two points, and the audience began to chant "Johnny Mundo."

Mundo hit the top rope for the "End of the World," and earned a fourth pinfall. When does the "Slaughter Rule," come into effect? Maybe Puma made a mistake by not allowing Konnan to accompany him to ringside. Puma was out, seemingly unconscious, when Johnny demanded a bottle of water from the timekeeper. Puma digs deep and tries to come back at Mundo, who's leading him by an astounding margin, that I cant recall ever seeing in an Iron Man match.

Mundo decides to take this match further than any competitor inside the Temple, and that includes individuals such as Mil Muertes and Angelico! He assembles a set of tables on the floor of the arena, just beneath the awning over the ground-level entrance. (For those that might not watch the show, there are two entrances in Lucha Underground. One is the usual staircase, the other is underneath the audience) Johnny climbed a ladder to the tip-top balcony area of the arena, preparing to strike from an elevated perch. Puma was playing possum though! That, or he was once again able to summon enough strength to fight back. He climbed up after Johnny and the two fought clear into the crowd.

The "Faithful" are cheering for both men, who are putting their lives on the line to compete for the richest prize in Lucha Underground. Puma hits Mundo with a Diamond Cutter-like maneuver on the staircase and hightails it back to the ring. He goes underneath the ring and returns with ANOTHER table! He sets the third on top of the other two, and repeats the process until four tables are stacked two-by-two. Puma climbed back up the balcony and returned the stairs; he attempted to Superplex Mundo, but Johnny fought back and super kicked Puma off the balcony. Puma avoided the tables, and Mundo followed after. He used his expert parkour abilities to "Mario Wall Jump" up to the Bandstand where Mexican Dubwiser is still standing. Mundo acquires the live microphone and speaks to the �Faithful' in attendance: "Hola! Look at the score board! Mundo—four; Puma—ONE!" Johnny is obviously attempting to waste time with a mere 20-minutes left in the match. He tells Mexican Dubwiser to play a song. Matt Striker refers to the lead singer as "M. Bison," so I guess they aren't dressed like Nazis. They're dressed like Street Fighter?

"Hey Bison I know you like to look at yourself, so look at this!" – That's me paraphrasing Jean Claude Van Dam as Colonel Guile to Raul Julia as M. Bison in "Streetfighter." And then Guile did the old hand in the crux of the arm "Fuck You" sign language move. Nicely played, Capcom. Very nice.

The band begins to play as Puma tries to regain his composure. Johnny Mundo is up in the bandstand with �Dubwiser, drinking water and taking a breath. He dances to the music while the fans boo. Puma climbs the ladder and Mundo throws a bottle of water at him, and then attempts to knock him off the ladder with a 2×4. Puma evades the actions and makes it to the top, where he proceeds to strike Mundo with Bison's Mexican flag guitar. It's not wrestling without a superfluous guitar shot! Puma tackled Mundo from up on high, and both men spilled over the edge and through the four folding tables positioned below. The fans chanted, but more importantly, Matt Striker screamed: "HOLY SHIT" on headset. Regardless of how popular Puma's actions might be, he's still trailing by three falls with just over 10 minutes left to go.

We head into commercial and once we return, both men are still struggling to breathe, but Puma is the first to his feet. He struggles to drag Johnny to the ring—the only location where pin falls matter in this outlandish competition. Once they return the ring, Puma is able to capitalize on the carnage to cut the lead in half, and forge a new score of four-to-two. These daring individuals fight back and forth, tooth and nail, and hammer away with closed fists and clotheslines. Puma scores a third pin fall with a GTS into a spinning Michinoku Driver. Johnny is just one point ahead—meaning Puma must earn two more falls, if he wants to regain his championship. Johnny is thrown into the ropes, and catches himself, and hits the outside arena. He flips Puma the bird, and refuses to return, knowing full well that he can win this match by running away from Puma. He runs into the crowd and Puma is forced to chase after him. Mundo continues to run away, until an altercation behind the announce desk affords Puma the chance to catch him, and the champion prepares to deliver his patented multiple-rotation senton bomb. Mundo moved however, and ran back up the staircase, while Puma lay motionless in the ring.

Mundo thought he had the match won, when an unseen individual struck him from behind—it was ALBERTO EL PATRON!! The man that Mundo disrespected and tossed through a glass window! Patron attacked Johnny and sent him back down to the ring with a kick to the face. Patron threw Johnny into the barricade, into the announce desk, and put the screws to him on the outside. Puma was able to capitalize with a springboard 450 splash, tying the score at four a piece with a little more than four minutes remaining. The action is fast and furious with either man afforded the same opportunity to become champion in a matter of moments. Johnny attempted a top rope moonsault, but Puma moved and Johnny fell flat on his back. Thirty seconds remained and Prince Puma looked around the arena. He climbed to the top rope and hit the senton with expert precision, leading the bout for the first time since the initial victory roll that earned him his first fall. Six seconds later, the bell rang and Prince Puma is your official winner.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-61015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-61015/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:20:12 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Indy/Puro/Lucha Reviews Black Lotus Blue Demon Cage Chavo Guerrero Dario Cueto Drago John Morrison Johnny Mundo King Cuerno Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Prince Puma Pro Wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12327 From the east to the west, we're talking the worst and the best from Lucha Underground. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and if you're reading these words then you've found the NUMBER ONE Lucha Underground review in the entire world. How do I know that to be true? This is wrestling—where […]

From the east to the west, we're talking the worst and the best from Lucha Underground. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and if you're reading these words then you've found the NUMBER ONE Lucha Underground review in the entire world. How do I know that to be true? This is wrestling—where hyperbole is law. Just ask John Cena and Kevin Owens, who are going one on one this weekend in the "most anticipated rematch in wrestling history." Really? Okay! So yes—welcome to the number one, greatest, most in-depth discussion of Lucha Underground on the planet. Agreed? Disagree? Comment here and TWEET there . As for now, let's kick things off with another excellent installment of Lucha Libre competition.

This week's episode kicks into action the same as every episode—with a quick replay of what went down on recent episodes. This time there's a heavy emphasis placed on Black Lotus and Drago, both of whom have fallen victim to the treacherous ire of Dario Cueto. The musical act inside the Temple is still Los Rayobacks, who bring with them a more contemporary sound, compared to previous performers such as Amandititita or the Orkestra. Vampiro takes a moment to apologize to both Matt Striker and the audience for letting his emotions get the better of him toward the end of last week's show. For those who might not have seen, Vampiro hit the ring for the first time since debuting on Lucha Underground, in an effort to save Sexy Star from the merciless clutches of Pentagon Jr. Striker commends Vampiro for his actions, but Vamp continues to play-it-humble, expressing dissatisfaction with himself: "I'm a broadcaster, and that's where it needs to stay." Inside the squared circle stands Dario Cueto, who announces an event set eight weeks in the future called "Ultima Lucha." Or Ultimate Lucha. I'm not really sure—what with the accent. Dario says that this will be a yearly event, featuring the biggest fights and the most amazing matches. "But what will be the main event," Dario asked rhetorically? "That we will decide tonight!" Tonight's show will feature action designed to determine the number one contender to the Lucha Underground title currently held by Prince Puma. Dario says that he has invited every man that has challenged for Prince Puma's championship in the past, to try their luck in a triple threat match. Those men include: Hernandez, King Cuerno, and Brian Cage. Fenix isn't included because, as Dario says, "Mil Muertes sent Fenix to an early grave." Following Dario's announcement, Blue Demon Jr. makes a surprise appearance, and is referred to as the very first luchador to perform inside the Lucha Underground Temple. Demon enters the ring wearing a suit, looking to get involved in Ultima Lucha. Cueto says that he would be happy to give Demon his chance, but first he must prove himself against another returning Lucha legend, in Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chavo comes down to ringside accompanied by the Crew, and enters the ring looking for a fight.

The opening contest on tonight's card is a one-on-one encounter between Chavo and Blue Demon, and is a no disqualification match with a hefty prize on the line. Demon is forced to compete in his street clothes, against Guerrero who comes prepared to wrestle. Dario said "anything goes," and that is more than enough incentive for the Crew to become involved with the proceedings of the bout. After a short bit of back and forth, including an expert baseball slide to the outside by Demon, the numbers game became too much for the legend to contend with. The Crew not only entered the match, but also the ring, and proceeded to help Chavo get the victory in just a matter of moments. Chavito, as his Aunt Vickie would call him, pulled out the win following a frog splash made possible by Mr. Cisco, Cortez Castro, and Bael.

Before we head into commercial, there's a quick vignette featuring Drago as he emerges from the flames that encompassed him upon his exit from the Lucha Temple two months ago. Once we return, Chavo Guerrero is in the depths of the Temple, standing across from Black Lotus's cell. There aren't a whole lot of basements in Southern California, so I wonder where this makeshift prison is located exactly. Chavo tells Lotus that he's sorry, but business is business. Lotus accuses him of betraying Dragon Azteca, her master and trainer, and promises that Chavo will receive what's coming to him south of the border. Dario walks around a corner in the backstage area, and stops to straighten his attire in front of a scratched-up mirror. Cueto sees a mysterious reflection and turns to see Drago standing before him. The demon that was cast away from the Temple is back, and demands to be included in the fight for Ultima Lucha. Dario tells Drago that he was banished from the Temple, which seems to register with the more understanding side of Drago. "Let me fight," he protested at the top of his lungs! "The mighty Drago has found a loop hole," Cueto said, walking toward the former Temple mainstay. "Okay Drago, you're in the match tonight. On one condition: you must win it. Because if you don't, not only will you still be banished from my Temple—you will be forced to leave your mask behind."

Up next is a trios matchup featuring the in-ring debut of the "Disciples of Death," the masked men who accompanied Catrina to ringside during Mil Muertes' triumphant return to television. Their opponents are the colorful team comprised of Mascarita Sagrada, Pimpenela Escarlata and Bengala. Pimpenela dances around the ring like a true exotico, which seems to confuse the first of the Disciples. Matt Striker gave each of the masked men an individual designation, but I can't yet keep up with who is who, and for my money, neither can you. This is a really fun trios match between two midlevel teams competing for the adoration of the audience. Catrina remains at ringside, and seems to have some sort of unspoken control over the Disciples, just the same as she does with Mil Muertes. All three Disciples of Death teamed up on each of their opponents one by one until not a single Lucha star was standing. They picked up the victory over their opponents following a slew of highly impressive triple team maneuvers; both Bengala and Sagrada were sent spiraling to the outside, which is when Catrina licked Pimpenela Escarlata, signifying the end was near. The Disciples of Death put the exotico up in a three man crucifix powerbomb combination, earning the Disciples their first official win inside the Temple.

We head into a commercial and once we return, Dario is done wandering around the Temple, and is instead sitting inside his office. Johnny Mundo barges in, demanding to know why he wasn't included in the number one contender's match. Johnny says that if anybody deserves a shot at the championship, it's him. "No, not this time," Dario began. "I expect you to be champion at Ultima Lucha. Please, sit down." Johnny sat down before Dario and the two continued talking about what may lie ahead for the former Tuesday Night Delight. "I'm not one to hold grudges. So what, you gave me a black eye, who cares? I look good in sunglasses," Dario assured Johnny that when he suggested starting off anew, he meant it. "You are truly the future of Lucha Underground, which is why I want to see this new Johnny unleashed on Prince Puma. You think you're better than Prince Puma? Well, I'm going to let you prove that to the world next week, in a concept never seen before. It's going to be Prince Puma versus Johnny Mundo for an hour long!" Dario announces an IRON MAN MATCH for the Lucha Underground Championship on next week's episode.

Up next is the main event fatal four way contest, set to determine the number one contender to the Lucha Underground Championship. The first contestant to arrive is Brian Cage, followed by King Cuero, Hernandez, and finally Drago. One has to wonder how many backstage segments the studio audience is privy to, and whether or not they knew that Drago would return. Things get started with King Cuero and Drago squaring off, all while Cage and Hernandez bring their portion of the contest to the outside. Matt Striker points out that this match will consist of two very differing styles; Hernandez and Cage are both powerhouse competitors, while Drago and Cuerno adhere to a more high flying philosophy. Hernandez returns to the ring and mixes it up with King Cuerno, but Cage is quick to reenter the match, and seeks to further punish Hernandez. All four men make use of their surroundings to benefit the pace of the match, whether that be the ring ropes or even another participant! Cage teams with Cuerno, Cage teams with Drago, Drago teams with Hernandez—everybody is everybody's partner, but at the same time, nobody is safe! This is a very fast paced match that's admittedly difficult to keep up with from A-to-B, but I'm giving it my best shot. I have no idea how I'm going to write one 2000-word column about a fucking Iron Man Match between John Morrison and Ricochet, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Hernandez is incredibly out of place, compared to his 20-something contemporaries inside the ring. Although everybody is impressive to some degree or another, it's Drago and King Cuerno who prove to be specific highlights for this wrestling pundit, personally. Mid-way through this match, we see Killshot standing on top of Dario's office, staring ahead and watching the competition. Very strange—Killshot? Really? Cage and King Cuerno are working in perfect tandem, and proving to be a formidable obstacle to both of their opponents. But they too must turn on one another, and this match continues to come undone with no real designated favorite. The fans chant for Drago and Cuerno, the only two men left inside the ring. Drago surprised Cuerno with a backslide, and hooked his leg from the opposite side, as to keep the King firmly connected to the canvas. Drago earned a three count, thus earning a championship title opportunity, as well as the chance to continue competing in the Lucha Underground Temple.

Following the match, Prince Puma made an unscheduled appearance, and entered the ring, where he stood across from Drago holding his world championship. Will Puma be the man to face Drago at Ultima Lucha, or will Johnny Mundo secure the strap after next week's one-hour iron man match? Before the show concludes, we return to Dario's office once more. El Jefe is peering out from behind his blinds, overlooking his empire as it continues to crumble. Catrina appears: "You made a mistake not putting Mil Muertes in that match." Dario politely explained that Mil Muertes has never faced Prince Puma for the world title. "That is precisely why Prince Puma is still champion," Catrina said, standing from her seated position behind Dario's desk. "Mil Muertes destroys everything that stands in his way, so tell me, why are you in his way?" Catrina proceeded to choke Dario with his own tie, until he agreed to give Mil a shot against Drago in two weeks. The winner will be the number one contender, and will face Prince Puma at Ultima Lucha.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-6315/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-6315/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2015 22:35:06 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews AAA Angelico Brian Cage Dario Cueto Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Matt Striker Pentagon Jr. Pro Wrestling Sexy Star Texano Vampiro Willie Mack wrestling WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12222 Bienvenidos amigos! It's your favorite gringo that HABLA's the LINGO! What's happening on this bright and beautiful Thursday morning? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I am back again to talk about the number one Lucha Libre promotion north of the border. Of course I'm talking about Lucha Underground, where the action is fast […]

Bienvenidos amigos! It's your favorite gringo that HABLA's the LINGO! What's happening on this bright and beautiful Thursday morning? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I am back again to talk about the number one Lucha Libre promotion north of the border. Of course I'm talking about Lucha Underground, where the action is fast and furious and the competition is electric! Let's not waste any time with the usual pleasantries. I'm jumping right into this week's episode, starting with the opening festivities.

This week's episode started with a slew of vignettes and videos per usual, revolving around the Trios Championship Titles and the ongoing saga of Black Lotus and Chavo Guerrero. Chavo Guerrero has been tasked with keeping an eye on Black Lotus as she hunts for the man who killed her family. Chavo isn't on Lotus's trail however, but rather sitting down inside Dario Cueto's office. He tells Dario that Lotus is there and looking to kill Dario's brother, Matanza. Dario says that it was Chavo's job to get to Lotus before she could reach the Temple, but Chavo says Dragon got to her first. "In fact," Chavo continued, "He's offered to erase my debt down in Mexico if I agreed to protect her." After a moment's hesitation, Chavo assured Dario that "a Guerrero is only truly loyal to the highest bidder." Cueto smiled, "I want Black Lotus on a silver platter." He opened his desk drawer and began to retrieve stacks of hundred dollar bills. "So what does that cost me?" Chavo told Dario that instead of money, he wanted "round the clock protection from Mexico." Dario dropped the dollars back into his desk and said, "Fine. Now that we've got that out of the way. Tell me what you really want."

The Temple is on fire—or en fuego—and burning up to the beats of Los Rayobacks, while Vampiro and Matt Striker sit ringside. The first match tonight is a one-on-one match between the insanely agile Jack Evans and Argenis. Jack comes to the ring, walking on his hands and showing off his one-of-a-kind talents. Once inside the ring, Evans got up close and personal with a camera man at ringside, and told the cable television world that he is "the best ever," and that he "invented modern lucha libre." Matt Striker tells us a little something about Jack Evans before the match might even begin: he was trained in the "Hart Family Dungeon." Before the bell, Dario Cueto exits his office and calls to Argenis: "You come from a great family of luchadors, but let's face it—nobody really cares about you." Jack Evans hyped Dario's claim by once again playing to the camera: "That's true! That's true!" Dario continued, much to the chagrin of Evans: "And Jack Evans, you've had one match with us. And as impressive as you are—you lost! So why would I care about this match? Because Dario Cueto's going to make it interesting!" Dario held another Aztec Medallion, one of the seven he began bestowing upon his competitors just a few weeks ago. Dario says that the Medallion will "bring great fortune to the man who holds it."

This match starts off with both wrestlers receiving considerable support from the crowd, but Jack Evans gets the advantage in the early going. He betrays Argenis during the initial handshake and this match is off and running. Argenis launched Evans into the air and kicked his tailbone—sort of like a GTS but in the rear end. Jack came back with an innovative maneuver wherein the referee was used for support. Picture a 619—but the official is the top rope. If kicks were water then the ring would be drenched; both men use their educated feet to the best of their ability, until Jack Evans heads to the top rope in an attempted finishing sequence. Argenis knocks him from his perch, but Evans counters with a flying reverse arm bar, almost earning him a victory via submission. This match is all about Jack Evans, who is a true SUPERSTAR, in every sense of the word. Argenis gets the upper hand and provides a high flying plancha to Evans on the outside. Evans comes back with a moonsault from the ring apron, followed by an attempted hurricanrana, turned to a power bomb against the balcony railing. Back inside the ring, both individuals jockey for position, in mirrored unadulterated attempts at earning the Aztec Medallion. After much back and forth, Jack Evans achieved victory with a backslide pin in the center of the ring. Very awesome opening contest; with three competing promotions on Wednesday night, this might have been the best opener.

Backstage Daivari Delavar and Big Ryck are rejoicing about their Trios Title opportunity tonight. They need to find a third member, and Ryck suggests his "cousin," the Mack, better known to independent audiences as Willie Mack. Brian Cage comes out of the shadows and asks why they would pick Mack if they could have him? Cage delivers a cheap shot to Willie Mack, and two square off in a highly stylized backstage brawl, with Ryck and Delavar on hand as spectators. Cage wins without issue and the three leave as the Mack is left lying on a pile of wreckage.

Down the hall, Chavo Guerrero is chatting with Black Lotus. He tells her that he had the chance to talk to Dario Cueto, and he agreed to let her compete inside the Temple. She asks about Matanza, and Guerrero responds with: "All in good time." He tells her to get ready, because her first match inside the Temple is tonight. Lotus doesn't trust Chavo, and can sense something might be coming. She turns and Chavo goes to attack; she swings the locker door open and fights back, causing Chavo to call out for back up. The Crew make their entrance and Lotus makes quick work of them before being blindsided by Chavo with a steel pipe. Chavo is holding a set of handcuffs, and the scene fades out to the sound of the cuffs clicking around Lotus's wrists.

We head back into the Temple for our next match—the Trios Championship is on the line between the title holders and the team of Daivari, Ryck, and Cage. Vampiro says that he "isn't feeling" how Big Ryck comes to the ring smoking a cigar, nor does he like how Daivari drinks a cocktail while making his entrance. Ivelisse is still on crutches, although she hasn't had any trouble in mixing it up alongside her partners since being injured. In fact, the audience is chanting for Ivelisse as she hobbles down the steps, while Angelico carries her crutches. Things start off between Angelico and Brian Cage. I know his name is just "Cage" in Lucha Underground, but I prefer to call him by his full name. The SoCal powerhouse takes his liberties with the South African high flyer. Cage has had his sights set on the championship scene since arriving in Lucha Underground. Believe it or not, his in-house quest for gold predates the Trios Titles themselves, and tonight he might just be on the path to success. Delavar Daivari and Son of Havoc are the next Luchadors to enter the fray, and the heel team captained by Delavar remains seated in firm control. After a quick return from Angelico, Cage uses his strength to overcome the champion, and plants him in the middle of the canvas with a power slam. Big Ryck enters the match for the first time, which coincidentally or not, is the first time that Ivelisse isn't lobbying for a tag. Angelico is on the receiving end of a three-on-one assault, clear across the ring from his partner, Son of Havoc. Cage hits Angelico with a beautiful delayed brainbuster, with a little support from Big Ryck. Angelico fires back, but can't regain the edge, suffering a power bomb in the process. For the record, I would have loved to see Cage versus Mack, but this match is pretty entertaining considering the "squash element" of it all. Ivelisse popped up on the apron in an attempt to tag her partners, despite her obvious ailment. Daivari attacked Ivelisse, which garnered the attention of the official long enough so as to afford Texano the chance to make a run-in! He clubbed Big Ryck across the back of the skull and distracted Daivari from Angelico and Son of Havoc. Havoc finished this match with a Shooting Star Press to Delavar Daivari, retaining the titles for his team in the process.

We're back in Dario's office once more when Chavo arrives, and orders the Crew to "bring her in." Dario smiles, looking up from whatever he was working on. Black Lotus is brought before "El Jefe" with a gag in her mouth, and her arms behind her back. Dario says that he has something special place for her—right across from his brother, "so he never gets lonely again."

Tonight's main event is a submission match between two arch rivals in Pentagon Jr. and Sexy Star. Don't be fooled by her name or looks, Sexy is without question one of the top female performers in the world. She was part of the original Aztec Warfare match to declare the first ever Lucha Underground Champion, and is now defending a number of male competitors, who were crippled at the hands of Pentagon Jr. Sexy was forced to wrestle her friend Super Fly in a mask versus mask match, that resulted in Super Fly's exodus from Lucha Underground. Following the match, Pentagon struck and broke Super Fly's arm with his dreaded arm bar. We head into commercial, and when we return, Pentagon Jr. is regaling the �Faithful' with a tale comprised of zero fear: "Sexy Star, tonight I promise that I am going to break you. It's a sacrifice that I'm making for my Master." Before Pentagon could finish his monologue, Sexy attacked with a forearm smash, signifying the official start to this match. Senior referee Marty Elias is on hand to call the action, and does so while Pentagon goes to work on Sexy Star. He hammers away with a number of strikes and offensive blocks, rather than going straight to his strength, which is submission wrestling. When Pentagon finally takes things to the mat, Sexy is quick to return the action by rolling Pentagon and applying a front under-hook face-lock. Pentagon got out of harm's way and this match degenerated to a fight on the floor where the high flying Sexy Star reigned supreme. This was an impressive back and forth match where both luchadors were forced to cater to the others' style; Sexy Star had to meet Pentagon in terms of mat technique, while Pentagon needed to contend with Sexy's aerial arsenal. Sexy had the match won, when Super Fly returned and attacked Sexy Star. He kicked her in the head and powerbombed her, before feeding her to Pentagon Jr. Pentagon applied his patented package driver and finished Sexy with a modified stretch, not unlike a bow-and-arrow hold.

The bell rang and Pentagon wasn't finished with Sexy Star! He threw referee Marty Elias to the outside of the ring, and sought to break Sexy's arm, the same as he did countless other wrestlers in week's past. Vampiro saw this from the commentary position and threw his headset to the table. He sprinted toward the ring and dove into action for the first time since the debut of Lucha Underground last year! Vampiro hit Pentagon with a huge body block, giving Sexy Star the chance to escape. They stared one another down as the fans chanted for Vampiro. Vampiro was ready to fight, but decided to leave the ring instead. After the credits rolled, Vampiro was in the backstage area, staring into a dirty mirror while the voices in his head began to drown out his conscious thoughts. He head butted the mirror several times, until he show faded out, leaving us with a ton of questions.

What do I think? I think this might go one of two ways. I think the obvious guess is that Vampiro will return to in-ring action as the conquering savior over the evil powers of Pentagon Jr. But how about this idea—Vampiro is Pentagon's master. He stopped Pentagon because he didn't want to see harm come to someone he cared about, perhaps? A reverse Anakin Skywalker deal? Maybe? Possibly? Or maybe he didn't want Pentagon to take it that far—yet. I like how they're using Vampiro as a character for the first time, after allowing him to be featured as a peripheral part of the show for so long. Very intrigued by what's to come, and excited about the possible news on the way regarding the future of Lucha Underground.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-5615/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-5615/#comments Tue, 12 May 2015 20:31:42 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Indy/Puro/Lucha Other Reviews Reviews AAA Alberto El Patron CMLL ECW Hernandez Hispanic International Wrestling Johnny Mundo Konnan Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Mexican Mexican Wrestling Mexico nWo Prince Puma Professional Wrestling Rey Mysterio ROH Si Si Si Spanish TNA WCW WWE WWF http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11678 What's happening everybody? Mark Adam Haggerty back again with some Lucha Libre action courtesy of AAA, Mark Burnett and the El Rey Network. May 5th is a holiday observed in Mexico the United States known as Cinco De Mayo, celebrating the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. […]

What's happening everybody? Mark Adam Haggerty back again with some Lucha Libre action courtesy of AAA, Mark Burnett and the El Rey Network. May 5th is a holiday observed in Mexico the United States known as Cinco De Mayo, celebrating the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This week's episode of Lucha Underground took place one day removed from the annual festivities, and featured a number of subtle clues as to the future of the performers inside the Boyle Heights Temple. What were the most exciting moments of the night, and who walked out of TV with their hands held night? Let's kick things off with this, the 26th edition of "Viva La Lucha Libre."

This week's episode opens much the same as previous installments, inside the darkened office of Dario Cueto. Dario is at his desk, assembling what looks to be some kind of bracket for an upcoming event. In fact, Dario looks like he's putting together a ransom note, which given the vibe of Lucha Underground, isn't the craziest thing he could be doing. Dario is soon joined by two former WWE Superstars-turned-Temple Warriors—Johnny Mundo and the AAA Mega Heavyweight Champion Alberto El Patron. They argue over who is the rightful number one contender to Prince Puma's Lucha Underground Championship. Dario tells both men that they are probably the best in the business, and they will each get their opportunities in due time. Johnny Mundo says that they can all agree that both he and Patron are better suited to challenge for the LU title than "Fernandez." Dario Cueto corrects him: "Hernandez is the number one contender." Dario draws two slips of paper from his current project, one reading Johnny's name and the other con el nombre de Alberto. Dario says that Alberto El Patron will battle Johnny Mundo, and the winner will wrestle Hernandez in a NEW number one contender's match. The two tecnicos stared one another down, as Dario looked on with an evil smirk: "I'm really looking forward to finding out who's the best."

We are back inside the boisterous Lucha Underground Temple! Boyle Heights is a cool little neighborhood—one of hundreds that make up the overall metropolis that is Los Angeles. I use to live in Downtown LA, which is just a quick drive up the street from the Temple itself. Now I'm down in Long Beach, planning to move to Las Vegas so I can cover Global Force Wrestling full time. But you don't want to hear about me, you want to hear about Lucha Underground! Sergio Mendoza is the musical performer once more, or Sergio Mendoz y La Orkesta, to be exact. When this show debuted, I wasn't sure how to take Vampiro and his whole "Canadian Cholo" routine, but I have to say he has been a phenomenal addition to Lucha Underground. While there are certainly production meetings and scripts to follow, nobody is in Vamiro's ear when he's calling a match. And he doesn't pretend to be an expert; on more than one occasion, Vampiro has admittedly defaulted to Matt Striker for technical analysis when he was just overwhelmed by the action. He's the perfect multi-faceted bridge between a litany of different fans, including residents of the WWE Universe, Lucha Libre aficionados, and even Old Schools WCW fans.

The opening bout of tonight's card is already set to begin—a tag team match between members of the Trios Champions and the Crew—with all four participants in and around the ring. Ivelisse is sitting this one out, still on crutches from the events that would eventually lead her to the Trios Championship two weeks ago. Bael is also on the shelf this week, but in his team's corner, pacing behind Mr. Cisco and Castro Cortez. Son of Havoc starts things off against Castro, and quickly brings his partner Angelico into the action against Mr. Cisco. The Crew gains the advantage over their opponents, as Angelico and Son of Havoc are still anything but friends. Ivelisse screams from ringside, "Oh my god! Do I have to do everything around here?" Angelico turns things around with a series of spinning knees against both Castro and Cisco, and attempts his "Fall of the Angels" crucifix power bomb, but to no avail. The Crew was back in command, but Havoc and Angelico were resilient; Angelico flew over the top rope onto his opponents on the outside, while Ivelisse put the kicks to her adversaries behind the officials back. The crowd began to chant "We Want Havoc," as Angelico was on the receiving end of a gang beating by the Crew. Son of Havoc blind tagged his partner, essentially saving him from further torture, and set to work taking on the most dominant faction in Lucha Underground. However, the numbers would eventually prove to be too much for the masked superstar, especially with Angelico still reeling on the outside. Cortez Castro plucked Son of Havoc in the eye, temporarily blinding him, and putting him in the direct trajectory of the "Psycho Realm," a Codebreaker-Flapjack combination by the relentless Crew. Mr. Cisco and Cortez Castro get the win this week over the Trios Tag Team Champions.

Dario Cueto is enjoying a cool beverage in his office with an unknown free agent. He tells him that it "takes real huevos to come back to the Temple after being called out by a man like Texano." The man he's speaking to is none other than Shawn Daivari, formerly of TNA and WWE fame, who appears far more fascinated with his smart phone than he is with the owner of Lucha Underground. It's unclear what this character is all about. He spends countless seconds texting, completely ignoring Dario's comments, until the promotor is forced to be honest: "I'm surprised you want to compete in my temple. I know who you are, you're a very wealthy man. Your family owns half the real estate in Boyle Heights and half the neighborhoods in LA. Why put your body on the line?"Daivari finally looks up from his phone and tells Dario, "You like to watch violence—I like to inflict it."

The next scene is incredibly interesting, as I don't think anyone's been sure about what to think of Konnan since this show began. He claims to have Prince Puma's best interest at heart, but quite often plays the heel side of his character to a more prominent degree. But last week, Konnan held Drago's hand high after Puma defeated Drago in the main event. And this week, Konnan comes at his longtime friend Hernandez with some substantial accusations. "Hernandez," Konnan began, "I don't think it was cool the way you got involved in Puma's match last week." Hernandez was immediately defensive, "Oh you mean the way I saved his title?" Puma was ready to strike the moment he and Konnan came around the lockers, but the "Artist Formerly Known as K-Dawg" was trying to play peace-keeper as best he could. "Tranquilo," he told Puma, almost as if he was saying, "I know how you feel, but why are you going to fight someone in the locker room? Use your head." Konnan told him that they go back a long time, and from where he was sitting—it looked like Hernandez was trying to cost Puma the title. "I don't want to think—," Konnan began. Hernandez cut him off in an instant, "You don't want to think. Cause if I want that belt, I'll make damn sure it's him I beat for it." Konnan told Puma to relax once more, in the same tone, although this time with less restraint behind his left arm. "Now that is something I would like to see." From the shadows, emerged Dario Cueto, "Hernandez, there's been a slight change of plans. In order to be the number one contender, you'll have to beat the winner of Alberto El Patron and Johnny Mundo." Hernandez asked if the Lucha promotor was joking, to which he said no, and informed all three men that Hernandez and Puma would be involved in a tag team contest against King Cuerno and Cage. "If anyone can get you two on the same page," Dario said, turning to Konnan, "It's you."

Melissa Santos is in the squared-circle, under a spotlight when she informs the �Faithful' that the following Lucha is scheduled for one fall. "Currently in the ring, from Beverly Hills…" Huh? Who could this be? Shawn Daivari, otherwise known to the Boyle Heights fans as "Delavar Daivari." For those that might be curious as to where the new stage name comes from, it's interesting to note that there are a number of locales in modern day Iran with Delavar preceding the rest of the city name. I'm not going to go into more than that, because if I do, I won't finish watching Lucha Underground, I'll spend all day on Wikipedia learning about Iran. Big Ryck use to smoke cigars on the way to the ring, and Daivari appears to be sipping a cocktail. While I'm sure he's actually enjoying an iced tea, I wonder if Big Ryck's cigar was actually a vaporizer enclosed in tobacco leafs? Daivari is set to meet Texano Jr. For those that might not remember, Texano was part of a final team in the Trios Tournament, but was distracted and subsequently eliminated, after run-in with a gentleman seated in the front row. Well, that gentleman was the mouthpiece for the Great Khali, he managed Kurt Angle, and even held the TNA X-Division Championship. Texano doesn't wait for his introduction and runs from the backstage area into the ring where he meets Daivari head-on. Within moments, Texano is in possession of his trademark bullwhip and beating Daivari within an inch of his life. Delavar gets loose after smashing a microphone over the skull of Texano and escapes into the dressing room. The crowd went wild for Texano; it seems that this consummate rudo might be gaining a babyface following now that he's making a name for himself in the �States.

The next match is the tag team bout featuring yet another set of uneasy partners, in Hernandez and the Lucha Underground Champion Prince Puma. Their opponents are King Cuerno and Cage, who were partners with Texano during the aforementioned Trios tournament. The team of Puma and Hernandez arrive to the musical sounds of the champion's entrance theme, which appears to bother the incumbent number one contender. Konnan pleads with both men to get along, and within seconds, this match is underway with Hernandez against Cage. There are no real villains in Lucha Underground—save for the Crew, or Dario Cueto himself—and competitors like Cage and Cuerno are afforded the same respectful response from the Temple as the more heroic characters. The �Faithful' fans are not dissimilar to those found down at NXT, or PWG, or even the old ECW, in that they are there on a regular basis and appreciate the ingenuity of the performers they come to see.

The two power house members of either team went at each other with considerable momentum, with Hernandez coming out on top. He extended his hand in an always unwilling, and sarcastic manner to tag his "partner" Prince Puma. Puma took the fight to Cage, with a much more aerial-based offense than the 40+ year old Hernandez. King Cuerno turned things around for his team after a well-placed set of knees caught Puma's standing Shooting Star Press in the breadbasket. Props to Gorilla Monsoon for that colloquialism. Puma continued to be at the mercy of King Cuerno, and ultimately the monstrous Brian Cage. Cage surprised everybody when he hit the Lucha Underground champion with a 619, prompting Matt Striker to say: "Usually someone else answers from that area code." He followed suit with a delayed Jackhammer for a near pinfall over the champion. Cuerno tagged in, giving Puma the split second he needed to tag Hernandez. The veteran demolished King Cuerno and sent Cage flying out of the ring. Puma kicked Cage off the apron, and Hernandez threw Puma down and onto his tag team partner. The big man then hit the ropes and flew over the top, landing on his opponents on the outside. Puma attempted to continue the trend and hit a high-flying assault of his own, but was unable to do so when Hernandez was standing in the way, strutting his stuff. The duo continued to have trouble inside the ring, but their differences actually turned them into a formidable two-man fighting force. King Cuerno was able to get the upper hand on Puma once more and went for his signature suicide dive on Hernandez, but Hernandez pushed Puma in the way. After recovering, Puma questioned Hernandez, to which Hernandez responded with a boot to the face, followed by a crucifix power bomb against the crux of the apron. Konnan had seen enough, and chased Hernandez out of the arena with his wrought iron cane. Cage and Cuerno picked up the victory in a huge upset over the Lucha Underground champion and the number one contender.

The main event this evening is a qualifying match for the number one contender's match against Hernandez next week on Lucha Underground. Alberto El Patron is the first to arrive and receives an uproarious ovation from the Faithful inside the Lucha Underground Temple. He carries with him the AAA Mega Heavyweight Championship, which to me COMPLETELY overshadows the pointless Lucha Underground title, but whatever. His opponent is Johnny Mundo, who doesn't get the EXACT same fanfare, but is very well received, even prompting the fans to chant: "Mundo, Mundo, Mundo, Mundo Mundo."

We head into commercial and once we get back, senior official Marty Elias is calling for the bell and this bout is underway. Johnny and Alberto meet one another in the center of the ring with a classic tie-up, that then turns to a battle for early supremacy in this exceptionally important match. Alberto is the first to earn a considerable advantage over Johnny, hitting him with massive shots to the head and a mean streak that hasn't arisen thus far on the El Rey Network. Vampiro says that he "really likes that Alberto is fighting dirty," alluding to the stiff repartee between combatants. Johnny soon finds his way back to the top of the action with a springboard back kick to El Patron's jaw. He hooked the AAA champion in a sleeper hold, but the Faithful at ringside kept chanting: "El Patron." Alberto threw Johnny to the outside and followed behind with a suicide dive that shoved both competitors into the hard back wall of the Temple. They each struggled to return to the ring before a count out, and proceeded to trade shots, until the former WWE champion landed the former Intercontinental champion with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Johnny fought valiantly, hitting several twists and turns from the top rope, but it would all prove futile when the veteran Patron landed on Johnny following a Super Kick for the win. Following the contest, both men showed signs of mutual respect and admiration for the other, perhaps stemming from Johnny's earlier comments that "they both deserve to be champion more than Hernandez." Alberto El Patron will go on to wrestle Hernandez next week, and the winner will face Prince Puma for the Lucha Underground Championship thereafter.

Before this week's show comes to a close, we're transported to a blackened room with a coffin in the center. Catrina speaks cryptically, and tells somebody named "Pasqual Mendoza" to rise as Mil Muertes. The coffin door raises, the same coffin that Mil was buried in following Grave Consequences with Fenix, and Muertes' eyes open—revealing glistening whites and piercing black pupils.

We are just thirteen episodes away from the season finale, and with no deal in place to continue into 2016, it's currently unclear what lies ahead for the men and women of Lucha Underground. This was another spectacular show—well worth the $200K+ price tag—from the undecided leader in professional wrestling production and cinematics. Until next time, keep checking out Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News for all of my latest work; follow me through social media via @TapeTraderz and on Facebook at “The B+ Players”; and be sure to catch my tri-weekly podcasts available exclusively at Cheap-Heat.com!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-42915/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-42915/#comments Fri, 01 May 2015 02:33:53 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Lucha Libre Lucha Underground http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11451 Viva La Lucha Libre Lucha Underground 4/29/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty What's going down Mexican wrestling aficionados? It's your boy Mark Adam Haggerty back again with a little bit of Luchador reading material to get you through your Thursday, and closer to that much-sought after weekend. Last night was another action-packed episode of Lucha […]

Viva La Lucha Libre
Lucha Underground 4/29/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

What's going down Mexican wrestling aficionados? It's your boy Mark Adam Haggerty back again with a little bit of Luchador reading material to get you through your Thursday, and closer to that much-sought after weekend. Last night was another action-packed episode of Lucha Underground on the El Rey Network, full of fast-paced professional wrestling and star-studded cinematics. It was recently revealed that this first season of Lucha Underground has cost roughly $20M to produce—meaning just one of the 39 episodes can cost as much as $500,000. So if you're ever saying to yourself, "Man, every episode of this show is REALLY good"—well, it kind of has to be. Let's start off by discussing the opening segments from this week's episode of Lucha Underground.

Lucha Underground begins per usual with a montage of recent events including the newly crowned Trios Champions and Drago's victory over Aerostar in their "Best of Five" series. Drago's "unique opportunity" is a chance at Prince Puma's Lucha Underground Championship. But if Drago fails to capture the gold, he will be banned from the Lucha Underground Temple—FOREVER!

"Boys, you know what a lay-up is," Dario asked the Crew? They shook their heads, indicating that they do NOT know what a lay-up is, which in Los Angeles is tantamount to blasphemy. "A lay-up is something that should be very easy. A lay-up is what I gave you last week when I handed you the Trios Title on a single platter. But you couldn't beat two losers and a girl on one leg!" The Crew's faces grew solemn as they looked toward the ground in defeat. He brought them into the darkened cell of Matanza—who Dario revealed as his BROTHER. The gargantuan shadow loomed over Mr. Cisco, Cortez Castro, and Bael, "You screw up again, you can answer in there—to him."

Matt Striker and Vampiro are on hand as always; Roddy Piper discussed Vampiro on his podcast this past Monday, putting him over as a class-act and a highly talented individual. It was news to Hot Rod, however, that Vampiro was the "VOICE" of Lucha Underground. The house band tonight is Sergio Mendoza y La Orkestra; I really like how Lucha Underground introduces gringos like me to multicultural tunes that I might not otherwise listen to. I especially appreciate the way they vary the performers from month to month as well, giving audiences a taste of several artists such as Amandititita and Sergio Arau.

Our first match of the evening pits the fiery Fenix against the insanely impressive Killshot in one-on-one competition. I dare say that Killshot is my favorite performer on the Lucha Underground roster at the moment, which I attribute greatly to his overall look. I said before and I spoke at length on "The Outsiders Edge Podcast," that Killshot may in fact be the first mainstream African American luchador I've ever seen. I've certainly witnessed my share of black dudes wearing masks, but Killshot fully embraces all aspects of wrestling a Mexican style. Both wrestlers engage in their own version of the "Code of Honor," choosing to shake hands before tying up. After a round of back and forth, Killshot earns the upper hand, but Fenix fights back until both men are kicking one another with all of their might. Killshot Irish-whips Fenix into the ropes, but Fenix reverses and Killshot hooks his arms around the top rope. Fenix charged, but Killshot ducked, and sent the Luchador sky high and down across his knees for a vicious Back Stabber. Fenix is able to hang on and catches Killshot square in the face with a big boot from the top rope. He followed through with a spinning back fist, only to lose momentum when Killshot Super kicked him in the jaw. Back and forth the action continued until Fenix hit Killshot with a Tombstone Spike Piledriver, the same move that broke "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's neck. Fenix walks away with the victory.

Dario Cueto approaches Drago in the grimy locker room area of the Lucha Underground Temple. "I knew I'd find you here. You know something Drago," Dario began "You never said �THANK YOU' to me. I've given you the opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to win the Lucha Underground Title." Dario says that he knows Drago is upset about the stipulation, but assures the demonic luchador that it's "tailor-made" for him. "Drago, you have survived time and time again, while your kind have gone extinct," does Dario Cueto think that Drago is ACTUALLY a Dragon? Uh— IS Drago a Dragon?

"You're having second thoughts about ending that man's career," Cueto was now in Puma's portion of the locker room. "Well, I'm here to tell you—sending Drago away is a small price to pay to keep that title. Warriors don't worry about the defeat of their foes. Warriors think of NOTHING but victory. And only a warrior deserves to be my champion." Prince Puma lifted the gold title belt and stared into its shiny face, perhaps wondering if being the champion really IS worth ending Drago's career. Hernandez appeared in the locker room: "We've got a problem." Hernandez wants to know why Dario is booking him in a three way against King Cuerno and Cage, and suggests that it's going to be a two-on-one handicap match. Dario says that he'll give them each a singular motivation, which will inhibit them from establishing any kind of lengthy alliance. Dario tells Hernandez that he is the only reason Puma is still champion—a comment that Puma can clearly hear just five feet away—and is making this a number one contender's match for Prince Puma's world championship. Hernandez says that he likes the way Dario thinks and leaves. Dario smiles after looking over at Puma. He knows what he's doing, and might be trying to light a fire under his CURRENT world champion.

The next match of the evening is a Four Way Dance between Famous B, Ricky Mandel, Vinnie Massaro, and Argenis. A few things before we get into the basics of what went down in this match: these guys have made MIRACULOUS recoveries since falling victim to Pentagon Jr. I suppose Pentagon is being portrayed as the most vicious of the "Home Grown Heels," in contrast to the AAA transplants like Texano, but more on him in a moment. Literally, just a moment. Pentagon was touted on this week's "Piper's Pit" as the most hated member of the Lucha Roster, by showrunner Eric Von Wagner. Also, who the hell is Vinnie Massaro? I missed ONE episode of Lucha Underground since it debuted, and I guess that was the Vinnie Massaro episode. Okay so about Texano—see I told you we'd be back in a moment! This match lasted maybe 15 seconds before Texano Jr. entered the match and laid waste to this Enhancement Talent Four-way with his bare hands. He threw all four participants out of the ring as well as the referee, and gave Famous B an Earth-shaking power bomb.

Texano asks for the mic: "I don't know who the hell that guy was who dared put his hands on me last week," he's speaking in Spanish and referring to Shawn Daivari who was seated at ringside during the finals of the Trios Tournament. "If you want to fight Texano, I invite you to come to the Temple!" He threw his bull rope to the ground and spoke in English for the first time since debuting: "And I will give you the beating of your life!" The Lucha Faithful inside the Temple erupted in favor of Texano Jr., a consummate villain that's earned the respect of the Boyle Heights community.

We're outside for the first time since I can remember, alongside the outer wall of the building. A mysterious bearded individual is standing propped against the graffiti-covered bricks of the sacred �Temple. Dario goes outside to take a cell phone call and the mysterious man comes out from the shadows: "Mr. Cueto! I've been camping out here for a week, just waiting to see you." Dario says that he doesn't have time for autographs, and that if he wants one, he has to request it online. The man wearing a shirt that reads "Aztec Pride" assures Dario that he doesn't want to watch the show—he wants to be part of it. He says that his name is Marty "The Moth" Martinez, and that he has Aztec blood running through his veins. Granted, he looks like a big burly white dude, so I can understand Dario's reservations. Dario asks about the "Moth" moniker, and Marty says that the Moth is his spirit animal, and that the Lucha Underground Temple is his destiny. "Look, this Temple is open to anybody," Dario said, "But if I let you compete, I think you'll just get squashed—like a moth."

We're gearing up for the three way number one contender's match featuring the "Hunter" King Cuero, the "Machine" Cage, and the "Texas Sandstorm" Hernandez. Unlike our opening contest, there will be no handshake between these competitors—instead King Cuero and Cage immediately team up to take on Hernandez. Cage is incredibly impressive, hitting Hernandez with a standing shooting star press—or a moonsault, it was hard to see on which side Cage was standing. Cage and Cuerno's alliance is quick to dissolve as soon as Hernandez leaves them alone to compete on their own. Cage and Cuerno are both very young professional wrestlers, going toe-to-toe with a 42-year old 20-year veteran in Hernandez. Hernandez made his professional debut in November of 1996, and still runs the ropes and splashes his opponents the way he did when he was twenty-three. Matt Striker says that he didn't like Cage when he debuted, but has to admire his dedication to his craft from week-to-week.

Cage and Cuerno seem to get on the same page once more, but Hernandez hits King Cuerno with an "Intestine-Buster"—Matt Striker gets the credit for that one—followed by a funny face that basically said: "Yeah, you just saw that shit." Hernandez really does look amazing, and I'd dare say he looks better now than he did while paired alongside Homicide in LAX. A lot of these big dudes get leaner as they get older, and the result is usually more defined. If titles were given to guys based on the composition of their arms, Hernandez would be a Grand Slam Champion. But just when Cage and Hernandez were ready to finish the fight, Marty "The Moth" Martinez made his unceremonious debut. He hit the ring wearing his bright yellow "Aztec Pride" shirt and let the world know: "MARTY THE MOTH IS HERE!" Cuerno stood and kicked Marty clear across the ring, because apparently he was the only wrestler "heel-enough" to attack a "fan." Marty completely no-sold the drop-kick and was thrown over the top rope by Cage. Marty ran off into the back, and Matt Striker asked that the producers get the cameras off of him and back on the match. Hernandez hit Cuero with his inverted sit-out side-powerslam to become the new number one contender.

Vampiro has a sit-down with the new Trios Champions—Son of Havoc, Ivelisse, and Angelico—who are still having trouble getting on the same side. They argue over who is the team captain, and Angelico says that he won the titles when he leapt across the crowd from the office and into the ring. Ivelisse says that he won't shut up about the leap, and says that it was just a crossbody—"the most basic move in wrestling." Angelico suggests that it was THE crossbody. Havoc says that he thought it was pretty cool, but Ivelisse says that nobody asked him. Vampiro points out that Ivelisse is wearing a cast, but she assures him that "when it comes time to fight, [she'll] fight."

It's time for the main event wherein Drago is challenging the first-and-only Lucha Underground Champion, Prince Puma. If Drago is unable to defeat Puma this evening, he will no longer be allowed to compete in the Lucha Underground Temple. Drago makes his appearance down the darkened staircase under a bright red light, ready to compete in what is perhaps the biggest match of his Lucha Underground career. Prince Puma arrives in the building wearing the Puma pelt over his head, with Konnan following closely behind. We head into a commercial just as Puma is presenting his championship to the �Faithful', and when we return, this match is underway. Senior referee Marty Elias calls for the bell, and Puma and Drago shake hands as a sign of mutual respect. Drago and Puma exchange rough shots and Drago competes like his career is on the line, not allowing the champion any opportunity to follow through on impactful maneuvers. Drago follows through with an array of ground-based quick attacks, much to the chagrin of Konnan, who would rather see Puma react with more viscosity than honor. Drago works the champion into the corner and continues kicking and chopping away, focusing on the wobbly legs of Puma, so as to inhibit his aerial offense. Puma powers back and planchas his opponent; Vampiro says that he's been waiting for the champion to wake this audience up. Back inside the ring, Puma goes for the quick cover and earns a short two-count.

Puma became angry when he was unable to pin the "Last Remaining Dragon," and instead opted to apply a submission hold, that transitioned into a big slam and a near fall. Puma attacks Drago in the corner, but Drago moves out of the way and reverses Puma's advance with a corkscrew attack from the top rope. Drago applies a submission hold that makes Matt Striker say, "We've seen this from Drago and—wait, no we haven't!" He wrapped his legs around Pumas head with added pressure placed on his arms, in sort of a—uh, double-underhook-head-scissor… ROLL ? Puma fought through the pain with Konnan screaming in his face from ringside, and was able to get to the rope with the tip of his foot. Back and forth with a standing shooting star press from Puma and nobody is willing to back down. Puma placed Drago on his shoulders and attempted a GTS-style kick, but Drago landed on his feet and with a wag of the finger said: "No, no, no." Drago attacked Puma and earned a 2 and 9/10ths count from the referee before the champion kicked out.

Vampiro says, "This is so serious man," and you really get the impression that he and Striker are enjoying this match as much as the fans at home. The champion punches Drago in the face, and follows up with a series of kicks and a spinning belly-to-back Orange Crush bomb. He gets a 2 count, and the Lucha Underground Faithful go crazy: "This is awesome, this is awesome…" and Striker wonders if this is the last time Drago will hear those chants. Puma lifts Drago again but inadvertently knocks out the referee; Drago capitalizes and hits Puma with the Canadian Destroyer—interesting, for a Mexican wrestler working in America. He covers Puma but Marty Elias is out. That's when the number one contender showed up; Hernandez sped toward Puma with a ferocious body block—shades of the "Alpha Male" Monty Brown—but missed the champion, and collided with Drago. Hernandez showed no remorse and left the ring, leaving Striker to question who Hernandez was aiming for. Prince Puma didn't want to win the match like that, but succumbed to the pressure from Konnan and the fans inside the Temple, and defeated Drago to retain his title.

After the match, Puma and Konnan both raised Drago's hands on either side of the now BANNED Luchador, as a sign of respect, while the �Faithful chanted: "Thank you Drago." I really liked the way Konnan played this. He told Puma that he can't show mercy during the match, and after it was over, assured his "client" that there wasn't any other option. But still—Konnan raised Drago's hand, proving just what kind of person Konnan is in contrast to the far more diabolical Dario Cueto.
Another thrilling hour of nonstop fun from the same dude that brought you From Dusk til Dawn and Spy Kids . 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.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-42215/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-42215/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:10:55 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Lucha Libre Lucha Underground http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11276 Viva La Lucha Libre Lucha Underground 4/22/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I took Spanish for all four years of high school, and to this day the only phrase I remember in full is: “ВїDonde estas mis pantalones?” Which means “Where are my pants?” It doesn’t come in handy nearly as often as I figured […]

Viva La Lucha Libre
Lucha Underground 4/22/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I took Spanish for all four years of high school, and to this day the only phrase I remember in full is: “¿Donde estas mis pantalones?” Which means “Where are my pants?” It doesn’t come in handy nearly as often as I figured it would during my promiscuous adolescence. But that’s another story for another day—today is Wednesday and my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, which means it’s time to talk about Lucha Underground in this week’s edition of “Viva La Lucha Libre.”

The Trios tournament has come to a climactic conclusion and tonight we will crown the first ever Lucha Underground Trios Tag Team Champions in a triple threat elimination match. Lucha Underground has an amazing assortment of athletes, and regardless of whether we know who wins or not, each team possesses what it takes to earn the inaugural honor. The show kicks off with a 2-minute sequence wherein Black Lotus talks about how she’s been training to take her revenge on Matanza. The segments featuring Lotus are a forthright homage to the sort of cinema made popular by Quentin Tarantino and El Rey-owner Robert Rodriquez. Every detail speaks to the storytelling habits of Tarantino, including the use of silhouettes against colored backdrops, and the female heroine seeking revenge for her fallen loved ones.

The actual hour of wrestling kicks off in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, with the Mexican rocker Sergio Arau serenading the fans inside the Lucha Underground Temple. Vampiro and Matt Striker welcome everybody around the country to another show, and things get started with our opening contest between Sexy Star and her one-time Trios partner Pentagon Jr.

Pentagon defeated and incapacitated their other partner, Super Fly, and even attacked ring announcer Melissa Santos. Despite his villainess ways, Pentagon has his supporters inside the Temple. The match is underway and Sexy gets to work smashing Pentagon’s face into the canvas and working over his legs so that he might stay grounded for the remainder of the match. Sexy chops Pentagon, but is met with a spin kick to the midsection upon a second try. Pentagon is soon in control and Sexy Star is flat on her back. The fans begin to battle chant-for-chant with “Zero Fear-o” going up against “Sexy Star.” As Pentagon continued to lash out against his female opponent, Sexy took the fight back by using the corner to her advantage and earning a near fall in the process. Pentagon waves with one finger towards the camera, as if to say, “No, no, no—you'll have to do better than that.” He toys with The Luchadora, kicking her in the face and showing her no mercy while deciding how to finish her once and for all. His hubris gets the best of him once more when Sexy was afforded the opportunity to climb the ropes and leap from the second turnbuckle—only to be caught in a tumultuous Tiger-Driver. Sexy exited the ring to regain her composure and found success when she’s sped things up against the precision-based martial artist; she ran the ropes and spun around his head at what seemed to be the speed of light, dizzying him down to the mat. Melissa Santos was at ringside cheering for Sexy Star alongside the rest of the audience. Sexy plancha’d onto Pentagon on the outside of the ring, leaving both competitors unable to move for a moment. Pentagon was the first to reenter the ring and answer the referees call, and dropped Sexy with not one—but TWO Power Bomb Lung Blowers. Shawn Davairi of WWE and TNA fame was shown at ringside, looking visibly shaken by the series of maneuvers performed on Sexy by Pentagon Jr. Pentagon went for his signature arm breaker, but Sexy came out of nowhere with a hurricanrana rollup for a fast and furious 1-2-3.

Johnny Mundo is in the graffiti-covered workout facility when he is interrupted by Alberto El Patron. “Always so close to the brass ring, but it remains out of your grasp,” Patron tells Mundo, mocking him for losing to Prince Puma and for never reaching the any level of world championship success.

Lucha Underground is really awesome about giving wrestling matches adequate time; they’ve allotted certain contests the entire hour whereas others have been rightfully relegated to ten minutes. With close to 30 minutes left in the broadcast, we are already on to our main event of the evening—a triple threat elimination match to crown the first ever Lucha Underground Trios Champions. The first team to enter the arena is that comprised of Texano Jr., King Cuerno, and Cage; followed by the mismatched group of Ivelisse, Son of Havoc, and Angelico; and finally the “New Crew” comprised of Big Ryck, Killshot, and Rodney “The Mack” Mack.

Things begin with Killshot, Cage, and Angelico where both of the smaller sized individuals team up on the gargantuan Cage. Cage has other plans however and Irish whips Angelico to the opposite corner, only to be caught with a super kick from Killshot. Killshot and Angelico have a moment to stare one another down before Cage is back in action and performs a double suplex onto his opponents. Cage tags Texano, who immediately puts the boots to Angelico and Killshot. He calls King Cuerno to join in the action and double-team Angelico, much to the chagrin of senior official Marty Elias. Texano has little-to-no trouble dealing with both of his opponents, even taking a moment to confer with his teammates before tagging King Cuerno into the bout. Cuerno stared Killshot down like a deer and attacked him with accurately placed kidney shots with the top of his foot. Angelico wasn't as lucky however and received the business and of Cuerno’s foot directly to the back of his head. Angelico was still in the fight and managed to keep his team alive long enough to tag Son of Havoc, while Killshot tagged Rodney Mack. As soon as Mack entered the ring, he flew back outside over the top rope and onto his opponent. The resident power houses of the nine men—Big Ryck and Cage—squared off one on one inside the ring while the rest of the Luchadors wrestled on the outside. Cage brought Ryck to his knees and proceeded to climb the top rope, where he surprised the audience by performing a moonsault onto the rest of his opponents. He brought Angelico back into the match but was soon clotheslined by Big Ryck. The match continued with Texano and Angelico, but in a strange turn of events, Texano became involved with a “fan” at ringside. He was pushed into Davairi in the front row, who immediately entered the equation and tossed him into a recently-vacated assembly of folding chairs. The action was still going strong inside and around the ring, until Killshot eliminated King Cuerno and the rest of his team.

The match was now down to three on three, with Ivelisse suffering from a twisted ankle on the outside of the ring. Rodney Mack was in complete control of Angelico and made use of quick tags between himself and fellow team member Killshot. Big Ryck eventually found his way into the match, landing huge power moves on the already injured Angelico, who took the brunt of the punishment for this entire match.  Ryck hit Angelico with a huge suplex followed by a flying elbow by Rodney Mack. Angelico catapulted both Ryck and Mack to the outside so that he might go one-on-one with the equally-sized, yet lightning quick Killshot. As Angelico rolled out of the ring, Son of Havoc came to the rescue with huge chops to the masked Killshot. The action spilled to the outside when Ivelisse climbed the ropes and cross-bodied both Ryck and Mack. Meanwhile, as Havoc suicide dove through the ropes, Angelico reentered the fray against Killshot. Angelico hit Killshot with his “Fall of the Angels”—modified crucifix power bomb into the corner—for a decisive victory.

Following the bell, Dario Cueto informed the winning team of Angelico, Havoc and Ivelisse, that they didn't win the titles: "Because there’s one more team in the tournament." The hand-picked trios team chosen by Cueto was none other than The Crew. We went into a commercial and once we returned, the action was underway with the Crew taking advantage over the weakened state of their opponents. Vampiro and Striker reminded the audience at home of how dastardly this team could be, specifically citing the way in which they burned the eye of Big Ryck. They continued the carnage—inside the ring, on the floor, and on the concrete steps heading into the crowd. Ivelisse was stranded in the ring with an injured leg, in a two-on-one situation against Cortez Castro and Mr. Cisco. Havoc made the save, but the Crew maintained their edge via nefarious instruments such as kendo sticks. Angelico and Bael battle high above the Lucha Underground Temple with the spotlight shining on the action. Cisco then suplexed Havoc off of the elevated guard rail in the audience, but Havoc came back with a moonsault of his own from the very same guard rail. That’s when things went absolutely INSANE!!

From out of nowhere, Angelico flew from his 20-foot high perch above the crowd—over the audience—and into the ring. Literally… The craziest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Like… Let me break literary kayfabe… FOR REAL. It was bananas—the kind of shit you hear about but can never seem to find on YouTube. The final moments of the bout began to unfold with Ivelisse now in possession of the kendo stick. She “directed traffic” as Striker so eloquently described, pointing her opponents to either corner so that they might finish this match with a little bit of finesse. Angelico flew from his side with a double-foot stomp; Son of Havoc delivered his own Shooting Star Press.

“And here is your winner,” Melissa Santos explained excitedly, “The first ever Lucha Underground Trios Champions—the team of Ivelisse, Angelico, and Son of Havoc!”

The future of Lucha Underground is unclear, but what is evident as of now is the popularity of one of the most successful third party promotions since Extreme Championship Wrestling. I thought this was a very good episode, as is the norm for this fantastically-produced hour of professional wrestling featuring some of the most exciting acts in the industry. The final two matches were absolutely incredibly, and I really can’t say enough about that death defying dive by Angelico. Join me next time as we begin counting down the weeks to the season—or potentially SERIES—finale of Lucha Underground in August. Until then you can follow me on Twitter @TapeTraderz or on Facebook at “The B+ Players.”

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-31815/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-31815/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2015 03:38:08 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Lucha Libre Lucha Underground http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10591 Viva La Lucha Libre Lucha Underground 3/18/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Welcome one and all to another exciting installment of "Viva La Lucha Libre!" My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm back with you once again to discuss what went down on this week's episode of Lucha Underground. Before we start, I would […]

Viva La Lucha Libre
Lucha Underground 3/18/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Welcome one and all to another exciting installment of "Viva La Lucha Libre!" My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm back with you once again to discuss what went down on this week's episode of Lucha Underground. Before we start, I would like to send my most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of El Hijo del Perro Aguayo. Hijo was an extraordinary talent who worked with Lucha Underground's sister promotion, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, before losing his life in a tragic freak-accident on March 20, 2015. This article and my first episode of the "B+ Players Podcast" are dedicated to his everlasting memory. But as the old saying says—the show must go on.

The in-house performer Amandititita is back with the soulful sounds of Southern California combined with a Baja blend, perfectly befitting the personality of Lucha Underground. Vampiro welcomes the world-wide audience to the Temple and thanks Amandititita for her personal contribution to the melting pot that is Lucha Libre competition. Melissa Santos is on hand per usual, and introduces the opening contest—the third match in a best of five series between Aerostar and Drago. Aerostar enters the arena first, and makes his way down the stairs to much jubilation as he hopes to break the current 1-1 tie. Drago comes down the stairs in a very theatrical fashion just as always, flapping his tongue and staring down his brightly-colored opponent. The bout begins with a series of arm drags and counter attacks that allow each individual a chance to scout the match early on. Drago is the first to gain an upper hand by applying a beautiful crafted figure-four leg lock to the golden-clad Aerostar. This feud has been described as the battle of "Heaven versus Hell," with Aerostar soaring through the sky and Drago appearing quite Devilish. Aerostar gets back on the offense, and both luchadors take each other through their paces as neither man is looking to trail in the overall best-of-five. Drago attempts a pin fall but achieves only two, and the crowd starts chanting for the dragon-headed anti-hero. Aerostar escaped to the outside, and when Drago chased behind he was caught off guard by Aerostar's forward momentum. Back inside the squared-circle and the pace rocks back and forth until both men catch each other in dueling cross bodies, grounding them each to a count of four. Aerostar hits Drago with a huge springboard drop kick sending Drago out and onto the floor; Aerostar capitalizes with a high-angle plancha attack, leaving both bodies broken on the outside of the ring. The referee counts eight before Aerostar reenters, and nine until Drago meets the count. Drago is back in command once inside the ring and hits Aerostar with a DDT variation using the top rope for leverage. A series of hard shots from Aerostar and a running attack proves fruitless when Drago plants the smaller superstar with a deadly STO. Drago attempts to hit Aerostar from the top rope, but when he moves out onto the lip of the apron, he is met by his aerially-inclined opponent. Aerostar hits Drago with a double foot stomp from the top rope to the outside and victory seems well within his reach, until Drago is able to summon some sort of hidden strength to counteract the actions of Aerostar. Now it was time for Drago to fly; he sent �Star soaring to the outside and followed up with a devastating suicide dive which sent the Temple Faithful into a frenzy. Drago hit Aerostar with a running sit-down powerbomb in the corner of the ring and attempted to finish his opponent with an attack from the air. Aerostar countered the dreaded Drago and used his keen sense of balance to his advantage, walking the ropes and spring-boarding to victory. He launched himself from the center of the top rope for the 1-2-3 and a 2-1 advantage over Drago. Following the fall, both luchadors met in the center of the ring for a show of respect by shaking hands.

There have been some very cool Konnan vignettes in recent weeks, and this episode is no different as it includes a metaphorical piece wherein the "Mexican Hulk Hogan"—even though he's Cuban—relates wrestling to a game of chess. "Each move; each counter; each attack—they're all just different chapters in the play of combat," the video then switched from a two-toned chess board to highlights of Konnan's feud with Cage. "See, life's battles don't always go to the stronger—or faster—person. The key to victory in this fight, in this new chapter, is to put oneself in the perfect position to protect El Rey—the �King.' Cause sooner or later, the one who wins is the one who believes he can." The montage fades out to a park setting in downtown Los Angeles where Konnan sits by at a bench, explaining the "Art of War" to his protégé, Prince Puma.

The next match on tonight's stacked card is a no disqualification three-on-one elimination handicap match featuring the Crew against Big Ryck. Ryck seeks retribution after presumably losing his eye at the hands of his former team mates. The Crew is already in the ring and wielding kendo sticks as they wait for their former leader, who descends the stairs smoking a cigar and wearing his now trademark eyepatch. He circles the ring and enters via the steel steps, unafraid to stare his opponents down without support. He immediately mounts a considerable offense, but it's not long before Cisco, Castro and Bael are able to take the big man down. He tries to regain his vertical presence and pushes the trio of Latino cruiserweights away, almost in vain as their onslaught continues nonetheless. No matter how �Big' Ryck might be, he can't compete with three bloodthirsty jackals willing to do anything in this no holds barred bout. Bael picks up a chair from ringside and strategically places it between the top and middle rope in the corner of the ring, in hopes of combining its steel surface with Ryck's skull. Ryck is ready to rock and roll by this point however and gains an upper hand long enough to turn the tables on Bael, sending him face-first into the corner and capitalizing with a kendo stick. Big Ryck pins Bael and it's now 2-on-1 with Mr. Cisco and Cortez Castro reeling from Ryck's attack. Their team work proves absolutely fruitless when Castro is pinned in a matter of moments, leading Mr. Cisco to walk away and forfeit the remainder of the match. Sexy Star has other plans however, and appears at the top of the steps and kicks Cisco down and back toward the ring. Big Ryck sets a steel chair in the center of the ring and lifts Mr. Cisco—who's wearing the Crimson mask—for a debilitating chokeslam into the assembled steel chair. Big Ryck gets the victory after beating all three members of the Crew

Back from commercial and Matt Striker has an important announcement; according to the man Jim Ross likes to call "Pro Wrestling's Eddie Haskell," next week's edition of Lucha Underground will feature TWO championship matches. For the first time in Lucha Underground history, the AAA Mega Heavyweight title will be on the line as Alberto El Patron defends against El Texano Jr. in a Texas Bullrope Match. In addition, the Lucha Underground Championship will be on the line when Prince Puma defends against the number one contender Cage in a "Boyle Heights Street Fight."

With more than 20-minutes left in the program, Melissa Santos is all ready to introduce the main event of the evening—a casket match featuring the man from "beyond the grave," Mil Muertes against the luchador who captured Catrina's affection, Fenix. This bout isn't referred to as a coffin or casket match however, but as "Grave Consequences." An assortment of ghoul-faced pallbearers and mourners escort the funerary box down to ringside, in what is perhaps the most well produced pageantry I've ever seen associated with a casket match. Lucha Underground has been phenomenal with incorporating traditional Mexican practices with the already widely accepted Lucha Libre style of wrestling. Vampiro explains the basics of what happens south of the border during November's "Day of the Dead," before the theatrics come to an end and the introductions may commence. The first luchador down the steps is Mil Muertes, who gets a decent response from the crowd as he has become something of a tragic character in recent weeks. Away to the commercial and once we return, Melissa Santos begins to introduce Muertes' opponent Fenix, who appears inside the Temple with Catrina following close behind. Muertes wastes no time and springs to the outside of the ring with a superheavyweight suicide dive onto Fenix. Fenix tries to fend him off, but the pure anger resonating inside Mil Muertes is enough to keep him in control. Fenix is tossed inside the ring and Muertes follows behind at breakneck speed. The Mil Muertes we've seen in recent months—since his debut really—has been a slow, methodical Mexican-version of the Undertaker. But tonight, Ricky Banderas is shining through that black mask with really fine work that makes me wonder, how long it might be until Mil Muertes drags the Lucha Underground championship back down to the depths of hell. Fenix is able to return the action in a matter of moves, grounding Muertes and following with a high-angle plancha to the casket-side of the ring. Mil maintains the edge however, until Fenix hits Muertes with his own Flatlining finisher against the mahogany exterior of the casket. Fenix calls for his signature spot and runs across the ring and dives toward Muertes, who lifts the casket to meet Fenix face-first. Almost knocked out, Fenix was unable to defend himself, leaving Mil open to do something I've never seen before. He walked toward the turn post on the outside of the ring and proceeded to remove the bottom turnbuckle—not the PAD—the actual turnbuckle. This caused the entire bottom rope to drop, leaving the squared-circle with just a top and middle rope. Mil took the rock-solid turnbuckle and held it high, preparing to deliver the final blow necessary to tuck Fenix away inside the casket. Mil followed one unprecedented move with another by partially removing Fenix's mask, exposing his forehead, and drilling the turnbuckle spike directly into his skull. Once again blood stained the canvas of the Lucha Underground ring as profuse portions of cranberry-colored bodily fluids poured from Fenix's face. "He wants to kill this kid," exclaimed Vampiro! Certainly Muertes had a score to settle, as he let the lightweight luchador fall from the ring, only so that he could continue torturing him up on the "unforgiving concrete steps of the temple." Fenix ran up ahead of Mil, hoping to gain an advantage, but was upset by the vicious tenacity of the former AAA Mega Heavyweight Champion. He threw Fenix into the solid steel beam that holds the Temple together and then threw him over the safety barricade above the studio audience.

Both Mil Muertes and Fenix were now high in the air, positioned atop Dario Cueto's office; the spotlight followed the luchadors as it seemed Fenix had zero motivation, while Mil was bursting with energy. Muertes clutched his smaller-statured opponent, preparing for a vertical suplex variation from their 30-foot perch. He motioned for the standing-room-only fans inside the Temple to move out of the way so that he could have a clear landing, but was countered by the fledgling Fenix before any further damage could be done. Fenix struggled to pull Mil to the ground, and reversed their stance so that maybe he might be the one to suplex Muertes. Mil proved to be too dominant however, and hit Fenix with a cold and calculated right hand, knocking him onto his back. Fenix—perhaps fearing the inevitable—started his descent down and away from Muertes, but the monster from the underworld followed close behind. They went down to the broadcast area where Vampiro and Matt Striker jumped from their seats awaiting a powerbomb through the table. Muertes did hit a power bomb, but it wasn't enough to break the table—only enough to shatter the monitors. Now that he'd achieved a video game-like level of offense on his bloodied and battered rival, Mil Muertes set his sights on finishing the match once and for all. He retrieved the seemingly light-weight casket and brought it into the ring where he put it on an angle in the corner. Fenix came from behind and attacked Muertes with a big forearm smash and prepared for a running attack of his own, only to be thrown backwards into the casket by the menacing Muertes. Fenix fought to keep his mask in place after creating a human-sized dent in the aluminum casket, and kicked Muertes in the face with a definitive superkick. He climbed the ropes hoping to find the key to success, but found only a top rope codebreaker by Mil Muertes. While the crowd chanted "Lucha, Lucha, Lucha," Fenix lifted himself from the mat—a stream of blood connecting his face to his shredded mask and then to the soiled canvas, already covered in his DNA. Mil hit the outside of the ring along with the casket and once again, dragged Fenix into the audience. Fenix was still secreting pints of blood onto himself and Muertes as the entire crowd ran from their fight—afraid of both the blood and the groundbreaking chair shot that send Mil over the protective barrier. Fenix stood on the corner of the barricade with his mask haphazardly hanging from his head, and jumped over the audience and onto Mil Muertes. They both went careening into the funeral flowers that accompanied the casket, sending a burst of red roses into the air, mixing with the already brightly colored face of Fenix. Senior referee Marty Elias checks on both individuals as the first man to reach his feet will be in control. Mil meets Fenix head on and the two exchange blows until Fenix ducks a lariat and Mil accidentally clotheslines Catrina. With Mil momentarily distracted, Fenix attempted to gain the upper hand and brought the bout back inside the ring. Mil showed no mercy however, and proceeded to bite down on the open wound of Fenix, through the gaping hole in his desecrated mask. Mil was now on the lip of the apron trying to suplex Fenix onto the top of the casket, when Catrina returned to her feet and opened the wooden box. Fenix saw the open casket and blocked Mil's offensive attempt, returning with a series of hard slaps to Mil's head and ears. With the monster reeling, Fenix was able to climb the ropes and hit his wretched rival with a double-foot stomp to the back of Mil's head, dropping him deep down into the darkness of the casket. Catrina slammed the casket door, helping to earn a very hard fought victory for Fenix.

I was convinced that TNA Impact had the monopoly on gratuitous violence this week, but Lucha Underground's main event was a brutal bout that I wasn't expecting whatsoever. In addition to being my favorite Mil Muertes match since Lucha' debuted, this might be my favorite casket match—EVER. And that's saying something when this type of contest has been so synonymously linked to one man for over twenty years. I'm so excited about the direction professional wrestling is heading with the advent of so many "third-party promotions," and look forward to what Lucha Underground has in store for the rest of the season. Until next week this has been Mark Adam Haggerty, reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat, follow me on Facebook by LIKING "The B+ Players" and look for my upcoming podcast by the same name.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-31115/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-31115/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2015 05:18:40 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Angelico Argenis Brian Cage Cage Catrina ECW Fenix Ivelisse Ivelisse Velez Johnny Mundo Josh Barnett King Cuerno Konnan Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Matt Striker Melissa Santos Mil Muertes MMA NJPW NWA Pentagon Jr. Prince Puma Son of Havoc Vampiro WCW http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10412 Viva La Lucha Libre Lucha Underground 3/11/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I was walking down the street in Beverly Hills just yesterday morning when what should I see, but a group of teenagers wearing gray and black "Lucha Underground shirts." Viva la Lucha Revolucion! Ladies and gentlemen my name is Mark Adam Haggerty coming […]

Viva La Lucha Libre
Lucha Underground 3/11/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I was walking down the street in Beverly Hills just yesterday morning when what should I see, but a group of teenagers wearing gray and black "Lucha Underground shirts." Viva la Lucha Revolucion! Ladies and gentlemen my name is Mark Adam Haggerty coming at you from the sunny and sandy beaches of Southern California where I am literally sitting on the edge of the Pacific Ocean with my feet in the water. I'm here with you as always to break down the comings and goings of Lucha Underground on the El Rey Network, so without further ado, let's talk about the good and bad from this week's episode.

The show begins with a series of flashbacks to previous weeks involving several luchadors and their already established programs. Pentagon Jr. is still praying to an unknown leader; Ivelisse and Angelico prepare for intergender competition with Son of Havoc as referee; and King Cuerno is still on the hunt for his most sought after prize—Johnny Mundo. The crowd inside the Temple is just as electric as always, ready for some of the highest impact wrestling action in America. Amandititita is performing once again, getting the �Faithful psyched for the opening contest as Vampiro and Matt Striker introduce ring announcer Melissa Santos.

Pentagon Jr. enters the arena amidst a sea of fog and strobe lights. The crowd chants "Zero Fear" in Spanish, referencing Pentagon's own mantra. Argenis makes his way down toward the ringside area—we haven't seen much of Argenis since his initial debut with Lucha Underground, but he'll prove to be Pentagon's greatest challenge in over a month. Pentagon's highly impressive skill set gets the best of him when he immediately rolls into a kick by Argenis, allowing the smaller luchador the opportunity to send him spinning with an airplane head scissors. As is the name of the game in Lucha Underground, both men spill to the outside of the ring where Argenis capitalizes with a high-risk aerial assault. Argenis brings his opponent back into the squared-circle, where Pentagon Jr. jumps up to meet his attack. Back in action again, Pentagon turns the tables, only for Argenis to reverse into a hurricanrana from the top rope. The camera leaves the ring for a moment to show the most recent celebrities in attendance, including wrestler, MMA-fighter, and NJPW broadcaster Josh Barnett. Argenis fights valiantly but is bested by the ruthless Pentagon Jr. who achieves victory after employing a litany of offensive maneuvers, sealing the deal with his dreaded arm-hook submission. Following the bell, Pentagon reminded us who he is—he is "ZERO FEAR!"

Back from the break and Catrina is tip-toing around the locker room where Fenix is contemplating the current love-triangle threatening to end his career. She emerges from the shadows and warns Fenix what he's up against in a warrior like Mil Muertes. She claims the only way to defeat him—is to bury him. The backstage segments continue with another vignette highlighting the ongoing feud involving Konnan, Prince Puma and Cage. Konnan is working toward forging a solid steel cane that he then displays by breaking cinder blocks with a single swing.

Melissa Santos introduces the South African sensation Angelico who waits patiently for his opponent, the "baddest bitch in the building," Ivelisse. She enters the arena dressed like a boss, with a scarf stretched across her face, playing to the cameras and fans inside the Temple. Finally, Santos introduces the special guest referee Son of Havoc. Matt Striker and Vampiro both act as if this wasn't already announced, but I'll chock that up to bad broadcasting, not poor producing. Havoc enters the ring and right away tells Ivelisse that he's prepared to call this down the middle. The same as last time, Angelico is unprepared to deal with wrestling a woman, instead opting to duck her kicks and reverse the rest of her offense. Eventually they're both forced to engage in a meaningful way which leads both luchadors to an advantage. Ivelisse twists and turns from the top rope to the outside where Angelico is thrust into the front row of the audience. Ivelisse enters the ring, waiting for Angelico, and gives Son of Havoc—the referee—a high five. The fans grow angry with the heelish tendencies of both Ivelisse and the official, backing Angelico as he gains the offensive in whatever way he can. Angelico lifted Ivelisse into a suplex lasting a 5-count from the crowd until the former developmental Diva turned the momentum in her favor by applying a full body submission hold. Angelico gets out of the hold and signals for his finishing maneuver, a variation of the razor's edge, but Havoc drags Ivelisse out and to safety. Angelico kicked Ivelisse in the head, knocking her out and proceeded to make the pin in a very provocative way, forcing Havoc to make the count.

Mil Muertes is alone in the locker room staring into a mirror. He lifts his head and pulls his mask on. Catrina's voice is all that becomes audible, reminding Mil of his troubled past and promising a match with "grave consequences." Next week Fenix will go one-on-one with Mil Muertes in a "Coffin Match."

The main event is already set to take place with the first-ever cage match in Lucha Underground history. Melissa Santos explains the rules and three ways to win—pin, submission, or climbing out. King Cuerno enters the Lucha Underground Temple to a regal reception from the Temple Believers. He carries the buck head crown per usual, placing it on the corner turn post. His opponent is the former ECW champion Johnny Mundo, who can't seem to break away from his dumb "Shaman of Sexy" pose and fur coat, no matter how ridiculous they look. The cage is similar to the cages of old, used in the NWA and WCW, where the top only reaches 8-10 feet in height. Senior official Marty Elias is inside the steel cage as the action starts kicking up right from the bell. This match is quite different from the majority of bouts we've seen in LU since its inception; most Lucha Underground competition involves a number of high spots to-and-from the outside of the ring. Mundo is the first to leap from an elevated position, hitting the steel cage in its corner and spring boarding back onto King Cuerno. Johnny Mundo is far more experienced in this sort of match, but it doesn't take long for King Cuerno to find his bearings and gain the upper hand. Cuerno climbed the cage and stepped to the center, off of which he leapt onto Mundo with a vicious splash. Neither man is keen to escape the ring just yet as their feud is based on pure hatred, rather than competition. Johnny Mundo proceeds to take a header directly into the bottom of the cage, and Cuerno rakes his face across its grating. Cuerno is the first to try and escape, pointing toward the top of the cage and started his ascent toward victory. Johnny Mundo sprung back into action, stopping the "King" and struggling to keep the offense. Johnny tries for a series of pins—because why would a good guy escape the cage—but to no avail.

This show is phenomenal with booking these kinds of matches sans commercial breaks, and that's because the owner of the network—Robert Rodriguez—is heavily involved with the production of Lucha Underground. Cuerno continues trying to escape the ring while Johnny tends to rely more on pin falls or submissions to attain victory. When Johnny does try and escape, Cuerno comes back with a powerbomb off the cage and down to the floor. The crowd begins chanting "this is awesome," standing on their feet and competing with alternating rounds of "Johnny Mundo" and "Let's Go Cuerno." King Cuerno goes for the win, but Johnny stops him by attempting to pull off his mask. Cuerno starts to lose his mind, as King Cuerno's face has legitimately NEVER been seen—that's a shoot. They both fall from the top of the cage and Marty Elias begins the double count, reaching seven before they can get to their knees and begin to rise to meet the other's punches. Johnny switches from punches to forearms and sends Cuerno into the steel cage. They trade shots on one another, each using the steel as an inanimate tag team partner. A huge European uppercut by Cuerno and Mundo is on the ground, but not for long. Mundo hits Cuerno with a big Spear, leveling both individuals until Elias is forced to make his count again. Johnny hits his feet after the count of six, and starts to climb the cage in the same corner as the buck head mask. Vampiro points out the danger of the buck's antlers in such close proximity to the action; Johnny slams Cuerno's face into the cage, sending Cuerno down onto the mat below. Johnny is inches from victory by jumping to the outside but instead decides to jump INTO the ring, hitting King Cuerno with a variation on Jeff Hardy's "Whisper in the Wind" for the 1-2-3. Johnny Mundo closes out Lucha Underground by climbing the cage and raising his fist with the rhythm of the crowd's roar: "Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!"

Another excellent edition of a television series that appears to be growing by the week. After listening to several interviews with producers and talent alike, courtesy of "The Wrestling Compadre Slamcast" on the Afterbuzz Network, I'm more excited than ever to see what's in store in the coming weeks, months, and even YEARS ! Until next time this has been Mark Adam Haggerty, reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat and to follow me on Facebook by LIKING "Mark Haggerty's Pro Wrestling."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/unlucky-thirteen-6-murder-beyond-the-mat/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/unlucky-thirteen-6-murder-beyond-the-mat/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2015 02:55:28 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Top Lists AWA Brian Michael McGhee Bruiser Brody Carlos Colon Chavo Guerrero Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chris Adams Chris Benoit Dino Bravo Douglas Whitton ECW ESPN Extreme Championship Wrestling Invader #1 Jimmy Snuka Jose Huertas Gonzales Juana Barraza La Dama del Silencio Lucha Libre Mass Transit Incident nancy Benoit New Jack Scott Hall Steve Austin Tony Atlas Verne Gagne Vince McMahon WCCW WCW Woman World Championship Wrestling World Class Championship Wrestling WWE WWF http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9593 (Un)Lucky Thirteen #6 Murder Beyond the Mat Written by Mark Adam Haggerty WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND CONTENT. READER DISCRETION ADVISED. I grew up in a small town on the east coast spanning no more than three miles across; where everybody knew everybody for better or worse, and the biggest threat to our simple way of […]

(Un)Lucky Thirteen #6
Murder Beyond the Mat
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND CONTENT. READER DISCRETION ADVISED.

I grew up in a small town on the east coast spanning no more than three miles across; where everybody knew everybody for better or worse, and the biggest threat to our simple way of life was driving while drunk and flunking out of college. Then in 2006 a middle-class suburban family was responsible for drowning their teenage daughter's newborn baby in the toilet just moments after it was born—we discovered that evil was all around us, and began to lock our doors each night. Vince McMahon and bookers around the planet would have audiences believe that supernatural entities such as the Undertaker and Kane represent malevolence in its darkest form, but it's a different sort of �Demon' that takes control once the cameras stop rolling. With all due respect to those who've passed from any number of ailments, today's Unlucky Thirteen is counting down the most horrific events in wrestling history—this is "Murder Beyond the Mat."

13. Scott Hall's Self Defense
We begin with a tragic case of self-defense that has haunted one WWE Hall of Famer for over thirty years. Before he was Razor Ramon, Scott Hall was an average wrestler traveling the territories from the AWA up in Minnesota down through the southernmost reaches of the nation. In 1983 after working an event in Florida, Scott was enjoying his evening at a local nightclub in Orlando, when a scuffle in the parking lot turned deadly. What had begun as a drunken skirmish resulted in the second party drawing a pistol. With very little time to think, his reflexes and instinct to survive kicked in, prompting Scott to wrestle the gun away from the assailant. He managed to retrieve the weapon but in turn fired, fatally wounding the man right then and there. Scott Hall was brought up on second degree murder, but the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence. In 2011 after years of speculation, Scott Hall came clean and admitted the ordeal during an ESPN interview.

12. Jimmy Snuka in Lehigh Valley
I guess �83 was a big year for accidental murder, because it was on May 10, 1983 that Nancy Argentino was pronounced dead after spending the evening with her boyfriend, WWF Superstar "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Snuka was performing that evening at the Lehigh Valley Agricultural Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania where after the event, he checked into a local motel with his girlfriend. Several hours later Snuka called 9-1-1 when Nancy was "non-responsive." She arrived at the hospital where she was declared dead. Doctors and forensic analysts determined Argentino died of "undetermined cranial cerebral injuries," while coroners found dozens of cuts and bruises consistent with domestic abuse. Although the parents of Nancy Argentino won a default judgment against Snuka, the case was never closed. The case was officially reexamined in 2013, and sent to a grand jury in 2014 but "Superfly" is still a free man.

11. Four Justifiable Homicides, Acquitted for Assault & Battery
ECW was rough but—okay, check this out: “I don’t care if the motherfucker dies! He’s white. I don’t like white people. I don’t like people from Boston. I’m the wrong nigga' to fuck with." I figure the best way to begin is to examine the type of person we're dealing with. Jerome Young was a professional bounty hunter before he became a wrestler; with four justifiable homicides to his credit, the "Gangsta" known on the street and in the ring as "New Jack" is one of the most violent performers in wrestling history. While the court documents are "sealed," keeping us from discovering the truth behind who �Jack justifiably killed, we have no shortage of evidence as to what sort of depravity he's willing to sink, should he be so inclined. In 2003 �Jack was involved in an independent hardcore match against 69-year old Gypsy Joe. Joe head-butted New Jack forcefully in the nose, and no-sold the majority of �Jack's offense. So what is a Gangsta' to do other than dismantle an elderly man in a very ruthless, very real way? New Jack left Gypsy Joe in a pile of his own blood while the fans at ringside were thirsty for New Jack's. Perhaps the more famous instance in which �Jack gained notoriety was the "Mass Transit Incident," in which he assaulted an untrained 17-year old during an impromptu tag team match. When the fans in New England jeered the actions of �Jack, he responded with the aforementioned quote. Who's to say how many people New Jack has murdered , but it's safe to say nobody would want to wind up on his bad side as he's already been acquitted once.

10. "The Gentleman" Chris Adams
The young fans of sports entertainment might not recognize some of the names on today's countdown, and perhaps that's for the better. But the "Gentleman" Chris Adams was an iconic figure during the waning days of the territory system, and was responsible for training several Texas legends including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Chris Adams was born in England but made his name at the Dallas Sportatorium with Frit Von Erich and World Class Championship Wrestling. In April of 2000 a semi-retired Chris Adams was found unconscious alongside his girlfriend Linda Kaphengst in their Texas home, both had overdosed on a combination of alcohol and GHB. Chris made a full recovery while Linda unfortunately died; in 2001 Chris Adams was indicted for manslaughter, but wouldn't make it to trial. On October 7, 2001 Adams was at home in Waxahachie, Texas having drinks with a fellow independent performer by the name of Brent Parnell. The two began to argue and when things became physical, a gun was introduced by Parnell. The trigger was pulled and the "Gentleman" Chris Adams was mortally wounded, shot point blank in the chest. Police arrived and Parnell admitted to shooting Adams, but was later acquitted after it was determined self-defense.

9. Verne Gagne & Helmut Gutmann
Verne Gagne will forever be remembered as the legendary founder of the AWA, a multiple-time world champion, and an amateur worthy of Olympic contention. But unfortunately, the twilight years of Verne's life have been marred by unforeseeable controversy. In 2009 Verne Gagne was living in a retirement facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. A former multi-millionaire living in his own palatial estate, Verne was now a victim of his own mind after succumbing to crippling bouts of dementia. On January 26th, 2009 Verne was sitting at a table alongside fellow community resident Helmut Gutmann. Without but minor provocation, Gagne employed his amateur background and body slammed the 97-year old onto the cold hard floor—Gutmann would later die of his injuries on Valentine's Day. Investigators said that it wasn't a wrestling hold, "but more of a shove and push." On March 12th it was announced that due to Verne's current mental state, he would not be charged with murder but would be remanded to the custody of his daughter and her family.

8. The Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club
If you've never heard of Ion Croitoru then you aren't alone, as he was more commonly known as K-9, an enhancement talent for the WWF during the 1990s. Croitoru will never be regarded as a great in-ring performer, but will go down for eternity as the only professional wrestler who ever blew up a police station—in real life. When he wasn't working for Vince McMahon, Ion Croitoru was the president of the Hamilton, Ontario chapter of the "Satan's Choice Motorcycle Gang." Before you start assuming ol' K-9 is just another "Wild Hog," then think again; in 1996 he and his fellow gang members planted explosives in the Hamilton police station and caused nearly $133K in damage. Then in 2006 lawyers Lynn and Fred Gilbank were shot execution style with a shotgun for their part in relocating a witness involved in a "Satan's Choice" trial. Prosecutors believed the hit was perpetrated by Croitoru himself. Ion was brought up on charges of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, but the charges were dropped later that year after several pieces of evidence mysteriously vanished—including witness testimony.

7. The Mafia Killed Dino Bravo
You might remember him as the only WWF Canadian Champion in history, coming to the ring each night with either Frenchie Martin or Jimmy Hart proudly displaying the blue and white of the Quebec flag. But Dino Bravo wasn't French-Canadian as many might have suspected, he was an Italian immigrant making his home in Vimont, Laval, Quebec. Like many highly visible Italian stars of his day, Dino Bravo became entrenched with the Mafia, even marrying into the family of Montreal Crime Boss Vic Cotroni. Dino became involved with a cigarette smuggling operation that apparently infringed on some neighboring territories. On March 10th, 1993 Dino Bravo was found dead in his home watching hockey, the victim of 17 gunshot wounds—ten to the torso, and seven to the head.

6. Developmental Defect
The most recent name on our countdown is a former developmental athlete by the name of Brian Michael McGhee. If you don't remember Brian McGhee, he appeared briefly under the ring name "The Future" DT Porter in Central Florida. Unfortunately for Brian, he was let go from his developmental deal which reportedly sent him on a downward spiral into a catastrophic depression. On the morning of July 24, 2013, a witness reported seeing McGhee walk up to the apartment of his girlfriend Bianca McGhaughey. When McGhaughey opened the door, McGhee was said to have "punched her" in the stomach, leading her to scream in pain. The witness ran off to call the police and upon returning to the scene of the crime, found Bianca McGhaughey struggling to breathe outside of her home, with a knife stuck in her stomach. McGhee hopped in his Pontiac Grand Prix and hit the road, leading police on a high speed chase through the downtown Tampa area. While eluding the officers, Brian called his mother and sister and admitted what he had done. He then confessed his crime to police on hand with his family, who insisted he stop the car before anybody can get hurt. Before he could heed the detectives' advice, Brian Michael McGhee crashed the car and was captured by the pursuing officers.

5. The Yakuza and a Japanese Icon
The most celebrated sports figure in the history of Japan is the world-renowned professional wrestler Rikidozan. Rikidozan was a Korean-born Japanese wrestler who also dabbled in sumo, and managed to take an entire nation by storm. His celebrity grew through the 1950s and early �60s to mythical heights transcending what we consider possible for wrestlers today. On December 8th, 1963 Riki' was partying in a Tokyo nightclub with friends and fellow wrestlers. Amidst the excitement, a Yakuza assassin by the name of Katsuji Maruta darted out of the darkness and stabbed Rikidozan in the stomach with a sharp narrow blade. Reports indicate that the grand champion threw Maruta out of the club himself and continued drinking and partying until morning. When he finally saw a physician he was told that the wound was nothing to worry about. However unbeknownst to Rikidozan or his doctor, the blade was soaked in urine, a Yakuza practice meant to cause infection—which it did. Rikidozan was hospitalized and died of peritonitis on December 15th, 1963. The assassin was sentenced to seven years in prison, and spent the remainder of his life atoning for his crime by visiting the sacred grave of Rikidozan.

4. The Death of Bruiser Brody
Puerto Rico has a rich heritage both as part of the United States of America and the world of professional wrestling. Long-time promotor and WWE Hall of Famer Carlos Colon has had an empire on the island dating back several decades, but a tragic day in the summer of 1988 would alter the course of Puerto Rican wrestling forever. Bruiser Brody was a phenomenal athlete—built like a tree and tougher than steel, Brody never signed a contract and instead made his living as a journeyman wrestler. He was apparently owed north of $40,000 by promotors in Puerto Rico, and after biting his tongue and biding his time, Brody was ready to collect. On July 16th, 1988 Brody was beckoned into the back shower stall by Jose Huertas Gonzales, better known inside the squared circle as Invader #1. Gonzales wanted to discuss the finish to an upcoming match, and talking about private matters in the shower was customary in the wrestling locker room. Several seconds later, witnesses reported hearing a loud groan from Brody followed by Gonzales exiting the stall. Brody was surrounded by a pool of his own blood and carried down to the waiting ambulance by Tony Atlas, who reportedly witnessed the entire altercation. Brody died before anything could be done, and on his death bed told Atlas: "Tell my son I love him. And tell my wife, I love her too." Jose Huertas Gonzales was arrested and charged with first degree murder, later reduced to involuntary homicide. When the trial came around, Tony Atlas refused to speak on behalf of his fallen brother Bruiser Brody. On the opposing side, Carlos Colon came to the defense of Gonzales, speaking out against the deceased. It wasn't long before Gonzales was acquitted and free to live his life, while Bruiser Brody lost his.

3. The Benoit Tragedy
Where do you begin to discuss a horrendous situation that we all saw unfold together? While there are certainly some "superstars" you might not know on this week's countdown, anybody who read the word "murder" had to be expecting this story. I remember when it happened; I was in Best Buy in Bridgewater, New Jersey perusing the bargain big in the DVD section when I got an email saying Raw was cancelled because the Benoit family had been murdered. What? We all watched from my parent's living room as the WWE presented a three-hour broadcast dedicated to the life and career of Chris Benoit. Then the next night on ECW, everything changed—Vince McMahon appeared before the show and informed us that we'd basically seen the last of Chris Benoit. What really happened over the course of those three days down in Fayetteville, Georgia? On June 22, 2007 Chris Benoit is believed to have murdered his wife, Nancy Benoit, by wrapping an electrical cord around her neck and applying pressure to her back with his knee. She was found in her bed with blood pooling beneath her head, no irregular toxicology to suggest she was drugged during the execution. Benoit sent several texts between murders, including some to Chavo Guerrero claiming that Nancy and their son Daniel were sick with food poisoning. It is believed that Saturday morning is when Chris killed his son Daniel, first by sedating him with Xanax and then asphyxiating the 7-year old in his own bed. Investigators found no blood around Daniel as they did with his mother, but alongside both bodies were individual copies of the Bible. It was Sunday morning between 3:51 and 3:58 that Chris Benoit sent out a slew of texts, telling the recipients: "Dogs in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open." Later that morning the world heavyweight champion formerly known as the "Crippler," set his weight machine to its highest resistance and created a noose with the available pulley. That is where police found Chris Benoit, hanging in his own exercise room. While there was no suicide letter available at the scene of the crime, Chris's father Michael Benoit later found a hand-written note inside another family bible. It read simply: "I'm prepared to leave this Earth."

2. La Mataviejitas AKA the Old Lady Killer
It would seem as though most wrestling-related murders happen between close relations after a heated dispute goes violently wrong, but Juana Barraza is one such worker who is responsible for at least eleven murders, with more than thirty others still left unresolved. Barraza entered this world to ill-fated circumstances; her mother reportedly sold her at a young age for only three bottles of beer—to a man that raped her unmercifully until she became pregnant four times. Juana Barraza attempted to defy the odds and appeared on the Mexican wrestling scene as La Dama del Silencio AKA "The Silent Lady." The impressive Luchadora gained notoriety for her impressive physique, a trait she would later use to become one of the most successful serial killers in Mexican history. Outside of the ring, Barraza would be known throughout the media as La Mataviejitas or "The Old Lady Killer." The Mexican media soon began to cover an apparent string of violent acts against women in their sixties and beyond. Most of the women were either bludgeoned or strangled, and in some cases even sexually violated. The wave of murder continued from the late 1990s through 2005 when Juana Barraza was finally arrested. For years the police had been tracking men and transvestites as witnesses continued to describe the professional wrestling murderer as a "manly woman." She only admitted to four of the killings, denying her involvement in the rest despite a litany of evidence mounted against her. On March 31st, 2008 Juana Barraza was sentenced to 759 (that's not a typo) years in a Mexican Penitentiary for 11 counts of first degree murder. Detectives and prosecutors in Mexico City are still investigating the additional murders.

1. The Case of Douglas Whitton
I first read the sad story of Douglas Whitton on another website that refused to give the details as to what exactly happened. I was curious of course and decided that I would not shield my readers from the truth. That being said, please be warned as this is undoubtedly the most disturbing case yet. Douglas Whitton was a moderately successful independent wrestler from the Mississippi-area who became enamored with the dark side of professional wrestling. Douglas never made it to the WWE or WCW because he developed a penchant for partying that landed him in a drug-rehab facility before anybody ever learned his name. Assuming that he was better, Douglas checked himself out of rehab and lived life on the streets, heading south toward the warm weather of New Orleans. Whitton made friends with a family at a Louisiana church after arriving in Cajun Country. Once the good-hearted Christians learned that Douglas was living on the street, they offered their home to the seemingly kind-natured stranger. Douglas lived with Owen Reeves, Gail Coulan and her son Joey Whitehead, as well as another room mate named Joseph Donovan for weeks, maybe even months, depending on various sources. On the morning of October 16th, 1997 each member of the household rose from their bed but only Douglas Whitton went to sleep that night. The events would unfold according to a secondary source who testified that Whitton admitted them as follows: Douglas was unbalanced due to his vapid drug and alcohol abuse and took offense to Gail Coulan's harmless teasing. On the afternoon of October 16th, Coulan made fun of Whitton's hair which caused Whitton to snap and attack the woman. The two were alone in the house, and the 300+ pound professional wrestler had no problem subduing the much-smaller Coulan. He began by smashing her skull with a nearby rock, and continued the torment by stabbing her repeatedly both with a steak knife and a "frog gig." For those who don't know, and I didn't either, a "frog gig" is a pole with a razor sharp jagged end used to kill and capture frogs down on the bayou. As he finished the job on Coulan, Joseph Donovan arrived home from work and lunged at Douglas Whitton with a knife. Whitton got the upper hand and bludgeoned Donovan beyond facial recognition with the same rock he used on Coulan. Now halfway through a household of four, Whitton decided to finish the rest of the family. When Owen Reeves arrived home he was met with a brick to the back of the skull—beaten until his face caved in. The last person for Douglas Whitton to kill was the 9-year old son of Gail Coulan, Joey Whitehead. Reports indicate that Whitton disposed of the child by stabbing him in the chest and wrapping him in a blanket so that he would suffocate. Before all was done, Whitton slit the throat of each individual, despite all four being dead. Douglas Whitton continued to live in the house for several days, even leaving to go shopping and to attend the movies . He eventually stole a checkbook from Owen Reeves and moved into a nearby motel. After days of missing work, both Donovan and Reeves' co-workers called the police who found a house full of flies wrought with human decay. The bodies were going through advanced decomposition due to the ferocity with which they were beaten. Police reports say that each body was crawling with hundreds of maggots. Douglas Whitton was eventually captured when two acquaintances assisted police in apprehending him outside the nearby motel. After a short trial, Douglas Whitton was sentenced to life in prison on February 26, 1999.

I figured it might be interesting to take a break from counting down mustaches and face paint, and instead focus on some more serious subject matters. But after doing the research and learning how dark some of these stories truly are, I think I'll stick to more lighthearted material. Thank you for joining me on this very special, very unlucky edition of the "Lucky Thirteen." My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, reminding you to bookmark my author page at Cheap-Heat to guarantee you'll never miss a column or countdown

http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-2415/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-2415/#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2015 22:31:55 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews AAA Alberto El Patron Angelico Brian Cage Cage Catrina Chavo Guerrero Chavo Guerrero Jr. Dario Cueto Drago El Rey Network Fenix Ivelisse Ivelisse Velez Johnny Mundo King Cuerno Lucha Libre Lucha Underground Mark Burnett Matt Striker Mil Muertes Pentagon Jr. Son of Havok Vampiro http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9556 Viva La Lucha Libre Lucha Underground 2/4/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Only one month into an electrifying calendar, and the stars inside the Boyle Heights Temple are already delivering "Match of the Year" caliber contests. Welcome back to the most analytical examination of what is quickly becoming the most exciting hour in professional wrestling […]

Viva La Lucha Libre
Lucha Underground 2/4/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Only one month into an electrifying calendar, and the stars inside the Boyle Heights Temple are already delivering "Match of the Year" caliber contests. Welcome back to the most analytical examination of what is quickly becoming the most exciting hour in professional wrestling in America—Lucha Underground! We're here with another in-depth breakdown of everything going on courtesy of AAA, Mark Burnett, and the El Rey Network. Last week's show was one of the more slower-paced episodes since �Underground debuted in the autumn of 2014, but that's not to say it didn't create buzz over events still yet to unfold. This week continued building toward a larger story but introduced various elements formerly unknown to the television viewers, so let's get right into it with the opening contest—this is "Viva La Lucha Libre!"

The �Faithful' inside the Temple are on fire, rocking to the rhythm of the house band now-known as Mariachi El Bronx. Sitting ringside as usual are Matt Striker and Vampiro who is wearing the coolest jacket—well, the coolest jacket Vampiro's ever worn. The action inside the ring is immediately underway with the introduction of Son of Havok and Ivelisse. Both individuals competed in the Aztec Warfare battle royal for the Lucha Underground title, but neither has been seen on El Rey since. The crowd isn't shy when it comes to telling Havok how they feel about him, chanting "loser" over and over until Ivelisse had enough. "I am tired of reading all the tweets on social media about Son of Havok saying that he sucks," she began, "Let me tell you something: I don't date losers. A'ight? If you have a problem with him, then you have a problem with me too—the baddest bitch in the building!" Havok's opponent in this opening contest is the exhilarating sensation from South Africa known as Angelico. He makes his way to ring side with a spring in his step, representing Lucha Underground to the fullest with his black Lucha t-shirt. The match was off and running and within a few moments of back and forth interaction, Havok gained the lead and even the support of the fans. Through a varied course of high adrenaline offense including a sit-down face buster and a litany of aerial maneuvers, Havok turned the tide and had no problem going hold-for-hold with the fan-favorite Angelico. The end came however, when a series of precarious close-calls involving Ivelisse ended with Son of Havok inadvertently spearing his girlfriend off of the apron. It was just a matter of rolling the masked rudo into a pinning predicament before Angelico walked away with the 1-2-3.

Back from the commercial and the number one non-wrestling personality in sports entertainment, Dario Cueto, is on hand offering an olive branch to a once despised rival. "Welcome back, I haven't seen you since Aztec Warfare." Across from Cueto was Johnny Mundo, inside the Temple again and ready for battle. "I know we've had our issues in the past," Cueto continued, "But since you've been gone, we've both had time to cool off." Dario is a business man who can recognize a good opportunity when it's sitting in front of him, and therefore requests another "5-star match" from Mundo, this time against Cage. "You mean that �ham-bone' that tore apart your title belt," questioned Johnny? "You better get a new one." Matt Striker and Vampiro are still sizzling from the first match-up, and are preparing to introduce Famous B—a Southern California local who is fixing to square off against one of the most fearsome competitors in Lucha Underground, Pentagon Jr. Before the match can get started, a vignette rolls once again highlighting the intricacies of Pentagon as well as his dedication to martial arts: "Look into my eyes! I am Pentagon Jr. No fear!" The match lasts only moments before B succumbs to the incredibly tactile technique of Pentagon, who sets his opponent up for defeat with a vicious spike package pile driver. Once B's skull hit the canvas he was completely knocked out, awakened only by the excruciating agony inflicted by Pentagon, who ended the encounter by ignoring the official and snapping the arm of Famous B.

Deep in the darkened �dungeons' beneath the Temple, Cueto sits solemnly staring into a cell. "The news of this temple and what we are doing here is spreading." Cueto toyed with the mysterious key dangling around his neck, "Such a shame you can't enjoy it with me." The question as to what lock the key might open has been answered, but to whom is Cueto speaking? Another mysterious reveal suggests that the unnamed Asian woman who accosted Dario last week is looking for whoever—or whatever is trapped in the bowels of the Boyle Heights building. The allure of Lucha Libre continues as two babyface competitors take to the ring in a true test of "good" versus "evil." Aerostar is dressed in white, and according to Matt Striker represents the "Heavens" in this metaphorical battle against Drago—a supernatural superstar said to be from the Depths of Hell. Drago's hard-hitting ground game and Aerostar's high-flying airborne assault prove to be complimentary components as this contest roars on with very few moments to rest. The formidable Drago walks away with a win after outwitting the younger tecnico , but neither man leaves the ringside area until they shake hands and hold their arms high in a sign of mutual respect. Backstage before the main event can begin, Fenix is hard at work applying his strongest strikes to the dusty old Everlast bag, perhaps in an effort to hone his greater assets in preparation for his next world title battle. Catrina comes out of the shadows, with Mil Muertes nowhere in sight. She touched the tattoo on Fenix's chest, an artistic rendering of a dream-catcher. "Does this protect you from nightmares," Catrina asked? Before Fenix could respond, she kissed him, deeply and passionately with a final warning, not to let Mil find out: "He'll bury us both alive."

Up next is the main event, an impromptu grudge match having nothing to do with the sort of respect we saw a few moments ago, and everything to do with rising to the top of the Lucha Underground roster: Johnny Mundo is set to go one-on-one with Cage. As the Machine walked to the ring, he wore the tattered remains of the Lucha Underground title around his neck, laughing and taunting the Temple Faithful as he sauntered into the squared-circle. The match was rather even, with a slight edge going to Mundo in the early going until a powerbomb on the outside rendered the former Shaman of Sexy motionless. Vampiro picked this close call alongside the stairs to point out the danger in wrestling so close to the steel steps: "Did you know if you fell and hit your head on those steps you could DIE ?" It was at this time that King Cuerno made his presence known, if only to the television audience, when he began watching from within the rafters. Back inside the ring, Cage's domination continued with an enormity of powerful offense as well as unpredictable agility including a springboard moonsault to a downed Johnny Mundo. An Irish whip sends Johnny into the corner, but a leap-frog hoists him up and over the head of Cage, where he's unfortunately caught in a modified Alabama-jam. The back and forth is intensifying as Mundo attempts his patented "Starship Pain" to no avail, but lands on his feet and soars across the turnbuckle to Cage on the outside. The match ended by disqualification when King Cuerno finished stalking and began to hunt; he struck near the ringside area when he tripped Mundo and knocked him off the apron. Cuerno's assault continued after the bell, attacking Johnny's left leg with a steel chair and the merciless metal turnbuckle post. When all was said and done, Dario Cueto exited his office and restarted the match: "Hold on Johnny! Now that we're friends, I can't let your 5-star matches end like that!" Cage re-entered the equation and proceeded to systematically dissect Johnny Mundo, beginning with his already injured leg. "Is Dario Cueto being a dick," asked Vampiro, who couldn't comprehend why this contest was still going on. Cage finalized the destruction with a Gory Special into a flat-liner, earning himself another victory.

The show was over and just like always, Matt Striker and Vampiro wished the viewers a wonderful week and thanked them for their continued patronage of the El Rey Network. But instead of fading to black and a Mark Burnett logo, the cameras went back inside Dario's office, where a knock at the door startled the promotor. "Show's over," he yelled, attempting to scare away whomever may be bothering him. But rather than another knock, a voice echoed through the doorway, "Oh no, we're just getting started." Dario turned and stood face-to-face with a world-renowned heavyweight champion from AAA and WWE: "My name is Alberto El Patron," he said with a smile, "But you already knew that."

The unexpected arrival of Alberto El Patron was a perfectly valid reason to fast forward through the show, but why would you want to miss an entire hour jam-packed with the most consistent professional wrestling on the planet? What might we expect to see inside the Temple as 2015 continues to unravel in new and exciting ways? Who is Pentagon's master now that he's seen Chavo Guerrero for what he truly is? Will a new belt be bestowed upon Prince Puma, or will Cage's torn title be the symbol of Lucha Underground? And who the hell does Dario Cueto have locked away in the Temple? Hopefully we'll get the answers, plus a dozen more questions this time next week with another exciting installment of "Viva La Lucha Libre!"