Two-on-one this week as we review last week and this week’s episodes of Lucha Underground. But first up, let’s recap what happened on the last episode:
Cage, Pindar, Marty The Moth and Fenix won their matches in the first round of The Dario Cueto Cup (Group B). Fenix and Melissa Santos befriended, something Marty the Moth and his sister Mariposa didn’t appreciate. Johnny Mundo and Rey Mysterio were preparing for their match. Paul London and Mala Suerte of The Rabbit Tribe approached Mascarita Sagrada who refused to be their leader.
Last week and this week, the 7 luchadors and the luchadora of both group C and group D (we still don’t know who’s the last competitor of this group) competed in the first round of The Cueto Cup.
*****
“Macho Madness” – Episode 24
The show opens with Catrina asking Mil Muertes to destroy everyone in the Cueto Cup, so that he can take back The Lucha Underground Championship. Muertes tells his love for Catrina and promises to give her what she wants. She kisses Muertes and asks him again to bring The Cueto Cup to her. A frustrated Jeremiah Crane witnessed the whole moment.
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group C – First Round: Mil Muertes w/Catrina vs. Veneno
Matt Striker and Vampiro are puzzled as they don’t know who this ‘Veneno’ is. He’s, in fact, the former Cortez Castro, which was, in fact, an Undercover LAPD Officer named Reyes. Dario Cueto claimed he eliminated Reyes from The Temple but he came back under a mask to seek revenge. Very quick match as Mil Muertes unloaded punches on Veneno before finishing him with a flat liner.
Result: Mil Muertes advances to the next round of The Cueto Cup Tournament
After the match, Catrina offered Veneno a kiss of death.
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group C – First Round: Paul London vs. Vibora w/Kobra Moon
The Rabbit Tribe vs. The Snake Tribe as he “Chemically Enhanced” Paul London, as Matt Striker told him competed against The Reptile and one of Lucha Underground Trios Champions. London was clever enough to use his carrot as a weapon against both Vibora and Kobra Moon. London pushed Moon into Vibora and tried to leap into him but ends up getting punched in mid-air. Vibora took control and overpowered London in the next few minutes.
After a trust fall from London, both men crashed on the outside and the referee starts to count them out. London came back to the ring but Mala Suerte and Saltador, his fellow Rabbit Tribe members, emerged from under the ring, grabbed Vibora by the legs until the count of 10.
Result: Paul London advances to the next round in The Cueto Cup Tournament
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group C – First Round – Taya vs. Joey Ryan
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc7Y9CUj7WI]
Joey Ryan oiled himself up (everywhere) before coming to the ring and even offered Taya a lollipop before the match started. But Taya attacked quickly with kicks, punches, a clothesline and a knee strike. Outside the ring, Taya grabbed Ryan by his chest hair, brought him back in the ring but Ryan battled back with a thrust kick on the apron. Ryan attacked Taya on the outside. After posing and teasing he would reach up the top rope, Ryan was slapped and shot in the face by Taya who ended up body slamming him.
After a double foot stomp and a near fall, Taya tried a corner splash but found herself hanging over the top rope. Ryan spanked Taya and got her up to his shoulders in an electric chair position. But Taya broke free and hit a northern lights suplex bridged into a double foot stomp to earn the victory.
Result: Taya advances to the next round of The Cueto Cup Tournament
Mil Muertes is backstage in The Temple, preparing to leave when Crane attacks him with a steel chair. “She’s Mine”, screamed Crane while setting up a chair around Muertes neck and slamming another one into the neck chair.
Another video feature on the upcoming Johnny Mundo-Rey Mysterio Lucha Underground title match. Several Lucha Underground wrestlers are talking about both Rey and Johnny’s talents and resumes. Commentator Matt Striker compares the match to big encounters like Flair-Steamboat, Miesha Tate-Rousey and Ali-Frazier.
This ones gonna be good…#LuchaUnderground @LuchaElRey pic.twitter.com/5cnfRa1vyu
— M@ (@Matt_Striker_) June 28, 2017
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group C – First Round: Jeremiah Crane vs. Killshot
The action went straight to the outside. Crane backflipped Killshot into the crowd. But Killshot answered with a somersault. Crane then threw Killshot into the steel barrier at ringside and suplexed him on the floor. He then hit a cannonball on Killshot onto wooden chairs at ringside.
Back in the ring, Killshot had the advantage for a few minutes until Crane hit a big running kick in the corner. He went for a second one but Killshot replied with a rolling thunder turned into a cutter. Counters and reversals until Crane hit a reverse brainbuster for a near fall. Exchange of knees, kicks and leg strikes until Killshot and Crane knocked each other down at the same time. Exchange of strikes continued until Killshot hit a hangman’s DDT for a near fall.
Killshot trapped Crane in an arm scissors submission but Crane escaped to the ropes. The battle continued on the ring apron. Crane slammed Killshot’s leg onto the corner post but Killshot grabbed him on his shoulders to slam him onto the ring apron. Killshot hit The Killstomp but Crane kicked out. Dante Fox then appeared from the highs of the Temple, distracted Killshot by calling him. Crane hits the cranial contusion finisher for the win.
Result: Jeremiah Crane advances to the second round of The Cueto Cup
After the match, Catrina was standing at the top of the Temple stairs and sent Crane a kiss.
The show ends in Dario Cueto’s office. He’s talking to someone off camera about the upcoming matches in the tournament. He is previewing the upcoming Group D matches, still yet to come. Cueto is seen speaking to Son of Havoc. But the man is in fact “Son of Madness”, same face, same mask, same attire than Son of Havoc. He also reveals that he is from the same location as Havoc, adding mystery to the relationship ‘Madness’ could have with Havoc. Cueto adds the match on his board.
*****
“Left for Dead” – Episode 25
The show opens with Dante Fox, his time as a Prisoner of War comes in flashbacks. He is shown in battle, being captured, tortured and then rescued. In between a training Dante Fox is shown, running towards The Temple. He then sees Killshot on the rooftop staring down at him.
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group D Bracket – First Round – ‘The Darewolf’ P.J. Black vs. Sexy Star
PJ quickly took Star down to the mat. But Star battled back with a hurricanrana and a tilt-a-whirl head scissors. She then connected with a leaping arm drag but PJ Black countered it into a suplex. Black reached up to the top rope but Star met him up there to hit a frankensteiner for a near fall.
Action went on the outside, Sexy Star hit a cross body on Black. Star continued with aerial moves back in the ring. Taya showed up at ringside and interfered in the match. She made Sexy Star trip up and threw her a pair of brass knuckles. Star tried to use them on Black but the referee caught her and got her disqualified.
Result: PJ Black advances to the next round of The Cueto Cup tournament
After the match, Sexy Star punched the referee for disqualifying her.
New video feature on the Johnny Mundo-Rey Mysterio Lucha Underground Championship match. Mysterio explains what would it mean for him to become The Lucha Underground Champion and that Mundo is too self-centered and not caring about the people to conduct himself as a champion. Mundo expresses his respect for Mysterio but claims he’s not in his class and. He promises to send him to ‘Slam Town’.
#LuchaUnderground. This summer.@TheRealMorrison vs. @ReyMysterio
watch @LuchaElRey on the @ElReyNetwork and witness pic.twitter.com/psHR5rEDB1— John Morrison (@TheRealMorrison) July 3, 2017
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group D Bracket – First Round: Son of Havoc vs. Son of Madness
Havoc reached the Temple stairs to fight Madness. It seemed like twins were fighting each other… Havoc beat him down the stairs and at ringside. As Striker and Vampiro quoted, Havoc and Madness may have a long history with one another… Madness was finally able to gain momentum in the ring. But Havoc loaded strikes on Madness in the corner. Madness connected with a diving plancha through the ring post area.
Madness took control of the match but Havoc quickly rallied and hit a springboard cutter for a near fall. Later Madness caught Havoc in the corner and hit a double foot stomp onto Havoc’s neck. Both Sons reached the top rope, allowing Havoc hit a Hangman’s Noose on Madness. He then hit a suicide dive but missed a shooting star press but landed on his feet. After a frantic exchange of rolling cradle pin attempts, Havoc pinned Madness.
Result: Son of Havoc advances to the next round of The Cueto Cup tournament
After the match, Madness knocked out Havoc, took his leather vest and tore it in two. Striker explains that act in the biker’s culture means one brother is eliminating another from the “brotherhood”, you’re no longer of the family.
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group D Bracket – First Round: Prince Puma vs. Ricky Mandel
Ricky Mandel is introduced as being an intern for Johnny Mundo’s Worldwide Underground group, he’s dressed up like Mundo, enters like Mundo, grabs the mic like Mundo to claim he is going to introduce Puma to Slam Town. But Prince Puma had no time to waste, Mandel kicked out after a superkick from Puma but he finished him with a spinning modified Mishinoku Driver.
Result: Prince Puma advances to The next round of The Cueto Cup tournament
El Dragon Azteca is preparing backstage for his comeback match in The Cueto Cup tournament. Rey Mysterio approaches a surprised Azteca and tells him he didn’t want to miss Azteca’s return to the Temple. Azteca tells Mysterio, that after he wins the tournament, he wants to face Rey for The Lucha Underground Championship. But Prince Puma shows up and tells Rey that he had better beat Mundo because after Puma wins the tournament, he wants his Ultima Lucha rematch against Rey and this time he will defeat Mysterio.
The Cueto Cup Tournament – Group D Bracket – First Round: Dante Fox vs. El Dragon Azteca w/Rey Mysterio
Fox and Azteca went to the air early in the match. Fox nailed a suicide dive and a looking over the top rope dive. Fox then connected with a looking leg drop on the apron. Fox was in full control but back in the ring, Azteca battled back and tried to hit a tornado DDT to the outside. Fox countered with a martial arts kick. But moments later, Azteca connected with a spike rana on Fox who landed badly on his neck. Azteca kept the momentum a few minutes before Fox rallied and hit a seated springboard C4 off the top rope for a near fall.
Exchange of strikes between the two, leading to a Spanish fly by Azteca. After a series of basement dropkicks, Dragon called Mysterio to tell him he was injured. When Mysterio got in the ring to notify the referee, Taya rushed and tripped him up from the ring apron. Mysterio ran after Taya and laid her out with a roundhouse kick. PJ Black came to attack Mysterio, but Rey tripped him up. Ricky Mandel was thrown into the wall at ringside by Rey. Johnny Mundo appeared to pick Mysterio up and hit an apron powerbomb. The Worldwide Underground continued to beat down Mysterio. Meanwhile, in the ring, Azteca had recovered, witnessed the action outside and dove onto the Worldwide Underground at ringside. This distraction cost Azteca the match as Fox hit the Fox Catcher for the win.
Result: Dante Fox advances to next round of The Cueto Cup tournament
After the match, the Worldwide Underground is celebrating ringside after costing Mysterio’s protégé his match.
*****
Paul London will compete against Mil Muertes, Crane against Taya, PJ Black against Prince Puma and Dante Fox against Son of Havoc in the next round of the bracket. The first round of the Dario Cueto Cup is over, 15 Luchadors and a Luchadora remain in the bracket. Who’s going to face the winner of the Rey Mysterio vs. Johnny Mundo match for the Lucha Underground Championship? 7 matches to wait to know it… Until next week, hasta la vista!
All pics and screenshots courtesy of El Rey Network.