BRM Reviews the 8/23/2017 Lucha Underground

[Big Red Machine]

MASK VS. MASK MATCH: Sexy Star vs. Veneno- no rating, horrific segment.
Almost immediately Joey Ryan runs in and rips off Veneno’s mask, revealing that he is, in fact Cortez Castro, A.K.A. Officer Ricky Reyes of the LAPD. Why did Joey do this? It gains him absolutely nothing (his brag about having been right about Veneno’s identity would have been proven correct with a Sexy Star victory, so he should at least wait to see if she wins or not before taking any action), and pretty much exposes the fact that Joey is actually working for Dario, severely limiting his usefulness to Dario as a double agent.
The referee, seeing Joey and Reyes/Castro brawling, calls for the bell, presumably to disqualify Sexy Star because someone was interfering on her behalf, right? Wrong. Dumbf*ck Matt Striker said that the referee had called for the bell to signify Sexy Star’s victory in this match because Veneno’s mask had been removed. THAT’S NOT HOW A MASK VS. MASK MATCH WORKS! You’d think that Striker would know this, seeing as how he is the lead announcer for a Lucha Libre promotion and all, but that would presume that Matt Striker isn’t a total f*cking moron, which this show has taught us all clearly isn’t the case.

JOHNNY MUNDO, BENJAMIN COOK, & DARIO IN DARIO’S OFFICE- we learn that anyone who interferes in tonight’s title match will be heavily fined. Mundo & Cook threatened to walk out- with the title belt- if Mundo doesn’t win tonight.

CUETO CUP FINALS: Prince Puma vs. Pentagon Dark- 6.5/10
We’re about thirty seconds in and I’m already absolutely sick of Striker to the point where I need to mute the show.
This match did not feel anywhere NEAR as epic as the finals of the Cueto Cup should have. They did some good stuff with both guys working over the head, but the Canadian Destroyers felt like they were mostly done for the flippage and the finish felt like it came WAY too soon. Prince Puma won the match, and Vampiro got into the ring to raise his hand in victory.



LUCHA UNDERGROUND TITLE MATCH Johnny Mundo(c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.- 7.5/10
Quite simply, I think that the overbooking and the storylines that went into it really hurt this match. This should have been Rey going over cleanly, leading to Puma beating Rey for the belt at Ultima Lucha by turning heel.

A very disappointing show from Lucha Underground. Both of the matches they have been building to for almost three months failed to deliver to the level that they should have.

[cero2k]

MASK VS. MASK MATCH: Sexy Star vs. Veneno- no rating, horrific segment.
I thought this was crap, but I was also glad they got over it as quickly as they did. we really needed the most amount of time for the other matches

JOHNNY MUNDO, BENJAMIN COOK, & DARIO IN DARIO’S OFFICE- we learn that anyone who interferes in tonight’s title match will be heavily fined. Mundo & Cook threatened to walk out- with the title belt- if Mundo doesn’t win tonight.
One day later, Mundo debuts for Impact

CUETO CUP FINALS: Prince Puma vs. Pentagon Dark- 6.5/10
I actually thought the match delivered and was a lot better, but I do agree that playing second place to the mundo/rey match did hurt it in the sense that this match SHOULD have closed a show, whatever show, but should have closed a show

LUCHA UNDERGROUND TITLE MATCH Johnny Mundo(c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.- 7.5/10
I personally hated the finish. I knew we would have overbooking just by the previous segment with Mundo and Cueto, but this really should had been Rey's win, and if they really want Rey vs Matanza at UL3, then push the Puma v vRey match and make the title change, or hell, crown a GotGs champ and make the change in 3 weeks, UL3 starts on 9/27 so i think there's enough time

[Big Red Machine]

MASK VS. MASK MATCH: Sexy Star vs. Veneno- no rating, horrific segment.
I thought this was crap, but I was also glad they got over it as quickly as they did. we really needed the most amount of time for the other matches
Which is why I wouldn't have done it this week at all
JOHNNY MUNDO, BENJAMIN COOK, & DARIO IN DARIO’S OFFICE- we learn that anyone who interferes in tonight’s title match will be heavily fined. Mundo & Cook threatened to walk out- with the title belt- if Mundo doesn’t win tonight.
One day later, Mundo debuts for Impact
Fortuitous timing. Had they not gone on their hiatus, this wouldn't have been close