Lucha Underground S02E22: The Phoenix, The Dragon, and The Spaceman

The Phoenix, The Dragon, and The Spaceman

A TRIOS TITLE MATCH IS ANNOUNCE FOR ULTIMA LUCHA II- it’s Mundo, Jack, & P.J. defending against… Aerostar, Drago, & Fenix? Have they even won a match together?
Also, Mundo, Jack, and P.J. have been given the terrible team name of �"The Worldwide Underground.”

KING CUERNO vs. MIL MUERTES (w/Catrina)- 5/10 (but for a match this short, that’s pretty insane)
This seems like it should be the real main event instead of Fenix vs. Mundo. They brought SO MUCH INTENSITY here. This was one hell of a brawl for the short time it went. Good use of the chair, too (the stomp to the balls with no DQ, on the other hand, wasn’t good at all).
Cuerno was the guy who introduced the chair, the first guy who used it, and also used illegal leverage to get the pin. So… is Mil Muertes a babyface now? That’s… kind of weird. Seeing Mil complaining that someone used the ropes for illegal leverage on a pin is just… so very not Mil Muertes. Not that he doesn’t care about wins and losses, but roll-ups with illegal leverage and Mil Muertes are just strange to see together. They’re just totally different things. It’s like Mike Quackenbush pulling out a bag of thumbtacks. I’m certain both Quack and thumbtacks have appeared at the same CZW show, but the idea of them being used in a Mike Quackenbush match is so odd. I think I was happier when this was courageous but heel-leaning tweener vs. badass monster heel.

IVELISSE & TAYA IN DARIO’S OFFICE- Dario books them against each other at Ultima Lucha II to determine which of them is… �"the baddest… woman… in the building.” This was perfectly fine, bordering on good, but based on the way Dario built it up, it felt kind of weird that Sexy Star wasn’t booked in this match as well.
The ladies are happy with Dario’s idea so they leave his office, and on the way out Ivelisse bumps into Catrina and they have some words. Apparently this… (I don’t know what to call it. It really wasn’t big enough to even be consider a feud)… animosity? is still going on. It feels completely irrelevant at this point.

DARIO & CATRINA & DARIO’S OFFICE- Catrina says that she and Mil Muertes want a rematch against King Cuerno at Ultima Lucha II. Dario laughs in her face and runs down all of the reasons why he won’t give her what she wants (she wrestled control of The Temple from him, trashed his office, Mil Muertes attacked Dario’s brother, etc. etc.). Catrina says she wants it to be a �"Death Match,” and this convinces Dario to book the match.

PRINCE PUMA vs. DRAGON AZTECA JR. (w/Rey Mysterio Jr.)- 7.75/10
Vampiro made a very interesting comments that implied that the Vampiro we see every week- who is really just Ian Hodgkinson using the name of his old wrestling persona- the times when the �"real” Vampiro personality is in control seem like dreams to him. It’s possible that this is true, but also equally possible that either Ian or Vampiro is saying this to mislead people to the fact that either Ian is really in control of �"Vampiro” all the time and there is no difference, or that �"Vampiro” has seized total control of Ian and is hiding, waiting for the right time to reveal himself to accomplish whatever his goals may be. Or it could be Ian lying to cover up that �"Vampiro” really is back and takes control sometimes and Ian cannot do anything to stop it.
Anyway… holy crap. This is up there with Roddy vs. Nakajima from Supercard of Honor IV and Rhyno vs. Raven from Backlash 2001 as one of my all-time favorite ten minute matches.


DARIO MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT- he has Cage, The Mack, Son of Havoc, and El Texano Jr. in the ring. He says that they will all be entered into a pun-filled tournament for a unique opportunity next week. Also, apparently Ultima Lucha II is NEXT WEEK! Why the hell haven’t they been pushing this date?
Also, Dario wants them to fight each other right now, so they do. Cage wins a short brawl that exists only because having all of these guys come out here and then walk to the back would feel very anti-climactic.

FENIX vs. JOHNNY MUNDO (w/Taya)- 6/10
Spotty things happen. Fenix gets a visual pinfall but Taya distracts the ref. Johnny hits Fenix with the title belt and gets the victory.

POST-MATCH SEGMENT- the champs come out and celebrate, then beat Fenix down. Fenix’s pals show up to make the save but get taken down by the numbers game. Then Ivelisse shows up to fight with Taya. Matt Striker, who always goes out of his way to point out to us how progressive this show in its treatment of the women, responds to Ivelisse tackling Taya by screaming �"CATFIGHT!” Ivelisse she falls to the numbers game as well but then the babyfaces all make their comeback and stand tall at the end.

So not only is Ultima Lucha II NEXT WEEK, but it’s also a three-week event instead of the usual two.

Anyway, a REALLY fun episode of Lucha Underground in what was apparently the go-home show for Ultima Lucha II. It really feels like they have rushed their way into this year’s show.