Top 10 Lucha Underground Matches

I have been a fan of professional wrestling since the days when my older brother and I would roll around on the living room floor pretending we were Bam Bam Bigelow and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Since I started this website several months ago, I’ve been looking to do an article related to professional wrestling, but have been unable to find the right subject. However, since Lucha Underground just finished it’s second season, an article highlighting that particular series seems appropriate. But before we start, you’re probably wondering: What exactly is Lucha Underground? Many of you who are familiar with professional wrestling most likely are only aware of the WWE. It’s understandable as WWE has been around for decades and many of the wrestlers employed by that company have become household names. However, what a lot of casual fans do not know is that there are several other wrestling promotions out there with talented athletes that are able to put on matches that are just as good, and often times better than the ones you find in the WWE. Lucha Underground is one such promotion. Premiering in late 2014 on the El Rey Network, Lucha Underground quickly took the wrestling world by storm by putting on amazing matches and introducing more intense and dramatic storylines than had been seen in a long time. With some of the most promising unsigned talent from the states as well as some of the biggest names from Mexico gathering at the Temple in Boyle Heights California, over the course of two seasons, the show has given us no shortage of match-of-the-year candidates. Narrowing all of them down to just ten proved no easy task, but I’d like to think I came up with a pretty decent mix. So, without further ado, let’s Lucha!

10. Prince Puma vs. Johnny Mundo: All Night Long

We start off on the right foot with two of the biggest names in the entire company. In one corner, Prince Puma, known outside of Lucha Underground as Ricochet, the poster-child of company and the first ever Lucha Underground Champion. During season one, Prince Puma was more over with the crowd than John Cena or Roman Reigns could ever hope to be, and all without saying a single word. In the other corner, Johnny Mundo, formerly known as John Morrison during his days in WWE, the guy who’s every bit Prince Puma’s equal in terms of skill and agility but has never managed to capture the title. Any match between these two phenomenal athletes is a guaranteed five-star match, but what happens when you let them fight for the entire episode.

Leading up to this match, Johnny had turned his back on the fans by tossing Alberto El Patron through the window of Lucha Underground owner, Dario Cueto’s office. Being a lover of violence, Dario took a liking to Johnny’s new attitude and decided to grant him a shot at Puma’s title in what would be Lucha Underground’s first, and thus far only, iron man match.

Typically, I do not care for iron man matches. There are some exceptions of course, such as the classic war between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, but usually, I find such matches to be long and tedious. It’s for that reason that this match stands out to me. Seeing these two wrestle in any capacity is a treat, but to see them fight each other for a solid forty-five minutes, that’s just glorious. Never once did this match get boring or feel tedious like so many others. Highlights include Johnny stalling Puma by rocking out with the house band and the return of a vengeful Alberto El Patron towards the end. Ultimately, Puma retained the title over Johnny, but I feel that it will not be the last time we see these two go at it one on one.

9. Drago & Aerostar vs. Jack Evans & PJ Black: Nunchucks Match

Early on in season two, Jack Evans, an athlete who’s as agile as he is cocky, managed to score a victory over Drago, a fierce Luchadore who according to the storyline, is meant to be an actual Dragon in human form. Since that victory, Jack started referring to himself as “The Dragon Slayer.” Drago wasn’t exactly one to take such an insult lying down, but once Evans enlisted the help of the former Justin Gabriel from WWE and friend of the website, The Darewolf, PJ Black, the numbers game wasn’t exactly in Drago’s favor. That was, until Drago’s friend, the man from the cosmos, Aerostar, made his return to even things up. While the feud would ultimately culminate in the trios title match at Ultima Lucha Dos, adding Fenix and Johnny Mundo to the mix, the real highlight of the war between these two factions came when Drago and Aerostar faced off against Evans in Black in a match that allowed the legal use of nunchucks. This match was a perfect mix of athleticism and brutality, something that can be said about a lot of Lucha Underground matches come to think of it. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for all four of these athletes and seeing them go at it in a match like this is an absolute delight. I’d be curious to learn if they trained with nunchuks for the purposes of the match or if they already possessed those skills beforehand. At any rate, all four wield them with incredible skill. I also love the attitude of Evans and Black, particularly how they taunt their opponents with air guitar. It is for that reason that, even though their official team name is The World-Wide Underground, to me, they’ll always be… WILD STALLIONS!! In the end, after a hard fought battle, Drago and Aerostar emerged victorious, and would later go on to capture the trios titles from The World-Wide Underground. However, with season 3 still looming, I think things are far from over between these two forces.

8. Mil Muertes vs. Matanza Cueto: Graver Consequences

Mil Muertes, the man of a thousand deaths. After capturing the Lucha Underground Title from Prince Puma at the end of season one, it looked like Mil, alongside his seductive and mysterious female companion, Catrina, was the deadliest force the Temple had ever seen. That was until Dario Cueto introduced the world to his brother, The Monster, Matanza Cueto. Shortly after making his debut, this demonic hybrid of Bane and Leatherface began his destructive and terrifying reign as Lucha Underground Champion. However, Mil Muertes was not about to give up his throne without a fight.

After the first match between these two gargantuan warriors ended in a draw when both well through the roof of Dario Cueto’s office, Dario and Catrina proposed that the next encounter between the two would be a sequel to the season one match, Grave Consequences (don’t worry, we’ll get to that), only this time, titled Graver Consequences. One monster would leave the Lucha Underground Champion, the other would leave in a casket. The idea of a casket match is pretty simple. To win, you must incapacitate your opponent, shove them in a casket and close the lid. The twist this time around: the combatants have four caskets to play around with. Ignoring their monstrous in-ring personas for the moment, both men in this match are incredible athletes and this match allowed both to really show what they could do. These two threw everything they had at one another. At one point, Mil even donned a chain-male glove to make his already powerful strikes hit that much harder. However, The Monster ultimately proved to be too much even for death itself when the demonic beast punched a hole clean through the lid of the casket he was about to be shoved in and turned things around on the challenger, shoving Mil into a casket and retaining the title. But, as he always does, Mil Muertes returned bigger and badder and the shadow of death still looms over the temple.

7. Cage vs. Johnny Mundo: Cage in a Cage

While Prince Puma is the poster-child of Lucha Underground, and with good reason, in my humble opinion, one of the most unique and valuable talents in the company is the Machine they call Cage. While many wrestlers have made this claim in the past, it is the humble opinion of this writer that Cage truly is the total package. With the build of someone like Rob Terry or Dave Baustista and the speed and athleticism of an Evan Bourne or a Rey Mysterio, I daresay Cage is one of the most talented big-men, if not most talented wrestler in general, working today.

Early on in season two, Johnny Mundo got on Cage’s bad side, a place one truly doesn’t want to be. While Cage certainly has the raw power advantage over Johnny, Johnny doesn’t like to fight fair. That’s when Johnny’s lady friend, Taya entered the picture and together, the two used the numbers game to get the better of the machine time and time again. Finally it was decided that the finale to their feud would take place inside a steel cage. Previously, there had only been one other cage match in Lucha Underground, in which Johnny Mundo was victorious over King Cuerno. While that match was tons of fun, it nowhere near reached the level of brutality present when Cage and Mundo went to war. It was a battle of Johnny’s skill and cunning and Cage’s raw brute strength. Even though Taya got involved and even went as far as entering the cage herself, Cage prevailed leaving both of their mangled bodies decimated in the ring, because he’s not a man, HE’S A MACHINE!

6. Son of Havoc, Ivelisse & Angelico vs. The Crew: Trios Title Match

One thing that sets Lucha Underground apart from mainstream wrestling shows like WWE is the fact that women are allowed to compete against men. Such is the case with Ivelisse, the self proclaimed “Baddest Bitch in the Building.” Ivelisse, her ex-boyfriend Son of Havoc and the high-flying Angelico have an interesting history with one another. After a loss to Angelico, Ivelisse saw Havoc for the loser that he was and a rift between the two began to form that ultimately lead to the two breaking up. Since Dario Cueto likes to see controversy, he made the spurned lovers and the poor middle-man a trios team and entered them in the inaugural Trios Championship Tournament. Despite the fact that all three of them pretty much couldn’t stand each other, against all odds, they made it to the finals and even managed to score the win over the other two teams. However, El Jefe isn’t known for playing fair and announced that in order to truly become the first ever Lucha Underground Trios Champions, they had one more team to face, Dario Cueto’s personal minions, The Crew, and, to add to the chaos, the match would be no disqualification. Despite having just won a grueling match against six very powerful opponents, Son of Havoc, Ivelisse and Angelico more than held their own against the rested and fresh Crew. The highlight of the match though, was easily Angelico leaping from the top of Cueto’s office all the way down to the ring. Even though the trio were up against overwhelming odds, even though they hated one another, even though Ivelisse suffered a broken foot over the course of the match, the three underdogs emerged victorious and stood tall as the first ever Lucha Underground Trios champions. In the time since, the three competitors seem to have gone their separate ways and I would be surprised if any one of them had a Lucha Underground World Championship reign in their future.

5. Aztec Warfare II

WWE has the Royal Rumble, one of the most exciting and most looked forward to events of any wrestling promotion. You know what, they can keep it, because Lucha Underground has taken the concept of the Royal Rumble and cranked it up past eleven. Instead of merely competing for a shot at the title, the winner of Aztec Warfare is crowned champion outright. Instead of throwing their opponent over the top rope, one must pin or submit an opponent to eliminate them. And because Dario Cueto loves violence so much, anything goes. The first Aztec Warfare match saw Prince Puma emerge victorious as the first ever Lucha Underground Champion and it was the match that made me fall in love with Lucha Underground. However, the second Aztec Warfare match out-performed its predecessor in almost every way. Even from the first two entrants, we could tell we were in for something great. Out first, the newly crowned Lucha Underground Champion, Fenix. Afer him, making his Lucha Underground debut, arguably the most famous luchador in the entire world, the one, the only, Rey Mysterio Jr. As time went on, more big names would enter the match, including the long absent Aerostar and Mascarita Sagrada and the debuting Dragon Azteca Jr. This match was loaded with incredible spots including Cage getting his head smashed with a cinder block, the gross Joey Ryan handcuffing himself to the steel barricade outside the ring so as not to get pinned, Famous B handing out business cards to the entering Luchadors and even the birth of The World Wide Underground. Mil Muertes was supposed to enter the match last, but Pentagon Jr. who had been banned from the match by Catrina, had something else to say about that and attacked him before he could enter. In the chaos, Dario Cueto, who had been missing from the temple since the beginning of the second season, made his triumphant return and announced that the match had one more entrant, his brother, The Monster, Matanza Cueto. From that point on, the match became a massacre as Matanza picked off the eight remaining Luchadors, including the champion Fenix, the former champion, Prince Puma and the legendary Rey Mysterio one by one. Despite his incredible size, Matanza is surprisingly athletic, able to execute standing moonsaults and quick strikes on his opponents. When the dust cleared, Matanza stood alongside his brother, a pile of bodies in his wake, The Lucha Underground Champion.

What makes this match extra special is the fact that Matanza had been eluded to as some kind of unstoppable force since mid-season one. We knew Matanza would make his presence known when the time was right, but would the payoff live up to the hype? This match answers that question and the answer is a resounding yes. As of this writing, Matanza has yet to drop the Lucha Underground title and I think The Monsters reign of terror won’t be ending anytime soon.

4. The Mac vs. Cage: Falls Count Anywhere

The match that kicked off the first Ultima Lucha started the show off with a bang as two of the most talented big men in the wrestling business today went at it in a match that was so chaotic and violent it needs to be seen to be believed. You name it, someone got hit with it during this match. Chairs, glass bottles, steel posts, fire extinguishers, even a stop sign was made into a deadly weapon as these two fought each other. Sometimes you want to see two great athletes put on a great technical match and sometimes, you just want to see a badass brawl. This match definitely falls into the latter category. The Mac had spent most of season one playing second fiddle to Big Ryck, and it was in this match where he really got a chance to show his stuff, pulling out some moves that would carry him to great success in season two. The most noteworthy among them came when Mac chucked a cooler at Cage’s head, pulled out a couple of beers and, in tribute to the legendary Stone Cold Steve Austin, downs them both and hits a perfect stunner. Even Matt Striker, the Lucha Underground play-by-play commentator lost his mind after that one.

However, even an homage to one of the most celebrated professional wrestlers of all time would not prove to be enough to put the machine away as the two would battle through the crowd up to the top of Dario Cueto’s office where Cage would deliver the final blow by putting Mac’s head through a cinderblock.

Mac and Cage would not face off in a one on one match again until Ultima Lucha Dos, which, interestingly enough, was also a falls count anywhere match. While their rematch proved amazing, for my money this one is the better of the two. Here's hoping that the two have another such match further down the line. After all, since each one has a win over the other, they need to settle the score.

3. Fenix vs. Mil Muertes: Grave Consequences

Lucha Underground has had many a great rivalry over its two seasons, but none of them have been more intense than the one between Fenix, the Bird of War and Mil Muertes, the Man of a Thousand Deaths. Around the early days of season one, Mil Muertes was an undefeated and unstoppable force of nature. That is, until he suffered his first loss against Fenix. And thus began a feud that could be said to be a feud between life and death themselves. While it would by no means be the final chapter of their storied rivalry, the highlight of the feud came in the form of a match simply known as Grave Consequences.

Long before Mil and Matanza would go to war in Graver Consequences the following season, Grave Consequences stole the show and wowed the audience by being, and I doubt anyone would disagree, the greatest casket match of all time. This match had a great clash of styles as Fenix’s speed and agility toe to toe with Mil’s strength and power. Over the course of the match the two warriors would crash headlong into the casket, tear at each other’s masks and literally drench the ring in blood. While the first Aztec warfare match was what made me fall in love with Lucha Underground, it was this match that made it my favorite wrestling promotion of all time. I could not pull myself away from my computer screen during this match, and this coming from a guy who usually just has wrestling on in the background. Ultimately, covered in his own blood, his tattered mask hanging off his face, a battle scarred Fenix stood victorious as Mil Muertes was hauled away in a casket. Mil Muertes would return and face Fenix several more times. The two bitter enemies would go on to face each other for the Lucha Underground Title and even squared off in a fight to the death. Personally, despite all the hell they’ve put one another through, I believe that the blood feud between the Bird of War and the Man of a Thousand Deaths is far from over

2. Pentagon Jr. vs. Vampiro: Cero Miedo Match

One of the most popular as well as the most deadly warriors in all of Lucha Underground is Pentagon Jr., the man with cero miedo (translated: zero fear). Of all the unique and intriguing characters to enter the Temple, Pentagon is the one who’s gone through the most development. Starting as a lackey for Chavo Guerrero of all people, Pentagon evolved from a pathetic henchman to a badass bone breaker who destroys anyone who stands in his way. During season one, Pentagon became a disciple of a mysterious individual known only as “The Master.” Like a malevolent god, Pentagon’s master demanded sacrifices as tribute, which came in the form of Pentagon breaking the arms of his opponents. It wasn’t long before the master demanded an ultimate sacrifice, that of Lucha Underground color commentator and former WCW wrestler, Vampiro. Even though Vamp had long since stepped out of the ring, the wily veteran wasn’t about to let Pentagon have his way without a fight, thus leading to a match at Ultima Lucha.

I’ll be perfectly honest, I did not have high hopes for this match. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for Vampiro and his legacy as an in-ring performer, but the man had been retired for well over a decade by this point and even the best wrestlers of all time eventually lose steam, and, when I saw Vamp waddle to the ring at the start of the match looking like Fester Addams, it didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. Fortunately for all the believers, I was proven one hundred and ten percent wrong.

If you’re a fan of hardcore wrestling like myself then this match is like a wet dream. It was like every glorious act of violence that has ever been committed inside a wrestling ring (and possibly even some that hadn’t) was condensed into a single match. They smashed each other of the head with florescent lighting tubes. They tried to stab one another with shards of glass. They put each other through flaming tables. They spilled enough blood to fill President Taft’s bathtub. At one point, Vamp even took enough thumbtacks in the ass to make even Mick Foley Wince. In short, Pentagon Jr. and Vampiro beat the unholy shit out of one another and then kept going. Even after Pentagon stood victorious, Vampiro wasn’t done and demanded that Pentagon break his arm. The big shocker however came when Pentagon demanded his master show himself, and Vampiro stood up revealing that he had been the master all along and this had all been a test of his student’s will. Under the tutelage of Vampiro, Pentagon’s career soared to new heights, culminating in the death of Pentagon Jr. and the birth of Pentagon Dark, a reborn entity that even Vampiro cannot control.

Before we get to our number one pick, let’s take a moment to discuss a few honorable mentions.

Son of Havoc & Ivelisse vs. Joey Ryan & The Crew vs. Prince Puma, Rey Mysterio & El Dragon Azteca Jr. vs. Fenix, Jack Evans & PJ Black: Trios Title Match

The second Trios Championship tournament was even more insane and chaotic than the first and culminated in a hell of a match that saw the dream team of Rey, Puma and El Dragon Azteca walk away with the gold.

Ivelisse vs. Mil Muertes: Lucha Underground Title Match

The premiere episode of season two started off with a bang as Ivelisse made history by becoming the first woman to challenge for the title of Lucha Underground Champion.

Drago vs. Aerostar: Best of Five Series

You can take your pick here as each time that these two incredible luchadors collided in order to receive one of Dario Cueto’s unique opportunities was an absolute delight

Johnny Mundo vs. King Cuerno: Steel Cage Match

Lucha Underground’s first ever cage match would see Johnny Mundo take on the hunter, King Cuerno, in a match that left the audience breathless.

Aztec Warfare

The first Lucha Underground match I ever saw and the match that crowned the first ever Lucha Underground champion is simply a must see for anyone getting into the show. And now, without further delay, I give you, my number one choice for the best match in the history of Lucha Underground.

1. Sexy Star vs. Mariposa: No Mas Match

While the WWE and other promotions have made incredible progress in recent years in the world of women’s wrestling, as recently as two or three years ago, women’s matches were often unfairly referred to as the “bathroom break match.” Fortunately, much of that has changed in recent years, but while matches between Bayley and Sasha Banks on NXT got the ball rolling, the lovely ladies of Lucha Underground are the ones who are really revolutionizing women’s role in the wrestling business, and the peak of that came when Sexy Star and Mariposa gave us what I believe to be, and I say this with no hyperbole whatsoever, the greatest women’s wrestling match of all time.

One of my favorite competitors in Lucha Underground is the incredibly beautiful and talented Sexy Star. Sexy’s MO is to prove that even though she’s a woman, she can be just as tough, if not tougher than any man. Sexy Star is brave, strong, fierce, and has the heart of a true warrior, but like any great warrior, she must face great trials, and one such trial nearly extinguished the fire in her soul forever. At the end of season one, Sexy found herself in the clutches of the sick and depraved Marty “The Moth” Martinez and his twisted sister Mariposa. Even though Sexy eventually escaped from the sinister siblings, the mental scars she suffered at their hands left her a shell of her former self. However, with the help of her friend the Mac, Sexy once again remembered who she was. All that was left was to face her demons.

A No Mas Match is a unique variation of a submission match. Instead of making the opponent tap out, one has to beat their opponent until they say “No Mas” or “No More.” When Sexy Star and Mariposa squared off in this brutal contest, the result was beautiful and terrible and everything in between. This match went everywhere, inside the ring, outside the ring, out in the crowd, the top of Dario Cueto’s office and even the rafters of the temple itself. These two incredibly talented women pulled out all the stops. Showcasing submission moves, high flying abilities, hardcore brawling, and any other means there were to destroy one another. I’ve been praising Sexy Star for much of this, but take nothing away from Mariposa, she showcased in this match that she is an incredible athlete and that she belongs in the temple amongst the best in the world. However, the highlight of the match came towards the end. Mariposa had Sexy Star locked in a painful submission hold. Sexy was tired, beaten, bruised and covered in her own blood and grime. The referee asked her if she was ready to give up, and summoning every ounce of her warrior’s spirit, Sexy defiantly proclaimed, FUCK YOU! Then, gaining her second wind, Sexy recovered and locked Mariposa in a painful cross-arm breaker and didn't let go even after Mariposa had already screamed No Mas.

This match was, beyond words. It showcased the incredible athleticism of the two combatants. It had intense and badass violence, and it told a phenomenal story. In short, it is everything a professional wrestling match should be and it is what I have come to expect from Lucha Underground on a regular basis. For that, I can give it no less that the number one spot.

And that about does it for this fun little list. If you’re a fan of Lucha Underground, I hope your favorite match made it on to the countdown. If you’re just a casual fan of pro-wrestling, I hope I’ve helped to turn you on to a truly great product within our fandom. And even if you’re not a wrestling fan, I hope you were at least entertained. As for me, I had a blast writing this article and I hope to revisit this when Lucha Underground Season 3 rolls around.