Lucha Underground Season 3 Episode 15: En La Sombras

Ladies and gentlemen, it is once again time for the awesomeness that is Lucha Underground. We have a big show tonight, so let’s dive right in.

We waste no time getting to the action as we start with another match in Dario Cueto’s Battle of the Bulls Tournament, this one featuring the valiant Killshot, the vengeful Dante Fox, the twisted Jeremiah Crane, and of course, the wild card, the even more twisted Mariposa.

Match #1: Killshot vs. Dante Fox vs. Jeremiah Crane vs. Mariposa: Battle of the Bulls Tournament First Round Match

This was an intense one. All four of these athletes have been to one form of hell or another and back (in Jeremiah’s case, that’s only implied, but that’s a topic for another day) and each of them fought like they wanted to drag their opponents into that hell with them. From high-flying techniques to brutal strikes, this match showed off the incredible violence that Lucha Underground has come to be known for. At one point, Jeremiah started to fill the ring with steel chair in order to give himself an edge. However, his plan backfired when the twisted Mariposa, in a very nice looking tower of doom spot, slammed all three of her opponents into a mountain of chairs. After that, the deadly butterfly took complete control of the match, throwing a steel chair in the face of anyone who showed any sign of life. However, the others found their second wind and the match continued. The contest came to an end when Fox went for a four-fifty splash on Crane, but Crane countered with a kick to the face and caught him in his signature maneuver, the Cranial Contusion, for the win.

Winner: Jeremiah Crane

After the match, Dante and Killshot once again renewed their aggressions, this time, with Killshot hitting the double stomp on Dante before leaving him broken in the ring.

Backstage, Taya and the rest of World Wide Underground (save for Johnny of course) are filming a documentary about how awesome Johnny is. Taya tries to interview PJ and Jack, but despite their incredible talent in the ring, the Wild Stallions are actually hilariously bad in front of the camera. However, Johnny walks in and isn’t happy to see his teammates clowning around when they should be preparing for their Battle of the Bulls tournament match later tonight. Johnny goes on to remind PJ that because he lost to Sexy Star last week, he has to face her next week in a steel cage. Johnny goes on to say that if he or Jack loses tonight, he might have to find two new members of the World Wide Underground.

After that rather comedic segment, we get a very somber montage of Sexy Star training for her match next week. It’s actually a really nice segment that really does a great job at creating atmosphere. However, the scene soon takes a strange turn when Sexy finds a spider in her locker. Believing she knows who’s behind it, Sexy Storms off.

Match #2: Drago vs. Kobra Moon

Finally, after weeks, if not months of build up, the mighty Drago finally goes one on one with the Sexy, Seductive, Sassy, Psychotic, Sultry, Slithering, Sapphire, Serpentine Senorita, Kobra Moon. However, just as the match begins to build momentum, Lord Pindar, one of Kobra Moon’s generals whom we saw last week attacks Drago from out of nowhere and starts systematically destroying Drago. Fenix and Aerostar run down to the ring to save their ally, but Kobra Moon, after performing what looked like a strange witches spell, summons her second general, Vibora. We soon realize something about Vibora that was not immediately apparent last week: Vibora is FUCKING HUGE! He was so enormous in fact that the crowd began chanting “Lucha-Saurus.” And much like a hungry T-Rex going after its prey, Vibora laid waste to the trios champions and hit a tombstone pile driver on Drago before carrying the Dragon’s lifeless body out of the temple on one shoulder as Kobra mocked her former slave.

How could things possibly get more intense than that you ask? Well, how about Sexy and Mariposa running into one another in a hallway. If you recall my Top Ten Lucha Underground Matches article from this past summer, you’ll remember that Sexy endured months of physical and psychological torture at the hands of Mariposa and her maniac brother, leaving her a broken shadow of her former self. Sexy’s hatred for Mariposa ultimately culminated in what I still consider to be the greatest and most brutal Lucha Underground match since the series began. Sexy thought she was done with the moths, but the Spider in her locker says otherwise and she attacks Mariposa on sight. Sexy, who looks like she’s ready to choke the life out of Mariposa with her bare hands, accuses her nemesis of screwing with her again, but Mariposa denies having put the spider in her locker, but does so in a decidedly creepy manner. Still pissed off, Sexy takes a swing at Mariposa who ducks out of the way, causing Sexy to punch a huge hole in the wall.

Main Event: Angelico vs. Son of Havoc vs. Jack Evans vs. PJ Black: Battle of the Bulls Tournament First Round Match

This match has an interesting dynamic. Obviously Jack and PJ are comrades in the World Wide Underground, and Havoc and Angelico were once brothers in arms as two thirds of the inaugural trios champions, but this match is every man for himself. For the most part, Jack and PJ worked together and were fairly evenly matched with Havoc and Angelico. Havoc and Angelico on the other hand knew that with a title match on the line, friendship needs to be left at the door and go after one another almost right away. This was a really fast paced and exciting match featuring some of the best high flyers in the temple. It was especially nice seeing Angelico back in action. I’ve loved him since he debuted back in season one. It can be easy to forget because he’s so slender, but Angelico is a veritable giant of a man, easily able to mow opponents down with kicks from his long legs. However, the efforts of Havoc and Angelico proved to be all for naught as PJ laid down to allow Jack to get the pin. However, PJ played his partner and reversed the pinfall while Jack was off guard.

Winner: PJ Black

After the match, there’s some tension between Jack and PJ, as the Darewolf celebrates his victory.

Our episode comes to an end with Dragon Azteca visiting the bedside of the injured Rey Mysterio. Azteca says he now knows that his path is clear and that he must destroy Matanza. Mysterio warns his pupil that the Monster is too strong and that this is not a fight he can win, but Azteca tells Rey that the days of him taking orders are over.

Match of the Night: I have to give it to the first Battle of the Bulls match of the evening. I absolutely loved the brutality of it and I was on the edge of my seat from bell to bell. I especially liked how the two newcomers to the temple, Jeremiah Crane and Dante Fox got to really show their stuff. Jeremiah in particular really managed to impress me and showed shades of what the Solomon Crowe character should have been. It just proves that WWE didn’t know what they had in a talent like Sami Callahan. Spot of the Night: After much thought, I’m giving it to Mariposa’s tower of doom spot onto the mountain of chairs. I know Cage did the exact same thing in his match last week, but Cage is a brick shithouse who looks like the steroid he’s on are themselves on steroids. The fact that he can lift three other men isn’t especially surprising. The fact that Mariposa is a woman with a much smaller frame makes it all the more impressive. Jeremiah may have won, but Mariposa was definitely the MVP of the match.

Segment of the Night: I ordinarily don’t give this to in-ring segments, but the debut of the Snake Tribe was so incredible, I had to give it the spot. We got a taste of these two last week, but actually seeing them in action was something else entirely. Pindar was pretty awesome and I really like the design of his costume, but the real show stealer was Vibora, who damn near made me defecate in my trousers with just how mind-bendingly large he was. Just when I think the storyline with Kobra and Drago can’t get any more exciting, Lucha Underground throws something new into the works.

However, since this is an episode that ends in five or zero, the time has come to unveil the current front-runner for the Wes’s Blogs and Reviews Lucha Underground MVP. Ladies and gentlemen, your front-runner, with a grand total of seven points…

DRAGO!!

I am very pleased to have Lucha Underground’s mighty dragon earn this award. It is incredibly well deserved. Not only has Drago’s wrestling been top-notch all season, but the storyline between him and Kobra Moon has been on an entirely different level to anything I’ve ever seen in professional wrestling and has added new dimensions to the character that only serve to make him more awesome. Since my discovery of Lucha Underground, Drago has consistently been in the ranks of my favorites. I found his character to be very unique and intriguing, an honest-to-god Dragon in human form. Any other wrestling company would have a hard time with such a gimmick, but Lucha Underground made it work. I’ve followed Drago from day one. I’ve seen his wars with King Cuerno, Aerostar, Prince Puma, Hernandez, The World Wide Underground and now Kobra Moon, and was blown away by every last one of them. I remember, after I saw my first episode of Lucha Underground, when the credits rolled and show came to a close, I immediately contacted my friend on Skype and said these exact words: I want to see more of Drago. Now I’m saying, I hope that after the attack by the Snake Tribe, we haven’t seen the last of Drago, for this is one Dragon not so easily slayed.

Final Thoughts:

As usual, a great show. The Battle of the Bulls has taken shape, Jeremiah proved that he belongs in the temple, Mariposa returned to form in more ways than one, and the Snake tribe had one of the best Lucha Underground debuts I’ve ever seen. All in all, a triumph, pure and simple.