Cheap Pops - Wrestling News and Views - May 13 2015
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Cheap Pops - May 13, 2015
by Chris Delloiacono, Mike Maillaro and Jeff Ritter
This week!
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E:60 Behind the Curtain
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Best in Our World: Wrestlers as comic characters
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Elimination Chamber returns
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Lucha Underground Results
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NXT Results
Mike: Typically the week before a WWE PPV, we would do predictions, but as of Monday when I am typing this introduction, there are only two matches announced for Payback.
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Rusev Vs Cena “I Quit” match for US Title
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Rollins Vs Ambrose Vs Reigns Vs Orton for WWE Title
Assuming they add more matches tonight, maybe we’ll do a Cheap Pops extra later in the week.
Chris: WWE has really made it hard to care about this show. The title match looks cool since we get all of the ex-Shield members together, but what else is there. They've simply stopped caring about their PPVs, since they're part of the Network. They don't give a crap, so why should I?
Mike: After Raw, the current card is:
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Pre-Show: Curtis Axel and Damien Sandow vs. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)
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John Cena (c) vs. Rusev "I Quit" match for the WWE United States Championship
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Seth Rollins (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton Fatal 4-Way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
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King Barrett vs. Neville
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Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus
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The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston) (c) vs. Tyson Kidd and Cesaro - 2 out of 3 falls match for WWE Tag Team Titles
Jeff: “Here’s my Predictions Sure to Go Wrong” as made famous by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, all rights reserved, used without permission: The Modern Day Mega Powers over the Descension, John Cena because Hell hasn’t frozen over yet, Seth Rollins, because there’s no way they’re going to hotshot the primary strap yet, Barrett because why make him King of the Ring him to job to everyone else, Sheamus though nobody cares, New Day because they're not going to drop the straps back that fast either. Following this up with a totally random Elimination Chamber proves that Vince has no idea how to attract more subscribers. He doesn’t need more PPVs, he needs BETTER ones.
Chris: I'm glad we are breaking from tradition and doing a quick prediction for the show. This card isn't worthy of deep analysis. I like most of what Jeff said, actually. Mandow & AxelMania definitely get the win for the fun pop to start the show. There's no way Rollins drops the belt and I'm telling a turn from Deano to join the Authority. Does anyone think the newest WWE jobber, Rusev, will make Cena submit. I can't fathom why we have to watch this match again. The undercard is going to be New Day, Sheamus, and Barrett. All good matches on paper but I don't want to see them again.
Mike: Definitely going with MegaPowers 1.5 over the Ascension. I am going to keep picking Rusev against all logic, hoping the Blue Fairy hears my wish… Rollins and New Day keep the straps…though it is possible New Day will lose them to get them back at Elimination Chamber… And I like Chris’s thoughts on Ambrose turning. I am sort of hoping the Shield reunites as heels. Barrett and Ziggler for the other two matches.
Elimination Chamber
WWE has announced they will be doing a Network only “PPV” on May 31st to bring back Elimination Chamber. The anticipated, must-see WWE Elimination Chamber event will emanate from Corpus Christi, Texas, where the WWE Tag Team Championships and the newly vacant Intercontinental Championship will be defended inside the infamous structure.
Mike: I actually like Elimination Chamber matches, but this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. The PPV schedule is already too many, which means we get a lot of repeat matches and matches with not a lot of build up. So, instead of dialing it back some, we’re going to get MORE PPV style events squeezed in. King of the Ring was basically a flop because it seemed like an afterthought. I can’t imagine Elimination Chamber will be any better. That said, I am real curious what a Tag Team Elimination Chamber match will look like.
Chris: I've always enjoyed Elimination Chamber, so this should be fun. At least they're shaking things up by doing tag teams and the IC Title instead of the typical World Title setup. Yet, of course there's a yet, Mike is right about squeezing another PPV in. How can they possibly build this up in two weeks. Oh right, they can't. More than likely, we will see another throwaway show.
Jeff: I’m always expecting someone to get seriously injured in that contraption. Look for some crazy spots by Kingston and an otherwise forgettable second PPV in May on the WTF Network.
Daniel Bryan Update
Mike: We had talked about this a few weeks ago. Last night, Daniel Bryan made it official and vacated the Intercontinental Title because of injuries. It was heavily implied last night that he might have to call it a career. I’m really hoping he’s wrong. Daniel Bryan was one of the few bright spots in WWE for me the last few years. I already found my interest pretty low since CM Punk left and several of my favorite wrestlers have been lost in booking limbo.
But, his health needs to come first, of course. I can’t help but think of Edge, another performer I loved whose career came to an abrupt end.
Chris: I'm really sad for Daniel Bryan. He's a guy that seems to genuinely enjoy getting into the squared circle. The show will not be the same without him. You nailed it, Mike, without Punk and Bryan on top, WWE is hard to watch. I love Rollins in the ring, but his booking sucks. Other than Seth, I just don't care too much about Orton, Cena, Show, Kane, or Reigns. I hope we see him again, but I'm not optimistic.
Mike: Yeah, that is the thing. There are plenty of guys I like in the WWE, but there are lots of booking issues. Bray Wyatt, Ambrose, Ziggler, Cesaro, Big E, Kofi, Miz, Sheamus, Swagger could all do very well for themselves with more opportunities. And that is just off the top of my head. Even when they do seem big on someone (RUSEV), he ends up Cena fodder. What is the point of that???
I am glad Rollins has been doing so well for himself, he’s definitely a terrific talent.
Jeff: Mike said it as well as I could. I’m not as big on a couple of those names, and would add a sprinkle of NXT guys who I think are ready or close--Neville and Breeze (HBK 2.0) are right there.Heck, the “Man Beast” Rhyno would get a crazy pop if he answered the Cena Open Challenge. But the WWE has booked their most talented or most interesting workers into the land of Superstars and Main Event shows, the modern day equivalent of Velocity and Heat. Oh, don’t forget the Macho Misdow! Oooh yeah!!
Best in our World: Wrestlers We’d Like to See Turned into Comic Characters
Mike: Full credit and blame has to go to Jeff on this one. As soon as he suggested it, I was hooked. I’m a huge comic geek, and this just sounded like a brilliant topic.
Once again, I am basically typing my list without any planning and just seeing what happens.
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Prince Puma/Ricochet - Ricochet would be a great superhero...he’s already got a masked identity with superpowers. At least I assume he has superpowers, no normal person could move the way Puma does in the ring...
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Zack Ryder - I see this comic as being like Archie. Include the wacky characters from Z: Long Island Story, like the Big O and Zack’s Dad the bodybuilder, Dolph Ziggler as the local bully, and you have big potential here. Just keep them away from Kickstarter….
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Regal’s Angels - This would star the NXT divas. You can have Charlotte, Bayley, Emma, Sasha Banks, Summer Rae, Becky Lynch, Alexis Bliss, in some rotating combinations. Every issue, they get in a van and go to an exotic location to fight crime or right a wrong, with The Badass From Blackpool as the mysterious voice who sends them on their missions.
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Ryback, Man of Tomorrow - Since he looks like an inhuman freak anyway, let’s make Ryback some kind of crazed hero from the far future. Sent here to protect us all from food tainted with evil nanites. You will “FEED HIM MORE...OR ELSE!”
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Wyatt Tales - Bray Wyatt and his creepy Sister Abigail (played by Paige) revitalize the horror genre! Each issue they can tell a variety of horror stories with twist endings. Kind of like Vampirella...though I really don’t want to see Bray in that outfit...
Honorable Mentions - I really wanted to include John Morrison (in fact, he was the first name I typed), but I realized everything I said about him fit Puma better, so I ended up leaving him off. I also was thinking of a Josie and the Pussycats homage starring Heath Slater...
Chris: Wow, this is some category! I love comics as much as Mike, so I hope I can come close to making as cool a list as him.
1) Road Warriors - This post apocalyptic thriller will see the LOD battle the Ascension, Demolition, the Powers of Pain, and the Master Blasters for supremacy of the Wastelands.
2) Dusty Rhodes and Sons - The local plumbers become a triumvirate of good to battle the gangs of their good city. Each appears to be wearing battle paint (even Dusty) but they are really imbued with an alien symbiote that gives them impossible speed, strength, and charisma. The Dust will cleanse the Earth!
3) Hardcore "Spark Plug" Holly - Race car driver by day and bare knuckle crusader for justice by night.
4) Young Bucks - They may be pretty but the brothers Jackson run the toughest dojo in the land, but that's not enough. The boys decide to take a world hopping adventure to find Strong Style, hoping one day to bring it to the masses.
5) Terry Funk - Kindly rancher on the Double Cross Ranch by day, but at night Funk fights off a swell supernatural activity in the area. The local town of Amarillo was built on an junction point with the "Other Side" and the undead are not happy.
Jeff: Remember that WCW comic that Marvel put out years ago? I am not trying to do that! By the way, Chris--Spark Plug Holly would be a great “mature” version of Speed Racer! All of my titles would be written by me, and drawn by the artists suggested. Also, I had too many ideas come to mind, so I went with six plus the honorables:
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Madness Comics featuring the Macho Man Randy Savage -- classic adventure pulp, think Doc Savage (no pun intended) meets Dr. Strange in a Vertigo title. Savage is the favored student of the Most Interesting Man in the World (brought to you by Dos Equis cerveza) who uses his incredible fighting skills and reckless devil-may-care attitude to protect the world from things that should not be, such as “The Great Muta, Archdemon of Japan” and the evil Voodoo sorcerer Papa Shango. Drawn by Ex Machina’s Tony Harris.
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The Four Horsemen -- Not that Jonathan Hickman’s East of West isn’t doing a phenomenal job with this concept already...but nonetheless...The Nature Boy, The Enforcer, The Widowmaker and The Midnight Stallion. Four of the biggest movers and shakers--captains of industry--trying to alternately fulfill and stave off their destinies as the harbingers of the great cataclysm. Sort of a “What if Bruce Wayne, Lex Luthor, Tony Stark and Reed Richards joined together to fix the world?” but in a world where superpowers aren’t commonly known to exist. Kevin Sullivan, Waylon Mercy, The Wyatt Family, The Ministry of Darkness--whose side are they on? Are the Horsemen here to save the world, or to hasten its demise? Art by Butch Guice, Michael Perkins, Alex Maleev or Michael Lark depending on the central character of a given story arc. Greedy, ain’t I?
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Rey Mysterio -- Pure superhero excitement as the Nimblest Man Alive rumbles and tumbles his way through street criminals and super-punks, most notably C.M. Punk, The Viper, Kofi Kingpin and the Latino World Order led by his former best friend, Juventud Guerrera! Art by Mark Bagley, Darryl Banks and Scott McDaniel on rotating story arcs.
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Kill John Cena -- Many have tried, none have succeeded. Evil industrialist Vincent McMahon has put out a bounty on the world’s greatest superhero, John Cena. The unbeatable heart of the American Way has spoiled too many of his grand schemes. Now with a billion dollar reward for his head, every villain imaginable is crawling out of the woodwork for a shot at John Cena. From the Brothers of Destruction to the Three Man Band to Rusev, the Butcher of Belarus, can anyone finally end Cena’s totalitarian reign of peace and justice that stifles the creativity of the populace, most notably the Chairman of McMahon Entertainment Unlimited? Art by Cary Nord with covers by Mike Rooth (a terrific artist I know who draws the heck out of pretty much anything).
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The Iron Sheik -- One of a small group of superheroes who is powered by social media! His protege, The Rock, is far and away the most powerful, but the eldest member, The Iron Sheik, is the most controversial. Can the other People’s Champions: Rock, Diamond Dallas Page, Zach Rider, The American Dragon and Sami Zayn prevent the Silver Age Superstar from self-destructing, or will the millions (and millions!) of the People’s Champions’ followers take him over the edge of reason? Art by the Kubert Brothers.
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Wild Western Epics -- WWE (get it?) is an anthology book featuring the adventures of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Stan “The Lariat” Hansen, Cactus Jack, The Funk Brothers and The Dirty Gang of Dutch Mantel, Dick Slater and Pete Sanchez. No, really--Pete Sanchez was the first opponent Ric Flair ever fought in a WWWF ring, back in 1972, I think! I don’t know if his nickname was “Dirty” but it should have been! Art primarily by Carlos Ezquerra of Judge Dredd fame, with John Van Fleet and Sergio Aragones contributing to back-up stories.
Honorable Mention: Sergio Aragones’ The Bushwhackers, Rosebuds by Paul Pope, The Dust Brothers by Fiona Staples, The Dangerous Alliance by Jim Lee.
E:60 Behind the Curtain
Chris: Wow! This is the second blow-me-away wrestling piece ESPN has produced this year. First, there was the too-short, but excellent, 30 for 30 on the Von Erichs, now we get an unbelievably vivid view at NXT.
I like WWE produced documentaries, but you always feel they leave out certain things. Mainly the stuff that doesn't tow the company line and real behind the scenes items that expose the business. I wish WWE would show more of the writers meetings or creative discussions with the talent and management. I have no time to watch a Pre-Show where the business is treated as real. Watching NXT talents strengths and weakness being evaluated by Triple H, Michael Cole, Dusty Rhodes, Michael Hayes, etc. was a neat window into the business.
Mike: I am with Chris on this. I thought this documentary gave us an excellent look at the developmental process. We got a great behind the scenes view on what it takes to make it in the WWE, and how the trainers and creative team work to give NXT talent the opportunity to make it in the WWE.
I did think it was a LITTLE more sanitized than I would have liked in terms of Bill DeMott. They mention in passing his termination, but I do think there was some real potential there to expand the story to be a little more honest.
Chris: Seeing Demott was a reminder of how involved he used to be, and of the negatives too. At least they mentioned his downfall, if only slightly.
Mike: I love the stuff with Leo Kruger/Adam Rose. I actually think he’s a terrific talent, and I had no idea about his son (he has a son who was born with terrible health conditions). Seeing how he reacted to the change of character, and made it his own was just great for me. That is the part of the business I really love hearing more about.
I also loved seeing the details on how characters come together, including the minor detail and how important those are to creating the character. Like “the positioning of Bray’s lantern as he walks down to the ring.” That kind of thing fascinates me.
Chris: Agreed on Kruger/Rose or as we learn his real name Ray Leppan. The true journey the man went on is far more entertaining than anything they've done with his characters. I never loved the Kruger character, but Rose really connected with me. Funny how the powers-that-be had similar thoughts. Although, seeing more Leo makes me want to see a return of the persona. Rose isn't taken seriously and I want to see the performer, Leppan, succeed on the big stage.
Same with the bit of Triple H helping out Bray Wyatt. I mean, freaking wow! The entirety of WWE's regular programming is scripted. Why can't we get more of the reality of the business on the Network. No, we have to go to ESPN for that. I'm thankful for what we got, but I hope there's more down the line!
Mike: ESPN also put together an extra that wasn’t part of the main documentary all about Tyler Breeze. I am a huge fan of Tyler, and it was great to see how his character developed. I loved when Dusty is saying “Make it more like Liberace!” Real timely reference there, Dusty… I also had no idea he used to tag team with Xavier Woods and they were roommates. WWE needs to put the FCW stuff up on their website. I have found Youtube videos of some terrific matches from FCW (including the wars between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose), and I would love to see much more.
Chris: The lack of so much great content is the biggest drawback of the Network. I have no clue why FCW and the early NXT shows aren't available. That's the stuff I want to see. I could care less about Jerry Springer and all this new crap they're wasting money on.
Mike: ESPN seems to take wrestling seriously, and I hope they continue putting out these terrific quality documentaries.
Chris: If only WWE would take wrestling seriously!
Mike: Chris just texted me to let me know they did a Big Cass extra as well. I am a huge fan of Colin Cassidy and Enzo Amore. I wear my SAWFT shirt all the time. I had no idea that Big Cass was studying to be a doctor when he decided “Nah...I really need to give wrestling a shot.” Bada boom, realest doc in the room! This segment was interesting because it focuses on “how to lose” a match in NXT. I don’t think I’ve ever really heard a wrestler talk about this in any real detail. It was real cool to get this angle of things.
I did have one small gripe...I would have liked to see some focus on one or more of the NXT female wrestlers. NXT has been a terrific spotlight for women, and along with Xavier Woods, Adam Rose, Corey Graves, Tyler Breeze, and Big Cass, it would have been nice to see something on Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Bayley, etc, etc.
Jeff: Unfortunately I haven’t seen this, but you can BO-LIEVE that I’ll be tracking it down soon!
NXT Results - May 6, 2015
- Charlotte def. Emma with Natural Selection. Emma came out with Bayley’s shirt and headbands. After match, Bayley comes down to the ring. She offers Emma a hug...and then hits her with the Bayley to Belly Suplex. Charlotte ends up having to pull Bayley off of Emma. Bayley gets her shirt back...and then immediately throws it into the crowd, which I thought was kind of hilarious.
- Another interview with Becky Lynch about her journey to NXT and who some of her influences were. She also talked about some of her failed gimmicks and how she had to change her attitude to make it to the top. This was a great package. She’s developed real quick and she definitely deserves to be in a top spot.
- Michael Cole interviewed Kevin Owens. Owens says that his feud with Sami is personal because of what the NXT title represents for him and his family. Cole tries to goad him to say it’s about more than that. Owens is getting worked up over the implication that he’s jealous of Sami and trying to get out of Sami’s shadow.
- Rhyno def. Bull Dempsey with The Gore. Afterwards, he makes a challenge to Baron Corbin for Takeover.
- Sasha banks is backstage. She says she’s better than even the Fabulous Moolah. She promises that after Takeover, everyone will forget all about Becky Lynch.
- Regal is in his office. Uhaa Nation enters and signs his NXT contract. He looked very short next to Regal. We then get a promo video for him. They didn’t give his name in either segment, which felt real odd.
- Dawson/Wilder come out for a match against Enzo and Big Cass. But no sign of Enzo and Big Cass. Cut to backstage. Murphy and Blake are beating the crap out of them while Carmella screams for help.
- Michael Cole sits down with Sami Zayn. Zayn calls Owens a liar and says he made this personal from day one. Sneak attacks and mind games aren’t Sami’s style, but he will do what needs to be done. He calls Owens to come out next week and look him in the eye and tell him why he did what he did.
- Recap of Sami fighting Cena last week. They mention that Sami might be injured and question if he will be able to fight Owens at Takeover.
- Regal is in the ring for contract signing between Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. Lynch is out first. She talks more about her journey to NXT. You can see she’s a little overwhelmed at first, but she pulls it back and the promo ends up being solid. The crowd was being a little obnoxious, but she handled it. She signs. Sasha comes out next and uses a stamp to sign the document. That was pretty awesome. The crowd is chanting “Like a boss!” Sasha throws the contract at Becky and attacks her. At one point, she ends up standing on the table with Becky’s head under her foot. Becky manages to roll Sahsa into a submission move and makes her tap. Regal finally separates them.
- Next up is Kofi Kingston Vs Dolph Ziggler...oh...sorry, I mean Hideo Itami Vs Tyler Breeze. I knew it was some pairing I’ve seen many many times…
- Video with Alex Riley saying he’s about to go in for knee surgery. He says he’s not sure if the risks are worth the rewards any more with the crowd turning on him and cheering Owens. This was a tricky promo to pull off because it could have sounded whiny, but Alex Riley hit the perfect balance here.
-Dana Brooke goes a backstage promo...wow, she has an annoying voice. She is annoyed that Charlotte was featured in the Tapout commercial. She plans on pushing Charlotte out of NXT. I’m good with that. Charlotte is ready for the main roster…
- Finn Balor comes out to ringside to watch Tyler Breeze vs Hideo Itami. Hideo def. Tyler with Shotgun kick. During the match, Hideo had accidentally kicked Finn Balor. After match, Tyler attacks Hideo from behind. Finn tries to help Itami up, and Tyler takes them both out.
Mike: Emma is surprisingly good as a heel. I loved the little things she did, like mocking Bayley’s entrance and teasing the crowd by setting up “Emma” moments and then not delivering them. This was a nice evolution of her character.
This episode was a little promo heavy, but I will admit most of them were very good. I especially liked the two interviews with Michael Cole. Cole is great in this role...I would rather see him do this than commentary.
The lead up for Becky Vs Sasha was excellent. I am more excited about that match than any other match on the card right now.
Jeff: Another all around solid card, highlighted by how awesome Tyler Breeze is becoming. The kid is the real deal--another HBK in the making! Uhaa Nation is 6’1”, but Regal is only 6’3”. I thought the height difference looked more pronounced too. I would actually love to see an entire NXT show that only featured the NXT Women’s division. The men could escort them to the ring for a change. I think it would be highly entertaining. I’d have lady commentators as well!
Lucha Underground Results - May 6, 2015
- Dario Cueto is in his office. Johnny Mundo and Alberto El Patron come into the office. Both want a shot at the title. They both say they deserve it more than the current #1 contender, Hernandez. Dario says that Johnny and Alberto will fight tonight. Winner will face Hernandez next week to decide who the true #1 contender is.
- Cortez/Mr Cisco def. Son of Havoc/Angelico. The Crew him the flapjack codebreaker after Son of Havoc took a thumb to the eye.
- Dario is in his office with Delavar Daivari. He is more interested in his phone that what Dario has to say to him. He finally says to Dario, “You like to watch violence. I like to inflict violence.” Dario gives him a match with Texano.
- Puma and Konnan confront Hernandez about his involvement in Puma’s match last week. Dario enters and tells Hernandez about the new #1 contender situation. He then books Puma and Hernandez in a tag team match against King Cuerno and Cage.
- Delavar Daivari Vs Texano. Texano just rushes the ring and they brawl. Texano attacks the ref giving Daivari a DQ victory. They continue to brawl. Daivari finally slides out of the ring and spits at Texano.
- Cage/Cuerno def. Puma/Hernandez - There is animosity between Puma and Hernandez the entire match. Finally, Hernandez throws Puma in the way of King Cuerno’s “arrow dive.” Hernandez beats up Puma, and throws him back in the ring abandoning him. Cage finishes Puma off with Weapon X.
- Black Lotus tells El Dragon Azteca that she is leaving and she won’t let him stop her. He says if she can beat him, she can leave. She tries a barrage of blows, but he blocks them all easily. He says, “Your parents were defenseless. If you stay, you will never be defenseless.” Defeated, she resigns herself to continue training.
- Alberto El Patron def. Johnny Mundo after collapsing on Johnny after a superkick
- Katrina is at Mil’s coffin. She says, “Time for sleep is over Pasqual Mendoza. Rise again, Mil Muertes.” Mil’s eyes open. Poor Fenix is so screwed…
Mike: El Patron and Johnny Mundo’s match was just about the most insane thing I had ever seen. These two gave everything they had, and even destroyed the ring steps in the process. The finish could have been lame, since El Patron basically just fell on an on an unconscious Johnny, but I thought it had been set up brilliant at that point. Both men had gone past the breaking point, and it was basically a “fluke” victory where both men come out looking great. I also want it noted that Johnny has been in at least 3 of the top 5 Lucha Underground matches. He has been gold in Lucha Underground.
Chris: Definitely a great match. This one of those contests that seemed real because it was so physical and the men seemed spent. I actually loved the finish. You can't do that type of thing often, but this was a great spot. Keeps both men strong.
Mike: Not really feeling Daivari yet. I did like his brawl with Texano, but it seems like they don’t quite know what his character is yet. Bored rich kid or a real threat to the Lucha Underground hierarchy.
Chris: This was fairly meaningless. Just set up, but I'm with you. Show me something more next time.
Mike: Hernandez continues to impress me. He creates a strong presence in the ring and always seems to be in character. I love the little things like the swagger and smirks Hernandez always has on his face.
Chris: Hernandez has been an interesting addition to the main event crew. I watched him some in TNA when he was with LAX, and he was always pulled off a frightening presence. He's really something more here. The guy oozes charisma. I loved the strut on the apron to prevent Puma from doing a tope.
Mike: And I have to wonder...was Ivelisse mic'd up during Son of Havoc/Angelico’s match with the Crew. You could hear her louder than the crowd, which I thought was awesome.
Chris: Every segment is just must see when Havoc, Ivelisse, and Angelico are in. Plus, Ivelisse is the hottest thing on crutches ever!