Cheap Pops - Wrestling News & Views: June 21, 2015

by Chris Delloiacono, Mike Maillaro and Jeff Ritter

This week!

• Money in the Bank Results
• Best in Our World - Commentators
• NXT Results
• Lucha Underground Results

Money in the Bank Results:

Pre-Show: R-Truth vs. King Barrett
Winner: R-Truth

Money In the Bank Contract Ladder Match: Randy Orton vs. Neville vs. Kane vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns
Winner: Sheamus

WWE Divas Title Match: Paige vs. Nikki Bella
Winner: Nikki Bella

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Big Show vs. Ryback
Winner by DQ: Big Show

John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
Winner: John Cena

WWE Tag Team Title Match: The Prime Time Players vs. The New Day
Winners and New WWE Tag Team Champions: The Prime Time Players

Ladder Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Title: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
Winner: Seth Rollins

Mike: The only match I watched when it aired was John Cena Vs Kevin Owens.  Someone had posted on Facebook that the match started, so I turned on the Network.  Watched that incredible match, and then turned it off, disgusted by the result.   I am sure that I will eventually get around to watching the rest of the PPV this week and adding more comments, but I was so heated about that match I had to talk about it.

Typically, I don’t worry too much about who wins or loses a wrestling match.  I understand that wins or losses are booked that way, and it’s more about the story and the performance.  And this was a terrific match...probably even better than their first match which was already a match of the year contender.   So my complaints will probably sound a little hypocritical.  I can’t help but think of past Cena feuds...like Bray Wyatt, Rusev, even the Nexus.    Sure, they got a win over Cena...but then the WWE did everything possible to have Cena beat them over and over again in a meaningful manner.  Since then, these guys basically took a huge tumble down the card and never really recovered.   

The only real difference here is that Kevin Owens at least had a terrific match with Cena, and he didn’t get buried.   But it still makes no sense to me to have Owens take a pinfall loss right now.    You should keep that momentum going, not derail it by being another victim to the Cena Machine. I did like that Owens demolished Cena after the match...but WWE won’t allow Cena to sell that.  That powerbomb against the apron typically puts people out of comission for a few weeks.  I can almost guarantee Cena will be out the next night on Raw, angry but not hurt at all.  Super Cena strikes again.  

Chris: I wasn't happy about the result either, but I get a different vibe from this feud than the others you mentioned.  Cena at least is selling the apron power bomb for a night, since he didn't show up on this week's Raw.  Owens also destroyed musical guest Machine Gun Kelly.  Looks like the rematch is going to happen again at Battleground and be for the U.S. Title.  I wonder where this is all going...

If it's like the past Owens will lose a couple more than sink down the card.  Here's hoping that Cena costs Owens the NXT title somehow on the July 4th special from Japan.  Then let's really get this feud going.  I'll take a non-finish at Battleground and a big win for Owens at Summer Slam.  

I'm sure that I'm kidding myself, because Super Cena struck again.  Let's hope lightning doesn't keep striking...ahh who am I kidding.  Vince is going to turn Owens into a midcard bum.  The horror of the past decade continues.  

Let's hope they prove us wrong for a change.  Even if the feud ends 2-2, that will build Owens nicely.  Come on, Vince.  Don't muff this up.

Jeff: I actually appreciate what they’re trying to do with Cena right now--elevate a secondary title to a more prestigious status. Of course, one could point to the Intercontinental Title and the mishandling of King Barrett and wonder why they don’t try to build up all of the titles, but that’s another story. The problem is Cena wins non-title bouts. If I booked the show I’d have Cena do the job for every non-title match. I’d have someone else, like  Bray Wyatt or Sheamus get involved, challenging Cena’s right to be champion when he can’t beat Owens. Put together a three-way US Title fight where Cena can get the win without going over Owens, or a Cena vs Sheamus match where Owens runs in, or is the guest referee or whatever. That way Cena gets title victories to preserve the prestige of the US Title, Owens gets to keep his heat and some other mid-carders get a rub in the process. but no, Super Cena always wins because good is dumb.

Mike: I am always willing to admit when I am wrong. Kudos to WWE for keeping Cena off TV on Raw….he’s not off filming another movie, right?

Chris: There's just not enough realistic selling anymore.  Owens is coming off as a killer because he's taking people off TV, and here's to hoping Cena comes back pissed but beat up.

Mike: The Divas match was surprisingly good, BUT, I had a huge problem with the commentary at the end.  Yes, it was clear there was some odd booking there.  Paige wins, the ref declares her new champion...but it turns out she pinned the wrong Bella.   Nikki comes in and makes the pin, getting the win. But instead of just going along with the finish and saying the ref used his discretion, the commentators kept saying over and over again, “Well, shouldn’t that been a disqualification?” To me, that really exposes the business and just takes away from the product.   

And from a technical standpoint, the ref never saw Bri attack Paige, so there would be no reason to call a DQ.  It is the commentators’ job to help tell the story, not make things more confusing.

Chris: We are going to get into the great commentary later, but this was typical modern WWE crap.  These guys come off as jokey buffoons far too often.  It's just sad they can't sell a result properly.

Jeff: Yeah, we need to talk about the state of commentary across the company right now. It’s not good. At this point I’d turn it all over to Howard Finkel and Jimmy Hart, and i’m only half-joking there, at best. It seemed clear to me that the finish had both the commentators and the ref confused. You can’t go live on a PPV with people who aren’t real sure what’s coming. Heck, I don’t think that would work any better at a house show in Sioux City, Iowa.

Mike: AND WTF???  Ambrose cuts what is probably the best promo of his WWE career...and it doesn’t air during the PPV...or on the Network in a Post-PPV Show. NAH!  Let’s throw it online where most people won’t even see it.  

Best in Our World - Commentators

Mike: I was looking over our past columns, and I noticed that we really didn’t cover a lot of “non-wrestling” personalities.  No commentators, no managers, no “authority figures,” etc.  So, over the next few weeks, I’m proposing that we focus on those people.  Going to get the ball rolling with commentators.  The WWE actually is in the dark ages of commentators right now.  There is just nobody that captures the excitement in the ring and enhances the matches.  

While they are still a little too “new” to put on my all-time list, I do want to give props to Vampire and Matt Stryker on Lucha Underground.   They always keep a focus on the action in the ring at the time, and provide quick reminders of the past events that led us to what we’re watching right now.  They also do a great job connecting Lucha Underground to wrestling history as well as wrestling around the world.  I was shocked when they went out of their way to mention Amazing Red and Brian XL, both indy guys who do a lot of work with Pro Wrestling Syndicate.   And you can tell they are fans.   They get hyped up by what’s going on in the ring, and know when to shut up and just let the action speak for itself.  

My top five:
1) Bobby Heenan - Bobby Heenan is my all time favorite manager too, but I also loved the work he did on commentary.   He was an unrepentant heel, and brilliant in both the WWE and WCW.  My favorite Heenan moment was during the Royal Rumble in 1992 where he was backing Ric Flair.  At one point, Piper saves Flair, and Heenan starts yelling, “Thank you Piper, I take back everything I ever said about your kilt.”  Moments later, Piper hits Flair and Heenan is calling him a skirt-wearing freak. That was like 25 years ago and I still laugh every time I think about it. Other great Heenan moment was when he said those bone-chilling words, “Who’s Hogan here to help?” just before Hogan was revealed to be the mastermind behind the NWO.  A lot of people complain that Heenan gave it away, but I totally disagree.  Heenan was the heel and always questioned Hogan...and this time, he got it absolutely right.

2) Jim Ross - Jim Ross was a brilliant commentator, who always gave the viewer a sense of why what we were watching was so important.  BUT, JR could also turn the excitement up to ridiculous levels.  “MY GOD, HE’S BROKEN IN HALF!” and “STONE COLD!  STONE COLD!” He knew how to sell whatever was going on the screen.  Not to mention all the great lasting nicknames like the Cerebral Assassin and the Bionic Redneck.

3) Gorilla Monsoon - Gorilla Monsoon was always Kermit the Frog to me. The sole voice of reason and professionalism while chaos was happening all around him. He was partnered up with Jesse Ventura and Bobby Heenan, and you could often hear the mock exasperation in his voice when they would go full blown heel.

4) Paul Heyman - Like Bobby Heenan, Paul Heyman could easily end up on quite a few of my “non-wrestling” personalities lists. Again, he was just a guy who could always sell the action going on and why the viewer should care. And that voice of his...when he turned up the “New York Jew” you knew shit was about to get heavy.  

5) Booker T - I’ve often thought Booker T was the most underappreciated commentator I’ve ever heard. He always had great insight on what the guys in the ring were feeling and going through. I remember a few years ago he was doing a PPV with Michael Cole, and they talked for a while about the idea that wrestlers pretty much always are hurting, but there is a difference between hurt and injured.  It was something I had never really considered, and I thought it gave a fresh perspective to what I was watching.   I also loved that Booker would get so excited, he constantly seemed to lose his train of thought.  It just felt very real.

Honorable Mention - William Regal - I am a huge Regal Mark, and pretty much anything he does is gold.  He was brilliant as a commentator for NXT, especially when he was working with Jim Ross. Not only did Regal explain why moves were done in a certain way, but he also provided ridiculous commentary moments, including talking about having his siamese twin daughters locked in the attic. He had no problem being weird and brilliant, and I really miss him doing it.

Chris: There have been so many wonderful storytellers over the years. People that came to the ringside area with the express purpose of selling the action and helping enhance the storytelling. I know the purpose of the commentator is to sell tickets and products, but in the old days they did it by making you love the in-ring action. Today, it's just about shilling for social media hits and Network sign ups. Pro wrestling commentary has fallen so far in the past decade or so.

My five favorites of all time are:

1. Gorilla Monsoon - "The SRO signs went out early," "You can cut the electricity with a knife," "Imagine the impact coming down," & "The irresistible object meets the immovable force." Oh the magic of the Gorilla's words. He had a way of making each and every event seem so important. Gorilla also had amazing chemistry with the likes of Bobby Heenan, Lord Alfred Hayes, and Jesse Ventura. On top of everything else, Gorilla was always about storytelling the action in the ring. Nobody ever did it better!

2. Jim Ross - Like Gorilla, Ross was all about enhancing what was going on in the ring.  Mike really nailed the essence of what Ross brought to the wrestling world, but let me just state, it's a shame that Ross doesn't regularly call wrestling action.

3. Bobby Heenan - Once again you really nailed it on Heenan, Mike. As a character Bobby just knew how to enhance the action but also get himself over to advance his own Family's current storylines.  He was definitely the best heel commentator ever!

4. Jesse Ventura - Jesse was really a crappy ripoff of Superstar Billy Graham in the ring, but at the announce position he was one of the most innovative ever. He followed the heel line, always exhibited selective eyesight, and just had exquisite chemistry with Vince McMahon and Gorilla. Those teams worked off each other so well, at all times selling the product, yet making it look like a sport. Not so much today, huh?

5. Rod Trongard - This one I may get flack for, but I love the resonant voice that brought me the AWA each week as I grew into a wrestling fan.  He even came over and did WWF work for a year or so.  Trongard had one of those voices I just love to hear.  After all, if the voice doesn't pull you in, the action is lessened. Rod is one of MY voices.

Honorable mention: Vince McMahon, Tony Schiavone, Larry Marshall, Lance Russell, Gordon Solie, Bruno Sammartino, Matt Stryker, Larry Mercer

Jeff: Here’s what you don’t want from a broadcast team: obvious shilling, and obnoxiousness. Sure, some guys are just not really cut out for it (Randy Savage was terrific in promos but not so good on color, Roddy Piper wasn’t a whole lot better), but you can tolerate them if they don’t violate those two caveats.I can accept Jerry Lawler has a Hall of Fame wrestler and promoter of the Memphis territory, but as an color man he’s wretched. I’ve heard him interrupt Michael Cole (who will be on no one’s list for being the super-shill) to remind everyone  that this PPV’s official theme song was by some crap band like Nickelback. Nobody cares. Nobody has ever cared. Nobody will ever care. On the shilling, I get that the commentators have to sell the next PPV, but there’s no attempt at subtlety. There’s no real build-up anymore. It used to be that Monsoon would say, “This feud between Tito Santana and the Honky Tonk Man has been simmering for months now, Jess, and it’s going to finally come to a head inside a steel cage at SummerSlam.” It’s organic. It’s natural. How is it different today? Zach Rider faces off against Kofi Kingston in the ring, and all Cole will talk about--via Vince screaming into his earpiece for hours, is John Cena. They don’t talk about the match going on right in front of them. They don’t promote the superstars or get moves over., except on rare occasions when JBL tries to do what a true color commentator should be doing. When the match is over Lawler will talk over the highlights as if he was running for the Republican presidential nomination--lots of words, zero substance.

Chris, I have to disagree on obnoxious Lee Marshall, who I always found incredibly smug and insulting to my intelligence. He used to always say, “There’s no such thing as a smart mark.” Screw you and your Ron Jeremy porn ’stache, Marshall. There are a lot of people who are smart to the business and suspend their disbelief every week anyway. He’s the first person that comes to mind when somebody says, “Douchebag.” Well, him and Congress.

Chris: I'll agree with you on Congress, that's no doubt, but I loved Marshall from the moment he did the LA ring introductions at Wrestlemania 2.  He had such a resonant voice, much like Trongard.  I just loved hearing his words over the matches.  A little over bearing? Sure, but then, so am I!  Cue the Dusty Rhodes grin.

Jeff: Where I most disappointed right now is NXT. They have a three man booth right now that contributes absolutely nothing  to the broadcast. They could run the show with no commentary whatsoever and it would be better for it just listening to the Full Sail University audience chanting. Rich Brennan is sleep-inducingly boring, Corey Graves used to wrestle but nobody really knows who he was and he seldom offers any comments about maneuvers and Byron Saxton makes me jealous of Mick Foley’s missing ear. There is no chemistry and nothing interesting at all at that table. It wasn’t all that long ago when they had Renee Young and a rotating combination of Alex Riley, Jason Albert and William Regal bringing fresh perspectives and context couched in years of in-ring experience. I think they should cut Saxton altogether  and have one of the NXT workers sit in every show. Give them an opportunity to see things from the perspective of the viewer, study the monitor to understand what the monkeys in the truck are sending out across the Network, and get some much-needed experience on the mic. Could you imagine a whole show with Enzo Amore on commentary?

Oh yeah, my list:

1. Gorilla Monsoon -- the measuring stick for all others.

2. Jesse Ventura -- could get a move over and insult a face superstar in the same breath.

3. Jim Ross -- last of the great wrestling salesmen.

4. Steve “Mongo” McMichael -- HAHA! Seriously, how did that guy ever get the job? Eric Bischoff and Larry Zybszko were better. Heck, Buff Bagwell’s mother Judy was better.

4...4 realz! Bobby Heenan -- if for no other reason than that time he blurted out “What the f***?” live on the Clash of Champions. But there are other reasons...tons of ‘em!

5. Joey Styles -- at times Heyman could be too smart on the stick, but Joey and his exaggerated “Oh...my...GAAAAAAHD!” was the perfect compliment for those ECW “Holy shit!” chants. Plus he really didn’t even need a color commentator.

Dusty Rhodes: A Dream Remembered

Mike: A few days ago my friend Brian posted, “Dammit, WWE, how many Dusty-related tears do you want me to cry?!”  And he’s not wrong...I was pretty damn emotionally rung out by the time WWE aired this special on the WWE Network after Raw this week, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.  

Chris: I watched the tribute video each time it was on this week.  It was so compelling, but seeing this long form work completed my week of remembrance for the Dream.  

Mike: A lot of the video for this special came from the Dusty Rhode documentary WWE released a few years ago (which you can also watch on the Network), but there were still some nice new moments added in, including some thoughts from Ric Flair, Regal, Miz, Cena, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and a bunch of the NXT wrestlers who got to work with Dusty.   

Chris: I actually used to own the DVD set that a lot of the footage was culled from, but the new bits really made this a fitting final tribute.  I watched this "live" on the Network and I paid way more attention to it than I did to anything that happened that night on Raw.

Mike: If you are a fan of the American Dream, or just curious to know more about his life, this is definitely worth checking out.  I would also suggest checking out some of the Legends of Wrestling specials.  Dusty tells some brilliant and hilarious stories on those shows, and it really helps put this legend into some perspective.

Jeff: What struck me was that I was just going to lunch at my day job when the news broke. One of my friends whom I sit with at lunch, a lovely woman with absolutely no interest in professional wrestling, said, “What’s up? You look a little down.” I said, “The American Dream is dead.” Her eyes went wide. “Dusty Rhodes died? Oh no!” I was stunned. The word “icon” is overused in wrestling, but if it ever really applied to anyone, it would be Dusty.

Chris: Icon is correct for sure.  The amount of news coverage for the Dream was truly heartwarming.  The news was everywhere and it wasn't sensationalistic nonsense like most wrestler deaths.  It brought some good feelings to a bad day.

Jeff: The Network has a piece in the “Rivals” listing about Dusty and Ric Flair’s long feud through the 70s and 80s. Very well done, check it out if you haven’t seen it already.

E3: First Superstars announced for WWE 2K16

 From WWE.Com: 2K today announced the first six roster members in WWE 2K16, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE video game franchise. Poised to offer the largest playable roster in WWE games history, WWE 2K16 will include a variety of talent, including WWE Superstars Seth Rollins™, Daniel Bryan®, Dean Ambrose™ and Bad News Barrett™, WWE Diva Paige™ and NXT® Superstar Finn Bálor™. Artwork depicting the roster members is currently on display from June 16-18, 2015 in 2K’s booth, #1001 in the South Hall, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Additional announcements for WWE 2K16 are expected within the coming weeks.

Mike: For the most part, there was nothing all that surprising here.  All characters who have been featured in WWE games before, and are all midcarders or higher...well...except for one, and he’s the whole reason I wanted to include this story in this week’s column.  FINN BALOR!!

The image they showed had him in full demon makeup.   Finn, to me, have no ceiling on how high he can do with WWE.  I love his music (it actually just started playing on my Ipod while I was typing this), his entrance (both his normal entrance and PPV-enhanced entrance), and of course, his in ring ability.  Everything about him just screams starpower to me, and I’m glad that WWE decided to feature him in the next game.  

Jeff: I’m always a bit underwhelmed by the WWE games though I must admit I haven’t tried any under the new developer. I want the entire Hall of fame to unlockable. I want to take my Create A Superstar alter ego on a quest from Tough Enough to NXT to the WWE to headlining Wrestlemania to getting into the Hall myself. I also want a hidden easter egg that unlocks the original NES Pro Wrestling characters. That last bit will probably never happen, but a fella can dream, right?  

NXT Results 6/17/15

- The episode starts with a Dusty Rhodes Tribute video.  

- Enzo, Big Cass, and Carmella def. Blake, Murphy, and Alexa Bliss.   Carmella ripped her opponents before the match.  She can definitely hold her own with Enzo and Big Cass.  

- Recap of John Cena Vs Kevin Owens at Money in the Bank

- Samoa Joe is backstage.  He wants to be on the cutting edge, and that’s NXT.  He doesn’t like Kevin Owens; he’s weird and cowardly.  He uses intimidation to try to avoid a fight.  Promises to beat Owens down unmercifully.  This was a great promo.

- Long promo video laying out Finn Balor’s history.  Including some kind words from Becky Lynch.  Apparently, she got her start in Finn’s wrestling school.   She was 15 at the time, but lied to Finn and said she was 17.  Part 2 of this video will air next week.

- Charlotte def Cassie with the Figure Eight

- Dana Brooke talks about working the Arnold Classic in Brazil, but not she’s back and that’s bad news for Charlotte.  Charlotte is going to get replaced by the Total Diva/  Brooke also says she earned her way into NXT, and didn’t just get here because of who her father is like Charlotte.

- Kevin Owens Vs Samoa Joe.  No Decision.  The ref tried to get between them while fighting outside and got clobbered, so he called for the bell.  TERRIBLE WAY TO END THIS MATCH!  Joe and Owens continues to fight it out.  Refs and security kept trying to break it up, and they kept going at it.  

Mike:  Blake’s hair looks like it was from the Powerpuff Girls. The opener was basically a classic tag match that we’ve seen many, many times before. Heels pick on the weaker of their opponent. Hot tag. Clean win. But, I love Enzo and Big Cass, and it’s always good to see them win.

Jeff: There was a guy on the Bellator card this past Friday rocking pigtails too. That is not only a god awful look for a man, but also grounds to send in Brock Lesnar for a surprise shoot fight.

Chris: Nothing really special here, but entertaining nonetheless. I've got to say, Alexa Bliss finally has found her place on the roster.  Losing the fairy schtick and going bad is clearly her pathway to doing memorable things.  I hope to see all six of these ladies and gents on the main roster soon.

Jeff: I don’t! Leave them right here on NXT. None of them are ready, and the writers would have no idea how to work with either team anyway. They’re all still a year away at least.

Mike: The Finn Balor video was terrific...but it might have taken up a little too much time.  It was close to 15 minutes long...and more to come next week.  But it was still great and gave a lot of insight into Finn and Becky Lynch for that matter.  I also liked that they called him Fergal Devitt through quite a bit of it.

Chris: It was great seeing all of the indy footage.  I especially liked seeing the New Japan logo, although it was disappointing we didn't see any actual NJPW video. I'm hoping next week gives us a glimpse of Bullet Club on WWE programming.

Jeff: Too long, and I felt it did more for Becky than for Fergal, but what the hey, it wasn’t like the rest of the show was any big shakes this week either.

Mike: I’m getting a little tired of all the “already in the ring” jobbers.  It just makes you feel they don’t have a lot of faith in the new NXT talent.  Cassie got in a pretty nice hurricarana against Charlotte, and that was about it.  Charlotte continues to impress.  That spear she hit was actually real awesome...and I’ve been sick of that move forever.

For the most part, this was a great main event.  They really let Joe and Owens shows what they are all about.  I also liked that Owens seemed to be almost scared of Joe.  Even during the Cena matches, Owens always seemed cool and in control, but Joe seemed to take the fight to him.  I did hate that there was a long “rest hold” choke segment.  That always turns me off from a match.

Chris: This was another weak episode of NXT.  Like you mentioned, enough with the job matches!  As for the main event, I disagree.  As highly anticipated as Owens/Joe was, this was really disappointing, kinda slow, and dare I say, boring!  That headlock you mentioned seemed to go on forever.  I did like how Owens finally looked scared, but I was really let down.  Here's hoping the next one is way better.

Jeff: The Owens/Joe angle feels rushed already, at the expense of Prince Pretty’s momentum. These weird little vignettes with guys nobody knows aren’t really working. I’m now automatically afraid they’ll all end up being Solomon Crowe. Who betta than Crowe? EVERYBODY!  

Lucha Underground Results 6/17/15

- All Night Long Iron Man Match - Prince Puma (c) vs Johnny Mundo Most pinfalls or submissions before the end of the show wins the Lucha Underground Title.   I watched this episode online as a 44 minute video, so that is the “clock” I am using.

About 10 minutes in, Puma takes the first pinfall with a wheelbarrow into a roll up

Puma 1-0

About 13 minutes in, Mundo ties it up with a bridging pin, using the ropes for leverage.

Tied 1-1

About 18 minutes, Mundo hits Puma in the head with a crowbar.  He rolls Puma back into the ring for a pin.  Before Puma can recover, Mundo hits Starlight drive for another pin.  Then he hits a springboard kick followed by End of the World (Starship Pain) for ANOTHER pin.

Mundo pulls ahead 4-1

Mundo starts to yell he’s parched, and gets a water bottle while Puma is stll out. Crowd starts to chant for Puma, willing him back into this match. Puma looks wobbly, but he starts to turn it around...until Mundo hits a brutal neckbreaker onto the ring apron.  They end up fighting into the crowd.  Puma hits a suplex onto the concrete and starts to stack up tables.  Striker calls it an ominous Jenga puzzle.  Mundo climbs up into the band area and starts to taunt Puma.  He orders the band to play, to try and run more time off the clock.  Puma climbs up after him, hitting Mundo in the head with a guitar.  He then hits a flying tackle, sending both men crashing down through the tables stacked below.  Puma struggles to drag Johnny back into the ring, but finally gets another pin at about 33 minutes in.

Mundo still leads 4-2.

Puma gets another pin at 34 minutes with a spinning Piledrive.

Mundo 4-3

Johnny decides to run off at this point, Puma tries to give chase, but Mundo is just a little too fast for him.  Johnny runs up the temple stairs, and finds Alberto El Patron waiting for him.  Alberto throws him back down the stairs and gives him a serious beatdown.  He finally throughs Mundo back into the ring.  Puma hits a springboard splash for the pin with about 4 minutes left.

Tied 4-4

Alberto grabs the mike and promises Mundo they are not even.  Patron promises to kick Mundo’s ass again.  He also vows that he his coming for the title, no matter who leaves this match with it.

3 minutes left...both men start to kick it into overdrive. Several quick pin attempts, but to no avail.  

2 minutes left...Mundo hits the Spanish Fly/C4, but Puma kicks out.

Less than a minute left...both men are down, and struggling to get back to their feet.  Puma finally hits a dropkick followed by the 640 with about ten seconds left.

Puma 5-4 as the clock runs out.

Mike: This was an incredible ballsy episode to do.  Lucha Underground has a variety of storylines going on, and they are building towards their big Ultimate Lucha season finale.  But, they devoted a whole episode to one match.  No quick filler segments squeezed in the commercial breaks, it was just two guys going at it from start to finish.  

Chris: With the correct opponents an Iron Man match can be epic.  Michaels vs. Bret was a lot of fun, but Triple H & Rock really didn't do it for me.  This match...

Mike: And what a match it was!  

Chris: Hey, you're right but calm down.  Seriously, Mundo and Puma have amazing chemistry.  Just thinking back to their meeting in the very first episode of Lucha. It launched the brand spectacularly!  This match really upped the ante.  The pace and insane spots couldn't be matched by many guys in the business.

Mike: It really helped that these two guys are both in incredible shape, and know how to pace a match well.  There were no long stops for rest holds.  The only breaks they took were after ridiculously brutal moves and both men sold them real well.  Mundo played the heel so well here.  Constantly looking for shortcuts, and even trying to run away from the match to preserve his win.  

Chris: When Mundo got up on the bandstand and started messing around, well, that was brilliant heel work.  Alberto Al Patron's appearance was the perfect way to stop the heeling around by Mundo.

Mike: This was a great episode of Lucha Underground, and I honestly don’t think any other promotion could have pulled this off so well.  Huge props to them!