Lucha Underground: Fate Worse Than Death

The Lloyd · March 25, 2021

Marty "The Moth" Martinez and "Session Moth" Martina vs. La Mariposa and Tommy Dreamer

Taya Valkyrie vs. PJ Black

The White Rabbit vs. Jake Strong - Lucha Underground Championship Match

Blodyxe · March 28, 2021

S05E10 - Pay The Toll

Lucha Underground

Season 5, Episode 10

"Pay The Toll"

"Antonio Cueto, you know that I'm the only fighter who has true Aztec blood... We have so much in common, her name is almost like mine - Martina... Taya just sacrificed Ricky Mandel! It was your fault, Havoc, you never tagged me in... I'm done being a good little soldier in Lucha Underground… We gotta get a medic here for Sammy Guevara... The White Rabbit is the official number one contender for Jake Strong's Lucha Underground title! Beat your friends, so your enemies will be scared of you... Antonio Cueto, I give you one week to pay the toll! TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK. Jake Strong, your time on top is over..."

We start the night with Angelico arriving to The Temple on his dirtbike. He travels lightly, only removing his helmet to wear the Lucha Underground baseball cap. The place is quiet... Too quiet.

BAM!! Steve Pain attacks Angelico from behind, hitting him in the back of the knee with a trusty wrench! The South African screams in pain, as Steve gets down to work. He's quickly joined by TJ Perkins and Hernandez, who stomp the poor guy. Sammy Guevara is filming this on his iPhone, this will do HUGE numbers for his Youtube channel. Dante Fox is the one who coordinated the attack though. He slaps Angelico on the cheek now, telling him he's just executing the orders from above. Sammy enjoys Angelico's misery and tries to call his shots too.

"Hernandez, Border Toss him through the windshield!" - Guevara says.

Hernandez looks back at the limo he landed on a few weeks ago and says "Nah, I'll wait for the match, bro". Dante says Angelico got enough already, but Sammy wants to do one more thing before they leave. He asks TJP to hold his phone... CURB STOMP on the concrete! Angelico's mouth is busted. He will be lucky to have all his teeth in place after that one! Dante's goons leave Angelico behind and step into the arena. The roar of another motorcycle signals Son of Havoc's arrival! The biker has his headlight on, so he quickly spots his friend.

Havoc checks on Angelico, and in a moment reminiscent of the trios match at Ultima Lucha Cuatro, curses out when there's no medic around to aid a guy who bleeds from his mouth. Son of Havoc is seething.

Unlike "The Biker from The Open Road", our believers are jamming out to the performance of Union 13, a bilingual Boyle Heights punk rock band! They are playing "

", one of their proven hits. Excalibur shouts out the local punkers and turns to Matt Striker, who has huge news for us.

- Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been informed that Angelico was attacked by five men, and now his status is listed as 'questionable'. The guy can't catch a break, Excalibur!

- I have a lot of sympathy for Angelico, but I don't think luck has anything to do with it. Dante Fox and his allies sent a message to the rest of the locker room, which now seems to be split in half.

- The situation is tense, but it couldn't be any different, as next week we will have a Juegos de Guerra match - a five-on-five elimination contest. Imagine Survivor Series, but there are no rules in place!! We can now confirm the 'soldiers' - Dante Fox, TJ Perkins, Sammy Guevara, Hernandez and Steve Pain on one side. Son of Havoc, Jimmy Yuta, Chavo Guerrero Jr, PJ Black and Angelico, if he's gonna make it.

- Speaking of PJ, he has a match against "La Wera Loca" Taya Valkyrie tonight. She has been on a tear lately, even sacrificed Ricky Mundo! Will PJ survive tonight?

- Good question, but that's not the only BIG match we have scheduled for tonight... And when I say BIG, I talk about two of the most dominant heavyweights rumbling it out for the Lucha Underground championship. Tonight we will see The White Rabbit and Jake Strong going one-on-one for the title!

- The believers are on the side of the challenger, but the champion has never lost a singles match here. Is tonight the end of Jake's stronghold on the title!? I can't wait for that fight!

- If you want to see a violent fight, look no further, because we open the show with a mixed tag team match! Melissa, take us away!

"The following lucha is a mixed tag team match, and it is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, from 'The Last House on the Left', Marty "The Moth" Martinez and "Session Moth" Martina..."

Huh, they are now announced from the same place Jeremiah Crane comes from. Martinez rolls back the days and 'flaps his wing' very close to Melissa, making her uncomfortable. Cage won't be able to stop the creepy bastard tonight, and Marty knows it. He grabs the mic from the ring announcer and pushes her down on the mat, to make Martina laugh.

"This ring is only for the Aztec royalty, and you missed your chance, Melissa. GET OUT! I have something important to say to my sis, Mariposa. What happened between us lately is simply wrong. I didn't mean to bust you open, sis, but you left me with no choice. I wanted to remind you of our connection, blood that we share. It is thicker than all the riches we inherited! And just because I love you so much, I will give you a chance to apologize to myself and my beautiful girlfriend, Martina. Let's be a big, happy family once again. Let's rule this Temple together as The Moth Tribe!"

Sounds like Marty doesn't like living on a budget, and wants to get back into Mariposa's good graces. It would be tough, given how rough he was with her in their last meeting. But in his head, Marty believes they are even now. She cut his funding, and he cut her forehead - it's all good now, right? Mariposa comes out to the call and she has her hands on the hips.

"Marty, my silly little brother... You're not getting $#&~! You're a half-blood, and all those riches belong to me, now that you don't want to keep the wealth in the family!"

Marty screams that he is the oldest SON!! All the money belongs to him!! Martina agrees and starts yelling at Mariposa too. They call her to the ring, for a 'joyous family gathering', but she's not stupid. She brought someone who wants to kick Marty's a$$ as much as she does... "The Innovator Of Violence" Tommy Dreamer! Tommy hits his pose, nods to Mariposa, and together they jump in.

Ring the bell!!

Mixed Tag Team Match

Marty "The Moth" Martinez and "Session Moth" Martina vs. Tommy Dreamer and Mariposa

Justin Borden has problems getting this crazy bout in control, as all four competitors brawl around the ring and do not plan to stop. Dreamer and Marty of course slug it out like the big boys, while Mariposa and Martina drag each other by the hair.

Only when Marty gains an advantage over Dreamer, he talks about the rules and tells the ref to get his sis back in her corner. He stomps on Dreamer and hits him with a simple but effective Dropkick! Martinez wants to open up Tommy again, so he rubs the fresh cuts on Dreamer’s forecast with his cast. Although Marty is wearing it, he uses both arms to choke his opponent. Perhaps he’s all healed up and wears it for some other reason? Together with Martina they cut the ring in half and run over Tommy! Marty takes a page from Dreamer's book and hangs him upside down in the corner. Tree of Woe Dropkick!

Martina covers Tommy, but he kicks out. Dreamer is having problems with both of those kids, but has an opening when Marty misses with a Bicycle Kick, and accidentally hits Martina! Dreamer lets Mariposa have a go at her half-bro.

"Well-well, this is going to be ugly!!" - says Striker.

Mariposa throws hands at Martinez and puts him on the mat with a Forward Russian Leg Sweep, which is smoothly transitioned into a Fujiwara Armbar on Marty's bad limb! She likes to torture him, ain't she? With Martina laying on the outside, Marty has to endure this pain longer. He gets to the ropes though and pokes Mariposa in the eyes when the ref points out a rope break. He picks her up on the shoulders... TKO! Instead of pinning her there, Marty talks a lot of trash and wipes Tommy out with a Bicycle Kick. He signals the Curb Stomp from the second rope on Mariposa, but misses it.

Mariposa plants Moth with a Bulldog and locks him in the Crossface! He is struggling, but Martina finally saves her man with a Flying Senton! She delivers a Tornado DDT, and Marty is there to cover his sis! One, two, NO! Mariposa is still in it. Marty grins, he has a perfect idea. He wants to hit a Butterfly Effect on Mariposa, but wastes too much time. The butterfly wriggles out and tags in Tommy, who gets in with undeniable babyface fire, dropping Marty and Martina with lariats! Martinez ends up on the mat after a Sidewalk Slam, and his girl is put down with a Falling Neckbreaker!

Tommy is in the zone, he ducks the charge from Marty and hits him with winded punches... BIONIC ELBOW! Time for a finish, Dreamer DDT incoming! Martina spits beer in Tommy's face, ref didn't see it! "Session Moth" spears Mariposa through the ropes, crashing down hard, but leaving her boyfriend in a favorable position. DDT!!

Marty spikes Dreamer and covers the ECW legend for a three count. Ref raises Marty's good arm, and Martinez celebrates provocatively in front of his sis. The very first win for Martina too, she fought well tonight! This is not their final meeting, you can bet your house on that.

In a bout that had a decent reaction from the crowd but sub-par wrestling, Martina and Marty "The Moth" Martinez defeated Tommy Dreamer and Mariposa in 7:11 when Marty defeated Tommy Dreamer by pinfall with a DDT. (D)

After the opener, we go straight to the restroom. It is now also a place where Jimmy Yuta changes into his gear. He was banned from entering the Lucha Underground locker room after his match with Dante, but the young man doesn't dwell on it. He still has people who talk to him, like PJ Black.

- Man, I remember how I and Jack Evans used to fight Drago and Aerostar here, with our nunchucks. Good times...

- Sorry, I wasn't here at that time, I don't know those guys.

- Yeah, it's fine, it was a long time ago. Years before you took me and Ricky in. When we tussled in that motel, we had to come up with a story to get off the hook about causing too much ruckus. I said that we were beating on huge cock...roaches under the bed, but then Mandel panicked and hit one of the cops in the D. What we were thinking? I miss that weirdo already, Yuta.

- Me too. He showed good progress fighting his mental issues, but... we had to keep him away from here.

- Believe me, we wouldn't be able to stop him. That guy just wanted to get his stupid doll back, said they had some unfinished business. May he rest in peace.

- Yeah. Did you talk with Angelico yet?

- No, screw that guy. I mean, he didn't even try to save Ricky and just let him suffer in the middle of the ring. I don't know if we can trust him.

- Ricky almost killed him before, so you have to count that in. It is very difficult to change people's perceptions.

- True. People still think I’m "The Darewolf" of old. Truth is, I just wanted to fit in, roll with the boys, play air guitars, you know. But I am not denouncing everything I've done, and I'm really sorry about bullying Mandel. Maybe if we were all kinder to him, he would still be here.

Black's pager beeps and he tells Yuta that his match will happen any minute now. It can be the last match of his life too, but he always wrestles like it's his last match... Jimmy stops PJ for a sec and wishes him luck. He believes that Black changed his ways. "The Darewolf" will remember that. If he lives on to fight another day!

Meanwhile, Hernandez approaches Chavo Guerrero in the corridor. They have some history together, so "The SuperMex" acts like he's glad to see his old friend.

He really tries to butter up Guerrero, but Chavo just asks what does he want? With his cover blown, Hernandez tells Chavo that their team wants to have an 'insider' in the opposition's camp. Basically, Hernandez offers Chavo to be the backstabber, for him to screw his teammates and help out his gang.

- Antonio will make it worth it for you. He's way more generous than Dario!

- Screw him, he fired Shaul! I may not like those guys, but I'm not going to do Cueto a favor.

- C'mon, Chavito. We both know you're perfect for that. Lying, cheating, stealing... why not backstabbing, holmes?

- Because this might be my last match ever. And I want to warn you, bro. Don't mess with Guerreros when it's time to go to war.

- That's cool, man. I respect that. You're an OG, and a real MFer, I'll tell you that. The way you did that guy, wow. Peace!

Hernandez spilled those last words louder, cause he saw Son of Havoc approaching. The big man patted Chavo on the back and strutted away. The biker asks Chavo what was that all about? Was it Chavo who attacked Angelico in the parking lot? Guerrero is insulted to be asked that question, and lets Havoc know about it. Well, his reputation is not exactly spotless. When Son of Havoc asks where Chavo was when the attack happened, he just says that he doesn't owe any answers to some self-appointed locker room leader, ok? Chavo storms off, kicking the chair in frustration. It is tough to work together with so many egos...

Now we're back at ringside, where PJ is already waiting for the arrival of Taya Valkyrie. "La Wera Loca" makes her long-awaited entrance alone, if you don't count the creepy doll in her hands. Taya puts it closer to her ear, and eyes down her opponent. Time to lucha!

Intergender Match

Taya Valkyrie [w/Rosa] vs. PJ Black

PJ Black and Taya Valkyrie stare each other down and talk trash to each other. Taya offers PJ a test of strength, but quickly backtracks and hits Black in the gut! PJ evades a headlock, taking Taya’s back, but she easily hip tosses her opponent and locks him in the Abdominal Stretch.

Couple of elbows to the chest of PJ. Taya lets him go, but only to strike him in between the shoulder blades with two violent soccer kicks! She goes for a Belly-to-Back, but Black backflips on his legs and tries to cover his ex-friend quickly - to no avail. It looks like PJ has trouble hitting Taya full power, he has a soft spot in his heart for her. Even when Black is challenged by Taya herself, the punches never come into play. But a huge SLAP from Valkyrie helps wake up the more aggressive "Darewolf"... Superkick! Bet she didn’t expect that! Cover, Taya kicks out and puts her furry boots to good use. She fights back from her back, then flattens PJ with a running lariat, landing flat on her rear end. Cover, PJ kicks out!

Taya doesn’t mind dragging PJ by his hair, and sitting him on the top turnbuckle - but she eats a boot to the face! Black with a Hurricanrana! Sends Taya to the corner, takes a run-up and hits Valkyrie with a Running Crossbody, also ending up on the apron. He howls and springboards back into action, but Taya catches PJ mid-air and plants him on the mat with a Swinging Sideslam! She's in control, and she wants more violence! Her primal scream is scary...

"Taya is not in the mood to play with others, she only needs her toy now!" - mentions Matt Striker.

Taya claws PJ’s face and irish whips him into the barricade! "La Wera Loca" chops PJ and sends him back first into the announcer table! He leans across it, looking powerless. Taya doesn’t let him have a breather… RUNNING KNEES TO THE FACE! Black’s head bounced off the table, and he could be rocked. Taya is not done though, as she takes off the protective mat and lines up PJ for a nasty Body Slam. SLAM! Could have cracked the tailbone right there. Another soccer kick to the back, Black is not having an easy time with "The Chooser of Slain"! She throws him back into the ring and connects with wild running knees in the corner! Cover… one, two, PJ wants to fight some more! Taya stomps PJ in frustration and goes for another Corner Meteora.

Black rolls out of the way, Jumping Enzughiri! Taya is stumbling, reverse STO is transitioned into a Koji Clutch, and now Valkyrie is trapped in the middle of the ring!! She tries to escape the hold, but Black holds on tight. Will she tap out? NO! Taya picks PJ up and slams him in the corner to break it up. Northern Lights Suplex, and then a Double Foot Stomp! She can win it right here!!

"Oneee… two… NO! PJ Black kicks out at the last second!" - stresses Excalibur.

Taya loses her cool, locks Black’s arms, and stomps him in the face repeatedly! She could be disqualified if she continues like this. Taya lashes out at the referee, giving PJ valuable seconds to recover… Discus Elbow catches her in the jaw! Valkyrie is still on her two, but she looks disoriented. Final Cut! Taya is lined up in the precautions position, The Darewolf will look to end it with a 450 Splash!! Hexagon Dark appears out of nowhere, and pushes PJ off the perch! He lands on the rope with his huevos, and Taya retakes the advantage with a Flying Lariat, twisting Black inside out! Valkyrie signals for the end! ROAD TO VALHALLA!! She covers Black right in the middle of the ring, and the ref counts to three!!

Massive victory for Valkyrie, even though Hexagon Dark put his hands to this result.

In a decent match, Taya Valkyrie defeats PJ Black in 06:46 by pinfall with a Road to Valhalla. (D+)

You don't have to be a genius to know what's coming next. "The Darewolf" is helpless against two individuals circling around him right now. Hexagon Dark wants to spike PJ in the head, but it looks like Taya wants to do it herself. She picks up the railroad spike and grabs Black by the hair... but someone throws a smoke bomb into the ring, distracting everyone. The believers cough, our Temple is not very well ventilated. When the fog of war settles, PJ Black is gone from the ring, and judging from Taya's reaction, the man wasn't sacrificed. Two-thirds of the Trios champions look around, whoever ruined their plans is a dead man walking.

Antonio Cueto slams his fist on the desk in frustration, PJ got away! He hit his arthritic hand quite hard, so he’s in pain. He struggles to pick up a pen now. Cueto senior has general health issues you don’t ignore at this age, but what is health, if The Gods expect you to conquer the Aztecs?

The door to the office opens and in walks a guy who Antonio is very surprised to see. A guy whose face is pinned to the wall with a tag ‘wanted dead or alive'… Sniper Eagle. He’s wearing a luxury coat and lots of jewelry, plus he has a stern-looking bodyguard standing right behind him.

Eagle puts his legs on Cueto’s desk, who's baffled…

- You! You stole my briefcase!!

- Thanks for the vacation, Jefe. It was fair dinkum great! But I want something else...

- Wow! You have the gall to come back to my Temple after what you have done? And ask me for something else? I am not sure if you’re brave, or just stupid.

- Let’s not be mean, ok? You must understand, money has no owners, only spenders.

- You stole them from someone way bigger than you. If that man was here, your neck would be snapped.

- Oh, that’s why I brought my bodyguard with me. You see, his secret is that he has no neck.

- I don’t find this funny. You really shouldn’t have done what you did, you silly boy.

- And you shouldn’t have recorded your employees, Antonio, because those cameras also record you. On this tape, I have all the dirt needed to put you and your pals in jail. And yeah, it’s just a copy… if something happens to me, the original will be passed on to the right people, and everyone will know your secrets.

- Shut up, you thief. You’re just a little rat who ran away with my slice of cheese, you don’t have the guts to oppose me.

- What can I say? I had a great teacher, now he’s a real master thief. He told me that chaos is a ladder, and I seized my opportunity, Jefe. That’s it. Now I want to create a new opportunity for myself and others. I want to have one night in your chair!

- Haha, you are kidding me, right? You? In my chair!?

- That’s right, Antonio. I want to be the boss, just for one night. I’ll give you some time to think this business proposal over.

Eagle smirks and leaves the room, with the bodyguard closing the door behind him. Cueto has seen a lot of bold men, but this boy is something else. First he steals the money, then he threatens him with some evidence, and on top of all that, he wants to take his place? Over his dead body! Antonio looks under the desk and gets a newer briefcase. This time the money won't be lost...

Tick tock. Time for our big main event! Everything is ready for the showdown, and we have some excited fans. Melissa is about to introduce the participants now.

"The following lucha is scheduled for one fall, and is for the LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP!! Introducing first, the challenger. Accompanied by El Bunny... he comes from The Rabbit Hole... The White Rabbit!"

The challenger makes his grandiose entrance, checking the clock on top of the staircase. The Rabbit Tribe is here, but without Paul London. Must be licking his wounds after the meeting with Low-Ki.

"And his opponent... from Perry, Oklahoma. He's the Lucha Underground champion... "The Savage"... Jake Strong!"

And here's the main man. The longest reigning Lucha Underground champion! Jake slams his fist into the heart, but only gets booed by the believers. It seems like everyone is rooting for the title change. Melissa looks disgusted too, probably because this savage broke her husband's ankle. But this night is not about Cage. It's about Jake Strong and The White Rabbit.

Two heavyweights stare each other down, as our senior official Marty Elias raises the title. This is our main event!

Lucha Underground Title Match

The White Rabbit [w/El Bunny] vs. Jake Strong ©

Even if you're not in attendance, you can sense the 'big fight feel' about this match. Believers chant 'Tick Tock' and 'Rabbit's Gonna Kill You' at Strong, who's unphased. The challenger grins ominously.

Lock up! It's a good old test of strength to start off the bout. Jake initiated it and got the upper hand, but Rabbit also overpowered Jake for a moment. Back and forth they go, it looks like they're equally powerful. Jake still has the height advantage, but it's not that big to make a significant difference. They trade dominant positions in the chain wrestling sequence, and it must be noted that the challenger is no stranger to martial arts, stuffing Jake's takedown attempts. They bump into each other with shoulder tackles, staying on their feet. Strong blocks another charge with a knee to the gut, but The White Rabbit returns the favor with a stiff forearm! Jake ducks the Roundhouse Kick, and takes his opponent's back. German Suplex? No, Rabbit frees himself with elbows and traps Jake in a very tight Headlock.

If any other man was in that hold, he would probably be sleeping already, but Strong tries to Backdrop Suplex instead, failing. The White Rabbit uses his fingers to claw Jake's nose, so the ref gives him a warning. Big Boot sends Strong into the corner, running forearm is followed by a European Uppercut! Huge chop, woooo! He's taking the fight to the champion. Running knee strike into the corner, he's fearless! One more time, and now he bumps his knee into the corner pad. Jake doesn't miss his chance and takes down The White Rabbit from behind, for the first time tonight! He spins out to lock The Rabbit in a front facelock... looks tight.

Rabbit charges into the corner and frees himself! Big punch right into Strong's kisser! Everyone loved that, especially El Bunny. "The Herald of Doomsday" looks for an Exploder Suplex, but Jake grabs the rope and gets out of danger. Believers boo him, but that's a smart decision! The ref starts his count, and the bout resumes at 7. It wasn't the start Jake expected!

"We haven't seen Jake Strong in a similar situation before. He's not used to fighting someone like The White Rabbit!" - says Excalibur.

Strong is back now. He closes in on The White Rabbit, and shoots a single-leg takedown. Keeps his hands tight on the ankle of his opponent, slowly dragging his rival to the ground. Bam! A knee to the rib, that's not a move from his wrestling background, but it's pretty effective. He adds a few more shots and looks to advance to a Rear Naked Choke! The challenger protects himself and scrambles out of the trouble! Now that is a marker of a great warrior - being able to escape from such positions. Josh Barnett, who's in attendance, appreciates that moment a lot.

Another big right hand to Jake's face! Strong yells in anger and levels the guy with a Wild Lariat! Stomps repeatedly on Rabbit's ankle after that, as he remembers how his rival limped just a few weeks ago. Now it's The White Rabbit who takes a moment out of the ring. Take your time, it's a big match. You don't get many championship opportunities here in The Temple! Rabbit takes the steps and resumes the battle... stomps at Jake's foot in retaliation, and drives his knees to his dome in a muay thai clinch! Those knees can do the business, but Jake shows how tough he is, flooring The White Rabbit with a big greco-roman slam! Running knee to the face! Jake deadlifts The Rabbit for three consecutive Gutwrench Powerbombs, he's in control now! Runs up for a big Vader Bomb... but The White Rabbit jumps up quickly and kicks Strong in the face with his good foot!! Still limping, he clutches the dazed champion from behind... DOOMSDAY SAITO!! Nobody did that to Strong before! WOW. LUCHA, LUCHA, LUCHA!

Jake landed badly, and Rabbit also collapsed nearby. He throws his arm over Strong for the cover, one, two... no! Jake picks up his shoulder. That was really close, and now The White Rabbit clubs grounded Jake Strong with open palm strikes! Could we get a KO here? Strong tries to cover up, but concedes a Bararm Sleeper! The champion can pass out in this hold, and lose his title, but somehow he manages to get his long foot on the bottom rope! Lucky to be so close to them. Rabbit goes crazy and stomps that foot, using full body weight! "The Savage" is wounded, and he's in big trouble now, since the challenger applies the Ankle Lock!! That's ambitious!

Jake's wincing in pain, crawls to the rope, but gets dragged back to the middle... Strong rolls over and pushes The White Rabbit into Marty Elias, who falls down, clutching his face. Oh no. Jake with a blatant low blow!! Absolutely despicable! Drove his knee right in the opponent's groin! Strong grins, knowing that he's in the driver's seat now. Three rolling german suplexes in a row, and now Strong is looking to end it with an Ankle Lock of his own! El Bunny jumps in and bites Jake from behind!! The ref doesn't see it, and it saves The White Rabbit. Unfortunately, Strong throws El Bunny out of the ring, very rough landing for the mini... but that sacrifice gave the leader of the rabbits enough time to put on his surgical glove and apply a Mandible Claw on the champion!! Jake was caught by surprise, he's going down the rabbit hole! Marty Elias slowly comes to life and looks over... HE ORDERS TO STOP THE MATCH!

THE WHITE RABBIT HAS DETHRONED JAKE "THE SAVAGE" STRONG!!!

In a good match, The White Rabbit defeated Jake Strong in 15:10 by submission with Down The Rabbit's Hole. The White Rabbit wins the Lucha Underground Championship. (C)

The fans go crazy, we have a new champion! The new top guy in The Temple clutches the newly won title and raises it high in the air! Antonio Cueto crashes the celebration though...

"HOLD ON! The White Rabbit did not win the title! This bout had a 15-minute time limit, so it's a draw... Therefore, Jake Strong is STILL your Lucha Underground champion!!"

WHAT TIME LIMIT IS HE TALKING ABOUT? The White Rabbit's eyes are about to pop out from his orbits, he got screwed, big time! Ryback appears from behind and bashes the challenger with The Gauntlet, right before he can hunt down Antonio!! "The Big Guy" clubs the man with the artifact until he goes limp. Jake Strong wipes the blood off his mouth and takes the title, while people throw trash in the ring.

Ryback yells that he will finish him... SHELLSHOCKED!

Antonio joins Ryback in the ring and presents him with the new briefcase. As the show ends, Striker says that Antonio Cueto screwed the fans as much as he screwed The White Rabbit.

"He can't keep getting away with it! Ladies and gentlemen, this wasn't a good night for Lucha Underground, but we will come back stronger. Good night, everybody... man, this sucks." - drops Striker.

Jake Strong makes defense number 2 of his Lucha Underground Championship, as a result of a time limit draw.

Final Rating: 53/100 (C-)

This show has increased our popularity in 17 regions.

Blodyxe · March 29, 2021

Big Thank You! <div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="RMgsKqZ.gif" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/RMgsKqZ.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> Killshot's Shooting Range <img alt="njEy3TV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/njEy3TV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> Kijar 6 Kills out of 10 Shots - 60% Accuracy Kijar is still in the lead, taking down another target. <img alt="8RCyr44.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/8RCyr44.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> kanegan 4 Kills out of 6 Shots - 66.67% Accuracy Kanegan makes up the distance with two correct picks! We could see a change in leadership by the next episode. <img alt="wKoMLdX.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/wKoMLdX.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> The Lloyd 1 Kill out of 3 Shots - 33.33% Accuracy Not a bad debut for The Lloyd. Big thank you for nominating this thread for DOTM, and welcome to the crazy world of Lucha Underground! <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> </div> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52466" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="Y7yXsXT.gif" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Y7yXsXT.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> Muchas gracias to everyone who has voted for this thread in the DOTM! I never expected to win it, but here we are. Thanks for the support, and for checking the diary out, this project has been really fun. We're 10 episodes in, which marks around a quarter of the distance. No preview this week, as the graphic novel will make its return this Sunday. All I can say for now is that it will be centered around the Cueto family. Hope you didn't 'switch the channel' after that Dusty finish in the main event. The White Rabbit will come back stronger than ever! I also thought about making a video about some of my Lucha Underground discoveries, but can't guarantee it for sure. Hope you all have an awesome week, fellas!</div></div></blockquote>

Blodyxe · April 4, 2021

Dario's Revelations

Issue #6

Dario's Revelations

When Dragon Azteca Junior saw Dario Cueto in the flesh, he had completely lost the grasp of reality.

What is happening? Which side is Aerostar on? How can he trust a man who tortured and manipulated Black Lotus, then turned her against him? So many questions, and so little time to answer them all. But the talk between the two had to happen, sooner or later. A few weeks after the initial meeting, they are trying to have a civil talk again. Dario pours himself some bourbon, stretching lazily in his cozy armchair. He hasn’t lost his love for strong drinks, and Azteca hasn’t forgiven Dario for what he has done to his mentors.

It comes as no surprise that Azteca refuses to drink with Cueto. He will not drink the poison from the snake’s arms!

- The crest of my family has no snakes, Azteca. My family’s totem animal is a bull, actually.

- Is that why all I hear coming from your mouth is bullshit?

- I understand that you’re angry at me, but I can’t change the past. If you will give me a chance to explain myself, I will.

- What is there to explain? Your lies killed my teacher, and then your brother killed Rey too! I will never forgive you, nunca!

- It’s not about you forgiving me, Azteca. It’s about you accepting reality and moving on with your life. You are the chosen descendent of the most powerful Aztec Tribe, and what we need is for you to let bygones be bygones, and stop dwelling on the past. Let me tell you the story of my family, and you will understand me better.

- Fine... I will listen. But only because Aerostar asked me for this.

- Sure. Please take a sit, there's a lot we need to go through.

To make any kind of sense from my story, we have to go way back in time. The time when I and my little brother were little kids… Back when my brother was just Tito, not Matanza.

We lived in a big house in Pamplona, the Spanish city famous for its bullfighting tournaments. My father, Antonio Cueto, was at the helm of the biggest federation in the area, and he was the biggest promoter in town. He was obsessed with his job! Always a ruthless businessman, he undercut all the competitors without a second thought until there was nobody left. You could say he built himself quite a reputation. Everybody knew him, and everybody feared him. And even though he was uncompromising and cold-blooded in his work, he loved me and Tito dearly.

He cared for us much more than my mother, and I think there were a few good reasons why she hated our guts. Her name was Lilian. In her younger years, she was a wife to one of the matadors working for my father. I don't know much about the man, but from the old newspapers and almanacs, I learned that he was a brave performer, drawing people to the arenas in bunches. He was a real showman... but too flashy for his own good. He got so popular that people coming to the arenas started recognizing him before the man in charge, which would be my father, Antonio.

Matador's popularity was undeniable and so overwhelming that mi papa got envious and decided to show everyone who was the real deal.

He also had a favorite bull. A big, ferocious, unstoppable beast! The scariest and the most powerful Spanish bull you could ever find.

But my father always wanted to get more, so he started injecting the bull with stimulants. That beast was kept for a special occasion and built up for the leading star of the show, the matador I mentioned before. Their exhibition was hyped for the biggest night of the bullfighting year. People packed the arena and waited in anticipation for the grand show, expecting a performance they have never seen before. And yes, they got their commission's worth... perhaps even more than they asked for. That bull impaled the matador and dragged his dead carcass all around the place. People were shocked, families in attendance looked away, and only a chosen few enjoyed the gory consequences. One of those men was Antonio. He has lost his most popular worker, but he didn't bat an eye.

He considered that night to be the biggest success of his career. Record-breaking attendance and a personal triumph over the matador, who he never really liked.

After the matador's funeral, Antonio took care of the widow, and soon-to-be my mother, Lilian. Papa invited her to live with him in the big house, and also took in her firstborn son. Not long after, I and my baby brother were born, and so the Cueto family was bigger than ever.

Looking back, I understand that Lilian never loved my father, and married him only for his riches. She didn't have much of a choice too, being a single mother with a young kid was tough. The kid's name was Fernando... He was a bold, adventurous child, with a big heart. He was very gentle, and my father didn't like him for that. He wanted his spawn to be a fighting bunch, to be real warriors! But Fernando was too gentle for this world, and our father made sure to make his life harder, to toughen him up. He used to beat him with a stick all the time, and he never did it to us, his real children. Fernando was treated like garbage and whipped like a government mule, you could say!

Papa also used to lock him in the basement all the time, which didn't sit well with Lilian. We took the father's side and bullied Fernando some more. You know how cruel kids can be to each other? Well, we were making his life a living hell, to get papa's approval. We were so awful to Fernando, that our mother disowned us and beat us up in retaliation.

She could do it all the time since our father had to work more hours after the business started declining. She made sure that ALL the kids got some tough love... and kept beating us for every little inconvenience.

But one day everything changed. I sneaked into the office of my father, to find the book he left for me. It was about the ancient Aztec history... I was fascinated with the culture of human sacrifice.

As cool as that was, I saw a family photo nearby, where we looked like a happy family. I don't know how long I stared at that photo, but my mother caught me by surprise, and I dropped the thing. That was enough to make her angry. The beating I got that day was the last drop in the glass of my patience. Too much pain... We couldn't live like that anymore, and Matanza took the father's trophy and whacked her in the back of the head, again and again. That was the turning point in our lives. We stood there, all bloody and stressed, but for the first time ever, we felt actual freedom. The first person to discover the body was papa, of course. He couldn't believe what he witnessed and broke down right there. He wanted to know how this happened, but we did not admit anything.

We said that Fernando freaked out and beat her up. It was a believable story since he was much bigger than us and developed mental issues from constant isolation. He was also old enough to find out the truth about that infamous night where his dad was brutalized. He had a good reason to lash back at his mother for marrying his father's killer. Murdering her with a statue of Antonio's favorite bull also made sense, it was very symbolic.

My father lost his mind that day. He barged into the basement where Fernando slept and beat him to near death with his stick, screaming that he always knew the boy was not right. A few hours later, we buried my mother in the backyard and went to sleep, hearing how Fernando was wheezing downstairs, choking on blood. That was the longest night of our lives, and it broke my old man mentally. He has changed, as any husband would in that situation. While he never liked people before, he detested the whole world and all human species after that, viewing them no different from pigs. He wanted to "fix" us, save us from the ugliness of this world and the awful future that was awaiting us. After a few weeks, he closed his bull ring and took us on a worldwide adventure...

He wanted to make us feel better after the tragedy and asked us where we would like to go. Without a second thought, I screamed 'MEXICO'! I read all about Tenochtitlan and its famous temples, so I wanted to see history with my very own eyes, feel the atmosphere. Papa liked that idea, and just like conquistadors, we went to explore the new world! We left Fernando behind, all alone again.

We went to see one of the Temples I read about in the book. Just as we came close to it, the downpour started... We didn't come all that way to hide under the trees, so we ran straight in. Me, papa, and Tito. That was a sign from Tlaloc, the God of Rain. We had to stay back, but of course, we didn't.

The Temple was dark and it smelled horrible. Any other kids would be scared in our shoes, but after what we did to Lilian, this was like a visit to Disneyland. Antonio led us to the top of the staircase and started praying to the old Gods, asking that his sons would never get hurt by anyone again. He wanted to protect us, but his praying had the opposite effect. A glowing sphere at the very top of the building lit the whole place up... My father lost vision in one of his eyes, that's how strong the shining was. The voices started talking to the old man, while we stood back behind his back, not sure what to expect next. A few moments later he dropped on his knees and hugged us like he never did before. He saw the future, and all the horrible things expecting us there. He also saw the past and found out the real killers of his wife. He saw how we suffered without him, and he believed that our fate was worse than death. By entering The Temple we angered the Gods.

Papa had to choose which one of us he would sacrifice... me or Tito? Since papa found out it was Tito who killed Lilian, he made a quick decision. He pushed Tito to the sacrificial stone and the spirit of the Temple possessed my little brother forever. There was no Tito after that... it was the beginning of the God-possessed monster. After that event Tito became aggressive, and also overwhelmingly powerful. The remains of his soul were trapped in the big key from my dad's bull ring, and he gave the key to me, so I could control my brother as much as I could. It was much harder than I expected, and that worldwide adventure was very tough on me. By the end of it, when we visited Hong Kong, young me was exhausted and couldn't control the monster anymore. One night we walked together down the street and heard some parents yelling at their little child. Tito went on a rampage against those people, having flashbacks of how mama treated us. He ripped the limbs from their bodies and backed off from the little girl who was too young to understand what just happened. That little girl was Black Lotus.

We came clear to papa this time, ready to take our punishment, but he didn't yell at us at all. Instead, he said that we did well. He hated local people for the way they consumed food and compared them to pigs. Antonio didn't raise a hand at us, but that night he renamed Tito to Matanza - the slayer of pigs. We ended our world tour and returned home, where Fernando was plotting his revenge against my God-like brother.

Fernando built a twisted plan. When we fell asleep, exhausted from our travels, the always-gentle and obedient Nando dropped a white-hot steam iron on Tito's face. I will never forget that scream and those burns... Since then, papa always kept Matanza and Fernando apart. One was locked in the attic, and another one was locked in the basement. Only I had some sort of freedom to roam whenever I wanted inside our big house. Despite being the smallest of the bunch, I was in charge of the house when papa was away. That made me into El Jefe you know and despise today, Dragon Azteca...

Azteca is lost for words, he's sick to his stomach. He takes a minute to digest this info, then flips Dario's desk and storms out of the room. Aerostar is pushed aside, and Cueto says it's best if Dragon Azteca gets a breath of fresh air. Dario adds that he only told Azteca about himself, Antonio and Matanza. He's not sure how he will react when he finds out more about his mentor... Aerostar nods and after a brief pause informs Jefe that Drago has scoured the underworld and returned with some powerful allies.

"Good. He can return to the Temple now and find out what's The Order's next move. Our army still needs you here though, plus I can't keep up with Dragon Azteca alone."

Aerostar understands and leaves Jefe to address the rest of their group. Dario closes the door, picks up his unfinished drink, and announces a toast.

"For Aerostar and his cadets... for Drago and his dark aides... and for my fallen brother, Tito "Matanza" Cueto."

End of Issue #6

Blodyxe · April 5, 2021

Lucha Underground Matchguide Update

<div style="text-align:center;">Lucha Underground Matchguide

<img alt="vU2yuVS.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/vU2yuVS.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

The White Rabbit came close, but still ended up empty-handed</div>

We are through the first ten episodes and six graphic novels! I hope the last post wasn't too short did a good enough worldbuilding job for some of the lead characters in this Lucha Underground diary. If you missed the actual LU comic books, you can find <a href="https://imgur.com/user/LuchaUnderground" rel="external nofollow">all four of them on Imgur</a>. My spin on the Cueto family was based on the story told there, so it's not a complete fantasy. But let’s also look back to in-ring action, and find out if any of the recent matches cracked into the top ten.

1. Pentagon Dark def. El Dragon Azteca Jr - Ladder Match (***1/2) S05E05

2. Jake Strong def. Pentagon Dark - Lucha Underground Championship Match (***1/4) S05E01

3. Jeremiah Crane and Marty ‘The Moth’ Martinez def. Pentagon Dark and El Dragon Azteca Jr. - Parejas Increibles (***1/4) S05E04

4. The White Rabbit drew with Jake Strong - Lucha Underground Championship Match (***1/4) S05E10 NEW!

5. Fenix def. Mil Muertes, King Cuerno and Jeremiah Crane - Fatal 4-Way (***1/4) S05E09 NEW!

6. Jake Strong def. Cage (***) S05E08 NEW!

7. King Cuerno def. El Dragon Azteca Jr (***) S05E02

8. Low-Ki def. Ryu and Sniper Eagle - Triple Threat Match (***) S05E02

9. The White Rabbit won the 10 Men Battle Royal (**3/4) S05E07 NEW!

10. Mil Muertes def. Jeremiah Crane - Death Match (**3/4) S05E03

Nobody came close to recreating the magic of the ladder match between Pentagon Dark and El Dragon Azteca Junior. The first one suffered yet another nasty eye injury courtesy of Hexagon Dark and missed a lot of shows, while Azteca was banned from ever entering The Temple again. The Temple moved on in their absence though, with The White Rabbit taking the fight to everyone standing in his way. He is still undefeated, cementing his place as the number two guy behind the dominant champion Jake Strong.

Low-Ki falls down to third position as his title defense against Paul London was his only in-ring appearance lately. Mil Muertes and King Cuerno naturally crash out of the top five after canceling each other out in some big bouts. Their places are taken by one-third of the Trios champions, Taya Valkyrie, and the returning "Man of 1000 Lives" Fenix. One of the biggest snubs from the coveted top five is Cage, who defeated three men in one night but fell short against The White Rabbit and Jake Strong. "The Savage" also went on to break "The Machine’s" ankle...

<div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="7e4TMdx.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/7e4TMdx.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="gu4lT5E.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gu4lT5E.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="EISPFJf.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EISPFJf.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="wSoPC7Y.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/wSoPC7Y.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mrrF48L.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mrrF48L.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div>

If we look at the promising newcomers, Hexagon Dark and Black Taurus remain undefeated and look for new sacrifices to satisfy their hunger. On the brighter side, Ryu has made a big step towards the big leagues by knocking out "Black Panther" Tarver. Martina showed some promise in her first two matches, and Jimmy Yuta earned some respect following his initiation match with "The One Man Army". Dante Fox is one big victory away from breaking the glass ceiling, and perhaps he can turn his fortunes around in the upcoming Juegos de Guerra match.

A similar update will take place after the fifteenth episode. Thanks for your attention, the next round of predictions will drop in a day or two. Cheers!

Blodyxe · April 8, 2021

Juegos De Guerra Preview <div style="text-align:center;">Season 5, Episode 11 Preview <img alt="QdMN7Ca.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QdMN7Ca.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> "Juegos De Guerra" <img alt="TqIFCVY.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/TqIFCVY.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> Flaming With Anger "The Bird of War" has returned to The Temple in a vicious fatal 4-way involving Mil Muertes, King Cuerno, and Jeremiah Crane. The result? A decisive victory for the high-flying luchador. Fenix pinned Jeremiah and looked as good as ever, also sporting dark colors he turned to after his resurrection from two years ago. He seemed to remember his history with Mil Muertes, judging from their interactions in the match, and also spooked Melissa before the battle even started, without doing anything particularly evil. Fenix has a dark aura about him and looks determined to continue his undefeated run in this sinister form... but who will step up to "The Man of 1000 Lives"? Rumor has it that someone special will return to Lucha Underground this week, to fight a former friend in a singles match. This is formally an open challenge by Fenix, who shall be considered a favorite no matter who answers the call. You can expect an explosive opener here, believers! <img alt="B3fDjPx.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/B3fDjPx.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> <img alt="od0DoOy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/od0DoOy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> Shellshocked? Ryback has not been very active in his Lucha Underground career so far, but nonetheless, he reminded us of his overwhelming power in the brief moments he climbed to the ring. His early start can't be called spotless though, as he was the first man eliminated from the 10-Man Battle Royal, which made the eventual winner in The White Rabbit a number one contender for Jake Strong's title. Two heavyweights had a lot of problems lately, and you could say that Ryback has the upper hand right now, since he sneak attacked the leader of The Rabbit Tribe two times and got his big hands on The Gauntlet of the Gods. What he didn't get to hold is a $100,000 reward, that was stolen by "The Sniper of the Skies". Sniper Eagle returned to Lucha Underground last week, openly threatening Antonio Cueto and flaunting his wealthy ways. Not coincidentally, now he finds himself in a match against a very angry "Silverback"! The Aussie trickster hired himself some muscle in Ishii san, but he will still have to fight one on one against "The Big Guy", who presumably was given a green light to wear The Gauntlet. <img alt="B3fDjPx.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/B3fDjPx.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> <img alt="ghXdSVr.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ghXdSVr.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> If You Want Peace, Prepare For War This week we have a very special main event - a very first "Juegos de Guerra" match! The rules are fairly simple: it's a five-on-five match with no tags, no count-outs, and no disqualifications! Think of it as an "Anything Goes Survivor Series" match where the winners get the gifts of war. In one camp we have a battlefield veteran Dante Fox, powerhouse Hernandez, technical lightning in TJ Perkins, a man who's not afraid to get his hands dirty in Big Bad Steve, and finally... the self-proclaimed "Spanish God" Sammy Guevara. This team fired the first shot last week by ambushing poor Angelico in the parking lot. It doesn't look like the South African sensation will be back in this high-stakes match, but the other side is not giving up just yet! Son of Havoc, PJ Black, Jimmy Yuta, and Chavo Guerrero Junior are good to go, and ready to hit back on the elite squad of Dante Fox. Aside from losing Angelico, this side does not have a well-defined leader who would call the action. Chavo could easily fill this role, but his teammates don't find him the most trustworthy ally out there. Still, Guerrero's experience would be extra helpful in a match that has never happened before. Not all is bad though, as now the fan favorites are free to choose their final soldier. Lucha Underground has a good track record of "first-ever" matches, and this promises to be a fight like no other! Whoever survives this battle will surely soar through the ranks, possibly even earn the colors to challenge the champions... </div> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52466" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;">Official Match Card Fenix vs. ??? Sniper Eagle [w/Ishii-San] vs. Ryback Son of Havoc, Jimmy Yuta, PJ Black, Chavo Guerrero Jr, ??? vs. Dante Fox, TJ Perkins, Big Bad Steve, Hernandez, Sammy Guevara - Juegos de Guerra Bonus Questions Who's answering the call of Fenix? Who's the fifth man in the Juegos de Guerra match? Who survives the main event carnage? (Multiple survivors are possible, 1 point for each correct pick) </div></div></blockquote> <div style="text-align:center;">A bit later than usual, but still here! Decided to throw a bunch of additional questions so the participants have more points to gain. If you have not predicted yet, don't hesitate to join now! <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div>

The Lloyd · April 8, 2021

Fenix vs. ???

Sniper Eagle [w/Ishii-San] vs. Ryback

FEED... ME... An Eagle.

Son of Havoc, Jimmy Yuta, PJ Black, Chavo Guerrero Jr, ??? vs. Dante Fox, TJ Perkins, Big Bad Steve, Hernandez, Sammy Guevara - Juegos de Guerra

Bonus Questions

Who's answering the call of Fenix? I want to say Pentagon!

Who's the fifth man in the Juegos de Guerra match? Angelico? He might have died on the last show though!

Who survives the main event carnage? (Multiple survivors are possible, 1 point for each correct pick) PJ and the surprise guy!

kanegan · April 9, 2021

Fenix

Ryback

Chavo & Team

Chavo and the Mystery man

Kijar · April 11, 2021

Fenix

Ryback

Juegos de Guerra

Cuerno

Blue Demon

Dante & TJP

Blodyxe · April 11, 2021

S05E10 - Juegos De Guerra

Lucha Underground

Season 5, Episode 11

"Juegos De Guerra"

"I want a five-on-five match with no disqualifications, something I want to call 'Juegos de Gerra'... I'm done being a good little soldier in Lucha Underground… Kick the curb, old man, the future is now... Hernandez, Border Toss him through the windshield... It was your fault, Havoc, you never tagged me in... You're an OG, and a real MFer, I'll tell you that... I don't know if we can trust him... On this tape, I have all the dirt needed to put you and your pals in jail... You have the gall to come back to my Temple after what you have done? FINISH IT... Now you're ready, my son..."

Antonio Cueto and King Cuerno are sitting in silence, staring each other down. It's like a stand-off in a western, except they don't have the guns to shoot at each other.

El Jefe says that King Cuerno's refusal to fight Cage in a Gauntlet breached his trust in the luchador. He started to think that "The Hunter" drifted off and went his own way, but he's here again now. Why come to me now? Cuerno smirks. Without blinking, he leans forward and tells that the timing was wrong for him to fight Cage, and an attack on Mil Muertes was more logical. His predecessor would do the same thing, so it was done in an attempt to understand Cuerno's persona better. Besides, he knows that the boss wants to see "The Man of 1000 Deaths" in the ground. That's why he's here - to demand a match against Mil!

Cueto sips from his cup and after a brief pause says that he likes the way he thinks. He just gave the boss a great idea...

"You know, Jorge, it's refreshing to see someone who's not a 'yes-man'. I like your style. You are different, a dying breed. After what you have said, I'm ready to give you a second chance... and I'm ready to give you Mil Muertes, in a two out of three falls match, next week. This way there will be no doubts over who's the better man between you two!"

King smiles and tips his hat. He knew they could come to an agreement, and he will defeat Mil Muertes. By any means necessary! Cuerno exits the office, and now Cueto whispers under his mouth that he called him a dying breed for a reason. The boss then gets a phone call and takes his time finding the device and answering it, like a real grandpa. Boss listens and finally tells the voice from his phone to let them in.

Like every other night in The Temple, we kick the show off with a live performance of a rad band. Union 13 is performing a song called "

" and it's a great jam! Excalibur and Matt Striker give their thumbs up to the bad, and cut straight to business!

- Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is a special night! In our main event, we have the first-ever Juegos de Guerra match! It's a five-on-five elimination contest, where anything goes! From what I could gather, it's a lot like a traditional Survivor Series match, but the fighters are free to go anywhere and do whatever they please! No tags necessary, all weapons welcome!

- I can imagine how crazy things will become when we get to that match! One of the participants will not take part in that match due to a five-on-one ambush from last week!

- We are of course referring to Angelico, who has been beaten so badly that his spot in the match is now open. Perhaps there's a silver lining for the fan favorites about this - they can choose an ally themselves.

- That's right, Matt. While one of the teams was recruited by Dante Fox, another one was thrown together by Antonio Cueto himself. Not very fair to the likes of Chavo Guerrero and Son of Havoc.

- I am sure they will find someone to fill the void, because we have such a deep and talented roster on our hands. The bigger problem will be to decide who is the most worthy of such privilege.

- Can't argue with that! Apart from Juegos De Guerra we have Fenix competing in a first singles match after his return.

- And you know what's best about it, Ex? That match is happening RIGHT NOW!!

"The following lucha is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Mexico City, Mexico... FENIX!"

Melissa is visibly uncomfortable here, looking over her shoulder not to be spooked. This time Fenix takes the steps though and showers the spectators with water from his mouth, some people did not enjoy that. Fenix jumps in the ring and hits the ropes with pace, awaiting his opponent. Who shall do battle with "The Bird of War"?

"Aaaand his opponent... from El Inframundo... DRAAAAAGOOOOOO!"

Drago is back!! Believers are high-fiving each other and chanting for the fan favorite, who has been sorely missed. Fenix looks puzzled for a moment, and Drago does not let his eyes off him. Drago shows his tongue to Fenix, and we're ready to start!! Referee, ring the bell!

Singles Match

Fenix vs. Drago

Funny enough, Fenix does not start this match from fifth gear, choosing to walk around a little. Fans chant "lucha libre" and Drago slides and slithers across the mat to try and catch Fenix off guard. Finally, they lock up and exchange dominant positions... both fighters are very athletic and creative, and they showcase their talent by evading each other's holds. Drago tries a quick pin, too early for that!

You have to earn your near falls when you square up against the former Lucha Underground champion. Luchadores pick up the pace and start running the ropes together... duck and dodge, they know what to expect from each other, since they have spent some time holding the Lucha Underground Trios titles together. Drago avoids a leg sweep by flipping forward, but misses a swift flying kick to the back of the head!! Not very sportsmanlike from Fenix, who now slaps and chops Drago in the corner. Run up is blocked by the knees, Drago with a Hurricanrana from the second rope! Low Dropkick to the face and La Magistral for a two count! Fenix pushes Drago away in frustration, but gets blasted with a Buzzsaw Kick to the side of the head! Rolls out of the ring now, and Drago prepares to fly... Corkscrew Plancha to the floor!!

"Impressive start by Drago! Interestingly enough, this is the first time they meet in a singles match under Lucha Underground's banner!" - shares Striker.

Drago picks up Fenix and carefully throws him into the ring. Don't get too distracted... Flying Enzughiri Kick catches Drago by surprise, and now Fenix takes it to the air!! Fenix jumps on the second rope and launches himself over the top for a Suicidal Tope Con Hilo!! He does not see any reason to return the favor to Drago though, sending him into the steps! "The Man of 1000 Lives" runs up on the apron and smashes Drago with a relentless soccer kick to the chest! This extra snap in Fenix makes everything look so violent. Fenix is not feeling too kind, judging by his face expression, and throws Drago back to the ring.

Fenix continues to punish Drago with stinging kicks to the body, but the dragon takes them without hesitation. He finally catches one such kick and puts Fenix on the mat with a Dragon Screw! Very smart tactic by the experienced veteran, this move will diminish Fenix's aerial threat. Drago with a Shining Wizard for a two count!

"Matt, I am a big fan of lucha libre and junior heavyweight style, so seeing Drago live is a treat!" - shares Excalibur.

Drago has the support of the crowd too, and he goes on the top rope. Fenix rolls forward and springs up a good meter or two, smashing Drago with a palm strike! He looks for a Spanish Fly, but Drago blocks it with an Uranage! Moonsault Press connects, but Fenix grabs the rope before the ref can hit three! Eye poke from Fenix, not fancy but effective... Rollover Cutter is good, but Fenix wastes no time and lands a Springboard Leg Drop for a near fall of his own! What a great match it has been so far! Fenix looks to end this with a Spin Kick, but Drago saw that move coming and went for his lucky pinning maneuver.

Dragon's Tail!! One, two... NO!! That was very close!

Fenix is on his fours now, so Drago naturally looks for his finisher - Running Flipping DDT. Fenix played possum, Yakuza Kick into the face! Spinning Kick in the corner! Fenix picks Drago up for a

!!

BAM, this will do it. One, two, three... This is lucha libre!

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Fénix defeated Drago in 09:51 by pinfall with a Black Fire Driver. (C)

Believers clap to Drago, who hits the canvas in frustration. He did really well, but Fenix is just on another level! Still two matches to come, ladies and gentlemen.

Meanwhile, there's a loud argument in the locker room right now. Son of Havoc and Chavo Guerrero yell at each other, with PJ Black playing the role of the mediator. Looks like they can't agree on who should be the last man in their team, now that Angelico is out. Guerrero insists that they take someone rugged and experienced, while Havoc wants to get someone explosive and little-known to their opponents. They both have a point, but there's only one spot left.

- Thirty years in this business, Havoc, I know what I'm talking about!

- Ok, who do you want to see as the final man?

- I want Tommy Dreamer in. He's hardcore, as tough as they come, and he has been through wars. There's no better option for us.

- Man, I have all the respect for Tommy, but he can barely walk now. I don't think he's the right choice.

- Oh, look at you, so smart. You shouldn't even be the captain of this team!

- Yuta and PJ have voted for me, Chavo, sorry. I think we should go with Ryu. The kid has fire in his heart, he looks like a future champion. He's the real deal!

- You have to be kidding me! That guy has been in the business less than Shaul, and she's still a baby! I don't think you are thinking straight. And that Yuta guy? He shouldn't even get a vote, he's too young to know anything.

PJ says that Yuta saved his life last week. If it wasn't for Jimmy, he would be sacrificed to the Gods. Perhaps then they wouldn't argue about the final man though. But enough of the bickering, let's settle it as fine gentlemen would... Black finds a coin and offers to flip it. Eagle for Chavo, heads for Havoc. Guerrero asks to throw the coin, but Havoc is not trusting him. Let PJ do it! The coin is flipped aaaaaand it's heads! Chavo says congratulations, you have just thrown away the match. He gets his poncho, grabs a steel chair, and walks off.

Havoc and Black don't like the look of that, so they follow him to the corridor. Guerrero can flip at any moment, and they don't need that in the main event!

We are getting a nice little vignette that shows a man squatting with a 600-pound weight on his wide shoulders. His eyes are red from the pressure, but the mad lad does his reps. That's not how human!

You may know him as "The Big Guy", a man that always wants to be fed MORE. More plates on the barbell, more! He’s a maniac and a mountain of muscles. He’s hungry, he’s pissed off.

He’s Ryback, and his match is NEXT!

"The following lucha is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, accompanied by Tomohiro Ishii. He's from Jonestown, Australia... SNIPER EEAAAAGLEEEEE!"

Wow, accompanied by who? Eagle did not waste all his money on pretty things, because now he has a "Stone Pitbull" looking over his back! Robbie doesn't look stressed about life and joins the believers in appreciation of the absolute unit standing to his right.

"...and his opponent... he's from Sin City... RYBAAAACK!"

Now this guy doesn't need security, ok? Ryback comes out of the fog, he has a heavy metal briefcase in his hand, and a twitching eye. It is safe to say that the item contains something different than the money. Perhaps the Gauntlet of the Gods itself? However it is, this mountain of muscles is ready to throw down. Ring the thing!

Singles Match

Sniper Eagle [w/Ishii San] vs. Ryback

"Sniper of The Skies" might have some backup in Ishii San, but he can't hide behind his bodyguard here. It's one on one with "The Big Guy"! Robbie ducks a Meathook Clothesline and nopes out of the ring.

He's really contemplating his life choices, perhaps stealing the briefcase wasn't such a brilliant idea. Eagle looks to lure Ryback off the ring, and does so! Runs around the ring, just so his opponent would eventually bump into "The Stone Pitbull"... two beefy fighters have a tense staredown. Eagle leaps to the outside with a Hurricanrana in mind! Ryback catches him and swings the cruiserweight head first into the table!! That knocked Eagle silly. Ryback lays some fists on the smaller guy, yelling 'STUPID!' The big man returns to the ring, and Ishii carries his guy back too.

Some fans would most likely prefer to see Ishii over the Aussie man, but it wasn't him who stole Ryback's dough. Eagle blocks the Avalanche with his knees, clutches the heavyweight for a Pulse Drop, but Ryback doesn't budge and throws Sniper over the ring. MEATHOOK CLOTHESLINE! Turned the thief inside out. Ryback could finish it right there, but broke up the cover and picked up Sniper Eagle for a Shellshock!

Unstoppable.

In an extremely short match, Ryback defeated Sniper Eagle in 3:29 by pinfall with a Shellshock. (D-)

The winner continues to pummel the scrawny guy, but that's where Ishii's patience runs out. He grabs Eagle by the leg and pulls him out, perhaps saves his life! Ryback is not too happy though, he wasn't done yet! Too bad, cause they're leaving The Temple right now. Let's hope they will be back for more! Ryback demands another opponent, but his pleads fall on deaf ears. Feeding time is over! Antonio comes out and says that Sniper Eagle can run like a coward, but he will not escape the wrath of the Gods! The camera cuts to Ryback as if he was one of them...

Cueto adds that Juegos De Guerra will start any minute now, and he is raising the stakes. Whoever comes out as the winner of the match will get a title match against Jake "The Savage" Strong! Big, if true. To end his speech, Antonio warns the parents about what their kids are about to witness, and gives all the weak-hearted people five minutes before the games of war begin!!

Minutes before the biggest match in his career, Jimmy Yuta feels sick in his stomach. It's a good thing he's forced to change in the toilet - doesn't have to run very far.

The pressure is getting to the young man, he's shaking like a leaf. What did he get himself into? Human sacrifices, killer dolls, a living minotaur, the vampire... this is too much. Yuta has his head in the arms, and right as he's heading to the ring, he bumps into a hissing Drago!

Understandably, Yuta screams out of fear for his life, thus puzzling "The Dragon". Looks like this intruder is not going to attack him with nunchucks and is not a threat whatsoever. Drago shows Yuta his tongue, and the youngster nearly faints, which greatly amuses the veteran.

PJ Black and Son of Havoc have heard the screams and though he was beaten up by Chavo or something... Biker says that perhaps they should find another time to shoot the sh!t, as their match is next.

In the other part of the building, Dante Fox gives last instructions to his soldiers. He wants them to fight like they never did before and be there for each other, because they made sure that won't be the case for "Misfits in Action"! Big Bad Steve has a wrench in his hands, and Hernandez wraps a belt around his fist, both looking mean. They have a size advantage, they are united... Dante asks if Sammy is live streaming a briefing before the battle!?

Sammy Guevara hides his phone, while TJP informs the team about the prize on a line. A one on one match with Jake Strong for the title! They all want it, but they can't count the chicken before they hatch. He proposes that they go out there and beat up Guerrero and his loser friends right now!!

Juegos de Guerra

PJ Black, Son of Havoc, Ryu, Jimmy Yuta, and Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Dante Fox, Big Bad Steve, Hernandez, Sammy Guevara, and TJ Perkins

Rudos don't wait for introductions to end or the bell to ring. They start clubbing their opponents right on the stairs! Chavo coming out last and posing on the very top was just what Dante's men have been waiting for. The fighters scatter around the ringside now, it is mayhem in The Temple! The leaders of both groups trade blows until Fox is helped out by Sammy Guevara. He has a score to settle with Son of Havoc too!

Meanwhile, PJ and Yuta are fighting Steve and Hernandez in the ring. A big crossbody from Jimmy is caught by the Supermex, who mockingly cradles the rookie and Fallaway Slams him out of the ring. Dante stomps him with TJP and Sammy G, no shame. Chavo grabs the chair and slams it into the back of Steve!! That chair is perhaps his only friend in this match... PJ is sent flying across the ring with a Crackerjack Suplex courtesy of the biggest man in the match, he is a force to be reckoned with! Hernandez struts in the ring, but then he gets dropkicked in the back by Ryu! Bigman wants to level "The Dragon" with the ground for such a move, but Ryu ducks his arm and flies out of the ring like a bullet, crashing into Fox, TJP and Sammy with a rapid Suicide Dive!! PJ and Havoc climb up and join the bodies on the floor after cool stereo body splashes! Hernandez is all alone in the ring, so he tries a high-risk maneuver, until his path is blocked by Chavito and his "amigo".

Believers boo the warrior for interrupting a promising move, but Hernandez shoulder blocks Chavito and picks him up for a Border Toss! To the outside he flies!! Hernandez "wipes his hands" and is finally able to leap...

! EVERYONE IS ON THE FLOOR! People are clapping, chanting "This Is Awesome"! And the match is only starting! Dante picks up a discarded chair and decides to one-up his recruit.

Kickback Moonsault with a chair held tight to his chest! This is his time to shine!

Son of Havoc adjusts his mask and looks under the ring. What do we have here? Of course some tables, how can a match like this not feature them? A trash can is never a bad choice, plus a ladder! Someone could take it to the next level tonight. As Havoc was picking the ladder up, Guevara superkicked the biker in-between the rungs! Now he and TJP set the thing up between the ring and the announcer's table! Excalibur and Matt Striker pick their stuff up and discuss how likely is it for them to become a part of this match. They'll certainly have the best seat in the house, in case the ladder breaks in that position! TJP and Sammy try to send PJ into the ladder, but he slides under it right into Steve. "The Mechanic" picks PJ up and Powerbombs him on the ladder! On the other side Hernandez sets up a table against Antonio's office and picks Yuta up for another Border Toss... the youngster wriggles out, and this time Chavo blasts his ex-friend square in the head with a steel chair!

The powerhouse is not walking straight now, and he's not strutting - he's just bleeding. Still no eliminations in this match, as Ryu wrestles Steve in the squared circle. Both men trade Hurricanranas, but then Ryu gets a Low Blow from TJP, which sets up a double wrist-clutch facebuster, also known as

! Fancy move sets up a 630 Senton for Sammy! Connects, covers Ryu. One, two, Yuta breaks the count! Guevara is pissed, and he gets a one-legged Dropkick from Yuta! This time Fox saves his guy.

Jimmy sees this as a great opportunity to get his revenge on Dante Fox, blasting him with an Enzughiri! The team leader stumbles to the corner, and Jimmy runs up for a Stinger Splash... Problem is, he didn't see TJP jumping back, so he went down after a swift Diving High Knee! Fox looks back and hits the Springboard Ace Crusher!! Yuta eats the canvas, Fox scores the first elimination of the match, looking satisfied that Jimmy is the first to "go home". Jimmy Yuta looks disappointed, but that's the level of competition you have to expect when you're Lucha Underground. The battle resumes on the outside, with Hernandez choking Chavo with his belt. The big man is bleeding, but he refuses to let Guerrero go. Havoc gets the fire extinguisher and sprays the gangster, then nails him with it for good measure. Dante with a Suicide Somersault Senton on Havoc!! There's no room for a breather here, as PJ adds a Corner Moonsault to the outside! Sammy says 'screw it' and steals the spotlight with an audacious Spaceman Moonsault!

Havoc with a Tope Suicida! Wow!

"These guys are something else, Ex! This is LUCHA UNDERGROUND!!" - screams Striker.

Four men are collecting dust on the floor now, but Ryu is all fired up and ready to take on both Hernandez and Big Bad Steve! Missile Dropkick sends Steve out of the ring, but his Dragonrana attempt is blocked by "The Supermex"! Twisting Sitout Powerbomb might do it... NO! Ryu kicks out at the last second. Steve picks up his wrench and slides back into the ring to finish Ryu! Hernandez has him in the Full Nelson, with Chavo peeking from under the apron. Just as Steve charges, Guerrero smacks Hernandez with a belt, freeing Ryu. BAM!! Wrench right into the face. Hernandez crashes down, Chavo throws Steve out, who lands on Guevara and Fox.

Chavito climbs the turnbuckles and executes a Frog Splash to eliminate Hernandez!! Shaul Guerrero, who watches this match as a fan, loudly cheers. Go Chavo!

It's 1-1 now, with Guerrero inviting TJP into the ring. Perkins does not want to risk himself like that, so he distracts Chavo long enough before Hernandez is back on his feet. Grabs Guerrero for a Cobra Clutch Chokeslam! Ref tells Hernie to go now, and TJP is just there to pick up the scraps. Cover, one-two-three, Chavo Guerrero has been eliminated! Believers boo the cocky superstar, who's very pleased with himself. Havoc was too busy to break the fall, he was preparing to land a Flagship Elbow on Sammy. But look out! Steve nails Ryu in the back with a wrench!! He picks the young luchador for a Torture Rack, trying to break his spine! They can get a big advantage here if Ryu submits! PJ hits Steve low!! He did his thing! Mushroom Foot Stomp from Havoc puts "The Mechanic" down. The biker keeps his foot on the pedal and hits a Tornado DDT on TJP. "The Darewolf" howls and scores another elimination with a flawless 450 Splash on Steve!! Big Bad Steve has been eliminated!

Fox hobbles on the outside, swearing to himself. His team has lost its main firepower very early. You simply can't predict war!

Fox calls TJP and Sammy over for a quick huddle... they need to regroup until its too late. Technicos call the rudos back in the ring, but Sammy flips a bird at them and listens to what his general has to say.

Fan favorites lose their patience and go after their opponents to the bleachers. The brawl resumes, and now Fox catches Ryu with a Bicycle Kick! Wasting no time, TJP suplexes "The Dragon" through the table that was leaning on Cueto's office! But that wasn't enough, as immediately afterward Ryu is suplexed on the bleachers!! A very hard landing for him. Fans are wincing, they know how hard that surface is. Sammy with a V-Trigger on Havoc, TJP with a Detonation Kick on PJ... They take their time to set up a bunch of tables near the rudo entrance. Dante himself throws Ryu inside and introduces a glass panel to the ringside!! Shades of 'Hell of War' match! He commands that the referee helps him set it up in the corner, and Rich Knox has no option but to agree. Sammy knocks Havoc out with a Curb Stomp on the floor, only PJ's eyes are open now. Guevara climbs high to finish Son of Havoc with a splash through the tables, but Black does not let that happen!

He lands a flying kick on Perkins and climbs after Sammy! They kick and punch their way to the place where the bands play, biting and clawing as they go... the band steps out of the way, Guevara teases a Spanish Fly to the outside!! Oh no. PJ blocks the move and lays Sammy out with a Discus Elbow! Looking over his surroundings, PJ finds a guitar, an actual guitar... he shrugs and SLAMS it across Guevara's head, then tries to play a solo with what's left. With Havoc, Ryu, Dante and TJ in the distance, Black howls once more and sets Guevara for a STYLES CLASH!! He can't be serious... HE CAN!!

"PJ BLACK DRIVES SAMMY GUEVARA THROUGH TWO TABLES STANDING BELOW!! MARTY ELIAS AND STEVE BORDEN IMMEDIATELY CALL FOR PARAMEDICS! HOLY SHIIIIIIT!!" - freaks out Excalibur.

Both PJ Black and Sammy Guevara can not continue the bout after that bump, so we're down to four! TJ has his head in the hands, unable to register what he has just seen. Ryu uses this moment of distraction to catch Fox with a Springboard Sunset Flip, but "The One Man Army" grabs the ropes and rolls to the apron... Ryu jumps over the top rope and sends Dante to the floor with a Frankensteiner through the ladder!! DAAAMN! The believers are going nuts, so much is happening. TJP feels like ruining the mood, so he grabs Ryu by the mask and hurls him into the announce table. Havoc saves the honor of Ryu, throwing TJ back into the ring. Avoids a kick on his way back, bounces off the top rope with his neck for a good Back Elbow Shot. Standing Moonsault! 1, 2, Perkins kicks out! Biker picks TJ for a Fireman's Carry. Perkins slips out, Tiger Suplex!! MAD RYU IS BACK WITH AN EXPOSED RODILLA KNEE RIGHT INTO TJ's MONEYMAKER!! ONE. TWO. THREE!! TJ Perkins has been eliminated! Dante Fox is on his own now.

Not the first time he faces insurmountable odds, right? Rather than jump to the sharks for a sure death, Fox whistles. He calls Hernandez who had enough time to rest up. He attacks both guys with a double lariat and stomps on them until there's a special order from the general... Border Toss 'em through that glass panel in the corner! Hernandez likes that, but wait a minute!! Angelico lays out Hernandez with a Phenomenal Elbow! He's still wearing his neon green helmet, but it's definitely him! Fox looks to escape, but Ryu sends him back to the center with a Rebound German Suplex!! What was your order, general? Because Angelico is here to carry it out... FALL OF THE ANGELS THROUGH THE GLASS PANEL!!! The shards fly everywhere!! Good thinking on Angelico's part for wearing some protection! Fox rolls around in pain, it's time for the coup de grace. Angelico says that he owed Havoc for that "Seven to Survive" assist. Ryu drags Fox to the opposite corner and tells Havoc to do the thing.

Havoc looks over the crowd, who also want him to get his big match and climbs up the corner. SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!! Cover. ONE! TWO! THREE! Team Havoc has won Juegos de Guerra match!!

In a match that had good action and decent heat from the crowd, Team Havoc defeated Team Dante Fox in a Juegos de Guerra match. Son of Havoc and Ryu are the only survivors of the match. (C)

As Dante is rolling to the outside with shards of glass once again stuck in his back, Son of Havoc has his hands raised by Angelico and Ryu.

It looks like "The Biker from The Open Road" will get a title match he wanted for such a long time. It's a good night for the good guys! Until the next week, ladies and gentlemen!

Show Rating: 55/100 (C-)

This show has increased our popularity in 17 regions.

Blodyxe · April 14, 2021

Prediction Contest and Preview for Episode 12

Killshot's Shooting Range

Kijar

8 Kills out of 16 Shots - 50% Accuracy

Kijar has a new avatar, and is still in the lead. Just by a hair though!

kanegan

7 Kills out of 12 Shots - 58.33% Accuracy

Kanegan is getting even closer, correctly guessing all three winning sides!

The Lloyd

3 Kills out of 9 Shots - 33.33% Accuracy

I liked Lloyd's predictions, especially a Pentagon shout. Hopefully he's not very disappointed with Drago making his return.

Season 5, Episode 12 Preview

"Death Hunt"

Whistling Dixie

Juegos de Guerra was a spectacle like we have never seen before, and while the fans got a feel-good moment by the end of it, the same can not be said about Hernandez.

First of all, "The Supermex" was eliminated early from the brutal match, second only to Jimmy Yuta. Let's cut the big man some slack, he found himself in the wrong place, at the wrong time, crashing down after Big Bad Steve missed a wild wrench shot. But then Hernandez made another appearance in that match, preparing to throw someone through the glass panel with a Border Toss. Things backfired on Dante Fox, who commanded this, and on Hernandez himself, who stared at the lights once more after Angelico caught him with a Phenomenal Elbow. It was a bad night for the bad guy, and now he wants to set the record straight - he still has IT. In his head, Hernandez is still a top guy, and the baddest MFer in the whole company. Two losses did not shot the man's confidence but further motivated him to pick up another fight. This week he will wrestle the returning Angelico, who looks to be in good shape after the five-on-one parking lot assault from two weeks ago. Angelico had a sticky patch too lately, losing to champions Low-Ki and Jake Strong, albeit under unfortunate circumstances. Can he turn his momentum around against a bigger man, or will he crash and burn again?

This is a very important bout for both fighters, one could even say career-defining! High fly versus brute strength, Fall of The Angels against The Border Toss... "South African Sensation" and "The SuperMex" will fight for their reputation and for their future in Lucha Underground.

Appetite for Destruction

Black Taurus has managed to establish himself as one of the most intimidating fighters in Lucha Underground, and he did it in a very short time. He is still waiting for his time in the shadows...

The rise of Taurus can be compared to the arrival of Matanza - he's showcasing utter dominance and bringing horror for all those who are unfortunate to face him, without dropping a single word. This beast prefers to let his body of work do the talking. Admittedly, Taurus did not have a really tough test yet, running through the likes of El Mariachi Loco, Argenis, and Ricky Mandel, but the latest match against Angelico and PJ Black showed that you can make life uncomfortable for the reigning Trios champions. It wouldn't be too long before they locked horns with someone else, and from what we have managed to find out, Taya, Hexagon, and Taurus all want more bloody sacrifices to tame their collective hunger.

Nobody in their right mind would want to meet this dark faction now, but perhaps the Trios gold could seduce someone coming in from outside? The doors to The Temple are always open...

Two Out of Three Falls

Mil Muertes and King Cuerno have wrestled each other for ages, putting some of the better matches in Lucha Underground history together, but this week feels extra special.

First of all, let's not forget that this King Cuerno seems to be a different man than "The Hunter" we used to know before. Some even say that it's a completely different man, pointing out the difference in style and the actual look. Antonio Cueto has repeatedly denied this, but the believers are no dummies, and they can smell Jefe's BS from a mile away. Still, this new King Cuerno is a force to be reckoned with - as seen in his debut match against Dragon Azteca Junior. Cuerno got another win in a four on four Atomicos match, and got very close to winning the Battle Royal for the #1 contendership. If it wasn't for miscommunication between him and Cage, perhaps there would be a new Lucha Underground champion by now! But let's not get ahead of ourselves. In his last appearance, King Cuerno lost once more, albeit without being pinned. Now he's requesting a one on one match with "The Man of 1000 Deaths" himself - Mil Muertes.

Without Catrina's help, Mil has it together in The Temple, but still kicks serious culo when confronted. His biggest problem now is the lack of focus, because right now he's having bad beef with Jeremiah Crane and seemingly Fenix too. Muertes has spread himself too thin lately, but will no doubt pick himself up for this all-important two out of three falls match. Since his return, he was able to take down Crane in a Death match, and only suffered his losses in a Battle Royal and a Fatal 4-Way respectfully. Perhaps now is the time to break even, and end one of the rivalries that haunted him for the longest time. If we look back at history, Mil Muertes has the edge, having picked up a decisive victory in Ultima Lucha Dos main event of night two. It will be hard to replicate the awesomeness of that fight, but there's no doubt that both Mil Muertes and the new King Cuerno have what it takes to raise the bar.

This will surely be a competitive, close match that will be decided by details. Let's see who shall come out as the winner in one of the longest-spanning wars in Lucha Underground history!

Official Match Card

Angelico vs. Hernandez

Black Taurus, Hexagon Dark, Taya Valkyrie vs. ???

Mil Muertes vs. King Cuerno - 2/3 Falls Match

Bonus Questions

A new trios team is coming to Lucha Underground. Only one of its members has wrestled for the promotion before... can you name the team?

The main event will be held under special rules, honoring ancient lucha libre traditions. Can you name the final score correctly?

Mil Muertes and King Cuerno will do battle in a singles match, but will their match see any kind of interference?

Thanks for the replies, guys! Looks like nobody expected Son of Havoc as the eventual winner of Juegos de Guerra, but here we are. Please let me know who you would like to see more of in this diary! Also any suggestions on how I can improve are always welcome. Have a great remainder of the week!

kanegan · April 15, 2021

Angelico vs. Hernandez

Black Taurus, Hexagon Dark, Taya Valkyrie vs. ???

Mil Muertes vs. King Cuerno - 2/3 Falls Match

Maybe the Ohio trio makes their way towards the Temple. Callihan vs Taya would be dope.

2-1 in favor of Cuerno

No interference

Blodyxe · April 18, 2021

S05E12 - Hunting Death

Lucha Underground

Season 5, Episode 12

"Hunting Death"

"No matter how mighty the lion is, he will always fall to the skilled fighter... Kick to the head puts Mil Muertes down, huge elimination by King Cuerno... my predecessor had a score to settle with 'The Man of 1000 Deaths'... Frustrated hunter crashes to the outside, where blood-soaked Mil catches him for a Flatliner... Cuerno slams the mat in frustration - Muertes has cost him this match... You are different, a dying breed. After what you have said, I'm ready to give you a second chance, and I'm ready to give you Mil Muertes, in a two out of three falls match, next week!"

A well-put video highlights some of the most notable milestones in the rivalry of King Cuerno and Mil Muertes. We then cut to Jeremiah Crane, who's rocking back and forth at his seedy apartment.

He looks for something, but can't find it... His patience runs out and he freaks out. Marty "The Moth" Martinez and "Session Moth" Martina run in and ask him about it, and Crane just goes on a rant about how he needs to talk to Catrina. He needs to find his Ouija board to do that! They turn the house upside down, but find the mysterious item. Jeremiah eases up and says that he will need their help to summon Catrina. He explains how the board works and tells them to never take their fingers off!

Marty grins, he doesn't mind that at all. Martina is looking puzzled about communicating with the spirits, but shrugs and goes with it - should be fun. They place their fingers on the planchette, and get on with a seance. Crane greets the spirits, blabbering 'As friends we've gathered, hearts are true... Spirits near, we call to you!' At first there's nothing, but after a few seconds the board starts talking back, taking both friends of Crane by surprise. Jeremiah asks if they're talking to Catrina, and the planchette moves to the 'yes' word. Crane is shaking a bit, the lights in the room also flicker. He asks if he can do something to see her one last time? Pause is quite long, but then the hands start moving chaotically, freaking Martina off. She yells and runs away, while Marty is just stunned.

"It just spelled 'Kil Mill', Jeremiah... right!?"

Crane nods silently, says "goodbye" to the spirits and hides the Ouija board to his closet, taking a baseball bat from it. He's going after Muertes, whatever that may cost him.

After finding ourselves in the Last House on the Left, we get back into The Temple, where Union 13 is warming up the believers with a song called "

"! Very topical, as tonight we may see the final match between Mil Muertes and King Cuerno. Excalibur and Matt Striker are once again thanking the band and talk about the two out of three falls match.

- Excalibur, this is a match type that honors lucha libre traditions, correct?

- Absolutely, Matt. A two out of three falls bout is a staple match stipulation in Mexico, just like the Trios and Atomicos matches. This will be handy to determine who is the better fighter between the two.

- The real winners of that match will be us, the believers, but it's not the only epic showdown awaiting for us tonight. Lucha Underground Trios champions will make their appearance, and grant a title shot to any team that will not be scared to meet them!

- Interesting strategy, but I doubt a lot of people would like to risk their lives for a shot at the undefeated Trios champions.

- You never know, my friend, a lot of fascinating people are waiting for their big break backstage and will risk it all to get the Trios titles. Look no further than Angelico - he has gifted us some of the most breath-taking moments to win those titles.

- You got me there, Matt, and it is very fitting that Angelico is in action next! He missed the first Juegos de Guerra match that I had the privilege of commentating, but now he's back against Hernandez!

- What an interesting fight that will be. Let's not take any time from our beautiful ring announcer Melissa Santos!

"The following lucha is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Johannesburg, South Africa... AANGEELICOOOOO!!"

The fan favorite is here! Despite being Curb Stomped on the parking lot just two weeks ago, the "South African Sensation" shows up with only one thought in mind - to get the victory.

"Aaaand his opponent... from Houston, Texas... HERNANDEEEZ!"

"The SuperMex" enters through the fog, looking as confident as ever. Maybe the big man is even overconfident, because he does not look too stressed about his loss from last week. He talks trash to Angelico and antagonizes the crowd, who still hate his guts. Let's get this started, Rick Knox!

Singles Match

Angelico vs. Hernandez

Hernandez says he will whip Angelico silly for what he pulled off on him last week. We’ll see about that! Angelico ducks initial charges like he’s in a Matrix. Powerful irish whip into the corner with a Body Press in mind, but Angelico graciously lands on the apron and catches "The Supermex" with his long leg! Jumps back with a Phenomenal Elbow!! The same move that put Hernandez down worked a wonder again. Hernandez rolls out of the ring and checks on his lip, then turns around into a Tope Con Hilo!!

Angelico doesn’t want a count out victory, so he tries to pick up a heavyweight and throw him back. That wasn’t very smart though, as Hernandez sneakingly kicked Angelico down low with his fist and started bumping his head against the apron. Ref tells Hernandez to stop and come back, which he does. He picks Angelico up for a Border Toss and throws him in like that… that’s one way to do that. Slingshot Shoulder Block on his return, he’s looking pleased with himself right now, posing. Biel across the ring, Angelico looks like a ragdoll now… Hernandez fixes Angelico’s hair in a mocking way and CHOPS him across the chest, turning it red after just one shot. Crackerjack Suplex! Hernandez gestures that this is too easy and floors Angelico with a big Sitout Powerbomb. Cover. One, two... No, Angelico kicks out!! Hernandez can't believe it.

Hernadez clutches Angelico from behind, but the fan favorite kicks Hernandez to give himself freedom, hits the ropes, and gets dropped with a massive Shoulder Block. Hernandez picks up Angelico on the shoulder with a Gutwrench, then drops on his knees for a cool-looking Backbreaker Drop! Now Hernandez is sure that the match is over. Cover… one, two, still NO! The big man gets frustrated, calling for a faster count. Time for an actual Border Toss? Picks Angelico in the right position, but the guy wriggles out and stuns the gangster with a Pele Kick! Full contact!

Angelico with a Running Knee Strike, sending Hernandez stumbling into the corner. Picks up the pace, and flashes with a Running Forearm Smash! Leg Sweep near the corner, he’s set to end this now. Angelico fixes his fringe, and pins Hernandez for three after a Double Foot Stomp from the top rope!

In a bout that had a decent reaction from the crowd but sub-par wrestling, Angélico defeated Hernandez in 6:23 by pinfall with La Lanza. (D)

Angelico checks his teeth after this fight, somehow they are still in place. The winner has his arm raised, but TJ Perkins won't have any of that! He attacks Angelico from the back and yells that Dante's team would win if Angelico didn't miss Juegos De Guerra. TJP looking really insecure here, but an unlikely man comes to the rescue. Chavo Guerrero Jr shows up with his "amigo" and scares Perkins with a single swing...

He then demands a mic.

"The best team won last week! It pains me to admit this, but Son of Havoc was right - Ryu is the future of this business, and I'm past it. He made the right call by inviting him over. But TJ, I came here not to shower Ryu in praise... I came here to challenge you to a decisive singles match between us. You pinned me with the help of that big man, but I bet you will never make me quit, ese! If you do... well, then my days here are indeed numbered. What do you say, pinoy boy?"

Perkins grins and says he will gladly embarrass Chavo again, and make him tap like a little b!tch that he always was! TJ promises to submit Guerrero, so his last match in The Temple will be just like his first!

Well, it's on then. Angelico and Hernandez stop them from fighting right now, and we take a moment away from ringside.

On the outside, Tarver is blocking the main entrance. It looks like Agent Winter has lost all hope in this boxer, and can only use him as a bouncer. Tarv vents his frustrations to the agent.

- Why am I doing this job? This is disrespectful!

- Please, Tarver. You're very lucky to be alive. You have failed to win the Gift of the Gods, you couldn't take the Gauntlet from Cage, and lastly, you lost to a cruiserweight by a knockout. I wonder why The Lord keeps you around, honestly.

- If I get one more chance, I will show everybody what "The Black Panther" is really made of!!

- NEVER say that to The Lord. Because he will show you what you're made of... meat and bones.

Tarver has a mean mug, and he turns his head to three young guys who are asking for directions to The Temple. They look high, and probably smell so too, judging by Tarver's sniffing. He rudely tells them to turn around and leave before he beats them all up. The youngsters are laughing, they are chill like that. One of the boys drops his hood down, so Winter intervenes.

- You must be this high to enter this building.

- Oh sir, we are soooo high we could can fly right now! And look, y'all embarrassing me in front of the boys! My name is Dezmond X, I've fought for this company before, so it's all good, aight?

- Actually, this might not be such a bad idea. I'll let you in this time, gentlemen. Have a good time!

The trio giggles and passes through. Tarver asks what the hell was that? Very simple. The Gods are hungry, and those young boys are perfect sacrifices. Winter calls Antonio Cueto and informs him that some fresh meat wandered into their domain. We can finally let the bull run free...

The White Rabbit is still beating himself up about his match with Jake Strong that ended in a time limit draw. He's been losing his mind for weeks now, and it also looks like "The Herald of Doomsday" will return from The Rabbit's Hole next week, when Son of Havoc will challenge Jake Strong for the Lucha Underground championship... TICK TOCK. He's coming!

Lucha Underground Trios Championship Match

The Rascalz (Trey, Dez, Wentz) vs. Taya Valkyrie, Hexagon Dark, Black Taurus

While we were watching The White Rabbit descend into madness, the Lucha Underground Trios champions already made their entrance. Then we get The Rascalz who come to us from Dayton, Ohio! They will be lucky to return home.

The young trios team is having fun, maybe even too much fun! Wentz points out that he's seeing a Minotaur... this Cali grass hits different, fam, high five! Black Taurus just tilts his head as the youngsters stand there in awe and wonder if his horns are real. Dez decides to step up first and check since he brought his boys here. Better show dem kids the ropes, prove that he has the situation under control, play it off cool. BAM! Taurus grounds Dez with a Vader-like bell clap and stomps away.

The black bull of Antonio Cueto ragdolls Dezmond, hits him with a Corner Cannonball and also runs off Trey and Wentz off the apron, who are both spooked and impressed. Taurus tags in Taya, who mockingly shoves her furry boots into Dezmond's face... Corner Knees! "La Wera Loca" can throw the boys of this size with ease too, and she gets a near fall after a Swinging Side Slam. Early attempt at The Road To Valhalla leads to a Victory Roll for Dezmond! Taya kicks out, but Dez is too quick and slick for her comfort. They don't call him "Livewire" for nothing! He also has no problem mixing it up with a woman, it's all about equal opportunity in Lucha Underground. Bam, catches her with a freakishly athletic Handspring Head Kick! Tag to Wentz, who waves funnily at Valkyrie and bounces off the ropes with a Corkscrew Crossbody!! Want to see another beautiful move? Wentz gets rowdy on Taya with a suspicious-looking Broncobosuter! Shout out to Rey-Rey. Wentz is distracted by Hexagon for a second, and Taya angrily retakes the momentum with a Northern Lariat.

Tag to Hexagon Dark, he can match the quickness of The Rascalz! He's super light and looks amazing twisting and rotating in their air or when swinging in the Head Scissors. He's unpredictable in his movement, but even he can be caught, this time with a Discuss Knee to the face! Yeah, that is a real move. Wentz rolls forward to give the tag to Trey, who wastes no time and catches Hexagon with a Springboard Stunner! Bounced off the bottom rope too, very innovative. Cover is only for one though, gotta try harder than that! Trey is a cheeky lad with a charismatic smile, looking the opposite to the brooding and mischievous Hexagon, but their styles are somewhat alike. Hex blocks the Sliding Trip and executes a picture-perfect Tornillo Senton. The cover is broken up by a flying leg drop from Wentz! Taurus jumps in with a Discus Clothesline, knocking the spit out of "The Sickest Dude In ALL the Land!". Dezmond doesn't stay in his corner either, makes a comeback with a Low Dropkick to put the bull down for a second. Backfist from Taya, she nails Dez with a Northern Lights Suplex and adds a Double Foot Stomp too!

Trey saves his brother and lets out this awkward "my bad" grin. He ducks Taya's charge, who now lands neck-first on the ropes. Trey hits a Tiger Feint into a Hurricanrana to drop with her to the floor! Hexagon takes it to the air, and neutralizes Trey with a crazy Shooting Star Press out of the ring!! Dez and Wentz help the brother out, taking out Taya and Hex with Stereo Suicide Dives... so it's only one left in the ring. Taurus theatrically kicks the ground under his feet and executes a wild TORNILLO TO THE OUTSIDE!! Took out everyone in his path! THIS IS AWESOME. The beast is not stopping there though, just launching Dezmond into the front row seats nearby! Hexagon is back in the ring as the legal man, while Dez looks high as a kite in the chair.

"Black Taurus hits THE BULLSEYE! Sorry Excalibur, couldn't contain myself!" - jokes Matt Striker.

See yourself out, Striker, it's no time for jokes! A serious battle happening over here. Trey is thrown back as the legal man from Rascalz, and this is a good chance for rudos to take the win. Taya is kicking Wentz on the outside, Taurus brutalizes an almost passed out Dez - the stage is set for Hexagon to put this to bed. He climbs the turnbuckles to finish it in style with his signature, slightly modified Shooting Star Press, but Trey jumps up and stops the master of Vampiro! Cheeky Nandos kick hits Hexagon right in the kisser, POISONRANA FROM THE SECOND ROPE!!

Now Trey has all the momentum, and the fans start believing that Rascalz may steal this one. Trey lands a Yoshi Tonic on the dark high flyer!! One, two, Taurus drags him out of the ring! He saved Hexagon from possible loss here, but he doesn't see Dez coming back with a Hurricanrana Whip right into the steps!! Dez turns his back on the bull and helps Wentz take out Taya with a Double Foot Stomp from the Argentine Neckbreaker position!! Now all three Rascalz surround Hexagon in the ring, ready to make the numbers count! Big flying knee kick from Wentz, who then catapults Hexagon right into the Superkick from Dez! Trey with a Meteora to finish this combination! Time to get HIGH! Wentz with a Swanton, Dez with a Spiral Tap!! This is it, surely?? Wentz with a cover... One.... Two.... NO!! Hexagon kicks out on his own, but gasps for air on the mats, looking vulnerable perhaps for the first time ever.

Rascalz can't believe he kicked out from every move they hit him with, he seemed like the weakest link in the championship trio, but he has some special aura about him! Time for the Rascalz Special? Wentz makes a backflip, Dez pushes him on the side in mid-air for a fun-looking SSP!! But the games are over when Taurus shakes off the cobwebs and SPEARS both men with authority. Crazed bull whips Trey hard into the corner, and kicks the heck out of him in a good-looking three-move combo. The doobie boy is glassy-eyed, and not in a good way... Inferno Suplex on Trey sets up the following Hexagon Splash!

It is enough for the Lucha Underground Trios champions to pick up another win. This was a slightly chaotic match, the referee had trouble enforcing the rules, but can you blame him, when he's officiating the fight of Gods and mortals? Crazy! And Rascalz almost had the last laugh... but things are about to get serious now.

In a decent match Black Taurus, Hexagon Dark and Taya Valkyrie defeated The Rascalz in 10:24 when Hexagon Dark pinned Trey Miguel with a Hexagon Splash. Taya Valkyrie, Black Taurus and Hexagon Dark make defence number one of their Lucha Underground Trios title. (D+)

Trey is in the middle of the ring, and it looks like Taya has chosen him for the sacrifice! Arm-trapping Curb Stomp probably kicks some of Trey's teeth, but he won't need them anymore, as he evaporates in the air! No sign of the guy. Poof, and he was gone. Wentz is like 'Woah, dude, what was that?' but Dez has no idea, he didn't see that before. Now the whole arena turns red, and the remaining Rascalz have a really bad trip. A fun gig turned into a shitty situation, and perhaps sobered up the high flying friends a bit, who back down through the smoky corridor in fear. Maybe this was all a crazy dream?

Mil Muertes is wearing one of his most grandiose attires today, he looks ready. "The Man of 1000 Deaths" hears a slithering sound, thinking that Hexagon Dark is getting closer to him. No, it's not him... Drago comes over and stares down Mil.

"Darío quiere que te unas a nuestro ejército. Me envió aquí para ver lo que los dioses están tramando, y parece que necesitamos tu ayuda. He estado en el Inframundo, pero no pude pasar por las puertas para encontrarme con Mictlantecuhtli. Sólo tú puedes ir allí..."

Mil does not seem happy to hear that, and he punches the wall in anger, leaving a hole. He tells Drago to never mention the God of Death to him, or he will send him right through the Underworld gates himself. Drago doesn't look intimidated, and Mil adds that King Cuerno, or whoever the man under his mask is, awaits him. The main event time is here!

"The following lucha is a two out of three falls match! Introducing first, from The Highlands of Guerrero, Mexico... KIIIIING CUERNOOO... And his opponent, from Beyond The Grave... MIIIIL MUERTEEEES!!!

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is big! Two out of three falls between two of the most decorated and authentic stars we have! This is lucha!" - hypes Striker.

Two Out of Three Falls Match

King Cuerno vs. Mil Muertes

Two of the biggest Lucha Underground stars are back at it. You could already call the matches between the two "el Classico" - a rivalry for the ages, a bout that never disappoints the believers. King Cuerno doesn't hesitate to offer Mil a lock up... Tight as you like! Mil is stronger, but Cuerno is technically sound.

He's pretty agile too, and he ducks a simple yet destructive right hand from Mil. Muertes is a master when it comes to making simple things look like they can take you six feet under. Cuerno is well aware of that, so he's cautious in his approach and spends an opening part of the match frustrating the favorite with kicks and uncomfortable holds. Time and time again though, "The Man of 1000 Deaths" outpowers "The Hunter", but can't quite hit him full force as he would like to. Cuerno is taking only calculated risks, at least for now. In one such occasion, Mil had Cuerno in a Military Press position, but King wriggled out and reversed it into a Crossface! Our fans did not like that, and booed the cerebral hunter. He works over that right arm, perhaps to neutralize the threat of the Flatliner - the most deadly weapon in Mil's arsenal. It's not a crazy brawl or a high-flying spectacle yet, but you can sense that this fight is important for both fighters. They don't want to lose three times in a row. Cuerno's footwork amazes Striker, and Excalibur too, when the mysterious luchador jumps up to avoid a big shoulder tackle! Muertes crashes into the ring post, and he is not in the good place.

Cuerno doesn't mind a sneaky pin attempt. Mil angrily kicks out, not even at one. It is a pride thing, totally. Matt Striker points out that Muertes is still tough and strong, but perhaps he's lacking a presence of a certain persona, who followed him around his whole life. Strikers intentionally doesn't mention the name of that individual, not to frustrate Muertes further. Cuerno is putting him through a cardio ringer, disorients the bruiser with his unexpected outbursts and constant pinfall attempts. Now his Sunset Flip gets a two count - some progress. He's picking up the tempo a bit, to strike the distracted Muertes and win the first fall. Low Roundhouse Kick to the head! Muertes takes it, but that did not look light at all. Rapid Swinging Neckbreaker, another cover by Cuerno is only a near fall. Muertes has a hurt shoulder, and it definitely pains him to repeatedly kick out. Mil charges again, but King Cuerno hip tosses him into the corner! Slingshot Dropkick from outside into the ring, "The Hunter" is in control...

Tornado DDT is evaded though! Muertes shoves Cuerno away, who checks him with a kick that Mil shakes off... and flattens King with a stiff Lariat!

He did the move through the pain, but it paid the dividends! Dazed Cuerno is mounted by the monster, who's two seconds away from being disqualified for anger management issues! Don't you dare, Marty Elias! Mil picks Cuerno for a Running Powerbomb and gets a close two count, saved only by King's in-ring awareness - his leg was on the bottom rope. He rolls to the outside to get a breather, thinking that Mil will not follow him with any crazy aerial move. Well, that's where he's wrong because Muertes lands a Big Crossbody to the outside! Mil keeps his high-risk moves for special occasions like this one, and now he's battering the "culerno" with nasty blows to the back. He "parts the sea" of fans with his one gesture, and fans know that when Mil tells you to move, you move to another continent. Irish whip into the chairs? No!

Cuerno smartly jerks the arm of Mil and trips him with a Drop Toe Hold - the heavyweight falls head first into the wooden chair! Cuerno looks to take the count out, but seeing that Muertes is going back flies through the ropes with a Tope Suicida! Not The Arrowd From The Depths of Hell, so the fans are booing...

"Believers are letting this Cuerno know that he's not fooling anyone here!" - Striker quips.

King throws Mil back into the ring, now looking for his new finisher - Swanton Bomb. Muertes rises from the mat like a certain phenom and kicks Cuerno down, setting a Superplex maybe? Eye poke into the eyes, dirty move by Cuerno! Sunset Flip Powerbomb, he puts all his weight on top of Mil, placing his feet on the ropes, and gets the first fall! Seemingly out of nowhere!

"King Cuerno - 1, Mil Muertes - 0!" - announces Melissa Santos.

How important it is to take the first fall? If you ask Excalibur, it's a fall that sets the tone for the match. Certainly, people have came back from being 1-0, but fighting against the odds is not Mil's forte. He is pissed that he got caught like that, and explodes with offense to compensate. Headbutts and punches Cuerno down, SPIKE DDT! He's getting some cheers when going for Cuerno's mask - a big no-no in traditional lucha libre. Mil tears the mask slightly above the forehead and starts punching down his opponent. He receives a formal warning from Marty Elias, who will DQ him if this behavior continues. Cuerno drops some juice on the stained mat, and Mil adds insult to injury, targeting Cuerno's back now. If he works over that body part, perhaps King won't be able to hit his newest and strongest move? Double Underhook Backbreaker, and Muertes pushes King's head back, like he's an arrow he wants to break across the knee. Mil gets the support, and goes on the second rope... Diving Fist Drop right into Cuerno's cut!

The King is losing quite a lot of blood, so Mil tastes it. Not as good as the original, but will do. Mil goes on the top rope again, signaling for the big splash! Cuerno shoves the ref into the ropes, so Muertes loses his balance and falls down hard after an Avalanche Arm Drag!! Big move that could end it!!

Cuerno doesn't want to just pin Mil, he wants to embarrass him. He locks Muertes in a Cross Armbreaker!! Imagine if he wins 2-0, and makes one of Lucha Underground's icons tap out? That would be a huge feather into his hunter cap, but Mil's no quitter. All the work over the arm pays off now, as the disciple of death is screaming in pain!! He's really close to submitting, as Cuerno torques his body, but gets to the ropes... Cuerno holds till five, which is smart in some cases, but short-sighted here. Mil deadlifts Cuerno and drops him with a One-Arm Powerbomb!!! King is wasted, but Muertes feels that another big move is needed. He runs up for a Reaper's Trident... BAM! He got him!

"King Cuerno - 1, Mil Muertes - 1!" - updates us Melissa Santos.

This is it now. The end game! Mil holds to his arm, but Cuerno looks worse for wear and wipes his eyes from the blood coming down from his forehead. Say what you want about this King Cuerno - he's still a warrior. Both men trade stiff forearm shots in the middle of the ring and headbutt each other out of frustration... Cuerno hits slightly lower the belt area to get a verbal warning. Picks up Mil for a Northern Lights Suplex, and keeps the bridge to surprise everyone, and catch Mil off guard! No, not quite enough! King throws caution to the wind now, desperate to defeat "The Man of 1000 Deaths"! Spinning Wheel Kick connects well, and his rival is in a dangerous position. Cuerno goes for his Swanton Bomb...

BLOCKED BY THE KNEES! Mil fooled the smartest luchador in The Temple, who's writhing in pain and clutching to his back... RUNNING FLATLINER!!! Mil is slowly turning his rival around and Elias dramatically hits the ring. ONE! TWO! NOOOOOOOO!

Cuerno finds something inside to survive that move. Mil went with a different version, feeling that his normal Flatliner is too slow. Perhaps that played a big role here? He looks perplexed, but braces himself for something special. Hits the seal in the middle of the ring with his good hand and lines up for a Twisting Chokeslam. He squeezes Cuerno's neck and sends his regards, but the hunter hits the arm with everything he has to escape. Immediately bounces off the ropes for a Moonsault...

"MIL MUERTES HAS KING CUERNO IN A TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, A MARTINETE!! OH NO!" - yells Excalibur.

Drives his skull right into the Aztec seal!! Marty Elias calls for the bell! This is a DQ, Tombstones are illegal in standard lucha libre matches!! Mil Muertes knows this too, but it doesn't seem that he is phased. Fans are not sure how to react...

In a bout that had good heat and good wrestling, King Cuerno defeated Mil Muertes in 17:51 by two falls to one, with the final fall happening via DQ after a Martinete. (C)

Muertes places his cold dead hand on Cuerno's chest and stares right in the camera. Who's the hunter now? King Cuerno wins the match, but at what cost? He's not moving. Mil roars, and the lights go off...

FIREBALL TO THE FACE OF MIL MUERTES!!! The lights are back on and we see Jeremiah Crane hitting blinded Mil with a baseball bat!! He has a deranged look on his face. Mil and King Cuerno are both on their backs, with Crane screaming "THUMBS UP... THUMBS DOWN!" from the top of his lungs.

On that disturbing image we are forced to wish you a good night, ladies and gentlemen. See you next week!

Show Rating: 58/100 (C-)

This show has increased our popularity in 17 regions.

Blodyxe · April 20, 2021

Prediction Contest Update

Killshot's Shooting Range

kanegan

12 Kills out of 18 Shots - 66.67% Accuracy

We have a change in leadership this week! Kanegan also gets a comfortable cushion, well done.

Kijar

8 Kills out of 16 Shots - 50% Accuracy

Due to missing out on this week's round, Kijar falls to second. Still more than enough time to bounce back!

The Lloyd

3 Kills out of 9 Shots - 33.33% Accuracy

Good thing is - The Lloyd didn't lose any places

Maybe the Ohio trio makes their way towards the Temple. Callihan vs Taya would be dope.

Technically you are correct, as Rascalz are from Ohio, but I assume you meant oVe because you mentioned Callihan?

As for Taya/Crane - I enjoyed their singles match in the 2nd round of the Cueto Cup (S03E26), and would like to bring it over to this diary somehow. Still can do that now, in a GIF form

Just wanted to clarify if I should somehow notify the readers about the deadline? New shows are always coming up on Sundays, so I felt there was no need. In any event, would like to hear from you.

Also wanted to thank DarK_RaideR for nominating this thread for March DOTM! Four votes for this thread, which makes me very happy. Gracias!

kanegan · April 20, 2021

Technically you are correct, as Rascalz are from Ohio, but I assume you meant oVe because you mentioned Callihan?

As for Taya/Crane - I enjoyed their singles match in the 2nd round of the Cueto Cup (S03E26), and would like to bring it over to this diary somehow. Still can do that now, in a GIF form

Ya, I meant oVe and was thinking of going for the Rascalz but in the end went for Callihan & Co. Good choice bringing the Rascalz though. WOuld make for a lot of fun matches.

DarK_RaideR · April 20, 2021

What can I say, I enjoyed Lucha Underground and this is a great diary, totally deserves the nomination. Been following for a while from the shadows, keep it up!

Blodyxe · April 21, 2021

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="kanegan" data-cite="kanegan" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52466" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ya, I meant oVe and was thinking of going for the Rascalz but in the end went for Callihan & Co. Good choice bringing the Rascalz though. WOuld make for a lot of fun matches.</div></blockquote> I agree, a very fun trios team. Somewhat realistic too, since LU and Impact worked together for a bit. Trey is no more though, but not for nothing. <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="DarK_RaideR" data-cite="DarK_RaideR" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52466" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>What can I say, I enjoyed Lucha Underground and this is a great diary, totally deserves the nomination. Been following for a while from the shadows, keep it up!</div></blockquote> Thanks for the kind words! Hope you keep following and maybe try your luck in predicitions too. Preview for 13th episode coming later today, I hope.

Blodyxe · April 22, 2021

Preview for Episode 13

Season 5, Episode 13 Preview

"At The Crossroads"

Ready To Go?

Chavo Guerrero Jr has called himself the pioneer of Lucha Underground, and rightfully so, as he was involved in the first-ever match in The Temple, against Blue Demon Jr. It was a night to forget for Chavo, as he tapped out in the middle of the ring. Goaded by Dario Cueto to show his true colors, Chavo turned on the heroes of the past and established himself as one of the top rudos, and maintained that status until his Career vs. Career match with Rey Mysterio. Guerrero didn't sit on the sidelines for too long, returning to the Ice Temple after getting Antonio's permission.

Right now the veteran is at the point where he can admit that his best years have passed him by, but he still has a fighting spirit, fire in the belly, and disdain for one of the newcomers - TJ Perkins. TJP had a stellar debut against Chavo, but in his own words, his first match was ruined by Shaul Guerrero, who failed to introduce him properly. Since his debut Perkins voiced his distaste for Guerreros and mocked Chavo's legacy, accusing him of riding Eddie's coattails his entire career. TJ picked up another pinfall victory over Chavo Guerrero in a Juegos de Guerra match, but the damage was done by Hernandez instead. Some could consider that little victory to be a fluke. Finally, last week Chavo came out to admit that Son of Havoc was right about including Ryu in the big five-on-five match and called out TJP for one final confrontation - a submission match!

Chavo said that there's no way TJP can make him submit, and Perkins himself accepted the challenge without blinking an eye. Both grapplers are very good on the mats and have plenty of submission holds in their respective movesets, but who will get the last laugh in this rivalry? Guerrero had a falling out with Antonio and said that if he loses this match, he will leave his wrestling boots in the ring and call it a career... Is Chavo lying, or is he actually ready to embrace a new role in the business? We will find out the truth this Sunday.

Troublemakers vs. Problem Solvers

Chavo Guerrero Jr. is not the only one having issues with El Jefe. Add Sniper Eagle to the mix, the enigmatic high-flyer from "The Land Down Under"! Eagle had a try-out match against Low-Ki and Ryu, but failed to capture the contract and the gold. Fast forward a few weeks, the lad sneaked into The Temple past Agent Winter and his security guards to steal the briefcase stuffed with cash.

Without knowing it at the time, Eagle robbed Ryback. He was also very cocky in his talks with Antonio, going as far as intimidating Cueto senior with some compromising footage caught on tape. Sniper told that he will shut his mouth if he gets to become a boss for one night, further angering the old promoter. After getting a 'no', Sniper Eagle was put in a match against Ryback, who ran over him like a freight train. That night only the interference of Ishii san saved the life of the young Australian. Eagle doesn't have many friends in Lucha Underground, but it looks like he's on the same wavelength as Ryu - one of the fastest-rising stars not only here, but in the whole business. Ryu was one of the two survivors in the Juegos De Guerra match, so now he feels ready to take on some champions.

Low-Ki, who tried to eliminate both Sniper Eagle and Ryu, is still a Gift of the Gods champion, and he has some unfinished business with both hotshots. That's why Antonio made this a tag team match, to try and eliminate two birds with one stone, so to speak. It is unclear who will share the same corner with "The Professional", but it already seems like a match you can't miss.

The Hardest Road

If we call Chavo Guerrero a pioneer of Lucha Underground, then it's only fair to give the same recognition to the "Biker from The Open Road" - Son of Havoc! Havoc has been with us since the very first show and went on to become one of the figures that believers followed with their hearts.

Son Of Havoc did not make his name etched in the Lucha Underground ethos with a lot of dominant wins or a rich trophy collection, but he built a remarkable legacy with his "never say die" attitude and determination to win things the right way. Of course, this approach cost the man a few big titles and some massive paydays, but also earned him three Lucha Underground Trios championships. Not content with only being a remarkable team player, the biker is looking for his first big singles title. And when we talk about big, it doesn't get any bigger than Jake Strong's Lucha Underground championship! "The Savage" himself has dominated in The Ice Temple, and carried over his momentum to the place where it all begun, knocking Pentagon Dark out of the main event picture, smothering Angelico across the mat, breaking Cage's ankle, and also surviving the wrath of The White Rabbit. Jake Strong is the longest-reigning champion, and while this fact can make some believers sick, it also makes the possible title change a bigger occasion. Jake Strong and Son of Havoc couldn't be more different in their wrestling styles or the way they carry themselves, but they share the desire to own the biggest title in The Temple.

It is your 'David vs. Goliaph' type of match, where things look bleak for the underdog on paper, but become more likely as the match progresses. The believers will no doubt get behind Son of Havoc in his second-ever singles match for the main title. Let's see if Havoc learned something from his 2016 bout with Matanza!

Official Match Card

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. TJ Perkins - Submissions Match

Sniper Eagle and Ryu vs. Low-Ki and ???

Son of Havoc vs. Jake Strong - Lucha Underground Championship Match

Bonus Questions

Will there be more sacrifices in this episode? Yes/no.

Who's Low-Ki's mystery partner?

Which match will get the highest rating?

Just saw that this diary hit 3000 views, good stuff! Also thinking about making a "
" kind of post. Who would you want to know about more?

DarK_RaideR · April 22, 2021

Of all those vigniettes, you had to post Aerostar's. Now I want to do that EMLL diary and I'm already struggling with two others that are active

Since I got called out, here are my predictions

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. TJ Perkins - Submissions Match

Guessing Chavito's too old to go over here

Sniper Eagle and Ryu vs. Low-Ki and ???

Predicting a clash of egos in the rudo team, tecnicos fly in for a surprise win over Low-Ki to set up a match for the Gift of the Gods title

Son of Havoc vs. Jake Strong - Lucha Underground Championship Match

Havoc is not the guy to do this. Besides, he's better as the almost-there underdog

Bonus Questions

Will there be more sacrifices in this episode? Yes/No

There should be, this is Lucha Underground. Somehow I feel like there won't be though, unless it's a vigniette. Sacrificing a too broken post-match Havoc feels a little cheap.

Who's Low-Ki's mystery partner?

Ryback

Which match will get the highest rating?

Main event, as it should

kanegan · April 22, 2021

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. TJ Perkins

Sniper Eagle and Ryu vs. Low-Ki and ???

Son of Havoc vs. Jake Strong

Bonus Questions

Will there be more sacrifices in this episode? Yes/no.

Sure. I had so many sacrifices in my LU diary that I would always like the same to happen in any diary.

Who's Low-Ki's mystery partner?

No idea but perhaps Crane or Hernandez

Which match will get the highest rating? LU Championship

Kijar · April 23, 2021

My guy TJP

Low-Ki & Homicide

Great story but I think Strong wins

Sacrifices: Noooooo

Homicide

Chavo/TJP

Blodyxe · April 24, 2021

Meet The Warriors: Sniper Eagle

Meet The Warriors: Sniper of the Skies

Hometown: Jonestown, Australia

Years of Experience: 13 Years

Finishing Move:

Sniper Eagle is a young up-and-coming cruiserweight from Australia that built his reputation in Japan.

He was a member of the infamous Bullet Club, but switched sides to join CHAOS and form an alliance with "The Aerial Assassin". Now Eagle finds himself in The Temple, where he does not have a group to look over his back at all times... yet. The youngster is not only an innovative performer in the squared circle, but also a cheeky lad outside of it. He can easily make friends, and twice as easily can turn bigwigs into mortal enemies. The lastest would be Antonio Cueto, who did not intend to use Sniper Eagle as a regular member of his stacked Lucha Underground roster until now.

Rumor has it that Sniper Eagle first peeked into Antonio's underground fight club to win the Gift of the Gods championship - the most valuable piece of gold you can ever find, at least from a pawn shop perspective. The kicker is, Eagle did not ask for any fighting compensation from El Jefe, and was able to get himself invited at least two more times. The third time he appeared uninvited, sneaked into Cueto's office, and stole the briefcase allegedly containing $250,000.

Who cares about fighting compensation, when you can just rob the grandpa?

After spending and sharing that wealth with communities in need, Sniper returned to Lucha Underground with a sturdy man called Ishii san - as his bodyguard. The lad had the cheek to confront Antonio directly, blackmailed him with some mysterious videotape, and announced his intention to get into Cueto's chair. Appalled Antonio did not take the threats well and booked Eagle against "The Big Guy". The same big guy who won the briefcase and was left with nothing but corn in the case. The eventual bout was nothing short of execution, but Ishii left Ryback starving, pulling the trickster out of the ring.

Eagle is walking on the razor-sharp edge, but it seems like he did so his entire life. He admits to being a cat burglar, an art collector, and a thrill seeker. Sniper Eagle is incredibly athletic and acrobatic, has impressive strategic skills and high social intelligence. This week he will get his third bite at the cherry, hoping to upset the man he despises... Low-Ki.

"And remember... Sniper Eagle cannot die!"

Hope you liked this format, guys. Episode 13 is in the works! Don't forget your predictions and have a great weekend!

Blodyxe · April 25, 2021

S05E13 - At The Crossroads

Lucha Underground

Season 5, Episode 13

"At The Crossroads"

"Ride the coattails of your uncle, it is the only thing that ever made you relevant... If you make me quit, then my days here are indeed numbered... Thanks for the vacation, Jefe, it was fair dinkum great! But I want something else... If I get one more chance, I will show everybody what "The Black Panther" is really made of... "The Professional" is looking to tame "The Dragon" with a bullet to the head... Jake Strong is a real deal, but perhaps his arrogance will catch up to him... HOLD ON! This bout had a 15-minute time limit, so it's a draw... SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!! Team Havoc has won Juegos de Guerra match!!"

We're in The Rabbit's Hole with Paul London and his old friend "Dr. Levy". You may know him as the artist formerly known as Raven. Paul called for Raven's help to get The White Rabbit out of his vicious cycle. He has been even angrier to his servants after coming up short against the Lucha Underground champion Jake Strong. And he's not known for his hospitality...

"Who are you and how dare you come into my domain without an invitation?" - asks the leader of the tribe.

Paul succumbs to the pressure and bows down to his messiah. He tries to tell Raven to do the same, but the man refuses to bend the knee. He just stares the psycho down, looks around, and compliments his burrow. Dust bunnies really tie the room together! El Bunny starts laughing hysterically, but quickly shuts up after The White Rabbit gives him a death stare.

"My name doesn't matter, White Rabbit. I've heard a lot about you and your loss to Jake Strong from our common friend. What a pity! You lost the battle before it even began!"

Raven says that he fought under his own rules for a reason, and condemns The White Rabbit for being tricked so easily. When the irritated Rabbit asks what's Raven's point, the wise guy says that The Rabbit may be powerful, but he's rather inexperienced. To be a true champion, you need to have the right mindset, and he's willing to share that wisdom and lead The Rabbit Tribe to the promised land. The man smirks and takes off his glasses, he likes what he hears. It's refreshing to see someone who tells the hard truth straight to his face, someone who's not sugarcoating his words.

"Very well! Gentlemen, it seems to me like a great time to return to The Temple..."

We're in Boyle Heights, in the color, and ready to kick off another historic night! Gamblers Mack are on the stage right now, performing a song called '

'! Believers are liking the psychobilly band, and rock their heads in approval. Matt Striker sings praises to the musicians and talks about the upcoming matches with Excalibur.

- Welcome to Lucha Underground, ladies and gentlemen. First and foremost, we have a big medical update on King Cuerno. "The Hunter" was carried away on a stretcher after last week's main event. The doctors told us that he's lucky to be alive, and may not return to the ring. The whole Lucha Underground family sends their prayers to King Cuerno and hopes that he will have a speedy recovery.

- It's never easy to break down news like that, Matt. My heart goes out to King Cuerno. This is a reminder of why Tombstone Piledriver, The Martinete, is banned in lucha libre.

- Believers, please, do not try to do this at home! Let the professionals do what they do best, and enjoy the spectacle. You have joined us for a very special show - we have three top-tier matchups lined up for your attention tonight. Ex, what are your thoughts on the main event?

- Matt, I'm looking forward to it, because it will be a Lucha Underground championship match! Son of Havoc, who was one of the survivors in the Juegos De Guerra match, will get a rare chance to fight for the main title. It won't be easy against the dominant champion Jake Strong, but "The Biker from The Open Road" never looked for an easy road! It's going to be a tall task for the fan favorite!

- Speaking of fan favorites, Ryu also survived a Juegos De Guerra match, and now finds himself in contention for the Gift of the Gods championship. It belongs to Low-Ki, and it doesn't look like he's keen on cashing it against Jake. He has been successful so far, but you gotta wonder if he's holding on to it for too long?

- I'm not going to question a man like Low-Ki, he probably knows better. A rare tag team match for him tonight, I'm curious who will be his partner. We know that Ryu will share the same corner with Sniper Eagle, but not much than that. Antonio Cueto brushed me off before the show, so we will have to see.

- And finally, we have a career-threatening match. Chavo Guerrero Jr. challenged TJ Perkins to a submission match, claiming that TJP wouldn't be able to make him tap. If he does - "The Mexican Warrior" will call it a career. I've talked to Chavo, and he's very serious about it. I don't think he's bluffing or playing mind games...

- It is an honor to call every match here, but if this will be the last match for a legend like Chavo Guerrero, I will give it my best, Matt!

- Like you always do! Ok, let's get down to the business. Melissa Cage-Santos, please take us away!!

"The following lucha is a submission match! Introducing first, from Los Angeles, California... he's "The Technical Lightning"... TJ Perkins!!"

TJP is his usual cocky self, and he points out that Melissa did well, actually managed to announce him the right way, unlike Shaul. He winks at her and gets in the ring, looking confident.

"Aaaand his opponent... from El Paso, Texas... Chavooo Guerrerooo!!"

Chavo gets a louder reaction than usual, he did alright in the Juegos De Guerra match, and hardcore Lucha Underground fans respect him more than TJ Perkins. He's basking in his glory, taking it all in... Finds Shaul Guerrero in the crowd and says that he will make their family proud! We're in for a technical master class!

Submissions Match

TJ Perkins vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Chavo and TJP are checked by Marty Elias before the bell, they carry no weapons into this fight - just their wrestling acumen and desire to win. Both men are no strangers to rolling on the mats, collectively spending over 50 years in the squared circle. And would you believe it - TJ offers Chavo a handshake before the match! Perkins insists, saying 'let the best man win'... and takes his hand away to fix his slick black hair in the last moment. He dabs at Chavo, who should have seen this coming. Dropkick! "The Warrior" catches the show-off right in the kisser.

Irritated TJ checks on his lips. Come on pretty boy, no blood there, stop checking. Tight lock up! Every great match starts with one, and two veterans are feeling out each other in a violent dance of chain wrestling. Chavo is a bit stronger, but TJP trips his ankle and twists it in the first submission hold of the night. Guerrero traps TJ's leg, drops him on the belly, and advances to a headlock position. Chavito better keep the tempo slower, as Perkins is way faster than him. Perkins wants to hit a Belly-to-Back Suplex, but the headlock is tight as the vice grip. Guerrero takes TJ down with effortless Headscissors, also tries an STF! He's looking good here, schooling "The Fil-Am Flash"! TJ has his head locked in between Chavo's legs. Perkins moves into a handstand, relieving the pressure, jumps up, and Dropkicks Guerrero in the face!

"What you can do - I can do better!" - says Perkins.

Twist his heel on the legend's face to get some boos from the believers. He goes to the apron and lands a perfect Hilo on Chavo, also stealing his taunt. TJ is a prick, isn't he? A talented prick, admittedly. He starts working over Chavo's right knee, showing us some innovative ways to damage the joints. Kicks are used sparingly, to weaken the body parts tortured in submission holds. Dragon Screw! Chavo is in pain, but he gets out of the precarious position, and Irish Whips TJ hard out of the ring. Perkins catches the ropes and is stuck in that position, showcasing how cool he is. BAM! A good kick to the face will teach that smug son-of-a-gun! Guerrero asks the crowd to get louder and goes down on his opponent with a Plancha! Better leave those high-risk maneuvers for younger fellas, it's not good for your knees, Chavo.

European Uppercut is a stiff one, and Guerrero telegraphs his next move to the audience - bad move. Perkins sends him knees first into the wooden steps, that must have hurt! TJP lifts up the veteran and hits opponent's knee across the ring post a couple of times. FIGURE 4 ROUND THE POST!! WOOOO! Chavo quickly grabs the ropes, but the damage is done. Springboard DDT from the "Technical Wizard", he then slaps an Indian Death Lock and jumps up to drive the knees into the mat! Turns around and picks Guerrero up for a Modified Surfboard! He prepared for this bout much better than Chavo.

Slick transition into a standing position, he applies a very crisp Sharpshooter!! He really is a "Technical Lightning"!

"TJP talked about Chavo's loss to Blue Demon Jr, now he wants to repeat history!" - comments Excalibur.

Guerrero is trying to escape, taking some energy from the fans. The camera catches Shaul Guerrero in attendance, she's looking worried! Perhaps nobody here is louder than her. That helps a lot, and Chavo dramatically grabs the rope to break it up. Perkins mocks Guerrero, slapping him across the head and paint brushing him with kicks. Looks for a Mega Buster Neckbreaker, but Chavo clutches the rope and TJ falls flat! Chavo stomps on TJ like he's Lieutenant Loco, and drops three old school elbows on the small of his back. Did someone say three? Three Amigos! Twists his hips like it's 2003, and ends up locking TJP in the Camel Clutch - a move invented by Gory Guerrero! Great way to torture the "Pinoy Boy" too! TJ might look like a teenager, but he's tough. Chavo's knee is under some pressure, so he switches his position...

Lasso from El Paso! Probably one of the worst submission holds for those with back problems. People chant 'Eddie!' and Chavo tells Perkins to tap out. No, he's looking for a way out. Grabs Chavo's ankle and slowly drops him on the ground, now trying to lock a TJP Clutch! Guerrero uses his good leg to fend off. Back Body Drops advancing TJ out of the ring, but he stays in it and jumps back with a Flying Knee! Brainbuster! Perkins with a snappy move, now putting Chavo's leg on the bottom rope. Jumps on the turnbuckle, looking for a Frog Splash right on the knee!! Guerrero puts it up last second!

Blocked the attack with a Gutbuster, but used his weak knee for that. Both roll around in agony, it's been a very good contest, but who shall come out on top?

Chavo drives the knee into TJ's gut and looks for a Powerbomb... No, it's a Gory Special! Another submission hold used by his grandfather!! He holds on for dear life, but the knee keeps letting him down! TJ with a Victory Roll escape, catapults Guerrero into the corner... picks him up for a Detonation Kick, connects!! Chavo is at his mercy now, dazed by the devastating move. Perkins says this is over, and finally locks a TJP Clutch, a Leglock transitioned from a Kneebar!! Guerrero is dead in the middle of the ring, and he has no energy left to fight. Chavo gently taps the mats, we have a winner!

In a bout that had decent wrestling and good heat, TJ Perkins defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr. in 14:02 by submission with a TJP Clutch (C-)

Chavo Guerrero Jr. submitted in the TJP Clutch, and there are no arguments on his part about the loss. TJ was clearly a better man and won the contest fairly. Perkins looks down on "The Mexican Warrior" and leaves the stage to the man who helped build The Temple. Son of Havoc, Angelico, Drago, Jimmy Yuta, Ryu, Tommy Dreamer, and even Hernandez come out to pay their respects.

"Thank you, Chavo! Thank you, Chavo!" - chant the believers.

With a tear in his eye, Chavo leaves his poncho in the ring corner, gives his bandana to a kid in the front row, and goes over to hug the crying Shaul. This was a good match and it ended a great career. Guerrero bows to the fans and limps off to the locker room... Striker and Excalibur thank the man and give him a standing ovation.

While all the good guys helped Chavo Guerrero hobble to the back, Ryback decided to make some reps. No longer wearing a Gauntlet, this freak of nature is benching some serious weight, works his chest to be even wider. He doesn't need anyone to spot him up, he can manage his warm up alone... Well, maybe not.

The White Rabbit sneaks up on "The Big Guy" and pushes the barbell to his neck! He screams that Ryback is about to pay the toll and slams a metal briefcase into his head. The weights drop like a ton of bricks, but even if someone saw The White Rabbit like that, they wouldn't have the nerve to tell him something about it.

He grins like a maniac and takes Ryback's item... Jake Strong, here he comes!

We go back to the ringside, where the next match will take place any minute now. Ryu and Sniper Eagle are already in the ring, awaiting for their opponent. Ishii san is looking over the young guns, he's just the type of bodyguard you want in a match like this. Low-Ki is here, carrying a Gift of the Gods title on his shoulder... Suit and tie attire has become synonymous with "The Professional", a very memorable and sharp look indeed. He jumps in and tells the kids to step back, posing for the believers. Striker and Excalibur wonder who can be good enough to tag with Low-Ki?

And now, it's the moment of truth - El Jefe's announcement.

Here he is! Antonio Cueto takes his time, he's in no hurry. He clears his throat in the mic and says that Low-Ki has been a great champion so far, just like Jake Strong. Tonight, he will get an opportunity to showcase that he's a team player, tagging with the hungriest competitor in all of Lucha Underground!! He wants to finish what he started with one of them...

Cueto turns his head to the tunnel... it's Tarver! The boxer is power walking to the ring, Antonio is perplexed. What the hell? It looks like Low-Ki expected someone else too, he's not happy to see Tarver. The boxer is followed by Coach Godfrey, who's now wearing a sharp suit. Striker recognizes him as the head of security and wonders why is he whispering something into Antonio's ear. Tarver loudly says "I got this, boss! This is my chance to get back in The Lord's good graces!!" Tarver may be a religious man if he takes his faith so seriously. Cueto spits on the floor and tells the monkeys to ring the bell.

Tag Team Match

Ryu and Sniper Eagle [w/Ishii San] vs. Low-Ki and Tarver [w/Coach Godfrey]

Tarver starts the match by pummeling Eagle! Big shots to his midsection, and some quick jabs too. The believers are not keen on seeing a boxer in their ring, even though the doors of The Temple are open for everyone. He can occasionally remember a power move or two, but ultimately he's a striker.

The same can be said about Low-Ki, who's known for his relentless fighting style. He gets a tag and Shotgun Dropkicks the Aussie in the corner! Big collision with a turnbuckle, and now "The Professional" drives his foot into Eagle's face. Hesitation Dropkick and the first cover of the match - not enough to take down "The Sniper of The Skies"! Soccer kick to the back, another one to the chest, and a snap Elbow Drop! Low-Ki is smarter now and is still a premier athlete - he uses his body as a dangerous weapon. Tag to Tarver, who suplexes Eagle to the opposite corner, giving Sniper a chance to tag Ryu!

Low-Ki is confused, why did he throw him there!?

"The Dragon" flies in the house of fire and knocks Tarver into his tag partner with a Bicycle Knee Strike! That move knocked out the boxer a few weeks ago, and now the heavyweight is also on the ropes, both figuratively and literally. Running Frankensteiner from the apron, bad landing for "The Black Panther"! Low-Ki charges at Ryu, but he's blindsided by Eagle, who crashes Ki into the barricade with a Middle Rope Summersault! His first big move of the night! Ishii approaches Coach Godfrey to make sure no funny business will happen, and the bout resumes in the ring.

"Excalibur, don't you think that Mr. Godfrey's suit is very similar to Low-Ki's?" - wonders Striker.

Yeah, there's something. Anyway, Tarver misses with a Superman Punch and eats a Hurricanrana, ending up in Eagle's corner. Corner Dropkick, Leg Sweep and a Facewash in the corner - tag to Eagle. He dropkicks Low-Ki off and crushes his knees into Tarver's face with a Corner Meteora! Ryu frees the space for Sniper, and glides through the ropes with a rapid Tope Suicida, wiping out "The Professional" and Tarver's coach. The Australian smells his first victory in The Temple, attacking the boxer with a Pulse Drop! He sets his sight on the target, ready to execute a 4.5 Warp! On target!

Low-Ki stuns Ryu with a Koppu Kick on the outside, but can't get back fast enough to break the cover. Eagle is laughing in his face, and gets out of the ring. Big win for the youngsters!

In a decent match, Ryu and Sniper Eagle defeated Tarver and Low-Ki in 07:10 when Sniper Eagle pinned Tarver after a 4.5 Warp. (D+)

"The Professional" has a signature frown on his face, but you can feel he's just boiling inside. Sniper Eagle helps Ryu get up, and "The Dragon" motions a title belt around his waist. Low-Ki turns his attention to the real loser and smacks him in the face with backhand slaps.

"You have ruined my perfect record! Stupid!" - he yells to Tarver.

BAM! Huge roundhouse kick to the head of the boxer, his coach tries to intervene, but he's pushed back. Low-Ki with a Double Foot Stomp on his own partner! Squats up near the victim and puts a finger gun to his head. Coach looks at Ki and says screw it, kicking the knocked out loser too! Head of security and Low-Ki leave the ring together, frustrated to the max.

The main event is up next, and Son of Havoc is getting ready. Chavo is about to leave, but before he does that, he wants to wish Havoc good luck. They may not be the best of friends, but over the course of the last month, Havoc proved to be a locker room leader. He earned his respect.

"Blue Demon Jr, Dario Cueto, Konnan, The Crew, Johnny Mundo, Prince Puma, Sexy Star, Big Ryck, Ivelisse, and now me. All gone, while you remain here... Go get that title, man. You deserve it!"

A manly handshake follows, the biker is indeed one of the few who are left from the "original gangsters". Havoc will give it his best shot! Chavo leaves the locker room, and Son of Havoc fist bumps Angelico on his way to the ring. He is one of the few who will stay back and watch the main event, either to congratulate his old friend, or to save him from the sacrifice. Suddenly he's approached by Sniper Eagle.

- Oi, lad. Name's Robbie, I have something for you!

- For me? I barely know you, mate.

- Yeah, but I have the answer to your question. You still want to know who attacked you before the match with Low-Ki, right? Cueto did not investigate anything, of course.

Now Sniper Eagle has Angelico's interest. He passes him a tape, which he stole from Antonio. The old man installed cameras and mics everywhere, and this one caught the mysterious attacker. It won't cost him anything, he just wants to help... Angelico takes it and Eagle walks out with a sneaky smirk on his face. Time for the championship match!

"The following lucha is scheduled for one fall, and is for the LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Introducing first, the challenger. From the Open Road... SOOOON OOOF HAAAAVOOOC!!"

Son of Havoc is a guy you can't help but root for. He has tremendous support, and even people that may not like him for some reason want him to take the title from Jake Strong. The biker is in the best shape of his life, determined to win the biggest match of his storied career.

"Aaaand his opponent... from Perry, Oklahoma. He's the Lucha Underground champion... "The Savage"... Jaaaaake Strooooong!"

BOOOOO! The champion is showered in boos, believers give him their thumbs down. Jake couldn't care less though, he hits himself in the chest and raises the title high. Strong towers over Son of Havoc, and shoulder bumps him as if he was so small that Jake didn't see him. Don't underestimate the man from the open road... Ring the bell!

Lucha Underground Title Match

The fighters are ready to kick off our main event, and the believers are all for it. They are firmly on Havoc's side! "The Biker from the Open Road" acknowledges their support and gets a good look at the title that eluded him for more than six years now... Jake won it without dropping any sweat, on his first try, so it's not only the size difference that favors Jake.

Havoc is much quicker though! He escapes the first few holds and dropkicks "The Savage" away to show that he's not a pushover! He will give his 100% to get the job done here. Strong flashes a grin and asks if that is all? Grabs Havoc and throws him into the corner, the underdog slips away and kicks the powerhouse with a boot to the side of the face! Cartwheels on the top rope, hits the opposite side of the ring and BAM, clutches his mouth on the ground. Big Boot from Strong caught him good, the cocky champion puts his boot on Havoc's chest, but the prideful biker immediately kicks out. Jake with a big knee to the ribs of Havoc, and easily picks him up for a Gutwrench Suplex! Throws him across the ring and pounds his chest. "STRONG-STRONG-STRONG!" Almost nobody reacts to that, the building hates Jake and his antics.

Jake decides to lock Son of Havoc in an Abdominal Stretch, which is not a position anyone with hurt ribs wants to find themselves in. Jake with a Pumphandle Powerslam, dropping Havoc right near the corner! This could be over very quickly. Strong makes a run up and attempts a Vader Bomb... catches nothing but the mat! Havoc fixes his mask, and springboards back into action, Double Foot Stomp to the back, and an immediate Standing Moonsault! Rick Knox drops down for a count, but Jake pushes Havoc away with force! Not even a one count... Son of Havoc doesn't let that discourage him, he's trying his damndest. Tornado DDT is blocked, but he hangs on! He's choking Jake out with a Guillotine! He's not an MMA fighter, so Strong gets out of it pretty fast and suplexes Havoc back on the ground!! Drops him with authority.

Another cover, Havoc is still in it, raising his shoulder at '2'! Jake attempts another pin, putting his massive weight on the smaller opponent, but still gets nothing but a near fall. Havoc crawls to the corner, coughing up heavily and holding on to his sides... jumps over the raging "Savage", who lands shoulder-first into the ring post and falls off!! A lucky break for the biker? He's not going to miss his chance now.

"To beat someone like Jake Strong, you have to think outside of the box!!" - says Striker.

Son of Havoc lands a perfect Flagship Elbow Drop on Strong! Damaged himself too a little, but the rush of adrenaline does not let the biker stop, he goes full throttle! Exposes the unforgiving floor and looks for a Cutter from the apron... Jake wanted to trip him, but the underdog jumped over and kickstarted his comeback with a Pump Up kick to the head of the heavyweight!! ASAI MOONSAULT CONNECTS!! The believers are chanting 'lucha-lucha-lucha', and this bout is going better than everyone could have predicted. Jake sucks the air in with his mouth, not looking as Strong as ever. Hold it...

OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY ON THE FLOOR! Don't count him off just yet. Strong hits his chest in rage and throws Havoc back into the ring to end this. He takes the steps, puts one of his big legs over the top rope... Havoc hits it, effectively hitting the champion low, and drops his big nog on the mats with a Cutter!! Cover! One... two... NOOO! Jake's foot is under the rope, and that saves him. Havoc feels the rush, the noise of the crowd, and looks at the top turnbuckle. Is it time to go big?? Yes! Son of Havoc slowly climbs on the top of the corner, composing and balancing himself for one final move! SHOOTING STAR PRESS...

Strong rolls out of the way, Havoc crashes and burns. ANKLE LOCK! Wasting no time, the dominant champion grabs the ankle and twists it like a maniac. Son of Havoc is trapped! Please, don't tap!

Jake has it under control, he's too tall and sturdy to be caught with an Enzughiri or be pushed away. Havoc clutches his beard to stop himself from tapping, but eventually, even the toughest soldiers give up. Biker hits the mats and this one is over... Jake Strong retains the title, but doesn't let his opponent go, breaking his ankle!!

In a good match, Jake Strong defeated Son of Havoc in 8:35 by submission with an Ankle Lock. Jake Strong makes defence number three of his Lucha Underground Championship title. (C)

Only after snapping the ankle of his adversary, Strong gets the title and demands a mic. He says that nobody will ever be able to take him down. He is the longest-reigning champion, and mark his words - he will be the champion when this dump closes its doors too! Nuclear heat from the believers, they are throwing trash in the ring and flashing their middle fingers. He's not their champion!

"Mr. Strong, I believe that you forgot about someone... You forgot about the man that took you to your limit and almost took your championship..." - says Paul London, from the top of the stairs.

What? Fans get up on their feet as The White Rabbit clocks Jake Strong in the head with the briefcase and drives him to the mat with a DOOMSDAY SAITO! Raven comes out and watches this with a sick smile on his face, sliding a chair to The White Rabbit. Do it. DOOMSDAY DDT! The leader of The White Rabbit tribe spikes the champion and poses with the title, while Raven hits his own pose and El Bunny cackles uncontrollably. The challenger is back, with one of wrestling's most devious minds in his corner! Son of Havoc just watched the scene unfold while holding on to his ankle.

Tick Tock, we're outta time and will see you next week!

Show Rating: 56/100 (C-)

This show has increased our popularity in 17 regions.

Blodyxe · April 28, 2021

Killshot's Shooting Range

kanegan

13 Kills out of 24 Shots - 54.17% Accuracy

Kanegan didn't have the best of weeks, scoring 1/6, but he's still leading!

Kijar

11 Kills out of 22 Shots - 50% Accuracy

The personification of balance, Kijar scores 3/6 for the show and 11/22 all-time. Teach me your ways, master!

DarK_RaideR

5 Kills out of 6 Shots - 83.33%

Impressive accuracy from DarK_RaideR! He almost got a 6/6 too, correctly naming the original partner of Low-Ki.

The Lloyd

3 Kills out of 9 Shots - 33.33% Accuracy

The Lloyd missed this week, but there's still time to catch up. The contest will reset after episode 20, which will be a BIG one, if you know what I mean.

The mini-goal is to have 7 people involved in the contest. Card for episode 14 is coming soon!

Blodyxe · April 30, 2021

Preview for Episode 14

Season 5, Episode 14 Preview

"Falling Out"

Unfinished Business

Juegos de Guerra gifted us a lot of memorable moments, but there were two distinct highlights that stood out from that iconic match. First, a Styles Clash off the balcony and through a heap of tables, involving PJ Black and Sammy Guevara. The second one - when Angelico slid into the ring and put Dante Fox through the glass panel with a Fall of the Angels, all while still wearing a helmet! Both moments are now in the Lucha Underground "Holy $#!*" highlight reel, and we may get more of the same this week, as all four of these brave men will square off in a tag team match!

PJ Black will tag with Angelico for the second time, the first being an unfortunate loss to the Trios champions and the eventual sacrifice of Ricky Mandel. On the other side of the ring, Sammy Guevara will team up with Dante Fox once more, but this time everything will be kept clean and inside the squared circle. But wait, there's more! To keep everyone guessing, and to make sure that every match feels fresh and fun, Antonio Cueto decided to throw Paul London and El Bunny into the mix. Perhaps as a punishment for their distraction of the champion Jake Strong, who was immediately jumped by The White Rabbit.

This will be El Bunny's first in-ring booking this year. Perhaps his little feet is what Paul London needed all this time to get his first win in a long time? Expect an energetic, spicy, and sexy match from these six!

When Dreams Become Nightmares

Tommy Dreamer's story in The Temple has been a weird one so far. He made his debut in Aztec Warfare IV, where he was eliminated by Pentagon Dark, taking a back bump on the thumbtacks. Fast-forward to the present day and another multi-man match - now a Battle Royal. Tommy got cut with a cheesegrater thanks to Marty 'The Moth' Martinez and then imminently dumped out of the ring by Jeremiah Crane. Finally, he was ballsy enough to share the same corner with Mariposa in a tag match, mostly to get some revenge on her half-brother, but fell short once again, eating a DDT for his troubles... But now, now he's just being reckless!

Reckless, because he agreed to a one-on-one hardcore match with The White Rabbit! The first signs of conflict between the two can be traced back to the time when Tommy saved Paul London from the post-match beating. That time they only had a staredown, but this week they will actually get physical... in the most extreme form of that word! If Chavo Guerrero walked out of The Temple on his own two, Dreamer has more chances to end up like King Cuerno, who has been paralyzed after Mil Muertes struck him with a Tombstone Piledriver.

It is still unclear why Dreamer would think of The White Rabbit as a fitting opponent, but we all know by now that Tommy is a tough son-of-a-gun that listens to his heart before his brain. Speculations are flowing that an artist formerly known as Raven will watch this bout very closely. Maybe it was Scott Levy himself who helped make this match possible?

From The Underworld

Stylistically, Mil Muertes, Drago, and Mariposa wouldn't strike you as sympathetic figures or fan favorites, but in this week's main event they will be the de jure 'good guys'! All three look menacing in their own unique way but become a lighter shade of grey when compared to the likes of Fenix, Jeremiah Crane, and Marty 'The Moth' Martinez. It's a big trios match with plenty of bad blood!

Jeremiah has undying hatred for Mil Muertes, a man who has killed the love of his life - Catrina. Both maniacs met together not so long ago, in a Death match, where Mil put Crane down with a Flatliner through a flaming table. After that war the two locked horns in the aforementioned Battle Royal, where Jeremiah eliminated himself only to get back at "The Man of 1000 Deaths". Most recently, Mil and Crane traded punches in a Fatal 4-Way match won by Fenix, who pinned Jeremiah and notched up a little victory in a storied rivalry with Mil Muertes. Fenix won once more when he met former friend Drago in a traditional lucha libre match, even though it turned very snug towards the end.

Drago came up short, but stuck around to have a little conversation with Mil Muertes, just before he had to deal with King Cuerno in a 2/3 falls match. That discussion didn't go well, but now that "The Hunter" has been neutralized, Drago will try to get on Mil's good side, if such a side even exists. And when it comes to "The Bird of War" - Fenix has been a ghost recently, appearing sporadically and exploring a darker path. Nobody knows what's on the mind of Fenix... perhaps there's a blank slate, which is even scarier when you find out that Vampiro is lurking around the lucha star.

Another intriguing conflict we can't ignore in this Trios match is a sibling rivalry between Marty and Mariposa. "The Butterfly" kicked "The Moth" out of their house after Marty found another girlfriend and spent too much money on his nighttime activities. Mariposa told her half-brother that the family's riches belong only to her, and so Marty decided to bust Mariposa open to show her that they share the same blood, and should stick together. He will look to remind her of his brotherly love once more this week!

This match looks like an explosive drink on paper, and it will be a real Molotov cocktail to witness live in The Temple! Let's lucha!

Official Match Card

PJ Black and Angelico vs. Sammy Guevara and Dante Fox vs. Paul London and El Bunny

Tommy Dreamer vs. The White Rabbit [w/Raven] - Hardcore Match

Drago, Mariposa and Mil Muertes vs. Fenix, Jeremiah Crane and Marty 'The Moth' Martinez

Bonus Questions

What team will be pinned or submitted in the opener?

Will Raven get involved in Tommy Dreamer's business? Yes/no.

Who's eating the fall in the main event?

I want to thank everyone who left a comment or predicted here before. If you did not, please don't hesitate to join 'the believers'!

You can also request a special "Meet The Warrior" type of post before Sunday. Just type the name of the fighter you would like to know better, and I will give them some spotlight.

UPD: I am fairly ignorant when it comes to color combos in UI, but I think now the preview looks better. Black text on red background is apparently a no-no, so I switched it to a more acceptable combo of black and white with red headings. Your feedback is critical here!

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