FanPost

Lucha Underground, Episode 19 (Mar. 18, 2015): Rundown & Review

Lucha Underground on Instagram

A grave episode 19 of Lucha Underground is in the books. In case you're still trying to find it, the show airs Wednesdays at 8pm ET/PT on El Rey and Saturdays at 4pm ET/PT in Spanish on UniMas. Catch up on last week's episode and watch the marvelous cage match between Johnny Mundo and King Cuerno. Also, check out the preview for this week's episode with part 3 of Konnan's hype videos.

Now, on to the show...

Melissa Santos has a silver fake tattoo on her front shoulder. It looks similar to Ascension imagery. Does she dine on destruction in her spare time?

Aerostar vs Drago

Match 3 in the best of 5 series. The winner gets a "unique opportunity" from Dario Cueto. They are currently tied at 1-1.

The match started out chain wrestling with arm drags and tosses. Drago trapped Aerostar in a nifty modified Indian deathlock leg submission. Rope break. After some rope running and quick counters, Drago caught Aerostar hanging onto the top rope. Drago executed an over the top slam, which had impact similar to a powerbomb. Two count.

Aerostar slid under the bottom rope after being whipped to the corner. Drago chased. Aerostar slid in and out of the ring across a corner. Drago followed only to be met with a big jumping knee. Neat sequence.

Back and forth after that. Highlights include a clash of simultaneous running flying crossbodies, La Bombita ("springboard trust dive") by Aerostar, top rope-hung DDT by Drago, Aerostar getting slammed after being spun around Drago's body, top rope stomp by Aerostar when Drago was suspended at the middle rope, and a flying corkscrew over the top rope by Drago.

The finishing sequence began with a running sitout powerbomb by Drago. Drago went to the top turnbuckle, but Aerostar took out his legs to leave Drago sitting on the top turnbuckle. Aerostar went to the next corner and ran the middle rope (straddling the top rope) to deliver a hurricanrana. Springboard diving splash by Aerostar for the three count. Aerostar now leads 2-1. Handshake of respect after the match.

Konnan hype video part three

The video has intersecting scenes of playing chess in the park on a sunny day and Konnan handing out a cane beatdown in the rainy warehouse. His movements are reminiscent of a blind swordsman.

Konnan voice-over, "Chess is like WAR (insert echo effect). Each move, each counter, each attack, they're all just different chapters in the play of combat. See, life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster person. The key to victory in this fight , in this lucha, is to put oneself in the perfect position to protect el rey (R's rolling with righteousness), the king. Because sooner or later, the one who wins..."

Checkmate. Camera zooms back and we see Prince Puma. The last lines are delivered after Konnan defeats Puma in chess. "The one who wins is the one who believes he can. Me entiendes? You understand?"

3-on-1 elimination match: The Crew vs Big Ryck

No disqualification. The 3-on-1 is all at once, not a tag match.

Big Ryck came out swinging his meat hooks. Los culeros quickly regrouped and took control after a 3 man takedown. The Crew issued the Treatment, which is the new name for their one after another running drop kick in the corner teamwork maneuver. Cortez had Ryck in a front headlock, Cisco jumped off the top turnbuckle for a flying stomp to Ryck's back, and Cortez turned the momentum from the stomp into a DDT. The Crew continued stomping a mudhole. Nobody walked it dry though.

Bael set up a chair in the corner as Cisco was biting Ryck in the head. Ryck halted the Irish whip attempt and threw Bael into the chair instead. Cortez whacked with a Kendo stick, but Ryck felt no pain. Ryck took the Kendo stick, broke it on Cisco, and attacked the other two. Ryck threw down Bael with a chokeslam variation. 1, 2, 3. Bael has been eliminated.

Cortez and Cisco attacked, leading to an attempted teamwork double suplex. Ryck reversed and suplexed both of them at the same time. Ryck then held the Kendo stick to line his arm and delivered a big clothesline to Cortez. 1, 2, 3. Cortez has been eliminated.

Cisco rolled out of the ring and decided to exit via stairway instead of dealing with Ryck. Not so fast, my friend. Sexy Star appeared at the top of the stairs and sent Cisco hurtling down with a forearm to the mush and boot to the butt. Sexy gave the "up yours" gesture.

Ready and waiting, Ryck pounded Cisco with a powerful punch to the eye. Cisco was bloodied up from that one punch. Ryck opened up a chair in the middle of the ring. More punches and forearm smashes to Cisco's eye. Rock Bottom onto the open chair. 1, 2, 3. Cisco has been eliminated. Ryck is the victor.

Breaking news alert: Two championship matches next week

Striker informed us that, "Dario Cueto has just signed the check." The AAA championship will be defended next week as Alberto El Patron faces Texano in a bull rope match. That's not all. Cage vs Prince Puma for Lucha Underground gold is next week as well. Puma demanded that it be a Boyle Heights street fight, and that's what it shall be.

Grave Consequences coffin match: Mil Muertes vs Fenix

Melissa Santos sets the tone, "The following lucha is Graaaaaaaave Consequences." The only way to win is to put your opponent in the coffin and slam the lid shut.

Beautiful setup. The coffin is wheeled in by pallbearers dressed in Dia de los Muertos fashion. Each has black and white skeletal face paint. There are also two people walking on stilts at the end of the procession line. Flower arrangements are placed on top of and next to the coffin. The coffin has a similar paint job to the face paint of the pallbearers.

Mil Muertes came out first. Stone in hand but no cape. He's all business. Fenix entered the temple dressed in black with Catrina in tow.

Mil wasted no time as he suicide dove onto Fenix. Mil beat Fenix from pillar to post. After some kicks to the head of Mil, Fenix flew to crash down upon Mil on the outside. Mil took control again with a head smash on the coffin and a clobbering with some floral arrangements.

Fenix responded with a DDT to the coffin. There is a huge dent where Mil's head had impact. Fenix struck a matador pose to set up a high risk flying maneuver. As Fenix ran the ropes, Mil quickly turned the coffin up vertical to create a collision with Fenix.

Mil ripped Fenix's mask. Not completely off, just terribly tattered. Mil unscrewed the bottom turnbuckle and took a huge metal piece to use for dastardly purposes. Mil made Fenix's head bleed with the metal piece, then Mil licked it and did some tongue acrobatics. Another metal blow. Fenix rolled out of the ring, but Mil caught him. Mil choked Fenix with the metal piece then bit his head. Blood is flowing.

Mil beat Fenix up the stairs and around the upper level of the temple. Mil attempted to suplex Fenix off the ledge, but Fenix sandbagged him. Fenix received a head smash into an air vent then rolled off the shallow side and tumbled down the stairs. Mil powerbombed Fenix onto (not through) the announce table.

Mil moved the coffin into the ring and set it up against the corner. Fenix tried to whip Mil into the coffin, but Mil slowed. Fenix came charging and Mil executed an overhead belly-to-belly suplex onto the coffin. More biting. Mil is getting loud chants of support from the crowd.

Fenix kicked Mil in the face then climbed the turnbuckle. Mil landed an uppercut slap followed by a turbo boosted top rope Code Breaker. Mil placed the coffin back in its original position.

Mil took Fenix into a fan section and threw wooden chairs at him. Fenix kicked Mil over a railing. Fenix hopped up on the railing and executed a swanton diving maneuver. Mil reverse Irish whipped Fenix into the guardrail followed by several head smashes. Two head kicks by Fenix then a moonsault from the elevated fan section.

Back and forth punches as Catrina looked on from behind. Mil went for a huge clothesline, but Fenix ducked and Catrina got flattened. Enziguri by Fenix. Getting back up to the ring apron leads to Mil biting Fenix once again. Catrina has risen from her clothesline-induced daze.

Suplex stalemate in the ropes as Catrina opened the coffin lid. Fenix channeled E. Honda's slap happy maneuver. Fenix climbed the corner, walked the rope, and delivered a huge double stomp to Mil's bent over back. The force of that maneuver sent Mil into the coffin. Catrina licked the mysterious stone then emphatically slammed the lid shut.

The pallbearers re-entered and rolled the coffin away. Interestingly, Catrina followed them instead of celebrating with Fenix.

Review

Absolutely tremendous. The coffin match was brutal without being obscene. It was full of "ooohhh" moments, both in action and drama. As a fan of Mil Muertes, I am saddened that he was left in the darkness. I am curious if Catrina has something up her sleeve, since she left with the coffin. Although, I can't blame her for not wanting to make out with a bloody Fenix. For cerebral analysis of Grave Consequences, I recommend reading the fantastic article by Vidence addressing the match's psychology and storytelling.

Big Ryck's revenge sure was satisfying. It was nice to see him take out the trash. It re-established Ryck as a major threat to be reckoned with. Sexy Star's assistance was also enjoyable. The "up yours" motion cracked me up.

The Konnan video was intriguing, but I'm not sure his advice about believing helps much in this scenario. Cage also believes he will win. Does that result in a stalemate in that aspect? On the other hand, Cage has never pinned Puma. Is there a kernel of doubt in Cage's mind which Puma can exploit?

Another thought about the Konnan video. Was all that rainy cane fighting done in his mind or did it actually happen? I could see it being a form of mental training, much like playing chess.

One complaint I have for this episode is the microphone picking up some dudes talking in the crowd. I noticed it last week, but it was more of a murmur level. This week was loud enough to the point of being annoying. At times, it overlapped the play-by-play. Did that get on anyone else's nerves?

In last week's poll, Catrina was shown to be the most desired to take a coffin nap with 49% of 119 votes. Fenix received 26%, while Mil Muertes tallied 25%.

Thoughts and theories about the episode? Will Aerostar close out in match 4 or will Drago extend the series? What's next for Fenix? Will Mil Muertes ever return? Who will win next week's championship matches? Enjoy the full fight footage of the extraordinary Grave Consequences match.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.