Lucha Underground Recap (Sept. 28, 2016): Everyone Hates Pentagon

Lucha Underground returned to us last night (Sept. 28, 2016) from the Temple in Boyle Heights. For a complete results rundown, you can check the live blog here.

A Fight You Don’t Want to Win

The main event tonight was Chavo Guerrero against El Dragon Azteca Jr. where the winner gets to face Pentagon Dark. “Gets to fight” Pentagon Dark. More like “has to.” Both men had their arms broken by Pentagon last year and both men for some reason want to give Dark another chance to do it.

Since Rey Mysterio has a long history with Chavo and is the teacher of Azteca, Dario Cueto found it fitting to make him the special guest referee for this bout. He knew that Rey would prefer his student not face Pentagon, so El Jefe decided to put some of that burden on Mysterio. If Rey really wanted to protect his protege, he could opt to not count a pinfall or acknowledge a submission for the sake of his student’s health.

For his part, Mysterio did none of that. He call the match down the middle... well until Chavo got out of hand. It was a match that Chavo controlled the entire time. It was the wily veteran vs. the brash rookie. And the veteran Chavo proved why he’s been around for so long. He controlled the pace of the match and any time the younger man would try to turn on the jets to speed things up, Chavo shut it right down.

It wasn’t until Chavo’s hot headedness got the best of him that things started going poorly for Guerrero. He hooked in a Boston Crab and Azteca was able to grab the ropes for a break. For some reason, Chavo thought his opponent tapped out and started arguing with Mysterio about it. Chavo couldn’t control his frustration and eventually clubbed Mysterio. Rey wouldn’t take it and dealt a the Mexican Warrior a blow of his own. This allowed the younger man to pick up the win.

But the prize is no walk in the park. In fact, if you wanted to argue that Chavo is the winner because he doesn’t have to face Pentagon Dark, you wouldn’t hear me debate the merit of that claim. Pentagon is a dangerous man and not to be taken lightly. Azteca’s arm has only recently healed up and now he’s stepping into the ring with him again? Rey Mysterio may have gotten his on Chavo, but he didn’t do his student any favors.

The Black Lotus Triad

El Dragon Azteca isn’t the only one gunning for Pentagon Dark. Black Lotus got her arm broken at the same time that Azteca did. And she isn’t going to take that lying down either. Instead, she’s going to roll into the Temple with some ninjas.

I suppose a clan of ninjas are really the only major awesome thing missing from the Temple. Oh, and I guess pirates too. There haven’t been any pirates.

Dario’s Revenge

Speaking of Pentagon, Dario Cueto used him tonight to enact punishment on the traitor Cortez Castro. Cueto welcomed the undercover Office Reyes back with open arms and a tight embrace. He even told Castro that he wants to find who killed Mr. Cisco. But Dario knows that Castro isn’t who he says he is.

And that’s because Joey Ryan told him. When Joey Ryan chose the side of Dario in the upcoming war, he sold out his partner as well. Class act that Joey Ryan.

Luckily for Cortez Castro, all he got was a match with Pentagon (and a broken arm that came at the end of it) and not a bludgeoning like poor Mr. Cisco.

Still, this isn’t what Captain Vasquez had in mind when she sent Officer Reyes back undercover. But if she’s such a good captain, she should have known that Joey Ryan is a no-good sleazy douchebag. That’s on her. You’d think she’d have a better read on people for someone who is millennia old. (Of course, she may not be the one who’s a thousand years old and if that’s the case... she should still no better because just look at Joey Ryan! He’s a sleazy bastard!)

Disciple Free

Ever since Vampiro put the bug in his ear, Prince Puma has started gunning for Mil Muertes. Tonight, he went against the sole disciple of death remaining: Sinestro de la Muerte. Prince Puma showed a newer aggression in order to control the disciple the entire match. Even Mil Muertes running out to try to interfere wasn’t enough to give Sinestro an advantage. To rub things into the Man of a Thousand Deaths, Puma finished Sinestro with a Flat Liner (Mil’s finisher) and then after the match, he immediately vaulted the top rope and took it to his enemy. Like the last time they brawled, Catrina had to pull them apart, instructing Mil that retreat is the better course of action this time.

The edge to Puma is great and feels much needed. He may not have had the edge season one, but he had Konnan in his corner to supply what he needed. Without Konnan, he kind of faltered last season. Could a spark from another crafty veteran change things for the face of Lucha Underground?

As for the Disciple of Death, this was the last straw. The dude literally ate the hearts of his mates and even that wasn’t enough to make him any good. It just goes to show that even if you’re a spirit of death, doesn’t mean you’re going to be very good at pro-wrestling.

Catrina broke his neck, sucked out his life force, and then breathed it into Mil Muertes. Hopefully for Mil, that life force doesn’t make him a worse competitor since Sinestro de la Muerte was pretty damn lame.

The Gift of the Gods

The Woldwide Underground defeated the Super Friends and Sexy Star tonight in a fun match, but the real story is how badly Johnny Mundo wants to be Lucha Underground champion. And he has decided the way he’s going to go about it is to acquire the Gift of the Gods championship.

The current holder of that title is Sexy Star. In beginning of the show, Dario Cueto pointed out to her that she’s in a tough position. She either needs continue to defend the Gift of the Gods championship, and eventually she will lose. Or she has to cash it in and get destroyed by his brother Matanza. It’s a tough situation. Dario also took that moment to make fun of her English because let’s not forget, Dario is an asshole.

After Dario left, Johnny Mundo ran into the locker room looking for Taya but instead found Sexy. He introduced himself to her... as the next Gift of the Gods champion.

This looks like a showdown that will be coming our way soon and it’s one I’m pumped for.

It was a fun offering tonight that sets up some feuds that could be money. Mil Muertes and Prince Puma has been a great story so far. And Johnny Mundo vs. Sexy Star can be really fun too. Plus both El Dragon Azteca and Black Lotus are going to be coming for Pentagon Dark at the same time. And they have unresolved issues of their own. While tonight may have been a lot of set up, the things that it set up have the potential to be really boss.

We’ll be back next week for more Lucha Underground. Sound off below with your thoughts on tonight’s episode.