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Lucha Underground returned tonight (July 5) with continuing drama and intrigue from the final matches of the first round of the Cueto cup. Here’s what happened and what we learned.
What Happened:
Dante Fox was taking a jog around Boyle Height. Then they flash back to Afghanistan where he is a POW. He is being interrogated by men who tell him that his friend escaped and left him. If they don’t find his friend, they’ll kill Fox. Flash forward a little bit and his captors are about to cut his head off until the military saves him. Back to the present, Fox jogged past the temple and looked up to see Killshot on the roof.
What We Learned:
- Dante Fox’s actions make total sense. Up until now, we’ve been seeing this story more through the lens of Killshot. This was the first time we really saw where Fox is coming from. He believes that Killshot left him for dead (and apparently he was just saved by the bell). We don’t know if his recollection is completely accurate. But his non-stop vengeance makes sense.
What Happened:
PJ Black defeated Sexy Star in the first round of a Cueto Cup via disqualification. Sexy used brass knuckles that Taya tried to introduce into the match for PJ but the referee saw the punch and called for the bell. Sexy took her frustrations out on the official by knocking him out with the knucks as well!
What We Learned:
- That Sexy Star can only take so much. The Worldwide Underground has screwed her every step of the way. Tonight, she just had enough. The act of using the brass knuckles isn’t her style, but it’s understandable. But knocking out the referee? That’s a different Sexy Star. Has the Temple finally started to corrupt the incorruptible? (It already happened to Puma.) I’m eager to find out.
What We’ve Yet to Learn:
- Did we ever find out who was putting those fake spiders in her locker. That was a big thing for her prior to the mid-season break but it hasn’t been addressed since. She thought it was Mariposa, but Ms. Martinez never owned up to it. Is there still someone out there sneaking spiders into people’s lockers? And honestly, don’t they have better things to do with their time.
What Happened:
Son of Havoc defeated Son of Madness with a rollup in the first round of the Cueto cup. Madness attacked Havoc post match and then took Son of Havoc’s vest.
What We Learned:
- Son of Havoc knew this man. Son of Madness didn’t even make his way down the stairs before Havoc met him to beat him up. They also have the same insignia on the back of their biker vests so they’re from the same biker club. Outside that, their history is unknown. Vampiro was talking about the possibility that Madness was a man sent to collect Havoc and bring him back to the club. But maybe it’s more personal than that. Was Havoc ousted by Madness? Did he leave on his own? Could this at all involve Ivelisse, who is Havoc’s ex?
- Melissa Santos is super good at what she does. The Temple is unpredictable and she puts that over perfectly. The confusion that she displayed when she read “Son of... Madness?” was great. Melissa is an unsung hero of the Temple.
- Son of Madness is a hairier dude than Son of Havoc. Just sayin’. Had to differentiate them somehow given the fact they were wearing the exact same thing.
What Happened:
Prince Puma defeated Ricky Mandel with what looked to be a spinning, package Tombstone.
What We Learned:
- Ricky is apparently interning with the Worldwide Underground, as Melissa announced. Good of Worldwide to give back to the community and employ some interns. No word if it’s a paid internship but I doubt it. Still, that’ll look great on the resume.
- Puma is a different man. He wrestles in a black hoodie, shows no emotion (even when Ricky cut his best Mundo-esque promo), and even employs a less flashy finisher. Whatever Vampiro has done to him, it looks to have rooted itself in Boyle Height’s own.
What Happened:
Rey visited El Dragon Azteca Jr. before Azteca’s tournament to wish him good luck. Puma interrupted and told Rey that he’s going to win this tournament so Rey better beat Mudno. Because Prince Puma wants his Ultima Lucha rematch and he won’t lose this time.
What We Learned:
- That this is a match I really want to see. The new journey of Puma has been fascinating and their match last year was really good. But this is a different Puma and that may mean a different outcome.
What Happened:
Dante Fox defeated El Dragon Azteca in the first round of the Cueto Cup. Rey Mysterio was at ringside and the entire Worldwide Underground attacked Rey. Azteca fought them off but when he got back into the ring, he walked into Dante’s Fox Catcher.
What We Learned:
- The Worldwide Underground finally picked their moment. It wasn’t just going to be weeks of video montages. Johnny Mundo’s gang doesn’t fight fair. They pick their spots and they weaken their enemy. And this is likely only the beginning.
What We’ve Yet to Learn:
- Will Rey change his plan? We don’t know what his original strategy going into his title match was, but there’s no way he can prepare for a one on one match. He’s got to prepare for a 4 on 1 match. Mysterio may need to recruit some people to even the odds. Will he grab folks like Sexy Star, El Dragon Azteca, and Willie Mack to have his back? Whatever he does, he needs to neutralize the numbers. Otherwise, it’s Destination: Slamtown.
- Why Killshot didn’t return the favor from the other week? Killshot would have likely defeated Jeremiah Crane in his first round match if Fox didn’t distract him. Tonight was a perfect opportunity for a receipt but he didn’t take it. It’s entirely possible that Killshot is still feeling guilt over what happened in Afghanistan, even if it ends up that Fox isn’t remembering it exactly how it really happened.
Next week, they move onto round two and we’ll get that Marty ‘The Moth’ Martinez showdown with Fenix. Given they both have eyes for Melissa Santos (but she only feels the same way for Fenix), this could get dirty.
We’ll back for all the action. In the meanwhile, sound off below!