Lucha Underground recap & review: Will you marry me?

The ninth episode of season four (August 8) for Lucha Underground featured Jeremiah Snake and Aerostar Mundo as a poisonous posse fought Worldwide Loverground.

Love was in the air. Mariposa flirting with Antonio Cueto, Joey Ryan digging XO Lishus’ booty, friendship between Aerostar and Drago, and a marriage proposal from Johnny Mundo to Taya. The Temple was getting frisky.

I almost forgot. Let’s find out who died.

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Antonio Cueto & Mariposa office scene

Antonio Cueto was on the phone with most likely Agent Winter. Mariposa entered looking for a Gift of the Gods match. She displayed chesty charm. “I never expected you to be so handsome in person. I’ve always fantasized about being with a Cueto. Maybe because it was forbidden. But, I did not come here to seduce you, Mr. Cueto.” Mariposa purchased her way into the fight with two fat stacks of cash from her rich family.

Antonio spit some old man wisdom. “Money is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”

Metalachi played us into the Temple

Sacrifice to the Gods: Matanza vs Mala Suerte

The Rabbit Tribe was already in the ring. Antonio Cueto exited his office. Cueto stated, “Paul, I’m so pleased that you volunteered to be here tonight in this match. But, as we discussed on the phone, only one of you will compete in this match. So...”

Paul London stepped in, “Mala, by failing the Tribe, you have failed the White Rabbit. Oh, but don’t worry my friend. Now, you get to prove your worth by having a little tussle.”

Mala Suerte attacked Matanza as best he could. Cartoonish sound effects were dubbed over as Mala Suerte speed bag punched Matanza. It sounded like Fred Flintstone running. Mala did his top turnbuckle tease of jumping down then sprinting into a less impactful attack. “Boing,” noises were added for each bunny hop.

Headbutt by Matanza, then a Wrath of the Gods to win.

Mala Suerte has been sacrificed.

Jack Evans & Joey Ryan vs XO Lishus & Ivelisse

Ivelisse and Jack Evans started out. Ivelisse controlled the action early. After Ryan got the tag, he was escorted into butt based offense by XO Lishus. XO was in a pushup position on the top turnbuckle while holding a leg scissors on Ryan’s head. XO used his legs to bounce Ryan’s head of his buttocks. After ten, Ryan sat in the middle of the ring with a perverted smile of his face. The crowd chanted, “Joey likes it.” XO played coy then viciously dropkicked Ryan in the face.

Other match highlights include Ivelisse countering a body scissors into a DDT and XO slingshotting Evans into a kick from Ivelisse.

For the finish, Evans stealthily attacked XO with a springboard corkscrew kick. Evans slapped on a sleeper-style submission with his legs. XO passed out instead of quitting.

Jack Evans and Joey Ryan were victorious.

After the ref called for the bell, Evans refused to let go. He continued to choke XO. Ryan admonished Evans and tried to verbally convince him to stop. Eventually, Ivelisse charged in to put the boots to Evans. Ryan showed concern for XO, but Ivelisse chased him away.

Evans shouted that it isn’t over until XO is dead. Is this heading to a Death Match at Ultima Lucha Cuatro?

Gift of the Gods Championship: El Dragon Azteca Jr. vs Mariposa

While the ref was doing the championship belt display, Mariposa kicked El Dragon Azteca Jr. in the nads. Highlights include a 450 splash by Azteca and a Butterfly Effect by Mariposa.

For the winning pin, Azteca countered out of a second Butterfly Effect to roll Mariposa up and cross her legs to prevent a kick out. That leverage gave Azteca the three count.

No sign of Marty Martinez during the match.

El Dragon Azteca Jr. retained via rolly leg cross pin.

Atomicos: Worldwide Underground vs Reptile Tribe

A reminder of the stakes. If Worldwide Underground wins, Johnny Mundo gets one wish granted from Kobra Moon. If the Reptile Tribe wins, Mundo must join them.

Get ready for your mind to be blown. Since Vibora was missing his head, Kobra Moon brought out a new member. Jeremiah Snake!

Kobra Moon resurrected Jeremiah Crane’s dead body with venom. Jeremiah entered as if he was working the rigor mortis out of his limbs. (Shout out to timboboz and Black Yen Power G-Man Spy for commenting about Jeremiah’s coffin in the Reptile lair last week.)

Have you recovered from that brain overload? Well, get ready to have your mind blown again.

Aerostar Mundo became the fourth member for Worldwide Underground. They didn’t actually tag Aerostar with the surname of Mundo, but that won’t stop me from bestowing it upon the man from the cosmos.

Johnny sent Ricky Mundo, with Rosa, to the back. “Sorry, Ricky. This is one job you aren’t going to do. (Nice double meaning for job in wrestling parlance.) ... Don’t make it awkward, bro. Get out of here.” That led to the introduction of Aerostar Mundo.

I’m going to express route the match details, because I’m too excited about what happened after the bout.

There was a lengthy sequence of luchadores jumping outside onto the pile of able bodies; Aerostar with a springboard flying crossbody, Drago with a Daga assisted Dirty Dancing corkscrew, Taya with a flying crossbody, and Kobra Moon cuttering Johnny Mundo.

The Reptile Tribe sat their opponents into chairs so Jeremiah could do his around-the-ring cannonball run. Success.

The finish, later down the line, involved Drago and Johnny Mundo. Exchange of punches. Drago escaped Moonlight Drive. Rope running into the Dragon’s Lair pin, but Johnny rolled out before a successful execution. Running knee strike to Drago’s head. End of the World by Johnny. 1, 2, 3.

Here are your winners, Worldwide Underground.

Johnny Mundo’s wish

Still in the ring, Johnny called for Kobra Moon before she left with her tribe. “There’s somebody here that I know could use a wish real bad.” Johnny was looking at Taya, who was getting super excited. Johnny wanted to use his wish for Aerostar, which made Taya about to cry from disbelief.

Johnny’s wish was that Kobra Moon free Drago. Aerostar removed Drago’s collar, and the two buddies left together.

Back in the ring, Taya was having a conniption. “You have one wish and that’s what you do? ... Johnny, you’re such an idiot. Really? You choose to help Aerostar out? Everything we just did is for nothing?”

Johnny with the mic, “Kobra Moon could not grant my wish, because, Taya, only you can do that.” Smooth line. PJ Black began fishing around in his pants to remove a little black box. OooooOOOOO EEEEEEEE!!!! Could it be?

”Taya, will you marry me?” Mundo expressed his desire in a Macho Man voice. Taya said yes and the Macho Man theme song played. The engaged duo smooched up a storm. Johnny put Taya on his shoulder as the credits rolled.

Lucha Underground

Ricky Mundo and Rosa locker room scene

Ricky looked into a mirror while muttering, “I have a wish too that Taya and Johnny are together until (emphasis) death do them part.” Rosa giggled.

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Another good show from Lucha Underground. High highs with no major lows. The peak points of this episode were so huge that it overshadowed everything else. Sure, the wrestling was enjoyable, but who cares about that? Jeremiah Snake! Aerostar Mundo! Aerostar reuniting with Drago! Johnny Mundo proposing to Taya!

I enjoyed the opening scene with Antonio Cueto and Mariposa, if only for the fact that it set up why Marpiosa was getting a Gift of the Gods title shot. The weird sexual tension vibe made the scene even better.

I wasn’t a fan of Mala Suerte’s sound effects against Matanza. It crossed that delicate line into hokey stupidness. I do applaud the risk taking of trying something different. It was more or less a harmless segment that didn’t influence the rest of the show.

One more notch to the injured/dead/sacrificed list. Hernandez, Marty Martinez, Famous B, Big Bad Steve, Fenix, Jeremiah Crane, Mr. Pectacular, Cortez Castro, Mascarita Sagrada, Angelico (?), Sammy Guevara, Vinnie Massaro, the pizza delivery guy, Vibora, and Mala Suerte. At this point, I’m wondering if there will be enough luchadores to fill out the card for Ultima Lucha Cuatro. I just counted 27 plus Jeremiah Snake, the eventual return of Marty Martinez, and the MIA Dante Fox. That’s a lot more than I thought.

Lucha Underground usually does things with a purpose in mind. While watching the tag match, I was trying to figure out the deeper angle. In the short term, it advanced the tale between Jack Evans and XO Lishus. Could the long term be a love story between Joey Ryan and XO? Ivelisse and XO Lishus made a nice pair, but there is no end game for a tag team in a promotion with a Trios championship. So, a trio they must become. Jack Evans seems like an appropriate forced fit the way Cuetos are wont to do. They could be called The Baddest Bitches in the Building. Or perhaps Joey Ryan sleazes his way into their hearts to become the third. Whichever direction this foursome heads, I am interested.

El Dragon Azteca Jr. was lost in the shuffle for this episode. I don’t care what he did in comparison to the rest of the other stuff.

Awesome swerves after the main event. Predictable swerves with the benefit of hindsight. Predictable might not be the right word. Sense making swerves? If you have seen the season four trailer, you may have thought Johnny Mundo’s wish was going to be something else. I know I did. With the events of this episode and how luchadores have been dropping like flies, I think I know what story they will be telling with Johnny and Taya. I’m not going to get in details in case some readers avoided the trailer on purpose. Watch it and you should be able to figure out what I’m thinking. If it plays out like I have in mind, it will be epic. Get your onions away from me.

What a finish to the show! Johnny Mundo proposing to Taya was magnificent. I had a slight feeling this was going to happen after Taya erupted in frustration, especially since we know they are married in real life. It was still sweet (double meaning) the way the proposal played out.

Almost two years ago during season three, I opined about how I would like to see a Macho Man/Elizabeth moment between Son of Havoc and Ivelisse. I sort of had my wish answered in this episode. While it didn’t involve those two, there was an homage to the Macho Man and Elizabeth love story. I’ll take it. Oh, yeahhh! I wonder if Lucha Underground will take the similarities full circle with the Reptile Tribe and the deadman Undersnaker providing a snake present.

I guess that makes a face turn for Worldwide Underground. The main event match was pretty much the most fair fight Worldwide Underground has participated in since their inception. No weapons, no groin strikes, no trickery. Teaming with Aerostar and Johnny being noble with his wish further stacked up the good will. I’m eager to see them unleash in hero wrestling mode. Bring on the next chapter for Worldwide Loverground.

Share your thoughts about the episode. Who would you rather have on your team, Jeremiah Snake or Aerostar Mundo? Who is already planning the wedding of Johnny Mundo and Taya in their head?

If you are a Believer, a fan of baseball, and in the San Bernardino, California area, then meet some Lucha Underground stars at the 66ers game, Friday, August 10.

See you next week for who knows what. Something cool in the Temple, no doubt.