2016 LUCHA UNDERGROUND DISCUSSION

[Tromatagon]

I have a criteria from judging wrestlers that I stole from the Dynamite Kid.

Wrestlers can be judged on their look, their skill, their personality/mic skill.

You have two of those, you're a top tier person.  Some people made it pretty far with 2/3, like your Hogans, your Warriors, etc.  If you have all 3, everyone fucking loves you.  This is rare though.  Like Austin/Rock/Flair/Eddy/Terry status.

If you've got an hour of TV and people fucking dying to get into your promotion, you should probably not use any 1/3s, especially when it's a lucha promotion and having a dopeass costume will get you the cool look that you need.

[Jiji]

Like, how much better would this all have been if they could've gotten Faby Apache? Her matches with Averno haven't been masterpieces but she can go and she can talk.

[Tromatagon]

Like, match quality wise, yes.

In an "easy to work with" sense, keep her and her sister out of the temple.

If the Apaches don't like you, they stiff you and injure you.

They don't like anyone.

Ask Taya, they shoot broke her nose.

[thecubsfan]

Based on the way Faby bailed on the Japan show for no obvious reason and other discussions, I don't think Faby would've definitely jumped at the shot of working Lucha Underground (and spending stretches of time outside of Mexico) if offered back in season 1. I think her priorities have changed from what they may have been years ago, though I'm not certain.

[A Guy Named Tracy]

12 hours ago, BrianS81177 said:

If you know a wrestling fan who isn't watching this show, slap the shit out of them until they see the error of their ways. Fucking amazing show tonight. I love this show so much. 

Tell that to the tool who does the show recap on the Torch page. He said this was the worst show in the series history. Didn't like that the crowd was cheering Pentagon inflicting punishment on women. Didn't like the lack of rules in the third match. Made the comment "No wonder LU is Vince Russo's favorite show." 

[BrianS81177]

Jim Cornette recaps for the Torch?

[zev]

LU matches being lax on rules isn't exactly a novelty that just happened this week. Did that recapper throw a fit when Dario told the ref to ignore the DQ in the Rey vs. Chavo match?

 

[Go2Sleep]

I never knew I wanted to see Pentagon Jr vs. Io Shirai so much until this week. Thanks LU!

Really the whole gauntlet was pretty well done. Kairi Hojo (Doku) bumped her ass off in the first match, and that was a great counter into the arm-breaker finish. Mayu's (Yure) match was maybe a bit long, but she looked good and the catch into the package pile driver was super cool. Then the Io (Hitokiri) match was just legit great. I'm not sure the bar is real high, but it's probably the best intergender match I've seen. Totally agree that the entire triad came out looking great even, though two of them lost. If they play up the dark magic healing aspect and "heal quickly" from their broken arms, they're set. They should be trios champs before the end of the season.

Also liked the unexpected character depth for Jeremiah and the thought of good indy Sami Calihan vs. LU Mil Muertes is appealing.

[Godfrey]

I have to say, as a guy who never liked Sami Callihan before, I'm enjoying his work in LU quite a bit. I like that between this and the goofy Space Cat business in PWG he seems to be lightening up a bit. He always seemed way too Serious Wrestling to me before.

Kind of wish Hojo had got more of a chance to shine but I get why she didn't. She just happens to be my personal fave of the group. Still, that Io dive was crazy. She's got some serious ladyballs.

[Jiji]

I was annoyed Hojo didn't get the shine the other two did initially but it really did make sense. She's easily the best seller of the group, so have her be the one to take on a fresh Pentagon and receive a huge amount of damage. Mayu's selling in their match wasn't good (how much of that was the editing, I don't know), so having her start off would've been a mistake. 

I think this may have been a one off. I hope not but I'm not expecting them to become regulars. If Hojo and Io stay in STARDOM through 2017, hopefully LU can work out a deal to use them more often. Just replace Lotus if they're going to keep running with the Triad deal. They do subtitles for the luchadores who don't speak English. They could do the same with these three. 

[NikoBaltimore]

At some point after seeing the show I was saddened knowing this was likely a one-off.  I love all three and aside from Stardom would have loved to see them more in LU.

[Jiji]

PS I have no idea why my font changes on my phone. 

[thecubsfan]

Spoiler

It's a one off. They might have filmed something yet to air to explain why they're gone, but that was the only weekend they could get them for this season. They've said they'd like to bring them back if possible in Season 4.

 

[JML]

1 hour ago, Go2Sleep said:

I never knew I wanted to see Pentagon Jr vs. Io Shirai so much until this week. Thanks LU!

Really the whole gauntlet was pretty well done. Kairi Hojo (Doku) bumped her ass off in the first match, and that was a great counter into the arm-breaker finish. Mayu's (Yure) match was maybe a bit long, but she looked good and the catch into the package pile driver was super cool. Then the Io (Hitokiri) match was just legit great. I'm not sure the bar is real high, but it's probably the best intergender match I've seen. Totally agree that the entire triad came out looking great even, though two of them lost. If they play up the dark magic healing aspect and "heal quickly" from their broken arms, they're set. They should be trios champs before the end of the season.

Also liked the unexpected character depth for Jeremiah and the thought of good indy Sami Calihan vs. LU Mil Muertes is appealing.

I'm not a big fan of Intergender wrestling but one of the better ones you will ever see is the Masato Tanaka/Nanae Takahashi match from January. But the Io/Pentagon match blew that one away. 

 

55 minutes ago, Oyaji said:

I was annoyed Hojo didn't get the shine the other two did initially but it really did make sense. She's easily the best seller of the group, so have her be the one to take on a fresh Pentagon and receive a huge amount of damage. Mayu's selling in their match wasn't good (how much of that was the editing, I don't know), so having her start off would've been a mistake. 

I think this may have been a one off. I hope not but I'm not expecting them to become regulars. If Hojo and Io stay in STARDOM through 2017, hopefully LU can work out a deal to use them more often. Just replace Lotus if they're going to keep running with the Triad deal. They do subtitles for the luchadores who don't speak English. They could do the same with these three. 

With seeing Mayu a lot this year, I just chalked up her lack of selling as Mayu blowing throw limb work like she usually does. She's like many young male wrestlers who work at that speed. 

[NikoBaltimore]

20 minutes ago, thecubsfan said:

  Reveal hidden contents

It's a one off. They might have filmed something yet to air to explain why they're gone, but that was the only weekend they could get them for this season. They've said they'd like to bring them back if possible in Season 4.

 

*insert countless sad emojis here*

@A Guy Named Tracy, Torch is one place griping about the show, but holy bats you should hear Bryan and Vinny show from WO.  They eviscerated it and it was pretty infuriating hearing them talk about the show.

[Jiji]

Why do people still read/listen to newsletter editors for opinions? Everything is right there these days waiting to be watched. Bryan and Vinny are brain dead.

[Hail Sabin]

Found out earlier today Lucha Underground Logo shirts are available thru Hot Topic!

[NikoBaltimore]

1 hour ago, Oyaji said:

Why do people still read/listen to newsletter editors for opinions? Everything is right there these days waiting to be watched. Bryan and Vinny are brain dead.

I only speak for me but I find them pretty funny at times.  I just have to remember to skip the LU segment and all is fine with me.

And the shirts are at Hot Topic?  Jeez, I might have to swing by there to pick one up.

[Hail Sabin]

2 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:

I only speak for me but I find them pretty funny at times.  I just have to remember to skip the LU segment and all is fine with me.

And the shirts are at Hot Topic?  Jeez, I might have to swing by there to pick one up.

I know they are on the website because I placed an order earlier today since my local Hot Topic said they didn't have them.

[Kyuubi]

Okay, what I do not need to hear on commentary is Vampiro's "I'm horny voice." I get that he is trying to be evil and seductive, but Catarina pulls that off. I appreciate that he is trying to be in character and that is cool but what the fuck, man? You just look like the dude that tries to sure little kids with your "candy." And half the shit he was saying made no fucking sense. Like I expect that from Stryker because he over explains shit, but I literally had to pause the match and think, "What the fuck did this dude just say?" Half his justifications amount to, "it is the dark side so it works for reasons." How did Io not break her nose? "She was trained by the Dark Side." Okay, Darth Paeadotine, we get it. You jack off to your Marylyn Manson effigies while wearing Hot Topic. Shut the fuck up.

Io Shirai was amazing. She is Jason Voorhees to Asuka's Freddie  Krueger. She had that swag in her walk that reminded me of Asuka except Io had that unfeeling remorseless thing down pact. Kairi and Mayu were okay and I felt bad for Mayu because she really did not know what to do with Pentagon because she is a suplex machine. Great show. I am getting the feeling that Black Lotus herself is as green as fucking grass because I have yet to find a reason to fear her or take her seriously outside of vignettes.

[JML]

16 hours ago, Oyaji said:

Why do people still read/listen to newsletter editors for opinions? Everything is right there these days waiting to be watched. Bryan and Vinny are brain dead.

I heard the rant and it shows that they don't care about this show going into this. Vinny said the show was either boring or uncomfortable to watch. Uncomfortable I get if you don't like Intergender but boring? And Alvarez got stuff wrong in the recap as usual. 

[Jenalysis]

Yeah, Vampiro could have done that a lot less creepy and more scary.

He sounded worse than WWE puppy Lawler.

[Sammo~!]

PJ Black using the Styles Clash comes off as so low-rent. It reminds me of Disco Inferno using the Stone Cold Stunner or Juvi using the People's Elbow in 2000s WCW.

[Jenalysis]

To use someone else's move like that, I think you gotta meet two criteria

1) Gotta be in a different fed obviously, unless there's some sort of angle being set up of move stealing, or there's legacy involved.

2) Gotta be roughly on their level.

What made Disco/Juvi so dumb was that they were nowhere near the level of the rock- they were midcarders.   Arn taking Jake's DDT worked becaue Arn was on Jake's level (how many other guys were using the DDT at that point besides Jake?)

 

That said, I don't know if they were in at the same time, but wrestling missed out on a Barry Windham vs some Von Erich feud over the claw.

Did Fritz and Blackjack Mulligan ever feud?

[Technico Support]

On 12/3/2016 at 8:36 AM, JML said:

I heard the rant and it shows that they don't care about this show going into this. 

Nah.  They both usually like LU; But Bryan has hated intergender since the start and rails against it almost every time.  Different people are into different things.  I know as soon as Pentagon started strangling a woman with a cable, I said, "this is fucking dumb" and turned it off.

As I said, different people like different things and see things differently.  For me, and likely B&V, watching Pentagon punch and kick women and beat them with foreign objects while a rabid crowd cheered it on was gross.  Up there with Vince and Trish's "bark like a dog" shit.  Again, that's just me.