Red's Wrestling Blog

Matches: 1.Gift of the Gods Title, Elimination: Strong vs Drago vs Fox vs Cuerno vs Homicide vs Steve vs Black ***3/4 Thoughts: With this, I'm officially ready for the two part Ultima Lucha Cuatro and the end of Lucha Underground! It's bitter sweet, and I've held off for so long because I knew I'd fucking hate being done with this series but the time was right. Let's not get too ahead of the game, though. This episode deserves praise for being one of the few episode-long matches the show has ran. Not many promotions would ever do such a thing, especially as the lead in to their biggest show. To make the situation even better, this was a freaking spectacle. Steve got over via monkey wrench, PJ had an unhealthy fascination with kicking people in the balls ala Cartman, Dragon came in dressed like a construction worker to provide a forklift for Aerostar to dive off of, Strong snapped ankles...I mean, this was just fucking entertaining as hell as was the post-matc

Matches: 1.Battle Royal ** 2.Killshot vs Mack NR 3.Mundo vs Strong ***1/4 Thoughts: Antonio and Strong shared a moment to kick off this one, attempting to further push Hager as a monster. It was okay. The opener was a battle royal to crown a new Gift of the Gods Champion and largely served to also push the same agenda. It too was okay, though it sucks seeing Fox return in such a way. In the two spot, Killshit and Mack started with a fun match that ended in disqualification before it even got to rating-worthy time range. I dislike how often we've been having dq's this season. It feels too much like the antithesis of The Temple. Ivelisse and XO were in ring after to promote a Trios Championship match for Ultima while also adding a new member to replace an "injured" Joey Ryan in the form of Sammy Guevara. Famous B interjected and told Sammy that his contract meant he was an owned man and that he would instead team with Texano and Wagner. Sammy basically said f

Matches: 1.Crucible Rules: Lance Steel vs Garvin NR 2.The Crucible vs Quack, Jigsaw, Mobius ***1/2 3.Calhoun vs Kobald ** 4.Zero, Boomer vs Spoiler, Defarge *** 5.Ophidian vs Still Life ***1/4 Thoughts: Holy poop, they opened the episode with one hell of a statement with that Dasher promo, didn't they? I love the stipulation he added, making it to where if you want a shot at the Grand Championship, you have to put your career on the line. Following that, the opener was a Crucible rules match with Lance Steel going over Reno Garvin. Decent and quick, with the right winner. Moving along, our first true match of the night was a very good trios contest that saw the return of Mobius. Everyone worked hard and looked good and in many ways this was exactly the type of thing I had been hoping for when I started getting back into CHIKARA with this series. The Whisper has his eyes on Mobius. Donna Rama speaks with Lucas next as that story continues and it set up Donna entering

Matches: 1.Taya vs Matanza NR 2.Tornado: Fenix, Mil vs Azteca, Mack ***3/4 3.Famous B vs Ricky Mundo NR 4.Pentagon vs Reklusa ***1/2 Thoughts: The opening angle/match was well done and I sincerely thought we were about to get a major sacrifice. Short but sweet and it looked to set up Mundo vs Matanza at Ultima which should be fun. The tornado tag was great, all-action stuff with the right team winning and a few nice threads mixed in for good measure. This led us to Famous B coming out of retirement just to get fucking murdered by Ricky, who then made a statement after for Taya by abusing Brenda. Add in the borderline great main event, which was the in-ring debut for Reklusa (Chelsea Green) on Lucha Underground against Pentagon that came off big and you have an all around great episode of television. Hell, don't forget about that quality post-match angle to close things out. This is the type of installment that made me fall in love with the show in the first place! Overall

Matches: 1.Rabbit Tribe vs Ivelisse, XO, Ryan **1/2 2.Killshot vs Son of Havoc ***1/4 3.Lucha Underground Title, No DQ: Marty(c) vs Mariposa ***3/4 Thoughts: Putting together the glam squad, and then giving them a title shot right off the bat and having them take the L was certainly an interesting choice. Kross pulling a glove out of his ass and sticking it in Joey's mouth, giving the group another lose was certainly one way to follow that call. It makes sense that the Rabbit Tribe would go over and the blood soaked glove was at least a cool visual. While the match was only a touch above average, it serve a purpose, at least. In the two spot, Killshot cemented his heel status by being a true dick to Havoc for seven minutes. They worked hard putting in for a good match that set up something that should be even better at Ultima Lucha. Closing this, we get Marty celebrating his victory over Pentagon. The addition of Reklusa apparently being the one that had traumatized Sexy

Matches: 1.Matanza vs Evans NR 2.Lucha Underground Trios Titles: Reptile Tribe(c) vs Ivelisse, XO, Ryan **1/4 3.Nunchucks: Strong vs Drago, Aerostar ** 4.Pentagon Dark vs Mil Muertes vs King Cuerno vs Dragon Azteca Jr *** Thoughts: How they'd respond after the landscape changes on episode 15 was going to be interesting for sure. Having Marty win was such a huge moment in my opinion. This show started with an announcement of a four way contenders match where the winner gets a main event shot at Ultima Lucha set for the end of the show. Evans with a nice promo as usual, with a twist. He quit but Antonio set himself up as the next sacrifice of the gods. Him attempting to run was a nice touch but, in the end that mouse was eaten alive, brother. Good segment and I loved Jack getting a few moments to shine before the cat got him. The makeshift glam squad challenged for the Trios Championships next, and before the bell could ring we were introduced to El Bunny and the White Ra

Matches: 1.Fenix vs Aerostar ***1/2 2.Gift of the Gods Title: Dragon Azteca Jr(c) vs Marty Martinez **3/4 3.Lucha Underground Title: Pentagon(c) vs Cuerno vs Muertes ***1/4 4.Lucha Underground Title: Pentagon(c) vs Martinez ** Thoughts: Vamp can't figure out how to put up nine fingers and Fenix is fucking selling this heel turn. That's my main takeaways from the opening portion of the show. The match with Aero was very good and the post-match was very well done, too. Antonio Cueto threatens to make Azteca forfeit and give Marty the GOG belt, but Dragon refuses. A heart of the champion moment. And, I mean...he tried. But, at the end of the day, it was just too much to beat Marty after Fenix's attack. Short but sweet though I loved the idea of Azteca actually carrying the belt to the big show and winning the top prize. I know that's not what happened, but I think it would've been a better move, personally. The Rabbit Tribe segment was interesting as usual.

1.Gift of the Gods Title: Dragon Azteca Jr(c) vs Ivelisse **3/4 2.King Cuerno vs Mil Muertes ** 3.Lucha Underground Trios Titles: Reptile Tribe(c) vs Lucha Superfriends **3/4 Thoughts: A good opener here that could've been better with a tad more cohesion and a nicer finish, but it worked for what it was. It was interesting seeing the crowd turn on Azteca due to how over Ivi was. Neither were in full gear. Also, that match gave us Vamp saying, "Bee Jesus" so you know... XO and Joey recruit Ivi after. I just saw an ad for Fantasma debuting on NXT. When did they do that? I thought he was going as Jorge Bolly. Oh well, not like I'm watching either way. A title shot was promised to the winner of match two. There was a funny moment with obvious commentary editing. That's fine, but the disqualification wasn't. This is Lucha Underground, not WWE. All momentum was ruined with that. I do like the whole, "I reward violence" thing setting up a thre

Matches: 1.The Colony vs Bird & Bee **1/2 2.Spoiler vs Chuck West NR 3.Boomer Hatfield vs Travis Huckabee *** 4.Crucible Fight: Devantes vs Tom Stone NR 5.Jigsaw vs Matt Makowski ***1/2 Thoughts: With my boycott  going on, I've been catching up on classic content as well as keeping an eye out on stuff I've missed from earlier in the year. Now, I haven't followed CHIKARA closely for several seasons but they used to be in my top five promotions. When I heard they had a new series I decided to check it out, especially when I heard extra info that supported my stance and didn't spit on my choice to not watch and support companies that are mistreating talent right now by acting like children. So, let's take a look at episode one. Note that I signed up for CHIKARAtopia instead of IWTV for this as to directly support them. The show opened with Donna Rama arriving at the Wrestle Factory, being greeted by Lucas Calhoun who informed her that CHIKARA is someth