Good Morning!
Welcome to the first edition of Project Lucha Underground Season 1. I’ve wanted to rewatch this series for a while now (read here for more on that) and I’m excited to finally sit down and do it. The catchphrase my wife and I have been throwing around for 2025 has been “Just fuckin’ do it” and it’s served us well so far. So, I did it!
I’ve never done a review of a regular TV show, and since these are relatively short programs at around 45 minutes a pop, I figured I can sum up scenes and then talk a bit about each one after. For matches, I’ll tell you what I thought, along with some of the spots I liked. And, where possible, I’ll add the ratings from Cagematch, too. I don’t do star ratings -- if we’re being honest, I don’t feel like I’m at all qualified to establish the difference between a 4 ½ and a 4 ¾ star match. We’ll evolve a template as things go on, letting us ease into a system around here instead of me rambling and inserting asides and digressions wherever. Until then, well, we will be doing those things.
Speaking of …I was pleasantly surprised to see the overall ratings for Lucha Underground on Cagematch; the promotion as a whole currently sits at an 8.79, and the lowest ratings (aside from the ones in German) are pretty consistent in their criticisms -- it’s “not real lucha libre,” it’s “overhyped,” and “they’re running a house show and giving away tickets” probably seemed like edgy criticisms when they were posted in 2016. Today, it just feels like the tribalism we see in everything, all the time, every day (sighs). Overall, though, it seems like the show is largely regarded as a success, and one that a lot of people still love to this day, based on the more recent reviews. And, even if that’s not the case, who cares? I love this stuff, and I hope it holds up!
Before we get into it, I should mention some notes/disclaimers. Lucha Underground touches on some themes that get a bit dark, like violence, the occult, depression, and murder. It’s not, like, super gory or super deep, but if that stuff bugs you, this may not be for you. It’s also deeply rooted in Latino culture, a culture that I feel deeply connected to; however, there are terms that are thrown around that might get a little … culturally insensitive, and I won’t quote a lot of that here unless it’s for context, or to make a specific point. And finally, there are some performers on this show who, either at the time Lucha Underground was made or in the time since, have made some pretty shitty life choices. If I’m aware of it, I’ll mention it -- we’ll have to do that in this first episode, unfortunately -- and life will go on.
Ready? Then strap in and let's go underground!
LINK SIX UNDERGROUND VIDEO FOR FUNSIES
Lucha Underground: S1E1 “Welcome to the Temple”
We open in a dimly lit alley, with a dude in a hoodie fighting some other guys. He’s quickly overwhelmed, but then a masked fella in a hoodie and jeans joins the fight, does some cool lucha libre stuff, saves the day, and offers his hand to the downed hoodie man. We then got that sweet sound cue and the first look at the Lucha Underground logo.
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| El Rey Network |
From there, we’re off to ancient Mexico for a history lesson on lucha libre from the two guys who won the fight in the intro. Seven tribes of our ancestors, warriors who built the Aztec empire, things of that nature. A tall, thin man with slicked back hair and a suit then introduced himself as Dario Cueto, the on-screen owner of Lucha Underground. A clip from AAA TripleMania XXII, which happened three months before this series premiere, showed Cueto emptying a briefcase full of cash in the middle of a ring for any luchadores willing to compete for him. We’re then treated to the first showing of the Lucha Underground intro, and we’re officially ready to begin.
After that introduction, an LA flyover brought us to the Lucha Underground Temple, where Melissa Santos welcomed us to Lucha Underground. Melissa has worked in TNA and AEW, and she’s also done some voiceover work and acting. Oh, and after a quick scroll on her Insta I learned she’s also been married to Brian Cage since 2019! [More on that guy later in the series.] I think she’s excellent as the ring announcer for Lucha Underground, adding the right amount of authenticity to Latino names, and showing a good balance of professionalism and irritation when working with Dario Cueto right off the bat.
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| El Rey Network |
We got a live mariachi band (I’d assume this is the Robert Rodriguez influence), some excited fans, and announcers Matt Striker and Vampiro talked up the show and its fans. Matt Striker was in the WWE for about five years, and has over 600 matches under his belt according to IMDB. Vampiro was tentatively retired (in storyline, anyway) when he was brought in as Lucha Underground’s color commentator -- in real life, he’s wrestled over a thousand matches, with the majority being in Mexico and the US, and he's still semi-active to this day. Like Konnan, Chavo Guerrero, Rocky Romero, and countless others, Vampiro worked in the ring while developing relationships, and politicked his way into the good graces of management of several different organizations including AAA, which was sort of the big brother to Lucha Underground. That standing allowed Vampiro some say in booking, and he worked as kind of a liaison behind the scenes while also providing on-screen commentary.
I like the rapport these guys have so early in their partnership; Striker often deferred to Vampiro despite having a good amount of in-ring experience himself. It’s probably because I watched too much Psych and listened to the Smashing Pumpkins that led me to refer to them as “wrestling Shawn Spencer and Billy Corgan” throughout the episode. And yeah, actual Billy Corgan has become wrestling Billy Corgan, but real life isn’t nearly as fun. But I digress.
Dario Cueto was introduced and headed to the ring, and after briefly bullying Melissa Santos, he announced that whoever impressed him the most tonight will get the briefcase he’s holding, with $100k. He sold the importance of the temple, and of the combat to follow. He’s one of the stronger actors in the show, because he’s not a wrestler. He’s got 121 credits on his IMDB page, and it looks like he’s still acting to this day. So, you know, we should expect a little more from him!
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El Rey Network
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MATCH 1
BLUE DEMON, JR. versus CHAVO GUERRERO, JR.
Striker and Vampiro put over Blue Demon’s father as a luchador that transcended the sport, since he was in movies like El Santo and Mil Mascaras. [One of my favorite lucha movies, “The Mummies of Guanajuato,” featured all three of these legendary luchadores.] Vampiro compared them to the Guardians of the Galaxy, a reference that reminded me that this series isn’t as old as I originally thought. And Chavo, well, we know Chavo, right? The beloved nephew, rival, and tag partner of the late Eddie Guerrero, and a superstar in his own right, Chavo has worked in just about every promotion in the world. He also played Kerwin White in WWE, in possibly one of the dumbest and most offensive characters of the Attitude Era -- and that’s really saying something.
This was a great introduction to the kind of wrestling we’d see in Lucha Underground. While it was the classic “honorable battle between two evenly matched faces,” there was a good amount of creativity, both in the match itself and in how it was shot. Chain wrestling started us off, and whenever a submission or pinfall was broken, a rotating overhead camera was used. It focused on the center of the ring, allowing the iconic Aztec-inspired symbol that adorned the middle of the mat to always be visible during important moments. If Lucha Underground survived to today, that probably would have been replaced with a logo for Trejo’s Tacos or Modelo. Actually, Danny Trejo staring up into the camera during a wrestling match would probably be pretty cool.
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The match didn’t go too long, which was good because both of these performers, while still able to work admirably, weren’t exactly spring chickens. Blue Demon, Jr. won by submission in the middle of the ring, both men showed respect afterward, and … oh my God, that’s famously useless AEW official Rick Knox in the striped shirt! I’m shocked nobody cheated just on instinct.
Cagematch says…5.04 stars, which feels a little harsh on a ten point scale. I’d lean towards six, personally. I liked the chain wrestling in this match that started things off, and the unique setup outside the ring came into play a bit -- near the entrance, the fans are on a riser, making it a little dangerous to go outside. I still don’t have a good feel for the dimensions of the Temple yet. It’s kind of like an MLB stadium, versus an NFL one. You know where certain things are, but they’re all a little different in this venue.
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Dario Cueto’s incredible looking office was the scene for the next … scene. Cueto was seated behind his desk, enjoying some tequila with Konnan, and thanked the influential veteran wrestler for wanting to work for him. Konnan didn’t like that… he said he’s not here to work for Cueto, but to bring in the best luchador around, a guy from right here in the barrio. Cueto said nah, he already signed the best free agent. He’s brash, he’s cocky, and he’s had many names (Drip Drip comes to mind) but here, he’s Johnny Mundo. BUT Cueto said Mundo doesn’t respect the Temple, and he only signed him to make an example of him. Cueto proposed that the pair have Konnan’s man make an example of Mundo and maybe earn that 100K briefcase.
We returned after a break to catch Johnny Mundo just doing the most Johnny Mundo chin up things while covered in roughly a gallon of baby oil. Our announcer pals then tossed us over to some training videos to introduce us to Prince Puma. Konnan narrated, saying he’s been in THIS BUSINESS for 3 decades. I love the phrase THIS BUSINESS, and I turn into a cross between Booger Red Undertaker, FTR Bald, and Foghorn Leghorn whenever I read it.
Konnan referenced the 7 Aztec tribes, each with a champion. He made a Game of Thrones reference, once again establishing the time this show aired, and said if those luchadores lost, they lost their heads -- these days, that dishonor is now represented by their masks. If a luchador loses his mask, he loses his entire livelihood.
Prince Puma’s from here in Boyle Heights, and his spirit animal (yeah, we used that phrase then) is a jaguar. Konnan’s gonna help Prince Puma see his glory.
MATCH 2
SON OF HAVOC versus SEXY STAR
Star came out wearing a mask and cape, and she narrated her own vignette that got into some triggery subjects like suicide ideation and abuse, but told us that her mask helped her to find her strength. Star laces up her boots and trains for every girl out there who needs a hero. “Every woman is sexy, every woman is a star, and I fight for them all.” Nice stuff. HOWEVER, this is the part where we need to talk about Sexy Star, if only for a moment.
In 2017 -- that would have been around season 3 of Lucha Underground -- Sexy Star was in a match with Rosemary, who’s known for her career in TNA, in which she intentionally injured Rosemary by way of an armbar. Star tried to use the excuse that she didn’t know she was torquing Rosemary’s arm; she also said she was defending herself after she thought other participants in the match were “going after her.” After Star tried to convince others that the whole situation was a work, Rosemary went on social media to say that wasn’t the case, and that several other workers (including Vampiro) had to diffuse the situation. It was a mess, and ended with Star being fired from AAA and blacklisted from several companies; Cody Rhodes and Road Dogg were notable in saying they would never work with Star.
So that’s unfortunate, but as with a lot of wrestling stories, we’ll have to separate the character from the person under the mask. AAA did; in 2021, the company ended up re-using the Sexy Star character with another wrestler, which is a common practice in lucha libre.
Tangent over. Back to the show!
Son of Havoc, who didn’t get an entrance, said he ain’t wrestling no woman so Star should leave his ring. Shockingly, Star leaves the ring…only to slide back in and attack SoH from behind after the ref gets to five. Contrary to what you might expect from that setup, Son of Havoc actually got a lot of power offense, dominating the match despite Sexy Star hitting a few good reversals and speed moves. Star looked tough as shit by fighting back after eating several ground and pound sequences in the corner along with powerful reversals to her stuff.
SoH wins the short match with a backbreaker and a handful of tights. No Cagematch for this one, as it was kind of a squash to establish Star as a tough underdog and Son of Havoc as a dickhead for a future rivalry.
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After a break, we’re in the darkest locker room I’ve ever seen, non-condemned-building division. Chavo was hunched over on a bench dripping sweat, and was approached by Cueto. Cueto talked up the Guerrero family before laying into Chavo for tapping out. What would your grandfather think? Your uncles? Cueto says Chavo ain’t getting money, and he will have to bring someone in next week to finish the job against Azul (Blue Demon, Jr., that is). “One thousand deaths might be coming for us all.” FORESHADOWING?
It’s been 3 years since Johnny Mundo has performed, per Matt Striker. He did the same entrance you’re familiar with if you’ve seen his work elsewhere, with the same pose and wind machine. Konnan walked out with Prince Puma, who was introduced as being from Boyle Heights, where the Temple is located. Vampiro called Konnan a cancer to the company which…pot, kettle, black. Maybe setting up a faction war? I legitimately don’t remember most of the storylines on this show, so this is legitimate speculation (and probably wrong, given my history).
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MAIN EVENT
JOHNNY MUNDO versus PRINCE PUMA
Marty Elias is our senior official, and therefore officiated the main. Striker was having a blast talking up other wrestlers, promotions and styles like Dynamite Kid and World of Sport style in England. “We can talk about these things here…go, they exist, use the internet, learn about all the great styles…” We still pop when we hear these kinds of references today in the big promotions, so it’s nice to hear a similar reference from nearly ten years ago. Vampiro continued to talk about Konnan’s evil influence, and that Puma may be corrupted, but he never really gave any examples of Konnan’s evil deeds. So I’m led to believe we either were expected to know about Konnan at the time, or I’m just naive. Or they’re planting seeds for later, who’s to say?
I noticed that there’s a little platform for the cameraman in the corner where Cueto’s office is, a great use of the space. Wrestlers enter from a door on the balcony and take stairs down to the ring. It’s unique!
The match itself was legit. Johnny Mundo was really good, leading the match and using his athleticism to sell the cocky, but not bad, character. Puma (who goes by Ricochet these days) was instantly recognizable, and I’d argue that you may have noticed even if you weren’t aware of who he is today. His moveset has evolved, but the raw athleticism Puma had is quick and powerful. Those arm gauntlets did look a little silly, though.
Fin de Mundo (Starship Pain) called for, Puma says nay…we continue. Puma springboard 450 miss, Moonlight Drive for two.
C4 Spanish Fly, Fin de Mundo, pinfall victory for Mundo. Cagematch gave this a 7.55, and that feels about right to me. I’d probably go 8 because I like whole numbers and thought this really set the tone for what I hope, and vaguely remember, this series provided in terms of in-ring action. At the end of the day, even with the strong emphasis on production and storylines, a wrestling show still needs some good wrestling to hook the audience. This match showed that LU has that in spades.
After the match both competitors shook hands, hugged, Mundo raised Puma’s hand and vice versa. Dario Cueto arrived to some theme music with his briefcase. He congratulated Johnny and opened his briefcase o’ cash, but snapped it shut when Mundo reached for it. Both guys then got jumped by the most stereotypical cholos you’ve ever seen, and then a very large man climbed up to the apron and pounded Puma’s chest in. The good guys continued to get beat down, and a HUGE chokeslam from that big dude to Johnny ended the brutality. Dario said it’s not just luchadores that’s gonna fight here, and these guys work for him. Welcome to Lucha Underground.
Closing Thoughts
There was a time when AEW Rampage was dubbed “the fastest hour in television.” You usually got four matches, a few promos, and that was it. When it worked, it was because the booking worked in its favor. There was good wrestling on the show, as is the expectation for AEW, and storylines worked because they were just a continuation from Dynamite, and later Collision. But Lucha Underground, a show that focuses on its storylines over the in-ring action, does kinda suffer from that shorter runtime. At the time, the show was so unique that many of us probably didn’t notice. And now, with the benefit of owning literally the entire run of Lucha Underground, I could just watch a couple episodes back-to-back. While that’s not what I plan on doing, because I want to digest each episode and write about it before moving on, I think that’s how I’d suggest watching to someone else if I gave them my portable hard drive after I finish this project.
That being said, I really enjoyed this episode. Dario Cueto was firmly established as the slimy authority figure, albeit one with an air of mystery around him. The Temple already began to shine as a unique venue, with the entrance stairway, close quarters to fans and barriers, and cameraman platforms in the corners already coming into play during matches. We began to touch on what made this show so important for Latinos as well -- themes of family, history, and legacy came up in the vignettes between matches. I think the acting was as good as one can expect -- we’ll get into it as more characters are introduced, but several of the managers and non-wrestling characters are played by actual actors, and it shows.
So that’s episode one! I hope you enjoyed reading through and if you’re able, watch along as I go through this series. It’s not hard to find for download.
So Long For Now
Follow me on BlueSky for updates and live watch-along commentary for AEW Dynamite and Collision (occasionally). And, if you’re looking into purchasing anything from a smart fridge to a new drill, check out the tech writing I do over at SlashGear -- my lists are heavily researched, and ranked after thorough aggregation of expert opinions, reviews, and my own experience as a professional auto mechanic, an unprofessional handyman and a somehow even less professional homeowner.
Until next time…Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!
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