Lucha Underground Report
January 7, 2015
Taped in Los Angeles, Calif.
Episode #9 aired on El Rey Network
Report by Joel Dehnel, PWTorch contributor

Lucha Underground opened with a video package recalling the events of the previous show, including the two 10-person matches.

Opening credits rolled which brought us to The Temple to begin the show.

Matt Striker welcomed the audience to the show as people in Aztec costumes danced around the ring.

In-ring: Dario welcomed everyone to his temple. He said 2015 would be a huge year for Lucha Underground and it all starts tonight, because we will witness a match he created Aztec Warfare. The luchadors who wants the championship will have to go through 19 other competitors. A luchador can be eliminated by pinfall, submission, and because he loves violence anything goes. He said two men starting tonight are Fenix and Johnny Mundo.

1 -- FENIX vs. JOHNNY MUNDO vs. MR. CISCO vs. KING CUERNO vs. SON OF HAVOC vs. PIMPINELA ESCARLATA vs. PRINCE PUMA vs. IVELISSE vs. DRAGO vs. BAEL vs. CORTEZ CASTRO vs. RICKY MANDEL vs. BIG RYCK vs. PENTAGON, JR. vs. SUPER FLY vs. CHAVO GUERRERO, JR. vs. MASCARITA SAGRADA vs. SEXY STAR vs. EL MARIACHI LOCO vs. MIL MUERTES (w/Catrina) -- Aztec Warfare for the Lucha Underground Championship

Mundo and Fenix squared off first. Fenix fed into the crowd cheers then both men locked up. Mundo caught a kick from Fenix then tripped him. Mundo missed a standing shooting star press then Mundo knocked over Fenix. Fenix hit a super kick which knocked Mundo out of the ring. Mundo then clotheslined Fenix to the outside. The second entrant is Mr. Cisco.

Cisco beat on Fenix followed by Mundo. He then jumped on each man and super kicked Mundo. Fenix picked up Cisco and drove him into the corner. Mundo hit the end of the world on Cisco for the elimination. Fenix rolled up Mundo then both men slugged at each other.

[Break]

Both men were down in the middle of the ring when the next entrant was revealed as King Cuerno. Fenix chopped and kicked Mundo. Cuerno beat on Fenix and Mundo then hit a suicide dive to Mundo. Fenix kicked Mundo off the apron and the next entrant is Son of Havoc. Havoc stomped on Mundo's back but Mundo fought back. Havoc knocked over Mundo followed by a hurricarana. havoc then did corkscrew to the outside. The 6th entrant is Pimpinela Escarlata. Pimp dro kicked Havoc. Pimp then arm dragged Fenix followed by flipping over Fenix and Cuerno. Pill dropkicked Cuerno. The seventh entrant was Prince Puma.

Puma began to beat down Mundo. He hit a moonsault off the ropes and went for a cover. Fenix kicked over Mundo. The camera showed the mystererious woman in the crowd. The eighth entrant is Ivelisse. Ivelisse hit a huracanrana on Cuerno followed by a DDT on Fenix. Pimp attacked Ivelisse then Cuerno. Ivelisse kicked Pimp, then Havoc hit a Shooting Star Press on Pimp for the elimination. Ivelisse kicked Cuerno then attacked the ninth entrant, Drago. Drago hit a DDT on Fenix. Followed by another DDT on Mundo. Drago hit a reverse huracanrana on Puma. Cuerno stopped Drago then Ivelisse got involved. Cuerno hit a Thrill of the Hunt to eliminate Ivelisse. The tenth entrant was Bael.

Fenix dove onto Cuerno followed by a dive by Drago. Puma hit a Superman Punch followed by a kick to eliminate Son of Havoc. Entrant #11 was Cortez Castro. Castro slammed Puma and beat him down. Bael and Castro beat down everyone in sight. Entrant #12 was Ricky Mandel. Mandel beat on Castro and hit a dropkick. Puma suplexed Bael followed by a standing shooting star for the elimination. Mundo kicked Castro for his elimination. Next out was Big Ryck at #13.

[Break]

Ryck beat down everyone and eliminated Mandel. Ryck picked up Drago and passed him to Drago who hit Thrill of the Hunt for the elimination. Mundo hit a crucifix on Cuerno for his elimination. Entrant #14 was Pentagon, Jr. Pentagon clotheslined all men in the ring. Ryck caught him. Ryck got super kicked the Pentagon began super kicking everyone. Pentagon hit a power bomb on Puma. Followed by a back drop bomb on Fenix. Pentagon went for the pin, but Ryck broke up the pin.

Entrant #15 was Super Fly. Fly attacked all men, but Ryck stopped him. He threw Fly to the outside. Mundo rolled up Ryck but Fenix broke it up. Entrant #16 was Chavo Guerrero, Jr. Chavo hit Fly over the head with a chair for his elimination. He then hit Pentagon for his elimination. The next entrant was Mascarita Sagrada heading to break.

[Break]

Sagrada jumped on Chavo, who threw him over, then Sagrada tossed Chavo to the outside. Sagrada tossed Fenix and flipped him around. He went to jump on Fenix, but Femix dropkicked him. Entrant #18 was Sexy Star. Star arm-dragged Chavo, then kicked him off the apron and hit a front flip. Ryck squared off with Sagrada, then clotheslined him for the elimination. Entrant #19 was El Mariachi Loco. Loco dropkicked Ruck then arm-dragged Fenix. Loco chopped Mundo then arm-dragged him. Ryck hit a devastating clothesline on Loco.

The final entrant was Mil Muertes. Muertes took out all men, then hit The Flatliner on Loco for his elimination. Muertes attempted to knock over Ryck to no avail. A brawl broke out between all competitors. Multiple men landed moves on Ryck for his elimination. Chavo then hit Fenix over the head with a chair for his elimination. Star squared off with Chavo, and she kicked him down and beat him down. Chavo cut her off and slammed her on the chair. Chavo set the chair on Star's face, but Blue Demon entered the ring and beat down Chavo. Star then hit Chavo over the head for the elimination.

[Break]

Everyone left stood in their corners. Puma and Mundo went to beat on Muertes, but Star took out all men until she was speared by Muertes for the elimination. Mundo brought Muertes to the top rope, where Puma and Mundo hit a superplex on Muertes. Catrina got involved and Mundo kicked her off the apron. Puma saved Mundo with a dive, then Mundo and Puma hit flips on Muertes for his elimination.

Mundo and Puma were the remaining luchadors. Mundo put Puma in a half-Boston Crab. Puma got to the ropes and broke the hold. Puma knocked Mundo to the outside. Mundo and Puma climbed to the top rope, where Puma hit a back flip Rock Bottom on Mundo for a nearfall. Puma stomped Mundo and went to the top, but Mundo stopped him. Mundo went up top and hit a reverse huracanrana followed by End of the World for another nearfall. Mundo brought Puma back to the top, where Puma kicked him off and hit a 630 Splash for the win.

WINNER: Prince Puma at 53:13.

Post-match: Puma was awarded the championship belt and celebrated in the ring. Konnan walked out to celebrate with Puma.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Prince Puma was finally solidified as the top star when he became the inaugural champion. There was no shenanigans or heels coming out to stop him, he was just the best wrestler and anguished in celebration for his victory. Prior to this show, Lucha Underground had not had any breaks during the matches, but this week was an exception as it was one match. I wish that Striker would have been produced to tell the viewer "we apologize but we must go to break; if anything significant happens we will tell you immediately." Then, the viewer would have felt that anything can happen other than knowing nothing happens during breaks... During this episode, I paid particular attention to Striker's announcing and how it compared to Wrestle Kingdom. I feel that Striker doesn't get excited in the Lucha matches when he needs to be. When something big happens he is very monotone and calls it the same as he does in the beginning. He needs to start out slow and build up excitement like the viewer does. I know he's capable of being a good, excited announcer because we saw that at Wrestle Kingdom. I understand that he was very excited to be in Japan, but I feel that he needs to carry that excitement over to his Lucha announcing and not acting like the smartest guy in the temple.

Order of Entry:

(1) Fenix
(2) Johnny Mundo
(3) Mr. Cisco
(4) King Cuerno
(5) Son of Havoc
(6) Pimpinela Escarlata
(7) Prince Puma
(8) Ivelisse
(9) Drago
(10) Bael
(11) Cortez Castro
(12) Ricky Mandel
(13) Big Ryck
(14) Pentagon, Jr.
(15) Super Fly
(16) Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
(17) Mascarita Sagrada
(18) Sexy Star
(19) El Mariachi Loco
(20) Mil Muertes

Order of Elimination:

(1) Mr. Cisco
(2) Pimpinela Escarlata
(3) Ivelisse
(4) Son of Havoc
(5) Bael
(6) Cortez Castro
(7) Ricky Mandel
(8) Drago
(9) King Cuerno
(10) Super Fly
(1) Pentagon, Jr.
(12) Mascarita Sagrada
(13) El Mariachi Loco
(14) Big Ryck
(15) Fenix
(16) Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
(17) Sexy Star
(18) Mil Muertes
(19) Johnny Mundo
WINNER: Prince Puma

SUMMARY RESULTS: (1) Prince Puma won Aztec Warfare and was crowned the first Lucha Underground Champion.

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