Lucha Underground Report
June 17, 2015
Taped in Los Angeles, Calif.
Episode #32 aired on El Rey Network
Report by Joel Dehnel, PWTorch contributor

The show opened with a video package featuring Johnny Mundo, Alberto El Patrón, and Dario Cueto.

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

Announcers: Vampiro welcomed the audience to the show. Matt Striker said that tonight Prince Puma will face Johnny Mundo all night long and the wrestler with the most pinfalls in the winner.

In-ring: Santos informed the crowd on the rules of the match and introduced Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma who were already in the ring.

1 -- Lucha Underground champion PRINCE PUMA vs. JOHNNY MUNDO - Iron-Man match for the Lucha Underground Championship

Puma went to shake the hand of Mundo. Mundo accepted then they backed away from each other. They set the pace slow to start. They locked up then Mundo gained leverage over Puma's arm. Puma broke the hold by getting to the ropes and the match reset.

Puma grabbed Mundo's leg, but Mundo got back up and dropkicked Puma. Mundo took down Puma with a head lock. The crowd began to get behind Puma and after a series of roll-throughs Puma hit a huracanrana. Mundo knocked Puma to the outside and went for a dive, but Puma escaped. Puma ran into the ring and hit a corkscrew dive, which led to the first break of the night.

[Break]

The crowd was chanting 'This is awesome' to bring us back to the action. They exchanged pin attempts until. Puma hit a sunset flip for the first pin.

FALL 1 - Puma at 9:13. Puma 1 - Mundo 0.

Mundo took down Puma quickly and pounded on him. Puma broke free and hit a dropkick and a standing moonsault. Puma leaped off the top rope and Mundo drop kicked Mundo mid-air. Mundo worked on Puma's arm by twisting it around. Puma fought back and bounced of the ropes and hit a Diamond Cutter-like move. Puma went for a springboard, but missed. Mundo went for End of the World, but instead pinned Puma by gaining leverage on the ropes. Mundo rolled to the outside while the ref told Mundo that there are no time-outs in wrestling.

FALL 2 - Mundo at 13:17. Puma 1 - Mundo 1.

[Break]

Puma went for a quick schoolboy, but Mundo kicked out and hit a Russian legsweep. Mundo lifted Puma onto the top rope. They traded blows on the top rope then knocked each other. Puma leaped onto Mundo and hit a huracanrana off the apron. Mundo crawled under the ring and grabbed a wood box and chair while Puma pulled him out. Puma powerbombed Mundo through the wood box. Mundo grabbed a crowbar and hit Puma in the gut then knocked him over the head. Mundo rolled Puma in the ring for a pin.

FALL 3 - Mundo at 22:25. Puma 1 - Mundo 2.

The ref checked on Puma then Mundo hit moonlight drive for another pinfall.

FALL 4 - Mundo at 22:59. Puma 1 - Mundo 3.

Mundo hit a springboard kick, then End of the World for his fourth pin.

FALL 5 - Mundo at 23:57. Puma: 1 - Mundo 4.

Mundo stalled and Puma gained momentum and hit a desperation DDT. Mundo kneed Puma through the ropes then hit a neckbreaker off the apron. The crowd chanted 'holy s---' going to break.

[Break]

Mundo grabbed a ladder from under the ring and rammed it into Puma's head. Mundo grabbed a table and set it up in the back of the temple by the entranceway. Mundo threw Puma in to the wall then set him onto the tables. Mundo climbed a ladder onto the railing. Puma stopped him and they continued to brawl in the crowd. Puma suplexed Mundo onto the stairs. Puma walked back to the ring and grabbed another table and set it on top of the others. Puma grabbed another table and set them up as if he had just started the match and not been hit by any moves. He went to grab Mundo, but Mundo kicked Puma back onto the floor. Mundo jumped onto the ladder and moved it to the other side of the barricade then grabbed a microphone.

He told the crowd to look at the score. He reminded the crowd that the one with the best score will win. Mundo told the band to play a song as he drank some water. Puma climbed the ladder and Mundo tried to hit him with a 2x4, but Puma caught it and hit Puma grabbed a guitar and hit Mundo over the head with it Jeff Jarrett-style. Puma then proceeded to spear Mundo through the four tables and instead of counting a pin they went to break.

[Break]

Puma dragged Mundo towards the ring then finally pushed him in. Puma pinned Mundo to increase his score to two falls.

FALL 6 - Puma at 44:18. Puma 2 - Mundo 4.

They slugged each other back and forth until Puma landed a kick and a powerbomb for another pin.

FALL 7 - Puma at 46:00. Puma 3 - Mundo 4.

Mundo escaped the ring and tried to run from Puma, but Puma caught Mundo momentarily. Mundo tried to hide behind audience members, but Puma finally kicked Mundo and went for a splash, but Mundo rolled out of the way. Mundo climbed to the top of the temple then Alberto El Patrón attacked him from behind and throw him down the stairs and into the announce table. Puma then hit a 450 splash for another pin

FALL 8 - Puma at 50:03. Puma 4 - Mundo 4.

Alberto grabbed the mic and said they were far from even. He said that he's going to kick Mundo's ass and told Puma to be ready because he is coming for Puma's title. Puma tried to roll up Mundo, and they exchanged pin attempts but couldn't score a fall. Mundo flipped over Puma for another nearfall. Mundo set up Puma in the corner, then Puma rolled through to create space. Puma hit a dropkick then went to the top and hit a 450 splash for his fifth pin.

FALL 9 - Puma at 54:30. Puma 5 - Mundo 4.

WINNER: Prince Puma at 54:30 to retain his championship.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 54:30 is far too long for a wrestling match and that is why it is not done very often. They kept it exciting throughout until the cliché last-minute finish. It made more sense that Puma needed help to beat Mundo instead of getting a sudden burst of energy to beat him. The only problem with that is it looks bad for Puma that he even needed someone's help to beat the heel when he's being almost entirely fair.

I'm glad they avoided doing the fast pinfall to kick off the match, but watching this made me realize that I despise when wrestlers don't properly sell pinfalls more than false finishes after big finishing maneuvers.

SUMMARY RESULTS: (1) Prince Puma defeated Johnny Mundo 5 to 4 to retain his title.

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