Lucha Underground S4

[TonyPulis'Cap]

Echoing all the love for Melissa Santos here - she is tremendous. Does the Observer still have an award for best non wrestling personality? If so, she should win it hands down. I know doing live TV is different, but the way she is able to emote through subtle mannerisms and inflections in the way she announces things puts her on another level to most other people in wrestling. Last season's storyline with her and Marty which lead to her competing in the ring was so well told and she adds a great dimension and depth to any storyline she's involved in. 

[TonyPulis'Cap]

On 9/25/2018 at 11:23 PM, SomethingSavage said:

Melissa cannot get enough credit for her contributions to the temple, ESPECIALLY over the last two seasons. She was crucial to the final stages of the Moth/Fenix angle. And yeah. Her ring announcements are always given extra effort if you pay attention. She brings subtle, nuanced differences to her announcements, all dependent on the specific situation or angle at hand. It's great.

This said it better than I could! 

[Mrzfn]

She's been even better than Cueto or Catrina (RIP  ) this season. Just done a fantastic job.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

Jack Evans got sacrificed. Got a kick at him trying to weasel out and Matanza tapping into his inner Micheal Myers entering from the entry way. 

This has been strong best outing since coming to LU. Let him do his big moves and be the base for Drago/Aerostar flying around and using weapons. 

The four way was good furthering all of their programs for UL 4. Gotta jump on the Melissa Santos appreciation train. She's been excellent carrying the emotional weight for this season and she showed it with her interaction with Dark Fenix. 

Very enjoyable episode.

[SomethingSavage]

Caught the latest episode. No further debauchery from the Moth, which was disappointing. Yeah. This one could have used more scum, more sleaze, and gawt damn. Just more Catrina, y'all.

... I'm still grieving.

As far as this episode goes though, it was solid. They've hit a bit of a hot streak again lately, even if the writing still feels way more slapped together than it ever did in prior seasons. It feels like they're stumbling into this Ultima Lucha card, instead of roaring into it with slow build angles and well-earned payoff matches.

The opener was part horror movie chase scene, part stunt show. And pure fun. Jack Evans going into Jackie Chan mode on the rails & those concrete steps was cool, but Matanza channeling Michael Myers was even better. These sacrifice squashes have totally helped to rejuvenate the monster this year.

I'll agree that the handicap match was Strong's best showing in the temple. Everyone hustled and seemed to work hard. The Soopah Friends were human highlight reels with their wild dives - flipping & flopping around like frogs in a blender. This allowed Strong to shine with minimal effort, although I wouldn't shit on the guy entirely. The final stretch was genuinely good stuff, with Swagger busting out some decent-looking offense, including a snap Gutwrench Powerbomb.

I originally figured they were building up Strong so they could feed him to Penta. The bone-snapping angle just seemed to make sense, but now I'm thinking maybe the path leads him to Matanza instead. I don't know. Both guys have been ripping up the competition, so the parallels are there.

Strong is such a weird case. I still feel like it was a disservice to bring him into the temple with no gimmick. He's just sooo bland. And it doesn't help that he carries himself with no confidence or presence whatsoever. Dude's booked like a beast, but he's got a bottom shelf personality with a basement level look. The guy's pot-bellied, lanky Gumby frame isn't intimidating in the slightest, but it also isn't a deal breaker. Because he's still a big athletic jock. He just doesn't project that or even come across as anything imposing, and so he's just sort of there.

I wish they were more protective of Mil in terms of taking losses. He walks, talks, romps, and stomps like a legit killer. The guy's a juggernaut, and I want it to be a big fucking deal anytime he's defeated. But that's me.

I hope they put together some story-driven stuff with Penta and Marty before their big showdown.

Melissa took center stage & stole the scene again with her emotional outpouring here. Fenix's cameo was brief, but holy shit. That dive by Azteca was fucking ACES. What a gnarly visual. He just FLATTENED Fenix up against that announce table.

Mack isn't exactly a wordsmith in front of a live crowd (although he's improved a lot since his NWA Hollywood beginnings), but there's a certain charm to him anyhow. And I popped for the Sam Jackson delivery at the end there.

"... Mothafuhcka."

He ain't fraid of no ghost. Good stuff.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

All right editon this week in trying to make Marty legitimate as possible for UL4. Hope they're that a Catrina return at the beginning with her dark energy being inside if Fenix. Loving this new version of the Rabbit Tribe, the darker the better. Also Kross has great facial expressions, he really conveys that he's a deranged killer perfectly.

[SomethingSavage]

Yeah. Last week's show was another winner. It's too bad they waited this deep into the season to give definitive direction to a lot of their rivalries and conflicts, but it's better late than never.

It's unfortunate we lost the Luchasaurus so quickly, but Kross is a cool addition in his own right. The demeanor, the facial expressions, the tone - he's dialed into this gimmick already, and it's that kind of commitment that can get something over instantly.

I almost wish Kross could have come in & cut a path through the lower roster. Give him the impressive body count that went to Swagger instead, and then we'd have a ready-made fight against Matanza or Mil or even Cage just waiting to pop off.

I've said it over and over, but it's still disappointing that we didn't get the full experience of Team Triple Lishus coming together and bonding as partners. Heck, they could have deliberately copied and pasted most of the Joey & Candice program from PWG.

Instead of giving them any kind of emotional payoff with a big display of sacrifice and friendship though, they turned out to just sort of be the team to get beaten. Looks like they're the bridge to get us to the Reptile/Rabbit war, and that's unfortunate. The strange bedfellows trio should've been so much more.

Anyway, I'm digging the upgraded Rabbit Tribe. El Bunny is my dude already. And London as the mad hatter feels totally appropriate.

My issue with a Reptile/Rabbit rivalry is that it's another program with no functional babyfaces involved. We just suffered through a similar predicament with the Worldwide Underground, who kept switching back & forth in their character tendencies - depending on what the writers wanted them to do or how the writers wanted them to behave that week, basically. It's hard to invest in any story if it's inconsistent like that.

I'm seriously stoked for the Azteca/Fenix match. Big fan of both guys, and I can't wait to see what happens with the fallout. Can the true Fenix find his way back? Or will he up the ante and do something even more diabolical at Ultima Lucha? Is Catrina going to re-emerge in a physical form? (This. Just this. I mean, gawt damn. Catrina, y'all).

But the real story of this show was my boy, Marty. Da Moth. Da man. Da champ. Like I said, I hate that it took them this long to launch him, since his run up top might be very abbreviated. But damn it, I'm going to enjoy every second while it lasts anyhow.

I'm glad they gave him the spotlight here. It was necessary to establish him as champion, but shit. They went two steps further and REALLY set a new baseline state for the Moth. Marty seriously sharpened his teeth and came off like a killer here. And I loved it.

I'm such a fan of the strong sense of continuity they keep in Lucha Underground. There were callbacks to the rivalry with Sexy Star (and even an explanation for her absence, which was awesome). But the real highlight was the way they positioned the siblings and their relationship. It's always been a thing, but the way the writers approach that line of decency and tread just close enough without quite stepping over it? Tremendous.

There's this air of unease and discomfort whenever Marty refers to his sister as beautiful or inspiring. It's fucking fantastic. The guy's such a rich, compelling character on one hand. And on the other? You have to hate him just the same, because he's a scummy, rotten, low-down rat bastard too.

The main event itself was simply glorious. Nothing complicated or meta about it. Nothing overly contrived. None of that back & forth "your turn, my turn" business. I mean, there were a couple of reversals, but they were rare.

Essentially, this was a fucking fight. That was one long, brutal beat down segment to start things off. Phase 1 - Heat, heat, heat. Phase 2 - Comeback with the hope spots. Phase 3 - Cut off with the cheap shot. Phase 4 - Finish. That sums up the framework for this match, and it was fucking wonderful.

As a triggered flashpoint moment for Marty, this accomplished everything it set out to do. Ditching the borderline incestuous fascination with his sister for the alliance with Reclusa provides him with a fresh feel, for sure. But the way it was done here - by taking the time to tie YEARS of threads together? Highly satisfying stuff. When viewers invest their time and attention, this is the type of reward they hope to receive in the end.

Well done, LU. Season 4 has not been my favorite by far, but you've found a way to finish strong yet again.

[Mrzfn]

I feel like we may not be done with the Ivelisse/Ryan/XO trio. Maybe a three way for the trios titles at UL4?

I get you but I don't necessarily mind a feud without a clear babyfaces. It's sort of a post-modern overrated trope but sometimes I think a feud can work if all the characters are relatively well defined without having to be good or bad at all times. Of course, the WWU comparison didn't work about because I still can't think of why Mundo, king of selfishness, would use his wish to free Drago. Still annoyed about that.

Marty is bloody awesome, he's legit one of the best guys in the Temple right now. I'm pysched for the match with Pentagon, giving it the Cero Miedo monitor could mean they really are going to pull out all the stops for it.

[SomethingSavage]

Finally caught last week's episode. Nothing outstanding, but it was a fun enough watch for 45 minutes.

Fiery, scorned Viking Taya is something I never knew I needed, but more of this please & thanks. Seriously. Taya laying down the law and calling out the monstah was an awesome, bold moment & a good way to bring her back after the wedding.

As much as I dug Johnny last year with the Worldwide Underground working overtime as his underlings, I just can't get that into him as a baby face. He showed some decent spirit and energy in the save here, but even that was quickly ruined by that awful End of the World finish. It's fine for a wrestling match, but it's not very fitting for a fist fight scenario. Throw some hands for fuck's sake, son. That fancy flippity shit just makes everything you just did look hokey and phony.

In closing? Turn Johnny heel again, so I can root for him. Matanza may be on his way out the door, but I feel like he deserves a better fate than being sacrificed to the majestic abdominals of Mr. Mundo. Just my two cents.

The tag match in the middle of the show was reeedonnnculous. So much fun packed into this one. I don't care if nobody's talking about him - Mil is still one of my favorite things in today's pro wrestling. Period. His punches can make me legitimately wince at times, and he busts them out sparingly enough to make them still seem like game-changers whenever they're used.

Azteca's DDTJ was sick. He really stuck the landing & spiked Fenix like a lawn dart.

Willie Mack going trigger happy & firing off that round of Stunners was a cool sequence, too.

But the way they acknowledged the storied history between Mil and Fenix was the absolute best. The emphatic finish was surprising to me, since I fully expected both Mil and Fenix to win at Ultima Lucha. Now? With this result? It leaves everything up in the air.

Famous B and Brenda are the bee's tits. As a package deal, they've really fine-tuned this gimmick. It's everything Titus Worldwide wishes it could be & more. It's too bad he was fed to Ricky Mandel here, because Ricky's character is an abortion of an idea.

Maybe it had a spark of potential at one point, but by now? It's just wilting and dying. The concept is all over the place with no real streamlined vision of any kind. He's a single white male doppelganger. He talks to a doll. He makes out with the doll. He's jealous of Taya. It feels like they're just laying on layer after layer of shit until something works.

It's the kind of thing that COULD be creepy if it were fleshed out more, but I don't know. It's just sort of there. My boy the Moth has the market cornered when it comes to creepy, and the line starts behind him, Ricky. You're simply destined to be second rate.

The main event started off SOOPAH fun. Penta poured on the punishment and threw Reklusa around like a rag doll. But then they entered obligatory finisher spam mode, and I lost interest. I get that she's a fresh character and all, but I don't necessarily believe we needed to see Reklusa kick out of apron finishers and shit. That was egregious. It really was just too much.

The actual finish at least looked impressive, with Penta bouncing off the ropes and hitting the running Package Piledriver. But this was finisher overkill for an opponent that didn't demand that sort of treatment.

The closing scene with Marty threatening to set Penta on fire wasn't exactly innovative, but I enjoy symmetry in storytelling. It's just too bad the announcers didn't mention Penta doing the same to Vampiro en route to the first Ultima Lucha. That would've sent it over the top for me.

As it stands, they've still done a decent job in prepping for their big finale. I'm ready for it, as I'll be pulling for Da Man, Da Myth, Da Moth in my obscenely loud yellow shirt. Ya know. As one does.

[Mrzfn]

Fenix and Mil doing their bit together was amazing, not just because of their history but also because the soul of Catrina may or may not be knocking around inside his head. Now THAT'S a complicated relationship!

Feeling really excited for UL4. Marty/Penta, Fenix/Azteca, Muertes/Mack, and Mundo/Matanza all feel like potential show stealers to me. Killshot/Havoc could be a dark horse contender as well. I'm really feeling it, the season seems to be ending on a great note. Any word on season 5 yet?

[SomethingSavage]

Wasn't Taya/Ricky technically added to the lineup also? I thought that's what they said anyway.

Mundo/Matanza could pack a fun power/speed dynamic.

It's nitpicking, but the stipulation for Fenix/Azteca feels very tacked on. There's been nothing in the narrative to suggest either guy cares to be the superior wrestler. The match will likely be really good regardless, but I still wish there would've been some synergy between the actual story and the intended payoff. But we'll see what they do with it. Overall, the show should be a blast.

[Mrzfn]

It was and I'm sure it'll be fun, but I don't think it has much chance of being a show stealer.

What I like best about Mundo/Matanza is it's basically a loser leaves town match but with even higher stakes, since I assume whoever loses will be raptured up to Aztec heaven. I hope they play up the fact that losing this match has permanent consequences, and with Mundo also fighting to avenge Matanza destroying what was meant to be the happiest day of his life... well, if they actually mix all that in I think it could be amazing. We'll see if they do but the potential is there.

100% agree that 2 out of 3 falls doesn't make a lick of sense for Fenix/Azteca, but I'm loving the feud apart from that, with the Melissa stuff and Azteca's dream of holding GOTG until the end of the season being snuffed out.

[SomethingSavage]

Johnny Mundo sacrificing himself to finally & permanently dispose of the monster - in some awesomely glorified Superman/Doomsday battle scene - is something I now need to see.

And how about Johnny then returning to earth with an avenging archangel gimmick for one season-long arc to freshen things up?

... Anything goes in the temple. You could practically dream up any wild gimmick or wacky situation and pull it off, which is part of what I love about LU in the first place.

[SomethingSavage]

I'm forever behind on these things due to my hectic schedule, but last week's episode felt a little lackluster to me. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was definitely a lead-in show - designed to tie up loose ends and to finish setting the table for Ultima Lucha.

Jake Strong being all over the show surely didn't help. I still say this guy needed to be gimmicked from head to toe & asshole to elbow. He's just sooo bland. The name's terrible, too. There are glimpses of good stuff in his actual work at times, but it's just not enough to hold together the whole act.

The vignette with Cueto and Strong felt like intentional comedy. Maybe it wasn't deliberate, but there were a lot of "s" syllables in his scripted dialogue. Dude's lisp had him sounding like Daffy Duck when he was talking about sons and sacrifices and shit.

I'm such a mark for Mil. I basically hate it anytime the guy isn't protected, so I absolutely rejoiced whenever Havoc hit the double stomp... And Mil just fucking shrugged it off like it ain't no sweat off his back. Good stuff. Mil's looking lean, mean, and shredded lately too. Time to relight the fuse on the monster & give him another run toward the belt.

Plus, ya know. Bring Catrina back to his side already. Gawt damn, y'all.

It sucks that they had to shuffle the lineup for the Trios Title match again. I never know what's up with these things, thanks to the disconnect between the time of these tapings and the actual sequence of events outside the temple. Like, did something happen with Joey Ryan around this time? Injury? Other commitments? I have no clue.

The match quality might be upgraded with some wilder dives & cooler spots, but Joey brought a fun dynamic to his team nonetheless. I'm good with what we're getting, but I still would've preferred a proper payoff to the story that was already unfolding. It is what it is.

Famous B is the bee's tits. This guy simply OWNS every aspect of that gimmick. I don't think I'd ever get tired of seeing him get thrashed and bumped around. Now GITTTT!

I was surprised to see Mundo beaten definitively by Strong. I loved the closing scene with Matanza making a lasting impression. Those big, meaty forearms and crossfaces looked nasty. But that Matanza-Strong standoff would've been so much better if it were Mil or Cage or someone. I realize that's been done, but ugh. Strong just doesn't do much for me. I can't help but feel like I see him one way, and they value him at a much higher place than I perceive him to be at. Maybe that's me.

Strong-Penta always seemed like a logical endgame to me, so maybe that's a long term goal for them. Breaker of arms versus breaker of ankles. It makes sense, even if it doesn't exactly rock my socks or anything.

I'm still stoked for Ultima Lucha. The finale has delivered every single year thus far, so I'm going in optimistic. I so hope they get another season to come back stronger though. This season has picked up some steam lately and managed to go out better than it came in, but it has definitely felt like the runt of the litter since their launch. I'd like them to get a chance to go out on a higher note next year, if possible.

[Mrzfn]

I didn't come up with this but it made me feel a little better about Jake Strong's super-push. The idea is that he is the vessel for the mysterious Lord of the Limo, since it was implied he would come after his Gauntlet if things didn't resolve themselves at the end of season 3, which they didn't. Now I still think Strong is a dull choice for the role, but at least it explains why he's been pushed so strongly. Alternate theory is he secretly recovered the Gauntlet from wherever it was hidden and is using it to get stronger. Either way I'm at least more interested in the guy than I would be otherwise.

[SomethingSavage]

Hmm. That idea never crossed my mind. It's easy to lose sight of some things between seasons, but you're right. It would be a cool direction to take things. It would also help to explain what Strong meant at the end of that vignette with Cueto, which had me wondering for a split second - but then quickly got swept away with all the other stuff going on.

The potential in that story interests me, because the writers have built up faith & goodwill with me. But no element of Strong's performance interests me in the slightest, if that makes any sense - and therein lies the problem. He *has* been involved in two decent matches recently though - the handicap and now against Mundo - so maybe this can be steered to a satisfying endgame anyhow.

[El-P]

On 10/9/2018 at 1:56 AM, SomethingSavage said:

There's this air of unease and discomfort whenever Marty refers to his sister as beautiful or inspiring. It's fucking fantastic. The guy's such a rich, compelling character on one hand. And on the other? You have to hate him just the same, because he's a scummy, rotten, low-down rat bastard too.

The main event itself was simply glorious. Nothing complicated or meta about it. Nothing overly contrived. None of that back & forth "your turn, my turn" business. I mean, there were a couple of reversals, but they were rare.

Essentially, this was a fucking fight. That was one long, brutal beat down segment to start things off. Phase 1 - Heat, heat, heat. Phase 2 - Comeback with the hope spots. Phase 3 - Cut off with the cheap shot. Phase 4 - Finish. That sums up the framework for this match, and it was fucking wonderful.

As a triggered flashpoint moment for Marty, this accomplished everything it set out to do. Ditching the borderline incestuous fascination with his sister for the alliance with Reclusa provides him with a fresh feel, for sure. But the way it was done here - by taking the time to tie YEARS of threads together? Highly satisfying stuff. When viewers invest their time and attention, this is the type of reward they hope to receive in the end.

Well done, LU. Season 4 has not been my favorite by far, but you've found a way to finish strong yet again.

Catching up. Damn, I loved that main event. I've been a fan of Melissa since she worked in ARSION against Yoshida, so it was beautiful to see her in 2018 having a hell of a brawl against Marty, complete with brutality, blood, a pile of chairs, and ending with a cool and really sleazy post-match promo and angle. Marty on top in the best. Love how Chelsea is carrying herself too. 

The rest of the show was ok, not a huge fan of Killshot vs SoH which was way too spotty to feel the hate, although fucking around with the mask was cool. Enjoying the new Tribe. And yeah, that Dark Fenix vs Azteca match sounds very promising, and yeah, I too hope, HOPE, for a Catrina ghostly appearance.

[Mrzfn]

Liked some parts of the latest episode. Drago showing up to help Aerostar jump off something ridiculous was fun, though seems like he recovered from his ankle injury very suddenly. Fox damn near breaking his ass on that big dive was fun. Felt kind of underwhelmed overall though, guys like PJ Black, Hernandez, and Big Bad Steve felt like filler, and while keeping the whole "Lord of the Limo" thing in mind made me feel a little better about Strong going over, it still felt like a big waste of Fox to bring him back with no explanation just for this, and it seems like the crowd felt the same way. They specifically mentioned the MITB style cash in rule again, so very afraid the season is going to end with Jake Strong as LU Champion, which I am just not into.

I will say though, that vignette at the end was AWESOME, probably the best since the final Catrina one.

[El-P]

The Jake Strong superpush the last two episodes is the worst thing ever in LU in term of main event angles.

The final vignette is everything cool about LU. Considering Aerostar's track record with saving people, not sure it will turn out good.

Well, this fourth seasons sure had its moments, but it did feel rushed now that we're at the closing moment. Hope Ultima Lucha will put an exclamation point on what may be the last season (seems like all the hype has gone and they just don't make any noise).

[SomethingSavage]

3 hours ago, El-P said:

The Jake Strong superpush the last two episodes is the worst thing ever in LU in term of main event angles.

The final vignette is everything cool about LU. Considering Aerostar's track record with saving people, not sure it will turn out good.

Well, this fourth seasons sure had its moments, but it did feel rushed now that we're at the closing moment. Hope Ultima Lucha will put an exclamation point on what may be the last season (seems like all the hype has gone and they just don't make any noise).

Agreed on everything.

Swagger in LU is something I never needed in my life. He sticks out like a sore thumb. This push to make him the next insurmountable monster is not my bag. If anything, he should be the challenger type to get a couple of matches with the champ. That's it.

That closing scene was glorious though. The rooftop vignettes forever deliver in LU. In any language, Aerostar and Drago are the Marvel team-up combo of this ancient, urban Aztec ghetto temple. And it's great. Oh. And the lightning surging through Johnny's abs - complete with a closeup camera shot - was fucking MONEY. It's so campy. It's thick, chewy, D-movie cheese & it's tremendous.

I'd like the project to close up shop on a stronger note, if possible. But yeah. A lot of the steam & buzz is gone. There are numerous reasons for that, obviously. But I ain't mad at it. Those first three seasons are 'nanners, and I can always revisit them. Plus, Fenix & Penta are ripping shit up in Impact right now. So there's that, too.

I would love to see Marty land a steady job somewhere else. And lord knows I'll miss my Catrina. Already do. My gawd. Catrina, y'all.

[Mrzfn]

From what I've heard is a 5th season isn't unlikely if they keep the same lower budget they did this season (tho hopefully they'll use it a bit better). Haven't heard for sure yet. I'd love them to get through the planned 7 seasons because even if season 4 has been the weakest, there's been a lot of fun stuff still.

[El-P]

On 10/29/2018 at 10:18 PM, SomethingSavage said:

And the lightning surging through Johnny's abs - complete with a closeup camera shot - was fucking MONEY.

Going off-record for a second, there's that training routine on the DDPY app with Mundo as a guest. That mofo's heart beats in slow motion. You're there blasting through the roof, dead in the red zone, while he barely gets above 100 beats. Can't believe he's about to turn 40 too. 

On 10/29/2018 at 10:18 PM, SomethingSavage said:

I would love to see Marty land a steady job somewhere else. And lord knows I'll miss my Catrina. Already do. My gawd. Catrina, y'all.

Yeah, I have no idea why they killed her character mid-season, she was easily a top 3 character in LU since the beginning. Honestly, I hope she gets some gigs in some good TV show now. I would mark the fuck out if she ended up in GLOW, but let's not get carried about with fantasies (still, I could see her in the third Vegas season).

16 hours ago, Mrzfn said:

From what I've heard is a 5th season isn't unlikely if they keep the same lower budget they did this season (tho hopefully they'll use it a bit better). Haven't heard for sure yet. I'd love them to get through the planned 7 seasons because even if season 4 has been the weakest, there's been a lot of fun stuff still.

Yeah, me too. But I'd hate to see them go down the route of using dull-ass WWE rejects like we got this year with Strong. I'd be ok with no more instead of watching the show turning into a shadow of it former great self.

[Mrzfn]

From what I understand it was originally thought Catrina wouldn't be on season 4 at all, and this was the compromise. Definitely agree it sucks and I wish her the best wherever she shows up.

If they can't do better than Swagger for their next big push then yeah, might be better to die, but I choose to believe he's the exception instead of the rule. LU is the promotion that basically discovered half the current indy scene singlehandedly, so I know they can scout great underused talent.

[El-P]

So, the first part of UL4 was a pretty decent show. The trios match was fun although not as much as it would have been with Mr. Dick to me. They still got the most out of Guevarra with that insane Spanish Fly spot. Kinda rushed, still. The visual of the White Rabbit with the blood all over him was fantastic though, real horror-movie like stuff.

Taya vs Ricky was kinda there, honestly. Not bad, but I was never feeling it. Plus, honestly, this is the most awfully conformist feud ever in that poor Ricky was basically an insecure guy who just wanted acceptance and love from people he admired and got bullied, ridiculed, humiliated and set aside, yet he's the bad guy for ruining the people who made him feel like shit's wedding ? Ok, he murdered a guy too then, but honestly, Mundo & Taya have been horrible people to him and drove him to insanity. So, fuck you Taya, you are a bad and shallow person. And fuck weddings in general.

Killshot vs SoH was a decent brawl, it took a bit of time to get to the real insane spots, which basically was all this was about. I never really bought that much into that feud, so the post-match was forced to me (reaction shots of people crying ? really ?). Nice death spots at the end, but the finisher was a better idea on paper than in execution. I must admit the closing vignette worked, despite being cheesy as fuck. Good send-off for Strickland. Since I'm watching MLW now, I was almost expecting him to walk off in the sunset to the sound of "Ain't Nobody". Now, I would have marked out for that.

[Mrzfn]

I'm sort of glad XO/Ivelisse/Sammy didn't win, since they literally never teamed before and I like to think it takes at least a small amount of trios success to win the titles. But I'm just not into the current Reptile Tribe. Was rooting for the Rabbits here, since the presentation with Kross has been great so far and that'd be a good way to keep it going. Maybe next season.

Ricky Mundo committed the worst crime possible in wrestling: not being cool. Therefore, he deserves endless punishment. I liked that Taya worked like she was legitimately pissed off but yeah, the match was decent at best.

Killshot/Havoc felt like it needed a stipulation, I thought. I like Strickland regardless but his standout matches have been full of extra stuff, like his matches with Marty and Fox. This was good but felt like it could have been better. Probably would have been happier if he had been unmasked by someone he had more history with, like Fox or even Mack. Ah well, still good. Liked his post match speech and Striker's analysis.

Final vignette made me a bit sad. Strickland must be angling for NXT, no other reason I can think of to leave the promotion that helped him get hot and has given him his 2 career best matches. Really interested in Fox saying he had a mission, hope we learn more about that. Also he was walking pretty well for a guy who had his ankle "broken" the week before!

They saved all the best matches for part 2, so I'm really feeling excited for that. Lots of potential show stealers on that card.