Lucha Underground: Take Five

Smooth Moves to Smooth Jazz

So guys, it's Sunday, I am stuffed still from the food and frivolity of this Thursday But the night before was for lucha. We get Dario and Konnan having a little drink between friendly enemies. Business takes precedence over personal any day of the week.

This leads to a little dance of a street fight with Prince Puma and Big Ryck; no rules just bloodshed. Main event settled, we move on to the action.

One Thousand Ways to Slay A Dragon, AKA The Hunt Continues:

Mil Muertes and Drago have one beauty of a match, with power meeting aerial maneuvers with satisfying force while the hunter King Cuerno watched from on high. Muertes pulls off the win with a flat liner. The good news is Drago got enough solid action that this was shown not to be just some squash match. Caterina gets her licks in, too, and a lot of boys become men at the end of a solid start.

In comes Cuerno, who then plants the fallen dragon with authority. It furthers the story but keeps that little feud in the ring, heel established on the tweener and we are good to go. At least in my eyes, mind you Lucha is still a new world, but one that is fresh, right?

Around the World with Johnny

Up next was a good and solid promo from Johnny Mundo, playing up the Tecnico who has control issues to a tee while still having a good time in the off hours. Thank God he kept it all about the ring, about being the best at what he has done and will do. Champagne and caviar are treated as a poor second to ring and the rush of the fans chanting your name. It wasn't about his feelings or how X dude called him a poop head. Nope, it's all about the gold around his waist and being The Guy. To quote a very well known gentleman “Stylin' and Profilin'”

He knows what darkness lurks below.

Caterina, with Mil Muertes staying silent in the back, have a little chat with the boss. Keeping it simple, they know him and his darkness. More to come as the fear comes through Dario's Eyes. These back stage moments are a much better show within the show then most current popular wrestling shows.

Lucha is Havok on Little People:

One of the things I am still getting used to is the fact that the little people get the big stage. While a novelty in some ways, the fight still is crisp, clean, and fun to watch, no matter the size. Son of Havok got his story-line butt whooped by Mascarita Sagrada while his roadie Ivelisse did the ladies Rudo right by helping her man beat up the little guy.

Sexy taking it out of Chavo:

Vengeance is a stone cold lady and sexy star, and proved that tonight on a referee and Chavo Guerro. I mean having the face go for the low blow for vendetta is a nice breath of fresh air is all I am saying. Really the match was a no go from the start but for that moment, well for me and the ref it was breath taking.

Wednesday Night Street Fight:

So its main event time, and Puma and Big Ryck put on a show. The rest of the boys all get into the dance as the heels stomp the stuffing out of the kitty. Not that he doesn't get his shots in. And while the three on one mixer happens in the middle of the ring, you watch the top and Bam! in comes Batman...I mean Johnny Mundo.

Harry Dresden fans scream “Parkour Bitch!”

While Johnny gets his licks in, that little razzle dazzle however ends with Mundo clocking the Prince with a chair, and Ryck, then adding injury to insult by putting the young Prince through a table.

Round up:

Keeping it simple here. I enjoyed this week's show, and I am hoping that the story seems to keep on this track. People are settling into roles and the lines may be drawn, but there is still growth available. I almost hope they get the show ready for DVD release, because it's nature as a drama with action means I get my story with a smile.

So what moment caught your eye, what do you think could or should be added. Hell what do you think of the DVD thing?

As Always!:

Like Subscribe and comment. And I will be keeping an eye on the underground. 

Mat Sense Ran:Survivor Series Week (So Close and Yet So Far)

      I am going to have to say writing with a food coma is a tough gig. However I will be putting up my Lucha Underground review tomorrow or Sunday, schedule permitting.

     The fact remains that this week was decent for the WWE in my eyes, however bringing back the anon gm, is a crap move on their part. You had a solid line with Ziggler and Sting coming up roses. Then was added the odor of Mr. Cena. We are going to have a solid Tables Ladders and Chairs match up coming between Wyatt and Ambrose.

     The Yes! movement and its superstar back is a breath of fresh air in a stale ass environment. So that is something to cheer about for a brief moment. Then Anon GM the wonder box had to be used and what no Edge?

     Hashed and Rehashed are the words that this company is living by. Nothing new and nothing worth discussing beyond a new happier faction of Kofi Kingston, Big E. Langston and Xavier Woods. A New Day could be something, but the WWE's track record is poor at best with both factions and with African American talent.

So in short...my stomach hurts from food and my head hurts from the WWE.

   At least I have Lucha underground next week.

This is Awesome! No This Is LUCHA: Mat Sense Review

Day Three of my mind blown:

Okay I am hooked, Lucha underground is DVR material like no other currently on the wrestling scene. When you can't even check your texts or email on the phone, man it is something to see. Match by match is not going to happen since I am enjoying the quick but action stuffed matches more then I can analyze at points.

Matches have been crisp, clean, and straight up cool. The last main event I saw was a three way dance, and had movement and rhythms like a jazz musician.It was hard, syncopated and too cool for the rest. Pentagon Jr. ,Dragon and Fenix mixed it up with spots out of a video game. The plot stays on point with backstage moments giving the show a gritty harsh feel, even when a small person takes on a crazy mariachi. Even the silly is awesome in Lucha Underground.

Feeling Real:

The Underground is real here for story. Deals made, opponents found, and nightmares born as Chavo Guerro, playing the lone gunslinger still trying to prove his name. And the facts are kept on point; he is the best and he wants to prove it. Simple, elegant. No snores from the authority and no $9.99 crap. To get to the manager, his goons go down and cash changes hands to break a pretty boy.

Mil Muertes' personal plot is something that could give a claustrophobic fits, and his manager/valet Caterina is that flavor of sexy but creepy that could make someone voiceless become terrifying without saying a word. That little flicker of the lights and you knew the darkness was on point. While I am still a student of the Lucha world, this gives me references and vibes of a certain dead man.

An Issue:

The only weakness of this show is honestly the fact that it is an El Rey show, but the strength of having a movie director with solid action chops is that instead of feeling disjointed ala WWE and some others. The plot is feeding itself. Dario may be running an old beat up trope of the sleazy promoter, but the cast around him and atmosphere make it seem like there are more then just shady deals in his future. Its obscurity on some levels gives it freedom, but that freedom is at the cost of a wider audience.

Main Event:

No Fear was the name of the game as Fenix flew, Dragon roared, and Pentagon Jr. dropped some bombs. There were moments where my jaw dropped so hard I got dents in my floor. If this was Philly in the 90's it would have been all “ECW” but now its “LUCHA LUCHA LUCHA” as Fenix did aerial tricks that would make the blue angels puke.

Spots after Spots and yet I want more, technique power and and a solid groove.

Jazz bands roll it tight and so does Lucha underground.

Round 1 Fight: Lucha Underground-A Mat Sense Review

Starting out

Warning, I am new to this for the names and faces and masks, so as a new fan this leads to some misunderstandings, but the fact that I am going to be all over this one tells you, my readers something. However I saw the commercial for this and had the EL Rey network, so I thought what the hell and checked it out.

Lucha Libre is an old style of combat sport, one with a hundred traditions and a flair for theatricality/technique not really found here in the States One of my favorite stars as a short kid was Rey Mysterio. Recent TV spots told me that it has ties to the Aztecs. Lucha Underground's premise is simple: come to the ring to win honor, glory...and a fat stack of cash. The mat is roped tightly and with steel posts that are barely covered. Seating is arena style without the padding. Benches really, and it makes it easy to believe the cops are about to show up or are on the take.

Its mastermind, Dario Cueto, owner, promoter, and evil genius, calls the ring and its environs his“Temple.” As he spoke, the feeling I got was not some million dollar enterprise. No, it was the vibe of an underground fighting ring, where great and terrible things can happen. Blood would be spilled and honor gained in the City of Angels.

Blood Sport meeting pro wrestling from Mexico. The only thing missing was sand to throw in your opponent's eyes. That is the vibe and for me it was awesome. Dario wanted three things to come from his temple; Courage, Honor and best of all Violence. He offered up one hundred grand to the wrestler who caught his eye best. First thought was Paul Heyman with a Castelian accent -all that was missing was a riot.

Announce team was introduced, play by play was done by Matt Striker and color was provided by Vampiro. They seem solid together and encourage some serious looks on my part. Going to research Vampiro, since again, this is all new to me.

Note:things were so cool notes stopped for a long time during matches.

First Match

Chavo Guerro vs Blue demon

The match started on a handshake, that was a nice touch of respect. First words out of my mouth were holy shit that's Chavo Guerro!

Match was the most traditional, tied to generations of luchadores and the pride behind their names. It was good to see a Guerro back in the ring on TV. Demon Won by submission and Chavo left to soak in his anger.

Backstage action 1

Next came the plot unfolding, Dario had this trainer named Konnan, they discuss motivations. Konnan wants the green, very much the heel manager with the face star. Thinking he has the young star to do it in Prince Puma. This again added to that vibe of being a movie or TV show that was about Combat Sports in an underground setting. All shadows and threats. Dario says he picked up the biggest free agent in the luche world in Johnny Mundo AKA John Morrison. This was going to be fun to watch.

Vignette 1

Another vignette voiced over by Konnan discusses his young protege, Prince Puma is shown to be a warrior, young and untried but with the heart and spirit of ancient times. Konnan discusses the history of the mask and the reason losing that mask was so vital to the people in Mexico. The nice touches also were that when training, Lucha Libre looked like an actual martial art or combat sport not weight lifting with suplexes.

Next match was a inter-gender match, which surprised the hell out of me.

Match 2

Son of Havok vs Sexy Star

This surprised the hell out of me with our modern breakdown of things in mainstream wrestling. Sexy Star had a great story to tell, trying to be a character that women can emulate. She cuts a nice promo even with the thick accent as well. The Lucha Libre saved my life thing, if not an angle, makes this even more awesome.

Son Of Havok is a by the numbers heel or Rudo, not willing to fight a girl because its not worth his time. The match starts on a false count out to 5 and bang things get heated. I was honestly sad to see a loss for Sexy Star, I know that there will be wins for the lady. Back breaker with tights pulled boom done and a win for Son of Havok.

Honestly it was nice to see this kind of match, I know many ladies that can duke it out better then the boys and hopefully this will be ingrained in the show and not just the first episode. Time will tell and I will keep watching.

Back stage action 2

Dario comes in to shame and berate Chavo. He verbally beats the loser of the first match about the head and shoulders. Calling in family to add sting to his words, saying that the cash was not his and now he had to bring in someone to finish off The Blue Demon. Again a nice establishing moment. Dario is coming to look like the best kind of villain, the man in the shadows, pulling strings and making deals.

Chavo silently takes his, head down and shoulders hunched, quietly stewing and vibrating. Saying more with less. This normally would have been a shouting match in a certain promotion, here...the calm before the storms.

Main Event:

Johnny Mundo(John Morrison) vs Prince Puma

Match went everywhere in the ring area and was a knockdown drag-out fight with more high flying moves then WWE have in their budget all year, leading to serious "This is awesome" chants.  Mundo pulls out the win but Prince Puma is shown to be young true, but a super star in the making. The final few minutes of the hour included some nice moments and establishing moments as well. Mundo goes over to the fallen youngster and gives him a hands up and hand shake. When has that happened on WWE in recent memory? The faces now established here come the heels.

Dario comes out and has the brief case in hand, almost giving it to Mundo, but look betrayal as he closes it and has his brute squad come in and wreck shop. “I have been scouting the best talent in the world.” He says, and that he had hired them, one snatches the money and the show closes.

Final Thoughts:

After recent WWE events I will state for the record that I now have a new show on Wednesday nights at eight o'clock. This show feels more honest, more real then recent episodes of some shows I could name. Maybe having a movie director leading the firm makes for better TV I am not sure. But its great in-ring work and simple but effective story vignettes, mean this is going to be a must see show. Hell if it were a DVD I would watch the vignettes alone as things get interesting. 

 Show can be found at eight o'clock on EL Rey.

Link below for more info:

Lucha Underground

Hell in a Cell: I Don't have Enough Vomit For This

The Good

Dolph Ziggler v. Cesaro

Listen if you want to see a solid match by two great workers in the ring look no further then Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler's Two out of Three falls match. It was the best match for pure mat wrestling of the night. While I am mighty surprised that Ziggler got back to back pin-falls, it was a minor worry about Cesaro's chances at this point. The Intercontinental title is starting to get some polish again with a fighting champion and a rivalry across nations(more on that in a bit.)

Dean Ambrose v. Seth Rollins

Before certain events Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins was going to be one for the books, maybe not the best part of the books but it felt like an actual hell in a cell match. Top of the cage, and all that business. Double table spot was nice and having more then just a TLC match with a cage brought the two characters to life showing the level of tortuous extremes...but then something happened that will be discussed later.

Rhodes Boys vs Uso

The Tag match of the Dust in the Wind and Usos was the tag match we have seen for the last 6 months. WWE again is not giving a good goddamn about this division. If you want to disagree, watch TNA Impacts Round Robin tourney. I just want Cody Rhodes back, the son of the son of the plumber is much better used as a technical wrestler with panache. His Elder Brother has the weird settled, we know that character and persona. Dusty Rhodes must have literally pissed in Vince's Cheerio's is all I am saying.

The Bad

The Miz vs. Seamus

Look I hate the Miz as a character. But this was a decent match for the two characters but comedy is hard for the WWE, but Sandow is the person. The match was meh and all that goodness. Sandow needs to be his own man and The Miz needs to go back making straight to DVD flicks.

Mark Henry v. Bo Dallas

Time thirty-six seconds, this match was just a waste, yes they are now establishing whiny petulant bo. But using the world's strongest man is just a damned waste used to be big men had big matches. Mind you with the upcoming heel turn(again, now confirmed on Raw). Comedy is timing and WWE's watch is broke is all I am going to say.

Rusev vs Big Show

Look my favorite Rocky Movie was number 4, great soundtrack, great lines, a great film for the 80's. WWE this is the 10's of the next damn century. It was nice to see Show do some submission moves and get the Bulgarian brute almost tapping. But the seriously this crap was done better by Iron Sheik. That is all.

AJ Lee vs Paige

Paige was my diva, it was nice to see a fighter come in and prove her worth in the ring. But now, bless their hearts, WWE decided to make her into a Total Failure. I will say this, at least the two best workers fight for the belt. But good god I know some women fighters, and they would make matches so brutal it would be ECW chants all over the place. This was a non-starter and old as hell.

The Ugly

Bella twins

IT FUCKING was the worst thing other then our coyote ugly below I have seen, god I am so tired of this total crap show soap opera bullshit. Jesus Christ make them fucking valets and let us actually see WOMEN who can fight. Who can duke it out and prove who is the baddest of them all?

And here we go

John Cena versus Randy Orton number (over nine thousand!)

I am an Orton Fan full disclosure. He is fast, crazy and willing to do the awesome. So this was a painful experience. Cena wins after losing to Ambrose, by getting (AGAIN!!!) a title shot. Man should just take a 5 year break then get the record if they want to get some action from this. Vince must be getting even more senile with this crap.

I could go on with my thoughts but incoherent gibbering is not easy to type. For truth, this is the goddamned craptasitic wonder-fuck. Vomit is wasted on this crap.

Flipping table and screaming random curses.

UP NEXT...The:What The Fuck

Look the guys that got me back to watching the WWE was The Shield and the Wyatt Family. Shield is done, and the Wyatts got the Cena treatment at Payback. So here comes the Bray, with a decent spooky entrance to get the retread. Kane coming up, hell rising and all that.

But timing is everything, and at the end of a solid Main Event is not the time for this shit.

Final Thoughts

I was not drunk enough for the show...that is all.

Mat Sense: Saturday Ramble (Hell in a Cell Edition)

IT is The Weekend!

So its a love cold Saturday morning before Hell in a Cell. This leads me to this posting on Saturday's Before the pay per view to ramble incoherently for a bit. So I am going to be posting up some reactions to the pay per view and while it may be gibbering lunacy hopefully it will amuse, entertain and cause you to keep up with me as I wander through the world of the blogger.

Blog Fixes and Reaching out!

Speaking of blogging, I have been playing with the site getting this bad boy set to awesome, leave a comment So I know that works. MY Frustration at times was probably enough to power a small town. But hearing from you, that makes it worth it!

 

On the books front

Since I am looking into espionage books, and with a slim wallet, I am going to be looking at Rudyard Kipling's Kim.

This is one of the Granddaddies of all the spy fiction. Plus for me its a personal challenge. That book has bored me for years and by golly I am going to beat this thing Right here on the internet!(Foley Cheap pop!)

Bang Bang!

On the Wrestling Front

Hell in a Cell Review to come:

So hell in a cell is tomorrow, I will be watching and posting my thoughts, I am probably not going for that match my match vibe, but I think at least two matches should be awesome

Ambrose and Rollins:

Pretty boy meets madman as things get hopefully bloody, this match is one that has been really stewing for a good while, and can have a massive HSQ

Ziggler and Cesaro:

Its about the IC title and the format allows them more time to get their awesome technical approach out and rolling.

The Rest

Hopefully I will have enough booze/books to read(see Kim will come in handy!) to make it through the other piss matches.

Empire of Sin Review: Mat Sense Reviews

So I have fallen in love with book reviews, sue me...gives me something to do during the chatty bits of RAW.

In keeping with the reviews of books from Blogging for Books. I am next going to be checking Gary Krist's Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans. I am linking the book to see if there are others who want to put their own two pennies into the bank. I am a sucker for True Crime and History. So this is going to be awesomeness all over the place.  I am getting my hard copy in a few week or two. Got my digital copy for a read, but I want the latest version to give the best review, not an ARC.

The Big Easy has a very unique vibe to say the least, and reading about its germination and growth as a town is something that intrigues me. Seeing a city on the edge of greatness and corruption is fascinating to say the least. Also let no one say the folks in that town are not survivors.

What does this have to do with combat sports, honestly not probably enough, but hell...there has to be time between the fights right?   New Orleans is a place that breeds characters. Sweet southern vibe, spicy Cajun food and Voodoo, these all lend themselves to unique faces, heels and even the Tweener if going the Pro Wrestling Route.

So let's step inside the Crescent City, hearing the strains of jazz and enjoying that perfect hurricane. Its time to get my and your read on!

Hot Jazz and Good times

After this bad boy is done, I am going on to review more books in the spy genre, so lets get our James Bond and George Smiley on!

Heat is Never Cheap: Reviewing “Ladies and Gentleman My Name is Paul Heyman” Blu-ray

We all know John Cena is about “Hustle, Loyalty and, Respect “ (my opinions on him not withstanding as you will see in future posts). But, after watching this program on Blu-ray on my beat-up PS3, I have come to realize that the wrong guy has those three words as his creed. Paul is known for his hustle, from the age of 13 to these days of being The Advocate. He’s got the loyalty of pro wrestlers, with ECW and Ohio Valley Wrestling. He earned the respect, if somewhat tinged with trepidation, of the pro wrestling world's movers and shakers. The American Dream in the son of a Honorable Trial lawyer and a Holocaust survivor.

As a boy, Paul saw the greatness of the ring and wanted to be that guy, like many of us. However unlike many of us, he got in the mix by doing the equivalent of my now more humble beginnings, getting pics and a fanzine going with his Bar Mitzvah money. Some of his hustle was some back door deals and moves, but he did it out of love of the game. Moments include using a New York free newspaper’s gossip column as a way to get a press pass. He had enough chutzpah to sneak into a closed door production meeting with Dusty Rhodes at the helm, and managed to sweet talk his way into more.

Paul is shown as a motivator and mentor, getting the young talent ready for the big time. He still has those moments of being a trickster as well, as 6 or so previous writers meetings can attest. But even today I can still see that kid who was a fan come out as each of his stories unfurls. Cards on the table, this show got me wanting to be the next fan made good on the managerial side, sensitive soul that I am. But, I am going to instead go the route of his younger self, by working on this little space to get my views, the news and all the rest on combat sports today out to the public, from the entertaining thrills of World Wrestling Entertainment(TM) to the hard slugging matches of The Octagon and beyond.

I am not a fan of hard number systems for review, but would I recommend this to even non fans of “Sports entertainment”? Hell yes! This is a great show to watch with the people you love on a Saturday night, you will laugh like hell, cry a little too, and get to see the story of a man of many talents and laser focused ambition who does what he does...for the love of the game.

Click the link below to check it out!
Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Paul Heyman [Blu-ray]