ULTIMA LUCHA TRES – PART ONEFrom the Temple in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California
Commentary Team: Matt Striker and Vampiro
Ring Announcer: Melissa Santos
***
VS. THE HUNTER’S STRAP MATCH
Magnum T.A. vs. King Cuerno THE SET UP
King Cuerno, a renowned bounty hunter, was hired by Dario Cueto to find Eddie Guerrero, who went missing several months earlier when he was kidnapped by Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Dario hired him after he had an unfortunate run-in with a very angry Vickie Guerrero, who wanted to know why her husband went missing the night he went to The Temple to compete for the Lucha Underground Championship. After Dario was murdered, Vickie hired her own private investigator to find out what happened to Eddie. That P.I. was Magnum T.A. He went searching for Eddie and mistakenly took King Cuerno to be the chief suspect in his kidnapping. When King Cuerno found Eddie, unbeknownst to him, Magnum T.A. was on his tail. Magnum confronted King Cuerno and they got into a heated battle. The end result was that Eddie ran away to freedom, which in turn meant that King Cuerno could not collect his bounty. As a consequence, King Cuerno intends to mount Magnum T.A.’s head on his wall as his consolation prize.
THE MATCH
Before the match could officially begin, after the referee finished affixing the leather strap to Magnum T.A.’s wrist, King Cuerno attacked with a running front missile dropkick. He continued the assault until he managed to dump Magnum out of the ring. Cuerno loaded up his figurative bow and shot his arrow, signalling the coming of the best topé suicida in all of lucha, the Arrow From the Depths of Hell. He ran the ropes a few times to build up speed and shot threw them, traveling a great distance to knock over Magnum like an arrow hitting its target. After that, Cuerno used the leather strap as a weapon, whipping T.A. several times across the chest and back. Welts began to form on Magnum. Cuerno continued to do damage by choking Magnum and ramming his head into the turnbuckle post before eventually attaching the strap, rolling him in the ring and demanding the match be started. He went around and tapped three turnbuckles in quick succession. However, Magnum wouldn’t allow it to be a quick night. He used his strength to pull Cuerno away from the final turnbuckle and give him a belly-to-belly suplex out of desperation.
Magnum used his power to mount a comeback, with a delayed belly-to-back suplex, a hanging vertical suplex, several lariats and double axehandle smashes, a high elevation back body drop, and a superplex from a standing position off the top rope. Magnum made a few attempts to get to all four corners to win the match, but Cuerno thwarted every one of them. The match transitioned into a back-and-forth contest and saw both luchadores use the strap against his opponent. At one point, Cuerno tried to win by tying up Magnum’s feet together. However, Magnum was able to get out of that predicament and prevent Cuerno from reaching the final turnbuckle by giving him a full-nelson slam.
As the match neared its conclusion, Cuerno gave Magnum the Thrill of the Hunt (a Samoan driver) and then tried to get around to all the turnbuckles, but Magnum stopped him one more time. This time, he gave him a dropkick that took him over the top rope and out to the apron. They threw fists from either side of the ropes. Eventually, Magnum, standing on the middle rope, lifted Cuerno up and over the top rope with a kind of deadlift belly-to-belly suplex! Thinking this would be enough, he made another attempt to get around to each turnbuckle, but just before he could touch the fourth turnbuckle, Cuerno jumped onto his shoulders and executed a reverse-rana, spiking Magnum into the canvas. Then, for good measure, he gave him the Thrill of the Kill (a belly-to-belly variation of the sunset driver). Cuerno went around the ring touching all four turnbuckles to win the match. After winning, he tied up Magnum in the leather strap and carried him out of the Temple.
THE RESULT
WINNER : KING CUERNO ***
VS. GRUDGE MATCH
Awesome Kong vs. Shayna Baszler THE SET UP
There isn’t much of a backstory to this one. Awesome Kong demanded a match against Shayna Baszler to get revenge on her for Baszler having attacked her at the conclusion of the battle royal to determine who would receive the last Ancient Aztec Medallion, and therefore, the final spot in the Ladder Match for the Gift of the Gods in Lucha Underground 3 (E30). Both luchadoras were among the final four contestants in the match when Kong eliminated Baszler. Kong was later eliminated by the eventual winner of the match, and after she hit the floor, Baszler assaulted her, which of course pissed off Kong.
THE MATCH
Kong and Baszler locked up to begin, Kong showed off her impressive power advantage by continuously throwing Baszler to the mat, until finally Baszler got up, faked locking up in the grapple and struck Kong in the jaw with her knee. From there, Baszler had a few more quick strikes before knocking Kong down to the mat with a diving chop block at the knees. Once she had Kong down, Baszler worked her over with a variety of holds aimed at weakening the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints, as well as occasionally aimed to cut off her air supply. Kong would sometimes power out of these holds, but Baszler being much quicker than Kong, found ways to get right back on top of her. When Kong broke free from a grounded double wrist lock by getting her foot on the bottom rope, she bailed from the ring and turned the momentum back in her favour as Baszler ran and jumped off the ring apron with a knee strike attempt, only to be caught and thrown down to the floor with a modified overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Kong recovered and then went to work on Baszler, throwing her around ringside with the greatest of ease. Back in the ring, Kong brought her power game into play, doing a lot of damage to Baszler. She executed lariats, body avalanches in the corners, a powerslam, a spinebuster, a gorilla press slam, a variety of backbreakers, and a running splash. Her pinfalls attempts were unsuccessful. Kong set up for a chokeslam, but Baszler broke free with some back elbows to the side of the head. Grabbing two hands full of Kong’s dreadlocks, Baszler threw Kong down to the mat and quickly applied an anklelock. Kong made it the ropes. Upon getting up, Kong was stunned when Baszler delivered a quick headbutt to her jaw, then took it down to the mat with a wristlock and stomped on her arm. Baszler spent the next few minutes working away at the arm some more. When she attempted a cross armbreaker, Kong shifted her weight into it and used her power to get up and slam Baszler down with a modified powerbomb.
With Kong’s right arm weakened, she had to rely on her left to throw punches and nailed a spinning backfist. After that, she preformed a left-handed chokeslam and then went to the top rope to finish off Baszler with an Awesome Splash. However, Baszler rolled towards the turnbuckle to get out of the way and Kong crashed hard into the mat. Next, Baszler applied a rear naked choke as Kong was getting to her feet. Kong backed up into the turnbuckles and broke the hold by ramming Baszler into them a few times. Then, she tried to hit a running body avalanche, but Baszler moved and she hit the turnbuckles. Upon turning around, Baszler delivered a trifecta of hard jumping knee strikes to drop Kong. Then, she reapplied the rear naked choke. Kong refused to give up and used her power to crawl towards the ropes, but she ran out of air when the bottom rope was about two inches out of reach. As Kong was unresponsive, the referee called for bell and awarded the victory to Shayna Baszler.
THE RESULT
WINNER : Shayna Baszler ***
VS. ANYTHING GOES IN A BATTLE FOR THE GAUNTLET OF THE GODS
Ultimate Warrior vs. Matanza Cueto THE SET UP
Matanza Cueto is a “Monster” who is virtually unbeatable. He had a long, successful run as the Lucha Underground Champion. After finding love with the “Unhinged” Nikki Cross, Matanza turned on his brother Dario. In doing so, he put Dario in the hospital for several weeks. Some time later, Dario was able to lure Matanza back into the Temple and lock him away in a cell. Part of his plan was to get rid of Nikki Cross, who one of Dario’s henchmen paid Jake “The Snake” Roberts to make her disappear. Cross knew about the Gauntlet of the Gods and enticed Roberts to help her free Matanza in exchange for helping him acquire the Gauntlet. Losing his brother and the Gauntlet of the Gods cost Dario his life, and the macabre shadowy organization to which he belonged sent in Dario’s father, Antonio, to replace him.
Around this same time, a new Ultimate Warrior was sent from the planet of the Warriors to exterminate the human race as it was deemed too hostile to participate in United Planets of Peace, an intergalactic organization of planets with a goal of eradicating war and violence throughout the galaxies. The key to completing his mission hinges on him acquiring the Gauntlet of the Gods. In an effort to do so, he began to do all of Antonio’s dirty work. With his help, Matanza was capture, Nikki Cross was eliminated, and the Gauntlet of the Gods was retrieved. Hoping to be rewarded as the bearer of the Gauntlet for all his hard work, Ultimate Warrior was disappointed when Antonio chose to make Matanza the bearer of the Gauntlet. Thus, the Warrior threatened to kill Antonio if he wasn’t given the Gauntlet. Matanza defended his father, which put his life in jeopardy and a deal was struck for Matanza and the Warrior to wage battle over the right to have the Gauntlet of the Gods.
THE MATCH
It was power and energy versus power and athleticism. The Ultimate Warrior and Matanza Cueto started with the rarely seen test of strength. At first, Matanza got the better of the Warrior, but he powered back to an upright position and overtook Matanza, eventually dropping him down to the mat to pin his shoulders for a couple of 1-counts. Matanza showed off his athleticism and strength by powering his way back up to a vertical base from having his shoulders pinned to the mat and then firing off some headbutts. They took turns running to the ropes and attempting clotheslines that don’t appear to affect their opponent in the slightest. Finally, they both ran the ropes, ducking clotheslines and leap frogging each other until final a double crossbody block saw their bodies crash into each other like a couple of freight trains colliding on the same track.
Getting up, it was all Warrior with running clotheslines and a jumping shoulder tackle. He tried to lift Matanza into a gorilla press, but got his eyes gauged. Matanza landed on the mat and then took Warrior off his feet with a bridging German suplex that earned a 1-count. Matanza quickly ra over and landed a standing shooting star press to get another 1-count. Matanza then threw Warrior out of the ring to brawl with him, but when he charged at Warrior, he was given a back body drop on the floor. Warrior demanded a Believer get up and took his wooden ringside seat. He tried to smash Matanza with it, but he ducked and the chair smashed into the turnbuckle post. Matanza then dropkicked Warrior and crawled over to look under the ring for some hardware.
When he emerged, he held a pair of kendo sticks in his hands. However, Warrior also rose with some kendo sticks. What followed was a lengthy sequence of both luchadores hitting each other with kendo sticks until they shattered, then going under the ring to look for more. They must have shattered half a dozen kendo sticks each! When they were done, scrapes, burns, and welts had formed on the visible parts of each luchador’s bodies. After that, they brawled around the ring and into the crowd of Believers sitting on the hardwood bleachers. There, Matanza gave Warrior a vertical suplex. Later, Warrior successfully lifted Matanza into a gorilla press and dropped him onto a bleacher below the one on which he stood!
They continued to fight it out up onto the mezzanine area and then down a small metal flight of stairs and back into the ring. Tables were brought into the ring. Warrior busted out a powerslam that put Matanza through a table. He pinned him but only got a 2-count. Matanza gave Warrior a spinning leg-hook belly-to-back suplex through a table and pinned him for a 2-count. Clearly, it was going to take something more for either luchador to put his opponent away for good. When Warrior was caught in the corner, Matanza ran in. Warrior moved and Matanza’s shoulder struck the turnbuckle post. When he got out of the corner, Warrior took him down with one clothesline after the other and then a pair of jumping shoulder tackles. He executed another gorilla press drop, this time onto a bed of thumbtacks, and ran the ropes to execute the Warrior Splash! 1-2- shoulder up!
Warrior couldn’t believe it. He picked up Matanza and tried to lift him up for another gorilla press drop, but Matanza drove his knee into Warrior’s head a few times. This time, upon landing on the mat, he threw Warrior through a table propped up in the corner with a release German suplex! Then, he dragged Warrior out of the corner by his foot, picked him up and executed the Wrath of Gods onto a bed of steel chairs laying in another corner of the ring. 1-2-3! With his victory, Matanza earned the right to be the bearer of the Gauntlet of the Gods.
THE RESULT
WINNER : MATANZA CUETO ***
VS. LUCHA UNDERGROUND TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
SUPER FRIENDS vs. SUPER LEGENDS
Aero Star, Fénix & Drago vs. Ultimo Dragon, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Eddie Guerrero THE SET UP
The Super Friends have been super Trios Champions. They challenged and defeated the Rabbit Tribe for the titles on the first episode of Lucha Underground 3. Since then, they have successfully defended their titles against all challengers, putting together the longest and most successful Trios Championship title run in Lucha Underground history. There was no obvious challenger for this event, with all the established trios having already challenged and failed to defeat the Super Friends during the season. One day, Rey Mysterio Jr. approached Antonio Cueto with the idea of putting together a super team of luchadores to challenge these luchadores. Antonio liked the idea and gave him one week to find some legends for him to team with. Mysterio recruited Ultimo Dragon and Eddie Guerrero. Together they formed the Super Legends. The challenge was made to the Trios Champions and they accepted, thus setting up what is arguably the only friendly lucha competition to ever be featured on any Ultima Lucha.
THE MATCH
It was a hot start to this match. Each luchador had entered and exited the ring within the first two minutes. Everyone was being flung around the ring by arm drags, leg drags, dropkicks, and headscissors takedowns. The Believers were treated to a display of high flying excellence just minutes after the opening bell when Drago took down Ultimo Dragon with a corkscrew plancha. Guerrero then took Drago down with a slingshot plancha. Fénix took him out with an over the top rope moonsault plancha. Mysterio took him out with a somersault topé con hilo. Aero Star took out the entire group on the floor with a springboard shooting star plancha. Finally, Ultimo Dragon got on the ring apron and knocked everyone down with his signature Asai moonsault.
Once they brought the match back into the ring, the luchadores were still taking to the air at breakneck speed. At various points during the match, Guerrero hit Fénix with a missile dropkick, gave Aero Star a diving tornado DDT, and took Drago down with a diving hurricanrana. Mysterio landed a split-legged moonsault on Fénix, dropped the dime on Aero Star, and executed a springboard crossbody into a lateral press on Drago. Ultimo Dragon gave Fénix a dragonsteiner, and executed a diving crossbody on both Aero Star and Drago at the same time. Meanwhile, Fénix performed a springboard senton bomb on Guerrero, ran across the ropes and performed a double springboard hurricanrana on Ultimo Dragon, and a diving double foot stomp on Mysterio. Drago executed a blockbuster on Guerrero, a diving headbutt on Ultimo Dragon and a springboard splash on Mysterio. And Aero Star executed a diving tilt-a-whirl DDT on Guerrero, a springboard moonsault on Ultimo Dragon, and a shooting star press on Mysterio.
The high-flying action didn’t stop there. As the match approached the 15-minute mark, the luchadores started upping the ante by going for their finishing moves. Aero Star executed an imploding 450-degree splash on Guerrero, but his pinfall attempt was broken up. Mysterio gave Aero Star the 6-1-9 and then the West Coast Pop, but the pinfall attempt was broken up. Dragon executed a running blockbuster on Mysterio, then went to the top rope and executed a diving senton bomb. His pinfall attempt was broken up by Ultimo Dragon with a diving elbow drop. He then gave Drago the Asai DDT. His pinfall attempt was broken up by Fénix with a diving corkscrew somersault senton. He tried to pin Ultimo Dragon, but Guerrero gave him a frog splash to the back and then tried to pin him. His pinfall was interrupted in the nick of time by Aero Star, who executed an imploding senton bomb to break it up.
The ending came after Aero Star tossed Guerrero out of the ring and nailed him with a bullet tope suicida (hands-free). Back in the ring, Mysterio was able to give Fénix the 6-1-9, but his attempt at the West Coast Pop was intercepted in mid-air with a springboard dropkick from Drago! With Mysterio rolling out to the floor, Drago turned to concentrate on Ultimo Dragon and he got a springboard DDT. Ultimo Dragon picked him up and executed a tombstone piledriver. Before he could pin Drago, Fénix nailed him with La Garra del Fénix (a diving double-knee strike to the chest. Fénix then picked up Ultimo Dragon and gave him a Fénix Driver. 1-2-3!
At the end of the match, the Super Legends and Super Friends embraced and shook hands. After that, as the Super Friends had their hands raised in victory by the Super Legends, they were all attacked by a group we have never seen in the Temple before.
The attack was devastating! Akam and Rezar gave Aero Star and Drago the Super Collider! Braun Strowman gave Mysterio and Ultimo Dragon running powerslams! Akam and Rezar annihilated Fénix with the Last Chapter! And Strowman gave Guerrero a diving splash off the top rope! The group of enormous brutes looked down at the devastation they created without cracking a smile, and then left the ring without saying a word.
THE RESULT
***
VS. STEEL CAGE MATCH
Chris Jericho vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts THE SET UP
At Ultima Lucha Dos, Chris Jericho competed in a battle royal for the right to compete for the Lucha Underground Championship in the Ultima Lucha Tres main event. He did this under the pseudonym “Alpha Guerrero” and he wore a mask. It was believed that he was a new luchador competing for the very first time in the Temple. He did this because he was supposed to leave lucha as per the stipulation for losing in the Ultima Lucha main event the previous year. Alpha Guerrero won the match and took off his mask to reveal that he conned Dario Cueto. However, later that night, he was attacked in the dark alley behind the Temple and kidnapped by Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who then held him prisoner until only recently when he managed to escape captivity thanks to help from Magnum T.A. Because Jericho went missing, a new challenger for the Lucha Underground Championship had to be found. A fatal fourway match was held to determine whether Jericho, Roberts, Eddie Guerrero, Prince Puma, all of whom held a reasonable claim to that title shot. Neither Jericho nor Roberts ended up winning. Blaming Roberts for his lost opportunity at winning the Championship and seeking revenge for holding him captive for so long, Jericho asked for this match.
THE MATCH
Jericho was eager to get his hands on Roberts, who was in no rush to lock up with the self-proclaimed Best in the World at what he does (do you understand what he is saying to you?). That’s not to suggest that he was trying to run away, he was just being smart about avoiding Jericho advances, avoiding them both to frustrate and hope for a mistake. When the mistake came, Roberts pounced on Jericho with a side headlock that he worked for a solid 2-minutes before Jericho found a way out of it. Jericho attempted a dropkick, but Roberts clung to the ropes and then came in with a kick to the abdomen and tried to get a quick DDT, that Jericho had to quickly push away from. Roberts smiled at his challenger, who was quite frustrated. That frustration sent him right into a hip toss over the top rope and into the cage.
Roberts then quickly went to work with stomps and punches to the face. He also grinded Jericho’s face against the cage. Roberts kept the pace slow and methodical after countering a tilt-a-whirl headscissors into a gutbuster. He remained in control of the action for the next several minutes. He applied a sleeperhold to try to win the match. But while Jericho faded away, he found a second wind and his hand didn’t drop to the mat a third time. He broke free and clocked Roberts in the side of the head with a step-up enzuigiri. Next, he backed Roberts into the corner with some knife-edge chops. He went for an Irish whip to the opposite corner but Roberts reversed it. He charged in and his chest slammed into the top turnbuckle as Jericho moved away and ran to the ropes, then taking Roberts down with a one-handed jumping bulldog, before executing his signature Lionsault. That earned a 2-count. Jericho then applied the Walls of Jericho, but Roberts crawled to the ropes to force a break after about 30 seconds in the hold.
The cage hadn’t come into play very much to this point in the match. It wasn’t until after Jericho went up to the top turnbuckle and tried to execute a missile dropkick that this changed. Roberts stepped out of the way and then grabbed Jericho from behind and threw him head first into the cage. He picked up Jericho and did two more times. He would follow this up with a big back body drop near the ropes and into the side of the cage. He pulled Jericho back into the center of the ring and went for the pinfall, but Jericho kicked out. Roberts tried to wear Jericho down some more with a seated rear chinlock, but Jericho was able to power his way out of the hold. Roberts stopped his momentum with a knee lift, which he followed up with an atomic drop, and a short-arm clothesline. Next, he picked up Jericho to go for the DDT, but he ran Roberts into the turnbuckles to block the move. Jericho chopped away at Roberts and delivered another step-up enzuigiri kick before taking him out of the corner with a snap vertical suplex.
It looked like Jericho was turning the momentum back around, but when he climbed the turnbuckle, Roberts got up and bounced into the ropes causing him to fall to get crotched on the top turnbuckle. Roberts climbed the turnbuckle and started punching away at Jericho, who then fired off a few headbutts to knock him down. When Roberts got back up he was hit with a missile dropkick. After a failed pin attempt, Jericho picked up Roberts and lifted him into a running powerbomb position and then released him into the side of the cage. Stuck between the cage and the ropes, Jericho hit a series of running dropkicks and forearm smashes that continuously sent Roberts’ body crashing into the cage. He kept with up for a while until finally dragged him into the center of the ring and applied the Liontamer! It seemed rather hopeless for Roberts, but he managed to find enough power and determination left to drag himself to the bottom rope to force a rope break.
When Roberts got back up, Jericho threw chops at him. Roberts responded with a series of jabs that eventually knocked Jericho over. When Jericho got up, Roberts tried to bring him in for a DDT, but Jericho blocked it and countered with a Codebreaker! He pinned him for 1…2… Roberts got his foot on the bottom rope. After expressing his frustration for a moment, Jericho went out and climbed the turnbuckle. When Roberts got up, he went for diving double axehandle smash, but Roberts countered it with an inverted atomic drop and then quickly executed a short-arm clothesline. He then grabbed Jericho and executed the DDT! He pinned him. 1…2…3! There was no getting up from a DDT executed by the Master of the DDT. Despite his appetite for revenge, Jericho was unsuccessful. On this night, the leader of the Reptile Tribe came out victorious and signalled his dominance at the end by releasing his python Damien onto Jericho’s unconscious body. To the victor goes the spoils!
THE RESULT
WINNER : Jake “The Snake” Roberts ***
VS. MUW MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE MATCH
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe THE SET UP
With a real-world history that spans nearly two decades, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are no strangers inside the ring. They have teamed dozens of times and been opponents two or three times as often as they’ve been partners. Any discussion of one’s most storied rivalries cannot be had without first mentioning the other. And yet, these two luchadores have neither been teammates nor opponents in the six and a half year history of Mash-Up Wrestling until now. Last week, they teamed together for the first time. This week, they will compete against each other for the first time. And the stakes couldn’t be any higher. They are meeting to face each other in a contest for the biggest prize in the Mash-Up Wrestling Universe!
Samoa Joe earned this opportunity by winning the Dario Cueto Luchador’s Cup. AJ Styles recently won the Mash-Up Wrestling Men’s World Championship by defeating Seth Rollins at
GWA Victory Road. His title reign is so new that this is his first time defending the championship. There could be no opponent more appropriate nor a bigger threat to his young title reign than the Samoan Submission Machine – Samoa Joe!
THE MATCH
The match began with each luchador making a few careful attempts to lock up. Each attempt was thwarted by his opponent until Joe struck Styles with a stiff shoot kick. Styles fired back with one of his own. They exchanged a few kicks until Styles dropped to the mat to duck a kick and then tripped up Joe with a low spin kick. He jumped right on him with stomps, punches and forearm shots. Joe tried to defend himself to little effect. Styles was able to pull him out of the corner and execute a bodyslam, which he followed up by running to the ropes and executed a leaping shin strike across the neck. He went for an early pinfall that Joe kicked out of at one. Styles brought Joe to his feet and gave him a few punches before corner for a whip into the corner. Joe reversed it and charged in. He got a boot to the face. Styles hoped onto the middle turnbuckle and performed a diving tornado DDT. He pinned Joe and got a 2-count out of that. After that, Styles slowed things down by working over Joe with a variety of holds punctuated by the occasional stiff kick targeted at the calves, the abdomen or the spine.
Styles remained in control until he set up Joe for a snap suplex near the corner. Joe blocked it and used his power to reverse it into one of his own. When they both got up, Styles blocked an attack from Joe and began to give him the Phenomenal Blitz but Joe knew to duck the spinning back elbow, enabling him to grab Styles in a waist lock and throw him into the turnbuckles with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Now, Joe was in the driver’s seat. He had Styles in the corner and threw multiple jabs at him before giving him the CCS enzuigiri. Joe picked up Styles and placed him on the top turnbuckle. He was setting up for the Muscle Buster, but it was way too early for that. Styles blocked and kicked him away. He attempted a diving attack but dove right into a powerbomb that Joe immediately transitioned into a single-leg crab. Styles wouldn’t submit. He tries getting to the ropes, but as he got close, Joe released the hold, dragged Styles back from the ropes and switched to a STF. Styles still wouldn’t submit. As he got near the ropes, Joe released the hold and then threw Styles out to the floor. We waited for Styles to get up before running to the far side of the ring and returning to hit a topé suicida through the ropes. Joe picked up Styles and tried whipping him into a short high-rise bleacher retaining wall but Styles leapt up and grabbed hold of the railing, then he performed a moonsault into a reverse DDT on the floor!
Getting Joe up to his feet, Styles gave him a couple of chops and then rolled him into the ring. He climbed onto the ring apron and timed his next attack, a Phenomenal Forearm. Joe saw it coming and countered with an inverted atomic drop, which he followed with a single-leg dropkick and a running senton bomb. Joe covered and got a 2-count. He picked up Styles and took him into the corner where he chopped him until he was sitting on the mat. Then, Joe went for a running facewash kick, but Styles got out of the corner and Joe got tangled in the ropes. Once he pulled himself out of the corner, Styles gave him a standing hurricanrana to take him down. He went for another leaping shin strike, but Joe rolled out of the way and then gave Styles a stiff kick to the chest to knock him down. Joe went for a jumping knee drop, but Styles rolled away and then gave Joe a snap suplex. Styles looked to be going for another shin strike, but Joe rolled over. However, it was a decoy. Styles landed on his foot and kicked Joe in the back of the head before quickly putting him in an Indian deathlock. Joe was in the hold for nearly half a minute before he was able to break it. As he tried to get up, Styles put him in a side headlock. Joe eventually pushed him off, sending him into the ropes. Joe executed a snap powerslam and hold the cover for a 2-count.
Joe slowed things down by putting his weight into a nerve hold along Styles’ collarbone. It slowly got Styles back down to the mat, where Joe then flipped him over and applied a cross-face. Styles refused to submit. He eventually made it to the ropes for a break. When he got up, Joe went to clothesline him over the top rope. Styles landed on the ring apron and ducked a lariat and then hit Joe with a rope-assisted enzuigiri to stagger him. Then, he tried to go for a springboard, but Joe quickly bounded into the ropes, sending Styles crashing to the mat. Joe quickly picked him up and executed a bridging German suplex to get a 2-count. Joe stayed right on Styles, throwing some wicked chops at him until he had him on the ropes. This time, his clothesline put him over top and out to the floor. Joe went outside where he tried to drive Styles’ face into the turnbuckle post. However, Styles blocked by getting his foot on the post and then delivering a back elbow to Joe. Then, Styles whipped Joe into the retaining wall of the high-rise bleachers, following it up with a running dropkick. Styles picked up Joe and tried to send him into the ring, but Joe blocked, elbowed Styles and then drove his face into the ring apron, after which gave Styles an exploder suplex on the floor! Next, Joe picked him up and whipped him into the bottom row of the hardwood bleachers. Then, he delivered a stiff Olé Kick to Styles’ face!
Joe quickly tossed Styles back into the ring and pinned him, but he only got a 2-count. Next, he picked up Styles and lit his chest up with some chops before going for an Irish whip. Styles reversed it, leapt over Joe as he ran the ropes, then dropped to the mat to duck him, before finally giving him a dropkick. He took a while before both luchadores got to their feet. Joe gave Styles some more chops, and Styles responded with some right fists. The exchanged continued until Styles connected with two in a row, followed with a kick, a spinning back elbow and dropped Joe with a lariat, completing the Phenomenal Blitz. Momentum appeared to be shifting back into Styles’ favour. Joe got up and Styles gave him some shoot kicks to back him into the corner. Styles went for a cross-corner whip, but Joe reversed and charged in after him. Styles leapt up over him and then gave him a dropkick to sent him back into the turnbuckles. Styles lifted Joe onto the top turnbuckle. Joe booted Styles away, but he quickly came back and took Joe off the second rope with a frankensteiner. Then, Styles went out to the ring apron and performed his springboard Phenomenal Forearm! 1…2… kick out!
Next, Styles picked up Joe and gave the big man the ushigoroshi and pinned him for a 2-count. Then, he gave him a backbreaker followed by a gutbuster and pinned him for a 2-count. Then, he gave him a pair of snap suplexes and climbed the turnbuckle to execute the rarely seen Spiral Tap (a diving corkscrew senton bomb) for a long 2-count. All moves failing to put Joe away, he then turned his attention to Joe’s legs. He slowed the pace down while kicking at and executing a series of moves targeting Joe’s lower extremities, all leading up to the application of the Calf Crusher. Joe was in a bad way. He reached around for the ropes but couldn’t get to them. Finally, he reached back and managed to get his left arm in front of Styles’ torso and broke the hold by repeatedly driving Styles’ head and shoulders into the mat with his arm. After that, Joe, retreated to the outside and gingerly tested his weakened left leg to see if he could put weight on it. As he did this, Styles took to the air with a move he’s rarely used since his early days in TNA, executing the Shooting Styles Press (a springboard shooting star plancha) on Joe!
Rolling Joe back into the ring, Styles climbed onto the ring aprong and went for a springboard 450-degree splash, but Joe put his knees up to block it. Joe immediately grabbed Styles in the Coquina Clutch. As they were already on the mat, Joe attempted to wrap his legs around Styles’ body, but Styles squirmed around enough to get his toes on the bottom rope to force a break. When they got up, Joe fired off a couple of chops that were so stinging, they knocked Styles right back down to the mat. Joe got down and drove a few elbows and forearms into Styles’ face and then drove his head into the mat a few times. Then he picked up Styles and executed a German suplex, dragon suplex, and X-plex in quick succession. Joe pinned Styles, but it only earned him a 2-count. Joe then took Styles over to the corner and lifted him onto the turnbuckles. He was trying to set up for the Muscle Buster, but Styles fought and blocked it. After kicking Joe away, he got up on to the top turnbuckle and executed a frog splash. 1…2… kick out! Styles rolled away to the outside and appeared poised to go for another Phenomenal Forearm, but he ended up flying right into a ST-Joe uranage! 1…2… shoulder up!
Joe picked up Styles and went for some chops, but Styles blocked them and then started in on his Phenomenal Blitz again. Joe ducked the spinning back elbow attempt and went for a leg sweep kick but Styles jumped over it and then gave Joe a football kick and a standing moonsault. Styles got up and went to the corner. Joe got up and followed over. They fought each other until it looked like Joe had Styles ready for the Muscle Buster, but Styles managed to drive a knee into Joe’s head and then used his last ounce of strength to lift up Joe and executes the Styles Clash from the middle turnbuckle! 1…2…3!
It was a valiant effort by both the champion and challenger. However, on this day, the champion would overcome the challenger, whose number of loses in Mash-Up Wrestling can still be counted on one-hand. Joe stopped Styles’ celebration to shake his hand and the two luchadores whose careers are so intertwined shared a hug. Styles raised Joe’s hand and urged the Believers to him a round of applause, which they did and more. Joe then left the ring and walked out of the Temple as the show ended with Styles raising his championship in the air, signalling that he is the gold standard in the Mash-Up Wrestling Universe!
WINNER : AJ STYLES ***
Eddie Guerrero walks out the back door of the Temple and approaches a low-rider convertible. There waiting for him is his “Mama Cita!” They share an embrace and then get in the car to go home. After Eddie tests the hydraulic lifts, he shifts out of park and pulls out of his space. As they reach the end of the alley to drive onto the street, they see Rey Mysterio Jr. walking away from the Temple. Vickie calls out to him, but when he doesn’t respond, she repeats, “I said ‘Excuse Me!’” He sees them and jogs on over. Guerrero tells Rey to hop in the back and he’ll give him a ride down to San Diego. He hops in and settles himself. Guerrero looks in the rearview mirror and tells him that it was fun teaming with him and they should do it again. Rey agrees, and then they drive off.
The Ultimate Warrior steps into a lone blue beam of lights shining down from the ceilings of an otherwise pitch-black room. He clenches his fists, looks down at them, and then raises his head to look up towards the source of the light. He says that he has failed to defeat Matanza Cueto and to acquire the Gauntlet of the Gods. He asks if he still has the confidence of the Council of the Warriors, and if not, should he end his life. The voice from his home planet responds, saying that his mission is now complete, and he must return home. The Ultimate Warrior says that he cannot return home without the Gauntlet, or else he will be a disgraced Warrior. The voice responds that the Council has determined, after careful consideration of his prior field reports, that the human tribes will destroy themselves long before they are technologically advanced enough to wage war on other planets. The voice says that they must now leave the humans be as there are more pressing threats that must be stopped from other planets originating in other galaxies. Then, the light shuts off and the room goes completely dark.
Fénix, Aero Star, and Drago look very banged up, but they are each holding onto one of the three Trios Championship belts. They have a discussion about the significance of being champions for the entire season and vow to continue working together to try to replicate the improbable feat in Season 4. They join hands in a huddle and break after shouting “Super Friends”. Then, Drago walks out the Temple door and we hear the sound of a dragon cry and a large fireball burst before the door swings shut. Next, Aero Star exits, and blasts off into the Cosmos. Finally, Fénix walks out, gets on a motorcycle and drives off into the night.
Braun Strowman, Akam and Rezar walk into a non-descript store front in a strip mall. The location has its windows blacked out and the store front sign is blank. Inside, the place looks like a church. There are row of wooden pews, candles burning everywhere, and a large pulpit at the back of the room. A large painting of Truth Martini serves as the backdrop to this pulpit. The three large men takes seats and then Truth Martini walks up to the podium. He tells his disciples to open the Book of Truth to page 38 and reads some words of his great wisdom. Once finished, he equates the message in his Book of Truth to their actions in the warehouse in Boyle Heights commonly referred to as “The Temple.” He says that the so-called Believers will burn in hell for worshipping false idols. They believe in ancient Aztec tribes. These tribes, he claims, naturally cannot co-exist, and they will turn on each other and cannibalize one another. Only the Truth can save them from their sins. Only the Truth can save them from themselves. It is imperative that they show the Believers the Truth. And they must do this by any means necessary. Eliminate the ancient Aztec tribes and all that will remain is the Truth. Then, and only then, can the world be as one.
King Cuerno walks into a room with trophy cases. There are various silver and gold items locked up in glass cabinets, as well as the busts of different animals like as deer, elk, and moose hanging on the walls. In the corner of the room, there’s a full-size grizzly bear standing on it’s hind legs with its fangs visible. King Cuerno has a large leather reclining rocking chair in the middle of the room with a small table to the right of it. On the table is a shot glass and a bottle of tequila. He pours himself a drink, then leans down in front of him and opens a wooden crate box. He reaches it in and pulls out a human head. He Attaches it next to an iron spike stand to the left of the chair. He grabs his glass, tips it at the direction of the face and takes the shot. It is the face of:
Magnum T.A.
In the Lucha Underground locker room, Samoa Joe sits at an open locker with his head down and a towel around his neck. AJ Styles happens to be passing by with his gear back slung over a shoulder and the Mash-Up Wrestling Men’s World Heavyweight Championship around his waist. He speaks to Joe. Getting his attention, he says that it was a pleasure to meet him in the ring for one last lucha. Joe tells Styles that he earned this win but promises him that it won’t be their last. He tells Styles not to lose that title because next season, he’s going to kill everyone who steps into the ring with him on his way to getting the title match at Ultima Lucha Cuatro to face him again. And next time, he guarantees he will win.
Deep in the recesses of the Temple, Matanza Cueto is held behind bars in what appears to be a prison cell. A large steel door, the only door to the room, opens and in walks Antonio Cueto and Los Angeles City Councilman Delgado. Cueto introduces Delgado to his son. Delgado says he’s a truly frightening human being. He knows of Matanza through Antonio’s other son, Dario, the now deceased former proprietor of Lucha Underground. He remains sceptical that Matanza can be trusted to take on this crucial role. Antonio says that, free of his brother’s terrible influence, Matanza has been reformed and is 100% loyal to his father. He knows that he is ready and that he is the perfect choice for this role. He was born for it. Delgado says that he had better be right, otherwise we will all pay the ultimate price.
Antonio opens the cell door and hands a large metal brief case to Matanza. He tells him to open it up. Matanza opens the case and finds the Gauntlet of the Gods inside, his prize for defeating Ultimate Warrior. Matanza appears to be studying the object. Antonio urges him to go ahead and try it on. He puts it on. Almost immediately, an electrical current seems to leave the Gauntlet and enter into Matanza. Somehow, he seems that much larger, more powerful, and more menacing than ever before. Delgado opens the door and says, “Bring the guinea pig in.” A couple of gangbangers bring in Cheeseburger. He is struggling and hoping to get away. Then, he sees Matanza and really starts fighting to break free. However, he’s not strong enough. They throw Cheeseburger into the cell. Delgado shuts the door and Antonio locks it. Cheeseburger lunges at the bars and pleads for them to let him go. But it’s no use. Matanza grabs him and throws him into the brick war, then drives his fist through Cheeseburger’s abdomen with stiff punch from his Gauntlet adorned right hand. Blood shoots out of his mouth and he falls to the floor. Antonio looks at Delgado, and asks “What did I tell you?” Delgado smiles and said their lord will be pleased.
***