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Welcome to this week’s Lucha Underground review, Believers! The Cueto Cup is entering its first round finals and Sexy Star is hoping to get back in the game. She faces PJ Black of Worldwide Underground.
Let’s jump into the action:
As Sexy makes her entrance commentary notes her longstanding feud with Worldwide Underground. This marks the second time she meets PJ in the ring.
The two tie up as PJ takes control by reversing Sexy into a flip. He starts quickly working over her arm. He lifts her up with one arm and then plants her with it, continuing to work it over.
PJ poses before trying the same thing again but Sexy reverses it with a frankensteiner. She begins making a come back and flys with a tilt-a-whirl headscissor, flipping PJ over. They go toe to toe again as Sexy maintains control with a leaping arm drag.
Sexy flys again, tying PJ up with a guillotine. He reverses it swiftly, however, with a vertical suplex. PJ makes his way up to the top rope but Sexy comes at him with a hard slap, he falls down. She continues slapping him before hitting a corner frankensteiner.
She goes for a pin but it’s still not enough. She continues kicking him but he gets to his feet and drags her over to the corner. He goes to leap at her but she moves out of the way. She runs at him but he kicks her in the face. He goes up to the top rope again but Sexy manages to push him off the turnbuckle. He goes flying to the outside.
Sexy makes her way to the top and flys off at him, taking him down with a cross body. She tosses him back into the ring. She goes up to the top rope and takes him down with another cross body.
Out comes Taya as she starts distracting Sexy. PJ takes advantage and drags Sexy down. Taya throws in brass knuckles but Sexy hits PJ before he can use them. She looks at the brass knuckles, she picks them up but the ref turns around after being distracted by Taya. He disqualifies Sexy and PJ now advances in the tournament.
Enraged, she begins arguing with the referee, she then knocks the ref out before staring down Taya!
Thoughts: First off apologies on the delayed review, it was difficult finding a video for the recap.
Now let’s get into it. This match was definitely better than their first outing. I saw a comment previously about PJ’s status, yes he was unfortunately recently injured but what we’re seeing now was taped about a year ago before the injury.
Sexy can struggle with pacing and she doesn’t always connect with her opponents but PJ made up for her short comings here. The action was relatively smooth and fast paced. I appreciate the frequent back and forth nature. Sexy is a former champion and she can hold her own, it’s important to never forget that even if she has to fight tooth and nail for everything she has.
With that said, the ending was a bit weird to me. The rules of the Temple are that there typically aren’t any rules so a DQ during a tournament is bunk. The ref is usually pretty liberal, so what the hell?
Sexy is one of the shining lights in the Temple despite beginning to show us a more of a ruthless side of her. Prince Puma, the hometown hero golden boy, already went to the dark side, is Sexy slated for the same kind of fate? I don’t see it yet, she is getting more and more frustrated as everyone continues to screw her over and get away with it.
I’m interested to see her adopt more shades of grey as the rest of this season goes on but I think it would be a mistake if she completely turns.
Side note, who was putting those spiders in her locker and will we get an answer there? I feel like this half of the season isn’t completely tying up lose ends, which is unlike Lucha Underground. I hope we get some sort of clue soon.
Taya continues to play a playful and opportunistic, slimy heel well. She’s the only woman to advance in the tournament and she’s helping her team move forward as well. The only thing is, is Johnny Mundo ready to potentially face his own for the championship? I have to imagine it could be like a poke of doom scenario or, could this lead to the demise of the group? Taya is frequently a baby sitter and reluctant leader to the rest of the group, maybe now she sees the Championship as something worth leaving the rest of Worldwide Underground for? I’ve got so many questions surrounding this narrative.
Next week begins the second round of the tournament, we should move closer to getting more answers then.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Do you think Sexy is turning? What do you think is in store for her character? Sound off in the comments below.
