PRINCE PUMA © VS. FENIX (LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPIONSHIP)
The bell rings and Vampiro mentions how rare it is to have a champion defend their championship for the first time in their hometown. Not if you just work locally Vamp, but thanks I guess. They shake hands to start and lock up, they release, switching sides. Fenix gets a waistlock but Puma with a standing switch. Fenix sends Puma into the ropes and leapfrogs, Fenix ducks down and Puma goes over, Fenix helps Puma along before ducking, but he's too early as Puma front flips straight over him. They each cartwheel out of a headscissors reaching a stalemate. Prince Puma catches a kick and tries to flip Fenix over but he lands on his feet, and there was me thinking Puma was the cat. Fenix turns around into a standing dropkick. Fenix rolls out of the ring, Puma picks up speed but gets cut off with a kick from the apron. Fenix springboards back in with a dropkick sending Prince Puma all the way across the ring and out to the floor. Prince Puma cuts Fenix off with a kick this time and hits his own springboard missile dropkick, sending Fenix out to the floor. Puma charges at the ropes and flies out with a twisting splash!
Prince Puma gets back in the ring looking for another flying attack but Fenix slides in the ring and hits him with a dropkick. Puma rolls out and looks up in time to see Fenix connect with a suicide corkscrew plancha! Fenix slaps Prince Puma across the face and throws him back in the ring at 7. AAA's boss is sat at ringside watching the match, and Striker says you have to think he wants to see the Lucha Underground championship around the waist of a Mexican National. Fenix brings Prince Puma to his feet, softening him up with forearms. Fenix runs to the ropes but holds on so Puma hits the air on a dropkick attempt. Puma ducks a running knee but gets kicked in the back as he sits back up. Fenix covers, hooking both legs but Prince Puma kicks out at 2. Fenix hits more forearms, slumping Puma in the corner. Fenix sends Puma all the way across the ring, following with a back elbow. Prince Puma drops to the mat, so Fenix lifts the dead weight for a gutwrench move and covers for another nearfall.
Matt Striker compliments Luchadores on their positioning, always trying to land on the outskirts of the ring. Vampiro realises where he went wrong in his career. Prince Puma is back on his feet with Fenix and catches him off guard with a spinning kick. Prince Puma hits an axe kick across the back of Fenix's neck so Vampiro can give Booker T a shoutout, Fit Finlay gets one too from the WCW days. Fenix sits up and is booted in the side of the head by Puma. Prince Puma snapmares Fenix over, kicking him in the base of the spine. For some reason, Matt Striker calls that the victim kick and I don't know why. Prince Puma follows it up with a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Prince Puma refuses to let Fenix to his feet, punching him in the head and kicking at him against the ropes. Prince Puma does allow Fenix up momentarily but he drops to his knees from the impact of Puma's chop. Prince Puma ties Fenix up in a crucifix, stretching Fenix's back and shoulders. It's a time I'll agree with Striker combining moves in his calls (in this case a crucifix, bow and arrow surfboard,, which sounds like the contents of a shit storage unit to buy at auction.) Puma slams Fenix to the mat, rolling him up in a crucifix for a nearfall.
The fans are chanting for both guys, with Puma winning the volume contest (maybe a 65/35 split) Puma chops Fenix across the chest again but gets sent across the ring. Prince Puma misses his first enziguri but connects the second time. Fenix clubs Puma on the back but an irish whip is reversed, he bounces back off the ropes with a cutter, 1, 2, Puma kicks out. Fenix is the first on his feet but the match seems to be taking effect, Prince Puma avoids a TKO, shoving Fenix to the mat. Fenix gets to his feet to eat a jumping enziguri. Puma lifts Fenix on his shoulders and Fenix free-falls into a kick to the chest. Puma covers for 2. Thet exchange slaps on their knees before switching to forearms. They go back to open hand slaps as they get to their feet. Puma gets a flurry of slaps in and a spinning back chop but is caught on a handspring attempt, Puma moves him to position for a Northern Lights suplex and rolls through for a vertical suplex! 1, 2, 2.9999! HOW IS PUMA THAT STRONG!? HOW DID FENIX KICK OUT!!
Prince Puma drags Fenix towards the corner, catching his breath leaning on the corner. Fenix aptly avoids a phoenix splash attempt, sending Puma over with a german suplex. Fenix traps an arm and hits a half-dragon suplex bridging for a nearfall. Dr. Death Steve Williams is next to be name-dropped by Vampiro as Matt Striker takes a shot at WWE saying Lucha Underground respects wrestling's past. Fenix hits a 450 splash for a nearfall, Striker reminds us that that's the champion's own move. Vampiro lists off other guys that like to hit the 450. Fenix brings Puma to his feet in a dragon sleeper but Puma flips all the way over, shifting his weight to reverse it. Prince Puma hits a sitout tombstone piledriver on Fenix but is too exhausted to cover right away. When he does Fenix is able to kick out at 2. Puma slaps the mat in frustration and calls for the 450 (or 630, I don't know how springy he's feeling) but Fenix hits a right hand as Puma gets to the top rope. Puma sits on the top rope, changing his footing to keep balance as Fenix climbs to the top rope across the ring FENIX WALKS THE ROPES INTO A KICK! Puma and Fenix both drop to the mat. Prince Puma scrambles straight back up to the top turnbuckle and retains his championship with the 630 splash.
WINNER: PRINCE PUMA (STILL LUCHA UNDERGROUND CHAMPION)
I want to believe that this match is why the last one went how it did. Lucha Underground didn't want the fans to suffer overkill so that match had to suffer in order for this to be great. Puma and Fenix worked well together, Puma has pound-for-pound strength similar to Cesaro in WWE and against someone as athletic as Fenix, it really works. Prince Puma has been a star early in the series with Fenix not being far behind, in my opinion. The opening was worked at a nice quick pace, and they built the intensity throughout the match nicely building to a good climax. Prince Puma needed to be that second quicker than Fenix, knowing the next move could be the end and he was before putting Fenix away with the flippiest of moves. WORKRATE: 3.5/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3.25/5 OVERALL: 6.75/10
Prince Puma's celebration is short-lived as Cage runs down to attack him in the middle of the ring. Cage turns Prince Puma inside out with his discus lariat. Cage picks the champion up and hits a standing spinebuster. Cage hits a powerbomb, picking Puma right back up for a second one and standing tall to end the show.
EPISODE SUMMARY: The show might as well have been called CAGE because it wasn't about anyone else. He got to clean house in the opening match to make a first impression, Blue Demon Jr was allowed to wrap up his story with Chavo before Drago and King Cuerno fought for a few minutes, solving nothing. Then after a hard-fought championship defence for Prince Puma, Cage comes back out to lay his claim to the next title shot. OVERALL 7.75/10
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