Lucha Underground Recap (7/5): The 1st Round Of The Cueto Cup Concludes, Prince Puma, Rey Mysterio

By Leon Milici

LUCHA UNDERGROUND
SEASON 3 EPISODE 24 "LEFT FOR DEAD"
Filmed At 'The Temple' in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California

Here is the synopsis for tonight's show:
Dante Fox flashbacks to being a POW; the first round of The Cueto Cup winds down; Rey Mysterio and Johnny Mundo continue their training.

The show opens with a video package chronicling the backstory of Dante Fox and Killshot. The video also focuses on the on-going storyline between Rey Mysterio and his protégé's El Dragon Azteca and Prince Puma. Also featured in the video is The Cueto Cup and last week's reveal of 'Son of Madness'.

The opening scene of the show is a flashback sequence of Dante Fox's time as a POW. He is shown in battle, being captured, tortured and then rescued. In between these flashbacks is current day Dante Fox, who is in training, he runs towards The Temple and sees Killshot on the roof top staring down at him.

Matt Striker and Vampiro intro the show from inside the Temple. They hype the conclusion of the first round of The Cueto Cup.

The Cueto Cup Tournament
First Round- Group D Bracket
'The Darewolf' P.J. Black vs. Sexy Star

PJ takes the fight to Star early on. He controls the action by taking her down to the mat. Star battles back with a hurricanrana, followed by a tilt a whirl head scissors. She then connects with a lucha libre styled leaping arm drag. PJ turns things back in his favor with a counter into a suplex. Black gets too confident and gets caught on the top rope. Star meets him up there and hits a frankensteiner for a near fall. Moments later, the action ends up on the outside with Sexy Star hitting a cross body on PJ. Star continues the aerial attack inside the ring. Taya shows up at ringside and interjects herself into the match. Within seconds of arriving, she makes her presence felt by tripping up Sexy. Taya then throws a pair of brass knuckles into the ring but Star intercepts them. When she attempts to use the knucks, the referee catches her hitting Black and she gets disqualified.

PJ Black defeats Sexy Star by disqualification to advance to the next round of The Cueto Cup tournament

In the post match, Sexy Star punches the ref for dq'ing her......PJ Black will go on to face the winner of the Prince Puma-Ricky Mandel match in the Group D bracket.

The next video hype piece for The Johnny Mundo-Rey Mysterio championship match build airs. Mysterio talks about what would it mean for him to become The Lucha Underground Champion and how he thinks that Johnny Mundo doesn't conduct himself well as a champion because he is self centered and doesn't care about the people, like he does. Mundo is shown doing various training techniques. Johnny says that he respects Rey's accolades but that Mysterio is not in his class. He promises to send Mysterio to 'Slam Town'.

The Cueto Cup Tournament
First Round- Group D Bracket
Son of Havoc vs. Son of Madness

Havoc sells disbelief when Madness is announced as his opponent. He heads up the Temple stairs and takes the fight to Madness. Havoc beats him down the stairs and all around ringside. Madness struggles to get things going in his favor early on. Striker and Vamp guess that Havoc and Madness have a long history with one another, unbeknownst to everyone in The Temple. The fight continues to the outside and Madness finally gets some offense going, when both Sons head back inside. Havoc corners Madenss and nails him with several strikes. The actions ends up on the outside again and this time Madness gets the edge with a diving plancha through the ringpost area. This helps Madness take control of the match for the next few minutes. Havoc goes on an offense rally, that culminates with him hitting a springboard cutter for a near fall. Moments later, Madness catches Havoc in the corner and then hits a leaping double foot stomp to the back of his neck. Seesaw action back and forth in the closing moments of this match. Both Sons battle to the top rope, Havoc hits a Hangman's Noose on Madness. He then hits a suicide dive and tries to finish off Madness. Havoc misses a shooting star press but lands on his feet. Both men then frantically exchange rolling cradle pin attempts, it ends up with Havoc pinning Madness.

Son of Havoc defeats Son of Madness by pinfall to advance to the next round of The Cueto Cup tournament

After the match, A defeated Son of Madness knocks out Havoc. He takes his leather vest and tears it in two. Striker talks about how the act usually signifies, that one brother is eliminating someone from the "brotherhood".

The Cueto Cup Tournament
First Round- Group D Bracket
Prince Puma vs. Ricky Mandel

Puma's alter ego Ricochet recently appeared on New Japan's G1 special in the U.S. He had some choice words for the producers of LU..... Ricky Mandel is introduced as being an intern for Johnny Mundo's Worldwide Underground group, Mandel is dressed up in Mundo like attire and even imitates Johnny's entrance. When Mandel gets in the ring, he gets on the mic and says that he is going to introduce Puma to Slam Town. Prince Puma is dressed in all black attires with a hoodie on. He strikes down Mandel quickly after Ricky makes his comments. Mandel kicks out after a quick superkick to prolong the inevitable. Puma makes quick work of Mandel. Prince finishes off Mandel with a spinning modified michinoku driver.

Prince Puma defeats Ricky Mandel by pinfall to advance to The next round of The Cueto Cup tournament

The field of 32 Luchadors has now been brought down to 15, with only one match remaining in the first round. Puma will go on to face PJ Black in the next round.

When the show returns from the break, El Dragon Azteca is backstage prepping for his comeback match in The Cueto Cup tournament. Rey Mysterio approaches his protégé. Azteca is surprised to see Rey, thought that he would be in training for his title match with Mundo. Rey says that he didn't want to miss Azteca's return to the Temple. Azteca tells Mysterio, that after he wins the tournament, he wants to face Rey for The Lucha Underground Championship. Prince Puma shows up during this conversation. He tells Rey that he better beat Johnny Mundo because after Puma wins the tourney, he wants his Ultima Lucha rematch with Rey. Puma promises that this time, he will defeat Mysterio.

Striker and Vamp are back inside the Temple and they preview the start of the second round of The Cueto Cup next week, with Paul London taking on Mil Muertes, Taya squaring off against Jeremiah Crane and Fenix facing Marty The Moth Martinez.

The Cueto Cup Tournament
First Round- Group D Bracket
Dante Fox vs. El Dragon Azteca w/Rey Mysterio

An action packed match between these two in the final match of the first round. Fox cost Killshot his match last week, so it's expected that Killshot will return the favor here.... Dante and Azteca take to the air early and oftend. Fox nails a suicide dive and an extremely impressive looking over the top rope dive. Fox then connects with a vicious looking leg drop on the apron.

Dante continues to control his environment and the match, when the action continues inside the ring. Azteca battles back and attempts a tornado DDT to the outside but Fox conters with a martial arts kick. Moments later, Azteca gets back in the game with a spike rana on Fox. Dante's neck lands dangerously on the ringside floor. Azteca keeps his momentum in the next few minutes with Mysterio rallying him on. Dante Fox rallies himself with a beautiful seated springboard C4 off the top rope for a near fall. Azteca and Fox engage in a series of strikes, it leads into a Spanish fly hy Azteca for a near fall of his own. The next sequence sees both men lace each other wit dueling basement dropkicks. As a result, Dragon calls over to his mentor Mysterio, to tell him that he is injured. When Mysterio gets on the apron to notify the referee. Taya runs out to ringside and trips up Rey from the ring apron. Mysterio goes after Taya and lays her out with a roundhouse kick. PJ Black is out now to attack Mysterio, Rey trips him up. Out comes Ricky Mandel, he gets thrown into the wall at ringside by Mysterio. Johnny Mundo is out next, He picks up Rey Mysterio and gives him an apron power bomb. Worldwide Underground then proceeds to beat down Mysterio. Azteca has recovered in the ring, he sees this and dives onto WU at ringside, to help his mentor. This distracts Azteca from his opponent Fox, who grabs Azteca and hits him with the Fox Catcher to secure the victory.

Dante Fox defeats El Dragon Azteca to advance to next round of The Cueto Cup tournament

The show ends with Worldwide Underground celebrating and gloating at ringside after costing Rey's protégé this match.

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