
Images to come, courtesy of http://frentique.tumblr.com/

OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Cage VS Pindar w/ Kobra Moon; Pindar wins and advances.
- Dante Fox VS Son of Havoc; wins and advances.
- PJ Black VS Prince Puma; Puma wins and advances.
PLAY BY PLAY
Round 2 of the Cueto Cup continues!
Three more matches, three more competitors will be eliminated while the other three move on. Stakes have been claimed, who will keep their hopes alive?
Prince Puma stands on the rooftop, gazing into the night.
He continues to be haunted by the loss of his mentor, Konnan, and even the loss of his own life at the hands of Mil Muertes, but also the resurrection at the hands of Vampiro. Speaking of, Vampiro finds Puma. If the young luchador is looking for “some peace and quiet”, he’s mistaken. Those voices in your head won’t be silenced until Puma is champion again. There is nothing else. But what if Puma loses? Then it’ll only get worse until he is consumed. Puma sees the Worldwide Underground coming in, and locks eyes with PJ Black. Who flips him the bird.

The title is with Johnny Mundo, for now. Puma vows to win the Cueto Cup, “no matter what… My Master.” Will Puma’s plunge into the dark side bring him back to gold?
Cage VS Pindar w/ Kobra Moon!
The stout servant of the Serpent Queen made rather easy work of the miniature Mascarita Sagrada, but now he runs into much bigger competition in The Machine. The match begins, but the referee asks Cage to take off his power gauntlet. Cage doesn’t want to, the referee pulls on that arm, Cage decks the ref with a clothesline! Then he does the same to Pindar. Cage is about to go for a suplex when Kobra turns to the ref. The ref, barely conscious as he is, calls for the bell! The winner by disqualification, Pindar! Which upsets the fans and Cage, who grabs the referee and brings him up. Kobra keeps Pindar back as Cage throws the referee down again. With the Believers chanting “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Cage lifts referee Justin Bordin up and gives him a brainbuster!

The Machine storms out, but Kobra is satisfied with the end result. The Machine is merciless, who will suffer his wrath next?
Dante Fox VS Son of Havoc!
The One Man Army served Killshot some karma by costing him a match against Jeremiah Crane and then got through El Dragon Azteca Jr. thanks in part to some outside distractions, while Son of Havoc won against Son of Madness only to lose his “colors”. Speaking of Madness, he attacks Havoc from behind! He chokes Havoc with a metal chain! Havoc fights out, tossing Madness over the banister! Dante doesn’t mind Madness helping him out, even as Havoc jumps over banister to topple Madness down. The Believers are fired up for Son of Havoc, but Madness rams Havoc into the wall. Madness grabs that chain again, turning it into knuckle dusters, but Havoc dodges the punch to club away on Madness’s back. Dante and the referee argue, likely whether or not Dante is still even having a match with Havoc. Havoc tries to put Madness into the wall but is countered, Havoc hops up and leaps back, into the steel chain punch! The Believers are fired up but then jeer and boo at Madness as he holds his chain up high. Dante keeps grinning as Madness taunts Havoc before leaving. The fans cheer for Havoc, willing him to continue, and Dario Cueto comes out to address the issue. Havoc got ran over, but the Cueto Cup must continue. Either Havoc forfeits or powers through the pain! Dante likes that idea. Havoc stands up, and says he’ll fight! Dante’s a bit surprised, the Believers are completely behind him, we take a commercial break as Havoc tries to clear his scrambled brain.
We return to hear the Believers duel, mostly on Havoc’s side. Cueto shouts to “Ring the bell!” It rings, and then Dante rings Havoc’s bell with a running boot! Dante stomps away on Havoc, getting his fans fired up but jeers from the others. Havoc is up again, Dante rushes in but Havoc throws a back elbow. Havoc hops up to the second rope, Dante swings a kick and Havoc tumbles to the floor. Havoc staggers around, Dante lines up a shot, and FLIES over the post!

Direct hit to Havoc, Dante gets to the apron to embrace the chants of “Lucha! Lucha!” Dante keeps on Havoc, putting him in the ring and on the apron. The fans duel as Dante goes up, flying guillotine leg drop!

A bit double edged but Dante makes the cover, TWO! Dante keeps his cool, he stomps away on Havoc. He bumps Havoc off a buckle, brings him out and gives a spinning suplex to slam Havoc down. TWO, and Dante is showing some frustration. The fans keep dueling, Havoc fights back but not for long as Dante clubs him again. Dante throws Havoc through the ropes but sees Havoc stay on the apron. Havoc goes to springboard, Dante shoots him down with a shotgun kick! Havoc falls to the floor again, Dante builds speed and fakes Havoc out. Dante goes to the corner, moonsault press misses as Havoc dodges but Dante lands on his feet. Dante rushes Havoc for the wheelbarrow but Havoc takes that to throw Dante into the railing! Dante is writhing while the fans are losing their minds. Havoc gets Dante up into the ring, the fans keep dueling, Havoc springboards in but Dante dodges, Matrix kip-up to dodge the lariat, enziguri from Dante! Dante runs again, bicycle boot from Havoc, TWO! The fans argue whether or not “That was three!” Havoc gets Dante up to the top rope with a suplex lift, the fans rally as Havoc climbs up. Dante resists, Havoc is pushed away but he comes back, Dante anticipates that by dropping down and rocking him with a swing kick! Dante goes back up, swanton bomb!

TWO, and Dante is shocked and frustrated. Dante drags Havoc up, wants but is denied the Fox Catcher via Havoc holding a leg between them. Havoc ducks a clothesline to give a haymaker! Havoc runs, Dante runs, Havoc ducks, handspring cutter! TWO, and now Havoc is the one frustrated. Dante rolls to ropes, the fans keep on dueling. Havoc sees Dante get to a corner and lines up a shot. Corner to corner handspring back elbow, then he keeps running, catching Dante’s jump into a fireman’s carry. Dante slips down to a sunset flip, TWO, and Dante takes a moment to argue with the ref before running into Havoc’s back elbow. Havoc hops up, Dante jumps up, springboard Spanish fly! TWO, and Dante is first indignant, but then grinning to himself. Dante watches Havoc crawl to the apron and takes his time joining him out there. He toys with Havoc a bit as he drags him up, Havoc revives and they brawl with forearms. Dante gets several in a row, Havoc bicycle boots him back! Dante stunned, fireman’s carry but Dante gets out again. Dante wants a cutter but gets shoved to the post, Dante saving himself only to turn around and take the Death Valley Driver to the floor!

Both men writhe in pain as the fans lose their minds again, a ten count begins. “This is awesome!” Havoc gets Dante up and into the ring, Havoc feeding off the fans’ rally as he climbs up. Springboard double stomps then a standing moonsault, Havoc covers, TWO! Havoc is at a loss for words. Havoc climbs up again, Dante stirring on the mat. Havoc takes aim, stands tall, Shooting Star flops! Fox Catcher! Dante wins! Dante may move on, but Havoc fought the hardest he’s probably ever fought, and the Believers praise him for it.
PJ Black meets with the rest of the Worldwide Underground backstage.
He’s supposed to be having a match soon, what’s so urgent? Johnny Mundo introduces the WWE to his manager, Benjamin Cooke. PJ, you’re amazing. Cooke is going to be their representative. Why? Well, because you ask stupid questions. Keep your cool, PJ, he’s just saying that “this is the best talent this organization has to offer,” and Mundo himself is “perfection personified.” When Cooke dies and goes to Heaven, he’ll be disappointed when it doesn’t look like Mundo. And the rest of the WWU is great, too. Except Ricky. But Lucha Underground, it does not exist without them. They should be the faces of this company, and Cooke will be the one to speak their praises to the “fat cats upstairs.” PJ does his job tonight, and Cooke promises that the WWU will practically own Lucha Underground. PJ heads out, Cooke wants to learn more about Dario Cueto, he feels the two of them could get along.
PJ Black VS Prince Puma!
The Darewolf made it through the first round thanks to Taya distracting Sexy Star, while Puma put away fanboy Ricky Mandel with ease. Puma will have to clear out another member of the WWU before he can move on. The fans duel again, with the majority for Puma. PJ gets technical control of Puma first with the fireman’s carry takedown and armlock but Puma gets up and reverses into hammerlock then wristlock. PJ throws Puma but Puma keeps the hold. The fans rally as PJ gets another fireman’s carry and gets the bicep cutter lock. Puma gets a ropebreak, PJ backs of and Puma kip-ups, PJ tells him to “Suck it!” Puma and PJ circle, they tie up as the fans chant “This is lucha!” PJ breaks the grapple, Puma breaks it and gives PJ a stiff right, a European Uppercut and then a chop, but PJ wraps on a headlock. Puma powers out, things speed up, PJ lands on his feet through the hip toss to sweep the legs, but Puma kicks out quick to roll PJ up, Pj kicks out, Puma lands on his feet out of the monkey flip but still staggers to a corner. PJ rolls back to a headscissors but Puma cartwheels through, he gives PJ a headscissors and PJ is thrown to ropes. PJ rolls out of the ring to get a time-out, but Puma builds speed! PJ puts up his guard, but Puma was just faking him out, he springboards back into the superhero landing.

PJ doesn’t want to look just yet. He peeks out and sees Puma reaching to the sky as the fans chant his name. PJ returns, shoulder Puma down, PJ howls as Puma kip-ups again. Things speed up again, Puma catches PJ and puts him in a backbreaker. Puma is fired up, so are the Believers. Puma scrapes the heel on PJ’s head, gives him a stiff right hand and a sharp chop, then rams a shoulder into PJ in the corner. Another swift chop, then a snapmare to sharp dropkick to the back of PJ’s head, Puma then grinds his shoe on PJ’s ear. PJ gets to ropes, Puma gives him another stiff right hand before stomping away into his chest. The fans cheer him on as he rains down rights, the ref has Puma back off. PJ is pulled up by his hair, corner to corner whip, and then Puma charges in but gets a headscissors that puts him into the buckle. PJ kicks Puma’s head, inverted suplex into the dragon sleeper clutch! Puma reaches as he’s stretched back, the fans rally, PJ lets go as it isn’t getting him anyway. PJ instead clubs and drops elbows, Puma kicks out. PJ lifts Puma up, snap suplex and roll through into a submission targeting shoulders. Puma’s arms are pulled back, he endures the pain as the fans jeer PJ. Puma works to rotate out, PJ keeps the spin going into a backslide attempt, TWO, spinning back heel kick knocks Puma down. PJ stands on Puma at the ropes, the ref counts, PJ crouches for a pin that grinds his knee into Puma’s chin, TWO. PJ argues with the referee as Puma stirs. PJ drags Puma up, modified octopus stretch. The fans cheer for Puma, Puma pops out but into a ghost pin, TWO. PJ stalks Puma to ropes, Puma chops back. PJ gives a forearm to knock Puma down again, then brings him up for a corner to corner whip. Back elbow connects, PJ goes corner to corner but is tripped into the buckles! Puma gives a shout out to Rey Mysterio with his corner 619! Springboard clothesline goes high, and comes crashing down on PJ! The fans are losing their minds again as the two men stir and go to opposite corners. PJ is up first, then Puma, the fans duel as Puma runs and rams a shoulder into PJ’s stomach. Puma slips out to the apron to swing kick PJ in the back, PJ staggers out but ducks the springboard leap to give Puma a boot. Puma goes to the corner, PJ rolls and runs but takes a boot. Puma somersaults into a jumping DDT! Puma standing shooting star, TWO! Puma is getting frustrated and tries to shake cobwebs out of his head. Puma lifts PJ up into fireman’s carry but PJ slips down. Puma elbows, PJ forearms, Puma EuroUppers. PJ’s kick only gets a glancing blow, Puma keeps going to tilt-o-whirl, but PJ uses some power to block, suplex counter! TWO, PJ was too lax there and he probably realizes it. Even so, “This is awesome!” PJ gets Puma up, wants a dominator but Puma slips through to the sunset flip, TWO, PJ rocks Puma with a haymaker. PJ gets running, Puma chases, cutter on the run! Puma deadlifts PJ up in a cradling position, cradle back suplex pin!

TWO! Puma was so close, and the Believers cheer him on. A ten count begins as the two slowly stir and get up. Puma is up first, he stomps on PJ. PJ goes to a corner and gets up, Puma runs in, big forearm and then double knees! He’s not done there, he goes for a splash, but PJ catches and turns it into a flapjack cutter! PJ isn’t done there, either, he brings Puma up for the dominator!

TWO, and PJ is shocked. PJ gets desperate, he tries the top rope springboard “wolfsault” but misses as Puma rolls away. Puma’s punch is blocked by PJ’s boot, PJ backhands Puma but Puma bicycle boots back. Roundhouse from PJ, back heel kick from Puma! SUPERKICK from PJ, knee strike from Puma, rolling sabat from PJ, and Puma is stunned. The fans are fired up as PJ throws a forearm and Puma throws a haymaker. PJ gives a haymaker, Puma gives a haymaker. PJ gives a short kick, Puma gives a short kick. PJ chops, Puma chops. PJ gives a forearm, Puma gives a EuroUpper. And another, and another! Roaring elbow stopped by a mule kick, PJ’s haymaker swung around for Puma’s swinging roundhouse! PJ is staggered, Northern Lights float over to suplex! TWO, and the Believers again declare “This is awesome!” Puma and PJ get to ropes, Puma rushes in and misses both punch and kick, PJ hits a springboard mule kick. Puma goes down, wolfsault! TWO, and PJ is getting pissed. PJ dares Puma to get up, wants him to get up, and Puma does. Springboard into dragon sleeper but Puma pushes out, PJ stops himself in the corner to back elbow. PJ hops up, Puma pushes him onto the buckles. Puma takes a moment to catch his breath while the fans cheer him on, Puma climbs up and gets PJ ready. PJ resists and puts Puma to the apron. Puma swing kicks to stun PJ, then slingshots in, SUPER POISONED STEINER!

TWO, and Puma is in disbelief! Puma drags PJ over and goes up top. PJ gets up and stuns Puma with a right hand. PJ climbs up as Puma positions himself, Puma resists with body shots. Puma and PJ are at the very top, SUPER SUPER STEINER!

TWO! Puma is furious now but the fans are thunderous. Puma sees PJ up, blasts him with a dropkick to the other side. Then, with PJ in position, Puma goes up and… PUMA 630!! Puma finally wins this instant classic! The inaugural Lucha Underground Champion is on his way to the quarter finals, how can he possibly top this?
Dario Cueto gets a phone call in his office.
He understands. Yes, he is here now. And by “he”, he means PJ Black, who we all saw lose just now. The Darewolf got eliminated, and WWU’s manager has already been jumping down Dario’s throat with 17 calls to say PJ deserves another shot. 17? In five minutes? Wait, make that 18… Dario can’t put PJ in the tournament again, but Cooke had a great idea: PJ Black VS Rey Mysterio, the current #1 contender. The Darewolf has a chance to show us all if he has what it takes, Dario wishes him luck. A call on Dario’s cellphone comes in. It’s Cooke? What?! Cueto doesn’t answer, obviously. Can PJ Black best the #1 contender and show the WWU they have nothing to fear?
My Thoughts:
Lucha Underground delivers once again with the second night of the second round. Even with Cage losing quick because of his own heightened aggression, it all works perfectly within story as Cage is slowly becoming a supervillain of some sort. As great as seeing Cage and Pindar slug it out as two big burly Heels, this works out as Cage can now focus solely on his build towards ultimate power while Pindar can be the #1 seed for the Reptile Tribe going up against Fenix next round, which will have its own story elements involved. Plus, a short first match allows for the other two to breathe, which they did and then some. Madness going after Havoc makes sense in story, and it really ups Havoc’s impressive fortitude as he still takes Dante Fox to the limit. Dante overcomes partially because of the attack from Madness, but also because we still need to see Killshot get his payback on the One Man Army. I would hope Killshot will wait until after Fox VS Puma because if tonight’s match of Puma VS Black was any indication, the Group D representative match will be incredible. Puma and PJ also go the distance, with story both between Puma and the WWU as well as his own personal journey making for great motivation in this match. Great spots, great back and forth, and great near falls that didn’t involve finisher spam like some promotions might use, and it actually ends when Puma finally does attempt and hit his best move. Then PJ already has something to do next week, taking on Rey Mysterio before Rey takes on Johnny Mundo. The WWU will surely try to use this opportunity to do some serious damage to the #1 contender, but it could also be a point of dissension in the ranks if PJ were to get it in his head that “he beat Rey” without acknowledging the asterisk of the WWU’s assistance and then he clashes with Mundo for championship and leadership. Though there’s a good chance that won’t happen, either, as Rey builds himself up as the living legend he is when he wins despite the number’s game.
My Score: 8.5/10
