Lucha Underground is an American Wrestling Promotion as well as a serial drama series,
owned by United Artists Media Group. The series features wrestlers from the American
Professional Wrestling Circuit as well as Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide taking part in it.
Establishment:
Mark Burnett and Robert Rodriguez of El Ray Network teamed up to produce and launch a
weekly hour-long television wrestling show. While it was originally planned to be named
Lucha: Uprising, it was renamed as Lucha Underground. Lucha Underground was decided
to be taped in front of a live audience in Boyle Heights, California. The series first premiered
on the El Ray Network on the 29th of October, 2014.
In 2017, Lucha Underground was picked up by Netflix, which made the first two seasons of
the series available.
Seasons:
Unlike most wrestling promotions, Lucha Underground takes place at only one part of the
year. It is effectively like any other television serial, with seasons and has an off period for
the rest of the year.
The season format has done Lucha Underground good, as it is not bothered with having to
continue storylines throughout the year, and can develop storylines in the free time. This
means that there is a lack of forced storlines in the company. The wrestlers are free to work
for most of the year in other companies, as the show is pretaped as well.
Lucha Underground aired its fourth season on the 13th of June, 2018.
Lucha Underground and WWE Difference:
Lucha Underground is different from its fellow wrestling promotions not only because of the
way it is shown at only one part of the year with most of the year being off. Lucha
Underground also has a couple of other differences from other promotions, as the way they
produce their shows are different. The shows and the action is programmed like an actual
television show, with the supernatural and sci-fi elements getting special effects.
Lucha Underground Top Wrestlers over the years:
Lucha Underground has been home to some of the top Lucha and American wrestlers in the
past four seasons who have stolen the show. The stars like Johnny Mundo (now known as
Johnny Impact), Brian Cage, Pentagon Jr., Jack Swagger, Fenix, Prince Puma, Alberto El
Patron etc. were all part of or are part of Lucha Underground at one point. There were
several other stars and their brilliant roster has helped them to put on quality performances
with each match that they have.
Lucha Underground had working relationships with other promotions like Impact Wrestling
as well as ROH at one point, with wrestlers working for both promotions.
Future of Lucha Underground:
Lucha Underground Season 5 is in serious doubt due to a change in management of El Ray
Network, with Mauricio Rios replacing Dan Kozlowski as the new head of programming and
acquisitions. Dan Kozlowski was a strong advocate of Lucha Underground and it remains to
be seen what Mauricio Rios makes of Lucha Underground and his policy with regards to the
show altogether. He might choose to keep it around but for now Lucha Underground is in a
Holding Pattern.
