Hello, guys! This is my one-shot of Lucha Underground: Rise of the Don! I'm not planning to make any new chapters for this one, but there is more wrestling stories to come! I'm a fan of the promotion and also Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, so I'm proud to write something that's close to home in Los Angeles. If you're wondering, this is just a story of what would Dominik's wrestling debut would look like if he joined Lucha Underground. He may be still in training, but I hope to see more of his talent in the future.
Lucha Underground: Rise of the Don
In the future. Boyle Heights, CA. The Temple.
Johnny Mundo stands in the middle of the ring with his shady boss Dario Cueto, his hands folded in anticipation while the crowd around him drowned the Temple in constant boos and thumbs down aplenty. His fellow posse PJ Black, Jack Evans, and Taya Valkyrie surround their leader with the slightest of smirks on their faces, soaking in the cacophony of boos and harsh chants spewed from all angles. Worldwide Underground has been a dominant force in the Temple since its inception and their previous incident with Aerostar during the most anticipated championship match of his career falls into shambles. Aerostar managed to defeat Mundo in a Last Man Standing Match for the Lucha Underground Championship, but a blindsided kick to the knee by Jack forced the luchador no choice but to vacate his title afterwards next week. Now with El Jefe holding the glistening belt in his hands, he has the honor to bestow that title to Mundo.
"Ladies and gentlemen!", Dario shouted in his mic. The crowd's frustration was heard throughout the arena. Dario continued, "Thank you for coming here today. As you might've realized, I have the Lucha Underground Championship with me. It is with great sorrow that the talented Aerostar….is medically unable to compete due to his injured knee."
The fans weren't having it. Aerostar was supposed to be one of the best and most colorful luchadors to ever grace the Temple, but some wrestlers in the locker room just wants to see him fall from grace. And that was Worldwide Underground. It didn't long until the accusing started.
"Evans did it!", one fan shouted. "This guy's a douche!", another fan shouted. "Jack deserves to get his knees kicked!", the next fan shouted, followed by cheers from the crowd.
Jack shrugged his shoulders as usual. He responded in a caring voice, "What did I do? I didn't hurt him. He just had a knife in his boot, so I've decided to hit his knee lightly." The fans booed again.
Dario went on with his speech, "Now you're wondering why I'm giving this belt to Johnny. Well...according to his side of the story, he saw Aerostar do the unthinkable. He saw him hid a knife in one of his boots and gestured Evans to keep a close eye on the luchador. Jack saw through Aerostar's actions, so he bashed his knee to prevent Johnny from getting hurt."
But Aerostar didn't have a knife nor a motive to legitimately hurt Mundo. It was a deceitful cover up that Dario planned before the show.
"Johnny was just doing the right thing, for the sake of the business", Dario said behind his devious smile. "Besides, we need a champion that can get the job done. We need a champion that deserves further praise and respect. We NEED a champion that can represent Lucha Underground. And who couldn't be more deserving than the great Triple Crown Champion himself!"
The fans continued to boo. Mundo puts his hands behind his back, eager to hear El Jefe's words of praise ring out as Dario presents the belt to him:
"Johnny Mundo, as head boss of this promotion and with great pleasure, I'm honored to give the Lucha Underground Championship at your request, for which no luchador in this entire Temple will ever be as agile as y-"
Suddenly, a strange noise was heard throughout the Temple. It sounded like loud creaking noises, stretching out from among the walls. Dario looked around in confusion. "What?", he said. The creaking began again. The fans heard it too. Even Worldwide Underground and Mundo were confused. "W-What the hell is going on?!", said Dario while getting upset. He walks around the ring, furiously pacing the mat in a sheer tone, "Matanza? Matanza, is that you? It'd better not be 'cause if it is, you're going back in your cage! I don't have to do this to you again, brother!"
Dario stopped in his tracks and pinpoints where the noise is coming from. He looks up and there it was; the creaking was coming from the roof. But it now sounded like...footsteps.
"Whoever you are or whatever you are, show yourself!", Dario shouted. "Do NOT waste my goddamn time!"
It was then that the creaking disappeared and the Temple goes silent. The sound of the footsteps were now traveling to the right side of the roof as Dario and Worldwide Underground followed it with open ears and eyes. For some unknown reason, the footsteps stopped. Fans in the Temple held their bated breaths.
And then….THUD! The noise startled everyone. It was coming from outside the middle entrance. Dario didn't know what to think of this, but Mundo had enough. He took the mic out of Dario's hand and pointing to the entrance, "That's all you got to scare me? Well, I'm not scared of anything. Why don't you come out here and into this ring so I can beat your ass! Come on, I challenge you! Huh, whatcha gonna do? Surprise me. Who do you think you ar-"
The lights quickly went out. The fans cheered in excitement. Something huge was about to happen. Something they'll never forget.
In the darkness, 2WEI's epic version of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" begins to play. The piano starts off soft and quiet, immersing the audience in its music. The music slowly builds into a crescendo, then the sound of a distant gunshot unleashed a strange, bright light from the middle entrance. As the first familiar notes to the song played on through violins, the fans turned to the center and witnessed what seems to be a waterfall of fog streaming down the middle entrance. But when the song's chorus loudly belted out in unison, the image of a luchador mask similar to Rey Mysterio's appears, leading the crowd in an eruption of cheers.
PJ, Jack, and Taya all went in the ring with Mundo, standing side by side. As Dario goes behind the group, a mysterious young luchador stands at the centerpiece of the foggy entranceway. He's a bit tall for a luchador, around 5'8 or 5'9. Besides the personal tattoos he has on his well-built body, it's his distinguished mask that caught people's attention. The luchador's black mask was emblazoned by 2 golden phoenixes on the sides and a golden cross on the top middle, followed by black gloves and black pants. No wonder there were anticipated rumors spreading about this young man coming to Lucha Underground.
The luchador walks slowly across the ring, then picks up speed as the song builds momentum and the lights went on. Worldwide Underground went into a huddle with their backs against each other, nervously watching him with every move. Just when things couldn't get any more suspenseful, the luchador stops midway back to where he was before. The stable gets ready to fight, but they weren't expecting this….
The luchador runs to the right side of the ring, up the top rope. Jack Evans attacks first, but he was no match for the luchador's springboard shooting star press. After Jack fell, the luchador quickly goes into a barrage of punches and kicks with PJ Black. PJ finally delivers a roundhouse kick, but the luchador ducks and gives a Pelé kick to his opponent's face. PJ falls down on top of Jack. The last of the trio, Taya, charges toward the luchador. Surprisingly, the luchador picks up Taya and delivers a high backdrop. Taya lands hard on PJ and Jack, creating a pile of bodies on one corner of the ring.
Dario left the ring for safety as Mundo and the new luchador run across the ropes. Mundo tries to hit the rookie with a leaping clothesline, but the luchador dodged the move this time. Mundo leans against the ropes and tries to do another leaping clothesline. The luchador does a baseball slide, tripping Mundo through the ropes. Mundo slumps on the second rope. The crowd was already on their feet, cheering on for this fresh newcomer. Who is he? How is he THIS good? And due to his mask, what makes him connected to Rey Mysterio?
The fans chanted in unison, "619! 619! 619!". Giving what the fans wanted, the luchador leans against the ropes and runs. He grabs the top and middle rope as he swings his entire body in motion, using his feet to kick Mundo's face. Mundo was sent flying backwards into the ring, but he managed to roll over to the other side near the tall steps and struggle on his feet. The luchador saw an opportunity, so he leans against the ropes and sprints forward. He jumps over the top rope into a somersault plancha, knocking down Mundo to the matted floor. Fans went into a frenzy as the luchador stood over his opponent.
The music finished playing and soon, the entire Temple was flooded with claps, whistles, roars, and people jumping up and down from the stands. A stunned Dario looks around the arena. It's the loudest pop he's ever heard in a long time, the reaction to the young luchador's arrival was momentous. He wasn't expecting a guy like him to enter the Temple nor anyone he knew at this matter. He turns his attention to the newcomer.
That mask….the boy's got guts, Dario thought. I never thought he would join Lucha Underground, but this day proves he is ready. His father trained him well.
The luchador slowly turns his head to Dario, then walks over to him. Dario can only do is stand and stare at the young man. It wasn't until the luchador said this in Spanish on the mic:
"Ha pasado un tiempo, Señor Cueto. Por favor, ¿puedo pedir prestado el cinturón?" (It's been awhile, Mr. Cueto. Please, may I borrow the belt?)
Dario looked at the luchador, then to Mundo. He didn't know what else to do at this point...so he gives the rookie the Lucha Underground Championship belt. With the belt in his hands, the luchador sees Mundo stand up and proceeds to knock him back down again with the belt. Mundo, now lying on the matted floor, turns around and sees the luchador leaning over him.
"Johnny...do you remember me? Do YOU remember me? After all these years?!", the luchador repeated his questions, his voice a little shaky. Mundo doesn't answer.
The luchador shakes his head in disappointment. He continues to talk on the mic while holding the belt, "Of course...I didn't think you knew. But you'll probably know what happened 6 years ago after your LU Title Match against Dragon Azteca Jr., my dad's protégé. That was the day...I despised the most."
Mundo didn't get the memo. "You came here to attack me over something that's happened 6 years ago?", he said shaking his head. "Can't you just let go of the past?"
"There are just some things in the past that are left unfinished", the luchador answered. "I didn't come here to say hello. I came here to settle the score of what you did to me. Besides, I didn't think you've realize...that I'm Rey Mysterio's son."
August 2nd, 2017. The Cueto Cup quarterfinals.
"Dominik!", Johnny Mundo said, breaking kayfabe to see the son of Azteca's mentor in the front row. Mundo seemed pleased to see him, despite torturing Dragon Azteca Jr. with a chair after winning his match and retaining his LU Championship.
"What's up?", Dominik replied back. Dom was sitting between his girlfriend and his mom Angie. He's seen Mundo on TV during his WWE days (back when Rey was still in the main roster) and early days with Lucha Underground, so it's no surprise that he's seen him before.
Mundo smiled with appreciation for Dom. "What's up, bro? I almost didn't recognize you." He never thought Rey Mysterio's son would grow up to be taller than his dad. "You got big."
"Yeah I did, didn't I?", Dom genuinely smiles back.
But this isn't what Mundo came here for. He came to set things straight. Like I give a damn about you, Mundo viciously thought. His smile slowly turns into a frown as he shows off the championship belt in Dom's face.
"Hey, your dad….", Mundo said as he leans closer to Dom. Dom tells him to back up, but Mundo didn't budge. Mundo continued, "He ain't worth shit, bro. Just so you know, he thinks he can take this from me, he doesn't have a chance in hell." He then looks at a silent Angie with cold-hearted eyes and said, "What're gonna say about it?"
Dom felt triggered. This guy, whom his dad knew for so long, decides to rub the belt in his face for good measure. Now he's insulting his mom right in front of him? Dom had enough….
He stood up in agitation. "Man, you gotta back the f-...back up, bro!", Dom sternly warned Mundo. The Triple Crown Champion smiled at Dom's comeback and the two began to smack-talk each other. Some fans in the crowd started to chant, "Dominik! Dominik! Dominik!"
Security guards came to separate the two. "You think you're hot shit? I'm gonna kick your ass!", Dom threatened Mundo. He wanted to give The Face of Lucha Underground a piece of his mind. "Do you know who you're talking to?", Dom shouted.
"I'm talking to you, son!", Mundo shouted back. Dom was literally enjoying talking smack at Mundo. "Yeah, you know who I am!", Dom replied with utmost confidence. The security guards tell Dom to back up or else they'll force to drag him outside.
"Hey, he started it….", but just when Dom was about to accuse Mundo of starting the heated exchange, Mundo lightly pushes Dom's left face. Dom gets ticked off by Mundo's reckless action.
"He's attacking me!", Mundo shouted to the guards. Dom shouted back, "I didn't touch you!" The guards struggle to keep them apart from hurting each other.
"You're just a kid!", Mundo shouted and gesturing to the guards, "Get him outta here!"
Dom didn't want to be dragged out of the arena. Not in front of his girlfriend. Not in front of his mom. He wanted Mundo to remember him...that this day was the day Johnny Mundo is going to regret for years to come. "Better recognize who you're touching next time!"
"I do recognize!", Mundo shouted.
"No, you don't!", Dom shouted back. "Recognize who you touch-"
Suddenly, Dom hears a loud gasp from the crowd. He turns around and sees his dad, Rey Mysterio, get pummeled by Worldwide Underground. PJ Black, Jack Evans, Taya Valkyrie, and Ricky Mundo (a devotee of Johnny Mundo, no relation) all restrained the short-sized Rey. Dom is shocked to see his dad feel vulnerable at this state, the famed luchador crying out for his son. Rey tried to save him like any dad, but not this time. The legend becomes the hunted.
But what puzzled Dom the most was when Mundo looked at the championship belt, then at Rey Mysterio. The brutal harm Mundo was going to deliver to his dad. He fears the worst.
"Hey! Hey man, what is this?!", Dom said as he struggles to help Rey while security holds him.
Mundo walks toward Rey with the belt, getting ready to strike him at any moment. But then, Mundo stops in his tracks and sees Dom.
"Hey, what is that?", Dom pointed at seeing Rey being restrained by the four wrestlers. In a flash, Mundo hits Dom with the belt against his nose. Stunned by the attack, Dom fell hard on the matted floor.
The hit almost knock him out senseless. He didn't see it coming. The last thing that Dom remembers from the incident was when Rey came to his side, checking to see if he's okay. The message was sent. The line was crossed. And everything went personal in an instant.
As Worldwide Underground and Mundo make their escape, the announcer Vampiro echoed these immortal words from this unfortunate turn of events: "Ladies and gentlemen, right now, it's about Rey Mysterio: The Father. But in three weeks, it'll be about Rey Mysterio: The Warrior! Rey Mysterio pursued lucha libre to take care of his family. Johnny Mundo pursued it…to take care of himself! Now the blood of lucha libre stains the hands of Johnny Mundo! And the sins of the father have haunted the son! Now the king has no choice but to draw his sword! And in three weeks' time…Rey Mysterio goes to war!"
Back to present day.
Johnny Mundo's eyes widen at the luchador's true identity. He's too shocked to answer as well, his ears ringing from the loud cheering going on in the arena. Now that Dom reminded him of that incident, he knew he made the biggest mistake of his career: his arrogant attitude as champion lit a fuse...and set off a cannon of future consequences.
The conversation didn't end there. Dom continued, "That was the day you've ruined me, Johnny. The moment you hit me with this belt didn't shut me up, it woke something inside me that I never thought would happen: vengeance. Vengeance for my dad. Vengeance for my family. Vengeance for everything you've done to the other wrestlers."
Mundo came back to his senses and frowns at Dom, his anger boiling within him. "You may be a talented wrestler and a beast to the entire roster", Dom said, "but to me, you're nothing but a foolish man who refuses to wipe the blood from his dirty hands. Lowering others' expectations for the sake of your power doesn't make you a great champion. It makes you below the meaning of 'champion.'"
The fans clapped in agreement with Dom. Mundo has his share of robbing and cheating his way through wrestlers who wanted to become champion. He lets some of his members from Worldwide Underground do the 'hidden' dirty work, making him a formidable opponent in the Temple. Nobody could stop him and his crew. But when Dom entered the scene - no longer a boy but now a luchador - the whole atmosphere changed. It was like the entire Temple sensed it. Dario sensed it, Mundo sensed it, Worldwide Underground sensed it, Matanza sensed it, Catrina and Mil Muertes sensed it, Cage sensed it, Prince Puma sensed it, Pentagon Dark sensed it, everyone from the fans to the wrestlers sensed it.
Dom knew, at this moment, that this is where he belongs. Lucha libre runs in his blood, just like his dad once had.
"My dad's time in Lucha Underground may have come to a close, but his legacy lives on in me", Dom said. The fans cheered. He stands up and puts the championship belt on his shoulder. "And if you think that your so-called 'posse' is planning to ambush me...I'm going to make them an offer they can't refuse."
Mundo looks up at Dom with a glare in his eyes and a grudge in his heart. "Dominik...don't you dare think that you're better than me", he angrily replies, "or else I'll give you a career-threatening injury just like I did to Aero Star, so quick you'll be the embarrassment of lucha libre as a whole."
"Don't call me Dominik or Dom anymore", Dom reminds him. "And this Lucha Underground Championship is no longer yours. We'll see who's the true champion of this Temple. For now, you've regretted the day that you've literally messed with The Don. 'The Son of the Lucha King'. 'The Boss of All Bosses'. 'The High-Flying Elite'. I am...Don Mysterio!"
The fans let out a huge pop that thundered throughout the arena. Embarrassed in defeat, Mundo makes a mad dash for the middle entrance as fans begin to chant, "Don Mysterio! (clap, clap, clap clap clap!) Don Mysterio! (clap, clap, clap clap clap!) Don Mysterio! (clap, clap, clap clap clap!)".
The chanting continues as Don Mysterio enters in the middle of the ring and hold the Lucha Underground Championship up high with his right hand. He slowly walks around the ring with the belt with pride and confidence. He was ready for this moment since he started training 6 years ago. Things couldn't be better for the young luchador…..
Suddenly, from the top stairs, he hears Dario going into panic mode. "No, no, NOO! Matanza! I order you to maintain yourself! Don't be so upset! Don't leave when I tell you!", Dario shouted as he struggles to restrain his brother. Matanza Cueto, the masked monster, didn't listen and pushes Dario to the side.
Matanza goes down the stairs and stops in the middle, locking eyes with Don Mysterio. The two luchadors locked eyes with one another, the tension between them already starting to show. Matanza quickly descends and enters the middle of the ring, confronting the rookie with his huge physique and intimidating presence. Don Mysterio and Matanza go into a fierce staredown while the fans begin to chant back and forth, "Don Mysterio! (Matanza!) Don Mysterio! (Matanza!) Don Mysterio! (Matanza!)".
A spotlights centers on the two luchadors. Don Mysterio lifts the belt up in the air in front of Matanza and whispers him this with a smirk:
"Booyaka booyaka, homie…."