Since the fall of 2019, the wrestling world has mostly become a battle between WWE and AEW. Along with NJPW, those are the two companies where you can find the top talent in the business. Things were a bit different before the arrival of AEW, though. Other promotions boasted some impressive talent.
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In fact, those talents have mostly gone on to play major roles in WWE and AEW. One unique company that ran from 2014 until 2018 was Lucha Underground. They focused on wild storylines, cinematic wrestling, and incredible creativity. A few top names in wrestling were there for a while, meaning some AEW vs. WWE battles happened there.
10 Jack Evans vs. Rey Mysterio
Okay, so maybe this didn't happen in a singles match but it still counts. Rey Mysterio's arrival at The Temple during the second season was a big deal. It helped to legitimize Lucha Underground in the eyes of casual fans.
While there, Mysterio spent time teaming with Dragon Azteca Jr. and Prince Puma. The impressive trio crossed paths with the team of Jack Evans, Johnny Mundo, and PJ Black a handful of times.
9 El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Jake Hager
The second of three entries who didn't meet one on one but still did battle. Jake Hager had a run through Lucha Underground in its final season. He was known as Jake Strong and dominated everyone in his path.
Along the way, he won a 7-way elimination contest to become the Gift of the Gods Champion. Among those in the bout with them were Aero Star, Big Bad Steve, Dante Fox, Hernandez, PJ Black, and King Cuerno, who is now in NXT as El Hijo del Fantasma.
8 Isaiah Scott vs. Sammy Guevara
If you're thinking about two men in each company who have a ton of potential, your mind might wander to these two. Isaiah Scott is on the verge of a breakout and should be a huge star in NXT. In AEW, Sammy Guevara is a featured player already.
The two met during Guevara's short stint in Lucha Underground's fourth season. Scott was then known as Killshot and, along with The Mack and Son of Havoc, defended the Trios Titles against Sammy, Big Bad Steve, and Sammy's eventual Inner Circle buddy, Jake Hager.
7 Angelico vs. John Morrison
Angelico hasn't gotten a ton of shine in AEW. His team with Jack Evans, known collectively as The Hybrid 2, is a fun one but they're often relegated to episodes of Dark. In Lucha Underground, he was a more important piece.
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Unfortunately, injuries stunted his push. He did engage in a lengthy feud, even while hurt, with Johnny Mundo (now Morrison again). It all culminated in a well-received Street Fight between the two. Angelico won but it would be his final match with the company.
6 El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Fenix
Fantasma is fresh on the NXT scene, debuting as part of the round-robing Cruiserweight Title tournament. In Lucha Underground as King Cuerno, he was one of the most dangerous people on the roster. AEW star Fenix learned that the hard way.
After Fenix won the Gift of the Gods Championship, Cuerno shocked many be dethroning him early in season two. It started a rivalry that included brutal Last Lucha Standing and Ladder matches. It's one of Lucha Underground's most memorable feuds.
5 Luchasaurus vs. John Morrison
It's kind of incredible to think about how popular Luchasaurus has become. The giant member of the Jurassic Express has blown audiences away with his athleticism and power. Plus, he's just incredibly likable.
His Lucha Underground name was Vibora and he was a member of the Reptile Tribe. His final match saw him defeat Johnny Mundo. He wasn't quite as loved in The Temple as he is in AEW. After his win, the character was killed off when Taya Valkyrie decapitated him.
4 Jeff Cobb vs. Rey Mysterio
While Jeff Cobb might not be a consistent member of the AEW roster, he has appeared for them a few times. The Inner Circle brought him in to soften up Jon Moxley for Chris Jericho. Cobb is a stocky former Olympian who was much different in LU.
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That's because he played Matanza Cueto, the murderous brother of the company's promoter Dario Cueto. Matanza reigned as Lucha Underground Champion until Mysterio pinned him during Aztec Warfare II. Matanza made it his mission to get his revenge on Mysterio in a one on one environment.
3 Fenix vs. Ricochet
There are so few dream matches left in wrestling. However, Fenix and Ricochet are two stars who seem built to compete with each other. They are two of the most athletically gifted and talented wrestlers around.
While they're each finding success in AEW and WWE separately, they were two of the top good guys in Lucha Underground. They met twice in singles action, once for the title and once during the Cueto Cup Tournament. Both matches were great and Ricochet (then known as Prince Puma) won each.
2 Pentagon Jr. vs. Ricochet
If one Lucha Brother isn't enough to blow you away against Ricochet, then how about a second? Pentagon Jr. was arguably the top star in LU history. If you had to do a Mount Rushmore for the promotion, it would involve these guys first and foremost.
These two faced off a few times. Puma won the first, while the second went to a no contest. Puma also won the third meeting to take the Cueto Cup but Pentagon got his revenge at Ultima Lucha Tres. There, he beat Puma for the Lucha Underground Title and sent him packing out of the company.
1 Io Shirai vs. Pentagon Jr.
Yes, you read that right. NXT's resident badass female Io Shirai competed against Pentagon Jr. in Lucha Underground. To be fair, so did Kairi Sane. Pentagon's rivalry with Black Lotus led to her bringing in the Black Lotus Triad to compete against him.
That meant Pentagon ran the gauntlet against Doku (Sane), Yurei (Mayu Iwatani), and Hitokiri (Shirai). Pentagon beat the first two but then lost a violent clash with Shirai that remains one of Lucha Underground's greatest matches ever.
NEXT: 10 WWE Stars You Didn't Know Wrestled In Lucha Underground
