The Gift of the Gods Championship was a professional wrestling championship promoted by Lucha Underground. Unlike most traditional professional wrestling championships, the Gift of the Gods Championship is promoted by what it grants the champion instead of being the main prize in itself; holding the Gift of the Gods Championship entitles the champion to a match for the Lucha Underground Championship at a time of their choosing, provided they give a one-week notice to properly promote such a high-profile match. The concept is similar to the WWE Money in the Bank contract that also grants a title match at the winner's option, but unlike Money in the Bank, it does not allow for an immediate championship match. If the Gift of the Gods champion redeems the championship for a Lucha Underground Championship match, the medallions are removed and redistributed to determine the competitors for the now vacant title.
| Lucha Underground Gift of the Gods Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The championship belt with all seven medallions in place | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Details | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Promotion | Lucha Underground | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date established | April 19, 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date retired | March 19, 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
As it was a professional wrestling championship, the championship was not won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match determined by the bookers and match makers.[a] On occasion the promotion declares a championship vacant, which means there is no champion at that point in time. This can either be due to a storyline,[b] or real life issues such as a champion suffering an injury being unable to defend the championship,[c] or leaving the company.[d]
Background
editIn season 1, episode 27 ("Ancient Medallions") Dario Cueto, the storyline owner of Lucha Underground, revealed that he had gathered seven ancient Aztec medallions during a taped segment.[5] He explained that they represented the seven tribes of the ancient Aztec world and that whoever held all seven of them would gain a "gift from the gods". Later on he ordered seven wrestlers to come to the ring; Cage, Fénix, Killshot, King Cuerno, Pentagón Jr, Sexy Star and Willie Mack. The winner of the seven-way match would win the first of seven medallions. Fénix won the match and the first of the medallions.[5] In episode 30 ("Submit to the Master") Cueto announced that Jack Evans and Argenis would wrestle for the second of the medallions in a match that Jack Evans won.[6] Episodes showing how the remaining five medallions were awarded has not yet aired, but reports from the taping of the final match revealed that Aero Star, Bengala, Big Ryck, King Cuerno and Sexy Star win the remaining medallions at some point prior to episode 39 Ultima Lucha.[7] During Ultima Lucha Cueto revealed that the seven medallions all slotted into a wrestling championship called the "Gift of the Gods Championship", which would grant the champion a match for the Lucha Underground Championship any time they wanted, provided they gave Cueto a week's notice so he could promote the match. Fénix outlasted the other six competitors and won the Gift of the Gods Championship[7] After the Gift of the Gods Champion is vacated to challenge for the Lucha Underground Championship, the medallions are redistributed among the roster and the seven winners face off to determine a new champion.[8]
Title history
edit| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| <1 | Reign lasted less than a day |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||
| 1 | Fénix | April 19, 2015 | Ultima Lucha | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 209 | Defeated Aero Star, Bengala, Big Ryck, Jack Evans, King Cuerno and Sexy Star to become the inaugural champion. This episode aired on tape delay on August 5, 2015. | [7] |
| 2 | King Cuerno | November 14, 2015 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 7 | This episode aired on tape delay on January 27, 2016. | [9][10] |
| 3 | Fénix | November 21, 2015 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | 2 | 1 | This was a ladder match. The episode aired on tape delay on March 2, 2016. | [11] |
| — | Vacated | November 22, 2015 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | — | — | Vacated when Fénix cashed in his shot at the Lucha Underground Champion Mil Muertes. This episode aired on tape delay on March 16, 2016. | [12] |
| 4 | Chavo Guerrero Jr. | January 10, 2016 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 6 | Defeated Aero Star, El Siniestro de la Muerte, Joey Ryan, Sexy Star, Texano, and Willie Mack for the vacant championship. This episode aired on tape delay on May 18, 2016. | [13] |
| 5 | Cage | January 16, 2016 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 1 | This episode aired on tape delay on May 25, 2016. | |
| — | Vacated | January 17, 2016 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | — | — | Vacated when Cage cashed in his shot at the Lucha Underground Champion Matanza Cueto. | |
| 6 | Sexy Star | January 31, 2016 | Ultima Lucha Dos | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 48 | Sexy Star became the first female talent to hold the title. She defeated Daga, El Siniestro de la Muerte, Killshot, Mariposa, Marty Martinez and Nightclaw, to win the vacant championship. | [14] |
| 7 | Johnny Mundo | March 19, 2016 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 22 | This episode aired on tape delay on October 26, 2016. | [15] |
| — | Vacated | April 10, 2016 | Lucha Underground | Boyle Heights, CA | — | — | Vacated when Johnny Mundo cashed in his match for the Lucha Underground Champion Sexy Star. This episode aired on tape delay on November 23, 2016. | |
| 8 | Pentagón Dark | June 25, 2016 | Ultima Lucha Tres | Boyle Heights, CA | 1 | 1 | Defeated Son of Havoc in a ladder match for the vacant title. This episode aired on tape delay on October 11, 2017. | [16] |
| — | Vacated | June 26, 2016 | Ultima Lucha Tres | Boyle Heights, CA | — | — | Vacated when Pentagón Dark cashed in his match for the Lucha Underground Champion Prince Puma. This episode aired on tape delay on October 18, 2017. | [16] |
| 9 | El Dragon Azteca Jr. | March 1, 2018 | Lucha Underground | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | 9 | This was a Three Way Match including Dezmond X and King Cueno for the vacant title. This episode aired on tape delay on July 25, 2018. | [17] |
| 10 | Marty Martinez | March 10, 2018 | Lucha Underground | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | <1 | This episode aired on tape delay on September 19, 2018. | [18] |
| — | Vacated | March 10, 2018 | Lucha Underground | Los Angeles, CA | — | — | Vacated when Martinez cashed in his match for the Lucha Underground Champion Pentagón Dark. This episode aired on tape delay on September 19, 2018. | [18] |
| 11 | Jake Strong | March 17, 2018 | Ultima Lucha Cuatro | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | 1 | Defeated King Cuerno, Big Bad Steve, Aero Star, Hernandez, PJ Black, and Dante Fox for the vacant championship. This episode aired on tape delay on October 24, 2018. | [19] |
| — | Vacated | March 18, 2018 | Ultima Lucha Cuatro | Los Angeles, CA | — | — | Vacated when Strong cashed in his match for the Lucha Underground Champion Pentagón Dark. This episode aired on tape delay on November 7, 2018. | [19] |
| — | Deactivated | March 19, 2018 | — | — | — | — | Date of the last Lucha Underground taping. | |
Combined reigns
edit| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns |
Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fénix | 2 | 210 |
| 2 | Sexy Star | 1 | 48 |
| 3 | Johnny Mundo | 1 | 22 |
| 4 | El Dragon Azteca Jr. | 1 | 9 |
| 5 | King Cuerno | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | Chavo Guerrero Jr. | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | Cage | 1 | 1 |
| Pentagón Dark | 1 | 1 | |
| Jake Strong | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | Marty Martinez | 1 | <1 |
Notes
edit- ^ Hornbaker (2016) p. 550: "Professional wrestling is a sport in which match finishes are predetermined. Thus, win–loss records are not indicative of a wrestler's genuine success based on their legitimate abilities – but on now much, or how little they were pushed by promoters"[1]
- ^ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 271, Chapter: Texas: NWA American Tag Team Title [World Class, Adkisson] "Championship held up and rematch ordered because of the interference of manager Gary Hart"[2]
- ^ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 20, Chapter: (United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IW, ECW, NWA) NWA/WCW TV Title "Rhodes stripped on 85/10/19 for not defending the belt after having his leg broken by Ric Flair and Ole & Arn Anderson"[3]
- ^ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 201, Chapter: (Memphis, Nashville) Memphis: USWA Tag Team Title "Vacant on 93/01/18 when Spike leaves the USWA."[4]
References
edit- Hornbaker, Tim (2016). "Statistical notes". Legends of Pro Wrestling - 150 years of headlocks, body slams, and piledrivers (Revised ed.). New York, New York: Sports Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61321-808-2.
- Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ Hornbaker 2016, p. 550.
- ^ Duncan & Will 2000, p. 271.
- ^ Duncan & Will 2000, p. 20.
- ^ Duncan & Will 2000, p. 201.
- ^ a b "Ancient Medallions". Lucha Underground. Season 1. Episode 27. May 13, 2015. El Rey Network (US), UniMás (MX).
- ^ "Submit to the Master". Lucha Underground. Season 1. Episode 30. June 3, 2015. El Rey Network (US), UniMás (MX).
- ^ a b c Boutwell, Josh (April 26, 2015). "Viva la Raza! Lucha Weekly for 4/26/15". Wrestleview. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ^ "Dehnel's Lucha Underground report 7/22: The Medallions explained, Battle Royal for final medallion, Johnny Mundo, Big Ryck, Cage vs. Mack, more; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ^ "Lucha Underground season 2 taping spoilers: what's Mil Muertes up to?". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
- ^ Peeples, Jeremy (January 27, 2016). "Lucha Underground Results: Season 2 Kicks off with an Intergender world title match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "Lucha Underground season 2 taping spoilers: Prince Puma, Johnny Mundo, PJ Black". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. November 22, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
- ^ "Lucha Underground Season 2 Episode 8 Taping". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
- ^ Stuckey, Dan (January 15, 2016). "1/10 Lucha Underground TV Taping Spoilers". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (February 8, 2016). "Viva La Raza: Lucha Weekly (2/8/16)". WrestleView. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (April 2, 2016). "Viva La Raza Lucha Weekly (4/2/16): Several stars leaving AAA, Mysterio Vs. Angle, Callahan signs with Lucha Underground". WrestleView. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (July 4, 2016). "July 4, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: NJPW G1 tournament preview, Ali vs. Inoki anniversary, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 28–32. ISSN 1083-9593.
- ^ "Lucha Underground News & Notes 03/01/2018". March 4, 2018.
- ^ a b "SPOILERS: Lucha Underground Tapings For 3/10 & 3/11: BIG Title Change".
- ^ a b "Major Spoilers For Lucha Underground Season 4; Top Star Sacrificed to the Gods & New Champions Crowned". March 29, 2018.