‘Lucha Underground’ season 4 funding secured, production cuts likely, producer Paul London says
Hard-hitting pro wrestling show, Lucha Underground’s problems with talent and funding have made headlines over the past year.
Another blow came Oct. 6, when F4WOnline reported the wrestler, Ricochet, who performs as “Prince Puma,” is likely to leave the show after his contract expires.
This would be a major blow to Lucha Underground, but as Ricochet may be eyeing a move, show producer and performer Paul London, who’s wrestling Saturday in Colorado Springs, said funding has been secured for the fourth season.
“I hear there might be some production cuts, but as long as the Temple is still the foundation, and if the cuts are limited to the vignettes, it should be fine,” London said. “I think that means focusing on who will give the best vignettes and making it more efficient. You can’t lessen what you do in the ring – that’s the bread and butter of what we do. Then again, I’m just a producer and a wrestler, so who knows?”
The funding for the new season is good news for the show’s fans, but when the season debuts talent, other than Ricochet, may not be on board.
“Much of the talent is in the dark, so much to the point that many of them may not be interested in coming back from what I understand.”
Despite the show’s financial turbulence, London said Lucha Underground offers a different take on pro wrestling.
“The main difference is that they put a lot of time into the characters. They’re all important and that makes it engaging there’s not really any throw-away characters,” London said. “WWE tends to over emphasizes the talking, the backstage stuff and possibly over emphasize the wrong characters, in my opinion. It seems like ringwork takes a back seat in WWE, in Japan the focus is always on ringwork and in Mexico, despite the luchador tradition, it’s often unpredictable.
“With Lucha Underground, you’re more of a fly on a wall — it’s like a nice mix of the three wrapped up nice with vignettes,” London said. “It’s fun, you get to really watch them evolve. It’s more fun to watch and it’s easier to suspend disbelief.”