Angelico has made no secret of his appreciation for Lucha Underground, but the AEW and ROH competitor offered an especially detailed look at why the former promotion still stands apart in his mind.
During a virtual signing with Captain’s Corner, Angelico discussed the development of the show, which ran from October 2014 through November 2018. A two-time Lucha Underground Trios Champion, Angelico was among the performers who helped shape the identity of the promotion across its four seasons. Although Lucha Underground eventually ceased operations after the fourth season, its combination of lucha libre, serialized drama and cinematic storytelling has retained a loyal following.
For Angelico, the finished product remains the most satisfying version of a wrestling company he has watched or worked for. He would like to see the concept return in some form, and he named AEW and ROH owner Tony Khan as the person he hopes could make that happen.
“I wish Tony Khan would buy out the rights to Lucha Underground and bring it back,” Angelico said. “It’s still my favorite thing.”
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That is an ambitious idea, and Angelico did not present it as a report that talks are underway or that a revival is planned. Rather, it was a fan’s wish from someone who experienced the project firsthand. Still, the comment is notable because Angelico has been under the AEW umbrella since 2019 and has more recently worked primarily on ROH programming.
An Early Vision That Was Very Different
Before Lucha Underground became known for the Temple, its underground-fight aesthetic and tightly produced one-hour episodes, the original pitch was considerably more elaborate.
Angelico explained that the early roster included a small group of wrestlers coming from AAA. They were shown a concept that differed substantially from what viewers ultimately received on television. The intended set-up was built around a ring featuring elevated platforms extending from the corners, giving wrestlers additional structures to climb and use during matches.
There was even a proposed rope swing. When asked whether that element was intended to resemble a Tarzan-style swing, Angelico confirmed that it was.
“It was a very wild concept,” Angelico said, adding that the plans were eventually reduced into the version that made it to air. “It got sort of chopped down into what it became, which was much better, I think.”
The unused concept would have pushed the visual presentation closer to a stylized stunt or circus environment than a conventional wrestling venue. Angelico said the proposed design had a “Cirque du Soleil kind of take on pro wrestling,” and he was not immediately certain how it would function once it was put into practice.
That uncertainty gave way to appreciation once Lucha Underground’s actual identity came into focus. Rather than leaning fully into a spectacle built around unusual ring architecture, the program used a more grounded Temple setting while allowing its editing, character scenes and violence to create a world unlike anything else on North American wrestling television at the time.
Why The Lucha Underground Formula Worked For Angelico
Angelico pointed to the company’s disciplined format as a major reason the show connected with him. Episodes were generally an hour long, with stories unfolding through cinematic scenes away from the ring. That approach allowed Lucha Underground to establish feuds, introduce supernatural or heightened elements and develop personalities without relying on the familiar image of wrestlers standing in the ring with microphones.
“Cinematic” was the word Angelico used to summarize the format. In his view, one of the central ideas behind the promotion was that the ring itself was sacred. It was meant for the action, not for lengthy talking segments.
“No one ever talked in the ring,” Angelico said. “The ring was always meant to be sacred, just for the action, just for the wrestling.”
That creative division made the product distinct. Promos, confrontations and story progression could happen backstage or in specially shot scenes, while matches were given the responsibility of delivering physical conclusions and athletic spectacle. Angelico felt that separation set Lucha Underground apart from promotions where in-ring microphone segments are a regular part of weekly programming.
The model also suited a roster full of internationally diverse talent. Lucha Underground blended established luchadores, independent wrestling standouts and performers from different backgrounds into an episodic universe. Its presentation could make room for fast-paced lucha libre, hard-hitting bouts, wild stipulations and character-driven vignettes without asking every act to fit a single conventional television-wrestling template.
Angelico was a natural fit for that setting. His high-risk offense, including memorable dives from the Temple’s elevated areas, became part of the visual language of the promotion. He captured the Trios Championship twice during his time there, placing him among the notable titleholders from a series remembered as much for its trios action as for its individual rivalries.
A Revival Would Require More Than Nostalgia
Angelico’s comments highlight the enduring interest in the Lucha Underground name and style, but bringing it back would be a complicated undertaking. A return would depend on the relevant rights being available, the business terms lining up and a creative strategy that preserves what made the original compelling without simply attempting to recreate the past.
Those details were not addressed in Angelico’s remarks. He did not suggest that Khan is pursuing the rights, nor did he indicate that there has been any movement toward a revival. His statement was rooted in admiration for a product that he believes was ahead of its time in several important ways.
In a modern wrestling landscape where cinematic material, character-driven video packages and alternative match environments are much more common than they were a decade ago, the appeal of Lucha Underground is easy to understand. Yet its original execution was particularly specific: a contained setting, a strong visual identity, episodic storytelling and a willingness to treat its world as something separate from ordinary wrestling reality.
That balance is difficult to reproduce. The early concept with platforms and a swing may have been visually memorable, but Angelico’s reflections suggest that the eventual decision to simplify the physical environment gave the company room to define itself through its stories and performers. The Temple felt unusual without becoming a distraction from the wrestling.
For that reason, any future version would likely need to capture the same sense of purpose rather than merely use the Lucha Underground name. The show succeeded because its presentation, booking and atmosphere all worked toward the same goal: making each episode feel like an entry in a continuing action series while retaining the unpredictability of pro wrestling.
Angelico Leaves The Door Open
While his preference is clear, Angelico did not frame Lucha Underground’s legacy as something that can only exist in the past. Asked about the possibility of a return, he offered a simple message: “Never say never, for sure.”
For now, Angelico remains connected to the AEW and ROH system. Signed with AEW since 2019, he has chiefly appeared on ROH programming in the present day. His most recent match for the company came at an ROH taping in July.
His current role may be different from the one he held during the height of Lucha Underground, but the impact of that chapter clearly remains strong. Angelico’s recollections were not simply about championship accomplishments or standout moments. They were about a creative philosophy that made wrestling feel different: concise episodes, cinematic storytelling, backstage character work and a ring reserved for competition.
Whether Lucha Underground ever returns is unknown. No revival has been announced, and Angelico’s hope for Khan to acquire the rights remains just that: a hope. But for one of the men who helped make the series memorable, the original Lucha Underground is still the standard against which every other wrestling experience is measured.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.