"The Match Before Xmas" (also known as "A Mucha Mucha Christmas" or "A Mucha Lucha Christmas") is the Christmas episode of the Warner Bros. animated television series ¡Mucha Lucha!, originally aired as the eleventh episode of the show's third season, on Kids' WB! on December 11, 2004.
Synopsis[]
The annual season of Lucha Christmas is nearly upon the students at the Foremost World Renowned International School of Lucha, and they celebrate the day before Lucha Christmas break with a three way Tag-Team match between what the Headmistress calls Rudos and Tecnicos. The Rudos win by cheating throughout the match, and when Buena Girl protests this, the referee—as well as the Headmistress—explains that it's in their nature for Rudo wrestlers and children to cheat and be bad. The Headmistress takes it a step further by explaining that Rudo children never get any presents from Santo Claus during Lucha Christmas, because, as Buena Girl explains, "He knows who's been Rudo and who's been Tecnico."
During Lucha Christmas Eve, Rikochet, Buena Girl, and the Flea all settle down for the night, but the next morning, neither Rikochet nor Buena Girl receives any presents—but for some strange reason, the Flea has received all sorts of Rudo cheating devices and practical-joke icons. Soon, the three Maskeritas discover a baby Chupacabra, whose tag explains to return him to 13 Rudo Lane, where they believe Santo Claus is now living. However, this Chupacabra — who is named Pinkle, the Pink-Eyed Reindeer — actually belongs to Santo Claus's evil twin brother, Rudo Claus, who has declared himself the new "King of Lucha Christmas".
After being convinced that being bad is good, Rikochet and the Flea join Rudo Claus on a crusade to insure the entire town has a rotten Lucha Christmas, and then, Rudo Claus offers the twosome a place as honorary Rudo Elves in his group, but only if they can beat the Rudo wrestler students at their own game. They eventually prove their worth, and before too long, the entire town ends up turning from Tecnico to Rudo.
Meanwhile, Buena Girl, who has become a victim of Pinkle's Pink-eye, laments over the fact that Lucha Christmas may be ruined forever, when she suddenly sees an oddly-wrapped package in the alley where she has taken refuge from the Rudo mob. After some insistent encouragement to unwrap the package by the person trapped within the wrappings (the tag read, "Do not open until Christmas in 2047"), she frees the real Santo Claus and his reindeer, and he reveals that his evil brother Rudo had attempted to dispense with him in an attempt to gain control over Lucha Christmas.
The twosome find Rudo Claus in a dark alley behind the shopping mall, and Santo confronts his evil brother with a wrestling challenge for the absolute control of Lucha Christmas. The audience is one-sided for the evil Claus brother, however, as Rudo uses several cheating tactics to gain the upper hand and the near-win, until Buena Girl laments that the spirit of Lucha Christmas may be gone forever. This gives Santo some incentive to turn the tide—and the audience the spirit to root for Santo Claus instead of Rudo—and Santo Claus ultimately wins the Grudge Match with several Christmas-themed signature moves.
The day after Lucha Christmas, Rikochet and the Flea reveal to each other the presents Santo Claus left for them, with the Flea not even knowing what deodorant is, and Rikochet receiving a Dream Casa ("for boys", as he puts it), but Buena Girl had revealed the greatest gift of all — a thank-you note from Santo Claus... along with so many presents that they would not all even fit down the chimney.
Trivia[]
- Chewpie the tall Chupacabra, one of Rudo Claus' "reindeer", previously appeared (without an actual name) as the antagonist in the episode "I was a Pre-Teen Chupacabra".
Cast[]
Voice actress/actor | Character(s) |
---|---|
Kimberly Brooks | Buena Girl Snow Pea |
Jason Marsden | Rikochet |
Candi Milo | The Flea Headmistress Mama |
Kathleen Barr | Primadonna Hodges Lady Baby |
Michael Donovan | Megawatt El Haystack Grande Old man |
Matt Hill | Timmy of a Thousand Masks |
Terry Klassen | Abuelito Pinkle the Pink-eyed Reindeer |
Fred Tatasciore | Rudo Claus Santo Claus MC Goat Lover |
Lee Tockar | El Loco Mosquito Private Rienhardt Referee Chewpie |
Tabitha St. Germain | Penny Plutonium |
Note: Señor Hasbeena, Coco Demento, Ensalada De Frutas, El Perrito, El Gundamo, Mr. and Mrs. Flea, Pulgita, Francisco of the Forest, Potato Potata Jr., El Dolor de Kurtz, El Haystack Grande, Lone Star, Dragonfly, French Twist, Double Ninja Ninja, Tic-Tac-Toe, La Flamencita, Heavy Traffic, Pierre Del Fuego, La Piñata, Electricity, the Monkey, and numerous other characters appear (many in background cameos), but do not have speaking parts.