Month: May 2003

Dave says Mascarita Sagrada & Octagoncito vs Piratita Morgan & Pierrothito will happen tonight on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. That is also odd.

Wow, cool stuff to read.

I haven’t done a news update in a while…

– Dr. Wagner won the big Japan/Mexico Gran Prix, beating Ultimo to take the Cibernetico. It was said to be good but not spectacular, partially due to the Japan side being unused to the rules. CIMA and Takemura were singled out for good performances on their side.

Earlier word was it didn’t air on Mexican TV, which is a bad sign.

– During his stop in Mexico City, Ultimo Dragon vacated his (newly won and unrecoginized) NWA Middleweight Title back to CMLL hands, with the stated reason being WWE obligations (but probably some money changing hands.) A title tournament to crown a new champion is forth coming, although it may make more sense to me for Vampiro just to trade up to something that’s probably a little closer to his real weight and vacate the NWA LH Title intead.

It had been an Mexico based title for most of it’s existence; former champions currently wrestling for CMLL include Perro Aguayo, Ringo Mendoza, Satanico, La Fiera, Emilio Charles and Atlantis. It was transfred (sold?) to Japan when Corazon de Leon (who you may know as Chris Jericho) lost to Ultimo in late ’94, and appears to have existed more for show than for actual use since then.

– Apolo fractured his thumb, vs Vampiro in Monterrey. It’s not too bad, and he’ll be back soon.

– This Friday, La Famila de Tijuana returns to Arena Mexico, with many teams gunning for their Mexican National Trios Titles. Those who’ve been paying attention may remeber that they broke up as a team a little while ago in Tijuana, which CMLL.com acknowledges. It remians to be seen if/how that plays out in the ring. The sign that they may lose the titles instead of simply forgetting about them is a hopeful sign (if you care about those belts.)

– Last night, Universo got his rematch agianst Niebla for the CMLL Heavyweight Title. No word who won yet.

– The tag match/art exhibit in England ended up being Olimpico/Rey vs Ultimo/Satanico. You know, I could accept it being art, but having Rey and Ultimo fight is just horrible.

– CMLL.com is hyping a mysterious fighter debuting in two weeks in Arena Mexico. It’s probably not a concidence that reports have NJPW’s Heat (Minoru Tanaka) coming to train in LA and Mexico for a while.

– According to the Meltzer, the latest rumors have Rayo vs Universo in a mask/mask as the main event of the CMLL 70th anniversy show in September. An Atlantis vs Dr. Wagner Jr. mask/mask may happen 03/19/04 (but I wouldn’t bet on it.)

I posted the newest version of my Older Lucha reviews to the Wienerboard. This one is is the Best of 1999 – Volume 2, which provides a good overall snapshot of some of the lucha that year, when combined with the other two in the series, even if the matches aren’t all *****.

Also, and exclusively linked here through the CMLL Blog, something I found when looking through the google Usenet archives. A 7-part “introduction” series to lucha posted to rec.sport.pro-wrestling as preparation for the AAA/IWC When Worlds Collide PPV back in 1994. (Only 6 parts are available). Of course, the When Worlds Collide show is the perfect lucha primer, with Mike Tenay doing an excellent job introducing one to the lucha style.

Part 1: AAA: The New Number 1

Part 2: What is Lucha Libre?

Part 3: Torch Talk interview with Konnan

Part 4: An analysis of AAA: Past, Present, Future by Dave Meltzer (Couldn’t find it through the Google archives archives)

Part 5: Wade Keller’s analysis on Triple A’s chances

Part 6: Comments from fans on Lucha Libre

Part 7: Final analysis, predictions

Homer’s Epics (Part 1)

Old tape watching – EMLL from 1991

It’s a hair vs. hair match, but only the third and final fall is shown. Strange to see Dantes working as a tecnico. I’m guess Javier as the rudo here. I know very little about him, and in fact, this is my first time seeing him.

Cruz is quickly firing away with knees on Dantes, but can’t get the pin off a quick cradle. 2 again off the spinebuster. A camel clutch can’t get a submission, as the crowd starts rallying behind Dantes. When the hold is broked, Dantes throws Cruz to the ropes, and gives a German suplex for another 2 count. Cruz regains control, and slaps Apolo in la cavernaria. Dantes gets an arm free, so he grabs the rope and pulls himself to the floor to regroup. No dice, as he eats a DDT as soon as he returns. Cruz pulls him up at 2. I wouldn’t do that. Another DDT, but this time Apolo kicks out under his own power, and stuns Cruz with a quick Northern Lights Suplex. A three count later, and it is haircut time for Javier.

Difficult to rate without the first two falls, but what was show was nice. I’ll call it 60 on Cubs Fan’s scale, with the low rating being due to the clipping of the first two falls.

2. Perro Aguayo/Cien Caras/Satanico vs. Octagon/Vampiro Canadiense/Conan

Conan = Konnan. Vampiro Canadiense = Vampiro.

1st Fall: Beatdown from PA/CC/S. Was Cien Caras ever any good? To his credit, Perro is showing a bit of energy here. Vamp & Conan start fighting among each other, then charge the ring. Conan was doing that rolling clothesline back in ’91. That’s about all there is in the opening moments that wasn’t some variant of a punch or kick. Conan’s team takes the first fall when the opponents spend too much time outside the ring. That was total crap.

2nd Fall: I’m trying to watch this, but there’s still way too much brawling. Satanico segment with Octagon is pretty good, though. Perro & Conan brawl around ringside some more. This one can’t be over soon enough. Finally, Perro dropkicks the referee in error to get his side disqualified. Mercifully, this one goes to bed. I can’t be too hard on a match where Perro puts forth a good effort, but there generally aren’t many good brawls in lucha land. And this one wasn’t one of them. 50 for a nice effort from Perro & Satanico, and let’s go on to the reason I got this show.

A segment interviews a fan that draws caricatures of the wrestlers. We just see one panel. The ref that got kicked by Perro in the last match and what looks like Fuerza Guerrera as a snail are featured.

A segment showing Blue Panter training with the other luchadores in a setting that looks like the precursor to Tough Enough airs.

3. Blue Panther vs. Atlantis

Pierroth & El Dandy are the seconds as the NWA Welterweight Belt is on the line.

First Fall: Matwork and chain wrestling. Atlantis frustrates Panther with an armdrag. Then it’s off to the mat again. Panther controls here, turning into a half Boston/armbar combo, before going back to his original strategy of focusing on the arm. Atlantis escapes with a headscissors, holding on to the headscissors and trying a cross armbreaker. Panther powers out, and the two test strength. Each gain the advantage briefly, as Atlantis goes for a monkey flip, but Panther holds on as he goes over, and then nails Atlantis with one of his own. Panther goes for a roll-up,but Atlantis continues to roll and we get the first attempt at a pin to this point, but only 1. Back to the arm for Panther. Arm wringer, followed by a beautiful move that looks almost like an enzuigiri, but sees Panther grab the arms with his legs and go back to the submission. Panther continues to hold the arms, trying for a bow & arrow. Atlantis escapes with a couple of throws, ending with a body slam. Atlantis comes back again, holding the arm with an armdrag. Spinning backbreaker, and then he holds on with a spinebuster to get the first fall via a Scorpion Death Lock.

Second Fall: Atlantis charges early and runs into a headbutt. Panther rolls through the spinning backbreaker, only to be leveled with a short clothesline. Off the ropes for Atlantis, who runs into a clothesline of his own. Panther goes for a double underhook powerbomb, but instead drops Atlantis across his knee, and holds him there for a backbreaker submission.

Third Fall: A quick spinebuster to start this one off from Panther. Powerbomb to follow that up, but only 2. Another one, but this one is turned into a rana by Atlantis for another 2. Atlantis tries for one of his own, but Panther keeps the lift from taking place, so Atlantis goes over top with a sunset flip for a near fall. Time to go for submissions. Abdominal stretch from Atlantis. Panther powers ouit, and tries for an Indian deathlock. Atlantis shoves him away, and tries for a Scorpion Death Lock. He can’t get Panther turner over for the longest time, but finally does get him over in the middle of the ring. This time, Panther hangs on and finally crawls to the ropes to break this. Atlantis tries to crawl away, but gets grabbed by Panther. He tries for a surfboard, and finally gets it on with the second attempt. No submission though. Atlantis has held on to the legs as the hold was released, and ties up Panther for a two count. A sunset flip also gets 2. Panther kicks down Atlantis, and tries to go to the tops. Atlantis kicks him down, and throws a corner tope. Sadly his feet hit the top rope as he goes through, and he only barely makes contact. Atlantis suplexes Panther in the ring, but Blue escapes behind him, and German suplexes Atlantis for a near fall. Panther tries a Victory Roll, only for Atlantis to fall back for 2. 2 of a powerbomb counter of a rana from Panther. To the buckles for Panther, but Atlantis catches him. Superplex for 2. Atlantis hooks the arms to try a submission, but gets dropped to the floor. Perfect tope from Panther, and in the ring, a near submission on an inverted Gory Special. (Panther had the arms hooked instead of the arms/neck. Atlantis escapes with a roll-up, but Panther reverses that for a near fall. Back up, Atlantis charges Panther, only to leapfrop him, and run up the ropes, and execute a springboard moonsault and earn a three count in the final fall to end an incredibly well wrestled match.

The Atlantis/Blue Panther match is absolutely golden. Get the tape just for it. It’s some of the most beautiful chain wrestling that you’ll ever see, performed by two of the greatest technical wrestlers ever, anywhere on this planet. Despite the fact there were a lot of holds that could be restholds, it never really got to that stage, as there were constant attempts to counter. No insane spots, but in this case, it would probably have taken away from the story they were trying to tell. Only the shortness of the second fall and the imperfect tope keeps this from getting the perfect three-digit score. 98.

4. Pierroth/Jerry Estrada/Fuerza Guerrera vs. Black Magic/El Dandy/Ringo Mendoza

Black Magic = Horman Smiley, long before the Big Wiggle or any Screaming. Estrada looks like an aging rocker, but he has never been afraid to take a crazy bump. And here he he still had something resembling intact knees. Ringo actually looks kinda young here.

First Fall: Magic’s early dropkicks miss, and Pierroth is successful with his. They exchange holds for a bit. Nothing of note though during an of the segments. Although I’ll confess that after the previous match, it’ll be hard to get into this one, in spite of the fact that several of my favourites are involved. (Estrada, Fuerza & Magic). We reach rudo beatdown stage of this one, ending with a near headscissors submission on Magic by Fuerza. Next up, Estrada & Mendoza trade shots in the ring. The Fuerza Magic segment sees Smiley press slam Fuerza. However he just lets him down as Fuerza crawls to safety. Pierroth & Dandy trade near falls, ending this with a Magistral Cradle on Pierroth. Only one fall for this one.

I liked some of the stuff here, and might want to give it another chance without watching Panther/Atlantis beforehand. I’ll say 70 on this one, but they were trying to follow an absolutely incredible singles match.

The tape can be acquired here

[TCF: (Edited to fix some formatting. Probably will not be able to get the other 3 right now.)]

The Cubs Fan invited me to join up with the blog, as one of the other, OK, probably the only other luchamaniac over on the Wienerboard. I’d been going through all of my old tapes lately, really just as an opportunity to recommend some of the better stuff in recent lucha history. (1990 and on) To start, here is a link to all of the reviews so far that I’d posted on the weinerboard. I am linking to these and not the top 10/11 lucha matches list because these also include links on where one can get these tapes.

First – CMLL TV from 8/11/91 – Highlighted by Atlantis vs. Blue Panther

Second – CMLL TV from 9/13/97-9/15/97 – Highlighted by Mr. Niebla vs. Dr. Wagner

Third – CMLL’s 66th Anniversary show from 1999 – Highlighted by Niebla/Shocker vs. Atlantis/Vilano 3, in a parejes increible match, with the losers advancing to a mask match.

Fourth – Classic Lucha from 1993 – Highlighted by some of Rey Misterio Jr’s early work in AAA. No CMLL at all, so I’m probably violating the spirit of this blog with my first post.

Currently, I’m working on the CMLL PPV from 3/30/2001, but with a long weekend coming up this weekend, I may invest the time and do one of the longer lucha comps that I have around.

I watched the 5/4/03 show!

Match 1: Ricky Marvin [c], Virus, & Volador Jr. vs. Zumbido [c], Arkangel, and Masada

Primera Caida: I’m a little late for the first match, joining in progress as Masada clubs Ricky with a clothesline and Ricky takes a hideous looking bump, landing right on the back of his head. Ricky pulls out a 619 outside the ring. I swear, that move’s going to be the Diamond Cutter of the new millennium. Speaking of Rey, it looks like Zumbido stole a pair of his pants. Ricky takes out ‘Bido because they’re still feuding (I think). Volador takes out Masada with a guillotine legdrop and Virus rolls up Arkangel with a wacky pinning combo.

Segunda Caida: Goddamn, the Virus/Zumbido segment is good. Until Zumbido takes his crappy Jerry bump. Ricky misses a Stinger Splash to transition to a rudo beatdown. Volador gets pinned after a Zumbido ‘rana. Triple team submission gets Virus.

Tercera Caida: More beatings until Arkangel accidentally hits Masada with an errant clothesline. After a brawl, things settle down and Ricky pairs off with Zumbido. Everyone else hops in the ring and Volador hits a really nice sunset flip off of Virus, who’s covering Arkangel for a pin. Volador springboard double dropkicks Virus and Arkangel, then screws up a dive but `recovers nicely. We’re left with Ricky and Zumbido. Ricky keeps going for his springboard back elbow, but Zumbido’s too smary and dropkicks him. Fisherman Buster and Zumbido goes over clean as a sheet. Grade “A” young guys match.

Interlude: I think Corona is offering a wrestler of the year deal. The candidates: La Parka (AAA version), Perro Aguayo Jr., and Santo. Remember last year when Rayo was the CMLL candidate?

Skit: Los Infernales jog in the park. Something’s bothering Satanico—Super Crazy. And maybe Dr. Wagner too. Satanico promises to beat him up, I guess. An evil laugh takes us home.

Match 2: Satanico [c], Averno, & Mephisto vs. Blue Demon Jr. [c], Felino, & Super Crazy

Primera Caida: Starts out with a nice Felino/Averno segment, then WHOOSH a big ol’ clip takes us right to the rudo beatdown. Two triple team submissions take out Felino and Demon.

Segunda Caida: More rudo domination, until Felino and Crazy cut off Averno and Mephisto before they can hit two dives to the floor. Tarantula (rather poorly applied, I might add) from Crazy gets Averno. I guess they’re not as stringent about rope breaks in Mexico. A Demon headbutt and armbar/Sharpshooter combo gets Satanico.

Tercera Caida: More Felino/Averno fun until WHOOSH another clip takes us to the end as Felino and Crazy get taken out with wacky submissions. Demon gets pinned for good measure. Match was waaaaay too clipped to be of much substance.

Match 3: Ultimo Guerrero [c], Rey Buccanero, and Tarzan Boy vs. Vampiro [c], Shocker, & Atlantis

Primera Caida: GdI come out first. Vamp comes out by himself and gets jumped. Shocker comes out next, ditto. Atlantis, same. Maybe they should come out as a group one of these days. Bucky grabs the little blue gorilla and comes thiiiiis close to heaving him into the audience, but for some reason changes his mind. Anyway, Guerreros go nuts with the triple teams, including a beyond preposterous double simultaneous submission on Atlantis and Shocker.

Segunda Caida: More shenanigans until Shocker Makes His Comeback™ booting Ultimo to the floor and flattening him with a dive. Vamp takes out Bucky with the Nail in the Coffin and an Atlantida finishes Tarzan Boy.

Tercera Caida: Amazing start as all three Guerreros make Atlantis look like the best wrestler in the world. Everyone gets to work and we’re soon left with Shocker and Ultimo. They start beating the paste out of each other, and Shocker gets the upper hand and plants Ultimo with a powerbomb. He goes for a cover, ibut gets punched in the nuts by Rey. Ultimo covers for the tainted win. Another high end main event.

I may post a few notes from the WON bio of Rey Mendoza this weekend.