CMLL Line
US Air Date: 06/21/03
Mexico Air Date: 03/29/03
Show No: 81

Joined in progress: Gran Markus Jr. Vs Pierroth, hair/hair.

We see so little, it's not worth a box. Looks like Pierroth won fall 1, and Markus won fall 2.

Slam by Markus. Is he going - ah, falling splash. Now he'll go up. Looking at the fans. Top rope splash, one two NO! Complete clean - oh, but now Pierroth is loading up the brass knucks. Looks like Sadam is in Pierroth's corner, as he leans in the ring to help distract. There's the loaded punch. Pierroth covers one two three. (1:00)

That rates fireworks? Dubious. Apolo was apparently Pierroth's corner man. Sadam pockets the knucks post match. We get to see Markus lose his hair while half conscious and milking it. Boricuas rub it in. Half of the head is cut before we go to break.

Notes: Mascara Magica is back on the rudo side. Nosawa is wearing a (WCW?) Great Muta outfit. Safari rants to the camera yet again. Perhaps that's his gimmick. This is quite the atypical match to be shown. No beatdown! They've lost the video clips of these guys, I guess.

Tecnicos having a long discussion about who to start. As soon as they finish, the rudos start having one of their own. Okay, Mexico and Olimpico it'll be. Lockup. Break. Lockup. This one longer. Olimpico to a front facelock, Mexico goes behind with a hammerlock. Olimpico reverses back and pulls Mr. Mexico down with an armdrag into an armbar. Mexico rolls him over for a pin but we don't see anyone on camera make the count. The tecnico ref is arguing with Nosawa, and now the rudo ref will finally count one two no. Olimpico with a pin we barely see one two no. Circle. Both go for single legs, Olimpico wins. Toe hold. Mr. Mexico kicks out of it, armbar, back to their feet, Olimpico flipped down to his back, Olimpico kicks him away. Circle. Mr. Mexico with a drop toe hold into a legscissors. Olimpico escapes, reversing eventually into a back bridge cover for one two no. Circle. Tags. Nosawa and Safari. Nosawa is going in and out of the Muta hunched walk. I guess if it worked for Tajiri, he might as well try. Circle, Nosawa fakes a move towards the tecnico corner, then does the Karate Kid crane pose. Lockup. Waistlock takedown by Nosawa, into a front facelock, Olimpico reverses to an armbar. Nosawa with a forward roll and a single leg to escape. Safari tries reaching off mat headscissors, but Nosawa rolls with it and ties Safari's legs. Pulling back on them reverse Indian Deathlock style but not getting much done; Safari doesn't appear to be in pain. In fact, he's trying to sit up on of it, to his knees, before turning the hold over and getting an Oklahoma roll for a pin one two three. Break. Tags. Magica and Virus. Virus charges with a dropkick but no one's home. Shocker II with a boot that connects. Mascara clothesline is blocked, Virus clothesline is blocked, Magica's kick works. Fireman's carry lift but Virus turns it into a victory roll one two no - rudo referee was slow to hit the mat and start counting there. Magica off the ropes, Virus tries a rebound waistlock but Magica back elbows him away. Magica off the ropes again, Virus head down too soon, Magica sunset flip, Virus rolls through and hits the dropkick. Wheel kick visibly barely connects but Magica is nice enough to sell it anyway. Tag back to Olimpico and Mexico. Mexico immediately runs over Olimpico with a shoulderblock. Clothesline. Mexico talks. Mexico poses. Mexico chops. Whip, reversed, Olimpico with a leapfrog on the first pass and a back elbow on the second. Rush to the ropes for a springboard armdrag. Mr. Mexico backed up the ropes, Olimpico charges him, Mexico tosses him over, Olimpico grabs the top rope and pulls him back in, Mr. Mexico poses and gets dropkicked out. Olimpico running - slingshot tope with lots of height and then straight down. Nosawa and Safari in and exchanging open hand slaps. Safari's hurt more, so Nosawa tries and fails at a clothesline. Safari uses a wheel kick that actually hits, how about that. Nosawa tumbles out, Safari starts to run but gets dropkicked out by Magica. Virus in and Magica handles him with a hiptoss. Magica with a Victory roll - no, Virus blocks and drops him face first. La Tapita? Rolling forward into a La Tapita, neat. Magica gives (5:18) Nosawa in too late to break it up, Safari distracts him with a running punch to the gut. There's the Safarina - double underhook into a bodyscissors submission, all time goofy fav. (5:29) I believe it's all of two people doing the audible Virus chant, but the thought is there. A longish fall leads to a break? Of course.

Nosawa and Safari to start this second fall. Nosawa wants a high wristlock to start. Or he wants to point to the ceiling, I'm not sure. Safari won't do either, so he gets chopped. Whip, reversed, Safari misses a clothesline, missed a back elbow, leapfrogs and hits a wheel kick, Nosawa going down before it even hit him. Safari is pumped at any rate. Nosawa begs off in the corner but Safari pulls him up by his hair. Chop. Chop. Corner whip, Safari charges into a boot, Nosawa charges out and hits a clothesline. Yell. Pose. Stomp. Stomp. Yell. Off the ropes, right into a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. Nosawa up, but pulled down by his hair. Safari points to the fans. Nosawa off the ropes, into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Cameraman, bored, checks out the rudos. Tags to Magica and Olimpico. Circle. Magica taunts the fans, points at the fans, and suckers Olimpico into a double team with Mr. Mexico. Mr. Mexico keeps Olimpico busy while Magica clears off the tecnico corner. Mr. Mexico backdrops Olimpico as the beatdown is on. Magica legdrop. Virus is kicked and chopped as he tries to come back in. Rudos want to give Olimpico a double whip, but they have to wait for Magica and Virus to be done - Magica shows off a DDT on Virus. Olimpico takes a corner whip, Nosawa with a spinning corner clothesline and Mr. Mexico finishes with his own corner clothesline. Mexico and Nosawa opt to go out of the ring to be the tecnicos down there, while Magica ends up wrestling Olimpico inside of it. Mexico and Virus back in - Virus off the ropes, 'rana is blocked and he's powerbombed down. Mr. Mexico knee pose and cover one two three. (2:59) Magica is untying Olimpico's mask, then giving him a double knee to the head and pushing him out of the ring. I think the rudos have completely forget that they need to pin two guys here, or assumed someone else took care of it already, but the referees are helpfully counting out someone. Magica working a step over armbar on Olimpico so he can make sure he gets that mask of Olimpico loose. Magica finally stops beating on him and comes in - getting close to the count out. Magica goes on and brings Olimpico back in? That makes no sense. They go to a crowd shot and just pretend this fall mercifully came to an end at some point. Let's say (4:59) and assume they were counting out Olimpico and Virus at the same time. Replays and another break.

Third fall. Beatdown still in progress. Olimpico is being stomped out of the ring, the back of his mask coming up, with Virus soon joining him and Safari brought in. Double whip for Safari, into a double press slam. Magica and Mexico hit elbow drops to celebrate. Magica's not done with Safari yet - there's that DDT he really likes today. Virus brought in and held, but Magica is still stomping Safari so Nosawa lets go to get in come violence. Sick of waiting for Magica, Mexico and Nosawa whip Virus and this a double clothesline. Everyone wander around and pose. Magica gets in the Shocker boot. Olimpico back in and immediately kicked. Now all three are finally on the same page - double whip, lift for Magica to powerbomb but I guess he's waiting for Magica and Nosawa to go off the ropes for something - they never make it, pulled out as Olimpico reveres into a 'rana one two NO. Comeback is actually stopped cold on the outside - Tecincos try to whip the rudos into each other and it's them who get reversed into each other. Nosawa points as his head, then realizes his captain is stuck in an abdominal stretch in the ring - both he and Mexico dive in and break it up with a kick just in time. Safari in with a dropkick to Nosawa to the apron. Safari with a sunset flip on Mr. Mexico, Mexico won't go, Virus clotheslines him over before he gets to hit the pose, one two no. Nosawa with a kick for Virus, kick for Safari, Virus is held but Mexico accidentally clotheslines him. Nosawa falls out of the ring after a delay, then nearly gets surprised by a Safari tope out of nowhere. Virus and Mexico - Virus with an armdrag that takes Mexico out. Virus runs, Mexico runs away on the outside, Virus somersaults short over the top rope and uses a headstand boost on the apron to land complete okay on his feet - that's incredible agility. Mr. Mexico charges and takes a tilt-awhirl backbreaker on the outside. Olimpico and Safari back in side - Safari misses a crossbody, Magica misses a senton, Olimpico connects on bodyscissors but Magica slips away before Olimpico can get whatever submission he's going for. Magica with a boot and chops in the corner. Corner whip, Olimpico kips up to a handstand, Magica notices the mask is coming off so he completely pulls it off, and plays innocent. Referees all saw it and it's over. (3:06) Magica stomps first, pleads in his case later. Nosawa and Magica raise their arms anyway. Magica kisses his muscles to let you know he's a rudo now. Only Mr. Mexico seems unhappy he didn't really win. There's debate if it just fell off or if Magica pulled it off, but slow motion reveals Magica did pull it off.

Spectacular Moments: Brazo de Oro gets killed on a Guillotine Legdrop. Genetico has a weird submission move, but we're paying more attention to Olimpico and Satanico's chase around the ring. Sangre Azteca has a nice run up the corner headscissors takedown. Stones with a beautiful stereo tope. Safari makes you think he's running the rope, but no, he's really doing a tope.

Notes: Rey's hair is quite red this week. Shocker has new music, but it's buried in the audio mix so I can't really make it out. It's a club song I don't know. This quite possibly the best rudo 4-some possible. Actually, you could do better than Warrior but he's a good fourth. Porky brings the mascot with him. Vampiro is supposed to be in this match, but comes out in street clothes (well, if street clothes means "Eddie Vedder dressed up as one of the Ramones" - I guess some people just live on more interesting streets than others) and we have a conversation. Let me translate for you.

VAMPIRO: SHOCKER!
CROWD: VAMPIRO! VAMPIRO!
VAMPIRO: Yes, that is my name, thanks for reminding me. SHOCKER, I'd like to beat you up today, but my shoulder is messed up and they won't clear me to wrestle tonight.
SHOCKER: Ha! Ha! You're just scared to fight me. Because I'm very Guapo.
VAMPIRO: I'm so not scared. I challenge you to a match next week, hair vs hair!
SHOCKER: Next week? Gee, I had some plans.
VAMPIRO: C'mon!
NIEBLA: [to WARRIOR] Warrior, why did you turn anyway? I'm going to keep feigning attacking you until you tell me!
WARRIOR: [to NIEBLA] Besides you toping me twice? Wagner, Tiger and Universo eat at much better restaurants.
ULTIMO: Do we still hate Shocker, Rey? I remember hating him a lot, but now I'm not sure.
BUCANERO: Um...maybe this will make more sense after we get back from New Japan.
VAMPIRO: Hey Shocker, I need an answer! And a main event for next week.
SHOCKER: Well, okay, I guess - but only if big fat bald Markus replaces you to remind us all what could happen next week.
VAMPIRO: Good enough for me.

And now you know...the rest of the story. I think we have a clip right during the introductions, because they never announce the tecnico captain and the soundtrack jumps.

Chaos to start, but it's pretty much rudos except for Niebla on Warrior, and Shocker breaks that up. Warrior brings Niebla back from the ramp where they'd been fighting and in the ring.  Set up on the top roe and Warrior - will bite the mask. Eh, I guess. Markus gets a double whip, back elbow from GdI. Since this is going nowhere yet, let's go in the time machine.

Last Week: Looks like Shocker, Magica, and Apolo Dantes (ah, I guess they're friends again - though Apolo's a Capo so he can be anyone's friend depending on the situation) beat the heck out of Vampiro's shoulder. So that's why he's not wrestling here. Vampiro got it taped at came back at one point, but was wrestling one armed.

Back. Not much going on. Warrior talks to the camera. Lots of standing around. Markus is corner whipped into Lizmark, but he stops short, turns and gets driven into Lizmark with a double spinebuster. GdI Double suplex! One two three. (2:33) Niebla's mask looks quite shredded already. Rey with the abdominal stretch on on Lizmark, and he's down. (3:37) Shocker going after the mascot. Did I miss a pinfall on Porky? He's standing around on the outside. Shocker goes after the mascot! Boot choke in the corner! He's gonna kill him! Referees work to get Shocker's leg off and you think midget violence would be a terrible way to be way to get DQed. Porky is successful in stopping it, and pulls the mascot to safety. Warrior gives Markus a big boot on the outside. Mascot seems fine, unfortunately.  Porky checks it over. Shocker and Warrior give Niebla the back suplex lift crotching in the corner. Big boot to Lizmark on the outside. Porky is too busy protecting the mascot to really help. Niebla gets tossed on the floor, with Warrior throwing wild punches to keep everyone else from getting involved. Somehow, Markus is back in - Rey and Ultimo are working him over with kicks to the chest. Is this the second fall today where the rudos forget the rules? Here are the end of fall replays, so I guess so. Someone didn't do a good planning things out this card. There's Markus being pinned, there's Lizmark tapping out, there - a second replay of both. No third finish, eh. Boot choke on the mascot replay - maybe Porky gave up to stop the violence? Let's pretend this is War Games, sure. Break.

Porky is isolated in the ring as we return, but he gets stomped out. Niebla's mask is pretty shredded on the outside - the left top of his face is exposed. Rudos try to get a hold of Niebla. Niebla helpfully comes in to try and go 4 and one. He's beaten down for the silliness. Crowd gets n the rudos, which causes them to stop. Crowd shot. Niebla still in the ring, now in the corner, that's a good sign. Everyone's heading to their corners, but Warrior and Shocker are still in - double corner whip, Shocker corner clothesline. Warrior assisted high  splash but Niebla boots him on the way in. Cue the comeback - Lizmark with his nice superkick and a nice punch on Rey, Markus working over Shocker and Porky hitting the slap on Ultimo. Niebla and Warrior of course are rolling and around ripping each other masks. Lizmark takes Rey on a tour of the ringside area. There's the steps, there's the apron. Ultimo gets a corner whip, corner squash from Markus, then Porky squashes Markus into Ultimo some more. Niebla poses Warrior quite hard. Niebla shoves the rudo ref - is that a DQ? He got warned. Rey, who I now notice has a tapped right collarbone area, takes a corner whip from Porky, Porky corner smash, and Markus running Porky into Rey. Niebla kicking Warrior hard on the outside. Shocker begging off from Porky on the apron - and Porky bowls him over. Lots of chaos here. Porky is proud of himself. Markus is going for Ultimo's mask but is warned not too. Markus stands up Ultimo, and he and Porky smush him from either side, yow. People are starting to heard back to their corners, and now it's Niebla and Warrior in the ring. Warrior is trying to make peace. He's on one knee and asking for a handshake. Niebla looks that way, and never sees Shocker coming with a big boot. Lizmark in, but Warrior catches him with a punch. Niebla and Lizmark are whipped into each other, and stunned. Niebla takes some chops. The top of his mask is completely gone or loose - he has to readjust before he can take a double whip. Lizmark backdrops his partner to the outside, Shocker charges, but runs right into the slap. Lizmark covers, Warrior tries the elbow drop, Lizmark moves, Niebla hits a slingshot splash on both of them. Niebla off the ropes, Lizmark boosts him for a double dropkick on both rudos. Niebla AND Lizmark do the Niebla dance! Off the ropes, DOUBLE TOPE! Warrior throws himself almost thru a fan and into the second row on impact. GdI in, and checking for Niebla and Lizmark to get up so they can dive them. It looks good, so they turn around - and see Niebla and Porky waiting for them. GdI don't like this idea. Off the ropes, stereo clotheslines - Markus only slightly budges, and Rey manages to actually go down giving his. Ultimo and Rey look at each other, and try again.  Less movement that time. Porky tells them to try again. They do - but with a sunset flip. Uh oh. Porky and Markus point at each other, count to three, and sit down. One two three. (4:10) That's the fall, which makes me think I'm confused about Atomicos rules. Not that I'd want them to get a tag team title shot, but Markus and Porky are looking like a well organized unit. Wait, I think Black Warrior figured it out - he's in to boot Niebla. Calling for a corner dropkick (tecnicos standing around and watching), but Niebla sees the charge and moves, with Warrior hanging himself in the corner. Niebla goes for his mask as about 9 photographers cram for position to get a shot. (They're always there, but they became really visible all the sudden.) Meanwhile, Lizmark holds Shocker for the mascot to do a cartwheel kick on. Shocker lunges at the mascot, but Markus holds him down for the mascot to give a butt bump. I guess the fall is over? I guess I am confused. Let's pretend Shocker and Warrior got counted out. Here are the replays.

Third fall will start with people actually in corners and perhaps staying that way. Rey and Markus - Rey in with a kick, open hand slap, open hand slap, one hand slap. Rey with a whip, reversed, Markus misses the clothesline but hits a hiptoss on the next pass. MARKUS 'RANA! Good lord. And it wasn't even the "Hey! Look how unpredictable agile I am! I can do a 'rana! (technically)" 'rana. Markus with a chop, corner whip, corner smash, corner whip, corner smash. 'rana stumbles and crawls out of the ring. Ultimo in for his partner, but Porky in for the tecnicos. Ultimo isn't happy with the crowd's Porky chant. open hand slap, Porky doesn't fell it. The second one is hooked. Porky with a open hand slap, puts his near leg over Ultimo's head, and does the cruiserweight flip out (what the!) Armdrag, Ultimo waved in the ropes for another armdrag. Ultimo tries back suplex, but Porky with a jumping snap mare! This is WEIRD. Ultimo right blocked, Ultimo left blocked, Porky gives the but bump to give a shred of normally. Shocker is annoyed and in. Off the ropes, shoulderblock, and Shocker has a good look of surprise when Porky doesn't go down. Shocker off the ropes again, shoulderblock has no affect again, and Shocker is more frustrated. Porky tells him to stop right there, let him try. Shocker does! Porky off the ropes, shoulderblock flips Shocker out. Shocker rolls to the safety on the outside. Lizmark in - who will come in for the rudos. Rey and Shocker having words? Rey tells Shocker to get back in at any rate and Shocker does. Shocker with a right hand, Lizmark takes it, then comes back with a hard open hand slap. Shocker with one his his own. Lizmark loads up and his one back. Shocker off the ropes, big boot deflected away by Lizmark and there's the superkick. Look at Porky, look at Lizmark with a press slam. Shocker out again, but this time GdI is quicker in - double whip, double drop toe hold, double elbow drop. Quick up like they're being timed - double whip, double dropkick and Lizmark is out, though from the looks off it they surprised Black Warrior by running him into the ropes while he was leaning on them - he comedically flops on the apron and yells at the fans for mocking him. GdI, not having noticed, celebrate, then turn to get run over by Markus. Markus with a double clothesline to take them back out. No, he's not going up! MARKUS PLANCHA! I believe the tag champions may be dead. Niebla and Warrior in. Niebla wants Warrior dead, but not so much he can't do his dance. Warrior doesn't like this station, or the fact that both their masks are shredded, I guess. Slap battle, Niebla ducks and hits the big face slap. Warrior off the ropes, shoulderblock, Niebla chases him with the handspring elbow but Warrior sees it coming for a side step. He dances his own dance. Warrior off the ropes, clothesline takes Niebla out. Niebla set up on the ramp, and Warrior back in the ring - slingshot guillotine legdrop on the ramp! Warrior is proud of himself. Shocker and Porky, Porky off the ropes and into the spinebuster, with Shocker almost taking himself down on the impact. Slam - no, Porky falls on top one two NO. Warrior completely takes Niebla's mask, but the referees are watching the ring. Porky with a slam on Shocker. Going up? I think it might have been a bottom rope splash, but Shocker rolls out of the way. Shocker with a right hand, then goes up top - top rope elbow drop one two three! I guess he's captain. (4:07) Warrior, who'd been waving around Niebla's mask, does a "pulling the rope" dance to celebrate. It looks like something else. Anyway, the Rudos are thrilled, but Vampiro is back and kicking Shocker out of the ring. Vampiro brings Shocker back in - big hiptoss. Shocker begs off - then tries a right - it's ducked, and Vampiro gets him in the goozle. Choke - no, Shocker breaks out. Big boot is caught, and Vampiro wastes no sympathy about kicking him low. Looks like Porky and Markus brawled with GdI up on the ramp to backstage. Warrior is still taunting Niebla with his mask. Vampiro promises that this is just the beginning for Shocker. Crowd chants for Vampiro.

Next Week: Shocker vs Vampiro, hair/hair. Also, Silva, Rayo, Atlantis, Negro Casas, Hijo de Lizmark, Black Warrior, Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucnaero, Mr. Niebla and more. The "and more" montage includes former Boricua Bulldog and a karate guy I've never seen on this show, not to mention Warrior and the two belts he no longer has (and hasn't for a while); perhaps they want to update it at some point.

Here's a replay of the finish. Will Shocker hit that top rope elbow drop next week? You have to watch and see.

Matches Cut Out of the US Version:
Villano III, Villano IV, Tineblas Jr. vs Averno, Mephisto, Bestia Salvaje
Felino (c) d. Juventued Guerrera in a CMLL Welterweight Title Match

Rating: Bases on the quality of the finish, ring work, internal/external storyline, consistency and my whims. Also, various other (random) factors that I can't think of right now. 0-100 for matches.

Closing Notes:

1. I don't know if there's a specific reason for it, but they really were off on figuring out finishes to falls this week. Lack of planning?
2. Looking at the schedule, this is the last time we see Magica...for seemingly ever. It's hard to take him - and Terrible - as Shocker's capable partners when they never make TV.
3. The main event wasn't as much a rudo showcase as I thought it might be.
4. Porky and Markus looked really good. Scarily good.
5. From here on out, all shows were originally an hour long in Mexico. Only 2 matches per show; hope they pick the good ones.