CMLL Line - 07/27/03 (#87)

Vignette: Team Mexico - well, most of it - are working out in Cibernetico Gym in preparation for the Gran Prix. Blue Panther is explaining the intricate of a post snap mare chinlock as Averno applies one on Mephisto. As he's suggesting a better place to put pressure on, Panther looks up and notices they (they being Felino, Negro Casas, Virus in addition to the other three) have a visitor - Shocker. What's up with being late? I think Felino just is happy Shocker bothered to show. Shocker gives a pep speech about proving Mexico superiority in front of the people. Panther, Felino, and Casas each get a chance to talk up the match. Shocker gets in the last words - no one mentions why Dr. Wagner wasn't here, but I figure he was too busy bowling with Black Tiger or something.

While Miguel and Leobardo talk up the Grand Prix, I wonder which side normally rudo Leobardo takes in this matter. They list the sides here (Leo talks about the Japan team, which may answer my last question) - it seems as though Ultimo is captain of the Japan team, though they don't seem to specify one for the Mexico team. Negro Casas is the first one listed there, though.

16 Man Grand Prix Cibernetico (Japan vs Mexico) Japon (Ultimo Dragon, SUWA, Don Fuji, TARU, Takemura, Masada, Nosawa, CIMA) vs Mexico (Negro Casas, Shocker, Dr. Wagner, Blue Panther, Averno, Mephisto, Felino, Virus) 05/09/03, Arena Mexico					85
1	16 man Cibernetico	01:38 03:40 ---:--- ---:--- ---:--- ---:--- 05:01 06:36 07:42 10:06 11:40 12:46 14:31	Felino crucifix powerbomb TARU Takemura Death Brand Felino Masada armbar Virus Mephisto figure four Don Fuji DDQ (Masada and Negro Casas ) Takemura Death Brand Mephisto Averno double underhook facebuster SUWA Panther Fujiwara armbar Takemura CIMA Krypotine Crunch Averno CIMA Iconclasm Panther Shocker Circuit Breaker CIMA DQ Shocker (mask pull) Wagner Driver on Ultimo	disjointed by the clips. Probably a good match and the crowd certiantly bought it, but you can't clip out one third of the eliminations (and may other things) without pulling out any flow and drama.

Graphic borrowed from Strong Style Spirit, additional info thanks to ToryumonUSA

Notes: Ultimo wears the NWA World Middleweight Title to the ring. Team gets yellow Grand Prix T-Shirts, though most of them aren't wearing them as shirts. As skirts, yes. Ultimo's sure surrounded himself with a group of bandits here, hasn't he? He's not even acting evil to join in, sadly. Maybe later. Home team gets blue shirts. Negro leads the team out, but I think they're playing Bad Medicine - I can't tell over the crowd reaction. Shocker has quite the zebra cowboy hat. Announcer notes Wagner and Felino's titles, even though they don't bring them. I dunno if they've always done that, but I just started noticing it a month or so again. Announcer calls Virus a giant midget.

Okay, this is the game we're going to play: whenever I say [], that means we got a shot of the fans and there may have been a clip there. Let's see how it goes. Please forgive me if I switch a Toryumon names around - I've got an old tape of some of their matches around here someplace, but haven't watched it in the longest time and faces and names aren't matching up too well. I did figure out that it's better to wait for the announcers to say the name, then back and correct things.

[] Nosawa and Averno in. Look at the fans, but the same two guys in the ring when we come back. Nosawa with a kick, whip, reversed, Averno misses a clothesline misses a back elbow, leapfrog, ducks a clothesline and throws Nosawa down by his hair. Averno blows off the warning about hair pulling and slaps Nosawa in the chest. Corner whip, charge into a boot. Nosawa out of the corner and nailing Averno with a clothesline. Celebratory dance in place. Arm pump. Windup, off the ropes, clothesline misses, Averno hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Nosawa crawls out to safety, retreating all the way up the ramp. Averno tags in Felino as TARU (thanks announce guys!) replaces for his time, immediately on with a knee strikes and punches. Headlock, shot into the ropes and back with a shoulderblock. Over for zero, both up, TARU hits the clothesline. Team Japon is having trouble with the concept of keeping the next guy in up on the apron all the time - TARU got up there only when he realized that his turn was about to come up, and Takemura is just now getting there. TARU waltzes Felino into the ropes, then the corner - corner whip, reversed, and Felino hits a shoulder charge. Corner whip and Felino hits a shoulder charge. Felino to the rope, missile dropkick to the back. Felino lifts him up - crucifix bomb! One two three. (1:38) Negro was in at 3 to prevent a counter attack and brought in Takemura to keep us going as Felino slips out. Chop. Take with a chop, chop battle as TARU is rolled out. Casas got the better of it off camera, corner whip, clothesline, corner whip, clothesline. Takemura is taking it okay and starts - overhead belly to belly suplex! Takemura has nice shiny silver pants this week. Headlock takeover. Takemura lets go to pose [] Mephisto is being worked over by Masada in the corner, knife edge chops all the way. Corner whip, Mep moves and Masada takes a charge into the corner. Open hand chop battle breaks out, but ends quickly with a Masada back kick. Whip, reversed, tilt-a-whirl, Masada lands on his feet, Masada kick is caught, Mep spins him, his kick is caught but the enziguri is not. Looks like TARU is just heading to the back, so I don't know how much. Masada rolls out, and we switch to Felino and Takemura - Felino charging and clipping Takemura with a dropkick to the knee. Whip-no, lift into a fireman's carry. Felino quickly going up, walking the ropes a step to hit a tope elbow drop. One tw-kickout. Whip, reversed into a drop toe hold by Takemrua and he puts on the camel clutch! Felino refuses to let go, so Take lets up, loads him in a fireman's carry and drops him for a gutbuster! Death Valley Driver! I believe he's calling that the Death Brand. One two three. (3:40) 7-7. Takemura tags out to Nosawa, who sidesteps an incoming dropkick from Virus. Point to head. Whip, Virus slides under a leapfrog, ducks a clothesline, tries a clothesline of his own and is beheaded by a short clothesline. Pan far far away. Replay of the DVD. We hear the impact of a move and a slight crowd reaction, but we're still watching the replay. Back to live, but from the far view - two count in the ring - and to the break. (4:20)

From where the segment picks up, these eliminations are clipped out
- Masada beats Virus with an armbar
- Mephisto beats Don Fuji with a figure four (cruceta)
- Masada and Negro Casas are both DQed
- Takemura beats Mephisto with the Death Brand

That leaves Ultimo Dragon, SUWA, Takemura, Nosawa and CIMA for Team Japan, Shocker, Dr. Wagner, Blue Panther and Averno. 5 on 4.

Back with SUWA and Averno in the ring. SUWA with a whip and a backdrop. One two no. SUWA calls for something, then sets up for a Tiger Bomb - Averno 'ranas out of it! Big clothesline. Yelling, Averno double underhook facebuster! One two Nosawa kicks to break it up but it's ignored three! (5:01) 4-4. Averno gets the heck out of the ring, making a tag to Blue Panther. Crowd behind Panther and annoying his opponent, Nosawa. [] Takemura is chopping Panther and hard, but he's taking it and standing. Another, and Panther is still up. One more time Takemura charges with a clothesline, but Panther has suckered him in - Takemura's clothesline is blocked, and Panther uses a reverse armbar takedown to hurt the shoulder. Takemura is hurting. Panther points to the fans before picking Takemura up. Whip, reversed into the Death Brand, dropping Panther more on his head than usual. One two NO! Panther slow to get up, so Takemura goes up. Taking a while - top rope headbutt hits! One two NO. Takemura grabs Panther by the ask - and Panther reverses into a Fujiwara armbar! That's IT. (6:36) 4-3, Team Mexico. Panther makes a tag to Averno, as CIMA comes in for his team. Back elbow to CIMA as he charges in, and kicks to the back. Whip, reversed, CIMA with a nice hiptoss. CIMA is hyped up. 'rana, rolled thru, one two NO. CIMA pumped an waiting for Averno to get up - charging clothesline is ducked, CIMA runs into a powerslam. Standing moonsault one two NO! Averno having a nice night so far. Stomp, yell. Off the ropes and right into the superkick, yow! Kryptonite Krunch one two three. (7:42) Well it was good while it lasted. Averno manages to roll to the outside to collapse - CIMA falls while making the tag to Nosawa, but does a nice job of celebrating and gesturing the three count out on the apron. Shocker and Nosawa in and getting the crowd going. Nosawa with open hand slaps that keep knocking Shocker back [] Shocker boots Nosawa in th head, knocking him in the corner. Shocker charge, big boot is avoided and Shocker nearly crotches himself. Nosawa with a waistlock, Shocker standing switch, Nosawa feverently back elbows to escape, but only manages to turn himself around for an overhead belly to belly suplex! One two NO. Nosawa misses a clothesline, Shocker does not, but Nosawa doesn't go down. Another one, Nosawa goes to a knee but he's still up. Shocker of the ropes and nails a big boot, deep leg hook one two three! 3 on 2, down to CIMA and Ultimo for Team Japan. Panther and CIMA are now your legal men but a quick look at the crowd. Panther rolls over a CIMA drop down and hits him with a clothesline as he stands up. Yell to the crowd. Panther stand shim up, whip, CIMA tries to slide under but Panther stops him, picks him up with a waistlock and drops him with a slow release German suplex. Cover one two no. Panther and CIMA don't communicate too well on what Panther wants next, but Panther eventually puts CIMA on the top rope - pulling face first crucifix bomb! Panther going up - but Dragon kicks him off the top rope! Whoa. CIMA with a big slap, and then he pulls Panther off into Iconclasm one two three! (10:06) I've always wanted to accurately call that move! This has been a dream come true. Wagner immediately in with a dropkick for CIMA's head. CIMA thrown in the corner so Shocker can run in and big boot him. Shocker lifts CIMA up - fireman's carry, into a flapjack, and Wagner does the mega run off the ropes for a dropkick to the head. Referee warns about only one person in the ring. [] Dragon with La Majistral on Shocker one two NO. Dragon with a Victory roll one two NO! Both men are feeling it at this point. Which is surprising, because we've seen Dragon wrestle for all for fifteen seconds. Dragon holds Shocker in a nice safe full nelson for CIMA to come in and dropkick - of course Shocker escapes anyway and Dragon is knocked out of the ring. CIMA tries a running clothesline, but Shocker isn't going. Again, and he won't go down. CIMA tries a third time - and Shocker grabs him for the Circuit Breaker! CIMA's done! (11:40) CIMA manages to stand, but is so dizzy he keeps spinning around on his own. Then he rolls out of the ring, gets up, and is still spinning. Awesome. Ultimo in, but Wagner takes him down with a clothesline. Wagner holds Ultimo for Shocker to boot - the whole crowd warns them no, but Shocker doesn't hear 'em - and Wagner gets booted out of the ring.

Here, I die a little bit because I get a Flash Flood warning that takes over the screen for 12 seconds. I'll fill this in on the replay.

Ultimo with a corner whip, Dragon tries the handspring elbow but Shocker's move out of the way. Success rate on corner charges have been shockingly low in this match. Shocker with a big boot and takes Dragon down with a snap mare. What's Shocker doing? HE RIPPED OFF ULTIMO'S MASK! (Not close to the camera seeing it.) The referee yells at him and Shocker pushes down the referee. CIMA's in to argue, but I don't think he needs to [] Shocker's gone. (12:46) Shocker has final words with Wagner, kissing him on the cheek and telling him to finish this for Mexico. Wagner talks to the crowd, and the crowd gets behind him. They want him to win. Dragon get his mask back, and the match continues. Whip, Dragon back with a 'rana one two NO. Wagner clothesline reversed into a Dragon backslide one two NO. Whip, reversed, Wagner runs into Dragon's boot. Dragon with the spinning back kick. Off the ropes, Wagner backdrop but Dragon lands on his feet, Dragon waistlock, Wagner switch, Dragon fights back with back elbows, Wagner tries a back suplex but Dragon lands on his feet (and does not hit his move), off the rope and right into Wagner's dropkick to the knee. Wagner Driver! One two three! (14:31) Crowd explodes, to be mild. CIMA checks on Dragon as Wagner celebrates.

[] Wagner gets the trophy. Here's a replay of the finish.

Spectacular Moments: Virus does his "run up the ring post armdrag" on Mephisto, which is begging to be stole by some US guy. Mini Olimpico beat Mini Violencia with that wacky submission hold for his mask. Porky hits the Bronco Buster on Scorpio, Bestia and Takemura. I wonder what he was doings. Sangre Azteca leads a triple dropkick to the head on Chris Stone. Los Stones come back with stereo somersault planchas.

Vignette: Pierroth talks to his troops, which gives us a chance to figure out who exactly is left in his troops right now. Pierroth does so.,. for Mini Violencia's benefit: Violencia, Metropolitan Champion, Nitro put Neutron in the hospital, Pierroth is the Mini's Champion, Sadam is - well, anyway (I think they do say something, but I dunno what), what has Violencito done for the group lately? Lost his mask! Effectively immediately, he's on mop duty. Go get started. The rest, it's important that they stop the Capos right now.

Notes: Pierroth talks before the match. Porky does his stripper dance with a valet. Porky gets the mascot to do his stripper dance. Same as usual. Oh you've got to be kidding me with this match. Cien's valet is exceptionally hot, I'll give him that. I think KrisZ was saying Sadam here was Scorpio Jr. - later, it's the former Poder Boricua. It's a total bodysuit camoflauge outfit, and the mask has a gas mask attachment.

Second rope dropkick gone bad by Sadam turns the tide on the beatdown. Pierroth gets a splash on Violencia, and Cien has an abdominal stretch on Sadam, but they have to wait for Pierroth and Markus to do their skit. Markus gets the belt, and belt shots are legal - Pierroth's brass knucks are not, and he's caught. (1:46) The brass knucks actually look a lot more like tape, but whatever. Beatdown is back on after the match, as Markus is out and has to be stomped to the floor. Well maybe not stomped.

Normal "one on one always leads to the tecnico winning aginast everyone" sequence. That's a bit wordy, but it kills time. Did Cien just do a choke slam on Violencia? Eh. I like how Cien acts pumped up, and the clip crowd shot has people looking disinterested. Oh no, Porky tope!. Violencia, Sadam and especially CGII get squashed. Cien and Pierroth to finish it - Pierroth tries a 'rana (!), Cien powers bombs him and puts his feet on the middle rope one two three. (1:45) I think Baby Richard saw it, but for once didn't stop the count or the arm raise. That's odd. But it got this match over, so I appreciate it. Posing and replays

Oh god, Porky's doing crotch chops. Announcers hype up Negro Casas/Satanico vs Nosawa/Masada for next week as Cien beats on the Boricuas a little bit more. Wow, this was an extra shot episode.

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. This is only a 3 because it was the show the Toryumon guys came in
2. It wasn't a 3 because it's a must see match; there were better run of the mill trios matches.
3. Cien winning two falls here clinches that he'll be dropping his hair later
4. Hope next week's hair match is surprisingly good