CMLL Line - 12/27/03 (#107)

Notes: A Ras Da Lona special, so we're joined in progress. This is for Michinoku Pro's Light Heavyweight Title, which Atlantis had won on a previous tour. CMLL promotes it as the "Tohoku LH Title" (a region of Japan), but I've also seen it listed as "Northeastern Junior Heavyweight Title." Tarzan Boy would work a tour (after this show), so it wouldn't be totally impractical for Atlantis to lose the title while in CMLL.

Third fall is underway, but maybe we should've waited five more seconds to come in, 'cause our first look is Atlantis wanting to whip Warrior, but Warrior ignorining and backing up to the ropes (three steps!) so he can whip Atlantis. Atlantis, offended by this near total lack of believability, slides out on the whip. Warrior checks him self - WARRIOR TOPE. Wait, why Atlantis just standing there? Warrior had to go bounce off the far ropes before he hit it, and while it's an always fun Warrior tope, Atlantis had to stand there for three seconds to see it coming. This is not so good. Warrior celebrates in the ring while Atlantis pulls shelf together - I think Warrior is expecting countout. Fall one went to him, Fall two to Atlantis, according to the graphic. Warrior is too busy celebrating and recovering to notice Atlantis coming back in behind him. Victory roll, but Warrior reverses the roll (which much help from Atlantis) one two NO. Who's the corner man for Warrior? He's very much into this. Warrior up and charging - Atlantida, why did I do a box for this one? Eh. (1:11) If what we saw of the match was reflective of the whole match, it's good we only saw this much. Not that it matters now, but looks like seconds where Ringo Mendoza and Masada? I think. I hope that belt looks better overall than it does from that angle. Atlantis shows off money he got to Atlantis. Replays. Here's stuff we never saw in the first place. This post mach is now longer than what we saw. I think that anything that we only get one fall from shouldn't have replays (more original rather than replays), but I'm not in charge yet.

Notes: Whoa. She's way up there on the hot valet scale - the pirate-ish outfit helps. Rey uses the evil We Will Rock You remix, BUT he has the puffy shirt AND A SWORD! How can this man be a rudo? Is that makeup? He's wearing a cap so I can't make fun of his hair yet. Rey decides to attack Perro before he can even come out for his entrance. I was wondering if Perro would get booed (again) but I guess this prevents that from even having a chance of happening. Rey stomps Hijo down on the stage. Are they going to actually ring the bell (er, blow the whistle) before they even get to the ring? I guess, judging form the beatdown Rey is giving Perro (takedown on the ramp), he's not going to make it to the ring. Bucanero is surely wearing eyeliner, how strange.

Perro's thrown in by his fur vest. Rey punches Perro once, and Perro rolls out. Rey's really selling the Perro chant as destructive to his well being. Rey out to get Perro - pushing him as he tries to go on. Open hand slap, open hand slap, run into the post. Perro takes the post shot well. Rey mocking the first row. Rey and Perro brawl at ringside a bit, but Rey's got the advantage right now. Perro's thrown in, and Rey follows through the ropes. Powerbomb? Spinning crucifix powerbomb! Senton one two three. (1:32) I always give the senton the credit on those, even though it's really just a different way of getting to the cover. Rey attacking early paid off. Replay of the crucifix powerbomb (which was more of a drop, all things considered), but they really like showing it form multiple angles.

Hace Unos Dias: Rey told the ref to go look the other way, so he give Perro a big low blow uppercut to prevent the top rope stomp on Ultimo, and give his side the win. That's how we get here. As usual, we debate if it truly was a low blow. Back at ringside. Look, a D.A.R.E shirt.

Rey walks around ringside to grab Perro and bring him back in. Chop, whip, baaackdrop. There's a loud section of Perro fans, and Rey wonders what they could possibly be thinking. Rey puts Perro in the corner chest first, uses some forearms to the back, and grabs Perro's legs - spin face first powerbomb. Rey wants to hear the Perro chant now - and he does. Another face first powerbomb? No, Perro, wait, okay, no Perro reverses it into a small package after a small hitch. (1:24) Fans ABHOR that result, and I don't think it's because the fall was 50 seconds long. Perro tries to get the crowd back on his side by chasing Rey out of the ring and brawling with him at ringside. It does shut them up a little bit, but they're not rallying behind him either. Perro rips a 1000% Rudo Noisemaker away from a ringside fan (who didn't seem thrilled with that idea) to use on Rey, before careless discarding it behind him. Nice move by the ref to kick it back towards the fan, who wanted it bad enough to get in the way. Rey with chops and boots at ringside. I bet he's not going to get DQed! Fans boo as Perro gives us "snapped", I think. He has a little bit of an insane look there. Two female fans ringside (with Santo! mask) chant "Bucanero!" for the camera. Maybe they should've just gone to the Capos feud. Rey with more punches for Rey. Choking him with the camera cord. Stomp. Kick. Rey would just like a break right now, but Perro keeps giving him five seconds before kicking again. TV eventually gets bored with this and goes to replays, but it sounds like the fans get ticked at Perro again because the boos rain down while we're watching different angles of that small package.

Third fall. This would be the point where Jim Ross would be talking about "the freedom of speech for our WWE fans", I think. For his part, Perro is appealing to the crowd and nodding in the direction of the fans who do support him. It's not a 100% against/0% for thing going on, but there's a vocal part of the crowd that doesn't like him. Maybe a clip in here, but we start up with Rey on the apron and Perro in the ring. Perro's giving it o him with open hand slaps, but Rey's taking the first tow and ducking the third - swinging kick to the back of the head, slingshot somersault stunner in! Perro sells it to get in position for the next move, a Bucanero clothesline tot he outside. Rey stays in and does the forearm taunt as Perro grabs the smaller ringstep box. Rey spots that Perro is still down on the floor, and goes for a dive - we only see him flying over the top rope, and Perro blocking the tope with the box. Is that DQ? The commissioner is up and he doesn't look to have liked that. Rey is down, though it could've been worse. Guess not a DQ, because Perro throws Rey back in and they're counting him out. Now Perro throws in the big ring step box. Crowd is showing their anti-Perro tendencies right now, but Perro doesn't seem to care. Rey bent over, Perro gets the box and smashes it into Rye's head. Perro is doing the "snapped/gone wild" bit now. He wants to finish off Rey with the box, but the referee stops him and pushes it out of his hands. Sp Perro pushes him down! Yelling at the ref now. Perro warned by the commissioner, but he doesn't give a crap right now. Box set up, Rey slammed on it, Perro going up with a smile on his face, it seems. They want to cheer for Rey Bucanero? Then Rey Bucanero gets a big top rope stomp. Perro covers, but the referee pushes him off. Of course, it's a DQ (3:09) Fans cheer. Perro's not happy with having lost, but happy with himself. More stomps for Perro. The girls at ringside appear to be talking about how cute they think Rey is. Perro's yelling at the commission. Oh no, he's gone back to the box as Rey gets up. Referee pushed down, box to Rey! Hoard to make "box to Rey!" sound exciting, now that I think about it. More punches to the face. Ultimo and Tarzan not here this week? The referee wants to take away the box but Perro won't let him - a smash to Rey's side before it's thrown away. Here's a replay - using the box on the top was a rudo move, and so was all that follow it. This is all the drama of the STEEL STEPS but with the added bonus of the box not possibly weighing more than 10 pounds. Is Perro in the crowd? With his supports, I guess. Who are still his supporters. This is kinda odd.

Vignette: Tarzan Boy is on the street, hanging with all his chicas (who may or may not be the valets.) I'm guessing Tarzan either lays out his plan for clubbing tonight, or for beating Shocker. Possibly both. Hey, limo. Tarzan of course opens the door for the six ladies. They play "Pretty Woman" for the riding in the limo montage? Unexpected! Wow, it almost looks like they got out of the limo right where they got in! What are the odds! To the pool hall for a lot of bent over shots. One girl's pool stick drops, so Tarzan helpfully goes to the floor to pick it up. Also, as required in a pool scene, Tarzan must get very close to the ladies to help them learn how to shoot. Some of this girls may or may not have heads - we're not looking in that general area much. Anyway, Tarzan promises he won't be as bald as the cue ball, and everyone gets a kiss.

Notes: This is from the previous taping.

Hey, all those girls in the last vignette just so happen to be his valets. Raining fireworks! That's always nice. It must be fun to explain to someone that their job is to rub your chest. Ultimo Guerrero is Tarzan's second. Ultimo scares Tarzan Boy by patting him on the back. I guess he's focused.

Vignette: A rodeo? Guapos wearing sombreros and on horses? This is an odd way to prepare. VIVA CMLL, VIVA LUCHA LIBRE, VIVA MEXICO. Shocker rides his horse around a little bit. This one of those vignettes that I don't think would make any sense even I knew what was going on. So Shocker just rides in small circles for a while to music that might be in a Loony Tunes episode and that's it? Okay.

Shocker comes out to Mexican music because hey, he's the tecnico. Fireworks. He's got the Mariachi outfit going. The polar bear approves. Terrible's the second? Okay. Tarzan meets Shocker at the ropes and the brawl is on. 

Tarzan with tons of forearms on the outside, and Shocker is slammed on the Ramp. Stomp and kick  down on the ramp - Shocker still doesn't haven't his outfit off. Slam. Tarzan's pumped. Shocker tries to get away while he's celebrating, to take off his outer gear if nothing else, but it looks like Tarzan follows and knock him down as we look at the fans. Posted. Tarzan goes in the ring point at the crowd.  Does Shocker need help taking off his pants? Terrible is helping him. Clip? Eh. Back with Tarzan taking down Shocker and punching him - sorta. Did he hurt himself on a punch? Which didn't come close to hitting. Strange. Shocker picks up Tarzan in fireman's carry - forward roll slam looks nice. Shocker's color scheme - gold/blue looks sharp. Taking his time picking up Tarzan - and now setting him up on the top rope. Tarzan pushes Shocker off, but Shocker climbs back up. Tarzan punches out of the superplex, and then headbutts. Taking a moment to get ready - double under super faceslam one two three. (2:01) That was so big, we go check out the valets. Tarzan seems awful tired, but maybe it happened when we weren't watching.

Break.

Back, with replays of the finish. Second fall. Tarzan starts by going to the apron? Ah, it's time for the springboard missile dropkick. He's very proud of himself. Is Shocker bleeding? Tarzan slow to follow up. Pulling and biting at the wound, I guess. Boot scrape, another, a third. Choke on the bottom rope. Corner whip? Okay, now. Shocker kips up and out, waistlock, Tarzan grabs the top rope and blocks, back elbows, but Shocker ducks a third and overhead belly to belly suplexes him out of the corner. Kick to the chest, kick to the chest, jumping enziguri! Shocker is into this, except to go after Tarzan. Wetting for him to stand, off the ropes, spear! has looked better, but I think it's the selling. Tarzan pulled into the middle of the ring. QUEBRADA comes up empty, Tarzan rolling out of the way. Tarzan tries a clothesline, it's caught into La Reinera and that's it. (2:39) Tarzan didn't really do anything after that missile dropkick. Replays.

Break. They had earlier advertised Stellar Moments, but I doubt we get them.

Third fall. Having that TiVo time code down there is a curse, because I know exactly how much time left in this show. Tarzan misses a corner dropkick to start, and takes a big tumble. Shocker waits for Tarzam to get up - Charge, Shocker grabs him on a waistlock as eh comes by, waistlock rollup, Tarzan reverses (Shocker's doing some of the work for him), Tarzan bridge back one two NO. Kick to the arm. Tarzan tells the crowd to watch him. Tarzan grabs Shocker in setup for a fisherman's suplex, and time stands still for a couple seconds before he does it. One two NO. They call it an Olympic suplex? Interesting. Well, more than this match. Yes, another long pause between moves. They've been wrestling for six minutes total, what do you want. We might have gotten another clip here. Shocker with a nice jumping knee on Tarzan Boy. Another crowd shot, as Shocker sets up - double jump plancha but Tarzan waves him by and Shocker hits the floor hard. Shocker acts like a lung just collapsed - replay shows that Tarzan got in a forearm to the midsection on the way down, which he explains to Ultimo. Tarzan rolls Shocker in, and then points to his head. Perhaps he should go in first? Lots of crowd shots. Tarzan going up - moonsault but no one's home. Ultimo can't believe. Shocker back up, and quickly with the hammerlock arm/leg scissors cradle, one two three. (2:26) Wow. Uh. Confetti and announcers going nuts and a loud reaction, but really? Feels hollow. Barber's in and right to hair cutting. Shocker invites his dad into the ring. Tarzan's very particular about which hair gets cut and how. Terrible, Shocker and Shocker's dad STRUT! Stripper move! The hair cutting get clipped  -we skip ahead in the clipping, you see. Tarzan's been pretty much shaved bald by the point. Break.

We don't come back for the credits this week, for whatever reason. That's it. 

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. You'd be hard pressed to find a show with as many seemingly good names and as many bad matches. 
2. Really, the only things keeping this out of 1 territory was that Tarzan did lose his hair, and Perro finally turned.
3. The matches themselves didn't help. The only thing saving the Atlantis/Warrior match from being ridiculed was the main event.
4. Shocker tried and I feel sorry he didn't have someone to work with.