Lucha Azteca7 Elite: 2016-06-03 

Recapped: 06/10/2016

What happened: Caristico & Bobby Lashley picked up 3 points in Liga Elite.

What was good: I liked Caristico/Mascara Dorada and the trios match, though maybe not as much as I thought I wuld.

Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s channel and on AztecaDeportes.com.

In a video I forgot to put on the playlist, Rush is announced as being suspended for a month for giving Cibernetico a martinete on the previous show.

Match 1: Bobby Lashley vs Xtreme Tiger in a Liga Elite match
Arena México, 06/02/2016
Video: thecubsfan

Winner: Bobby Lashley (spear)
Match Time: 8:24

Review: [below average] This looked like a bad mix on paper. This was a bad mix in the ring, to the point where Bobby versus the other flyers in this tournament is obviously going to be a problem. Lashley dominated from the start, but by doing very little, seemingly spending more energy walking around the ring then doing anything to Tiger. I understand slowing it down to build to Tiger’s comeback, but even slow requires some movement. Lashley was keeping it paused. Speaking of movement, Bobby could’ve used some movement on Tiger’s dive, instead of coming way short. The power moves cutting off Tiger’s big flying moves were the best part. I can imagine Tiger not wanting to do just that for ten minutes, but I would’ve been fine with four minutes of that and a finish then whatever we got here. The Bobby Lashley fans were the obvious most paid extra fans I can recall.

Match 2: Ángel de Oro, Golden Magic, Último Ninja vs Argos, Magnus, Rey Escorpión
Arena México, 06/02/2016
Video: thecubsfan

1. tecnicos
   • Ultimo Ninja headstand rope flip moonsault Magnus (5:37)
   • Angel de Oro reverse frankensteiner Argos (5:46)
2. rudos
   • Magnus TKO Ultimo Ninja (4:31)
   • Argos backcracker + frontcracker Angel de Oro (5:00)
3. rudos
   • Rey Escorpion Aguijon Mortal Golden Magic (3:29)

Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 14:15
Notes: It takes a minute for the match to actually get started, because Golden Magic wants Rey Escorpion (though it’s not really clear which rudo he wants and the announcers are talking about other things.) Golden Magic goes into spasms on taking Rey Escorpion’s finish, though no one but the medics seem all that concerned and the announcers move on (and it’s used as the video as for painkilling drug sponsor.) Announcers do note how little sense it makes for Rush’s move to be illegal and this one not to be.

Review: [good] generally entertaining match, though it eventually became evident how much they were just plugging Golden Magic into the Mistico spot for a normal match. The headscissors to break up the careta was the giveaway. Magic looked fine, though better in other matches. Argos won’t stop doing the front flip, no matter how many times it doesn’t land for him, and may have been partially responsible for the moment in the comeback where all four guys in the ring froze waiting for someone to go. (He did make the first fall finish look great.) The match was entertaining while it was going, and Ultimo Ninja is better as a tecnico than a rudo and his third fall dive looked great.

Match 3: Carístico vs Máscara Dorada in a Liga Elite match
Arena México, 06/02/2016
Video: thecubsfan

Winner: Caristico (La Mistica)
Match Time: 13:50

Review: [good] It’s to watch this and not spend the time mentally comparing it to Volador versus Mascara Dorada and Caristico versus Volador, with coming off as a slightly lesser athletic showcase. There’s a hint of a story in this one, with Caristico being frustrated that Dorada might be better with him. It slipped it away quick and, by the end, Caristico took a giant move from Dorada but still got up a moment later to beat him. That wasn’t great, and the match wasn’t as great. There’s lots of really cool moves, and they’re done very well, highlights for days, but the creativity in spots isn’t met in anyway in creativity in the match. They go right into spot/kickout/rest early on and never escape, using mask ripping to make it seem more serious. It’s only when it degenerates into a chop fighting near the end where it feels like something’s really happening. This was good, but had all the frustrations of CMLL big matches.