CMLL Puebla: 2016-07-25

Recapped: 07/25/2016

What happened: Black Tiger defeated King Jaguar for his hair after they lost a relevos suicidas. UG cheated to beat Volador. Lluvia upset Dalys and asked for a title shot next week.

What was good: UG/Volador was fun and I liked the trios rematch.

Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s YouTube channel.

Match 1: Asturiano, París, Zaeta Roja vs Guerrero Espacial, Rey Apocalipsis, Toro Bill Jr.
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. técnicos
   • Zaeta Roja middle rope moonsault Toro Bill (8:58)
   • Paris casadora cradle Guerrero Espacial (9:13)
2. rudos
   • Toro Bill backcracker Zaeta Roja (2:30)
   • Guerrero Especial electric chair bomb Asturiano (3:21)
3. rudos
   • Zaeta Roja pin Rey Apocalipsis (5:06)
   • Guerrero Especial espectrinta Zaeta Roja (5:22)
   • Toro Bill powerbomb Asturiano (5:58)

Winner: técnicos (1/3)
Match Time: 18:32

Review: [ok] another locals match that dragged a little bit, with the pace maybe not being as fast as it could’ve been because they had an extra few minutes to fill. Even with all that time, it didn’t seem like we saw a lot of these guys. The Batillon got to do some comedy, but the rest of the rudo dominated portion didn’t stick out. Zaeta Roja continues to show promise; he was the most entertaining guy on the mat during another too long opening fall. His third fall finish could’ve used some work.

Match 2: Flyer, Pegasso, Tigre Rojo Jr. vs Cancerbero, Fuerza Chicana, Raziel
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. rudos
   • Fuerza Chicana front cracker Flyer (7:48)
2. técnicos
   • Tigre Rojo Jr. 450 splash Cancerbero (3:46)
   • Pegasso headscissors small package Fuerza Chicana (3:54)
3. rudos
   • Fuerza Chicana quebradora con giro Pegassso (3:06)
   • double submission on Flyer & Fuerza Chicana (4:16)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 15:58
Notes: Rudos, maybe frustrated over Flyer spots going wrong multiple times in the third fall, took his mask after the match.

Review: [below average] Much like the last one, but less entertaining and Flyer was having a poor night all around. These rudos aren’t going to give the técnicos a lot normally, but actually seemed to be trying early and were paid off by Flyer falling on top of them. That didn’t go well. Pegasso seemed pinned oddly early in the third, and this was another long undercard match on a night with a lot of matches. The alternate universe where Tiger Rojo Jr. got Stigma’s spot is probably a better one.

Match 3: Lluvia & Sanely vs Dalys & Zeuxis
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. rudas
   • Zeuxis inside cradle bridge Sanely (4:42)
   • Dalys cristo Lluvia (4:53)
2. tecnicas
   • Sanely faceslam Zeuxis (2:38)
   • Lluvia reverse crab Dalys (2:48)
3. tecnicas
   • Zeuxis La Roca Sanely (3:03)
   • Lluvia corner dropkick Zeuxis (3:56)
   • Lluvia dropkick Dalys (4:28)

Winner: tecnicas (2/3)
Match Time: 12:09
Notes: Lluvia asked for and will get a title match after the win.

Review: [ok] more exciting than the last couple matches, though not quite solidly executed. Sanely showed much more offense than when I saw her match from Monterrey, surprising me with the springboard armdrag, but looking very hesitant at times. Her timing isn’t there yet, but maybe that’ll come with time, and she didn’t embarrass her. Sanely looking good was surprising because they kept her out so much early, but I guess that turns out to be in part because Lluvia was getting set up for the title shot. Lluvia is hit or miss – witness the wildly different quality of dropkicks in the third fall – but there are worse ideas, and at least it’s an idea. Lluvia seems to throw herself into big matches, so it should at least be entertaining. Dalys & Zeuxis looked good as usual.

Match 4: Máximo Sexy, Stigma, Valiente vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Rey Escorpión, Skándalo
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. rudos
   • Rey Escorpión nudo Valiente (3:36)
   • Dragon Rojo inverted gori stretch Máximo (3:38)
2. técnicos
   • Valiente arm trap half crab Skandalo (3:45)
   • Máximo kiss cradle Rey Escorpión (3:51)
3. técnicos
   • Stigmatica on Skandalo (4:56)
   • Valiente buster Dragon Rojo (5:11)

Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 12:40

Review: [good] This seemed much better than last week, and the best match on the show to this point. They kept the pace strong, working hard, and just had a clean finish. (The last match setting up a title change hinted this one would be resolving without a singles match next week, and it was better just to have a match for a match’s sake.) Stigma looked as impressive as I can remember, which might have been helped by working primarily with Rey Escorpión and not Skandalo. Skandalo just mostly stayed out of the way, which is the best use of Skandalo. Dragon Rojo & Máximo worked good as well.

Match 5: Black Tiger & King Jaguar vs Ares & Disturbio in a relevos suicidas match
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. rudos
   • Ares suastica Black Tiger (3:13)
   • Disturbio double knee smash King Jaguar (3:44)
2. tecnicos
   • Black Tiger casadora cradle Disturbio (2:28)
   • King Jaguar crucifix cradle Ares (2:40)
3. rudos
   • Disturbio fireman’s carry powerbomb Black Tiger (3:45)
   • Ares reverse double armscsissors King Jaguar (4:56)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 11:20

Review: [ok] This was less boring than the recent matches between these two teams. They also had a better pace and came off as taking the stipulation seriously, but it took until the third fall until were doing much memorable. The dive sequence was cool, but there wasn’t much drama into the finish. Disturbio did OK, and I’m OK with not seeing much of Ares in a program.

Match 6: Black Tiger vs King Jaguar, mask vs hair
Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

Winner: Black Tiger (headscissors double armbar)
Match Time: 10:39
Notes: Black Tiger saved his mask.

Review: [ok] Didn’t work. They wanted this to come off as epic, with all the big moves they could do, and it just didn’t come off that way. Both guys wanted this to be good, but weren’t really served by having to wrestle for 11 minutes before it and having no particular issue; I’m not sure the crowd would’ve been more excited for Ares & Disturbio, it was a problem with the construction of the relevos suicidas match. Puebla guys in an apuesta is usually an easy sell, and instead there was noticeable silence (until the Spanish Fly, which probably should’ve been the finish) and slight whistling during the stretch. They did a little bit with King Jaguar going back to his rudo roots at the start of the match, but didn’t really follow it up and mostly went into standard big CMLL sequences with no real tecnico/rudo structure. Tiger being an obvious favorite also hurt the drama quite a bit. The end result was King Jaguar getting shaved and a big crowd coming in, so they achieved their goals, but it wasn’t successful as entertainment.

Match 7: Volador Jr. vs Último Guerrero

Arena Puebla, 07/25/2016

1. Volador backcracker (3:04)
2. Ultimo Guerrero Pulpo Guerrero (2:56)
3. DQ Volador [UG fake foul] (9:54)

Winner: Volador (1/3)
Match Time: 15:54
Notes: UG “accidentally” took out Tirantes, then faked a foul for a DQ. Volador challenged Ultimo Guerrero to a hair match, which UG of course refused.

Review: [great] maybe overrating this because I was so pleased to get a real match this late in the night. (This match didn’t start well after 11, and singles matches that late have usually been cut short.) Instead of a rushed eight minute spectacular, this was near the upper limits of a match we’d get between these two in this arena, with both guys going full speed for the occasion. They also mixed it up a little bit than usual; the checklist was checked off, but they changed the order and added a few surprises (Volador countering the super bomb on the first time, Volador’s springboard headscissors being turned into the superbomb later on) – this was not a match on autopilot at all. The finish was lame but expected lame, and at least a signal we’ve reached a point where Volador can’t be beat cleanly in these sort of matches. This was totally enjoyable.