Day: October 17, 2016

Recapped: 09/23/2016

What happened: Rush beat Matt Taven in Taven’s tour ending match. Barbaro Cavernario & Volador advanced to the Reyes del Aire final.

What was good: The Reyes del Aire was a lot of fun and Rush/Taven is good too.

This is another where I was there live and already reviewed the show in other formats. Maybe I should’ve written down my notes for this recap then, but I didn’t think about it.

Where can I watch it: It’s on my channel, via magic.

Match 1: Oro Jr. & Star Jr. vs Cancerbero & Raziel
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: thecubsfan

1. rudos
   • Raziel reverse campana Oro Jr. (7:12)
   • Cancerbero motocicleta Star Jr. (7:36)
2. técnicos
   • DQ Cancerbero [Star Jr. mask pull] (1:05)
3. rudos
   • double submission (3:59)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 12:40
Notes: Star Jr.’s mask comes off while Cancerbero gave him an inverted crucifix powerbomb. It came off after Star Jr. hit the mat, it wasn’t pulled off. Still, on TV, it feels like one of the Cancerberos trademark fake accidental mask removals.

Review: [below average] The usual stubborn performance by Raziel & Cancerbero against the rookies, where they take most of the match and an accidental mask pull means the técnicos don’t get a comeback and offense until very late. The técnicos didn’t have a good match but weren’t getting much help. There’s a springboard spot by Oro Jr. which looked not good live and doesn’t look much better here, but it’s clear it was Cancerbero unwilling to go along with the move. At least their double teams were nice.

Match 2: Fuego, Pegasso, Soberano Jr. vs Puma, Tiger, Virus
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: thecubsfan

1. rudos
   • Virus half crab armbar Fuego (7:49)
2. tecnicos
   • Pegasso torito Puma (3:27)
   • Soberano guillotone moonsault Tiger (3:45)
3. rudos
   • Puma & Tiger mouse trap Soberano (4:38)
   • Tiger backcracker & Puma middle rope double stomp Pegasso (5:42)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 17:16

Review: [OK] better than the last match, and really good in stretches, just with some oddness and obvious being held back by being in the second match. Puma & Tiger were rolling on the double teams, but it went a lot smoother with Pegasso than Soberano for whatever reason. Soberano’s moonsaults looked nice anyway. Virus and Fuego had good exchanges but (as a result of those double teams) really disappeared down the stretch.

Match 3: Ángel de Oro, Johnny Idol, Titán vs Bobby Z, Ephesto, Hechicero
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: thecubsfan

1. rudos
   • Ephesto shoulderbreaker Johnny Idol (4:27)
   • Bobby Z dropkick Titan (5:22)
2. técnicos
   • Angel de Oro Skayde Special Bobby Z (4:16)
   • Titan El Inmortal Hechicero (4:18)
3. técnicos
   • DQ Ephesto [foul to Johnny Idol] (7:00)

Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 16:40

Review: [good] The (apparently) short lived Johnny Idol/Ephesto feud! It’s been a long time since the hat has been that random, but I get the feeling CMLL believes Idol is Corazon de Leon 2016 and they’re doing things to make him seem sympathetic. It’s a very slight feud, a little bit early which doesn’t stick until you look for it and the ending late, and then doesn’t seem to go anywhere after this. Surrounding it is a very exciting well worked match, with Titan and Hechicero stealing the show. Hechicero is the best assistman in the promotion, setting up his teammates all the time while also getting in his own shots. Angel de Oro looked smooth. Bobby Z needs a second offense move desperately, but at least he makes a lot of his move.

A Paralympic wrestling gold medalist is honored between matches.

Match 4: Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Stuka Jr. vs Shocker, Terrible, Último Guerrero
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: thecubsfan

1. técnicos
   • Shocker elbow drop Marco Corleone (3:38)
   • Ultimo Guerrero Pulpo Guerrero Stuka Jr. (3:54)
2. rudos
   • Marco Corleone Aero Italia Ultimo Guerrero & Terrible (2:13)
3. rudos
   • Ultimo Guerrero inside cradle Atlantis (4:28)
   • Shocker pin Stuka Jr. (4:33)

Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 10:40

Review: [ok] Normally, when I mention something seemed like a much better match in the building, I’m guessing based on the crowd reaction. This time, I was there, this was much better in the building. It’s a predictable ordinary comfortable match between these teams that came off professional but unmemorable on TV, and it was a fun time live. I can’t recommend it because you can’t travel back in time, but it’s a reminder that sometimes the simple stuff works well too. The finish, with the rudos just suddenly win off simple pins, was the exception. The rudo fans were happy about it, but it came off abrupt on any method of viewing.

Match 5: Rush vs Matt Taven
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: Noyolo, thecubsfan

1. Matt Taven springboard kick (2:03)
2. Rush corner dropkick (3:38)
3. Rush Driver (4:40)

Winner: Rush (2/3)
Match Time: 10:21

Review: [great] This did also come across as more live, and felt a lot longer/deeper in person. It’s still a pretty good TV blowoff match, with Rush selling big for Taven’s moves, Taven looking impressive, and Rush nearly killing him on the bad dive catch before actually finishing him off with the Rush Driver. Neither man was really all that strong a técnico or rudo in this match, they just had a fight with Rush being his usual arrogant self. (The pose on the announce desk for no reason was pretty great.) I’m not sure I ever thought Taven was going to win, and it could’ve used more drama before the end, but it was still plenty entertaining.

Match 6: Bárbaro Cavernario & Volador Jr. vs Negro Casas, Mistico, La Máscara, Dragón Lee, Máximo Sexy, Mephisto, Valiente, Euforia,Máscara Dorada, Dragón Rojo Jr. in a CMLL’s Reyes del Aire Tournament match
Arena México, 09/23/2016
Video: , thecubsfan

1. Valiente Buster on Dragon Rojo (5:36)
2. DQ La Mascara [unmasking Dragon Lee] (7:32)
3. Negro Casas casita Mascara Dorada (8:39)
4. Euforica Special on Valiente (9:01)
5. Mephisto Devil’s Wings on Máximo (10:03)
6. Dragon Lee double stomp (12:21)
7. Cavernario cavernaaria Dragon Lee (12:48)
8. La Mistica on Euforia (14:10)
9. Barbaro Cavernario springboard pump splash Mistico (14:43)
10. Volador pin Mephisto (24:16)

Winner: Volador & Barbaro Cavernario
Match Time: 24:16

Review: [great] an amazing high spot fest and a high rate of action, especially in the first half of this match. There were so amazing spots that I lost track of them all. Volador stood out as a superhero at the end, but it felt like all the tecnicos got in great moments and they even fit some story in there with Mascara & Dragon Lee.

This was easily better the Taven/Rush, but the three way section pinfall breakup really annoyed me. I complain about it every time, but it’s a point where the last thing you want to do is break up pins, and they build the whole thing around breaking up pins. Even without that part of the match felt overly long, and like they were stretching it out to fit in a lot of ideas. The ending came off as cold and would’ve under any circumstance, but waiting so long to get there didn’t help.

This one worked better live too. TV is really good at following the one on one action, but it felt like they were missing during the multimans early. The big four way dive spot looked very good on TV, but was absolutely incredible live (plus had another dive they missed – poor Máximo got missed twice!) and the production just couldn’t keep out. The announcers weren’t any better at getting across the idea of the final two advancing to next than they were at getting across the idea live.