CMLL on ClaroSports.com: 2016-12-16

Recapped: 12/16/2016

What happened: Carístico beat Último Guerrero, though by DQ, and UG agreed to a match next week. Just, only a one versus one match, with Carístico getting the mask/hair match only if he wins. Máximo came close to beating Mascara Año 2000 in straight falls, only for the new Dinamtias to all run in attack (which did give Máximo the straight fall win anyway.) The luchadoras mentioned the cage match roughly five billion times in a post match promo. It’s unclear if anyone else cares about either of those matches.

What was good: Main event and the second match were the best on the show.

Where can I watch it: I’ll have it up soon.

Match 1: Shockercito & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. técnicos
   • Stukita triple moonsault Pequeño Nitro (4:30)
   • Shockercito torito Mercurio (4:35)
2. rudos
   • Pequeño Nitro top rope splash Stukita (2:31)
   • Pequeño Nitro hammerlock backcracker Shockercito (2:49)
3. técnicos
   • Stukita torpedo splash Mercurio (6:24)
   • Shockercito reinera Pequeño Nitro (6:28)

Winner: técnicos (1/3)
Match Time: 13:52

Review: [ok] felt like this started out fun, and then got less so as they went along. The third fall felt like they were unloading everything could do to stretch for time; it peaks with the técnicos making the comeback, and just kept on going for a few more minutes. Mercurio was moving distractedly slow during most of the match, making it obviously that he was just cooperatively getting into position for moves, and went back to the lame biting to kill time. Nitro now is wrestling in a Mercurio outfit, and we could’ve stood to see more teamwork from them instead of the same individual spots we get normally. (And, more big picture, the minis should have tag titles instead of two singles titles, but that’s not happening.)

Match 2: Flyer, Soberano Jr., Star Jr. vs Misterioso Jr., Okumura, Sagrado
Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. técnicos
   • Okumura hanging DDT Star Jr. (4:37)
   • Misterioso reverse powerslam Flyer (4:55)
2. rudos
   • Star Jr. moonsault Okumura (3:10)
3. rudos
   • Flyer cradle Misterioso (&:28)
   • Okumura hanging DDT Flyer (7:52)
   • Sagrado Storm on Soberano (8:23)

Winner: rudos (2/1)
Match Time: 16:28
Notes: Soberano needed medical help after the finish, but appeared to take the move no worse than usual and there was no reported injury.

Review: [good] Not a match I totally loved, with a ragged flow and some iffy moments, but the amount of spectacular spots made it worth watching. The tornillos and the triple dive all looked good, though the best moment was Soberano’s walk rope headscissors to the floor. Misterioso & Sagrado did well, and Okumura got a lot of pinfalls, I guess. Flyer looked more solid than he had in previous matches on this level with no major errors, though Star & Soberano still outshined them. The ending was fairly obvious once it got down to Soberano and Sagrado, and all the veteran wins would be tolerable if there was any hint they might be going somewhere. This didn’t totally work, but it was interesting most of the time.

Match 3: Estrellita, La Jarochita, La Vaquerita vs La Metálica, Amapola, Zeuxis
Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. tecnicas
   • La Jarochita Indian Deathlock Metalica (4:34)
   • Vaquerita middle rope elbow drop Zeuxis (4:51)
2. rudas
   • Metálica top rope senton con giro Jarochita (2:43)
   • Zeuxis double knee smash (3:03)
3. rudas
   • Amapola Devil’s Wings Estrellita (3:14)

Winner: rudas (2/3)
Match Time: 11:08
Notes: Amapola replaced Tiffany and taunted the tecnicas after the win.

Review: [ok] a slow and not very interesting match early on, with nothing challenging by the luchadoras to compensate for the pace. They picked up speed in the third fall, though the exchange of dropkicks sequence they did had most of them coming very close to whiffing. Zeuxis is still the best, but didn’t get as much to do here. I don’t know what Vaquerita was doing on her dive, and Metálica seemed to struggle more int his match than any other one before. It wasn’t as bad as with some other women, but they didn’t aim very high either.

Match 4: Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Stuka Jr. vs La Máscara, Pierroth, Rush

Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. Ingobernables
   • Pierorth elbow drop Stuka Jr. (3:03)
   • Rush corner dropkick Marco Corleone (3:24)
2. técnicos
   • Aero Italiano on all three rudos (2:13)
3. Ingobernables
   • Rush corner dropkick Atlantis (5:11)
   • La Mascara corner double knees (5:11)

Winner: Los Ingoerbnables (1/3)
Match Time: 10:48
Notes: Los Ingobernables took falls 2

Review: [ok] Came off like a very routine match, with the técnicos getting into their normal spots an the rudos not doing as much. Pierroth is Pierroth, but it was more Rush and La Mascara not looking really energized and just going thru the motions. They were in the right place for the técnicos to make them look good, but weren’t doing a while on their own, and the combination didn’t lead to to anything interesting. A fine match for the crowd but missing something on video.

Match 5: Máximo Sexy vs Máscara Año 2000
Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. Máximo cradle with ropes (3:57)
2. DQ Mascara Año 2000 (Dinamtias run-in) (3:25)

Winner: técnicos (1/2)
Match Time: 7:22
Notes: Máximo was on his way to winning when the Nuevo Generacion Dinamita trio ran in and attacked. They drew the DQ, then threw Edgar out for calling it. All four (Mascara too) stomped Máximo inside, paused to let Mascara taunt Máximo, then stomped him more outside. This went on for a while.

Review: [below average] The match wasn’t much at all, and really ended up as angle to make Máximo more sympathetic and more vulnerable going into the match. It may convince people that he’s in danger, but the match itself was convincing in that the singles match won’t be much good. Máximo pretty much stuck to the exotico character in the first fall, as if doing any more than trying to kiss Mascara would be asking the old rudo to do more than he could. It ended up making Máximo look a lot more limited, when the issue was more than other guy; if the idea was to get Máximo over by getting this win over a legend, it’s not working so far. The first fall finish looked botched; they wanted the roll up close enough to the ropes for Máximo to grab on, but they both ended up far into the ropes and Edgar had to just ignore it. It was a bit more active in the second fall, but it was still not that interesting. The hair match will likely be better, but it’d have to be many times better just to be good and there wasn’t even a hint of how they’d make it work in this one.

Match 6: Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero

Arena México, 12/16/2016

1. Guerreros
   • Gran Guerrero pin Volador (2:13)
   • Euforia crucifix cradle Valiente (2:13)
2. técnicos
   • Volador top rope headscissors Euforia (1:43)
   • Valiente Buster on Gran Guerrero (1:43)
3. técnicos
   • DQ Último Guerrero [Carístico mask pull] (7:47)

Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 11:43
Notes: Carístico, wearing a more-Mistico like mask after his was ripped off, again demanded a mask vs hair match. UG refused, but instead offered a 1v1 where Carístico would get the match he wanted if he wins.

Review: [good] A better version of the fourth match; there was a lot of usual stuff with Volador & Valiente, but they looked really good doing it, and this had the advantage of the Carístico/UG feud. They took it pretty seriously, and built to the big (if underwhelming finish.) UG worked well in this one, though the slip spot was weird – I’m used to seeing Carístico have errors, but that was really UG pulling him off. It was strange because it seemed to throw Carístico off on when to set up his dive following that. The finish is surprising, because we can’t actually be getting that hair match, but that means UG has to win next week and Carístico never really gets the best of him. CMLL hasn’t positioned Carístico as a big deal, so that is actually possible, but they could’ve at least given him win via Mistica here first.