CMLL Puebla: 2016-12-26 

Recapped: 12/27/2016

What happened: Dalys defeated Marcela (again) to keep CMLL Women’s Championship. Mascara beat Volador to set up his own title match next week.

What was good: The women’s title match was the best match on the show, though found plenty of flaws.

Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s channel and matches will air on 52MX in a couple weekends.

Match 1: Asturiano & París vs El Malayo & Espíritu Maligno
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. rudos
   • Espíritu Maligno alejandrina Asturiano (6:07)
   • Malayo nudo Paris (6:28)
2. técnicos
   • Asturiano huracanrana Malayo (2:43)
   • Paris springboard quebrada Espíritu Maligno (2:48)
3. rudos
   • Asturiano pin Espíritu Maligno (1:36)
   • Malayo pin Paris (1:36)
   • Malayo Virus (2:23)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 11:39
Review: [below average] sloppy and slow match, and my patience is probably less than it was for these things even a month or so ago. Asutriano looked good, when Malayo wasn’t taking a half hour to go over for his headscissors. Malayo took just as long putting on his own hold The rudos had fancy submissions but were blowing spots, and some of the stuff they were doing didn’t look good. Paris & Espíritu Maligno running into each other at a slow speed to get pinned was terrible. This was low quality.

Match 2: Lestat, Rey Samuray, Robin vs Apocalipsis, Disturbio, Policeman
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. rudos
   • Apocalipsis senton con giro Robin (8:07)
   • Policeman splash Rey Samuray (8:28)
2. técnicos
   • Rey Samuray rope flip moonsault Apocalipsis (3:46)
   • Lestat senton con giro Policeman (3:46)
3. rudos
   • Apocalipsis octopus Lestat (5:54)
   • Rey Samuray back heel trip cradle Apocalipsis (6:10)
   • Disturbio headstand cloverleaf Robin (6:57)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 19:11

Review: [ok] better than the opener if unmemorable. Rey Apocalipsis’ springboard armdrags spots into the ring were good, but he gave Apocalipsis a hard knee to the face on his attempt at a rope flip moonsault. Apocalipsis is slow and I wonder why CMLL doesn’t have a trainee better than him, but then we’ve seen some of the recent trainees.

Match 3: Dalys © vs Marcela for the CMLL World Women’s Championship
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. Marcela tapatia (4:39)
2. Dalys spinning slam (3:46)
3. Dalys double wristlock sunset flip (8:14)

Winner: Dalys (2/3)
Match Time: 16:39
Notes: Seconds are Negro Casas & Dalys

Review: [good] the best at building drama of the night, with some good sections, even if I also found flaws. I feel like I may be grading on a CMLL stream curve; I enjoyed this match, but I thought more about the problems with it than why I liked it. Marcela’s not only slowed down, but she used very few of her power moves this match, and somehow got out dropkicked by Marcela. Daly’s big running jumping knee smash is dramatic, but it doesn’t seem like she’s doing anything. She’s just pressing he shins into someone’s back, not the most devastating attack. There also was a really clunky portion of the third fall, where Dalys seemed to be confused as what they were doing, Marcela was visibly directing her, and they still couldn’t find a way to make it look smooth. They seemed to get back on track after the dive, though there was a pretty double clothesline spot late and time stood still as they struggled with the closing cradle.

Match 4: Drone, Pegasso, Stigma vs Okumura, Sagrado, Skándalo
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. rudos
   • Okumura hanging DDT Pegasso (3:29)
   • Sagrado Michinoku Driver Drone (3:39)
2. técnicos
   • Pegasso headscissors inside cradle Okumura (3:08)
3. técnicos
   • Pegasso & Sagrado double pin (4:13)
   • Stigma Stigmatica Skandalo (5:00)

Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 11:47

Review: [ok] More professional than the earlier matches, though not too much more exciting. Drone is now being positioned no better than he was as Hombre Bala; they cooled on him quick. It’s too bad, because he still showed the most life in this match even while getting the least to do of the técnicos. Stigma chased Skandao around all match; the records say they’ve only face 10 times in Puebla this year, but it feel like much more. Pegasso’s dive looked nice, and Sagrado was great at catching people.

Match 5: Atlantis, Johnny Idol, Stuka Jr. vs Felino, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. rudos
   • Gran Guerrero fireman’s carry into the corner Johnny Idol (3:30)
   • Negro Casas scorpion Atlantis (3:55)
2. técnicos
   • Atlantida on Negro Casas (1:55)
3. rudos
   • Negro Casas STF Johnny Idol (4:24)
   • Gran Guerrero pulpo Guerrero Stuka Jr. (4:24)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 10:!4
Notes: Gran Guerrero is a Mr. Niebla replacement.

Review: [ok] Has Felino had a good match while wearing the Santa jacket? He’s not having many good matches without it, but holiday time is not good match time with him. First two falls were very skippable, then Stuka & Casas went twice as fast as anyone on this show this point to start the third fall and it picked up from there. The Atlantis quebradora run remains fun and this was a good match.

Match 6: La Máscara, Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Volador Jr. in a relevos increíbles match
Arena Puebla, 12/26/2016
Video: VideosOficialesCMLL

1. Team La Mascara
   • La Mascara running double knee smash Volador (2:42)
2. Team La Mascara
   • La Mascara backcracker Volador (3:05)

Winner: Team La Mascara (1/2)
Match Time: 5:47
Notes: Mascara tackled Volador on the ramp to start the fight. Mascara challenged Volador to a title match after the clean win.

Review: [OK] they set up ext week’s match with all the right beats: Mascara won clean, won with Volador’s own move, and only after they fought strongly during the match. There just wasn’t really much match here, and I’m giving a lot of credit to them setting up next week well, because this week got no favors. Máximo didn’t seem to be taking this match all that seriously, and that seemed about right.