CMLL on ClaroSports.com: 2017-02-24

Recapped: 02/24/2017

What happened: Cavernario & Volador Jr. won the Parejas Increible final. After the show, Volador again asked for a hair match. Accounting major Cavernario suggested it should take place on the Anniversary show.

Diamante Azul and Pierroth feuded heavily. After it appeared over, Rush hit Atlantis with a plastic carton. It may be a tease of them having a match, it may be Rush just being a jerk, and it’s possible it’s both.

What was good: So much. The main event is one you need to go out of your way to watch, and the first three matches were all good. The lightning match would’ve stood out more on another show. The Azul/Pierroth didn’t completely stuck.

Where can I watch it: It’s around somewhere.

Match 1: Robin & Star Jr. vs Cancerbero & Raziel
Arena México, 02/24/2017

1. rudos
   • Raziel nudo maldito Robin (4:03)
   • Cancerbero motocicleta Star Jr. (4:03)
2. técnicos
   • Star Jr. headscissors cradle Raziel (3:00)
   • Robin senton con giro Cancerbero (3:21)
3. rudos
   • Cancebrero nudo lagunero, Raizel flying legdrop Star Jr. (4:23)
   • Raziel monkey flip, Cancerbero bulldog Robin (4:55)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 12:19

Review: [good] a genuinely good opening match, I’m surprised too! There was some creativity, not just in the first fall finish, but the whole match didn’t feel like they were just doing the usual tracks. Star Jr. & Robin both looked good, with Star Jr. having some good moments and one nice save. It worked because the rudos were motivated to let them look good. Cancerbero & Raziel were moving well and breaking out more of their double teams this year. This was a fun match.

Match 2: Esfinge, Soberano Jr., Tritón vs Misterioso Jr., Bobby Villa, Sagrado
Arena México, 02/24/2017

1. técnicos
   • Soberano Jr. guillotine moonsault Bobby Villa (6:36)
2. rudos
   • Bobby Villa dropkick Soberano (4:55)
3. rudos
   • Misterioso reverse powerslam Esfinge (5:31)
   • Sagrado Buca Storm Triton (5:36)

Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 17:07

Review: [good] surprisingly enjoyable too, even with a rough end to the frist fall. People were nearly crashing into each other, Soberano clubbed Bobby in the head, the match could’ve fallen apart from there. It didn’t, the técnicos took a lot of the match and looked good. Soberano and Triton had great performance, going for huge spots after they had already done plenty. Bobby recovered from his near concussion to be a big part of the match, and the other rudos weren’t lazy at all. This one is probably going to look even better in highlights, but was still pretty watchable live.

Match 3: Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr. vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys
Arena México, 02/24/2017

1. tecnicos 
   • Drone corner handstand double knee smash Vangellys (5:39)
   • Guerrero Maya Dos Caras Clutch Terrible (5:39)
2. TGR
   • Terrible superplex Stuka (2:13)
3. TGR
   • Vangellys powerbomb Maya (7:05)
   • Terrible powerbomb Drone (7:05)
   • Rey Bucanero powerbomb Stuka (7:05)

Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 14:57

Review: [good] a lot of comedy early, but the comedy was good. A bit of iffiness later on with Drone, but they moved on pretty well. In between, this was another hard working performance. Terrible was all over the place, doing his best Virus impression against Guerrero Maya to start, and then meshing well with Drone and Stuka as the match went on. Bucanero bits with Stuka and Monito were good, and the triple tope spot with Maya clearing the barrier is always good. I’d say this is the weakest of there early matches but they were all about the same level.

Match 4: Ángel de Oro vs Dragón Rojo Jr. in a lightning match
Arena México, 02/24/2017

Winner: Angel de Oro (mecedora)
Match Time: 8:08

Review: [ok] This was alright, and maybe I’d think of it higher on a lighter show. They did a solid version of the usual match, an Angel de Oro trademark, but it lacked for excitement when the undercard was doing more than usual. Everything looked fine, they did a nice finish with Dragon Rojo missing the double stomp to leading into the mecedora, and this fits in around normal for lightning matches.

Match 5: Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone vs Pierroth, Rush, Yoshitatsu
Arena México, 02/24/2017

1. rudos
   • Pierroth middle rope elbow drop Diamante Azul (2:55)
2. rudos
   • DQ Diamante Azul [Pierroth unmasked] (4:34)

Winner: rudos (1/2)
Match Time: 7:29
Notes: Rudos attacked Diamante Azul as he walked out. After the match, with everyone else gone, Rush got a plastic drink holder thing from the crowd, and surprised Atlantis by smacking him in the back of the head.

Review: [ok] this wasn’t an embarrassment to lucha libre this week. What they lacked in skill, they tried to make up with energy and wildness. Pierroth’s offense still looks bad, but I guess it’s hard to see if you’re in the crowd. This was all about Diamante Azul being ticked off but not being able to get revenge on Pierroth for a few weeks, so I guess it was successful if it wasn’t any good. Rush going after Atlantis is a little interesting.

Match 6: Cavernario & Volador Jr. vs Último Guerrero & Valiente in a Parejas Increible final match
Arena México, 02/24/2017

1. Último Guerrero & Valiente
   • Valiente seated armbar Cavernario (4:08)
   • Valiente Indian Deathlock Último Guerero (4:25)
2. Volador Jr. & Cavernario
   • Cavernario senton Valiente (2:48)
   • Volador backcracker Último Guerrero (2:56)
3. Volador Jr. & Cavernario
   • Volador Spanish Fly Valiente (13:15)
   • Último Guerrero Spanish Fly Volador Jr. (13:34)
   • Cavernario cavernaria Último Guerrero (13:47)

Winner: Cavernario (2/3)
Match Time: 21:08
Notes: Valiente wore an outfit half red (matching Volador) and half blue with Último Guerreor’s mask. (This would’ve worked better if UG wore his blue outfit, but he wore a black and green one.) Valiente & UG worked as the rudo team.

Review: [excellent] This started off as a solid, good match, and just kept getting bigger and better as the match went on. They peaked it at the end, with the last five to ten minutes being outstanding. There were the usual ticks of Ultimo Guerrero and Volador singles matches, but the tag format picks up the pace and mixes up the action. A lot of this was the usual sets, but mixed and matched and timed well to keep the excitement going. Neither team felt like a regular unit, but there was no teases of splits, and winning this tournament was definitely the most important thing to everyone involved. Ultimo Guerrero out did his powerbomb with the deadlift suplex on Volador, really only using one man to lift a man all the way into the ring. Even the usual super quick finishes worked well here; you didn’t see Cavernario coming but it made sense because UG sat up right in position for it. There’s on really noticeable botch, Cavernario’s missile dropkick going badly wrong, but that’s not enough to downgrade what was a really outstanding performance the rest of the way.