2017 watch later catch up, part 3 of ∞

More reviews of selection matches not on my usual TV recap list.

Rush vs LA Park (BARACAL at Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera, Ciudad de México on 03/11/2017, via +LuchaTV, 22:46, GREAT): Another fun Park/Rush brawl, both great at beating each other up and willing to take punishment and bump big for the other. It never got quite to the anything could happen place of last year, but it was still worthwhile in watching their own. The two own the crowd as well as anyone. Park got beat up for about eight minutes, but they didn’t lose the fans and they were fired up when he fired up and fought back. The spear near fall looked awesome, and a lot of stuff looked good, though there was more messy than the other stuff. I’m willing to forgive messy more in a brawl like this. A DQ finish for a mask pull in a match which featured full boxes of bottles of beers being thrown and the referee being punched in the face is a little bit weak, but it’s about normal for LA Park.

Juventud Guerrera vs Arez vs Rico Rodríguez © vs Laredo Kid for the win the Llaves y Candados Cruisereweight Championship
(Llaves y Candados at Arena Coliseo Monterrey on 04/09/2017, via LlavesyCandados, 9:28, GOOD) – a fun four way exhibition match, with everyone having moments and maybe suffering for everyone having their moments. There’s not much more to it than everyone cycling thru to take their turns for moves. It definite puts everyone as equals, which is probably as best Rico can ask for if he’s going to lose his title here, but I kind of wanted more of Laredo being awesome and there wasn’t really a stretch where anyone could take over for much. They all looked good and it was entertaining while it lasted.

Daga & Rey Fénix (US) vs Sammy Guevara & Último Ninja (LyC in Arena Coliseo Monterrey on 04/09/2017, via LlavesyCandados, 16:26, GREAT) – a total fireworks show for 16 minutes. It was limited only by not giving the crowd a clear rooting interesting, so they were only ooohing and aahing to the big spots but not really invested in either side winning. This felt like the most complete Guevera match I’ve seen of him, coming across as more consistent than usual and an equal to Fenix – when Sammy almost had him beat, it felt like it something was happening. Fenix & Daga were surprisingly efficient as a team, though this leaned more heavily to a long string of one on one matches with the other guys wiping out. They could’ve changed the other or dropped some things, the seemingly obligatory Canadian Destroyer spot is treated as a big moment but the match just goes on, but the quality of the moves was really high. Definitely worth checking out.

It takes 10:42 for them to get to the match here – some of that is a Santo promo to sell that upcoming show, but there’s a lot of introductory video packages that don’t add anything. All the LyC videos are still being produced like it’s a TV show and not YouTube, which feels like not understanding the format. You don’t have to sell people on the concept for three minutes when they click on a YouTube link, they’ve already gone out of their way to find you, they’re there. You do have to get it to quick, people are going to drop off quick if you don’t give them something to watch.

Garza Jr., Penta El Zero M, Rey Mysterio Jr. vs Bestia 666, Damián 666, Nicho el Millionario (LyC & Arena Coliseo Monterrey in 04/09/2017, via LlavesyCandados, 16:45, OK): crowd really dug it, but it went too long for me and was just kind of the Tuesday touring trios match going off the novelty of seeing these guys together in this environment. Standard técnico showcase (most with Bestia, since he’s the only rudo who could move), rudos bringing in weapons, and the técnicos hitting all their trademark spots. Monterrey still hates Garza. Mysterio’s black and gold Rebellion gear did look cool. The reactions may make this more watchable than I’m giving credit here.

Diablo Jr. vs Black Dragón (IWRG at Arena Naucalpan on 03/22/2017, via thecubsfan, 5:08, OK): a shortage CMLL lightning style match, which is decent when it starts but hard to recommend when they so obviously get lost and started restarting spots two minutes in. Diablo Jr. is more experienced and it’s hard not see it. Black Dragon isn’t bad either, this is just not his strongest match. In pure AYM form, the names of the announcers are displayed on screen but the luchadors are not similarly identified.

Pantera vs Demonio Infernal (IWRG at Arena Naucalpan on 03/22/2017, via +LuchaTV , 6:09, BELOW AVERAGE): Pantera takes most of the match, Demonio Infernal bleeds, Pantera dropkicks the referee and immediately submits Infernal, but loses on the ref attack DQ. This was useless, a bad choice to watch, and missing the point of having youngsters work with veterans. Demonio Infernral looked bad until the post match brawl, which should’ve been the match. This set up a title match that the crowd audibly didn’t want to see after this match. That title match sounds like it went better, but it’s probably not worth the time investment. This one definitely wasn’t.