2018 watch later catch up, part 6 of ∞

Recapped: 05/17-18/2018

Chef Benito vs Power Bull
(IWRG @ Arena Naucalpan on 3/14, 7:54, ok, via thecubsfan)

Someday, someone will ask me “Did you watch any of the short lived chef character in IWRG?” and I will now be able to prove I did. Power Bull has been around IWRG trainee shows forever at this point, and works with Benito to find a few things he can do well. I do not know if Benito was wrestling under another gimmick before this weird one, but they put together a match better than you’d expect for a rookie, building around a couple spots he can do and the punishment he’s willing to take. Benito can do a backcracker, he can take a powerbomb onto a barricade, all the IWRG essentials. He doesn’t do enough Chef spots for my liking but he’s fine here.

Tiago vs Látigo vs Astrolux vs Rayo Star vs Torito Negro  for The Crash JUNIOR championship
(The Crash @ Auditorio de Tijuana on 03/17, 8:17, good, via MegaKakashi619)

It’s been a moment since I’ve watched a The Crash show on video. This renewed my frustrations of watching a spot fest with two heads blocking out the screen while a ringside camera taped a version of the match that will never be seen or, worse yet, will only be seen years after everyone’s moved on. The match itself as a good spot fest though it never seems to develop a lot more beyond just every big spot and it’s tough to tell the success rate when some of the moves are just noise. Crowd was well into the match despite not having a Tijuana local involved, and received the surprise winner well. This is an all highlight match, so you can probably get just as much from the cutdown versions at better angles.

El Bandido & Flamita vs Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs Aeroboy & Séptimo Dragón [The Crash TAG]
(The Crash @ Auditorio de Tijuana on 03/17, 11:04, good, via MegaKakashi619)

A good exhibition match, especially showing off the Xavier/Wentz and Flamita/Bandido teams. The three way nature prevents it from building all that much. Everyone gets a turn on offense, there are dives, and there are pinfall breakups, but there’s also probably a better match with just two teams. This wasn’t as frantic as the other Crash match, and probably needs to be seen in full to be appreciated. It’s too bad that’s not an option. Xavier & Wentz did enough here to impress and you’d probably be better off watching them against Flamita/Bandido from elsewhere.

Atomic Star, Metaleón, Rafy vs Fly Star, Fulgor I, Fulgor II
(MexaWrestling @ Arena San Juan Pantitlan on 03/24, 20:09, good, via Carxyus)

A usual super indie brawl, in that it looked a lot of fun in the building and hard to follow on video. The two sides meshed well, and Atomic Star gave the most to this match – both in blood and balcony dives – but no one stood out too much above each other. The twist about which match they were building up to at the end was well done.

Aramis vs Toxin vs Moria vs Séptimo Dragón vs Látigo winner gets a shot at the The Crash Junior championship
(MexaWrestling @ Arena San Juan Pantitlan on 03/24, 14:19, good, via Carxyus)

A fast moving five way match, almost exclusively staying as with a multiman structure (1 vs 1, with people being bounced in and out) and a lot of action. It wasn’t all clean, and it got a little too sloppy for me in the middle, but they were plenty of moments to make a highlight reel. Moria looked pretty good outside his DTU environment but was clearly the least over of the group. Aramis had the best match and was the crowd favorite. Septimo Dragon did a lot of head drops and I liked him more than usual

Eterno & Ricky Marvin vs Belial & Impulso vs Astrolux & Freelance
(MexaWrestling @ Arena San Juan Pantitlan on 03/24, 12:22, Arena San Juan Pantitlan, great, via carxyus)

Easily the best of the three Mexa Wrestling matches on this show for me. It’s got the same level action as the other two – in fact, it’s a little numbing to watch all three together because it’s such similar action – but it’s a cleaner execution. The tag team format does give it a little bit different feel, even if it’s still mostly big moves and pinfall breakups. Belial & Impulso come off as the most coordinated team, with a few good team spots and sequences. It seems really easy for everyone to do spectacular stuff with and to Astrolux. Ricky Marvin has his monster moments, destroying people leading to the finish, and this fits well with his strong 2018. And Freelance steals the show at times with his flying. This doesn’t come off as a deeply meaningful match but it’s a well done one.