Recapped: 1/11/2019
Matches:
Cancerbero, Disturbio, Raziel beat Robin, Star Jr., Súper Astro Jr.
(14:14 [6:16, 3:39, 4:19], 1/3, ok, 00:05:20)
Drone, Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr. beat Kawato, Sagrado, Tiger
(13:18 [4:10, 3:24, 5:44], 1/3, ok, 00:25:30)
Pólvora beat Felino in a lightning match
(5:32, DQ for mask pull, below average, 00:48:51)
Máscara Año 2000, Rey Bucanero, Shocker beat Blue Panther, Rey Cometa, Tritón
(11:31 [4:41, 2:14, 4:36], 1/3, ok, 00:59:11)
Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto beat Kráneo, Stuka Jr., Volcano
(14:55 [5:38, 2:31, 6:46], 1/3, ok, 01:23:02)
Euforia, Niebla Roja, Valiente beat La Bestia Del Ring, Rush, Villano IV in a relevos increíbles match
(9:27 [2:09, 7:18], 1/2 DQ, ok, 01:47:21)
What happened:
Rush ripped off Euforia’s mask and punched Edgar for the second fall disqualification. Euforia demanded a singles match and Rush rudely accepted.
They played off the mask pull finish of the lightning match as if it was an accidental finish, but it was clearly the planned ending to get them out of there. Felino couldn’t have tried harder to pull the mask.
The stream was down to start the show, but it appeared they picked it up just after the whistle of the first match.
Thoughts:
The only match that had a lot of life to it was the main event. Rush seemed charged up, which made significantly more sense when the finish turned out to be building a singles match with him and Euforia. Villano IV had a good brawling night, with clotheslines that appear to be taking people’s heads off. Bestia del Ring is so not good, but the rudos did give an overall atmosphere of chaos and destruction. You could feel something watching it, which couldn’t be said for much else here.
The semi-main was a generic Kraneo/Volcano showcase, only they got in their big spots in the second fall instead of winning the whole thing. Volcano as big dumb guy has not turned out as endearing as I think they would’ve hoped. Maybe he needs to be dumber? Maybe I’m just stretching for anything to talk about.
Around the fourth match, I half gave up on the show and started watching NJPW backstage promos at the same time. What I saw of this match didn’t seem as bad as it could be – Shocker and Rey Bucanero were willing to take a headscissors or too. Still, the técnicos kept it easy and the rudos can’t help but do the same. This match could’ve used done of Blue Panther’s weird match layouts just to have a reason to exist, but those don’t seem to happen on Fridays (when they happen at all.) I guess it did have one weird match twist, with the match just coming to a very sudden stop.
The lightning match was exceedingly boring with a DQ finish. It was unclear who would want to see this and neither man wanted to participate in it. They did more than nothing, but they tried to get as close to nothing before the DQ spot.
The second was a professional match, though one which could’ve used a bit more excitement. I think I’ve just been used to these guys being treated like they don’t matter that it’s tough invest a lot of interest in them even in a solid match like this. Kawato didn’t show the same aggression as in the last match, though he felt some. Maya seemed to be fighting angrily and Drone booted Kawato right in the face to break up the pin. The dives and long finishing sequence made this feel like more of an important match than usual in the second spot. I can’t call it good, I’m not sure I’ll remember it hours from now, but it seemed like it’d be the best thing on this show.
The opener featured three very similar técnicos trapped in the early matches. Super Astro Jr. is still quite a bit just doing a homage to his father, but those moves are good enough to make him the most impressive of those three. Star Jr. and definitely Robin have had better matches; not that anything went wrong, but they didn’t impress. Rudos were about as ungiving as ever.
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