2019 watch later catch up, part 1 of ∞

Flamita vs Rey Horuz
(Mexa Wrestling @ Arena San Juan Pantitlan on 01/01, 14:31, good,Carxyus Pro)

Rey Horuz/Flamita had some really nice DDT bumps if you like people take fancy DDTs. This might be the extent of nice things I can say about this match. Nothing went wrong in the execution of the moves and there were moves, but the pace of the match was slow and there was no flow at all to the action. This is less the indie dream match style and more like “the beatdown by working years of CMLL midcard” style. I’ve switched it back between OK & good at least three times.

Carístico, Dragón Bane, Templario vs Aramis, Arkángel Divino, Toxin
(Mexa Wrestling @ Arena San Juan Pantitlan on 01/01, 13:27, ok, Carxyus Pro.)

This was really the opposite. They wanted this match to be good and had planned out a lot, but things big and small were falling apart. The opening minutes have Carístico trying a handspring and landing on his behind hilariously. The closing minutes have Dragon Bane and Arkangel Divino trying an ambitious step up reverse rana on the apron and only really coming close to disaster. There are good exchanges and an idea to build to at the end (Arkangel’s super Mistica versus the guy who started the move) but the execution is lacking at times. There’s enough here to make a better highlight video than other match but it didn’t go so well. Templario was underutilized and really needed to be on the other team to base for some of this, or maybe everyone needed to fail a bit so they could learn from the experience.

Aramis, Imposible, Rokambole Jr., Villano V Jr. vs Capo del Norte, Capo del Sur, Dragón Bane, Hijo de Canis Lupus
(IWRG @ Arena Naucalpan on 01/06, 17:17, good,+LuchaTV)

A good out of control IWRG brawl. The Villanos and the Capos don’t really add a whole lot to this, though they don’t get in the way either. Canis Lupus bleeds a tremendous amount, which comes out of nowhere in the second half of the match. It looks like he takes some Imposible chairs hots and blades but he’s not seen from the front for a while and then they suddenly show him covered in blood. It’s quite a sight. Dragon Bane & Aramis steal the show with a hilarious chase thru the bleachers and a big fall and a plancha to get of it. There’s one spot that requires a second try in the ring, but most of their action goes well and they’re the best part of this match easy. Everyone’s game in this match and it finishes surprising well for an IWRG match.

Angelikal, Hijo Del Vikingo, Niño Hamburguesa vs La Chiva, Tiger Boy, Villano III Jr.
(Sanchez @ Arena Neza on 01/06, 21:40, good,Estrellas del Ring)

This vague crew of people are having more entertaining AAA house shows matches than the past; the two Jinetes, V3 and Chicano had a fun match late last year too. This one is more brawling than that, with it splitting over the barrier earlier on. The small loud Arena Neza crowd gets into it and shrieks loudly when the técnicos get in their big moves. There’s a lot of those, with Vikingo especially taking it to a spectacular level in his third fall run. Villano III Jr. works with him a bunch and does well at it, as he does in the beatdown. V3 Jr. is as good or better as he is on AAA TV, and as good as some of the other guys being brought up as the next guys to break out in the US. I’m not sure if he’s flashy enough to stand out. I’m sure he would be a valuable part of an ensemble.

Penta 0M & Rey Fénix vs Cibernético & Rush and Hijo de LA Park & LA Park
(The Crash CDMX? @ Centro de Alto Rendimento The Crash on 01/27, 15:10, good,Estrellas del Ring)

A wild match with strong effort for a heavily attended but smaller show. It loses a little bit when they try to settle it down to a normal match for a bit near the end, and LA Park & Rush make the rest of the match disappear for two minutes at the end while they go thru all their ref shenanigans. That was the matchup the people wanted to see, so I guess it’s more strange than bad. Most of these people have worked so much with each other the last couple of years that they can get to the big moments pretty easily. Ciber is a little bit slow out and out of place, but he still takes the Fenix double stomp to the back like a champ. This seems good on video and probably was more fun live.

Dragón Lee & Golden Magic vs Fénix & Flamita
(Sanchez/Invasion Indy @ Arena Neza on 01/27, 9:32, great,+LuchaTV)

This doesn’t go long, so they go full speed from the start. There’s a strong intensity to the match, with everyone trying to outdo each other. They even eventually settle into some level of teamwork, instead of just coming off like a four way match earlier. Dragon Lee & Fenix have an exchange that desperately wants to see one singles match between them before they go different ways, and the Fenix & Flamita team is exceptional good for two guys who haven’t teamed much (and haven’t always been close friends.) I liked this a lot.