June 1, 2019 – luchablog

CMLL (FRI) 05/31/2019 Arena México [+LuchaTV, CMLL, ESTO, Lucha Central, Marca (main), Marca (retirement), Marca (tag), Marca (women), MedioTiempo (retirement), MedioTiempo (women), Notimex, thecubsfan]
Juicio Final, 2019
1) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Rey Cometa b Disturbio, Kawato, Misterioso Jr.
9:25. Tecnicos won in straight falls, the last when Kawato took Black Panther’s mask.
2) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. b Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
12:19. Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Virus b Metálico [career]
20:25. Virus submitted Metalico to a motocicleta to end his carer.
4) Amapola b Kaho Kobayashi [hair]
9:58. Amapola took falls 1/3, and won via Devil’s Wings.
5) Euforia & Gran Guerrero b Diamante Azul & Valiente © [CMLL TAG]
13:24. Guerreros won the title by taking falls 2/3. Azul & Valiente fall on their 3rd defense
6) Carístico, Místico, Volador Jr. b Bárbaro Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
7:06. Tecnicos took 2/3.
7) Último Guerrero b Máscara Año 2000 [hair]
10:05. Ultimo Guerrero took falls 2/3, the last when an attempt by all the Dinamitas to distract the referee from a low blow spot was blocked by UG, who cradled Mascara for the win.

CMLL promos: Mascara 2000, Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia & Gran Guerrero, Amapola, Kaho Kobayashi, Metalico, and Virus.

Metalico is very emotional about the end of his career.

Post-show interviews: Amapola (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Kaho Kobayashi (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Euforia (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Metalico (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Virus (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Mascara 2000 (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores) and Ultimo Guerrero (+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores)

This show was very good. I was wrong about a lot in the preview, but my biggest mistake was thinking like a US wrestling fan and not like the people who go to Arena Mexico. The CMLL fans haven’t been jaded by decades of promotions ignoring stipulations. A match like Metalico versus Virus with their careers on the line probably wouldn’t have gotten over in the US, because they’re guys who haven’t really been pushed in years and retirement stipulations are meaningless in the US. It meant everything in this match and these fans desperately cared about both men fighting to stay alive. Virus hasn’t really been given anything to do in CMLL in years and these fans were still chanting loudly for him to keep going. It was the same with the two hair matches, especially the women’s match. Amapola & Kaho aren’t treated like huge stars, but a hair match is a huge deal and every near fall became a big moment. Metalico & Virus would’ve been a good match in any context but the crowd emotion brought it up and made Mascara/UG and Amapola/Kaho much bigger deals than they would’ve been on their own.

CMLL going with monthly big shows seems like a winning concept based on how the fans responded. CMLL raised prices to near Homenaje a Dos Leyendas prices and got that level of turn out. Those in the building were saying it was just short Anniversario levels of full. I’m bad at estimating these, but I’d guess that means about 13,000 people. I wouldn’t count on CMLL doing two hair matches each month, but there’s obvious cause to try more big shows. The Guerrero/Dinamita skirmish after the main event (as well as the Guerreros picking up the tag titles) also seemed to set up plenty of big matches for the rest of the summer.

There was no announcement of when that next big show would be if it really is monthly. The Copa Dinastia figured to end on June 21st. It is possible Matt Taven will be on around that week, since he’s working for The Crash the Saturday prior.

Metalico/Virus, the women’s apuesta match, and the opener are worth watching. The semi-main was fun but really short. The second match, the tag title match, and the main event were just fine.

There’s no AAA on Twitch this week, but there are some other shows.

Saturday

Ring of Honor will stream a Rush vs PJ Black vs Dalton Caste vs Flip Gordon match at 9 pm CT on their Honor Club service.
Revolucion Lucha Libre has a Los Ingobernables trios of La Mascara, Bestia del Ring and Terrible against Hijo del Fantasma, Mr. Electro and Toscano in Arena Lopez Mateos. Card
Arena Coliseo has an ordinary show.
AAA is in Arena Neza.
Rey Bucanero is running a show in his “home” arena, which is the final stop for the French wrestlers in town. Metalico, who works as a trainer there, is listed as wrestling.

Sunday

The new CMLL show on TV Mexiquense debuts at noon. They do stream a feed on their website, though there’s no guarantee that’ll include CMLL until it airs.
Soberano Jr. defends his welterweight title on Negro Casas on Sunday.
MDA is running at Arena Naucalpan with an 11 match show. There’s a lot of singles matches, some of which may be good. This seems like something that’ll be on +LuchaTV down the road and maybe live on InternetvDeportes TV channel at 6 pm.
There’s a loaded indie show in Guadalajara, with Penta & Fenix vs Daga & Puma King scheduled as the main event. Flamita versus local Draego and Rey Horus & Willy Banderas vs Arez & Latigo are highlights. Tessa Blanchard is in to work a four way match.

ROH says they’ll have an authentic CMLL trios match on their 08/09 Toronto show. That sounds like six CMLL luchadors, though it does not strictly mean that. It is a bit easier to get Mexican wrestlers to Canada than the US these days.

(Ex-CMLL) Diamante talks about his career. He started wrestling at age 10

Lineup

CMLL (FRI) 06/07/2019 Arena México
1) Eléctrico & Oro Jr. vs El Coyote & Grako
2) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Disturbio, Kawato San, Virus
3) Audaz, Stuka Jr., Valiente vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Rey Bucanero
4) Cavernario vs Templario [lightning]
5) Ángel de Oro, Carístico, Niebla Roja vs Gilbert el Boricua, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
6) Flyer & Volador Jr. vs La Bestia Del Ring & Rush and Felino & Negro Casas and Euforia & Soberano Jr. [Copa Dinastia, battle royal]

Copa Dinasita is a standard three-week tournament, but with eight teams instead of four. That means more space for undercard matches and maybe longer tournament matches. Volador would seem to be busy with Matt Taven in the next couple of weeks if Taven is actually coming to CMLL. Also, he’s teaming with Flyer, which doesn’t give him much hope. Bestia & Rush seem like the favorites.

Gilbert is picking up two CMLL bookings next week, so perhaps they’ve got something in store for him. They’ve still never done the match with Ultimo Guerrero teaed since day 1. Cavernario/Templario is a first-time match and should be an exciting one. Kawato made a point of showing off Black Panther’s mask, both post-match and on Twitter after the show, so he’s got himself a real feud. Black Panther is a guy who’s had good stretches and not so good stretches. Both could use a strong feud and there’s no guarantee this will be a strong one.

I think Oro Jr. has been demoted into being the new Astral. Astral jumping to ELITE sure hasn’t worked out for him with ELITE not running shows, but it isn’t like CMLL was working out for him either.

Recapped:05/31/2019

Matches:

Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Rey Cometa beat Disturbio, Kawato, Misterioso Jr.
(9:25 [5:30, 3:55], 1/2 DQ, good)

Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. beat Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
(12:19 [3:47, 2:50, 5:42], 2/3, ok)

Virus beat Metálico in a loser must retire
(20:25, motocicleta, excellent)

Amapola beat Kaho Kobayashi in a hair vs hair match
(9:58, 1/3, good)

Amapola sort of Skayde Special (1:01)
Kaho Kobayashi headscissors cradle (0:51)
Amapola Devil’s Wings (8:06)

Euforia & Gran Guerrero beat Diamante Azul & Valiente © for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
(13:24 [4:26, 1:56, 7:02], 2/3, ok)

Carístico, Místico, Volador Jr. beat Bárbaro Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
(7:06 [1:23, 1:34, 4:09], 2/3, good)

Último Guerrero beat Máscara Año 2000, hair vs hair
(10:05 [0:47, 0:56, 8:22], 2/3, ok)

DQ Mascara faked foul (0:47)
Último Guerrero senton de la muerte (0:56)
Último Guerrero inside cradle (8:23)

What happened:

Disturbio interfered often to help Mascara Año 2000 as his second, including breaking up a Pulpo Guerrero with referee Edgar turned around. Gran Guerrero got into a fight with Disturbio after that one, causing both of them to be thrown out. A few moments later, all of the Dinamitas (Sansón, Cuatrero, Forastero, Universo 2000 Jr., and Hijo de Mascara Año 2000) came out as a referee distraction. Mascara Año 2000 tried to sneak in a foul kick, but Guerrero blocked it and easily cradled him for the win. The Dinamitas stormed the ring and attacked Guerrero. Security quickly got involved.

Gran Guerrero & Euforia won the tag titles from Diamante Azul & Valiente.

Kaho Kobayashi lost her hair to Amapola, than sat in the ring and got her hair cut.

Metalico’s career came to an end by losing to Virus.

Thoughts:

Many people on this card showed a lot more than was expected of them going in. Mascara Año 2000 was not one of them. The main event had tons of smoke and mirrors by CMLL standards, with Disturbio being as active as the guy he was seconding. Último Guerrero still forced in a few of his usual moves. Mascara 2000 tried, he just didn’t have much to add. This crowd was into everything, which kept this from ever feeling sad, but it wasn’t ever anything great. The post match seemed to tease a lot more to come, which would all have to be better than this match.

The semimain was unnecessary and rushed, but it was the easy fun match it was meant to be. The técnicos did their usual bits but looked sharp doing them. The crowd loved cheering for the rudos and booing Místico. It didn’t hit the peaks of other versions of this match, but it also never really had the time to do so.

Gran Guerrero & Euforia winning the tag team titles won’t be remembered as much, though it is a lot better to see them with the championships. Diamante Azul gave the effort of a man who was not happy to be losing the titles, and Valiente topes couldn’t make the match alone. Los Guerreros showed their usual good team work but didn’t have much to work with here. There’s potential for them to have a lot better opponents down the line. Most opponents will be better than this.

UG was making sure Mascara was going down

Amapola delivered her best performance in years in the hair match. The match wasn’t perfect – the first two falls seemed cut down as if a consequence of the long-running show. There were times where they seemed to be running out of gas; the battle to get the superplex stuck out. The superplex did look great when they got it to work, and the match had more exciting moments than it seemed like it would at first. The casual crowd wanted to boo Kaho, assuming the foreigner was the evil one as usual, but she kept winning them over with her offense and by coming close to a win. Kaho kept fighting back, even when she got demolished by Amapola’s toe con giro, and the image of her stoically taking the hair cut was memorable.

Virus & Metálico exceeded all expectations. The crowd completely bought into the gravity of the match from go, and both men lived up to the atmosphere. This might have been Metalico’s best match of his career and it goes right along the classics Virus has had. They took this very seriously, hitting each other very hard (and playing off the idea that there’s no way this was ending with a cheap DQ, so punches and questionably low shots were in play.) Virus had his usual bit of stunning reversals, while Metálico went deep in to playbook to pull out moves from him that we haven’t seen since he and Tigre Blanco were still a team. Both men seemed to slow down after the really hot first ten minutes, but they came back strong during the last moments of the match. I really liked Virus killing Metálico with big move after big move until it was finally enough, something completely different than how CMLL usually handles big matches. A lot of this felt different than the big CMLL matches and it;ll be reminded a lot longer for that reason.

The segunda had some cool spots, with the second fall finish coming off well. It lacked the urgency of the opener and felt more like people going thru the usual offense than doing something bigger. Soberano insisting on taking a destroyer in every match is actually good because we’ll be able to easily identify him actually learning something about wrestling when he finally stops doing it.

The opener was worked at a pace suggesting they had no time to mess around. I wish they always had no time to mess around because it produced a heavy action match. This was fully big show effort at work, with Kawato pulling out a dive as impressive as Misterioso actually doing the ring post spear spot to set up a Cometa one. The effort paid off well though, and they got the most out of this time. Kawato & Black Panther is definitely an idea, it remains to be seen if it is a good one.

Day: June 1, 2019

Metalico loses his career, Kobayashi & Mascara lose their hair at CMLL Juicio Final

CMLL on Marca: 2019-05-31 (Juicio Final)

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