CMLL Aniversario: 2019-09-27

Recapped: 09/27/2019

Matches:

Audaz, Rey Cometa, Stigma beat Misterioso Jr., Tiger, Virus
(8:21 [4:10, 4:11], 2/3, ok, 00:00:00)

Diamante Azul, Dulce Gardenia, Titán beat Hechicero, Hijo del Villano III, Rey Bucanero
(13:38 [8:20, 5:18], 1 DQ/2, ok, 00:20:13 )

Metálica beat Dalys © for the Mexican National Women’s Championship
(12:52, 2/3, below average, 00:41:17)

1. Dalys rotation powerbomb 4:15
2. Metalica headcrusher 2:12
3. Metalica blocked casita w/ropes 6:24

Ángel de Oro, Mephisto, Niebla Roja beat Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Soberano Jr. in a relevos increíbles match
(11:11 [3:54, 7:17], 1/2, good, 01:02:39)

Microman beat Chamuel, mask vs mask
(9:44, Microman code red, great, 01:29:07)

Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón © beat Carístico, Místico, Valiente for the Mexican National Trios Championship
(14:06 [2:52, 2:47, 8:27], 1/3, good, 01:48:43 )

Negro Casas lost to Big Daddy, Último Guerrero, Cavernario, Volador Jr., Gilbert el Boricua, Ciber the Main Man in a cage match and for the hair
(13:23, ok, 02:19:10 )

• 4:05 Big Daddy Escapes
• 4:49 Gilbert el Boricua escapes
• 5:38 Barbaro Cavernario escapes
• 6:30 Volador escapes
• 8:15 Cibernetico escapes
• 13:23 Guerrero Special Negro Casas

What happened:

The cage match starts without Volador, Cavernario attacking him on the outside before the match starts. Volador climbs up the cage and does a plancha on anyone. A three-minute timer starts the moment he gets in, with it being shown down to the microseconds for some reason. Big Daddy does not understand the rules and attempts to leave first. Cavernario also attempts to leave. People try to bolt at the 3-minute mark, with Volador timing his climb up there just to get on the cage at the mark. Negro Casas got his hair messed up but not completely shave off, which was odd.

Fantasma was the commissioner on hand for the trios title match. He hasn’t been seen much in Arena Mexico in recent years. Rambo handled the women’s title match.

Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro asked for a tag title rematch to loud boos.

Reina Isis (Dalys) & La Infernal (Metalica) were seconds. The finish has Dalys attempting a casita, Metalica blocking it and scissoring the ropes with her legs for leverage and the three. Dalys is on her side at the pin, with one shoulder up directly in front of referee Metalico, who doesn’t hesitate in counting her down. Dalys and Reina Isis protest and get the crowd on their side while Metalica just sort of accepts it. (My read of the situation is it was an intentional botch, with the idea of Dalys losing but not really losing. The only reason Metalico would count that and Dalys wouldn’t escape when she heard him hitting the mat would be because they knew it was the designed ending.)

Rey Bucanero pulled Diamante Azul’s mask to end the first fall of the segunda. The second fall ended with the thrice-yearly DQ for press slamming someone (Titan) over the top rope, though the rudos made sure to shove the referee and all stomp down Dulce to make it a more obvious DQ.

Thoughts:

Nothing special about the cage match. Ultimo Guerrero & Negro Casas got about four minutes to do near falls, and that was the only interesting part. Everyone else was rushed out in order. The three minutes of fighting before escapes seem less than usual, but it’s also not like that portion is ever any good. It wasn’t good here. They did sort of a royal rumble bit but in reverse for the eliminations, with everyone taking a turn getting a run and then leaving. Big Daddy left first, after having one telegraphed but good highspot with Guerrero and then looking off with everyone else. They set it up as he’ll be back, and it won’t be a good thing. None of the other early escapes did much. Ultimo Guerrero defeating Negro Casas on an Aniversario will look big in the history books and the fans did react equally big in the final matches, but the match itself is better forgotten.

The trios titles match will absolutely resonate stronger with people who check into CMLL infrequently than those who watch all of it. The match had plenty of excitement, some cool runs of dives, and a good reversal finish. It was fun. It was also not much more than we get from these guys on a normal Friday night, with that same finishing reversal sequence happening a lot and the tecnicos doing the same dives in the order often. Mistico, Carisitco, and Valiente are probably teaming again no more often than any random three CMLL people, but it was disappointing that they didn’t anything to sell the idea of them as a group of people. Both teams have had a slightly smoother version of this match before, some odd hesitations near the finish thru off the rhythm. This was a strong effort physically but could’ve used more mentally I guess. I wouldn’t put this among the best match of the year, but if you’re watching four or ten CMLL shows a year, this is probably something you’re going to enjoy and so it worked for an Aniversario.

The micros mask match was a success. Microman had lots of highspots, Chamuel based for him well, Chamuel put him in danger a bunch, and Microman hit something spectacular to win. The stage dive was cool, but it was the last few minutes that took it up for me. If Microman had just won with his normal finish it would’ve felt a bit too simple, and the Code Red came off strong. I think they probably could’ve gone even longer with this match but what they did all worked.

The relevos increibles match seemed rushed, especially early on. The Guerreros team had a lot of fun teamwork once again, and I just wish they had more time to do it. The first fall finish was clever. I hope they continue to add ideas to the tag title match. What they have here was pretty smooth and moved well, but I’m not thrilled about the match happening in a perfect fluke a third time in a row. Those boos seemed to get into the tecnicos heads in the post-match promo, they showed it, and it only made the boos louder. I don’t think they’re going away for big shows.

Metalica & Dalys had a better-executed version of the same match. Metalica did better than that disaster performance. Yet, she still seemed like she was out of gas by the last half of the third fall. Dalys seemed to take 75% of the match, and not with any direction. It wasn’t like Metalica really ever made a rally, it was Metalica getting in a move to break up the Dalys run of offense every so often. Dalys was dominant and also playing tecnica to the crowd to get cheered, which worked for her but this match-up continues to be terrible for Metalica. The finish lapped Ciber/UG as the new worst finish of the year and it wasn’t even funny. It was frustrating knowing the finishing sequence and then watching the match because there were other teases of other ways to end this. Dalys went to untie Metalica’s mask at one point. A mask removal DQ in a title match would be annoying but it’s still better. There’s the briefest of a double pin sequence, which would’ve been fine. Instead, they picked a worse finish.

The second match has some guys were helping in various degrees, some being just OK, and Diamante Azul not being OK. He’s still out of shape, wearing a random shirt o the biggest show of the year to hide it. The look isn’t as much a problem as the work. He seemed to come in when he wasn’t supposed to in the first fall (Dulce was trying to get in), which seemingly caused Bucanero to pull his mask quickly to just get out of it. Dulce and Bucanero starting right off the second fall seemed to confirm they were picking up the intended plan. The rest of the match did seem like people trying to set it up for a big show, with more thought put into the rudo section than usual, with some good co-ordination leading to the end. Dulce and Titan looked good. Hechicero continues to be great in meaningless trios matches of late, carrying this one for his team again.

The opener was better than an average Friday night opener, though it still felt like the fourth match on a Tuesday with a couple of extra moves. Tiger was the only guy who seemed to dress up for the occasion. Stigma was trying moves he doesn’t normally and didn’t have a great success rate by the end. Audaz feels like he pulls out the most unexpected dives, though it also may be the cameras not catching up to him. Fine but forgettable.