CMLL/NJPW FantasticaMania Tokyo Day 3: 2020-01-19

Recapped: 2020-01-19

Matches:

Luciferno & Namajague beat El Audaz & Tsuji
(7:47, Namajague german suplex Tsuji, ok)

Flyer, Guerrero Maya Jr., Soberano Jr. beat Douki, Kanemaru, Tiger
(7:30, Soberano Jr. Fire Driver Douki, good)

Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Titán vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
(12:26, Angel de Oro mecedora Sanson, good)

Stuka Jr. beat Okumura to keep the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
(10:24, Stuka splash Okumura, ok)

Bushi, EVIL, Takagi beat Dulce Gardenia, Fuego, Ryusuke Taguchi
(12:03, Bushi Roll Fuego, ok)

Último Guerrero © beat Kojima to keep the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship
(13:18, Guerrero Special, good)

Carístico, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask beat Bárbaro Cavernario, Euforia, Negro Casas
(11:31, Tanahashi High Fly Flow Negro Casas, good)

Thoughts:

The main event was the best of what FantasticaMania can be, mixing the NJPW and CMLL stars in an entertaining fashion. Cavernario, Euforia and Negro Casas are a strong rudo team and meshed well with Tanahsahsi & Caristico. They gave us a bit of Euforia vs Tanahashi and Casas vs Tanahashi and that’s just what this match needed. Caristico worked hard leading into the title match, Tanahashi did a bit more than in his previous matches and the ceremony around it was nice. A good main event.

Kojima blocked the super powerbomb and got a headscissors, so there was a lot to like about this match. Ultimo Guerrero fought a bit Kojima’s style, Kojima did some flying, and they meshed well. This had a little bit of Ultimo Guerrero’s checklist-style but they deviated from it. The trip into the crowd didn’t really payoff – I wonder if something went wrong – but it picked up after that. This was a fun match.

Dulce matches remain built around Dulce going for kisses, and not much more. They may have peaked the kiss too soon for this one, or maybe kiss based matches just don’t need to go 12 minutes. It was some good comedy for a while. Dulce is popular even after just three matches.

Stuka carried his title match with Okumura to something watchable, though there were few surprises. Okumura pulling out the Ultimo Guerrero cradle out of the torpedo splash was at least one good near fall. Stuka crashing and burning was one memorable spot. It was otherwise the same match they’ve been doing on these shows forever, done fine, but with no surprises.

Tomorrow’s trios title match looks like it’s going to be pretty strong if the tecnicos build on what they did in Sunday’s match. They kept a fast pace, they switched up a few things from usual and broke up the NGD’s rhythm. Tomorrow’s total match should exceed this easily but it’s a good starting point.

The second match felt the most like a CMLL match, in that the rudos got the advantage and then just triple-teamed for a lot of time. The action kept never dragged. DOUKI matches up well with the CMLL guys, which is a shame we’ll probably not see it much after this

The opener didn’t last long enough to mean a lot but the action was good while it lasted. Audaz’s early run was his best moment of the tour. I don’t know that he’s ready for the Best of Super Junior spot they’ve talked about here; he’s not showing enough variety that nine singles matches seem like a welcoming idea. Tsuji doesn’t seem like he’d automatically fit in with CMLL’s style but maybe someone different is ok. Namajague’s German suplex looked good.