In this inexplicable quest to watch all of 1995 CMLL for no good reason, I find myself watching every currently available match on YouTube. That’s just one match from a TV show in some weeks, and no matches some other weeks. I’m hoping I find entertaining forgotten matches, though I’ll likely just find perfectly serviceable TV matches which I’ll never think about again.
Dr. Wagner Jr., Emilio Charles Jr., Satánico beat Atlantis, Héctor Garza, Silver King
(Arena Coliseo @ 01/13, 17:48, 1/3, ok, dataintcash)
Amusing for Garza over bumping for Satanico at times, and Satanico gnawing at his head. Emilio and Atlantis are very good together but they and the Wagner brothers don’t make a big impact. I wonder what we’d think of Silver King if his heavyweight title reign during this time was treated as a bigger deal; all the defenses we know off were in non-TV settings, but he carries himself like someone you’d believe is the best wrestler in the promotion.
El Dandy, Máscara Mágica, Negro Casas beat Bestia Salvaje, Mano Negra, Mocho Cota
(Arena Coliseo @ 01/13, 14:01, 1/3, ok, Kozmic Trooths)
Mano Negra and Negro Casas keep staring at each other like they’re going to have a big fight, and it never really comes together. This match doesn’t really come together in any memorable way.
El Dandy, Máscara Mágica, Negro Casas beat Arkángel de la Muerte, Bestia Salvaje, Mano Negra
(Arena Coliseo @ 01/20, 17:07, 1/3, ok, rnrwrasslin)
An interesting TV match for the story more than the work. Dandy and Casas are not getting along and nearly fight with some instigation by the rudos. Every match I’m used to seeing means one or the other will cost their team the match. This match has Casas & Dandy get it back together and team up to take out the rudos, while the tension is still there after the match. Mascara Magica struggles a bit in his finish win, and Mano Negra’s suplexes are a bit out of control, but it’s effective as building up that issue.
Dos Caras, Héctor Garza, Atlantis beat Dr. Wagner Jr., Emilio Charles Jr., Satánico
(Arena Coliseo @ 01/20, 15:20, 2/3 DQ, good, rnrwrasslin)
A fun TV match. It’s a 1995 CMLL TV episode so Satanico and Garza are feuding heavily. Atlantis & Emilio seem very on in this match too, with a great sequence in the middle. They’re two opposites who play off each other very well. The overturned finish works in the context of the feud.
Emilio Charles Jr., Pierroth Jr., Satánico beat Brazo de Plata, Dos Caras, Héctor Garza
(Arena Coliseo @ 02/28, 13:59, 1/3 DQ, ok, rnrwrasslin)
More Garza/Satanico. Pierroth has some amusing comedic moments, Porky was good, but this mostly TV filler. Garza striking back at Satanico probably works better in the week to week context, but I’m not sure CMLL’s TV was that developed to make that happen.
Corazón De León beat Felino, Último Dragón, Bestia Salvaje, El Dandy, Negro Casas in Copa Campeon de Campeones
(Arena México @ 03/03, 19:52, ok, rnrwrasslin)
- 03:11 COR Bestia Salvaje
- 04:48 Dandy casita Felino
- 11:38 El Dandy sharpshoto Ultimo Dragon
- 14:35 Corazon de Leon cradle blocked Dandy
- 19:52 Corazon de Leon faceslam Negro Casas
What Happened: Dandy and Dragon, by virtue of being NWA World Champions of their weight divisions, get to pick sides. Dandy wins the coin toss and picks Negro Casas. Dragon debates for a while before picking Corazon de Leon. Dandy takes Bestia Salvaje, leaving Felino last. Felino is not thrilled with this sequence of events but moves on.
Review: Back in the day, a CMLL champions of champions match could have only 6 people. (There were still more champions than that but go with the joke.) I remember reading positive reviews of this match a long time ago. It didn’t feel as good as I thought I read; it’s a lot of survivor series like random eliminations until the final two. The Bestia Salvaje countout is one of those comically fast twenty counts that only happen when someone’s got to go. Negro Casas & Corazon de Leon had a lot of tight near falls, but it didn’t feel more intense than a normal match until then. Casas & Dandy working together to take out Dragon’s knee was nice and the concept of picking teams was interesting but it’s not as strong as the names suggest.