this is the last of the 2020 stuff I’m squeezing in for 2020. What’s left
- all the IWTV Lucha Memes shows (watched, posts maybe next week)
- some Mas Lucha Premium shows (watching this weekend?)
- any remaining AAA AutoLuchas shows (no idea how many)
- maybe some CMLL shows, but I have no idea how I’m going to handle the cutoff
- they’re capable of airing 2020 stuff well in to 2021 (there is no reason to any of this)
- they’re incapable of taping before the week of 01/11
- it usually takes CMLL about a week to get those to air, so maybe everything up to 01/17 is “2020”.
Here are so matches and some thoughts on those matches.
Baby Camaleón, Karma II, Perseo vs Enjambre, Hantar, Misterik
(11/29 Car The Crash, 15:27, good, Estrellas del Ring)
You should definitely go to 8:16 and watch that spot. Hantar’s outfit makes him look like old friend Dark Dragon (or maybe Dark Dragon was dressed like Hantar), and he does a similar base job Camaleon’s headscissors. The tecnico dominated the last half slowed down too much for me, but Perseo was very willing to throw himself into a dive. The dive train ends well, but then it just keeps going for some reason. This is more enjoyable than a good CMLL trios – the bigger moments are more fun – but also a bit more self-indulgent.
Látigo © vs Freelance [IAW CHAMP]
(11/01 @ WR, 8:39, ok, +LuchaTV)
I’ve enjoyed Latigo’s title run this year, and I’m not sure if I would’ve made time to watch it if there were a more normal amount of choices. This is a decent defense too, but it gets repurposed into a referee grabbing exhibition for a promotional feud I do not care about at all. Freelance is better in a tag situation generally, still shows enough here against Latigo to make this worthwhile. The finishing stuff just dragged it down for me.
Silver vs Kaoma Jr.
(10/16 @ Arena Universal Matamoros, 12:07, good, El Mina de Luchavídeos)
This was a solid match from people I have not seen much of before. The matwork to start was good, the finish was a well-executed idea. There was a code red spot that didn’t go well but they kept moving. This worked for this level. It was also nice to see a referee count at a normal speed before diving back into CMLL.
Mephisto vs Soberano Jr.
(“10/23”, 11:50, good, Google Drive)
I wondered if it had been so long since I watched a “normal” CMLL singles match that the style would feel fresh again. Not yet. They’ve had better efforts. Soberano slips at a crucial time and never really gets rolling. Mephisto is straddling the line between “wow, it’s impressive he can do things at 52” and “he’s really old and maybe should stop doing things.” He’s so winded by the final stretch that’s not much of a stretch. It’s probably generous to have this finish on the good side of the ledger.
Rey Cometa vs Raziel
(“11/20” CMLL, 10:58, great, Google Drive)
Raziel’s leg trap into a tapatia is incredible work, and the sort of stuff you never see him from normally. Rey Cometa brings out the best in a lot of people, but it also seems like giving a guy like Raziel even the slightest bit of something to do brings out a better performance. Maybe CMLL wouldn’t have been dreadful for months if they did this for more guys. The Spanish Fly to end the second fall looks particularly unfun, though suitably devastating. They go hard in the third fall, they don’t stick to your move my move, and I was only left wishing they went a little farther. I’m concerned I’m rating this on a curve because CMLL people trying this hard is rare, but this match would be worth watching in any situation.
Atlantis Jr. & Flyer vs Hijo del Villano III & Tiger for the Mexican National Tag Team Championship
(“11/14” CMLL, 19:03, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
It’s a match. There’s enough here that people who are already fans of these four will likely be satisfied. It’s not painful like the tag title final. It’s also just nothing special. Atlantis looks like a good athlete, Tiger can do things and is a good foil, the other two aren’t there. Villano shows some improvement and personality, but he’s got moves that don’t fit his size – the first fall spear needs to get out of his arsenal – and his timing isn’t there. He broke up a pin at about four, not the most useful tactic. Flyer is a CMLL wrestling robot and not even a particularly entertaining one; his lifelessness at least helps Atlantis stand out more, but it doesn’t help the match when he’s slowly going to his next spot before the rudo has had a chance to react to the last one. Flyer’s not doing anything to show he should be at this level besides wear a Volador family mask. And maybe that’s enough.
I think it’s possible every other promotion in the world running a taped show would’ve stopped the match between the second and third fall to allow Flyer to get a replacement mask after the rudos did too effective of a job ripping it. CMLL pauses no longer than usual, Flyer just making it back to the ring as the fall whistle blows. CMLL’s stubborn unwillingness to adapt to their circumstances is occasionally amazing and always counterproductive.
Euforia vs Stuka Jr.
(“12/17” CMLL, 12:20, good, currently only on NJPW; probably on CMLL’s YouTube on 01/10)
Stuka basically just runs through his big moves, but it transcends the checklist because of some good emotion and Euforia as an opponent. Stuka’s not pulling off the rope bounce powerbomb reversal into a headscissors with most anyone else. The early brawling sets a good tone, even if they don’t get back to it a lot. (Euforia does seem to miss the catch on Stuka’s torpedo dive to the floor, a rarity for him.) This is one that might have done even better with fans and is still watchable without.