CMLL Forjando un Idolo: Week 1
Recapped: 04/17-19

Hijo del Signo vs Hombre Bala Jr.
Arena Puebla, 04/11/2011

Winner: Hijo del Signo
Match Time: 10:14
Rating: good
Notes: Negro Casas is in for introductions, and watches the match from outside. Helpful zoom in on the whistle guy to start the match. Referee is Bestia Negra.

Signo & Bala battle for control, and Signo stops that with a slap to the chest. Odd to Signo actually get to be a rudo here. They lockup again Bala forces Signo in the ropes and slaps him one. Signo charges, armdragged, zero cover exchange and standoff. Signo argues Bestia Negra. Lockup, Bala works from a headlock to behind to an armdrag. Lockup, Signo armbar., down to the mat, up again, armdragged back down, and Signo holds the armbar. Signo pounds the arm with punches, nice detail work. Signo backs off, Bala kips up, and Signo pulls him down by the mask. Signo very proud of his work. Kind of reverse armbar, taken down into headscissors submission. Sino turning and twisting it in. Signo working the early match submission work so hard, someone should run thru the ring with an IWRG banner to celebrate. Bala is able to slip free and kip up to escape. Lockup, Bala go behind, takedown, half crab. Signo starts moving towards the ropes, so Bala pulls him back and into an STF. Around to a facelock, but Signo spins until he's free and armdrag Bala away. Running spine kick, and some hard stomps. Signo pulls Bala up by his mask, and mostly ignores the referee’s warnings. Hammerlock, and Bala rammed shoulder first into the corner. Signo has a plan! Signo stares at the crowd, which may not be the plan. Armbar takedown. It's the right arm Signo is focusing on. Armbar, elbow to the shoulders. Referee talking to Signo, I have no idea why, but he doesn't care about that much. Kick to the shoulder. Signo feeling good about himself, challenging a fan to make a move. Back to work. Slap exchange, win by Signo. Signo bands Bala's arm around the top rope. Referee annoyed with Signo not listening to him, decides to take it up with Negro. Negro just walks away, ain’t his match. Armbar, armdrag, legdrop on the bad arm. Sitting on the arm and yanking. Bala won't quit, but he probably needs to mount some offense. Whip, Bala runs with his arm ticked in, and runs into a back elbow. Whip again, clothesline. Signo makes a, uh, juggling motion? I dunno. Swinging fisherman's suplex, legdrop. Signo all fired up. Probably could use a finish about now. Maybe he's looking into the crowd to come up with one. Signo kicks and punches Bala straight out of the ring. Bala is slow to even get up, though the referee keeps Signo in. Bala makes it to the arm, swings with his right arm – and that gets caught, uh oh. Signo snaps it over the top rope, and Bala's dropped to the floor again. He recovers, back up to the apron, slapping Signo down, slingshot roll in, Signo misses a clothesline, Bala back with a headscissors. Signo in trouble, and dropkicked as he's seating there. Signo wants the referee to get involved now, but of course now he won't. Bala whip, back elbow. He's rolling but needs to focuses. Signo sent head first into the corner. Bala taking his time between big moves. Signo's walked to an adjacent corner. Slap, corner whip, Signo flips Bala, Bala lands on the apron, Signo swings, Bala boinks him into the turnbuckle, up top – moonsault tornillo comes in a little low but Signo still goes down. One two NO. That is the first real pinfall. Replay of that move while Bala sends Signo out. Bala running – nice bullet tope, obliterating poor Signo. Referee counting both of them out. Bala back I first. Signo pleads for a slower count and staggers like a zombie, but makes it to the apron. Bala punch blocked, Signo dive in blocked, Bala suplexes him in. Bala to the ropes, quebrada connects, cover, referee refuses to count because Signo's shoulder is not all the way down, now he will, one two no. Bala dumps Signo in front of the corner. Bala up top – moonsault eats feet! Signo wastes no time – nudo variant finishes it. 3 points for Signo, who doesn’t want to let go until Negro orders him to.

Diamante vs Puma King
Arena Puebla, 04/11/2011

Winner: Diamante
Match Time: 10:22
Rating: good
Notes: Diamante had a half mask hood over his mask, though I don’t recognize the other half. Maybe his old look. Oh no, Tirantes is ref. Negro does not appear to be out here for this one.

Circling. Reversals lead to a Diamante two arm armdrag. Circle, wristlock, fireman's carry by Puma, holding Diamante in a headlock on the mat. Diamante gets free, tries up the legs, flips Puma on his stomach, and grabs his mask. That seems illegal. Diamante lets go, standing armbar, twisting, Puma rolls free trips Diamante up, and takes a Diamante headscissors from the mat. Zero trip covers and standoff. Diamante flips to his feet, Puma watches tiredly from one knee. Lockup, armbar, Puma jumps to Diamante’s shoulders, forward roll, puma grabs a leg, and kicks the inside of it. Grabbing the leg and yanking it. Kicks to the leg, which I shall name “left”. Puma headbutts the left knee! Repeatedly. Puma King is crazy. Now with a sort of a curbstomp to the knee. Puma blows kisses to the fans – I hope that's the técnico fans. Diamante goes outside, limping around, come back in, and gets kicked in the knee again. Kick to the spine. Puma rallies the opposite section of fans – those must be the rudos. There's Negro, he's at ringside, but may have been hiding low. Puma trips Diamante up and dropkicks him right in the face. Whip, Puma leapfrog, Diamante back up and blowing him up with a dropkick. Diamante off the ropes, Sombra headstand flip to the floor, but Puma's slipped in. dropkick thru the ropes keeps Diamante out, and Puma rushes the técnico with a tope con giro. Video drops out a bit – maybe a replay was supposed to go here?

Puma back in the ring, Diamante joining him. Diamante is limping, though he wasn't when eh was running around a bit ago. Puma gets to his knees and begs for a handshake. Puma kisses Diamante's boot! I can't see why you wouldn't shake the man's hand. Diamante isn't fast enough, and gets kicked in the leg. Kick to the left thigh. Puma grabs a boot, standing up Diamante. Diamante swings, but is forced to hop along as Puma pulls him to the ropes, and this left leg is slammed on the middle rope. Puma points to his head. Whip, Diamante sunset flip, Puma rolls thru, Puma side kick is ducked, but Puma spins on his backside to kick Diamante in the back. Puma off the ropes, dropkick to the shoulder sends Diamante out. Puma poses and points to the sky. Diamante limps around the outside. Diamante up to the apron, and back in. Puma asks for Diamante to calm down, and then slips in an elbow questionably low. Chop. Puma dances around a bit. Corner whip, Diamante kips up and out, backwards roll, and killer by a Puma superkick! Puma mocks the técnico fan's tears. Back to headbutting the knee. Leg crank. Whip, Puma leapfrog, Diamante leapfrog, Diamante does the backfip headscissors but not near as cool as Palacio Negro. Quadruple springboard into headscissors. Puma out, Diamante after him with a quebrada tornillo to the floor. Tirantes slowly counts both of them out. Puma and Diamante in. Chop fight, won by Puma via kick. More kicking of the back leg. Whip, reversed, Diamante charge in but Puma's long gone. Puma springboard 'rana back in from the apron, Diamante counter powerbomb one....two....no. Negro pounds the mat to get them fighting. Diamante corner whip, Puma puts on the break and kicks Diamante. Spinebuster, Diamante rolled back up to his feet, and Puma easily backcrackers. One two no. Diamante up first but limping and a kick to the leg stops him again. Whip, reversed, puma grabs the ropes and points at Diamante, Diamante charges, Puma flips him to the ropes. Puma slaps and kicks him in the leg. Puma starts climbing the ropes, but Diamante swing kicks him back in the middle of the ring, springboard 450 splash. Tirantes reluctantly counts one two...three. That was a 450 out of nowhere, but worked. Técnico fans approve.

Palacio Negro vs Rey Cometa
Arena Mexico, 04/12/2011

Winner: Palacio Negro
Match Time: 10:50 (shown)
Rating: some slips, but above average over all
Notes: Joined at the whistle, I think. C3 team commentates this match. Ultimo Guerrero ducks down at ringside to watch. Referee is Tiger Hispano.

Palacio and Cometa exchange armbars and headlocks to start. Neither guy has much of an advantage at first. Back bridge spot here goes roughly 40% better than the same one in the Zorro/Chary match, and they even do it better the second time. Double pin after a Cometa monkey flip, but both get their shoulders up. Palacio gets a casadora armdrag, Comet recovers to close him but only gets zero. Palacio headscissors has Cometa into the ropes. Palacio poses, and they both back off. Palacio points to the crowd and gathers his breath. Cometa points to the mat, then offers handshake. Palacio considers it, polls the crowd, but eventually accepts. Handshake goes fine, but Cometa won't let go. Palacio struggles to get free, Cometa throws a left hand punch, Palacio ducks and decks Cometa with his own. Wow, Palacio Negro can throw a punch! Off the ropes avoidance leads to the Palacio Negro handstand walk into a backflip headscissors, though both are kind of waiting for each other on the timing for that. Both up, Cometa misses a clothesline, Palacio 'rana, Cometa blocks that, into a fireman’s carry, but Palacio escapes that into a 'rana. Palacio is fried up. Off the ropes, Cometa flips him to the ramp, Cometa charges, Palacio moves, and Cometa jumps and rolls over the top rope too. Palacio grabs the top rope and superkicks Cometa, then, uses the ropes to pull himself into a headscissors, swinging Cometa off the ramp onto the floor, right at the feet of the front row. UG comes over to watch, but I wouldn't get too close. UG has some words for Cometa, while Palacio backs all the way up – running tope con giro off the ramp! Palacio Negro is wrestling this like it's his only chance ever to wrestle in Arena Mexico, he’s doing to do everything. Palacio walks around the ring get applauds, while UG has some words for Cometa as he gets back in. UG encourages Palacio to hurry in, as he's already getting in. Cometa rest on the apron, but shoulders Palacio away and heads up. Palacio recovers and crotches Cometa there, then backs up. Palacio rolls towards the corner and hops up, but Comet easily pushes him off and stands back up. Top rope 'rana blocked into a powerbomb, one two NO. Cometa fires up. Cometa misses a clothesline, Palacio inside cradle, Rey Cometa reverses it to a rings a submission. Palacio won't give, to Cometa rolls him over to his back for a double armbar pin. Tiger Hispano instead Cometa is under one of the shoulders and keeping it up, though Cometa lets go argue the point. Both up, staring and then charging. Palacio's clothesline misses, Cometa casadora, Palacio reverses to a face first powerbomb, and hooks on an inverted cloverleaf. Cometa says no, he will not give. Cometa hands walks to the ropes, walks – and gets the bottom rope. Cometa waves from support, and the first couple rows do clap. Clock says 6:50 and climbing. Cometa slaps down Palacio ands tarts at the crowd. Straps down! Cometa wants a fight. Palacio and slapping. Crowd does not think much of that one, though Cometa is sent into the ropes. Cometa gives one back, and that drops Palacio. Palacio up, and a wild un-aimed dropkick knocks Cometa down. Chest slap in the corner. Crowd seems to be not a fan of Palacio Negro's chops. Corner whip, reverse, Palacio Negro goes in, but moves of the way as Cometa walks up the ropes and comes down with a flipping armdrag. Cometa urges Palacio to charge, leapfrog him, shoulderblocks him, runs to the ropes, and flips off into a handstand headscissors. Cometa pushes off with hands on the mat, Spinning around to send Palacio flying. Palacio out. Cometa gives the camera side crowd a look and starts running – running tornillo is tight. UG stands over both guys and yells instructions. Bucanero counts the rotations from the booth. Nine minutes on the clock. Cometa makes it, Palacio on the apron behind him, and in with a springboard plancha on top for Cometa. Cometa rolls thru, hooks the leg, one two NO. Slow count there. Cometa 'rana, Tiger Hispano slow to start counting, one two NO. Cometa clearly frustrated. Ultimo Guerrero yelling, but tough to tell with the mask on and all. Cometa kicks Palacio away, charges, and Palacio flips him to the apron. Cometa slaps him down from the apron and climbs up, but Palacio stops him with a punch to the midsection. Palacio climbs the ropes too, and both men end up with a foot on the top rope. Cometa gets two get up, Palacio gets a second foot up, and they both slip. Cometa falls back, to where he's almost sitting on the ring post, and Palacios' face gets dropped into the cords and nuts behind the turnbuckle. (This is where he's busted open, for sure.)

Cometa barely sunset flips him off the top rope, but doesn’t hold on for the pin, readjusting so he's on top of Palacio’s face and talking to him. One two no. Palacio looks like he's gathering himself. Both up, Cometa 'rana, Palacio spinebuster, and a front facelock with the Cometa's legs all tied up. Cometa gives, and that's it.

Palacio lets go, but stays on one knee. Referee takes one look at him, raises his arm, and waves to the doctor. UG checks on Cometa first, then want to raise both hands, but sees Palacio's bleeding and holds him there. Blood is coming thru his right eye mask hole, but he doesn't seemed to be too alarmed – it's a cut about his eye. Cometa scoots over to look as the doctor talks to Palacio. The doctor gives Palacio an okay to stand before leaving himself, and UG raises both of their arms. UG is untying Palacio’s mask even as they walk around post match.

Angel de Oro vs Escorpion
Arena Mexico, 04/12/2011

Winner: Angel de Oro (by DQ)
Match Time: 10:27
Rating: eh
Notes: Again, joined probably a few seconds late. UG watches from ringside. Referee is Bestia Negra.

Early back and forth leads to Escorpion trying to force Angel de Oro down, and Oro holding him down by his knees. There’s a quick sunset flip reversal sequence to set up the reverse of that, and then some armdrags to get them to even. Escorpion shoves Angel de Oro, because Escorpion will do that. Angel de Oro is hurt, thinks about it, then shoves back. Chop fight breaks out, getting nowhere. Escorpion backs up, looks around, and clotheslines Angel de Oro. Escorpion yells “Viva Rudos”, but UG encourages him to get back to work. Escorpion chops Angel de Oro in the corner, but again is in no hurry. Corner whip, Oro kicks down Escorpion, sunset flip, Escorpion escapes, Oro off the ropes with a spinning headscissors, and out goes Escorpion. Angel de Oro quick to the apron – Asai moonsault, onto his feet, landing well. Oro in first, Escorpion climbing in and pointing around to the crowd again. Escorpion off the ropes, over, under, over, spinning Oro with a shoulderblock. Escorpión stopping to point at the crowd far more than other people. Angel de Oro set up on the top rope and Escorpion goes for the mask. Focus! Escorpion switches to punches to the head, and pulls Oro down into the tree of Woe. Escorpion stomps his foot, charges, and lands the dropkick to the chest, or close enough. Whip, back elbow. Whip, reversed, Oro back with a quebradora con giro. Crowd boos Oro, for being a técnico. Oro goes for Escorpion's headband, but he drops to his back and kicks Oro away. Escorpion crotches Oro on the top rope and chops him. Escorpion takes his time going to the adjacent ropes - springboard wheel kick connects, and Oro goes out to the floor. Escorpion wasting no time – tope con giro to the floor! I didn't know he had that in him. No hands on the ropes at all. Clock shows they're we missed about four seconds. Escorpion makes it back in first, and points to his supports. Angel de Oro on the apron, Escorpion blocks his lap and gets in his own. Escorpion thinking and pointing here. Suplex in, Angel de Oro slips behind, Angel de Oro's punch misses, Escorpion off the ropes, Angel de Oro casadora, out of the inverted campana, but – I guess Escorpion kicks him off, though it didn't look much like it. Angel de Oro off the ropes again, 'rana, roll thru, one two NO. Oro slap blocked, Escorpion grabs both wrists, Angel de Oro lands on his shoulders and spins around into a sunset flip, one two no. Escorpion clothesline and de Oro, quebrada lands, one two NO. Escorpion is sure that should've been there. Escorpion bumps Angel de Oro into the ropes, corner whip, Angel de Oro rolls to the apron, Escorpion misses a kick, and Angel de Oro superkicks him away. Springboard in for a moonsault, one two NO. Angel de Oro was counting the count out with his hands, probably should've tried hooking a leg. Angel de Oro firing up. Escorpion charging, back with a casadora cradle, Escorpion holds on to the legs and looks around, finally pulls them back as he rolls, and gets pulled into the mecedora! Escorpion breaks free quickly. Escorpion punch misses, Escorpion charges into a spinebuster, and Angel de Oro looks around. What now? Oro seems to be setting up the same submission as in the last match, but Escorpion yanks Oro's mask as he leans down, and cradles him. Too bad Bestia saw it. He taps Escorpion on the shoulder, and signals the win for Angel de Oro.

Ultimo Guerrero marches in the ring, pulls Escorpion down from the corner, and starts explaining to him why he just lost. Ultimo yells at him for losing. Escorpion can't believe he lost, and then he goes forehead to forehead with UG about it. UG lightly shoves him away, then yells at him more and shoves him harder. UG yells at Escorpion into the corner and slaps him! Escorpion goes down, UG says enough of him, and raises Angel de Oro's arm. Escorpion rolls out and pitches a fit. Escorpion circles around an comes back in, and UG yells at him more. Escorpion is more apologetic this time, and UG offer a handshake. Escorpion accepts, but then he and Angel de Oro almost get into it again. They're ready to go, and Escorpion takes down Angel de Oro and gets in punches before UG breaks it up. Escorpion complains everyone is working against him.

Fuego vs Pólvora
Arena Coliseo, 04/17/2011

Winner: Pólvora
Match Time: 8:45
Rating: fine
Notes: Sound is so much louder on this one! Fuego can't help but dance. Tiger Hispano is ref. Announcers, ring and TV, both think it's a ten minute time limit. Panther watches from a neutral corner.

Fuego armdrag Pólvora right away. JCC talks about this airing in Latin American countries, so this is for FOX. Fuego gets some traction with an armbar, but Pólvora slips out and ties up the legs. Double armbar too, but Fuego sneaks out, stands on his head, and headscissors out. Lockup, no, Fuego kick. Panther is watching. Next sequence ends with Fuego having a foot hold. Leg tied up, Fuego gets that a double armbar Pólvora tries dearly, and gets the bridge much better than when that was tried in another match this week. Not sure, they're all blending together. Pólvora gets to his feet, but Fuego goes around and snap mares him. Chinlock, but Pólvora breaks free and hiptosses Fuego over. Pólvora walks around, and Fuego takes him down. Figure four. Fuego can't quite get it right, and it leaves his legs open to bring grabbed. Pólvora rather hit than put on a hold. Back up with an under arm hold. Fuego grabs the top rope, flips out of it, but Pólvora reapplies. Fuego gets in a kneelift, and step over headscissors. Fuego waits for Pólvora to get up, but gets knocked over by a shoulderblock. Fuego off the ropes, over a leapfrog, taken in a sunset flip, and into a neck crank armbar. Neat move by Pólvora. Fuego breaks free for a kneebar, and throws Pólvora way from him. Both off the ropes, Pólvora dropkick to the knee, and reverse seated armbar. Pólvora traps the other am, and actually spins Fuego around on the mat. That's different. Fuego waits for the spinning to stop, and inches his way to the ropes. Pólvora walks way from him, waits for Fuego to get up, and clothesline him down. Pólvora shoves Fuego into the corner, but walks away to annoy the fans. Chop knocks Fuego back down. Fuego charge out of the corner when Pólvora backs away again, but Pólvora blocked the clothesline and turns it into a wristlock. Fuego hiptosses his way free. Pólvora shoulderblock Fuego, waved by, under, into an armdrag. Fuego off the ropes again, rebound armdrag sends Pólvora to the ropes. Pólvora slow up, flipping Fuego to – whoa, all the way to the floor. Wasn't expecting that. Pólvora checks out Fuego, runs, slides out and Fuego slides in, looks for Fuego, and eats Fuego's tope. Ladies in the front row and a bit freaked out by the whole thing. Pólvora makes it in first, Fuego meets him on the apron. Fuego fights him off, springboard sunset flip in, Pólvora doesn't land flat, Fuego pushes him away and scoots away from the dropkick. Fuego with a Why Not elbow drop, one two NO. Some whistling. Fuego clothesline blocked, Pólvora turns him around into a sidewalk slam, one two NO. Pólvora arguing the count, probably should be paying attention. Pólvora goes for a choke – choke lift into a 'rana! One two NO. That was something. Fuego up and fired up – time to duck under the clothesline and samba dance. Pólvora can't believe the man is dancing at this point. Charge, Fuego ducks under and inside cradle him, one two NO. Fuego chops Pólvora, off the ropes, springboard plancha meets counter dropkick. One two THREE.

Magadan thinks this eliminated Fuego from the tournament. Well, he's not the one booking this tournament.

Magnus vs Angel de Plata
Arena Coliseo, 04/17/2011

Winner: Magnus
Match Time: 9:37
Rating: better than expected
Notes: No one's stopped Magnus from using Limp Bizkit. This man has to overcome so much, why make it harder! There's a discussion with both men and Bleu Panther before the match starts. Referee is Terror Chino.

Lockup, neither man getting in control. I think this might be a 52MX match, because JCR takes the lead and recaps the entire tournament so far. Plata armdrags Magnus and forces him down, but Magnus back bends up to avoid a three count. Elbow lock, armbar on the mat. Magnus rolled onto his back. Break. Magnus looks less like Místico lately. Plata shoots in for a takedown and ties up the younger wrestler. Bow and arrow, Plata being a careful to keep his shoulder off the mat. Magnus flips Plata over his hip, and hiptosses him away. Plata grabs his hip and limps around while getting up. Lockup, Plata heel trip, ankle lock! Plata forces Magnus onto his head and locks up his Magnus’ leg while he's standing on his head, but Magnus escapes out with a headscissors. Hmm, they talk about Fuego/Pólvora as coming up, so maybe this is Fox. Off the rope evasion, Plata with fireman's escape headscissors. Magnus off the ropes, spinning headscissors looks bad. Magnus charges Plata at the ropes, and Plata lifts him up and flips him over the rope to the floor. Plata to the apron – Asai moonsault. His brother's is slightly better, because Plata ends up on the ground and recovering instead of his feet. Though, it was mostly because he pulled Magnus down with him. Lots of replays. Both in at about the same time. Magnus charges, and Plata throws him down by his head. Plata slaps Magnus down in the corner. Plat sets up Magnus in the center of the ring. Plat to the apron, springboard plancha one two NO. Plat with a headlock, shot off, back with a shoulderblock. Plata kicks Magnus while he's down. Off the ropes, cartwheel, Plata back again, waved by, over Magnus back and back with an armdrag. Both charge, Plata with a quebradora con giro. Plat goes for another, but Magnus stops him with a short clothesline. Chop. Magnus with a corner whip, Plata reveres, Plata charges in, Magnus flips him to the apron, Plata in with a springboard x-factor! One two NO. Magnus misses a clothesline, and Plat easily superkicks him to the apron – but Magnus holds on to the apron and kicks Plata away as he comes to pick him up. Springboard armdrag back in by Magnus, sending Plata out. Some harsh whistling here. Magnus goes for a dive, Plata ducks down, Plata waits for him to get up and kicks him down. Magus runs – senton con giro to the floor! Maybe Magnus’ elbow drop made contact with Plata, but not much more than that. That was insanely harsh. Panther checks on Magnus while we see replays. Plata and Magnus get up on the apron on opposite sides. Magnus charges, Plata moves out of the way, backside. Magnus rolls free, but Plata dropkicks him down. Hooking the leg one two no. Plata can't believe that wasn’t in. Plata seems out of breath. Charge, by Magnus, Plata catches him – Cristo slam. Plata drags Magnus – no, a roll up instead, one two NO. Whistling is back. Plata slowly walking around the ring now. Plata kicks Magnus, double wristlock lift, no, Magnus slips behind, back cracker, a la caballo! That's it.

Fair bit of whistling and boos. Panther raises his arm. Magnus has a spin in place pose, and then walks of as Blue Panther checks on Angel de Plata.