CMLL on Televisa #1037 (07/16/2011) 
Recapped: 07/17/11

Show starts with the opening guys headed to the ring. They're in a hurry.

Match 1: Eléctrico vs Pequeño Nitro in a lightning match
Arena Mexico, 07/08/2011

Winner: Pequeño Nitro
Match Time: 6:22
Rating: fine
Notes: Not so much a hurry that we don't still get clipped entrances and introductions. Ref is Bestia Negra. Clock goes when Bestia Negra points at the screen, not when the whistle blows, that's the problem. Maybe only a problem for me.

Arkangel is with the announcers, to talk about his friend Mini Nitro and to promote his anniversary show. Feeling out period via armbars, with Eléctrico showing off quick reversals. Crowd not huge fans. Is Nitro's shoulder tattoo new? Oh no, the annoying Castrol GTX ads have made their way here. Things pick up with Eléctrico being flipped to the apron and slapped down trying to slingshot in. Nitro runs full speed, and dropkicks Eléctrico hard to the floor. Nitro heads up, does a wacky pose, and then dives off with a plancha. Replays while both guys recover. Nitro goes around the camera side to slide in, and kicks Electico as he steps back in. Slap fight is loud, and for Nitro. Nitro yells his own name. Corner whip, Eléctrico gets his feet up, Nitro pulls him out and backcrackers him. Nitro setting on top to cover, but Eléctrico can easily grab the ropes from there. Nitro dumps Eléctrico in front of the corner and heads up. Nitro stops to pose ion the middle rope, and Eléctrico is up and tripping him before he can moonsault. Eléctrico backs up, waits for Nitro to charge, and turns his clothesline into a short clothesline of his own. Eléctrico looks, off the ropes, under, 'rana try, Nitro shoves him off but Eléctrico flips him to his feet, Nitro clothesline misses, Nitro flips Eléctrico the apron, slingshot 'rana in. Nitro slides out, Eléctrico sets up – wow, near corner tope con giro, don't see many of those. Replays. Eléctrico tries to get back in, but Nitro yanks him back to the floor by his gear and gets in first. Nitro yells, and a small chant break it up. Eléctrico on the apron, Nitro charges into a kick, and Eléctrico lands a springboard dropkick. Electrico covers, but Nitro's all over the ropes. Corner whip, reversed, Eléctrico flips to the apron, springboard dropkick comes up empty. Nitro Running dropkick to the head, one two Eléctrico gets his shoulder up, Bestia Negra counts three anyway.

Bestia Negra immediately tells Eléctrico is was three. There doesn't seem to be the sort of confusion when a pinfall is botched – Nitro stops to say something to Eléctrico while still kneeling on him, but then goes right to celebrating. Morales complains about the call as if it's a rudo cheat rather than a botch. It's very odd.

Announcers talk with Arkangel about his career and anniversary show – it's great he beat Angel Azteca for his mask, because I don't know what else they'd talk about – and introduce the show.

CMLL Cartelera: Arkangel hypes Sunday's show. Looks like they're doing these all at Six Flags, so at the same time as Ras de Lona.

Match 2: Naito ©, Psicosis, Volador Jr. vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Rey Escorpion, Último Guerrero ©
Arena Mexico, 07/08/2011

  1. Team Ultimo Guerrero

  2. Team Naito
  3. Team Naito

Winner: Naito
Match Time: 13:03
Rating: good!
Notes: Rey Escorpion enters before and separate from the Guerreros. Mima is out with Naito. Naito is introduced as part of the No Limit group. That's a one man gang at the moment. Tirantes is ref, which actually seems perfect for this match.

1: Captains start in, though Naito is busy posing and gets shoved down by Guerrero. Naito get up grabbing his arm, so Guerrero puts on armbar on that right arm as they lock up. Naito floats around to a front facelock, and Scorpion rushes in to break it up, then rushes back out faster. Volador comes in to stick up for Naito, but Naito insists on standing. Lockup, Naito waistlock, down to he mat, and Escorpion breaks it up again. The rest of Naito's team comes in, but UG knocks Volador out of the ring with a shoulderblock and goes after him. Chop fight on the floor while the other Guerreros (or close enough) jump the other rudos. Ultimo Guerrero and Volador chop each other into the crowd – those guys must have some issues! They topple over some seats in the process. Volador gets thrown into the post, then dragged up to the stage for a slam. Escorpion kicks and walks Volador up the ramp, taking his time, then whips him back to be tossed by UG into a Dragon Rojo missile dropkick. Naito begs off from all three, but still gets hit. Corner clothesline, another clothesline, senton de la muerte. Naito may be dead. Psicosis is crotched in the middle of the ropes, and Escorpion lands the springboard wheel kick. No one can really sell that in a way that make sit look any good. Escorpion makes up for that by running into a UG monkey flip, turning him into a tope con giro onto Psicosis. Guerreros finishes the other two.

CMLL Cartelera: Mascara Dorada promotes Sunday in Guadalajara.

2: Guerreros still in control. Volador is set up for the flying sit on the apron, and Escorpion lands it without problem. Rudos take turns slapping around Psicosis, but he sidesteps a corner charge and start the comeback. Quebradora for UG, Escorpion kicks him down, Volador gets him with a springboard headscissors, Dragon misses, Naito gets him with a missile dropkick. Stereo tope con giros by the flying rudos, leaving the captains in. Naito duck under a clothesline, lifts UG on his shoulders and spins him to the mat. That was odd, I have no idea how to describe that. Usually I look on wikipedia for Japanese finishers, but this must be too new to be on there. Naito grabs his right shoulder again before getting his arm raised. Volador beats UG in to the second row for no obvious reason.

There's hype for the main event after every break.

CMLL Cartelera: Pólvora hypes Tuesday's show.

3: UG makes Naito take off his shirt for chops, and Naito regrets it. Volador gives him a pep speech. YOU CAN DO IT. Naito slaps UG medium level, and UG slaps Naito hard. Naito can't believe it, but fires himself up and shoves. Crowd boos. Off the ropes avoidance, and UG clotheslines Naito right on his head! Holy crap. Naito might really be dead this time. Don't do that, Naito! It was like he tried the flip bump and really failed. UG high tens his partners, and still has time to wait for Naito to slowly get up. UG chops Naito. Corner whip, Naito kip up and armdrag UG. Naito motions at UG to get up. Crowd not warming up to him. Naito misses a back elbow, UG whips him into the ropes, Naito back with his jumping forearm, and then shakes the top rope. Naito is wrestling much more fan friendly, though the crowd isn't accepting it so far. Naito misses a corner charge, then rushes out into Ultimo Guerrero's quebradora. Naito starts to roll out, stops, and take as big bump off a sliding dropkick. Dragon Rojo and Psicosis in, Psi block a hiptoss and get in one of his own. Rope bounce headscissors on UG doesn’t go well but sends him out, and Escorpion gets monkey flipped and quebradora. “FOUL!” I don't think so. Quebradora for Dragon Rojo, and Psicosis poses in the middle of the ring. Hooray for the Invasor! Volador and Escorpion in, and the técnico crowd actually cheers for him. Shirt off. Chop fight with Escorpion, with Volador sneaking in a couple of left hooks. Volador off the ropes, over, waved by, flipping run, but Escorpion still clotheslines him. He's all fired up. Chop fight. Whip, Volador under a clothesline, back with a armdrag into a headscissors into an armdrag. Out goes Escorpion. UG in. Crowd seems mixed, or at least the chant is. UG misses a clothesline, UG rolls for an armdrag Volador doesn't really do, teeter totter reversal spot, UG waves Volador in the ropes, Volador back with a spinning armdrag. Volador rolls to the ropes, but pulls upa nd poses. Dragon Rojo comes in and wants Volador, but Volador and Naito discuss, and it comes Naito. Dragon Rojo drops Naito with a shoulderblock a and poses. Naito rolls out, but rolls back in while having a conversation with Volador. UG in for Dragon Rojo for some reason. Lots of staring, then Naito points up before slapping UG. UG bulls Naito into the corner an slaps him. Corner whip, UG charge, Naito ducks down, and UG take the knee bump out. Naito ask the crowd what he should do, then heads up. Twisting moonsault to the floor! Volador goes for the Toyota roll on Rey Escorpion, but Rey shoves him off and kicks him to the corner. Escorpion charges, gets flipped to the apron, and Psicosis chops him there. Dragon Rojo boots down Volador, but Psicosis drops with a plancha. Rojo charge, Psicosis boots him off, and pulls him out into a frontcracker. Psicosis covers and Tirantes counts three, while Volador and Rey Escorpion are standing on the top rope (and waiting, because the other two ended up in the way.) Top rope headscissors, three count there, win goes to Volador's team.

Tania talks to Averno and his very yellow shirt. Averno still is pretty sure he's better than La Mascara, no matter what happened with the mask.

Cartelera: Vangelis hypes Tuesday's Arena Coliseo Guadalajara

Lucha Libre Expo hype.

Stellar Moments

CMLL Informa

Everyone (at six flags) talks about the 78th anniversary show.

Match 3: Averno ©, Ephesto, Mephisto vs La Máscara ©, La Sombra, Máscara Dorada
Arena Mexico, 07/08/2011

  1. rudos

  2. rudos

Winner: rudos (2-1)
Match Time: 14:14
Rating: not a great match but a good angle
Notes: Joined with the Avernos beating up the técnicos. Ref is Babe Richard.

1: Looks like Mascara & Dorada have matching masks, and the rudos wish to take those away from them. Mascara Dorada still has his giant head of hair. Mascara still has partially dyed hair. Lots of choking, yanking around the ropes, and mask untying for the first couple minutes. Ephesto does the rebound hiptoss splash onto Dorada. Sombra is held on the apron for an Ephesto dropkick. Mascara spits at Averno, and get kicked for it. Back inside, a Devil's Wing finishes him and the técnicos.

2: Rudos still in charge, and doing a lot of posing. Mascara Dorada is a chalk outline on the ramp. Mascara is able to get the jump on Averno, but the numbers quickly catch up to him. Low blow dropkick there. Corner clothesline, and then the backbreaker/legdrop combo. Crowd chanting for the rudos. Triple boot for Mascara, rudos do the fake dive poses. Dorada in, tripped up and slide out backwards. Sombra takes down Ephesto and punches, but Mephisto breaks it up. Sombra shakes around for every Ephesto chop, then gets monkey flipped to the floor. Mascara finally reverses an Averno quebradora into an armdrag to start the comeback. Other rudos boot him out, but Sombra & Dorada get them with springboard headscissors. Técnicos set up, charge, and do triple dives – two tope con giros and Mascara toping Averno in between, of course. Replays – Dorada went high on that one. Mascara and Averno in, Mascara gets a sunset flip, others try to break it up and are sunset flipped too, everyone kicked out at two. Rudos clear out the other técnicos, and isolates Mascara for a triple faceslam. One two Sombra breaks it up with a springboard dropkick on the entire pile. Ephesto attacks him, and sends him to his partner for a rebound hiptoss. Ephesto adds a senton, and Dorada dives into break it up. Dorada slaps the turnbuckle, then charges Averno – Averno with a release version of the Eurofirca special, that's new. Mascara breaks that pin up with a superkick, gives Ephesto a quebradora, but is kicked in the face by Mephisto. Bodies are down everywhere, but the rudos rally together. Whip for Máscara, triple powerbomb reversed into a 'rana, Sombra and Dorada get the other two with a 'rana and a casadora cradle one two NO. Dorada can't believe that wasn't three. Máscara rallies the crowd. Máscara rips off his shirt and charges Averno. Waved by, back with a headscissors. Averno out, Máscara follow with at ope. Dorada slaps Ephesto, while Sombra sets up Mephisto on the top rope. Dorada charges his partner, who boots him to join Mephisto. Sombra rushes across ring for the top rope moonsault into a standing moonsault, but Ephesto rolls forward to evade, and Sombra belly flops on the mat. Meanwhile, Mephisto has Dorada hook on the top rope, just waiting for Ephesto to catch up to him – shoulderbreaker on Sombra, second rope Devil's Wings on Dorada, both cover, one two three.

Straight falls for the rudos. Averno points out that on the microphone, saying it proves they're better, so they want a title shot. Titles are meant to be defended, so Mascara accepts – but he wants Mascara vs Hair and Mascaras vs Mascara if they win. Avernos are not down with that.

Hype for next week, and announcers wrap it up